Little Flame

16

August woke up and stretched. His small hand squished into Steve's cheek, making him groan and turn over. August sits up and looks around.
What he saw was Tony holding Peter close, and Steve's arm around them too. Augusts eyes are as wide a saucers.
Shit
Two things suddenly grabbed his very grown up attention.
1. He was naked except for a soaking wet diaper
2. He remembered everything that had happened in the past three days.
Shit shit shit
August quickly decides to quietly wiggle out of bed. His legs feel weird. He hasn't walked in at least two days! Fuck...
A thud follows as August hits the floor.
Steve shoots up while Tony and Peter groan. Auggy froze at the things going on around him, he skinned his knee when he fell and with all of the overwhelming things going on in his mind, he was close to breaking down and sobbing in the floor.
Steve felt a wave of guilt when he saw his baby boy in the floor, looking petrified. Within a flash, Steve was already picking up a still frozen August. The movement snapped August out of his daze and he squirmed in the big arms around him.
"Shhh shhh you're alright buddy" Steve soothed as he eased Auggy's head over his lefts shoulder. He felt the squish of August's diaper as he held him on his hip, and the resulting squish made August shiver and a whine came from his throat. Steve continued his hushing of the boy and walked the two of them to the nursery.
August was on the verge of sobbing from his embracement. His face was so hot from blushing, Steve honestly thought that the boy might have a fever. August gulps back some sobs and sniffles as Steve attempts to lay him on the changing table.
Emphasis on attempts
"No way. I can't willingly let him change me."
August thinks while clinging around Steve's rather muscular neck with small sounds of struggle. Steve's growing more and more concerned. Could Auggy be sick? It is that time of year... but they've only had him for 3 days! Did he catch something from the team? All this ran through the captains head at once. "C'mon champ, we can cuddle when we get you clean and dressed, yeah?" Steve tries to reason, but August shakes his head 'no' roughly into Steve's neck. God if Steve keeps up the baby talk, August might explode with how red his cheeks are!
"Maybe he's just feeling clingy today" Steve thinks as he smiles a little. "Poor little guy probably just wants his papa.... But... how'd he end up in the floor at the foot of the bed?"
"No!"
Steve snaps out of that thought by that little shout. It sounds like Auggy is fighting back tears. His poor little throat sounds scratchy.
"Buddy," Steve starts while patting the smaller boys back. "What's the matter hm? We don't shout at papa." He gently scolds while his pats turn to gentle rubs over August's scars. The makes the August tense.
That's it. The flood gates collapse at that. It finally became too much and August finally lets out a heart breaking sob, making Steve freeze.
"I-I-I-I'mmmm S-s-s-arrrr—eeee! I'm sorry I'm sorry!" August didn't mean to be so loud. His breath kept hitching in between the first 'I'm sorry' and he sounds like he's on the verge of an asthma attack.
The screaming sobs made Tony and Peter shoot right out of bed.
After sending Peter to get dressed for the day, Tony was in the nursery asking Steve what the problem is over the crying.
"I don't know! I found him in the floor in our room, I was gonna change him and he started crying!" Steve shouts over August's increasing sobs. His shoulders shaking as he's wrecked with more sobs, sounding like he's struggling to take in air. "Quick, get me his inhaler from the bathroom!" The order was barked from Steve as he tries to hold August closer to try and calm him. Tony was gone and back in the blink of an eye and He gets Steve in the cushioned rocking chair so they can both try to calm Auggy enough to get him to take his Inhaler.
"Auggy, baby, look at daddy." Tony spoke calm but stern over the crying which has begun to get broken up with coughs, wheezes and hiccups.
Glossy red eyes met Tony's brown eyes.
While shaking up the inhaler, Tony spoke calmly. "You're gonna have to calm down and take your medicine."
Auggy nods hiccuping.
"Breath in" Tony instructs and August follows with a wheeze "Now out" again, August does as told while shaking.
Tony then offers the inhaler to August's mouth and August takes over pumping the medicine as he inhales. His wheezing finally was over and his breathing finally recovered to normal aside from the hiccups.
Steve is running his hands up and down Augusts back before the boy puts a hand on his chest. "P-please. Please stop." August spoke in barely above a whisper. This caught his two caregivers off guard. "What do you need buddy?" Steve try's.
"I-I woke up big."
That one sentence explained a lot to Steve. "Can I get you cleaned up or do you want to go shower?" Steve asks. "I can go shower." August said while awkwardly trying to slip off Steve's lap. Tony and Steve lead the half naked boy to the bathroom. Steve set up the water for the shower while Tony got a towel for Auggy. August stood stiff. He felt so... off.
"Just call for one of us when you're done and we'll get you set up in your big room." Tony explained with Steve joining him by the bathroom door.
"Thank you." August offered a smile. He was happy they weren't asking him loads of questions.
The two new caregivers smile at the small frail boy, before leaving the room.