Older cat hissing at kitten while cuddling me

Hi, so context before I talk about this:

- We are a two cat household as of last month

- Older cat is 7 years old and kitten is 4 months old

- Both neutered males and vaccinated and indoor cats

- Both integrated well in a short time so we've allowed the kitten to free roam. They coexist and sometimes play but my old guy is ultimately more low energy, his playfulness actually increased when we introduced the kitten so it's been nice

Anyway, I've noticed when I have cuddle time with my older cat and the kitten tries to join in, my older cat hisses at the poor little guy. When the kitten backs off and leaves he's good.

Not long before typing this out, the kitten approached me to cuddle because I am laying down decompressing from work. Purring against my chest and everything, then the big guy hops on the bed and sits on top of me. Both chill and both getting pets until the big guy hisses and even starts growling when the kitten just reeled back but did not move. Kinda staring at him like "Bro what." I'm afraid of an altercation so I just sat up and got the big guy to move off me and he left.

The only time I can note this not happening during cuddle time is when the kitten slept at my feet on the bed and the big guy was cuddled against my chest and we all napped without a problem.

That's the first time this has happened to this degree though with the growling. Maybe it's a jealousy thing or he's being weird about the proximity, but it makes me feel terrible since I've had the big guy for his 7 years of life. I've been making sure to give them as much equal time as possible as well. I never force them to cuddle only when they approach me themselves.

The two get on well outside of him seeming to get touchy with the kitten getting too close while cuddling.

SO I'm just wondering how I should handle this once it happens? What I can do to help alleviate this? (If possible)

Thanks so much.

Small add-on since big guy came back as I typed this out: He sniffed the sleeping kitten, let me pet him, and is laying on my feet now.