Work Text:
“Pete?”
Ted threw his fist into the door, only gaining a groan in response.
“Come on,” He said after opening the door. “You have school, and Charlotte might come over, so get the fuck up!”
“Teddy, shut the hell up.”
He stopped in his tracks, half stepped-in to the room.
Pete only ever calls him that in the most dire of circumstances.
He walked over to the bed, trying to not stomp too loud. He kneeled down to be on his level, quietly checking, “Hey bubba, y’alright?”
“What does it sound like?”
“Even when you're sick, you're a jackass.”
Ted stood up, but only to close the curtains, hoping the sun's rising rays didn't bother Pete too much.
Now onto the subject.
Pete inched away as Ted felt his forehead, both groaning in pain and annoyance respectively. “Just go back to sleep.”
“But I need to go to sc-”
“No, no.” Ted wasn't going to have this argument. “You'd get sent home immediately with a fever like that. I can have one of your little friends bring your missing work, but you're not doing it. Steph can handle you not staring at her for one day. When you get back you can catch her up on the lesson of the day.”
Pete groaned and turned over, mumbling, “Sorry.”
“... About?”
“You wanted to bring Charlotte to Pound Town, I know.”
“Yeah, you're really loopy right now. Just get some more rest.” Ted gently closed the door as he stepped out of the room, pulling his phone out.
He had a few calls to make.
-
Pete woke up again, jolting up before immediately laying back down.
His head hurt way too much for that.
He grabbed his glasses off the nightstand, his phone in the other hand.
Normally, he maybe had one or two notifications, mainly just school emails and texts from recruiters. The most recent were from the National Guard and Indiana State University (hell no).
Today, at least some people showed concern.
-
Ruth Thleming ☝️🤓
YOU ASSHOLE
WHERE ARE YOU OMG I'M ALONE!!!!!
Don't you have Richie?
HE'S NOT HERE EITHER
I'm gonna have to eat lunch in the library.
THE LIBRARY!
Oh god
I'm sorry, I'm super sick
Richie probably got you sick
He's been complaining allllll weekend
Ugh, he texted me too
Godspeed soldier
-
Richie
what did we do in class
No clue.
no way
Ruth thinks you got me sick
Thanks for that, asshole
shit my bad!
hey, at least you got the house to yourself
you can be as pathetic and sick as you want
True that
i unfortunately cannot
my uncle paul came over with a surprise from the clothes store
What type of soup did he bring?
chicken and stars!
we're watching the ghost stories dub rn
As per usual.
WAIT YOU'RE WATCHING THE DUB
The only anime I will ever watch
don't say that.
:(
-
Stephanie <3
Where were you
Pete
Pete
Pete
Pete
Don't make me say it
I'm gonna say it.
FINE.
MICRO PETERRRRRRR
WHERE ARE YOU!!!!!
That sounds like a really shitty superhero
Omg it does
Anyway, I'm sick :(
aww
What's got you down?
Fever, sore throat, headache
And I feel so nauseous
Well i hope you feel better
Want me to bring your work at the end of the day?
If you would
Ofc
See you then
See you!
-
Richie brought up a great point.
Pete slinked through the hallway, making the long trek to the kitchen.
And he can think that, because no one's around to judge him for being dramatic.
Well, he thought.
He stopped when Ted looked over at him from the couch, pausing the TV immediately.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I'm hungry, dude,” Pete said quietly as he tried making his way past his brother, now standing up.
“Then let me get you something, go lay back down.”
“I thought you went to work.”
“No,” He pointed out the obvious, “I stayed home since you're sick. I'm not trying to get my whole office sick.”
“Let me go get some food!” Pete rubbed his temple, adding, “And something for the headache.”
Ted moved in front of him to block him, a classic brother move. “Nope. You're gonna go back to your room.”
His eyes immediately widened.
“I need the sink.”
“What?”
“I'm g-”
Pete didn't even have time to cover his mouth or dart to the kitchen, throwing up on everything in front of him.
Including Ted.
He looked up and down, pointing and looking back up at Ted with surprise, less like a teenager that threw up on his brother and more like a child seeing a dead animal outside for the first time.
“I'm so sorry. Oh my God, I'm sorry, don't beat me.”
Ted scoffed, asking indignantly, “When have I ever beat you?!”
“I figured you'd be mad enough to!”
He sighed, closing his eyes before taking a breath in, breath out. “It's alright. Just… Go clean yourself up, lay back down, I'll bring you something.”
“Ok.”
He didn't have the energy to argue, and frankly, cleaning that up isn't something he wants to do. His clothes were mostly unscathed, just the shirt got caught in the crossfire, which he tossed into the laundry room.
In the bathroom, he wiped his face and dry swallowed two Tylenol. He prayed it'd hit quickly.
Back in his room, after what seemed like forever (it was five minutes), he shuffled back into bed with a light t-shirt (actually, one of Steph's crop tops).
He checked his phone again, thinking of later when Stephanie would be over and hopefully he'd feel a little better. Better enough to actually sit up and talk.
Hopefully.
-
The leaves change colors.
Ted changed his clothes, tossing his soiled shirt, pants, and socks into the sink, so the puke wouldn't get on anything else. He could wash it in a bit. First, get dressed and deal with his brother.
The nights have been clear.
It's clear to him that this is his life, cleaning up puke off the carpet so it wouldn't stain (he hoped), even if he was in denial about it for a long, long time. Not his kid, but his to take care of.
The years pass by.
The years passed and changed both of them, and of course Pete's independent, but everyone needs someone at times. That someone just happens to be him.
And he’s still here.
Sure, he had to tell Charlotte that today doesn't work, and he had to call off work, and he could have just ran off at any given point, and not be burdened with taking care of Pete, but this is his life, and he's here. This isn't his kid, but his to raise.
After rooting around the kitchen, Ted found a sleeve of saltines, deemed good enough as he ate one (begrudgingly, he very much prefers to not choke on dry-ass, almost sharp crackers. Pete complains about the texture of oyster crackers, though).
He looked out the window, watching a red leaf float from his neighbor's yard to his own. Late fall always looks the best to Ted. The sun shined beautifully, but he drew the curtains back, in case Pete left his room again.
Armed with a sleeve of crackers, a bottle of water, and a bottle of Ibuprofen, he went back to his brother's room.
“Hey, bubba, you still awake?”
“Ugh, yeah. What?”
Ted had to snort down a laugh at his brother's voice, completely forgetting that he now sounds like a chainsmoker due to his sore throat. “Brought you something.”
Pete rolled over, reaching for his glasses.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
After setting everything on the nightstand, he made his way to the bedroom door.
“Teddy?”
He stopped, leaning back into the room.
“Yeah, Petey?”
Pete sat up, leaning against the pillows and headboard. “Why do you stick around?”
“ What ?”
“I mean, you didn't have to, I could have been left alone today. And I guess in a broader sense? You always told me when I was younger that you were running the second I turned 18.”
Ted sat next to him, staring at the dorky posters and pictures that littered the opposite wall.
“You know how old I was when you were born?”
Pete quizzically glanced over at him with that specific look of pain kids make when it's too much.
“You can lay back down, bub.”
As he shifted around his older brother, Ted continued, “I was 17. I turned 17 when Mom was 6 months pregnant with you. I was just starting my junior year, or maybe a week before that when you were born.”
“You've always seemed so much older.”
He ignored that, assuming he didn't mean to be offensive (or he did, that is his brother after all). “Mom and Dad essentially skipped town when you were born. Sure, they sent money and covered the bills, and checked in once in a while, but they basically left me alone to raise you and try to survive high school. You know who was there when you took your first steps? I was doing Calculus homework when it happened. You walked on my papers. That teacher thought the footprint was hilarious.”
Pete laughed, though it came out more like a wheeze. “I've been ruining everything since I was little, huh?”
“What? No! I'm trying to get at that I was young, and stupid, and I didn't know what I was doing. I said a lot of things. You did too. Your second word was bitches! Definitely wasn't from Mom.”
“Oh, my god.”
“I guess…” Ted ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back like normal. “When I was younger, I was mad that you existed. Mom always said that she wouldn't let another busted condom ruin all her partying years. I just kind of mirrored that behavior.”
Pete quickly wiped his eyes, but not quick enough for Ted to miss it.
“What's wrong, bub?”
Pete sighed, shutting his eyes as he admitted, “I sometimes get worried and think you might leave, sometimes it makes me cry a little. Sue me.”
Ted wasn't going to tell him that means everything to him, to know Pete wants and might need him around. Instead, he gently ran a hand through his little brother's hair, gently clawing the rats out and assured him, “I'm not leaving, it's alright. I'll stick by you as long as you need. I'm here for you. Always. Ok?”
“Thank you.” Pete didn't mean to let the tears spill, hot tear drops escaping onto the pillow. “Sometimes, it's stupid, but I have the same nightmare that I'll show up to an empty house, as if you up and left like Mom and Dad. And even stupider, I wake up crying.”
“Neither of those are stupid, Petey.” As Pete shifted to sit up, he extended an arm, almost being tackled into a hug. “That's kind of how it was when I was younger, I just showed up to an empty house and you, God, you were like a car alarm!”
“That is the worst comparison for a baby.”
“You just kept wailing, on and on and on,” He continued with a chuckle. “I tried everything and the only thing that got you to shut the fuck up was reading If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. I think that was the first thing I ever did that made you smile.”
Pete leaned his head against Ted's shoulder, asking, “How did you feel taking care of me? I mean, it must have been weird moving out of our parent's place with a three year old.”
“I hated you, dude. I thought you were robbing me of my last years of childhood. But… I think it was junior prom night when it all turned around. I had everything in place, and two hours before the dance, the sitter canceled, Mom and Dad were out of town. I was so pissed off at you, despite the fact you were like… ten months old?” Ted remembered that night, clear as crystal. That was his prom date's name, actually. “While I was seething in the kitchen, you wobbled over, latched onto my leg, and screamed at me, your first word, “Teddy!” It was so funny, and that was… It was the moment for me.”
“Is that why you thought it was funny I wasn't going to prom, ‘cause I had to watch over you after surgery?"
“It was fucking hilarious and karma got your ass, loser.”
Pete punched Ted in the stomach, gaining a groan and a glare in response.
“You're a really strong hit for a sick man.”
“‘Cause I go to the gym, and you don't. Now be gone house-wench, I require rest.”
“You're a fucking loser,” Ted yelled over his shoulder as he left.
Pete waited a second before again calling out, “Teddy?”
With a sigh, he poked his head back in the room. “Yeah, bub?”
“Love you.”
“Love you too, now get some sleep.”
-
Steph pounded on the door, once, twice, thrice as she waited with a small stack of papers in her hand, and a thermos in the other.
As the door opened, she dipped her head. “Hey Ted, just need to bring Pete his homework. Stopped at Beanie's and got hot chocolate too.”
“He's out cold right now, come on in.”
She followed him, setting Pete's papers and drink on the end table before sitting on the couch. “My dad is pissing me off, I'm just gonna hang here for a bit.” She knew he wouldn't care and probably didn't hear as he rooted through the kitchen, she's over often enough that it's not weird.
Ted returned with two beers, offering one out to her.
“Really?!”
“Pete's not awake to yell at me. Wanna look at baby photos of him?”
“I'm a sucker for that,” She admitted with a smile.
-
“Oh, what the fuck?”
Steph raised her can in Pete's direction. “Heyyy, why didn't you tell me about these albums?”
He shut his eyes and contemplated turning around.
Of course, the moment he's not there, Ted decides to show off his collection of photos. They're fun to look through now and again, sure, but it's embarrassing when someone else sees them.
Especially his super-cool girlfriend.
But he had a secret weapon.
“Ted wouldn't tell you, but what if I said there was a secret album of us two when I was around 5? It's an entire summer's worth of pictures. He doesn't like it because I had the camera half of the time.”
She slammed her can onto the floor, demanding, “Shovel it over,” As Ted shook his head from behind her.
“Don't,” He mouthed as he rapidly waved his hand over his neck.
Pete's tired smirk grew as he moved to the shelf, picking out one unlabeled, black book with a thicker spine.
He sat down to make their little group a triangle. He cracked open the cover, smiling as she read the title.
“Pete and Ted's Excellent Road Trip.” She looked up, jaw gaping with an excited smile. “Dude, this is gonna be great.”
Ted pinched the bridge of his nose as Pete started explaining the photos. “We have it separated by state, and we actually didn't take any pictures until we got to Ohio.”
He went picture-by-picture, talking about what he could remember, Ted cutting in often to fill in the blanks.
He barely got through the sections for Ohio and Pennsylvania before Steph asked, “You ok, Pete?”
“I need to lay down,” He said with an apologetic look. “Just keep looking, there's some cute photos.”
He even left the homework in the living room, scampering off to the comfort of his bed and the promise of sweet, blissful sleep.
“We mostly drove through Virginia, but I got sick at a rest stop and he took some awful photos of me.”
“You looked so much like him right now,” She noted while pointing at a photo of them in the car on the next page.
“Oh, man, North Carolina. That was the first time he ever saw the ocean. He kept getting knocked over so he made me sit with him.” That was the next picture, the rising sun providing light for the photo of Ted in the water with a young, chubby Pete.
“Aw, that's precious!”
“And there's the first time he ever had crab. He literally almost cried.”
“I don't think I can blame him,” She said with a giggle, “It's really good.”
Ted nodded, pointing out photo, after photo, until Steph decided she had to head back home.
-
Micro-Peter <3
Sorry if Ted was being weird
No worries, he's fun!
I've always wondered what having a sibling is like
He's not much of a sibling
More like a really immature dad
I mean…
Yeah, apt description.
He's my brother though and he really pulled through today
I almost sat on the wet spot dude.
AHAHAHAH that's awful
I threw up all over him, he didn't even react
Lucky he didn't kick your ass
I KNOW!
Thanks for bringing my homework
You're the best
I'm really not
So when were you gonna tell me you are afraid of seagulls
Goddamnit.
I'm going back to sleep.