Over the next week Peter could feel himself settling in. Y/n and Bucky seemed to radiate security, they were consistent in both their routines and their affection, and Peter couldn't help himself from indulging. He'd never once had anyone treat him like this before, and it felt too good not to take advantage of. On most weekdays either Y/n or Bucky would pick him up from school. They'd take him home and let him ramble about his day in the car as they listened intently, and once they had arrived he would go into the bathroom to change into his play clothes and wash his face. Every time, without fail, he'd come out to find a snack waiting for him and then he'd get help with his homework. The routine was caring and secure, making Peter feel much more looked after than he ever had before. But the best part, oh the very best part was the moment that his other parent would come home. They always arrived just before dinner would be ready, and they would always scoop Peter up as he ran to them. He'd be cuddled close and told how much they missed him that day, it was like nothing he'd ever experienced. And at the end of every day he'd be tucked into bed by both Bucky and Y/n, one on each side making sure that Peter was warm, comfortable, and had Dolly securely tucked into his arms. He'd drift off to sleep knowing that for the first time he was loved, wanted, and above all else he was safe.
Of course for Peter all good things always eventually came to an end. The other shoe always dropped and he'd end up right back where he started, abused and alone, fighting to survive. Why would this be any different? He tried to change his own mind, to tell himself that Y/n and Bucky wouldn't hurt him like that. They were good people, they were gentle and loving, not like the others. But there was this constant reminder in his head that they might change their minds. They might realize that he wasn't worth this kindness, he might mess up so bad that they hurt him. But at least for now, he tried to tell himself, they were kind.
And so Peter settled. He let Y/n and Bucky look after him and trusted them to protect him from harm. The downside to this, that he never saw coming, was that his mind finally felt safe enough to start processing everything he'd been through.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Peter froze, heart beating far faster than it should be as he stood in the kitchen. He was starving and had snuck out of bed in an attempt to find something, anything, to eat. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I won't do it again, I was just so hungry."
"You had three meals today didn't you?" The voice said angrily.
"Two," Peter said in a shaky voice, immediately regretting it when the man's face twisted in fury.
"You ungrateful little freak! You're lucky we feed you at all!" He raised his hand and Peter flinched, bracing himself for the hit. "Look at you, you can't even take your punishment like a man!"
"Please," Peter pleaded, even though he knew it was useless. "Please don't hurt me. I'll be good, I promise! I'll be good, you don't have to hurt me!"
"You had your chance. Whatever the hell that spider did to you removed everything good in you." The man smiled, an awful sneer taking over his expression. "Don't worry freak, you'll heal quick."
Peter jolted awake as his foster father's fist came swinging towards him. There were tears on his face, and he just sat there for a moment trying and failing to calm down. There was fear invading every one of his senses and he found himself longing for comfort. He grabbed his lamb, clinging to the toy like a lifeline as he began to sob. He hadn't felt this helpless or frightened in a very long time, he couldn't ever let himself.
His door swung open and he looked up to see Y/n, who had been awoken only moments earlier by Jarvis, standing in the doorway. But in his panicked state he couldn't process that it was her. All he could see was a person coming towards him and all of a sudden it felt like he was back there. Back where the only constants were fear and pain. He scrambled backwards as far as he could go, until his back hit the headboard and he let out a fearful sob.
"Don't hurt me," he cried out. "Please, please don't hurt me. I'll try harder, I promise." He felt the bed dip as Y/n came to sit down, the mattress lifting him just a little as it took her weight. "I'm sorry!"
Y/n felt her heart break in her chest as Peter pleaded with her not to hurt him. It didn't take a genius to understand what was happening. "Peter it's alright," she said calmly, fighting to keep the anger towards his previous caretakers and sadness she was feeling out of her voice. "It's just Y/n. Do you know who I am?"
Peter looked up and locked eyes with her. He nodded his head, clinging to his lamb like his life depended on it. Okay, that was something. At the very least he knew who she was.
"Do you know where you are?" She asked softly.
Peter shook his head, more tears falling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry," he cried out. "I don't know."
"There's nothing to be sorry for," she assured him. "Do you want me to tell you where you are?" The shaking little boy nodded his head. "You're in the Avengers compound, in a suite that you live in with me and Bucky. Remember Bucky?" Peter nodded again. "Good," she smiled at him with far too much love. He didn't understand why she was being so kind, but he knew better than to question it.
"I'm in my bedroom, right?" He asked quietly, wiping at his eyes.
"That's right pumpkin," she said softly. The nickname seemed to completely bring him back to where he was and he started crying even harder than before, desperately reaching for her to hold him.
A small amount of relief washed over him when she picked him up, holding him tight on her lap as he cried into her chest. "Please," he sobbed. "I'm sorry, don't make me go back. I don't wanna go back."
Y/n began rocking back and forth, trying to soothe the frightened child in her arms. She couldn't help but hear traces of her husband in Peter's words, remembering the countless nights that he had tearfully begged her not to hurt him, not to betray him and send him back to Hydra. "You're safe," she murmured, gently rubbing his back as she held him close. "They can't hurt you anymore, I won't let them." She wasn't even sure who 'they' were, she just knew that her child was afraid and she'd do anything to keep him safe, no matter what. "You're home, no one will hurt you here."
"Please, I'll be good," Peter cried, clinging to her like she could disappear at any moment. "Don't send me away."
"I would never send you away," she reassured him, continuing to rock her child back and forth as he cried. "I'm here, you're mine. I promise you always will be."
Peter kept crying, releasing the fear that his nightmare had brought to the surface, and much to his surprise Y/n stayed the entire time. She rubbed his back and whispered gentle reassurance while he sobbed and got snot all over her shirt, not once complaining or telling him to stop.
"I'm sorry," Peter said quietly once he had settled down. "I didn't mean to mess up your shirt and make you get up."
"There's nothing to be sorry for," Y/n soothed, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "You're so much more important than a hoodie or a couple hours of sleep. I'd stay up all night and have to wash a thousand sweatshirts if it meant that you didn't have to be all alone after a bad dream."
"Are you sure?" Peter asked in a shaky voice, leaning back to look her in the eye.
"Absolutely pumpkin," she assured him. "You're my little boy, part of my job is to comfort you and I don't regret that in any way."
Peter rubbed at his puffy, red eyes and sniffled. "Why? Why are you being so gentle with me?" He asked, desperation bleeding through in his voice as he searched for a logical answer.
"Because I love you," Y/n said simply, pulling Peter closer in her lap. "And when you love somebody you take care of them."
Peter was silent for a long time, processing her words while she rocked him back and forth. Finally he let out a deep sigh and relaxed completely in her arms, rubbing at his face again. "Is Bucky awake?" he said quietly. "My eyes hurt."
"Let's go wake him up," Y/n responded softly. "I'm sure he'd be glad to wash your face for you." She could've offered to do it herself, but she knew that Peter was looking for the security of both her and Bucky. She knew that her husband would do anything to make Peter feel better, just like her.
"Really?" Peter asked tentatively.
"Of course pumpkin, I'll show you." She stood up, settling Peter on her hip and wrapping a blanket around him. She saw him turn around when she got to the doorway and paused. "Oh my goodness I almost forgot! Here sweetheart." She walked over to the bed and grabbed Dolly, handing it over to Peter who let out a relieved sigh.
They went to the bedroom where Bucky was sleeping and Y/n gently woke him up, running her fingers through his hair while she whispered his name. He groaned and cracked his eyes open, only sitting up when he identified his wife and child standing in front of him. He noticed the way that Peter was clinging to Y/n and the redness in his eyes. "Bear what happened?" He asked softly.
Peter shook his head, looking up at Y/n for help with pleading eyes. She pressed a kiss to his forehead before looking back at her husband. "He had a bad dream," she said quietly. "And he has a question for you."
Peter took a deep breath. "Will you wash my face for me? Please?" He asked in a tiny voice. "You don't have to if you don't want to, it just hurts and I thought-"
"Bear," Bucky cut off Peter's frightened backtracking. "Of course I'll wash your face. I love you, remember? You can have whatever you want." Tears welled up in Peter's eyes all over again as Bucky stood up and held out his arms, letting the little boy hang onto him for a moment. "It's alright. You're safe with us."
When Peter was ready to let go, Bucky helped him get settled on the bed, wrapping a blanket around him and placing him in Y/n's lap with his lamb. He went to retrieve what he needed to wash Peter's face and got to work, cleaning his face with a warm wash rag and helping him to blow his nose while Y/n mumbled reassurance to their child.
"You ready for the cold one?" Bucky asked gently, making sure to wait for Peter's nod before carefully pressing it to his face. "There you go," he soothed. "Let's dry you off." He patted the little boy's face dry as softly as he could before setting all of the supplies on the nightstand to be put away in the morning. "Does that feel better?"
"Thank you," Peter said sleepily as he nodded. The calm routine and gentle touch, combined with Y/n's solid presence and comfort had managed to soothe all the remaining fear in his mind. All that was left was exhaustion and a desperate desire to feel safe. "Can I stay here a little longer?"
"Pumpkin you can stay as long as you want," Y/n said gently. "You can even sleep in here."
"I can?" Peter asked, looking up at her with wide eyes.
"Of course," she assured him, moving him from her lap to the center of the bed and scooching down to lay beside him. "You're always welcome here, okay?"
"Always?"
"Always bear," Bucky said softly, coming to lie down on his side of the bed beside Peter and his wife. He draped an arm around the two of them, securing Peter between his wife's chest and his own. "You're our son, we love you so much."
Peter let out a content sigh and burrowed his face into Y/n's chest. His lamb was squished between the two of them and Bucky's arm was a warm comforting weight across him. He could feel the man's chest against his back and found security in the way that he was surrounded by his parents on all sides. No one could hurt him here. Not tonight.