"Hey Mattie!" Alfred called, a wild smile plastered on his face as he ran up with a loaf of bread, two two-liter Coke's, and three packages of lunchmeat. "I have dinner!" Matthew looked up, his thin, pale face reflecting moonlight like a mirror. "Oh…?" he murmured, his empty stomach growling ravenously as he looked at the food. Matthew licked his dry lips and clutched the polar bear teddy that he had had for as long as he could remember. Even before they were lost in the zoo six years previous.
They had been homeless orphans for six years to the day. "Six years…" Mattie whispered. "Huh?" Alfred asked as he began shakily making the sandwiches. They were starving. Mattie shook his head and cracked open one of the bottles of Coke, the satisfying hiss making his mouth water. Alfred handed him a turkey sandwich packed with meat. "Eat up, Bro. I found a way we can make money." The bigger blonde said. "How so?" the weaker, older twin asked as he bit into the food. "Two words: vending. Machine." Alfred said as he ripped into a sandwich.
Matthew paused. "Huh?" he said after he cleared his throat with a swig of Coke. "We'll use a vending machine to collect money." Alfred explained happily. "Al, how are we going to fill the vending machine?" Mattie asked. Alfred smirked. "It's already done." "What do y-" Mattie started to asked when his frail, porcelain body was suddenly wracked with a coughing fit. Alfred's eyes widened as he began to rub and pat his brothers back. "C-careful Mattie..." he whimpered quietly.
Mattie slowly placed a hand to the side of his face and sighed shakily. "I-I'm sorry. I should be taking care of you. I'm the oldest." Mattie apologized. Alfred shook his head. "I'm the hero!" he said, his signature smile sliding onto his lips. Mattie smiled tiredly. "Al…" he sighed, nudging his younger but bigger brother. Alfred smiled widely. "You know it's true." He chuckled. "Love you Bro-ski." He said. "Love you too Al. Thanks for taking care of me." Suddenly, Alfred smiled even brighter. "Happy Birthday Bro." he said, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out two chocolate bars. Mattie smiled just as brightly. "Happy fourteenth birthday to you too, Al." Mattie said with a small laugh. Alfred smirked. "I still have three more days before I'm thirteen. You're fourteen." Mattie whined. "Hush Al, I don't want to be reminded."
A Few Days Later~
Alfred hummed as he walked into the gas station. Looking around he began to knock things off the shelves. Jars of pickles, bags of chips, and many other things crashed to the floor, creating a large mess. The cashier looked up. "Hey, what are you doing?" he barked, stepping away from the counter and going over to him. Mattie swallowed thickly and bounded behind the counter. He didn't like this. Mattie cracked open the register and jumped when the cashier growled.
"Hey! Get out from behind there!" Alfred pulled a gun out from his pocket and held it to the cashier's head. "Hurry Mattie!" he said. Tears gathered in Mattie's eyes as he grabbed the cash out of the register. "Let's go." Alfred said as he ran to Matthew and took half of the cash. The twins bounded out, Mattie gasping desperately as his asthma began acting up. "Wait, stop." Alfred said, pulling him into an alley. "Catch your breath."
Mattie slowly got his breathing under control before it became an asthma attack. "A-Alfred… This is wrong..." he murmured. Alfred looked down. "We have to do this to survive." he said as he ran a hand through his tousled hair. Mattie sniffled. "I-it's wrong though…" "Hey, we need to prove that we can make something of ourselves." Alfred tried to console. "We're making criminals of ourselves!" Mattie yelled softly, his voice to quiet to really call any attention to him and his brother.
"Mattie. We'll pay him back. I promise. Once we bring ourselves up in society. I promise Mattie. I'll always protect you and right the wrongs." Alfred smiled. "Because I'm the hero!" he said and grabbed Mattie into a hug. "You have to promise me that Al. Otherwise I'll never forgive you." Mattie warned. "Dude, I wouldn't lie to you about that. I know how it makes you feel when you have to do something bad." "Alright Alfred. I trust you to your promise to do that."