Title: Two Peas in a Pod

Summary: Monty and Ben brother bonding in short.

Rating: K+ for mentions of child abuse.

Authors note: So I really wanted to write a brother bonding story about Monty and Ben for awhile now. I like the way this came out and hope you all enjoy it. I have two other stories centered around them to write as well, but I'm not sure if they'll be companion pieces in separate stories or added to this one. Hopefully someone leaves a review with an idea!

May 28, 1953

Pre-Rebellion

Monty took a good long breath and wiped his eyebrow. His eyes steadily trained on his target. Then he threw his paper ball into the nearest trash bin. Score! He had made it for the fiftieth time in a row. Then he heard a thump from outside the records room. Thump, thump, thump and then all of a sudden it had stopped. His blue eyes strayed toward the door hearing footsteps walk past. It had to either be his grandmother, father, or his brother. The tapioca workers weren't allowed in the records building, conveniently located around the back of the Uno family mansion. Unfortunately, he thought before rolling his eyes. Monty wished that he could play with the other kids.

The other kids though, had to work for his father, day in and day out. They lived in row houses outside the factories with their families. Meanwhile, he lived in a glamorous mansion, keeping records. He had to keep track of how many tons of tapioca made each day and production. It wasn't a horrible job but he still didn't like it much.

Then came a knock against the door. It had to have been Ben or his grandmother since his own father would just barge right in. He hoped that it was Ben because his grandmother would just want him to help in the kitchen. While he liked to help cook she always drilled him about the cake recipe. It was a recipe her own mother made up and it tasted fantastic. The original copy went missing when his grandmother was ten. Fortunately, they all had it memorized and passed it down orally. Monty had taken the liberty to write it down and hidden it in a shoe box. The knock came again and Monty only looked over at his work. If it was his grandmother, at least some of it was already done.

"Come in," he said quickly fixing some paper. From the corner of his eye he could see the blue suspenders of his brother. Victory, he thought, he wouldn't be caught for wasting the paper in the trash bin. He turned to face his brother with a smile on his face. Benedict never failed to make him smile sometimes with how silly he can be. That smile quickly faded when he saw his brother properly.

Benedict Uno looked like a mess: one of his suspenders broken, holes in his shirt, one shoe missing, burn marks, and a shiny black eye. Monty could only stare at him a swell of anger burning through him. If he hadn't been working this entire time, he could have stuck up for his brother, and this wouldn't have happened.

Their dad always did this to Ben and Monty couldn't always stop it. The most he could do was fight it. Finally, just comfort him when something like this happened. He couldn't understand why his dad hated Ben so much. It could be because when Ben was born, there were complications that killed his mother in the process. Ben was just that constant reminder that she was gone and he stood here. Monty remembered that day at the young age of four. They had buried Isabelle Uno that following week. That couldn't be the main cause of his father's hatred toward his brother. There had to be something else that bothered him one way or another about the boy.

"Oh Ben," he said stepping closer to the younger boy. Ben only leaned against his brother and started to sob. Monty only patted his back feeling sorry for his brother cooling down his anger. His green shirt getting wet from the tears but he didn't really care. His dad had went and beat Ben up and for not good reason either. "I know what you need Ben, cake. Grandma made her world-famous cake today. We can sneak down and have chocolate milk too!"

He pulled his brother off of his chest, before carefully locking the door with the records in it. For all he knew it would be unlocked and blamed on Ben.

Monty took his hand and leading him down to the kitchen. Pappy was busy eating his tapioca and reading the paper in his study. Since it was eight his grandmother went to bed already. They had their nanny fired last week and yet to get a new one. So there was no one around to tell them what to do.

They had skipped down the hall and tip toed around their fathers study. Then ran the rest of the way to the kitchen and stopped short. The cake sitting right there breathtakingly in the middle of the table. Gently Monty pulled out the knife and cut them two pieces. Then rummaged for the forks. Ben got out the milk and glasses to use. So they were ready for their nightly snack.

Both boys ate in silence. Monty eating the icing off first and then the cake. Ben eating the entire thing as is.

"So how was lessons?" asked Ben finally breaking the ice. Pappy was trying to train Monty how to use his powers. Well, get him ready for when they came in. Monty wouldn't be getting them until he was much older.

"Fine, but I don't intend on activating them," shot Monty. "I don't want them and I don't plan on using them." He relaxed and decided to change the subject himself. "How are you today? You know until…"

Monty let his voice trail off at the mere mention of what happened. As if that subject was any better to talk about. Monty didn't need an explanation of what happened. Ben said nothing but mumbled a fine underneath his breath. It was quiet as both finished their chocolate milk. Monty gently blew bubbles into his milk as he watched his brother finish his the normal way.

"I can't wait until I'm a dad," spoke up Monty finally. "If I have a son I'll name him after Grandpa Nigel, because I miss him sometimes. I'll be a lot better dad than pappy. I'll let him eat sugar cereal at breakfast, stay up late, we'll go fishing together-"

Ben had cut his brother off with a short laugh. "Monty you hate fish."

"It'll be fun though. What do you plan on doing when you have kids?" he asked pointedly. At least it broke away from what the topic was before.

"Everything," slyly remarked Ben. He wanted his kids want to do everything he couldn't do. They would be a lot more confident than him. Then came the faint rumble from deep within the mansion. Around them they heard a low whisper followed by the deep voice of their father. He was calling them to his study. This couldn't be any good.