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"I'm honestly surprised you're not dads already." Gem says with a laugh.
Impulse and Skizz look at each other for a moment, Leo tucked to Skizz's chest and hidden from view.
"What? What do you mean?" Skizz asks with a laugh. "Like is this a breeding like rabbits situation or…?"
"I mean kinda but it's more like you've always acted like mine and Grian's dads." She says with a shrug.
"Still a bit confused about what you mean, Gemstone."
"That!" She points at Skizz now, grinning ear to ear. "Like that! No one gives someone a nickname like that unless it's paternal!"
"But he gives nicknames to everyone." Impulse notes with a chuckle.
"C'mon, don't you see it? Most of his nicknames are something silly, but mine is something adorable!"
Skizz sighs, shaking his head. "Still don't see it."
"Okay what about with Soup Group, Impulse?" Gem goes next. "What about when Pearl and I both got sick at the same time and you stayed with us? Or when we went to your place for Girls’ Nights—"
"You had Girls' Night without me?" Skizz yelps to Impulse.
"You weren't on season nine, remember?" Impulse says lightly, his tail flicking in false agitation.
"So? I was still invited over for dates!" Skizz complains again.
"Can you stop being gay in front of me? I'm trying to prove a point!" Gem interjected with play annoyance. "But anyways, with Girls' Night you'd braid our hair and sometimes tell us stories like— like they were bedtime stories, Impulse!"
"I guess you have a point there, but the one about when you were sick was just a friends thing." Impulse says with a shrug. "I'd do it for anyone."
"Bdubs was sick at the same time and you barely visited them." Gem points out blutntly.
"Still don't fully see it." Skizz says as he holds Leo against his shoulder, patting the baby's back gently.
Gem groans loudly, lolling her head back as she does. "How can you not? I'm basically your oldest kid!"
She then points to Skizz, almost making the angel jump as his feathers puff out. "Don't even get me started on you!"
"You already did with the nicknames!" Skizz shouts back with a smile.
"No, I'm talking about you always trying to get me into watching the old things you watch."
"C'mon, everyone does that!" Skizz says as he rolls his eyes. "That can't just be a me-thing, right?"
"Never in my life have I been recommended something in the same way as I've been recommended stuff by you."
"If we're talking about Princess Bride, it's a good—"
"Yeah I know! You sent me a DVD box with a disk!" Gem is almost on the brink of cackling out her lungs. "You even demanded we watch it together!"
"C'mon, that's normal!" He turns to Impulse then. "That's normal, right…?"
"I don't have a DVD player!" Gem shouts.
"Hey! They're still good if you just keep them in good condition!" Skizz objects.
Leo starts crying then, finally seeming to have enough of the back and forth between the two.
"Shit, sorry, Lovebug." He whispers, swaying from side to side as his voice turns all to gentle. "Sorry if daddy woke you, I'll be quieter next time."
Impulse shoots Gem a glare, looking more instinctive than anything else.
The baby quiets down after a moment, peacefully resting in Skizz's hold once again.
"Okay, we gotta keep our voices down." Skizz whispers, holding a finger against his lips.
"There's this too." Gem adds. "You're gentle and kind with me like I'm an upset kid. But not in a patronizing way, more in a paternal kinda way."
"It's just the way I look after people." Skizz shrugs.
"Look at how you treat Leo then how you treat me!" Gem blurts finally. "See how you hold him? You've held me in a similar way before. You've done it to Grian too!"
Skizz sits silent for a moment, simply trilling to his son before sighing. "Fine, I think I get your point…"
"Finally!" Gem says as she throws her fists in the air.
"It's kinda funny though, I think I've always wanted to have a daughter." Skizz says fondly. "You wouldn't mind being that, would you?"
"No, I don't think I would." Gem says gently