Sure, Starbuck knew it was possible to grow up without a dad, didn't mean you should have to if the father was ready and willing to man up to his responsibilities. Starbuck was pissed, but he was trying to keep his emotions on the back burner for the time being. They could discuss later how she'd failed to ever give him an option. It wasn't fair that some family in Japan knew more about Kamea than her own flesh and blood did. It was as if Lani had stolen something from him. Kamea too. Starbuck wondered if this meeting had never happened, what would Lani tell her one day? Would Starbuck become Wes? The dad who never showed up? Wes hadn't known about his daughter either, but that didn't make Kat any less upset with him. Starbuck felt a whole new sense of camaraderie toward the man, though one year wasn't all that much when compared to 19.
"Excuse me?" he asked, annoyed she felt she had the right to tell him what to do, as well as demand that his mother keep a secret like this from him. "She and I don't keep secrets. We never have. And while it's all well and good that you wanted to break the news to me yourself... after meeting her... it's absolutely unacceptable that she allowed you to take your dear sweet time in doing so. I could understand waiting a few days, but I was home for two whole weeks. You could have come over and told me there. And the way I see it, she was lying to me for my entire vacation by not saying something." It made him extremely upset with his mother. Kai was gonna hear it, that was for damn sure.
He listened to her explain. It made him feel a little better to think that she had been far away when she'd found out, probably making it more difficult to tell him, but still! He couldn't help but wonder if she'd not run into his mother, if he ever would have met his daughter. That thought made Starbuck's chest hurt a little. He picked Kamea up again and pressed her chest flush to his own, letting her get within better reach of his face, since she seemed intent on playing with it. He was still upset, but it was impossible to let the emotion overtake him. All he could do was smile as she grabbed hold of his nose. When she stopped and reached for the shark tooth necklace he wore, Starbuck gently pulled her hand away. He wasn't sure how durable the string was that held the teeth in a row, and it wouldn't be good for her to end up getting one of those bad boys in her mouth. He quickly tucked the necklace into his shirt.
"I really wish you would have told me sooner. I feel like a bad father," he admitted in a somewhat sad voice. He was taking the news quite well, the part about being a dad anyway, it was the massive delay in receiving the information that was upsetting. The uncertainty about where he stood now was also nagging at his insides. He was a stranger to Kamea, and might as well have been one to Lani, considering they'd only known each other a few weeks, and that had been nearly two years ago.
Looking down at Kamea, he raised her up to give her a quick kiss on the nose, "I'll try to be a good daddy from now on." He meant it too. Yeah, he was scared out of his mind, but this wasn't something you walked away from. It wasn't something he'd ever want to walk away from. She was his little girl, and he was excited to get to know her. "What's some of her favorite stuff? And... uh... does she... well... have any abilities yet? Mom has always said she thinks I learned to talk to fish before I could talk to her, but I didn't really realize that's what I was doing. Can you talk to them as well?" he asked, looking up to Lani. His mother was the only other water nymph he'd met before now, so he wasn't sure if communicating with sea creatures was the norm. "And, I don't know if Mom told you... but my dad was a supernatural too. Half water mage, and half witch with healing abilities." Kamea grabbed hold of his ear and gave it a good tug, getting a laugh out of Starbuck, and earning her a kiss on the cheek.