(Sorry this took so long works been busy and im sick atm but i hope you like it)

"Arms up, honey." Pepper rolled up Tony's shirt in her hands, gathering the fabric at the neck hole so that she could push it over his head for him.

It should have been more humiliating to be dressed by your smoking hot partner but Tony had done some growing in the last few years and learnt that asking for help was what made you strong. Also, Peppers hands on him was always a good thing.

He worked to push his arms through the sleeves, Pepper taking his hands on the other side and pulling him through as gently as she could.

He panted a little as Pepper smoothed the shirt down before grabbing his hoodie. Tony curled his lip up, grimacing at the ensemble.

"That with this shirt? Really?" His shirt was a smart patterned print, a deep blue with colourful birds all over it. And the hoodie was an old grey one, worn out and well loved.

Pepper sighed, the garment lowering as he tilted her head. "Peter picked it out, are you going to say no to him?"

Tony looked down to the boy currently trying to make a blanket fort with just a chair for the structure. He watched Peter stick his tongue out of his mouth in concentration, pushing his blanket over the seat of the chair to drape over the sides.

"You know I can't."

Pepper smiled, smug as she got the hoodie around Tony's shoulders. "There, you look handsome."

Tony smirked and tugged on her hip, pulling her down to sit on his lap on the bed. "I always look handsome, but you look absolutely amazing Miss Potts."

Pepper couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as Tony kissed at her neck and she tried to push him back, laughing. "Tony, stop you're not supposed to get so excited."

"Hmm, I can't help myself." Tony mumbled against her skin, teeth biting just enough to make her-

"Petey want kisses too!"

Tony pulled his mouth away as Pepper gasped in surprise, the two of them watching as Peter climbed onto the end of the bed and crawled towards them, up Tony's legs.

He should have been annoyed that his moment was ruined but all Tony could do was smile as Peter crawled onto his lap and he pulled the boy between him and Pepper.

"Hello, Spider-Baby."

Peter snuggled between the two of them, smiling as he settled himself in. "Hi, Dadda."

Tony wriggled some fingers close to the boy, teasing him. "Have you been good for Pepper?"

Peter nodded, unusually quiet as his little fingers fiddled with the small circular monitors stuck to Tony's pulse point.

The Avenger hugged him closer and tried again, needing to make the kid smile. "Did you choose my outfit today?"

Peter nodded, sitting up and pointing to Tony's shirt. "Birbies!"

"You did a good job, buddy! I like it!"

Peter smiled at that, finally, giggling as Tony squished his cheek with a stubbly kiss. Pepper joined in, the two of them smushing Peter between them, one kiss on each of his cheeks and he squealed, feet kicking.

Tony caught the boy as he rocked back, watching him smile and wriggle. But still, no smoke and no teenager.

He sighed, bouncing Peter on his hands. "I don't know what's wrong with him. He won't change back."

Pepper rubbed a hand on his back, soothing him in one move. "Bruce is taking another look at him today. It'll work out."

It would have to because as much as Tony loved having the little bundle of energy around, he missed his slightly bigger bundle of energy.

::::::::

"Peter, can you come sit with me for a moment?"

Bruce patted the end of the examination table, smiling at the boy as he stood beside Bucky, hand clasped tight in the soldiers metal one.

He shook his head, hiding behind Bucky's legs as his wide eyes took in the instruments on the tray beside the table.

Bucky tugged his hand, trying to pull him forward. "Come on, little dude. It's just Brucie. You love Uncle Bruce."

Peter wrapped an arm around Bucky's leg and shook his head again. Bruce pushed the tray back and grabbed something else instead, pulling it from a drawer and presenting it to the boy.

"If Spider-Man is really brave and lets me look him over, he gets a lollipop. Does that sound nice?"

Peter watched, curious and wary, but didn't move forward to take the treat.

Bruce hummed, lifting the candy up to the soldier. "Maybe Bucky would like it instead?"

"No! Petey's pop!"

Peters' hand was lightning quick, snatching it from Bruce in a second, making the doctor laugh.

Bucky reached down and pulled the wrapper off for him, before grabbing the kid and lifting him over onto the table. "You got the candy, you get the exam. Sit still for Bruce now, okay?"

Peter was too preoccupied with his candy to care about the blood pressure cuff Bruce was putting on his arm and swung his feet back and forth under the table.

"Blood pressures good, pulse is nice and strong. Peter, can you lift up your shirt?"

Peter sucked on his lollipop, blinking up innocently until Bucky tickled his tummy. "Where are your abs, Pete?"

That got his attention and he pulled his shirt up to show his tiny little pot belly, full from the three sandwiches he'd had for lunch.

Bruce pressed the end of his stethoscope to the boy's chest and waited, listening before standing up and putting his equipment away. "Heart sounds good and strong. He's in perfect health. Let's try something else."

Bucky smoothed Peters shirt down as Bruce pulled a stool over and sat down in front of his patient. "Peter? Can you tell me how old you are?"

His curls bounced as he nodded and he held up two fingers, candy pulled from his mouth just long enough to speak. "This many. But I used to be big."

Bruce nodded. "Do you remember when you turned little?"

Peter nodded again, lolly popping loudly from his mouth. "Daddy got sick."

Bruce nodded, trying to find the right way to explain. "But he's okay now and everyone is safe."

Peter nodded, feet kicking. Bruce and Bucky shared a look before the former soldier had his turn.

"Peter, do you feel safe?"

The toddler nodded, unbothered by how confused and concerned the two men were.

"Are you happy?"

Peter smiled at that, holding up his lollipop as he bounced a little on the edge of the table. "I got a candy!"

Bruce nodded, trying to be patient. How was he supposed to explain what was going on to a two-year-old?

"Yes, you do. But what else? Are you happy...in general?"

Peter wasn't sure what that word meant but he pointed to his shoes, trying his best to answer the question right. "I got my shoes with Unca Steeb on them."

Bucky couldn't help but laugh a little, rubbing the boys back in encouragement. "That's right."

Bruce sighed. It wasn't Peters fault but it was frustrating. He didn't want to go back to Tony without good news but the truth was he was way out of his depth. He tried once more, taking one of Peters' hands in his.

"Pete? Do you want to be big again?"

He wasn't exactly sure what answer he would be getting but the answer he got shocked both him and Bucky.

"If I was big I could take care of Daddy."

Bucky wrapped an arm around the kid, worry growing at the responsibility Peter was putting on himself. "That's not your job, buddy. You don't have to worry about that."

Peter looked up at him, warm brown irises pulling the soldier in until they were all he could see. "Unca Ben said bye bye when I was big. I didn't help him. I wanna help Daddy."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly dropped down to frigid temperatures and both Avengers wanted nothing more than to grab Peter up and snuggle him tight.

Bucky was speechless and Bruce felt the same, wiping a hand over his eyes and sliding his stool over to his tray table. "Okay, Peter. We'll make sure you get big again. I promise. For now, there's only one more thing I need."

He gave Bucky a look and the soldier nodded, subtly changing his grip on Peter so that he was holding him still.

Bruce snapped on some gloves and grabbed a needle from his tray, he was calm and collected. Peter was not.

"NO!" He lunged backwards, twisting away and trying to crawl back on the table but Bucky held him steady, wrapping an arm around him and holding him still. "It's okay. Bruce is just going to take a little blood. You'll be okay."

Peter did not agree with the sentiment. "NO! DON'T WANT!"

Bruce put the needle down long enough to wind the tourniquet around the boy's arm and cinch it tight, holding Peters wrist still as he dabbed a little bit of alcohol on his skin.

Bucky grunted a little, struggling to hold the superpowered kid still, breath rushing out of him every time Peter slammed his back against Bucky's chest. "Petey, buddy, you got the candy, you get the needle. That was the deal."

Peter had NOT agreed to that and he quickly pulled the lollipop from his mouth and threw it down to the floor. "NO!"

Bucky sighed, almost wishing that loophole worked. "Peter, it'll be over soon. Just sit still."

Peter kicked and cried and tried all he could to get out of Bucky's hold but he was too small and the needle came closer and closer until-

Sharp pain, piercing skin- Peter had enough. He let out an ear-splitting scream, making both men wince at the noise.

"DADDYYYYYY!"

"Ah, shit. Peter, just calm down!" Bucky held him tight as Bruce got a few vacutainers of blood as quickly and gently as he could.

"Almost there, buddy."

Peter cried, tears streaming down his pink cheeks as Bruce finally pulled the needle out and pressed a cotton ball to the small bead of blood welling up. "Hold that, I'll get a bandaid."

Bucky obliged, head snapping up a second later when he heard someone calling down the hall.

"Peter?! Where is he?!"

"Tony?"

Bruce looked up just as Steve dragged a still weak and recovering Tony into the room. He couldn't have made it by himself, hardly able to stay on his feet and he panted, breaths wheezing as his panicked eyes found the boy he was searching for.

"Peter!"

The toddler blinked through his tears and sniffled, pushing harder against Bucky as he tried to reach for the man. "Dadda!"

Tony turned his gaze to Bruce as he hobbled forward, Steve holding him up as they went. "What are you doing to him? You're hurting him!"

Bruce almost rolled his eyes as he placed an Iron-Man bandaid on Peters' arm. "It's just a blood test, Tony. What are you doing? You're not supposed to be out of bed."

Steve sighed, guilty and apologetic. "I'm sorry, I tried to tell him but he said if I didn't help he'd just get there himself and I couldn't watch him crawl down the hallway. It was too sad."

Tony ignored them all as he struggled forward, making it over to Peter as Bucky finally released him.

"Come here, Spider-Baby."

Peter didn't hesitate, pushing Bucky away and lunging for his dad, wrapping his arms around Tony's neck and pressing close to his chest as he cried. "Daddyyyy. Unca Bruce and Unca B-Bucky are meeeaan."

Bucky took offence to that, frowning as he looked around for someone to defend him. "Hey, Peter we aren't mean we just want to help you. You might not understand that now but-"

Peter shook his head, sending a scathing glare to the soldier. "No! Petey don' like you emmy more."

One might think that approval from a two-year-old wasn't very important, but it was Peter and it was important. Bucky's jaw dropped and Bruce looked genuinely hurt.

"Peter-"

The boy pressed his cheek to Tony's shoulder and reiterated, emphasis clear in his voice. "Not Petey's friend now."

Tony looked down at the kid, hugging him back as Steve gripped his waist, keeping him on his feet. "Peter, that's not true. You're hurting their feelings."

Bruce pulled a wheelchair out of seemingly thin air and steered it behind Tony as Bucky spoke, sounding sullen and tired. "Tony, sit down. It's fine. I'm a grown man, I'm not going to get upset just because a toddler told me I'm not his friend."

Bruce looked up, frowning and a little embarrassed. "I am. A little."

Steve lowered him down and Tony sat, sighing in relief as the weight was taken off his legs. "Spider-baby you need to say sorry. You were very rude to Bucky and Bruce and they were only trying to help you. You want to be big again don't you?"

Peter nodded but didn't pull his face away from his mentor's shoulder.

"That's all they're trying to do. Now, say sorry."

Peter was tired. He just wanted a nap and his lollipop back. "Sowwy Unca Bucky an' Unca Brucie."

Bruce smiled, not used to yet loving the title. "I forgive you, little guy."

Tony rested his head against Peters, savouring the hug. "Okay, let's get this snuggle bunny some snacks before he throws another tantrum. Steve, to the kitchen!"

Steve rolled his eyes, smiling as he pushed Tony's wheelchair down the hall. "Whatever you want, Papa Bear."