44- Birth
Early Winter
Pan woke up with a pain running down her spine and going into her groin. She inhaled a sharp breath and tightened her back as the pain throbbed for a few short moments before it eased down. For the last several days, her body had been preparing for the birth of the twins. The pain had started mild and sparse at first, but now it was often, and the intensity of it was growing.
"Are you okay?" Trunks' voice was thick with sleep from beside her.
Pan wasn't surprised he was awake. He seemed always to sense it when the pains hit her. "I'm okay," Pan said.
Trunks' hand found her shoulder before it slid down to her back, where he started rubbing. "It's almost the Yule," he said quietly.
"Mhm," she agreed. In just a few more days, it would be it. She leaned up so she could kiss him. "Happy birthday," she smiled. "We'll have to get up soon and start getting ready."
Trunks let out a low groan. "We don't have to, Panna," he said.
"Yes, we do," she pouted. "It's an important day."
He stopped rubbing her back and reached down to grab one of her hands. He kissed it gently. "It's just another day," he said. "I'm another year older and-"
"You're now the royal age to be crowned future king," Pan said. "You can't tell me that you haven't been looking forward to this, because I know you have."
"Yeah, but-"
"And just because I'm due to explode any day doesn't mean anything. So listen up, babies," she glanced down at her stomach. "You two behave until after your Appa's ceremony, got it? You've already stayed in there longer than you were supposed to, so a few more hours won't hurt," Pan said seriously.
Trunks chuckled and leaned down to kiss Pan. "I'm sure they'll make their grand appearance soon."
Bulma couldn't contain her tears. She couldn't believe that her child was now a 23-year-old man. It seemed like it was just yesterday that she was chasing a little Trunks through the castle, begging him to put on some clothes.
Trunks had changed a lot over the years. He had been such a mischievous little thing when he was younger, and he still had his moments when he liked to stir the pot and cause trouble. After they had thought Tarble had died, Trunks had become depressed and rash. He didn't care about any consequences and didn't stop to think much about any of his actions. That had changed after he had met Pan, though. He had found someone he wanted to be with, someone that made him think before he acted so she wouldn't be hurt.
"They grow up so fast, don't they?" Chi-Chi said softly as she stood beside Bulma. She was looking over to where Trunks and Pan stood as well.
"Yes," Bulma sniffed.
Trunks was smirking at Pan as he ran his hands down his velvet vest, something Bulma had learned Pan made for him a few years ago. Pan seemed to be pouting as she pointed to her stomach.
Chi-Chi chuckled. "I bet you he's teasing her cause she can't fit into the dress she made to match him-" she shook her head slowly. "He's a mess, but I'm so thankful for him," she said softly. "If Panny didn't meet him, then I don't think I would have ever gotten Goku-Sa back. And Pan's been the healthiest she had been in years because of him. He's the best thing that could have ever happened to her."
"I feel the same way about Pan," Bulma said with a gentle smile.
"Bulma," Vegeta walked up to her. "It's time."
She let out a deep breath and nodded her head. She took the arm Vegeta offered to her as they started their walk towards the royal balcony. They made their way to where Trunks and Pan were standing near the entrance, and Bulma smiled at them brightly.
"Don't start crying," Trunks muttered.
"I've already been crying," Bulma told him. "It's a big day, and I'm allowed to be emotional."
She expected Trunks to roll his eyes, but he just smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, I guess so."
"The suns are nearly at the highest point," Vegeta said. He glanced at Trunks with a small smirk, "you ready, Brat?"
"I've been ready," Trunks smirked back.
Vegeta and Bulma took a step towards the balcony, and the guards opened it up for them. The cheers that greeted them were joyful and loud. Saiyans stood in the courtyard, filling it. Bulma could see them standing all the way to the city, and she couldn't help but feel a swell of pride at how loved her son was. Everyone knew how hard he was working to rebuild Vegeta-Sei.
Vegeta raised his hand, and the cheering claimed down. "Thank you all for coming," he began. "Today, we not celebrate the not only the birthday of the Prince, and recognize him as the future king of this planet. We also celebrate the birth of a new era for Vegeta-Sei, one that I know he will lead us into."
Vegeta held out his arm for Trunks to join them. The Saiyans below grew loud once again, and Bulma smiled brightly as she looked at her son. She didn't think she could be any prouder.
Pan felt awful. She couldn't get comfortable, whether she was standing or sitting. She hadn't had a contraction or cramp since earlier, and it amused to think that maybe the babies were obeying her command. Still, she could feel everything tightening, and she knew that it would only be a matter of time before the real contractions hit.
The thought excited Pan. She was so ready to meet her children. She was ready to hold them and kiss them and tell them how much she loved them. But she was also nervous. Her body wasn't the healthiest, and though she hadn't been sick in a while, she was still worried. Could she be strong enough to give birth to her children? She prayed so. She would use all the power inside of her if she had to so her children could be born healthy.
"Pan!"
Someone plopped down next to Pan, and she turned and smiled at Endou. "Oppa," she said. "I saw you dancing out there with Kimi."
Endou's cheeks tinted pink. "Yeah," he grinned. "I guess we're official."
"That's wonderful!"
"But man, does she like to dance," he sighed as his shoulders drooped. "I needed a break. You have the right idea to sit back and chill."
"I'm pregnant," Pan said. "I don't have a choice. I would like to dance, though," she pouted.
"Then come dance with me," a voice behind them spoke.
Pan glanced up and grinned as she spotted Trunks leaning over her chair. "Where have you been?" She asked him.
He had disappeared after officially being declared the royal heir. He grinned, "to take off the cape and everything Appa had to drape over me. It was heavy." He took a step back and held out a hand to Pan. "You really want to dance?"
She smiled and grabbed his hand. "You looked handsome out there," she told him.
"Like a future king?" Trunks raised an eyebrow as he helped her up.
"My future king," she giggled.
A pain shot through Pan, and she gasped out loud as her knees buckled. Trunks caught her quickly, and Endou was up on his feet instantly. Pan could feel her legs starting to soak, and she let out another surprised gasp.
"Panna?" Trunks' voice shook slightly. "What's wrong?"
Pan looked up at him with wide eyes. "My water just broke," she whispered.
Trunks ran down the hallways as he clutched a bag full of baby clothes to his chest. Pan had been frantic, saying the clothes needed to be brought to the medical wing for when the babies arrived. Trunks had tried telling her that it was okay, and they could wait until after, but Pan wouldn't hear it. So off he ran to their room in the tower to grab the bag they had been preparing for this day before he ran back to the medical wing where he had brought Pan.
By the time he sped into the hallway in front of the medical wing, his and Pan's family were already there waiting on the chairs. Bulla jumped up as soon as she saw him.
"Is Grandpa here?" He panted. He had been on Vegeta-Sei for Trunks' birthday, but he hadn't been in the hospital.
"Yeah, he just arrived. Chi-Chi went in to be with Pan," Bulla explained.
Trunks nodded and turned towards the medical wing. The doors opened up before he got there, and Dr. Brief peaked out. "Oh, there you are," he said as he spotted Trunks.
"Is everything okay?" He asked slowly. Somehow, his grandfather's eyes were making him nervous.
"Oh, yes," he nodded. "I just wanted to warn you."
Trunks could feel his heart rising up in his throat. "Warn me about what?"
"You're about to meet a side of Pan that you didn't know you existed."
Trunks' eyes widened, and he took a step back. "No, thank you-" he began to turn around and was grabbed by his grandfather. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" He said with a laugh and slid his way into the hospital wing.
Trunks sat the bag down on a nearby chair and walked over to the bed where Pan was. Some nurses had changed her into a comfortable gown, and Chi-Chi was standing beside the bed as she dabbed a wet cloth to Pan's forehead. Pan was breathing heavily as her lips trembled, and Trunks' heart aches for her.
"Panna," he said as he reached down to grab her hand.
"Don't touch me!" She sobbed as her shoulders shook. Pan opened her teary eyes and glared at him. "This all your fault!" She wailed.
Trunks' eyes widened, and he glanced at Chi-Chi, who gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry. It's normal for emotions to run wild during labor," she told him gently.
"I told you," came a snicker from Dr. Brief.
Trunks let out a heavy sigh and sat down beside Pan on the bed. He grabbed her hand anyway, and she turned to glare at him again with an adorable pout. "It's not just my fault," he told her gently.
Pan sniffed, "I know. But let me just blame you. It makes me feel better," she mumbled.
"Okay," he kissed her hand gently.
She tightened her hold on him. "You're not going anywhere, right?"
"Of course not," he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'll be by your side the whole time," he promised.
Pan was exhausted. Childbirth had been incredibly painful, but the reward was delightful.
The suns had already set low into the horizon, and Pan smiled as she looked at her babies. Both of them were cuddled up on her lap as they slept. Trunks sat down beside her gently and kissed her temple, and she smiled. He had stayed by her side the whole time, and honestly, Pan didn't know what she would have done without him. She didn't think she would have been able to bear the pain if Trunks hadn't kept encouraging her and sending her some of his Ki.
Pan reached down and gently stroked the babies' soft cheeks. Their son had been born first, just as he had said in Pan's vision. He was rather small, but he screamed loudly upon his entrance. He had a headful of dark blue hair, and his eyes were dark, and Pan smiled fondly, knowing that he would have her eyes. Their daughter was born three minutes later, and she, too, screamed upon her entrance. Her hair was almost as dark as Pan's, but it would lighten up, and so would her cloudy eyes.
Pan gently picked up their daughter as Trunks held their son. She was tired but in bliss.
"Panna," Trunks grinned at her.
"Hm?" Her lips twitched. She didn't think she could ever be as happy as she was now.
Trunks leaned over and kissed her. "Thank you," he told her gently. "This is the best birthday present you could have ever given me."
"They love you so much they wanted to share this day with you, I guess," Pan told Trunks with a grin.
A gentle knock on the door got their attention, and Chi-Chi poked her head in. She had left after the babies were born to give Trunks and Pan some privacy and alone with the babies.
"Are you ready for visitors?" Chi-Chi asked.
"Mhm," Pan smiled as she nodded.
Soon, their families were flooding inside of the room. Chi-Chi had one baby, and Bulma had the other. Bulla and Marron were cooing, and everyone seemed to be all smiles.
"So, can we know their names now?" Goten asked as he stood beside Bulla.
"Yeah!" Bulla nodded. "You two have kept us in the dark for a while now!"
Trunks chuckled and looked down at Pan. She smiled and nodded her head. "Everyone," Trunks began. "Say hi to Prince Takehiko and Princess Takara."
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."
-Unknown
Takehiko means military prince!
Takara means treasure!
I named her after another Trupan kid from the fanfic 'Ice Prince' by my very dear and special friend, Lavenblue! You can find all of her fics on fanfiction- they're worth checking out, I promise!