Romeo had been so sure this would be easy, too sure, apparently. Elias had folded within seconds, fast asleep and peaceful, while Ophelia just stared back at him. Wide-eyed, stubborn, almost amused at him. He looked down at her, then back at Skylar, a crooked smile tugging at his lips despite the growing suspicion that he was losing this battle. His fingers gently tapped against Ophelia’s side as he tried again, softer this time, “C’mon, sweetheart, don’t make me look bad at parenting." He glanced up when Skylar questioned flirting, raising a brow, clearly entertained. “Since always,” he shot back quietly, a playful lilt in his voice. “Especially with me, you're just innocent so people don't always realise what's going around in that head of yours.” His attention flicked back to Ophelia, who was very much not asleep, and his expression shifted into mock offence. “Unbelievable,” he whispered, shaking his head. “Your brother’s out cold and you’re just plotting against us, aren’t you?” When Skylar joked again, he let out a soft huff of a laugh, though there was a hint of mild annoyance creeping in now, his usual charm wasn’t landing, and he didn’t like that one bit. “I can convince her,” he insisted under his breath, leaning down slightly closer to Ophelia. “You’re really testing me here, you know that?” he murmured, tone warm but teasing, brushing his thumb gently along her cheek like that alone might do the trick. As Skylar returned and wrapped herself around him, Romeo instinctively leaned into her, one arm shifting to rest around her waist while still holding Ophelia securely. At her question, he glanced sideways at her, then back down at their very awake daughter, exhaling through his nose. “This is rigged,” he said softly, though the smile never quite left his face. “Two of us and she’s still winning.” He paused, then added with quiet determination, “Give me five minutes. I refuse to lose to someone who can’t even walk yet.” After a moment, Romeo let out a quiet breath and sank down onto the edge of the couch in the room, still holding Ophelia against his chest as he kept the gentle rocking going. His head tipped back slightly, eyes flicking toward the ceiling like he was reconsidering his entire approach. “Maybe it’s me,” he muttered, a hint of dry amusement laced with defeat. “Maybe I’m just not cut out to rock a baby to sleep.” He glanced down at her again, lips twitching despite himself. “You’ve got something against me, I swear."
skylar's eyes stayed on romeo as he kept rocking their daughter in his arms, trying to lull her to sleep, but ophelia clearly had other plans. "she's not making you look very good at this parenting thing, romeo," the blonde teased, a warm smile tugging at her lips. to skylar, romeo was perfect. nothing and no one could make him seem any less amazing than he was, not even their stubborn daughter. when he told her she'd been a flirt from the beginning, she couldn't help but laugh. "i'm a flirt and people don't realise it because i look too innocent... hmm, that doesn't sound like me," she joked with a grin. she watched the scene unfold—romeo looking mildly offended as he tried to convince ophelia to sleep while she completely ignored him. once skylar had settled elias in his crib, she wandered back over to the couch where romeo was, immediately melting into his side when his arm wrapped around her. "i think she's just as competitive as you are," she chuckled. "maybe she made a bet with elias. they don't talk, but they're twins, they have to communicate telepathically." skylar laughed softly at her own joke. "no rush, babe," she assured him. eventually ophelia would get tired enough to stop fighting it. it was only a matter of time. when romeo sat down, skylar couldn't stop looking at him and their daughter together, completely in love with the sight. as he blamed himself and his apparently terrible rocking skills, she immediately shook her head. "that's not true," she promised. moving closer, she sat beside him on the couch. "you're amazing. elias would've fallen asleep so fast if you'd been the one putting him down." with a sigh, she rested her head against his shoulder. her finger reached toward ophelia's tiny face and gently traced the bridge of her nose, gliding slowly from her forehead down to the button of her nose over and over again. she'd read somewhere that it could help soothe babies to sleep. "it's all trial and error, i think," skylar mused quietly, still repeating the motion. "try this, maybe it'll calm her down enough." she glanced up at him before leaning over and pressing a soft kiss against his cheek. "you're amazing," she whispered again.














