Chapter Text
Cole snored as he slept like a log, exhausted after a hard day on the job. He was a construction site co-manager, in charge of building a new mall just two more out from their cozy suburb home. It was tough but a necessity. It was great finally having a day off which means he can sleep in all he wants…
“Pops. Hey dad!” A small figure climbed into bed, across the lump curled into his side on the right, making them groan. “Come on dad! Wake up!” Small hands smacked his cheeks and Cole groaned, peering an eye open.
“What is it Lloyd?” He mumbled, looking at the 8 year old with his blond bowl cut and big, bright green eyes.
“Daddy says it’s your day to drive me to school.” He says with a grin, revealing a gap between his teeth from where he lost a canine tooth recently.
“No way. It’s Jay’s day…” Cole groaned, closing his eye again.
“Not so fast Cole. I dropped him off yesterday. Today’s your day. You promised Zane too, remember?” Jay murmured from his left, peering a blue eye open then reaching up to ruffle their son’s hair.
“Quit it pops!” Lloyd huffed, smacking his hand away from his hair. “Come on dad! If you sleep in, we’re gonna be late!” He says, lifting Cole eyelid open to look at his brown eye then his green.
“Alright, alright already.” Cole groaned then picked him up off his chest as he sat up. “Where is your Daddy anyway?” He asked, setting him down so he could stretch and yawn.
“Making breakfast. He sent me to wake you up. It’s pancake day!” Lloyd grinned then squirmed off the bed and running out of their room.
“Hmm? Pancakes?” Kai mumbled from Cole’s right as he lifted his head, revealing a mop of brown hair.
“You heard the kid. Time to get up and out big guy.” Jay says as he sat up, wrapping his arms around Cole’s thick, muscled one as he laid against his shoulder.
“I can hardly do that when you’re clinging to me like that.” Cole says drily but pecked Jay’s lips once he tilted his head up for one.
“I want sugar too.” Kai mumbled and Cole chuckled before leaning down and pressing a kiss to Kai’s 5 o’clock shadow before pausing.
“Shouldn’t you be at work by now?” Cole questioned and Kai only burrowed more into bed.
“Nah. Shade and I swapped shifts.” He mumbled into his pillow.
“Uh- didn’t you say that was for next week? You know? The 15th? Today’s the 8th.” Jay reminded, peering over at him.
Kai laid there for a moment.
“Oh fuck!” He yelled as he shot out of bed, rushing into the bathroom.
“That’s $10 in the swear jar!” Cole called after him as Jay snickered into his shoulder.
“You’ve got somewhere to go too. I’m gonna see if I can get Zane to make chocolate chip pancakes.” Jay says, slipping out of bed and grabbing his robe along the way.
Cole watched him leave as he slipped it on before getting to his feet with a yawn, heading out to use their spare bathroom. So much for sleeping in…
Jay headed down the stairs then through the living room. He then paused at the kitchen entry to see Zane cleaning up Lloyd’s face where blueberry stains lingered around his mouth and on his cheeks. He was even wearing one of the pink frilled aprons he loved so much. Today he was wearing the one Ki bought him that had red hearts in the design.
“Messy, aren’t you. You’re just like your fathers.” Zane says fondly, gently cleaning Lloyd’s face. “There. Nice and clean.” He says, pulling back and cupping his cheek as he grinned at him.
It brought warmth into Jay’s heart. He more than the rest of them had major doubts about taking on Lloyd so early into their relationship, when they didn’t know what they were, what they would all become. But four years have passed since Lloyd’s father died and three since their mentor, Lloyd’s uncle followed. Lloyd was put in their care since his father’s death since Mentor Wu was not only ill but was well into age. It was a tough time. None of them thought they had what it took to be parents. Zane never knew his mother and was orphaned at a young age. He was forced to face the memories, the emotions he felt towards his father to become the great parent he was today. They all had to. Jay was the only one with good experiences parent wise, even though he was adopted but he doubted himself. He was the goof who couldn’t take anything serious after all.
They almost broke apart several times but then they would look to Lloyd, a child with no living family, a child who needed them and they pulled themselves together, worked through it. For him. Then for themselves. He was the best thing to happen to all of them. In fact, if it wasn’t for their lovable, mischievous son, they would never had been together like this. Together and happy. While they all missed Garmadon and Wu, they would live on in their honor and take care of Lloyd. Not because they had to. But because they want to. He was theirs.
“How long do you plan on standing there?” Jay jolted to reality to find Zane inclining his head towards him as he flipped pancakes.
“I don’t know. You and the squirt make a nice picture.” Jay says with a grin, walking in to wrap his arms around his waist, pressing a kiss against the back of his neck as he tipped.
“I’m not a squirt!” Lloyd huffed and both fathers looked over at his adorable pouting face. “Daddy says drinking milk helps bone grow so I drink lots everyday! I’m gonna become way taller than you are!” He says, sticking his tongue out at Jay.
“Ah but that’s in the future. For now, you’re a squirt.” Jay says, walking over to where he was seated around the kitchen island.
Lloyd huffed, looking away.
“Jay…” Zane sighed, placing a hand on his hip, looking at his lover in disappointment.
Jay only grinned back at him before turning to Lloyd.
“But you know, being a squirt isn’t all that bad…” Jay hummed and Lloyd looked at him suspiciously.
He yelped once Jay swung him up off the chair and onto his shoulders.
“If you weren’t a squirt, I couldn’t do this!” Jay grinned, walking around the kitchen as Lloyd giggled, gripping his hair.
“No fooling around in the kitchen Jay.” Zane says fondly, returning his attention to breakfast.
“Aww…” Lloyd pouted as Jay set him down.
“You heard your mom- er, dad.” Jay says with a sheepish grin once Zane shot him a glare.
“No time to talk. Gotta go.” Kai says as he hastily swept into the kitchen, heading straight for the fridge while adjusting his security uniform.
He’s currently a security guard at the museum in the city and while he found the museum itself utterly boring, some of his highschool friends worked there as security guards as well. Such as Shade, Paleman, Ash, Tox and Gravis. Gravis actually worked in the space exhibit but he’s around often enough that they could always chat things up.
“The old man mixed up his shift.” Lloyd told Zane once the blond looked confused.
“I thought I told you not to call me that? I’m literally the second youngest one here!” Kai huffed, taking out his lunch Zane set overnight.
“Whatever you say old man.” Lloyd says, beaming once Zane set a stack of pancakes before him.
“Honestly.” Kai grumbled then zipped his bag up. “I’ve gotta go.” He says then kissed Lloyd’s, Jay’s then Zane’s cheek, snatching a pancake as he all but ran out, only pausing to peck Cole’s lips.
“He’s something else, isn’t he.” Cole says with a smirk as he walking into the kitchen, hearing the sound of a bike pull out outside.
“That he is.” Zane mused, setting down another stack for Jay and Cole then himself.
“Krux is a real jerk though. Hopefully the others covered for him or else Krux might put in a bad word and get him transferred. Again.” Jay says as he took the maple syrup away from Lloyd before he empties the entire bottle.
“Nah. Krux may not like the younger generation but he and Kai share a hated for technology. He won’t let him go just to get someone else like his brother Acronix.” Cole says as he began to eat.
“I met them once when I tagged along for Lloyd’s field trip to the museum a month ago. They… Weren’t the most pleasant people.” Zane says, setting down a mug of coffee for Cole, a glass of orange juice for Jay and a glass of milk for Lloyd.
He smiled once he collected a kiss on the cheek from each of them (Lloyd insisted on kissing his unkissed cheek because of dad cooties) then sat down with his own cup of Jasmine tea.
“Anything exciting going on at work today Jay?” Zane asked to make conversation.
While Zane himself was a stay at home father through choice, he did also have a job, working as an online tech support for Borg Industries. The hours are flexible and Cyrus was a friend of them all through Pixal whom they befriended in college. Jay also worked in Borg Industries as apart of the engineering team. While Mr.Borg may have offered them both jobs as a friend, they also had the qualifications and skill necessary. They excelled at it.
“It’s mostly classified but we’re almost done with the prototype for the Borg hover car.” Jay says proudly.
“Oh? Good job.” Cole mumbled around his pancakes.
“Don’t talk while eating dad.” Lloyd says, his own mouth full of pancakes.
“Look who’s talking!” Cole says after swallowing.
“Guys, please.” Jay says and of course- his mouth was full too, making them all laugh.
All except Zane.
“Boys.” He says firmly, giving them all a scolding look and they became sheepish.
“Sorry.”
_____________
“Shotgun!” Lloyd yelled and hopped into the front seat of their 3 year old BBV (Borg Beta V).
“You do realize there’s no-one else coming to take shotgun, right? And your booster seat is there for a reason… Right?” Cole says, amused as he slid in the driver’s seat.
“Shh. Let me dream dad.” Lloyd says, closing the door then buckling up.
“Dream away kiddo.” Cole says with a chuckle, buckling up as well.
“Seat belts! So we can be safe!” Lloyd yelled once he did and Cole huffed.
“That’s the point, yes.” He says then started the engine and pulled out of the driveway.
They waved at Jay and Zane standing by the door before driving off.
“We’re going on a trip-”
“Oh god Lloyd please. I don’t want to have that stuck in my head again…” Cole groaned, cutting him off.
“Alright.” Lloyd says and Cole glanced at him suspiciously.
There was silence.
“EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!! EVERYTHING IS COOL WHEN YOU’RE PART OF THE TEAM! EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!!” Lloyd sung at maximum volume and Cole would have smacked his face into the steering wheel if he didn’t value his and their son’s life.
“Well. If you can’t beat them, join them.” Cole shrugged.
“EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!! WHEN YOU’RE LIVING OUT A DREAM!!!”
By the time they pulled up to Lloyd’s middle school, they were wheezing with laughter.
“Alright, alright. Fun’s over. Time for school.” Cole says once he caught his breath.
“Ok. See you later dad.” Lloyd says as he unbuckled himself then hopped out.
“See yah kiddo.” Cole says with a fond smile, handing him his lunch bag.
Lloyd took it with a grin then closed the door and ran off to meet up with his friends Brad and Gene. They were his bullies in the beginning of his first year here but let’s just say… Zane can be very scary when he’s pissed off. Now, they were tightly knit friends. Cole waited until they walked inside the school building before pulling out, returning home. By the time he returned, Jay was there, waiting for the car, somehow already dressed and ready for work in the short time he left.
“She’s all yours.” Cole says as he slipped out of the car, leaving the keys in.
“Thanks Rocky.” Jay says, pressing a kiss to his stubbled jaw before slipping into the car.
“Looks like it’s just you and me today, daddy.” Cole says with a wink.
“Ugh. Cole please.” Zane says with disgust, heading in as Jay pulled out.
Cole paused, rethinking his words before grimacing in disgust.
“Ok, not the best choice of words…” He says as he followed after him.