Vengeance University

Andy awakens with a groan, his ribs still a bit sore from his attack on his brother. Clutching his side, he pulls himself up into a sitting position, leaning against his headboard. Sighing, he bites his lip when his gaze falls upon the pictures that adorn his dresser. The pictures that hold memories of times that are long forgotten. Pictures of Andy with his twin before things turned bad between them, before things became sour to the point where they could barely stand to be in the same room together. Tears threatened to fall from Andy’s eyes, but he harshly blinks them back, trying not to show his emotions. But, it becomes harder with each passing second.

Soon, pesky tears are staining his cheeks and he sniffles, wiping away the water with the back of his hands. But, no matter how hard he tries to keep his feelings at bay, he can’t stop the tears and he finally gives in, heart wrenching sobs racking his body violently. In the midst of it all, Matt and Brian have gathered the broken boy in their arms, whispering soothing words into his ears.

Andy just shakes his head, blocking out the comfort that his mates are trying to offer him.

“Andy?” Zacky knocks softly on his baby brother’s door, having heard soft whimpers and sobs coming through the door.

“Andy, are you okay?” Zacky allows himself in, his heart nearly breaking at the sight of his distraught brother, crying in his mates’ arms.

“Matt, Brian, can I have a few minutes alone with him?” Matt and Brian nod before pressing light kisses to Andy’s face. Zacky smils softly at his friends before taking their place on Andy’s bed. Carefully, he gathers Andy in his arms, pushing his hair out of his face and wiping his tears.

“I-I…I didn’t me-mean to h-hurt him, Zacky. I’m s-so sor-sorry,” Andy sobs, clutching his brother’s shirt into his fists.

“Shh, Andy, it’s okay. But, you do know that is cannot go without a punishment. You’re going to apologize to your brother and you’re not allowed to have any electronics for a week. Once school starts, you’re not allowed to do anything besides homework for the week. No parties, no sleepovers, nothing. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir. But, Zacky?”

“Yes?”

“Why does Alexi hate me? Is it because of my personality? I’ll change, I promise. I won’t be so hyper, and I’ll…I’ll stay out of his way even when we’re at school. I won’t bother him, he’ll barely even know I exist. I don’t like it when he yells at me, I wish he loved me like he loves you,” Andy whispers, tears flowing from his eyes once more. Zacky tightens his grip on his broken brother, his words cutting through him like a knife. The last thing he wanted was for his brothers to hate each other, and it broke his heart to see them bickering nearly every day.

“Oh, Andy…he doesn’t hate you. Never once in his life has he ever said that he hates you. You’re just complete opposites. He’s quiet, shy, and reserved while you’re loud, outgoing, and spontaneous. You balance each other out like yin and yang. He loves you, Andy, really he does. He just shows it differently than you do.”

Andy shakes his head, finding it hard to believe that Alexi truly loved him like a brother should.

Zacky sighs, running a hand through his hair before startling slightly at a knock on his brother’s bedroom door.

“Andy? Andy, are you in there?” Came Alexi’s small voice. Andy’s head snaps in the direction of the door before looking up at Zacky, his eyes wide with fear. “He’s going to yell at me again…” he mumbls meekly, snuggling closer to his older brother.

“No, sweetheart, no. He’s not going to yell at you, I promise. Now, go answer the door,” Zacky encourages, lightly placing Andy on the floor and giving him a small push towards his bedroom door. “Go on.”

Obediently, Andy answers his door, his eyes locking with his shoes to avoid looking at his brother.

“Andy…Andy, please look at me.”

Andy whimpers softly, tears falling from his eyes. Alexi gasps lightly, the sight of his brother crying always making his heart soften. “Andy, I’m not mad anymore, I swear. Please don’t cry,” Alexi hugs his brother tightly, rubbing soothing circles into his back. A small smile tugs at the corners of his lips as Andy’s sobs dwindled into mere sniffles. Pulling away, he locked his eyes with Andy’s and smiled.

“I…I thought you hated me. I’ve always thought that. I’m always making you angry or upsetting you and I don’t mean to, really I don’t. I just…miss you.”

Alexi sighs softly, pulling his brother into another hug. “I don’t hate you, Andy.”

“You don’t?”

“Of course not,” Alexi chuckles. “I love you just as much as I love Zacky. You’re my brother, like my other half, and I’m sorry for making you think otherwise. I’m just stressed out, you know. School starts in less than a day, and we don’t have every class together like usual and I guess, I’m just a bit scared to face a few hours without you by my side.”

Andy smiles softly, lacing a hand with his brother’s before kissing his cheek. An ear-to-ear grin breaks out on Zacky’s face, the sight before him warming his heart.

“Well, everyone else is down in the pool, do you want to come join?” Zacky offers, digging through the twins’ dressers for their swimsuits.

“Yeah, sure. We’ll go,” the twins answer simultaneously, earning an eye roll from their brother as he tosses them their clothes.

“Even after seventeen years, you’d think you both would grow out of that.”

The twins roll their eyes before changing quickly and racing each other downstairs to the pool.

“Hey, be careful! You know not to run around the pool!” Zacky calls after them, shaking his head as he catches a beer from Jimmy and plops down in a chair.

“You mean run like this?” Andy calls out before linking hands with his brother and running around the pool before jumping in.

Zacky narrows his eyes. “Andy, you’re basically grounded already, keep pushing my buttons,” he warns, taking a sip of his beer. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches his friends nearly drooling over the twins as they splash each other in the pool.

“If any of you pop a boner while watching my baby brothers, the possibilities of having a family for each of you will be slim to none,” Zacky sings with a smile on his face. His friends shudder, but don’t turn away their gazes. Zacky shakes his head, continuing to keep a close eyes on his brothers, pride welling up inside him as their play brings back memories of when he first took them in.

He smiles, because for the first time ever in the many years that he’s had the twins in his custody, he finally feels as though everything will be okay.