for claire (its_notluck):

[becomesa_lorax]

Molly hates feeling singled out whenever someone had a problem with Jonah. Just because she scolds him more often than she praises him doesn't mean she hates him; she's just honest and that's out of respect, not malice. Yet, with Phoebe, it seems every-time she legitimately flails in written form on her journal, she's “enabling” the family's ill

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[its_notluck]

Claire was aware of what had happened, right from Molly flailing about Jonah giving James a mohawk to Phoebe putting up her post about being upset with everyone for bashing her boyfriend. She had thought about stepping in but wisely decided to stay out of it. At least till one of the girls approached her, of course

[its_notluck]

"You can stay and play." Claire chuckled as she sat back, watching the little scene. She knew what she had been doing by bringing up her point and driving it home. It was the first step in smoothing things over even if it was using a little bit of guilt to do that.

"You know, he looks rather cute." She offered after a moment, reaching over to run a hand lightly over the top of the boy's head. "It probably feels a lot cooler for him too. Short hair is always great during the summer."

She tilted her head in consideration then as she looked at her son. "I've thought of cutting Kaito's hair. It always gets sticky when he's been running around, from getting sweaty." She wrinkled her nose, plucking a muffin off the plate so that she could enjoy it.

[becomesa_lorax]

"Yeah," Molly admitted slowly, smiling softly when James gave Claire an offended pout--something totally Mohinder-esque--for messing up his hair, even if it wasn't even close to a half-an-inch long, yet. At his face, Molly laughed. "James, stop trying to be cool--you're not even two yet." It was hard for the young mother to admit that his birthday was only mere weeks away. It still felt like yesterday she hibernated in this very spot, too afraid to tell her dads what thirty seconds in the back of a Chevy could do.

However, James' offense soon disappeared as he ran to hug Claire around her knees, murmuring his thanks, before running off to tell Kaito that he can stay with all the happiness he could muster. Once he was gone Molly turned her attention back to Claire, giving a soft smile. "How well does Kaito take to getting his hair cut? I'm surprised James let Jonah do his hair, since he's usually scared of anyone trimming his hair, let alone combing it."

[its_notluck]

"He's okay if Hiro or I do it. I think he let Phoebe do it once but he fussed a little bit." Claire admitted with a small smile before turning her green eyes back to the blonde across the table. "Really?" She lifted her brows though she didn't look all that surprised. "He must like him then." She murmured, glancing towards James once more. "Kids are excellent judges of character. They often see what we don't."

"Maybe he wanted the mohawk." She chuckled. "I have to admit, and don't kill me for it, but it might have been rather cute."

[becomesa_lorax]

Molly waved her hand simply enough, "James loves him. He loves James. Whenever he watches James for a period f time, without us asking usually, I make him food." She couldn't give him money, really, but, she at least cooked for both him and David. She, like Claire, enjoyed cooking. It was a bit of a therapeutic sort of thing. "Though, his Tattas will never be second best in his eyes. Them in his 'Toe-Toe' that is."

She had to laugh softly; her dads loved James. It was probably the main reason why Matt and Gabriel were so upset--it was their grandson. Not by blood, but where it counted the most.

"I'm serious. If he isn't asking for Kaito, he's looking longingly at a picture of my dads and asking me to call them so he can tell them he loves them." She smiled softly. "I don't think any one of us can compete with them."

[its_notluck]

"Making food is good." That was how Claire usually paid people as well. She loved to cook and to bake, it was something she had gotten from her mother and it was something that she did rather well. There were plenty of times when she still cooked for the whole family, no matter how much they had grown over the years.

"The joys of being the mother." She nodded, glancing over to watch the boys. "Kaito always asks for James. If not for him, then he wants his Daddy or he wants Uncle Swya." Yes, he couldn't say 'Sylar' quite yet. "Or the grandparents."

"But..." She turned her eyes back to Molly with a knowing smile. "At the end of the day, there is actually no one they want more than Mommy. We know all the tricks, don't we?" She looked smug but she knew it would help Molly to feel better. "We know how to cuddle them, how to make them feel better and we know how to make all the bad things go away right now. They know, without a doubt and no matter who they go to, we're always right there waiting for them."

[becomesa_lorax]

And it did make her feel better. The smile on her face was a proud one. She even sat a little straighter in the chair, too, eating the muffin with more enthusiasm. "I think Phoebe is the only one that can get him to go to sleep. She says she's tired and tricks James into falling asleep." Memories of the years while he still slept in the crib--all the aches and cramps she'd wake up with for having to spend the night in the cramped space just so her son could go to sleep--were still fresh on her mind. "It's a bit easier now since he has his 'big boy' bed."

She was grinning like an idiot, but she was a parent. It was hard, even with all the support she had around her, but, it was worth it. Completely. "I still remember both of those boys as tiny babies--God, I still remember when Irina was a baby."

[its_notluck]

"Are you kidding me? She used to do that to me!" Claire laughed, her gaze warming as she recalled the fond memories. "That was how she used to get a later bedtime than normal. I can't tell you how many times Hiro found her playing and me sleeping in her bed." She rolled her eyes, chuckling softly as she took another bite of her muffin.

"I know." She murmured, her features softening though there was a hint of sadness. Perhaps longing. "I can't believe how much they've grown."