Because Tony had shirked that one meeting, Pepper had immediately scheduled meetings everyday for the rest of the week. Normally Bucky would have felt sorry for his mate, but well, he kind of deserved it.

Not that he couldn't still act sympathetic every morning when Tony bitched about having to go into the office. He would rather have Tony at home all day instead of only for a few hours in the evening.

Instead, he was spending all day hanging out with Steve in the gym and then in the den looking over some of the baby books Steve insisted he start reading. And yeah, yeah, Bucky knew it was important that they learn this stuff now so they'd be prepared for when the baby got there. But really, they didn't need to read every damn book Steve managed to get his hands on. It was a baby, not a fucking Ph.d in child psychology.

But he supposed he couldn't blame Steve for going a little overboard. Steve had always wanted a family and for so long, he was convinced it was just never going to happen. So Bucky would forgive him for being a little excited. Hopefully he'd get all the studying out of his system by the time Tony started experiencing more pregnancy symptoms. And then they could both take turns fussing over the omega. Because that was way more fun than reading about pregnancy.

Bucky was pretty burned out by the time Friday afternoon rolled around. But he had the weekend to look forward to, and spending all day with Tony.

He was thrilled when Tony appeared in the den a little after four.

''Hey, hot mama," he said affectionately. He set the book aside and patted his lap. "Come here and let me kiss you."

Tony remained standing. "It's been a long workweek."

"I know," Bucky said with a roll of his eyes. That was why he was encouraging Tony to sit down and relax, let him and Steve take the tension away.

Tony finally settled into the recliner across from the couch."It's funny," he said a little too casually. "Nobody else but the two of you can smell pregnancy on me."

"I'm not exactly surprised," Steve said. "If I remember right, most of the members of your board are in their late fifties, early sixties. And everyone's sense of smell gets a little weaker as they age."

"Pepper didn't notice anything either," Tony said. "And I know she'd immediately start squealing and fussing over me if she knew I was pregnant."

Steve frowned. "Tony, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that maybe I'm not pregnant."

"Of course you are," Bucky said indignantly. "I can smell-"

Tony put up a hand to stop him. "I just smelled weird to you at first. You didn't think I was pregnant until Steve said it."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Just because I didn't recognize the scent of pregnancy right away doesn't mean you aren't."

"I even had Jarvis run a couple tests on me. He said it's too early to tell whether I'm pregnant or not. So there's no way the two of you should be able to tell."

"Because we're your mates," Steve said earnestly. "And we have super senses."

Tony shook his head. "I think maybe you two want to be fathers so bad, you talked yourselves into believing it. And I get it, I really do. You'd make a great father, Steve. I mean, what kid wouldn't want Captain America as their dad? I sure did when I was little. And,Buck, baby, I know you want a big family just like you had growing up. But it's not going to happen. I'm just too old to have kids. I think I know my own body better than you do."

Steve rose to his feet. "If that's really how you feel," he said between clenched teeth. He stalked out of the room.

Bucky glared at Tony. "You can be a real asshole sometimes, you know that?"

"I'm not trying to be an asshole. I'm trying to be realistic. I'm just not going to have a baby and it's better that Steve realizes it now before he gets too attached to the idea."

"You don't get to make that call," Bucky said. "And besides, Steve's always been the type who believes it's better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. So if you lose this baby, he'd have rather enjoyed the idea of fatherhood for a little while than be convinced from the beginning the baby wasn't going to live."

"You don't get it," Tony said. "I can't lose what I don't have. I'm not pregnant."

"Yes, you are," Bucky said fiercely. "The sooner you accept it, the better for everyone. I don't want you to keep upsetting Steve."

It was going to fall on him this time to talk Steve out of being pissed and convince him Tony didn't really mean what he said. Or else his two mates were going to be standoffish for days and Bucky sure as hell wasn't going to bed alone.

Steve wasn't down in the gym hitting the punching bags like Bucky had thought. And he wasn't in the kitchen or the den. Finally, Bucky thought to check their shared bedroom.

Steve was sitting on the edge of their bed, staring off into the distance, his eyes looking a little damp.

"Steve?" Bucky said hesitantly. "Are you crying?"

"He doesn't want kids," Steve said miserably.

"He didn't say that."

"He didn't have to. You know Tony wouldn't be trying so hard to prove he's not pregnant if he really wanted a baby. If he wanted this baby, he would immediately feel pregnant and nothing anybody said would convince him otherwise."

"True," Bucky admitted. "But it's not that he doesn't want kids. It's just that he doesn't think he can have them."

"We already told him he's not too old if he's still-"

"No, no, no. You know how Tony gets when he want something, but thinks he can't have it. Remember when we both started falling for him?"

Steve chuckled. "He was so worried that no matter which of us he picked, the other wouldn't be his friend anymore. So he was avoiding both of us in the hopes our feelings would just go away and we'd all just stay friends."

"It's funny now," Bucky said. "But I remember how devastated you were for awhile that you he wanted nothing to do with you anymore."

"Oh, shut up," Steve said. "The way I remember, you were pretty upset, too."

Bucky grinned. "Alright, alright. I admit it. But the point is, Tony's probably freaking out about some aspect of motherhood and it's just easier for him to pretend it isn't happening."

Steve's expression went thoughtful. "Do you think he's worried that if one of us has a baby with him, it'll upset the balance of our relationship?"

"Could be," Bucky said. "We keep telling him he never has to chose between us, but that doesn't mean he really believes that. Maybe he's always been worried something will come along and mess it all up and he's desperately hoping he's not pregnant so everything can stay as it is."

"That's sad," Steve said.

Bucky shrugged. "It's an unusual arrangement."

An omega could have any number of lovers at a given time. But they usually settled down with just one mate. Triads were pretty rare and a stable, long-lasting triad even rarer. Most of them broke up out of jealousy or unequal power dynamics. But most of those alphas weren't best friends beforehand.

"So I guess we just wait this one out," Steve said. "Keep loving him and make sure he realizes this baby isn't going to change things."

"Yep," Bucky said. "It'll be an easy fix."

"And what if we're wrong?" Steve asked quietly. "What if he really isn't pregnant?"

"If we're wrong, we'll know soon enough."

Steve nodded. "Thanks, Buck. It really helps to be able to talk through some of this stuff."

"Hey, that's what friends are for. And if it wasn't for me being the reasonable one all the time, you and Tony would never get your heads out of your asses and figure out your misunderstandings."

Steve shoved him. "And if it wasn't for me teaching you a few things about romance, Tony would have blown you off as a one night stand kind of guy."

Bucky shoved Steve back. "Hey, I'm the one who taught you all those moves, you know."

He remembered how anxious Tony had been the first time he saw them play fighting, worried that they were starting to hate each other. It had taken some time to convince him that was just how their friendship worked. They teased each other, argued, even got into fights sometimes without any ill will. They were almost to the point where they could be just as free and easy with Tony.

The baby was a slight setback in getting Tony to trust them fully, but Bucky was pretty sure they could work things out without too much trouble. He had known from the beginning that Tony had issues with insecurity and it hadn't stopped him from wanting him. And it wasn't going to stop him now.