Shades of Purple

The Progress Convention

The smeet was constantly moving. She called Lena to talk to her about it and she was anything but helpful, insisting that Tenn enjoys it as long as it lasts because the kicking would cease when the egg's shell develops. Until then, Tenn was stuck with the ticklish sensation of something shifting inside her body. It wasn't completely unpleasant, but she didn't look forward to it either. Tenn was very relieved when the eggshell finally formed and the movements stopped, even if it meant that her abdomen grew even more.

"Oh, Teeeeenn!" Her lekku twitched at the sound of Purple singing her name.

"Whaat?" She groaned from her hiding place.

"I got a surprise! Come out!" Tenn poked her head out of the pillows. There he was, standing in the doorway with both hands hidden behind his back and a mischievous grin on his face. 

"Can't it wait?"

"Come on, lighten up! You've been in there for hours, don't you think it'll do you good to come out of your shell for a while?" Sighing, Tenn warily crawled out of her 'den' and sat on the edge of the bed with some difficulty, giving her husband a drowsy look.

"This better be good," she murmured with a deep frown.

"Look what I got for our smeet!" Purple revealed a small, smeet-sized stuffed irkorse.

Tenn's eye twitched. "You woke me up for that?"

"Hey, don't be like that! It even makes sounds!" The doll made neighing sounds as he squeezed its torso.

"You're lucky I can't move, otherwise you'd be begging for mercy," Tenn growled. Far from being intimidated, Purple merely chuckled.

"Come on, you have to admit it's cute! I bet the smeet will love it!" He came closer and shook the doll right in front of her abdomen. "Won't you, little one?" Tenn couldn't help but find Purple's childish talks to her unresponsive abdomen amusing. 

In fact, his behavior these past months amused her to no end, particularly his playful approach at the unborn smeet. Back before the shell formed, the baby would kick whenever Purple waved toys and spoke in that higher-pitched voice. She couldn't help but wonder if the smeet still moved in there even if she couldn't feel it anymore.

"Man, I miss the little feet!"

"I don't," Tenn said bluntly.

"It's not that bad."

"Tell me that after you grow a smeet in your body and can't do anything about the constant kicking."

Purple chuckled and leaned against her, pulling her close. "Come on, you loved it."

"A bit the first few times until hyperactivity kicked in."

"Who do you think he got it from?"

"Certainly not from you."

Purple leaned back, dramatically raising his hand to his chest. "Ow! That hurt!"

Tenn chuckled. "Great, now I'm stuck with two smeets."

"I'm not a smeet!" That's hard to believe with the childish pout on Purple's face. Tenn chuckled again until he leaned down to talk to her abdomen again.

"Who's daddy's little smeet? Yes you are! Yes, you are!"

"You look weird, you know. It's not like the smeet can even respond, can he?"

"So what? As long as he can hear me! Besides, we're yet to pick a name! I already got a list for both boy and girl names, but I want your opinion."