~peterick oneshots~

explaining the hard things

I'm not entirely sure if I should mention it, but maybe it's best I do-
rude name referring to gay people.

(still dunno how to title things)

it was meant to be a nice day at the park. a fun time, patrick, pete, and their daughter, lily. though, of course, being an obviously gay couple out in public nowadays was not the easiest. especially if you had a child.

as patrick pushed lily on the swing, and pete took pictures, there was some random drunk guy stumbling through the park.

"h-hey, faggots!" the dirty man spoke, pointing to the couple, staggering about. "don- don't you know-" he could not seem to finish his sentence, train of thought leaving him.

pete sighed, frowning up at his husband who had stopped their whiny daughter's swing.

"daddyyyy!" the small girl pouted, looking at patrick expectantly.

"why don't we go get some ice cream, sweetie?" patrick suggested, offering a small smile to the red haired girl.

"ice cream!" lily giggled happily, jumping out of her swing, and happily taking pete's hand.

"it's alright, honey." pete said softly, taking patrick's hand and squeezing it gently.

the taller man was upset, clearly, and he had every right to be, but pete knew there was no point in being upset over it– so, he would do his best to cheer up his husband.

the walk to the ice cream shop was not far, and they decided to eat inside.

the small family went there almost every weekend, and knew the owners well.

lily smiled happily, licking her ice cream, seemingly having no care in the world. pete always admired it about the girl, though only six, she saw the world with such light and happiness. he hoped never to take that from her.

"daddy?" the small girl looked up from her ice cream cone.

"yeah, sweetie?" pete looked up from patrick and his hands.

"what did that man mean?" she asked quietly, still eating her ice cream, though much slower as she stared at the men, curiously awaiting an answer.

patrick looked over at his husband, fearful and uncertain.

pete only offered a small smile, gently squeezing the younger's hand. "nothing, honey." he said softly. "that man was just... he was talking nonsense."

"dad's upsetty..." the small girl observed.

"don't worry, sweetie." patrick said quietly. "I'm alright," he said, giving his daughter a forced smile.

"why don't we just eat our ice cream, hm?"

lily nodded, eating ice cream quietly, kicking legs happily beneath the table.

though of course, lily was a curious child, and the question stuck with her aaaall the way to bedtime.

"dad?" she asked, watching the man pull her covers over her.

"yeah, lily?" patrick asked softly, fixing the small girl's hair.

"what was that word that man said? the one that started with 'f.'"

"sweetie..." patrick said softly, looking down at the girl.

pete sighed, stepping in and sitting beside patrick. "it was a very mean word, and we should never use it, understand?"

"will I get in trouble...?"

"you could," patrick nods.

"it's time for bed, baby girl." pete said softly, kissing the little girl's forehead gently. "goodnight, go to sleep, okay?"

"okay..." lily whispered back. "nigh night..."

"night night," the men each said in return as they left the room- leaving the hall light on and the door open a crack- just as they did every night before bed.