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Sophia was styling Daniela's curls, pulling the front sections into two little pigtails so they wouldn't keep falling into her eyes while leaving the rest of her curls loose.
"Phia?" Daniela asked, looking up at her through the small mirror set on the living room coffee table. "I want a snack."
Sophia smiled softly, finishing tying one of the little pigtails before gently smoothing a curl back into place.
"No, Dani. It's too late for a snack. You won't be hungry at dinner."
The little immediately pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "But I'm huuungry."
"I know you are." Sophia chuckled, cupping her cheek for a second. "You can eat something simple, my Dani. Do you want some apple slices?"
"With peanut butter?" she asked hopefully, already imagining the snack.
Sophia shook her head with an apologetic smile. "No, baby. Just something simple until the other girls get home. Dinner's almost ready."
Daniela pouted even harder and sighed dramatically.
She really wanted her proper snack time, maybe she shouldn't have napped for so long...Then she got distracted playing with Megan...Then bath time took forever because she wanted every little rubber duck to get washed too...Now snack time was gone.
"Then I don't want anything anymore" she mumbled before hopping off the chair and making her way upstairs.
Sophia didn't stop her. "If you change your mind, the apples will still be here, okay?"
Daniela simply waved without looking back. She quietly climbed the stairs before knocking softly on Manon's bedroom door. "Non non?"
"Come in."
She slowly peeked her head inside.
Manon was sitting comfortably against the headboard with a blanket over her legs, a mug of tea warming her hands while she read one of her books. The room smelled faintly of vanilla and chamomile, and with the fairy lights glowing softly around the shelves, it looked so cozy Daniela almost wanted to curl up there and take another nap.
Manon looked up immediately, smiling warmly at the little standing in the doorway.
"Hi, baby." She closed her book and opened both arms. "Come here."
Daniela giggled and hurried over, climbing onto the bed before practically melting into Manon's lap. As soon as the older girl wrapped her arms around her, gentle hands began rubbing slow circles over her back.
"The best hugger ever" Manon murmured affectionately.
Daniela only giggled louder, burying her face against her shoulder.
They stayed like that for a while, simply cuddling, until Daniela suddenly remembered why she'd come upstairs in the first place.
She looked up. "Hm..."
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"...Can I have snacks, p'ease?"
"Of course, love." Manon smiled without a second thought. "What would you like?"
"Stwaberry bottle..." Daniela held up one finger. "...an' fruits!"
"That sounds yummy." Manon stood, taking Daniela's little hand in hers. Come on, let's go make it.
The kitchen was empty now, Sophia had stepped outside for a moment while dinner finished cooking in the oven.
Manon lifted Daniela onto the counter before beginning to prepare the bottle, all under the little's very attentive eyes.
"Which fruits do you want, baby girl?" she asked, looking through the refrigerator.
"Berries an' 'nanas!" Daniela answered happily, already taking little sips from the strawberry bottle Manon had placed beside her.
"Alright, we have those." Manon washed the fruit before carefully cutting everything into bite-sized pieces, placing them into one of Daniela's favorite little bowls with a tiny fork resting inside. "There." She smiled proudly. "Perfect." She helped Daniela back down from the counter before handing her the bottle. "You carry your milk, I'll carry the fruit."
Daniela nodded very seriously, she held the bottle with both hands, concentrating so hard on not spilling a single drop that her tongue poked slightly out in focus.
Back in Manon's room, Daniela happily atdid e her fruit while drinking her strawberry milk, asking random questions between bites and rambling about everything that came to her mind.
By the time the bowl was empty and the bottle finished, she had curled herself comfortably against Manon again, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere that always seemed to fill the room.
It felt like barely half an hour had passed before Megan knocked loudly along the hallway.
"Dinner's ready!"
"Come on, pequeña," Manon smiled, gently poking the sleepy little's cheek. "Dinner time."
Daniela only whined softly. "Why?" she asked, opening one sleepy eye.
"Because Soph is waiting for us," Manon answered, helping her sit up. "And... I'm getting hungry."
Daniela whined again as she was moved before immediately holding out both arms.
"You want uppies?"
"Sí"
Without complaining, Manon scooped her up and carried her downstairs, placing her in her usual chair beside Sophia, then moved sitting on the filipino's other side, and placed a small greeting kiss on her lips, she had just served everyone's dinner. Bolognese pasta, one of Daniela's absolute favorites. Sophia smiled as she gently straightened one of Daniela's little pigtails. "Hi, baby." She brushed a curl behind her ear. "You must be starving."
Daniela looked down at her plate...Her tummy felt...Really full.
So that's what Sophia meant earlier...
Dang it. Phia was always right!
She simply poked at the noodles with her fork, earning a worried look from Sophia. "Dani? Everything okay, sweetheart? You haven't touched your dinner."
"I'm good..." Daniela mumbled quietly without looking up.
Sophia gently rested the back of her hand against Daniela's forehead, then her neck. No fever. She frowned ever so slightly before turning fully toward the little. "Do you want me to feed you?"
Sometimes Daniela got so sleepy she preferred to be fed, happily leaning against Sophia while she ate. Tonight, though, she only shook her head and forced herself to take the tiniest bite.
Usually dinner was Daniela's favorite part of the evening, she'd chatter nonstop, ask for seconds before finishing her first plate, and already be asking what dessert was going to be.
Manon glanced between her girlfriend and the unusually quiet little.
Then everything suddenly clicked. "Oh...I think I know why she isn't hungry."
Daniela's head snapped up immediately.
No, no, no. Please don't tell her.
Sophia looked over at Manon, still visibly concerned. "What do you mean?"
"I made her a snack not too long ago."
"...A snack?"
"Yeah." Manon smiled innocently. "Poor thing looked really hungry. She asked me for a strawberry bottle and a fruit salad."
Sophia blinked.
Then looked at Daniela then back at Manon.
"But..." She spoke gently. "I'd already told Daniela no snacks because dinner was almost ready."
Manon's smile slowly disappeared. "...Wait." She looked between the two of them. "So she asked you first?"
Sophia nodded. "Mhm I offered her apple slices because dinner was so close."
"Oh..." Manon's face immediately filled with guilt. "Oh, Soph... I'm sorry. I should've asked you first."
Sophia shook her head right away. "No, it's okay." She reached over to squeeze Manon's hand reassuringly. "You couldn't have known."
Then she looked back at Daniela, who already had the wobbliest little lip and the saddest expression imaginable, any attempt at sounding stern disappeared instantly.
Sophia simply opened her arms. "Come here, bebé."
Daniela climbed into her lap without hesitation, hiding her face against Sophia's shoulder. "I'm sorry..." she mumbled quietly.
At this point the other girls had wrapped up mostly, leaving behind only Dani's untouched fruit and juice
Sophia rubbed slow circles over her back. "It's okay." She rested a gentle hand over Daniela's tummy. "...Your tummy isn't hungry anymore, is it?"
She looked down at her little belly before slowly shaking her head. "...No."
"You understand now why I wanted you to wait for dinner?"
A tiny nod.
"...You was right."
"I wasn't trying to stop you from having something yummy."
"I know..."
"I just wanted you to still enjoy dinner."
Manon nodded beside them. "She really did."
Daniela looked between both of her caregivers. "...Not mad?"
"Of course not"
"Never," Manon added with a warm smile. "In fact..." She pointed at the untouched pasta. "We can save it for tomorrow."
Dani's eyes immediately brightened. "Really?!"
"Really."
"Tomorrow's lunch is already decided."
"Pasta!" Daniela beamed. "Yay!"
Manon gently poked her little tummy with one finger. "And I'm sorry too, baby girl."
She laughed softly.
"I'm your caregiver. I probably should've known better than to feed you a whole strawberry milk and berries."
Daniela burst into giggles as Manon lightly tickled her belly.
"So, what did we learn today?" Sophia prompted looking at the younger one "Next time, if one mama says no, we ask why before we ask the other one, okay?"
Daniela nodded against her shoulder. "Okay..."
"Good girl."Sophia kissed the top of her curls and gestured to Manon hug both of them, which she did without thinking twice
Curled comfortably between her two caregivers, Daniela smiled to herself, maybe her little brain had made a silly decision but it had also reminded her that even after mistakes...she was still loved just as much.