Steve x Pregnant!Reader | h a p p y

You hated the news with a passion.

Growing up you had always hated it and despite how many adults in the world watched the news and read the newspaper every day. You couldn't stomach being one of them. Each story only mattered for a moment, until something new came up.

But it wasn't you who was paying attention to the t.v.

Steve leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. His foot jiggled, tapping the floor to the rhythm of his own sadness. Every flood and outbreak of war concerned him of coarse, but especially those in America; those hit too close to home but he couldn't stop tuning in to the news every day. He liked knowing what was happening to the country he would gladly die for, no matter how tragic it was.

As two little boys told their tale in their strong American accents of watching their mother fall into a river and be carried away struggling; you stroked your bulging stomach. Not long now and you would have your own little child; a boy according to the doctor.

"See the kind of depressing t.v your daddy watches?" you muttered down at your stomach. "He really knows how to brighten our day, huh?"

Steve sighed and leaned back against the couch with a frown marring his chiseled features. "Sorry, (Y/N). It's almost a habit, I suppose."

"A habit he says," you said to your bump. "Biting your nails is a habit, not this. Ooh!" You winced and Steve was quick to stroke back your (h/c) hair and hold your face carefully, searching your twisted features for any signs of going into labour. "Calm down, Steve. He's just pressing down on my bladder and if I don't hurry this couch won't be so white anymore."

Steve got to his feet, helping you up even though you were capable of standing without his assistance.

"That's appalling talk for a lady, especially one with a child inside of her."

"Why? Chickening out? Besides, if you had another human being growing inside of you pushing down on an internal organ, I doubt you'd care much for etiquette."

He didn't know what to say to that so he silently took your hand and led you to the bathroom, as if this wasn't your house too and you didn't know where it was.

Almost hourly trips to the bathroom were needed and it was beyond irritating.

Washing your hands, you were mindful not to let your wedding ring slip off down the sink. The light caught off of it, making the simple diamond glitter. It was simple and plain but elegant. Steve didn't like the idea of his wife waltzing around with an unnecessarily expensive ring that could attract robbers to attack her and you were afraid of loosing something so valuable so before your wedding you both had the same request; "Simple and beautiful. Nothing flashy or tacky or that Tony would like."

"I can put up with this constant need to pee, though," you whispered softly to your stomach. You glanced at your ring then down again. "For the both of you."

When you had first begun talking to the baby, you felt stupid. But now you'd grown used to it, and you had heard that he could hear you inside of there and that he could recognize his parents voices so that's another contributing factor to the constant updates you give your baby.

Exiting the bathroom, you found Steve on his phone.

Tony invited you over; everyone would be there. And everyone meant the Avengers, as in heroes who saved the day. You couldn't refuse that offer. Steve didn't seem as enthusiastic during the drive there, but you knew why. That husband of yours constantly worried. He saw everything as a threat.

"It's not healthy to be this stressed," you remarked, resting your hand on his that was on the gear stick. "Tony won't offer me alcohol, Bruce won't get mad, Natasha won't miss her target if she decides to throw something at Clint and the sky won't fall down. Please, just relax."

He sighed through his nose, eyes focused on the road but comforted by your warm touch and sweet words.

"I know, but I can't help it. You and the baby just mean so much to me that I see everything as a possible threat. I'm just worried that I'll loose you. When I think something is finally going right for me... the serum, Peggy... it all slips through my fingers. I understand you feel suffocated but I'm so... scared."

His shoulders stiffened, jaw set. His eyes never once left the road as Steve was a vigilant driver even before you had something precious growing in your stomach. You rubbed a hand up and down his back, the obnoxiously noticeable Stark tower coming into view as you entered the city.

Growing up in the countryside made you crave the peace and tranquility that cities didn't offer, so you and Steve had settled in an isolated area away from car fumes and towering buildings. But you had both done your research on the area. There was a school only a twenty minutes drive away for your son and a ten minutes walk from your neighbours. None had children for your son to play with, but in a creche he would have friends to play with so that was fine.

"Stop worrying so much," you said, wearing a sad smile. "You'll get wrinkles and I'm sure this little guy doesn't want a wrinkled old man for a father."

Steve laughed. "Are you forgetting I'm old enough to be his grandfather?"

"How could I forget? But at least you don't look the part."

"... Would you still love me? I mean, before the serum; when I was scrawny and wasn't Captain America."

"Steve, the only thing that hasn't changed from then to now is what I love most about you. Your pure heart. Of coarse I still would. I'd need to make some good dinners to fatten you up maybe but it wouldn't change a thing. You're one of a kind, Steve, with or without the stars and stripes uniform."

Pulling up in front of the huge tower, and listening to the awkward elevator music that played during the many floors you had to pass to reach where Tony and the others were, you arrived in one piece.

"Hey! Look who's beautiful and glowing from approaching parenthood! Oh, and hi to you too (Y/N)," Tony joked.

Steve tried to glare, but he wasn't good at that sort of thing and instead he just looked really adorable to you.

"Yeah, he's radiant all right," you agreed, linking your fingers through Steve's.

Tony dished out alcoholic beverages to the other Avenger members, before handing you (water/orange juice/apple juice etc) in a wine glass. Everyone (minus Steve) snorted and you rolled your eyes.

"Leave me alone," you scoffed. "This little one will be worth it... though I really am craving some Guinness."

"Guinness?" Bruce tilted his head a little, eyes looking far away in thought. "I never knew you were a fan of that."

"I'm not usually, but I think it's one of those pregnancy cravings. Trouble is, it's not something I can indulge in. I wish I had normal cravings like chocolate and fish or something."

"I don't see how that's normal," Natasha frowned.

"That's good for the baby though, right? Because of the iron in it or something," Tony stated.

"Absolutely no way," Steve cut in, ruining your hope to quench your thirst. It was torturous wanting something for almost nine months and not getting it.

"You always have to ruin the fun," Tony sighed.

Golden brows drew together and his strong jaw line set. Steve took his unborn child very seriously and couldn't understand how someone could make light of possibly destroying something so defenseless and pure.

You rested your right hand on his firm upper arm. Your other hand held his left; two wedding rings glinting in the light. Together you were unified, always there for each other. Even Tony couldn't turn that into a playful joke. You said nothing but you didn't need to. Steve knew you listened to him, understood his protectiveness over you and your son. Words weren't needed.

"So how's Pepper been doing?" you asked to fill the silence, to hopefully draw those eyes away from your loving relationship with Steve that left you exposed. Everyone knew how strong your feelings were and it left you feeling bare to those scrutinizing eyes.

And like that the mood lifted.

.  .  .

"He's stunning!" Pepper beamed. "As handsome as his father. He's gonna grow up to be such a lady killer."

Tony pouted in the background, arms crossed. But no one payed him any attention.

"I doubt Steve will raise him to be like Tony," you argued. "I bet he's gonna be such a patriot and so polite and mannerly."

"Every mothers dream," Pepper hummed.

You shrugged, holding your son to your chest. Small and tiny, he curled up against you, little head rested in the crook of your neck, miniature fingers playing with strands of your (h/c) hair. He was a smaller version of his father, and you imagined him growing up with Steve's personality too. Gurgling, he nuzzled closer.

"I don't really mind whether he's a lady killer or not," you said. "I just want him to be happy."

Bruce sat at a distance from you and (S/N), seeming weary of this tiny creature. He appreciated children of coarse and knew they were the worlds next generation, holding so much potential to either destroy or create. But they were so loud and weak, he couldn't imagine wanting to be near one.

"He seems to be a mummy's boy," he commented, not wanting to seem like he didn't care about yours and Steve's miracle. He did care. But at a distance.

"I'll turn him into a godfather's boy," Tony promised, holding his arms out childishly to hold his apparent godson.

"Who named you godfather?" Steve wondered.

Tony snorted. "Please, like there's any other possibility. If anything happens to you or (Y/N), who's got the money to take care of him?"

"Money isn't important. He needs love."

"And I'm not full of love?" Tony turned to Pepper. "Babe, am I loving?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Sometimes a bit too much."

"See? I'm perfect! Now lemme hold 'im, cute little tyke."

Sighing, you felt (S/N)'s warmth leave you, his tiny body so far away and your arms feeling empty. Tony grinned, swinging him side to side. "For someone who looks like Spandex over there, he's rather adorable."

"My little hero," you breathed out, careful eyes watching Tony for any signs of swinging him too hard. "I wonder if Steve's serum will affect him?"

"I was just thinking about that," Bruce began, adjusting his glasses. "And I believe that will be hard to tell when he's so young. The serum could either affect him later in life or not at all. The only way to properly ascertain the affects it's had on (S/N) is to observe him over a period of time, keeping in mind that it could not have affected him at all."

Steve looked ashamed, hand subconsciously searching for yours for comfort he felt he didn't deserve.

"He could be the future's hero," Natasha pointed out, cool eyes zoned in on Tony's every movement with the baby in his arms. She seemed to be as conscious of his safety as you were.

"If the serum doesn't work on him, then I'll make him a little suit," Tony smirked. "An itty bitty one so he can fly around with his godfather."

No matter what happened to your son in the future, you knew he would be okay. Behind him he would always have his parents and the Avengers. And that thought alone made you feel safer. You knew (S/N) would be happy and you couldn't ask for anything more.