What was the worst job for a sixteen-year-old?

It wasn't something simple, like cooking or cleaning. He had sisters who would do that for him. It wasn't some hard-labor-esque job--he was used to anything like that.

Nope.

The worse job?

Baby-sitting.

Yeah.

And it wasn't normal 'baby-sitting', either. This was Thane Prowl, a ten-year-old with a photographic memory. The kid was smarter than he looked (which was pretty smart) and could probably run rings around anyone with his mind. But he wasn't too tough, and Daniel could have him down in five seconds flat--

Aw, wait. He needed the money, and Thane needed to be alive in order for Daniel to get paid. Which was easily done as long as Thane could find something to do.

But Thane couldn't find something to do--apparently he was too smart to do so--and sat around bugging Daniel.

"Dan, I'm bored."

"Stop calling me that."

"Make me."

Daniel seriously considered the idea for a couple seconds, but let it go. I. Need. The. Cash.

"Let's eat lunch," Thane suggested.

Daniel eyed the container they'd used to bring a little 'picnic', which was sandwiches, cookies, and water. "We already ate like an hour ago, kid. There's nothing left."

"Nah-ah." Thane shook his head. "There's a cookie still in there. I saw you put it back."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but it's mine."

"So?"

"Mine as in not yours."

"So?"

"Quit bugging me. Go run around, climb a tree or something. Leave me alone."

"Then will you give me the cookie?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it's mine."

"Why?"

"Because you ate yours."

"Why?"

"Why the heck am I supposed to know why you ate your cookie?"

"…Why?"

Daniel smacked himself in the forehead, doing what his little sister usually called a 'face-palm'. He fumed in silence for a couple seconds, waiting for Thane to start talking again.

Which, of course, didn't take too long.

"I'll stop annoying you."

"Kid, every time you open your mouth you bug me."

"I'll stop talking."

"I highly doubt that would happen."

"Fine, be that way," Thane huffed, scowling and crossing his arms against his chest. He stood that way for about ten seconds before he lunged.

"What the he--"

But he didn't aim at Daniel--he aimed at the lunchbox, and had it before Daniel could try tackling him to the ground. He a plastic bag containing the chocolate chip cookie out of the box and tossed it aside. "There. Things are settled."

"Give it back." Daniel ordered.

"Make me." Thane took the cookie out of the bag and examined it. "Yum."

"Give it back. I'm your baby-sitter. Don't force me to baby-sit-on-you."

"That, my friend, was a very lame comeback."

Daniel lunged.

It was a good thing Daniel wasn't entirely serious--he was six years older, a foot taller, and probably could have hurt the kid. He didn't seriously hurt him--just pinned him to the ground. Thane released his grip on the cookie and watched it roll away on the dirt. "Ow!! Get offa me!"

"…Thank you." Daniel released Thane and stood up, brushing nonexistent dirt off his jeans. He eyed at the cookie a few feet away.

Thane raised an eyebrow. "It's on the ground."

"So?"

"You aren’t going to seriously eat that, are you?"

"Anything to get back at you, kid," Daniel shot back.

"Grudge much?"

Daniel rolled his eyes and stepped forward, reaching his hand towards the cookie.

But something else was faster than him.

No, it wasn't Thane. Thane watched the five-second scene unfold and promptly burst into laughter.

It was a squirrel. The furry creature grabbed the cookie as Daniel reached forward, staring at the teen with wide brown eyes. Before Daniel could say anything, the squirrel darted up a tree, where it watched the two boys carefully and nibbled on its prize.

"Now that is funny," Thane remarked, laughing still. One look at Daniel, primed to kill--whether he wanted to kill Thane or the squirrel, he didn't know--and Thane cracked up all over again. "That's what you get, mister baby-sitter."

"You've got a five-second head start, kid."

Thane turned and ran.