CHASING PAVEMENTS ⇒ wolfstar

TWENTY FIVE

Remus awakes, startled, wrapped up tightly in Sirius' comforting embrace; the older teens large hands sprawled across his baby bump. Remus turns around so that he can lay against Sirius' chest and feel his slow pacing heartbeat. It's calming. Remus feels Elliot kick aggressively as he tackles an agonizing stab to his lower back.

Remus hisses, holding his breath as he waits for the pain to meet it's end. "Fuck," He gasps for air, trying to regain his breath. He clenches his eyes shut as he rides out the pain.

"That a bad one?" Sirius' sleep ridden, husky voice asks. He let's one palm gently rub the underside of Remus' belly, as if to soothe Elliot.

Remus nods, breathing deeply. "Mmh," He replies in a hum. "M'back hurts," He mumbles into Sirius' chest. "And I feel too nauseous to keep laying here,"

Sirius' face softens. "You wanna start walking around the room, sweetheart? It'll help Elliot drop down lower so she gets here sooner, she'll drop down into the birth canal easier,"

Remus looks up at Sirius with amazed brown eyes. "You really did read my book," He whispers.

Sirius brushes some stray strands of hair away from Remus' forehead. "Course I did," He pauses. "Where'd you even pull that book out of, lovey?"

"Hogsmeade, when I'd just found out I was pregnant. You know when I disappeared for a bit and said I'd catch up with you and Wormtail later? I went to get something that I could use to research pregnancy and all that jazz," Remus explains as Sirius strokes through his hair.

Sirius kisses the top of his head. "You did all that research for our baby girl, you're going to be the best mama to her," He smiles into Remus' hair.

Remus shrugs. "All that research and I'm still in premature labor," He blinks. "I-I don't want Elliot to come today. It's a Saturday," He whispers. "Elliot's going to be born on a Saturday," Remus whispers. "While I'm seven months,"

"March 29th, Elliot's birthdays going to be March 29th."

Remus hums. "I don't want her to be out into the world yet. The world's a scary place,"

"Nothing our little darling can't handle, Remus," Sirius bites his lip as he glances down at Remus, taking in his pained face. "Another one?" He asks. Remus nods. Sirius offers his hand, Remus takes it in his firm grasp. "Go on, squeeze it as tight as you can, I won't break," Sirius says.

And Remus does. A cry of agony escapes his mouth and there are suddenly tears flowing down his face. "I-it's all in m back! Not my tummy," Remus sobs.

The door opens and Emelia waltzes in. "Oh great, I've walked in at just the right time. Remus, honey, how are you doing? Contractions still coming in strong, dear?" She says with a sympathetic glance at the pregnant teenagers grip on the other boy. "I'm sorry, honey, I'm doing everything I can to get things arranged for Elliot's delivery. It won't be much longer, I'm going to check your dilation again, is that alright?"

Remus nods tearfully. "W-why does my back hurt s-so m-much?" He wonders. He untangles himself from Sirius and Emelia gently opens his legs just like she had last time.

"You're experiencing what we call 'back labor', all of your pain is mainly going to your lower back, isn't that right?" Remus nods quickly. "It's completely normal, don't worry too much about where the pains are coming from, just focus on breathing deeply,"

Emelia pauses before, "Okay, eight centimeters. Two more to go! I want to monitor Elliot for a few minutes to make sure she isn't in harms way as she's arriving very early," She begins to adjust different straps and belt like materials around Remus' now exposed belly. His underwear is the only thing attempting to maintain his dignity as his gown has now come to sit above his belly.