Work Text:
Seeing Way wince as he went to sit down on the edge of their bed, Pete hurried over to put an arm around him to help him lower down easy. He sat next to him, placing his hand on Way’s belly to rub it, asking, “Do you need anything, angel?”
“My back and hips are killing me and these cramps are driving me crazy,” Way groaned. A common complaint now that he was nine months pregnant. His Braxton hicks had been bothering him quite a bit for the past week or so. “I need this baby to get out.” He leaned towards Pete, miserable.
“Any day now, darling,” Pete assured him, kissing his cheek and moving so that Way could lean against him even with his legs spread wide to make room for his belly. “Your due date is in just a few days. Then our daughter will be here.”
“Ugh, it’s taking too long. Pete,” Way whined.
“I’ll rub your back, baby.” Pete helped Way get his pajama shirt off and lie down on his side. “Comfortable?”
“I haven’t been comfortable in months,” his mate grumbled. But there was no fussing to shift position, so Pete knew it was as good as it would get.
“Once she’s here then you can get plenty of rest, darling.”
“How am I supposed to get rest with a baby?”
“Well, Martin has seemed very excited about helping with his sister, so I think you’ll have time.”
Way smiled a bit. “We’re not making him do that. He’s five, Pete!”
“I have full faith in him. He only drops that baby doll Charlie got him sometimes. And threw it once.”
“Oh, god. Stop that.” Way tried to swat at him. “I’m too sore to be laughing.”
-
In the morning, Way’s backache had returned with a vengeance. Way had been able to fall asleep after a long massage, only waking up a few times more towards morning to have to shift to get comfortable, but as Pete tried to help with more massaging and a heat pack, it had little effect.
Trying to cheer him up also wasn’t doing anything. Pete gave Way a kiss. “It’s your birthday today, love. H-”
“Ugh. I feel sick.” Pete felt Way’s forehead, but his temperature was normal. Way rocked his hips, wincing. “Fuck, these cramps suck. It’s like there’s a whole tire being shoved into my hips.” If he wasn’t so worried about Way, Pete probably would have noted that comment as something to laugh about later. But he didn’t notice Way’s ridiculous racecar comparison.
Pete wanted to keep trying to ease some of Way’s discomfort, but his alarm went off for getting Martin up. Way waved him off to go get Martin ready for the day, laying back down. “Just come back soon.”
While Way had woken up miserable, Martin was already up and about, playing with his Lightning McQueen pillow pet and doing circles around things in his room to make it race as Pete walked into his room.
“Papa!” Martin hurried over and reached to get a hug, dropping his toy. Pete scooped him up. Martin giggled, giving him a kiss before saying brightly, “Good morning, Papa! I love you!”
“Good morning, little one. I love you too.” He kissed Martin’s forehead, and the pup purred. “I see you’re up early today.”
“It’s Mama’s birthday today!” Martin said, excited. “Wanna say happy birthday to Mama! Did Papa say it?”
“Papa did. Mama isn’t feeling so good this morning, so let’s be gentle with him today.”
“Oh. ‘Cuz of the baby?”
“Yes. He might feel better later, though,” Pete told him, bringing him to brush his teeth. He set the pup down, and Martin hopped up onto his little step stool so he could grab at the green toothpaste tube and his toothbrush himself. “So maybe we can make Mama breakfast in bed today for his birthday. How does that sound?”
“Yeah! We can make Mama’s favorite!”
“That’s a great idea, pup.”
After Martin finished brushing his teeth, he handed Pete a brush so his father could fix his hair for him. As Pete brushed the boy’s hair, Martin looked up at him, smiling wide, and said, “It’d be cool if Mama had the baby today! Ow, Papa!”
“Sorry, sorry-” In shock at Martin’s suggestion, Pete had accidentally pulled too hard on Martin’s hair. The pup pulled away, rubbing the spot and pouting.
But it made sense. How uncomfortable Way was, the amount of cramps he’d been having… it was possible that he was in the early stages of labor.
“It would be cool.” It’d be cute if Way and their daughter ended up with the same birthday. “But the baby will come when she wants to come, so it might not be today.”
Martin only looked disappointed for a moment. “Okay… can I go say happy birthday to Mama now?”
“After you get dressed and we make breakfast,” Pete told the pup. Martin went to find what clothes he wanted to wear, and Pete’s phone rang in his pocket. He answered it seeing it was Alan.
“K’Pete! Good morning. How’s Way doing today? Do you think he might be up for coming over to my place or the garage this afternoon?”
Pete quickly stepped out of Martin’s room. “I don’t think so. He’s really uncomfortable this morning.”
He knew the older Alpha had been really hoping to have some kind of small pack party for Way’s birthday. They hadn’t been able to for Way’s last birthday, and now with Way on the verge of giving birth, it seemed yet again Alan would have to miss it. Pete wasn’t exactly sure it was a good idea when Alan first suggested it. Way’s relationship with his former pack was still in the process of being mended, but Alan had had his heart set on doing something.
Alan sighed. “I figured. Babe basically didn’t leave his house at all the last few weeks he was expecting Prince.” Way had also been spending most of his time at home. Pete had taken leave from work so he could be with him. “Maybe we could stop by later. I think everybody’s gotten gifts for him.”
“I think he’ll be happy about that. But just call before you come over. Way might be going into labor.”
“He’s in labor?!”
“We’re not sure yet. If he is, he’s in the very early stages.”
“Oh. I’ll tell everyone to try to visit sooner, then. Is it alright if I head over now?”
“I was just about to make breakfast, so he’ll be up.”
-
Way didn’t look too keen on the idea of eating, but was happy to see his mate and pup bringing him breakfast in bed. Martin climbed onto the bed to hug him, being much more careful than usual, loudly saying, “Happy birthday, Mama!” It seemed like Way would much rather just cuddle with Martin than eat, but Martin pulled back to show Way what they’d made for him. “Papa and Martin made this for Mama! I helped!”
Way glanced up at Pete as he helped Way sit up and lean back against a pile of pillows. He nodded. Martin had indeed helped, stirring things and getting the utensils from drawers. Tasks he could handle at his young age and small height. Sure, a bit more than necessary had ended up on the floor and on Martin’s hands and face, but Pete’s dog had been happy to lick things up from the floor, and Martin had laughed the whole time Pete wiped him clean.
Though Way clearly didn’t want to eat despite the dish being his favorite, he couldn’t help but eat anyway as Martin insisted on feeding him between bites of his own breakfast. Pete patted Martin’s head and encouraged him to help his mother eat everything. If Way really was in labor, he’d need to eat now to get his strength up before his contractions got too strong or they went to the clinic. Way hated to deny Martin anything, and with the pup smiling so brightly as he lifted up each spoonful of food, Way had to keep eating. He winced a little when another cramp started up, rubbing his belly and shifting a bit. Unaware, Martin cheerfully held up another spoonful, which Way reluctantly took.
He looked over at Pete, and it was clear by the look in his eyes that he was asking for help. But Way had to eat, so Pete pretended not to notice, looking down at Banzai instead and giving the dog a little piece of breakfast to try.
Thankfully he was saved from feeling guilty by the sound of the door, Alan finally arrive. Pete went to let Alan in. The older Alpha had arrived without his mate in tow, though Pete certainly hadn’t expected Jeff to come or even want to come at all. He and Charlie had no use for Way after everything, Charlie only being on speaking terms at all with him because of Martin.
Alan went to hug Way as soon as he saw him, dropping a bag with some gifts at the foot of the bed to free up his hands. “Way…! Happy birthday!”
Way smiled, glad to see his oldest friend. “Alan! I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“It’s your birthday, Way, of course I’d drop by to see you. Man, I can’t believe you’re having your baby on your birthday. That’s crazy.”
Way gave Alan a confused look, and Pete knew he was in trouble. Though he’d said his suspicions to Alan, he’d decided not to mention it to Way just yet, worried Way would get anxious. “Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Pete said on the phone that you’re in labor.”
“Huh?!” Way turned to Pete. “You think I’m in labor and you didn’t tell me?”
“I wanted you to have a nice morning, baby.” He squeezed in next to Way to put an arm around him.
“Pete!” Way hissed. “I can’t believe you. Ugh, how can I be in labor? I’m not ready!”
Pete wisely decided not to mention that Way had been complaining for days about wanting the baby to come, only to get panicked when it actually started happening. “It’s alright, baby. We’ve got a while.”
-
Actually timing Way’s contractions proved they were in fact contractions, coming at a regular frequency. After helping to calm Way down, Alan offered to take Martin and Banzai over to his house while things were still easy. Martin wasn’t too happy about having to leave on Way’s birthday, but thankfully didn’t start to fuss about it until Pete was already putting him in Alan’s car. Far away from where Way might see him tearing up and get upset as well.
“As soon as the baby is here, Papa will call so Uncle Alan will take you to come meet her, pup. And you’ll be able to see Mama and your sister on their birthday.”
“Later?”
“That’s right.” Pete was glad Martin hadn’t picked a specific time to promise. But as the new baby would be Way’s second, he had a good feeling that the baby would be born before the day was over. “So don’t be upset, little one. You’ll see us soon. I’ll take good care of Mama and your sister.”
“We’re gonna have a lot of fun at my place, noo. You and Banzai haven’t gotten to see Jeff and Bobo in a while, huh?” Martin still looked fairly miserable about having to go, but his tears at least stopped at the idea of getting to play with Alan’s great dane and his favorite uncle’s younger brother. “I think Charlie and Bibi might stop by later too. What do you think?”
“P’Charlie and Bibi!” Martin perked up even more. “And Prince too?”
“Of course. Your cousin too.”
After a last round of hugs and kisses goodbye, Pete closed the car door. Alan clapped him on the back. “I’ll keep him distracted, don’t worry. I’ll text Charlie and tell him to come play with the kid, so you just go focus on Way, huh?”
-
The rest of the pack cycled through visiting over the next few hours. Charlie practically dragged Babe there first soon after Alan left, obviously eager to let Babe finish up his visit for the day so he could bring Bibi and their son to go spend the day with Martin at Alan’s. Pete was sort of surprised that Babe actually came for a visit. Things were still very touchy between he and Way, but they’d found some kind of common ground with having their pups. Babe brought over some of Prince’s clothes that the chubby pup had quickly outgrown as a gift, and Pete had a feeling the little race suit onesies were going to be a favorite to put the baby in.
The couple only stayed for a few minutes, Babe giving Way a quick hug and saying he’d visit again after the baby was born.
Sonic stuck around longest, the most worried about Way. He and North were the last to show up, North saying that they’d been sleeping in and hadn’t seen Alan’s messages for a while, thinking he was calling them to try to make him train more. Pete was not the keenest about Sonic spending so long cuddling Way. He half blamed his heightened instincts over his mate being in labor making him territorial, but supposed that Martin’s possessiveness over his mother and favorite uncle hadn’t all been inherited from Way’s obsessive tendencies. He’d contributed to it as well.
North was able to pry Sonic away eventually, also getting jealous about his boyfriend. With Sonic no longer latched onto him, Way wanted to get up. Pete helped him to his feet and walked around with him.
“Nngh, Pete…” Way grabbed onto his arms during the next contraction, leaning his head against him.
“Y’know, this isn’t nearly as bad as Babe’s whole thing. Maybe I was wrong to swear off kids,” North told Sonic. “As long as I make it to the hospital on time, it’d be fine.”
Sonic smacked his arm. “And who would be driving you to the hospital?! I’m not taking back swearing off ever driving someone having a baby even if you want pups!”
“Uncle can drive me. It’d be cool if my kid shared my birthday. How’d you time that, P’Way?”
Way shook his head. Pete answered for him, “We didn’t plan it.”
“Kind of like K’Pete prepped for a birthday present nine months in advance, huh?”
Seeing Way really starting to be affected by his contractions, Sonic drew away from North to try to go back to him. Both North and Pete were dejected. Pete held back an instinctive growl as the young Alpha approached his mate, forcing himself to remember that Sonic was simply Way’s close friend and practically a younger brother to him. North pouted, the Omega looking lonely as his boyfriend left his side.
“P’Way- ah.” Sonic froze before he could get to Way.
Way stiffened, pulling back a little to look down past his belly. Pete glanced down as well.
“Hey, your water broke!” North said cheerfully. “Now you’re gonna head out, right? I remember you saying you wanted painkillers as soon as your water broke. Let’s go home and do our stream, Nic!”
That was, in fact, the plan. Sonic gave Way a big hug and made him promise to send him pictures of the baby as soon as she was born, then let North grab his hand so they could leave together.
“Bye, P’Way! Go have your birthday baby!” North called back before the door shut behind them.
“I hope that he doesn’t keep calling her that.”
Pete had a strong feeling that the whole pack would.