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Tony was anxious. His father had arranged for him to be wed to the omegan prince of Brooklyn so he could continue on his blood line. Tony had fought his father long and hard about this, but in the end he lost, as he always did.
Then Tony began to procrastinate, giving any and every reason the wedding must be postponed. It worked twice, but eventually the king and queen of Brooklyn had threatened to offer their son to another if the marriage didn't go through, and Howard would not let the wedding be pushed off any longer.
So here Tony stood, at the end of the aisle in his finest robes, waiting for an omega he'd never even seen to meet him at the end of the aisle and marry him. And he was anxious.
He was anxious to meet his new omegan bridegroom. He was anxious about whether or not he could get along with his bridegroom in any sort of relationship. He was anxious about the omega expecting what any omega would expect on their wedding day, to be bedded. He was anxious to just get this over with and try to find some sense of normal between him and his betrothed.
Steve was scared. His parents had come to him a few months prior to tell him they'd finally found a fitting alpha for him, never once caring what Steve wanted.
Since then, the wedding had been scheduled and then rescheduled and then rescheduled again. He wondered if his betrothed was dreading the day as much as he was.
Today he stood in white robes that his parents had paid handsomely for, a veil over his head, waiting behind closed doors to walk down the aisle and be traded off to this kingdom in return for coin, like livestock. And he was scared.
He was scared of what his new husband would think of him. He was scared that the alpha would be aggressive, as many are. He was scared of having to fulfill his marital duties with a man he'd never even met. He was scared that his personal guard, the man he truly loved, will have finally had enough and leave him after today.
The door to the great hall swung open and Steve followed his queue to walk down the aisle. He was grateful for the veil covering his face, as he was sure he did not look happy like his new citizens would expect from him. Steve was sure no one had walked as slow as he down the aisle before, savoring his last moments of freedom and dreading the new life he would soon commit to.
All too soon, he made it to the end of the aisle and turned to face his husband-to-be. Anthony was far prettier than Steve expected, he was loath to admit. His beard was trimmed in a very stylish Van Dyke and his warm, amber eyes complimented his soft brunette hair. Steve's heart pounded heavy in his chest as he prayed that this was just some awful dream and he'd wake up back in his own bed, Bucky right beside him.
Steve stayed in that fantasy in his head until he felt the veil being lifted from his face.
As Tony moved the veil from the omega's face to behind his head, his breath hitched. As much as he hated this arrangement, hated his father for forcing him into it, and hated the fact that he'd have to take this stranger to bed, he was amazed by just how handsome the omega was. Steve wasn't what one may see as a traditional omega. He was tall, taller than Tony by some margin. He had broad shoulders and strong muscles no matter where you looked. His clean shaven face was the only traditionally omegan feature about him.
Tony was pleased and couldn't keep a smile off his face. He'd never truly felt like the alpha his body insisted he was, and as much as he dreaded this marriage, the fact that his omega seemed clearly able to take care of himself lifted some of the anxiety from Tony's shoulders.
Steve was surprised by the smile Tony gave him. It seemed genuine and happy, not a hint of malaise. Perhaps his new husband wouldn't be the aggressive alpha he'd dreaded, and even if he was, Steve was actually quite sure he could hold his own against the man. This lifted some of the fear he'd been feeling.
Neither man had really been paying attention to the words spoken by the officiant, and eventually she cleared her throat, grabbing the attention of both men. "Now is when you kiss," she whispered. Blushing, they each leaned in to do so.
There was no "I do" in their vows. Neither man's parents wanted to leave any room for them to wiggle out. So with the chaste kiss between them, it was official, and they were wed.
Tony grabbed Steve by the hand and led him from the room, down a long hall, to what Steve assumed were Tony's royal chambers. It was traditional of course, to consummate the marriage immediately, but Steve was dreading this moment.
Bucky had told Steve that he understood and that it was okay, but to be in bed with anyone else would certainly feel like cheating to Steve regardless.
As soon as the two were in Tony's room, the door closed behind them, every fear and anxiety each man had came rushing back to them, compounded by what they were now expected to do, and made awkward by the fact neither had yet spoken a word to the other.
Still, Steve knew his role, knew what he now had to do, and he let go of Tony's hand and started to disrobe. Tony looked at Steve with wide eyes, but Steve stopped when he saw they were wide not in wonder, or hunger, or want. They were wide in fear. Steve, having removed only his outermost top layer, paused, pulling his hands away from his clothes.
"Are you okay?" Steve asked the alpha, his alpha.
Tony snapped out of it a bit at the question, rubbing his hands together nervously before saying, "I've never done this before and I... I know I shouldn't admit it but, I don't think I'm ready."
Steve let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in, "Honestly alpha, that's the best news I've heard all day, I'm not ready for this either." Steve admitted.
"Tony, please, no 'alpha' business. As far as I'm concerned, you and I are equals," Tony said and Steve smiled at him.
"Tony, it's been a pleasure to marry you and meet you, in that order," Steve joked and it earned a laugh from the other man.
"Is there anything I can get you?" Tony asked.
"What?" Steve questioned, confused.
"You've just come to a new kingdom, leaving everything behind, your friends, your family, your belongings. I know that transition would be hard on me. Is there anything I can get you to make you feel more at home here?" Tony asked, and Steve was amazed by the kindness the alpha was displaying.
There was only one thing Steve wanted, and he didn't dare to hope he'd be given it, but he figured it didn't hurt to ask.
"My best friend," Steve said.
"Can you clarify?" Tony asked.
"There's a knight in my father's guard, James Buchanan Barnes. He's been my personal guard for some years now, and he's my best friend in the world. He is an honorable man and he would work hard for you." Steve said.
"Consider it done," Tony said without a second thought.
Steve looked at Tony with disbelief, "Truly?" He asked with tears in his eyes.
"Sure, I suspect you've been forced into this same as me, no reason we should have to be completely miserable, if I can provide you some comforts of home I'd like to," Tony said.
Steve let out a sob and threw his arms around Tony, giving the man a firm hug, "Thank you," Steve said, his voice wet from crying.
Tony couldn't remember the last time he'd been hugged, it felt pleasant, and he slowly wound his arms around the other man, pulling him closer. As Tony leaned his head in, it came terribly close to the scent gland on Steve's neck, and Tony tensed.
Steve smelled of hormones, but not the hormones an omega casually emits by nature, and not the hormones an omega would give off leading up to or during heat. Tony had smelled pregnancy hormones coming from Steve, terribly faint, but undeniably there. Steve couldn't be more than a week or two along, Tony wondered if the man even knew. And he wondered who the child's father was.
After a moment, Tony pulled away from Steve and started to undress a bit. Steve froze, confused.
"Relax darling, I meant what I said, I don't intend to sleep with you tonight, but one must play the part, no?" Tony said with a wink, removing most of his clothes, but leaving his boxers, and pulling a sheet from the bed to wrap around his waist. He stopped in the bathroom quickly to run his hand under the water and sprinkle some on his chest to look like sweat for good measure.
Tony walked to his bedroom door, and opened it, leaning his upper body outside he waved a guard over.
The guard, Darcy if he remembered correctly, walked swiftly over to him, a blush on her face from his current state. "Yes my prince?" She asked, trying to avoid looking down.
"My lovely new omega would feel far safer if his personal guard stayed in Manhattan with him. See to it that Sir James Buchanan Barnes be brought to us post haste," Tony requested and the guard nodded, "Right away your majesty," she said, running off.
Tony smiled to himself and leaned back into his room, closing the door.
Dropping the sheet, Tony began to redress, catching Steve staring as he did.
"Like what you see?" Tony asked him with a wink. Steve blushed and looked away.
"I'll admit, there are certainly less attractive fellas a guy could be forced into marriage with," Steve said with a strained chuckle. "Agreed," Tony replied and the blush on Steve's cheeks spread to his neck.
After a surprisingly short period of time, there was a knock on the door. Tony stood and walked over, opening the door to Darcy and a knight dressed in full Brooklyn regalia. Tony looked back at Steve and asked, "This the right one?" Steve looked up, and when his eyes met the knight's, his whole face lit up, and Tony knew who the child's father was.
"Yes," Steve breathed out.
"Alright, come on in then sir, thank you Darce," Tony said with a smile. Darcy gave a quick bow of her head and returned to her post down the hall.
Tony closed the door and turned around to see the two men looking longingly at one another. "I must say, sir James-" Tony started, "Bucky," Steve interrupted. "Okay, I must say Bucky, you're quite the looker, it's no wonder our Steve is so taken with you," Tony said and Steve gasped, terrified, "What?"
"Tell me Bucky, have you gotten a chance to scent him recently?" Tony asked and the knight looked at him, playing confused. "No your highness, why would I have?" He responded. "Well, go ahead," Tony ordered.
Bucky looked at Steve confused, hoping Steve may have answers for him, but Steve simply shook his head. "Go on," Tony prodded, and Bucky took a few steps forward towards Steve, leaning his head into Steve's neck, but keeping his hands off him. Bucky took a long sniff and gasped. "What?" Steve asked.
"I'm so sorry Steve," Bucky said, pulling away and turning to walk back toward Tony. Bucky removed his sword and offered it to Tony, kneeling in front of the man.
"What the hell is this?" Steve demanded.
"The end of the line," Bucky said to Steve with tears in his eyes.
"I know my sin, I know what the law demands as my penance, and I accept my fate your grace, but I beg of you, show Steve mercy." Bucky said to Tony, still kneeling at his feet.
"NO!" Steve yelled out, running over and throwing himself between the two men, "I won't let you hurt him," Steve said with conviction.
"Alright, enough of this," Tony said, releasing the sword Bucky handed him, letting it clatter to the floor, Tony took several steps back.
"Your grace?" Bucky questioned, looking up at Tony confused.
"Just Tony, please, you may stand," Tony replied and Bucky did.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Steve demanded with tears running down his cheeks.
"A misunderstanding, I assure you," Tony said, then turned to Bucky, "Would you like to tell your lover or should I?" Tony asked.
Bucky cleared his throat and took Steve's hands in his own, looking up to meet his eyes. "Steve, darling, you're pregnant," Bucky said and Steve looked terrified. Turning to Tony he said, "I didn't know, I swear it."
"Oh gods, relax would you? The both of you," Tony said, waving a hand dismissively.
"Personally, I think things have just worked out stupendously for all of us," Tony said.
"What?" Steve and Bucky both demanded.
"Steve, your parents would never allow you to spend your life with a man who isn't a noble, in spite of your love for him, am I right?" Tony asked and Steve nodded.
"And Bucky, you're desperately in love with Steve, I don't even need you to confirm it, you were all too ready to give your life for him a moment ago," Tony continued and Bucky gave a reassuring squeeze to Steve's hand.
"And as for me, I've been dreading this day for years, because I don't want to lay with anyone, and unfortunately that's the only way one continues their lineage," Tony says.
"What do you mean?" Steve asks.
"I don't feel any form of sexual attraction darling, I mean I can look at you both and see you're gorgeous and appreciate it aesthetically, but it does nothing for me sexually. I'm not interested in sex at all in fact, romance sure, but sex no, which I know, makes me a rather broken alpha," Tony explains.
"So what are you saying?" Bucky questioned, ignoring Tony's last comment.
"I'm saying that I think this has worked out perfectly for all of us. I'm saying that Steve is beautiful and maybe as we get to know each other I could learn to love him, but I'd never want to take him to bed. And that would quickly become a problem for my people, one they would take out on Steve instead of me. Meanwhile, the two of you clearly belong together, and while Steve's parents never would have allowed it, I'm happy to, especially if it means Steve can produce children without me sleeping with him." Tony tried to explain.
"Are you saying you'll let him keep the baby?" Bucky asked, sounding desperate.
"I'm saying I'll let you both keep the baby, and your relationship with each other, as long as I can tell my people the children are mine."
"But Buck won't get to raise his children," Steve said sadly.
"We'll raise them together, the three of us. Bucky will have to hide his relationship to them from the public initially, but we'll make sure the children know who their father is. My father is rather old you know, he was 52 when I was born and I'm pushing 35 myself. His health has gotten bad recently and he's not long for this world. That's why he's been so desperate to get me married off, to ensure his lineage before he goes. He'll be delighted to learn in a few weeks that Steve has already fallen pregnant. And when he passes on, and I take the throne, I will change the law, and you two can date publicly. What do you say?" Tony offered.
The two other men looked at each other, "I think it's the best offer we're gonna get," Steve said with a small smile.
"Best offer? Stevie, this is more than we ever could've dreamed of! Your parents were always gonna marry you off to some noble, and sure maybe you'd be able to convince them to bring me too, and maybe we would get away with having an affair. But now, now we can be together, and not in some affair we'd have to hide from your spouse, we can really be together. And we can create a family, together." Bucky said with happy tears in his eyes.
"Yes," Steve said, turning to Tony.
"Yes?" Tony asked, needing them both to be sure.
"Yes," Bucky said, nearly breathless, never daring to imagine he could have this, have Steve.
"Great!" Tony said with a clap. "With that all settled, it is getting rather late gentlemen, bedtime?" He offered.
Bucky and Steve followed Tony to his bed, which was probably large enough for 5 people. Tony crawled into the left side of the bed while Buck and Steve got into the right side together, holding each other. Steve realized he no longer needed to fantasize about waking up from a bad dream to find himself in bed with Bucky, he could finally just have that, a beautiful new reality.