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Their icy babies wouldn't stop crying.
This was no surprise, as much as the sound broke Saturn's heart, their wails from the distance slowly but surely cracking his core further and further. As much as he wanted to rush their way and comfort the poor things, he had to trust that cuddles from Jupiter would soothe them enough for until he was done.
Asteroids made of gold, not silver because gold was softer, were crushed up and mixed in with water from water asteroids until it became a nice, sippable mush. Saturn played around with the texture, deciding to add more water when the whole felt too much like mush. Taking a deep breath to steady his own overthinking.
Neither of the toddlers had slept for goodness knew how long.
Saturn could certainly guess, based on how upset he'd found the twins in Neptune's orbit, exhausted but too overwhelmed to slip into sleep.
The little concoction he'd created was slipped into two bottles, one lighter and one darker, the drink far easier to digest for their smallest members of the solar system than solid food. There was an explanation as to why the ice giants hadn't been able to stomach those yet, something about the materials they'd been born out of, but Saturn didn't remember. It didn't matter anyway.
He just hoped this would be enough to soothe them enough to fall asleep. He was out of ideas.
("I can always knock them ou-")
("You are NOT knocking them out, Jupiter!")
Sun would probably know something else. Sun had always been so good to him and Jupiter and the proto rocky planets, and Saturn almost did reach out. But Sun was depressed after his loss yesterday right now. And Saturn knew better than to bother their star when he was in one of those moods.
The memory of bits and pieces still hurt him dearly.
"I know, I know." He cooed as he turned around, back to the two bundles crying their poor hearts out, yet still clinging to Jupiter for dear life. The largest among them was bouncing the two in his arms, the same way Sun did and the same way they always requested he do too, while pacing around to try and soothe them. To no use, considering neither had calmed down. "Aww, poor things."
"This has to be bad for their throats." Jupiter worriedly murmured, leaning down to press his cheek onto Neptune's forehead. He hissed. "Far too hot."
"Come here, darling." Saturn reached for the first of the toddlers in his range- which ended up being Uranus- to relieve Jupiter of at least one of them. With now one hand free, Saturn handed over Neptune's bottle, and then wasted no time focusing on the one in his arms. "Oohh someone is tired."
Uranus hiccuped, burning tears rolling down his reddened cheeks, probably dehydrating him further. And hurting his head. Aw... "M-mhamhpf...." He cried, smushing his head into Saturn's robes.
Saturn, with a coo, pulling him up closer, slipping an arm beneath his bottom so he was fully supported against him. "I know, I know." he crooned again, shaking the bottle with his other hand to ensure everything was properly mixed. "You're so tired, baby bird, I know sweetie."
He twisted Uranus' head, just a little, so he could nudge the bottle against his lips. The little one fought, whimpering out an exhausted protest, wings spreading and fluffing up to emphatise the discomfort. Saturn, with a croon, scratched right at the base of the feathers, coaxing out a fragile purr in between tired cries. "Shh, drink up Uranus," he murmured into his hair, pressing the drink against his mouth once more. "It will make your tummy feel so much better darling."
Uranus continued to fight a little longer, twisting his head left and right- but in the end, tired himself out of energy to fuss. Once his mouth closed around the bottle he calmed down, heartbreaking cries turning into soft whimpers and murmurs around its teat. Noises slowly dying down as he suckled, relaxing when the warm liquid soothed his mind.
"There we go." Saturn crooned, gently adjusting the baby so he laid more comfortably against him. He tilted the bottle just a little, grinning when those delicate wings released tension, and drooped down. "Thats it. Thats it..."
Uranus cooed, heavy eyes dropping halfway. The tears came to a stop, after a final couple escaping, leaving only the teartracks they'd created. The older lovingly wiped those away with his sleeve without letting go of either Uranus or the bottle, knowing that the sensory nightmare would set off another meltdown once he was done.
A little hand settled on the hand holding the bottle for him, weak, but still clinging. Saturn smiled. "Much better." He crooned, gently nuzzling his cheek on top of his hair.
A quick check revealed that Jupiter had managed to get Neptune to eat as well, letting the little baby play with his fingers while the older held up the bottle for him. The younger's tail had all but dropped, curled around Jupiter's leg, almost as if refusing to let go. But Jupiter didn't seem like he minded.
Good. Saturn would have fought him otherwise.
The bottle in his hands was almost finished. Uranus' suckles had slowed to something far more sleepy, more for comfort than the previous hunger gnawing at him. Saturn tilted the bottle just a little more so he could drink up the final bit of the liquid before he pulled it away gently, quickly shushing and rocking him when the baby made a small sound of protest. "Shh, shhh..."
"Hmpf.... mama..."
"Shh..." Saturn shifted his charge so he was now upright in his arms, head leaning on his shoulder. He gently bounced his baby while patting his back, taking in the sleepy purrs and chirps that replaced the previous sounds of distress. "Night night time, baby bird." He murmured. Planting a little kiss on his cheek after he heard a soft burp. "Close those little eyes."
Uranus churred again, far softer this time, an indicator that he was long gone. Saturn held back a giggle, slowing his swaying so he didn't wake him, before he looked over at his belo- Jupiter again.
He couldn't stop his laugh at the sight. "What are you doing, Jupi?" He asked playfully, inching closer so he could sit next to him.
Jupiter looked a little helpless... and unable ti move, with the toddler splayed all over his lap. Neptune's purrs were loud, obviously pleased with the massage he'd been receiving, Jupiter's hands buried in his lovely curls. "...He said his head hurt." Jupiter shrugged, scratching at his scalp. "Don't wake him."
"I wasn't planning to." Saturn gently threw Uranus' legs over his lap so he could stretch them, wincing when he heard something pop in his knees. "Jupi..."
"When he wakes up." Jupiter promised, hands sliding from Neptune's head to his back, continuing the massage there. The purrs picked up a notch, soft and content, hopefully causing pleasant dreams. "You know how light a sleeper he is."
Saturn was very well aware. Which was how he knew that the bigger icy wouldn't be leaving his lap anytime soon.
Good thing Saturn didn't mind.