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Peter James Stark-Rogers loves both of his dads. They chose him after all, adopting him and loving him and giving him bedtime stories and hugs and kisses. There was no question that Peter returned that love with all his heart.
His Papa Steve is the greatest! He’s strong- he could carry Peter in one hand and cook dinner with the other!- and kind- helping other people cross the street or carry groceries whenever he’s outside- and brave and many other things. Papa Steve was the one that reminds Peter to brush his teeth and eat his greens. He always kiss Peter’s forehead before he leaves and before bedtime and cuddles with him when he has nightmares. Papa Steve was strict but warm and Peter felt content whenever his papa hugs him.
But his Daddy Tony is the absolute best! He is better than the best. Peter may not get as many hugs and kisses from his daddy as he does from his papa, but his daddy shows how much he loves him all the time. Peter felt his daddy’s love whenever he ruffles his hair. Whenever daddy asks what he wants and lets him choose. When daddy would scold him but explain what he did wrong then teach him the right way. He feels loved when his daddy calls him bambino so softly and sings him a lullaby when he can’t sleep. His daddy was safe and warm and home.
Then papa and daddy fought. Daddy said that papa’s old friend was alive and was going to be taken by authorities but his papa doesn’t want his friend to be taken. His daddy sent him to his Aunt Pepper and he loves Aunt Pepper but she’s not his daddy.
Then daddy went home without papa and his Uncle Rhodey’s legs won’t work- Daddy will fix them, just like he fixes everything.
But daddy still left him with Aunt Pepper. His daddy went to get his papa so Peter could wait a little longer.
He wished they get home sooner, though; he wanted to watch Star Wars with his daddy and papa and all his uncles and aunts.
Then Aunt Pepper got a call and she looked so worried. Next thing he knew, Peter was staying with Mama Rhodey- daddy said she’s not Peter’s mama but uncle Rhodey’s, that’s just what we call her-- and his daddy was in the hospital.
Now, Peter didn’t know what happens in the hospital, only that that’s where people go when they get hurt and need to get better. But they have the med ward at the tower! His daddy could get better there! And where was his papa? Aunt Pepper won’t tell him and Uncle Rhodey is just as quiet.
And Peter was getting upset. No one was telling him anything! His daddy’s still in the hospital and he’s not allowed to visit yet. Then his papa is not home but no one will tell him why! He just wants to cuddle with his daddy and papa again. He loves Mama Rhodey but she didn’t give him the same kisses and hugs and she doesn’t tell stories the same way as his daddy and he just wants them back home with him!
Despite trying to convince Mama Rhodey, Uncle Rhodey, and Aunt Pepper to take him home or visit his daddy, they wouldn’t budge. They said that he will see his daddy soon after he recovers, but it's taking too long! And they still won’t tell Peter anything about his papa! They get all quiet and tense and Peter thinks they’re angry but why would they be angry at papa?
Then Jarvis suddenly called his aunt and uncle, saying that something happened to his daddy. He wanted to come but Mama Rhodey just held onto to him.
He cried and pleaded and yelled but she just held onto him and told him it’s ok. But it’s not ok! No one is telling him anything. Something happened to his daddy and papa is still missing! He just wants to get home. He’ll promise to be good and never asks for anything again if they just let them see his dad.
After a few days, Uncle Happy came to pick him up. He said that daddy was a little ok now but still sleeping. Peter was ok with that. Uncle Happy said that could still cuddle with daddy as long as he’s careful and he’ll be super-duper careful! He asked about his papa but Uncle Happy just told him that he’s not home. Peter wished his papa comes home soon but he’s happy he can be with his daddy now.
But his daddy has been sleeping for days now! Peter waited for him to wake up but Aunt Pepper said that he needed more time to get better. Because he was hurt a lot. And Peter was sad but he can wait. And maybe papa was still gone because he was looking for the people that hurt his daddy.
Every night, Peter would cuddle with his daddy. He’s very very careful; he didn’t want to hurt his daddy. And every morning he’ll find himself waking up tucked in his bed in his room.
One night, he woke up in his bedroom alone after a nightmare. He was so scared and so alone and he needed his daddy or his papa to hug him and kiss his forehead and sing him a lullaby. So he went out towards the med bay. Jarvis tried to tell him to stay in his room and wait for Aunt Pepper but he just muted him (he knows what it does because daddy does it sometimes).
When he reached the room where his daddy was, the door was open and he could hear Aunt Pepper and Uncle Rhodey inside. They sounded pretty angry. Afraid that they’re mad at him, he turned to go back to his room but he heard Aunt Pepper say his papa’s name. So he walked as quietly as he could towards the door, hiding behind it but peeking into the room.
“I can’t believe he did that to Tony!” his Aunt Pepper shouted. “I thought he loved Tony. Then he hears about his old friend and he runs off!”
“Calm down, Pep,” his uncle tried to console. It was a bit hard since he was stuck sitting in a wheelchair. “I know you’re mad but there’s nothing we can do. Steve- Rogers chose to go with Barnes. All we can do is be here for Tony.”
Pepper clenched her fist and paced the room. “Oh, it’s so easy to let this go if he only did just that. But to hurt Tony?! To double team him until he’s beaten half to death then leave him to die in freezing Siberia?! “
And Peter grew wide-eyed at that information. Is that why his papa is not here- why Aunt Pepper and Uncle Rhodey and Uncle Happy are angry at him? Because his Papa – the one who said that he loves daddy and Peter more than anything in the whole universe!—hurt his daddy and left with his friend.
Peter clenched his hands, gripping the door firmly. “Did Papa hurt Daddy?” he whispered into the room.
Despite the quietness of his voice, the two adults turned to look at him in surprise.
“Peter?!”
“Is it true?” Peter said louder, getting angrier at the thought of how hurt his daddy was, how he still didn’t wake up and his papa was the one to hurt him. “Did Papa hurt my daddy?”
The two adults went closer to Peter. Aunt Pepper crouched down to his level and softly grabbing his shoulders.
“Peter, sweetie, Steve…” she started before sighing. “Nevermind that, hun, what are you doing up?”
Peter shrugged off her hands, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides. He glared, though he couldn’t keep the tears from falling from his eyes.
“Did-did papa r-really hurt my da-daddy?!” he asked again, his voice ever-so-slightly rising.
Aunt Pepper sighed wiping away Peter’s tears before turning towards Uncle Rhodey, who looked just as worried as her.
A beat later and Uncle Rhodey wheeled closer to Peter, lifting him to seat on his lap. He hugged the boy to his chest, feeling the soft sobs rocking the child’s frame as he cried.
“Shhh… shhh... it’s alright, Pete, everything will be just fine.” He soothed Peter, running his hand up and down the child’s back.
“p-papa will ne’r- never hu-hurt daddy!” the child wailed. “Papa l-loves daddy. He loves us! He wo-won’t hurt us!”
The adults said nothing about that and worked on calming Peter down, rubbing his back uttering soft assurances.
Waking up after crying himself to sleep, Peter felt fingers running through his hair and the tickly-scratchy feeling of his daddy’s beard on his forehead. Peter thought it was all a bad dream and his daddy and papa never fought. He beamed at his father, hugging him tightly.
“Daddy!” he yelled, “you’re awake. I missed you!”
The man just hugged him back, one hand still going through Peter’s head. “I’ve missed you, too, Petey.”
“Daddy?”
“Yes, Petey?”
“Did-did papa hurt you.” Nuzzling the crook of his daddy’s neck, Peter did not see the grimace on Tony’s face at the mention of the other man.
The man opened his mouth to answer but hesitated and closed it. He hummed as he continued stroking his son’s hair.
“Daddy..?” Peter asked again, this time pulling away to look at his daddy’s face. The man just sighed, using his other hand to go through his own hair.
“… He did, Peter.” The genius answered after a while. “But I don’t want you to hate him, ok kiddo? He’s still your papa.”
Peter shook his head. “But-but-but he hurt you! I-I don’t like him if he hurts my daddy. He h-hurt you so he’s bad and a meanie and and-“
Tony hugged his son to his chest, ignoring the pang of hurt at the pressure on his wounds. He rubbed the boy’s back, calming him down from the fit he started.
“Shh…shhh.. don’t worry, Petey-Pie. You’re allowed to get angry, heck I am angry. But you shouldn’t hate your papa just because of that, kiddo. This one bad thing shouldn’t erase all of the good things he did.”
“so you still love him?” Peter asked in a whisper.
“I don’t know, Pete. It’s ..complicated- hard- right now. But I do know that I don’t hate him, just hurt and angry, the same as you. Do you get it, Pete?”
“I .. think so.” The child mumbled. He nuzzled his daddy’s chest, slowly falling asleep as his fit drained all his energy. “ ‘love you, daddy.
Tony smiled and kissed the tops of the boy’s head. “I love you, too, buddy.”