Work Text:
Slap
“Mmm...”
Slap
“Mnn...”
Slap
Mista’s body was slow to come into the waking world, rubbing his eyes and blinking the sleep from his eyes.
Slap
“What the..?”
His eyes were slow to focus, coming to see Serafina sitting on his chest, a little pink hand still on his cheek. He smiled and laughed, taking the little hand and holding it on his own.
“Morning, princess..Already up and at ‘em, huh?”
“Ah.” The toddler flapped her hands, slapping them against the sheets and Mista’s chest.
“Okay, okay. I’m up, I’m up, heh.” The brunette groaned with a smile, slowly sitting up in bed and stretching his arms above his head.
The child reached out, making grabby hands for her father, causing Mista to scoop her up and hold her close to his chest, rubbing her back and bouncing her. The brunette yawned, finally turning to look at his fiancé’s side of the bed, only to see there was no one there, only rumpled sheets. There was a bit of confusion, but Mista’s mind quickly put together that the blonde was likely in the living room or the kitchen. He swung his legs out from the covers and landed on the slightly chilled floor.
“So your Papa stuck you with wake-up duty, huh?”
“Ah.”
“I know. Outrageous, right?”
“Ah!”
“Heh. Well, I’ll be sure to issue a complaint and right this wrong. Maybe no nap in compensation~?”
“Ah.”
“Mmm, yeah. We can do better.”
“Ah!”
“Heh.”
Mista continued to walk and talk with his young daughter, bouncing her and bringing her back up when she started to slip. At this point, the two made their way into the living room, where the Pistols were rolling around, playing, and skittering here and there. Then..
“Good morning, sleepyhead~”
Mista perked up and smiled, looking up to see Giorno in the kitchen, fixing up two plates at the island. On each were a sausage and egg between two toasted and slightly burnt pieces of bread with a few small cookies and pieces of fruit lining the plate.
“And happy birthday~”
“Babe, you didn’t have to do this..”
Giorno smiled and went over to give a quick kiss to Mista.
“I thought it was only right since you did it for me on my birthday.”
“Ah. Ahhh.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, my dear~” Giorno then gave Serafina a quick kiss on the cheek, causing the baby to giggle.
“And I believe you owe lil missy here something for sticking HER with wakeup duty~” Mista held up his daughter as the baby babbled and reached out for Giorno.
The little smile the blonde had cracked a bit, taking her into his arms and bouncing her, stroking her head.
“She..she didn’t get hurt, did she?”
Mista realized his joke went the wrong way and shook his head.
“No, no, babe! She was alright,” he gave his fiancé a quick kiss and hugged him. “I was just teasing you.”
Giorno let out a sigh of relief, some of his worry melting.
“Oh, thank God..”
“Plus,” Mista gave the blonde another kiss and a squeeze. “you know I’d never let anything happen to our little princess~”
“I know..”
The couple stayed locked in their little space, content with the moment they had, until Serafina started fussing.
“Aww, what’s up, Feenie~? You hungry~?”
“Ah!”
“I think she might want to get down.”
“Ah! Ahh!”
“Should we? I don’t want her getting hurt or anything.”
“She’s been starting to sit up on her own.”
“Oh.”
Looking quickly, Giorno untangled himself from Mista, brought Serafina’s seat onto the island, and settled his daughter into place. At this, the baby continued to fuss, flapping her arms and whining.
“Maybe she is hungry?”
“I’ll get her food, you sit down and start eating.”
“But your food’s getting cold too.”
“I’m fine, just start.”
As Giorno stepped away from the island to go through the fridge, Mista reluctantly sat down and started eating through his breakfast, taking a bite out of the warm sandwich.
“Mmm. What..what kind of cheese did you use for this?” Mista asked between chews.
“The plastic kind.”
“Hm?!”
Giorno snickered a bit, closing the fridge with a small glass jar in hand.
“American cheese.”
“Oh. It’s..it’s good.”
“I didn’t burn it too much, did I?”
“It's...lil crispy, but not..too crispy.”
Giorno smiled, walking over and offering some food to Serafina on a spoon, who pushed it away and wriggled in her seat.
“..I don’t know what else she could need.”
“..Maybe a change?”
Giorno shook his head, setting down the jar and spoon.
“I changed her after her and I woke up and I know when she needs a change.”
Mista swallowed his mouthful with an audible gulp and made a face.
“Oof..You just know?”
“Yes.”
“Yeesh..”
“Ah! Ah! Ahhh!”
Serafina continued to flail her arms, seemingly like she was reaching out for Giorno. The blonde took her out of her seat only for her to start hitting his arms.
“Sera, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“Ah! Ah! Ah!”
Giorno took a closer look, causing Serafina to hit at his arms again.
“Maybe..she wants down?”
“I had her down-”
“Nah. I meant, like, down down. The floor.” Mista pointed down at the tiled floor for emphasis.
Giorno looked between the floor and Serafina as she continued to bang on his forearms, sighing.
“Alright..”
The blonde walked over to the living room, pulled the play mat out to near the island, and carefully set Serafina down on her bottom. By the time she was set down, the baby stopped hitting and went quiet, stunning both of her fathers.
“I..didn’t think she wanted to be on the floor.”
“Maybe she felt squished?”
“She hasn’t wanted it before..”
“Well, she’s happy now and you should start eating too.”
Taking his fiancé’s advice with some hesitation, Giorno sat at the island, ready to eat, only to find his food went cold. Sighing, he took the cookies and fruit off, setting them on his napkin, and walking over to reheat his plate in the microwave. Mista watched meanwhile with a sympathetic smile, looking between his fiancé and his baby daughter playing on her mat. Between his looks, the brunette brushed off his baby, slapping the play mat with her hands and nearly missed her pushing on the soft surface. Finally settling on the baby, he leaned on the counter, smiling down at her.
“Whatta up to down there, Feenie~? Huh~?”
“Mm..”
The baby had a look on her face, one that reminded Mista of when he’d catch Giorno lost in his notes or some book. He quirked an eyebrow to see her pushing on the mat like she was on a mission.
“Heh, whatcha playin’ at, hon-?” Mista stopped as he saw Serafina lift herself off the mat shakily like a newborn deer trying to stand.
The brunette quickly got to his knees, taking his daughter’s tiny hands in his own, staying steady as she slowly made her way upright.
“Giorno?”
“What?”
“I think..we’re both getting a present today.”
“What?”
Giorno turned around, letting out a gasp, getting to his knees too and moving closer to his fiancé and daughter.
“Is she..?”
“I think our little baby girl’s taking her first step..” Mista’s voice wobbled a bit, biting back a sniffle.
It took a few minutes with Mista’s help for Serafina to stand upright, leaving both her fathers in a state of excitement. Giorno looked up at his fiancé with a glint in his aquamarine eyes.
“Guido, switch with me.”
“Huh?”
“Get over here and let me send her to you.”
“What, you sure? I-I don’t know if she’s gonna-”
“She. Will. Now get your ass over here.”
A little stunned but excited, Mista left his daughter for a moment, taking Giorno’s place a few feet away from her and Giorno held Serafina’s tiny hands gently. Breaking the tension was Giorno slowly letting go of Serafina’s hands, causing her to wobble and both watched with bated breath. She stopped only to look back at Giorno as if to ask what to do.
“Go to your Papa. Go on.”
“Mmm..”
Both watched as the baby turned to look ahead at Mista, who held his arms out for her with a watery smile.
“Come here, Feenie. Here.”
Serafina seemed to hesitate, reaching her arms out too, shakily raising her foot and stomping down, coaxing a gasp from both parents.
“Ah.”
“That’s it, sweetheart. Just a few more..”
“Mmm..”
The baby once again stopped, taking her other foot and moving it further and stomping again with a toothless smile.
“That’s it, my angel. Keep going.”
“Come here, Sera.”
“Ah!”
The next few minutes ticked by with Serafina taking heavy steps towards Mista, getting a little further and wider each one, all with her fathers cheering her on.
“That’s it, sweetheart!”
“C’mon, Feenie! Just a few more!”
“Keep going!”
“Oh, that was a big one!”
“Keep looking here, angel!”
Eventually, Serafina was a few steps away from Mista’s reach, making grabby hands for him in mimicry. Suddenly, she tried to move faster, a run for him, only to lose her balance and fall. A strike of panic went through the young couple, Giorno scrambling to her, only to fall on his side. Thankfully, Mista caught her with a nervous laugh, bringing her close and holding her, continuing to laugh. The little girl began to hiccup before starting to cry.
“No, no, sweetheart. It’s fine, it’s fine. You..you did a lot today..”
Mista’s words became garbled by happy tears, each blink bringing more tears trickling down his cheeks. Recovering, Giorno crawled over and joined his fiancé and daughter, letting out an exhilarated laugh and peppering both with kisses.
“I can’t believe..she did it. She really did it.”
“Yeah..”
“Our baby girl’s growing up..!”
“Yes..!!”
The couple soon collapsed into a cuddle of happy laughs and tears, sharing in this moment together. Mista slowed, giving one final lingering kiss on Giorno’s lips, leaving the blonde smiling.
“Best..birthday..ever.”