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Nocturne stood in the kitchen, barefooted with only black pajama pants as clothing. His hair was an unstyled bedhead disaster but when he was up before the sun, it wasn't going to be much else. Lyric had a morning dance practice and it was his turn to drive her and a couple of the other girls so the parents could sleep in every few weekends. Lucky him. He had to stop being nice for his sister's sake and then he'd be the one still in bed.

Instead he was making a pot of coffee that would soon become a delicious sweet treat. Maybe caramel. That extra sugar sounded nice. He started grabbing the necessary items when he heard a car pull into the driveway. He froze, listening, but it was familiar enough he didn't go into battle mode. A minute later and the jingling of keys and his dad was coming through the door.

"Hey, Pops. Can't decide if I should grab another mug for you or clear the path to your bed. You look like hell," he helpfully pointed out as he grabbed a mug for himself from one shelf and two travel mugs from the one above. This was a two mugs morning.

It was always great to be home, even when his sassy brat of a son was the one greeting him. "You haven't looked in a mirror for a while, I see," he retorted, dropping his duffel bag on the kitchen table. Nocturne frowned at him but Jax assumed that was more for the muddy bag on the table than the comment. Comments on his appearance never bothered his son.

Not even when it came to his damned ink. "Is that a new tattoo?" Nocturne seemed puzzled for a moment, pausing mid-reach, and then cluing in. Jax winced when he was told he got it a couple of months ago while holding his arm out so the sword could be seen clearly. It really had been a long mission but he had somehow managed to trick himself into believing it wasn't. "It looks good, Tigger. Suits you well. And just a black coffee. I don't need any of that fancy crap you two chug."

As Jax pulled out a chair, he heard a bedroom door open and smiled, expecting to see his baby girl. Instead, Cody Park came bouncing out, full of the usual nonstop energy he had no matter the time or activity. He managed a tight smile and nod when the boy greeted him before bounding into the bathroom with his arms full of clothing. Once the door was closed, Jax turned his gaze onto his son and tried not to blast him with a fire bolt. "You let a boy stay the night? In her room?"

Even though he used Tigger as his Starbucks name and Lyric and Cody sometimes called him by it to counter his Piglet and Pooh comments, hearing his Pops say it made him all warm and fuzzy inside. It brought up fond childhood memories and reminded him that he was still someone’s child and it was okay to be. His mom may have left but his dad still loved him, even when he didn’t fully approve of what he did. The tattoos were never about rebelling, which he had told Pops after the first one, but just an expression and a reminder to himself. “Thanks,” he mumbled and grabbed another mug, not that inclined to explain it.

And then Cody chose that moment to appear. It wasn’t the first time he had stayed the night. As kids, he’d stay from time to time and even into their teens Lyric was still allowed to have him over—if he slept in Nocturne’s old room. He rolled his eyes at his dad’s death glare and poured a mug of boring coffee. “It’s Cody, Pops, not just a boy. Besides, he sleeps in bear form when in Lyric’s bed, pressed against her back or sometimes she’s cuddling him like a stuffed toy.” It was true. Mostly. He knew what all the two brats got up to but they’d had that talk long ago and precautions were in place to avoid reasons for their dad to murder any or all of them.

He set the mug down in front of his Pops and started preparing the milk for the fancier drinks and changed the subject. “Lyric graduates in two weeks." Even with helping her prepare for it, it didn't feel real. He needed another year at least before he was willing to accept Lyric was growing up and he wouldn't be needed quite as much. "She got her dress. She wanted to wait to go with you but I convinced her that making it a surprise would be fun since it's hard to tell when you'll be back from assignments." Maybe he was being mean by reminding Pops of the big day and his lack of being around lately but Nocturne hadn't had his cup of coffee yet and was tired. Raising a teenager was exhausting and never something he thought he'd be so hands on for.

"I also made dinner reservations at her favourite fancier restaurant for the night before under her name." Another low blow quietly delivered as he mixed the coffee, milk, and caramel into a heavenly combination. Would it be the brother or the father that would escort Lyric to her special night out and pile gifts on her and exclaim how proud he was? Ideally, it would be both of them taking her out but who could say? The Guardians loved calling in famed hunter Abraham Jackson at the worst times. Nocturne knew he was being unfair--their dad tried hard to make it to the big moments and not miss too much of their lives.

Then again, he was allowed to hold grudges just like everyone else. Pops had been given a lead on their mom and jumped at it without a second thought despite three years having already passed since she left, missing his son's high school graduation. It made him glad that he had only entered a couple of gymnastics competitions when he was younger--less big days to miss. It was why Nocturne had attended every single long and awkward dance recital and dance competition and even baked for and attended fundraisers. Their dad did his best and always filmed her performances and was the definition of a proud papa but he couldn't catch everything.

"I know when my daughter's graduation is," Jax growled in response, still not mollified by the explanation of where and how Cody slept. But he knew his son well enough to know his diversion tactics and the ways he lashed out when in a mood. This was definitely a mood. Was it because of the hour and lack of sleep? Possibly but Nocturne truly wasn't that unagreeable before fully waking up despite how he led some to believe it. The follow up statement about a dress and then a dinner had him sighing into his coffee and setting the mug down on the table where he cradled it.

"I'm home, Nocturne. I will be for a while, the entire summer at least. The Madrid conflict has been resolved and I asked to stay local for a while." He had Lyric's graduation to attend and wanted to spend time with his kids. He missed them, hoped they felt the same, and wanted to arrange with the Parks a time he could rent their cottage. They all needed a break and to get away from city life for a while. Time to recharge with nature and to reconnect as a family.

He got up from the chair and walked around the island counter to stand to the side and back of Nocturne who was facing another counter. He placed a hand on his son's shoulder and felt the way it tensed. It also wasn't like Nocturne to avoid eye contact so much and Jax tried to tell himself it was just because the boy was busy with his morning routine as it hurt less that way. "I'm proud of everything you've done and continue to do, Tigger. But let me be the parent again."

Nocturne nodded and blinked rapidly to avoid crying. He didn't think it wasn't manly to cry, but Pops didn't need to see how messed up he was. He knew himself well enough to know he was spiralling and something stupid would be on the menu soon enough. He chugged the rest of his caramel latte and stepped out of his dad's grasp to go to the fridge. The container of fresh fruit he cut up the night before was pulled out and a bagel was popped into the toaster.

He didn't know what else to say and continued on like a normal morning. "Let's go, Piglet! bagel's down, fruit is out, and I have confidence in your juice pouring abilities. I'm getting dressed and then we're going," he called up the stairs, waited for a reply, and then went to the other staircase leading to his basement apartment. Well, his apartment for a little longer. The original plan was to gift it to Lyric when she turned eighteen but it was going to be part of her grad gift and he'd move back to his old room. She needed her own space and while she wouldn't need him as much soon, Nocturne didn't want to lose her entirely. He'd be a horrible personal guardian if he was fired completely. Hopefully, as exhausting as it all could be, he'd still have a couple more years before Lyric found her footing for her own life. Then he'd get to see who had the harder time letting her go. A glance over his shoulder to Pops before descending the stairs showed the man with his head down and gripping the counter. At that moment, it was hard to tell.