*A/N In which a series of misunderstandings occur, and Arianna finally manages to tell Steve the truth.
Sometime in early December, 2015
"Steve?" Arianna called as she walked out into the common area. Wanda looked up in surprise from her place on the couch, while Nat strode out of her room curiously, picking up on the slightly hysterical note in the brunette agent's voice.
"Have you guys seen Steve?" Arianna asked worriedly, and Wanda shook her head while Nat shrugged.
"No, isn't it a little early?" Nat asked. "Shouldn't he be doing his morning run or something?"
"That's what I thought, but he wasn't in the gym and I can't find him." Arianna sighed.
"Perhaps he's busy?" Wanda tried, and Arianna answered sarcastically: "No, really?"
Wanda gave her a sheepish look while Nat cocked her head and appraised her friend.
"Ria?" The Russian asked abruptly. "Are you okay?"
"Fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Arianna asked, her voice a little edgy and her tone just a shade touchy. Wanda frowned at this uncharacteristic behaviour, while Nat immediately backed off.
"Nothing, just asking." The redhead said quickly, even as she made a mental note to find Steve and kick his butt for whatever it was he did.
As Arianna twisted her hands a little nervously, Nat suggested soothingly: "Why not just wait in your room, I'm sure he'll be back soon."
"No, I really need to find him." Arianna muttered, just as Sam walked in.
"Find who?" Sam asked, and Arianna snapped: "Santa Claus."
"Why would you look for a mythical being created by businesses and children's stories in order to sell toys and ideologies?" Vision questioned as he appeared, gliding through a wall.
"I'm looking for my husband, idiot." Arianna sighed, and Vision frowned.
"Ria," Nat intervened quickly, "maybe you should just go wait in your room."
"Yeah, I guess I will." Arianna said gloomily. She walked off, heading back towards her and Steve's room while Wanda and Nat watched, before the two women exchanged quick glances.
"You don't think-" Wanda began, and Nat said firmly: "Oh, I do."
"What?" Sam asked blankly, and Vision piped up: "Her heart rate was extremely elevated and her actions were reminiscent of cases of extreme nerves or anxiety. I'm not entirely sure, but I would guess her hormone levels are also unsteady, although a test will be needed to accurately check her monthly cycle-"
"Yes, thank you, Vision." Nat cut in sharply, partly wondering why she hadn't interrupted earlier.
Sam's face had turned alarmed, and he repeated: "Wait, her what?"
"Her-" Vision began and Sam yelled: "Don't repeat it!"
"Don't ask something like that!" Wanda scolded Sam at the same time while Nat told Vision in exasperation: "You don't have to take everything so literally."
"Um…" Vision muttered, and there was a brief, awkward silence.
"Come on, Vis," Wanda muttered as she walked out. "Let's go fly for a bit."
Nat heard Vision ask as the pair disappeared: "Was it something I said?"
She rolled her eyes, before she spotted Sam still standing in the doorway, looking stiff and awkward.
"Sam?" She asked, and Sam said quickly: "Huh? What? I'm not doing anything."
"Sam." Nat said severely, and he paused.
"So, you're saying it's that time of month?" Sam blurted out, and Nat smacked his head.
Sam rubbed it in confusion as Nat stalked off, muttering something that sounded like: "Men." As well as a few choice Russian words. Sam frowned, puzzled, while Rhodey arrived, glancing at the disappearing redhead and the look of confusion on Sam's face.
"What did you do?" Rhodey asked, and Sam glanced at the other man.
He seemed to deliberate, glancing around, before he beckoned Rhodey closer. Curious, Rhodey leaned in and Sam whispered in Rhodey's ear: "Apparently Ria's got her, you know… 'woman problem'."
"What?" Rhodey asked, confused, and Sam elaborated: "Time of month?"
"…What?" Rhodey asked blankly, slowly feeling a little disturbed.
"Yeah, exactly." Sam nodded, looking equally perturbed.
"Dude, why would you know that and why would you tell me that?" Rhodey asked, looking almost horrified.
Sam explained: "Because, Ria's looking like she's in a really bad mood, and she's looking for Cap. You know what that means."
"Oh, Man." Rhodey sighed. "What did he do?"
"I'm guessing nothing good. You think we should warn him?" Sam asked worriedly, and Rhodey said seriously: "We owe it to the Cap. Ria can be scary when she's pissed."
"She's gotten mad at you before?" Sam asked in surprise. While he supposed it could happen, and who knew how women were when it was that time, Arianna always struck him as very calm and fair. She only really lost it with Steve, or…
"No, she was furious with Tony." Rhodey explained, and Sam nodded. Now, that made sense.
"So…" Sam began, and Rhodey ended seriously: "Keep Cap away until we know it's all clear?"
"What's all clear?" Tony asked as he walked in, throwing his convertible keys onto the counter.
"Ria's mad at Cap." Rhodey explained, and Tony asked with a frown: "Why? What could the perfect Capsicle have done to make her mad?"
"We don't know, but it's probably all on Ria's side." Sam explained, and Tony began defensively: "Look, pal, I know Ria, and-"
"Apparently it's her time of month." Rhodey explained.
Tony's mouth shut immediately, his face becoming slowly horrified. He lifted a finger as he asked, sounding very disturbed: "Okay, first of all, how and why do you know that, and second, why did you tell me that, and third, what's Capsicle done?"
"Well, Vision explained, and dude, don't ask." Sam advised, and both men closed their mouths again immediately. "And I'm telling you cause she came out looking harassed and worried, and she was looking for Cap."
"God, I'd love to see her yelling at him and not me for a change." Tony muttered, and Rhodey punched his arm. "Ow!"
"That's not the point here, Tony." Rhodey sighed, and Tony muttered under his breath: "Party-pooper."
"Excuse me?" Rhodey asked pointedly, and Tony replied quickly: "Nothing."
Rhodey sighed, but all three men huddled as they discussed worriedly: "Yeah, but until we figure out what he's done, we can't do much to protect Cap."
"Why not send in Tony to ask?"
"Wait, why am I the bait?" Tony demanded, and Sam pointed out: "You are her best friend, she'd be more likely to tell you."
"More like she'll be more likely to rip my head off." Tony countered. "And why not just let Cap deal with this?"
"We men gotta stick together and look out for each other." Rhodey advised. "Remember that time with Pepper?"
Tony scrunched his nose, and Rhodey said: "Exactly."
"Fine, but if this all goes to pot-" Tony began, and Steve interrupted as he joined them: "If what goes to pot?"
"Steve!" Sam and Rhodey yelped, although they both clamped their mouths shut quickly before their voices could carry down the hallway. Tony also glanced around worriedly, making Steve frown at them in confusion.
"What-?" He began, and the other three tackled him, slapping their hands over his mouth and shutting him up quickly.
"Sh!" Sam hissed as Tony whispered in alarm: "She'll hear you."
"… What?" Steve asked blankly, although his voice was muffled around their hands.
"Apparently, Ria's looking for you and she's ticked off." Tony explained, and Steve frowned.
"Why?" He asked, pulling their hands off impatiently.
"We don't know." Tony admitted, and Sam added: "Where've you been? Can you think of anything you might've done?"
"I don't know, I went for a run outside cause it was a nice day." Steve answered, completely bewildered.
"Uh oh, that must be it." Rhodey muttered, and Tony murmured: "Must be. He worried her by not telling her where he went, she's not going to be happy."
"Guys," Steve interrupted with a frown, "Ria's not like that. Why do you think-?"
"Well, yeah she's not usually like that." Tony answered, rolling his eyes. "I'm her best friend, I know that. But, right now, she's delicate and the smallest things could set her off. It doesn't happen often - thank God - but I was once caught on Pepper's bad side, and I don't want you to go through that."
"What's Pepper got to do with it?" Steve asked blankly, and Rhodey explained: "Because usually women are fine, but sometimes I guess they've got to let it out somewhere, and unfortunately the boyfriend, or the husband, usually gets the brunt of it."
"What are you guys talking about?" Steve asked, completely confused, and Tony said impatiently: "Steve, Ria's-"
"Steve?" Arianna called as she appeared in the hallway.
"-Here!" Tony squeaked. "Whatever you do, just apologize, it'll be over quicker that way."
"Sorry man, we tried." Sam said as he backed away.
"Yeah, sorry Steve." Rhodey added quickly as he also moved to give the couple space.
"What are you guys doing?" Arianna asked, staring at them as she walked over, and Steve shrugged.
"I don't know, but I guess I'm sorry?" He said, and all three other men smacked their heads into their hands.
"… What?" Arianna asked blankly, and Steve answered: "That was my reaction."
"What he means is," Tony cut in quickly to save his friend, "he's so sorry he didn't tell you where he'd gone and that he worried you."
Arianna stared at Tony as though he was crazy, and Sam added: "Yeah, he won't do it again."
"So just forgive the guy." Rhodey begged. "Let him off easy."
"Are you guys drunk?" Arianna deadpanned while Steve lifted his shoulders in confusion.
He reached up to hug Arianna, stopping abruptly when she tensed at his movements. The others all caught the moment as well, and they panicked. Tony cried: "Oh, God, Ria, just let him have it, get it off your shoulders, kid!"
"What? Tony!" Rhodey scolded, while Sam yelled: "He's sorry, he's sorry, he's-!"
"What is wrong with you guys?" Arianna demanded, starting to get annoyed as Steve also stared at his friends in complete bewilderment.
"Ria," Tony began as he forced himself to be calm, "I know it's a tough time for you right now, but you've got to understand you're being irrational-"
"What?" She snapped, and Steve interjected: "Er, Tony, I don't think you're helping whatever it is that's happening-"
"I know, it's hard," Tony soothed and Arianna's face blanched. The other two men nodded encouragingly while Steve stared, worried and bewildered by Arianna's reaction.
"Trust me," Tony went on, "I don't know personally, but I mean, I've watched and helped Pepper through it-"
"Pepper?" Arianna asked in confusion, and Tony nodded as he explained: "It's absolutely normal-"
"What's Pepper got to do with it?" Arianna asked, sounding alarmed, and Tony explained: "Well, all women go through it, it's natural-"
"What's going on?" Nat asked in confusion as she returned carrying a paper bag.
Wanda and Vision appeared in the other doorway at that moment as well, both looking surprised to see the group gathered inside, but Arianna was staring at Tony as he continued: "So just know, speaking from personal experience, and you know this has to be heartfelt for me to admit-"
"Oh, my God, Tony." Arianna gasped as she stared at Tony. "Are you and Pepper pregnant?"
There was a pause.
"…What?" Tony asked blankly, and Arianna replied, looking torn between confused, delighted, and worried: "You said you had personal experience. I have no idea how you found out about it, since I just found out this morning, but you said Pepper went through the same thing-"
"What?" Tony asked, and Arianna frowned.
"What?" She asked, and Rhodey asked in confusion: "What just happened?"
"Ria, are you pregnant?" Nat asked bluntly and the brunette nodded, frowning.
"How does everyone know this already?" She asked, before her eyes narrowed. She asked Tony in a deadly voice: "Tony, did you set up FRIDAY to spy on our room, even after I told you not to?"
Tony didn't answer, looking like he was ready to barf, pass out, or snap. Maybe all at the same time.
"You're pregnant?" Sam repeated in shock, and she complained: "God! Guys, what happened to privacy?!"
"Um, Steve," Wanda began, "are you all right?"
Everyone paused to stare at the super-soldier, who looked like he'd gone into shock.
"Steve?" Arianna asked worriedly, and he finally croaked: "Yeah?"
"Are you all right?" She asked in concern, and he asked numbly instead: "You're pregnant?"
"I thought you knew?" Arianna asked, sounding puzzled as she glanced around. Steve blinked once, before he swayed.
"Steve!" Arianna yelled as she reached out to grab him. Nat leapt over to grab Arianna, shielding her as Wanda quickly used her powers to keep Steve up.
"Pregnant?" He repeated in a weak whisper. Arianna studied him and her face went white.
"Oh, my God." She whispered. "You didn't know. Then why…?"
She looked over at the other men in confusion while Nat's eyes narrowed as she saw Sam and Rhodey shifting sheepishly while Tony looked like he'd frozen in place.
"What did you guys think was happening?" Nat asked quietly, her voice deadly.
Rhodey and Sam swallowed, before the latter said faintly: "Well, after Vision said…"
"I knew it." Nat groaned, and Arianna demanded: "Can someone tell me what's going on?"
"You don't want to know." Nat advised, when Steve interrupted, sounding stronger as he demanded: "Ria, you're actually pregnant?"
"I thought we established this!" She shrieked, sounding at her wits end and looking overwhelmed and terrified.
Wanda quickly let go of Steve, taking a step closer to Arianna in worry and Nat quickly squeezed Arianna's shoulders reassuringly as the brunette cried: "I didn't know what to do, and I'm freaking out, and Steve, I'm sorry, I didn't want to tell you like th-!"
She was cut off as Steve stood up, grabbing Arianna by the shoulders and pulling her out of Nat's grasp. She blinked, before yelping as Steve scooped her up around the thighs, lifting her in the air as he cheered: "We're pregnant!"
"Congratulations." Nat deadpanned, although she was fighting a smile now as she watched the pair. Wanda also relaxed, smiling as well while Arianna blinked, looking down at Steve uncertainly.
"You sure it's good?" She asked worriedly, and he beamed as he answered excitedly: "'Good'? Ria, this is the best thing that's happened since you agreeing to marry me."
She laughed, finally relaxing as she bent down to press her forehead against Steve's. Suddenly there was a yell, a thud and a crash, followed by more yelps of alarm as Rhodey shouted: "I think Tony's fainted!"
*A/N Just a fun chapter! Sorry, couldn't resist~ And I thought it would be a nice break from the heavy atmosphere and the heartbreak that's going to happen in the Civil War storyline of 'Captain's Hart and Soul'.