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“Bo’es!”
Leonard glanced over from where he was working on patching up the fifth science cadet in the last three hours, but this one had somehow managed to melt the plant’s soil to his right forearm, again. This particular cadet has been known to mess around in the science department, accidentally finding several new discoveries, but only because he created a mess when he did. They did say children were the most inquisitive, and this one definitely fits the bill. It was his third time getting treated this week and his disregard for safety regulations was becoming a problem.
Leonard watched more directly as a toddling Jim came into the infirmary from his office where his daddy had brought him asleep just an hour ago, his uniform put back on in a misplaced fashion. Leonard’s eyes narrowed at it. Jimmy fell into littlespace hard after a mid-shift nap, he shouldn’t be in his bigspace uniform.
“That better not be your bigspace Captain’s uniform, Jimmy,” Leonard sternly reprimanded. Jim halted, face furrowing as he looked down and back up a few times before an innocent expression washed over his features.
“N..n-o es?”
The science cadet giggled at Leonard’s grumpy expression at the toddler’s terrible lie. Leonard scowled back at the cadet, but softer than he would normally if he himself were fully in bigspace. As a High-Middle he was still allowed to do his job, even in midspace.
“Get out of here, Willy. And tell your Mama she needs to stop by the infirmary to get cooling salve if you need anymore… as well as to get your butt to follow safety procedures. I'll make note of that in your chart, actually...”
The cadet scrambled off the bed during Leonard’s directions, face sheepish. After Leonard started to trail off, he smiled nervously over at his Captain with a manic wave of his arms. Just as manically, he was gone out of the room before attention could be brought back to him. Jim shyly smiled back, giving a little flap of a wave as the cadet moved out of sight. He stood there for a bit, still waving, which brought the attention of Leonard onto him. He squawked as his stretchy pants were suddenly nabbed and his body pulled back so he could be picked up and placed on a clean changing table.
“Nooooo, Bo’es! I Cap’in now! No tch’ange” The boy whined as he was strapped into the changing table, pouting when he couldn’t wiggle off. Bones rolled his eyes. If Jimmy was really in his bigspace, he’d have just unbuckled the strap and gotten off to head to Bridge. Clearly, that wasn’t happening.
“Jimmy-boy, you know your Daddy’s rules. When Littles are on Bridge, they wear their correct uniform with protection. You helped make that rule, Squirt.”
Jim whined loudly, kicking his legs out weakly as a few frustrated tears broke through his eyes. Leonard stripped him of his pants and scowled at what he saw and almost immediately smelled.
“What – Jaaaames, where’s your diaper?”
Jim cried out in full frustration now at the feeling of his skin hitting air, and realized he was in trouble, “B-big!”
The underpants that he had on were very damp and his skin was terribly red, irritation from the urine-soaked clothes rubbing against his super-sensitive skin. Leonard grumbled at the rash, stripping the rest of Jim’s clothes off and began sponging him clean with the baby sink next to the changing table. He made sure to be gentle, yet thorough, in his cleaning as well as in applying instant acting diaper cream. He didn’t want to cause more pain to the poor tot, but he was nonetheless furious that Jim put himself in this position.
Leonard scoffed in exasperation, pulling out a new diaper and a full change of clothing that he had on hand for babysitting.
“James Tiberius Kirk. The only big you are right now is in trouble. When your Daddy hears about this and you fighting your littlespace, you’re gonna get it.”
“Nooooo! Dada no!” Jim wailed in frustration as he was re-diapered, and Leonard unsnapped the straps holding him in place so he could pull the Gold Onesie over his head.
“Jimmy-boy, you will stop that right now,” Leonard grunted as the boy smacked at his arms, the whines grating on his last nerve, “I’m older than you, so you gotta listen to me!”
“Noooooo. No, no, no, no!”
Leonard tugged down the onesie a bit harshly and snapped it between Jim’s legs, quickly slipping a pair of stretchy overalls up his legs as he growled at the screaming.
Jim cried and wiggled through the majority of the change, trying to tear off his clothes, and Leonard was done, “That’s it Jimmy, you’ve shown me you can’t be good today and as designated babysitter, I’m getting your mittens. So there.” Leonard did not quell the urge to stick out his tongue at the baby.
Jim stopped whining immediately, gasping up at the man, actual tears starting to stream down his face in a look of betrayal as Bones' tongue stuck out at him and the mittens were quickly secured around his hands. He started to wail again upon realizing he couldn’t get them off, in upset more than anger at this point.
Leonard moved the upset boy up, feeling slightly guilty for being so mean to him. He worked to snap the straps of the overalls up and over his chest, before grabbing a binky and binky saver to fasten to the front pocket of the overalls. He pulled the crying boy up into his arms, clearing the changing table from the extra debris, before finally popping the binky into the boy’s open mouth. Like always, Jim immediately worked the binky in his upset, quieting the wails, but not stopping the tears. Leonard sighed in relief before hefting the boy a little higher on his hip. It was time to get the monster to the bridge so that his absentee father could take over for him. The prick – but no way was he gonna say that aloud to Mr. Spock’s face cause he didn’t want to be popped one for his language.
After a few moments walking, Jim tucked himself into Leonard, messy face going straight into his neck to spread all the snot and tears to the man who caused them. Leonard pulled a face, but took it in stride as this was not the first or worst time this has happened. But man, babies sometimes were really disgusting and he was happy he wasn’t a caregiver himself cause dealing with it that much would be super not cool. With an equal opportunity ship such as the Enterprise, it was a daily task to care for the Littles, and Middles were greatly appreciated by the Caregiver population of the ship because they could leave them for a view hours with the high-middles and relax if needed. Plus, it was completely acceptable for the babysitters to drop them off with their Parents whenever things got bad. Like now.
The Bridge doors opened and a cry of “Leonard and baby Cap on board!” reached them. Leonard grumbled at the fact it was brought to everyone's attention that he was a bit in midspace, but swiftly moved towards the object of his mission. He scowled at the Vulcan standing near the Captain’s chair. The right bastard had an eyebrow raised at him as he walked towards the chair, plopping the upset Little into his arms with a grunt and starting right into it. Spock gripped his baby close to him, unphased by the abruptness that was a grumpy, fussy baby and an equally grumpy teenage Leonard. He was also more than used to the unpleasantness of a leaking baby face burying its way into the crook of his neck.
“Here, take your runt. He’s been rather obstinate today and received his mittens. The boy apparently tried to fight his littlespace since the brat did NOT have his protection on when he came out of his nap and tried to wear his bigspace uniform.”
The Vulcan’s other eyebrow rose to accompany his other. If Leonard didn’t know better, he’d say it was in exasperation, but he did know better. The Vulcan blinked a bit before he motioned to pull the baby’s face away from his shoulder. The baby was not happy with him, clear from his drawn-out whine, but went with the movement anyway. Spock must have seen something in Jimmy’s head during a quick mind-meld because he looked back up at Leonard and nodded minutely.
“I will discuss his lack of appropriate actions with him. He will learn from this. I thank you for your time and care of Jim, Leonard. My hope is that you will excuse his illogical behavior.”
Bones snorted, but then rubbed a foot on the ground in front of him absentmindedly, “Littles are babies, Mr. Spock. They make gross sounds and everything when littlespaced. They can be pretty chill to look after when, you know, they want to though.”
There was only a slight pause.
“Be as that may, Jim knows better. Thank you for your attentiveness. Jim, say goodbye to Leonard, we have much to discuss. Oh, and Leonard, your tongue is an organ that should stay inside your mouth for tasting food, not to be taunting others, understood?”
Jim leaned slightly towards Leonard whose ears got red at being called out for the tongue thing earlier (stupid Vulcans and their stupid cheating mind-meld thingies they can do with their Littles) and moved a little closer. He was only slightly surprised by the couple of mitted hands grabbing his head and an open mouth kiss hitting his check.
“buh-bye Bo’es,” the boy’s voice wobbled, hitching a bit at the farewell, “miss ‘ou.”
The boy’s baby blues were hitting him right in the heart.
“You’re killing me, stop giving me that. Now be good for your Daddy,” He straightened slightly to look at Spock, only barely awkward in manner, “I’ll remember the comment for the future, but, uh, you know where you can find me if ya need me. Bye Jimmy-boy, Mr. Spock.”
There wasn’t much else to do but leave, and as he did, Leonard saw Spock rub two of his fingers down Jim’s neck. He might be a right bastard, but at least he took care of the kid better than he could, and he no longer had to watch him as much since they became T’hy’la. He’s a doctor, damnit, and even if he was a High-Middle, he was not a full-time babysitter. They at least got paid for this shit. Leonard winced and looked around him, despite knowing he was in the space alone. He didn’t require a guardian, but he was sure he’d get a hiding from his language from one of the caretakers if they knew anyway. Ugh, trying to be the better person sucks. A game and something fizzy sounded so good right now. With that thought in mind, Leonard went back to the infirmary for some down time in full midspace. This time, with no patients or babies to mind.