Summary: A fun collection of short stories from the childhood of Kurt and Markie Wylde. Mostly fluff, but really fun to write. Please enjoy, and as always, feel free to review!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it.

Chapter 1: Stormy Night

Markie cautiously peeked out from beneath his covers one stormy summer night. Maybe the worst of it's passed, he thought hopefully, but another resounding BOOM! instantly shattered that idea. Markie yelped and darted back under the covers, trembling.

This is silly, he said to himself. I'm seven years old, I'm not supposed to be scared of thunder anymore! But even as he thought it, another peal of thunder cracked nearby, rattling the windows a bit, and Markie pulled the blankets tighter over his head.

Maybe Kurt's awake? he wondered, then shook his head at his own foolishness. No, Kurt's never really been bothered by storms. He's probably sleeping right through all this. Markie hung his head in disappointment. Although, he thought, a new idea slowly taking shape, I suppose I could always go check on him, just in case.

With that thought, Markie clambered out of bed, trying to ignore the storm that still raged on outside, and scurried down the hall to Kurt's bedroom. He quietly opened the door and tip-toed over to his brother's bedside. Just as he had suspected, Kurt was sound asleep.

"Kurt?" Markie called softly, gently shaking his sibling by the shoulder. "Kurt, wake up!"

"Huh?" Kurt rolled over and blinked his eyes open. "Markie?" he asked, bewildered. "What's wrong? Are you afraid of the storm?"

Markie opened his mouth to deny it, but instead he heard himself truthfully answering, "Yes."

Kurt sighed loudly, seemingly annoyed, yet he at once scooted over in the bed and motioned for Markie to join him. "Come on," he said tiredly.

Markie grinned in relief and crawled into bed beside his brother.

"Just make sure you stay on your side," Kurt told him impatiently and rolled over so that his back was turned toward his brother.

"Okay," Markie whispered in reply, curling up as far away from Kurt at possible. After all, he didn't want to make him mad and get thrown out. Yet, with each successive round of lightning and thunder, Markie found himself gradually drawing closer and closer to his brother until he was mere inches from Kurt's back.

I'd better not get any closer, he told himself silently, but at that moment, he was frightened by an exceptionally loud clap of thunder. Markie jumped involuntarily at the sudden noise and bumped hard into Kurt's back. Now startled awake himself, Kurt reflexively rolled over in surprise, his elbow unintentionally colliding against Markie's forehead just above his eye.

"Ouch!" Markie exclaimed, quickly returning to "his side" of the bed and covering his eye with his hand.

"Markie, what are you doing?" Kurt asked, exasperated.

"I'm sorry, Kurt," Markie apologized hurriedly, "I'm sorry! I promise I won't do it again! Please don't be mad at me." He bit his lip as he felt tears welling up in his eyes.

"I'm not mad, Markie," Kurt assured him. "You just startled me, that's all." He sighed heavily. "Are you okay?"

"No," Markie sniffled, tears beginning to escape down his cheeks. "You hurt me!"

"I'm sorry, you know I didn't mean to." Kurt turned on the small lamp by his bed and moved closer to his brother. "Let me see."

Markie pulled back his hand, and Kurt reached up to gingerly touch the tender bump that was already forming above his eye.

"Stop it!" Markie ordered, pushing his hand away. "That hurts."

"Sorry. But it really doesn't look too bad, Markie. You may get a black eye, but you'll live." Only then did he notice that his brother's cheeks were damp. "Markie, are you crying?" he asked slowly.

Markie shook his head furiously, but that only seemed to make the tears fall harder. To make matters worse, he started violently once again as the thunder continued to roar outside, and he could tell Kurt was resisting the urge not to burst out laughing.

"Markie, it's okay," Kurt said with a grin, wrapping an arm around his brother's bony, shivering shoulders and pulling him into a hug. Markie finally let the tears fall freely as he gratefully rubbed his weary head against his brother's shoulder. After a moment, Kurt pulled back and studied his younger sibling.

"You feel any better now?" he asked, squeezing Markie's shoulder. Markie nodded and wiped away his tears with a shuddering sigh as he finally began to relax.

"Come on, let's try this again," Kurt said, turning off the lamp and lying back down.

"You mean," Markie stuttered in disbelief, "you mean you aren't gonna make me go back to my room?"

Kurt shook his head. "No, you'd better stay here. You need more help than I thought."

Markie nodded and lay down next to him, though he soon remembered protocol and began to distance himself from his brother. But Kurt stopped him, pulling him back.

"If you're gonna end up right next to me anyway, you might as well start there so I can get used to it," he explained.

Markie grinned and snuggled up close beside him, Kurt's arm slung over his shoulders. The storm raged on, but Markie was amazed how it no longer seemed so threatening. With an appreciative glance up at Kurt, who had fallen back to sleep almost instantly, Markie squirmed just a bit closer to his brother and finally slept in peace.

Author's End Note: Cute, huh? One of my personal favorites. Sorry they're all kinda short, but two more are already finished and will be up soon, and we've got at least two more in the making. Thanks for reading!