A/N: So in the reviews for Grass Whistle, The Night Ninja suggested a chapter in which Garmadon asks Dr. Julien for parenting advice. I absolutely loved the idea to death (not to mention I have some delicious headcanons regarding their strained friendship that you'll get to enjoy in this chapter hon hon hon), but a conversation between the two main dads of that fic would have broken the Lloyd-only POV and the overall flow of the story.

I still love the idea, however, so here it is: the conversation between Garmadon and Julien at Lou's party.


Julien met Lloyd's father at the snack table. The latter man just walked up and dipped himself a cup of punch, and when he met Julien's eye and smiled, Julien smiled back.

"Hello," said the grey-haired man in the gi.

"Hello," Julien answered, and neither of them said anything more for a while.

Lloyd's father leaned against the snack table, and Julien leaned on the beam of the house holding up the porch, as the both of them watched the festivities underway.

Julien really didn't know what to make of the man beside him. His first introduction, of course, had been Lloyd's description of his father; though his childhood had been terribly negligent, Lloyd didn't seem to harbor any ill will towards him.

That, of course, had put them in a bit of a pickle when the man that Lloyd cared about so much was actually a pitch black, red-eyed, four-armed demon and also the Lord of Darkness that they were trying to defeat. It was a bit more of a pickle when the Lord of Darkness turned into a colossal dragon.

But now, here he was—looking perfectly normal, human, sane, and not far from Julien's age, actually.

It was all perfectly mind-boggling. So Julien took the only course of action he could think of: friendly conversation.

"So...you're the man of the hour, eh?" he asked lightly.

Lloyd's father didn't show any surprise; he just chuckled. "In a manner of speaking, I suppose." He extended his free hand. "Garmadon."

Julien held back a wince as red momentarily flashed across his eyes. "Julien," he said, taking the man's hand to shake it. "I'm Zane's father."

Garmadon raised a grey eyebrow. He had to be aware that Zane was an android—but to his credit, he didn't address the elephant in the room. "It's a pleasure," he said instead. "I believe you have already met my son."

And at that, Julien didn't have to fake a smile. "I sure have! He's a very bright boy, and an excellent friend. You should be very proud."

Garmadon's calculatedly calm expression didn't lift, but the look in his eyes did brighten a little. "I am," he said, and Julien could hear the sincerity in his voice. "But it's good to have more reasons."

He leaned against the table again, swirling the last dregs of the punch in his cup for a moment. "He does seem comfortable with you," he added, as if in a second thought.

Julien shrugged. "I've spent a lot of time with him these last few weeks. The others were always out on their missions, and it was just us two. And the girl. Nya! Oh, dear," he said, pressing a hand to his forehead, "I must be getting old."

"Watch in front of whom you say that," Garmadon said sternly, but with a twinkle in his eye. Then he stared into his cup and sighed.

Julien bit down the anxiety starting to close up his throat. "Something the matter?"

"Lloyd," Garmadon answered abruptly. "It's come to my attention that rebuilding our relationship is going to be...more difficult than I first anticipated."

Julien didn't say anything, but he frowned in sympathy and waited for an explanation.

Garmadon's voice was quiet. "Both of us wish to have something better than has been available to us. I suppose I just don't know how to go about it."

And that, Julien found almost hilarious. The otherworldly lord of darkness, up until recently their enemy, was now just an unsure father looking for answers.

He had to admit that he liked the change.

"Are you asking for help?" asked Julien, daring to tease the man a little bit.

Garmadon raised an eyebrow and gave him a wry grin. "If a self-proclaimed friend of my son is willing to offer it, then yes."

Calculated, as always. Julien smiled and leaned against the beam, raising his own glass of punch to his lips. "Well, you don't have to start with me," he said kindly. "Any one of them can tell you what he's like." He waved with his cup at the dance floor where Lloyd was dancing to Cole's booming music with the other young ones and having a great time.

"I...suppose they could. But..." Garmadon's voice fell. "You said it yourself that you're also a father." He turned to Julien, a question in his expression.

And Julien was not so dense to miss what he meant. He nodded. "I'd be glad to help. Just..." He hesitated, rubbing his fingers where the blue veins showed. "If you could answer one question first."

Garmadon raised both of his eyebrows at once. Ah—so that's where Lloyd got it from. "Name it," he said.

Julien sighed heavily and leaned more on the beam. It was painful to go back to all of this; and he didn't quite trust his own knees to keep him standing up.

"It's a long story," he began, not looking at Garmadon, and his voice sounded so very weak. "Several years ago, I actually died of old age. I was at rest, but band of skeletons resurrected me against my will and held me prisoner."

Against his better judgement, he stole a glance at Garmadon, and the man's face was white with horror and dread.

Julien laboriously forced himself to continue, not looking at him. "They forced me to build war vehicles that could travel into and out of the Underworld..."

He heard a crack. The glass in Garmadon's hand had sprung a fracture. "No," he muttered. "Oh, no."

Almost finished. Julien took a deep breath. "The leader of them said that they answered to...'Lord Garmadon'." The name still felt sour on his tongue. He finally mustered the strength to look at the other man's face.

Garmadon's face was a study in horror and guilt, and his hands were shaking. "I am...so sorry," he managed.

Well. That answered that question. Julien shut his eyes and leaned against the pillar, feeling drained and light-headed.

"Never mind I said anything," Garmadon said, almost stumbling over his words with how fast he talked. "I understand if you want nothing more to do with me. I'll just go. Thank you for your time and—"

"You haven't answered the question," Julien interrupted gently, his eyes still shut.

Garmadon's voice sounded bleak. "What is it?"

Julien opened his eyes and turned, weakly, to look at the grey-haired man standing across from him.

He knew that expression. That look of regret, of guilt, of wanting to be anywhere but here but having nowhere to go because you've done the inexcusable and it's too much.

He knew that look very, very well.

It had been his.

And quietly, Julien asked, "Would you be humble enough to accept my forgiveness?"

Garmadon's eyes shot wide. They were green...like Lloyd's. "Yes," he said, almost coughing it out. He lunged forward, took Julien's free hand, and wrung it in joy. "Yes, and thank you," he cried earnestly. "Julien, was it? Thank you. I owe you the world."

Julien smiled, the strength returning to him, and set his cup down on the table to clasp Garmadon's hands. "Nonsense," he said. "We're friends."

It took a while for Garmadon to let go of his hand, and longer for either of them to find anything to say.

"Did you know he was my son?" asked Garmadon. It was hardly a whisper.

Julien nodded, completely serious. "I learned so, eventually."

"And yet...?" His face was full of confusion and disbelief.

Julien looked him in the eye. "We already knew each other well by then," he said seriously. "He was nothing like what you were. How could I judge him for his father's actions?"

Garmadon gave a somber nod.

Julien found himself smiling a little. "Now, on the other hand, I can see the resemblance."

Garmadon shot him a single look of disbelief and then shook his head, a smile coming to his face. "You're a saint," he said.

Julien couldn't look him in the eye. "I'd settle for a good man."

"Then that you are. Easily."

It was the utter surety in his voice that made Julien smile. He took a deep breath, replacing all of the past conversation with fresh air. "Right, then," he added more lightly. "You asked for advice?"

Garmadon looked surprise, but he found control over himself in a moment. "Ah! Yes. Something come to you?"

"Indeed." The grin on Julien's face felt dangerously like a smirk. "Do you know how to make a grass whistle?"

Garmadon looked confused, and then almost offended. "I was one of two children living isolated in a monastery surrounded by nature," he said seriously. "I should hope I know how to make such a simple thing."

"Good!" said Julien. "Lloyd enjoys games like that. You should play with him sometime. But first, if you want to connect with the boy—have some fun!" And with that, he grabbed the flabbergasted man's wrist and dragged him onto the dance floor.

Garmadon almost knocked Lloyd over, and Julien took advantage of the distraction to slip away and retrieve his drink from the table. He hid in a corner and watched the fun as Garmadon tried desperately to dance in a way that didn't embarrass him and Lloyd bent over laughing until he almost fell over.

Julien had to smile to himself.

Yes. This was the very best kind of revenge.


A/N: hEY DID I EVER TELL YOU ABOUT MY CRACK BROMANCE *is slapped*

It cracks me up that these two have the same voice actor. I'm going on vacation this upcoming week, but it should probably be pretty chill, so I should have time to write. Stay tuned for the next deleted scenes!

Reviews are harmless revenge.