Starco vs Parenthood Introduction - These chapters can be read separately but they are all connected. It's always the same Star & Marco, same kids, same world.

This short story is based on my youngest hating when I sing. This starts 20 years after the Cleave. Star & Marco are 35, their daughter is 13 and son is 10.

Favs, reviews, and constructive feedback are all really helpful. Thanks!

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Chapter 2 - Mother-Daughter-Super-Awesome-Time!

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~ Girls going kick-boxing ~
~ going to be awe-some ~
~ kicking ~
~ boxing ~
~ going to be awe-some. ~

"Mom, please stop singing."

~ Hanging with my daughter ~
~ 13 years old ~
~ sucking the fun out of life ~
~ not so awe-some. ~

"Mooooom."

~ She got a birthday coming up ~
~ I got her a gift ~
~the way she is acting makes me think I should keep it for my-self. ~

"Mom!"

"Come on! We are driving in the car, it's a super nice day out, and I should be able to sing if I want too! I know I dragged you away from spending every waking hour talking to strangers online but YOU needed to get out of the house."

"Whatever. You can make me get out of the house but you can't force me to like your singing."

"You know what your dad would say if he was here. 'Come on honey it is just singing, what is really bothering you?'"

"You do an awful dad impression."

"Humph. So this hating on mom attitude, is this something I'm going to have to deal with all day? You just hating life and taking it out on me since I'm here? Is it a problem with a teacher? Your brother? A crush? A..."

"No mom, not a crush! No dates are taking place. No one is interested in anyone. You asked me about crushes just two weeks ago. Are you going to ask me again in another two weeks!?"

"Alright, sorry. You know, when I was around your age I had a crush on…"

"Mom, I've read your autobiography and I know about your crush on dad. To summarize the first half of your book, the two of you failed over and over again at getting together until he got drunk on magic and said, -I love you-. Moral of the story, drunk magic wins! Too bad there is no more ~mag-ic~."

"Wow. I expect that kind of treatment from internet trolls but not from my lovely young daughter who I care about with ALL OF MY HEART."

"Well...sorry."

"I think this is the point where normally I would freak out but again, what is really bothering you?"

"I don't know."

"Come on, guess."

"...what's the point?"

"You're going to have to help me out here. Point of guessing? Point of crushes? Point of me asking questions?"

"Dating. What's the point? Everything I hear is that you get your heart broken over and over again. No point. Also the speed limit is 35 here and dad is going to get upset if you get another speeding ticket."

"Hun, I'm just going to throw this out there. Hypothetically if you were interested in dating someone but they didn't know you existed, are these the things you would say because you were upset and didn't want to tell me?"

"...maybe."

"Alright, I can work with this. Did you read my book or just skim it?"

"...skim."

"Hold on, let me get around this truck."

* BEEP BEEP *

"Alright...back to what I was going to say. You my dear are more mature than I was at your age in a lot of ways but, not in all ways. Now I know you've heard all about your father and I buuut, did you know that I dated our friend Tom?"

"Kind of. He's a prince so you used to go to royal events with him when you were a princess?"

"Yes, but he was my boyfriend too. We first dated before I met your father and then again when I thought your dad wasn't interested in me."

"Seriously mom, there was a time when dad wasn't fawning all over you?"

"It's complicated. Maybe if you weren't a skimmer with my book you would understand. Yes, safe-kid cared about me a ton. However, the dork with a magical princess living in the next room didn't make any moves! Now I can spend hours ranting about your dad being oblivious to my Diaz-crush but, this story is about my friend Tom. What I am going to tell you is a mother-daughter secret, got it?

"Sure."

"I mean it, super-secret. Promise me you won't tell anyone, not even Sir Dorko."

"Alright, I promise. I won't even tell dad."

"Good. So Tom. Prince Tom. You might not believe it but he was hotter than your dad was when we were your age. He had the flames going, he was tall, and the horns. He looked great in a suit. Don't get me wrong, at 14 your dad was handsome and cute but sometimes he acted like he got beaten with the dork stick."

"Mom, I'm already wishing you weren't telling me this."

"There is a point. One time Tom and I danced at the Silver Bell Ball and our magic had us flying through the air, your dad could dance back then but that night with Tom was really special."

"Mom, seriously. If you start talking about kissing I'm going to puke."

"Hold on, there is the gym. Let me park the car...and parking brake to make your dad happy. Looks like we are early so we still have time to talk. Alright, back to my point. I REALLY liked Tom and I learned a lot from dating him. I learned that I didn't want to waste my time with someone who had anger issues. I learned that I could fool myself into staying with someone I liked but didn't love. I found out how much I truly valued having a best friend like your dad in my life. Looking back, I learned a whole bunch about myself and relationships by trying...and failing. The first time I broke up with Tom and the second time he broke up with me. It hurt but it was good that I learned some hard lessons about dating and myself before I started going out with your father. I know that you and I are not the same so I can't tell you exactly what to do but this whole 'relationship' part of life, it is really important. My advice, don't be afraid of it. It is better to make mistakes now so you have time to learn from them. Making mistakes and learning from them is way better than doing nothing. Make sense?"

"I guess so."

"Maybe get this person to notice you and ask them out yourself. Even if they say no, you'll have had some practice so you do better it the next time. Just always remember, if you are dating and not happy with where it is going, end it. I know it sounds sad but those breakups taught me just as much as the relationships. Growing up is not all school and online chats, it is about getting out and doing things in the world. Relationships are an important part of this big adventure that we call life."

"Sooo...don't be afraid to make relationship mistakes. You done?"

"Are you going to take my advice?"

"Maybe but I have a question. Dad said you had a boyfriend before him that tried to curse you to have your souls bound without telling you. Was that Tom and was he trying to force you to love him?"

"Well...good question...gooood question. Alright, short answer is yes. Long answer, he was also just a kid and I don't think he totally understood what he was doing. He ended up growing a lot emotionally after that happened and I forgave him. Also, I didn't understand that there was an actual curse involved until we had been together for awhile."

"Mom, if someone tried to curse me to love them you and dad would...I don't know what you would do but it would likely involve one of those battleaxes you keep on the wall of the living room. How could you forgive someone who would try something like that?"

"...cause I'm a forgiving person?"

"Seriously!? You must have liked him WAY more then you should have."

"LISTEN I WAS A CONFUSED TEEN AND YOUR FATHER LEFT ME IN A BAD PLACE AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE TO BE A BETTER PRINCESS AND...AND...deep breaths...deep breaths...deeeeep breeeeaths. Okay...okay, your Mama Star is calming down. Alright...in a better place...deep breaths. In hindsight, I agree. I never should have dated Tom after what he tried at the Blood Moon Ball. I can admit that now but whether it was the right thing to do or not I DID learn from the experience."

"Well...I'm glad it worked out for you and dad but it still seems completely messed up. If you didn't make those decisions maybe I don't exist soooo I guess I should be happy that it happened that way?"

"Despite hating when I sing, I'm really glad you exist. Also you are right, I wouldn't want someone around you who would try to bind your soul to them for eternity without at least asking first."

"Mom, believe me when I say your childhood was weird."

"Yes, it was very weird. So you ready for one more mother-daughter secret?"

"I guess."

"I'm really sorry there is no wand to hand down to you. You didn't miss anything with the whole being a princess part, that was way more of a pain then you might think. BUT I really wish you could have tried out magic."

"Did the end of magic really go down like the way we learned in history class?"

"It was totally your grandmother who forced us to do it. Everyone blames me but she was the one who powered an uncontrollable army with magic and we were out of ideas for stopping them. People forget, I was fifteen and trying to prevent a monster genocide. You understand?"

"Yeah, I understand. I don't have a lot of friends but I'd have way less if there were no monsters. It would be a really sad world without them."

"Exactly. Looking back I still don't know what grandma was thinking. The only other option we talked about was using spells that destroy everything they touch and I still believe that would have ended even worse."

"I admit, I do wish I got to try magic. Having magic seems like it would be fun...and make you feel special."

"Yes on the fun. Special...hmmmmmm...it did make me feel that way when I first got the wand. Definitely not the whole time but it did when I first got it. Thinking about something special, I was going to wait but nope, not going to wait. Please hand me the white box in the back seat and your phone."

"What?! Dad already checked my phone this week. Why can't I get any privacy?"

"Come on, hand it over unlocked or I'll send you to the Pixie Mines!"

"Fine! I just hate that you guys don't trust me. My friends aren't going to want to talk to me at all if they know that my mom snoops around on my phone."

"Hold on. Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait. Almost done. Annnnnnnd done. Let me see that box and close your eyes."

"Really mom? Whatever. Sure my eyes are closed."

"Annnnnnd open. Now look in the mirror."

"Oh!"

"Yup, that is a prototype necklace that uses laser light to give you holographic cheek marks. Here on your phone you can use this app to change them to whatever shape you want. I'm not happy with the size of the necklace since it is like wearing a hula-hoop but they say once it is perfected the kids are going to love it."

"I like the hourglasses but can I make the marks look like Eclipsa's?"

"Not into hearts?"

"Well, I can try hearts I guess."

"Now the necklace is not perfect, it is just a prototype. It is supposed to keep the marks in the same place all the time but if the necklace moves around a lot the light is going to bounce around your face. Move way too much and it shuts down so the lasers don't burn out your eyes. Safe-dad didn't want me to give this to you. He's afraid that lasers projecting on your cute cheeks is not a good idea but I say try them out."

"Wow...oh look diamonds, hearts. Hmmm...the hearts do look pretty good. Thanks mom."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I mean, thanks for this and also thanks for the advice."

"Aww, your welcome! I almost forgot the most important part, once your dad got to be about 18...way hotter than Tom. And then 22, I mean WOW!"

"MOM!"

"And tell me once you start thinking about doing more than kissing, we'll need to have another talk about that."

"MOM!"

"Just saying! Come on and grab my workout bag!"

~ Going to do some kicking ~
~ some boxing ~
~ Mother-Daughter-Super-Awesome-Time! ~

"...mom...please stop singing."

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