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“Laf!” Peter screeched excitedly as Steve turned on the television.
“I’m genuinely frustrated you can say Olaf and not my name, bud,” he laughed as he settled on the couch with Peter nestled in the crook of his arm.
“Laf. Laf!” Peter clapped his hands excitedly.
“Hold on, buddy! Jeez. JARVIS, can I get an assist, please?” Steve called out as he fumbled with the remote, the toddler moving around too excitedly in his arms.
“Absolutely, Captain,” the AI chimed in cheerfully.
“Za!” Peter yelled out.
“You are most welcome, master Peter,” JARVIS replied with what could only be described as a proud tone – if an AI could even have emotions?
“Seriously, JARVIS too? What about me? Pa-pa,” Steve enunciated the last syllables to Peter who just shrieked and fell back into his arms. “You are lucky you’re so cute, baby boy.” He kissed the top of Peter’s head as he settled himself in the corner of the couch.
It had been another long day with no naps in sight, and Steve needed down time. He hated using the television as a distraction, but it was needed for both of them right now. Tony had to work, so Steve had been solo most of the week with Peter, and it somehow managed to be more exhausting than fighting most of the bad guys that seemed to terrorize the city on the regular. So, for the millionth time that month it seemed, they settled in to watch one of Peter’s favourites. Steve tucked one foot under himself, and stretched out the other along the couch, settling Peter in the little nook his bent leg had created. He tucked him in with his trusty blankie and his little Sven plushie – which the toddler proudly waved at the television whenever ‘real’ Sven was on screen. Steve zoned out for a bit, checking in on his SHIELD emails, and catching up on random social media posts to distract himself.
Peter looked up at him from his spot, pointing at the television and repeating Laf whenever the little snowman would appear, making Steve smile. For all that was going on around them, their little guy had brought so much joy to their life and Steve would forever be grateful for his family. It gave him an additional sense of purpose, something to look forward to on days where he really didn’t know if any of it was worth it. He had never known if a wedding, kids, and a white picket fence was in the cards for him in the 40s, and even less so in this century. But he could not be more grateful for the life he and Tony had built together.
Peter started to sway as Elsa sang ‘Into the Unknown’ and Steve started singing along with her, to Peter’s great delight. The blond did not have a voice that could match Idina Menzel’s by any means, but thankfully his son did not care. One day he would, but for now, Steve would enjoy the fact that he could sing to his heart’s content.
“Some look for trouble while others don't. There's a thousand reasons I should go about my day, and ignore your whispers, which I wish would go away,” Steve sang to his son’s great joy. Peter clapped and cheered, as only a toddler could, making Steve laugh. “Oh, you are the sweetest, little guy.” He continued on with the song, stopping only when Peter’s antics made him laugh too hard. When the song ended, Peter settled back down against his stomach and yawned, snuggling Sven even closer. “Wanna go to bed, bud?” Steve asked, rubbing his tummy. Peter just shook his head as he continued watching the movie.
Steve returned to his phone, having spotted a new email notification. He typed a reply quickly before dropping the phone next to him and settling back in the couch to watch the movie. His hand on Peter’s tummy rubbed gently, his thumb’s up and down movement apparently being all the toddler needed to lull him to sleep at some point, because when Tony popped into the penthouse he pointed to their child and made the universal motion for sleep before Steve noticed and just shrugged back at him. Tony chuckled before grabbing coffee and a sandwich Steve had made him earlier and making his way to the couch.
“Want me to turn that off?” Tony asked as he settled himself next to Steve. He kissed the mop of brown hair on Peter’s head gently, their son barely twitching at the contact.
“Hm? No, I don’t mind if it’s on,” Steve answered as he leaned over to give Tony a quick peck.
“Really? Aren’t you tired of watching it?” Tony continued before taking a bite of the sandwich.
“Well, some of it, maybe… but I kinda like this part.” Steve sounded just a smidge embarrassed by his answer, making his husband smirk.
“My big Disney princess you. I have it on good authority you were belting it out with Elsa earlier.”
“Oh, first the kiddo gets JARVIS on his side, and now he’s ratting me out to you too?” Steve laughed.
“I was nice and didn’t pull up the video. What’s this part anyways?” Tony asked, turning back to the screen.
“Don’t you remember? This is when he tries to propose,” Steve answered with a soft smile.
“Oh yeah, the song 80s ballad with all the reindeer?”
“It’s just Sven singing along with him, the other ones are just for show,” Steve countered too seriously.
“You know way too much about this movie. It’s starting to worry me.” Tony tilted his head sideways a bit as he examined his husband.
“You usually fall asleep, that’s why you haven’t memorized it.” Steve chuckled and turned back to the television just as the song started, he mouthed the lyrics along with Kristoff. Just before he got to the chorus, he noticed Tony looking at him with the broadest smile.
“Now I turn around and find I am lost in the woods. North is south, right is left, when you're gooooooooone,” Steve sang along, looking straight at Tony, who was trying not to burst out laughing so he wouldn’t wake up Peter.
“Fuck, you’re cute sometimes,” Tony told him, his smile fond and sweet.
“Just sometimes? Cause I feel I’m cute way more often than just sometimes,” Steve smirked back.
“I mean, it’s probably pretty often, you just tend to reserve it for moments when I’m not around.”
“Not true!” Steve smacked him gently with the pillow on the back of the couch before resuming along with the song. “Who am I, if I'm not your guy? Where am I, if we're not togeeeetheeeeeer…” Steve pulled up Peter’s Sven, which he had released from his death grip now that he was asleep, and brought it next to his face. “…FOREEEEEE-VEEEEEEEEER!” Tony burst out laughing now, his head dropping backwards as Steve kept Sven by his face and swayed along to the ballad. “Now I know you're my true north, 'cause I am lost in the woooooooooods. Up is down, day is night, when you're not theeeeeeeeeeere.”
Peter twitched and moaned in his spot, making Steve quiet, looking sheepish. He shushed him gently, giving him back Sven, and rubbing his tummy again. The toddler wrapped both arms around the plush toy and let out a loud sigh.
“So, am I your true north?” Tony asked with a smile when Peter had settled again.
“Absolutely. It’s… the lyrics make me think a lot about us, actually. It’s one of the reasons I really like that song.” Steve admitted.
“That’s really sweet.” Tony leaned in for a kiss, which Steve was all too happy to give him.
When he finally pulled back from Tony, just enough to be able to look him in the eyes when he spoke, he couldn’t help the loving smile he knew was gracing his lips. “I don’t feel lost in the woods anymore now that I have you in my life, but I do feel lost whenever you aren’t around.” He brushed his nose against Tony’s, making the brunette giggle softly, before going back in for another kiss.
“You, Steve Stark-Rogers, are amazing.” Tony sighed when Steve pulled away again.
“I know, I’m awesome. Now shush, I’m watching a movie here.” Steve turned back to the television, trying to remain serious, but barely capable of containing his smirk.
“I’ll leave you to Anna’s noble quest to save her sister. I gotta go back downstairs. Duty calls. Let me know when he wakes up? Maybe we can go play outside for a bit?”
“Sounds good.”
Steve stretched himself on the couch and repositioned Peter so he was sleeping against his chest instead, knowing the toddler loved to snuggle like this. He waited until Tony was out of earshot and smiled at himself. “Hey JARVIS? Think you can cue up Weezer’s Lost in the Woods to start when Tony gets in the shop, please? And, don’t stop it.”
“Certainly, Captain.”