Hearing that, Tanner doesn't flinch, not even a bit. He leans back in his chair, his eyes sweeping around the council room, lingering for a moment even on his parents.
The silence stretches long enough to turn uncomfortable, but he doesn't seem rushed.
He lets the weight of the question settle, lets everyone sit with the tension while he works through his thoughts.
When he finally speaks, his voice is calm. Steady. Absolute.
"Well, I appreciate that you are concerned about my child's and your future leader's growing environment, but I want you to worry less," he begins, his tone unwavering. "Because I bet having three fathers who actually love him and care for him deeply, who are willing to give him what's best without conditions or agendas, is the best thing he could ever have."
He doesn't blink. He doesn't falter.
"And just to be clear," he adds, slower now, "I'm not in a side relationship with Kyle. He belongs in our bond."
