A/N: Another present for Secret Santa. This version's slightly different from the one on tumblr because I spotted a few things I wanted to improve.
Even though he obviously enjoyed their company, sometimes Keith mainly came along to keep an eye on his brother and Firo when they planned to wander off somewhere the adults had no control over them.
Most of all Keith was worried for the safety of his brothers and Firo, but he had also made it his mission to keep Berga, Claire and Firo from causing trouble for those who crossed their path. He could perfectly trust Luck to behave, but the youngest Gandor brother still ended up being a unwilling part of the mischief (well, oftentimes, mischief was an understatement). He simply had no choice in the matter. Luck never managed to control Claire and Berga. That's why Luck audibly heaved a sigh of relief when Keith heard about their plans to go to the park after heavy snowfall the night before and decided to tag along.
Keith knew that a park offered the opportunity for Claire and Berga to mingle with other children. They might start doing their usual friendly sparring matches or actually make use of the snow, but one provocative glance, word or movement and the two would pounce on the offender. And, unfortunately for the female population, Claire didn't agree with the notion that you can't hit a girl no matter what she says or does. If you're parents aren't around to scare them off – tough luck. And there was always friction because seemingly everyone could tell where the boys came from: Hell's Kitchen. Glares, pitiful gazes.
To Keith's satisfaction none of the boys had protested (if they had he would've felt seriously offended) and they had agreed to leave the apartment after lunch on Sunday. Firo was supposed to join them downstairs.
Except, their mother had asked all of them to help and a second later they both heard the door being shut. But Keith stayed and helped her out. Afterwards his mother and him went downstairs to reprimand Berga, Luck and Claire for ditching them, but they were gone. Firo was nowhere to be seen either.
"I can't believe they actually have the guts to do that," she said agape and crossed her arms.
Keith was no less astonished. Never would he have thought that they would abandon him or go against his wishes when he simply had their well-being in mind. It wasn't quite modest to say so himself, but he was usually the one in charge. For his brothers to leave him behind...He felt his chest constrict. That didn't sit right.
However, they probably knew he wouldn't take this lightly, even if everything turned out fine. He didn't waste any time and followed them. Hopefully they hadn't decided to run off somewhere entirely different.
But they did.
He couldn't find them in the park, so he immediately returned home in hopes of finding them much closer than he had anticipated. Well, upon arriving at home, he at least his path crossed with Luck. Keith stopped him for a second and Luck used the breather to provide him with the necessary information.
"We're waiting for you to come when those guys showed up and they were talking about how they've been selling drugs, so Claire told them that drugs were off-limits here and Firo couldn't resist to tell them to piss off when they obviously didn't care what Claire had to say."
Funny how Claire and Firo of all people had said that. But Keith was quite certain Berga didn't miss the chance to give them a piece of his mind as well.
Luck was finally calm – not that he seemed distressed in any way. Keith assumed he simply had been exhausted from running.
"Then suddenly this brawl broke out and I'm not sure who punched who first," Luck continued. "All I know is that these idiots have gotten themselves into a bloody mess and I'm not sure if they're able to handle it on their own."
Keith mused for a moment. Should they get their father involved?
"They're up against three grown-ups and they're strong," Luck provided helpfully and he spread out his arms as if to underline it. "What do you say, should I get father? They're going against his wishes after all and I really don't want the others to get hurt any further."
Keith nodded and they parted ways.
While Luck went ahead to get support, Keith ran over to his brothers to help them out. It took a while for him to find them in the end, and it was thanks to Berga shouting something neither their mother nor father would like to hear coming out of his mouth, even though they had picked it up from someone.
When they finally came into sight, a guy held Firo by the nape like an animal and shook him. Firo spewed insults at him and tried to free himself, but clearly he was overpowered. Claire and Berga would have come to his rescue by now, certainly, there are just two other guys standing in their way.
"Keith!" Firo didn't exactly sound pleased to see him and Keith could understand why. His arrival meant they had messed up and perhaps he was also upset that Keith will likely come out of this encounter bloody as well. Oh, and injured they were. Keith checked them quickly and unsurprisingly their skins were brightly colored in red, blue and violet. And those were only the parts he could see right now. He sighed.
Their opponents were indeed hardly adults and not as bulky as Keith had expected them to be, nonetheless, they were up against mere children. No matter how strong Berga and Claire might be for their age, they've found their match. Apparently they finally understood that as well. They understood that some unfortunate day you were bound to come across someone far stronger than yourself. And, truthfully, at their current level, Berga and Claire didn't have to look far.
Perhaps it would have been wiser for Keith to remain at home and come with his father. However, Keith just couldn't turn his back on his brothers. Even if none of them stood a chance, he was the eldest, so they were his responsibility when his parents weren't around. And they were a responsibility he gladly took over. Besides, Luck was already getting help, so it shouldn't be long until they arrived. .
"Nice," one of them grinned at Keith. "Look, Johnny, another midget we can beat to a pulp."
"Don't you dare," Berga growled and lifted his fists as if intending to attack them. Keith caught up to them and put a firm hand on his shoulder. It probably was for the best to keep these hoodlums occupied and stall some time – preferably without violence.
That Johnny who was keeping Firo in his grasp, broke out into a random fit of laughter. "I wonder if that tiny piece of shit is the support the rat-faced munchkin was threatening us with."
Keith slightly gritted his teeth. He really didn't like to hear people insult his brothers. If he were strong enough, he probably would feel petty enough right now to punch him for that comment. But, alas, neither of them stood an actual chance and that included Keith who thought it unlikely that his presence would make a difference. He wasn't being pessimistic, no, he rather was realistic here.
"Y'know, if this munchkin-brigade just had minded its own goddamn business, then maybe, no I'm pretty sure, we all could've spent our afternoon better. Instead I'm stuck here teaching them manners – which should be the job of your parents, but naturally asses produce shit, so no surprise there."
The third hoodlum really had that punch coming and not even Keith stopped Berga from delivering it. It was an awful idea to throw another fist because most certainly it would be repaid.
On a positive note, however, at least they finally let go of Firo. But, of course, the smallest of them didn't use the freedom he had won to escape. No, he pounced on Johnny and used whatever strength he could to hurt him. Frankly, Keith hadn't expected anything else.
Finally, at most fifteen minutes later, Mr. Gandor and two of his men arrived. He didn't hide the gun he carried, although Keith was almost certain he had no intention of using it. But he's furious, so who knows how this might end? Neither was Keith sure how he wants it to end. There's no doubt they're assholes and good-for-nothings. But strictly speaking, Claire, Firo and Berga should've minded their own business. There had been no need to get involved with them. They could've notified their father and he could have taken care of the hoodlums. Nonetheless, if they were truly drug dealers disregarding the don's orders, then a punishment was in order. It just wasn't the boys' place yet to deliver it.
However, nobody was shot on that street on that day. Keith had never heard of them again. Maybe they were dead, or maybe their father had taught them a gruesome lesson that drove them away for good. Who knows?
They all were reprimanded, even Firo who wasn't even a family member. Keith who had recklessly stormed off instead of being patient and waiting for the adults to settle this, too. At least, so Claire, Firo didn't get his ass kicked by the don.