By the ti Gael and Haley arrived at the Dunphy house, the sll of smoke had already reached the driveway.
"That feels concerning," Gael said while parking.
Haley was already climbing out of the car.
"You think?"
They walked inside to find the dining room in complete chaos.
One side of the table had partially collapsed.
A chair lay upside down nearby.
And Phil stood in the middle of it all, holding a power drill like a man emotionally abandoned by physics.
Claire looked exhausted.
"There you are," she said imdiately upon seeing them. "Please take that away from him."
Phil pointed defensively with the drill.
"The table attacked first."
"It's furniture, Phil."
"Exactly what it wants you to think."
Gael failed to suppress a laugh while taking the drill from Phil carefully.
Luke appeared from the hallway carrying chips.
"Dad almost set the curtains on fire."
"I was innovating," Phil argued.
"You plugged a heater into an extension cord wrapped in duct tape," Alex corrected from the stairs.
"In hindsight," Phil admitted, "that was ambitious."
Haley buried her face against Gael's shoulder, laughing.
God.
Every ti he thought this family couldn't beco more chaotic, they sohow evolved.
Gael crouched beside the broken table while Claire stood nearby with her arms crossed.
"Can it be fixed?" she asked.
"Probably."
Phil brightened instantly.
"I knew he was the chosen one."
"You say that about anyone under thirty who understands electricity."
"That's because they possess forbidden knowledge."
Gael shook his head, smiling while examining the broken support beam.
Honestly, he didn't mind this anymore.
It felt normal.
Comfortable, even.
Haley sat on the kitchen counter nearby, watching him work while occasionally throwing sarcastic comntary at Phil.
Claire moved around the room collecting scattered paperwork from the table collapse.
The house buzzed with overlapping conversations and movent like always.
Alive.
That was the word for it.
This house always felt alive.
"You know," Claire said while passing behind Gael, "most people would've stopped answering our calls by now."
Gael glanced up briefly.
"Too late. I'm emotionally invested."
Claire laughed softly at that.
Not the polite kind.
The real one again.
It happened more around him lately.
That tiny unguarded laugh she only seed to let out when she forgot herself for a second.
Gael noticed it every ti now.
Which probably ant he should start being careful.
Haley noticed the brief exchange too.
Mostly amused.
"You know what's weird?" she said while swinging one leg lightly from the counter.
"That sentence has never improved my life."
"My family acts like you've been here for years."
Luke pointed dramatically from the living room.
"He's basically one of us now."
Alex looked up from her book.
"That's either wholeso or deeply concerning."
"Both," Claire answered imdiately.
The word landed strangely warmly in Gael's chest.
One of us.
Nobody in either life had ever really said things like that to him before.
Not sincerely.
People admired him.
Wanted things from him.
Used him.
But belonging sowhere?
That was newer.
Gael tightened the final screw beneath the table before standing.
"Okay," he said. "Try not to wage war against this one."
Phil placed a hand over his chest solemnly.
"No promises."
Claire inspected the repaired table carefully before looking back toward Gael.
"You're officially my favorite person this week."
"That sounds temporary."
"Probably," she admitted.
Still smiling.
For a second, her eyes stayed on his a little longer than usual before Haley hopped off the counter and wrapped both arms loosely around Gael's waist from behind.
"There," Haley announced proudly. "My boyfriend fixed your marriage."
Claire blinked once.
Then laughed despite herself while Phil looked deeply offended.
"Our marriage was never threatened," Phil argued.
"The table disagrees," Alex muttered.
Gael felt Haley's chin rest lightly against his back while she smiled against his shirt.
Simple affection.
Automatic now.
He covered one of her hands absently with his own without even thinking about it.
Claire noticed that too.
Not in a loaded way.
More often, parents notice when a relationship quietly becos serious.
And honestly?
That realization affected her more than expected.
Because for the first ti in a long while, Haley looked genuinely settled with soone.
Not performing.
Not chasing attention.
Not acting impulsively.
Just happy.
The thought stayed in Claire's mind longer than she expected.
"Since nobody died," Phil announced loudly, "this deserves celebration. Family movie night."
Luke cheered instantly.
Alex looked horrified.
"No. Last ti Dad picked a docuntary about competitive bird ownership."
"It was inspiring."
"It was deeply upsetting."
Haley groaned dramatically.
"If we stay, Luke's choosing snacks and Dad's choosing movies."
"Counterpoint," Phil said proudly. "Popcorn."
Gael looked down at Haley.
"You staying?"
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"You say that like you're leaving."
He smirked faintly.
"I had plans."
"With?"
"You."
That smile appeared on her face imdiately.
Quick.
Bright.
Real.
And suddenly, Haley looked much more interested in leaving than in movie night.
Unfortunately for them, Claire noticed instantly.
"Oh no," she said while pointing between them. "That's the face."
Haley blinked innocently.
"What face?"
"The 'we're pretending we're not leaving together in five minutes' face."
Phil looked delighted.
"Oh good, I still understand young people."
"No you don't," Alex answered imdiately.
Gael laughed quietly while Haley grabbed his hand.
"Co on," she said. "Before my family traps us here."
Phil pointed after them dramatically as they headed for the door.
"I expect details about your mysterious young person activities!"
"Absolutely not," Haley called back.
Outside, warm evening air wrapped around them as the front door closed behind them.
Haley looked up at Gael while still holding his hand.
"You know what's dangerous?"
"What?"
"You fit into my life way too easily."
Gael looked at her for a mont before answering quietly.
"Yeah."
That was exactly what scared him too.
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