Tea didn't know how she got into this situation. She supposed it was just plain bad timing. Had she been just a minute late, or a minute early, she would have avoided Mr. and Mrs. Robin, she wouldn't have known that they were going to go out on their honey moon tonight, and she certainly wouldn't have been asked to babysit.
Apparently they had seen her as one of the more responsible children in Sugar Rush. It had been between her and Adorabeezle. They found her first. Tea was flattered by the fact that she was seen as responsible, but she had no idea how to take care of children. Unfortunately she also didn't know how to refuse a request from such a nice couple.
She didn't know the first thing about taking care of a baby. Her first instinct had been to go to Fang, but she hadn't been able to find him. Every now and then he'd wonder of to a place where not even she could find him. She guessed he'd just want some alone time, and she gave it to him.
So here she sat, alone, with a drooling little one year on the floor in front of her. The two simple sat and stared at one another. Tea scratched her head. "Uh… so, Tommy."
"Dah." The baby rolled onto its back and then began blowing a spit bubble
Tea sighed and then sat him back up. "I'm not exactly sure that the protocol is here. I guess we can… no. Well, are you hungry?" She asked.
"Dah!"
Tea frowned. "Right, you're a baby. You don't talk." He once again fell back onto his back, and then lifted his foot up to his mouth. Most people would have found this absolutely adorable. Tea found it kind of gross. She was told she was one of those people who were 'Resistant to baby charms'.
All the normal things people seemed to find adorable about babies like drooling and falling over didn't seem to faze her one bit. It wasn't like she hated it. After all, it was what babies did. But she didn't find it cute either. She picked him up and then headed for the kitchen. "Okay, let's see what there is to eat."
She opened up the shelf and then saw a few cans of baby food. She grabbed the one labeled carrots and then walked over to the table. She then put Tommy in his high chair. She took a spoonful of food and held it up to him. "Okay, time to eat." She said smiling.
Tommy wore a scowl on his face. He turned away from her. "Oh come on. Its carrots. It'll make you all big and strong." She said holding it closer. The toddler reluctantly took in the spoonful of food. Tea smiled "See, there we go." Tommy leaned back, and then forward before spitting the food out and hitting Tea dead square in the face.
"You little…" She wiped the food from her face and then picked Tommy back up. "Okay, so maybe you're not hungry. Maybe you're… sleepy?" She asked hopefully.
"Dah!"
Tea sighed and lowered her head. Of course he wasn't tired. It's not like she could put him to bed without feeding him anyway. "I'm going to level with you. I have no idea how to take care of you. Can't you give me some kind of hint or something?" She asked.
"Dah!"
She ran her hand over her face and then began walking towards the door. It was clear that she was going to need some help here. She wasn't sure if bringing her back to the Sweet Tooth kingdom was a good idea though. None of the boys seemed like they were equipped to take care of children.
Jimmy was busy, and even if he hadn't been, she didn't see him as a caretaker. Larry might be helpful, but he was also busy helping Jimmy. Manny didn't like children, himself and the rest of their roster excluded, he made that evidently clear. She didn't know how Fang was with kids, but it's not like she could find him anyway.
The twins were… the twins. She loved them, but they had no business looking after anything, let alone children. Dough seemed rather good with babies, but only when it came to making them laugh. He had no idea how to actually take care of them.
Maybe she could take him to Vanellope and the others. Some of them seemed like they might know what to do. "Let's go on a little fieldtrip Tommy."
Tea carried a drooling Tommy towards the courtyard of the castle. She had to keep on stopping and wiping the spit off her arms. Fortunately someone happened to notice her struggle. "Tea, why are you carrying a baby?" Gloyd asked. He, Rancis, and Swizzle had been playing basketball nearby.
"I'm babysitting him for Mr. and Mrs. Robin. I don't know how to take care of him. Do any of you know where Jubileena or Snowanna is? They seem like the baby nurturing type."
The boys looked at each other and shrugged. "I don't know where they are, but maybe we could help you." Swizzle offered.
Tea sighed. "I know you mean well, but I'm not sure you three would be up to the task."
Rancis waved his hand and then walked over and took Tommy from her hands. "Oh come on. How hard can keeping a baby busy for a few hours be?" He asked before turning to Tommy who was reaching upwards. "Oh, you wanna go up?"
"Dah!" The blonde lifted the baby up, only to have him snatch his hat off. Tommy began biting into his hat.
"Hey!" Rancis said lowering him back down. He snatched his hat away from the boy, who began to grow teary eyed. "Oh crap! Wait, don't cry! Don't cry!" He gave the hat back.
Gloyd laughed as Swizzle stepped forward and snatched the hat away from the toddler once more. "Don't do that! Babies aren't supposed to have a bunch of sugar before bed, it keeps them up!"
Tommy started to cry again. "Well if I can't feed him candy how do I shut him up?!"
"Try telling a joke." Gloyd said snickering.
"This isn't funny man! Guys who make babies cry are totally unpopular with the ladies! You take him!" Rancis said throwing him to Swizzle, who barely caught him.
"Don't throw the baby!" Gloyd said now looking serious.
Tea growled and then stomped her foot, causing a small crater in the ground. All three boys, and even Tommy stopped and looked at Tea slightly fearful. "Knock it off, now! You three clearly don't know anything about taking care of infants! Hand him over!"
Swizzle held his arms out, but then looked down and realized they were empty. "Uh-oh."
They looked over and then saw Tommy running down the road. "What the-?! He's walking, how?!" Tea shouted. She began running after him, Gloyd and the others in tow. "I can't believe this, he wasn't able to walk earlier?! And how can he be so fast?!"
"Kids a natural I guess!" Swizzle said.
Tommy kept on running down the road, seeming to cherish his new abilities to walk. He suddenly bumped into something and fell back. He looked up to see a very irritated looking Taffyta. "A baby? What the fudge?"
"Tommy!" Tea and the other caught up with him. The boys were all gasping for air. "There you are! Don't just go running away like that! You could get hurt!"
"Dah!"
Tommy tried to take off again, but Taffyta grabbed the back of his shirt. "She said sit still brat." The blonde said taking her lollipop out. "Why do you have a baby?"
"Babysitting, don't know what to do."
Taffyta lifted Tommy up and sighed. "And you came to these three knuckleheads? You would have been better off going to that big oaf Ralph or something."
Gloyd frowned. "Oh yeah, and what do you know about taking care of babies?"
"I know you're not supposed to let them run out of your sight, moron."
"Do you know how to get to him to sleep?" Tea asked.
Taffyta cuddled Tommy in her arms and began humming. The baby was struggling at first, but soon began to settle down. His eyes looked like they were starting to get heavy. "Whoa?! How did you do that?!" Rancis asked.
Tommy's eyes shot back open, and his head whipped towards Rancis. "Fudge head! Why'd you wake him up?!" She snapped. "I almost had him to sleep!"
Rancis held his hands up. "Sorry, I just… I didn't expect you to be so good with babies."
"And why not?" She asked giving him a deadly look.
The blond knew to choose his next words carefully. "I… just… I figured that you have so many talents already that baby care just wouldn't be able to fit. But clearly I was wrong."
She smirked at him. "Nice save." She said before handing the baby back to Tea. "Look, I have some free time. If you want I can help you look after the brat."
Tea grew a wide smile. "Oh really? Thank you so much Taffyta. I was at the end of my rope with this kid." She said thankfully.
"Did you bring any of his stuff?" She asked. Tea handed her Tommy's baby bag. "Hey three stooges, make yourself useful and go fill this bottle up with milk and then have Candlehead warm it up, lukewarm. Think you can handle it."
"Aye aye captain!" Swizzle said saluting.
Gloyd looked like he was going to say something, but then sniffed. "Wait, what's that smell?"
Tea sniffed Tommy and then covered her nose. "Aw! I think he needs a diaper change!"
Taffyta was about to bark another order at the boys, but when she looked towards them they were all running away. "Gotta go, be back with the milk, see ya!" Rancis shouted back.
"You dunder heads!" Taffyta shouted after them.
Tea looked down at Tommy who had a content look on his face. "I can't help but think he's doing this to me on purpose." Tea said sighing. "So how do I do this?"
"Okay, just take the diaper off, obviously."
Tea looked around and saw a nearby marshmallow. She set Tommy on top of it before hesitantly removing his diaper. The stench intensified. "Smells terrible."
Taffyta stood a few feet back. "Now just… aw, that is so stinky…" he mutter holding her nose. "Just wipe and powder him!"
Tea acted as quickly as possible, wiping him, applying the powder, and putting a new diaper on. "What do I do with this?" Tea asked holding up the dirty diaper.
Taffyta shrugged. "I don't know. Just get it out of here." Tea threw it behind her. "Now when they get back with the milk, we'll take him back to the apartment and put him to sleep."
"Why not put him to sleep here?" Tea asked.
"You really think you can get through here, game central, and Fix-It Felix Jr. without waking him up? No. we'll feed him the milk on the way back, and by the time we get there he'll be ready to sleep."
"B-but I didn't feed him." Tea said.
"He ate half of Rancis hat. I think he's had enough." Taffyta said.
"How exactly do you know so much about babies again?" Tea asked.
Taffyta bit down on her lollipop. "I… used to babysit sometimes. Back when the game first opened up. I always thought babies were cute and stuff, so I had no problems volunteering. But then I had to deal with the crying, and pooping, and vomiting. Cuteness wears off real quick."
"I never really found them all that cute to begin with." Tea admitted.
They both laughed as the boys returned. "Hey, what's going on?" Gloyd asked.
"Nothing that concerns you boys. You got the milk?" Taffyta asked.
Rancis held out the bottle to her, and she noticed his hands were burnt. "I really hope you appreciate this because I-" Taffyta took the bottle and kissed his cheek. "Oh… never mind."
Swizzle snickered. "Hey, don't we get a kiss?"
"If you think Minty if going to be okay with it, sure." Taffyta said taking out her lollipop. Swizzle froe and Gloyd broke out in laughed. "C'mon Tea, let's get the brat back to his apartment."
Tea held Tommy in her arms. He looked like he'd be asleep in just a few minutes, though he passed the time by playing with Tea's face. "Dah."
"Don't you know any other words?" She asked sighing.
Taffyta chuckled. "He's a baby. I'm shocked he can get that much right." Tea stood up and prepared to put him to bed, but he clung to her. "I think he wants to sleep on you."
She sighed and sat back down. "Of course he does. He's probably used to sleeping with her parents anyway." She said patting his back. His eyes slowly began closing, and soon enough he was fast asleep. "Finally…" Tea muttered.
"I think he's taken a liking to you." Taffyta said.
Tea giggled. "You know. When he's asleep like this, he doesn't seem that bad."
Taffyta looked down at him for a second. "Yeah, I guess when they're not screaming and drooling their… cute. Just a little bit."
The door opened and Mr. and Mrs. Robin walked in. "We're back deary." Mrs. Robin said cheerily. She noticed Taffyta and smiled. "Oh, you brought a friend."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind. Taffyta was just helping me look after Tommy." Tea explained.
"It's no problem. We don't mind you inviting one or two friends over." Mr. Robin said before looking down at Tommy. "You got him to sleep, impressive."
Tea chuckled. "It was nothing really."
Mrs. Robin walked over to take Tommy, but he suddenly reached down and grabbed Tea's shirt. "Fun." Everyone looked surprised.
"He talked!" Mrs. Robin said.
"Well, I guess he must have really had fun while we were away. You must have done a splendid job." Mr. Robin said chuckling. "He really seems to have grown attached to you. Will you be willing to come back next time?"
Tea looked back at Tommy who had drifted back to sleep. "Sure." She said smiling.
A/N: Another short chapter. Had to throw at least one baby chapter in there. I was going to do this whole thing where the baby gets lost and Tea and the others have to run all around Sugar Rush to catch him, but that seemed a little too cliched.
Anyway, I have a shout out I want to give. "Nuclear Phantom" Posted this story called 'The Road Beyond', and it's really good. I wanted to give it a shout out because I think it should have way more views. If you haven't checked it out yet, do yourself a favor and do it.
