Work Text
"You behaved terribly." Vasquez snorted at Faraday as he clicked the reigns of their horses to speed up."I don't think I was all that bad." The gambler insisted, holding his hands over his rounded belly as he rode next to his husband in their loaned out wagon. Sam had sent Manuel out to Sacramento to pick up some much needed supplies for the few repairs that still needed to be made to the town. Joshua, of course, had refused to be left behind, despite his delicate condition. There had been plenty of argument over the issue but in the end, Faraday had won the pot once again.Now they were on the road back home to Rose Creek, stopping in every town they came across to allow Joshua some proper rest. The trouble was that rest wasn't the only thing a town had to offer him, and Faraday knew it. So he took up a card game whenever he could find some poor souls willing to try him. It always led to trouble, and Vasquez was always left to defend his careless husband when the game turned sour.That had been their experience in the last town they'd staid in, and the inn keeper, who had lost a fair amount at the card table himself, had been very clear that Faraday was not welcome to stay any longer."The old bastard couldn't take a joke for shit." Josh complained, rubbing over his belly, which at the moment had begun to cramp and tighten. "You shouldn't have cheated him." Vasquez muttered. "Or called him such terrible names.""Deserved it." Faraday grunted, as the wagon hit a slight bump in the road. "Slow it down, will ya? Yer bouncin' this kid all around with yer reckless drivin'.""You should have staid in Rose Creek." Vasquez complained."Are you really gonna bring that up again, dammit?" Faraday retaliated, grunting in pain again as they went over another bump. "For God's sake, Manuel! Slow down!"One more bump did it. Joshua let out a short gasp when he felt as pop somewhere inside him, and then the area between his thighs began to moisten until there was a visible wet spot on the crotch of his britches. "Well that's fine and dandy, ain't it?" He grumbled, wincing when he felt his belly cramping up again. "Dammit, Manuel, you've gone an' broke my water."Vasquez pulled the horses to a stop then dropped the reigns to turn in his seat. "Are you alright?" He asked Faraday with great worry in his face. "I ain't dead if that's what yer askin." Faraday huffed, frustrated and properly scared. "This baby's gonna be here soon, Vas." He told his husband. "How far to French Gulch? Ain't that the next town?" He held his belly tight and breathed out a heavy sigh when the tight pain finally let go of him."Twenty miles." Vasquez swallowed hard as he spoke. "We can make it if we hurry. Maybe." "Then go, god dammit! Get me there before he falls out right here in the wagon!" Vasquez took the reigns back in hand and snapped them hard, urging the horses on quick, and praying that they'd make it in time......."No temáis. I lights ahead, Guero." Vasquez assured his laboring husband as they drew nearer to the town of French Gulch.Faraday didn't answer but with a whimper and a whine, one hand desperately gripping the side of the wagon while the other held his belly tight. The journey had taken several hours and the contractions had come and gone every few minutes, each worse than the last and getting even more difficult to handle. Now, Faraday was convinced that he might be dying."Find a damn hotel..." He hissed through gritted teeth, closing his legs together as best he could. He felt like if they staid open, the baby would pop out right then and there. "Here!" Vasquez exclaimed as he spotted the hotel, stopping the horses just outside of it and flipping a few coins to a young boy sitting outside so that he might take care of their horses."About damn time, Manuel..." Faraday groaned as he was helped down from the wagon and hurried inside. The woman at the front desk was shocked to see the state of the man brought into her inn, and she made her concern known straight away. "Should I fetch a nurse!?" She cried in horror."Vas, it's comin'..." Faraday growled in pain."I need a room. Just a room. Rápido por favor!" Vasquez told the owner, catching a key that she tossed to him hurriedly then lifting his husband into his arms and ascending the stairs as quickly as his legs would allow him to."I can't...I can't..." Faraday was whimpering as Manuel laid him back on the bed inside their rented room. He dropped to his knees with great haste and yanked his husband's pants down as far as they would go. "Push for me, Guerito." He told Faraday. "Push! Push!"Josh tried hard not to scream but good Lord above! He just couldn't help himself. It HURT, and it was all happening so fast! He felt like he was being split right in two."One more, Joshua, one more." Manuel urged him to continue.Faraday would have told him to shove a double barrel up his ass and blow himself to hell but he couldn't. He had to keep pushing. His body demanded it, and it still HURT!"I hate you!" He screamed at Vasquez before finally he felt their little mischief maker slide out into the world. The baby cried almost immediately and Vasquez smiled proudly as he began to clean him up with a nice warm towel he'd found near their wash tub. "Give him here, you bastard." Josh demanded, tears threatening to leave the corners of his eyes as a giddy and chuckling Manuel laid their brand new baby boy down on his chest. "Oh buddy," Faraday huffed, out of breath and exhausted from the birth. "I'm so sorry. That was a rough time." He held the baby close against him with shaky hands and kissed the screaming infant's forehead."The woman downstairs went for a midwife." Vasquez told his husband, coming back over with a blanket to cover Josh and the baby. "She'll be here soon...He's perfect, Guero. He looks like you.""He does." Josh managed a smile as he watched his tiny son squirm and scream at him. "I'm sorry I yelled." He then told Vasquez. "That was just awful. I don't recommend we have any more."Vasquez only chuckled and leaned over to kiss Faraday's sweaty forehead. "I love you." He told him, sitting back on the edge of the bed and smiling down with pride at his beautiful husband and their perfect little newborn.Sam and the others would be greeted with quite a surprise when the couple, now a family, finally returned to Rose Creek.