Not a lot changes for Steve, after finding out he's pregnant. Little things change, but nothing big. Steve stops worrying completely about any threat Tony might pose, but he'd pretty much stopped worrying about that a while ago. Tony does get a lot more cuddly at night, something Steve thought wasn't even possible. Ever since they found out about the baby, Tony's been all over him, just touching and rubbing his belly. There's barely a bump there, but Tony really, really, enjoys touching it. Steve doesn't mind, so much, except that it tickles, a bit. Aside from that, the only changes come from Pepper, who makes sure he drinks enough and takes a few breaks during the day.

Mostly, though, things stay the same. Steve gets up in the morning, works, spends time with Tony, and then goes back to sleep. It sounds pretty unsatisfying, but honestly, Steve's content. The only real problem Steve has, aside from the distant threat of childbirth, is that his escape plan just refuses to come together. There's nothing solid yet, though he'll get there, he's sure. Other than that, things are pretty good. Steve's happier than he's probably ever been.

At about four months, the baby starts to move, which isn't as fun as it sounds. Oh, Steve's sure it's fun for Tony, who only has to feel it from the outside, hands pressed against Steve's belly. But for Steve, it's just uncomfortable. It also really makes it real, for the first time, and Steve sometimes has to stop and just think about the fact that there's someone growing inside him. It's deeply strange, though not, he thinks, unwelcome. He's ready to love this baby with everything he's got, even if it kills him.

Eventually, Tony has to go back out on another hunt. He's not happy about it, but there's nothing he can do. If he doesn't go, his house won't eat. It's his duty, and Tony accepts that, he does, but that doesn't mean he's happy about it. Every instinct he's got is telling him he needs to be here for Steve. He knows, rationally, that Pepper will take good care of him while Tony is gone, make sure he eats and doesn't work too hard, but who's going to be there to cuddle with him at night, or blow raspberries on his belly? Those are things that only Tony can do, and while he's gone, Steve will have to go without. Tony never, ever wants Steve to go without anything.

At least there's one small glimmer of hope on the horizon.

"Don't worry," he tells Steve the night before Tony's supposed to leave. "This hunt won't last as long as the last one. We'll be back in a little over a week, in time for Natasha to leave on her spirit quest."

Since Natasha's only a few months younger than Tony, they pretty much grew up competing with one another. She's a tough bitch, and that's for sure. She'll make a great asset to the hunting party, once she gets back from her spirit quest. And as long as she stays away from Tony with anything sharp, they'll be golden. Tony'll never admit it, but Natasha's made him nervous ever since she stabbed him in the neck when they were eleven. It hadn't been a deep wound, but Tony's still got the scar. He swears it prickles every time she tries to sneak up on him.

"Which one's Natasha?" Steve asks. Sometimes Tony forgets that Steve doesn't know many people here. It's not that the tribe is unfriendly or anything, but they do have pretty scheduled lives. Steve usually only interacts with the people that work in the fields at the same time he does. And Tony and Pepper, of course, but they don't count.

"The mean looking redhead," Tony says, and shivers a bit, for effect. "She's vicious, Steve. I bet she'll have no problem at all on her spirit quest, because all the wild animals and the heat and everything will be too afraid of her to go after her. Me, I was nearly delirious, but I bet she walks back into camp fresh as a spring fucking daisy."

Tony stops his rant, but only because Steve's laughing at him. He's got plenty more to say about Natasha, though. He could recite epic poems with everything he's got to say about her.

"You're such a goofball, Tony," Steve tells him, but he scooches closer, so Tony knows he doesn't mean it. Or if he does mean it, he doesn't mind, at least. Tony nuzzles him, and then Steve's quiet for so long Tony thinks he's asleep. Tony's almost asleep himself when he hears Steve whisper, "I'll miss you." And that, right there, might make the whole trip worth it.

Tony's pretty distracted the whole hunting trip, but apart from some teasing from Rhodey, no one really says much about it. They all know his bride's pregnant with their first child, so he gets some leniency. Still, just because he's distracted doesn't mean he's not a first class hunter. What he lacks in aim, he makes up for in strategy, and it's only thanks to Tony's brilliant plans that they bring down two of the buffalo. Also thanks to his new and improved arrow heads. He'd worked on those for weeks, and they at least two times better than the old ones. It's all about design. Well, design and material, but mostly design. Tony's a genius, he's always said so.

By the time they ride back into camp a week and a half later, dragging three buffalo behind them, there's only a day left before Natasha has to leave on her spirit quest. Perfect timing, really. There'll be just enough time for Tony to have a very short, very dutiful conversation with her, hopefully surrounded by lots of people, and wish her luck. He does that first, to get it out of the way.

He finds her outside her house's tent, sharpening her knives. Tony doesn't shudder, but only because she's watching him. He keeps it short and sweet.

"Good luck tomorrow, Natasha," he says. "I'm sure you'll do well."

She replies with a friendly, "Fuck off, Tony," which is a cue to retreat if Tony's ever heard one.

Then, Tony goes to find Steve. He's seriously been lacking in Steve-cuddles this past week, and that needs remedied, like, now. He finds him, after much searching, in the horse paddock, which makes a warm glow of pleasure flood into Tony's stomach. His favorite guy in his favorite place, petting that stupid horse, Dummy, who, honestly, holds a special place in Tony's heart, as well.

Tony doesn't even think about it, just sneaks up behind Steve and clings. "Hey, sweetheart," he says, though it's muffled in Steve's neck.

"Tony!" Steve says, and he just sounds so happy about it that Tony can't help but laugh and hold him tighter, one hand creeping down automatically to touch their baby. They stand their together like that until Dummy apparently decides he needs attention, too, and nudges Steve's shoulder. Tony finally lets go, stepping back a few steps and giving Dummy a few pats on the head.

"You're ruining my reunion," he tells the horse, very seriously. Dummy just chews on his shirt sleeve, unconcerned. To Steve, Tony says, "What are you doing out here?"

"Pepper made me take a break," he says, and he doesn't sound happy about it. Tony knows Steve feels useless when he's not working, but at least he's been taking it easy for the baby's sake.

"What were you guys working on?" Tony asks, taking Steve's hand and guiding him back toward the fire.

"Natasha's tent," Steve says. "I never realized how much work went into making one. We've been working on it since you left, pretty much, and it's still not done. Pepper seems sure it'll be finished by the time Natasha gets back though."

"It'd better be," Tony says without thinking. "Otherwise I'm not sure where they're going to put her bride one the raiding party brings him back."

Tony keeps walking and nearly has his arm jerked out of its socket when Steve stops short. When Tony turns to look back at him, his face is white and he's swaying slightly.

"Steve?" Tony asks, suddenly alarmed. He lets go of Steve's hand to grab his shoulders and steady him. "Are you okay? Is it the baby?"

Steve shakes his head but doesn't say anything. Tony helps him sit on the ground and hovers over his shoulder, hand clenching nervously. He hasn't even considered it until now, but what would he do if something bad happened to Steve and the baby. Tony's never seen a mother die during childbirth, but it happens, and it's not that uncommon. Tony's own mother died that way. He killed her, as sure as anything, his father used to tell him so all the time. And now, what if he's killed Steve, by putting this baby in him. Tony should have just said "fuck duty" that first night. He and Steve could have just taken Pepper and run away together, gone somewhere no one would ever have to conceive and then they'd all just stay alive.

Tony's pretty much useless the whole time Steve is on the ground. He offers to go get Bruce, but Steve shakes his head, face in his hands, so Tony just hovers and worries. Eventually, after a few long, tense minutes, Steve looks up at him again.

"I'm okay," he says, and holds up his hands for Tony to help him to his feet. He's lying; his face is still pale and he's shaking the tiniest bit, but Tony doesn't call him on it. He just tries to calm his own breathing and gets them moving again, back toward the fire and supper.

Steve is such an idiot and he didn't even realize. This whole week they've been sewing Natasha's tent, and the only thing he was thinking the whole time was how nice a gesture it was, congratulations for her completing her spirit quest. Not once did he stop to think what was going to happen in that tent. Not once did it even occur to him that they were going to kidnap another innocent kid, tie him up in that tent and force a baby into him. The worst part is, there's nothing Steve can do about it.

Steve can feel Tony's eyes on him all night, as he picks at his supper, nodding along as Pepper talks about something or other. Pepper notices, though, that he's not really paying attention, and she offers to go with him early back to the tent. Steve's feeling out of it enough that he doesn't even protest at her coddling.

Back in the tent, Steve undresses quickly and lies down, back to the tent flap. Tony's probably going to be in early, tonight, and he's going to want to talk about it, but Steve's just not sure he can handle that. He doesn't want to talk about it, or even think about it. If only, he thinks wistfully, he had an escape plan. Then he could help himself and more importantly, this new bride. He wracks his brain, trying to think of something, anything, that could help them. Nothing comes to him, though, and the baby makes Steve tired enough that he ends up falling asleep, even before Tony comes back.

The next few days are awful. Steve gets up in the morning and goes to work in the fields, but everyone can tell he's not himself. Tony has at least three people come up to him at different points in the day and ask about it. He thinks about going to Bruce, but he's not sure it would help. For one thing, he doesn't have any ideas at all about what might be wrong with Steve. He'd been fine when they were in the paddock yesterday, and he doesn't seem to be having any actual physical symptoms that Tony can see. He's just upset, and like it or not, that's kind of a pregnancy thing, too.

So Tony just watches and waits, keeping an eye on Steve from afar. Pepper's watching, too, he can tell, though they haven't talked about it. It's not really enough, but as long as Steve doesn't get any worse, it's really he can do.

That's how it goes for the next two days, and there's an awkward tension between Steve and Tony the whole time. Then, on the night Natasha returns from her spirit quest, Steve goes back to the tent before the celebration even starts. Tony makes his excuses and follows after him. He knows Pepper will cover for him. He shouldn't, it's not the done thing, but everyone's seen how off Steve's been lately, so Tony knows no one will say anything about it. As long as they go in the morning to greet the new couple, it should be fine.

In the tent, Tony finds Steve lying down on their pallet, tense and shaking again. Tony lies down behind him and tries to pull him close, but Steve jerks away from his touch. It hurts, more than Tony will admit, but he can't give up.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

Steve's, "No," is so quiet Tony almost doesn't hear it.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Steve doesn't answer.

Finally, Tony says, "Well, I'm here if you need me."

It's all he can do, and until Steve's ready to talk, he's going to keep doing it.

The lead feeling in Steve's stomach never really leaves, even when he's asleep. When he's woken up by Tony the next day, though, and told they have to go visit Natasha and her bride, however, it gets a lot worse. He nods, because what else can he do, and dresses. He can't eat at breakfast, and Tony definitely notices, but at least he doesn't say anything about it. Tony doesn't eat much either, but then, he never does.

Then Steve's time is up, and Tony's leading him toward Natasha's new tent, where she and a blonde boy Steve's never seen before are sitting. The bride, he must be, but he doesn't half as upset as Steve feels.

"Hi, Natasha," Tony says, as they walk up.

Natasha gives him a delicate little wave that shows off the new spirit tattoo on her wrist, a surprisingly lifelike black spider. "Tony," she says disdainfully, then she looks at Steve and smiles. "Steve," she says rather more pleasantly. "This is my bride, Clint."

Tony nods at him, but Steve's just can't. No one seems to notice. Then Tony sighs, like he's mentally preparing himself, and, with a quick look at Steve, says, "Natasha, let's take a walk. I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about."

Natasha smirks at him, but obligingly gets up. She pats Steve's shoulder as they pass. Then they're both gone, leaving Steve alone with Clint. He sits, awkwardly, in the spot Natasha was just sitting in, trying to find the words to say.

"Are you okay?" he finally asks.

Clint looks at him strangely. "Uh, yeah," he says, like it should be obvious.

It's not the answer Steve was expecting. He's not sure how he felt the morning after this baby was conceived, but he's pretty sure it wasn't okay.

"But don't you feel violated? Don't you miss your village?" he asks, a bit desperately. He doesn't want to cause pain in this man, but he needs answers. He needs to know.

Clint scoffs. "Are you kidding? A sexy lady pins me down and wants to put a baby in me, it's like a dream come true. Why would I feel violated? And why would I miss my village? Everyone there were jerks. It's much nicer here. There're telling me I get three meals a day, warm clothes and a pretty girl in my bed every night. What else could I possibly want? All my life I've been waiting for someone to rescue me from my shitty life. I think this might be it, you know?"

"Oh," Steve says, small and quiet. He hadn't thought of it like that, before. It makes him feel better, a bit, knowing he won't have to rescue this bride, as well as himself. He can breathe deep, now, knowing that no one was hurt last night or forced into anything. He even smiles a bit, shakily. It's like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders and he's a bit lightheaded, to be honest.

"So you're Tony's bride, huh?" Clint asks, and Steve nods. "You know, Nat was talking about him all morning. Don't get me wrong, it was all complaints, but I got the impression she could go on for a while about him. You think I should be jealous? Oh, shit! What if they've run away together right now?"

Steve laughs, a little from giddy relief, and a little because he knows exactly what Clint's talking about. He's not sure exactly what kind of messed up relationship Tony and Natasha have with each other, but apparently Tony's ability to babble endlessly about her is mutual.

"Somehow I don't think that's likely," Steve says, patting Clint's shoulder. "Tony was talking the other day about a stab wound she gave him once. I think he'd be too terrified to go anywhere with her."

"That could be a front," Clint says reasonably. "It could all be to hide their epic love." Then they look at each other and laugh.

By the time Tony gets back from his terrible Walk of Doom with Natasha, Steve and Clint seem to be fast friends. Tony's so relieved to see Steve actually smiling that he goes weak in the knees.

"Oh good," Clint says, wiping a fake bead of sweat off his forehead. "We thought you two had run away together."

Tony likes this guy's style, but the very idea of running away with Natasha makes his eye twitch. Judging by Natasha's smirk in his direction, she sees it.

"We were going to," Tony says, to cover it. "But then Natasha realized she forgot her dolly, so she had to come back for it."

Natasha's elbow to his ribs is vicious and swift. Tony doubles over, clutching at them, aware that everyone's laughing at him, even Steve, that traitor. They keep laughing, the jerks, the whole time Tony's down. When he finally straightens back up, though, he meets Steve's eyes, shining and lovely, and thinks worth it.

The rest of the day goes pretty smoothly. Steve's no longer looking like he's two seconds from passing out. He goes to help in the fields, under Pepper's watchful eye, and when Tony meets him at lunch, he's eating again. After lunch, Tony's got some time, so he helps with the mending, doing his very worst job, just to see Steve's cute little scowl. Clint even comes over to sit by them while he does his own mending, though thankfully he doesn't bring Natasha with him.

Before supper, Tony and Steve hold hands and take a walk. Steve smiles at him the whole time, and Tony's just so grateful he's feeling better that he doesn't even care what caused it. He'll find out, eventually, he's sure, whenever Steve's ready to tell him. Until then, though, this is fine, great even. They eat supper next to each other, then after Tony makes his rounds, they cuddle together in bed.

Everything is going so smoothly and Tony's just so happy, that it's no wonder things go so wrong so quickly afterward.