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It’s been like this for months. Ever since the acrobat saw a glimpse of Norton, Mike has been ignoring him the whole time, and even as far to refuse to rescue him. Was it because he didn’t want to see him? The prospector didn’t know. Norton got fed up with his brother’s attitude.
It’s after dinner, it’s summer, and summer means that Mike has his makeshift tightrope set up outside. Norton had asked around to where he was, and Eli reluctantly had told him where the acrobat resided. Norton was finally going to confront him about everything.
As the prospector watched him, he got reminded of something. The day he was told his father had died, how Mike ran away a month later and never came back, and how his mother treated him. So much anger was building up inside of him. He couldn’t hold back anymore.
“You.”
“Wh-“
As Mike was about to respond he was knocked off his rope with a forceful shove, and he doubled back into the ground, falling a few feet away from where he got shoved. It was a surprise, but the acrobat could handle a simple shove. He had endured more harmful forces to his body at the circus and in matches.
“Why? Why? Why did you leave me and madre? To just run off to the circo? You gave madre a reason to hit me and be mean to me! You left all the work on me, hermano! You left me, and I did bad things, and I had no one to go to! Why? Was it even worth it? I know it wasn’t. now that we’re both stuck in this stupid fucking mansion, with these stupid hunters and this stupid… AGH!”
With a yell, Norton launched himself onto Mike, who had stood up when his brother was talking. But, it resulted in only getting knocked back down again, with Norton’s forehead colliding with his. Mike flew back to the ground again, but now with blood gushing from his head.
The acrobat opened his eyes to see Norton looking down at him with a furious look in his eyes. He hasn’t ever seen him this angry before. Granted, the last time he saw him was when they were 12, and Norton was only ever angry at him for stealing toys. This was a kind of anger he had never seen with him before.
“Norton...I don’t want to fight you.”
“This wouldn’t have happened if you stayed home, pendejo! They blamed everything on me.. while- what were you possibly doing? Having fun?! Performing for others for your own enjoyment?”
Norton walked up to him, pulling him up by his clown collar, staring into his face. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
Mike thought. Did he? He was young and he got taken by a ringmaster, being convinced he was going to a better place but it was terrible. Being treated like that… seeing his friends being harmed, while he was favored.
“I was...I was young.”
Norton punched him square in the jaw after hearing his words.
“Young? Young!? Is that it?” At this point, the prospector was on top of him, slamming his shoulders into the ground with each word. “Who said he’d be there for me?! Who said we’d stick together?! It was YOU!”
Another punch, making Mike cry out as blood started gushing from his nose. He could fight him, but he refused to. He didn’t want to harm him.
Norton relaxed his hands as he panted, looking down at the acrobat. Mike didn’t move as he hesitantly opened up his eyes, looking at the other with a fearful but melancholic look in his eyes.
For a moment he thought to himself, this was all his fault. If he hadn’t left.. they wouldn’t be here.
“Norton...you’re right. I’m a disgrace. To you, to mama, and to papa. I have no excuse for leaving you two like that...por favor, perdóname. I’m sorry.”
Norton’s gaze hardened even more than before, shoving him back into the ground. “I don’t want your apology!” He was screaming right into Mike’s face, his body shaking from rage.
Without a second thought, Norton blurted out, “Fight me.”
Mike’s eyes shot open as he heard his words, gently shaking his head. “No.. I won’t! I cant! Norto-“
Norton slapped his face, cutting off the other’s words, not wanting to hear his denying words any longer. “Blood of family doesn’t mean anything to you, so a couple of punches won’t either. What do you have to say for yourself, brother?”
“I…” Mike hesitated with his words. “I love you!”
Norton stopped. Loved him? His gaze softened at the words, before he quickly came back to his senses and gritted his teeth in anger.
“You don’t get to say that!” He punched Mike in the eye after speaking, before giving another punch into the face with his left fist.
“Norton, please, I love you hermano!”
“Stop it! You don’t!”
Norton stood up as he held tight to Mike’s collar before throwing him back into the ground.
“Fight back!” He kicked him. “Fight back!” He kicked him once more. “Fight back.” He kicked him again. “Fight...back!” Norton’s words were starting to get choked up, but he continued kicking.
“Fight…” He hiccuped. “Back.” As he stopped his movements, he looked down at Mike. The acrobat was still, bruises and blood all over his face and slowly trickling down his face, and onto his clothes, and with tears in his eyes Norton realized.
“Ohh- Mike, Mike!” Norton dropped to his knees as he gently wrapped his arms around his brother’s body, holding him close. “No...no, Mike! Mike...please, I-I’m sorry.”
Mike wasn’t responding.
“Mike, my hermano! I love you, no!”
As Norton looked down at Mike, he wondered if he was really in the right for even trying to fight his brother. He couldn’t even say it was a fight, since he hadn’t fought back in the slightest. It was just an attempt. And a really stupid, really foolish one, that now he wished he had never made. So Norton stood up, taking care not to jostle the bloodied acrobat too much as he kept him in his arms. His footsteps felt heavy, each one he took made him want to drag his feet. But he kept his stride as he headed back inside the constantly looming mansion, and set out to look for Emily. He hoped she’d be able to help him at least.
Maybe his brother had been in the right to run away after all. A small part of him almost wished that he had left too.