BABIES

[connike]

the babies meme

guidelines
→ Leave a comment with your character's name, fandom, and any preferences you may have.
→ Another character replies and suddenly you are a loving (??) couple with a child or multiple children!
→ Go from there! You can do literally whatever you want, from silly day-to-day domestic shenanigans to threads involving pregnancies to more serious topics. If you're short on ideas, you can look to other memes like The Domestic Meme or The Family Meme for inspiration.

Comments

[aviophobia]

[McCoy's eyebrows spasm. They go up with amusement, then shoot right back down because wait, that thing has to be over twenty years old and probably crawling with germs, then they join in the middle as he gets his tricorder out. It might be safe, but he'd rather double-check.

As he scans it, he says, casually:]

When were you gonna introduce us?

[captaincocksure]

I didn't see a need before==

Bones, what the hell are you doing? Moocow is not a sentient being, he doesn't need a medical scan.

[aviophobia]

Moocow might also be swimming with Earth germs that this little lady hasn't been exposed to yet.

lkjdfdkf that icon he;s all >:E HYPOSPRAY lololol

[captaincocksure]

I'm sure my mom washed them all before she sent them to me, but fine.

[He picks up the cow, holding it out]

If you gotta irradiate them or zap them or whatever it is you do, go for it. Do it before she wakes up.

one of my favorites :D

[aviophobia]

Can't hurt to be sure.

[He does a quick check of the stuffed cow, then nods, handing it back to Jim.]

Moocow is fine.

[captaincocksure]

You're lucky Moocow doesn't take offense easily.

[He takes the cow and nestles it against the baby's side again, watching her sleep.]

Spock says the outpost's computer records are destroyed, too far gone for him to extract any information. He's sent a request to Starfleet command for records.

[aviophobia]

Hopefully we'll hear something back soon. Maybe she comes from a big family.

[captaincocksure]

Yeah. Hopefully we can get her back to her family.

[The little girl stirs, and she starts to cry quietly as she wakes up. Jim reaches down, splaying his hand across her body, speaking softly.]

Hey, hey. It's okay. I'm right here.

[aviophobia]

[McCoy steps back to let Jim handle this, but he can't help speaking, quietly:]

Show her the cow.

[captaincocksure]

[Jim glances up at McCoy, eyebrows raised, but then he does as he's told. He picks the cow up from where he'd left it at her side, and he shakes it, gently--it rattles, god bless it.

The sound catches the little girl's attention, and she stops crying, eyes focusing on the toy. Little arms flail up, and Jim guides the cow into her hands. She all but snatches it, examining it for a long moment before pulling it close, the top of its head going right into her mouth to be sucked on.]

Good call.

[aviophobia]

[He's quiet for a long moment, watching her latch onto the toy, and there's a sad tinge to his brief smile.]

Jo was the same way. She'd wake up a little fussy, but get her a toy and she was the happiest girl on the block.

[captaincocksure]

[Jim looks up again, almost guilty. He hadn't thought about McCoy being a father, having his own little girl he doesn't get to see. He feels bad for putting his CMO in this position, but he knows apologizing might just make him feel worse.

But he holds McCoy's gaze for a long moment, nodding. He's not going to say anything out loud about it, not make it a big deal, but he knows. He understands. And he's sympathetic.]

I was real attached to that cow, my mom says. Wouldn't take a nap without it. One time, it was in the wash? She couldn't get me to sleep. So she bought up every last one in the county.

[aviophobia]

[McCoy's willing to meet Jim's gaze for as long as the captain holds it, but then he looks down again, watching the girl suck on that cow, and his heart hurts. He misses Jo. He misses being a daddy, he misses being able to tickle a little tummy with impunity and that Jo would always stop crying as soon as he picked her up. He misses swinging her around and hearing her laugh.

He makes a note to tell her he loves her, when they have their weekly vidchat. Even if she's nearly ten now and getting to the point where, when he tells her he loves her, she rolls her eyes and says god, dad.

It's easier to look back at Jim when the other man makes his admission, and he grins a little, crooked.]

That picky even then, huh?

[captaincocksure]

[Jim wonders, as he watches the little girl, if Bones misses his own daughter. He must, but he's hardly heard the man talk about her. It's not like the doctor is terribly private about much... does he miss her that much? Does it hurt to talk about her?

Jim's only known this little girl half a day and he already can't imagine giving her up. Bones must be beside himself, sometimes.

He scoops up the little girl, and she promptly tries to offer him the cow.

...By mashing it against the side of his face.]

I could use some guidance, Bones. This is the first baby I've ever even held. So I have no idea about feeding or changing or any of it.

[aviophobia]

[McCoy smothers a smile as the girl mashes the cow against Jim's face. She wants him to play with it, too, spit-soaked head and all.]

It's all easy enough once you get the hang of it. Bet she hasn't eaten yet; want me to show you how to do it?

[captaincocksure]

[Jim smiles, even as the baby keeps pressing the cow against his jaw and cheek--honestly, Jim, what's so hard about this, play with the cow.]

Yeah, I'd like that. She would, too, I'm sure--she hasn't eaten since I found her and I don't even know how long it was before that.

[aviophobia]

May I?

[He holds his arms out for the baby - and it's likely he doesn't take notice of the flickers of longing in his eyes, like seeing her there and not being able to hold her aches.]

[captaincocksure]

[Jim takes note, though. He hands the baby over at once, without comment, though he files that observation away. Bones misses his little girl. Misses being a proper daddy, probably.

That breaks Jim's heart, a little.

The baby, however, thinks this is the best thing. It's that other guy! The one that clearly knows what he's doing, he's not all afraid about holding her (not that the first guy isn't cool but it's clear to her he doesn't know what he's doing yet). HEY maybe this guy also knows how to play!

She attempts to find out, by reaching up and mashing the cow right into McCoy's mouth.]

[aviophobia]

[McCoy rears back, keeping the cow out of his mouth, but when he speaks, it's not with the usual hard-edged tone that always seems to line his voice.]

Thanks, darlin', but I think you oughta hang onto that one for now. Let's get you some food, huh?

[She flails the toy, attempting to shove it into McCoy's mouth again, but he dodges, grinning a little.]

[captaincocksure]

[Jim chuckles, rounding the exam table to join them on the other side, to make sure he doesn't miss anything.]

She's very determined about what she wants. I like that.

[aviophobia]

You would.

[Dodging the cow again, McCoy makes his way to the door. He isn't going to feed her food from the replicator - it's fine for adults, but shit for growing minds and bodies.]

Coming?

[captaincocksure]

[Jim catches up with them as McCoy walks out into the corridor, and he falls into step beside the doctor, though his attention is still mostly on the baby he's carrying.]

Where are we going?

[aviophobia]

Mess. Like he -

- like heck am I feeding her anything from the replicators.

[captaincocksure]

[Jim actually, legitimately stops in his tracks, startled. Did Bones... seriously just not swear?]

...Bones, I'm sure she doesn't understand what you say.

...Does she?

[aviophobia]

She will eventually. Bad habit to get into.

[MARCHING. NOT LOOKING BACK. so not awkward.]