Trever glanced up at the sound of their rotting screen door opening. He watched his smaller brother lazily as Rhett stepped into the rickety old home, his eyes shaded by his thick brown bangs. The younger was trying to move as quick as he could without making his brother suspicious, but he knew better. Try as he might nothing got past his brother it seemed, so when Trevers voice. stern and inquiring, met his ears, he stopped right before he had been able to get up the aged stairs.
"Rhett."
The boy's eyes darted around the room, anywhere but to his brother.
"C'mere." The older boy ordered. Trever was the older, he was the 'adult' but not really. Trever himself was only fifteen years old. Rhett was nine himself. They had lived alone in this decaying home since there father had left, and there mother had...'passed' away.
The shuffling of Rhetts feet against the wooden floor was quiet as he made his way over to his brother, his hands behind his back and his head bowed.
"Yah...."
"Look at me." Trever's green eyes stared through his brother, his worn callused hand moving up to brush the bangs away from Rhett's eyes, revealing the puffed swollen bruise on his right eye, swelling so bad that the boy almost couldnt see from it.
The green orbs burned.
"Rhett." His voice was sharp, dangerous as he sat up from his position on the couch. "What in the He*l!"
Trever knew what happened, a bully from school did this, and he did it often when Trever wasnt at school. And most of the time he wasnt. Trever was usually suspended for whatever reason. And Rhett, well Rhett was not allowed to be suspended. Trever would get so angry when Rhett missed school. He wanted his brother to have a good life and for that, he did need at least a high school education. But when it came to bullies, if someone put there hands on Rhett, Trever wanted Rhett to knock there block off.
He hated seeing his brother hurt, and what is worse? He is hurt because he would NOT fight back....
"Was it Trenton again? Rhett you had better of handed him his arse!" Trever snapped at him, his teeth barred as he spoke.
Rhett just lowered his head more, lightly kicking his feet at the floor.
"Dam*it! Rhett!" Trever rose from the couch, his hands gripping Rhett hard by his upper arms, his fingers nails digging into Rhett's flesh. "You look at me! Dont you be a pussy!" Trever was hard on his brother about that. He wanted Rhett to be able to fend for himself if something ever happened to Trever and he was alone. He NEEDED to know Rhett would be okay...
Rhett snapped his head up at his brothers words, his eyes narrowed. "Ahm Nowt Ah Pusseh Treva!"
"Then show me!" The unstable boy hollered, shoving Rhett back, growling as the boy stumbled. Trever moved forward, shoving him again. "Show me Rhett! Grow a pair and SHOW me!"
The smaller boy howled as he almost fell back into the floor but he couldnt do that now, not now that Trever was on him, promising an arse beating if Rhett didnt do something.
So Rhett did what he could.
He swung at his brother and connected, hitting the older hard in the cheek.
Trever looked particularly stunned as he felt the sting in his jaw...But it didnt last long. A large smile soon spread across the teenagers face as he gave a joyful laugh.
"There you go Rhett! Now next time, when that boy picks on you, you let him have it! He thinks your a pussy and cant do anything. You show him what you got!"
Trever shoved one more time, standing up as he did so, his back bent over the slightest bit in protest.
He was unable to stand straight anymore...
"Now. Next time you come home with a shiner, imma give you another." Trever promised, his own cheek now swelling up as he moved through the home, nodding his head to his brother.
"Home work?"
The next day, Trever had been outside the home working in the barn. He had usually worked in a tire shop since he was good with his hands and it was the only job he could get. He needed any work he could have so he could feed Rhett. The boy had been under his mothers old worn car he kept hidden in their rickety old barn so no one might steal it. He glanced up just in time to see Rhett running up their drive way and into the home, waving his arms excitedly. Trever raised a brow as he pulled himself from under the car, his shirt and body smudged with dirt and grime. He was slow with standing up, his spine not wanting to hold him as he tried, though he did get up, and he stood, and he waited.
And as he assumed, a moment later Rhett appeared, running through the home, and out of the screen door. The no good screen busting out as Rhett ran through it. The small boy didnt even notice as he spotted Trever.
"BUHBBA! BUHBBA!" The accented cries met Trevers ears as the boy ran to his brother. "GHUESS WHAT!!"Rhett knocked into Trever, wrapping himself around his lithe brother. Trever was nothing but skin and bones with a little muscle he gathered from work.
"What Rhett?" Trever couldnt help but smile at his brothers good spirits. He was happy to see Rhett happy...
"AH DID ET! AH KICKED HIS ARSE!!"
Music to Trevers ears. He had known the boy had it in him...
"Oh yeah? You showed him huh?" Trever pecked Rhetts forehead, grimacing as he bent down to hug the boy.
"Yah! An ah showed tha whole skewl...Soh ghuess what?"
"Uh...What?" The older had thought the big news was that Rhett had won the fight.
"Ah get ta beh home with yuh fer fhive whole days Buhbba!!"
Trever felt his stomach sink, but he knew it was alright. Rhett would be back to school in a week, he WOULD NOT fail..
But for now, he was proud.
So proud.
"How about we go get you some ice cream then huh?" Trever smiled softly, taking Rhetts hand and letting the small boy lead him into town, and all the way to the park where the Ice Cream shop was located.
Trever knew that Rhetts bruises and split lips would heal.
But the memory of his first won fight would live on forever.
And Rhett would never forget him....If only for this day.
