The morning came gently to the Savage Land base.
Sunlight filtered through the waterfall with increased intensity as dawn broke over the hidden valley, painting everything in shades of gold and amber. The distant calls of prehistoric birds mixed with the constant rumble of falling water, creating a symphony that spoke of life continuing despite everything.
Jay's consciousness surfaced slowly as his awareness returned in stages. His body ached, suggesting his healing factor had worked overtime during the night, knitting together damage from dimensional travel and fighting the FURY....scratch that he fought Death itself. His powers felt depleted but recovering, like batteries slowly recharging after being drained to nothing.
He reached out instinctively for Domino, seeking her familiar warmth.
But found the space beside him empty.
Jay's eyes snapped open, panic flooding his system before reason could catch up. His enhanced senses swept the room, cataloging everything: the empty nest where Luv had been sleeping, the missing pillows, the absence of the two people who mattered most.
His body moved before conscious thought, rolling off the sofa with more grace than his exhausted muscles should have allowed as adrenaline spiked through his veins.
Then he heard it.
Laughter.
A child's laughter, pure and filled with joy. Followed by Domino's voice, carrying amusement and affection in equal measure.
Jay moved toward the sound, his bare feet silent on the wooden floors, toward their small kitchen area.
What he saw made him freeze in the doorway.
Domino stood at their stove, spatula in one hand while the other tried to manage the chaos unfolding before her. She was still in her sleep clothes, black tank top and shorts that showed the pale expanse of her skin, black and white hair pulled back in a messy bun that somehow made her look even more beautiful.
And sitting at their small table, practically bouncing in his seat with excitement, was Luv.
The five-year-old had somehow found one of Jay's old t-shirts, which hung on his small frame like a dress, the hem pooling around his legs as he sat cross-legged on the chair. His brown hair was mussed from sleep, sticking up in weird directions. His blue eyes were bright with hunger and happiness as he stared at the plate before him.
Pancakes.
A stack of them, golden brown and perfectly round, topped with what Jay assumed to be their entire supply of maple syrup. Luv was tearing into them with both hands, syrup coating his fingers as he stuffed pieces into his mouth. His cheeks bulged like a chipmunk's, and he made happy little humming sounds between bites.
"Slow down, sweetie," Domino said, her voice carrying gentle exasperation as she flipped another pancake. "The food's not going anywhere. You're going to choke if you keep eating that fast."
Luv looked up at her, tried to say something with his mouth full, thought better of it, and swallowed hard. A bit of pancake stuck to his cheek. "But Mom, they're so good! And I'm so hungry! Can I have more? Please please please?"
Jay's breath caught in his throat.
Mom.
The child had called her Mom with such casual certainty, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
And Domino...
Domino's expression as she looked at Luv was something Jay had never seen before. Soft in ways that made her look younger and vulnerable in ways she never allowed herself to be in front of anyone except Jay. Her scarlet-tinted eyes were bright with moisture that was close to spill over as she smiled at the child with such pure affection that it made Jay's chest tight.
"Of course you can have more sweetie," she said, her voice thick with emotion she was trying to hide. "But you have to promise to eat more slowly, okay? I can't keep up if you're inhaling them like you're in a competition."
Luv nodded so enthusiastically his whole upper body bobbed with the motion, already reaching for another pancake before Domino had finished speaking. He grabbed it with both syrup-sticky hands, took a huge bite, then seemed to remember his promise and slowed down. Sort of. He chewed with exaggerated care for maybe three seconds before the next bite came just as fast.
Jay couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.
Watching this, seeing Domino in full domestic mode while a five-year-old demolished pancakes like his life depended on it, was so surreal that part of Jay's mind insisted he must still be asleep. This couldn't be real. This was too good to be true.
But it was.
Domino must have sensed his presence because she looked up, her gaze finding his across the room. Her smile transformed, becoming something just for him, intimate and carrying secrets only they shared.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said, her voice carrying teasing affection. "Nice of you to finally join us."
This caused Jay to laugh a bit. "Haha"
Luv's head snapped up at the sound of a new voice, pancake hanging half out of his mouth. His blue eyes went wide as they landed on Jay, and for a second he just stared, chewing slowly while he tried to figure out who this strange man was.
Jay moved into the kitchen carefully, his body still protesting the movement but recovering more with each passing moment. He made his way to Domino's side, positioning himself where he could see both her and Luv clearly.
"Need help?" Jay asked quietly, his hand finding the small of her back in an intimate gesture. "Looks like you're fighting a losing battle against the bottomless pit over there."
Domino laughed, the sound carrying genuine amusement mixed with affectionate exasperation. "You have no idea. He reminds me of you too much. Same appetite, same single-minded focus when there's food involved. I swear, watching him eat is like watching a tiny Jay demolish everything in reach."
Jay felt his chest warm at the comparison, at being linked to this child in even such a small way. He moved to help her cook, his hands finding the familiar rhythm of preparing breakfast. Waffles this time, and some boiled vegetables because the kid needed more than just sugar and carbs, even if he didn't know it yet.
"So," Jay said quietly, keeping his voice low enough that Luv hopefully couldn't hear over his enthusiastic eating. "How did he react when he first woke up? I was worried he'd panic seeing unknown faces."
Domino's expression shifted, becoming thoughtful as she flipped another pancake. "You know, that's the weird thing. I expected the same. I was prepared for his crying and having to calm him down."
She paused as she remembered. "But he was the one who woke me up. I felt this small hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently, and when I opened my eyes, he was just... there. Looking at me with those big blue eyes, and he said in the sweetest voice..." Her voice cracked slightly with emotion. "'Mom, I'm hungry. Can we have breakfast?'"
Jay stilled, his hands pausing mid-motion as he processed that information.
"Just like that?" His voice came out barely above a whisper. "No confusion or fear? He just called you Mom?"
Domino nodded, her hand moving to wipe at her eye before tears could escape. "Just like that. And then he started asking what I was making, if we had syrup, and if he could help cook. He was so sweet, Jay. So, trusting and innocent. I got lost in his cuteness, in feeding him and watching him smile. I completely forgot we were supposed to be strangers to him."
Jay's mind raced through possibilities as a suspicion was forming, growing stronger with each piece of information.
They worked in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds the sizzle of cooking food and Luv's continued assault on the waffle mountain. Jay boiled vegetables, as his muscle memory guided his hands while his mind worked through theories.
Finally, Luv's eating slowed.
The stack of food had been demolished, reduced to a plate covered in syrup residue and a few untouched veggies. The child sat back in his chair with a satisfied sigh that sounded impossibly adult coming from such a small body, his hand moving to rest on his slightly distended stomach. Syrup covered his hands, his face, and even somehow got in his hair.
"That was so good," Luv said, his voice carrying contentment. "Thank you, Mom."
Then his blue eyes lifted, scanning the room with curiosity that hadn't been present before. He looked around the cave base, taking in the advanced technology mixed with natural rock formations, the waterfall entrance visible in the distance, and the comfortable furniture arranged throughout the space.
Finally, his gaze landed on Jay.
The child's expression shifted, becoming confused as he studied this new person. His small brow furrowed, and his head tilted to one side in a gesture that was so similar to how Franklin looked that Jay's breath caught.
Domino noticed the change immediately. She set down her spatula, wiped her hands on a towel, and moved to sit beside Luv at the table. Jay followed, his movements careful as he took the chair on the child's other side.
Domino's expression transformed into a gentle smile, her eyes softened as she looked at Luv. When she spoke, her voice carried warmth that made even Jay relax slightly.
"Hey, little guy," she said, her hand moving to rest on the table near Luv's but not touching, giving him space. "Now that you're all fed up, aren't you weirded out about being with strangers?"
Luv's confusion deepened. He looked at Domino like she'd just said something incomprehensible, his small face scrunching up with the effort of processing her words.
"What do you mean?" His voice came out genuinely puzzled, carrying innocent certainty that made both adults' hearts clench. "Mom is Mom."
The words hit Domino like an arrow to the heart.
Jay watched her expression crumble, watched her carefully constructed emotional walls collapse as moisture filled her eyes again and spilled over before she could stop it. Her hand flew to her mouth, muffling the sound that wanted to escape, something between a laugh and a sob.
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