xi

It was Sunday, and at Mikan House, Sunday meant only one thing. Pancakes.

"Make mine extra big!"

"I want one with blueberries!"

"Strawberries on mine!"

"Dad, make two of 'em at once for me!"

"Hold it, hold it! I only have two hands, everyone. Unless you want no pancakes, you'll sit down and give instructions one at a time!"

None of the children moved to sit down, although they did back away from him ever so slightly. The chattering was hardly muffled. A tall, rounded woman chuckled as she watched from the hallway at the chaos. Her husband never got a break Sunday's, which was just fine by her, since it was the one day she did. It was the one day of the week everyone was too stuffed up on 'cake to move for a good portion of the afternoon, leading to untold uninterrupted free time to finish whatever projects she had in mind. Rosie Mikan cherished this time to focus so much she could almost forgive the absolute mess the kitchen became every week. At least he and the children cleaned up afterward…usually.

She moved away from the hallway, contemplating whether to clean all the bedsheets or go through Mikhail's room–when suddenly the doorbell rang. She frowned. She wasn't expecting anyone today, and they were far enough away from their neighbors that it was rare to receive visits. Rosie opened the door carefully.

Standing outside were three people. A woman with hair an even brighter pink than her own, looking haggard with eyes bright red and puffy. A very pretty young man stood by her side, his expression awkward. In the middle stood a young girl, who, if Rosie was being generous, couldn't be more than three years old. The sight of them made Rosie straighten up. Given their expressions and the child, she had a feeling of what was coming. "Hello, how can I help you?" she asked.

With this, the young woman promptly burst into tears.

Rosie pressed another box of tissues into the young woman–Meredy's–hands before sitting down across from her on a chair. The young man–Macbeth–looked as if he wanted to help in some way, but the way Meredy glared at him made it apparent that even getting near her would be troublesome. The child had been sent to the playroom across the hall. All the foster children tried to engage with her, even as she'd awkwardly looked away. Rosie looked between the three of them in exasperation, suppressing a sigh. "Xavier, please don't appear so shocked."

"How could I not? I totally thought these two were married." Mikan huffed in disappointment. Macbeth's eyebrow shot up at the name.

"Wait, you said your name was Mikan. Isn't this the Mikan House?"

"You are correct," Rosie said. "My husband has a disdain for his first name, especially with strangers. Please forgive the confusion…on more than one account."

"Hey, you heard him explain what was going on, I'm not entirely at fault–" A single glare from his wife snuffed Mikan's argument clean out. "A-hem. Anyways, we think we understand the situation a bit more, ah, clearly now…"

Rosie nodded. "That child. You aren't actually her parents?"

Meredy finally spoke up, her face still wet from snot and tears. "I am her parent!" She looked on the edge of lashing out at her. Rosie braced herself to restrain her. She didn't raise over a dozen children to not learn how to hold one down. Instead, Macbeth took her by the shoulders and forced her down. She hit him away, but not before sinking into her seat in dejection.

Macbeth looked at the young woman but didn't respond to her question. In turn, she also looked at her. She sniffled and attempted to compose herself.

"I'm guessing you two came here to ask for us to take her in."

"I...We did. Yes."

Rosie took a deep breath. She thought it might be something like this. "Is this something that would be effective immediately?" Meredy nodded. "I'm sorry then, but we can't do that." The two of them looked up in shock. She noted that a relieved expression almost crossed Meredy's face. Mikan looked at her curiously but said nothing. She continued. "It is unfair not only to us but the child in question as well." She looked again at Meredy. "Simply because someone else has made a bad decision does not mean the child should be punished too. We strive to make such transitions as smooth as possible. Leaving her here with us right now...I cannot imagine a more cruel action. Especially if she regards you as her true parents."

Meredy struggled to remain composed as Rosie dug into her unreasonable request. In her heart, she knew it was also unfair to necessarily criticize the guardians, whom she realized were often trying their best to resolve difficult situations. But it was exactly people who shared her attitude of leaving a child when they grew inconvenient that made her build this house with Mikan. She felt no qualms letting her opinions on such matters be known, and known in scathing detail. Normally, Mikan was adamant about this as well, surprisingly he remained silent at her speech.

To her surprise, Macbeth spoke up. "If I could say something...ma'am."

Rosie nodded.

He cleared his throat. "We understand this is rather sudden. I don't think any of us want to do this, but when we looked at our limited options, I remembered Mikan–your husband–and what he said on the train."

Mikan looked around and then pointed a finger at himself. Rosie almost rolled her eyes. Did he have to act surprised every time someone quoted him? Even when it was the children, who often repeated his terrible jokes.

"He mentioned being able to take care of her needs. How she was attached to me because I understood what she needed and gave it to her." A wry smile appeared on his lips. "I couldn't help but think how you'd never say that if you knew what was really going on."

"M-Macbeth stop. No." Meredy whispered. "I-It's not your fault. Y-You didn't do anything wrong. Everything...everything that's happened is on me. This is all me."

Macbeth appeared perturbed at her words. "It's more than just you. Everyone put up with it to some extent. Even me. We should have put our foot down from the beginning."

"But you couldn't! I was always lashing out and never let you get a word in!"

"Do you think your pathetic mewling really would have stopped me if I possessed the desire to see this whole farce to an end? I could still crush you underfoot!"

"Oh, now you're playing the big bad guy card?!"

"CHILDREN."

The two jumped.

Rosie stared them down, a stern face she'd perfected. One that clearly said, don't mess with me right now.

"As happy as we all are that you're now coming to these conclusions, it should be in everyone's best interest that you cease this arguing. Like I explained before, we cannot help you at this moment. We already have enough on our hands, with the children we already have, the new one coming in, and–"

A hand reached out to touch her leg. Rosie turned to Mikan in surprise. "Xavier?"

"I'm sorry you two, could you give us a minute? I need to discuss something with Rosie." He gave a trademark smile. The two awkwardly allowed them to leave, casting side glances at Rosie in particular as they left. She held their gazes, noting the pleading mixed with the desperation.

She crossed her arms and glared at Mikan as soon as they were out of view. "Do you really have something to talk to me about or was that just a bluff to get them to calm down?"

"Oh, why can't it be both?" They looked out into the doorway at the children playing in the room. Ultear was cautiously interacting with them. She definitely was not accustomed to being around other children her age. Her movements betrayed trepidation.

"I won't be persuaded, Xavier." Mikan did not respond to this. They continued watching the children play. Ultear was stiff, barely looking any of the others in the eye.

"...Rosie, how often do you listen to the outside news?" His wife spared him a glance but didn't answer. He continued, "Do you remember, more than seven years ago, that whole council debacle? It was all anyone seemed to talk about. The main perpetrator was that fellow named Jellal, but there was another person who vanished shortly afterward. Her name was Ultear.

"Later on, the council reported her being in a dark guild, the same one that attacked that island that rambunctious guild Fairy Tail claims. She was reported missing then, only to slowly receive sightings as the years went on. The last known sighting of her was over six months ago."

The children were all older than Ultear and thus ran much faster than her. She could barely keep up in their game of tag. Rosie sighed. "They said they got her six months ago."

"Strange, isn't it?"

"No more strange than whatever delusion you've cooked up this time, Xavier."

He chuckled. "True, but it may be closer to the truth than we'd like to think. Tell me, why would criminals turn to us of all people in order to take care of her?"

"Even so, is that not even more of a reason to not take her in? If your ridiculous theory holds even the slightest bit of water that would simply mean we would be taking in a major criminal to raise. I'll take the children of a criminal any day, but we won't have anything to do with those who've stained their hands that way."

Mikan did not argue, did not offer up a rising retort. Instead, he said, "When you learn to recognize the needs of others above yourself, that's when you become a true parent."

"...If I had known you would say it to so many people I never would have said that to you to begin with." Rosie's words were quiet.

"I don't say them to hold it over you, dear. They inspired me to be a better man, so I use them to help others like me. If you're really so upset you should just tell people that yourself." Mikan's face broke out into a gentle smile. He loved all the sides of his wife, but especially so the rare shy one. "It is an extraordinary circumstance they find themselves in. I know we say that a lot in this profession, but theirs truly is one of a kind. I think, even if we were to turn them away, we have to acknowledge how far they've come in recognizing their own feelings, and in what must be done."

"You say that like you've already decided."

"...I won't fight you on this. It's a team effort. Just that I think we should consider carefully." He looked up at her, trying to reach her eyes. "Why did you lie?"

She sucked in a breath. "Because it would mean that we were giving up on him."

"Do you still think we'll get him?"

She bowed her head. "I want to believe, but every day that goes by..." Her shoulders trembled as she spoke. "We fought so hard for him, and now..."

Mikan rested a hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer. He knew. He knew the sadness, the frustration she felt was real, so he said nothing as she silently cried next to him, grasping his other hand in her own. "We can still fight for him, we should still fight for him. But now is not his time, Rosie. I'm sorry...for asking this of you now, rather than later."

She shook her head, tears still in her eyes. "It is not your fault Xaiver. It is just the way of things. It's just never easy to accept it when it happens." She gazed upon the children they did have and at Ultear before closing her eyes. "Mikhail..."

Husband and wife stood there in silence. One mourning the present, and the other contemplating the future. Together.

"...They're going to reject us."

"Hey, maybe...well. Yeah."

The two left behind grimly accepted their fates. It had been a long shot anyway. Macbeth had only met Mikan once after all, and even then their encounter was that of a single train ride conversation. Hardly the basis of a lasting relationship, or trust for that matter. Still, with their one and only lead looking less and less likely by the minute, the two already began brainstorming.

"There have to be other orphanages around that could accept her."

"I don't want to leave her with strangers."

"Mikan's a stranger."

"You said he was very nice, and I trust your judgment. I know not everyone who does this does it out of the goodness of their hearts."

"That's certainly true–Wait, since when did you trust my judgment?"

"Er...well..."

"Apologizes for the wait! You alright Miss? Looking awfully red there all of a sudden." Mikan's abrupt arrival caused Meredy to turn away from Macbeth and stare straight ahead. Macbeth also looked away, a little red himself.

Before her husband could successfully pry, Rosie sat down and cleared her throat. "We have reached a decision." The two gulped. She stared them down again, as intense as ever. "It is unconventional, rash, foolhardy, reckless, and no doubt against several measures of our own protocol." Her hand intertwined with Mikan's, who didn't interrupt her speech. She drew a long breath. "Despite all this, we have agreed that we can take her on."

For a moment, Macbeth and Meredy forgot to breathe. Then they simultaneously leaped out of their seats and shouted, "Really?!"

"HUSH. Yes. Do sit down." They did, turning to each other and smiling, not out of joy, but out of relief. Mikan laughed.

"Sure you're not even going out? You're so in sync here!" This earned him a slap on the knee from Rosie which made the two of them look away from each other again. Rosie resisted the urge to roll her eyes; they still had many things to do before Ultear could officially be a part of their house.

"We need you to tell us everything you know about Ultear. Absolutely everything, even the smallest of things that could set her off. Then we'll have to fill out some forms, it's fine if you fudge them, we'll get things smoothed out on our end. Then..." she turned to Meredy in particular. "...you're going to have to figure out how you want to say goodbye."

A/N: Y'all I love Rosie so much. And Mikan. And the two of them. Writing a good, supportive couple in this feels so nice, especially considering most of the actual canon ones here...