AN: So I watched this movie called the Secret Magic Control Agency on Netflix, and while the plot was kind of childish, I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the brother/sister relationship that Hansel and Gretel had, and I really wanted to see more. However, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to find anything for them so I wrote it myself. It's a very short one-shot, and I'm thinking of making a part two. Hope you like it!
Priorities
The room was dark, with the exception of the soft glow coming from the three candles placed on the dresser. His sister had gone out of the room already.
"I need some air," she had said.
He understood. The room was so, so suffocating,
"Hansel," his father said, before letting out another cough.
"Dad?" He didn't dare to get any closer. The doctor had said that there was nothing he could do. It would just be him and his sister now. Who would protect her if he got sick too?
"Take care..." coughs "of your sister..." more coughing "Always look out for each other."
His father's hand grasped his wrist. His palm was hot and sweaty, but his grip was strong and sure.
His eyes were bright with determination and tears.
"Nothing is more important than family. Promise me that you'll never forget that."
"I... I promise."
2 days later, his father died. His mother followed soon after.
Gretel became a shell of a person, throwing herself into her schoolwork. He hadn't seen her cry since the funeral, the few tears that she had let loose when their bodies were being lowered into the ground.
As for him, he tried to keep his promise.
They went to school, but he left as soon as she entered her classroom. He swept floors and dusted shelves in exchange for a few precious coins.
He worked at the bakery, serving customers and cleaning up in exchange for old bread and leftover pastries.
Every single thing counted.
At night, he read and he learned from the books and papers that his sister had brought home from school. He snuck into the library to pore over all the books, and give himself the education he could not have.
He hid their money in jars under his bed. One for food, one for clothing, one for special occasions, and one for their future.
He would make sure that they would live a good life, one where they wouldn't have to worry about how to get their next meal or wear clothes that they had outgrown months ago.
He would be sure of it.
He was sixteen now. His sister was fourteen.
For two years, he had been able to work more jobs and earn more money.
But it still wasn't enough.
So he started to steal. Little things at first. A few coins out of an open bag or a loaf of bread cooling in the window.
For five months, he continued like this. Stealing and working to keep them afloat.
Until he saw that thieves were beaten or hanged or jailed for years. That was enough to stop him.
He went back to working and saving and working some more.
He and his sister had a dream. To become SMCA agents like their parents, to keep the world safe and make it a better place.
But as he looked over their money, and ran the calculations over and over in his mind, his heart sank.
There would only be enough for one. And he refused to be selfish, and he refused to let his sister down.
A scholarship.
That's what he had told her. The king had announced that he would be gifting a scholarship to a very prestigious school to one special student.
(The joy in her eyes was almost enough to overwhelm his guilt. Almost.)
So he watched as she shut out the world, choosing success and her dream over potential relationships.
He watched as she reached her goal and received the "scholarship" money.
He watched as she succeeded and he faded into the background.
He had no regrets.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye."
He shifted uncomfortably. "I'll miss you," he wanted to say.
Instead what came out was, "It's not goodbye. I'll come visit you so much, your school will be sick of me. You'll be sick of me." He ruffled her hair.
"Hansel!" She protested, shoving his hands away and trying in vain to smooth it back down. "I want to look professional."
His heart clenched. Here was his confident, self-assured baby sister worried about fitting in and achieving her dream. He wanted to reassure her, tell her that she would be amazing, that the SMCA Academy would be lucky that she walked their halls.
He opened his mouth. Nothing. He gave her a quick hug instead, and pushed her towards the train. "Don't worry so much, gingerbread. You'll do great!"
(I'll miss you. I love you. Please know that.)
"See you in a couple weeks!"
He had never regretted a decision before. Even as a ten year old orphan, with no money, no power, no support and a sister to take care of, he had never regretted a decision.
But his publicity stunt. He needed more money. The money going towards her education was slowly diminishing, and it would need to be replenished soon.
Because of that stunt, his sister had cut off ties with him. No letters, no visits, nothing.
And the fact that he knew that his sister had hated him, hated what he had done, made it a thousand times worse.
"What did you do!"
"Relax Gretel. It was a harmless trick. And besides, I returned it. No harm, no foul."
His sister fumed. Her green eyes were filled with anger and contempt, shame and hate for being his sister.
"Leave," she hissed.
"Gretel, let's talk about..."
"I said, LEAVE!"
He left. It would be the last time they talked.
Until five years later.
When he imagined them talking again, it would be because he had gotten over his cowardice and went to talk to her. Instead, he gets arrested by her and gets thrown into a mission where he reverts back to a ten year old.
His sister is still angry, still bitter about everything that happened.
Her scornful words sting, and yet, after years of no contact, seeing who she has become(without him, he thinks painfully) is a breath of fresh air.
Slowly, slowly, their relationship begins to mend. They begin to work with each other, helping instead of arguing.
Until they are stuck in a cave of hot, bubbling caramel, and her angry, hateful words finally push him to the edge.
"There was no scholarship!"
His sister's rant is cut short, anger melting into shock and disbelief.
Even then, she still refuses to believe him, and years of lies and secrets pour out of his mouth.
Her pain hurts him more than the secrets did. He tries to reassure her that, yes, she achieved everything on her own, but Gretel has always been stubborn and she runs from him before any more words(or lies) can leave his lips.
She begins to cry, and he tells her to stop because he doesn't want to.
But the thought that his sister no longer harbors any more ill will towards him makes him want to sob with relief.
But they have a kingdom to save, so their tears are saved for a later time.
"Save the kingdom. It's your duty."
He tries to reassure her, tries to convey a silent message with his eyes, tries to tell her to forget him and worry about the well-being of everyone else.
Instead, she gives up the antidote with a frantic and defeated look, and they both end up stuck in cookie dough.
She clearly wants to say something. Regret fills her eyes as they both struggle to keep their heads above the sticky mixture.
Until he remembers the gadget that he had swiped from her fellow agent days ago.
He expects a reprimand, but only gets a compliment(and later, a handshake) in return.
They've done it. They've saved the kingdom, and it is now time for him to leave again.
Her fellow agents cheer, and her smile makes him happier than the compliment or the license given to him by the head of the agency.
He's all set to leave, until he hears his sister's voice.
"... but I'm afraid I won't make it without my partner."
He whirls around in disbelief, shock embedded in his features as he awkwardly points to himself.
His sister gives him a small smile and nods.
Clearly, the head of the agency is also surprised because she says the same thing that's running through his head.
"But you always work alone!"
His sister only smiles, and repeats his earlier statements and actions.
And finally, finally, he can relax. Because his sister has always been his first priority. But now, he is hers.
Fin