Title: P is for Peridot
Author: Pepper
Rating: G
Wordcount: 331
Featured Character(s): Jack, Sara
Summary: "...my favorite color is peridot..."
A/N: For sg_fignewton's Jack's Alpha-Bits.

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"This? But it's—" He wanted to say 'snot green', but was wary of the menacing way she was brandishing the roller. From the way her eyes narrowed, though, he was pretty sure she'd read his mind. He really wished she wouldn't do that.

"It's peridot," said Sara, sharply. "It's gender-neutral."

"But he's a boy," said Jack, before he could stop himself.

"That's not the point, Jack. I've explained this."

Yes, she had. She really had. Unfortunately, she'd been talking in New Mom, and he'd been listening in Old Dad. He couldn't help it: in a couple of months he – they – were going to have a son. He wanted to take the kid fishing, play catch, build him a treehouse, and line his bedroom with the most taste-free collection of sports memorabilia Jack could lay his hands on. It seemed to be completely beyond his conscious control, something he'd absorbed as what you do.

Sara, on the other hand, had Plans. She'd been reading an endless supply of books and magazines about how to bring your kid up right, and whilst he was infinitely grateful that she'd not followed through with her threat to get them on tape and play them on a loop in his car stereo, he couldn't help feeling like they were impinging on the natural order of things. Parenthood didn't have to be planned like a military campaign, surely? It was just... instinctive.

Besides, he still wasn't seeing how wall paint came into it.

Sara took a deep breath. "We're not gonna paint the whole room this color," she said, and waved at the tins of paint. "Just one wall, and the woodwork." She stared at him, and bit the inside of her lip. "You'll love it, once you get used to it." Jack squinted dubiously at her. "We'll tell him it's slime-colored," she sighed.

Jack brightened. Well, when she put it like that... "Okay, then!"

Sara rolled her eyes. But, Jack thought, in a loving way.
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END.