After Shine [despues de brillar]

Luis / Damian October 30 - Dallas, Texas

When he found out he was a father he'd thought the world was ending. He'd barely started a real relationship with Danika, and only half way understood the relationship he was building with her kids. Damian Priest was not the father type. Looking in the bathroom mirror he tilted his head to the side, was Luis Martinez a father? Could he be more than just a step-parent? It was unsettling. He'd never considered his past might also have a future. Which, admittedly, was a problem he now had to think about. Mainly was there a chance he had more children? He pushed the thought from his head and turned the sink on. He bent forward and cupped his hands under the cold stream before slapping his cheeks and face with the frigid liquid in hopes that he would be able to calm himself down.

He was going to meet his son in less than twenty minutes. He was going to meet his son on his son's pre- birthday, for the first time. It was a fucked up hope that he wasnt the best or worst gift the kid got today. The bathroom door on the tour bus creaked open, Finn pushed his head in, "Stop freaking out, mate." He muttered, "You've talked to the boy on the phone." He'd talked to the boy on the phone, Jace was non-verbal. "He's been in good hands, Damo." Finn added, "And more than that, it's his birthday so you know Dani-girl probably gave him cake for breakfast or something to make the day super special." Finn probably had a point, Danika did seem like the mom to sneak into the kids bedroom on birthday morning with a special cake just for them, a secret cake. It made him smile a little bit, as Finn offered him his own blinding smile, "Come on, you know it has to happen, he's been with Danika for almost three weeks, you were gonna have to meet him eventually."

"Fergalicious stop harassing Luis." Rhea murmured as she moved around Finn in the hallway, "Dominik says we will be at the rental in like ten minutes, he also said that everyone but Lainey, Danika and Jace were in the backyard. Those three are in the living room waiting on you. Apparently Reby Hardy took over, whatever that means." Rhea shrugged her shoulders, and continued past them. Damian had a moment of panic washover him - he had no clue who all Danika had managed to invite to this birthday party, let alone who had actually agreed to the party. He felt his blood run cold again, could he stand having a whole horde of his peers and heroes realize what a monumental fuck up he apparently was? Nope, this was not good.

"Damnit, Dems, you sent him into a tailspin!" Finn shouted, as Damian started to panic a little more - it wasn't Finn who pushed into the bathroom but Dominik, who slammed the door on Finn's face, and wrapped around Damian in a tight hold, one that made Damian proud and a bit worried. "Hey, I've got you." Dominik promised, as he kissed Damian's shoulder, "Seriously, Luis, this is fine, it's all fine. It's going to be awkward as fuck, but Danika and Lainey will be there the whole time, me too, because I want pictures of you and Jace meeting, for the future." Dominik squeezed him again, "And we both know you love him already." Dominik whispered, "Just like you love my kids." Damian nodded his head, he did love Jace, he loved Lainey, he loved Rosa, he loved Nico, he loved Angel. He loved them all. He even loved Dominik and Finn, he'd always known he loved Rhea, and he was definitely in love with Danika. "You can do this." Dominik promised.

"Thanks, Dom." Damian muttered, as the bus started to slow down, they must have been in a residential area.

The bus came to a stop before they were done hugging, much to Damian's irritation. Rhea and Finn were off the bus right away, and headed around the yard, with guidance from Jeff Hardy and Becky Lynch, Damian had to do a double take, as he saw the red head. She shot him a wink, as she wrapped Dominik up in a tight hug, the younger boy lifting her off her feet and swinging her around. Seth and Becky were not who Damian would have expected to be their biggest supporters and yet the pair were always there to lend a helping hand with the kids and the relationship-on-the-road stuff. He nodded his head at her, even as she and Jeff ducked back around the house. Dominik joined him as he made his way toward the front door.