Still stuck on Trek right now and you get sickfic because I'm sick and miserable rn.
Regressor Will Riker (4-5) and Mommy Deanna Troi
Will came back from a mission feeling sick and his mommy just wants to help him feel better. Littles are known but this is not necessarily a classification au.
Will felt icky. Very very icky. That's why his mommy had brought him to see Beverly in the sick bay instead of just snuggling with him in bed.
Beverly was very familiar with regressors, it wasn't uncommon for her to meet them in her line of work. Illness and injury often lead some to regress. She had even seen commander Riker regressed on more than one occasion. But this was entirely different from what she had seen before. Everytime she had seen him before he has been talkative and figgety. This time he was quietly crying and clinging to Deanna's arm.
"He returned from the planet with a fever." Deanna said, brushing her thumb over Will's cheek in a soothing manner, "He is in pain."
Will and Deanna had already changed out of their uniforms into casual attire. Deanna likely suggested it when she first noticed Will regressing after beaming back aboard the ship.
Beverly began scanning the regressed commander for a cause of the illness, "Will, can you tell me what's wrong? Is it your head, your stomach?" She kept her voice soft and calm.
"My head hurts," Will sniffled, "And my ears. And I can't breathe!"
He seemed to be especially frustrated with his 'inability' to breathe, gripping Deanna's arm tighter and raising his voice. He stopped when the change made his throat ache. Clearly, he could breathe, although Beverly did not doubt that it was more difficult or painful to do so than he was used to do to his stuffy nose and sore throat.
Will scrubbed at his face trying to wipe away the tears. All of the crying would probably had helped the congestion a little if he didn't keep sniffling so much. Of course he was only around five years old -at most- mentally, and he didn't realize that it would help the pain in his head and ears to finally go away.
"Shh, Imzadi." Deanna gently ran her fingers through Will's hair, hoping to bring him at least the slightest bit more comfort, "I am here."
Will rested his head on his caregiver's shoulder, "It hurts." He mumbled.
"It certainly isn't fatal. Very similar to a common cold." Beverly set down the scanner, "Unfortunately there is no immediate remedy that we know of."
Will whimpered, "Mommy."
"There is nothing you can do?" Deanna asked, continuing to card her fingers through her boy's hair.
Beverly sighed, "I can give him something to help with some of the symptoms but there's not really anything else I can do."
Deanna nodded, if it would help ease some of Will's pain then she would accept it. Convincing the little boy would be easy enough. Will never minded medical bay and often took hypos much better than other regressors aboard the vessel, and he seemed more inclined to any possible solution to his problem than even Deanna.
When Beverly had done all that she could for the pair Deanna walked Will back to his room. She allowed Will to cling to her arm and hide his face from any other crewman they might pass. It wasn't out of embarrassment, rather he was just much too tired to interact with anyone.
Once given his favorite stuffed animal, a very simple old fashioned teddy bear, and receiving Deanna's promise to hold his hand, Will didn't put up a fight about taking a nap. Deanna hated seeing Will like this. Her usually hyper and talkative little boy was all too quiet and still.
When Will fell asleep and curled up around his bear, dropping Deanna's hand in his sleep, she stepped away from the bedside. She did not intend to be gone long. Just long enough to get Will some food he would be able to stomach and a sippy cup of orange juice.
Normally Will would refuse a sippy cup, insisting that he's too old despite his bad track record with regular cups. Deanna was hoping he would be too tired to put up a fight. A sippy cup would be easier for the both of them with Will being as ill as he was.
After only a half an hour of so Will sat up blinking sleepily, and looked around the room for Deanna. His mind and vision were too fuzzy to really process anything, not that he was spending much time focussing on anything around him other than the fact that his mommy wasn't directly there with him.
"Mommy?" Will called out softly, it hurt his throat to talk too loudly.
Deanna rushed back to his side and wrapped him up in her arms. Will clutched her top and buried his face into her shoulder. Everything felt icky and he just wanted it to stop.
"Shh. Shh. I am right here." Deanna placed a gentle kiss on the crown of Will's head, "I am here, it is all right."
"My head hurts, Mommy." Will mumbled, lifting his head just enough that he could look at her.
Deanna frowned and brushed some of Will's hair away from his forehead, "I know, Imzadi."
Deanna helped Will reposition himself so he was laying with his head in her lap. He would be more comfortable that way. Will wrapped one arm around Deanna, keeping the other wrapped tightly around his bear.
"Would you like something to eat?" Deanna asked.
Will shook his head, "Nuh uh."
"Juice?"
Will thought about it for a moment then nodded. Juice sounded good. It sounded very good. He did not put up a fight about the sippy cup, he wanted to lay down and he couldn't do that with a big boy cup. He relaxed a little cuddling up closer to his caregiver with his sippy cup and teddy. In that moment he felt so incredibly small. And it felt nice.
He still felt so icky but with his mommy there, and finally feeling relaxed, it wasn't so bad anymore.
