'Dada?' his face is patted.

He groans and presses his face into his pillow.

'Dada, it's day time,' his son snuggles against him.

'That was yesterday,' he groans.

Pete giggles and settles against his chest instead of immediately starting to poke him again. He hugs his son close and presses a kiss to the boy's hair.

He dreads the first time he forgets to pay attention to his son.

'Dada?' he blinks open his eyes to see Pete playing with light from the arc reactor between his fingers.

'Yeah?'

'Will Cap come today?' Pete sounds so fucking hopeful.

'I don't think so, baby,' he closes his eyes.

'But it's ok, because we're Starks?'

'That's right,' he sighs. 'We don't need anyone else.'

'What about coffee?' comes a voice from the door.

'Cap!' Pete beams and scrambles over Tony.

'Cap?' he blinks in confusion as Steve crosses the room and perches on the edge of the bed.

Oh, that smells like coffee...

'It's really good to see you, Cap,' he inhales the vapour from his mug.

'I'd believe you more if you weren't making eyes at that coffee,' Steve sounds amused.

'Cap,' Pete has crawled onto Steve's lap.

'Hey, Pete,' he watches Steve gazing with pure affection at his son. 'Pancakes good for breakfast?'

'I like pancakes,' Pete curls against Steve's chest.

'Would you like some, Tony?'

He takes a tentative sip from his mug and hums happily.

'Dada is feeding his brain,' Pete declares.

'I think you're right,' Steve laughs, 'let's make sure we have some more brewed read for him.'

'Ok,' Pete launches himself at his sword and blanket before allowing himself to be lifted up from the bed.

'Tony?' Steve is gazing at him.

He stares back for a moment,

'Pancakes. Right. Good,' he gets out of bed and trails Steve as he gets Pete dressed.

He stands off to the side, cradling his coffee, as Pete chatters at Steve. Steve has pulled a chair over into the kitchen so Pete can watch him mixing.

'Blueberries or chocolate chips?' Steve asks once he's made the batter.

'Chocolate,' Pete beams.

'Alright,' Steve smiles and pours three pancakes onto the frying pan. 'They're nearly ready; take your milk to the table.'

'Ok,' he watches his son climb down from the chair before Steve hands him his beaker. Pete glares intently at the milk as he walks slowly across from the kitchen. Tony opts to help him put it onto the table and smiles as Pete scrambles up onto his chair ready for his breakfast.

He moves away again as Steve turns around with the cooked pancakes ready on a plate,

'Here you go,' Steve puts the plate in front of Pete.

'Thank you,' Pete beams again and tucks in.

Steve returns to his batter and Tony follows him so he's next to the coffee machine,

'Why are you here?' he asks quietly as he fiddles with his empty mug.

'Because...' Steve visibly squares his shoulders even as he lowers his voice, 'because we're about to become a family and I can't just ignore that. I'm not happy with you right now, but I get that you're sorry and that you're trying to make it up to me the only way you know how.'

Tony stares at him.

'And I do understand that it isn't your fault if you don't trust me,' Steve drops his gaze before rallying, 'I'll just have to prove to you that you can.'

Tony's brain is still trying to reboot from the use of the word family.

'Thank you for the motorbike,' Steve adds, 'it looks very... over-engineered.'

'It's super soldier proof,' he latches to that as a subject he knows about. 'That baby has offensive and defensive capabilites, can handle the way you drive like a maniac and is so green that polar bears want to have its babies.'

'I don't drive like a maniac,' Steve retorts.

'I'd fear for your life if you didn't have such a thick skull,' they're a family now? 'you don't even wear a helmet.'

'Tony, are you alright?' Steve glances across at Pete before refocusing on Tony.

'I'm fine,' he retorts. 'Glad you like it. Them. The presents.'

They're a family and Steve's ok with that?

'I do,' Steve agrees. 'I still think they're... over the top.'

'Barely cost me anything!' Tony retorts immediately. 'And I would have given you the bike soon anyway. There's a present giving occasion coming up, right? Jarvis?'

'It is Thanksgiving in five days, sir,' Jarvis reports.

'Right,' Tony agrees.

'Ok,' Steve looks amused but with an underlying concern.

'I'm glad you came,' he tries the 'talking about it' thing. 'Pete missed you yesterday.'

Pepper will be so proud...

'I missed him too,' Steve looks away. 'I just needed time to... I couldn't work out if you really wanted me here.'

'Of course I want you,' Tony scoffs and pours himself another coffee.

Steve is staring at him.

'What?' he stares back.

'Nothing,' Steve smiles a sudden bright smile, 'pancakes?'

'Gimme,' Tony agrees and joins Pete at the table.