Another fic I wrote to help me study for finals (which are now over, woooo). So I hope this is at least the slightest bit educational. Some of this may seem weird to you, but all my hard facts come from reliable sources.

"You want me to what?" Yuuno blinked in confusion. His hearing should be just fine, but he couldn't have just heard that, could he?

"Like I said," Nanoha responded simply. "Fate and I have decided to have a child of our own. We discussed it, and we decided that we'd like you to be the donor."

They were all sitting in Yuuno's office. He was at his desk while the two ladies sat across from him. Yuuno glanced at the blonde, who gave him a sheepish smile and a small nod.

"I would carry the baby," Nanoha continued. "And Fate and I would handle the raising, so you wouldn't be inconvenienced at all, Yuuno-kun."

"No, that's not the issue here…" Yuuno muttered. Yuuno looked at his sweetly smiling childhood friend. Here was the love of his life, asking her to be the father of her child… Wasn't that something amazing?

But… he wouldn't really be the 'father', though, would he? Nanoha and Fate had been in a steady relationship for years now. They would be the parents. He learned to accept long ago that there was no place for him there.

"Why me?" He asked the obvious question. Nanoha looked perplexed.

"Why not?" She asked in reply. "You're one of my closest friends. You're some one I can trust with this request. Plus, you're smart and you're handsome. I'm sure the baby will love having the genes of such a great person."

Yuuno understood that Nanoha meant no ill will with her words, but it still stung. So she just wants his genes and nothing more? While she technically complimented him, he didn't feel happy about it. He readjusted his glasses.

"I… I need you to let me think about it." He replied. "I can't give you an answer right now." The girls nodded in unison.

"I was a bit sudden, wasn't it?" Nanoha let out an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry to spring it on you like this." She stood to leave, but Fate remained seated.

"Please go ahead, Nanoha." She said. "I'll catch up in a minute." Nanoha didn't ask any questions and headed to the office door.

"I'll see you later then, Yuuno-kun." She said before closing the door behind her.

Yuuno turn back towards Fate, only to see the blonde bowing deeply.

"I'm so sorry about this, Yuuno." She said.

"Sorry? For what?" He asked, shocked by her behaviour.

"… I've… I've always known how you feel about Nanoha… and… to request something like this… I can't image how much you're hurting right now…"

Yuuno sighed and smiled fondly at the girl in front of him. While she was the one who stole the heart of his first and only love, Fate was still Yuuno's friend. She was always so kind and considerate to the feelings of others. Yuuno held no resentment towards her.

"It's ok, Fate." He said. "It was just unexpected, that's all. I guess I should be happy you two think so highly of me that you'd ask this of me."

X-X-X

After showing Fate to the door, Yuuno flopped back into his chair. Even though he said that, there were all sorts of conflicting feelings swirling inside of him.

What would another man do in his situation, he wondered. Was he supposed to say "Sure, I'll shoot a load into a cup for ya! No problem!" and be done with it?

No. It was far more complicated than that. They were talking about bringing a brand new life into the world. He couldn't just forget about it once he did his part. Undoubtedly, he would be seeing this child frequently. He could never over look the fact that his blood would be flowing through his or her veins.

"You wouldn't be inconvenienced at all, Yuuno-kun." Is what Nanoha had said. Was he going to be exempt from all responsibility towards the child? Was that supposed to be a good thing?

Yuuno had always dreamed of having a family of his own. He had dreamed of raising children with Nanoha by his side. Now a form of this dream was dangling in front of him, but was he going to be barred from it? Would he forever be forced to watch from a distance?

If he was going to be forced into such a painful position, maybe he should decline… But if he did, he'd be denying his precious friends their happiness.

Are there other ways to go about this?

Yuuno realised he didn't really know much about ways same sex couples can have children. It wasn't really a subject he had much interest in.

And so, the Head Librarian of the Infinity Library worked his magic. It didn't take him long to find the information he seeked. He opened the book and started reading.

"Many lesbian women have used donor insemination to have children."1

So the request itself wasn't anything abnormal.

"They often do so in ways that maximize biogenetic ties within their families or that approximate such ties. A woman may choose her partner's brother to be the donor to give both women a genetic link to the child, or choose a donor whose physical characteristics resemble those of the partner who is to be the comother of the child."1

Yuuno considered this for a moment. Chrono wouldn't be an option because he and Fate were not blood related. He was certain the fact that Chrono already has kids of his own would complicate matters. Amy could have a problem with it. Kyouya was obviously no good, as it was decided that Nanoha would carry the child.

For the latter suggestion, Yuuno could not think of anyone they mutually knew that resembled Fate in any way. There was the option of using a sperm bank, but Yuuno disliked the idea of Nanoha having a child by some stranger…

"Aside from in vitro fertilization, some women utilize live donors. That is to say that they have intercourse with males. Some find it preferable since this is considered to be the natural and less complicated way."2

Yuuno was positive they would be using the former method… Even if his libido really liked the sound of that second method.

He coughed such thoughts out of his mind and continued reading.

"It has been suggested that gay men may be preferable as live donor, as it would also give the male opportunity to reproduce. Also, some suggest that lesbians have an obligation to contribute to the 'gay gene' pool."2

Yuuno imagined that the gay male in question would be in a similar situation to him. There would certainly be a lot of legal issues to sort out.

That 'gay gene' pool suggestion seemed like an odd comment. There was no concrete proof that homosexuality was genetic. On top of that, Yuuno knew that children raised by same-sex parents have the same likelihood of being homosexual as the children of heterosexual couples.

The book went on to make a passing mention of one of the more obvious alternatives: adoption. Nanoha and Fate already had Vivio, Erio, and Caro by this method. The fact that they didn't decide to just adopt again eliminates that option. Perhaps Nanoha wanted to experience the joys of child birth?

And so, Yuuno reached the end of the book. He was better informed, but he still had his reservations. So perhaps him donating is the best option, but what would his role be afterwards? Then he read the final paragraph:

"Whatever method the couple chooses to use should be thoroughly discussed with all parties involved. By making clear what they hope to gain from the arrangement, a harmonious relationship can be established. This will ensure that the child grows up in a healthy and encouraging environment."

"That's right…" Yuuno realised. There was no reason for him to be mulling over this by himself. If he talked it over with Nanoha and Fate, they would take his feelings into consideration. Together they would reach an agreement where they could all be happy.

X-X-X

Alicia T. Harlaown-Takamachi sat on the porch of the house she shared with her mothers and older sister. She impatiently swung her legs over the side, the wind blowing through her long, beige hair. It was bound in a ponytail tied at the base of her neck. When she saw a figure round the corner, she jumped to her feet and dashed towards it. With a bounding leap, Alicia launched into the figure's open arms.

"Papa!" She cried.

Yuuno looked into her sparkling green eyes and smiled.

I'm a firm believer of telling your kids everything about their origin, so yeah, Alicia has two mamas and one papa. Society is changing. The nuclear family is no longer the only 'right' way to be. There are all sorts of possibilities for family structures, so we should all be open minded.

Sources:

1. Alternative Kinship, Marriage, and Reproduction by Nancy Levine

2. Imaging Bodies, Imagining Relations: Narratives of Queer Women and "Assisted Conception" by Jacquelyne Luce