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"I double-dog dare you! You scared of a little blood? Com'mon, Chicken!"

The little boy looks down at his vulnerable fingertip, scared!

"If you don't wanna' be blood brothers, that's alright," his companion goads. "You're my woos-brother. I'll even poke my finger with my pen knife, see?"

The blood wells up on the end of his smirking brother's finger. The smaller tyke gives in and jabs the end of the sewing needle, hard! Smiling, he holds the bloody finger aloft.

Later, the mother privately hails the older son. "Brilliant! When his diabetes monitor comes tomorrow, he won't even be afraid!"