"Tadashi? Tadashi, are you home?" Fred opens the door to the house and looks first into the living room and then down the hallway to where the kitchen was. After a brief survey of the area, he ascertains that his husband wasn't in the immediate area and so he heads for the stairs leading to the upper floor, hoping and praying that Tadashi wasn't where he thought he'd be. After a long day at the Center for Mythological Creatures' Preservation and Rehabilitation, a secret organization started by his dad to help find and rescue mythical beings and help mainstream them into modern society, he was honestly ready to enjoy a quiet evening at home with his spouse. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy his work. He did, and he knew how important it was-in fact, if it hadn't been for working at the center, he never would have met the gorgeous kitsune he would fall in love with and go on to marry. But after a rough session trying to explain to a tribe of wood nymphs why it was not acceptable in modern human society to go around clothed in only plant matter (thank goodness he was gay or that could have gotten extremely awkward in a hurry), he was ready to just order in a pizza and snuggle with Tadashi on the couch while watching one of their favorite nerd movies. But, unfortunately, for the past few weeks all had not been well in the Hamada-Lee household. It wasn't that they were fighting, exactly. And Fred really couldn't fault Tadashi for it, any more than he could fault himself for not being able to perform the impossible. Still, he couldn't keep from replaying their conversation over and over again in his mind as he climbed the stairs to check in the bedroom.

It had started out innocently enough-well, innocent being a relative term, but given they were married sex wasn't really something to feel guilty about. Fred had honestly never really loved winter until he'd been chosen as a kitsune's mate. Now, instead of spending the winter months dreading having to bundle up every time he went outside, he got to look forward to spending plenty of indoors, being anything other than cold, because mating season was in full swing and Tadashi's hormones made him extremely amorous, something Fred definitely wasn't complaining about. This year, though, Fred had sensed something a little different in Tadashi's usual patterns. Usually sex for them was very gentle and loving, although sometimes Tadashi's fox instincts made it a slightly rough, but in a playful way. Starting in November when the season began this year, though, Tadashi had been a lot more forceful than usual, dragging him off to their bedroom every time Fred wasn't otherwise occupied (and sometimes even when he was.) The fanboy hadn't complained-he hadn't minded having his gorgeous husband wanting to do him every chance that he got. As December ended and the hormones started to wane, however, Tadashi started becoming quiet and distant. Fred had tried everything he could to coax the reason for the sudden change in demeanor out of him, but after a short while even gentle questions would be met with growling, even snapping. It hadn't been until Fred came home early one day only to find Tadashi, instead of at the university where he worked as a professor, curled up on their bed, crying, that he'd finally forced his husband to be honest with him about what was really going on.

"Sweetheart, c'mon, you know you can tell me anything," Fred had said, sitting down on the bed next to Tadashi's curled up form and drawing up onto his lap. "I can't fix whatever's making you unhappy until you tell me what it is."

"You can't fix it," Tadashi said in a low sob. "Neither of us can."

"Maybe you should try asking me first before you go assuming the worst," Fred gently coaxes him, running his hand soothingly through his thick, dark hair. "C'mon. Try me. You know I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy, just tell me what it is."

Tadashi was quiet for several minutes, so long that Fred started to think that he really wasn't going to say anything. But then finally, in a quiet, mewing voice, the kitsune finally answers, "I-I want a kit…"

"A what?" Fred says uncertainly, brain not fully processing what Tadashi had said.

"A kit," Tadashi repeats, looking up at him with watery, bloodshot eyes. "I-I want a baby for us, Fred."

"Oh. OH." Fred's eyes go wide with understanding and instantly his heart sinks down in his chest as he suddenly understands the reason for his husband's misery. "Oh, Dashi, I'm so sorry," he whispers as he pulls the kitsune closer. "I...If there was any way that I could… B-but you know it's almost impossible…"

"You could talk to your dad," Tadashi says desperately, grasping onto his shirt. "Maybe he'd make an exception for us!"

Fred slowly shakes his head slowly. "You know what he's like-he never changes his mind on these things."

"But he knows me! He knows that I'd never hurt a human child!"

"He does, but he still has this weird thing about not 'forcing' human children into 'unnatural situations'-he thinks that somehow a human child, especially having gone through the trauma of losing their parents, wouldn't be able to handle finding out that their guardians are mythical creatures…"

"Baka," Tadashi spits angrily.

"I know it is," Fred sighs. "But if he made an exception for us, then he'd have to let others adopt if they wanted to, and he would have a hard time being able to say 'no' to those who wouldn't be… safe parents for a human."

Tadashi lets out a low whimper and buries his head into Fred's chest, and the fanboy feels his heart breaking for his husband, who so badly wanted to be a father but couldn't.

"I-If you wanted to find another female kitsune… Someone who could give you children…" Fred finally says shakily, "Y-you know that I would understand if you wanted to…"

"NO." Tadashi response is sharp and decisive, if a bit angry. "You are my mate. I chose you, and you chose me, and I love you and will never, ever leave you."

"I'm still sorry that there's not more I can do," Fred says softly even as his chest warms at his husband's assertion of loyalty. "You know that even if I could…"

"Forget it." Tadashi shakes his head as if to clear away the topic all together. "Forget I ever said anything. I have you, and you're all I ever need."

"Dashi, if this is something you feel strongly about, I don't think we should just 'forget it'-I think it's something we should talk about, maybe see one of the counselors at the Center," Fred starts to protest.

"It's FINE." Tadashi's tone becomes cold and hard for a moment, his eyes darkening, before he visibly softens and starts nuzzling into his husband's neck by way of apology. "I'm fine. Really. Please, just-maybe if I don't talk about it then it'll go away on its own."

Fred knew that certainly wasn't healthy, and he tried to pursue the subject but by then Tadashi was suddenly pushing him down onto the bed, unbuttoning his shirt, and purring into his ear, "Come on, we still have a little bit of mating season left, let's enjoy it."

Fred hadn't argued, thinking that maybe this was something he could do for Tadashi to help him feel better. Looking back on it now, he wished that he hadn't just let it go. Ever since then, Tadashi had refused to talk about the subject, even when Fred tried to purposefully bring it up. But he had also grown increasingly despondent, even depressed. Life continued as normal, but Tadashi seemed to be going through the motions rather than actually living, and was spending more and more time in their room, just lying on the bed and doing nothing, a dead look in his eyes. As a last ditch effort, Fred had secretly gone to his father, begging him to make an exception for them, pointing out that as a human an adopted child would have at least one "normal" parent. But his father had put up a hard front, even going so far as to coldly remind Fred that he wasn't fully human, that he was half dragon thanks to his dragoness mother and, given he could transform into dragon form, he did not fit the requirements of a "normal" human parent. It was ironic how the thing that Fred's father had most tried to keep suppressed and hidden about his son all those years was now the thing standing in the way of Fred and Tadashi being able to adopt a child.

As it was, Fred was at the end of his rope. He didn't know what to do to make Tadashi feel better about an impossible situation, and it was getting to the point that he was afraid that his husband was going to become seriously ill if he kept up with his refusing to eat and hardly even sleeping, despite the amount of time that he spent in bed these days. The fanboy had even gone so far as to try to enlist Hiro, Tadashi's younger brother, in helping cheer him up, but even visits from his beloved otouto didn't seem to be having any effect on the kitsune.

Now, standing at the top of the stairs, Fred has to take a deep breath before entering the bedroom, knowing what he'd probably find. His suspicions were correct. Tadashi was lying there in bed, much like his husband left him there that morning. Fred almost wondered if Tadashi had actually left the bed or if he'd just stayed there all day.

"Dashi…" Fred says softly, sinking onto the bed next to his spouse and pulling the man's limp, unprotesting form to his chest. "Please. Y-you can't keep doing this." When Tadashi doesn't answer, just giving him a blank, glazed stare, he continues, emotion beginning to build up in his voice, "Y-you're making yourself sick, and everyone is really worried about you. Damnit, I'm worried about you! You are my husband and the love of my life and I am doing everything I can think of to try to make you happy! If there was any possible way that I could find a kit for us, you know that I would go to the ends of the Earth-you KNOW that, Tadashi! But as hard as I've tried, I can't, and I can't stand to watch you killing yourself with misery!" Tears beginning to leak out of his eyes, Fred says in a quavery voice, "P-please… I-I need my Tadashi back… B-because I can't live without him, and i-if something happens to you…" He can't even finish the sentence, his voice cracking and a sob choking out of his throat, suddenly finding himself bawling his eyes out as he clutches his husband close.

Slowly, he becomes aware of something soft but slightly rough running across his cheeks, cleaning the tears away as they fell. Through his watery vision he looks down and sees Tadashi, in fox form, weakly licking his face in a comforting manner. When Fred finally stops crying and his husband transforms back into human form, he can see that the other man has been crying as well.

"Fred, I'm so sorry," Tadashi whispers, tightly wrapping his arms around his chest. "I-I didn't mean to hurt you… I-it just hurts so much knowing that we can never…" He trails off, biting his lip.

"You can say it, Dashi," Fred gently urges him, hugging him tightly back. "That we can never have a kit together?"

"Y-yes," Tadashi agrees, nodding into his chest. "A-and it's not fair for me to be so miserable when you've done everything you can to-"

"Tadashi, do you think I'm mad at you for being miserable?" Fred cries. "Sweetheart, no. I'm not even mad at you. I just can't stand to see you hurting and not letting me help you!"

"I-I don't know what anyone can do to help," Tadashi says quietly.

"You don't have to," Fred answers, hugging him fiercely. "And you don't have to be okay-you don't have to be anywhere near okay! But when you're sad or hurting, I want you to share that with me-tell me what you're feeling and let me help you carry the pain instead of keeping it all inside and letting it eat away at you. Please, promise me that you'll do that."

"I-I'll try," Tadashi finally tells him softly.

"That's all I'm asking," Fred reassures, gently stroking the other man's hair.

"I love you," Tadashi whispers, nuzzling into his chest. "So much."

"I love you too," Fred answers, lovingly leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Now, here's what we're going to do. I know you probably don't feel like doing much, and that is perfectly okay. But you need to get some food in you, and you need to get out of this bed. So I am going to carry you down to the living room and put on your favorite movie, and we are going to cuddle there and eat as much pizza and ice cream as you want, and we are not going to do anything but help you feel better, okay?"

"Can the pizza have calamari on it?" Tadashi asks in a quiet, hopeful voice, giving Fred the closest thing to a smile that the fanboy had seen in a very, very long time.

"It can absolutely have calamari on it," Fred answers, leaning down to peck him warmly on the lips.

About ten minutes later, the two were down in the living room, Tadashi bundled up on the couch in as many fluffy blankets as Fred had been able to find, seeming perfectly content as the beginning of Spirited Away plays across the screen. Fred had just finished placing their pizza order and hanging up the phone when suddenly his cell started ringing again. Wondering if the pizza parlor was calling back with a question about the order, he checks the number, only for his eyes to go wide with surprise when he sees that it was his dad calling.

"Hello?" he answers it softly, not wanting to disturb Tadashi when he seemed so happy.

"Frederick!" Fred winces, both at the loud voice and his father's insistence at using his full name instead of his much preferred nickname.

"Yeah, dad, it's me," Fred answers, trying not to sigh audibly.

"Where are you right now?"

"Um, at home with my husband?" Who is currently experiencing a lot of emotional trauma thanks to your stupid rules, thank you very much!

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. I need you to come to the Center right now."

"What? Dad, no, Tadashi is-he isn't feeling well, and I really need to be here with him-"

"Actually, I meant both of you."

"Dad. Were you even listening when I said that Tadashi is not-"

"Oh, I was listening. And I know what you mean by 'not feeling well', and I think I might have something here that will help. Actually, make that someone."

Fred feels his heart skip a beat-wait, had his dad finally caved and had set up an appointment for them with an adoption agency?! Still, he didn't trust his father as far as he could throw him when it came to things like big emotional issues, so he wasn't about to get his or Tadashi's hopes up. "Dad," he says in a low growl, turning away so that his husband wouldn't hear him, "whatever you're doing you'd better be serious, because if you do anything that hurts Tadashi more than he already is-"

He's interrupted by the sound of quiet yipping on the other end of the phone, and then his father suddenly saying, "I have to go. I expect to see you both here in thirty minutes. Goodbye, Frederick."

"What-You-Gah!" Fred lets out a low groan of frustration as he realizes that his father had already hung up on him.

"Everything okay?" Tadashi asks, his voice full of concern.

"Yeah, it's just my dad being… My dad," Fred sighs, shaking his head as he turns back to face him. "I'm really sorry to do this, love, and you don't have to do this if you don't want to, but for some reason he wants us both to come to the Center and-"

"Okay."

"-you know how he can be about-Wait, 'okay'?" Fred blinks in surprise as his brain registers his husband's response.

"Okay," Tadashi repeats, disentangling himself from the blankets and standing up. "If your dad needs us for something, I think we should go-y'know, just in case it's important."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Fred asks uncertainly, coming over to wrap a steadying hand around his husband's waist.

"Yeah." Tadashi flashes him a warm smile. "It might be nice to get out of the house for a little bit."

That settled it for Fred-if Tadashi actually felt like going out, he wasn't going to stop him.

"You sure you're going to be alright?" he presses, just to make sure.

"Positive," Tadashi agrees with a firm nod.

Half an hour later, they were walking into the center, Fred gratified to see that the color was already starting to return to his husband's cheeks and that he seemed to be benefiting from being out and about again.

"Hey, do you know where my dad is?" Fred asks one of the Center's employees-a gruff looking manticore who was actually a teddy bear beneath the surface-who was passing by.

The manticore looks up at him in surprise, as if it hadn't been expecting to see him at the Center this late, before pointing towards the hallway that lead to the processing center for the new arrivals.

"Thanks!" Fred gives him a quick wave before leading Tadashi off in the right direction.

For some reason as he walked, he felt his heart rate speeding up slightly, an odd feeling like something that was going to change his life forever was about to happen, and while he tried to ignore it as best he could, not wanting to get his hopes up, it wouldn't go away. Tadashi seemed to be experiencing something similar, squeezing his husband's hand tightly as they walked, his eyes filled with confusion but also a slight spark of excitement.

As the neared the end of the hallway, Tadashi's ears perk up, and he slows, seeming to be listening to a sound that Fred couldn't hear, at least not yet.

"What is it?" he asks, turning to Tadashi.

"I-it sounds like a kitsune!" his husband answers, an unreadable expression crossing his face. "A young one, at that."

Fred's heart speeds up ever so slightly. No-no way, it wasn't possible-!

Without meaning to, Fred quickens his gait. Tadashi wordlessly matches it, and they finish the walk to the center in silence that seemed to say more than any words could at this point.

"Ah, good, there you are!" The first thing they see when they enter the main room is Fred's father, as usual dressed in his camo fatigues.

"Hey Dad," Fred says, giving him a slight nod as Tadashi gives him a more formal bow. "So, um, what's the emergency? It sounded like it was pretty important." And if it isn't, you are going to be very, very sorry that you dragged us away from our first date night in over a month.

"Well, not exactly an emergency, but close enough," Mr. Lee answers, waving for them to follow him towards a nearby door-the door to the nursery, where young arrivals were brought to be looked after and checked over by workers and the on-site pediatrician for mythical creatures.

Tadashi and Fred share a look, slightly confused but the truth beginning to dawn on them, before following him. Once inside, they find the nursery almost completely empty except one nurse who was holding a tiny blue bundle which was squirming ever so slightly, the tiniest of whimpers and yips coming from it.

"What-?" Fred starts to ask, glancing over at his father, who seems to be fighting a smile now.

"I'd like you two to meet our newest arrival-he came in just a couple of hours ago. Sadly, he's all alone in the world-by the time our scouts got there, the poachers had already killed the mother, and no father was to be found," the older man says softly. "Poor little tyke-barely a month old, from what the doctor could tell. Of course we could keep him in the nursery, but you know that, as hard as our workers work, they barely have time to look after all of the little ones in there, let alone give them the individual attention that they need. I knew there was a couple, though-a couple with a kitsune in it-who was looking to adopt and might be willing to give this little guy a proper home."

"Dad, I…" Fred felt his heart hammering in his chest-this was all moving very, very fast…

"He's perfect…" Fred turns to see that Tadashi was already standing next to the nurse, the little blue bundle having transferred from her arms to his, and the fanboy could already see the look of pure, unadulterated love on his husband's face as he stares down in wonder at the tiny life in his arms.

Tentatively, Fred crosses the room to Tadashi's side, peering down over his shoulder to get his first glimpse of the baby kitsune. Within moments, he knew that he'd completely lost his heart to it as well. A tiny head poked out of the blankets, downy dark brown hair showing between the two absurdly but adorably large fox ears on either side of the child's head (he knew that kitsune didn't have full control over which form they were in right after they were born, so he wasn't fully surprised by this), tiny mouth open in a yawn, almond shaped eyes the same color as Tadashi's barely squinting open.

"Hey little guy…" Fred finds himself whispering, gently reaching down to stroke the tyke's rosy cheek.

Tadashi looks over at him, as if noticing for the first time that he was actually there. "Fred…" he says softly. "I-I know this is really sudden, but do you think… Could we-?"

"Yes." Fred gently squeezes his husband's shoulder and then kisses him on the cheek. "I think it's pretty obvious that he's already ours."

"Thank you." Tadashi flashes him a grateful grin, his face seeming to be absolutely glowing as he cradles the baby kitsune to his chest.

"Wonderful." Fred's father is also smiling as he comes over to join them. "I know that your house isn't set up for a child just yet, but it's nothing a few workers from the Center can't fix in a day or two. As it is, he can stay in the nursery for the night, and tomorrow the doctor can fill you in on how to take care of him."

"C-Can we stay here with him tonight?" Tadashi asks, obviously panicking slightly at the idea of being away his newly adopted son.

"I think you might want to enjoy one of the last full nights of sleep that you'll have in a while," Mr. Lee tells him with a wry smile.

"He's got a point, Dashi," Fred says, lightly squeezing his husband's arm. "I don't like the idea of leaving him here either, but we need to get some actual rest in tonight so we can have the energy we need to take care of him properly."

"Fine," Tadashi finally sighs in defeat. "But we don't have to leave just yet, do we?"

"I think we still have some time before we need to head back," Fred says with a warm smile before glancing over at his dad for permission.

"I certainly don't have any problem with it," Mr. Lee agrees. "Just one question-do you happen to have a name for my new grandson yet? We didn't get to hear what his mother had named him-she passed before we could find out-but we need something to call him."

Fred couldn't help but smile at that-his dad apparently already viewed the kit as his grandchild. Maybe there was hope for this relationship yet. Still, just as he was about to say that they needed some time to think about it, Tadashi suddenly says,

"Danieru-Daniel."

"Daniel?" Fred glances curiously over at him. "That's my middle name, why would you-?"

"You said it's an old family name, right?" Tadashi says, smiling over at him. "I've always liked it, and I always thought that if we were ever lucky enough to get to somehow have a baby of our own…"

"If you like Daniel, then Daniel it is," Fred says firmly. "But if he's getting a name from my side of the family, then he needs one from yours too."

"Takachicho is my middle name," Tadashi replies after a moment's thought. "Do you think that maybe that could work?"

"Daniel Takachicho Hamada-Lee," Fred says, testing it out. "I like the sound of that!"

"I do too," Tadashi agrees, grinning and nuzzling into him as he smiles down at the infant kitsune. "Welcome to the family, Daniel."

"Yeah," Fred agrees, putting his arms around both of them. "Welcome to the family, little guy."