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He bounced his legs. Today, Mike got told he’d have another brother! He clung to Murro’s side. The 29 year old man sighed as he picked up his six year old brother. Both watched Bernard from the corner.
“Murro, are you sure you can handle two children?”
Murro looked at him quizzically.
“Two children? What do you mean?” Murro asked.
“The kid that got sold is super young”
Sold? What kid got sold? That made Mike confused and nervous.
“Mike! It’s time for practice!” Another voice called out to him.
Mike scrambled away, leaving Murro to sigh.
Then, he saw just how young his uncle meant. The kid looked to be 3 at the oldest. African descent, to Murro’s observation. Their nose shape and hair type was a dead giveaway. But the child was extremely pale. Murro picked up the baby, out of curiosity. Gentle purple eyes, pale skin, and very curly ginger hair.
“Evidently, the kid came from France. A Frenchman and an African woman came to drop him off. He looked just like her, besides where he lacks color, at least”
Knowing about maternal instincts, Murro guessed the mother did not want to let go of her baby. But was forced to.
“The woman looked very emotional, to where she begged me to give this to her ‘dear Auguste’”
The mocking tone, Murro hated that. However, he was thrown a scarf. Looked handmade. So the kid was Auguste.
“Boss, I put the rest of the items in Mike’s room!”
“Thank you”
“By the way, I’m renaming the kid. Auguste’s an ugly name on him”
And yet, he let Mike call himself Michael. Murro guessed it was cause of racial bias. He soon figured out the kid was mixed. And that the genes played in the mother’s favor, despite the lack of melanin.
“Ignore him, Auguste. Your name is very beautiful”
As Murro walked around, Auguste in his arms, he was peaceful, sucking at his thumb, or trying to. His cleft lip was a struggle for him. Murro gently got his thumb out of the boy’s mouth. He walked outside, as he found solace in the quiet. A dark skinned woman who looked to be 5’11, held a bag in her hand. He looked at it. She then gave it to him. He put it around his shoulder.
“Do you.. speak French?” She shyly asked.
Murro, thankfully was forced to learn French as a child. So he nodded.
“I am Thea, Auguste’s mother… that bag.. it has his information in it. His birth certificate…books about his culture, written in french but.. of my culture too” she began.
“…But I don’t want my baby to lose his identity… will you keep his identity for me.. sir?”
Murro was silent. Auguste noticed an item in her hand, and made grabby hands at it. Thea noticed and carefully put it in his arms. A gentle kiss on his forehead brought the redhead some comfort.
“I.. I did not want to sell my son… however I had to agree with my husband despite my real feelings..! I want the best for Auguste..”
Just as he suspected. She didn’t want to let her baby go.
“I’ll be the best older brother he’s ever had” Murro stepped up.
Thea sighed in relief. She took the scarf that was still in Murro’s hand, and wrapped it around Auguste, it was huge on him, so Murro adjusted it so he would share it too.
“Thea! We have to go!”
“Coming!” She exclaimed.
She turned to Murro.
“Thank you…”
She ran off. Murro blinked. Murro hid the bag in his tent. He checked the birth certificate first. He held the paper in his hands.
Name: Auguste
Middle: Jean (J)
Surname: Durand
Sex: M
Race: African/White mix
DOB: August 4th, 1871
Murro just stared at the certificate. He looked at Auguste, who snuggled into the scarf Thea had provided. He carefully folded and hid the birth certificate into the bag.
“Auguste” Murro called out quietly.
Lilac eyes met brown. Auguste slowly walked over to him. Oh. He was disabled. That didn’t matter to Murro, he made a promise. Once Auguste was near, he placed a hand on his tiny cheek.
“Happy early fourth birthday, Auguste”
It was August 3rd. So of course, he had to cherish Auguste and celebrate tomorrow.
“Oh good, you have Joker”
Murro sighed silently.
“That’s what you named him?”
“It fits him, matches his face especially”
Murro gave a slight glare at Bernard. He dared to call a toddler ugly.
“Michael’s been begging to see you and Joker, so don’t keep him waiting”
Murro muttered to himself before picking himself up, and Auguste.
“Ready to meet your big brother?”
__________________________________
Mike was rambunctious. He was very impatient. Thankfully, he didn’t need to be assisted when changing, he had his independence in some form. He saw a boar and ran to it. He was already muddy too.
“Mike…”
He looked at Murro with curiosity. The man shook his head.
“You have mud all over your clothes!”
“Oopsie” Mike giggled.
When a small hand shyly touched his, Mike looked at the person. Or.. child. Auguste tilted his head confused. Mike’s eyes began to sparkle. His smile wide, he wrapped his arms around the smaller.
“Careful, he’s three”
Mike nodded and loosened his grip.
“Auguste, this is Michael, your big brother”
“You can also call me Mike! Or big brother!” He exclaimed.
Auguste was quiet. He only clung to Mike tho. Perhaps Auguste was a quiet kid.
“Mike, now I have to clean you both”
“But big bro!” Mike whined.
Murro picked up the children one by one. Mike was first, Murro was fairly rough with Mike, not enough to hurt the child, but Mike liked the playfulness. With Auguste, he was much gentler. For a couple reasons:
1. The child is three years old.
2. He didn’t want to scare him
3. He was fragile already.
When Murro got to a tub, he began to fill it with water, the children nearby. Mike held Auguste’s hand. He felt it was his job to make sure Auguste didn’t run away. Not that Auguste wanted to, he wanted to stay with people he recognized. When Murro put out a sign that said: “Bathing, do not disturb and open”, he turned to the two boys.
“Mike, you can undress yourself. Auguste, come here”
So Auguste let go of Mike’s hand and walked over to Murro. Mike.. certainly did his best. He almost fell over a couple of times, but he had the tub for balance. He glanced at his brothers. It felt different. As if he was the odd one out. He looked at the floor. Murro noticed it.
“Mike, you ok?”
“I’m ok…”
Mike noticed Auguste come over, who immediately grasped at his hand.
“Big brother’s different, why?”
Murro just remained quiet for a while. That was the first time he heard Auguste speak. French too. He noticed the fear in Mike’s eyes. And that broke his heart.
“Big brother was born special, that’s all”
That gave him a confused and shocked look from Mike.
“Special? How so?”
“Your big brother had different parts to him, It makes someone who they are”
“You were born with red hair and purple eyes, not everyone has that, Auguste” Murro told him.
Auguste nodded.
“Mike was simply.. born a girl”
“But why? Big brother’s a boy! He said it himself!”
Mike barely understood what they said. He made a mental note to learn French.
“Mike is your big brother, cause that’s who he is. He was born in the wrong body, that’s all” Murro said.
He pat both of their heads. August and Mike stood there.
“Are you both not getting in the tub? Don’t make me drag you in”
Auguste took it as a sign to ask to be lifted, so he raised his arms. So Murro did put him in the tub, he was able to stand in it, thanks to his tall genes. He looked at Mike, who was quiet. He quickly lifted the five year old and put him in the tub, causing Mike to splash Auguste, who giggled. Mike was confused but gave a small laugh.
“Big brother splashed me!” Auguste said through his giggles.
That was his first sentence in english, and Mike was wide-eyed.
“Did he? Wow, Mike” Murro teased playfully.
He was accepted as their brother.
“Big brother special.. I like Mikey!”
Mike couldn’t hold it in and hugged his baby brother. Murro made sure he actually cleaned the two, and not let them play. Mike kept splashing Murro though, causing him to scold Mike every now and then. Auguste? An angel. Now that they were clean, Mike and Auguste were clingy. Mike was a hassle. But he also had a feeling those two would be partners in crime.
“Mike, I have a secret for you”
He turned to Murro and crawled to him.
“Tomorrow is Auguste’s birthday. He’s turning four. Want to make a surprise for him?”
Mike’s constant nodding gave Murro the answer. So, he and Murro quietly planned, while Auguste was taking a well deserved nap after a long day. And Mike was ecstatic.
He was finally a big brother, what he’s wanted for ages!