Chapter 26
PETER
So, the first week was...interesting.
Leo’s mood changed on a dime. One minute, he was quiet and shy, the next - he cussed Peter out in Spanish. It took everything in him not to laugh, especially when he could see his husband refraining from laughing behind the boy, but he was able to put on a stern face and explain in Spanish that he was not allowed to do that.
Leo woke up every night in screaming nightmares, only comforted by Wade - and that was only about half the time. When Peter tried, nearly breaking down at the sight of the terrified and crying boy, Leo made it clear he didn’t want him by screaming ‘don’t touch me!’ at the man.
Even though it seemed he had a personal dislike towards the arachnid, it was obvious he at least semi-trusted Wade. And he definitely liked the twins. To be fair, the seven year old wasn’t a fan of their crying or normal toddler tantrums, but when they were cute and calm he spent a lot of time playing with them.
And Jesus did his kiddos just eat it up.
In spite of the worry in his gut and hurt in his heart at the child’s outright rejection - he was starting to really love this kid.
He thought about that on the ride over to the mansion, which was a shorter trip than when his family used to live at the Tower. The sounds of his twins babbling put a smile on his face as he glanced in the rear view mirror, noticing Leo take everything in. His husband reached over to squeeze his knee from the passenger seat as they pulled in to park.
Isaac was sleepy from the drive, so Peter carried him in, bringing up the rear while Lilli ‘raced’ Wade and Leo to the door.
This will be Leo’s first time meeting his family. Pete had called his Pops the night before to prepare everyone and warn them to behave themselves.
He was thankful when his Pops opened the door, bending down to pick up his excited granddaughter. The blonde welcomed them in and led the way down the hall to the living room, giving the seven year old space as he hid behind Wade. Pete walked over to his Dad sitting on the couch as Isaac clung to him, slowly waking up, rubbing his face in the man’s neck until he realized where they were.
“G’andaddy!” the boy cried in his cracked-sleepy voice as Peter handed the boy to his Dad, the older brunette squealing in equal excitement.
“Izzy-bee!” his Dad cooed with the biggest grin as he flipped the toddler upside down. Pete glanced over at the other twin, currently attacking his teenage brother as his sister encouraged them.
Over in the corner his husband was squatted down next to Leo and talking to him quietly. As his Pop walked over and hugged Pete in greeting, he found his gaze remaining on the shaking child. If the super soldier noticed, he let it slide as he moved to sit next to his husband and grandson.
“So,” Wade began as he walked the two over to the others. “Guys, this is Leo. Leo, the one being eaten alive is Peter’s little brother Miles. That's his sister Emerson. And those are Pete’s dads, Tony and Steve. The twins call them Granddaddy and Poppy but you can call them whatever you feel comfortable with, okay?”
His family waved to the boy in acknowledgement but didn’t otherwise crowd him. Instead they focused their attention on the one toddler attacking the teen, while the other crawled over his grandfather to join in the assault. Laughter spread throughout the room as Pete noticed a small smile appearing on Leo’s face.
“Anybody! Help! I’m being eaten alive by monsters!” Miles joked as he too giggled in laughter.
“Eat Unca Miles!” Lilli cried as her brother quickly chimed in, the two chanting and continuing the attack on their uncle.
“If you guys fill up on Uncle Miles then you won’t have any room for ice cream,” his Dad said in a sing-song voice as he stood up off the couch. The arachnid sent a glare to both his parents, since the blonde one was currently molesting the brunette.
“Ice cream? They haven’t had lunch yet,” he complained as his toddlers scrambled off their uncle and ran to the kitchen.
“Excuse you, they are at their Grandaddy’s. You have no say, Bambi,” his Dad said before sticking his tongue out, like the mature adult he was.
“What? That’s not how it works!” Peter said in offense before he looked toward his Pops. The man just shrugged his shoulders and smiled fondly as Peter rolled his eyes.
“Leo, you coming?” the genius asked nonchalantly as he strolled towards the kitchen. Peter turned to the kid, who was actually watching the arachnid carefully. “Hey,” his Dad continued, speaking directly to Leo as the seven year old slowly turned back toward the man. “You’re in my house, so it’s my rules,” the older man said while guestering around, finally getting a smile from the boy.
“You heard the man,” Wade said, nudging the boy in the man’s direction, “to the kitchen!” he said as he led the two out of the living room. Emerson and Miles got up to follow, leaving just him and his Pop as the blonde got up to pull him into another hug.
“How’s everything?” his Pop asked before kissing his temple and pulling back. He was ready to give his usual ‘everything is fine’ response, but he’d never been able to lie to that man.
“It’s…been challenging,” he said honestly, crossing his arms over his chest, looking away from his Pop as he thought over the last week with his foster son. “He won’t let me anywhere near him, barely let’s Wade close enough to comfort him from his nightly screaming terrors, which we've had to pad his room to keep the twins from hearing it. He keeps looking at me like I’m going to hit him or...worse…” he trailed off as he let his Pop pull him in for another hug.
“You’re doing great, Petey. You remember how skittish Em was when we first met her? She didn’t trust us either, jumped whenever we got close to her. He just needs time, you know? Keep showing him you are an adult he can trust, he’ll come around.”
“Yeah,” he muttered in disbelief, thinking about earlier in the week when his foster son literally told him to ‘fuck off.’ He felt his Pop squeezed his shoulder in comfort as they heard voices approach.
“Of course I’m telling on you,” Emerson said as she walked directly to Peter, Wade on her tail. “Peter, your father took your new kid down to his lab , and Wade just let them go. Can you believe that?”
His husband’s gaze went directly to the ceiling as Peter turned incredulously to him.
“Wade…” he growled. “Wait, where are the twins??”
“They’re fine, they’re eating their Uncle Miles,” the vigilante answered as he grabbed his sister-in-law to use as a shield. Peter turned his attention to his Pop, hoping for some support.
He didn’t get any, as the blonde was just smiling fondly back at him.
So the arachnid turned his fury back to his husband, who was still trying to hide behind his much shorter sister.
“You know children aren't allowed down there without adult supervision,” Pete said as he crossed his arms over his chest. All of them were well aware that his Dad was not considered an adult.
“They bonded quickly! Who was I to intervene?” his husband squeaked out when Peter tried to reach around his sister to smack him.
“Of course they bonded quickly, the man gave him ice cream!” Pete exclaimed incredulously as he then heard his little brother cry out for help.
“Guys? Help!”
“Go save my little brother and I’ll go be the responsible one - again - and make sure your husband,” he said pointedly to his Pop who was failing at holding back a laugh, “doesn’t kill and or seriously injure Leo, who I should remind everyone, has been with us a week,” Peter said before stomping off to his Dad’s lab.
He wasn’t really mad, aware that his family could tell that as well. Whatever he got it from Dad anyway, theatrically leaving a room. He rolled his eyes while descending the stairs - able to hear the loud ACDC music playing behind the glass walls.
“J, lower the volume please,” Pete requested with a smile as he typed in his passcode. He opens the door, rolling his eyes again at the collective groan coming from the pair. They were under the hood of one of his Dad’s old cars, both also already dirty.
“You guys, you’ve haven't been down here five minutes, how are you already dirty?” he whined as he looked around for some clean towels.
“Calm down, Bambi. I was showing Leo here my white sixty four impala,” his Dad said nonchalantly as he walked towards the man and reached for the towels.
“Sorry Peter,” Leo said quietly. Before Peter could reassure the child that this clearly wasn’t his fault - his Dad spoke up for him.
“Hey! What’d I say? You’re at Grandaddy’s, kiddo.”
“Seriously?” the arachnid asked, glaring at the man who was completely unfazed by it. “Leo, you’re not in trouble, I know who’s responsible here,” he said, glad to see a smile appear on the boy’s face. “Has he introduced you to his bots yet?”
“Yeah! I met Butterfingers and U! And I met DUM-E, but he’s in timeout right now,” Leo finished sadly as Peter glanced back at his Dad who was glaring at a corner of his lab.
“He knows what he did!” his Dad answered loudly, getting a chuckle out of the other two when they heard a small ‘beep’ in defiance.
“Alright, well if you want to stay down here then I’ll stay with you. No kids allowed down here without adult supervision.” His foster son laughed at that before pointing a finger back at the older man.
“Tony’s an adult?”
“No he’s not. My father is a child.”
“I know you are but what am I?” his father said with his tongue out, proving his point. Peter rolled his eyes fondly as he heard Leo laugh again at that, before walking over to the closest chair. One of his Dad’s tablets was on a nearby table, so he grabbed that before plopping onto his seat.
“You are officially under adult supervision, proceed,” the arachnid said with a smile and a wave as he watched the two go back to the car. Being as discreet as possible, he snapped a few pics of the two.
He was jealous to admit it, but they got along well together. Which could prove to be a terrible thing, knowing his Dad.