A Night With Father – Sylus and His Three-Year-Old Son, Cassian

~~

The mansion was silent except for the faint ticking of the grandfather clock. Sylus sat at his desk, reviewing reports from Onychinus operations, when a soft shuffle broke the silence. He glanced up, crimson eyes narrowing as a small figure peeked around the cornerhis three-year-old son, Cassian, still in his tiny pajamas, clutching a stuffed crow.

Sylus exhaled sharply. “You should be asleep.”

Cassian blinked up at him, unbothered by his father’s usual cold tone. "Mommy's not here."

Right. His wife was out for the night. Sylus had agreed reluctantly to watch their son. He had assumed the boy would sleep the entire time. Clearly, he had assumed wrong.

Cassian waddled closer, dragging his stuffed animal behind him. He reached up, silently asking to be lifted.

Sylus hesitated. No one asked him for anything they followed orders. Yet, his son expected nothing but warmth, as if he didn’t know who his father was.

With a sigh, Sylus picked him up, settling the boy onto his lap. Tiny fingers patted his blazer, fascinated by the texture.

"Crow," Cassian mumbled, touching the brooch.

Sylus smirked. “Crows don’t sleep either.”

Cassian yawned, eyes drooping. Sylus sat motionless as the child curled against him, warm and fragile. He could have put him back in bed, but for once, he didn’t move.

Instead, he let Cassian rest against him, fingers absentmindedly stroking his silver hair.