This was done as a story trade with SaiyanPrincess101 (She truly is fantastic, so go check her out!) and it was such a challenge since I've never done anything like this before but it was still so much fun to write!
Warnings: Mpreg, some strong language and mild violence.
He growled at the commander and Zarbon glared back.
"Are you an idiot?" the saiyan demanded, his tail bristling in irritation. "Toma is heavily pregnant, he can't possibly do this mission without going into labour!"
"You'll have to deal with it, monkey scum." Zarbon snarled. "Lord Frieza wants that planet now, and he chose you and your team to get the job done."
"But-" Bardock began to argue but Zarbon was quick to cut him off.
"Any more arguments from you, ape, and I'll make sure something does happen to your mate, during or after the mission."
Bardock glared up at the commander but bit his tongue, instead turning away and marching towards the pods.
"The bastard won't take no for an answer." he informed his crew on reaching them.
A quick glance at the faces of his friends showed that they were just as enraged by this as he was. Tora shot him a reassuring smile.
"I'll be okay. The brat's not due for a while." he said.
"But Tora, that's beside the point." Fasha pointed out. "Too much stress could seriously harm the child - or you. And we all know from Raditz' birth that they can come early."
"Yeah." Borgos nodded. "Didn't Raditz decide to join us on the palace steps?"
"Don't remind me." Tora growled, closing his eyes. "I'm lucky I wasn't executed for that."
"He wouldn't execute you." Shugesh shrugged. "Because he knows Bardock would steal his throne if he did."
"I'd steal more than his throne." Bardock nodded. "But we really need to go now. We can't delay this any longer or we'll have even less chance of making it back in time."
Bardock didn't bother to remember the name of the planet. It was just like any other mission; go in and kill the inhabitants. And he did so, with his team. He fired a particularly large ki blast towards a hoarde of the aliens, humanoid creatures with shining silver scales rather than skin and large oval heads, and smirked as the resulting explosion shook the planet, sending dust and blood spiraling into the air. His eyes darkened with blood-lust as their eyes widened in pain and he lavished in the sound of the screams: High-pitched and blood-curling, yet music to a saiyans ears. His smirk faded when he heard another scream. Much deeper than those of the aliens they were killing. He recognized the voice at once...
"Tora!"
He broke into a run, frantic to get back to his mate, without even checking that all his opponents were dead as he usually would have done. He didn't stop running until Tora came into view.
"B-bardock." the male managed to return in a weak voice.
He was leaning against Borgos, his spandex trousers soaked with water.. It couldn't be... No, it was too soon. It was supposed to be two more weeks until the baby was born but, naturally, it couldn't wait. He damned Frieza and Zarbon to Hell and back for sending his team on this mission while his mate was so close to his due date.
"Are you just going to stand there or do you think you could help?!" Tora's growl tore Bardock away from his thoughts and the scarred warrior rushed to his mates side.
Bardock and Borgos worked together to lower Tora onto the ground just as Fasha and Shugesh joined them.
"Do we have time to get to shelter or-" Bardock began but Tora cut him off.
"He won't wait." he breathed. "We need to do this here."
Fasha shook her head.
"No!" she argued. "It's too dangerous to birth a baby out in the open like this, we need to try and find somewhere."
Tora grudgingly agreed and Bardock nodded then slowly moved to help Tora to his feet. Tora managed to walk slowly at first but soon his legs had betrayed him and Bardock lifted him.
"You don't. Need-" he began but Bardock cut him off.
"I need to get you to shelter and you can't make it yourself." he said simply.
After a couple of minutes that seemed like a lifetime to Bardock, and longer to Tora, they reached a small cave and hurried inside. Only then did Bardock lay Tora gently down onto the floor and help him out of his clothes, uncomfortably aware of the fact that his whole crew was about to see his mate naked. He forced himself to stop thinking about that and concentrate on getting his son into the world in good health. Tora screamed to the heavens again and almost crushed Bardock's hand he was holding as another contraction hit. Bardock's heart plummetted and he fought against panic. It wouldn't help anyone if the commander couldn't keep his cool.
"I... I can't... I don't know how to do this alone." Tora muttered through his pain.
"Does anyone have any idea how to do this?" Bardock asked, trying to keep the panic from his voice.
"I know the main gist of it." Fasha shrugged. "Move over so you're beside him."
Bardock did so and held tightly onto Tora's hand. Fasha leaned forward and winced.
"The dialation is going slow." she explained. "Which means this is going to be a long labour."
Bardock's eyes widened as Tora let out another scream.
"I can do it Bardock." Tora said, breathlessly, between screams. "Trust me. Please."
Bardock didn't think he could survive listening to his mate's pained yells for hours on end and dreaded the thought of Tora going through such pain for so long. He didn't care when Tora squeezed his hand hard enough to hurt, he didn't even care if his bones shattered under the force. He had to be there for his mate, even if it was all he could do.
Fasha wasn't wrong when she guessed it would be a long labour. Dusk had fallen around them and still there was no sign of the baby. Bardock would have thought it was a false alarm if it wasn't for the death-grip Tora had on his hand and the earth-shattering screams evoked from his mate at five minute intervals. Between the screams, Tora whispered apologies for weakness and reassurances that he would be okay. The contractions were getting closer together though, and he remembered from Raditz' birth that it meant the baby was getting there. Sure enough, when Fasha leaned forward again, she grinned.
"He's dialated 9 centimetres." she said. "It should only be one more to go then you'll have baby number two in your arms."
Minutes later, he was ready. Fasha sat close so that she could catch the baby when he came and began to coach Tora through it.
"Okay, on the next contraction you have to push." she told him.
Tora nodded and did so. After several more pushes, Fasha's eyes widened in horror. Bardock didn't miss it.
"What?" he asked, glancing fearfully between his mate and Fasha. "What is it?"
"The baby is coming out breech." she explained. "That means that he is upside down. It could really harm him or Tora."
"Oh fuck." Tora muttered. "Just what I needed."
"Do something." Bardock begged.
"I have to try ECV, where I turn the baby around. It's not without it's risks, but it's the only choice we have with no hospital available." Fasha decided.
Bardock nodded then watched with interest as Fasha gently pressed into Tora's bulging baby bump.
"What are you doing?" Tora growled, trying to swat her arms away.
Fasha smiled slightly.
"You'll find out soon enough." She moved her arms around again then smiled.
"He's on his side - don't push Tora - so I just need to get him head first." she explained.
"Okay." Tora choked out, trying his hardest to heed his friend.
Just a few more movements with her hands over Tora's stomach and Fasha pulled away with a victorious grin on her face.
"He's the right way up and, as far as I can tell, healthy. Now, Tora, on your next contraction push like hell."
"R-right."
The next contraction hit hard and Tora pushed with all he had.
"I see the head!" Fasha squealed in excitement. "One more push and we should have it!"
"It's. About. Time." Tora breathed.
He pushed and, with a faint pop, the infant was pushed out into Fasha's waiting arms. She ripped a piece of fabric from her sleeve and used it to clean the blood and other mess from the birth off the baby then wrapped him in the shirt Borgos offered. She handed him to Tora and he weakly looked down at the child. Bardock blinked. The baby looked like him, from the wild spiked hair already on his head to the shining onyx eyes. The only thing different was that the baby had a darker shade of skin, like Tora.
"So... his name?" Bardock asked when he had gotten over the shock.
"I like Kakarott." Tora grinned.
"Perfect." Bardock pressed a kiss into his mates warm forehead then wrapped his arms around him and looked back down at the child: A miracle that he had helped to make.