#dad!lads

All these years and lives in this universe and he still didn’t understand what to do. Still, he was patient with his child, trying to copy and imitate what you always did to hush the child, or distract them.

“Raising your voice just breaks trust, and causes them to cry even louder, not that you’d ever yell.” You had once teased, cradling your child as his arm was around your shoulder on the couch.

But now, it was just him at home and your wailing child. He tried multiple things to soothe his toddler.

he Tried coercing the kid by playing with toys and putting on a little show, gave them the little baby crackers he once found at a Costco, a humongous box of it just stored in its very own cabinet because of course it was, and he even tried printing out a photo of you and sticking it onto his face.

It didn’t work of course, because his child knew what his mama smelt, and felt like, and though Xavier almost copied it to the bit, it still just wasn’t right.Now, your child was sitting on the floor, fuzzy blue and white onesie and a small blanket placed beneath him, pink cheeks bright red and his eyes glossy as his face was wet and shiny.

Their mouth was wide open as they babbled “mama mama mama.” Xavier didn’t know what to do.He sighed, and lowered himself, squatting down towards his child’s eye level. “Alright glow worm, tell me why you’re crying.” He whispered, even though he already knew why he was crying. “Mama’s missing. Whewe is mama?”

The toddler babbled through tears. Xavier reached out for the baby’s face and brushed his fingers across the dampened chubby cheeks. He suddenly had an idea.“Do you wanna go see mama?”

That stopped the toddler from crying, only tiny whimpers as an answer as they slowly nodded their head. Xavier smiles before outstretching his arms before lifting up his child and standing up.

“Alright, we’ll have to go outside, and get ready. She’s outside waiting for us.” Xavier perched the toddler on a bench, playing and cooing with the little one as he delicately slipped on the tiny sneakers that lit up when his toddler stomped around, a light blue beanie you had crocheted when you were pregnant as you rambled to your husband about how the baby was the size as a grapefruit.

The toddler was in a less melancholy mood, excited to go and see his mama, despite still sniffling. “Daddy? Wha’ awe you dowin’?” The child called out as they noticed him grabbing something from the apartment kitchen. Xavier then came back, with a hand made scarf and a small bouquet of your favourite flowers. “Mama loved these flowers. I want to give them to her.”

The toddler squealed, making grabby hands towards the flowers. “I wanna give flowews to mama two!”

Xavier softly chuckled, picking up with one arm his kid as he maneuvered to open and lock the apartment door. “Last time, uncle Jerry told me you were being silly and trying to eat the flower.” Xavier recalled, squishing the baby’s chubby belly as your kid giggled.

It was evening now. Dusk came earlier these days. The moon and stars were out, following the two late night trekkers with their glow shining on them. Xavier carried the flowers and his child who was humming, still hiccuping, and Xavier hummed along.

It wasn’t a very far walk.

A hill that overlooked the bustling city of linkon city nearby was where you were.

The grass was soft, and the view was breathtaking. Xavier sat down on the evergreen grass and placed his kid on his lap. “This is where mama and I fell in love.” Xavier said, reminiscing the memory of when the two of you held hands together.You looked beautiful in the moonlight, where he noticed how your smile with him was much more different than it was with other people. It seemed more natural. More free. Your hair blew in the wind, and your cheeks were flushed.

Xavier had wanted to confess his love like in a fairy tale, how he fantasized and practiced how it would go. But it didn’t turn out like he wanted to. He blurted “I love you.” Out. You were taken by surprise, and Xavier lowered his gaze, cheeks red. But you cradled his face to make him look back at you. “Do you really?” You whispered softly. Xavier shyly nodded his head, stepping even closer towards you. He looked exceptionally taller and handsome, almost beautiful in a sense.“It feels like the whole world stops turning whenever I’m with you. Like I can slow down, and be Xavier, around you.” Your breath caught before your mouth formed into a sweet smile. “I think… no, I know I feel the same way Xavi. I love you too.” And his memory faded back into reality as he clung onto the last bits of when you kissed him, passionately and soft, much more different than any other time you had kissed him.

He looked back at the creation you and him had made. “Your mama loved this spot.” “When will mama be hewe?” Xavier stroked the white short hair of the little toddler. “Soon.”

A few minutes pass by as Xavier watches the sky. Until he sees it. And he points outward towards it. “Do you see that star, glow worm?” He asks. “That’s mama. She’s up there.” “Why is mama a staw?” Xavier softly laughed.

“One day, we all will leave this earth and we all will become stars. It must have been fate that she became a star earlier.”

Xavier could feel tears prick from the corner of his eyes

.“Hi mama!” Xavier’s child exclaimed, waving.

The star that was named after you pulsed brighter. “Look, she’s saying hi back.” The toddler looked at their dad.

“When can we see mama again?”

Xavier shook his head sadly. “We’ll have to be patient. But she misses us. And loves us.”

And Xavier stayed there until dawn was peeking out.

As his child slept in his arms, he smiled at the star that still stayed there, keeping him company. “I miss you more and more everyday my darling. And it’s not just me.” He whispered finally, before standing up and walking back home.

Your star following him, wherever he went. 

As the scene in the video unfolds, his daughter clings to her mama and sniffles, rubbing her eyes with her small hands. Your hand can be seen in the video removing Atlantis’ small hands from rubbing her eyes and brushing her short purple hair strands off her face before wiping her tears with your palm.

Atlantis’ lips quivered as she needily mewled in the video, “Dada…”

“Dada will be away for some time, Atlantis.” It was your firm voice. 

“Want Dada…....Ayel…....” She rubs her eyes again, still sniffling. “Ayel” was her own way of saying “Rafayel” since she still cannot pronounce all three syllables of her dad’s name yet. Rafayel almost teared up on how his daughter's longingness can be heard from her wobbly voice. He doesn’t want to think about how much pain his baby is going through.

“Ayel.....…Ayel........” Her small hands can be seen on camera tugging on your shirt, begging for her dad. Each utterance of "Ayel" sounded progressively sadder. Rafayel’s heart broke completely. He knows how children tend to seek comfort from their parents during a fever, especially when they feel pain.

You gently caressed her head and kissed her hot forehead to soothe her, as seen in the video. “Dada will be back very soon, love.” 

“Mum…” Your daughter curls up and hugs your chest mellowly as you rock her to sleep and whisper sweet nothings to her ear, the toddler’s yearning for her dad still not satisfied.

When the recording ended, Rafayel’s lips quivered and his chest tightened as he traced his daughter’s face through the screen with his finger tenderly and longingly. How desperate he is to hold her in his arms and coo at her softly to ease the pain and comfort her.

mc: i had to give her one of your clean shirts that had your cologne on them so she could smell your scent. she hugged and held onto it until she dozed off only then she could sleep

Your revelation caused Rafayel’s heart to clench tighter. His homesickness caught up to him too. Badly.

rafayel: in tears rn my poor baby im coming home as soon as possible curse this n everyone i mean it

rafayel: take care of yourself too ok cutie dun starve yourself rest and sleep properly hold on just for a little longer and ill be there with you and our lil cutie

rafayel: ill call later when shes awake i love you please tell her im omw home and dada loves her too ill be by her side 24/7 when i come back i promise

rafayel: hope she feels better soon

mc: sure message me when you're free. i love you come home safely

Rafayel truly did not give a fuck if he had to pay triple the standard travel fee to rush back home to his wife and daughter. Thomas—who was also concerned about his client's daughter, and as a father himself—didn't stop Rafayel from running off anymore when he found out he wants to go back right away because of Atlantis' fever. The overseas exhibition that required him to stay for another day be damned, he could not withstand another day anymore knowing back at home his wife is restless and his daughter is crying out for him and in pain without his presence. Even so, he didn't forget to gather a few souvenirs for the both of you.

***

whoever disagrees that rafa deserves a married + family life w us lk this after everything he's gone through is not safe around me thank you

Which was why walking around at night with Sylus and Elena—your five-year-old daughter, was exactly a casual family outing. Eyes followed you everywhere, but no one dared approach. Not when Sylus was around.

“Are you sure she’s not gonna tear into that thing?” you asked, watching Elena clutch a handful of Sylus’s coat as they walked ahead. whenever you took her out to eat ice cream, she ate so fast she would be complaining about a stomachache.

“She’ll be fine,” Sylus said, amused. He flicked a glance down at your daughter, who was practically vibrating with excitement. “Won’t you?”

“I’m gonna eat it slow,” Elena swore. But you knew that was a lie. Elena was many things, sharp, observant, stubborn as her father—but patient? Never.

You leaned against a bench outside a shop, deciding to let them handle the ice cream mission. The air was thick with the usual N109 energy—danger hidden under pleasantries. You were used to it by now. Used to the way people here either respected or feared you because of Sylus.

But apparently, not everyone in this city had a survival instinct.

“Didn’t expect to see someone like you sitting alone,” a voice drawled.

Your shoulders stiffened before you even looked.

Creep.

You turned your head slightly. Man in his late thirties, leather jacket, smug expression that made you want to break his teeth. He had the look of someone who thought he was important—probably one of the many wannabe gangsters in N109 who weren’t smart enough to realize who you were.

“Keep walking” you said, not bothering to be polite.

Instead of leaving, the idiot laughed. “Come on, no need to be like that. Just saying, a pretty thing like you sitting all alone in a city like this? That’s a bad idea.”

Your fingers twitched. Sylus would kill him. You didn’t even have to do anything—if this guy laid a single hand on you, Sylus would carve him into something unrecognizable before he had time to scream.

But before you could decide whether or not to send the guy off yourself, a small, familiar voice cut through the tension like a knife.

“Hey, ugly.”

Both you and the creep froze.

Then, Elena stepped between you and the man, a little ball of rage wrapped in a pink jacket and a scowl that was all her father.

She wasn’t holding her ice cream anymore. Instead, she had her tiny fists clenched at her sides, Red eyes burning.

The guy actually laughed.

“What the hell—”

Elena kicked him in the shin. Hard.

“Ow—what the—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Elena reached into her pocket, pulled out a bottle of glitter and uncapped it before chucking it straight into his face.

The effect was instant.

“What the—gah! What the hell?!” The man stumbled back, frantically rubbing at his eyes, which were now full of sparkling, pink glitter.

You stared. Sylus’s daughter, alright.

“That’s what you get, idiot.” Elena spat, tiny hands still clenched into fists. “You don’t talk to my mama. You don’t even LOOK at my mama.”

The guy wasn’t listening, he was too busy trying to get glitter out of his eyes, coughing and cursing.

Elena didn’t care. She turned to you, face serious. “Mama, are you okay?”

You blinked, then slowly grinned.

“Oh, I’m great, sweetheart.”

Before you could say anything else, a shadow loomed behind you.

Sylus.

His red eyes flicked from you to the creep—who was still on the ground, wheezing and covered in glitter—then to Elena, who had crossed her arms and was looking at him expectantly, like she wanted him to finish the job.

Sylus exhaled through his nose, then crouched beside the groaning man.

“How about you crawl away before I let my daughter do worse?”

The man scrambled up, still half-blind, and ran.

Elena made a triumphant noise. “Hah. Loser.”

You laughed. Sylus just shook his head.

“She gets that from you,” he muttered.

“She gets it from you,” you shot back.

Elena stomped her foot. “I get it from ME.”

Sylus huffed out a laugh, ruffling her hair. Then he pulled something from his pocket.

A second ice cream cone. mint and chocolate flavored, Your child had such a uniquely bad taste, inherited from sylus dare you say.

Elena gasped. “You got me another one?!”

“You lost the first one defending your mother,” Sylus said. “That deserves a reward.”

Elena took it reverently, eyes shining. Then she grabbed Sylus’s coat and started dragging him forward.

“Come on! Let’s go before Mama finds another idiot to fight!”

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ Caleb

The mall was bustling with activity, but it felt like the perfect escape for you and your little family. The sun was shining brightly outside, casting its warm glow into the large, open space of the shopping center. Noah, your five-year-old son, was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement as he pulled at your sleeve.

“Mom! Look! These are so cool!” Noah exclaimed, holding up a T-shirt with a picture of a superhero on it. His eyes were wide, and his grin was so full of joy, it made your heart swell. You couldn’t help but laugh at how excited he got about even the smallest things.

“Let’s make sure you have enough clothes to last for the week first, buddy,” you said, guiding him over to the racks of shirts and pants, making sure they weren’t too small. Caleb, your husband and childhood best friend, was already a few steps ahead, scanning the store for something that might catch his eye. The way he moved through the store, quick and energetic, was such a contrast to how he was at home—patient, smiley, and filled with protective energy.

You and Caleb had been together for years, and now, as parents, your bond was stronger than ever. Caleb had always been the energetic, charming guy with an almost perpetual smile, but when it came to family, he was fiercely protective—especially of you and Noah.

“I’m going to grab some clothes for myself,” Caleb said with a wink as he turned toward the men’s section.

“Okay, but don’t take too long,” you replied, giving him a playful shove. He laughed and waved as he went off, leaving you with Noah to pick out his new clothes.

After about ten minutes of Noah trying on a couple of outfits—one of them a pair of bright yellow shorts that made you laugh—you decided it was time to go check the changing rooms.

“Noah, go ahead and try those on, honey. I’ll be right outside if you need anything,” you said as you walked him toward the changing rooms. You leaned against the wall next to the entrance, glancing around at the other shoppers while you waited.

You could hear Noah’s soft voice from inside, asking if the shirt he was trying on looked good. You smiled to yourself, knowing that it was probably his favorite part of shopping—getting to see his reflection in the mirrors and be proud of how grown-up he was becoming.

But then, your moment of peace was shattered.

A man, probably in his late thirties, appeared from the corner of your vision. He had an oily, creepy grin plastered across his face as he stepped closer, his eyes lingering a little too long on you.

You immediately felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

“You look like you’re waiting for someone,” the man said, his voice too smooth, too casual.

You forced yourself to smile politely, though it felt fake. “I’m waiting for my son, actually,” you replied, keeping your tone calm.

The man didn’t seem to get the hint. He leaned in slightly, his breath smelling of too much cologne. “I’m sure your son’s adorable, but you look even better.” He chuckled, making you feel uncomfortable.

You took a small step back, hoping he would take the hint and leave you alone. But no such luck. Instead, he stepped closer again, his expression changing to one of false interest.

“So, how about we—”

Before he could finish the sentence, the changing room door slammed open with such force, it made everyone nearby turn.

There stood Noah—his eyes wide, his little chest puffed out, his arms folded across his body like a mini version of Caleb when he was standing up for his family.

“Hey!” Noah shouted, his voice loud and firm. “You leave my mom alone!”

The man’s eyes widened, taken aback by the sudden interruption. You couldn’t help but let out a relieved laugh.

“Noah, sweetheart, go inside, okay?” you called softly.

But Noah wasn’t done. “You hurt my mom, I’m telling my dad. And he’s really strong.” He lifted his chin, his five-year-old voice full of the authority he had definitely inherited from his dad.

The creep smirked. “Oh, yeah? And who’s your dad?” He leaned in too close, clearly not recognizing who he was dealing with.

But before you could respond, a familiar voice rang out from behind the man. “You better take a step back, pal.”

You turned to see Caleb standing there, his smile gone, replaced with that dangerous glint in his eyes that only came out when he was ready to protect his family.

The man froze. The entire atmosphere shifted. Caleb's mere presence seemed to make the creep realize who he was dealing with. Caleb’s reputation as a colonel in the farspace fleet military, a man whose name commanded respect and fear.

“Colonel, right?” the man muttered, his voice shaking as he took a step back. He must have recognized Caleb from his black uniform. Either way, he’d lost his bravado.

“Yeah, that’s me,” Caleb replied, his voice smooth, but the cold edge in it was undeniable. He took a few slow steps toward the man, causing him to flinch. “And if you ever come near my wife again, I will make sure you regret it.”

The man turned and started walking briskly toward the exit, all sense of confidence gone. Caleb watched him leave, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Are you okay, babe?” he asked, his expression softening as he came over to you. He placed a hand on your shoulder, pulling you close.

You nodded, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief. “I’m fine. Thank you, Noah,” you added, bending down to give your son a tight hug. “You’re my little hero, you know that?”

Noah beamed up at you, his smile growing even wider. “I’m just like Dad!” he said proudly. “I’ll protect you, Mama.”

Caleb chuckled, ruffling Noah’s hair before bending down to his level. “You’re more like your mom,” he teased gently, “but I’ll take that. You’re my little protector, huh?”

Noah puffed out his chest again. “I’m strong, just like you, Daddy.”

The proud moment melted into a laugh, the tension from earlier dissipating into nothing. You looked at Caleb, who gave you a reassuring smile before picking up a couple of shirts from the display table.

“Now,” Caleb said, with that familiar twinkle back in his eyes, “how about we get some ice cream to celebrate the fact that we’re all still alive? thanks to our superhero noah”

You chuckled, nodding. “Sounds good to me.”

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀Rafayel

The sun was setting on the horizon, casting a golden hue across the sparkling waters of the private beach. It was one of those perfect afternoons—warm, serene, and untouched by the noise of the world. You, Rafayel, and your little girl, Seraphina, had come to the beach to enjoy the rare tranquility that only a private getaway could offer. The beach, a hidden paradise that sat just behind the villa Rafayel had bought years ago, was the perfect escape from his demanding career as a world-renowned artist.

Rafayel had always been dramatic, always joking around, making you laugh even when you were sure you had nothing to smile about. But that side of him was always reserved for you and Seraphina, the two people who knew him best. Outside of the family, though, he was a completely different person—aloof, and intimidating to most who tried to get close. But with you, his beautiful, vibrant wife, and their daughter, his playfulness knew no bounds.

Seraphina, at five years old, was the perfect mix of both of you. Her eyes sparkled pink and purple, appearance was an exact copy of rafayel's, while her attitude was half like yours. She had inherited many things from Rafayel—his mischievous smile, his artistic temperament, and most importantly, his lemurian merman heritage. The faintest trace of shimmering scales peeked out from beneath the hem of her swimsuit as she darted across the sand, kicking up water behind her.

Rafayel, ever the playful spirit, was already in water, splashing some on seraphina, his laughter light and carefree, as if he had no worries in the world. You watched them both, your heart full.

But, of course, that peace was destined to shatter.

“Mom, look!” Seraphina giggled, pointing at a large driftwood she had found, perfectly shaped like a mini boat. She was attempting to push it into the water, her small hands struggling with its weight.

“Good job, honey,” you said with a smile, nodding in approval. You were about to turn back toward Rafayel when you noticed a figure in the distance—a man walking alone along the shore.

You didn’t think much of it at first. The beach was private, after all. But as the man came closer, you felt a strange unease settle in your stomach. His steps were slow, and his gaze was fixed on you, too focused for comfort.

You tried to ignore the feeling, chalking it up to being overly cautious and pent up from work's stress, But when he got closer and his eyes lingered too long on you, and you instinctively stepped back.

“Hey,” the man called out, his voice low and grating. “You look like you could use some company.”

You forced a smile, tightening your grip on your towel. “I’m fine, thank you.”

But the man didn’t back off. Instead, he took another step forward, closer to you, as if testing your boundaries.

You quickly glanced over to Rafayel, who was still distracted by the waves, unaware of the interaction. Your eyes darted to Seraphina, who was too far away to notice anything amiss. This was your moment to de-escalate the situation.

“I’m really not interested,” you said, your voice calm but firm. “Please leave.”

The man’s grin widened. “Oh, I think you’ll change your mind.” He took another step forward, this time almost too close for comfort. His presence was almost suffocating now, his smile unsettling.

That was it.

Before you could even react, you heard a voice—sharp and clear—cut through the tension like a blade.

“Leave mama alone.”

The man turned toward the voice, startled, just as Seraphina appeared in front of you, hands on her hips, her small frame looking even more determined.

“What—”

Seraphina didn’t wait for him to finish. She raised her arms, her fingers curled as if preparing to cast a spell with her evol. In a moment of pure instinct, she summoned the water from the ocean, sending a wall of waves crashing toward the man with a force that sent him stumbling back into the sand. He sputtered, mouth agape, completely drenched, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“You heard my mom,” Seraphina said, her tone serious, matching Rafayel’s when he was displeased. “Leave.”

The man’s hands flew up in a panicked gesture, clearly shaken by the little girl’s unexpected power. He scrambled backward, tripping on the wet sand, and sprinted away without another word.

You stood there in stunned silence for a moment before letting out a breath of relief. Seraphina had always had a remarkable connection to the ocean, inherited from her father.

You kneeled down to her level, your heart swelling with pride. “Seraphina, you were amazing. Are you okay?”

She smiled brightly, her wide, innocent eyes gleaming. “I don’t like it when people are mean to my mom. I’ll always protect you, mama.”

Tears pricked the corners of your eyes at the simplicity of her statement. Your little girl was so strong and so brave, just like her father.

From the corner of your eye, you saw Rafayel finally turning toward you, having noticed the commotion. His eyes scanned the scene, and when they landed on Seraphina, standing there with her head held high and her chest puffed out, a big smile spread across his face.

“You did it again, little gululu” he said, walking over to you both. He lifted Seraphina into his arms, and she giggled, throwing her arms around his neck. He kissed her cheek, the playful affection in his eyes mixing with a quiet pride.

“You’re my daughter, alright,” Rafayel teased, his voice light and warm despite the tension that had just passed. “You’re just like me" He smiled at you, his eyes softening.

“I don’t know whether I should be proud or worried.”

At that he let out a big teasing pout.

Seraphina wiggled between you both, demanding attention.

Rafayel laughed, holding her close as she nestled into his arms. “Yes, fishy, we will go in the water”

You smiled, looking out at the ocean, the waves continuing their eternal dance along the shore. For a moment, you let the world slip away, allowing yourself to relax in the embrace of your family. Nothing could touch you here—no matter who tried to cross the line.

splash!