Work Text:
"Ike? Why are you still awake?" his big brother asked, pawing at his sleepy eyes as he pushed open the door to the kid's bedroom. The toddler's crying quieted down a bit, his sobs reduced to sniffles and the occasional hiccup. Kyle Broflovski stared at the crying kid for moment, before heaving out a sigh and moving to sit at the end of his baby brother's bed.
"C'mon, why are you crying? It's three in the morning," Kyle complained, gazing over at the toddler's freckled, shining face. What did a kindergartner even have to cry about, huh? He was pretty sure he was never this annoying as a baby. At least, he hoped not. How did parents ever get enough sleep with that constant whining? He swore he could punch a baby sometimes. Maybe not Ike, but... someone else's baby, for sure.
Ike's bottom lip quivered, and before he knew it, Kyle's brother began sobbing all over again, snot dribbling from his little nose and wetting the front of his periwinkle pajamas. "Ew," the redhead muttered, cringing away in disgust from the kid. Why did babies have to be disgusting and dirty along with their never-ending tears? Kyle was probably a neat toddler, he decided. He wouldn't get his snot everywhere like Ike did. That wasn't even getting into the smell of those absolutely rancid diapers.
"Wanna play kick the baby? Will that make you stop crying?" Kyle asked suddenly, brightening up at the prospect. Maybe he'd kick Ike right out of his bedroom window and the snow could muffle his tears. Then he'd be able to get some sleep. The redhead chuckled at the idea, but the toddler immediately looked enraged, stamping his little fists on the blankets.
"Don't kick the baby!" Ike cried with a sniffle.
Kyle rolled his green eyes playfully. "Fine, fine." He stared at his little brother for a moment, trying to decide what to do with the crying kid. Finally, he scooted over until he was lying at Ike's side, propped up on one elbow, trying to ignore his brother snotting all over the place. With a sigh, he reached out and patted the baby's head, smoothing Ike's soft black hair flat to his forehead. Man, his hair was really soft. Much softer than his own springy red curls. It felt like silk under his fingertips, or like a kitten's fur.
Before he realized what he was doing, Kyle found himself sleepily humming a random lullaby for his brother. He didn't even know what he was humming for him, something like the Dreidel song but with other notes tossed in there. It wasn't a real song, and probably didn't even sound good, but he watched as Ike's wide eyes fluttered shut and he stopped sniffling, his small chest eventually rising and falling with his sleepy breathing. Kyle smiled in spite of himself. Heh, Ike was so annoying.