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He wasn’t sure how much time was passing when the pain didn’t seem to release him from its grip for more than a few seconds.

Is there something wrong?

I don’t know. We don’t give birth like this. You should be hanging upside down.

You’ve got to be kidding me! How the hell can I do that? Lennon panted, his lower body rocking, seeking relief from the endless pain and finding none.

“Fuck, Lennon, what should I do?” Kodi’s body shook, and Lennon couldn’t figure why he was the one shaking when it was Lennon in terrible pain.

“Why. Are. You. Asking. Me?” Each word was punctuated with a grunt or groan.

“I don’t think being outside is very sanitary for giving birth,” he said, his voice a husky rasp. “Peanut could end up falling on the grass, with the dirt and bugs.”

Christ, now he had to worry about that too!

“I can’t do anything,” Lennon managed to gasp out, before the next pain.

Lennon found himself lifted under his armpits once more, legs dangling as he was carried at arm’s length up the porch steps and in through the open door leading to the mud room. He’d have been impressed by the strength when he knew his weight, but it took all his energy to keep from losing his mind at the body wracking cramps.

When he stopped fighting the desire to tense, he was in their bedroom. He eyed the bed. There was no way he wanted to be placed on his back. If his kind gave birth upside down, then standing would at least be the human equivalent, wouldn’t it?

Tears leaked down his cheeks at not knowing the answer when his bare feet sank into the new carpet that he was about to ruin with baby gunk.

“Sheets… towels… floor…” he ground out past gritted teeth.

A pale faced Kodi nodded, but didn’t release Lennon.

“Go get them, then,” he insisted for that brief few seconds the pain was bearable. The second Kodi let go, Lennon spun and placed his hands on the end of the bed, his body undulating. Any thoughts of this happening in the lovely maternity suite they’d chosen swiftly vanished. He’d gotten his request, peanut wanted out, now.

Kodi rushed into the room, arms full, and dumped the pile on the bed, then looked at Lennon with uncertainty and fear. It helped get Lennon to focus.

“Towels on the floor,” he managed past his dry lips.

Rushing to place them between Lennon’s feet, Kodi knelt behind Lennon and then squealed like a girl a second later. “Your ass… oh holy fuck…”

Lennon was too busy riding the next contraction and didn’t need Kodi to paint him a picture when he could feel what was happening.

“Help… we need help!” Kodi was back to squealing.

“Too late… you’re going to need to do it,” he cried, his fingers curling into the covers, his eyes shutting against the desire to full on blubber.

What will I need to do when the baby is born?

“Me?” Back was the squealing.

All the classes he’d taken with Kodi, in the moment, were a far distant memory. One he couldn’t access under the onslaught of pain.

We’ll shift and I’ll take care of the umbilical cord and check over the baby. It’ll be fine.

Fuckkkkkkkkkk, he cried out when the urge to push ripped through him.

Don’t resist. Go with it.

Lennon had no choice. His eyes shut as sweat slid down his forehead from his dripping hair. He wasn’t sure what Kodi was doing, too lost in what was happening inside him.

Kodi

He cried ugly tears as the little girl slipped out of Lennon into his arms without ceremony. He’d ended up falling on his backside behind Lennon, unable to move at the sight of his ass… yep, never thinking about that again.