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cypra
I got out my bracelet and pulled up a holoprojection of myself, looking myself over, fiddling with the collar of my shirt. It was only the tenth time I’d done it.
I was being stupid.
It didn’t matter how I looked.
Besides, I was huge. I was eight gemoons pregnant, and I was not remotely attractive. So, no matter what, Holston was not going to think I looked good or anything.
We were meeting here at an appointment with the midwife I was seeing. It had been a bit of a trek for him to leave Ohkk, but he had been eager to do it, saying he definitely wanted to see the holoscan of the baby live, and that he wanted to see me.
We’d been in touch fairly often, but we only ever talked about the baby. I sometimes thought I wouldn’t be able to reach him, because he’d be out on a hunt, somewhere there was no network reception on his bracelet, but he never seemed to be. I tried to ask him about that, but he always brushed it aside as if he didn’t want to talk about it.
Now, we’d see each other for the first time in gemoons.
I was nervous.
I couldn’t help it.
My bracelet beeped, interrupting the image of myself with a message from Holston.I’m here, coming in the front door.
I slammed down my reflection, standing up.
Oh. There he was.
He looked around and then saw me and his face dissolved into a big grin.
I smiled back, giving him a little wave.
He hurried over to me. He started to touch me, to hug me, and then he caught himself. He let out a chuckle and shifted on his hooves. “Sorry, shei.”
“We…” My voice came out shy. I peered up at him, biting my lower lip. “We can hug.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded.
His arm wound around me, and somehow, even though I was the size of a planet, he made me feel small in his strong arms, against his broad shoulders. I breathed in the scent of him, and he smelled…
Fuck, how did he smell like coming home in some strange way?
I pulled away, looking up at him, a surge of turmoil rushing through me.
He kissed my forehead. “You look amazing.”
Something inside me turned over, sending thrills through my body.
“Sorry,” he said again. “You said hug. I shouldn’t have—”
“You look good too,” I said.
He laughed. “I still have this beer belly.” He touched his stomach.
I furrowed my brow. He had gained a little weight, but I kind of liked it on his frame. It made him seem softer, and anyway, I was obviously huge, so… “You’ve been drinking a lot?”
He shrugged. “Drowning my sorrows, whatever. I’m shaped up, I swear. I’m not going to be a drunken dad.” He squared his shoulders. “Seriously, I want to be ready for this, too, like you are. I’m…” He drew in a breath and nodded.
“Drowning your sorrows?” I said softly. “You don’t mean…” I touched my chest. “Me?”
