"That doesn't automatically include children. Not everyone wants children. Not everyone should have children."
The conversation takes a turn I hadn't anticipated. Maya's expression shifts from surprise to something approaching alarm.
"I haven't thought about it seriously," she continues. "Kids require planning. Stability. Financial security. Patience. I can barely keep a houseplant alive."
"You keep Sir Pouncealot alive."
"Sir Pouncealot belongs to the building. He's community property."
I sit beside her on the window seat, which creaks ominously under my weight but holds. "We don't need to decide anything immediately."
"But you want children."
"I want a family with you. Whatever form that takes."
Maya traces patterns on the window glass, watching afternoon light shift across the empty room. "What if we considered adoption?"
The suggestion surprises me. "Adoption?"
"There are children who need homes. Human children, orc children. Kids who've been displaced or orphaned or whose families can't care for them."
"You've thought about this."
"I've been thinking about a lot of things since we got married. What our life might look like. What kind of parents we'd be." She glances at me sideways. "Maybe one of each. A human child and an orc child. Show the world that families come in all combinations."
The idea appeals to me more than I expected. "That would certainly make holiday gatherings interesting."
"Are you open to it? Adoption instead of biological children?"
"I'm open to building a family with you however feels right." I take her hand, noting how small her fingers look wrapped in mine. "Though we should probably master living in this house before adding children to the equation."
Maya laughs, tension easing from her shoulders. "Good point. I haven't even figured out which room should be my office."
"The front bedroom has excellent natural light."
"You've thought about everything, haven't you?"
"I've thought about us. Our future. What would make you happy."
She leans against my shoulder, solid and warm and perfectly fitted to my side despite our size difference. "This house makes me happy. Scared, but happy."
"Scared?"
"It's so much responsibility. Mortgage payments. Property taxes. Maintenance. What if I can't afford my half?"
"Our half," I correct. "We're married. Everything is ours now."
"That's going to take some getting used to."
"We have time. Plenty of time to figure everything out."
Maya stands and walks to the center of the empty room, arms spread wide. "Hello, house," she calls out, her voice echoing off the walls. "We're your new family."
The acoustics carry her words beautifully, multiplying them until the whole space seems to respond.
"Your turn," she tells me. "Christen our new home with that beautiful voice."
I consider my options, then begin reciting the orc blessing for new dwellings. My voice fills the room like music, rolling off the walls and returning transformed. The words speak of protection, prosperity, and peace - hopes for the life we'll build within these walls.
