It's always the little things that matter. Those things that no one else seems to notice, but he does. Every time it happens he can't help but see it. He smiles and thinks about what makes her do it. Those little things that make her the best sister in the world, the little things she does without thinking. Only he thinks about them enough for the both of them.
He thinks about the best things.
Like when he's just sitting there with Bree, and she leans against him with her head on his shoulder and falls asleep. Or when he's up way too late working on a project, alone and thinking everyone else has gone to bed, and then Bree walks in and runs a hand through his hair absently as she walks by, like she used to do so often when they were kids. Or even when he's at an all time high-or all time low. Bree is always there to give him that smile that he has to return because her laugh is that infectiously joyous.
Like when he makes a mistake, and Bree is there to laugh it off and cheer him up with just a few jokes. Or when he says the wrong thing at the wrong time, insults Adam the wrong way and they aren't speaking to each other, she takes it upon herself to set him straight and tell him what he's done wrong, help him fix the mess he's made. Or even when there's nothing wrong and everything is perfectly normal for a change. Bree just spends her time with him and that's all she has to do to make him feel special.
Except Chase doesn't have the guts to tell her any of that. So he just smiles at her when she giggles at his joke, setting her precious phone aside to give him her undivided attention. It's the little things she does that make him realize how much he loves her. Those seemingly unimportant instincts, those little, random things she does without thinking. Those are the things that make him feel loved. The things that remind him in hard time and difficult moments that she loves him. That he's her brother and she's his sister. Those are the things that matter most. Only he can't tell her that, so instead he just laughs with her and tries to pour all of his emotion into his eyes. Then her phone dings! and she turns away from him. Sighing, Chase goes back to homework, feeling the harsh sting of rejection even though it's completely irrational.
He doesn't see when Bree looks up at him in confusion, having heard his sigh. She opens her mouth as if to speak, then closes it. Then she tries again-just as her phone beeps. Somehow, it feels wrong to answer that text. It feels like a mistake to slip into her 'Popular Bree' persona and disconnect from the world around her like usual. And when did that become usual? But then her phone beeps again, and she just has to pick it up. Instinctively, she turns completely away from Chase and tucks her chin against her chest as she texts. This time she doesn't look up when he sighs.
Sometimes it stings. Sometimes there are these little things that feel like a slap in the face. And sure, it's part of growing up. It's part of branching out and becoming different people. It still stings. It feels more like growing apart, and he doesn't like it. And every time he thinks about it, it hurts. So maybe he's weird for thinking about it. Maybe it's some kind of weird form masochism to others, but it's just his nature to think about his problems. It's just who he is.
He thinks about all the worst things.
Like when he opens his mouth to talk to Bree, calls to her and she doesn't even glance up from her phone to acknowledge she even heard his call. Or when he's at school, where he's a social outcast, and he hears Bree talking with her friends and goes over to her, and she looks at him like she's never seen him before and walks the other way. Or even when he's on a mission and he is doing the best he can in the stressful role as Mission Leader. She just can't stop herself from mocking him with Adam or making pointed jokes about appointing a new Mission Leader.
Like when he screws up one time, and Bree just took over his job on the mission and showed everyone how unnecessary and irrelevant to the team he is. Or when he almost got himself killed to prove himself to her, to prove himself as good as her, and he came back from that experience to find a euphoric Bree, who then did a one-eighty and started to snap at him or even pretend he didn't exist. Or even when he finds himself in real need of a sister to comfort and love him. Now that Bree has other friends it seems she doesn't have time for him anymore.
When it was just them, the bionic siblings and Mr. Davenport, it was easy. Bree loved Chase like he was her son. She acted like he was, even though he was just a year younger than her. For the first few years of his life he called her 'Momma'. Then she was 'Bee-Bee', his loving and caring sister. She was proud of his intelligence and would play word games with him all day, almost as if helping him develop his skills. It's hard to do anything but love your little brother when there's only three people in the whole world you've ever met. He always had hours of Bree time every day. Even when she went to play with Adam or to spend time by herself, she was still always in the same room.
Suddenly every other night was a sleepover at Caitlyn's house and between the hours of eight A.M. to three P.M. Bree wouldn't even acknowledge his existence. Then she wouldn't look at him because her eyes were glued to her phone and she would order him to stop talking to her because it was distracting. Suddenly the only time they really had together was on missions, where she made what could be serious cracks about taking his job, his only real achievement. Suddenly, she wasn't his sister anymore. She was a stranger who happened to look a lot like his sister. Chase didn't even know who she was or what she did in her life.
Chase never felt less like a brother.
Okay, here's the next chapter. I did Bree because that's the suggestion I got, and to answer one reviewer, yes, this is all in Chase's point of view until the last chapter. While we're on that subject, I want to personally thank every one of the five people who took the time out of their busy lives to leave such heartwarming reviews. You really made my day with those kind words. Also my sincere thanks to MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul or either of the staff of his/her community, Best Lab Rats Stories, for being kind enough to add my story. It was so cool to check online and see that. Best surprise I've had in a long time. So, for the next chapter I'm torn between doing Donald or Leo. If anyone cares to give their opinion to help out, it would be much appreciated! Thank you all so much for reading and please review.
