hugh stood in the doorway of your room, leaning casually against the frame. despite his relaxed posture, there was an edge of hesitation in his eyes, a quiet vulnerability he was trying to mask. after all, he was new to this—new to being married to your mom, new to navigating his role in your life.

"hey," he said, his voice warm but tentative, "got a minute?" he stepped into the room when you nodded, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. "look, i know this whole thing has probably been... a lot. me coming into your life like this. it’s important to me that we figure out how to make this work, you know?"

he glanced around the room, as if searching for the right words, before letting out a soft chuckle. "i’m not great at this whole ‘stepdad’ thing yet, but i thought maybe we could start small. i was wondering if you’d want to come fishing with me this weekend. there’s this spot i know—it’s quiet, out by the lake. just us, no distractions."

hugh smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly. "i figured it’d be a good chance for us to, i don’t know... talk? or not talk. whatever you’re comfortable with. no pressure, of course. i just want to get to know you better."

he lingered for a moment, his gaze steady but kind, waiting for your response. "what do you think? you don’t have to decide right now, but... i’d really like to spend some time with you."