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The topic had started over dinner. Nowadays both usually fled to their rooms while eating meals, c00lkidd typically eating while playing on his computer and 007n7 isolating in the living room while watching a show or working on his laptop. The kitchen table had become more of a bench to store things on; a few tools, random garbage papers, a dirty dish 007n7 swore he told c00lkidd to go wash 4 times that week (with the child always responding with "Later!"), etcetera. However today, the rare occasion came on a Saturday evening where the table had space for 2 on it, and the family sat together.
"How's Bluudud? You two still close?" 007n7 asked, not sure what to say. He didn't want to ask about school for the 50th time, c00lkidd ended up getting really upset at that, "You only care about how I do in school! Do you only care about my grades?!". That had been a bad day, but 007n7 also got closer to his son. The kid was struggling with the typical teenage angst and stresses he remembers he thought were just as unique and life-altering at that age.
"Yea, I was just playing this game on call with him. It's this RPG based on the old swords of the heights myth. It's pretty fun. We can't beat this one guy though, but Bluu wants the card that drops from him really badly."
"Mhm, well best of luck."
"Yeah."
c00lkidd really had grown. 007n7 remembered when he was younger, how his parents always fussed that he grew up too fast, and how they remember when he was little and wished for that back. He thought it was stupid. Then again, he also thought he'd never be a parent and that he despised kids. He couldn't relate more to their words currently. For Telamon's sake, the kid was taller than him! Taller! For the longest time, c00lkidd's height had been stumped, to say the least. Then over the course of a few random weeks last November, the child grew at least a metre and a half. Demon puberty was weird and c00lkidd was going through it.
"Dad?" c00lkidd asks.
"Yes kidd?"
"Do you have any of your older stuff from college or high school?"
An...odd question, "I don't think so...I think I donated a lot of it."
"Aww...also do you still know how to dye hair?"
"Nope, Noli always did it for me. Why do you ask?"
"Soooo, you think we could get them to dye my hair?" the child peered over the table with puppy eyes and a big, pleading smile.
Which was completely dampened by his father's blunt response of, "No."
"Why nottt?"
"I read your school's policies, I'd rather not have to argue with Lemon something or whatever her username was on the phone again. She was a bitch alright. No dyed hair."
"...uhm-" c00lkidd was scraping the bottom of the barrel for excuses, "pleaseee?"
007n7 let out a sigh, "Maybe on the summer holidays, kid," c00lkidd huffed, and rolled his eyes, "Hey, don't give me that attitude."
"Yes dad..." he mumbled.
===
c00lkidd decided to hang out with Noli on that Sunday, which 007n7 was fine with. They were good company for the kid, even if they taught him things that were more along the line with crime then life skills.
The front door opened and 007n7 could hear the footsteps of his son, along with what sounded like lots of rattling. He turned his head up from his laptop to get a look and-
The kid's red hair was splotched with black streaks and seemed glossy with hair spray. He was wearing a band t-shirt 4 sizes too big and skinny black jeans with chains dangling from the sides. A few too many bracelets clung to his arms. Was that black eyeshadow too?
“c00lkidd! What did I say about hair dye?”
“No it’s fineee!”
“No it isn’t I told you no.”
“But Noli said yes!”
“Really, Noli did? If you’re lying to me right now I-”
“Relax,” a smooth, slightly glitchy voice radiated from behind c00lkidd, and in came Noli, “I got the kid like this, don’t put it on him.”
Noli too had seemed to have gotten a make over. All the frills and opulence of godhood changed to something 007n7 found painfully familiar to their younger years.
“Really, you too? What happened to the whole ‘oh I’m the god of the void and everything and nothing’ look?”
“Just need a change of pace every once in a while, nothing wrong with that! I have some spare clothes and hair dye if you want.” they shrugged.
“No! I’m not showing up to my job looking like I just went to a house party!” 007n7 exclaimed.
“Hear that c00lkidd? Sounds like your father is L-A-M-E.” Noli whispered but in a tone loud enough intending for 007n7 to hear it. The child giggled.
“Oh god he- Noli you know-”
“Looks exactly like a mini you! I showed him photos too!”
“You’re kidding.”
A smug smile.
“Noli. You are dead to me.”
“Aww? No I love you too my darling? No Noli’s the best person ever?”
“I will dig your grave myself.”
c00lkidd snickered at the adults' antics, but 007n7 caught on quickly.
“Don’t think you’re off the hook either young man. If I get a call home tomorrow because of that hair you’re grounded and I’m cutting it again.”
Noli laughed, “You? You used to cut his hair?”
“Back when he was like 5, cut me some slack.”
The child swung his head in his hands, “Dad please don’t-”
“Actually Noli,” a small grin erupted on the father’s face, “why don’t I show you?”
“DAD NO!”