Steven had never. He had never, ever, ever!

He was embarrassed beyond belief picking up his 14 year old child from the damn police department. Of course he was recognized on sight, of course people recognized him not as a person but as The Savior Of The Universe, and then escorted him to pick up Azalea.

Child Of High Expectations, Child of Savior Of The Universe.

Child Of Lividly Glowing Parent.

Steven sighed and the pink disappeared, but that alone sent a message he wish it wouldn't send. Azalea looked like his kid for sure; they had his eyes (even if they were pink), they were creative and musical like he was, they were a little bit of a smart ass.

Sometimes he loved it. This was not one of those times. "I don't even know what to say to you," He mused tiredly. "What do you think I should say?"

Azalea shifted and tossed their hair. "I think you should take out the big guns and make Stevonnie do it?"

"Damn it, Azalea!" He exclaimed, gripping the steering wheel. "I am doing everything I can to give you the most perfect life I can and you're out–?!"

"I'm sorry!" Azalea started crying and curled up into themself. "Maybe I just wanted you to give a shit for once."

Steven parked the car on the side of the road and sighed. "I hate yelling. I feel awful for making you cry." He pulled them into a hug, then deciding the console was actively bending his ribs, pulled away and did an illegal u-turn. "Don't tell your mom about my driving, she'd kill me."

He glanced over at them hopefully and they cracked a tiny smile. They raised their hand and pulled their index and thumb fingers over their mouth, sealing it and tossing away the key.

He drove until they found a gravel road and gripped the stick shift. Azalea looked over probably to gage if he was going to drop them off and leave them there. He'd NEVER done that, but he and Connie had raised a very melodramatic child.

Azalea wasn't a bad kid, in fact they were incredibly bright and intelligent. Unfortunately, schools don't really calculate smarts based on a massive imagination and creative skill. They were a B student with endless talent that Steven was so proud of. They could sing, they could dance, they were an entertainer in the making. He was doing his Diamonds best to give this child the world.

He didn't know what he was doing wrong and it was breaking his heart. If Steven could be truly, honestly and completely 100% transparent and never feel guilty about it ever, he could admit that Azalea was... his favorite. He loved all his children with all of his being, he didn't have favorites. But Azalea was his. He saw so much of himself in them, so much potential. At certain angles Azalea and their father were twins despite their now blonde shoulder length hair and the pink roots. They had more of their mother's build, and looked way less like Stevonnie than Lucky did, but other than that they were so alike Connie accidentally scolded them with each others' names. Every time his affectionate child ran up to him to ask about stars and planets after picking on their sister, he felt an insurmountable satisfaction with his life.

And then he'd make them apologize dammit, because they'd been acting out so much recently.

"Get out of the car, Z," He coaxed, turning it off.

Azalea looked out at the field of flowers and frowned. "Are you going to kill me?"

Steven was so horrified he burst out pink before he could turn on his phone flashlight to shine on them. "You're going to give your father a stroke. Look up, Z. Climb on the top of the Dondai."

There they sat and gazed up at the stars while Steven tried to formulate the best way to tell Azalea he was going to explode if they didn't quit ending up in situations like this. He'd had to sign papers in their place to get them released and he'd seen them grin a little, like all of this was funny to them.

He exhaled. "What's going on, Z?"

They chuffed immediately and crossed their arms. "Nothing."

Steven turned to look at them. "We could just skip to the punishment part if you want, but I know something must be wrong." He grabbed their hand and squeezed. "Please just talk to me."

Azalea sighed. "Please don't cry, Dad." But he was already tearing up because he had so many feelings for this perfect little demon child and he was upset to think it was maybe his fault. They hugged him and grumbled, "We don't ever hang out anymore."

"What? Azalea we live together," Steven chuckled in disbelief, rubbing their back in the way a parent long accustomed to comforting hugs does. "I mean the twins are a handful and we're–," He leaned back to see Azalea looking up at him sarcastically and he groaned. "I get it: sibling envy."

Azalea pushed away and hopped off the car. "I'm not jealous of them!"

Steven grimaced, realizing that wasn't the best way to put it. "Hold on, back up a little bit... I meant to ask you if you feel a little left out?"

Azaleas arms dropped and they sniffled once. Before they could even start sobbing Steven had them in his arms. They started crying a bit freer and wrapped their arms around his neck. "You and mom aren't ever home! And when you are home you guys are busy with everyone else! You missed my Speech meet and you didn't even ask about it, and– and we always get coffee before school on Thursdays and you've forgotten for seven weeks!"

Steven held them tighter and winced. They were right. When was the last time they'd had their coffee hang out? When was their last Speech Meet? It was Cranston... right? One of the reasons he adored Azalea the way he did was they were so self-assured and confident, even when things weren't going their way. They were a little stubborn and argumentative but he liked to think those were some of his traits too. He'd been so caught up with the commotion that occurred when you walked in to be greeted by a wife, a moody preteen boy, a toddler, twins and sometimes an entire lion.

Steven ran his fingers through their hair. "I'll quit half of my gigs, full refund." Azalea started to shake their head but he cupped their cheeks to stop the motion. "If I am failing you I am going to fix it."

Azalea bear hugged him and they fell into a silence full of their same wavelength. They sniffled and giggled, "How are we gonna get mom to work less? She loves being a writer and having a million kids."

Steven glanced back at his car. Chances were it wouldn't get towed, and he could easily just come back tomorrow. He grinned. "Hey Z, you wanna fly home?"

Their eyes got starry and they squealed. "Yes!"

Steven had long perfected his flying after spending his early and mid twenties without children. Once he hit 26, he'd knocked Connie up five weeks later. Azalea was right; Connie loved stress. She fed off of it until it became motivation and drive. She was like a recycling facility but beautiful and the best mom in the world.

Speaking of that...

Steven knocked on the bathroom window and Azalea gasped. "Wait, I-I don't wanna make Mom feel bad!"

Steven held tight as Connie slid the window open. "You two... are in big trouble if you don't have a damn good explanation for being out until 11:49 on a school night."

Her husband gave her a shit eating smile. "I do, and Azalea would like to have a conversation with you about what the inside of a junior cell looks like."

Connie's eyes snapped to Azalea and they froze. The teen imagined back when their mom was a knight before she got old; a giant woman in armor, magically sword fighting with rouge gems. The look their mother gave them was probably the last one her victims saw before they died.

Then she sighed. "I'm making brownies." Connie tossed down the hand towel she'd been drying her hands with and gave them both a stern look. "You'd better be down there before I am."

It fascinated Steven how calm Connie was when it came to parenting. She'd been terrified she'd smother and drive her children crazy, and while maybe she was a bit of a helicopter parent, so was Steven. She loved her children and was the proudest woman of them all. Her love just translated to a bit tough, where Stevens was gentle.

Azalea turned red and crossed their arms. "Just yell at me now."

Connie drank a bit of her irish coffee she and Steven were supposed to be using for a mini date night, but now they were doing this. "I at least need to know what you did to end up in a cell. You sound like your father."

They shook their head and started to cry all over again, prompting Steven to tenderly pat their head. "I've got it, just cry it out a bit, Z."

He lead Connie to the living room and she popped her hip. "Your children sure have a lot of feelings."

"Your children sure have a lot of recklessness," He teased back with a laugh. It dissipated and he got mad about it all over again. "They were throwing eggs off the dam!"

Connie's jaw dropped in fury. "The damn what?"

"The damn overpass!" He lowered his voice to chuckle and pull her in for a quick kiss. "I love you for getting my jokes. That was like awesome sex."

"I love you too." Connie joined his whispery laughter, then glanced back toward the kitchen. "Throwing eggs off the overpass... I wish I could say I'm shocked we raised a rebel. Did anyone die?"

Steven shook his head. "No one but me."

She huffed. "Police bothered you guys?"

"They say they're feeling abandoned," He confessed brokenly. Connie's face fell into sadness. "I know."

"I can start doing part time for a little bit. I do miss being able to have dates when restaurants are open." She peeked up at him and kissed his nose. "I miss my big Daddy baby."

He laughed and lifted her into the air. "I hate that one so much."

They simpered and walked into the dining room again. Azalea gave them both a wary look. "I could hear you guys, you know. You guys are in love really loud and it's making my ears bleed."

They chuckled and Connie crouched down. "I'm sorry you've been feeling like we haven't been there for you, Azalea." She gave them a small smile and pulled them into a hug. "You're on house arrest unless it's a family affair for the next three weeks. And you're on duty for the after school shift with me and the twins."

In a vividly Steven fashion, they slumped dramatically but didn't put up a fuss. "Ugh. Fine."

"Please don't get arrested again and we'll take you to the movies as a reward we really shouldn't have to give," Steven offered, internally screaming but smiling anyways. "After you're ungrounded."

Azalea nuzzled into Connie's neck and sighed. "Only if we can get popcorn and hot dogs."

"Don't push it, young lady," Their father warned with a kiss to the top of their head.

"Yes, Steven," They replied grinning.

"Azalea Rose!"

Azalea put their hands up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. I'll start not being annoying now."