It had been a fairly quiet afternoon. Cullen had been working on some paperwork as the Inquisitor was off discussing things with Leliana and Josephine. While the spymaster and the diplomat were taking most of the duties they could to give Cullen and his wife as much time with their firstborn child, there were somethings that could not wait.
With his beloved wife busy, he was spending some one on one time with his baby daughter. Or at least he was trying to. He had her on his lap, playing with a toy as he hurriedly worked through the urgent paperwork that needed his attention. He counted himself luck that his daughter was such a quiet, happy child.
At already almost eight months old, she was a brilliant ball of joy and energy. His daughter hardly ever fussed, and spent most of her time either laughing or watching people in rapt awe. He couldn't believe that he and his wife had created something so beautiful, so perfect.
He was just about finished when he noticed his daughter was babbling at him from his lap, hands reaching up towards him. Cullen put the papers down and grinned widely at her. She hadn't yet learned to talk, but Maker knew she was trying.
He chuckled as he bounced her on his knee. "What was that, sweetheart?"
"Dada."
Maker's breath, did she-did she just talk? His heart was hammering hard in his chest as he felt his stomach tumble around inside of him. Was it happening? Maker, where was his wife when he needed her?
She reached her chubby hands to him, a look of pure delight. "Dada! Dada!"
Maker, his daughter had said her first word. Tears coursed down his cheeks as he laughed. He picked her up, she giggled and wiggled around in his arms as he held her. "That's right. I'm Dada."
His daughter flailed her arms as she laughed with him. "Dada!"
Cullen couldn't stop crying. His daughter had said her first word, and it was her calling to him. His heart felt fit to burst. There had only been two other times he could remember being so happy: the day he married his beloved, and the day his daughter was born.
"That's right. That's Dada. And is Dada crying?" Cullen's head came up as he watched his wife standing in front of the desk. She was beaming.
He noticed tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, and teased, "Is Mama crying?"
The Inquisitor laughed as she came over, their daughter reaching out to her almost instantly. Cullen handed her over as he wiped the tears away. He was glad that this was a moment shared between to the two of them. While he had been over the moon with his daughter's first words there had been the lingering sadness at the thought that his wife couldn't be there for it. Apparently she had managed to come just in time.
"Did you say your first word? Did you say 'Dada?'" His wife kissed their daughter as the baby giggled. She bounced in her mother's arms happily. "Can you say 'Mama'?"
"Dada!" Their daughter laughed and clapped her hands. Cullen snorted before he could stop himself.
"A daddy's girl, are we?" The Inquisitor shook her head as she looked to her husband, a wry smile on her face. Cullen held up his hands at her and she chuckled. "I can't blame you. I'm quite fond of him too."
He came over and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist, his head on her shoulder. He smiled down as his daughter waved her arms around, completely thrilled with herself. "Can you say Mama, sweetheart?"
Her face screwed up in concentration for a moment. "Mama?"
That did it. His wife was crying in earnest now, though trying hard not to. He squeezed her tight as their daughter patted her mother's face. "Mama? Mama!"
"Yes, that's Mama. I'm Dada." He tried hard not to start crying again, but he couldn't help himself. The tears fell once again as laughter bubbled out of him.
Their daughter clearly confused started to look as if she was going to join them in tears, but his wife leaned forward and rained kisses down upon her. Their daughter shrieked with laughter instead, clapping and bouncing in his wife's arms.
He laughed too as he held them both close. It was a perfect moment he'd cherish forever. His firstborn daughter's first words etched upon his heart. It had brought it home for him. Yes, he was Dada now. Her Dada, and he couldn't be happier.