This story was born off of a roleplay with the wonderful Kswolf! You don't have to have watched the movie to read this, but it's recommended
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Alfred's face was plastered to the window as the tour guide his camp had hired was explaining that they were almost at the Kennedy Space Center. Alfred was almost bursting with excitement at the thought of being able to see rockets and shuttles. Real rockets and Real shuttles that had actually gone up in SPACE! That was the reason Alfred had wanted to come to this camp. Sure they offered other things. Other subjects like math and cooking, and other things, but this is what he really wanted. The scheduled trip to one of the most awesome places ever! He was the first one off the bus once it came to a stop. Literally bouncing as he waited for everyone else to exit the bus. He couldn't wait to get started! Couldn't people exit the bus faster? Didn't they know all the awesome stuff that was waiting for them!
Matthew sat scrunched at the front of the bus, dreading their trip to the Center. He could feel his athazagoraphobia kicking in full force, and cuddled his stuffed bear Kumajirou for comfort.
He ran a hand through his blond hair, whispering to himself. "They remember you. They remember you. If no one else, dad remembers." He hopped off the bus and got in line, almost immediately noticing an extremely bouncy American boy in the front.
I wonder who he is. Matthew thought to himself.
"Come on, come on, come on!" Alfred nearly shouted as the kids continued to unload. He was anxious to get started and the more they were standing around the more awesome stuff they were missing! Didn't people realize that they were going to meet an astronaut! The thought coming to focus in his mind almost had him running to the entrance. "MR. KIRKLAND!" The voice of one of the camp councilors had him stopping in his tracks. "If you can't behave and stay with your group them you will be placed back on the bus and returned to camp." A horrified expression crossed Alfred's face at the thought.
"Now I'm going to be reading off your buddy so pay attention." The man's voice continued to drawl as he read names from a list. "Bonnefoy, Kirkland, buddies." Alfred perked up when he heard his name being called and started searching for his buddy.
Matthew relaxed a bit when he heard his name called. He wasn't too thrilled to be getting a buddy, but he wasn't complaining.
He clutched Kumajirou to his chest and breathed. In, out, in.
He opened his eyes and looked around for his partner, or rather, buddy.
Alfred searched for his buddy, but couldn't seem to find him until he went around the back of the group and came across a blonde haired boy about his age. Alfred just stared at the youth, blinking a few times, before pointing at him and shouting. "You look like me!" Let it be none that Alfred was never the most tactful of people. Though the statement wasn't entirely false. The boy had the same eyes, same blonde hair though the other boys was slightly longer, and they were roughly the same height. "Dude that is so cool! You can totally be my sidekick! After all a hero always needs a sidekick."
Matthew fought the urge to facepalm. How had he gotten stuck with a moron like this?
"Keep it down!" Matthew hissed, hitting the American boy over the head with Kumajirou. "Do you Americans have no tact?!"
He didn't even wait for a reply before turning away from the boy, an embarrassed blush on his face, looking around quickly to see if anyone had witnessed his outburst.
Alfred brought his hand up to rub the place where he had been hit. Not because it hurt, but because it surprised him. No one had ever reacted that way to him before. "What's your problem dude?! I was only trying to be your friend! That was so uncool!" Alfred's voice was lower then what it had been when he first started speaking to the rude boy. "Also my dad's from England, so there!"
Matthew's blush turned angry. "Well, there, that's the reason we don't get along. A French-Canadian person can't get along with an English-American weirdo with no tact at all! Also, you're the one with the issues! And what is with that stupid voice of yours?! I can't stand it!"
Matthew huffed.
Those Americans make no sense.
They're egotistical.
Narcissistic.
Self-centered.
And really, really loud!
"Hey! I'm trying to get along! It's you who's acting snotty like some French frog!" An angry blush was now appearing across Alfred's cheeks as well, though his wasn't as red as Matthews was, yet. "Also what issues do I have? All I did was point out that we look the same! Though now that I'm looking closer I tell that that's not true because I'm so much more awesomer then you!"
"First of all!" The angry Canadian shouted at the American boy in front of him. "What the hell do you mean by 'French frog'?! Second, we may look similar, but we do not look the same! Third, 'awesomer' isn't a word, use some freaking proper grammar for once will you?!"
"My dad says that French people are frogs! I never said we looked exactly the same! I'm not blind! And awesomer is too a word!" Alfred stuck out his tongue as if to prove his point. Neither of the twins had noticed the circle of kids that had formed around them as they argued. What was wrong with this kid? All Alfred wanted to do was make friends. He even offered for the other kid to be his side kick! He should feel honored that Alfred had even considered him to be his awesome side kick.
"Your dad is an idiot! I am not a frog! Um, yeah, you did say we look the same! And it sure seems like you're blind, maybe that big ego is blocking you sight! And no, it's not a word! Also, I could care less about being your stupid sidekick. Usually the smarter one is the actual hero, right? Well that's most certainly not you!"
This guy drove Matthew absolutely insane! Maybe it was the annoying tone he always used, maybe the bossiness, maybe egotistical view he took on everything, but it made Matthew hate him all the more.
English-American or whatever, Matthew just wanted to get as far away from this guy as he could.
Before Alfred could reply back to angry Canadian he was interrupted. "What is going on here?" The camp counselor in charge of their trip had finally caught wind that something was happening and had come over to investigate. Alfred pointed his finger at Matthew. "He's being mean. All I did was try and be his friend and he started yelling at me!"
The councilor looked at Matthew. "Is this true Kirkland?"
Alfred blinked at that. "What? No! I'm Kirkland! He's whatever his name is!"
"Bonnefoy! My name is Matthew Bonnefoy and don't forget it!" Matthew could feel the athazagoraphobia coming on again, so he crouched and whispered to himself. "They remember me. They remember me."
The camp counselor looked between the two boys. The camp counselor hadn't forgotten Bonnefoy, but had assumed that the boy talking him was him. After all from everything he that had transpired at camp so far it was Alfred Kirkland that was the troublemaker and Matthew Bonnefoy was an angel to the point where it was sometimes hard to remember he was there. Looking at the two boys one more time the councilor had to make sure that the two boys weren't pulling his leg. "So you are not Matthew?" He asked pointed to Alfred. "And you are not Alfred?" He pointed to Matthew.
"No!" Matthew yelled. "I am nothing like him! Please don't mistake us!" His cheeks puffed out as he stood up. His eyes started to tear up. "... P-please don't..."
"Hey, are okay?" Alfred sounded genuinely concerned when he asked. Alfred hated seeing people cry. He was a hero. He was supposed to help people not make them cry. That's what villains did! Walking over to the other boy Alfred gently placed his hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Hey, I...I'm sorry."
Matthew felt hot tears run down his face, his hands clasping onto Alfred's shirt. The genuine words made him feel weak and he didn't like that. He wanted to hide, he didn't want to be seen.
So he hid his face in Alfred's shirt, hoping people wouldn't stare.
The councilor decided to shift everyone's attention back to the matter at hand and began to lead the students through the first part of the day. Alfred gently took Matthews hand and led him away with the other students.
After that first rough meeting Alfred made it his mission to make sure that Matthew was enjoying himself as much as Alfred was. Doing silly things to make him laugh and explaining all that he knew about the space program. Alfred wanted to be an astronaut after all, or work for NASA.
Matthew held Alfred's hand tight. He liked looking at the exhibits, and he laughed, and learned as Alfred taught him about NASA and the space program.
He felt... warm. And really happy. Like there was an unshakable feeling that the connected somehow. It was like the idea of a past life, he felt like he knew him.
Almost like ... family.
Alfred made sure to pull Matthew on to the bus seat next to him and offered him some candy that he had bought from one of the many gift shops. "So Mattie how old are you?"
Alfred made sure to pull Matthew on to the bus seat next to him and offered him some candy that he had bought from one of the many gift shops. "So Mattie how old are you?"
Matthew took the candy gratefully, hugging Kumajirou. "Twelve." He said.
"Cool! So am I. My birthday is in July." Alfred said happily.
"Eh? Me too! What day? Mine is July 1st." Matthew smiled.
Alfred looked at Matthew with wide eyes. "No way! That's my birthday too! Well the day I was born anyways." Alfred paused to eat some more candy. "I was adopted when I was a baby and my dad decided that my new birthday should be the day I was adopted, so my birthday is July 4th. Not that I'm complaining because the 4th is awesome after all."
Matthew smiled. "So technically we're both born on national holidays in our countries! That's really cool!" Matthew took another piece of candy and popped it in his mouth, grinning still.
"I know! I love my birthday being on the 4th of July. When I was little my dad would take me to Times Square to watch the fireworks. He would say that they were for me. Of course this was still way back before I understood about Independence Day." Alfred throw a piece of candy into the air and caught it. "So you're from Canada. What's your family like?"
"Well, my dad is really nice. Being born on Canada Day, dad calls me Canada sometimes because he jokes we have the same birthday.
"We go up to Parliament Hill to watch the fireworks, play around, and best of all we have a party! Basically dad invites all his friends and some of our relatives, and we all bring food, and we all have a pancake making contest! Me and dad always win though, our pancakes are the best." Matthew said with no little degree of pride.
"So you don't have a mom either?" Alfred asked curiously.
"Eh?" Matthew asked. "No..."
Alfred look thoughtful for a second. "I wish I had a second parent sometimes. And not just for me, for my dad to. I can tell he gets lonely sometimes even though he tries to hide it from me. I mean I am awesome and a hero so of course he does, but I know he wants adult company." Alfred was quiet for a moment. "You know what, my dad was married once. I-I think. Not to some girl though. Some dude. At least I think they were married."
"My dad gets lonely too. Sometimes there are those days where he just sits and drinks wine at the kitchen table. Sometimes he gives me a sip, and sends me off to bed. When I ask him why he lets me drink it he tells me; 'You can't really be French without trying wine.'
"I think... He was married once too. He told me it was a man whom he loved with all his heart. Someone who drove him crazy, but he loved like crazy too. He told me that if I ever have a love like that, I should never let it go... not like he did." Matthew murmured.
"Mmmm." Alfred went back to eating his candy. Opening a second box of something Alfred was happy eating his candy before his eyes widened and he shouted. "Wait! You're French!" When everyone turned to look at him he looked sheepish and rubbed the back of his head. When others started looking away he continued. "Sorry. I mean. Your dads French right?"
