Addition

I want a child. Rosalind commented on day out of the blue. She'd been laying on Deimos' chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his middle. They were laying in bed, him reading something on his phone and her attempting to take a nap. Her eyes had been closed, so she missed his reaction, which was one of shock, and then confusion, and then a frown.

Rosie I can't have kids...Deimos said, worry now lining his face. They hadn't exactly talked about it before getting married, and definitely hadn't while they had been in the process of moving. They'd been settled in their new home for almost two years now, and the mention of kids still hadn't come up until now. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't dreaded this conversation. Rosalind had always seemed like someone who would want kids one day, but knowing he physically couldn't prevented him from talking about it. Hybrids can't--

I know. Rosalind interrupted, twisting so she was laying on her stomach, her chin resting on his chest. She smiled at him, reaching up to poke his cheek lightly. Of course she knew they would never be able to have kids of their own. She'd had to come to grips with that fact a long time ago (it took quite a while for her to stop being sad about it, though she would never tell Deimos that). I wasn't talking about having our own kids. I mean adopt a kid.

What? Deimos was even more confused than before. Adopt? Rosie, you may be great with kids and all, and I"m sure you'd do perfectly raising one. But I'm not good with kids. I'm barely good with myself.

Nonsense. Rosie wrinkled her nose, and Deimos sighed lightly. She was adorable. You're awesome with Felix.

He's 13.

He wasn't when you met. Demi, you're better than you think you are. You'd be an awesome dad. Besides, you were adopted. Why not give another child a chance to be loved?

Well when she put it like that, how could he have said no?

That's how Deimos found himself trailing behind her energetic wife a few days later, keeping an eye on her as she bounced into the adoption center, happiness practically emanating from her. If he didn't know any better, Deimos would be led to believe he could siphon emotions from her as well, but he knew it was just her natural hyperness that was causing the feeling. She always had a harder time keeping her telepathic powers in check when she was feeling one extreme or another. He couldn't help but smile a bit.

Rosalind was ecstatic that Deimos actually agreed to come. She wasn't sure he would actually say yes when she brought up adopting a child, but it was something she'd been thinking about for a while. She practically floated into the building (at least she would have if she still had wings), and it wasn't long before they were able to go and meet the children.

She honestly would have loved to adopt all of them (Deimos would have a heart attack for sure), they were all so sweet and small and lonely. Who was that coming from? And so strongly. Ignoring Demi's confused look she tightened the hold on his hand, pulling him with her as she followed the feeling.

Rosie? Deimos asked as he was led behind the small fairy. She seemed very determined to get somewhere, but she wouldn't answer him, instead walking diligently. His unspoken question was answered soon enough though as she stopped in front of a small child huddled in the corner by himself. Is he...?

"Ahh, you want to be careful with him." Rosalind turned her head to look behind where Deimos was standing so he turned as well, noticing the woman who'd checked them in was talking. "He's a hybrid, a bit on the dangerous side. He tends to stay to himself."

Rosalind turned away from the worker, squatting down to the young boy's level. He curled away from her, keeping his eyes down. "Hi sweetie. What's your name?" She asked him gently. When he didn't respond she moved so that she was sitting on her butt, scooting against the wall next to him. This time he glanced up at him, a shy look on his face. "My name is Rosie."

"I-I'm Ikaika." He finally said, though his voice was just barely above a whisper. 

"Ikaika? That's a nice name." Rosalind said cheerfully, smiling softly at him.

"It's not." Ikaika pouted, lowering his eyes again and tracing at the ground with a finger.

"Why isn't it?"

This time it took him a bit longer to respond, but finally he muttered, "It doesn't fit."

Rosie glanced up at Deimos, who was watching them closely. She smiled a bit at him before turning her attention back to the child next to her. "Why doesn't it fit?"

"It's supposed to mean 'strong'. I'm a hybrid. It doesn't fit."

Rosie felt her heart ache a bit. "Can I tell you a secret?" She asked Ikaika. He shrugged and she wrapped an arm around him, knowing she shocked him with the action by the way he stiffened. But he didn't fight her when she pulled him towards her, and eventually she got him settled in her lap. Once she had his attention she pointed to Deimos. "See him over there?" She asked, waiting until he nodded to continue. "That's my husband. And guess what? He's a hybrid just like you?"

Ikaika looked up at her, his eyes wide with shock. "Really?"

"Mhm." Rosie nodded. "And you know something else? He's one of the strongest people I know." She glanced up at Deimos to see the embarrassed look on his face. She smiled at him before looking back at Ikaika. "Being a hybrid isn't easy by any means. You'll have to deal with a lot growing up, but it's not impossible. Especially if you have someone there to help you through it. Someone who knows what it's like to go through what you go through."

Though that feeling of loneliness was still there, she could also feel what she thought was hopefulness coming from the young boy. He seemed to relax against her a bit, though his face still held an expression of wonder and surprise. "You want to adopt me? Nobody ever wants to adopt me. Everyone's afraid of me."

"I think if I can be married to a hybrid, I can certainly take care of a five-year-old, don't you think?" Rosalind asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"I'm six!" Ikaika huffed, holding up six fingers to emphasize. 

Rosalind poked him in the side, causing him to giggle lightly. "I'm sorry. Six then. Don't you think I'd be able to handle a six year old?"

"I guess." Ikaika said, twisting to smile up at her. "I'd get to call you mama?"

"If you'd like." Rosie said. Her voice was calm but her heart was doing somersaults inside of her. 

Ikaika glanced at Deimos, who'd stayed quiet the whole. "Can I call him papa?" Deimos' eyes grew wide and he turned his head away, presumably to hide the fact that his face grew hot. 

"I think he'd like that." Rosie answered, her smile growing wider. 

"I really get to come home with you?"

"Well we'd have to do paperwork and it might take a little while but yes, if that's what you'd like."

Ikaika rested his head on her chest, a wide smile on his face where a frown had been previously. "I'd like that."