Chapter 20
August woke up staring at the small mobile that hung over his bassinet. That's odd. He could've sworn he fell asleep on his daddy in the living room.
How rude! Why'd he put him to bed? Auggy wanted snuggles with his daddy! He felt alone!
With that, he started to cry. It sounded annoyed, and that turned into to screaming sobs.
With the loud cries, Peter woke up with a start. Another odd set of circumstances. When he fell asleep, Peter was listening to his two new caregivers talk about some boring adult thing while he was in Steve's lap with his seemingly magic juice. Now he was surrounded by bars, obviously in the crib in the nursery.
Peter felt so hallow, it was almost a pain. Like he was going to sob. No. That's not what he wanted at all. This is his first day as a little for Tony and Steve. If he starts crying that'll stress them out won't it? Too late. Peter couldn't stop himself from the sobs that left his body as he sat up clinging onto the crib bars.
The two caregivers were sat on the couch when the crying started. First Auggy, which Steve had offered to get him. But once he was on his feet about to go down the hall, Peter started his crying. "I got him." Tony said not far behind Steve.
"Hey champ what's the matter?" Steve cooed as he gently pulled Auggy out of the bassinet. The poor boy was red in the face. Once he saw his papa and got picked up, his fists were iron tight into his shirt as his sobs slowly tired to whimpers and sniffles. "Aw shhhhh shhh shhh. I'm right here baby." Steve soothed as he checked Auggy's bottom. Dry. Auggy's calm in his arms and gives a yawn. He can't really remember why he was so upset. "You must be hungry huh? Yeah." He said in a sweet voice as he bounced and swayed before walking to the kitchen. Oh, that must've been why he was crying. Obviously. Papa does know best.
While that's happening, Tony's heart just about breaks when he sees Peter's bright red face and hands reaching out through the bars at him. "Hey kid, I'm here." He's quick to rush over to his distressed ward and pick him up. Pete's arms and legs wrap tightly around Tony as he's picked up with his cries calming to little hics and sniffles. Tony sits on the foot of the now open crib mattress. "I'm here. You're safe." Tony said in a tone just above a whisper as he combed his fingers through Peter's hair. Peter leans into the tough with a whimper and looks up at Tony with big red eyes. "Did you have a bad dream, hm?" He asks as he continues to stroke Peter's hair with one hand, and the other goes to check his pull-up. Soaked.
Peter shook his head 'no' not even noticing the diaper check Tony just did. "M-miss oo." He said squeezing Tony a little tighter while tucking his head under his chin.
Tony was practically melted by those two little words. He hugged Peter tighter and kissed the top of his head. "I'm here, under roos. I'm not going anywhere." He said as he moves Peter's head to face him. Peter sniffles with a small smile. "Now, mind if daddy gets you changed?" Peter shakes his head with his thumb creeping between his lips.
Tony gets the two of them up and lays Peter on the changing table before he replaces the smaller boy's thumb for a red pacifier. Peter smiles up at Tony while he gets to cleaning him up. Peter was compliant with the whole change, even squealing at the end as an avengers themed pull-up was slipped on him. "Daddy 'ook!" Peter shouts pointing at the Ironman on his padding. "I see kiddo, who's that?" He asks as he sits the bouncing boy up. "Daddy." He responded, sounding very pleased about it. That's it. Tony's heart just exploded. Peter makes grabby hands and Tony scoops him up in a tight hug as he puts the boy on his hip. "That's right kiddo! You're so smart." He tussles his hair as he takes the two of them into the living room.
In the kitchen, Steve was starting to loose his patients at this point. Auggy had fought pretty hard to not be put in the highchair, causing Steve to keep him on his lap as he tried in vain to figure out what Auggy wanted to eat. Auggy didn't understand his papa's deal. He's not hungry, he just wants cuddles.
"Baby boy, could you please open up for papa?" Steve asks as he holds a spoon full of baby food to Auggy's lips. This got the same reaction as the last ten times. The boy barried his face into his papa's shoulder and whined loudly.
"Everything ok in here?" Tony asks coming in with a happy Peter on his hip.
"He should be hungry now but he's not taking any of the food I'm trying to feed him." Steve sighs frustrated, putting the spoon back in the jar.
August comes out of his hiding place in his papa's shoulder and whines looking at Tony.
"Maybe he's not hungry?" Tony suggests as Peter waves at his technical younger brother. August looses some of his grimacing expression and tilts his head at Peter, making the mental toddler giggle.
"He should be though." Steve starts. "It's 2. He hasn't had actual food all day. He needs more than just bottles with vitamins and protein powders." He huffs. August pouts at the baby food and starts to suck on his thumb. "Maybe he'll eat something more solid? Like a sandwich?" Tony tries as Peter looks up Tony from his lap. "Me sandwich too daddy?" He asks with a bit of a pouty face. "Oh you're hungry bud?" Tony responds, earning him a nod. "Here I'm gonna get you in the highchair while I make some lunch, ok?" He asks, standing up and getting the highchair already situated. "Otay daddy." Peter says behind his paci.
"Maybe your right." Steve sighs looking down at Auggy, who whimpers and clings to him.
His expression softens as he runs his fingers through his hair. "You're just hungry for some real food huh?" August looks up and him, not fully grasping what he was saying. To be honest, August isn't used to getting three meals a day. It's odd that he's been getting his belly filled so frequently. It might take a bit before he can really dig into a full meal more than once a day.
Tony sat a PB&J in front of Peter, who coos and says a 'thank you' as Tony takes out his pacifier. He then sets a sandwich on the table in front of Steve and pulls up a chair next to him. "Hey Auggy Froggy." He says in a coo, causing the smaller boy to look up at him. He held half the sandwich up to the boy. "Can you open up for me?" He tries.
Steve is thankful that Tony is trying this time. He can't help but feel guilty that his little boy won't eat. He thinks maybe it's just him.
August looks up at Steve and then back at Tony. Their expressions are pretty concerning to him so he hesitantly opens his mouth, taking the bite.
"Good job Auggy!" Steve praises as he watches the small boy chew. August beams. The sandwich was amazing. That one bite made him realize just how hungry he was and he grabs it from Tony gently before he gets another bite. "Atta boy!" Tony praises as he tussles the smallest hair.
"Daddy?" Peter says from his spot in the highchair. Tony looks up at him to see peanut butter on the sides of his mouth and half the sandwich gone. "Juice peas?" He asks. "Silly daddy forgot all about that." Tony chuckles standing to get two sippy cups of juice for the eating littles. Peter bounced as he received his cup. "Tank ooo daddy!" He cheers before starting to drink.
Tony gave the other cup to Auggy who was already on the second half of his sandwich, and ready to wash what he ate down.
Tony and Steve share a look as the two littles gulp down their juice. "Thank you, Darling." Steve said leaning in to give Tony a kiss. Tony smiled into the kiss and brings a hand to Steve's cheek. "Always, Dear. It's easier to work together." Peter burps grabbing the two's attention. "All done." He says putting his arms up to signal he wants out of the highchair. He had peanut butter on his cheeks now.
Steve chuckles. "I gottcha sport." He says as Tony takes August in his lap and starts patting his back to get him to burp. Steve picks Peter up and wipes his face with a wet paper towel, causing the boy to squirm and whine. "Hey none of that, see papa's all done," Steve coos throwing away the paper towel. Peter giggles and kicks his feet a little.
Auggy let's out a loud burp making Peter laugh. "That's a good boy." Tony chuckles rubbing his back and starting to clean his face, getting the same reaction that Steve did from Peter.
"Papa, I pway peas?" The mental toddler asks tugging on Steve's shirt. "Yeah bud let's go play. But first do you gotta go potty?" He responds earning a pause and then a shaking of Peters head 'no'. "Alright kiddo, but if you gotta go let papa know, ok?" Peter nods and smiles as the two make their way to the nursery to play.
August snuggles into Tony babbling nonsense. "Hmm yeah I totally agree." Tony spoke nodding along to the apparent statement Auggy had made. "Let's go see what papa and your brother are up to."