“Papa. PA PA. Come on Laura Girl. Say papa.”
Laura sits in her high chair, smooshing the mashed vegetables into the tray. Her little finger draws a squiggle in the mush, while her Papa, Stiles, waits patiently with the baby spoon paused in the air.
“Laura Girl! Have the last spoonful and we’ll get you ready for bed”, Stiles wiggles the spoon in Laura’s eyeline. She pauses her food squiggles and opens her mouth wide, accepting the spoon delivering her mashed veggies. She scrunches up her little face in contentment as she gums on the food, and reaches out a messy hand to her papa.
Stiles leans forward and cops a smudge of mash on his cheek. Seeing how happy his daughter is? Totally worth it. “You’re such a good girl Laura. So good for your papa. Go on bubba, say papa!!”
“You know Stiles, the more you hound her, the less likely she is to say it.”
Stiles jumps in his seat, “Jeez Derek, you scared me!”
Derek just chuckles. He puts his wallet and keys down on the table, and walks over to his husband and daughter. He kisses Laura on the head, then kisses Stiles on his button nose. “Anyway, we both know that you are going to say daddy first aren’t you Laura Bear! Daddy. DAD-DY.”
Stiles gives Derek a playful shove. “Nice try bucko. But she’s been on the cusp of saying papa for a few days now. I really think it’ll be her first word.”
Derek pulls up a chair and sits next to Stiles, “It’s not a competition babe. It doesn’t really matter what she says.”
Stiles leans back in his chair and sighs. “I know. But I spend so much time with her you know? I just hoped I’d be her first word.”
“I know. But whatever it is, it’s going to be perfect.” Derek leans in for a kiss and Stiles leans the rest of the way. They share a brief kiss until the doorbell goes. Derek grumbles and gets up from his chair.
Stiles starts cleaning up, taking the now empty bowl, and the spoon into the kitchen, and brings back a cloth. He hears Derek walking back into the room with the Sheriff in tow.
“You’ve just missed Laura’s dinner John, although I’m pretty sure she’s still wearing most of it.”
The Sheriff chuckles. “Just like Stiles then.”
Before Stiles could complain, Laura’s arms shoot up in the air, and she squeals. “GA-PA!!!!”
Derek and Stiles look incredulously at their daughter, who is bouncing in the high chair.
“GA-PA!! GA-PA GA-PA!!” Her little face lights up at the sight of her grandfather, and she makes grabby hands at him. The Sheriff melts into a puddle before he swoops in and unbuckles her from the chair. Lifting her up in his arms, he kisses her chubby cheeks, and gives her a squeeze, taking her off to the bathroom for bath time, all the while Laura chants GA-PA over and over.
The husbands look at each other in shock. Stiles breaks the silence. “So. Good thing this wasn’t a competition then.”
Derek bursts out laughing, followed by Stiles. Derek sits on a chair, and drags Stiles into his lap. “You have to admit though babe, that is kinda cute.”
Stiles is still chuckling. “Adorable. Our daughter is adorable. I don’t think dad realises that he was her first word. That’s going to mean the world to him you know.”
Derek nuzzles into Stiles neck, and breathes in. “It will. We’ll tell him when he’s done with bath time.”
The husbands have a lazy snog in the chair for a few minutes, until they can hear bath time finishing up. Stiles gets up to go finish cleaning his daughter’s mess, and Derek goes into to grab Laura’s nappy and pajamas. John brings out a squeaky clean Laura, who is only wrapped in a towel. His shirt is completely soaked, but he wears a grin from ear to ear.
“Look daddy, your daughter is all clean again!” John hands Laura over to Derek to get her dressed. But Laura’s having none of it. Her bottom lip begins to wobble, and the grabby hands return. The most harrowing sob is released, followed by a “GA-PA!!!” and she wails while Derek gets her dressed.
Once done, Derek quickly hands her back to John, who begins to soothe her. Laura’s tears begin to subside, and she tucks a weary head under her grandfather’s chin.
Stiles takes in the sight of his father and daughter, and his heart swells. “You know dad, Laura said her first word today.”
John smiles widely. “She did? Was it papa or daddy?”
Derek shakes his head. “It was neither.”
“Really? What did she say?”
Stiles swallows down the lump forming in his throat, “Ga-pa. Grandpa. She said her first word when she saw you dad.”
Tears rapidly fill the Sheriff’s eyes, and he looks with adoration at his granddaughter. “She did? Did you Laura Girl?”
Laura pats her grandpa’s cheek and mumbles “Ga-pa”, as she slips a thumb in her mouth and falls asleep.
A few tears spill over, as John rocks Laura in his arms. His smile is wide, and his heart full.
Stiles looks at Derek and whispers, “Best day ever.”
Derek nods at his husband, with a smile.
