Prompt: An older Pete
A.N.- Dedicated to Pete's biggest fan who loves him more than I do (also sorry I was just stress writing so this probably isn't fantastic but at least Pete's not dead of an overdose)
---------------------------------------------------
"Here," Kaz said, picking up the lemonade container and pouring some into their glasses.
Pete picked his up. "Thanks. Hey, is your kid supposed to be hanging from the playset like that?"
Kaz looked over and shrugged. "He's just trying to escape your kids."
Pete squinted a little, shifting until he spotted two of his kids slapping their hands at Kaz's youngest son. "Oh, shit, yea, those little devils are trying to kill your kid."
"Ben will be fine," Kaz said dismissively. "Ben! Don't hang on the playset like that. Hide somewhere else. I can't sue a playset if you get hurt. I can only sue if one of the kids hurt you."
Ben shot a glare over at his traitorous father before dropping from the playset and sprinting away before the others could chase him. Kaz sipped on his lemonade and turned back to Pete.
"How's the job going?" he asked.
"It's going well, I guess. Thanks, Kaz," Pete said gratefully. He'd had trouble keeping a job for a bit, but Kaz had helped him get a job he actually liked working. Pete had been trying to pull himself together for his family, and he was working hard to keep this job.
"How about the knee? What did your doctor say?" Kaz asked.
Pete slowly stretched his leg and winced. "Surgery won't fix it. But this job doesn't hurt my knee, so I guess it doesn't matter too much."
"Dad! Dad!"
Two voices grew louder until they stood in front of Pete and Kaz, shoving at each other. Pete reached out and shoved the older kid to the side.
"Hey, quit it. I thought you were trying to maul Ben, not each other?" Pete said.
"Dad, Lainey spit in my drink!" the older one said.
"Only because Tyler pulled my hair!" the younger said.
"Sounds like a fair trade to me. Quit complaining and go play," Pete said, shooing them away.
They both turned to Kaz. "Uncle Kaz!"
Kaz held his hands up. "Don't drag me into this. Ty, it sounds like you brought this on yourself."
"But Elaina spit in my drink! I wasn't done with it!" Ty said.
"And kids in Africa don't even have drinks for their little sisters to spit in, so shut up and go play," Pete said. "Lainey, in the future, keep your spit in your mouth where it belongs, you nasty little creature."
"Kids in Africa don't have drinks?" Kaz said, raising an eyebrow.
"Or some shit like that. My parents used to say that shit when I didn't eat my food," Pete said. He glanced at his glaring kids. "You're still here? Go bother Ben. He can't complain to me if you pull his hair or spit in his drink."
"I'm going to stick your toothbrush in the toilet," Lainey informed her brother.
"Have fun when I put spiders in your boots," Ty said.
