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Sam was the only one who cared to notice and take action on Peter's part after the situation in London. While most Avengers wanted to help, they couldn't. SHIELD was off taking care of the Wanda and Vision situation, Bucky was relaxing with his newly found pardon, Pepper and Happy were at the lake house taking care of Morgan, and Clint had been off the grid ever since his family came back from the snap.
Sam was just as busy, with Captain America duties and all, but nevertheless took Peter in and officially adopted him. The public didn't know because Peter didn't want it that way, nor did Sam. Sam just wanted to help the boy after his mentor faded and then was framed for murder. (Sam cleared it up with a called in favor from Pepper, thankfully, but Peter hung up the webs for a bit to help the crowds calm down.)
It was obvious that something more happened to Peter while he was in London for those few weeks, so painfully obvious. But Peter didn't talk. He didn't eat, he barely slept, he wouldn't leave his room. It was worse than when May died, he was practically incapable of taking care of himself.
Which is why Sam found it a surprise that Peter came to him first, sitting down on the couch that Sam was eating breakfast on and beginning to talk unprompted.
"Mr. Wilson?" he whispered firstly, pressing his hands together in an anxious way.
"It's Sam, kid," Sam reminded Peter, but otherwise giving the Spider themed (ex?) hero his full attention.
Peter only nodded. "You're a therapist, right?" Without clarifying on the fact that technically he was a counselor meant to help war veterans with PTSD and someone who just talked to people who needed to be heard, Sam nodded. "So in your professional opinion, can boys be sexually assaulted?"
Sam fought to maintain a straight face instead of recoiling in shock at the question. Sam was an adult, and a hero. On top of seeing horrible things, he's fought in wars and worked with people who came back from fighting for their country. He had common sense and an ability to correctly assume what people were hinting at.
Looking at the 17 year old boy, wearing clothes that securely covered his entire body, his hair long and shaggy now hiding him from Sam, and tear tracks on his face seemingly permanent… Sam's mind went to one place and he hated to admit that it would make sense if he was correct.
"Anyone can be sexually assaulted, it's just more commonly talked about amongst women because that's where it mostly happens," Sam answered carefully, considering how he could take this conversation. "Did you happen to feel differently, Peter?" He chose to follow up with, tilting his head slightly so he could see the smallest glimpse of Peter through his bangs.
Peter was messing with his fingers again, a nervous habit Sam had come to recognize, and Sam noticed the all too present tremor that was shaking the younger's hands. "I think..." Peter started quietly. "I think someone did something very bad to me," he admitted. "They– um, he touched me, b–but he said that boys couldn't be h–hurt like that and no one would care. And now I think he's lying but I don't know..."
Sam's eyebrows furrowed and he turned his body on the couch so he was further in Peter's line of sight. "Can you tell me what he did?" Sam asked tentatively. Peter's statement was open and left a lot of room for Sam to assume or fill in the details, something that he didn't really want to do because if he got something wrong that could mean he say something wrong and Peter was much too fragile for that...
"H–he.. um..." Peter looked to the side and Sam was sure his eyes welled up with tears as he shook his head no at the question.
"Alright, that's ok. You don't ever have to if you don't want to," Sam assured. "Do you think you could tell me why you believed him in the first place?"
Peter looked down to his hands and shook his head again. "I don't.. I don't–"
Sam cut Peter off quickly, knowing immediately that whatever Peter was going to say would send Peter spiraling down an unhealthy rabbit hole of terrible thoughts and that's not where Sam needed Peter. "Hey, hey Pete? Come back to me now," Sam suggested gently, maintaining eye contact as much as he could to help ground the boy.
"I looked it up– Mr. W–Wilson," Peter cried quietly, looking desperately into Sam's eyes. "The–the internet said no and everyone else said no! I don't– I can't—"
"Peter, Peter bud," Sam tried his best to hold Peter still so he wouldn't hurt either of them in his confusion induced panic. It was clear that wouldn't work out too well for him in the end. "You listen to me right now, alright? You trust me?" Sam asked. Peter, in all his innocence and glory, nodded immediately while sobbing in Sam’s arms. "Then you need to trust what I'm saying. Too many people on the internet with too many different opinions that are wrong. Too many self obsessed trolls and 12 year olds who don't know what they're saying. You need to trust me, right here and now in real life, and you need to believe that what happened to you was terrible. It was an awful thing that should not have happened. People will care– I care. The internet was wrong, ok? Wrong," Sam repeated.
But Peter shook his head, breaking down in a sob and going limp in Sam's touch. It shocked Sam so much that he didn't move for quite a few seconds before realizing Peter clearly needed something because what he was saying wasn't cutting it.
"What's up, Pete? Do you need someone else to talk to? Do we need to take a break, get some food and water maybe? Talk to me, kid," Sam urged gently.
Peter shook his head, taking the opportunity to burrow closer to Sam's side and somewhat hug the older male.
Sam just nodded along with Peter, bringing the poor boy closer to him slowly as to make sure Peter was comfortable. This clearly wasn't a talk for today, it could wait. In the mean time, Sam needed to get this boy to eat a proper meal while he was out of his room for once and get a few hours of sleep after.
"I care Peter, lots of people care about you. Don't ever say what you went through isn't real, alright?" Sam murmured. The sobbing didn't stop, but Sam wasn't expecting it to. They had talked enough today anyway.
Sam was proud of his boy.