Iris ran her fingers through his hair gently, just combing through it and running her nails along his scalp lightly. She could see the tension bleeding out of him as he relaxed there. She kept at it for a little while longer, until a slight fluttering in her belly made her pause. She laid a hand on her stomach and waited, and she broke out into a grin when she felt it again.

Altair noticed when she stopped, opening one eye to figure out what made her stop. The grin made him pause, though.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"I think," Iris said softly, "I think I can feel the baby. It's very slight, but I know I feel something." She couldn't feel it under her hand from the outside, though, so she had no way to let him feel as well.

Altair smiled faintly. "Good. He, or she, will be healthy, then." He knew it was still fairly early for her to be feeling the baby, and he was taking it as a good thing.

"It's only a matter of time now until it's strong enough for you to feel," Iris said. She snuggled closer to him, pleased.

Altair nodded. He was definitely looking forward to being able to feel the baby for himself. He'd heard from other fathers that it was unique and pleasing and all sorts of sentimental things like that.

He just hadn't realized he'd get to feel for himself.

Iris marveled for a few moments longer before going back to running her fingers through his hair. She was definitely going to tell Anna in the morning, though.

Altair settled in again when she did that, pleased beyond words. He supposed he could tell Ezio, since the Italian was the closest thing he had to a friend in this year, but he'd have to think about it for a bit. Ezio was bound to tease him, after all.

Iris very nearly skipped down to breakfast the next morning, still absurdly pleased as she plopped herself down next to Anna.

Ezio just raised an eyebrow slightly at Altair in a silent question.

Altair shook his head slightly, instead glancing at the girls.

"Well. Someone's chipper this morning." Anna raised her eyebrows at Iris, buttering her bagel. "What's up?"

Iris grinned as she reached over and grabbed a bagel for herself.

"I felt the baby move a bit last night," she said. "A little bit, but it was there."

Both of Ezio's eyebrows went up a bit at that, and he glanced at Altair to see the man's reaction.

"Oooo." Anna grinned. "That's exciting. Bet it's gonna be a kicker later on, especially when you're trying to sleep." She paused and glanced at Altair. "Clearly taking after the dad."

Altair didn't even care about that little dig. He just smirked faintly. He may not have felt the baby himself, but he knew everything was going well, and that was good enough for him.

Ezio took note of Altair's expression. Smug, pleased, slightly arrogant... Yes, clearly an expectant father.

"As soon as it's kicking strong enough to feel from the outside, I'll let you know," Iris said. She grinned a bit. "After all, you're going to be its Aunt Annie."

"Eh. Could be worse. I could be an Auntie Em. Then I'd be worried." Anna grinned.

Altair looked at Ezio and then rolled his eyes at the women. It was something he'd picked up from Iris, and he didn't even realize he had.

Iris snickered and hummed the Wicked Witch of the West theme for a moment. Oh yes, she was in a good mood still.

"Your thoughts?" Ezio asked Altair quietly while the girls were engrossed in their own conversation.

Anna just started laughing, having to put down her breakfast for a minute.

"The child will be healthy," he said quietly. "And strong. I am... very pleased." And he was pleased that Iris was pleased, since her good moods weren't quite as frequent now, but he wasn't going to say that.

Iris just grinned.

"You brought that one upon yourself," she said, taking a bite of her own breakfast.

"Indeed," Ezio replied. It was very clear that Altair was pleased about it. "That is good, a strong child is a blessing."

"Oh I know. I don't even care." Anna grinned. "You seem much more relaxed about all this now."

Altair nodded. "Thinking of having a few of your own?" Because he knew the thought had to have crossed Ezio's mind at some point in the past few months.

"I am," Iris admitted. "I'm really kind of looking forward to having the baby, now."

"Perhaps," Ezio admitted after a moment. "If it is what Anna wants." Because yes, the thought had crossed his mind more than once, but he also had to consider what Anna wanted.

Anna nodded. "Well, another couple months. And I will be glad to babysit once in a while. Like once a week. More than that and you'll have to find someone else." She grinned.

"Best talk to her, then." Altair raised an eyebrow at Ezio, because it was clear he hadn't talked to his woman yet.

Iris rolled her eyes a bit.

"We'll see," she said. She absently rubbed her stomach a little bit, and grinned a little when she felt the slight, tiny flutters again.

"I will speak with her once this training fiasco is over," Ezio replied. "Perhaps once Iris gives birth. I will see what her thoughts are then."

Anna noticed the smile and grinned. "Little baby flutters?" she asked, only half-way teasing.

Altair nodded. That was a good plan. Having the two of them pregnant at the same time... That would be a fiasco.

Iris grinned back, turning faintly pink.

"Yeah," she replied, looking pleased. She glanced at her friend, and noticed a slight wistful look in her eyes. If she didn't know Anna as well as she did, she would have missed it. "What are you thinking?" she asked. "You're pondering something, I know it."

Anna shook herself, just a little, and smiled. "Nah," she said, waving it off. "I'm not pondering anything, just a stray thought."

Although now that stray thought had crossed her mind, she'd have to consider more carefully if she did want children. It could just be that she was so close to Iris and was feeling motherly, but damn, the idea of kids sounded way too good.

"Stray thought...?" Iris prodded, unaware she was doing Ezio's work for him. She leaned forward a bit, giving a teasing 'I'm going to get in your face until you speak' feeling.