Brotherly Love? (Bacon)

Fred muttered to himself as he neared his brother's flat, his tail flicked and he sighed, raising his fist and knocking. He had gotten grabbed again on the way there, but this time he had been pinned and gang banged, by the same people in his class, the thylacine held his head low and kept his ears back, patches of his fur was missing now and his clothes were a complete mess, he still even smelt like the sex he had been forced into.

Donovan was dressed up quite stylishly awaiting his brother's arrival at his decently nice flat. It afforded a pretty view of the city's commercial district, at the very least, and the university was only a mile away. Turning to his kitchen counter, he poured himself a glass of wine, figuring he may as well get started.

(Sure~)

(Skip?)

Fred sighed and opened the door, walking out and grabbing his things, his ears flicked back and he walked out of the class.

"Yeah." Donovan replied, putting his hand behind his head and looking away awkwardly as he realized how stressed he'd made his brother.

The thylacine sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Okay okay, fine I'll come over after work" He growled lightly, his tail lashing, "Can I go now?" He asked.

He quickly found himself frowning again, but didn't press the issue. "Fine," he conceded with a sigh, "but would you come over to my loft after the shift's done? I've still got Goldeneye." He smirked at his brother knowingly, the old game having been a favorite pastime.

"Ugh do I seriously have to do that again? I just want to go get my work done then head off to work" The thylacine anthro grumbled, his ears pinning back.

"Wait." The kangaroo anthro put his hand on Fred's shoulder, turning the thulacine anthro around. "You know you can't leave without the secret handshake." He gave a wide grin, bringing back their childhood tradition of saying goodbye.

"I don't care what you do, but I'm not making any promises, I've been perfectly fine just dealing with the bullies for years" He said, his ears back, "Look, I'd rather not have more problems if those morons find out we're step brothers" He grumbled, trying to get to the door and leave.

"If those boys are at it again tomorrow, there'll be no mercy from me. And not for you either, if you don't stand up for yourself." He looked back up at his brother, locking eyes with him. "Deal?"

His ears drooped and he turned away, looking down, attempting to cover the many scars on his arms, knowing the others he had were hidden, "Look, I'm fine okay... It's my problem and I can handle it..." He grumbled and kept turned away, his tail curled around his leg, "Can I go now Donovan?" He huffed, just wishing he could get home, "Besides, I was cutting long before my mom even met your dad, I started after my dad was taken from us" He said quietly, atleast admitting something to his stepbrother.

"You know that's not true, Frederick!" Don snapped in reply, using the thylacine's full name on purpose. "I had no control over those arrangements they made and you know it." Sighing, he turned to a shelf and rested his hands on it, looking defeated. "Fred, come clean with me. I know what you've been doing to yourself. Have I really been so bad at supporting you that you've resorted to... To cutting?"

"Oh, so you just notice all the herassment now?" He snapped, his ears back, "Oh yeah, I forgot, all you cared about was keeping your dad and my mom together" He growled, the whole family knew he hated that he wasn't allowed to spend time with his biological father anymore.

He turned towards Fred, a concerned frown across his face. "I found those guys who were harassing you on the attendance list, if they're acting the same tomorrow I'll notify the dean. It's totally unacceptable for you to be treated that way." The kangaroo looked up at the anthro who was, as far as he cared, his brother.

"Fine" He grumbled and followed, his ears back and he looked up at his stepbrother, trying to stop himself from blushing as they were in a room together.

"Come back with me, if you don't mind." He replied curtly, turning on his heel and fast- walking back into a large chemical storage room, closing the door behind them.

Fred sighed as he packed his bag and slung it over his shoulder when class was finally dismissed, he walked toward his stepbrother with his ears back, "Can we make this quick...? I have to get to work soon" He muttered.

He directed the class to take good notes, then stepped aside once more, grumbling as he returned to the monotonous task of grading papers, the usual fare of an assistant like himself.

Fred jolted as he heard his name, "O-okay" He said quietly, his ears drooping back.

The Kangaroo finally got his chance to speak as the professor ducked away to set up an experiment. Standing before the class, he said "Fredrick, please come see me after class." He couldn't help but notice how adorable his stepbrother looked like that.

The thylacine sighed and started writing down notes once class started, his ears back as he wrote and his tongue slightly poking out of his mouth in a cute way, he glanced up off and on while writing, his tail curled around his leg.

Don frowned as he watched some of the other students harass his younger stepbrother, who he loved like a biological relative.  Eyeing the bullies over the square frames of his glasses, he remembered their faces for later before returning to his notes for the day.

Fred sighed and wat he'd the rest of the students, his ears drooped and he flinched when he was shoved around a bit, though he took it like he always did in highschool, ignoring them as much as he could then using a claw to cut his wrist at home.