"What a piece of work is a man! How noble in

reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving

how express and admirable! In action how like an Angel!

in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the

world! The paragon of animals! And yet to me, what is

this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me; no,

nor Woman neither; though by your smiling you seem

to say so.."

Hamish held the book in his hand reading the lines off close to Vera's stomach as she tried to flip through her own book. While he recited Shakespeare to their baby Vera tried to read something perhaps a bit lighter than the story of murder, betrayal, and madness. "This is an awfully complex piece of work to be reading to a baby Hamish." Not that he was the sort of person who would be reading Green Eggs and Ham to their child. Was Vera going to have to be the voice of reason and read age appropriate books for her once she was born? Despite preferring more accomplished works she wouldn't say no at reading children books to a child, especially if it helps them grasp reading at a younger age. "Also I don't think it's very appropriate subject matter."

Hamish leaned in closer to her belly with a smirk, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." He kissed her stomach and set the book down on the bed stand beside him. "Just making sure she has a good appreciation for literature and theatrical arts."

"Really? Well if you cared that much you would do different voices."

Hamish laid a little closer to Vera with a small smirk crossing his lips. "Like you would do different voices if you were reading a book to her."

"Actually, yes I would because I can. I was in speech competition in high school as well as a member of Belgraves impromptu group."

Hamish remained quiet for a moment leaning up against the pillow with his hands folded on his chest. "Nerd." Vera pulled out one of the pillows from behind her and hit him with it playfully though she had to be careful if Hamish tried to win sympathy from her by faking an injury with over to top corny acting. "Well you talk a big game Vera, come on, lets see your voice acting skills."

"No." She picked her book back up and tried to pick up from where she had left off.

"Come on, you don't have to do it for me, think of the baby, you know I bet she wants to hear your voice acting skills right?" Vera did one of those wide eyed pauses when she could fell the faint little flutters of their hyperactive wolf pup. "She's kicking isn't she." Vera had a little smirk on her face and was about to say something when Hamish used that against her. "See, I told you she wanted to hear you do voices." That little smirk turned into Vera just glaring at him a bit now, she was pretty intimidating when she wasn't so damn precious. Maybe one day it would get him killed but her 'I want to hurt you' face was just getting more and more adorable to him. "Have I ever told you that you are devilishly seductive when you are angry."

"Have I ever told you I'm going to hurt you?" Hamish liked getting under her skin only because she let him without just kicking him out. Even when she was trying to mockingly threaten him Hamish just let out a playful growl. "Now I'm going to have to do it."

Hamish grabbed her making Vera curl up as he dug his fingers into her side making her flinch and twitch. "You talk a big game for someone who has the most sensitive sides." It was a little freaky how ticklish she was, even if you weren't trying to do anything you might brush up against her or just absent mindedly touch her and get her to nearly fly away because she was flinching. At first Hamish had thought it was more of a protective response, a general fear of being touched but no, Vera was just freakishly ticklish. It was even more adorable how much Vera would squeak when he poked at her sides, not even really trying. "Come on, do the voices."

"No." She was being defiant through her small bouts of laughter and attempts to get away from him.

"Do the voices."

"You can't make me." Now she was just intentionally trying to give him a reason to go after her. Hamish continued to tickle her, making her curl up tight and still unable to protect herself. "Okay, fine, fine, fine." He gave her a moment to catch her breath, listening closely to hear her all to impressive voice acting skills. If she was going to gloat about them then she better put her mouth her her mouth was, so to speak. "Yarr, avast ye maties."

Hamish did his best to not lose it laughing but it was a difficult feat, "What….what was that Vera?"

"You didn't specify what you wanted me to do."

"So, are you supposed to be Captain Morgan then?" He poked at her seeing she wasn't so much upset as she was annoyed with him. "Vera." He coked his head to the side before pulling her into him. "No, you are wonderful, I'm certain she's going to appreciate her mother reading her story books with all your talented voice acting skills." Hamish wished his mom would have at least read him books as a kid let alone even bother doing voices for it. Despite the fact Vera loved to be the robotic emotionless ice queen within the order she was perhaps one of the kindest, most sincere and loving people he knew. She played a good game of being the stone faced leader because it's what was needed for the order but should someone need a softer approach she was more than capable of that as well. Not everyone could be as versatile as Vera Stone.

Laying back on the bed Hamish held Vera close to him and looked into her eyes. It was easy to fall asleep by her side even if she was more of a restless sleeper. "Well that is cruel." Vera started and got up holding herself over him with her arms. "Now you're just going to go to sleep?"

Hamish rested an arm behind his head while placing his free hand on her lower back. "I mean, that was the idea, to go to sleep since it's been a long day and tomorrow is going to be an even longer day and I need the rest. So do you Vera, you need extra rest."

"So you rile me up and then decide to sleep? I'd like to point out that because you riled me up now she's riled up too."

"She's still trying to reenact Karate Kid?" How was Vera going to survive the rest of this pregnancy? She was such a light sleeper that he had trouble getting to bed if she could feel Theo's little flutters let alone when the kid actually actively started really kicking. Maybe it was something she would adjust to over time, he or this was going to be a long last five months.