They had a great morning, cuddling in bed with their little girl. Kurt had a training session at noon, so he headed off, leaving Wanda and Talia alone. She took the girl out to the common room, bringing her play mat and a few toys. They were constantly in the nursery or Wanda's room, it was nice to have a change of scenery.
Wanda set the girl on her back, unraveling her little tail from her arm. The appendage waved a bit, before wrapping around Talia's own ankle. Wanda smiled at her. The girl began to turn her head, whining, and Wanda pulled her pacifier out of the bag, popping it into her mouth. "All good, my lovely?" Wanda asked her. The girl put her hand on the pacifier, sucking it in.
She sat beside her, opening her laptop. She wanted to find the perfect Halloween costume for her, something unbelievably cute. She scoured the internet, noting a couple she liked.
"Hiii!" She looked up to see Kitty enter. "Hello little sweetie pie!" She knelt beside Talia, who gave the girl a big smile. "Aren't you the cutest thing in the WHOLE world?" She gave Talia a little tickle, and the girl kicked her feet excitedly. "We don't see you guys out much."
"Yeah," Wanda agreed. "Figured it'd be nice for today. Daddy's in the danger room, so Mommy and Talia are gonna have a relaxing afternoon, huh angel?" She reached a finger over, Talia grabbing it with her chubby hand. Wanda looked back to the computer. "I'm trying to find a Halloween costume for her now. I figure if I order it today, I can have it in time to adjust it for her."
"Ohhh I love that idea!" Kitty smiled wide. "Do you have one in mind yet?"
"I kinda like this one," Wanda turned the screen, pointing at a round, pumpkin outfit. "Look at the hat! It's the top of the pumpkin. How cute is that?"
Kitty shrugged. "Why not go with something that, like, fits her more?"
Wanda's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I dunno," Kitty shrugged, then smiled again. "What about like, a smurf? Wouldn't that be cute?"
Wanda stared at her. "I'm not dressing her up as a smurf."
"Why not?! You can probably make it!" she looked to Talia. "Little Smurfette or something. How cute is that?!"
Wanda shook her head. "Absolutely not."
"It'd be so cute, though," Kitty continued. "You could even take her out trick or treating and no one would even think twice."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Wanda glared at the girl. "Would you even consider dressing her as a smurf if her skin wasn't blue?"
Kitty's smile melted. "Well, no, but-"
"I should dress her in the most obvious thing, then parade her around, on Halloween, right, because then no one would even question a blue baby! Just a funny costume, haha, so fucking funny. Everyone can laugh at her, except the next day she's still different, and they'll hate her for it," Wanda's anger grew with every statement.
"Wanda, I really didn't mean it like-"
"Of course you didn't!" She threw her hands up. "Of course you didn't mean it like that, but you're so blind to your own internal prejudice that you just say these things with the best of intentions, not even considering how they sound or how they'll be taken!"
Kitty's eyes went wide. "I am not prejudice!"
"Would you tell Kurt to dress like a smurf?" Wanda asked her. Kitty was silent for a bit. "Probably not, right?"
"Alright, Wanda," Kitty sighed. "I'm sorry."
Her mind went to something Kurt had said, a long time ago, when they'd first started talking. He mentioned that he sometimes felt like the 'mascot' of the team. She wasn't sure exactly what he'd meant then, but she felt like she understood now. They'd never understand what it was like to be him. Even she didn't, but having her daughter made her far more sensitive to these issues. Kitty had moved back from them, and Wanda put her computer aside, pulling her child into her arms. Her beautiful, unique, special little girl.
"She's going to be a fucking pumpkin," Wanda said, not even looking at Kitty. "You'll be a perfect little pumpkin, too."
~&Q~
She ordered the costume to be delivered overnight. Kitty had left them, and clearly said something to Kurt, because when he came to their room later it was the first thing he brought up.
"Did you say she was racist?" he asked her.
Wanda rolled her eyes as she changed Talia for bed. "No. I didn't say anything even close to that."
"What did you say?" he crossed his arms. "She was freaking out, Wanda. Said you called her a racist and yelled at her."
"She is such a drama queen," Wanda sighed. She turned to her boyfriend. "She wanted me to dress Talia up as a smurf for Halloween. A fucking smurf Kurt. Her whole idea was to fucking exploit our daughter's mutation for the laughs of a bunch of assholes on Halloween."
Kurt's brow furrowed. "I'm sure she didn't mean it like that, Wanda."
"Why are you defending her?" Wanda argued. "Who cares how she meant it? She said it." Wanda took a long, shuddering breath, trying to stay in control of her emotions.
"Wanda," Kurt took a step forward, putting his hand on her shoulder. "You don't need to get so upset."
"I don't?" she snapped Talia's onesie on, the girl's tail wrapped on her wrist. "I don't want to raise our daughter around people who are always going to think of her as other. I don't want her to be around people who think the only time she can go out and be herself is Halloween. I know they're your friends, Kurt, and I know you love them, but I am not going to let my daughter-" she was cut off by a sob.
Kurt's arms wrapped around her from behind. Tears tracked down her cheeks as another sob escaped. "I love her, so much. I am so scared sometimes, Kurt. I'm so scared that she'll be mistreated, even by people who are supposed to love her."
"Wanda," he whispered in her ear. "She is loved."
"I know she is," Wanda replied, wiping her eyes with one hand. "But it still doesn't make me worry less."
She looked down at her girl as she continued to cry, and the baby's face melted. Her mouth opened, the pacifier falling out as she began to cry as well. Wanda pulled her up into her arms. "I am so sorry, baby," she told her as she held her. "Mommy didn't mean to upset you."
Kurt wrapped his arms around them both. "You are such an amazing mother, mien liebe." His hand went to Talia's now calming face. "We are lucky to have your Mommy, ja schatz?"
