DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE.
The rating of this story has CHANGED from T to M now, due to sexual content. Please bare this warning in mind if you decide to continue reading.
~0~0~0~0~0~
"Uh, you're infuriating!"
Steve tipped his head back as his laughter filled the room. He sat up and looked down at his wife, who was still glaring at him, but he struggled to take her seriously. "That's not what you were saying a few minutes ago, sweetheart" He reminded her, with a pointed flick of his eyes down her naked, utterly sinful body. The thin sheet of the bed was gathered around her hips, but it left her naked top half bare to him. If they hadn't just finished the third round of earth-shattering sex, Steve would have pounced on her there and then, driven by his burning love for the goddess that lay next to him.
"Prick," Natasha grumbled, but did nothing to hide her exposed body. Instead, she stretched her arms over her head, causing her back to arch, lifting those breasts higher as if daring him to touch them, with his hands and his mouth.
Steve fought down the desire that was starting to surge through him all over again. He managed, somewhat. "Nat," His tone was steady, compared to the rest of his body, which was already responding to the sight of her, and the flames that lurked within those emerald eyes of hers. "I meant what I said."
She groaned, a sound of frustration, rather than the sort of sounds that had been erupting from her mere moments ago. "There has to be something that you'd want."
"I have everything that I never thought I would get." Steve said, with the same steadiness and honesty that had filled the exact same words when she'd first brought up this conversation. To prove his point, he lowered himself so his nose could brush down the coloum of her throat.
He didn't miss the way her body trembled slightly under his touch, and he certainly didn't imagine the way her breath caught. With no small amount of pride, he realised just how much effect he could have on this fiery, beautiful, hot-headed woman - a woman he still couldn't work out how he'd been lucky enough to be blessed with as his wife, and his best friend.
"Steve." He knew full well that his name wasn't supposed to come out in a low moan, and that she had indeed intended on growling it out, to remind him that they'd been having a conversation, but he just rested his hand on her stomach,fingers grazing over the soft skin, as his lips met her fluttering pulse point on her throat.
"Nat," He said against her neck.
As his hand dipped lower, and her thighs parted on their own accord, Steve knew he'd won, this time. He was under no illusion though; Natasha would continue bringing this up, trying to pry any scrap of clue from him regarding what he'd like for his birthday this year. His birthday wasn't for another two months, but this happened every single year; Natasha tried to bully out any hint of what Steve wanted, because she worried that she wasn't that good at gift giving.
That couldn't be further from the truth. Everything that she'd ever bought him, he'd cherished. Everything she'd ever given him, had come from her heart. But, he hadn't been lying when he told her - twice - that there was nothing in the world he desired, because he had everything he needed. He had her.
His fingers brushed down her hot, wet centre, and he relished in knowing that her desire for him never wavered, just like his had never once lessened for her.
But, then her phone alarm went off.
"Please tell me it's something really important." Steve mumbled, as his hand stopped it's ministrations, even though every part of him was screaming at him to ignore that alarm. But, Natasha only ever set an alarm when it was necessary, and considering they'd been up for two hours already, it wasn't a routine alarm.
Natasha gave him an amused look as she sat up, his hand sliding down her legs as she moved to rest against the headboard. She leaned down off the bed and grabbed his shirt, throwing it on. "I'm supposed to be meeting Wanda for lunch today."
"Should I be offended that the invitation wasn't stretched to me?" Steve joked, as he watched his wife practically crawl off the bed. Considering that Natasha looked beautiful in absolutely everything, it should be considered a crime that she looked that good in just a baggy shirt, that barely covered her thighs.
The playful glint in her eyes when she turned to look at him showed she knew exactly what seeing her in his shirt achieved. "I remember a certain someone promising to spend the day with Sam and Bucky."
Oh, yes. Steve would have felt guilty for forgetting that plan, if he hadn't just spent the last two hours - and most of last night - being thoroughly distracted by his wife.
His wife, who had that mischievous look to her face, as she stood at the end of the bed in only his shirt. He knew nothing was underneath, because her panties were still across the room, where he had thrown them last night.
"As happy as it makes me to know that the three of you will be having fun," Natasha went on, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards. "I'm not intending on sharing you with them all day, so make the most of it."
"Is that so?" Steve asked as he got himself out of bed, stalking over to her so he could wrap his arms around her waist. His hands slid to her rounded ass, giving it a firm squeeze. "And what do you intend on doing with me for the reminder of the day, wife?"
Her hand came up to his chest, not to push him away, but rather to rest over his heart. "You'll find out later," She promised, leaning up to brush her nose against his, her breath fanning over his face. He lost himself in the scent of her, in those emerald eyes that sparked with life. He'd never take a moment with her for granted. "If you stop being such a stubborn bastard about your birthday."
With that, she pushed away from him, managing to get out of his arms before even his enhanced reflexes could keep up with her. In the blink of an eye, she stood in the doorway of the ensuit. A second after that, his shirt was off her body and was being flung towards him. He caught it, and growled, "Minx,"
The look she sent him over her shoulder was enough to confirm that she enjoyed teasing him far too much to bother responding to that comment.
Shaking his head in amusement, Steve had to fight against the urge to call their friends to cancel their plans, and stride into that room after his wife.
~0~0~0~0~0~
The little cafe where she met Wanda was bursting with colour; the walls inside were painted in yellow, there were so many different types of flowers decorated outside in hanging baskets that it made Natasha's head hurt, the display counters were filled with various bakery goods, including cakes that looked far too good to be edible.
The two women settled down outside, enjoying the gentle, cool breeze that drifted around them. Wanda listened with amusement sparking in her eyes as Natasha recounted her earlier discussion with Steve regarding his birthday. When she was finished, Natasha gave her a look that basically begged for some kind of help.
Wanda gave her an encouraging smile. "Steve always loves what you get him." She pointed out. "I'd stop worrying about it so much."
Natasha sighed, stirring her coffee round with a spoon. Her taste buds hadn't been kind to her as of lately, making her dislike her firm favourites and replace them with strange combinations that either had Steve gagging, or laughing whenever he saw her snacking in the kitchen. "Steve is the least materialistic person I've ever met." She said. "But, I still want to get him something special."
"His birthday isn't for a little while yet." Wanda encouraged her softly, lifting her pink-sprinkled doughnut to her mouth. "You'll figure it out."
Praying that would be true, Natasha looked down at her own food. She'd gone for a plain chocolate chip cookie, and by her standards, it should already have been demolished. Yet, she still hadn't taken one bite from it.
As observant as usual, Wanda asked, "Nat, are you feeling okay?"
"I don't know." She admitted, pushing the small plate away from her with disinterest. She'd ask to take the cookie home with her, if she didn't eat it. An offering to her husband for her appalling gift brain-storm. "Some days, I just feel...off."
Wanda raised an eyebrow. "Have you gone to the doctors?"
Even the thought made her stomach twist. "I try to avoid doing that as best I can." That was why she had made herself learn how to take care of basic wounds, to avoid people prodding and poking at her. Steve was the only person she'd ever let tend to her injuries.
The image of her husband in a doctor's white lab coat - and nothing else - popped into her mind, and refused to leave.
"What about Shuri?" Wanda checked. "It's been almost two months since...since everything."
Natasha had considered contacting the Wakandan princess, but then life got in the way and distracted her. Her bad days were stretched out so much, with so many different possibilities behind them, that she hadn't seen it as urgent.
"I think a lot of it is just down to stress." Natasha told her, but even she wasn't convinced by her tone. "With the house and work, everything just got a little...too much at times." That wasn't a lie. Now that the house was finally complete, a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was a weight that she had burdened herself with, but only because she had been so determined to make that house the home that she and Steve had always wanted.
Always wanted, and never expected they would ever get.
Wanda's eyes were flickering with concern. "I still think you should call Shuri. Just to be safe."
Could the lightning still affect her body? Natasha's brow furrowed at the thought. When her body had crashed to withstand the aftermath of that sort of power, she could have sworn that her veins still sang for it, still craving to feel that kind of energy.
"If it happens again, I'll contact her." Natasha promised, simply because she didn't want another person fussing over her. Steve was already enough.
Yesterday, when she'd practically launched herself from the bed and collapsed against the toilet, he'd carried her back to bed afterwards, gotten her a cold cloth for her forehead, and had insisted on staying at home with her. Natasha had rolled her eyes at him, insisting that she was fine, and had gotten herself ready for work regardless of the fact she knew that Steve was watching her every move, as if ready to catch her again should her legs let her down.
She understood his worry. She couldn't imagine how scared he must have been, after that battle, when she'd been out of it for days. The panic that had laced his voice when he'd spoken to her, the look on his face as she'd opened her eyes, it still returned to her in her dreams some nights. Along with reminders of Vormir, of Clint, of that battle, of Thanos standing over her husband with that blade pressing into Steve's throat.
Steve's fussing wasn't something she hated, even if she teased him for it, even if she fought back against it every single time. She loved that about him; that he cared so much about her, that even the thought of her feeling slightly off made him worry. She'd never imagined that someone could love her that much.
But, she'd made a promise to herself, after that battle. After everything that had happened and that had been out of her control.
She'd never be weak again.
That was why she pushed herself through her classes, why she drove her students harder than they'd properly expected. She got to work slightly earlier in the morning, so she could train by herself. Sometimes, Steve joined her, but she had a feeling that was mainly because he wanted to keep an eye on her, especially some mornings when she could barely keep her eyes open and walk in a straight line.
"What do you think the boys are getting up to right now?" Wanda asked.
Thankful for the change of subject, Natasha relaxed back into her chair. A smile tugged at her lips as several possibilities sprang to her mind. "I'm not sure if I want to know. If my house is still standing by the end of the afternoon, I'll consider it a blessing."
Wanda laughed. "I think the three of them are smarter than to purposely piss you off." She pointed out.
The corners of Natasha's lips twitched in amusement, as she took another sip of coffee. It was sweet, sweeter than her usual order, as it seemed her body wanted nothing more these days than rest and a shit-ton of sugar. "They'd better be."
~0~0~0~0~0~
Natasha invited Wanda back to the house after their trip into the city, mainly for reinforcements. But, when they returned, they found nothing but peace. The three men were sitting in the lounge, with various snacks and bowls on the small wooden coffee table in the middle of the sofas. The TV was running in the background, but it seemed like the three of them had been too busy talking to pay any attention to whatever they were supposedly watching.
"Hey, sweetheart," Steve greeted her as she entered the room, flashing her a dazzling smile that always left her breathless. "Hi, Wanda,"
Sam and Bucky echoed their greetings, shifting along the couch to give Wanda a seat in the middle of them.
Giving them both a smile, Natasha headed naturally to her husband, taking her seat across his lap. Steve's arm was around her waist in a second, showing he had no complaints whatsoever about the seating arrangement that she had picked. As the other three settled into a catch-up, Steve leaned forward to nuzzle Natasha's neck affectionately.
"Did you have a good time?" He asked, even though she knew him enough to understand the underlying question in his words, you okay?
Natasha leaned back into his chest, shifting into a comfortable position. "Yes, you mother-hen." She ruffled his hair, and his answering chuckle was relaxed. His hand squeezed her thigh before resting on it, perfectly content to remain there.
Their friends remained until the early hours of the evening. All of them agreed on ordering pizza, having a few rounds of cards where they attempted to teach Wanda poker. Sam had once again stated that it was insane how Natasha could keep such a straight face, and even Bucky protested when she won yet another game. Steve had just given her amused glances throughout, and it was clear from the light in his eyes that he was enjoying having their friends round just as much as she was.
It just felt so normal.
A completely different world to the years where, when they had gathered around a table with friends, it had been because a threat faced the world.
Later that night, Natasha regarded herself in the mirror after her shower. Her hair was still wet, making the red darker. Was that why her skin looked slightly pale? She felt fine within herself, but her feet ached slightly, as if she'd been on them all day. All she'd really done was walk into the city and back for lunch. The rest of her evening had consisted of sitting around the table, eating pizza and completely annihilating everyone else at cards.
Perhaps, she really should call Shuri...
But, the princess of Wakanda probably had a lot of things on her plate; helping her brother rebuild their kingdom, along with all those incredible inventions she got up to in her spare time.
Her fingers played with the dog tags that sat against her chest, as they always had done from the very moment Steve had gifted them to her. The metal was cool, but it now also felt like an extension of her body. She took a deep breath, and pushed away any thoughts of how tired she was.
She slipped into a silky blue negligee, stepping into the bedroom to find Steve reading. He was sat on the bed, back pressed into the headboard, book in his lap, but it was his reading glasses that had Natasha's heart miss a beat.
Steve lifted his head up the second her shadow fell into the room, the book in his hands seemingly forgotten about the second he saw her. "Nat,"
Well, that wasn't the tone she had been expecting.
Natasha paused, leaning her hand against the doorway as she twisted her body slightly. "Yes, Steve?" She asked, battering her eyelashes innocently.
Her husband was out of the bed and standing in front of her in swift, graceful movements. Before Natasha could switch on to what he was doing, his hand was pressing against her forehead.
"You're hot, sweetheart." He commented.
She raised a hand of her own, entwining her fingers through his so she could lift his palm off her skin. She brought it to her mouth and kissed it gently. "I told you I had plans for us tonight." She reminded him, dodging his observation, as she led his hand down to her breasts, which were aching for his touch despite how much her feet were begging for the bed.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it." Steve said firmly, removing his hand from her and resting it against the curve of her waist instead.
"Steve, I just had a hot shower. Of course, my skin is going to be warm." Natasha told him, taking a step closer to him so their bodies were merely a couple of inches from each other.
Unfortunately, the desire in his eyes had practically disappeared now. "Get in the bed, Nat. I'll go get you another cold cloth."
She huffed. "I'm absolutely fine, Steve-"
"Natasha, your temperature is almost through the roof." He insisted, and she could see there and then that there was no changing his mind. Unfortunately, his stubbornness matched her own.
"Steve, I'm-" That was when her body seemed determined to betray her, as her legs almost gave out on her. Only her husband's fast reflexes prevented her from falling to her knees. Steve lifted her up without a word, carrying her to the bed and gently laying her down amongst the soft sheets.
"I'm calling Shuri," Steve decided, and Natasha suspected that Wanda must have said something on her way out, when Steve had said goodbye to her at the door. If she had it in her, Natasha would have felt slightly betrayed, but she knew that Wanda would have only done it because she cared.
Her head was spinning too much for her to even want to give a verbal reply, as Steve darted into the bathroom and returned with a cloth that had been soaked in cold water. He rested it to her forehead before disappearing out of the room, no doubt heading for the study, where he'd have the technology required to reach Wakanda, seeing as a usual land-line certainly wouldn't work.
Holding the cloth against her forehead, Natasha could do nothing to prevent her eyes from closing, as her body finally demanded the sleep it had been requiring all day.
~0~0~0~0~0~
His heart was hammering so much that it threatened to burst from his chest as Steve made contact with Shuri, who patiently listened as he explained to her everything that had happened in the last few weeks. He felt absolutely terrible for not doing this sooner, for not looking into why his wife was always so tired, why her skin had lost colour. Natasha hadn't exactly made it easy for him, when she always insisted she was fine and most of the time, she was. It was only a few off days that she had had, but for her, that was quite a lot. He should have known, and that thought kept eating away at him as he spoke to the princess.
"It is hard to determine what is happening to her, when she is so far away." Shuri pointed out. "But, I agree that for her, a bout of sickness isn't normal. I'll go through my reports and see if there is anything that could indicate what is going on."
Steve exhaled a breath that he hadn't even known he'd been holding. "Thank you, Shuri. I really appreciate it."
Saying a quick goodbye to the young genius, Steve headed back up to the bedroom, where he found his wife fast asleep, lying with the cloth still over her forehead. If worry wasn't clawing away at him, he probably would have taken a photo. But, he simply walked to the side of the bed, carefully peeled the cloth from her face, returned it to the bathroom before returning to the bed and gently covering Natasha with a blanket.
As he slipped under the sheets beside her, he turned onto his side and watched her. Her breathing was so gentle, the look on her face so at ease, that he wondered just how exhausted she must have been.
Seeing her collapse like that had brought back memories of that final battle, where she'd been stood beside him one minute, and then tumbling to the ground the next. He'd never forget that raw panic that had surged through him as he'd picked her up, or the worry and dread that had consumed him the days that followed, where he hadn't been sure if she'd wake up.
"I love you, Nat." He whispered to her, brushing a strand of hair back behind her ear with the softest of touches.
Sleep did come for him, but it did nothing to sooth his worry.
~0~0~0~0~0~
Two days had passed since the 'incident', as Natasha chose to refer it as, but it was only when Natasha was clearing out the ensuit that she realised something that had her dropping the rolls of toilet roll that she had been putting away.
She'd missed completely missed her period last month.
You're being ridiculous, she told herself firmly, as she put everything back in it's rightful place. But, she couldn't help but rack through her brain, despite for a scrap of evidence that proved that she had simply forgotten going through her last period because she'd been so busy. But, now, she was starting to realise that the reason she had no recollection of such a thing was because it had never happened.
With everything that had been going on with the house and work, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that such a thing had been overlooked, but Natasha had never been late for a period, let alone missed one.
Her cycle was like clockwork.
One phone call made to Wanda had the woman arriving at the house within the next half hour. "Are you sure?" She asked, brow furrowed as she passed over a small paper bag.
Natasha swallowed. "No, I'm not." She admitted. Steve had gone to headquarters for a meeting with both Fury and Hill, but as much as Natasha needed him here right now, she'd hate to get his hopes up.
This was impossible.
But, she still headed upstairs, Wanda following close behind her and waiting on the bed. Natasha shut the door of the bathroom and leaned against it, trying to calm her rapid breathing.
Breathe, Steve's voice found her, as if he was really standing beside her, comforting her and coaxing her through things. Should she do this when he came home? Even though she was only actually doing this to confirm what she already knew; this was impossible, and she'd properly messed up her cycle from being so stressed lately.
Yet, she still couldn't explain her mornings spent hurling into the toilet, or her change of appetite, or how no amount of sleep seemed to ever be enough to make her body feel as if it could function normally.
"Nat?" Wanda called in from the bathroom, successfully jolting her away from her spiralling thoughts.
"I'm okay." Natasha said, hoping her voice sounded more convincing to Wanda than it did to her own ears. The bag remained opened in her hand, and the weight of it felt like she was holding a boulder. "I'm okay," She repeated to herself.
Her hands were still shaking as she opened the bag and got out what she needed. The whole procedure seemed so alien to her, as it was something she had never considered doing. Something that had never been an option, so even thinking about it had always hurt too much to allow herself to think it could ever be a possibility.
And yet, here she was.
The fact she felt she was about to be sick was nothing to do with any food or illness, as she waited those two minutes. The longest two minutes of her life, rivalling that time that she'd had to wait for Steve to return from putting the six stones back where they belonged. Natasha was more than aware that Wanda was waiting outside, and that her friend would be there to comfort her as soon as she opened the door, but she remained in the bathroom.
Even as the two minutes were up, she wasn't sure if she was brave enough to look.
When she finally mustered up the courage, the answer waiting for her was enough to bring her to her knees, her cries loud enough that Wanda burst in. Her friend barely checked before wrapping her arms around her and holding her, as Natasha's body lay shaking on the cold tiles.
~0~0~0~0~0~
As Steve walked back home that evening, he found himself once again appreciating New York at night time. The city was always bursting with people and noise, yet there was something different about it once the sun set; as if all the stresses of the day faded and everyone could just breathe and enjoy what was on offer. The city itself always looked as if it had captured the stars, as thousands of lights glistened. Music transformed the streets, the smell of mouth-watering food brought the city warmth and comfort, and tonight it seemed that everyone Steve passed was in a good mood.
But, that feeling of lightness left him the second he returned home.
Something had happened.
Steve tried to fight down that instinct as he entered the house, but he couldn't help but feel as if something was different. The house was far too quiet...
"Nat?" He called.
The second his wife appeared from the lounge, he scanned her from head to toe, looking for any sign of injury or distress. Instead,he found nothing but glowing emerald eyes and a small but bright smile spreading across her face.
Faster than he could blink, she was upon him, jumping up and wrapping herself around him tightly. His hands instantly supported her up, but he couldn't even get a word out before her lips crashed against his.
Her joy was infectious, even though he had no idea what had happened to bring about such a greeting. He'd been gone for a slightly longer than expected, his meeting overrunning simply because of all the paperwork and information that they'd had to shift through. Fury had then asked about Natasha, wanting to check in on her, as it seemed even the Director of SHIELD had picked up in her change of behaviour recently.
But, as his wife's tongue brushed against his bottom lip, Steve couldn't ignore how his heart soared at the fact that she was feeling better. He pulled away so he could look at her, her mouth swollen but her eyes still burning with that same fire that had captivated him the second she'd appeared in the hallway.
"Nat, what's going on?" He asked her.
"Steve," Her forehead rested against his, her nose brushing against his own. "I'm pregnant."
Her words were as if someone had just wiped a table sheet out from underneath his feet, throwing him off balance momentarily. "Pregnant?" He repeated. "But-"
"I know." Her eyes were lined with silver tears. "I know it's impossible, and I know we never really talked about it, but it's true." A single tear streaked down her cheek. "I'm pregnant, Steve."
He didn't drop her from his arms, instead he held her slightly tighter, as he tried to keep up with what she had just told him. Shock rippled through him, along with an overwhelming surge of pride and happiness at her news, but he simply couldn't wrap his head around it. "I thought that it couldn't happen, after...after what they did to you."
"It wasn't." Natasha's body felt so tiny in his arms, as her arms wrapped round the back of his neck and her nose nuzzled into his cheek. "But...I think that what happened with Mjolnir changed something. When I woke up, my body felt...recharged. New. Filled with energy. What if, when I was under, it took longer because Mljolnir had broken me, and then repaired me? Fully?"
He'd never even once considered it. Never once. He'd just been relieved to have his wife back, and had woken up every single morning since counting his blessings that she was still at his side, even after everything they had been through. Not even Shuri had brought it up, in all the check ups before they'd left Wakanda. But, the princess had never learnt of what had happened to Natasha. Steve knew that his wife had brought it up with the Queen Mother briefly, but there was no telling if Shuri had been aware of it, seeing as she'd never had any medical reason to know.
"We're having a baby?" Steve repeated, unable to stop his own tears from forming.
Natasha nodded as she continued to cry, moving one hand to brush away the wetness from his cheeks. "According to the five tests I took this afternoon," She confirmed.
He lowered her down onto her feet, only so he could cup her face and kiss her, showing her the amount of devotion that was flowing through him at her news. This beautiful woman, his incredible wife, was pregnant with their child. He was going to be a father.
By the time they pulled away from one another, both of them were breathless.
"We're having a baby," Natasha whispered, as if even after hours of knowing, she still couldn't believe it herself. Steve really couldn't blame her.
His arms wrapped around her waist as he pulled her into his chest, hugging her and breathing in her citrusy smell. He wasn't entirely sure how long they remained in the hallway in each others arms, but he couldn't care less. His wife was pregnant, with a child that neither of them thought they would ever be blessed to have together. They would contact Shuri straight away in the morning, Steve decided, but thinking about anything other than his wife and the miracle growing inside her right now was a wasted task.
A child who, he vowed in that particular moment, would never go a single moment without knowing they were loved and protected.
~0~0~0~0~0~
I'm so sorry for how long this chapter has taken to reupload, but I'm honestly not joking when I say that I've rewritten this about six times, and I'm still not completely happy with the finished product. I really struggled, but I think that's mainly because my head has been absolutely lost in the world of ACOTAR ever since reading a Court of Silver Flames. So I'm sorry, and I apologise that this chapter wasn't very good.
But, a Romanogers baby! I'm still brainstorming names, so any suggestions would be great!
- E x