This one goes out to PJFDanae!

Steve sighed in exasperation. His hand shot out to catch the bowl before it could achieve impact on the floor.

His little son, J.J (James Bucky Odinson) squealed loudly in delight as his dry baby cereals flew through the air. His blue eyes watched the flakes dance until they crashed to the tiled floor.

Steve sat back, with the now empty plastic bowl, and tried to reign in his tears. He knew that his baby was acting normal and that his emotions were completely irrelevant; but in his mind, children were supposed to act civilized and mannered. They were supposed to eat their food and keep their cheeks clean. The forties were a time when mothers (omega males and females and beta females) did not share anything that occurred in the home. That was personal information and it was uncouth to share it with anyone else. Asking for help was like admitting to failure. Steve felt like he was alone, and that he was a horrible mother to J.J, and most of all, that he was letting his family and child down and that in a few short months, he would struggle even harder to raise the little one that was growing in his belly.

J.J clapped his hands, oblivious to his mother's stress. His onesie pajama clad feet kicked in delight.

Thor Odinson, the Prince of Asgard, sensed that his mate was in distress. He knew that it had something to do with Steve's past and the ideals he grew up learning, but whenever he tried to ask Steve about it, the Omega would insist that it was his place as the Mother and Omega to deal with the issue. Thor couldn't find in himself to let the problem run its course. His upbringing was full of shared childhoods and multiple mother and father figures sharing the responsibility and honor of raising himself and his brother and many other children. Frigga was the mother of many more children than just Thor and Loki. Sif, Fandral and many more children experienced her care and love during their younger years, as well as the Omega hand servant, Egill, who was a beautiful male Omega who mothered four children of his own and provided care to many others in the castle. And fathers often took the role of mother when their mates were unable to do so. Some mothers experienced what Thor understood as Post-Childbearing depression. They felt stress and overwhelming emotions after giving birth, and the Alpha mate would take the role of mother, comforting their child and mate until the Omega or Beta mate was fit to take care of the child.

Thor didn't understand why Steve felt that he was required to suffer alone. Whatever ideals and practices Steve learned be damned, his mate would not face his inner demons alone. Thor would help his mate be at peace once again for their child and for Steve.

It was a cold winter day at noon when Thor arrived home from an Avengers meeting regarding Asgardian relations. Steve was curled up on the couch, reading a book he had probably borrowed from the large city library down the street while J.J played with his wooden blocks on the carpet. Tony had renovated the Avengers Tower to accommodate for the Avengers' growing families. Not only did Thor and Steve bond, but Tony and Bruce, Phil and Clint and Natasha and Pepper.

Thor dropped his hammer on the stone table by the door, toeing off his shoes and hanging his jacket on his hook. He had taken to wearing midgardian clothing for its lightweight agility and general style.

He walked over to his mate, noting that Steve's small shirt was stretched taught over his rounding belly. A sliver of pale, milky skin peaked out from underneath. Steve hadn't noticed that Thor had entered the house, as he had been thoroughly engrossed in his book. When Thor ran a cold hand over his belly, he gasped loudly and jumped. Thor's laughter was loud and infectious. Little J.J squealed and crawled over to the couch, pulling himself up to balance on his chubby legs, wanting to be a part of the excitement. He received a wet kiss to his forehead from Thor and a soothing caress in his hair from Steve.

"What are doing home so early?" Steve asked. Thor leaned in to kiss his lips firmly, drawing a whimper from Steve's chest.

"The matter was resolved quickly today, svass, I opted to return early. I would have called to ask if you wanted some of the Chinese-gardian food from Lord Wang's emporium, but I sat on my phone again." Thor pulled the shattered pieces of his decimated phone from his pocket. He looked forlornly at his mate, seeing the laughter swimming behind his eyes. "Do not laugh at me, Steven! This is the seventh phone I have broken and Tony shouldn't need to bother with me and my heaviness. I promised that I would not break this one!"

"Oh Thor," Steve giggled. "I love you."

"I love you too, svass." Thor kissed Steve again, a soft chaste press of lips. "Although..."

"Although?" Steve pulled away slowly. His blue eyes were sad and hurt.

"You have been keeping me from assisting you with this issue that has been hurting you for quite a while." Thor began. "Please tell me what is wrong and let me help you."

"Do you mind getting that Chinese food now?" Steve whispered. "I promise I'll be ready to tell you when come back."

"Please do not lie to me, Svass." Thor nuzzled Steve's neck, seeking reassurance.

"I promise, I just need time to think about how I'll say it." Steve murmured.

"Do you want the pow and kung chicken with worms?" Thor asked, getting up to leave again.

"Kung-pow chicken with noodles, yes." Steve smiled at Thor's oblivious blunder.

When Thor returned with the food and a few bottles of ginger ale for Steve's nausea, Steve felt ready. He would tell Thor about his feelings and Thor would assert his role as alpha mate and have Steve deal with it.

"I feel like I'm a a bad mother." Steve began, twirling his fork in the warm noodles. "J.J doesn't act like how a baby is supposed to be able to. I need to teach him how to behave and I should have taught him how to walk by now and he's going suffer from my inadequacy. It's nobody else's job but mine to make sure that he is raised correctly."

"Steven? I do not understand..." Thor placed his food on the coffee table and turned to look at Steve. "Child rearing is to be shared amongst the community, a teamwork job. Our son is exactly where he should be. Every child is different, and every child will learn at his or her own pace. J.J is perfect and you are perfect. We only have to make sure that he learns the basics. He will pick up the more intricate lessons from watching us and the rest of the Avengers and soon, the rest of the world."

"But what about being civilized and manner-"

"You are doing a fine job of parenting so far. You have nothing to worry about because the lessons taught to you in the past are flawed beyond comprehension. No single pair of parents can successfully raise a confident, knowledgeable, successful child. I am astounded that such ideas were commonplace amongst midgardian people."

"So I'm not a bad mother?" Steve asked.

"You are perfect, svass." Thor smiled.

The two embraced. J.J stared curiously at his parents from his spot on the floor, surrounded by baby cereals.

"Now I must insist that you allow Tony and Bruce to look after J.J for a little while. So that he gets to be comfortable around them as he is with us." Thor began, tracing a sensual line up Steve's thigh, towards his crotch.

"Not on your life." Steve hissed.

~end

In all fairness, I wrote this in three hours. So... Ya, I hope it wasn't bad. Lolz, I suck!