What it Means to Persevere

Procreation

Things slowly went back to normal. Or as normal as it could get with the segregation. Wingdings gave Grillby some much needed love and appreciation for the crap that he pulled and picked up the slack, helping with the chores and work that Grillby had been taking care of for the past six months. Grillby liked having the help, though he missed taking care of Wingdings. He was really just glad Dings was doing better emotionally. "Let me help you cook, dear." Wingdings came up behind Grillby, watching him cut vegetables for stew. "I am not helpless. I can cook." The Elemental murmured. "I know that... I just want to be with you..." Wingdings replied quietly. Grillby sighed and smiled. "Of course you can. Could you start the pot and add some chicken broth, salt, and a bit of pepper to it?" Wingdings nodded and fetched a pot. He filled the pot with water and set it on the burner to boil. That set, he got a measured amount of broth along with the salt and pepper and started adding to the mix. Grillby took his turn sliding up to Wingdings to add the vegetables. "Thank you for your help, Dings~." He purred, kissing his skeleton. 

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The roles reversed as time went on. Grillby seemed to have caught something. He didn't burn as hot as normal, and he seemed to get fatigued easier. Wingdings quickly took to caring for his mate. He owed it to Grillby, who had taken care of him when he was... not feeling his best. He had practiced cooking with Grillby so much that he knew the basics. He took to the house husband quickly. "Thank you, Dings... You really don't have to..." Grillby was glad he was, though. He knew he wasn't sick. It was something else that he knew was going to impact them both in significant ways. He could feel it, draining him of his magic. He couldn't say for certain that it was what he thought it was. Wingdings was a monster of science, after all, and Grillby was a monster of logic. He wanted to see for himself that there was a soul growing inside him before he told Wingdings that he was pregnant with his child. It was too early to tell for the time being. Grillby wouldn't get Wingdings hopes up yet. 

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Wingdings thought he saw her again. The skeleton that he thought he'd met all those years ago as a boy. When he tried to go after her, though, she wasn't there. Same as the first time, he'd lost her. It was strange to know that there were others out there like him. That he had a whole species out there somewhere like Grillby did. A species he would likely never come to learn about. He was just fine with Grillby, he decided with a huff. He adjusted his coat and headed home to check on Grillby. He'd been on his way home from work, helping a bovine couple to tend their crops. It was laborious work, but it paid well. That was all that really mattered. As long as it paid for the house and the food as well for Grillby's health if it came down to having to take him in to a doctor. He'd been very adamant he didn't need a doctor, but Wingdings worried. He went into their house and to the bedroom to where his lover should have been resting. Instead, he examined something in his firey abdomen in a mirror. Wingdings peered closer before gasping. That - that was a soul... "Wingdings! Beautiful, isn't it? I just noticed it..." Grillby signed. Wingdings approached and nuzzled into Grillby. "What good news... I am so happy!" Their family was growing! 

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Wingdings had a new motivation in which to keep working hard. He was going to be a good father and take care of Grillby and the child they were going to be parenting. He started fixing up the house in preparation for a child and buying things that a child would need. He read up on parenting and rearing a child and used it to guide him through his actions. Grillby was very happy that Wingdings was excited. He, too, was excited for this little joy to come into their lives. He feared the timing, though. The humans were only getting more hostile with monsters, and he didn't want their child to go through any sort of abuse from a species that couldn't react well to a misunderstanding. He knew what it was like to be abused. "That won't happen, Grillby. I promise I will get our child far from the humans if things get too bad. It will be ok..." Wingdings reassured his lover. "I know you would. I count on it." Grillby responded.