If Marco Diaz could choose a time he could go back to, it would be the summer of '15. The time when he first met her. Things were uncomplicated back then. They were just teenagers. Well, Marco was just a teenager. Star was just a teenaged magical princess from another dimension.

They were unquestionably friends – practically attached to the hip. Marco did not ever think that a girl like her, let alone a Mewnian royal would become his best friend and…something more.

He reached for a framed picture on his desk, feeling a painful twist in his chest as a thumb traced over said blonde's wide smile. Before he could inspect the picture further, he set it face-down and cleared his throat.

Years have passed and he still could not bring himself to even look at her. Not a day goes by when he doesn't feel his hand twitch involuntarily to his phone to see if she had left him a multitude of messages. Not an hour passes where he goes without glancing at his watch and mentally calculating the hours left before he could return home. Home to her. But that wasn't the case anymore.

"Mr Diaz?"

The voice startled him and he straightened his back, pulling his face to its characteristic frown.

"Yes, Luke?"

"Someone's here to see you.'

"Who is it?"

His research assistant's face flushed and a dimple formed on the corner of his smile. Marco rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation.

"Let him in."

The door closed firmly behind Luke, but Marco heard his assistant's flirty comments. Finally, after a promise of a coffee date, the door opens with Marco's guest.

"I thought I told you not to come here. You distract the staff."

The well-suited man before him pretended to be offended by his comment and only slugged the last of his ridiculously expensive soy chai latte.

"Aw come on man. I came all the way from the Underworld to see you!"

Marco only gave him an exasperated look before returning his eyes to his screen. It was not uncommon for Tom to come by unannounced. He had been making more frequent trips over the past few years. The demon loosened his crimson silk tie and plopped himself onto one of the leather chairs before his desk.

"That took you like what, two seconds?"

"Meh. About a minute. Some dude invented affordable underworld-Earth carriage transportation, so even the plebs are coming over. It's getting real congested these days."

"Wow. It's like you are almost human."

"I know, right?"

Tom chirped in reply and stood up again, going over to the windows to pull up the blinds. Marco did have a nice corner office with the best views of the city. He just didn't like it as much. He would much rather they be Mewnian mountains and the view of the Mewnian villages.

"There, now some light into this dark hellhole. Funny coming from me."

"I like it dark, Tom."

"I know. I've peeked at your browser history when you were a teen."

His face scrunched and he glared up at the grinning demon.

"Anyway, how're you doing man?"

Marco's expression smoothed out and he resumed typing away on his computer.

"Fine."

Tom was smart to keep quiet for a bit. Experience had taught him well on how to handle him on this time of year. It's become almost an annual routine for them. He would materialise at the same time every year, checking up on him. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought Star put him up to it somehow. He sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"I'm finishing up on a thesis that's might get published in a world renown journal. I just need to grind it out for a few more days."

"Got it. So, I'll babysit Lulu then?"

Luna adored her Uncle Tom; almost to envy-inducing levels. It was no surprise. Tom was the 'fun' adult – one that lets her have her sweets when she wants it, bring her to any place her precious little heart desired. And of course, he owned a carriage that was pulled by flaming skeletal unicorns. What little girl didn't love that?

"If you could, I'd be eternally grateful."

"Anything for my favourite princ- ah, demonchild."

It was no secret that Tom loved Luna. It always shocked Marco that of all his friends, Tom was the best with children. Before Star's… absence from his life, Tom had practically begged them to babysit their little doe-eyed cherub. His eyes went over to another picture. Luna as an infant, suckling on her thumb and asleep in her grandpa's arms; Rafael looking every bit the love-sick grandfather. A feeling of guilt settled in his belly.

A warm hand rested on his shoulder, giving a firm squeeze.

"I know I say this every year, but I want you to know that I mean it. If you need any help, just ask."

Marco's fingers paused typing and he silently pondered his friend's words. He reached up, squeezed his friend's hand in thanks and returned to his typing.

"Luna's finishing school in fifteen minutes. If you could-"

"Already on my way."

A two-fingered salute and he was gone in flames. Marco could just imagine the dizzying delight on his daughter's face the moment she left the school gates. She deserved some spoiling he supposed. Time away from her tensioned father would be good too.

"Daddy!"

At the tone of the shriek, Marco dropped his briefcase at his doorstep and raced to his daughter's room.

"Luna? Luna what's wrong?!"

His eyes settled on his daughter crying into Tom's arms. The demon prince looking very upset himself.

Marco's let out the breath he didn't know he was holding and ran a hand through his hair.

"What the hell Tom? I told you not to read her human fairy tales!"

"It was her homework!"

Luna broke away from her uncle's consoling arms and ran towards her father. He knelt to let the bundle of light brown curls and blue fluffy skirts barrel into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"It's okay sweetheart. The dragon is okay."

"No! They killed him! The mean prince killed him!"

"Sssh. It's just a story. It doesn't happen in real life, I promise."

Tom raised a brow and Marco gave him a menacing glare.

"H-he did nothing wrong!"

"The prince was just…too worried honey. He loves the princess and just wants to protect her. Just like how daddy is always worried about you."

"You would kill a dragon for me?"

"Of course."

Wrong answer. She let out the most ear-piercing cry and sobbed onto his shirt. He sighed heavily, and slapped himself on the forehead.

"I mean! I'll only kill him if he's evil. Otherwise…I'd talk to him. Or something. Only to protect you mija."

That helped to quieten the sobbing, but the sniffles continued. Since her birth, they had been Marco's biggest weakness, right up there with Star's tears. It softened him right up.

"Look, how about Uncle Tom bring you to the Underworld for the week."

There was a curious pause before the sniffles resumed.

"They just built a cool new demonic theme park…with a petting zoo for undead creatures."

Tom had reached their side, tilting his head to face her.

"I'll even let you hold the reigns for the carriage this time."

"Promise?'

"Devil's honour, my little terror."

She sniffed then and looked up at him with those big, gooey blue eyes that she had inherited from her mother.

He gave a weak smile and nodded.

"Yay!"

She jumped right off his arms and right into her uncle's. Tom carried her back to her bed and tucked her in. He picked up the offending story book and burned it for her eyes to her glee.

"Now, let's make a deal. Only good little tykes get to hold the reign. Can you double triple demon promise to not leave bed to disturb daddy?"

She scrunched up her face, almost exactly like her daddy would when annoyed but eventually nodded.

"Goodnight my favourite demonchild. Sweet nightmares."

Tom drifted off giving a wink over to Marco before disappearing in flames. He raised a hand in thanks and walked over to the sit at the edge of his daughter's bed, reaching over to comb back her wild curls from her forehead as she yawned.

"Did you have fun with Uncle Tom today mija?"

"Mmhm… We got ice cream for lunch and went to see a movie."

"That's…nice. What movie did you guys see?"

"Zombie Slayer Princess."

Marco groaned and made a mental note to strangle Tom.

"You know that you're too young for that."

"Uncle Tom said it was fine."

"Did he? Or did you pull that sulk of yours?"

Luna's lower lip jutted out to a pout and Marco gave her a deadpan look but gave her a quick, loving kiss to her forehead anyway as she snuggled deeper beneath her sheets.

"Don't do that anymore, okay?"

But his daughter had already drifted away to sleep. It would look like all the sugar had finally burned out. Marco would have to bring her to the dentist again. He reached for his phone to make the appointment and stood up.

"Daddy?"

"Lulu. What did I say about pretending to sleep when I'm talking?"

"…Sorry Daddy."

She looked so genuinely sorry; Marco's eyes softened and a hand reached down to stroke her cheek gently.

"It's alright, mija. What is it?"

"Will you…Will you visit mommy with me this year?"

A/N: So...thoughts? Hehe.