Baby Steps: Trystan Elyzabeth

Rolling Over

[This one's been in my drafts for just about the length of the entire freaking hiatus. I am so sorry about that!]

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Varian blinked, staring at Trystan. He was positive that the infant had been on her back when he and Cassandra had put her to bed the night before... How was it that she was on her stomach right now? Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around him; a chin rested on his shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Varian?" Cass whispered, "or are you just thinking?"

"I could've sworn... Wasn't she on her back last night?"

Cass pulled apart from him, moving to the place where her daughter peacefully slept. Seeing Trystan laying flat on her stomach, she smiled. She reached down to scoop the three-month-old into her arms.

"Varian, you dork," she said, laughing, "she rolled over. She's three months old; she's learning how to mobilize herself."

Trystan let out a coo, almost as if agreeing with her mother. Varian chuckled, too, gently stroking her arm with the pad of his thumb. Three months had passed since Trystan had been born, and he still couldn't believe that she was actually there.

"You've been moving around, haven't you, baby?" Cass asked the sleeping baby, "you've been rolling around like it's nobody's business!"

Varian grinned, looking down at the little girl. "You know you're gonna have to show off your new skills to Mommy and Daddy now, right?"

She yawned loudly, stretching out before nestling back into her mother's arms, seemingly done for the day.

Precisely one week later, both Varian and Trystan were resting in the living room. Both of them were laying on their stomachs, Varian intently watching the sleepy mini-Cassandra in front of him. Every morning for the past week, he and Cass had found her either on her stomach or her side, though neither of them had actually witnessed her rolling over.

And Varian was kind of growing anxious over it.

What was his little girl playing at here?

Trystan yawned, loudly smacking her lips before resting her head on her outstretched arm. Varian smiled before stretching out and repositioning himself, now laying on his back. Trystan had her gaze focused on her father, and her eyes widened as he rolled over.

Her father was suddenly upside-down!

For whatever reason, this inspired her to show off her skills. She pushed herself up a little, meeting her father's eyes. He nodded encouragingly, grinning.

At that moment, Cass entered the room. When she saw the scene in front of her, she smiled softly, folding her arms across her chest and leaning against the doorframe.

But Varian hardly seemed to notice. His attention was completely focused on the little girl in front of him.

And then... She did it.

She rolled over.

She did it with such ease that Varian could tell that she'd definitely been practicing when he and Cass hadn't been around.

He grinned, rolling back onto his stomach and reaching to tickle her stomach. She squealed loudly, reaching out to firmly grab his finger in both of her tiny hands. Cassandra chuckled a little, moving to go sit with the rest of her family.

"Great job, baby," she whispered, smiling at her little girl.

Varian grinned, looking at both his girls.

He loved them both so much. And that wasn't going to change.