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It had started subtly enough. Peter’s voice kept getting a little higher during the takes. He kept shaking slightly. It hadn’t been enough to alert the director.
But for Tony and Bucky… it was painfully obvious.
”You gonna be alright Pete?” Tony had asked softly during a break.
”Y-Yeah.” Peter had whispered.
And he had been. Until he wasn’t.
”I am Ironman.”
That was all it took for Peter to absolutely lose it.
Bucky had seen it coming, and immediately held the boy who started sobbing and screaming.
Tony made a beeline for the kid, fuck the director, fuck the scene, and fuck the stupid costume that was in his way.
”Kid it’s alright,” He murmured, practically ripping off the Ironman suit in order to wrap him in a tight hug. “It’s just a scene buddy. C’mon. I’m alright. Look at me.”
But when Peter’s eyes met Tony’s and saw the makeup effects of injuries and dirt, it only causes his cries to be louder.
“I think that’s enough for the day.” Bucky muttered.
”Yeah.” Tony agreed. “We’re done. For the day.” He announced to the director who was baffled by the declaration.
”You can’t just-“
”I’m fucking Tony Stark, I’ll do whatever the hell I want. Come on bubba.” He said that to Peter as he lifted him into his arms. “Let’s get home.”
*****
15 minutes later, the trio found themselves at their shared apartment where they were staying during the movie filming.
And Peter was still a tragic mess.
”Please don’t die…” He whimpered into Tony’s shit as he was carried inside. “I dun want you to die Daddy….”
”Kid…” Tony looked at Bucky perplexed.
”Let me hold him.” Bucky said gruffly. “If you take a shower and get all that makeup off, he might feel better.”
”Right.” Tony muttered, trying to pass him to the other male, but Peter’s fingers gripped desperately into his shirt.
”No please!” Peter’s cry was full of terror, like if he let go, Tony would disappear.
”Peter, I’m just going to take a shower.” Tony told him, a little exasperated. “Let Papa hold You alright?”
He finally was able to pry Peter’s fingers loose and he handed him off to Bucky, who held him tightly as he began to wiggle.
”Your daddy’s just taking a shower.” He muttered as Peter began to squirm. “He’ll be back soon.”
As the bathroom door closed, Peter slumped into Bucky, tears still flowing. “He gone… he gone forever…”
Those words made Bucky consider kicking the door open.
Shit. He couldn’t do that. This place was a rental.
Although… a door replacement couldn’t be that expensive based on how much they were making from the movies…
His train of thought was interrupted by Peter who was starting to cry again.
Double shit.
”Papa Bucky… why did he hurt daddy Tony?” His voice sounded so raw.
”Doll…” Bucky sighed as he down on the bed, Peter still in his arms. “Your daddy isn’t hurt I promise. You see the door over there?” He pointed to the closed bathroom door where AC/DC was being blasted behind it. “Your daddy’s right behind it, getting all that icky makeup off that made him look hurt.”
“But…”
”It was just a scene.” He murmured, brushing the boys hair from his forehead. “You know what that means right bubba? It was pretend.”
”Pwetend….?” He whispered.
”Mhm.” Bucky brushed his hair out of his face. “Just pretend baby. Your daddy is safe and sound.”
”But….” He whimpered, his watery eyes now locked on the bathroom door. “But he looked hurted…”
”Baby boy, that was just makeup. You know the stuff that usually makes people look really pretty? It can also be used to make people look hurt when they’re playing pretend.”
”So… daddy’s not hurt..?”
”No doll, he’s not.”
Bucky felt a slight twinge of relief as it seemed like Peter was starting to realize it was all fake. And a few minutes later, Tony emerged from the shower, hair still damp, wearing a hoodie and sweats.
”C’mere kid.” Tony muttered, gently taking Peter from Bucky. “See? I’m all here. Not a scratch on me.”
But for some reason, seeing Tony set Peter off crying again. “P-promise won die…?” He asked through choked sobs. “P-please dun leave me daddy- I-I don’t wanna be alone again..”
Bucky and Tony exchanged helpless glances, their hearts breaking for the regressed teen.
”Pete…”
”I’ll get his bottle.” Bucky murmured. “That might help.”
Tony nodded, taking a seat with Peter, whispering soft words to the boy and trying to get him to relax.
Bucky wandered to the kitchen and pulled a bottle out of the cupboard. He stared at the cute little dinosaur pattern, wondering if they could find him a Spiderman one, before reaching to the fridge and opening it.
“Shit.”
”Buck.” Tony scolded. “He’s little.”
”Sorry. But we’re out of his juice.”
”Just give him some milk.” Tony muttered.
”…You know he prefers his juice.”
”Yes but he just needs something to drink. The milk will do.”
Wordlessly, Bucky filled the bottle and passed it to Tony.
”Here Pete.” Tony murmured, touching the bottle’s nipple to the boys lips.
He immediately started suckling, his headspace dropping even more. But a look of displeasure soon entered his face as he began to realize it wasn’t apple juice.
”Nn!” He whined, pushing the bottle away.
”Baby- come on.” Tony was exasperated.
”Told you.” Bucky muttered. He started walking to the door, grabbing his keys, backpack and his helmet.
”Where are you going?” Tony demanded as Peter began to cry again.
”To get him his juice.”
”Buck, we could literally just doordash-“
”No. They’ll get the wrong thing.”
”They will not, I’ve used it hundreds of times.”
”It costs extra.”
”Buck. We’re literally rich.”
”Doesn’t matter.”
Tony sighed, bouncing Peter in his lap to try and distract him. “Fine. You better not bring the wrong thing.”
”I won’t.”
And with those words that almost sounded like a threat- he left.
”Don’t worry kiddo.” Tony said softly to the fussing Peter. “Papa Bucky’s going to get your juice.”
*********
Bucky forgot how much he hated grocery stores.
Too bright, too crowded, too loud.
Just get the juice. He tried to keep himself on track, narrowly dodging an old lady that wasn’t looking where she was pushing her cart.
He found his way to the juice aisle and snagged the biggest size of apple juice he could grab. This should fit in my pack…
And then he was ready to face the checkout.
Almost.
As he was walking back to the front, he passed a cooler full of chocolate milk. He hesitated.
He knew Tony didn’t like their little to drink too much sugary stuff but… if apple juice was okay… chocolate milk couldn’t be much worse… right?
And if he ran out of apple juice, he’d have something else to tide him over until they could resupply. Instead of waiting at home, thirsty and fussy…
He grabbed the chocolate milk.
And prepared to face the line.
Which surprisingly enough, the line to self checkout wasn’t that bad. So that’s where he went.
As he waited, he became acutely aware of eyes boring into his back, as well as some whispers.
Glancing over his should, he spied a couple of girls. Shy fans perhaps..?
He spied a few dark romance novels in their arms.
Ah. Worse.
Booktok girls.
With a small chuckle, he was finally able to make his way to the checkout, and scanned his the drinks before stuffing them into his bag.
Was there anything else he needed? No… but… something caught his eyes.
A soft looking dog plush laid on the drink cooler next to the checkout… as if someone were going to buy it and then abandoned it.
Hesitantly he picked it up, surprised by the weight. Peter would love it.
He added the plush to his purchases.
After paying he walked back out to his motorcycle, he couldn’t help but think about the little one. He wasn’t even sure how he ended up in this situation. They’d all started out as costars and roommates. And now… they were like a little family.
He just hoped it would last longer than the movie production.
******
By the time he got back to the apartment, Tony had gotten Peter bathed and changed into soft Bluey pajamas. He’d stationed them both on the couch, Bluey playing on the TV.
He looked up as Bucky let himself in, an eyebrow raised. “You were gone long enough.”
”Line was long.” He replied shortly, unloading his bag and shove the two drinks in the fridge. “Got him some chocolate milk too.”
”You spoil him.” Tony mused.
”Maybe.”
Peter, distracted by the noise Bucky was making, glanced over. “Papa home?”
”Yeah. Papa home.” He smiled to himself as he picked up the bottle of milk that Peter had refused to drink, dumping the contents out and rinsing it.
”While you were gone, I placed an order for pizza for us. Should be here soon.” Tony called to him. “The kid wanted meat lovers.”
”And you say I spoil him.” Bucky smirked, coming back with the bottle and his bag. “Here you go doll. Apple juice.”
Peter squealed as he took the bottle, immediately suckling on it like it was nectar from the gods.
“There we go kiddo.” Tony smiled softly, gently running his fingers through Peter’s hair.
”Oh yeah. I got something else.”
Peter looked up in curiosity as Bucky placed his bag down and gently pulled out the weighted dog plush.
Peter’s eyes went wide. “Puppy…?”
”Puppy.” The older male smiled softly. “And it’s all yours doll.”
Peter immediately grabbed the plush and hugged it to his chest, eyes sparkling. “T’ank chu papa.”
”You’re welcome sweetheart.”
Tony hummed in mock disapproval as he pressed a kiss to Peter’s forehead. “Spoiled.”
”He needs it.” Bucky argued, but then refocused on Peter. “What are you gonna call it?”
”Mmmmm Roxie.” The younger mumbled, his face already buried in the plush’s soft fur.
”Roxie is a good name.”
They shared a moment of comfortable silence, before Peter spoke again, his voice soft and vulnerable.
”Promise you guys won’t disappear…?”
Tony and Bucky exchanged soft looks before each pressing a kiss to the boys head.
“We promise.”