Chapter Text
When Jeremy was 15 his niece, Emma, turned 3, she was Henry's daughter. Jeremy was often trusted with babysitting her. In some ways, she was like the younger sibling he never had. Today was her birthday. His whole family, Henry's wife's family, and the many toddlers his niece had made friends with along with their parents had gathered at a local park.
It was a mild spring day. The perfect kind of day to run around and play, which was exactly what he was doing. All of the children had decided to play hide and seek tag. He had been declared “it” first.
“Hmm where could you be?” he said checking behind a bush, ignoring the toddler peeking out from behind a tree three feet to his left. They giggled. And he picked up his head as though he was surprised at the sound.
“Oh you guys are good at hiding” he dramatically craned his head back and forth before letting his gaze fall on the child.
“There you are!” he cried out, breaking into a light jog as the child ran from him as fast as they could.
He let them stay ahead a few minutes before closing the gap and tagging them.
“Tag!” he said with a big grin on his face.
“No fair! How are you so fast!” they stomped their foot angrily.
“Because I eat all of my vegetables,” Jeremy said confidently. He heard his mom and older brothers break into laughter behind him.
They grumbled but accepted that they were tagged and went to join the search.
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Eventually, everyone had been tagged and the next round started. Everyone gathered around a tree as the new seeker started the countdown. Jeremy didn't want to be too hard to find so he climbed the same tree that the seeker had their face pressed against. He settled in the branches in full view of anyone who looked up.
“Ready or not, here I come!” the seeker yelled and ran away from the tree. Jeremy was slightly surprised he was not found first, after all, he had not even been quiet as he climbed.
He watched as people got found and tagged until he was the last one left. A dozen toddlers and their parents and none of them had looked up? Now Jeremy was confused, this wasn't even a good hiding place.
The next time Emma searched the base of the tree he shook the branches he was sitting on finally she looked up and screamed,
“I found Uncle Remy!”
Jeremy laughed, jumped down, and ran away.
“Catch me if you can” he called over his shoulder, keeping just out of reach. He ran backwards dodging Emma's hands as she tried to tag her. Right as he saw her determination start turning to frustration he stumbled and her hand slapped fully onto his leg leaving no room for argument.
“I got you!” she said.
“You got me!” he replied.
“Now you have to help me get everyone else,” she said in a tone that left no room for argument.
“Of course, anything for the birthday girl”
Jeremy still didn't understand why his first hiding spot had been too difficult but after that round, he only hid in places the children had hidden in before. Eventually, everyone was called over to sing Happy Birthday. And as he took a slice of cake Henry came over to him and ruffled his hair.
“I'm proud of you Remy”
“Yeah? why?” he asked.
“You could have never let them touch you, but you knew exactly how much they could handle”
“Well, I'm the fastest person here so of course I had to slow down. If I actually ran they wouldn't be able to see me let alone catch me”
“I'm sure, you said it was all of the vegetables you were eating. Ma finally got you to eat those?” Henry said with a shit eating grin on his face.
“Oh shut up,” he said shoving his brother.
Henry just started laughing and then he started laughing.
Jeremy was happy.