There are reasons why kissing him is a bad idea.
Many, many reasons.
He can't think what they are, right now, but he still drops his gaze to his son and steps away from Steve.
'Hey, baby,' he murmurs into his son's hair. 'It's ok. I'm right here and I have your elephant.'
'I want to come with you...' Pete's voice is muffled against his chest.
'You are coming with me,' he confirms. 'We're going to the Mansion. Oh, Cap, get his bike?'
Steve looks confused but does fetch the red bike from Pete's room,
'There's a garden?'
'A garden?' he gives Steve a bemused look. 'One, yes, of course there's a garden; it's a mansion. Two, haven't you been there before? And Three, he isn't going to be playing in the garden.'
'I haven't been there,' Steve places the bike by the lift.
He considers that as he finally convinces Pete to take the elephant from him,
'Thought you and Dad were pals.'
The look on Steve's face when he's trying to be diplomatic is precious; the man has no poker face at all.
'We got along all right,' Steve replies. 'But we were at war at the time. And we were overseas.'
'He didn't bring you back for any slumber parties then?' he grins.
'No,' Steve smiles back. 'And, for the record, I'm much better friends with you than with Howard.'
He's never quite sure how to take Steve's random compliments.
He flashes up a grin,
'Aren't you sweet.'
'He's Captain America,' Pete lifts his head and looks between them.
'What's your point, kiddo?' he shifts Pete a little on his hip.
'Captain America is heroic and brave.'
'Yeah,' he grins as Steve looks embarrassed and a little proud. 'Well, he's sweet too.'
'Oh,' Pete considers that. 'Because you're his favourite?'
What?
He looks over as Steve makes a strange noise in his throat.
'Favourite, huh?' he laughs and presses a kiss to Pete's hair. 'Your favourite maybe.'
'Course you're my favourite,' Pete gazes up at him.
'Good, because you're mine,' he tells his boy.
Pete beams at him.
'Jarvis, fly a couple of the suits out to the Mansion for me,' he adds as he walks to the lift.
There's a small pause before Steve gets into the lift with them and then Jarvis sends them down to the garage.
'Do I have one of those kid seats?' he wonders aloud as he contemplates his car collection.
'I have had one installed in your new Audi, sir.'
'Ok,' he drags Pete's bike over to the car and manages to get it into the trunk one handed while Pete still clings to him. 'In you go,' he adds as he puts Pete into the back of the car and works out the seat belt.
'What about Cap?' Pete squirms in his seat to try and see over his shoulder.
'What about him?' he glances to where Steve is standing beside one of his other cars with his arms crossed.
'Cap is coming too?'
'Cap? No, I don't think...'
'Is Cap not allowed to come?' Pete's lip quivers.
'He's...'
'I'd love to come,' Steve interrupts. 'If there's room for me?'
'It's a mansion,' he tells him with a relieved smile. 'I'm sure we can fit you in somewhere.'
'The suite beside yours is being prepared,' Jarvis confirms.
He waves a hand vaguely in the air,
'Sorted. Do you need a lift?'
'I need to pack,' Steve shakes his head. 'I'll see you there,' he ducks his head into the back of the Audi and presses a kiss to Pete's cheek, 'I'll see you at lunch, ok Pete?'
'Ok,' Pete beams.
He jumps into the car and puts on his sunglasses as he revs up the engine,
'See you there, Cap.'
Steve stands waving until they're out of sight.
