Sugar Daddy (MUKE A.U)

Sugar Daddy: Who We See

Michael

"Good morning, bub."

"Morning, Mike."

"Do you want breakfast?"

"Are you cooking or making me make my own?"

"I'll cook something."

Michael's little brother, Morgan, nods his head and lazily climbs into a kitchen barstool. Raising his eyebrows at the busted lip and little cut on his cheekbone, Michael points at it and Morgan just shrugs his shoulders with a downcast frown.

"How was work?" Morgan tries to cover the marks but Michael has already seen the damage done.

 Michael starts to gather stuff for breakfast. His chest expands with anger and the urge to break something is heavy in his hands as he holds the carton of eggs, only he forces out a calm voice. "When did it happen?"

"After school." With such a simple reply, Morgan shrugs and avoids eye contact with Michael. "You know how it is."

Michael knows the answer but he asks anyway. "Did you fight back?"

"Does it matter if I do or not? They're stronger than me." Morgan pulls his sweater sleeves over his hands and fumbles with the frayed-out edges. Sitting with his shoulders slumped and his head hung low, Morgan looks small and defenseless.

Of course, it matters, Michael wants to scream.

With more force than necessary, Michael cracks the eggs over a hot pan and throws the empty shells into the trashcan nearby. Bobbing his head up and down, he does his best to hide how pissed he truly is.  "I'll start picking you up from school again."

"Please don't... It'll just get worse."

A pang of hurt hits him right in the heart and gut, making him freeze in place. Slowly rubbing the space above his heart, Michael almost wishes he could go back in time and stop those words from coming out of his little brother's mouth. 

"Just let me help you, please?" Michael turns to Morgan, forcing the younger boy to meet his pleading eyes. "How many times are you going to let them beat you up and not do anything back? Morg, I can't stand to see you like that."

With a faraway look forming in his matching green eyes, Morgan stares right through Michael and shrugs carelessly. "I'm going to get ready for school...and don't worry about me. I'll be okay."

Michael opens his mouth to respond but with a hand thrown over his shoulder, Morgan leaves the kitchen. "You burnt the eggs, by the way."

"What?" Michael then smells something burning and turns around quickly to a plume of smoke. Cursing the entire time, he takes the pan from the stove and shovels the blackened eggs into the trash, and noisily tosses the pan into the sink with a 'clank'.

"Fuck me," he mutters, his mind filling with every single problem he can think of. Running a hand down his tired face and leaning his hips into the counter, Michael lets out a deep sigh. 

••••

Michael never really promised that he wouldn't pick Morgan up from school.