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Brand usually didn't have to protect his brother. Mikey was capable of handling and protecting himself almost all of the time. Almost all of the time.
Mikey opened the door to his house as quietly as he could, trying not to be noticed. Unfortunately for him, Brand was sitting in the recliner closest to the door.
"Hey dork, what are yo- What happened to your eye?!" Brand asked, spotting the bruising around Mikey's eye.
"Uh, n-nothing. I just got hit by a... a baseball, yeah a baseball. It happened in gym, don't worry about it." Mikey lied. Brand looked uneasily at him, but shrugged it off for the time being.
That was on Monday.
By Thursday, not only did Mikey have a black eye, but a busted lip and a bruise on his cheek. Mikey still hadn't said a word about what was really happening to him, and Brand was determined to get it out of him.
When Mikey got home on Thursday, he wasn't through the front door two seconds before Brand had him cornered against the wall.
"What's really causing all of the injuries on your face?" Brand asked him in a deep voice.
"I already told you. It's from gym class." Mikey lied again.
"Don't give me that crap, Mikey. What's really happening to you? Is someone doing this too you?" Mikey gulped as he nodded in response.
"Who? Tell me, right now, who's doing this too you." Brand demanded. Mikey shook his head vigorously.
"I-I can't tell you! They'll kill me if they found out you I told you!"
"Who. Is. It. Mikey?" Brand growled.
"It's Troy, okay?! It's Troy and his friends! They've been harassing me for a long time and they won't stop! I-I can't stop them! T-They just keep hurting me and I-I can't, I don't know what to do." Mikey broke into tears when he finished. Brand sighed.
"Hey, don't worry, I'm gonna fix it. I'll make sure they never lay a finger on you again. Now, c'mere." Mikey cried into Brand's chest, clutching onto his shirt like it's a lifeline.
"I'm gonna fix it..."
****
Friday morning, Brand took Mikey to school, secretly keeping an eye out for Troy and the rest of them. Brand parked his car and they walked into the school together.
When they entered, they were forced to go their separate ways, but not before Brand gave Mikey a reassuring squeeze on his shoulder.
Brand watched Mikey walk off to his class. He may act like his little brother is the most annoying person in the whole world, but when push comes to shove, that boy is still his little brother and still needs just as much love and protection as anyone else. So yeah, Brand can have a soft spot for him and when someone messes with Mikey, they mess with Brand too.
Later that day, Brand walked through the halls, looking for whatever his teacher had asked for, when he heard soft but strong, "stop."
Brand, out of curiosity, went to investigate only to find Troy and his gang surrounding a familiar boy with braces.
Troy had taken Mikey's inhaler and was holding it above his head while Mikey unsuccessfully jumped and reached for it.
"Give it back! Come on, I need that!" Mikey yelled, reaching farther. Troy just laughed, holding it higher while one of his buddies shoved Mikey into the lockers.
Brand ran up too them and punched Troy as hard as he could.
"Get the hell away from him!" Brand said as he pushed the guy that shoved Mikey.
"Nobody touches my little brother but me." Brand growled, punching Troy one more time as his friends ran off.
Eventually, a teacher came and pulled Brand off of Troy while Mikey stood there in shock and fear. The teacher sent all three boys to the principals office soon after.
"Now boys, someone explain what happened." Principal Hawkins said as the boys took seats in the office.
"Well, I was walking down the hall, minding my own business, when Brand and Mikey came up out of nowhere and attacked me!" Troy lied.
"That is not at all what happened! Look, Troy has been targeting Mikey for a long time now. So, when I saw Troy hurting him, I pounced. What was I suppose to do? Let him hurt my little brother? I don't think so." Brand explains, putting a hand on Mikey's shoulder.
"Is this true, Mikey?" Principal Hawkins asked. Mikey shyly nodded in response.
"You two boys may go. Troy, you will stay here so we can discuss your punishment. Brand smirked, leading Mikey out of the office.
"Thanks for, you know, sticking up for me back there." Mikey says, looking up at Brand.
"Don't mention it. No ones allowed to mess with you but me." Brand tells Mikey, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "Now, let's go home."