Helluva Deal

39. Astrea

„-las..." Blitz weakly squeezes his husband's hand, „I... I'm so...tired..."

„Blitz! You're awake again! Thank Satan!" Stolas nuzzles him, a tear running down his cheek, before very carefully massaging his thumbs over his partner's hands, „Listen, my Star. I know I demand far too much of you with this, but I need you to keep pushing again at the next contraction!"

„Was I... Fuck... Was I out of it?" Blitz blinks, trying to get his far too hot brain to work again, „For how long?"

„It doesn't matter. Blitz. Try to focus," Alastor's voice is insisting but still gentle and very exhausted, „Astrea will be lying in your arms shortly! But for that we need you to push as hard and long as you can, a few times now! Okay?"

Blitz gives a faint nod, already bearing down again with a silent sob.

„That's it! Keep going, Love, you're doing amazing!" Stolas nuzzles him, kisses his tears away and squeezes his hands, murmuring, „Almost there, Blitzy. You're almost done..."

„B-Burns..." rasps Blitz between two far too hectic breaths in before already pushing again.

„We can already see her horn caps, Blitz!" announces Ozzie, trying to let enthusiasm cover his audible concern, „Once the head is out, you're almost done! Come on, you can do it!"

Blitz actually manages a weak smile, „Got yourself...a true cheerleader there...Fizzy... AH!" although he's exhausted beyond anything, his body actually manages to produce a scream at the next sensation that is only comparable to the pain he felt the night he got the scar on his face.

„Okay! Okay, okay! Heads out! Breathe for a second, Blitz! I need to check for the umbilical cord anyway and she won't be slipping back anymore so... Breathe," orders Alastor while doing just that during his quick check on the baby.

Blitz sobs and whimpers weakly, „Sto... Sto...I'm so...sorry..."

„For what?!?" Stolas searches his husband's feverish, exhausted eyes with growing concern.

„F-For..." Blitz whimpers but breathes through the next contraction, like his friend told him to, „F-For...being so w-weak... For b-blacking out...during th-this..."

„Blitz... Fuck, Blitz, do you even realize what you're saying there?!" Stolas shakes his head, then he pushes their mouths together, kissing his imp passionately, almost roughly, trying to make him realize what is happening at the moment, before pulling back enough to say firmly, „You're giving BIRTH, Blitz! Our daughter is almost THERE! I've never, NEVER seen a stronger imp...a stronger DEMON than you! And I LOVE you! So don't you fucking DARE to ever apologize for any of the amazing things you've achieved already!"

Blitz smiles wryly through his daze, nodding very weakly.

„I can only agree," Alastor's voice is gentle, „But no matter how strong you are, Blitz... We will help you with the final part, okay? So this will be done with a final push. I will pull, you push and Millie and Moxxie help you with this, okay?"

Blitz blinks slowly, his vision turning blurry, but he nods barely noticeably.

„Blitz. Are you still with me?"

„Y-Yeah... M-Mostly... Let's... Let's do this..."

„That's what I wanted to hear! Okay. On the next contraction..."

„Hngh!"

„Push! M and M, you too!"

„Ouhuhuhh..." Blitz whines out, digging his claws weakly into Stolas' hands now, the pain of his two friends pushing onto his belly to shove his baby out almost worse than the contraction itself.