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B - Bed Rest

Summary:

Steve and Natasha deal with pregnancy cravings, mood swings, and preparing for a wedding.

continuation from Hiraeth  but can be read as standalone.

Notes:

apparently, I am not done with this series. lol

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Seven weeks

 

“ugh”

Steve winced at the retching sound his fiancée made in the bathroom, knocking on the door when he hears the water being flushed “Tasha, sweetheart, are you ok, can I come in?”

“Fuck!” Natasha muffled sound echoes through the room, causing their three years old boy sitting cross-legged in the bed and giggle

“Mama said a bad word” the little boy pointed

Taking a deep breath, Steve climbed to their bed joining his son “yes Peter, mama said a bad word. But it’s special because mama is very very sick right now. you are allowed to swear as long as you are really in pain and only at home, in front of mama or daddy. Ok, buddy?”

“So, I can say bad words if I fall down the stairs?”

“Yes. But it’s not an invitation so don’t jump from the stairs on purpose, you hear me?”

The bathroom doors finally open revealing a sweaty and pale woman with hair tied in a messy bun with a few strands matted flat on her forehead. Climbing to the bed with a hoarse grumble, looking at Steve “this is bullshit. I never got this sick with Peter” she rolled her eyes when she saw Steve hurriedly covering their son’s ears with his palm mid cursing giving her a silent judgy side eye “it’s getting late, Pete. Have you brushed your teeth?”

The boy shakes his head, waving his father’s hand from his ears “mama, are you sick?”

“I’m fine, kiddo. Want to sleep with us tonight?”

“Yes!”

“Go brush your teeth, change your clothes, get your toys and come back to join us. It’s already past your bedtime” Steve gets up and helps the kid climb down the bed and pulls the covers from his side before shouting “you’re only allowed to bring one toy” to the kid which he replied with a faint disappointed “aw”

“We have like fifteen minutes to ourselves” Natasha's eyes glints in excitement

“Then we must use it wisely” Steve wasted no time and started to kiss her lips passionately the same time Natasha put her hands on Steve’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss.

Natasha’s small sigh of pleasure suddenly turns into a small yelp as her body moves to climb into Steve’s lap. “FUCK!” she groans as she stumbles on top of Steve, her forehead colliding with Steve’s long stubbled chin. One hand massaging her temple and the other hand gripping Steve’s shoulder for balance.

“Tasha, you’re okay?”

“Fucking vertigo, everything is spinning” she groans again and move to lay next to Steve “just switch”

“I don’t think we should continue with you like this”

“Damn it!” Natasha pouted and continue to lie down when Steve lays beside her, one hand stoking her hair

“how’s Peanut?”

“7 weeks pregnant and still won’t let me come closer to the father. I think we are creating another cockblocker” she let out a tired sigh and snuggle closer “this felt nice”

“Good night sweetheart” Steve settled to kiss her forehead and pat her flat stomach “good night, Peanut” while Peter rush to their bed holding a box of Lego blocks “No, Peter. You know the rules, no Lego on the bed. Just put that on the floor and come here” Steve sighed and help the kid to lie between them

“To be fair, you only said toys, you weren’t specific enough” Natasha grins as she helps the kid sleeps on the spare pillow

“True, I guess we both share the blame for that one. I’m not waking up with another piece of Lego stabbing my butt”

 


 

Eleven weeks

 

“Well, the good news is you got here in time and the bleeding wasn’t that much, the fetal is strong and not in so much distress” the doctor slid the ultrasound wand on her stomach while pointing at the screen

Steve looked at the screen “What happened?”

“Could be a couple of reasons. Stress, overworked, standing on her feet too long. I will prescribe some medication and full bed rest for two- or three weeks tops. Make sure she’s not operating a heavy machine or standing on her feet for too long” the doctor writes on the pads and gives the prescription pads to Sarah Rogers “Nurse Rogers will help you with the details of dos and don'ts during your bed rest”

“First, easy on the high heels. Get flats or more comfortable sandals” Sarah Rogers give Natasha a look while helping her from the table

“But it’s Dior” she answered trying to hide her disappointment

“Would it be worth it if you fall and broke your neck?” Sarah raised one of her eyebrows

“I guess you were right” she sighed dejectedly looking back and forth at Sarah and her heels

“I told you the same thing and you try to bite my head off,” Steve said dryly earning a scowl from Natasha

“Miss Stark, try to avoid heels for a while, get yourself some good comfortable flats or sandals. How’s the morning sickness?”

“Less throwing up, still tired and a lot of headaches”

“Drink plenty of fluids and try snacking in between”

 


 

“I can’t thank you enough for this, Ma has an early shift and I got this deposition and the doctor put her on bed rest. I don’t want her to be alone because Nat is picking up Pepper from the airport. I think they will come around the afternoon, I will also pick up peter and Anna from the daycare and do not let her inside the lab”

“I’m on bed rest, not an invalid, Steven” they can hear the muffled shouts from the room down the hall

Rolling his eyes, Steve looks at Bucky again “as you can see, it’s only day two and she’s already bored out of her mind. You can eat anything in the fridge, take out menus are on the second drawer from the sink. Thanks, Buck, I gotta go now”

“Just go, I got her”

“Bucky, go get me my soldering iron” another muffled shouts

Steve let out an exasperated sigh and glanced at Bucky for help “don’t look at me, you signed up for this the moment she said yes to your mother’s ring” Bucky let out a big shit-eating grins “go, I can handle her”

 

**

 

“Stark” Bucky knocks on the open door and leans on the frame “hey, you need anything?”

“Yes, I need you to grab an ice cream, hot sauce, my soldering iron, and screwdrivers. I need to tinker with your hand real quick”

“Yes, my lady” Bucky bend his knees in curtsy and grab the stuff she ordered and sit next to her on the bed

“You know, I was pretty sure you wouldn’t let me work as per Lord Steve's instruction”

“I won’t tell him if you don’t” Bucky scoop another vanilla ice cream drizzled with a dash of hot sauce “fuck, this is good”

“All of the Mother Henning is cute for the first few weeks but now it’s just annoying”

“Been there. Just humor him. He already missed your first pregnancy with Peter. The first time he found out he was going to become a father was the day Peter was born. It was not an easy day for all of us, cut him some slack, let him go overboard with taking care of you and this one”

Natasha just nodded at his words “I guess you have a point there. fine, I guess letting him spoil me a little more couldn’t hurt”

“Good. Now Stark, this is very good. I would never doubt your cravings anymore” as he scoops another bite of ice cream

 


 

Natasha and Pepper finally arrived and now four of them are sitting on the bed eating some take-outs. Pepper got her big binders with colorful sticky notes, Nat scribbled and laid several color palettes on the floor, and Bucky absentmindedly flipped the magazines while Tasha was half lying on the bed munching at her food.

“What do you think of Navy and Blush Pink?”

“Steve does look good in Navy blue” Tasha noted

“What do you think of a custom chandelier? Tacky?” Pepper scrolls on her phone looking for several options

“Very” Bucky muttered without looking up from flipping the pages

“How about Vermont? It’s your first time meeting each other” Nat pops a handful of almonds into her mouth

“Not allowed to sit on moving vehicles for a long period of time” Tasha answers mid chewing “damn, Pep. This pickled herring you got me is delicious. Do you still have more of these?”

“there’s still another jar in the kitchen. Along with dill pickles. I go get it for you” Nat stood and went to the kitchen

“And top it with some Nutella” Tasha shouts, earning a weird look from Pepper “what? It sounds delicious, and Peanut love chocolate”

Peanut?”

“Steve was so excited when he first saw the sonogram, the strong heartbeat and it looks like a round dot, hence the Peanut nickname” hearing rushing little footsteps approaching the room “ooh, we got incoming”

“AUNT PEPPY” a mop of familiar brown hair together with a little girl with auburn shoulder-length hair screaming and running towards Pepper hugging each of her knees

“Ooh I missed my munchkins” Pepper kneels down and hugged the kids “come with me, I got gifts for you two” Pepper took each kid by each hand and drag them to the living room followed by little squeals and laughter from Peter and Anna

“Hi Sweetheart, how are you doing today?” Steve walked to the room glancing at the mess on the floor and bed before walking closer to the bed to kiss the top of his fiancée’s temple

“Less nauseated and hungrier. Here, try this” Tasha scoops a spoonful of her fish into Steve’s mouth

“Ugh, god. That is sour. What is that?” Steve made a face

“That is pickled herring that Pepper got her from her Switzerland trip” Nat answered from behind them, bringing more fish and pickles tops with some chocolate spread

“And what the hell is that?” Steve’s face turns one shade paler looking at the bowl

“Another pickled herring, dill pickles, pickled onions with some Nutella” Nat pass the bowl to Tasha which she cheerfully scoops, leaving Steve trying his best not to gag

“it’s only getting worse from now” Nat pat Steve’s shoulder in sympathy and sit crossed legged at the floor again looking back at her color palettes

“That looks good. let’s make another bowl” Bucky nudges Nat

“Okay” Steve looks so unsure “what are you guys doing today?” looking at the mess

“Wedding preparations. We narrowed it down to five venues, three colors, and one cake. Chocolate, obviously. Peanut would love that one. Five dresses and three options for your suit. I also got Armani custom-made some matching shoes for you and Peter” Tasha answered mid licking the chocolate-covered spoon

“Damn, those Hermione Granger’s brains” Bucky muttered under his breath

“You got me a custom what?” Steve's eyes widened and looking at Natasha and Bucky ”I want every decision from now on to get right through me too, we’re having a wedding, not pouring money down the drain”

“But Steveeee” Natasha nasally whined doing her best imitation of his son. Bucky and Nat are trying their best not to burst out laughing at how similar the two sound. Like mother like son.

“That doesn’t work for peter, not working for you now” Steve sternly looking at her pregnant fiancée who is currently sulking “could you guys leave us for a moment?” Steve sighed and sit on the bed when the two run as fast as if their butt are on fire “Natasha, I don’t need a custom-made luxury shoe for our wedding. And Peter probably going to grow out of it in months, a year top. As long as there’s us, Peter, Peanut, Ma, and our friends. No one would care about any brand we wear that day. Save the money for rainy days because I am pretty sure you’re going to bring me to my early grave with all those shopping to spoil me and our kids”

“Guess I went overboard again, huh?”

Steve flipped a page on a magazine next to Natasha marked with various colorful post notes “I have no idea why we need brand new 8,000 dollars’ worth of baby stroller”

“We can use it for both Peter and Peanut” she suggests “or maybe another one”

“Let’s put a pin on a third child for another few years” Steve laughed and lay next to her frame, stretching his legs “you’ve been sick with Peanut, I’m not sure I want you to go through that again. And slightly terrified with the idea of what are you going to spoil our children with after the baby arrives”

“Fine, I will try my best not to spoil them after this. But the custom Armani is a must, no husband of mine is going to marry me with shoes from Walmart” she scoops another chunk of fish “and I already paid for the shoes”

“Promise me it's just the shoes”

“Just the shoe” she crossed her heart

Steve let out a breathy laugh and looked at her flat stomach “you hear that Peanut? Mommy finally agreed with Daddy” moves closer for a quick peck to her lips, rubbing his fingers on the joints of her neck and shoulder. Noticing a lock of short charred hair near her ear “what’s wrong with your hair?”

“I nodded off mid soldering and some hair got caught on the iron” Natasha turned the other way, refusing to look into his eyes and directing her attention somewhere “I know, you were right. I’m sorry” she muttered under her breath licking her spoon in defeat.

Steve just shakes his head and gets up from the bed grabbing the almost empty pickles catastrophe in a bowl “oh. By the way, Peter changes his mind again about his Halloween costume”

“Again?” Natasha let out a tired sigh “what kind of costume he wants now?”

“That creepy clown from IT”

“Ewww” Natasha shudders

“I know right? Almost got me a heart attack on the way home. Something you two have in common with”

“It's the DNA, baby” Natasha just laughed and grabbed one of the magazines again

 


 

Seventeen weeks

 

“TRICK OR TREAT” Peter happily shouts when Bucky dressed in jeans and a white and red striped t-shirt opens the door

“Hey Buddy” Bucky tries to make sense of a brown short-haired onesie holding a bucket in shape of an orange pumpkin “what is that?” looking at Natasha and Steve in confusion

“Hairless Chewbacca” Natasha answered dryly, “Peter said it was itchy so we decide to trim the fur but I ended shears the costume too much and by the third house he already loses the belt”

“that makes him look like floating sh –“

“We know what he looks like, Buck” Steve cuts him short

“And you two are…” Bucky looked at Natasha and Steve both wearing matching black t-shirts and jeans.

“I was supposed to go as magic 8 ball but I left the sticker at home. Stupid pregnancy brain has been messing with me lately” Natasha shrugged as her stomach starts to visibly show with the black t-shirt

“And mine is supposed to have beer bottle stickers on my stomach but she left that too” Steve also shrugged

“Hairless Chewbacca and two lazy costumes then. Come on in” Bucky took a step back and invited them in

“Uncle Bucky, where’s my candy?” Peter tugged Bucky’s pants

 

**

 

Natasha is approaching Steve who is sitting on one of the island stools in the kitchen after giving the neighbor kids with some candies, with her bed rest cleared, and her morning sickness completely gone she enters the new phase of her pregnancy, mood swings, and increasing libido. And Steve is more than willing to help her with the latter one. The first one is still a little confusing for him. From seeing Natasha suddenly bawling her eyes when she ran out of pickles to see her get super angry when a butterfly landed on her fork.

“I got this for us so everyone can stop asking what are our costumes” she waves two post-it notes with a big “S” and “P” written on the center “you want salt or pepper?”

“This is the laziest costume I have ever seen” Steve laughed and took one post it and stick it on his chest

Climbing to his lap, one hand wrapping around his neck, she steals a quick peck. Licking her own lips in confusion steals another peck, and licks her lips again “you tasted good. what is that?”

“That’s Bourbon Maple Bacon cupcake. Sorry, Tash, you can’t eat that. I have the chocolate one on the counter” Nat pointed to the kid's cupcake tower

“Booo” she made a face and turns to her fiancée again “how about you ate another one and I’ll lick your tongue?”

“Tempting but –“

“I have super soakers and I am not afraid to use it on both of you” Bucky interrupted them

“Steve looks better when wet, I say go for it” Natasha just shrugged and show her shit-eating grin on Bucky’s face

“Please don’t” Steve buried his face in the crook of Natasha’s neck with the tip of his ears turned red, one hand wrapping her side as he slipped his thumb beneath her t-shirt to rub tiny circles into her skin

“Let them be, she’s reminiscing her teenage dream she never had” Pepper teased them

“True. I spent my adolescent years building robots. What have you done?”

“I spent my 10th grade beating up your fiancée’s bully”

“And I spent mine watching him beating up my bully” Steve grins, resting his chin on Natasha’s shoulder

 


 

 

Natasha felt strong arms circling her waist and she closes her eyes. Smiling ear to ear unbothered that she was being pinned against the shelves in a dim light walk-in kitchen pantry.

“I thought you call me here to help you with stuff” Steve whispered in her ear, gently nibbling the tip of her ear

“I did. These stupid hormones making me want to ravish you all the time” she said between kisses and slide one hand inside Steve’s shirt feeling his chest

“I like these stupid hormones” Steve mumbled and moved his torso forward, gripping the edge of the shelves and trapping her frame between his hands. A knock on the door startled both of them, Steve rest his forehead on hers and let out a long sigh when Natasha starts to burst into tears mumbling noncoherently about keep being interrupted and planning a murder

“Sorry to bother you, but Peter is crying because Clint mistook his costume for poop and I only got a princess dress in Anna’s closet that is too small for him to change”

“I am going to kill Clint” she growled with tears still pouring, shoving Steve's body to open the door and looking at Bucky “where is he and give me your biggest kitchen knife” between sobs and anger

“I was actually talking to Stevie. How about we go to another room where I can give you a chocolate cupcake and I kid you not, it tasted really good together with hot sauce”

“Chocolate and hot sauce?”

“Yeah. Remember last week when we ate chocolate ice cream with wasabi? Maybe hot sauce would also taste great. Who cares about stupid Clint? Let Stevie take care of them. It’s a party, and no one wants to get arrested for manslaughter tonight”

“Okay” Natasha nodded and went to get the cake

“Call me crazy but I think her weird cravings starts to affect me lately”

“I think it’s been affecting you for months now”

Bucky looks at Steve who is standing facing the wall the entire time with his head down “you okay there, pal?”

“Yup” he popped the P

“Do you need a minute?”

“Uh-huh”

“I will let Clint out of her sight for tonight”

“Thanks” Steve muttered. The pantry door is opened again Natasha storms in like a hurricane and starts showering Steve with a few kisses and “I love you” and storms out again. Letting out a big deep breath as he wipes the stupid grin from his face “I am loving these stupid hormones”

Notes:

fun fact. all of the weird food combinations were based on a true story.

my sister in law and one of my best friends are currently expecting their first child respectively so they inspired a lot of the pregnant cravings in this story.
the vanilla ice cream with hot sauce is actually not bad, but you didn't hear it from me. lol

thanks for reading