Her Papas

Chapter Twelve: The final touches

It has now been five years since the scholarship scare. Nikola got citizenship the year after and put all the money he had left over from his job into a college account for Luminita, along with some of the money Dimitrie is making from his paintings. They are now graduated; Nikola working at a big funeral home in the town and Dimitrie working at an art museum with the occasional art show of his own. About three years ago, when Luminita was five, Nikola and Dimitrie got married. The proposal was a mutual 'just marry me already' thing while, since the wedding was left in Roderich's hands, the ceremony was big and lavish. It was sweet and romantic and Roderich and Vash even took Luminita so they could have a honeymoon. They had made sure to visit Dimitrie's parents' grave before leaving.

Luminita is now seven, making friends and becoming too observant for Nikola's liking sometimes. The other night she actually asked him the age-old question of where babies come from. They have explained to her since she was little that she has a mommy and daddy who passed away, so luckily he didn't have to explain away the fact two men are her parents, but the sex talk was a bit too much for him. Dimitrie had to take over when Nikola began using scientific terms on a cellular level, to avoid saying certain words that start with 'p' and 'v'. He's fairly certain Dimitrie bought her a book about it as well, to answer any questions they won't know which, let's face it, will be a lot of things since she's the only girl in the family.

She's very happy though and they make sure she doesn't forget her mom and dad. They make sure to show her pictures, keep pictures of them up all over the house, and Dimitrie even shows her old family videos. Although to them she is theirs, and reached that status when they took her to a park and someone asked whose she was, neither of them missed a beat before answering 'ours' in unison, they still give her a choice. Ever since she reached about five Dimitrie and Nikola have given her options of what to call them, and tell her she can change her mind anytime. Dimitrie is her brother after all, and Nikola is simply his husband, they are not technically her parents. Whenever they explain this, Luminita gets annoyed and tells them that she has four parents; two with her and two watching her. It always makes Dimitrie cry and Nikola laugh a little, wondering if he maybe brought her to the funeral home too much for her to already have such a good grip on death.

They used to always switch up who would bring her to their work for a few hours before she started going to school, another day Dimitrie bawled like a baby. Honestly, Nikola doesn't understand how Dimitrie doesn't think of himself as Luminita's father when he acts just like one. Albeit an overly emotional one.

Still, Nikola never imagined he would end up so domestic. He used to dream of owning his own place with just himself and maybe some pets, a place him and his friends could hang out and hold parties, where children were the last thing on his mind. Now he spends his weekends playing in the backyard with his daughter and husband, going shopping and helping Luminita pick out dressed and shoes and dolls, he or Dimitrie having to lug the usually bright pink objects. Yes, like her mother her favorite color is pink. When she was about four she even cried her way into making Dimitrie and Nikola buy themselves pink shirts with glitter on them. Glitter. They were bright, embarrassing, and wonderful. Sometimes when Luminita is really sad they will throw them on again just to give her a laugh.

He still hangs out with his friends, Dimitrie does too. They switch it up certain weekends or they just bring Luminita. She knows all of their friends and has come to love video games and sports thanks to it. Neither Dimitrie or Nikola are very athletic, but they try with her. Try and fail. Which is why she's such a fan of Ludwig coming over. One can only win without much of a challenge so much before they get bored.

Nikola loves it, all of it. If there's one thing he would make sure happened in his past no matter what it would be stumbling upon the strange little girl playing in a university-owned coffin. Oh, and buying that dishwasher because nothing is worse than cleaning those bastards by hand. But, mostly the first thing.

"Nikola!" Dimitrie calls as he gently kicks open the door, his arms currently full of a giggly little girl in pigtails.

"Papa!" Luminita reaches out to Nikola, "Save meee!"

"Well, well, look what you caught." He says to Dimitrie before walking over and scooping Luminita into his own arms, "How should I cook it?"

"Whhaaaat? Papa!" Luminita gasps before looking to Dimitrie excited. "Daddy, tell papa what we did today!"

Dimitrie's eyes light up. "Oh! Yes! Nikola, we played with the cutest dog!"

"Did you now?"

"Yes! Papa, can we get a dog?"

Nikola sighs, "Dogs are hard work, Luminita."

"We handled a kid, I think we can handle a dog." Dimitrie says, smiling at him. "You've always wanted one anyways. Don't pretend you don't, I've seen your internet history."

Nikola twitches a little, "Stop using my laptop, you'll break it like you do yours."

"Papa!" Luminita whines, "Can we please get some pets? It is a proven fact that children are happier with pets. Don't you want me to be happier?" She asks, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"You seem happy enough to me." Nikola teases and she whines more, "Fine, fine, we can get a cat and a dog."

Luminita gasps and looks to Dimitrie, "Did you hear that? We get a cat, too!"

Dimitrie eyes Nikola wearily, "Wait for it, Luminita…there's gonna be a catch."

"I get to choose the kind." Nikola says, "And we're getting a leonberger for the dog and a maine coon cat."

Luminita looks at him confused before running to Nikola's laptop and searching them. "Papa! They are so cute!"

Dimitrie looks at Nikola amused, "How long have you been waiting to pull that one out of your hat?"

"I've planned on those pets for over 23 years." Nikola admits, "Big and fluffy are the only way to go."

"I agree!" Luminita says, "And they are so cute as puppies!"

"We aren't getting a puppy, those are way too much work." Nikola points out, "But there is a two year old leonberger in a shelter nearby."

Dimitrie smirks, "Could it be you were planning on bringing this up soon?"

"Shut up, nobody asked you." Nikola says before looking to Luminita, "They also have an orphaned maine coon kitten."

Luminita's eyes light up, "Can we get them? Can we go today?"

Nikola shrugs, "They are closed by now, but we can go tomorrow."

Luminita begins to jump up and down, "We get a doggy and kitten! You know what else would be cool?" She asks and Nikola inwardly cringes, "A big fish tank with a bunch of fish and turtles!"

"Ohhh, sea fish!" Dimitrie says excitedly, "And a sugar glider!"

"You realize there's only supposed to be one seven year old in this house, right Dimitrie?" Nikola asks in exhaustion, "And we're not rich."

"One fish tank. Vash can build it into a wall like he has at his and Roderich's place. And a sugar glider is no different than a hamster-!"

"Yes it is!" Nikola interjects and Dimitrie laughs nervously.

"Okay, yea, it is, but don't worry!" Dimitrie says and Nikola groans, burying his face in the other man's shoulder.

"We're gonna live in a zoo…" He whines before Dimitrie begins patting him on the back.

"There, there, it's not that much and this is a big house." The man reassures him.

"I'm gonna go call my friends and tell them we are getting PETS!" Luminita exclaims, grabbing the phone and running upstairs.

"Tell them there will be an admission to the zoo!" Nikola calls after her, making Dimitrie laugh a little, wrapping his arms around the smaller man's waist as soon as Luminita is upstairs.

"Will admission include food and drink?" Dimitrie teases and Nikola huffs.

"Fuck no!" He says before they both laugh a little. Yes, okay, Nikola has wanted pets for a while, but when he thought of it he imagined something simple; one cat, one dog, a hamster maybe and a beta fish. Not some exotic rodent and wall full of fish and sea turtles. Still, it's not horrible, and he knows Dimitrie will take care of them with him. Maybe Luminita will too.

"So tomorrow we're going animal shopping." Dimitrie says and Nikola laughs a little.

"So we are." Nikola agrees, pausing for a moment before looking up at Dimitrie, "You know…since we are going to have all of these animals, that means no more kids. We wouldn't have the time to handle all of it.

A strange choking sound comes from Dimitrie as his face goes bright red, "I-I never said I wanted more kids!"

Nikola rolls his eyes, "Oh please, I see you gawking at every baby we go by."

"I-! Well-!" Dimitrie sighs, "I can't help it…" he mumbles, frowning at Nikola, "Can we really not have another? What about when the animals pass away?"

"We'll be too old by then to chase a little kid around." Nikola says, cupping Dimitrie's face, "Besides, Luminita will grow up and have her own kids. You can love on them."

Dimitrie's eyes light up, "Yes! They can call me grandpa!" He says excitedly before smirking at Nikola, "And you can still be papa."

Nikola laughs a little, "Anything is alright as long as I'm not called 'papa-mommy' ever. Again."

"Awww, but who wouldn't want such a masculine name?" Dimitrie teases, pressing their foreheads together.

"I guess I can only take so much masculinity." Nikola mumbles before kissing Dimitrie.

"Eww! Papa! Daddy! Stop that!" Luminita complains and Dimitrie holds up a hand behind Nikola, motioning for her to go back upstairs, "Married people are gross."

A/N: For the record, I know a sugar glider is a marsupial, I'm calling it a rodent in this on purpose. Shhh my dears, I know what I'm doing (although really I don't XD) I agree, Luminita, I agree. God that girl is gonna be super spoiled. Anyways, this is over now, thank you all for reading it and reviewing it! (I swear I'll respond to the ones from last chapter soon, I've just been sick from the heat and busy and yeah.)