"Ummm, Herbie don't freak but somebody's playing with lab things like toys and wearing goggles on his furry lil head, I think he's playing scientist or inventor." Herbert heard somebody say not listening to him but the giggling coming from the other side of his lab where his adopted fur-child, Rocket was supposed to be in his playpen where he could play safely knowing he was an escape-artist like his crib at night where he was sleeping there then the next morning, the cub was in his bed but Hernert didn't have the heart to kick him out or put him back in his crib.
Herbert had never intended to be the fur-parent of a rambunctious, curious yet adorable raccoon baby but their paths had crossed on Half-world, he'd been lookijg for mineral and crystal samples in the snow, when he'd snuffling noises coming across the infant took him in, when he realised his actual mother didn't want him so had brought him to Wondergore made him stronger so nobody would push him around loving him as his own son but working on skills seeing him in a lab coat which 2as way too big for him, goggles on his furry lil head with a screwdriver in one of his paws but still had his diaper on which made Herbert grin.
"That's cute buddy, and guess you used that to loosen the screws of the gate to your playpen only screwdrivers aren't toys for cubs hand it over." he told him seeing Rocket hesitate until he saw the applesauce pouch in his dad's paws, he loved drinkijg that stuff which made Herbert smile seeing his furboy give him the tool, exchanging it for the app,esauce snatching it from sticking the nozzle into his mouth squeezing feeling the gooey goodness rush into his mouth surprising the workers at that.
"It's like he's addicted to it, sir but very cute." he said seeing Herbert agreeing, only Rocket was starting to get tired but his brain was telling him to keep playing despite his body saying it was tired, which Herbert was sensing feeling his son gently bit him as that was his way of saying he needed an nap, as he couldn't talk yet despite having cybernetics, scooping him up gently knowing it was naptime putting him in the mobile crib he'd made for these situations.
"Sshhhh buddy it's naptime, not playtime but we can have fun after you wake up." Herbert said softly to him
He then kissed him seeing the cub out like a light, as he tucked him in so he could get some work done but was thinking about teaching Rocket science stuff once he got older but hummed softly as he worked but the workers were being quiet as not to wake their lil prince up which was a good thing so knew how much Herbert cared about the cub, but hoped things would be okay
Jupiter calling Herbert, you there Herbie.
Ssshhhh Jupiter not so loud, I finally got him to nap, he was in a very playful mood in the lab plus playing dress-up in lab gear but convinced him to give me the tool using applesauce to get him to see sense, but he's asleep in the mobile crib, are you coming home.
Yes I'm coming, but bet Rockie's going to be happy, see you soon.
Herbert smirked as the raccoon-female pilot huhg up on the video-phone, relieved she was alright knowingRocket would be okay when Jupiter returned in a while knowing he'd been worrying about his mom after she'd left Wondergore on an adventure that he was too little for but always told him about them, which made him excitable and Herbert knew he liked playing them out.
After a while, Rocket began to stir making him chuckle but grabbing a milk bottle as the male cub was still drinking milk as he was too little yet toeat proper food seeing him excited after his nap drinkijg up hearing Jupiter's ship was here making some of the workers chuckle at this, but knew he considered Jupiter his mom but she was happy seeing him in the baby carrier Herbert wore but giggled kissing him hearing him giggle making Jupiter grin.
"I missed you guys too, but good thing he's happier." she told Herbert seeing him nod.
"Awww, somebody is relaxed after his bath as he had an exciting day." Jupiter said to Herbert.
"Yes, water seems to relax him and we should teach him to swim, cubs learn at his age." he said.
It was now early evening, so Herbert had started Rocket's bedtime or calming down routine to help him get settled for when it was his actual bedtime which Jupiter agreed with, noticing him calmer after his bath but wearing a fresh diaper with his jammies seeing Herbert making a fresh bottle of milk instead of applesauce as it was bedtime not playtime, when was when he has applesauce for snacks only he knew that their lil one had trouble sleeping because of the traumatic past he'd had with his actual fam8ly some who used him as a mop when they spilled, knowing he was afraid to spill.
"I don'5 wanna go to bed, nope not tired." Rocket thought only Herbert's face had that look that he had to or else reeentibg knowing his prince was afraid to go to bed because in the dark, his lil brain went wild imagining Ranger and his other siblings were there which made him cry and have accidents because of this feae which Herbert knew about finding a soiled mattress in his crib every morning guessing it was to do with the trauma he wen5 through before he found hij.
"It's alright, daddy will pritect you, that's what the nightlight and glowing stars on the wall are for, to chase away whatever monsters you see in the darkness." Herbert told him which Rocket found nice and calminghim instead of him freaking out which made Herbert happy because he cared about him, so was telling him a story about a superheroic cub who wasn't afraid of anything seeing Rocket smile as he was loving it.
"It'sokay buddy and hope you have good dreams." he said kissing his furry head seeing him relax as he left his room.
He joined Jupiter in their room telling her Rocket was asleep, relieving her as she knew sometimes Rocket would cry out in the night until Herbert came to him so happy the nightlight and glow in the dark stars were working for the male-cub and kissed Herbert's nose the way they kissed Rocket's nose
"I hope he's okay and we can help him overcome his trauma that his birth-family had given him." Herbert said softly knowing their lil prince would feel better and in his normal energetic, playful self in the morning cuddling Jupiter but was falling asleep.
The next morning, Rocket began to stir in his crib noticing it was morning yet he was still in his crib and had peaceful dreams instead of not sleeping good smiling a little revealing some of his baby fangs stretching.
"The glowy stars and the nightlight do work, which is great, daddy's smart, and hope I can be that smart one day." he thought hearing footsteps seeing Herbert getting him out of the crib noticing he was in a good mood guessing the nightlight and glow innthe dark stars had worked like he'd hoped going to the kitchen as Herbert placed him in the high chair only a familar bottle caught his attention, app,esauce reaching over grabbing ut, drinking as Herbert turned around chuckling just as Jupiter walked in, stunned.
"Herbie, he's drinking applesauce, that's not breakfast." she said making a confused expression cross Rocket's face, why was she freakihg out as Herbert let him have the foods and snacks he loved so much.
"Maybe mommy has a point, don't you want some pancakes," he said to him, seeing Rocket relent giving him the bittle impressing Jupiter that the male cublistened to Herbert but not her so much when she askedhim to do the things she wanted him to do.
"He will, you just need time to bojnd just like when I fouhd him." Herbert told her which made the male-cub give him a quizzical look not getting what they were talking about, being that little messily eating pancakes getting whipped-cream over his whiskers and snout making his parents giggle then he started giggling too, as Hupiter licked it off making him giggle which melted her heart, she wanted to be the mom he needed hearing his actual mom hadn't been nice to him guessing that was why he kept his distance with her compared to Herbert.
"Maybe this is the start of us bondihg." she mumured softly to him.
"Maybe, just give him time to do it." Herbert told her gently.
"I hope so, as we're supposed to be family." she said.
Herbert then had an idea, as they had to teach their cub manners knowing he liked drinking milky tea and eating scones so could use that to teach him manners, which Jupiter agreed with as they would have visiting royalty so would want him to be well-behaved or well-mannered for when that happened which Herbert agreed with hoping they could start trying to get him to walk a little makin Herbert unsure about that.
"We don't want him to grow up too fast." he said making her get it.
"Alright then, I get it." Jupiter told him making Rocket confused.
"It's okay dad, I don't wanna grow up fast either." he thought.