#little!engineer mark

The Captain heard a giggle coming from somewhere behind their place in the cockpit. This wasn’t an odd thing to hear considering the crew of the Invincible II, so they paid it little mind. When they heard the giggle once again, this time followed by a soft, quiet coo, they smiled, placing the maps they were looking at down and turning to face the doorway of the cockpit.

All The Captain managed to glimpse was a flash of tan and red zipping away from the cockpit, holding the hand of someone much taller than them. The Captain chuckled, standing from their chair and poking their head out of the cockpit and into the hallway. This managed to illicit another giggle from the energetic shape, but this time, The Captain could hear a soft and confused babble as the duo zipped away once more, with the taller figure trailing behind the much more energetic and smaller one.

“Mark? Simon? What are you two getting up to?” The Captain called. The fall of footsteps was their only response.

‘They must be playing…’ The Captain thought, peering around corners and playfully calling for the two boys to come out. This proceeded for around twenty minutes, with The Captain finally giving up and sitting down on the floor of the hallway outside of Simon’s room to wait for them. Burt and CeCe made their way past the room, giving The Captain an odd look before Burt struck up an awkward conversation with them. The three chatted for a while about nothing in particular before The Captain began to hear rapid footfalls and giggles approaching. Burt and CeCe seemed to hear them too, though the two excused themselves quickly.

“C’mon Simon, Cap’s never gonna find us in your room!”

The Captain heard an excited babble in response, and wished they had a camera to capture the looks on both Mark and Simon’s faces as they rounded the corner of a hallway, only to see The Captain sitting on the ground, patiently waiting for the two in front of the place the two boys thought they would never be found.

“C-captain! What’re you doing here?” Mark asked, trying to play off his regressed state. Simon, though taller than Mark, seemed to try and hide behind him before realizing it was only The Captain and giggled softly.

“Oh, nothing. Just relaxing in my ship. What about you, Mr. Head Engineer? Have you been teaching Simon where everything is?”

Despite the fact he was attempted to act big, Mark beamed and began to rock back and forth on the balls of his feet.

“Oh, yeah! We explored the med bay and the cafeteria and I showed Simon my room and the engine room and-“

Mark took a deep breath and The Captain laughed, ruffling Mark’s hair and kissing the top of Simon’s head, leaving Mark huffing and Simon giggling at the touch.

“Easy there cadet, we don’t wanna wear the baby out too much, now do we Simon?”

Simon babbled and cocked his head to the side, seemingly confused by the question. He was clearly regressed, with a light blue pacifier clipped to the front of his shirt and a stuffed toy tucked firmly in the crook of the arm that wasn’t clinging to Mark. Mark was also regressed, though had less physical signs than Simon. His eyes were brighter, and his voice was lighter and more carefree. The two were clinging tightly to each other’s hands, refusing to let go.

Simon handed Mark his plushie, which Mark took carefully, and tugged on The Captain’s sleeve. They looked over to Simon, combing a hair out of his face and tucking it behind his ear.

“Yes, little star?” they asked gently, trying not to startle him.

Simon only babbled quietly in response, shyly looking to Mark before taking his plush toy back and hiding behind him once more. The Captain smiled at the boys, but was more confused about what the babbling could possibly mean.

“Simon, kiddo, can you use your big boy words to tell Cap what you want?” they asked, trying to keep their voice soft. Simon whined quietly and turned to Mark, repeating the babbling he had told The Captain. Mark nodded, asking him follow-up questions, which were answered with a nod, a shaking head, or a soft coo that The Captain couldn’t understand.

Mark patted Simon on the head eagerly before turning to The Captain. Simon giggled in response, clutching Mark’s sleeve and looking to The Captain with wide, excited eyes.

“Simon wants you to come play with us!” Mark said excitedly, bouncing on his feet once again. The Captain raised an eyebrow, looking to Simon.

“Did you tell him that little one?”

Simon nodded, and The Captain laughed.

“How did you do that, Mark?”

Mark giggled excitedly.

“Because he’s my little brother! I gotta be able to understand him, we’re like this Cap!”

He crossed his fingers, showing that he thought the two were incredibly close. The Captain couldn’t help the smile that crossed their face.

“Okay, well what does Simon want to play?”

Mark turned to Simon and repeated the question. Simon hummed and babbled something, motioning to his stuffed toy. Mark nodded and patted him on the head again.

“Simon says he wants to play doctor and you gotta be the patient!” he explained, proud of himself for understanding and excited to play with The Captain.

The Captain laughed.

“Alright, but you two better take good care of me…”