April 15th is Sherman's birthday. Read my A/N in my fic Peabody's Birthday for more info. This will appear in a different form and context in a future fic, I just wanted to post it today for obvious reasons.

Peabody lay in bed, smiling. He could hear Sherman quietly tiptoeing into his room thanks to his extra sensitive canine hearing. You can't expect to successfully sneak up on Mr. Peabody and get away with it. 5-soon-to-be-6-year-old Sherman hadn't quite learned this yet.

Peabody waited until he felt Sherman slowly crawl onto the bed. Peabody's back was facing him. He braced himself. Just as he felt Sherman jump and heard him yell "aarrghh!" he whirled around in the bed and stretched his paws out and yelled back. Sherman's face turned to one of surprise midair but then laughter moments later as he landed right into Peabody's open arms onto his furry chest. Peabody lay there holding Sherman tightly in his arms, tossing side to side, smiling and growling with Sherman laughing and trying to escape but being unsuccessful.

"Happy birthday Sherman." Peabody said. He stopped moving and let Sherman go.

"Aww, how did you know I was here Mr. Peabody?" Sherman said.

Peabody chuckled. "I have excellent hearing; I could hear you sneaking in."

Sherman quickly dove under the covers and snuggled himself next to Peabody's fur. Peabody grew slightly uncomfortable. "Do you want to go to sleep again Sherman? We just woke up."

Sherman looked up at him and smiled. "No. It's just warm and cozy in your bed." They lay there for a few moments, Sherman mostly enjoying the company and Peabody's warm fur and body heat and Peabody lying there somewhat stiffly.

Sherman finally piped up. "Mr. Peabody?"

Mr. Peabody looked at him. "Yes Sherman?"

Sherman fixed him with a worried expression. "Do I have to inhurit your job?"

Peabody chuckled again. "It's inhEHrit, Sherman, and are you talking about?"

Sherman snuggled his head in closer to the fur right under Peabody's neck and said "Johnny at kindergarten says that he has to do what his dad does when he gets older. He says he has to 'inheerit' his dad's job. His dad told him that. But I don't want to do what you do, I want to study dinosaurs!"

Mr. Peabody thought about what Sherman had just said. He did want Sherman to inherit Peabody Industries. He intended to give him everything of course, he had already written it in his will. But he realized that Sherman would be happiest being able to do what he wanted to do, pursue a career where his talents lied. And all he cared about was that Sherman was happy.

He cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully. "Sherman…" He began slowly. "You are under no obligation to undertake my livelihood when I pass."

Sherman cocked his head "Huh?"

Peabody laughed. "It means you don't have to do what I do when you get older."

"Oh," Sherman looked relieved now. "But Johnny's family-"

"We're not Johnny's family Sherman, we don't do what they do." Peabody interrupted him.

"However, there is a difference between taking on my life's work when you get older and inheriting. Just because you are 'inheriting my job' does not mean you have to do it. You could…" Peabody stopped. He loathed to tell Sherman this, but he continued, pushing his pride down. "sell off parts of it, or even the whole company to someone else. But I would hope that you will keep it, and make it as successful as I have, maybe even more so." He finished, smiling.

"Now," he sat up and clapped his paws together. "Since it's your birthday I have the whole day planned out, first we'll have a breakfast of pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream and then we'll go to the beach."

He waved his paws in excitement as he said this, and Sherman burst into a wide smile. "You mean it Mr. Peabody!? I've always wanted to go to the beach!"

"Yes, and if you hurry we can leave right after breakfast." Peabody said excitedly.

Sherman flung the covers off them, bounced off the bed, and shot out the door to get dressed; Peabody chuckling in his wake.