Pele paced back and forth as they waited for Ren to return. Pele's heart was heavy with worry. Ren had been their devoted partner for over twenty years now. They had discussed having kids several times, although the timing never quite seemed right. Ren was always busy or worried they weren't mature enough, or finances weren't good. There were a million and one reasons not to have a child it seemed. Pele yearned to awaken a child of their own, to add another spark into their family history. Ren seemed hesitant. He said he needed some space. Space? Having kids was something Pele had been talking about for years. This couldn't possibly be new to Ren. Unless ... Ren had hoped that Pele would forget about it, given enough time?

Pele felt defeated. Sinking her cheeks into her hands, her tail slithered around her legs to comfort her, flaring its tongue to lick at her calf. Pele offered a half-hearted smile and a breathy, short laugh. If Ren didn't want kids, then what --

The front door flung open and Pele was thrown from their thoughts. Jerking her head towards the sound Pele saw Ren striding in with a determined look on their face, their tail growling and spitting harmless fire as it grumbled and snapped, as if in severe disagreement with whatever Ren was about to do or say.

Pele got to her feet, her tail sliding out of the way as Ren seized her to his chest and crushed Pele's body close against his.

"I'm sorry," Ren whispered in Pele's ear, burying his cheek into her dark curly faux-hawk. "I'm sorry I let you down. I'm okay now. I just ... had a freak-out. I needed to clear my head. But I know what I want now."

Where had he gone? What had he done? Why did his breath reek of alcohol?

"Ren, where have you -- "

Ren pressed a claw again Pele's lips as he pulled back to silence his wife for a moment, the gesture kind and gentle instead of pushy or domineering. A watery-eyed smile formed on his lips as he peered down at his wife.

"I'll imbue with you." Ren said definitively. "If you want another donor or just you and I, or however you want to do it ... I don't care. All I care about is you, and if having kids with you will make you happy, then I'll be happy too."

Pele pulled away from her husband's embrace and offered him a rather level look despite her shorter stature. "Babe ... I want you to want them. If you don't want kids there is no point."

Ren blinked, taken aback by Pele's narrow-eyed gaze. "Of course I want kids." Ren sputtered, at a loss for words.

"Do you though? Do you really?" Pele pressed her balled fists to her hips and glowered at Ren, but despite her defiant stance and no-bullshit tone Pele was truly terrified of Ren's answer.

Ren remained quiet under his wife's careful, scrutinizing watch. He considered his words carefully before delivering his message with the best of intentions. "I can't lie, Pel. It's been you and me against the world for so long. The idea of something coming along to change that freaked me out. I gotta admit that. But, when I think about how great we are together -- when I stop and think about how much purpose you've given me -- and consider the idea of us imbuing together ... yah, it's a really pretty picture. Why wouldn't I want that? I think it's okay to be scared ... kids are unpredictable. You never know how they'll turn out, and I'm afraid of being responsible for screwing up another living being. That's a lot of responsibility. If I do something wrong or don't follow some guide book that I didn't know existed I could ******** them up for life, yunno? But if I'm doing it with you ... then I'm not as afraid. And it seems like ... something I could do and enjoy. Something that would fulfill me beyond my wildest dreams. And when I think about that future with you, with kids in the picture too ... those fears get quieter. They become tamed. If I'm going to have kids ... it's gotta be with you. You're the only one I can see myself doing that with and committing to it, yunno?"

'Yunno' was a word Ren cycled on when he was nervous. Was that really a good explanation? Did he get his feelings across properly? Ren's eyes searched his wife's face, trying to gauge her response. Hopeful, yet terrified. The hybrid felt like he was just repeating himself and stumbling clumsily through his sentiments. Despite this, Ren's tail had finally settled and was no longer snarling. Although, as always, it did utter the occasional grumble. Elian didn't much care for Pele or her tail Arson, but Elian's opinion didn't matter here. This wasn't about Elian. This was about Ren and his wife's future.

Pele stared at Ren sternly, as if waiting for Ren to falter or back out of his confession. But as the seconds ticked by Ren seemed nervous and almost demure, Pele's disposition softened.

"Do you really mean that Ren ... ?" Pele's heart fluttered in her chest, excitement growing and lifting her spirits once more.

"I do, babe. I really do."