Flint & Lucas

Flint & Lucas is the family ship between Flint and Lucas from the EarthBound fandom.

Canon
On the night the fire broke out in Sunshine Forest, Flint joined the other villagers in searching for Hinawa, Lucas and Claus. Eventually the twins are found, and Flint finally reunites with them, both of them dashing into a hug when they see their dad. After Flint starts lashing out in response to Hinawa's death, Tessie covers the twins' eyes.

The next day Flints goes to Hinawa's grave, where Lucas and all the other villagers are crowded. Lucas tells Flint that he thought he said anything could come true if they prayed from the bottom of their hearts, evidently wishing that his mom was still alive. Alec wonders then where Claus is, asking Lucas if he knows. Lucas accidentally lets slip that Claus took Flint's knife and went to kill the Drago, resulting in a scolding from Alec for not stopping him. Lucas runs back home, and if Flint visits Lucas again, he only says "...Dad." and sobs.

Three years later, Lucas kneels at Hinawa's grave, remembering the events from three years earlier, and of Flint mourning at Hinawa's grave by his side. All this time, Flint has been searching for Claus every day, and Lucas wakes up to an empty home once again. Lucas goes back to Hinawa's grave to see Flint there. He tells Lucas that it's been a while so he should talk to his mom.

Near the beginning of Chapter 7, Lucas returns to Hinawa's grave, where Nippolyte remarks that looking for Claus and visiting Hinawa's grave is all Flint does anymore. Lucas is Flint's only salvation, and Lucas has become so strong that Flint doesn't need to worry anymore. As per request from Flint, Nippolyte gives Lucas the Courage Badge, a good luck charm Flint treasured since he was a boy.

Lucas doesn't see Flint for a while, except for hallucinations of him on Tanetane Island, which according to Mixolydia, are crafted from inner fears and insecurities. One Flint talks nonsense about Lucas doing something to Hinawa, and himself doing "it" to her, and repeats "it's time for supper". Another Flint threatens to beat Lucas, and a third one says there's no Needle to pull, tells Lucas not to be stupid and says he "oughta pull" him.

Much later, Lucas and his party make it to Porky's room on the hundredth floor of the Empire Porky Building. Along with the DCMC's entrance of destroying the last Porky bot, Flint and other villagers arrive as well. Porky collapses the floor beneath Lucas and his party, where Flint happens to be standing as well, sending them hurtling back down all 100 floors, and landing in the basement. Flint tells Lucas that there's something he's concerned about, and asks to go ahead first. When Lucas agrees, Flint thanks him, and tells him not to ask why, but if he's gone a while and doesn't come back, he can keep going anyway. Far down the path, Lucas stops to see Flint's hat blow away in the wind. He soon comes up upon Flint, who tells Lucas that the Masked Man is Claus. He tells Lucas to be happy because he's finally found his brother.

If Lucas talks to Flint again, he tells Lucas to pull the last Needle, and he'll catch up with him in a bit. After pestering him for a while, Flint guesses Lucas is wondering about his hair, and says it's true that he's "bald as a bean", implying Lucas didn't know before that Flint was balding. Flint is then shocked that Lucas thinks "bald as a bean" is a dumb way of putting it, and wonders when he became such a bitter person. He also says talking to him like that isn't very nice.

During Lucas' confrontation with the Masked Man, he's about to be hit with PK Love Ω, but Flint jumps in front of Lucas, protecting him and taking major damage. The Masked Man attacks again, wounding Flint further. Eventually, Claus comes to his senses, and the battle ends with Claus killing himself. Flint thanks Lucas, and asks him to forgive Claus for being hasty. He asks if Lucas is ready to pull the last Needle, and expresses his faith in him.

Fanon
Out of Hinawa and Flint, Lucas is usually thought to be less close with Flint. Flint's obsession to find Claus and neglect for Lucas during that time suggests that he "preferred" Claus over Lucas. Although, some think it to be more that Flint was blinded by wanting to save his Claus when he couldn't save Hinawa, and consequently neglected Lucas. The Flint hallucination on Tanetane Island led some to believe that Flint was physically abusive towards Lucas in the years after Claus's presumed death. However, others argue that this was probably not true, and the line about Flint going to beat Lucas might have been created from Lucas' memory of when Flint lost it after being told the news of Hinawa's death, and Lucas feared that Flint might lash out again. These characterizations have made it common for Flint in fanfiction to be not a very good parent to Lucas in some way, especially when Hinawa's death happens as in canon.

On the other hand, some think Flint isn't a bad person, he just made a mistake in prioritizing his son with the unknown status over his son that he for sure still had. Yet another variation is that Flint trusted Lucas to be able to take care of himself, which resulted in unintended consequences. Either way, fanworks taking place post-game typically involve Flint trying to redeem himself to Lucas for the years of neglect, and acknowledging that Lucas isn't going to forgive him right away. Flint's remark of "when did you become such a bitter person?" goes to show how much he missed out on Lucas's growth. They have to work to repair their relationship, but they do try to make it better again.

Fandom
FAN FICTION