The Balance of Brothers

Canto XVIII: The Great Apology

Dylan had been avoiding Nick all day. The night with Duke and the peanut butter had left him introspective in a way he wasn't used to. For the first time, he felt the faint stirrings of something that might resemble humility. He hated it, but he couldn't ignore it.By mid-afternoon, he resolved to confront his growing realization head-on. He found Nick in the backyard, tinkering with the lawnmower, his usual calm demeanor as maddening as ever."Nick," Dylan said, standing stiffly at the edge of the patio.Nick looked up, wiping grease from his hands. "What's up?"Dylan shifted uncomfortably. "I need to talk to you."Nick raised an eyebrow. "This sounds serious. Should I sit down?"Dylan frowned. "Can you just listen for once?"Nick smirked but said nothing, waiting.---Dylan took a deep breath, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I've been thinking... about everything. About humility, ambition, all the stuff we argue about. And I... I might've been wrong."Nick's expression softened, but he stayed quiet, letting Dylan continue."It's not that I think humility is the key to life or anything," Dylan said quickly, as if to defend himself from his own words. "But I've realized that maybe—just maybe—I've been a little too obsessed with being right. With proving myself. And maybe that's... not the best way to live."Nick leaned back against the lawnmower, crossing his arms. "Go on."Dylan glared at him. "Don't make this harder than it already is."Nick grinned. "Sorry. Keep going."---"I'm saying," Dylan pressed on, "that I've spent so much time trying to outsmart everyone—including you—that I've ignored some... obvious truths."Nick tilted his head. "Like what?""Like the fact that maybe I don't know everything," Dylan admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "And maybe you're not as clueless as I thought."Nick chuckled, shaking his head. "High praise.""I'm serious!" Dylan snapped, though his tone lacked its usual edge. "You've been right about a lot of things. About keeping things simple, about appreciating what's in front of you. Even about humility."Nick's smile faded, replaced by a genuine look of surprise. "Are you actually apologizing?""I wouldn't call it an apology," Dylan muttered, crossing his arms. "More like... an acknowledgment."Nick laughed, the sound light and genuine. "I'll take it."---The two brothers stood in silence for a moment, the hum of a distant lawnmower filling the air. Dylan, feeling suddenly awkward, gestured toward the lawnmower. "What's wrong with it?"Nick shrugged. "Just needs a new spark plug. Nothing major."Dylan hesitated, then stepped forward. "Want some help?"Nick blinked, clearly caught off guard. "You? Helping with the lawnmower?""Don't make a big deal out of it," Dylan said, crouching beside him. "I'm just trying to... you know, be useful."Nick handed him a wrench, his grin returning. "Well, look at you. Humbling yourself one step at a time.""Don't push it," Dylan warned, though there was a faint smile on his lips.---As they worked together, Nick couldn't resist one last comment. "You know, this is progress. Next thing you know, you'll be asking for extra napkins without a second thought."Dylan rolled his eyes but said nothing. For once, he decided to let the joke slide.Later, as they finished fixing the lawnmower and stood admiring their handiwork, Dylan felt a strange sense of contentment. It wasn't the kind of triumph he was used to chasing, but it was satisfying in its own quiet way.Maybe, he thought, there was something to this whole humility thing after all.