Fic: To Dye For (April Fic Challenge)

[csi_sanders1129]

Title: To Dye For
Chapters: 1/1
Author:csi_sanders1129
Ratings: K+
Word Count: 429
Pairings/Characters: Nicole Bradford, Joey Harris, Michael Taylor
Synopsis: In which Joey and Michael successfully navigate an aspect of parenting they were not prepared for.
Comments: Written for my April Fic Challenge 2021, Prompt: Dye. Comments and kudos would be awesome. Enjoy!

There are some facets of parenting that Michael and Joey never saw coming when Nicole came into their lives.

The anxious concern that came with an illness or injury. The nuanced handling of break ups and betrayals. The politics of grades and groundings. But, beyond those standard things – things they knew to look out for, even if they didn't know how to handle them until they happened – are the utterly baffling moments.

For example, in this situation, their fifteen year old daughter has just come home from a weekend spent at her friend's house. They can tell immediately that something is up – there is a very guilty look on her face and she is wearing a wool knit hat despite the fact that it is approximately 85 degrees in New York right now.

Michael pauses with his coffee mug halfway to his mouth, taking in this peculiar sight. "Do I want to know?" he asks, not quite sure what he's expecting.

Sheepishly, Nicole pulls off the hat to reveal that her hair has been dyed a vibrant shade of purple. "Before you freak out," she says, trying to head off whatever reaction might be coming. "It's only temporary – Nina's cousin came for a visit and she needed a model for her salon's new dye line. It'll wash out in a few weeks."

"It looks good," Joey offers, "And it's summer," he reasons, before Michael can say anything to the contrary. "It's not like she has school to worry about. And why not enjoy it while she can, before she hits the creatively stifling world of business casual."

"I suppose," Michael begrudgingly concedes the point. "But," he adds, "If it hasn't washed out before school starts…"

Nicole must have seen this caveat coming. "If it hasn't washed out, I'll get Nina's cousin to dye it back – and I'll pay for it out of my allowance, I swear."

Michael nods, appeased. "It does look good," he adds.

"Thanks," she says, before she heads up to her room with her bags.

"Crisis averted," Joey sighs, but Michael catches a contemplative look in his eyes.

Suddenly, he's forced to consider the possible fallout of how they've dealt with this situation. Not so much from Nicole, but rather from Joey. Michael half expects to come home from work tomorrow to find some colorful stripe in Joey's hair, since he is likewise unbound by the typical workplace dress codes. He wouldn't, though, would he?

Michael takes a long swig of his coffee, can already feel a headache coming on.

Because Joey would. He absolutely would.