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Dick sighs, buried under a pile of blankets in his nest. He’s been feeling under the weather for a few days now, and Wally insisted he rest up as much as he can. He hasn’t stopped Dick from doing patrols, but he does check Dick over very carefully when he comes back. It’s sweet, if a little overbearing. Dick is fine. It’s just a little cold.
He shifts over a bit in the nest, rolling half onto his stomach and tucking his nose into the collar of one of Wally’s hoodies. Wally always smells so good, but right now his scent is particularly appealing. It’s kind of sweet for an alpha, like fresh strawberries. Dick huffs at it, curling his fingers into the fabric of the hoodie. His nose is stuffed up, which dampens the smell a bit, but Dick just clutches the item of clothing tighter, closing his eyes.
“Hey, babe, I ran by the Manor. Alfred made some fried rice. Does that sound good to you?” Wally asks, the door creaking open as he comes in.
Dick cracks his eyes open, peeking at Wally over the edge of the blankets. He’s holding a Tupperware container, snow dusted on his jacket. He’s had a haircut recently, and although Dick was initially wary of the mullet, it’s grown on him. Wally looks good. He always looks good. He offers Dick a gentle smile, coming forward to run his fingers through Dick’s hair, feeling along his forehead. “You don’t feel overly warm. How’re you doing?”
“Fine,” Dick says, catching Wally’s hand to brush his nose along the scent glands at his wrist. It’s more potent at the source, and Dick tightens his grip, sniffing.
Wally chuckles. “Give me a second, and I’ll scent you properly. Did you want to eat?”
Dick reluctantly lets him go. “In a minute. Scent first.”
“Yes, babe,” Wally answers.
Dick folds the blankets back, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He reaches for a tissue and blows his nose before looking at Wally expectantly.
Wally sets the container of rice on the bedside table and hops up into the nest, snuggling up close to Dick’s side. Dick falls into him, accepting the torrent of kisses Wally drops all over his face. He smiles, angling for a short, real kiss on the lips. Wally gives it to him, a chaste thing, and pulls back to look at him. “Okay. Ready?”
Dick nods. “Get on with it, West.”
“That’s Grayson-West to you,” Wally teases, then cups Dick’s cheek with his palm and brushes his nose through Dick’s hair. He follows a line down to his ear and lower, to the mating mark on his neck. Dick tilts his head to the side, sighing contentedly as Wally licks over the scarred gland, covering Dick with his scent. Wally breathes deeply, stroking Dick’s cheek with his thumb.
When he lifts his head, he’s got a puzzled look on his face, brows furrowed.
“What is it?” Dick asks.
Wally tilts his head. “You smell…off. Sick, yeah, but there’s something else too. I don’t know what it is.”
Dick offers his wrist. Wally takes it, sniffing curiously. Dick sniffs at his other wrist, trying to find what Wally’s smelling. His brows raise when he catches it. It’s almost…milky. Like a pup. Like he’s been scenting Damian. But he hasn’t seen Dami in a few days; his scent wouldn’t linger that long. But…
His mind races, flicking back through the calendar. It’s December. He’s overdue for his heat. “Oh, delva. Wally.”
Wally gasps. “Wait. Wait! Dick! Holy shit! You—you’re—!”
Dick covers his mouth with his hand, trying not to shake.
Wally scoops him into a hug, holding him tight against his chest. “It’s okay, it’s okay, sweetheart. You’re alright.”
“Wally,” Dick whispers. “I’m pregnant.”
“I know,” Wally answers, just as quietly. He kisses the side of Dick’s head, combing his fingers through Dick’s hair. “You’re pregnant, holy shit, babe.”
Dick turns his head, catches Wally’s mouth in a kiss, then another, another. “But I’m on birth control,” he says. “I take it religiously, you know I do. I have an alarm. I never missed it.”
“Hey,” Wally says soothingly, rubbing Dick’s arm. “I know you didn’t do this on purpose. Dick, I know that. It’s okay. It was an accident.”
Dick takes a trembling breath.
“It’s okay to cry if you need to,” Wally says gently.
Dick shakes his head. “No, no. Wally I’m, I’m happy. Really, I am. I always wanted pups one day. We both did. I wasn’t expecting it now but, I’m not upset.”
Wally rubs Dick’s arm with his thumb. “You’re not?”
“I think I’m in shock,” Dick says, nodding. “I can’t believe…” He lifts his wrist to his nose again, inhaling deeply. Now that he’s aware of it, the smell is more obvious. The smell of a pupped omega. He smiles against his skin, then touches his belly over his shirt.
Wally tackles him back against the nest, laughing joyously, and wiggles his way down Dick’s chest, shoving his shirt up to kiss his stomach. Dick giggles, and Wally kisses his belly over and over again. “A little pup, all our own,” Wally says with delight, stroking his fingers over the still-flat skin. “Hi baby, hi. This is Appa, and I love you so much already.” He kisses Dick again.
Dick drags his fingers through Wally’s wild hair. Wally rests his chin on Dick’s belly, gazing up at him with adoring green eyes. “We’re gonna be parents, Songbird.”
“I know,” Dick murmurs. He brushes the fingers of his other hand over his bare skin. There’s a baby inside him. Their baby.
All of a sudden, Wally’s face crumples, and he hides it against Dick’s stomach. “Your ommi is going to kill me.”
Dick huffs, amused. “Wally. We’re mated, and in our late twenties. If anything, he should be expecting this.”
Wally shakes his head. “That doesn’t matter.”
Dick pinches Wally’s earlobe. “Seriously, Walls. I know Ommi. He’s going to be excited. It’s his first grandchild. It’ll be like Christmas came early.”
Wally lifts his head, planting another kiss on Dick’s stomach. “Okay. Just don’t make me tell him.”
Dick caresses the side of Wally’s neck, letting his scent out into the air. “Promise.”
*******
Dick worries his lip as they stand outside the medical wing of the cave. Alfred and Bruce went in a while ago, but while it was previously silent, now Jason’s agonized sobs echo through the door. Dick’s stomach is flipping. He sounds like he’s in so much pain. Dick wishes he could take it away, that he could make this easier for him.
“He does not sound well,” Damian says, arms crossed over his chest. He looks the picture of calm, but his jiggling knee gives away his nerves. “Is childbirth meant to be this difficult?”
Tim turns from where he’s trying to peek through the windows in the doors. He shrugs. “It’s different for everyone. My guess is he’s in the transition stage now. That’s very painful.”
Dick blows out a long breath through his mouth.
“You alright, Dick? You look like you’re going to throw up,” Tim comments.
“I did not think you would be squeamish about things like this,” Damian says in what passes as teasing for him.
Dick rubs his hands together. “I just don’t like seeing him in pain.”
The other two weren’t there, when Bruce brought Jason’s body back home. They didn’t see how he had been broken, harmed in every way imaginable. Dick had thrown up then, seeing his little brother in such a state. Dead. Tortured. The image still haunts him to this day, even with the constant living proof of Jason’s existence. He hadn’t been able to stop his brain from imagining every excruciating moment of Jason’s time in that warehouse. Now, hearing his Little Wing in pain makes him feel sick.
“He’ll be okay,” Tim assures him. “People give birth every day.”
The three of them wait in tense silence. The noises on the other side of the door quiet for a while, and then there’s a loud scream that makes all three of them jump. They look at each other with matching expressions of worry.
Damian moves to the window, standing on his tiptoes to look in. “The view is not optimal,” he reports. “I can’t see anything.” He falls back onto his feet and starts pacing back and forth in the little space they’re gathered in.
Dick feels around for his phone. It’s four forty-five. Jason’s been actively laboring for almost three hours now. Dick glances at the doors, then takes a few steps away and selects Wally’s contact.
The line only rings once before Wally picks up. “Dick, what’s going on? I thought you’d be home by now. Are you hurt? Where do I need to go?”
“Slow down, Walls,” Dick murmurs. “I’m fine. I’m at the Cave. Jason’s in labor.”
“What?! I didn’t know he was pregnant!”
“Nobody did,” Dick answers. “Not even Jason knew. We ran into him on patrol, and Tim sniffed it out. He was already having contractions by that point.”
Wally pauses. “Who’s the other…?”
“Roy,” Dick says. “He’s here now.”
“I should have seen that coming. Jason’s all Roy talks about anymore.”
“I didn’t think he could…” Dick trails off, letting Wally fill in the blanks. “I’m guessing he didn’t either.”
Another pause. “Do they know about you?”
Dick shakes his head, even though Wally can’t see him. “No. It’s been kind of a blur over here.”
He can almost hear Wally pouting through the phone. “I can’t believe Roy and Jason beat us to first grandchild. I was really gunning for that title.”
“Do I say something?” Dick asks. “It seems both the best time and the worst time.”
“I’d…I’d hold off for now. We don’t want to make anything even more surprising than it already is.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Dick agrees. “Besides, it’s still early. What did we decide on? Three weeks?”
“About there, yeah. Your appointment is on Friday for the actual check.”
Dick nods again, biting his lip and looking over to the doors. Damian and Tim are pressed against the windows, trying to look in.
“I should go, I think the baby is here.”
“Tell them congratulations from me!”
“I will. Love you.”
“Love you, Songbird. Keep me updated.”
“I will.”
With that, he hangs up, walking back over to his brothers and looking over Damian’s head. “I believe the child has arrived,” Damian says. “I can see that Harper is sitting on the bed.”
Tim tilts to the side, trying to get a better angle. “Well, there’s not any more screaming, so that’s a good sign.”
“Let me see,” Dick says, moving in closer.
The doors fly open, and the three of them stumble in, catching everyone’s attention. Dick rights himself quickly, eyes scanning rapidly over the scene before him. Jason is sitting against the bed, flushed and sweaty, holding the baby against his chest. Roy sits beside him, one arm tucked around Jason’s shoulders, the other resting protectively around the baby. And oh, that baby. They’re so precious, so sweet, their little face round and healthy. Dick can’t help the tears that spring to his eyes. His Little Wing had a baby.
“Wow,” he utters. “What…?”
“This is Lian,” Roy offers, stroking her arm with his thumb.
“A niece,” Tim says. “Cool.”
Damian shifts in his feet, just barely, but an obvious tell to Dick, and addresses Alfred. “Her status?”
“Five pounds, fourteen ounces,” Alfred reports. “A bit small, but that’s to be expected with this kind of pregnancy. Her lungs and reflexes are excellent.”
Damian nods, looking relieved, and smiles a little. “Congratulations.”
“It seems accidental pups run in this family,” Bruce jokes in that dry way of his.
Dicks stomach is in knots. Tim starts laughing. Oh shit, he knows. He totally knows. Dick scratches the back of his head. “Yeah. About that.”
He feels everyone’s eyes turn to him, except Tim, the smug bastard, who just smiles knowingly. How the fuck…? Nevermind. Dick probably doesn’t want to know.
Jason is squinting at him. “You’re not.”
Dick nods. “I’m pregnant.”
Jason starts laughing, like actual cackling, until Lian cries out in discontent, and he settles, calming her down. “No fucking way.”
“Is it Wally’s?” Roy asks. “I bet it is. What are you going to do with a speedster baby, Dick?”
Dick shrugs, smiling. “Who else’s would it be, dipshit?” But he feels lighter with all of them knowing. “We just barely found out this week.”
Tim knocks against his side affectionately. “Congrats.”
Jason sniffs. “Ha. Beat you to first grandchild.”
Is that…is that a tease? From Jason? Dick grins at him. “Yeah, I guess you did.”
Jason gives him this look, and maybe it’s just the way his eyes are rimmed in red and he looks exhausted, but it feels raw. Like they’re really seeing each other again for the first time. Dick glances down at Lian. “She’s beautiful, Jay.”
Jason looks down at her too, adjusting his hold on her. “Thank you.”
“You did a good job,” Roy says, kissing the side of Jason’s head, scenting him lightly.
Jason yawns, and his whole body seems to sag. Dick takes that as a cue for most of them to leave and let Jason get some rest. He snags Damian by his cape. “Let’s go.”
“Goodbye, ahki.”
Jason gives Damian a soft look. “Goodnight, ahki. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Dick reaches forward and touches Jason’s foot over the blanket. “Goodnight, you three.”
Tim offers a nod, and the three of them move off, leaving the new little family with Bruce and Alfred.
Out in the main part of the cave, Dick puts his hands on his hips with a tired sigh. It’s late, or early. He should be getting home. He pulls out his phone again to call Wally. As he lifts the phone to his ear, his arm is tugged on by Damian. “What is it, Dami?” He asks, letting Damian hold onto him.
Damian lifts his head, and, slightly surprised, Dick bends over to scent him. “You okay? Hold on, Wally, just a second,” he says, hearing Wally pick up.
Damian scents him back, sniffing at his neck, his hair. Dick’s scent neutralizer has probably worn off by now, and Damian sniffs at him repeatedly before pulling back. “I had to check for myself. You are pregnant.”
“Well, yes,” Dick says with a little laugh, ruffling the pup's hair. Damian curls his lip, but lets Dick scent him again, covering him in Dick’s omega-with-a-hint-of-pregnancy smell. Damian looks vaguely pleased when Dick lets him go. “How does it feel to be an uncle at the ripe old age of eleven?”
“It is a responsibility I am prepared to undertake. Goodnight, Grayson.”
“Goodnight, Dami,” Dick says, waving him off. Tim has already disappeared, likely to crawl into bed and sleep for fourteen hours. Dick turns his attention back to his phone. “Wally?”
“Yeah, babe, I’m still here. How’d it go?”
Dick stretches one arm over his head, leaning to the side. “It’s a girl. They named her Lian.”
Wally makes a cooing noise. “Aww, that’s so cute. I’m happy for them.”
“Me too,” Dick says softly. “It’s kind of hard to believe. My baby brother had a baby. He did so well.”
“Are you staying there with them?”
Dick glances back toward the medical wing. “No. Will you come get me? I don’t want to drive.”
“Of course, baby. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Thank you.”
Wally hangs up, and Dick tucks his phone away, resting his palm against his stomach. It’s hard to believe he’s got a baby growing in there. That in nine months, Lian will have a little cousin.
“Hey.”
Dick lifts his head. “Hey, B.”
Bruce comes over to his side, touches his elbow. Dick ducks his head, inviting Bruce to scent him. Bruce does. “How is he?”
“Tired,” Bruce answers. His scent settles over Dick, comforting and warm. “How are you?”
Dick huffs a laugh. “Tired.”
Wally zips in, sliding to a stop at Dick’s side. Dick smiles at him, pulling back a bit from Bruce.
Bruce looks at them both. “Congratulations. It wasn’t planned?”
Dick shakes his head.
“No,” Wally answers. “Totally an accident.”
Bruce nods. “You’re due in August?”
“We think so,” Dick says. “We have an appointment at the end of the week.”
Bruce pulls him in for one last affectionate scenting. “My pups are all grown up,” he murmurs.
“You’re getting old, Grand Ommi.”
Bruce huffs, the faintest bit amused. “I guess I am. You get some rest. Growing a baby is a lot of work.”
“I will,” Dick answers.
“And you’ll be stopping patrols.”
Dick opens his mouth.
“Non-negotiable,” Bruce says with finality. “It’s a miracle nothing happened to Jason. You have the opportunity to be more cautious. You’re benched.”
Dick lifts his hands in an aborted shrug. “What am I supposed to do?”
Bruce puts a hand on his shoulder. “Get a hobby. Sleep.”
“Fine,” Dick relents. “I’ll let you know how the appointment goes. Will Jason be up for visitors tomorrow?”
“I don’t know,” Bruce says.
Dick nods. “Alright. Goodnight, B.”
“Goodnight. Wally.”
Wally lifts his hand in farewell. “Bruce.” Then he turns to Dick. “Ready, babe?”
“Yep,” Dick answers.
Wally opens his arms, and Dick hops up, wrapping his legs around Wally’s waist. Wally holds him tightly, and they’re off.
Back home, Wally helps him get undressed, storing his gear away. “So you told them?”
Dick sighs. “Bruce made this comment about accidental pups. Tim started laughing. I couldn’t not.”
Wally kisses the back of his neck. “At least Bruce didn’t try to kill me.”
Dick turns in his arms, brushing both hands through Wally’s hair. “He actually likes you, you know.”
Wally kisses him softly. “He still scares me.”
Dick hugs him, resting his head on Wally’s shoulder. Wally holds him, tracing lines down his bare back with his fingertips. “It’s late,” Wally murmurs. “Let's go to bed.”
Dick really should shower. But he smells like Dami and Bruce, soft and comfortable. He wants to keep the scents for a while.
The two of them snuggle into the nest, Dick’s head on Wally’s chest. He skates his fingers across the bare skin, their breathing synced in the dark of the room. “She’s so beautiful, Wally,” Dick whispers. “I’ve never wanted a pup more than I do right now.”
Wally squeezes his waist. “Good thing we’re having one, then.” And his scent is so happy, excited. Dick can’t get enough of it.
He kisses Wally’s chest, and settles in to listen to his heartbeat as he drifts off to sleep.
*******
Kneeling on the floor of the bathroom, Dick is puking his guts out. He hardly has time to breathe before he’s gagging and retching again, his stomach trying to turn itself inside out. He’s sweaty, but he has the chills too, shaking as he spits repeatedly and sits back on his legs. He’s supposed to be getting ready for work, but he started puking twenty minutes ago, and it hasn’t let up since.
Wally smooths a palm down his spine. “Baby, it’s the weekend. Just call in. They’ll understand.”
Dick blows his nose with some toilet paper. “No, I can go in. I’ll be fine.” His stomach rolls, and he pitches forward to gag again.
Wally sighs. “Dick.”
Dick can’t even argue, because he’s too busy still retching. He gags so hard he chokes, coughing wildly. His mouth tastes vile. “I can…” he says, voice ragged and raw.
Wally already has his phone out. “I’m calling them. Pippa’s your aide, right? She can handle a day on her own.”
“Wally,” Dick complains, but has to stop and clear his throat multiple times.
“Yes, hello, good morning,” Wally says into the phone. “This is Wally Grayson-West. I’m calling in for Richard. He’s been sick this morning; he won’t be coming in today. Yes. Please tell Pippa to email if she needs anything. Yeah. Uh huh. Thank you, I’ll tell him. Bye.” He gives Dick a look. “See how easy that was? Melissa says feel better soon.”
Dick rolls his eyes, but he’s secretly relieved. “Thank you,” he says quietly. “But I can’t call out every time I have morning sickness. I have clients who need me.”
“Fine,” Wally agrees. “Just this once, then. Let me get you some water.”
Dick flushes away the sick and blows his nose again, pushing himself to his feet. He still feels queasy, but it’s not as urgent now. When Wally comes back in with a glass of water, Dick takes it gratefully, rinsing his mouth out before taking an actual sip. “I’m going to try some toast,” he says, thinking aloud. Maybe that will help settle his stomach.
Wally stays with him as he finishes his water, trailing after him to the kitchen where he starts gathering his own breakfast. After over a decade together, Dick is used to the heaps of food Wally has to consume, and makes a note that they’ll need to go shopping soon. He drops a piece of bread into the toaster as Wally speed slices a few apples.
“If I cook sausage, will that make you throw up again?” He asks, chucking the apple cores.
Dick considers. “I don’t think so?”
“What about eggs?”
Dick surprises himself with a gag, putting his hand over his mouth. He shakes his head.
Wally chuckles a little. “Okay. No eggs. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Swallowing the flood of saliva that gathered in his mouth, Dick nods. “Yeah, you do that.”
His toast pops, and Dick starts nibbling on a corner of it as Wally fries sausages and hashbrowns, dutifully leaving the eggs in the fridge. The smell is actually quite pleasant, though Dick’s wary of trying anything but the toast. Bread is a safe food to throw up. He doesn’t know how he’d feel about sausage and potatoes. But maybe…
Wally catches him looking. “Do you want some?” He asks with a little grin.
Dick takes another nibble from his toast. “Yes,” he answers in a small voice.
“Okay,” Wally answers, sounding amused. He dishes up some for Dick and hands the plate to him.
Dick drops his toast onto it, sighing. “I wish we had jam.”
“We do have jam,” Wally says, attention back on the stove.
“No, homemade jam. The raspberry kind.”
“Ah,” Wally nods. “Well, maybe that’s a hobby you can try.”
Dick groans. “Don’t start with that, Wally. Bruce has already sent me three different advertisements for crochet lessons. I have hobbies!”
Wally turns the stove off, moving to the table with his own plate. “I know, babe. C’mere.” He beckons Dick over with a hand.
Dick takes his seat, putting his plate down, and Wally hands him a fork while simultaneously piling apples and banana slices next to Dick’s toast. Dick doesn’t even think he knows he’s doing it, and that makes him smile a little. His alpha instincts are flaring, a subconscious drive to take care of Dick and their baby. It makes Dick flush happily, scooping some potatoes onto his fork.
Wally absolutely inhales his food, then pours himself two bowls of cereal, drinks two cups of orange juice, eats four granola bars, and gets up to fry more sausage and hashbrowns. Dick picks at his food slowly, making sure he doesn’t overwhelm his stomach. But he can’t deny how delicious it is. He savors every bite, except for the toast, which is still too bland.
Wally brushes his fingertips along Dick’s shoulder as he comes back to the table, a gentle, casual touch that Dick always takes joy in. They’re both overly tactile, and Dick hasn’t done nearly enough touching today. That’s going to change.
He curls his ankle around Wally’s, taking a drink from the water Wally refilled for him. “Roy sent me pictures of Lian,” he says. “I barely glanced at them before I had to run to the bathroom.”
Wally zips to the bedroom and is back with Dick’s phone, unlocking it and laying it on the table between them. He opens the chat with Roy, and the two of them make matching ‘awww’ noises at the photos. Lian’s all curled up in Roy’s lap, a little striped hat on her head, and her lips pouty as she sleeps. She looks so tiny.
There's also a selfie photo of Roy cradling Lian in his arm, with a big goofy smile on his face, his hair pulled back messily. He’s sitting on a bed, and beside him, Jason is asleep also, face relaxed and so young looking. “God, I can’t believe they have a baby,” Dick murmurs.
“Roy looks so happy,” Wally says, swiping through a few more photos, of Lian on Roy’s chest, of Jason holding her steady while she looks around with a puzzled expression. “They both do.”
Dick takes in both of them, Roy’s grin, Jason’s easy, relaxed smile. And his heart is so full for them.
“Babe, are you crying?”
“No,” Dick answers hurriedly, wiping his eyes. “I’m not. I’m just happy for them. Do you think they’ll bond soon?” He puts the last forkful of hashbrowns into his mouth to keep himself from crying any more.
Wally tilts his head, looking down at the phone. “I think they will. Will they do a ceremony?”
Dick shakes his head. “I don’t think so. Jason’s pretty private. I don’t think he’d want both our entire family and Roy’s there.”
“Fair,” Wally says. He takes Dick’s hand, kissing the back of his palm. “Well, now you have the day off. You know what that means.”
Dick raises an eyebrow. “We have time to go to the store?”
Wally blows a raspberry. “No. It means a rematch in Mario Kart.”
Dick rolls his eyes. “I beat you last time. And the time before that. And the time before that.”
“This time’s gonna be different,” Wally says, and downs another glass of orange juice.
Wally does the dishes, and Dick takes a quick shower, grateful his stomach is handling the food well. He squeezes water out of his hair and wraps a towel around himself when he gets out, brushing his teeth delicately to not activate his gag reflex. That goes well, so he moves to the bedroom to get dressed.
He’s just barely pulled his underwear on when Wally drifts in. Dick smiles at him, turning his attention back to the clothes he’s laid out. He startles when Wally kneels beside him and grabs his hips to turn him sideways. Wally kisses his stomach, then starts scenting it, rubbing his cheek along the skin, kissing over him repeatedly, nuzzling him. “Hi baby,” he mumbles. “I love you so much, you little seedling.”
At their appointment on Friday, the doctor told them the baby was too small for a scan, but was about the size of a poppy seed. Dick was advised on a whole bunch of prenatal vitamins that he’s been taking religiously, and Wally downloaded an app that will tell them the baby’s size each week.
Dick combs his fingers through Wally’s hair, a pleased flush creeping over his cheeks and down his chest at Wally’s attention.
“Perfect omega, growing our baby,” Wally continues, letting his lips linger on Dick’s lower stomach, right over his womb. “All pupped up, gonna get heavy with it.”
“Wally,” Dick says warningly, even though the words do something to him that makes his stomach squirm.
Wally kisses him innocently for a few more moments, marking Dick with his scent, a protective, calming smell that will keep everyone but family away. With one final nuzzle, he stands, cheeks pink. “Sorry. I couldn’t help it.”
“It’s okay,” Dick says, sliding a hand around the back of Wally’s neck and guiding him down into a kiss. “Thank you. You take care of us so well.”
Wally rumbles happily, then gives Dick a friendly pat on the ass. “C’mon. I’ve got a race to win.”
“In your dreams, K.F.”
“Hey, nobody calls me that anymore!”
Dick makes a ‘pfff’ noise and reaches for his shirt, tugging it over his head before hopping into his sweatpants. “I’m gonna kick your ass.”
They race to the living room, Wally graciously going at a normal speed, but Dick still loses the fight for the player one controller. Wally picks Mario, and Dick selects his classic, Toad. Then Wally loads Rainbow Road, the one he always loses to Dick on no matter what.
Dick clicks his tongue. “Prepare to lose,” he taunts.
And he does. Spectacularly. Dick cheers as Wally groans in defeat. “How do you win every time?” Wally whines.
“Older brother privilege,” Dick says, letting his controller fall into his lap and crossing his arms behind his head. “You always win when you’re the oldest.”
“I’m an only child, I am the oldest!”
“See that’s where you’re wrong,” Dick teases. “Because you’re an only child, there is no older or younger. You just are.”
Wally tickles his side. “So I get no privileges?”
Dick struggles against laughing. “None.”
“Play me again,” Wally begs, ceasing his tickling attack. “And let me win this time, please. My ego needs it.”
“Knowing you pupped me isn’t enough of an ego boost?” Dick asks, playing dirty.
Wally squints at him. “I’m going to bite you.”
Dick tilts his head to the side, exposing his mating mark. “Done that already.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. Pick another track.”
*******
The puking doesn’t let up, and Dick’s body is so sore, everywhere. His stomach hurts, his chest hurts, his head, even his joints hurt. Going to work is agony, but he still puts on a bright smile for his clients. With everything they’ve already been through, adding his own misery to the mix just isn’t an option.
But when he gets home, that’s when all the emotions come spilling out. Wally finds him sitting on the entryway rug, sobbing and rocking back and forth.
“Dick, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Wally’s quick to kneel beside him, looking him over.
Dick shrugs, gasping stuttering breaths as tears drip down his cheeks. “Ow,” is all he can say. He’s wheezing a little, and it’s getting very hard to breathe.
“One second,” Wally says, and he disappears in a blur, coming back with Dick’s emergency inhaler. He brings it up to Dick’s mouth. “Here. Take a deep breath when I tell you to. Three, two, one, now.”
Dick sucks in a breath as Wally depresses the medication.
“One more,” Wally encourages.
Dick takes another puff, and when Wally pulls the inhaler away, his breath is steadier. His eyes feel hot and itchy, and he wipes the wetness from his face with the back of his wrists.
“Do you wanna tell me what’s wrong?” Wally asks, tucking a piece of Dick’s hair back.
“Nothing,” Dick sniffs. “I just don’t feel good. I don’t think pregnancy agrees with me. I feel like I have the flu.”
Wally leans forward, smoothing Dick’s bangs out of the way and pressing his mouth to Dick’s forehead. “You don’t feel like you’re running a fever.”
Dick sighs defeatedly. “I know. It’s the pregnancy. I just hurt everywhere.”
Wally puts a hand out, and Dick accepts it, letting himself be pulled to his feet. “Why don’t you take a bath? I’ll get some of your favorite soup and some cough drops, and we can watch Captain America. How does that sound?”
Dick sniffs again, lip wobbling. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Don’t cry, it’s okay,” Wally soothes, pulling him into a hug. Dick fights off another barrage of tears. He’s being silly. There’s nothing to cry about, not really. He’s endured worse pain than this. And Wally is always sweet to him, that’s nothing new. But his hormones have really ramped up, he can’t control it.
He knows he smells distressed, sour, but Wally scents him anyway, trying to calm his body’s reactions. It works, Wally’s side of their bond sending out comfort. Dick clings to it, sagging in Wally’s arms. Wally holds him up, rubbing his back. “Hey, Songbird. Let’s go, yeah? There’s a bath calling your name. And I have soup to get to.”
“Okay,” Dick agrees, and makes his way toward the bathroom. He pauses in the kitchen though, snagging a single-serve orange juice out of the fridge. He tosses it to Wally, who catches it. “Here. Your blood sugar is low.”
Wally cracks it open as he follows Dick to the bathroom. “Thanks.”
“Eat some more before you go anywhere.”
Wally chugs the juice, setting the bottle on the bathroom counter. “I will, Omega.”
A pleasant shiver runs down Dick’s spine, helping lift his mood a little. It makes him feel giddy every time Wally refers to him like that, like he knows it thrills Wally when Dick calls him Alpha. It makes him feel so special, cherished.
Wally starts the water, getting Dick’s bath oils out of the cabinet as Dick starts to undress. He pulls his shirt over his head and drops it in the nest hamper, then his pants. His underwear go in the regular hamper, and then he’s naked, standing loosely as Wally fixes the bath just right.
“Thank you, Alpha,” he says, leaning up to kiss Wally’s cheek.
Wally breathes in sharply, giving Dick a tender smile. His eyes flick lazily over Dick’s body, soft and squinty with happiness. “Look at you. So pretty.”
Dick brushes a hand over his chest, which is slightly tender. Winter’s made him a little pale, well, for him. Wally is still shades lighter, white as paper and spattered with freckles. The dark moles scattered across Dick’s body stand out a little more now, but Wally habitually kisses each of them whenever he gets the chance. “Thank you,” he says.
He climbs into the tub, and Wally bends to drop a kiss to his head. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Eat something,” Dick reminds him.
“Okay. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Wally exits, and Dick relaxes deeper into the rising water. It’s warm, but not too hot, and the oils Wally added for him smell nice. Not overpowering, but good. Dick’s heightened emotions melt away as the aches in his body ease. He reaches out and turns the tap off with his toes, sinking back into the water.
He must drift off, because the next thing he knows, he’s being woken to gentle fingers stroking his cheek, and the water has gone cold. “Mmm,” he hums sleepily. “Walls.” The water ripples as he shifts, making him shiver.
“Up you go,” Wally coaxes, trailing his fingers down Dick’s shoulder to his wrist under the water. He finds Dick’s pulse, just holds on for a moment. “Water’s cold.”
“‘M gettin’ up,” Dick mumbles. “Di’you eat?”
Wally chuckles at his sleepy confusion. “Yes. Hurry, babe, let’s get you wrapped up.”
Dick accepts his help up and out of the tub, taking the towel he’s handed and wrapping it around himself. Wally pulls the plug as Dick blinks himself back to full awareness. He feels pruny, but refreshed. Patting himself dry, he tucks the towel around his hips and calls that good for now.
“I got that soup you liked,” Wally says, dancing around him to duck out the door. “It should still be hot, though I couldn’t run it back and it’s cold outside, so we might have to reheat it. I got breadsticks also, because you always eat a lot of them. And I know you don’t like those throat-numbing cough drops, but they really do more for you than those cherry ones, so I picked up both, because I’m nice like that.”
Dick smiles indulgently at Wally’s yapping, following him into the dining room where two bowls of soup are steaming on the table. “You did perfect, Wally.” He takes a seat, inhaling the savory scent of the soup.
It’s quiet for a few moments as they both start eating. Then there’s the faint sound of a phone ringing. Dick cocks his head, listening, and his brows raise in surprised alarm. “That’s Jason’s ringtone!” Jason never calls him. “Wally—
“On it.”
In a blink, Wally is back with his buzzing phone, left in his pants in the bathroom. Dick accepts the call hurriedly. “Jay? Jason? Are you okay?”
“Hey, it’s me,” comes Roy’s voice. “Sorry. My phone is dead.”
Dick sags. “Oh. Oh. That’s alright. Is everything okay?” He catches Wally’s eye, mouths ‘Roy.’
“Yeah, everything’s fine. Um.”
Dick’s heart flutters. Roy never sounds hesitant. “Roy. What is it?”
Roy clears his throat. “Jason’s having a heat.”
“What?” Dick gapes, distressed. “But he just gave birth a month ago. He shouldn’t be heating for a few more months at least!”
Roy sighs. “I know. But Jason’s cycles have always been…off. But that’s not the point. Can Lian come stay with you until it’s over? Jason’s packing her bags. It shouldn’t be long—maybe three days at most.”
“Of course, of course she can,” Dick agrees, looking at Wally again to see if he’s heard. Wally nods. “We’ll come get her as soon as you’re ready.”
“Thank you, Dick, you guys are the best. I’m sorry to spring this on you so suddenly.”
“No, it’s fine. Whatever you need, Roy. Is Jason okay?”
There’s a faint murmuring that Dick can’t distinguish, but the tone is definitely irritated. “He’s frustrated,” Roy says.
“Understandibly,” Dick agrees, nodding. “I can bring some raspberry leaf tea.” He remembers Jason liking that during his first few heats Before.
“Thanks, Dick. That would be great. Look, I’ll let you know when she’s ready?”
“Yeah,” Dick answers. “We’ll be there.”
Roy bids him farewell, and Dick puts his phone down on the table, scrubbing his face with his hands. “He shouldn’t be having a heat this soon,” he mutters to himself.
“Hey,” Wally says. “Eat before we have to go.”
Dick obeys without thinking, spooning soup into his mouth. His mind is racing through what they might need to take care of Lian while she’s here. “Fuck,” Dick curses. “I didn’t even ask you. Wally—
“It’s okay, babe,” Wally says. “Of course, I would say yes. Roy’s my friend too, Jason my brother-in-law. I’d do anything for them.”
“You’re a saint, Wally West.”
“Grayson-West,” Wally says with a wink.
Dick acquiesces. “Grayson-West.”
They eat quickly, anticipatory of Roy’s message. When it comes, Dick rushes to get dressed, pulling on his coat and stomping into his boots as they leave the house, the box of tea tucked under his arm. Wally hops into the driver's seat and is off as soon as Dick clicks his belt in.
It’s not a super long drive to Jason and Roy’s apartment, but with the roads slippery from the frozen snowmelt, Wally drives carefully. Dick’s concern for Jason is still present, but his focus has shifted to Lian. They haven’t seen her much since the week she was born, Jason and Roy taking the time to just be with her by themselves. Dick’s not sure they ever would have reached out like this if it wasn’t necessary. Well, Roy might’ve. Jason, Dick’s not so sure. He’s changed since having Lian, yes, but he still likes his space.
They pull up outside the apartment building, and Dick texts Jason’s number to let them know they’re here. Then he and Wally get out of the car and head inside, taking the elevator up to the correct floor.
Wally is practically bouncing on his toes. “I’m excited to see her,” he says aloud. “I bet she’s grown so much.”
Dick is excited, too. Lian means the world to him.
Wally knocks on the door. It doesn’t take long for Roy to answer, letting them inside with a stressed smile. “Hey,” he greets, tucking some hair behind his ear. “She’s almost ready. Just need to put her in her car seat.”
He leads them further into the apartment. Two bags are packed neatly in the living room, next to a baby car seat. Jason is sitting on the couch with Lian, scenting her. One sniff and Dick can tell how agitated he is, but he’s trying to keep himself calm for Lian. There’s also the smell of preheat, Jason’s scent thick and sweet in the air.
Jason looks up as they approach, a deep crease between his brows. In his arms, Lian lets out a little squeak in her sleep.
“Hey,” Dick says gently. He sets the box of tea on the end table. “I’m sorry, Jay.”
Jason huffs, then looks over to Roy. “Do you mind if we scent you? Just so you smell familiar to her,” Roy says.
“Yeah, go ahead,” Wally says.
Dick nods.
Roy starts with Wally, brushing their cheeks together before taking Wally’s wrists and rubbing them against the scent glands on his neck, dousing Wally in his beta scent. Wally lets Roy scent his neck too, mingling their scents. “There, that should be good,” he says, pulling back with a small grin. “Haven’t done that since we were teens.”
As the oldest on their little team of heroes, Roy became pack leader. He used to scent everybody after missions as part of their recuperation. It has been a long time since those days.
Jason hands Lian off to Roy and stands, approaching Dick with sharp movements. His cheeks are flushed, his pupils dilated, and Dick feels for how bad he must be cramping right now. His stomach also clenches a little in anticipation, because Jason hardly ever allows scenting, and he certainly doesn’t initiate it.
“Come here,” he says gruffly, and Dick steps closer. He tilts his head to the side in surrender, and Jason takes it, sniffing almost clinically at Dick’s neck. “You smell pregnant,” he mutters.
Dick laughs a little, forcing his arms to stay at his sides so he doesn’t try to cuddle Jason. “Well. I am.”
Jason huffs, then pulls back and does the same routine Roy did to Wally, taking Dick’s wrists and rubbing them against his neck. The preheat scent of him shouldn’t irritate Lian, but he knows Wally is slightly bothered by it by the way he keeps scrunching his nose as if to clear it. Hopefully, it will be more muted once they leave the apartment.
Jason finishes, letting Dick’s hands go. “There’s formula in the diaper bag, and some milk in the cooler one. I packed her plenty of clothes and some of our things for her to nest in. She’s been sleeping in bed with us, so she’ll probably do best if you let her sleep with you. She eats every two hours or when she has hunger cues. If she’s fussy, try singing to her or letting her cuddle.”
“Okay,” Dick nods, taking in all the information. “I know you’ll probably be distracted, but I’ll send you updates as often as I can. We’ll take care of her,” he promises.
Jason wavers, looking between the two of them. “Thank you,” he says eventually.
Dick knows he’s stressed about sending Lian away. That much is evident with the way he keeps worrying his lip, looking to her and Roy and then to her pile of things. His scent is taking on a bitter note, his distress at having his pup away from him. Dick understands. If it were his kid, he’d be freaking out too.
“Call us when you’re ready, we’ll bring her right over,” Wally says.
Roy nods, giving Lian one last cuddle before kneeling down to buckle her into her car seat. Jason’s hands are fists at his side as he watches, and Dick wishes he could do something to reassure him.
He reaches forward to touch Jason’s arm. “I’ll start some tea for you while Wally and Roy get her into the car.”
Jason doesn’t give any visible answer, but Dick takes the box of tea to the kitchen anyway, finding the mugs and starting the electric kettle. He’s just stirring in a bit of honey when Roy appears in the doorway.
“They’re ready,” he says. “Waiting for you in the car.” His eyes drift to the mug Dick’s hovering over. “Thank you. I know Jason will appreciate that.”
Dick comes away from the counter to give Roy a hug. “Try not to let him stress too much. She’ll be safe with us.”
Roy squeezes him. “I’ll try.”
Jason has disappeared when Roy walks him to the door, his scent heavy in the air. Dick waves as he heads for the elevator.
In the car, Dick climbs into the back seat to sit beside Lian while Wally pulls them out onto the road. Lian snoozes on, her little mouth pouting as she breathes. She’s so cute.
Wally is extra careful driving them home, and Dick has him carry Lian in just in case Dick slips. Wally can catch himself instantly, and Dick’s not taking any chances. He hauls the bags in, setting the cooler in the kitchen to be unpacked and taking the other one to their bedroom.
Lian’s awake when he comes back, Wally holding her in such a way that she can face outwards and look around. Dick comes up to her, pinching her little socked feet. “Hello, Lian, look at you. Such a sweet girl.”
Lian makes blurbing noises, stretching her arms around. Dick coos at her once again before moving to unpack the cooler bag. It’s full of bottles of breast milk, and Dick packs them away in the fridge, kind of impressed with Jason’s supply. He has a fleeting thought wondering if he’ll produce that much before his attention is back on Wally and Lian.
Wally looks absolutely content with a baby in his arms, rocking her gently from side to side. He smiles widely at Dick, truly beaming.
Dick tilts his head. “I’m going to add Jason and Roy’s clothes to the nest. Want to join me?”
“Of course,” Wally says, and they head to their bedroom. Lian keeps making little noises, looking around with wide eyes. Dick knows babies can’t see much at this age, but she’s gotten used to being in one place, and being somewhere new, with new scents and sounds, must be strange to her.
Dick opens the bag he left on the bed, sorting through Lian’s clothes and diapers, taking out a sensory ring toy and holding it out to Lian. She grabs at it, pulling on it with her hands.
“You like that toy?” Wally asks, smiling as Lian shakes it and makes it rattle.
Dick watches her for a few seconds, grinning, then pulls the small stack of Roy and Jason’s clothes from the bag. They must’ve been worn recently, or be from their nest, because their scents are still strong. Dick climbs onto the bed and starts laying them out in the center near their pillows, where Lian will sleep.
When it’s all finished, he looks at Wally and Lian with a big smile. “We’re going to have a great time.”
Lian begins to fuss when she realises her parents aren’t here. Dick hopes the scent of Jason on him will help calm her while he feeds her a bottle. He sings a little lullaby to her, and she falls asleep with her mouth around the nipple. Dick carefully takes it away, gazing down at her adoringly.
Beside him on the couch, Wally squeezes his knee. “You’re a natural with her.”
Dick turns his soft smile on Wally. “I’ve always loved kids.”
Wally leans over to kiss his nose. “I know. That’s why you’re going to make a great Ommi.”
Dick ducks his head, pleased. “Do you want to watch something?”
Wally puts on the show they’ve been binging together and drapes his arm along the back of the couch, playing with Dick’s hair. It feels nice, and by the time they’ve reached the end of their fourth episode, Dick is sleepy.
He yawns for what’s probably the ninth time, and Wally turns the TV off. “Okay, time for bed for Dickie.”
Dick rolls his eyes. “I’m fine. Don’t patronize me.”
Wally laughs softly, shaking his head. “Time for bed for Wally, too. I’m beat.”
Dick huffs in amusement, then gets to his feet, rocking Lian in his arms. They take her to the bedroom, and Dick lays her down in the little mini nest of her parents' clothes. She snuffles and settles in immediately. Dick is overwhelmed by how cute she is.
He and Wally brush their teeth side by side, and Dick washes his face while Wally uses the bathroom. When they’re both finished, Wally takes a moment to cup Dick’s face and give him a few soft kisses. Dick holds him close with a hand on his waist, thumbing at Wally’s ear. “You’re gonna be a great Appa,” he says earnestly. “The best.”
Wally kisses him again. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Dick murmurs.
Lian does great during her three days with them. She has a few crying fits, but every baby does. She likes when Dick sings to her, and when Wally plays with her and her toys. Dick is sad when their time together comes to an end with Roy’s call. It’s the most he’s seen his niece since she was born.
They pack up all her stuff, and make the trip back over to Jason and Roy’s apartment.
Roy practically scoops Lian out of her car seat as soon as they arrive, kissing her all over her little head and snuggling her close. “I missed you, bug!”
Jason lingers for his turn, and Dick spies a red, healing mark on his neck. They mated. Dick smiles widely. To his surprise, Jason smiles back hesitantly. Roy passes Lian to him, and Jason’s whole face lights up. “Hi, my baby girl,” he says, stroking her cheek.
“Thank you for taking care of her,” Roy says.
Wally slides a hand around Dick’s waist. “It was no problem. She was an angel.”
Jason props Lian against his shoulder, her head tucked against his neck, and meets Dick’s eyes. “When’s your next appointment?”
Dick glances up at Wally. “A few days, right?”
Wally nods.
Dick shrugs with a self-deprecating grin. “I keep forgetting things.”
Roy laughs. “When have you not?”
“Hey, shut up!” Dick teases back.
“Have you had any symptoms yet?” Jason asks, and Dick doesn’t know when he became so interested, but he really doesn’t mind.
Dick touches his stomach subconsciously. “The morning sickness has been awful. I’m so tired of throwing up all the time.”
Jason kisses Lian’s head, shifting from foot to foot in a slow rock. “Are you showing yet?”
Dick looks down at himself consideringly. “Uhh, I don’t think so? Maybe a little bit. Not much.”
“There’s definitely a tiny bump,” Wally argues, squeezing his hip. “It’s adorable.”
“Whatever you say, babe,” Dick says with an indulgent grin.
Lian starts to whimper. Jason shushes her, bouncing her up and down. “Are you hungry, baby? Ommi’s missed you.”
Roy gives them both a hug. “Love you guys.”
Dick squeezes him tightly. “Love you too, Roy.”
The hug between Roy and Wally is more of a wrestle. Dick rolls his eyes at them.
“Dick.”
Dick glances at Jason. “What is it, Jay?”
Jason just nudges their shoulders together, not saying anything. Dick accepts it, smiling a little to himself.
*******
Dick sits on the exam bed, trying not to fidget excitedly. Wally is failing in this endeavor, his knee bouncing up and down in the chair he’s sitting in. Dick keeps running his fingers through his hair, so he’s failing somewhat.
There’s a knock on the door, and they both straighten up as the doctor comes in. “Hello, gentlemen,” she says, closing the door softly. “How are you today?”
“Hi Lena,” Dick greets. “I’m good. Wally, you good?”
“Right as rain,” Wally says.
Lena laughs. “Alright. Well, let’s talk about this baby! Last time, your iron levels were a little low, so I want to check those again.”
Dick nods. “I have been feeling a little dizzy and cold lately.”
Lena hums, clicking her pen to make a note on Dick’s chart. “Yeah, that worries me. We’ll take some blood in a minute. For now, tell me how you’ve been feeling.”
Dick sighs. “Honestly? Bad. My morning sickness is all the time sickness, and I just generally feel miserable. I’m tired and achy all the time.”
“Have you been taking your vitamins?”
“Yes,” Dick nods. “I think pregnancy just doesn’t agree with me.”
Lena tilts her head side to side. “It’s possible. I want to check your blood sugar as well, it sounds like you may be having low levels.”
Dick meets Wally’s eye. That would make sense, if the baby has inherited Wally’s appetite. Not for the first time, Dick considers paying the League doctor a visit. Though, to his knowledge, no one’s ever had a speedster baby before, so maybe Leslie won’t know anything either.
“Let’s take a look on the ultrasound,” Lena says with a smile.
Wally stands excitedly. Dick shimmies further onto the bed, unbuttoning his jeans and pulling his shirt up. Wally takes his hand, and Dick smiles up at him.
“Alright,” Lena says, activating the machine. “Just a little cold.”
Dick shivers as she applies the gel to his skin, goosebumps popping up unbidden. His stomach flips in anticipation as Lena pushes the wand against his skin.
“Oh.”
Dick doesn’t like the sound of that.
“Oh?” Wally asks.
Lena tilts the screen towards them. “That, gentlemen,” she starts, circling part of the image, “would be baby A. And this one, baby B. You’re having twins.”
Dick pales, and suddenly feels very lightheaded. “Oh my god. I’m going to throw up.”
Wally snatches up the trash can. Dick breathes heavily, but nothing comes up.
“Twins?” Wally repeats in disbelief, brushing Dick’s hair back for him. “Are you sure?”
Lena nods. “I’m sure. There are two distinct gestational sacs. It’s twins, definitely.”
Dick closes his eyes, using a breathing exercise to center himself. Okay. This is fine. Everything’s fine. They’re having twins. That’s a fact. “Okay. Can you tell if they’ll be identical?”
“They will not,” Lena answers. “The membrane between them is thick, suggesting fraternal. I’ll print you some photos.” She clicks a few buttons on the keyboard as she moves the wand around. “Would you like to hear the heartbeats?”
“Yes!” Wally says.
Dick reaches for his hand again, and Wally squeezes it as the sound of two little heartbeats fill the room. They’re fast, but not unnaturally fast, which is good. It’s a beautiful sound.
“Wow,” Dick says, awed as he watches the screen and listens. “That’s…wow.”
Wally bends to kiss his head, squeezing his hand again.
Lena lets them listen for a few more moments before she shuts the sound off and takes the wand away. She hands Wally some paper towels to clean off Dick’s belly. “Congratulations, you two. This does mean we’ll have to be seeing a lot more of each other than normal. We want to monitor the growth of each twin to ensure they’re both getting what they need, and to make sure you’re doing alright. Let’s get those levels I mentioned.”
Dick buttons his pants back up, and a lab tech comes in to take his blood. He feels unexpectedly queasy at the sight of blood, so he turns his head away into Wally’s shoulder.
“You okay, baby?”
“Yeah,” Dick breathes. “Just a little nauseous. It’s silly.”
The tech wraps a bandage around his arm. “You’ll have your results in a day or so.”
“Thanks, Caitlin,” Lena says as the tech leaves. “For now, I want you to make sure you’re getting enough to eat. If your iron levels come back low, pick up a supplement. And if the morning sickness makes it hard to keep things down, give me a call and I’ll prescribe you some anti-nausea medication.”
Dick nods, blinking a few times. He feels off-center. “Thank you. We’ll see you in a few weeks.”
“That you will. The front office will schedule you. Are you feeling dizzy?”
“A little bit,” Dick admits, flushing at being caught. He thought he was hiding it well.
Lena heads for the door. “Let me get you some apple juice.”
She leaves, and the two of them are alone for the first time. Dick looks up at Wally. “Twins. Can you believe it?”
Wally is grinning, and he kisses Dick’s forehead repeatedly. “No, I can’t. That’s crazy. I can’t believe I pupped you so good you’re having a litter.”
Dick shoves him a little. “Pretty sure it was my body that produced the two eggs. Don’t let it go to your head, Alpha.”
Wally mellows. “I’m just teasing, Songbird. Can you tell I’m nervous?”
Dick tangles his fingers in the hem of Wally’s shirt. “I am too.”
There’s a knock, and Lena comes back in with an apple juice box. Dick laughs a little as he takes it. He feels like a kid again.
The apple juice helps, and after a few moments of waiting, Lena clears them to leave.
It’s snowing when they walk out of the building, small flakes that stick in Dick’s eyelashes. He zips his coat up against the wind, rolling the thought of twins in his mind. They’ll have to get double everything when it comes to baby stuff. Dick will probably have to quit his job for a little while. Wally could take a year off teaching. A sabbatical. That way, they can both spend time with the pups.
“You’re thinking hard,” Wally comments as they get into the car and get the heat going.
“You’re not?” Dick asks.
“I am,” Wally says. “We’ll have to rethink our plan of co-sleeping, or get a bigger bed. We need to tell your family. Having three little toddlers running around will be a challenge, not to mention if two of them have super speed. Do you think they’ll have super speed? Oh god, that would be a nightmare. What if—
“Wally, calm down,” Dick says, putting a hand on his thigh. “We have months to figure this out. We can tell my family at this month's dinner. They’ll be excited.”
Wally blows out a big breath. “Okay. Okay. It’s going to be fine.”
Dick squeezes his leg. “Yeah. It will.”
*******
A few weeks and another appointment later, it’s time for that family dinner. Dick has a few copies of their recent scans tucked into an envelope, the babies labeled A and B very clearly. Wally tends to spend hours looking at them, and he’s framed one to put on his bedside table.
Dick keeps biting his lip, and Wally can’t keep his hands off him, hands on his hips, touching his stomach, his shoulders. It’s starting to get in Dick’s way.
“Wally,” Dick laughs, snatching Wally’s grabby hands. “Are you gonna help me, or are you gonna keep touching my belly?”
Wally nuzzles the back of his neck, rubbing his stomach. “I’m gonna help you,” he promises. “What do you want me to do?”
“Clean the caps for me, please?” He asks, gesturing to the bowl of mushrooms waiting to be cleaned and stuffed. He stirs the mixture he’s making, accepting the kiss Wally presses to his cheek.
“Okay.” Wally steps away, taking up his task with vigour.
Dick shakes his head.
The rest of his family is bustling about the kitchen as well, working on their own dishes. Tim and Damian are arguing over which sauce to use for the pasta. Alfred is taking care of the roast chicken, and Bruce is filling the deviled eggs. Jason and Roy are here too, although Roy’s been banned from the kitchen, so Jason is doing the vegetables on his own. Dick hadn’t expected them to show up, but. It seems Jason is really making an effort to ensure Lian has a good support system, and that her uncles and grandparents get to see her. Dick appreciates it. He loves seeing Lian, and Jason and Roy too.
Wally helps him stuff the mushrooms, and the tray of those goes in the oven with Jason’s veggies. Finished first, the three of them then get relegated to setting the table. Wally could do it in a matter of seconds, but he doesn’t, letting them each carry their respective dishware to the table. Roy is already in there, bouncing Lian gently on his knee, her head supported in the cradle of his hand. She appears to be dozing.
“She wouldn’t settle down until I did this,” Roy explains.
Wally laughs, setting a plate down. “Cute.”
Dick passes Jason as they each round the table, placing silverware and cups. Dick bumps their shoulders together, and Jason huffs, but it doesn’t sound annoyed. Dick takes it as a win.
Wally catches him around the waist when they’re finished, sneaking his hands under Dick’s shirt to rub over his belly. At ten weeks, there’s hardly anything there, just the tiniest bit of roundness, but Wally is obsessed with it. Dick is a little, too. He looks at himself in the mirror for a long time after showers, turned to the side and smoothing his hand over his stomach. Wally is partial to kneeling in front of him and kissing over the skin, talking to the two little seedlings inside him. It makes Dick flush with happiness every time, even though he still feels miserable a lot.
His iron levels were low, so he takes a supplement now. So was his blood sugar, so he has to eat a lot more than he’s used to. At least with the new med they put him on, he’s not throwing everything up all the time. But it seems growing twins that may have enhanced metabolisms is just going to be shitty no matter what.
“Ay, you two, get a room. There are young pups here,” Roy calls, winking at them.
Wally ghosts a bite against Dick’s neck, making him yelp. “Maybe we’ll just give you a show,” Wally teases back.
“Gross,” Jason says, lip curled. “I will shoot you, West.”
“Grayson-West,” Wally corrects. “And good luck with that.”
“Move!” Tim calls, walking into the room with a huge steaming pot. Jason edges out of the way, and Tim sets the dish down on the table. Damian follows with two pans full of sauce. Ah. So they couldn’t agree.
Damian adjusts the sauce pans just so, then looks up at Dick and Wally and gives them a once-over. “Grayson. Must you engage in this behavior at the dinner table?”
Dick rolls his eyes playfully. “I didn’t know you were my Appa, Dami.”
Damian folds his arms over his chest. “We all know you are having a baby. We don’t need a recreation of how it happened.”
Roy giggles and then coughs to cover it. Damian turns his sharp gaze on him. “I don’t know why you are laughing, Harper. You are holding the proof of you defiling my ahki.”
Wally buries his snort in Dick’s hair. Dick pats his hands, getting him to let go, and reaches out to Damian. “Come here, Dami,” he beckons.
Damian grudgingly goes, letting Dick pull him into his arms and brush his nose through his hair. “What kind of sauce did you make, habibi?”
Damian sniffs Dick’s sweater habitually, a casual scenting. “Aglio e Olio, it is simple and fresh. Be cautious of Drake’s sauce—I am unsure whether he used pasteurized dairy.”
“Of course I did, you menace. I’m not crazy,” Tim cuts in. “I’m not about to poison Dick and the baby.”
Dick kisses Damian’s head. “I’m sure it’ll be delicious. Thank you.”
Damian accepts the praise with a little pleased head tilt, and Dick lets him go. Jason ruffles his hair playfully as he passes back toward the kitchen.
Tim practically prowls over, and Dick feels the envelope with the ultrasound burning a hole in his pocket. “How is my little nibling?” He asks, reaching out.
Dick lets him touch, giving Wally a look. “They are doing just fine,” he answers.
Tim pats his belly. “Your scent’s getting stronger. You smell really pregnant.”
Dick plucks a stray bit of paper out of Tim’s hair. “I am really pregnant.”
“I know. You smell nice.”
“Thanks, Tim,” Dick says with a smile, used to Tim’s odd bluntness.
Alfred and Bruce come in with the chicken and deviled eggs, and Damian makes a return, balancing two hot pans with the mushrooms and vegetables, with such a serious look on his face that it makes Dick smile.
“Good work, everyone,” Alfred says as they take their seats. “An excellent spread.”
Dick sits with Wally on one side and Dami on the other, with Jason and Roy on Dami’s other side. Tim and Bruce sit across, and Alfred at the head. Dishes get passed around as everyone fills their plates, and Tim pours everyone water from a pitcher.
“Thank you,” Dick says as Damian scoops sauce onto his pasta for him.
“You are welcome,” Damian says, pouring sauce onto his own plate.
Tim strikes up a conversation, and it flows from there, jumping from topic to topic as they eat. Lian starts crying at one point, so Jason takes her from Roy and feeds her while he continues to eat. Dick is impressed.
“So, Dick, Wally, how are you? How’s the baby?” Bruce asks.
Wally’s hand darts over to squeeze his knee.
Dick reaches into his pocket. “Actually, we have some of the most recent scans.” He takes the envelope out and stands to hand it over the table to Bruce. He sits back down and has to press his lips together to hold in a smile.
Bruce slips the ultrasounds out of the envelope. And stares at them. And stares. Then he looks up at Dick. “Really?”
“What is it?” Tim asks, trying to look. Bruce hands him the scans.
Dick nods. “Really.”
“What?” Damian asks.
“No way!” Tim says. “You’re having twins?!”
For a moment, the table is in stunned silence. Then Roy, Tim, and Damian all start talking over one another, and Wally is blushing happily as Alfred and Bruce congratulate them, and Dami is sniffing at him again. Only Jason has nothing to say, his attention absorbed in burping Lian.
Dick takes the scans back to hand to Damian. “Yes, we’re having twins.”
Damian mutters something in Arabic that Dick doesn’t catch, inspecting the ultrasound picture.
“I knew you smelled extra pregnant,” Tim says triumphantly.
“Tim, you can’t smell multiples on someone,” Wally argues.
Tim lifts his chin. “Maybe you can’t, but I can.”
Wally laughs, running a hand through his hair and then settling it on Dick’s shoulder, the knuckle of his forefinger brushing Dick’s neck.
Roy leans around to meet Dick’s eyes. “What are you going to do with twins, Dick?”
Dick shrugs, smiling. He pats his belly with one hand. “Let’s just say it’s a good thing their Appa is the fastest man alive.”
Damian sets the scan delicately on the table between them. “With the nature of West’s metabolism, are you receiving enough nutrients?”
Dick reaches out to stroke Damian’s ear with his thumb. “I’m trying, habibi. It is a concern. My blood sugar has been unusually low.”
“I can make a supplement for that,” Bruce and Tim say at the same time.
Wally nods. “That would be appreciated, thank you.”
“For you, too, Wally,” Bruce says. “I know you struggle with that also.”
“Thanks,” Wally repeats.
“Can I see the scan?” Jason finally speaks up.
Damian passes it down. Jason takes it, but says nothing more, holding Lian, who is still eating. Dick doesn’t know how to interpret his silence. Is he happy for them? Indifferent? He wishes he knew what went on inside Jason’s head.
“You should have more to eat,” Damian decides, taking Dick’s plate to refill it for him.
Dick suppresses an amused laugh. Damian’s protective streak is sweet. Especially with the way he professes to hate them all. He doesn’t, really. And it shows in the little gestures.
Dick strokes Damian’s hair in thanks, and everyone returns to eating. Wally plates up seconds as well, and quickly thirds. Dick eats carefully to not upset his stomach, but does clear his plate.
Tim and Roy drew the short straw for dishes, so when everyone is finished, they help bring their plates and things to the kitchen before moving to the living room, leaving the two of them in the kitchen. Most everyone takes a seat, but Wally goes after Damian for a playful wrestle.
Dick smiles at the way they grapple with each other, Damian’s technique against Wally’s strength. In the flashes he gets of Damian’s face, there’s a little smile blooming there.
It happens so fast. Wally gets Damian in a hold that makes him yelp a little. Wally immediately lets go, but Jason has already flown to his feet, snarling and snatching Damian away one-handed, tucking him against his side.
Everyone freezes, but especially Wally, who slowly tilts his head to the side to bare his neck, showing that he’s not a threat. He holds his hands up, open-palmed.
“Jason,” Bruce says.
Jason is still growling, holding Lian in one arm and Damian with the other, curled protectively around Damian’s head. Wally shifts minutely, and Jason snarls again, a warning sound.
“Wally, don’t move,” Dick says.
Damian reaches up to take Jason’s hand. “Ahki, I am not hurt. I am alright.”
Jason pulls him close, scenting him protectively.
Bruce stands slowly. “Jason,” he starts, approaching carefully. “Damian’s okay. They were just playing.”
Jason’s chest is heaving, his scent pumping out stay away. Bruce comes closer, until he’s standing in front of Jason, blocking his view of Wally. He wraps his arms around all three of them, scenting Jason. Dick reaches for Wally, who comes to him quickly. He immediately starts covering Wally in his scent, trying to mark him as safe, diffuse the situation.
Bruce is talking quietly to Jason, and Dick can see Damian’s arm moving as he rubs Jason’s back.
Roy and Tim come into the room just then, matching looks of confusion on their faces. Alfred holds out an arm. “Tim, stay where you are.”
Roy comes forward. “Baby?”
Bruce turns enough for Roy to join their little circle.
“I’m sorry,” Wally says, face tucked into Dick’s neck. “I didn’t mean to.”
Dick plays with his hair. “It’s okay. You didn’t know that would happen.”
Jason must calm down, because Bruce steps back, and Jason lets go of his death grip on Damian. Damian stays close though, scenting Jason’s arm softly. Roy is stroking his fingers through Jason’s hair, letting Jason lean in to him. Jason looks a little shaken, but Lian is still sleeping peacefully, tucked into his arm.
“Sorry,” Dick can see Jason mouthing. “I didn’t mean—I don’t know what happened.”
Roy guides him to sit down, and Damian comes too, sitting on one of Jason’s legs to act as a grounding weight. Dick recognizes the action. They’ve all done it for each other at some point.
“Alright,” Bruce says evenly. “Tim, will you please bring Jason some water?”
“Sure thing,” Tim says quietly, disappearing again.
Dick kisses Wally’s temple. “Stay here.”
He gets up, approaching Jason slowly and kneeling in front of him. “Little Wing,” he says softly.
“I’m fine, Dick,” Jason says, his walls thrown back up after the unexpected show of emotion. Dick understands. He probably feels extraordinarily vulnerable right now.
Dick touches his knee. “Wally and I are going to leave. I’m sorry that this triggered something for you. I’ll call you later, okay? You don’t have to pick up. But I’m going to call.”
Jason frowns at him, brows furrowed. Dick dips to touch his forehead to Jason’s knee, then stands, backing away. He ushers Wally to his feet, and they leave the room, passing Tim on his way back in.
Bruce follows them out.
“Bruce, I’m sorry,” Wally says earnestly. “We were just playing. I didn’t mean to hurt Dami.”
Bruce raises his hand. “I know, Wally. Damian’s not hurt. Jason’s not hurt. It was his Omega instincts, as an Ommi. Someone he perceived as his pup was being threatened, he reacted. It was subconscious.”
“Okay,” Wally nods. “Okay. Still, I’m sorry I triggered Jason like that. I never want to make him feel unsafe.”
Dick curls his arm around Wally’s. “Jason knows that,” he assures. “We’ll give him some space, and he’ll be okay.”
Bruce gives Dick a look, and Dick pulls away from Wally to come to him, letting Bruce wrap him up in a hug. He smells like Jason. Bruce cups the back of his head. “Congratulations Dickie. I’m so happy for you both.”
“Thank you, Ommi. I love you.”
Bruce kisses his forehead. “I love you. Drive safe.”
Wally gets a hug too, and then they pack up to leave, bundling in their coats and boots. They listen to jazz on their way home, and when they’re taking their winter gear off, Dick takes Wally’s hand, pulling him gently towards the bathroom.
He undresses Wally slowly, kissing each exposed bit of skin, like he can map every freckle with his mouth. It’s gentle, soft, not intending to go anywhere. He strokes Wally’s cheeks with his thumbs as they kiss, letting Wally undress him as well.
“I love you,” Dick murmurs to him, dragging his fingers down Wally’s chest, feeling over his heartbeat. “Please don’t feel bad about tonight.”
Wally cups Dick’s hands with his own, bringing them up to his mouth. “I’ll try. Jason was so stressed.”
“Jason is strong. It was an instinctual reaction, and everyone did everything right to get him to come out of it. Damian will stay with him until he’s completely stable again. Roy will make sure he feels safe. Bruce, Tim, and Alfred will take care of all of them.”
Dick gets into the shower, starting the water. Wally steps in with him, back to chest, wrapping his arms around Dick’s middle. Dick strokes over his arm. “You did the right thing too, submitting like that. You did everything right, Walls. It was an accident.”
Wally’s arms tighten around him, his mouth against the juncture of Dick’s neck. “Okay,” he says quietly.
Dick lets them stand there for a while, swaying back and forth as the water beats down on them, Wally molded to his back. Then he turns in Wally’s arms, reaching for the shampoo. He works the suds through Wally’s hair, shifting them so the water runs down Wally’s body, washing them away. Dick goes through the whole routine, cherishing each part of Wally with worshipful touches. His shoulders, his back, the strong muscles of his thighs. Slowly, the tension in Wally’s body unravels, and he relaxes.
“There we go,” Dick says quietly as he turns them again to let the water pour over Wally.
Wally sighs, smoothing his wet hair back. “Let me get you now,” he says, watching Dick with sleep-heavy eyes.
Dick lets Wally wash him back, Wally’s big hands scrubbing over his body. His touch lingers on Dick’s hips, his stomach, touching firm but delicate. He kisses Dick’s shoulder and doesn’t even complain about getting soap in his mouth. Then he helps Dick rinse off, running his fingers repeatedly through Dick’s hair.
“All done,” he whispers.
Dick reaches out to turn the water off, following Wally out of the shower to wrap up in a towel. He scrubs it through his hair before running it along his body, patting himself dry. Wally does the same, then they brush their teeth, hang up their towels, and head for the nest. Dick needs to change it soon, freshen it up, and rotate the clothes. He knows Wally’s been wanting to wear a certain sweater that’s been lining the nest for a while now.
He detours to grab his phone before snuggling in with Wally, Wally wrapped around him like an octopus. He’s snoring within minutes.
Dick presses the call button next to Jason’s name and presses the phone to his ear. It rings and rings, then goes to voicemail. Dick was expecting that.
He speaks softly so he doesn’t wake Wally. “Hey, Little Wing…”
*******
Dick gets a proper little bump by the end of his first trimester. He smooths his hand over it as he looks in the full-length mirror hanging in their room. It’s the cutest little swell, pushing at the waistline of the lacy panties he’s wearing. “Hi, babies,” he says, rubbing his palm along the skin. “Are you nice and warm in there? You know, you’re making Ommi so tired. It’s okay, though, I still love you.”
He pats his belly, then stretches his arms above his head with a groan.
The sound of the front door opening makes him turn his head. “Hey, baby!” Wally calls. “You’ll never believe what I found on the mission today. Probably top ten souvenirs of all time.”
Dick moves to lean against the doorframe, going for a sexy pose that shows off his curves and the round of his belly.
Wally comes into the hallway. “It’s a—whoa.”
“Good morning, baby,” Dick purrs. “Welcome home.”
Wally grins, a sly, glittering thing. He comes forward, stopping just within reach. “Hey, sweetheart. This for me?” He brushes his fingers against the lace over Dick’s hips.
Dick bites his lip and nods, shifting his arms to rest over Wally’s shoulders, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I missed you.”
Wally presses a soft kiss to his mouth, squeezing Dick’s hips as their lips slide together. “I can see that,” he murmurs, slipping a knee between Dick’s thighs.
Dick breathes in sharply, already half hard and slicking a little. He knows Wally can smell it, because his pupils dilate and he sniffs heavily. Dick slowly rolls his hips against Wally’s thigh. “Mmm, I needed this,” Dick says, breath hitching as a spike of pleasure jolts in his hips when he rolls them just right. He can feel himself really slicking now, dampening the panties a little. “Wanna take your clothes off?”
The whip of wind is the only indication that Wally moved, but he’s suddenly in nothing but his boxers, his thigh pushing up with even more pressure against Dick’s sensitive cock and cunt. “Geez, baby, gonna leak all over me?”
Dick gasps, clutching at Wally’s hair, and moans. “Yeah, can’t help it.”
“I know,” Wally says, capturing his lips again. “Always so wet for me.”
Dick keeps grinding his hips, sliding one hand down to cup Wally through his boxers. He’s hard, his cock hot and throbbing under Dick’s touch. Wally shudders out a sigh, pushing into Dick’s hand. “Gonna leak all over you, make sure everyone knows you’re my mate,” Dick says, voice husky with pleasure.
Wally lets out a soft moan, and Dick humps against his thigh. He’s leaking through the panties now, smearing slick all over Wally’s skin. His dick is pushing at the lace, pulsing with want.
“We gonna stand here all day, or are you going to take me to bed?” Dick taunts.
The next thing he knows, he’s on his back in the newly cleared bed, the nest having migrated to the nesting room in the last week. It’s safer in there, and also won’t be disturbed by the fact that Dick keeps throwing up in the middle of the night. Their bed feels empty without it, but it’s also nice not having to worry about getting slick all over the clothes.
Wally ravishes kisses down his neck, working a mark over Dick’s mating bite and making him buck and gasp, grasping at Wally’s back. “Wally, Wally, oh fuck, ah!”
One of Wally’s hands slides into his hair, holding him still as Wally continues to lick and suck at that spot. Dick’s legs tense, thighs squeezing around Wally’s hips. Wally rolls down against him, grinding his dick against Dick’s soaking cunt. If there weren’t two layers of clothes between them, he could just slip right in. Dick can’t help but moan, open-mouthed and loud. He’s pinned beneath Wally, stuck in place. Right where he wants to be.
By the time Wally finally relinquishes his hold on Dick’s hair and starts moving down his chest, Dick is panting, flushed and needy.
But he’s still with it enough to have a mouth on him. “That all you got?”
Wally rumbles challengingly, biting at Dick’s chest and making him yelp. He licks a line over to Dick’s nipple, sucking it into his mouth with vengeance. Dick’s back arches, clutching at Wally’s head. Sparks zip all down his spine, a gush of slick leaving his hole, soaking through Wally’s boxers and making everything sticky and wet between them. His nipples have gotten sensitive, his breasts swelling a little, tender and plush. The stimulation of Wally’s mouth is heavenly.
Wally releases his nipple with a pop, licking over the swollen nub repeatedly. His hands roam down to Dick’s stomach, caressing it. He dips down to his cock, dragging his knuckles over it and making Dick moan breathily.
“Yeah?” Wally says, looking up under his brows. “Right here?”
Dick huffs, grinning. “You’re so full of yourself.”
Wally laughs, angling his hand to rub two fingertips over Dick’s covered cunt. Dick throws his head back at the touch, aching for more.
“Please, please, please, Wally, ah, please.”
“So pretty,” Wally says reverently. He pulls the panties to the side with his thumb, dragging his fingers through the slick, a barely there touch that makes Dick feel like he’s rattling in his skin.
Not immune to begging, Wally slowly eases his fingers in. Dick sighs loudly, the feeling luxurious after being pent up for so long. “Yes!” He gasps, pushing down into the feeling. “Ah, Wally!”
Wally pumps his fingers in and out, bending to kiss the rise of Dick’s belly. “Perfect, pupped omega. Bred full of me.”
Dick lets out a startled moan, panting at the words and clenching around Wally’s fingers. “Yeah, yeah, I am. Fuck. Keep going.”
Wally continues to move his fingers in and out, the deep plunge of his long digits making Dick shake with want. It feels so good. He wants more. “Wal-ly,” Dick complains. “Need you in me, now.”
He moans raggedly again when Wally crooks his fingers, working them against his spot. He’s dripping slick everywhere, trying to buck his hips down against Wally’s hand, ride him. “C’mon, c’mon.”
“Shh,” Wally says, grabbing Dick’s thigh and hitching it up and to the side, sliding a third finger into his cunt. Dick keens at the way the position opens him up, the panties rubbing at his cock where it’s trapped in the lace. Wally’s fingers are perfectly long, dexterous as they work him open. “Gotta get you ready for my knot, baby. You want it?”
Dick whimpers, shuddering. He’s right on the brink of an orgasm, teetering at the edge. “Yes, yes, Alpha, want it. Gonna put it in me, make me so full, make me yours.”
Wally shivers, breathing heavily. His fingers stretch open, making Dick’s jaw drop in a silent moan. Wally looks so perfect, his body flushed with want, his green eyes dark, his hair a mess. His dick strains in his boxers, the fabric molded to the shape of him because of Dick’s slick. Dick licks his lips. He needs that in him.
Wally's fingertips rubbing at his spot makes Dick jolt. “Oh! Close, close!”
That grin. Dick could drown in it.
Vibrations start to pulse through him, Wally’s fingers moving at super speed. Dick lets out a loud cry, body tightening up at the stimulation. “Wally! I’m gonna cum! Oh! Oh! Oh!”
Legs convulsing, Dick comes, shooting off into the already soaked panties, clenching tightly around Wally’s vibrating fingers. Wally doesn’t relent, pumping quickly at the same time, drawing Dick’s orgasm out. Dick can't help the little noises that squeak out of him as he comes for what has to be thirty seconds at least.
When it finishes and he’s just twitching in sharp overstimulation, whimpering, Wally finally stops, drawing his fingers out. Dick is tingling, from his cunt to the tips of his toes and fingers. His ears are fuzzy, everything syrupy as he comes down from the high.
Wally slurps his fingers into his mouth, a sight that makes Dick moan and close his eyes. The wet sounds are still there though, the sound of Wally sucking Dick’s slick from his skin. “Wally,” he sighs, peeking his eyes open a slit.
Wally licks his fingers once, twice more before patting Dick’s thigh. “Okay, that’s enough time on your back. Hands and knees?”
“Mmm. Clothes off first,” Dick requests.
“Sure,” Wally answers, pushing up onto his knees. Dick watches with unfiltered desire as Wally gets his hands under the waistband of his boxers, peeling the sticky fabric down. His cock bobs up once it’s freed, thick and heavy, the base already swelling a little where his knot will pop. Dick licks his lips.
He lifts his hips when Wally reaches for his panties, pulling the saturated fabric down his legs. Wally tosses them onto the floor with his boxers, leaning forward to kiss Dick deeply. “Fuck, Dick, I want you so bad,” he says, his cock sliding along Dick’s bump.
Dick curls a hand around his head, kissing him back with fervor. “Get in me then, Alpha.”
Wally nips at his bottom lip, pulling back and encouraging Dick to turn over. Dick follows the guidance of his hands, turning onto his knees and arching his back. His belly hangs between his hips, and he reaches one hand down to touch it, rubbing over the bump. Wally kisses down his spine, holding onto his hips. “You ready for me, baby?”
Dick nods. “Yes, please.”
“So sweet,” Wally murmurs.
Dick gasps a little when he feels the tip of Wally’s cock sliding between his folds, bumping against his entrance. “Wally.”
Wally’s palm spreads wide and warm on his lower back. Dick pants, clenching in anticipation before pushing his hips back, rubbing his cunt against Wally’s cock. Wally lets out a little moan, curling his hand around Dick’s hip, making him still. Dick’s mouth drops open as Wally’s tip starts to press against his hole.
“Yeah, yeah,” he chants. “In me, in me.”
Wally shifts forward, his cock easing into Dick’s cunt. Dick lets out a little whiny noise, wanting to push back and take it all the way immediately. But Wally holds him steady, slowly pushing in inch by inch. Wally makes the quietest little noises, that always make Dick’s belly flip, because they mean Wally’s feeling really good. And his alpha should feel good.
Dick moans loudly when Wally pushes in all the way, pausing to let them both breathe. “Oh, oh fuck. Mmm.”
“Yeah?” Wally asks, rubbing Dick’s back and grabbing his waist with both hands. “How does it feel?”
“So good,” Dick gasps out. “Please, please, move, I need, I need—“
“I’ve got you,” Wally murmurs, and slowly draws his hips back before pushing in deep again.
Dick sighs heavily, falling into the rhythm Wally sets, in and out, steady and deep. He bottoms out with each thrust, filling Dick to the brink. Dick can feel the little swell of his knot with each push-pull, rubbing along Dick’s walls pleasantly. The tip of his cock rocks over Dick’s g-spot, bumping against his cervix with each thrust and making him moan loudly. “Uh! Uh! Wally, faster, please.”
Wally bends over him to kiss the back of his neck. “Okay, baby, hold on.”
He feels Wally shift his weight, and then he speeds up, driving into Dicks cunt quickly. The rapid hammering against his cervix makes Dick’s mouth drop open, helpless to the wanton cries falling from his lips. “Wally! Uh! Ah! AH! Oh, oh, oh!”
Wally’s knot is swelling, tugging pleasantly with each thrust, spreading him open just that much wider. Now that he’s pregnant, the knots are no longer for tying them together, ensuring he’s bred up, but to prepare him for the birth, stretch him and make him ready to deliver. Dick has loved each and every one he’s received since finding out he’s pregnant. They make him so full.
Wally bites at his shoulder, sucking a bruise into the skin. Dick whimpers, tilting his head to the side to give Wally full access to his scent gland and mating mark. Wally takes advantage, licking and nipping over the area, sending a crescendo of sparks through Dick’s body.
Their bond has flared, a feedback loop of pleasure coursing between them. To Dick, everything feels multiplied by ten. Wally’s breath against his neck, the hand curved around to hold his belly, Wally’s dick cleaving him open. Wally’s hand slides down, engulfing his cock and stroking in tight, fast pulls, wet from the slick dripping out of Dick’s cunt. Dick shudders and shakes, flexing his hips to meet Wally’s movements.
“C’mon, baby, come for me one more time before I knot you up,” Wally murmurs in his ear.
Dick cries out, clenching up hard as he gets closer and closer. Wally groans, hitching his hips faster. That’s just what Dick needed, and with a broken whimper, he cums into Wally’s hand, cunt convulsing with the force of it. Wally fucks him through it, mumbling his name, almost pleading.
With a long sigh, Wally shivers over him, shaking so bad Dick feels like he’s going to vibrate any second, and cums. His knot swells, catching and making Dick choke on a gasp. It’s so much, so big. He pants at the feeling, and the feeling of Wally’s warm cum gushing into him. It knocks another orgasm out of him, and he slumps forward on his arms, dizzy with it.
Wally scatters kisses all over his shoulders and the back of his head. “So good,” he murmurs. “Good omega, perfect.”
Dick shudders, curling his toes as he squeezes around the knot a few more times before relaxing. He blows out a big breath. “Mmm, Walls.”
Wally rubs his palm from Dick’s hip up to his ribs. “Feeling alright?”
Dick nods, his brain flooded with endorphins that make everything feel right and good. They’re both very sticky, but Dick doesn’t even care about that right now. “Lay down?” He asks.
Slowly, Wally shifts them so they’re lying on their sides. The knot pulls a little, making them both hiss, but then they settle and it feels good again. Dick sighs long and loud, content, rubbing his belly with one hand. Wally joins him, sweeping their hands up and down over the bump.
Wally kisses his shoulder again, nosing at him. “You smell like me.”
Dick takes his hand, lifts his wrist up to his nose. “You smell like me.”
Wally curls tighter around him. “I’m never leaving again.”
Dick chuckles. “If you don’t, you’ll have no surprise to come home to.”
“Damn. You’re right. You’re always right.”
Dick shifts, resettling. “So tell me about your souvenir.”
Wally tenses up in excitement, jostling Dick and making him laugh. “So it’s this…”
*******
Dick stands outside Jason’s apartment door and knocks. “Oof,” he grunts when one of the twins shifts, adjusting his bag and putting a hand on his belly. It’s an incredibly weird sensation. He’s eighteen weeks now, and he just keeps getting bigger and bigger. The babies are heavy, and he’s tired a lot, even with his higher calorie intake and the glucose tabs Bruce and Tim cooked up for him. They’re going in for another checkup soon, but Dick doubts they’ll have anything to help. Maybe he’s just destined for bed rest.
Having stood in the hallway for a few moments with no answer, Dick knocks again. He waits.
Finally, the lock clicks, and the door opens a crack. Jason is standing on the other side with Lian strapped to him in a sling, frowning. “You could have told me you were coming,” he says, face cloudy.
Dick’s brows furrow. “I could’ve sworn I did…?” He reaches into his pocket for his phone, opening his messages with Jason. Nothing. The last text was Dick begging for pictures of Lian. “Oh. Sorry. Can I come in?”
Still frowning, Jason backs away from the door, letting it open wider. Dick steps inside, toeing his shoes off before closing and locking the door. Jason reaches past him to enable the alarm system, then covers Lian’s back with his hand. Lian is holding her head up, peering at Dick curiously. Dick wiggles his fingers at her. “Hi!”
“What are you doing here, Dick?”
Dick looks at him. “I wanted to see you and Lian. Is Roy here?”
Jason is still frowning. “He went to the store.”
Dick nods. “How are you?”
“Honestly? Really fucking annoyed right now. I don’t like you coming over here unannounced.”
Dick’s face falls. “I’m sorry, I really thought I had texted you.”
“And you didn’t wait for me to text you back before you decided to show up?”
Dick hesitates. “No.”
“You always do this,” Jason mumbles under his breath, but it’s still loud enough for Dick to hear.
Dick opens his mouth, and nothing comes out.
“It’s fine,” Jason says sharply. Then he bounces and shushes Lian, who has started to fuss. She starts to cry in earnest, a real, screaming-wailing cry.
Jason closes his eyes for a second, and Dick sees just how exhausted he looks, how on edge. One sniff and Dick knows Jason’s right on the edge of an omega drop. “Let me take her,” he offers.
Jason loosens the sling without protest, and Dick carefully takes the screaming infant from him. “Hey, little Lian,” he coos, swaying her from side to side. “What’s a matter, huh?” Well, she can probably tell that her Ommi isn’t feeling good, and that upsets her.
Dick props her up against him, tucking her head right against his neck, and starts to purr. Lian wiggles and kicks, still crying, but the more Dick sways and purrs evenly, the quieter she becomes, until she’s asleep on his shoulder.
Jason doesn’t look any better. In fact, he looks worse, even more irritated and angry than before. Dick pauses in his purring. “What’s wrong, Little Wing?”
“I hate you.”
Dick startles, and it’s embarrassing how quickly tears come to his eyes and spill over. His breath hitches, and Lian whimpers at the abrupt shift in his scent. He shouldn’t be surprised by this sentiment. He knows there’s been…hard feelings between them. But he thought they were fixing that. That it was fixed, most of it.
His lip trembles, and he looks down so he doesn’t have to meet Jason’s eyes, patting Lian’s back and staring at his tummy. He shouldn’t be crying. Jason has every right to feel the way he does, and he doesn’t need Dick making it about him. He made Jason mad with his surprise visit. He should leave.
But apparently Jason isn’t done. “Do you know how irritating it is that you’re perfect at everything? That you have to be the best? You know, growing up, all I ever wanted was to be just like you. I wanted a brother. You wanted to be better. I could never measure up. Not to you. Not to Bruce. Not to anyone.”
“Jason,” Dick starts, and his voice is wavery. Where is all this coming from?
“Do you know what it did to me when I found out you killed Joker?” Jason asks, and his voice is thick with something deeper than anger. “That you killed him, and Bruce said nothing? It proved to me that it was never about me not being the perfect Robin. It was about me not being you.” Jason chokes on a sob that breaks Dick’s heart, and he glances up to find they both have tears running down their cheeks. “And then you have to go and get pregnant right after I had Lian, and you get to have everything. Every milestone, every scan, every opportunity to become the perfect ommi. You’re even having fucking twins. And now you’re doing better at calming Lian than I have ever done, and it’s not fair!”
“Little Wing,” Dick says, his eyes blurry with tears.
Jason covers his eyes with his hands and sinks to the floor, shaking with the force of his cries. They’re ugly and gasping, each sob wracking him so hard it sounds like he’s choking.
Dick slowly kneels in front of him, holding Lian steady with one hand and wiping his eyes with the other. “You’re a good ommi, Jason. You are. But you’re tired, and emotional, and Lian can pick up on that. It doesn’t make you a bad ommi when someone else can calm your kid down.”
Jason stays hidden behind his hands, still crying loudly. Dick edges closer, circling Jason’s ankle with his fingers. His breath hitches as he prepares to say what he needs to say. “Little Wing, I am so sorry.” He tries to hold back the tears, but he can’t. “I know I was a shitty brother to you. You’re right. I’ve always had this drive to be the best. And that wasn’t fair. I hurt you, and I should’ve apologized a long time ago. I’m sorry. I’ll always be sorry.”
Jason shudders, hiccuping. “I shouldn’t be yelling at you. You’re pregnant,” he says through his tears. “And I know you didn’t ask to be, and it’s not your fault you’re having twins. I’m a bad person.”
“Jason,” Dick says emphatically. “You are not a bad person. Listen to me; your life has been shitty. And when you came to us, we thought we fixed that. But we just made it shitty in different ways. You have every right to be angry. You’re allowed to feel these things. And, and…” He swallows hard. “And Bruce didn’t say anything when I killed Joker because I told him…I told him that if the next time either one of us went up against him and we let him live, I was going to kill myself. He knew that, and if it had been him against Joker, he would’ve done it too. For you. I didn’t know how to live without you, Little Wing. And I thought ending him would fix that.”
Jason lowers his hands. His eyes are glittering with tears. “Did it?”
Dick squeezes his ankle with a sad smile. “No. It didn’t change the fact that you were gone.”
“I came back.”
“And I have to remind myself of that every day. Jason, I will never take you for granted again. Not ever. You’re my brother, and I love you just as much as I love Tim and Dami. Nothing will ever change that.”
Jason shifts, wrapping his arms around Dick from the side. Dick sometimes forgets how much bigger he is, until he’s close like this. In Dick’s head, Jason’s always his Little Wing. Jason’s trying to scent him, but mostly Dick thinks he’s wiping his nose on his sweater. But Dick just holds him back, grateful that Lian has stayed asleep through the whole thing.
The front door jiggles and beeps, and Roy comes rushing in with grocery bags hanging from his arms. “What’s going on? Jason?” He spots them on the floor. “Oh my god, Jay, what happened?! The bond—I felt you drop!”
Jason pulls away from Dick, sniffling. “I’m okay,” but his voice is still shaky. Dick can tell he’s, in fact, not okay, so Roy can definitely tell.
Roy sets the grocery bags down quickly and drops to the floor beside all of them. He pulls Jason to him first, scenting him heavily and kissing his forehead. “Oh, baby, you’re not okay. You’re still dropping.” He scents Dick quickly next. “And you’re not far off, are you?”
Dick swallows. “I’ll manage.” He kisses Lian’s head, breathing in her baby smell. It’s calming.
“What happened?” Roy asks, eyeing Lian.
Jason drops his head onto Roy’s shoulder. “I’m tired. I got upset.”
“It was my fault,” Dick says. He ducks his head to catch Jason’s eyes. “I thought I’d told Jason I was coming, but I hadn’t. I crossed a boundary, and I’m sorry.”
He reaches for his bag, which has somehow stayed on his shoulder, and reaches inside. “Here, take one of these.” He takes out the glucose tabs and holds them out. “It should help stop the drop.”
Roy takes the bottle, popping it open and taking one out for Jason. Then he holds one out to Dick as well. Dick inclines his head and takes it, chewing on the peppermint-flavored circle. He pats Lian’s back as he finishes. His eyes feel hot and itchy from the crying, and he actually doesn’t think he’ll be able to get up on his own. Not that he should, anyway. Roy is right, he’s on the edge of dropping too. Stupid pregnancy hormones. Wally is probably worried sick.
Dick sits there with Lian as Roy scents Jason liberally, trying to stabilize him. He does his own grounding routines, bringing himself back into his body. Lian’s onesie is soft under his fingers. The ends of his hair are tickling his neck. The twins are heavy and solid inside him, squirming and wiggling. The floor is hard beneath him. Jay and Roy are beside him, their scents close.
Roy touches his knee. “Hey. You alright?” His eyes flick down to Dick’s belly.
Dick rubs the bump. “I was going to make cookies,” he says absently.
“Come sit on the couch for a minute first,” Roy says. He gets up, pulling Jason to his feet. Dick cuddles Lian closer as Roy takes Jason to the couch. Roy comes back for Lian, then again for Dick.
“Thanks,” Dick says as Roy helps him to his feet. He picks up Dick’s bag for him and then scents him lightly.
Roy walks with him over to the couch, where Jason is snuggling Lian, looking calmer, but still tired. Roy deposits him next to Jason and drags the throw blanket off the back of the couch, spreading it over both their laps. “I’ll get you some water.”
He disappears into the kitchen and comes back with two glasses. Dick takes one, sipping slowly. The glucose tab is working, he’s already starting to feel better. One of the twins kicks hard, hard enough that he feels it against his arm where it’s lying against his belly. “Oh.”
“What is it?” Roy asks, crouching in front of him.
Dick shakes his head, peeking at Jason. “Nothing. I’m fine.” He gives Roy a smile, then drinks some more water.
“Cookies?” Jason asks, and Dick laughs at how disjointed the pair of them are.
He reaches out, brushes some of Jason’s hair back. “Yeah, cookies, Little Wing. You know Alfred’s sugar cookies?”
“The ones we used to steal from the cooling rack right as they came out of the oven?” Jason asks with a little smile, meeting Dick’s eyes.
Dick nods. “We burnt our fingers so bad.”
Jason blinks a few times, seemingly fully settling back into himself. “Well. I’d like some cookies.”
“Me too,” Roy says softly.
The little tension Dick was still holding seeps out, his shoulders relaxing. “Okay. Help me up then, I have the batter in my bag, and it’s getting warm.”
Dick shifts the blanket aside, and Roy stands, offering him a hand. Pulled to his feet, Dick runs his free hand through his hair and turns to carry his glass into the kitchen. Roy follows. “I’m okay, Roy. Really.”
“I know,” Roy says, leaning against the counter as Dick refills his glass and starts unpacking his bag. “But I’d be a fucking shit Beta and an even worse brother-in-law if I didn’t keep an eye on you for a little bit.”
Dick takes out the dough, wrapped in cling film and a little squashed. “Jason’s in worse shape than me.”
Roy taps his chest. “I have a direct link to him. Jason’s also home, with his nest and his family nearby. You’re not, and you’re pregnant. I think it’s warranted for me to be worried about you.”
“Where’s your rolling pin?” Dick asks. Roy opens a drawer and hands it to him. “It’s my fault this even happened. You should be with Jason right now.”
“Hey,” Roy says, and Dick can feel him staring at him. “I don’t know exactly what happened. And you know I’m always in Jason’s corner. But you’re my friend too, Dick. Even when you’ve done something wrong, you deserve to be looked after.”
Dick chews his lip for a minute. “Thanks, Roy,” he says in a quiet voice.
“What can I help you with?” Roy asks in return.
Dick looks down at his dough and the cookie cutters he brought. “Do you have flour? And baking sheets?”
Roy retrieves the items for him, then starts putting the groceries away, and Jason wanders in with Lian as Dick is pressing the cookie cutters into the dough. Lian’s back in her sling, so Jason’s hands are free, and he reaches for a cookie cutter.
“Are these the same ones from Christmas, what, like, ten years ago?”
“The very same,” Dick says with a laugh. “Don’t tell Alfred I borrowed them.”
Jason puts a finger to his lips. “I won’t tell, as long as you don’t tell that I memorized his secret frosting recipe.”
Dick giggles, his chest feeling lighter. What Jason said to him today, he’s been holding onto that for a while. Dick can tell how sharp and tender the thoughts were, how they must have ached inside Jason for years. Dick knows he has a lot to make up for, and one day of making cookies isn’t going to cut it. But he’s here. Jason is letting him be here, letting them work on this together as he gets out the mixer to make the frosting. Jason is letting him be a part of his life, of Lian’s life. And he’s thankful for that.
Roy ‘supervises’, saying he’s keeping an eye on them, but Dick knows he’s sneaking tastes of everything. Lian wakes up, babbling where she’s strapped to Jason’s chest, making little gurgling noises and squeaks.
Dick wipes his forehead once he’s taken the final batch out of the oven. He’s hot, and hungry, but also nauseous. Maybe he should sit down for a minute.
“Here,” Roy says, moving one of the dining chairs near the kitchen entrance for Dick.
Dick sits gratefully, fanning himself with his hand. “Phew. I didn’t expect to get this hot.” Jason hands him a glass of ice water. Dick presses it against his cheeks before taking a sip. “Thank you.”
Jason lingers near him, looking at his belly longingly. Dick lifts his hand to nudge Jason’s fingers. “Do you want to touch?”
Jason’s brows furrow a little, but then he puts his palm flat on Dick’s bump, rubbing up and down. “Do you know what they are yet?”
Dick shakes his head, taking a few more swallows of water. “The appointment is soon. We’ll call everybody when we know.”
“Here, have a cookie,” Roy says, handing him a snowman in pink icing.
Dick nibbles on it between sips of water, and Roy refills that for him too when he finishes. Jason keeps his hand on Dick’s belly, and one of the twins kicks. “Oh! I felt that!” Jason says, meeting Dick’s eyes.
Dick smiles. “Yeah. They’ve been getting more active. They’re a wiggly pair.”
Jason kisses Lian’s head and she makes a noise back at him, babbling. “Yeah?” Jason asks her. “Are you gonna have a coupla superpowered cousins? Nah, you’ll run circles around them.”
“Do you think they’ll have Wally’s speed?” Roy asks.
Dick finishes his cookie and takes a drink. “It’s hard to tell. We think yes? Based on how they’ve affected my blood sugar. But we won’t know for sure until they start walking, I guess.”
Roy whistles. “You’re in for a treat if you wind up with speedsters. I can’t imagine. At least when Lian runs I’ll be able to catch her.”
Dick sighs, finishing off his water. He’s feeling less hot now, so that’s good. “I know. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I need to pee.”
Jason takes his hand away from Dick’s belly, and Dick leverages to his feet, putting his glass down on the counter. He heads out of the kitchen and to the bathroom, taking a minute to breathe before he does his business. He wasn’t expecting to go through so many emotions today. He’s exhausted.
After he washes his hands he returns to the kitchen to find Roy and Jason frosting the rest of the cookies. Lian has been turned around in her sling so she can see, and she’s kicking her legs and waving her arms, getting in Jason’s way. Dick smiles. The scene is so cute. Dick sneakily reaches for his phone and snaps a picture.
Jason turns his head at the sound, and Dick hides his phone behind his back. “Nothing,” he says innocently. Jason glares at him.
Dick sits back down on the chair Roy procured for him, his body aching. He’s used to this, his whole pregnancy being an amalgamation of random pains and fatigue. He slumps against the chair’s back, shifting his hips. It’s probably time to think about heading home, taking some Tylenol, and snuggling into his nest. He wishes he could stay longer, but he has a feeling Jason could use a nap, too.
He opens his eyes when someone touches his shoulder, unaware he’d closed them. It’s Roy, standing beside him. “You okay?”
Dick nods. “Yeah. Just tired. I should get going.”
“Will you be okay getting home?” Roy asks.
Dick rubs his eye with one hand. “Yeah. I’ll call Wally. He’ll keep me up with his talking.”
“Okay,” Roy says with a gentle smile. “Tell that goofball I miss him.”
“I will,” Dick says, pushing to his feet. “Let me help you clean up.”
Dick helps them put the cookies away, bagging up a few to take home with him. He wipes the counter, then washes his hands one more time.
Roy holds out his bag for him. Dick takes it with a thanks. Then he turns to Jason and Lian, waving at the little pup. “Bye bye, Lian. It was so good to see you!”
Jason makes her wave her arm, and Dick leans down to kiss her head. When he stands up again, Jason is looking at him with that look again. Like something that’s cracked between them is beginning to piece back together. “Bye, Little Wing,” Dick says softly. “I love you.”
“I love you,” Jason mouths, like he’s too scared to say it yet. Dick will take it.
He struggles into his shoes, and then Roy gives him a hug, and he heads down to his car.
Dick barely makes it onto the road before he starts sobbing. He drives home completely on instinct, his vision blurred with tears. There’s not even—he doesn’t know why he’s crying so hard, but it’s a release. A release of everything he felt today, of everything he’s felt throughout the pregnancy, and probably for the last few years as well.
He doesn’t remember getting home, but suddenly he’s sitting in the driveway, heaving for breath, and Wally is standing beside him, the driver’s side door open.
“Sweetheart,” Wally says, wiping Dick’s nose with a tissue. “Come inside, let’s go to your nest.”
Dick releases his death grip on the steering wheel, wiping his eyes on his sleeves. “I’m okay,” he says, trembling. “It was just…an emotional day.”
Wally combs his fingers through Dick’s hair. “I know, baby. I felt you almost drop. What happened?”
Dick fumbles through unclicking his seatbelt, handing Wally his bag as he shakily gets out of the car. “Jason and I had a conversation that was a long time coming. Heavy stuff. About our childhoods and, and the Joker.”
Wally stiffens. “Dick, you don’t feel like—
“No, no. I’m fine. But I did tell Jason about that. He deserved to know.”
Wally enfolds him in a hug, his belly squishing between them. “I know that must have been hard to talk about. For both of you. You…you’d tell me, if you were feeling that way again?”
Dick tucks his forehead against Wally’s neck. “I would. I don’t.”
Wally squeezes him. “Let’s go inside.”
They walk together into the house, and Wally guides them straight to the nesting room. Dick steps down into the depression and immediately snuggles up on his favorite spot, the softest cushion with the fuzzy blanket that smells like Wally. He sighs, snuffling it, and feels something in him settle immediately.
Wally sits carefully beside him, rubbing a hand down his back. “Do you need to take a nap before we talk about it?”
“Don’ wanna talk about it,” Dick mumbles.
“Now, then,” Wally decides. “What did it make you feel when Jason brought up your childhood?”
Dick rubs the blanket between his fingers. “At first I was angry.”
“But that’s not what had you crying the whole way home.”
“No,” Dick agrees. “Because immediately after, I felt guilty. I still feel guilty. I was a horrible brother, Walls. Jason is right. I made everything a competition, and I had to be the best. It could never be him. No matter how hard he tried, I made sure I was better. And that wasn’t fair.”
Wally hums. “You’ve been competitive for as long as I’ve known you. I bet it was hard also, feeling like you’d been replaced. Jason knows how that feels, how it can make you angry.”
“That doesn’t excuse it,” Dick says.
“No,” Wally agrees. “But that wasn’t your whole childhood together. There were good things too. You loved each other.”
Dick nods. “We did. I did. God, Wally, when Bruce brought him home…” Dick curls around himself, the memory creeping in all around him. “I thought I had died. I wanted to die. How could that be my little brother in that body bag?” He trembles.
“Shh, shh, it’s okay, I know baby. But he’s okay now, remember? Jason’s alive.”
“Yeah,” Dick says shakily. “He’s alive. Jason’s alive. He has Roy, and Lian, and he’s alive.”
Wally kisses his ear. “I think this is a bigger thing for you than you realized. You carry guilt for his death, and what happened today has piled on more guilt. You’re still very traumatized over this. You’re afraid of losing him again.”
Dick covers his face with his hands. “I’m scared of losing everyone. You, my family, the babies. I’m scared, Walls.”
Wally’s hand spreads over his belly. “I know you’re scared, and I’m sorry. I promise you, Dick, that I will do everything in my power to make sure everyone is safe. Including me.”
Dick turns over onto his other side, facing Wally. “I need you to be safe,” he says with conviction. “I can’t do this without you, Wally.”
Wally leans in to press a soft kiss to his mouth. “I know. I need you to be safe too. I need you, Dick.”
Dick tangles his fingers in Wally’s shirt. “Thank you. For being here for me.”
“Of course, baby,” Wally says, kissing his cheek. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
*******
“One second,” Dick croaks, bent over the toilet as he breathes shakily. They’re at the doctor's office, and they were just about to call Dick’s name when he had to rush to the bathroom to throw up. He knows he’s been in here a while, and they’re waiting on him.
Wally knocks again. “Let me come in, babe. I’ll help you.”
“Can’t,” Dick says, balancing himself with a hand on the sink. “Can’t move.”
“Dick!” Wally says, alarmed. “Hold on a second.”
Dick’s stomach clenches and he spits up more bile. He ran out of things to actually throw up minutes ago. This literally sucks so bad. Dick thought he was supposed to be done with the morning sickness by now.
The door handle jiggles, then the lock pops, and Wally and a nurse come in, the nurse pushing a wheelchair. Wally is quick to his side, supporting him by the arms to help him take a seat in the chair. He holds out a paper cup of water, letting Dick rinse his mouth out and try a few sips. The nurse takes his temperature.
“No fever,” she reports. “Morning sickness still bothering you, huh?” She hands him a barf bag.
Dick nods, taking it and resting his hands in his lap. “Yeah,” he answers succinctly. “Wally, is my anti-nausea in my bag?”
Wally searches for it, pulling out the bottle and handing him a tablet. Dick takes it, slumping back against the wheelchair. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to delay our appointment.”
The nurse waves him off with a smile. “I get it. I’ve got three little ones at home myself. You feel up to moving?”
Dick nods. The nurse leads them out, and Wally pushes him back towards the exam room. There, the nurse, Sara, takes his vitals and his blood sugar, noting again that it’s low.
“How odd,” she says as she writes down the number. “Usually, with pregnancies we see the opposite, an increase in blood sugar. Especially with multiples. This isn’t a dangerous level, but it is concerning.”
Dick opens his mouth, but Wally has already pulled out his bottle of glucose tabs. “He’s been taking sugar tablets. Should he have one now?”
Sara nods. “Yes, that’s fine. I’ll test you again in a few minutes.”
Dick takes one, hoping he doesn’t throw up again. It stays down, and he breathes out in relief. Wally’s fingers brush his arm, and Dick leans into the touch, cupping his belly with one hand.
Sara asks for updates, and Dick and Wally give her everything they can think of for her to write down. His nausea, the low blood sugar, his pain and fatigue, the twins’ movement cycles, Dick’s recent almost-drop, everything. Sara frowns at most of it.
“I’m sorry you’re having such a rough time. Some people’s bodies just don’t adjust to pregnancy well. But definitely address these things with Dr. Hamilton, she might have some advice or treatments for you. Let’s take your blood sugar again.” She pricks his finger, and is much happier with the results. “Good, that’s great. I’ll go get Dr. Hamilton now.”
Left alone in the room, Wally steps up behind Dick and starts massaging his shoulders. Dick closes his eyes with a little sigh, shifting as the twins start to wiggle and wake up, pressing on his organs. “Rough day,” Wally comments.
Dick snorts. “Rough two weeks. Rough five months.”
“It’s gonna get better,” Wally says with confidence, kissing the top of Dick’s head. “You’ll see. After this appointment, everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows.”
Dick looks down at his belly longingly. “I’m holding you to that, West.”
“Grayson-West,” Wally murmurs as the doctor comes in.
“Hello,” Lena greets them, taking a seat on the rolling stool. “I read your chart, seems like you’ve been pretty miserable recently.”
“If recently is the last few months,” Dick half-jokes.
Lena gives him a sympathetic smile and taps her fingers on her clipboard. “Today is a big day. We’ve got a couple of scans to do, some labs to take, and of course, determine the sex of your little ones. Shall we get started?”
Dick nods, and Wally squeezes his shoulders.
Lena stands, reaching into a cabinet to pull out a hospital gown. She places it on the exam bed. “First, I’ll grab a urine sample. Then we’ll do an internal ultrasound to check the length of your cervix. Sound okay?”
“Yeah,” Dick agrees. “Back to the bathroom then.”
He’s steady enough to walk to the bathroom and back, and Wally takes his clothes as he changes into the gown. It makes him look absolutely huge, the fabric draped over his round belly. He gets up onto the exam bed just in time for Lena to knock.
“Come in,” Wally says.
“Perfect,” Lena says when she comes in. She snaps on a pair of gloves and adjusts the stand with the ultrasound equipment. “I’ll just have you pull your legs up, yep, just like that.”
Dick shuffles his feet a little farther apart, knees bent, and folds his hands on his tummy. Wally stands beside him, brushing Dick’s hair out of his eyes.
Lena picks up the transducer wand and starts covering it in lube. “This may be a little uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t hurt, so let me know if it does.”
“I’m ready,” Dick says, letting his body relax.
Lena slips the transducer in and turns it on. The screen lights up with the black and white picture, and Dick tries to discern what he’s looking at. Lena adjusts something with the mouse and keyboard, then freezes the image. She looks at it for a while, measuring. Dick waits expectantly.
“Is he alright?” Wally asks.
Lena tilts her head. “Your cervix is about twenty-six millimeters. That’s right on the cusp of what we would consider shorter than normal at this stage.”
“What does that mean?” Dick asks.
Lena unfreezes the image. “I’m going to turn the wand now to get another angle just to make sure.”
Dick nods, and Lena moves the wand, freezing the picture and measuring again. “Yes, that’s definitely nearly twenty-six,” she confirms. “Dick, a shorter cervix raises your risk of preterm labor. This isn’t worryingly short, but I would like to take precautions. I’m removing the wand now.”
She pulls the wand out and sets it aside. Beside Dick, Wally shifts. “So what do we do?”
Lena gestures for Wally to come near her and hands him a packet of wipes. He wipes Dick down while Lena takes her gloves off and writes something in Dick’s chart. “I’m going to prescribe a progesterone supplement. It’s a capsule that is inserted vaginally at night. You’ll probably take it until the end of your pregnancy, but we’ll keep doing scans to monitor it. With multiples, risk of preterm labor is high, and we don’t want that.”
Dick puts his legs down, tapping his fingers over his bump. The babies tap back, thumping at him. He smiles a little at the small kicks. This is fine. They’ll all be okay. “Okay,” he says. “Is there anything else I should do?”
“I recommend bed rest. I know it’s not fun, and I don’t mean you have to be resting all the time. But limit how much time you spend standing, and don’t lift anything heavier than ten pounds.”
“Well,” Dick looks at Wally with a smile. “That’s not anything I haven’t already been doing.”
Lena nods. “You can put your clothes back on now if you’d like. We’ll move on to the anatomy scan. Ready to see what you’re having?”
Excitement flutters in Dick’s belly. “Yes, we are.”
Wally helps him up and holds out his underwear for him. Dick uses him for balance as he steps into them, shedding his hospital gown. He forgoes his shirt and pants for now, opting to just get back up on the exam bed. Wally takes his hand and squeezes. Dick smiles up at him, looking to Lena.
“Alright!” She says, grabbing the tube of gel and squirting a line on Dick’s swollen belly. “This will be more than just an anatomy scan, but we’ll look for that first.”
She presses the wand into his skin. Dick grins as the image of their babies fills the screen. One of them punches out, hitting the other, who wiggles and kicks in retaliation. Dick chuckles. “Sillies.”
“Rowdy already,” Wally says. “Just like their Ommi.”
“Me?” Dick says, incredulous. “Pretty sure they get that from you.”
“Of the two of us, which one has a diagnosis?” Wally teases.
Dick huffs. “Unfair. If you got tested, you would too.”
Lena laughs. “Okay, you two. Let’s take a look.” She glides the wand around his stomach, angling it this way and that. “Aha!” She clicks a button that snaps a picture. “Twin A is a….boy!”
Wally cheers, kissing Dick’s knuckles. Dick can’t contain his smile, his cheeks hurting with the force of it. “A boy,” he repeats.
Lena moves the wand again. “Mind if I press on your belly a bit? Try to get twin B to turn?”
“Yeah, of course,” Dick answers.
Lena uses a flat palm to push against the side of his stomach. On the screen, twin B wiggles away from the stimulus, turning over. “Yes, there we go! Twin B is a girl!”
Dick laughs a little, joyous. “A girl. One of each.” He looks up at Wally.
“Overachiever,” Wally teases, leaning down to nuzzle Dick’s nose.
“You put them there,” Dick says back.
“Congratulations, guys!” Lena says, snapping a few more photos. “I’m just going to take a look at a few more things, see if they’re measuring as they should. While I do that, talk to me about this recent partial-drop you had.”
Dick sighs. “I was at my brother's apartment. He recently had a baby as well, and he was tired, on the edge of a drop himself. Some things got brought up from our childhood, some trauma, and we both got very emotional. It was, um. Very hard.”
Lena types one-handed. “I see. Are either of you seeing a therapist?”
Dick hesitates. “No.”
“Would you consider it?”
Dick thinks of Dinah and the mandatory therapy Bruce used to send him to after hard missions. He hasn’t seen her in a long time, and everything they talked about was mission-specific, never digging into the rest of his life. After Jason died, he should’ve seen her again. But he never did. “Yeah, I guess.”
Wally taps his thumb against the back of Dick’s hand.
Lena is silent for a few seconds as she measures things and takes notes. Then she takes a breath, and Dick braces himself. “Dick, I know you have a history of suicidal ideation. Drops during pregnancy can make this worse, and increase your risk of postpartum psychosis. I highly encourage you to see someone.”
Dick looks at the image of the twins, then up at Wally. “Okay. I will.”
“Family therapy may be of benefit as well,” Lena adds.
Dick scoffs. “Yeah, good luck getting all of my siblings to agree to that.”
Lena chuckles a little. “I get that. Well, it’s just a suggestion, one you don’t have to take. For now, we’re almost done here! Both twins are looking excellent, really good. We’ll check in again at your next appointment. Would you like to listen to the heartbeats?”
“Yes!!” Wally says excitedly, shaking Dick’s hand back and forth.
Lena flicks the sound on. Two overlapping heartbeats fill the room.
“Wow,” Dick says. It never stops being crazy to hear that. Even with the physical evidence, sometimes it’s hard to believe that he’s got two little lives growing inside him. “Wow, Wally.”
“I know,” Wally says, and if they were alone, Dick knows he’d be actually vibrating in excitement. “I’m so excited to meet them.”
Lena turns the ultrasound off. “Four more months!”
Wally lets go of his hand to take the wipes and clean Dick off again. “Four more months,” Dick repeats, touching the top of his bump.
After he gets dressed, they take more blood and get sent on their way. Dick laughs when they get home and he already has three missed calls from Tim, one from Damian, and two from Roy.
“They get you too?” Wally asks, showing his phone with fifteen different notifications.
Dick takes a seat on the couch. “I’ll call Bruce, you call Roy?”
Wally nods, settling in beside him.
Even though Dick calls Bruce’s number, it’s Tim who picks up. “What are they?!” He basically shouts through the phone.
“Calm down, Tim. Is everyone there?”
“Yes, we are all waiting.”
“Hold on,” Dick says. “We’re waiting for Roy and Jason.”
Wally’s phone rings twice before Roy picks up. “Hello? Dude, what took you so long?”
“We literally just got home,” Wally laughs, setting his phone next to Dick’s on the coffee table.
“So, what are they?” Bruce asks.
Dick and Wally look at each other, smiling. Dick nods at Wally. Wally opens his mouth. “We’re having one of each—one boy and one girl.”
Cheers erupt through the phones, a chorus of congratulations and excited yelling. Dick giggles, rubbing his tummy reflexively.
“I want exclusive naming rights,” Damian says.
“Why would they let you name their kids?” Jason counters.
“I am the youngest, therefore I have special privileges.”
“Is that special privilege me kicking your ass?” Tim asks.
“Hah. As if you could.”
“Okay, okay,” Dick says. “No one’s getting naming rights. Whether Tim can kick Damian’s ass is yet to be seen.”
“I’m betting money on Damian,” Wally says.
“I always knew I was your least favorite,” Tim chimes in.
“How was the rest of the appointment?” Alfred diverts.
Dick rubs his hand up and down the bump. “Fine. My blood sugar is still low. I have to go on another medication to prevent preterm labor but the twins look great.” He doesn’t mention the family therapy. “Um. My doctor wants me to see a therapist. Says I’m at risk for postpartum psychosis.”
The mood mellows a little. Dick tries to brush it off.
“But I’m fine. I’m gonna get in contact with Dinah, so that’s all handled.”
Wally rubs his back. “You’re gonna do great, baby.”
“Yeah, you got this,” Roy encourages. “It’ll be a piece of cake, you’ll see.”
Yeah. Dick really hopes so.
*******
Thirty weeks in, Dick starts having practice contractions. It freaks Wally out the first time, Dick rolling over in bed and groaning, his scent changing as the pain spikes. Wally is up immediately, kneeling over him. Dick groans softly again, shifting his hips.
“What’s wrong? Dick, talk to me.”
Dick cracks his eyes open, groggy with sleep. “Feels like cramps.” Wally reaches over to turn the bedside lamp on, and Dick cringes. “‘M okay, Walls.”
Wally touches his arm. “Is it contractions?”
“I don’t think so,” Dick answers, yawning. “We should time them.” The uncomfortable tightness has already stopped.
“Right, okay.” Wally collects his phone, and Dick closes his eyes again, adjusting the pillow under his head. “Tell me when you have another one.”
Dick flirts on the edge of sleep, grunting when another false contraction comes on. “Starting.” After a few seconds, it stops. “Done. No, wait, ugh, starting again.”
“Isn’t that a little fast?” Wally says, worry in his voice.
Dick bends his knees and straightens them. “They’re not regular. That’s a good thing. It’s done.”
Wally touches his belly. Dick smiles sleepily. He feels fucking massive now, his stomach swollen. The twins are heavy, growing bigger every day it seems like. They love Wally’s voice, always wiggling like crazy whenever he talks to them, which is a lot. And they like to make it known when they don’t like something Dick is eating. As he gets closer to his due date, he gets more and more anxious to meet them.
He lets out a long sigh as his belly tightens up again.
“I got it,” Wally says without Dick needing to say anything. He massages Dick’s belly until it releases.
This goes on for a while, and eventually Dick sighs again, opening his eyes and struggling to sit up. “I need to walk around.”
“Okay, here, take my hand.”
Wally helps him to the edge of the bed, and Dick uses his arms as leverage to stand up. “Oof.” The weight of his belly pulls on his back, sitting low in the cradle of his hips. The twins shift, waking up. One of them kicks at the same time Dick cramps. “Owie.”
Wally snorts. “Owie?”
“Shut up, or next time I’ll make you pregnant.”
“Okay, baby.”
Wally follows him as he waddles to the kitchen. Dick fills a glass with water and sips at it while Wally peels a banana. Dick opens his mouth, and without even asking, Wally gives him a bite. “Might as well just give up now, I want the whole thing.”
“I’ll get you your own,” Wally laughs.
“I want yours,” Dick pouts.
“Oh, you can have mine,” Wally says, waggling his eyebrows. He hands Dick the banana.
Dick rolls his eyes, but looks Wally up and down as he brings the banana to his lips. Wally’s just in his boxers, his freckled body on display, his hair a mess. He’s grown out the mullet through the pregnancy, and just got a haircut recently, but he fidgets in his sleep. His cheeks are a little flushed, because he’s pale and he runs hot, but it makes him look flustered. Dick likes him flustered. He sticks his tongue out and runs the tip of it up the banana.
“Whoa there,” Wally says, adjusting his stance and running a hand through his hair. He does that sly half-smile that makes Dick burn. Dick can feel himself slicking already. “Songbird…?”
“What’s a matter, Wally?” Dick teases, taking a bite. “See something you want?”
Wally groans, coming forward. “You’re lucky you’re pregnant, or I would run you to our bed right now and have you naked in a millisecond.” He grabs Dick’s hips, or what’s left of them, Dick’s bump pressing into his stomach.
Dick’s hand darts out to tweak Wally’s nipple. Wally jolts, laughing and covering Dick’s hand with his own. Dick shoves the rest of the banana in his mouth and drops the peel on the counter. “Can’t do much when I’m this big.”
Wally nods. “I can think of some things.” He leans in, kissing Dick soft and slow. “Gentle though, right?”
“Yeah,” Dick says, kissing him back. “I wanna ride you.”
“I can get on board with that,” Wally murmurs. “Let me finger you first? Right here?” His hand slides under Dick’s belly, palming his cock and making Dick shiver. “I can smell that you’re slicking for me.”
Dick pushes into Wally’s hand, bracing himself against the countertop. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Wally rubs at him for a few moments longer, playing with his cock through his underwear. Dick moans softly, rocking his hips. Between his legs is wet, leaking viscous and sticky into the grey fabric. Wally kisses him again, swallowing his sounds and pushing in as close as he can. “Gonna take these off,” he whispers against Dick’s mouth, curling the fingers of both hands into the waistband of Dick’s underwear.
Dick hums, chasing after his lips when Wally pulls away, pushing the fabric down his hips. “Wally…”
“Yeah, baby,” Wally says, engulfing Dick’s cock in his hand, circling the tip with his thumb. Dick trembles, whimpering. “You feel good?”
“Always feel good with you,” Dick answers breathlessly. “Mmm, oh.”
Wally taps his thumb against the head, drawing strings of pre away from the slit. “So wet for me, everywhere, huh, Songbird?”
Dick whines. “Yeah, Wally, please.”
“What, you don’t think you can cum like this?”
Dick bites his lip, cock twitching.
“I think you can,” Wally says, coaxing more pre out of him with a gentle squeeze that makes Dick shake.
“Can’t,” he gasps out, tension pulling in his hips, but it’s not enough. “Need you in me, c’mon Walls, you promised. Gonna break your promise? Be bad?”
Wally ducks his head. “No. I’m good.”
“Then give it to me. Please.”
Cheeks so red now, Wally slips his fingers back, rubbing them through Dick’s folds, covering them in slick. Dick moans encouragingly, then even louder when the tips of two of Wally’s fingers dip inside him. It’s a tease, a horrible tease that leaves Dick clenching and aching for more, trying to fuck his hips down.
“Wally, please.”
With a sigh, Wally slides his fingers all the way inside, crooking them upward. Dick gasps. Wally flutters his fingers, pumping them in and out slowly. “Hnn, so wet,” Wally mumbles.
“Wally, Wally.” Dick clenches around him, stroking at Wally’s shoulders, angling for a kiss. Wally meets him, slipping his tongue into Dick’s mouth as he crooks his fingers again and again. Dick moans, pushing down against him and sucking on Wally’s tongue. “Mmm, mm, ah. More.”
Wally starts to pump his fingers faster, pushing in and rubbing against Dick’s spot repeatedly before pulling back and thrusting in again. Dick pants against his mouth, shifting his leg open wider and running his nails down Wally’s chest, plucking at his nipples. Wally breathes in sharply, ducking his head to mouth at Dick’s neck.
Dick makes a protesting noise when Wally starts to pull away, sliding his fingers out and wiping them against Dick’s thigh. “What are you doing?” He asks, a little whine in his voice.
Wally kisses down his chest, cupping his bump with both hands as he licks at Dick’s nipple. “Just wait,” he murmurs against the skin, pursing his lips around the swollen bud and sucking.
Dick throws his head back. “Oh!” It feels good—he’s been so sore there the last few days. Wally’s mouth is gentle, one of his hands smoothing upward to massage Dick’s other pec softly. He kisses Dick’s chest like he’s making out with it, laving his tongue over the nipple, sealing his lips around it. Dick shifts, heat pooling between his hips with every wet swipe.
Wally moves over to the other, leaving Dick wet and tingling, the cool air against his chest making him shiver. He moans when Wally slips his fingers in again as he sucks, bracing his palms against the counter and trying to hump down against Wally’s hand. A third finger nudges its way inside, all three stroking at his G-spot while Wally attacks his breast.
“Fuck,” Dick squeaks out, squeezing his eyes closed. “Wal-LY!” His voice hitches up midword as Wally’s fingers start to vibrate inside him. Wally’s perfected the ability to get them to pulse, rapid beats on and off that have Dick writhing where he stands. “Wallywallywally,” he says in a rush, hands gripping the countertops so hard he feels his knuckles pop.
Wally flutters his fingers against Dick's spot, a maelstrom of sensation that has Dick crying out and cumming on his fingers. He trembles through it, his cock spurting its thin release and a rush of slick gushing from his cunt, soaking Wally’s hand. Wally pulls off his nipple quickly with an audible pop, sinking to his knees and immediately getting his mouth on Dick’s hole, pushing his thigh up and out of the way.
“Uh!” Dick gasps, overwhelmed as he balances on one leg, leaning against the counter with Wally licking at him like a man possessed. He’s moaning a little, the sweetest sounds that get Dick going even though he’s oversensitive and shaking at the stimulation of Wally’s tongue. Wally lets out a little whimper and shoves his tongue into Dick’s cunt.
Dick puts a hand in Wally’s hair, holding tightly as he pushes through the oversensitivity until he relaxes into it, moaning uncontrollably as Wally licks him out with fervor.
“Dick,” Wally mumbles, like a prayer, squeezing Dick’s thigh where he’s holding it up and pulling back to take Dick’s cock into his mouth, sucking hard. Dick whines, jolting when two fingers push inside him again. They’re going to have to disinfect the kitchen when this is over.
Wally keeps licking and sucking at him, wiggling his tongue between his spread fingers in a move that makes Dick shake so hard he almost falls over.
“Wally, please, bed, bed now,” Dick pleads, pushing at Wally’s head.
Swirling his tongue around the throbbing head of Dick’s cock one more time, Wally finally pulls back, popping his fingers into his mouth to lick the slick off. Dick groans, cupping his belly. “You’re insatiable.”
“You taste so good,” is Wally’s answer. He springs to his feet and catches Dick in a kiss, pressing his tongue inside as if to prove his point. The sweet marshmallowy taste of Dick’s slick transfers between them. Wally’s face is covered in it. When he pulls back, he catches Dick’s eyes, the green swallowed up by the pupil. “I believe you promised me a ride.”
Dick snorts, kisses him again. “I guess. Since you were so good.”
Wally shivers. “Come on,” he urges softly, tangling Dick’s fingers with his still sticky ones.
They leave Dick’s underwear in the kitchen to head back to the bedroom. Dick grins as Wally pulls him over to the bed, hopping on and stretching himself out on his back. He pats his lap with both hands, wiggling his hips.
Dick crosses his arms over his chest. “You gotta take your boxers off, or this isn’t going anywhere.”
Wally cackles, stripping off the clothing and slingshotting it across the room. His cock pokes up, hard and rosy at the tip. Dick watches hungrily as precum beads at the slit, running down the side. He lets out a little desperate sound when Wally touches himself, getting a loose hand around the shaft and stroking lightly, sighing softly as he does.
“I love the sounds you make,” Dick says as he climbs up on the bed, swinging his legs over Wally’s thighs.
Wally’s already flushed face gets redder. “Yeah, I know,” he says bashfully. The head of his cock bumps up against the underside of Dick’s belly and Wally bites his lip, looking absolutely sinful.
Dick shuffles forward on his knees, knocking Wally’s hand out of the way. “I like when you feel good.”
“I feel good when you feel good,” Wally says quickly, breathlessly as Dick lines them up. “Dick.”
Dick whines, sinking down slowly. Wally fills him up perfectly, hot and thick. Dick drops down until he’s fully seated, taking measured breaths and cupping his belly. “Walls.”
Wally rubs his thighs, up his hips and sides, fingers trailing lightly. “Does it feel good, sweetheart?”
Dick nods, rocking his hips back and forth with a helpless moan. “Fuck, Wally. Feels so good.” He rises up on his knees a little, dropping back down in an easy, slick glide. Sighing open-mouthed, he rolls his hips, bouncing up and down gently.
Wally makes a quiet noise of pleasure that flares the heat in Dick’s belly. “Yeah, Wally, come on,” he murmurs. Wally moans a little louder, and Dick shakes, riding him deep and slow.
“Dick,” Wally gasps, smoothing his hand over Dick’s bump. “So beautiful. I love you.”
His touch drifts down, his fingers tickling over Dick’s popped belly button, down to his cock. Dick lets out a startled moan, hitching his hips faster. Wally plays with him, teasing the head, rubbing his thumb against the slit. Inside, Wally’s budding knot grinds against Dick’s spot, pushing him closer to the edge. “Ah, ah!”
“Keep going, Dick, c’mon baby,” Wally coaxes, circling his fist around the tip of Dick’s cock. Dick bounces his hips repeatedly, the weight of his belly starting to pull, but Dick ignores it for the way the pleasure is mounting on itself, crackling between his hips, tingling in his cunt and his dick. He just needs a little more…
“Knot,” he gasps out. “Knot me, please, Wally, I need it.”
Wally breathes shakily. “Yeah, I will, I promise.”
The knot is already swelling, almost locking them in place. Dick rides as best he can, feeling the pull-drag out and the stuffed feeling of opening back up around it. “Ah! Wally! Wally!”
With a shuddering moan, Wally tenses up, the knot popping fully. The sound Dick makes is akin to a shriek, clamping down around it as he shoots into Wally’s hand. Fuck, he’s so fucking full. It feels bigger than ever before, pushing against his insides as he pulses and flutters around it, his orgasm dragging out. He moans loud and long as he rocks in Wally’s lap, finally relaxing with a gasp.
He mutters what might be a prayer, letting his head fall back. He feels so open, stretched wide on Wally’s knot. It’s almost a little painful.
“Fuck,” Wally says. Dick looks at him. His eyes are squeezed closed, his face screwed up. “That kind of hurts.”
“That’s what I was just thinking,” Dick says, chest heaving. “Is that supposed to happen?”
Wally stretches his arm out, reaching for his phone, and snatches it with his fingertips from the bedside table. Dick watches as he types rapidly. “Huh.”
“What?”
“It says that in some cases, the preparatory knots can grow too big due to a rush of hormones from either or both partners. Basically, we got too horny.”
Dick settles his weight more fully on Wally’s hips, wincing a little. “Will it go down?”
“It should. I’m sorry, baby,” Wally says, dropping his phone onto the bed to grab Dick’s thighs. “What can I do?”
Dick licks his lips, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just wait.”
Wally gives him an impromptu massage while they wait for the knot to go down, anywhere he can reach. Dick’s thighs, his belly, his chest. Dick grows sleepy with it, getting used to the stretch of the knot. He’s going to be so fucking loose when this is done.
Wally talks to him quietly, about this and that, missions with the Justice League, stuff about his classes. Dick startles when he gasps suddenly. “Dick. We don’t have baby names!”
Dick blinks. “Um. No, we don’t. Shit. We probably should, right?”
“Oh my god,” Wally laughs. “We were just going to wait until they got here? Pfff what were we thinking?”
Dick shifts his hips, feels something give a little. “Oh,” he says, pushing up on his knees. Wally’s cock slips free, and Dick very carefully collapses onto his side, stretching his legs out with a groan. “Holy fuck.”
Wally is up in a blur, a packet of wet wipes in his hand. He gently cleans them both up before slipping into bed and pulling the blankets up around them. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Dick answers. He sniffs. “You’re not, though, are you?”
“I feel a little woozy,” Wally admits.
“Your blood sugar,” Dick says. “Take two of those tabs. Sorry I stole your banana.”
Wally groans as he rolls back out of bed to find the glucose tablets. Dick waits for him to come back, wincing a little as he touches his swollen, hot cunt. He is so not looking forward to actually pushing two babies out of him. At least the frequent knots and Wally’s insistent massages will hopefully make the process easier.
“Back,” Wally announces, bundling back in beside him. “So. Baby names.”
Dick swipes his hair out of his eyes, yawning. “Can I think on it and get back to you?”
Wally smiles gently. “Yeah. Of course, baby.”
Dick closes his eyes. “Can you get the light?”
“Oh, right.”
Wally flicks the lamp off, and snuggles closer to him. Dick sniffs at him, noting he smells better, and passes out with his head on Wally’s arm.
*******
Dinah agreed that they need family therapy, but she also understood how unlikely it was to get them all to sit down and talk about their feelings together. So she suggested the next best thing, which Dick is sneaky enough to get his way in. At least, he can snag a few of his siblings for it.
“Please?” He asks, putting on the pout.
Tim and Damian look at him across the table. Tim has his head propped up on his fist, looking sleepy. He just came off a rut and went straight into patrol. Dick doesn’t think he’s slept in the last forty-eight hours. Damian is sitting primly, spoon poised over his bowl of Fruity Pebbles.
“You want us to nest with you?” Tim asks. “Like, in the nesting room?”
“Yeah,” Dick nods. “It’s important for the pregnancy.” He pats his belly, thirty-four weeks now. His due date is close, enough that his anxiety is at an all-time high. “I’m…actually kind of freaking out here, and it would really help.”
Damian scoops up a bite of cereal. “I have read that familial nesting is very beneficial for expecting parents. The feeling of pack protection is soothing.”
“Exactly,” Dick says with satisfaction, putting a chunk of waffle into his mouth. “I need it. And I already begged Jason to join—he’s coming by later.”
“Really?” Tim asks, rubbing his eye with one hand. “He never nests here, except in the heat room. And he hasn’t done that forever.”
Dick taps his fingers against the table. “I may have bribed him with the promise of toffee.”
Tim perks up, and Damian as well. “Why didn’t you lead with that?”
“It will be an acceptable payment,” Damian adds.
Dick chuckles. “Gee, can’t a pregnant guy ask a favor of his dear, loving brothers?”
“If you are paying Todd, it’s only fair that the rest of us receive compensation,” Damian says matter-of-factly. “However, let it be put on record that I would have done it for nothing.”
Dick squints at him, disbelieving. “You’re only saying that so I give you more.”
Damian squares his shoulders and doesn’t say a thing.
Tim sighs dramatically. “Fine. But only because I am your best, most favorite brother.”
“Right,” Dick says sarcastically. Then more earnestly, “Thank you.”
It will also help him from going stir crazy. At his last appointment, Dr. Hamilton noted that his cervix was shortening even more, and put him on bedrest. He and Wally have been crashing at the manor ever since, just in case. Lena knew from the beginning that he planned to give birth in Gotham, not Bludhaven, so it was their last appointment together before everything got transferred over to Leslie and Alfred.
The three of them finish eating, and Damian takes Dick’s plate before he can stand up, disappearing into the kitchen. Dick shakes his head with a laugh, using the table as leverage to push himself to his feet. “Ughhh,” he groans, lacing his hands under his bump for some support. The twins are sitting heavy against his hips. Dick counts his breaths for a few seconds as he works up the energy to move.
“Where’s Wally?” Tim asks, pulling him out of his focused breathing.
Dick runs his fingers through his hair. “Um. He’s on campus. Half day today.”
Tim makes a skeptical noise, but heads into the kitchen after Damian anyway.
Dick gets a head start on walking towards the nesting room, slow as a turtle. He didn’t expect to lose so much mobility while pregnant, but then again, he is carrying twins and has had trouble with body aches throughout the whole thing.
Damian and Tim catch up with him in the hallway. “Are the babies taking all your speed too?” Tim teases.
“Shut up,” Dick says. “Do you know where Bruce is?”
“Ommi had to attend a meeting with Mr. Fox,” Damian supplies. “He will be returning in the afternoon.”
“Do you have his schedule memorized?” Tim asks.
Damian leans around Dick to give him a look. “You are the one who informed me of this. I saw it on your stalker calendar.”
“What were you doing in my room?”
“Sneaking,” Damian says, deadpan.
Dick holds his finger up. “Lord of the Rings. Gotcha. Always knew you had an affinity for that little guy.”
Damian hums, opening the door to the nesting room. Dick enters, and the other two follow. The nest is already partially made up from whoever used it last (Dick is betting on Damian—no matter how grown-up he wants to be, he’s still a pup himself). Dick spies a few of his clothes that get cycled through the manor expressly for this purpose, tucked among the cushions and pillows. It’s a collection of everyone’s things, but there are a lot of Bruce’s items scattered around. Dick remembers nesting like that, when it was just the two of them and Alfred. Dick would dump Bruce’s whole hamper into one pile and bury himself in it, the scent of his protector, his ommi, soothing him. Already, he’s itching to get the nest in order. But he needs to add his and Wally’s things.
“Will you,” he starts, but Tim is already rounding the room to where the hampers are set, grabbing the one designated for Dick and Wally and dumping its contents into the nest. “Thanks.”
Dick steps down into the nesting pit, taking a seat and starting to sort through the clothes and blankets. Damian hops in beside him, then Tim, each of them scenting and carefully arranging things, looking to Dick for approval.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve done this,” Dick comments as he scents one of Wally’s undershirts.
“Have we ever done this?” Tim asks, sniffing one of his own shirts and tucking it against the edge of the nest.
“I…” Dick pauses, thinking. He thought they definitely…well he and Jason have nested together, definitely. They used to do it all the time back when they were younger. And he knows he’s nested with Damian, a few post-mission nesting sessions coming to mind. But he draws a blank when it comes to Tim, or all of them together. “I guess we haven’t. Tim, why haven’t we nested together?”
Tim looks at him, brushing dark hair out of his eyes. “We have. But you probably don’t remember. It was at a safe house in Mumbai, and you were dropping. Bad.”
Dick frowns. “When? Why didn’t you tell me afterwards?”
Tim glances down at the blankets, smoothing the wrinkles out of one. “It was just after, you know. Jason. We’d been sent to rescue a hostage but when we got there, he was already dead. And he looked a lot like Jason. Scent was similar too. You dissociated so hard, an instant drop the second you saw him. It took four days of nesting to bring you out of it, and I didn’t want to bring it up again in case you dropped again, so I told you—“
“You told me I’d been dosed with something,” Dick says, remembering.
Tim nods. “It’s been years since then. I should’ve told you sooner.”
“Tim,” Dick says, reaching out to touch Tim’s wrist. “I’m sorry. You were just a kid. You shouldn’t have had to deal with that by yourself.”
Tim shifts until their knees are touching. “I never wanted you to feel like that again.”
“C’mere,” Dick says, pulling Tim towards him. Tim goes, rearranging his lanky limbs to press up against Dick’s side. Dick squeezes him tight, tucking his nose into Tim’s hair and breathing in the fresh pine scent of him. Flickers of a memory come to mind, a similar position, but without the alpha scent, and a lot more fear. Maybe he’ll unlock those days eventually, now that Tim’s made him aware of them. He’s not sure he wants to though. He’s fine knowing that Tim took care of him at a time when he was most vulnerable. He trusts Tim.
He scents Tim softly, remembering when he still smelled like a pup, like Damian. Dick holds his other arm out. “You too, Dami.”
Damian slots himself under Dick’s arm, half lying down to rest his cheek on Dick’s bump. He trails a finger down it, placing his palm gently against the swell. Despite the power Dick knows Damian is capable of wielding, his hands are still small, and his touch is extraordinarily careful. Dami is a lot like Jason—their strength and anger hides the tenderness beneath.
Dick runs his hand through Damian’s hair, relaxing against the cushioned side of the nest pit. “Thank you for nesting with me,” he says, the scents of their family soothing in his nose.
Tim squeezes his knee. “Of course.”
Dick doesn’t know when he dozes off, but he wakes to a tight ache in his belly. “Ow,” he says, voice thick with sleep. He’s been laid on his side, his head in someone’s lap as they play with his hair. “Wally?”
“It’s me, baby,” Wally answers, scratching his nails against Dick’s scalp. “You okay?”
Dick yawns. “Yeah. Just another practice contraction I think.”
Wally’s fingers stroke his cheek. “Do you want to sit up?”
“No,” Dick says, finally opening his eyes. They’re still in the nesting room, and to his surprise, the rest of his family are there too. There’s Bruce, holding Lian and shaking a toy at her. Roy and Tim are facing off in a battle on a couple of old DS’s, and Jason is cuddling with Dami, holding a book out in front of both of them. Alfred appears to be playing chess against himself, the board balanced amongst the cushions. “Everybody’s here.”
“They are,” Wally agrees, his fingers returning to Dick’s hair. “We’ve been waiting for you to wake up, sleepyhead.”
Dick hums, shifting his legs. “I feel sore,” he says, confused.
“You kept tensing in your sleep. Were you having nightmares?”
“No?” Dick rubs his side, sliding his hand down under his belly. “What time is it?
Wally’s fingers pause in his hair. “Uh, around noon?”
“Hmm,” Dick hums.
“Boom!” Roy exclaims from across the nest. “I win, again. Come on, Timmers, this is just embarrassing at this point.”
“I’m letting you win, it’s a pity win,” Tim defends.
To be honest, it probably is. Tim’s too good at strategy to lose at most games, even to Roy. But there’s always a chance, Dick guesses.
“Fine, I’ll go against Wally then.”
Dick mourns the loss of Wally’s fingers in his hair as Wally takes the DS from Tim and Dick hears the sounds of Mario Kart. Oh, Wally is going to lose.
Tim shuffles closer to him, sitting cross-legged right in front of Dick’s bump. He reaches for Dick’s hand, and Dick lets him take it. Tim lifts Dick’s wrist to his nose, sniffing. “You don’t smell right,” he says, brushing his nose repeatedly against the skin.
“I’m having practice contractions, I think,” Dick says. “They’re uncomfortable.”
Tim makes a skeptical noise, but lets Dick’s wrist go. Dick tucks his arms back up against his chest, relaxing against Wally’s thigh and the softness of the nest. Tim draws him into a conversation, and Dick gets the cramps a few more times as they talk. Eventually, Dick shifts to sit up. “I need to use the bathroom.”
It seems everyone looks up as Wally helps Dick up and out of the nest. Dick waves his hand. “I’m fine. Just need to pee.”
Wally chuckles, kissing the side of Dick’s head as they leave the room together to head to the bathroom across the hall. “It’s cute that they all agreed to nest with you.”
Dick sighs. “I bribed them with toffee. Bruce and Alfred are the only ones there of their own free will.”
Wally half-closes the door, standing on the other side as Dick shuffles in and shimmies his pants down. “I think they love you more than they love toffee.”
“I don’t know,” Dick counters as he does his business. “The Wayne boys don’t play about toffee.”
“How come you’ve never made me toffee before?” Wally asks.
Dick finishes. “Because it’s dangerous.” He goes to stand up, and feels something inside him pop. Fluid rushes out of him, making a loud sound as it drops into the toilet. “Holy shit! Babe, my water just broke.”
Wally flings the door open, rushing in. “What?! Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously,” Dick says, alarmed. It’s still trickling out of him. “Wally, it’s too early! I’m only thirty-four weeks!”
“Okay, okay,” Wally says, dragging his hands through his hair. “It’s gonna be fine, alright? Let’s get you cleaned up and we’ll go tell Alfred to call Leslie. You’re going to be okay, the twins are going to be fine.”
Dick cramps up, a contraction pulling through his hips. It’s achy, but not too painful yet. More than the ones before, which he now realizes weren’t practice contractions at all. “Oh, delva. Oh my god. Okay. Alright. Okay. Yeah. Let’s do this.”
Wally helps him get cleaned up and dressed again, and they make their way back to the nesting room. Only Bruce, Alfred, and Tim look up when they come in, Jason and Damian now facing off in the game while Roy watches on. Dick knows that something must tell on their faces, because Tim gets up. “You’re in labor, aren’t you?”
This makes everyone stop, eyes snapping to him. “Yes,” Dick admits. “My water just broke.”
“I’ve been timing your contractions,” Tim says, glancing at his watch. “They’re about fifteen minutes apart now.”
Alfred sets his chess game aside. “I will call Leslie.”
“Are you alright, Dickie?” Bruce asks.
Dick’s lip wobbles, and he bites it, putting on a smile. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
But he knows Bruce sees right through him. That they all see right through him.
Bruce lifts Lian off his lap, handing her back to Roy, and opens his arms. “Come here.”
Wally helps Dick down into the nest, and Dick cuddles against Bruce’s side, hiding his face in Bruce’s chest. “I’m scared, Ommi.”
Bruce rubs his back, scenting him. “You’re going to do great, sweetheart. You’ll have everything you need, I’ll make sure of it.”
Damian’s hand closes around his socked foot. “Habibi, you are strong. You will be excellent.”
Dick stays tucked against Bruce’s side, Wally next to him, massaging his hips. Jason clears his throat and starts reading his book aloud, narrating the actions of Dracula. Dick has contractions twice more before Alfred returns, each one seemingly more painful than the last.
“Leslie is waiting for you in the clinic,” he says gently.
Dick is loath to leave the nest, but as if they’re all synced, his brothers start to gather up things, clothes, and blankets. He notices for the first time the articles that belong to Jason and Roy, which they must have brought with them when they came. Wally starts grabbing things too, their clothes, folding them into neat stacks. The ball of nerves in Dick’s chest loosens a little. The nest will move with him.
Bruce guides him into getting up and out of the nest, and they form a little train on their way down to the cave. Leslie is there, setting up equipment for the birth and afterwards, supplies to take care of him and the twins. She greets them with a smile. “Hello, Dick. I hear your babies are ready to meet you.”
Dick puts both hands on his stomach. “Yeah, I guess they are. Are they going to be okay? I mean, this is early, even for twins.”
“We have everything we need to ensure both their and your safety. To be extra cautious, though, Bruce, Jason, I’m going to have you scrub in as well,” Leslie says.
“Of course,” Bruce says.
Dick looks to Jason. There’s a touch of apprehension in his features, but he looks determined. “Alright.”
“Great,” Leslie says. “Before you make up your nest, I’d like for you to get changed, and I’ll grab yours and the baby's vitals, as well as check your dilation.”
Dick nods. “Right.”
Alfred hands him a gown, and his brothers and Roy busy themselves while Wally helps Dick get changed, then changes into scrubs as well, along with Bruce and Jason. He gets up onto the bed, and Leslie applies a monitoring band to his belly while Alfred clips a pulse-ox to his finger and wraps the blood pressure cuff around his arm. Two different screens read out the results, his and the babies.
Leslie adjusts one of the screens. “This is looking excellent. The babies’ heartbeats are strong. Let’s take a look on the ultrasound real quick.”
Wally covers Dick’s lap with a sheet while Dick pulls up the bottom of the gown. He takes Dick’s hand afterward, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss as Leslie squirts the gel onto his belly and pushes the wand against his skin.
Everyone gathers closely to look. Dick peers at the screen, noting with relief that both of the twins are turned head-down. That will make things easier for him.
“Good, good,” Leslie says quietly. “Things are looking perfect here.”
She studies the image for a few more moments, and Dick has another contraction, clenching his teeth and hissing through it. He squeezes Wally’s hand hard, his belly tightening uncomfortably as pressure rocks through his hips. The band around his belly notes the intensity of it on the screen, and Dick follows the line with his eyes until he relaxes. “Phew,” he sighs out. “That was intense.”
“Good job, baby,” Wally says, stroking Dick’s hair back.
Leslie cleans off his belly. “Let’s check your dilation, and then you can build your nest.”
The rest of his family steps away a little bit, talking amongst themselves while Dick gets his legs up into the stirrups. Wally rubs the back of his hand with his thumb as Leslie checks him, Alfred standing by to note everything down.
“Dick, you’re around four centimeters right now. You’ve got a little bit to go. How are you feeling pain-relief-wise?” Leslie asks, pulling back and disposing of her gloves.
Dick puts his legs down. “I’ll start with the gas if I feel like I need it,” Dick says, looking up at Wally. Wally smiles encouragingly at him. “And maybe the epidural after that.”
Leslie nods. “Sounds like a plan to me. You are free to get up if you want.”
“Yes,” Dick says, already shuffling to the side of the bed. “I want to make my nest now.”
His family perks up as Dick slides off the bed, their stacks of laundry laid out on the nearest bed. Dick smiles appreciatively, starting to sort through the different clothes, smelling each one and adding them to the nest. His and Wally’s clothes make the foundation of it, with Tim’s joining Wally’s on the perimeter. Bruce and Damian’s get piled in together, padding the nest, with Jason and Roy’s tucked in a little bit of everywhere.
When he finally deems it finished, he has another contraction, hunching over with his hands on the bed as he breathes through it. Hands run down his back, Wally, kneading his low back and hips to work him through it. It hurts, and Dick’s face pinches, turned away from everyone and looking down at his belly. Ow, ow, ow.
It lets up, and Dick breathes out slowly, rocking his hips from side to side. “I got this,” he repeats lowly to himself. “I’ve got this.” He looks up. “I want to—do we have a birthing ball here?”
“Yes, we do,” Bruce answers, moving across the clinic to retrieve said item. He blows it up with the pump, and Dick settles gratefully into it, Wally at his back for support.
As he rolls his hips in a circle, he surveys the rest of the medical wing. Tim and Damian are sitting on a bed, playing some kind of hand slapping game. Jason is feeding Lian, Roy standing beside him, talking amongst themselves. Bruce lingers near Dick, eyes warm and watchful. Alfred and Leslie busy themselves with the equipment, checking and rechecking things.
Wally runs his fingers along Dick’s shoulders, massaging the muscle. Dick needs something to occupy himself. There’s a tv in here. “Let’s put on a movie,” he suggests. “I can’t just sit here.”
“Sure,” Wally says. “What movie do you want to watch?”
Dick decides to torture everyone with Phantom of the Opera, half-smiling and half-whimpering his way through more contractions. They don’t seem to be getting any closer together. About halfway through the movie, Dick’s had four more, and he feels on the edge of crying.
“I want to lay down,” he says almost pleadingly.
“Okay, baby. Let’s do it,” Wally says softly.
Dick gets up off the birthing ball and into the nest, lying on his side in a way that he can still sort of see the tv. His body aches.
Wally runs his fingers through Dick’s sweat-damp hair, nudging an oxygen mask against his face. “Here, baby, try breathing this for a little bit.”
Dick shifts his head enough for Wally to strap the mask to his face, breathing in slowly. He returns his focus to the movie, and the contractions he has are a little less painful. He can feel the babies wiggling a little, the pressure of them inside him.
The movie finishes, and Tim, Damian and Roy leave to get a late lunch, Roy taking Lian with him. Dick tries to rest his eyes and maybe sleep a little, his body tensing when he contracts again.
“Dick,” Leslie says, rousing him from his half-doze. “Can I check your dilation again?”
Dick nods sleepily, getting turned over and pulling his legs up. Wally bends to lay kisses against his forehead, whispering to him. “I’m so proud of you, Songbird. You’re doing so well.”
“You’re at six centimeters now,” Leslie reports.
Dick groans softly. “Only six?”
“Unfortunately, yes. I can give you some Pitocin to help strengthen your contractions, and nipple stimulation will do the same thing, albeit less intensely. What would you like to do?”
Dick contemplates. “I’ll take the Pitosin.”
“Alright,” Leslie agrees.
Alfred administers the IV, and Dick goes back to lying down as he waits for the medication to take effect. Bruce comes up near his head, taking his hand and running the tips of his fingers along Dick’s palm. “Hey, chum. How are you feeling?”
“I thought this would go faster,” Dick answers. “This sucks ass,”
Close by, Jason snorts. Dick’s eyes slide to him. Jason gives him a lopsided smile. “Trust me, I know what you’re going through.”
Dick reaches out with his other hand, and Jason comes forward to take it. “I’m scared, Little Wing.”
Jason squeezes his fingers. “I know. It is scary, and no one really knows until they’re in it. But you’re not alone, Dick. Everyone is here to support you. You’re going to get through this, and have two beautiful babies when you come out the other side. Trust me.”
Dick squeezes him back, smiling gratefully. “Thank you,” he says softly.
Bruce stays petting at his hair while Jason holds his hand. Alfred suggests Wally stretch Dick, and Dick slowly moves his legs enough for Wally to reach between, massaging and stretching his opening. Dick has a pretty intense contraction, sucking in the gas as he breathes through it. Bruce scents his hair, putting out comforting pheromones. Wally and Jason are, too, surrounding him in the safety of family.
The next contraction definitely comes faster. Dick lets out a little moan of pain, curling in on himself.
“That was eleven minutes,” Alfred informs him. “The medication is working.”
Dick blows out a long breath through his mouth, nodding. “Okay.”
“You want to watch another movie?” Jason asks. “We’ve got Pride and Prejudice.”
“Yeah,” Dick agrees. “I want to try walking around a little.” He looks to Leslie and Alfred for approval.
Leslie okay’s it, and Dick gets down. Wally offers his arm for support, wheeling Dick’s monitors along as they walk slowly around the room. Jason loads the movie, and Dick half pays attention as he moves.
“Hnnn.” Dick stops for a contraction, swallowing heavily. “I feel like I’m going to puke.”
Bruce hurries over with a barf bag, and Dick gags but doesn’t throw up. He holds onto it, though as they keep walking, and on the next contraction, he does puke, the pain aching in his belly and between his hips. He coughs miserably and spits, sipping at the water Jason holds out for him. “Ugh.”
“Wanna keep walking?” Wally asks, rubbing his sides.
“Yes,” Dick huffs out. “Let’s keep going.”
Dick barely pays attention to the movie, having to stop and throw up with each contraction, which start to come every eight minutes, then five. By the time they’re forty-five minutes in, Dick is sobbing. “I don’t want to do this anymore,” he cries, shoulders shaking. “Somebody tap me out.”
“You’re still joking,” Wally points out, letting Dick lean against him and cry into his shoulder. “You can do this, baby.”
“I don’t remember it being this hard for you,” he directs toward Jason, who’s been watching the movie with his arms crossed.
Jason looks over at him, taking a few steps forward. “It wasn’t,” he said gently. “But it still sucked. I’m sorry you’re hurting so bad, Dickie. Do you want to try the gas again?”
Dick sobs as another contraction rips through him. At least he doesn’t throw up this time, but it hurts so bad he can’t help but gasp and cry. “Yeah, yes, I want that,” he shakes out. “Please, please.”
Wally and Jason help him back up onto the bed, and Dick takes a kneeling position, legs spread a little. Alfred raises the head of the bed for him to lean forward against, and Leslie puts the gas mask back on for him. Dick tries to calm his breathing, sucking in the gas.
“Dick, I’m going to have Wally massage you again, can you lean forward a little more?” Leslie asks.
Dick nods breathlessly, leaning forward on his arms and closing his eyes, counting his breaths as Wally’s fingers touch him firmly, rubbing and opening him up. He whimpers through numerous more contractions, the gas helping relieve some of the pain. “Owwwwwww,” he whines. “Hurts, hurts, hurts. Ommi.”
“Hey, hey, sweetheart,” Bruce says, appearing in Dick’s field of view, combing back Dick’s sweaty hair. “Keep breathing, okay? You’re doing so well, I love you so much.”
Dick takes Bruce’s hand, tucking his forehead against the nest as he breathes through another contraction. “It feels like they’re getting closer together,” he pants.
“You may be entering transition,” Leslie says. “You’re in one of the optimal positions for this, but if you feel like you need to move, we will help you.”
“Oh god,” Dick cries out, rocking his hips back against Wally’s hand. “Huh. Huh.”
Bruce scratches at his scalp. “Take a breath, Dick, don’t hold it. Come on, pant.”
Dick groans, huffing. “It hurts!”
“Dick,” Jason’s voice says by his ear. “You can do this. You are strong. Breathe. It’ll help.”
Dick sobs, trying to do as he’s told. “I want Wally.”
They shuffle things around until Wally is kneeling on the bed in front of him, holding Dick up. Dick pulls the mask down to breathe directly against Wally’s neck, the scent providing some relief as well. He alternates between scenting Wally and the gas as his contractions get even closer together, until they’re almost right on top of each other.
Dick wails as the contractions don’t let up, all stringing together into one. He sobs and gasps, barely feeling it as fingers enter him to check his dilation.
“You’re at eight,” Leslie tells him.
Transition seems to stretch on forever. Dick feels woozy, the pain so intense his vision is clouded. He doesn’t feel—things are fuzzy.
“He’s dropping!” He hears Wally say, frantically. “Is he ready to push yet?!”
“No, his labor is stalling; he’s stuck at transition,” Leslie says.
“We need to do something!”
“We can administer an epidural,” Alfred says. “But he needs to hold still, and we need to stabilize him.”
“He’ll hold still, won’t you, baby?” Wally asks.
“Uh-huh,” Dick says absently, his mind trying to shut itself away from the onslaught of pain. He slumps against Wally’s chest, peripherally feeling his back being prepped and poked. He turns his head at the stimulus of someone touching his cheek, and his nose is pressed against something warm. Dick breathes in reflexively. It smells like…Damian? And he’s hurt. No, what? Damian is hurt? Dick needs to help, he needs to wake up.
Sniffing harder, Dick blinks hard, forcing himself back to awareness. He still hurts, a lot, but it’s starting to lessen. He looks around, pushing against Wally’s arms. “Damian?”
“I’m here, habibi,” Damian says, touching his arm. “Come back to us.”
“You’re hurt?” Dick asks, confused.
“Minorly,” Damian assures him. “We needed to shock you out of the drop.”
Dick frowns, eyes moving from Damian to Tim and Roy behind him. “You hurt him?” He says angrily.
“We were playfighting,” Tim assures him. “It was an accident.”
Dick doesn’t believe him, but he tucks his nose back against Wally’s neck. “Wally?”
“Everyone’s okay, baby,” Wally assures him, squeezing Dick’s arms. “We just need you to stay up, okay? I know it hurts, but they gave you some meds, and it should help.”
Dick winces and whimpers a little, until the pain fades into pressure. He sighs out with relief as the epidural takes effect, shuddering. “Okay. I’m okay.”
“Yes you are,” Wally agrees. “You’re doing so well.”
“I’m betting the girl is born first,” Tim pipes up. “Twenty dollars.”
“Boy first, forty dollars,” Roy counters.
“Girl first, sixty dollars,” Jason chimes in.
Dick laughs, watery and thin. “Are you seriously betting on this right now?”
“Boy first, a hundred dollars,” Bruce says.
“E tu, Brucé?” Dick says with affect.
Everyone laughs, and Wally presses a kiss to Dick’s head. “What are you betting?”
Dick glances down at his belly. “I don’t know. I just want to meet them.”
“Me too,” Wally murmurs.
Dick labors for another ten minutes before he feels anything change. It’s like something is pushing down through him. “I think I need to push,” he says urgently.
“Yes, I can feel the head,” Leslie says. “When you feel the urge, push hard.”
Dick nods, and when the pressure mounts, he bears down, pushing with his breath. He flexes his body back, leaning forward into Wally. When it stops, he sighs gustily. “Please let these babies be born quickly,” he mutters.
He pushes for a while, Wally praising him with each one, encouraging him. Dick begs for a kiss, Wally readily giving it to him, holding him steady as he pushes and pushes.
The pressure intensifies significantly, and Dick groans. “Ah-ow, that hurts.”
“That’s the head, Dick,” Alfred says. “Push very gently, I am going to massage you a little more.”
Dick nods shakily, trying to relax. He pushes softly, whimpering.
“Good, that’s so good, Songbird,” Wally says, kissing his head. “Keep going.”
The pressure releases suddenly. “Oh! Oh, is it out?”
“It’s out!” Leslie confirms. “We almost have us a baby!”
Dick practically sobs in relief. “Wally, Wally.”
“I know, Dick, I know. I’m so proud of you baby.”
“Jason, get ready,” Leslie says. “You and Alfred will be on Baby One.”
Dick looks up at Wally, who kisses his forehead. The need to push comes on again, and Dick braces himself. It takes a few pushes, but he eventually delivers the shoulders, and Leslie catches the baby as it slides out of him.
“It’s a girl!” Leslie announces. “Congratulations, you have a daughter!”
Dick cries, and he feels Wally sob against him. “Eira, she’s here. Dick, she’s here!”
Dick can only tremble, in excitement and exhaustion. He has a whole other baby to push out. But she’s here, their daughter. She screams once someone clears her airways, the sound loud and healthy. Dick clutches Wally tightly. “I love her, I love her so much. I wanna see her.”
Jason comes into his field of vision, holding up a squirming, wet baby. He’s crying. “Here she is, Dick! Look at her!”
“Oh, Eira,” Dick sighs. “She’s perfect.” His body shudders, another contraction pushing through him. “Gotta push!”
Jason disappears with Eira and Dick focuses back on his breathing, pushing when he feels like it. That intense pressure comes on quickly again, and he slows down to softer pushing. He lets out a little cry as the second baby crowns, reaching down to feel his head as it pushes out of him.
“Holy fuck,” he sighs, almost a gasp. “He’s almost here.”
Less than five minutes later, their baby boy enters the world. Dick sobs in utter relief, the pressure in his pelvis lifting significantly. Their little boy cries and shrieks, joining his sister. Leslie and Bruce take him, Alfred returning to help Dick deliver the placentas.
Finally, finally, Dick is turned on his back, sweaty and exhausted, and handed one of his babies, the boy. Wally takes the girl, immediately scenting her. Dick does the same, covering the baby in his scent.
“What’s his name?” Bruce asks, wiping Dick’s forehead with a cool washcloth.
Dick looks at Wally, then at Jason, standing there watching on. “Jay. His name is Jay.”
Jason sniffles, wiping his eyes hard. “You didn’t.”
Dick nods with a shaky, exhausted smile. “We did.”
“Not fair,” Tim protests teasingly from the other bed where the rest of them have been occupying themselves. “That was supposed to be Tim Jr.”
“Clearly, he meant to say Damian the Second,” Damian counters.
“No, obviously it was gonna be Little Roy,” Roy adds.
Jason playfully glares at them. “Shut up. Dick. You didn’t have to.”
“We wanted to,” Wally says. “Besides, we also just like the name.”
“It’s perfect,” Bruce says, stroking Dick’s cheek. “Good job, Dickie.”
Dick sighs, cuddling Jay closer. “I’m so tired.”
“Understandably,” Damian says. “By Drake’s estimate, you have been actively laboring for eight hours.”
“Do you want to try feeding them?” Leslie prompts. “Just a little, and then you can rest.”
Dick nods. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.”
Bruce helps him get his gown down, and Leslie and Alfred adjust the twins in his arms accordingly, getting each of them to latch. Dick relaxes against the pillows they’ve piled around him, looking down at his two precious little babies.
Roy brings Lian over, the seven and a half month old awake and blinking curiously at the spectacle, her hair growing in dark and thick. “Say hello, Lian,” Roy says, waving her little hand for her. “These are your cousins, Eira and Jay.”
“Hi, Lian,” Dick greets, caressing the back of each baby's head with his thumbs. He looks down at them again, the way their mouths are pursed around his skin as they suck. They’re so small, and at the same time, he can’t believe they both fit inside him. “Are they going to be okay?” He asks, his mind finally catching up with him. “Being so early?”
Leslie comes forward. “The fact that they’re eating is a very good sign. I’m going to have them supplemented with oxygen just to make sure, and we’ll watch their feedings to make sure they’re gaining the weight they should. I expect to monitor them for a few days at least, perhaps a week or more.”
“Alright,” Dick acknowledges, and starts to purr softly.
Wally touches his shoulder gently, his finger stretching out to touch Dick’s mating mark. Between them, the bond swells with love and affection, Wally’s pride bleeding in with Dick’s own. They did this. They brought these babies into the world. Surrounded by his family, Dick feels safe, cherished.
Eira and Jay fall asleep, and Alfred and Leslie take them, hooking them up to the oxygen cannulas. Their cribs get pushed close to Dick’s bed, the head lowered so Dick can curl up and sleep. One by one, his family comes up to congratulate him.
“Well done, Grayson,” Damian says, looking over the scene with a distinct little smile. “They are excellent.”
Dick takes his wrist. “Thank you, habibi. Why did you let them hurt you?” He asks, bringing Damian’s wrist to his nose.
“A rapid way to stabilize you was required. A pup in distress was a viable option. Besides, it was nothing. Drake simply stomped on my foot.”
Dick laughs, leaving a kiss on the fragile skin. “Thank you,” he says again.
Tim’s next, cupping Dick’s cheek and rubbing the rise of it with his thumb. “Good job. It was hard, but you got through it.”
“Tim,” Dick sighs lovingly. “Thank you. I love you.”
Tim bends to press their foreheads together. “I love you too.”
Jason takes Tim’s place, immediately moving in to scent Dick. Dick scents him back, rubbing their cheeks together. “I’m so proud of you,” Jason says earnestly. “You were incredible, Dick, really. And,” he looks over to the bassinets, biting his lip. “Thank you. I can’t tell you what that means to me.”
Dick reaches out to touch Jason’s cheek, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Jay. I love you so much.”
Jason takes his hand, scents his wrist. “I love you,” he says back quietly.
Finally, it’s Bruce’s turn. He smoothes back Dick’s hair and presses a kiss to his forehead. “I’m so happy for you, Dick. Your pups are beautiful, and you worked so hard to bring them here. You should rest.”
“Thanks, Ommi,” Dick says, a little wobbly. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
Bruce spends a few more minutes talking with him, whispering praises and giving his love. Dick basks in his gentle, comforting touch and familiar scent, feeling like a pup again himself.
When Dick is half asleep, it’s finally just him and Wally, Wally curled around his back in the bed. “Good job, Ommi,” he whispers, kissing the back of Dick’s neck.
“Congratulations, Appa,” Dick says back.
Wally trills happily. “I can’t believe they’re here.”
Dick turns his gaze forward, to where the babies sleep peacefully in their cribs, their monitors blinking steadily. “Me either,” he breathes.
His eyes fall closed, and Dick drifts off to sleep with the most important people in his life gathered around him.