He trusted Raven. He knew that, beyond just being the super professional people that everyone there was, Raven loved Devon. That was his best friend.
Devon was currently sitting in this weird birthing stool, which had a place for him to support his legs and his arms and his upper body while letting his lower body dangle, so gravity could do its work.
He was standing behind Devon, thumbs digging into Devon’s lower back as he massaged. “I know you’re uncomfortable…”
“I’m not fucking uncomfortable. I will show you uncomfortable. Come here. I’ll put your balls in a vise, and we’ll see how comfortable you are.”
Raven glanced up at him. “He’s worked with tons and tons of omegas and knows every good insult in the book. I don’t think it’s possible for you to win this argument.”
“I’m not arguing. Devon knows what he feels like. I wouldn’t dream of telling him he was wrong.” He glanced down at Devon. “Although I’m not giving you my balls to put in a vice, baby.”
Devon glared at him, actually growling. “Why not? I have no further use for them. You’re never doing this to me again. Ever.”
“We can always use a condom, love.” He was going to stay calm in the face of this storm, no matter what it took.
“Make it stop, Laird. I swear to God, this baby is now too big to come out because he wouldn’t come out, and it’s your fault because you’re the big one.” Devon reached out and poked him with every word.
“I’m sorry I’m such a big guy.” He kept a straight face, but he really wanted to laugh. Devon was kind of hilarious, and he had a feeling that he would get his balls ripped off if he even cracked a grin. It was just that his husband was the least mean and dangerous person Laird had ever met.
“Don’t you laugh at me,” Devon said. “Oh.” He doubled up into the stool chair thing as another contraction took him.
“I’m not laughing, babe. I’m really not. I want this over with, too. I hate to see you hurting.”
“I know.” Devon glanced up at him, those beautiful hazel eyes hazy with pain. “I’m just so ready to get this done.”
“You’re really close,” Raven said, smiling at both of them. “Now take a deep breath and push.”
Devon took a really deep breath and then grunted as he pushed, trying to get the baby to cooperate. Laird winced in sympathy because he could see Devon’s muscles rippling and see how tired Devon was. He could feel it just somehow right there in the air that Devon was on the very edge of screaming his frustration or maybe even giving up.
But he wasn’t going to let his indomitable omega just give up. No, he was going to infuriate him into staying strong if he had to.
“Are you getting lazy on me now, Devon?” he teased.
“I am going to kill you. I will live long enough to do that, at the very least.” Devon squinted at him, lines of exhaustion on his face.
“Not gonna happen. You can’t catch me right now.”
“I will beat you.” Devon’s eyes were glittering with humor now, though, his lips stretching in an attempt at a grin.
“I know. I’ll let you just the once.” Then Laird sobered. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Devon grabbed his hand, panting, then nodded at Raven. “Pushing again.”
“Good deal.” And when that push was over, Raven cheered. “We have a head!”
He and Devon both groaned, but the end was in sight, so his was relief, for sure.
Raven was singing “Head and Shoulders Knees and Toes,” and Devon was chuckling through his hard breathing.
God, he loved this amazing chosen family who had adopted him so much. They were everything to him, and Devon was the center of his universe.
“Come on, baby,” Laird told him. “Let’s bring this home in a big finish.”
“Uh-huh.” Devon pushed again when Raven told him to, and from then on it was fast, the baby sliding free pretty quickly, and Raven clearing his mouth to get him wailing.
“Oh my God.” Devon slumped down, hanging from the stool, sobbing a little.
“That’s perfect, baby,” Laird murmured. “Let’s get you moved to the bed and clean you up.”
