Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

A/N: What's this? I'm re-submitting something? Yes, I am. I've decided that I am going to be continuing this, so I changed the overall name of the story (or collection, if you want to get technical) and changed the summary. So, this is being continued. Oh, and, because of that piece of crap that sent me that nasty PM, I've gotten motivation to finish chapter 14 of HTLAS. So, look forward to that soon, as well as the next chapter of BLP. They should all be coming soon.

All of the original typos and such have been fixed. Expect the next oneshot tomorrow.

Summary: Axel loved his big brother Reno to the point that... well...

Precious Words

Reno was exasperated and upset. He couldn't stand that he had to watch his baby brother, Axel, today.

He had plans that no self respecting nine year old could ever take a rain check on and the fact that he had to baby sit put a huge damper on those plans.

He didn't even like the little fellow.

Reno sighed, feeling as though the world was coming to an end as his mother walked out the front door and left him alone with his brother. Axel was sitting in front of the coffee table, still gabbing away in baby talk.

"Bluh, ehehe. Sofoo to bebra."

"No one can understand you, Axel, yo."

Reno shook his head and decided that, if he was going to have to stay at home that day, he might as well have friends over. He decided to call his best friend, Rude.

He vaulted over the back of the couch and picked up the home phone and called him.

"Hello?"

"Rude, yo! Hey, my plans got changed. I have to babysit Axel and I can't leave the house. Wanna come and hang out?"

"Sure, I'll be there soon."

"Cool, dude, see ya!"

Reno hung up the phone and stared at his brother in front of him. Axel was trying to pull himself up using the coffee table. It wasn't working, though, and Axel was getting frustrated.

Reno sighed and picked up his brother, swinging him around and up onto the couch.

"Stay there, yo. I don't need any more trouble from you."

Axel giggled and grabbed his pudgy little feet and succeeded in falling onto his back. Surprised at first, he soon started to giggle and then laugh more. He turned onto his stomach and then started crawling over to Reno.

Reno glanced at him, worried about what the little squirt wanted.

"Eguh. Resfuh. Ree- ne!"

Reno looked at him quizzically.

"What the heck are you saying, Ax? I don't speak baby talk. I haven't since I was a little baby."

Axel giggled, apparently finding what his big brother was saying to be funny. Reno sighed and then picked up Axel.

Axel giggled at the sudden altitude change and clapped his hands, his spiky red hair waving as Reno waved him in the air. He giggled more and Reno could feel his mouth pulling into a smile.

"Eh… I suppose you aren't too bad. For a little one," Reno grudgingly said to Axel.

Axel merely clapped his hands again and giggled. Apparently Reno was incredibly funny to him.

Ding. Dong.

"Ooh, there's the door. Gotta be Rude. Stay here, Axel, yo."

Reno put his brother down and practically ran to the front door.

"Rude! Awesome, you came quickly."

"I live three houses down. It doesn't take long to walk over here."

"Yeah, you probably took more time to make sure you look good. Although I have no idea who you think you're going to impress."

"Certainly not you."

"Whatever, yo! Anyway, come in."

Reno moved to the side and let his friend in.

Rude didn't go far, though, before he was stopped.

"Ah, Reno…? Why is your brother staring at you like that?"

"Huh? Axel… what did I say? You're supposed to be in the living room. I told you to stay put!"

Axel was staring at Reno hard, as though he had to say or do something that involved his big brother that instant.

Reno picked him up, 'Jeez when did you get so heavy, Axel?!', and dumped his brother back onto the couch. Rude followed behind.

"So… Rude, what do you want to do? Play video games? Or how about some food?"

"Uh… Reno… I don't think you're brother is liking me here."

"Wha…? Axel! Get off of me!"

Axel was tugging at Reno's clothing and trying to pull himself up onto his brother.

"Guh! Ree-eh! Gu! Beshu! Guh!"

"I don't speak baby, Axel!" Rude could feel his resentment towards his brother start to rise.

"Uh… Reno… I think he's trying to tell you something," Rude commented wisely, wondering if he should just go home or something. It was obvious that Axel was going to be a handful that day.

"Nah, Rude, what would he need to tell me? Do you have to eat or something, Axel?" Reno didn't want to deal with his brother but Axel was his charge and he did have to make sure that he survived the day.

Axel shook his head, as though he understood what his brother was saying and tugged harder on Reno's shirt.

"Ugh! Axel, leave me alone!"

"GUH! Ree-neh!" Axel continued to blabber in baby talk. Reno sighed and shook his brother's small hands off of his shirt.

"So, Rude, what do you want to do? I'm kinda getting hungry so how about we make a snack? And feed the little one here."

Reno picked Axel up (the little boy seemed delighted by the attention of Reno) and made his way into the kitchen.

He set his brother down on the floor next to the table and pulled the makings for sandwiches out of the refrigerator and bread out of the bread basket.

"So, what kind of sandwich do you want, Rude? PB & J, ham and cheese?"

"Eh, I'm not really hungry. I wouldn't say the same thing about your brother, though. He's starting to chew on his fingers."

"Eh, he does that all the time. Mom says it's because he's starting to teeth. Whatever that means."

"Ah, I think it means that he's getting his teeth in."

"Oh, that doesn't sound nice. Are you in pain, Axel?" Reno knelt beside Axel, asking him if he was okay.

Axel took his fingers out of his mouth and giggled, waving his arms around before latching onto Reno's neck. Reno picked him up and sighed then groaned when he felt a wet suction on his ear.

"Ew, he's sucking on my ear. That's so gross."

Rude only snorted.

"Apparently you're tasty."

Reno only sighed in disgust. It wasn't like he could do much, though. It really seemed to help Axel. He was at least calming down and wasn't chewing on his fingers. And, although Reno wouldn't ever admit it, he did want to make his brother happy. If becoming a chew toy did that, than fine. He did like the boy. He was just annoying under most circumstances.

Axel lifted his head and stared at his brother, green eyes big and wide.

"Pshh. Ree-neh!"

"Still don't understand what you're understanding, Axel."

Axel frowned, his pert little nose wrinkling in consternation.

"Ree-neh!"

Reno shook his head.

"Nope, kid, still don't understand what you're saying."

Axel seemed to sigh in anger.

"Reen-eh! Reen-EH! Ree-Noh!"

"Wait… what did he just say?!"

"I think he just said Ree-Noh! I think that would mean that he's been trying to say your name now. No wonder he was getting so frustrated," Rude pointed out.

Reno felt amazed. Was his name really Axel's first actual word?! He felt… pleased.

He snuggled into the clean baby smell of Axel's spiky hair and smiled.

Perhaps the little kid wasn't so bad after all.

"Heheheh! Ren-Oh! Psh, bleh bah guh!"

He could get used to this.

A/N: Am I dumb to do this? Quite possibly, but, I just can't so no to my reviewers.