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Brotherly Secrets

Chapter 3: A Brother, Full of Trust

Summary:

“The younger brother must help to pay for the pleasures of the elder.”
– Jane Austen

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

When Bart said ‘clingy’ Jaime really wasn’t ready for what was apparently Barts version of clingy. When the nurse opened the door with Bart’s brother in tow (as well as two lunch trays), Jaime watched as Thad took no time to run into his brother’s bed.

 

Thad with every ounce of selflessness threw himself at Bart, curling up in his brother’s arms and placing a fat kiss on Bart’s cheek. A bright smile filling his face. 

 

“Mew-mew I thought it was going to take forever for them to let me see you! I skipped breakfast just so they would let me eat lunch with you! Apparently I’m ‘malnourished’ and ‘can’t afford to skip a meal’, the past is so restrictive!” It amazed Jaime how similar their voices were but at the same time...different. While it was almost the same tone Jaime couldn’t help but notice how empty Thad’s voice sounded. His words held emotions that felt fickle and fake. 

 

Bart laughed gently at Thad’s (what Jaime would call) whining. Lifting a hand to run it over Thad’s back in a soothing gesture. Thad seemed to only press into the touch. 

 

“You do still need to eat, whether you can join me or not.” Bart reprimanded as Thad frowned at him. 

 

“That wasn’t the point, stupid.” Thad’s voice flattened scaringly as he raised a finger to lightly flick Bart on the forehead. Bart just continued to laugh.

 

Thad rolled his eyes before letting his eyes travel to Jaime. Only when Jaime looked him in the eye’s did he really see the difference between the two twins. The most obvious difference was Thads blonde hair, while blonde unlike Barts ginger head of hair his was also shaved on the sides much closer. The free flow of golden locks were also pushed back instead of Barts middle part. 

 

The second difference was Thads face & skin. He was much paler, almost like he rarely saw the sun. The freckles that could be easily spotted across Barts nose and cheeks were nothing but translucent on Thad’s. Thad’s jaw also seemed sharper as well as his cheekbones, Jaime was starting to understand the malnourished comment from the doctors. 

 

The last difference was what scared Jaime the most. His eyes. Under his slim eyes were dark eye bags, giving him the stare of tremendous intensity. His pupils, emerald green like Bart’s, were dark and seemed to reflect no light, no life . Looking into his eyes felt like staring into a dead mans. 

 

“Who’s he?” Asked Thad, his voice empty and hollow as he continued to stare into Jaime. Jaime had to keep repeating in his head, begging in his head, for Khaji to keep his armour down. Knowing that if Thad noticed who he was he wouldn’t hesitate to try and kill him. Whether he would succeed or not didn’t matter. 

 

“He’s my boyfriend.” Answered Bart soothingly as he placed a hand against Thad’s face to turn him away from Jaime. Bart then brought one of the lunch trays the nurse had left in the room for them onto the bed next to them both. Bart spared Jaime a worried glance before grabbing the plastic spork on the tray. 

 

Thad then smiled, his serious and intimidating personality switch now seeming to be over. “How lovely! I have to say you could have done worse when choosing who to let bend you over.”

 

Bart’s smile tightened. Jaime watched as Bart readjusted his grip on the spork. 

 

“Be nice Thad, I love him dearly and would do anything for him, just like how I would for you.” Jaime could easily pick up on the threat sent Thads way but Thad made no indication of receiving it other than pressing into the hand Bart still had cupping his cheek. 

 

“Apologies, I didn’t know you’d grown attached to it.” Jaime tried not to be offended at Thad’s expression towards him. 

 

“No worries.” Okay, maybe Jaime was offended by the fact his boyfriend didn’t stick up for him over the obvious back-handed apology but at this point, he had to pick and choose his battles.

 

Bart let his hand drop as to actually start stabbing at the food on the tray with his spork. It was then that Jaime watched Thad’s expression change from the, well he didn’t know what to call Thad’s attitude at this point (petty, maybe?), into a look of fear as Bart raised the food to his mouth. 

 

Bart stopped, turning to raise his brow at his brother’s expression. 

 

“Don’t you think it’s poisoned? You didn’t even check it.” Thad said, voice quiet and eyes wide. His emotions shifting once again. Even though Jaime was barely a part of the conversation he already found himself worn out. 

 

Bart frowned at Thad’s question. “Is that the real reason you skipped breakfast?” Jaime actually hadn’t thought of that and was impressed by how his boyfriend picked up on it. Though he did realise Bart was probably used to reading into everything his brother said with double meanings. He did tell Nightwing and himself how he had been taking care of Thad since he was young.

 

Thad nodded, now looking away from both Jaime and Bart. Bart sighed before reaching to grab hold of Thad’s jaw. Jaime was shocked for a second from the roughness he exerted in his action. 

 

“Let me feed you then?” Thad’s frown deepened as he struggled against Bart’s grip. Jaime was starting to worry that Bart was going to bruise him the way he just readjusted and kept his strong hold on Thad’s jaw. Instead of trying to move his face Thad then decided to avoid Bart’s eyes. 

 

Bart pouted exaggeratedly. “Don’t be like that to your little brother, don’t you trust me?”

 

The words were manipulative and left Jaimes mouth feeling dry. Though just as Bart said it Thad fell for it. 

 

“Of course I trust you!” And with that Thad took his first bite off the hospital spork, Bart’s grip loosening and hand falling to rest in his lap. As Thad closed his eyes as he chewed Jaime caught Barts gaze, never did he feel so much sorrow for his lover.

 

Bart’s eyes holding un-shed tears.

 

*** 

 

“I assume lunch with the in-law went well?” Robin asked, sipping lightly at what Jaime could guess was his 18th cup of coffee that day. 

 

“Oh fuck off.” Replied Jaime bitterly as he collapsed on Mount Justice’s couch (the one that somehow always got rid of Jaime’s back pain whenever he slept on it) next to Garfield who was busy on his phone though obviously didn’t care enough about whatever he was doing to let it distract him from making fun of his best bud’s bad mood.

 

“I’m guessing he doesn’t like you.” Robin snickered as he continued his nonstop typing on his computer. 

 

“What’s he like?” Garfield questioned, poking at Jaime’s limp body sprawled out on the couch.

 

“He looks at me like I’m gonna be the next guy he drags into his basement to murder, he doesn’t even know I’m Blue Beetle and he talks about me like I’m Bart’s dog.” Jaime complained, eyes still shut as he swiped at Garfield’s hand to stop the persistent poking.

 

Garfield responded with a profound ‘oof’ and Robin with a “That’s rough bud.”

 

“Do you think you could be exaggerating? M’gann made me aware after visiting KF that brother dear is going to be staying at the cave until they find a more permanent solution.” Jaime laughed at Garfield’s question, squashing all his hope.

 

“He called me an ‘it’, Gar.” Garfield groaned as Robin laughed maniacally. 

 

*** 

 

“This is Thad, Bart’s twin brother from the future. He’ll be staying here at the cave for a while. Please make his stay here comfortable.” Came Superboys almost robotic introduction of Thad.

 

If Jaime didn’t know first hand that Connor was trying to be sincere he would’ve choked up laughing.

 

Thad swung back and forth in his place next to Bart in the front of the room. His eyes avoidant and glazed over at the attention he was receiving from the gathered heroes. Jaime honestly wanted to sock him in the face.

 

As Connor then started to rant off-topic about ‘the impotence of following the rules for the commune areas’ and Jaime started to zone out. It was weird and conflicting wanting to punch Thad in the face, he did have the same one as his own boyfriend.

 

Eduardo leaned next to Jaime to whisper. “ Él es guapo, pero de una manera espeluznante. (He’s handsome, but in a creepy way.) Como ...Ted Bundy.” Jaime sniggered and nodded his agreement with him. 

Notes:

I'm so sorry it's so short! It honestly looked longer in my docs lol :)

Tysm for reading so far!
Comments and Kudos keep me going!

Notes:

(edit 07/17: Jaime's blue beetle armour encases him before Thad exits the Time Machine and lunges at him.)

I'm so stupid I forgot to write that in like, how else was Thad supposed to know Jaime is Blue Beetle. Please forgive my writing mix-ups!