The Owl House oneshots and other stuff

A lost battle

This is part 3 of You hate the girl I love. If you haven't read the first two parts, that would probably be helpful so you actually know what's happening. Part 2 is Pride Month Day 11. Part 4 is coming tonight y'all so don't worry! Enjoy!

Alador's POV:
"Alador, you need to start taking things more seriously." My wife tells me as we sit at the kitchen table. The kids are asleep, so it's just us.

"What things do you mean?" I ask, genuinely confused as to what she means.

"Oh come on, you know what things. Our children. While I'm off making money for this family, you're letting our children run amuck and do whatever they please. Amity's dating a human, Edric and Emira have been acting out more, this family is falling apart, and you're letting it happen." She replies.

I want to argue that I make money for this family too, that I try my best to keep this family together, but maybe she's right. Maybe I'm not doing enough for this family. Maybe I'm not a good dad. Maybe I'm not a good husband.

"Odalia, I'm sorry. I'm trying my best, I promise. I'm trying to help make money, and I'm trying to be a good father, but maybe I'm not trying hard enough."

"You aren't. I'm sorry to say it Alador but you don't help me out at all. I'm trying to keep up the reputation of this family, but you're not helping. Neither is Amity, which is your doing. She seems to like you best. Maybe if you actually took our reputation seriously, she would too." She says.

She looks so disappointed. I've never liked disappointing people, especially not my own wife. If she's this ashamed of me, I can't imagine what my children think of me.

"I'm sorry I'm ruining our reputation, dear. I really am. I'm trying to do things properly, but again, I'm not trying hard enough. I'll try harder. What would you like me to do?"

"Well for starters, I'd like you to talk some sense into your daughter. Tell her why dating that human is a bad idea. Secondly, try harder to appeal to our customers. They're losing interest and it's not because of me. Third, you can tell the twins to behave. You can't expect me to keep doing this by myself." She responds.

I want to try harder, I want to do what she's telling me, but I can't just tell Amity to stop dating someone she loves. That seems like more of a bad father move than ruining our reputation in my opinion.

"Dearest, I can't do that. Amity really loves that human. It would be cruel to just tell her to stop." I say, getting nervous.

"Cruel? Alador, what's cruel is that you're letting her do this. You're letting her ruin her own life. She won't listen to me when I try to tell her about what she's doing to herself by dating this girl. She'll listen to you, but you're not doing anything. You say she loves this human? You think she'll be unhappy if she has to break up with her? Imagine how unhappy she'll be when she gets mocked, when her whole family gets mocked, just because she wanted to date some lousy human girl. She'll be miserable, surely, and it'll be your fault for not stopping this."

"Odalia, no. Sure, our reputation is important, and helping Amity keep up this reputation is important, but this is too far. I'm not doing this to her. I can't. She should be able to love whoever she wants to, whether they're human or not. As long as she's happy, I'm okay with our reputation being a little messed up. It'll ruin her life more if we take away the girl she loves than if she gets mocked for loving her. This isn't right. You're not right, I'm sorry."

I've forgotten all about dissapointing Odalia. I'm getting angry, and so is she.

"You said you would try to be a better father! You said you would try harder, but you're not listening to me! You're letting Amity ruin her own life! If she's unhappy, it's going to be your fault for not doing something!" She yells, standing up. I stand up as well.

"She's not going to be unhappy because I let her love who she wants! This isn't my fault! If you want me to try harder with this family, then maybe you should try harder, too! Stop worrying about how we look to other people and start worrying about the happiness of our children! This isn't a good environment for them. You're not trying hard enough either! It's not just me, Odalia!"

"YOU'RE RUINING OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES! YOU'RE A BAD FATHER!" I had so much more to say, but all of it left my mind after Odalia said that.

I love my children. I want them to be happy, and I am trying so hard to do that, but Odalia's right. I'm doing it the wrong way and I'm ruining their lives.

I don't spend enough time with them, I'm not trying hard enough, I'm a bad father. I'm a bad husband.

After a few seconds of silence, I start to walk away.

"Where are you going? I'm still talking to you!" Odalia calls after me.

"I'm going to bed." I say quietly, walking up the stairs. I'm an awful person. She's right.