Autumn, 1929, Des Moines, Iowa
Matthew Williams gripped his father's hand tightly as his deep blue eyes took in the military school he would be attending. He clutched at his white teddy bear. It was far from home, but he knew it would be hard, yet there was someone here who he hoped would make it worth it.
Matthew was always aware of the fact that he had a brother, and he knew the boy's name. He knew they were roughly the same age, but he had never met him. They had the same father, but different mothers. Matthew's mother had been a woman their father had met while on a business trip in Canada while he was married to his brother's mother. They had met and fallen in love, resulting in Matthew. His father had quickly divorced his brother's mother and came to marry his mother. Yet Matthew never thought that was right. Though he was only six, and didn't know much about the world, he still knew enough to know that what his father had done was wrong. And he couldn't imagine how his brother must feel about it.
He looked up at the name plate on his bedroom door. "Matthew Williams". It made the decision to attend this academy more final. The name below his was familiar enough. "Alfred Jones". He tried to read it, yet his reading wasn't all that great yet. Matthew shrugged his shoulders and got situated.
"Well, I better get going, sport," Henry Williams said after helping Matthew unpack and situate himself. He pushed his blond bangs out of his blue eyes. Matthew had been told he looked almost like a younger clone of his father. "Will you be okay?"
Matthew nodded. "Yes," he said in a soft voice. He was always very soft spoken, a trait he had received from his mother. "Will you visit?"
Henry patted Matthew's head, ruffling his hair. "Of course I will," he answered with a grin. "Why wouldn't I?" Matthew shrugged. "You just have fun, okay? And write often, got it?" He winked at Matthew before kneeling to hug the frightened boy.
Matthew wrapped his arms tightly around Henry's neck, the situation finally becoming real as he blinked back tears. He wasn't going home with his dad. "I love you," he softly said.
Henry smiled and pulled away, kissing the top of Matthew's head. "I love you too, Mattie," he said. "Be good." He turned and left, leaving Matthew alone in the room.
Matthew crawled onto his bunk in the room and held his teddy bear tightly to his chest. "It's just us now, Kumaburo," he softly whispered to it. "We'll be okay, won't we?" He tipped over, resting his head on the pillow. "Maybe things will get better if we can find my brother."
The door opened and a boy Matthew's age walked in. Matthew blinked in surprise. The boy looked nearly identical to him, same hair color and eyes. Who knew finding him would be so easy?
"You Matthew?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Matthew, who solemnly nodded. "I'm Alfred F. Jones, your roommate. If you need someone to show you around, just let me know." The boy suddenly blinked in surprise as if noticing that Matthew looked just like him. He suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Just let me know," he huffed before going to his bunk and busying himself with polishing his boots.
Matthew lowered his eyes. Alfred obviously didn't want to talk, so he kept his mouth shut as well, not wanting to offend the boy. Instead, he focused on his stuffed bear, his only friend he's had for the past three years. After all, most parents didn't want their children to be friends with a boy whose mother was a mistress to a married man. A lot of parents in his hometown looked to Matthew as if he were an abomination, the most filthy child they had laid eyes on. He just hoped that one day, he could have a good bond with his brother, the only person he felt would understand.
.
Early February, 1942, London
Matthew Williams patrolled the hallways of the military base, his captain badge polished and shining on his chest proudly. He nodded to his superiors and smiled brightly at the people below him. He was looking for one person, and one person only. The one person who would be proud of his accomplishment.
Shouts could be heard from down the hall and Matthew picked up his pace, especially when he recognized one of them clear as day. Someone was picking a fight with his brother again, which was a thing that happened on a regular basis, especially because Alfred was very hot-headed and always fought back.
"I'm not the fucking captain!" Alfred's voice shouted when Matthew got closer, causing the captain to stop in his tracks. "You've got it all wrong! That's my brother, not me!"
"You expect us to believe that you have a brother who looks exactly like you?" a new recruit demanded. "We all know that you're not a twin! You can't pull that! We saw a picture of you getting the badge! All we want is to see it!"
"I don't have it!" Alfred yelled. From his tone, Matthew could tell he wouldn't last much longer without violence. "And he does look just like me! If he ever comes to the base, you'll see for yourself!"
Matthew knew he had to intervene, so he entered the room to see Alfred cornered by some new military recruits who didn't know their place. They looked like fighter pilots, though. Matthew knew how cocky their type was. And from where he was, he could see Alfred's fists clenched in rage. Yet no one noticed him as he stood there.
"Gentlemen, what seems to be the problem?" Matthew kindly asked, raising his voice slightly above the usual quiet tone he used so he could be heard.
The pilots turned to him and their eyes widened and their jaws dropped.
"And how long did you plan on keeping quiet about being at the base?" Alfred demanded, giving Matthew an annoyed look. "About time you showed up, Mattie."
"Captain Williams," Matthew corrected, shooting Alfred a stern look.
"Yeah, whatever," Alfred muttered, sulking to himself.
Matthew smiled fondly at his brother before turning to the pilots, giving them a look that was less kind. "So do you have a reason for harassing a soldier?" he asked. "The fact that you two are pilots does not change the fact that we are all fighting for the same thing. I will not tolerate bullying in the base while I am around. You two are dismissed."
The pilots left, bewildered. Neither of them could tell if the young captain was angry or not because he never once raised his voice. Yet his eyes held fire in them.
"I could've handled that on my own," Alfred grumbled, crossing his arms. His bad attitude faded when he looked up at Matthew's kind smile. "We need to catch up on a few things, don't we?"
Matthew nodded and glanced at the clock. It was pretty late at night. He knew Alfred could talk for hours. "Come to my bunk, Al," he said, nodding in the direction of his quarters. He knew Alfred wouldn't get in trouble being in his quarters if he was there, and since they were brothers, no one ever thought it was weird when Alfred followed Matthew around. Honestly, Matthew secretly liked the attention his brother gave him. It was pretty much the only attention he ever got.
Alfred eagerly followed Matthew and patiently waited for him to get dressed and ready for bed, foot tapping like crazy due to his impatient tendencies. "Mattie, hurry up," he finally groaned.
Matthew walked out of a bathroom stall, buttoning up his night shirt the rest of the way. "Okay, let's go, Al," he sighed, leading the way to his bunk. He sat and pulled the covers up over his lap with just enough room for Alfred to sit next to him. "What did you want to talk about?"
Alfred sat back against Matthew's pillows and sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "Where do I even start?" he sighed. "Well a few weeks ago, I came across a little Chinese kid being bullied by some kids at a local school."
"A Chinese kid in London?" Matthew asked, situating himself on his pillows so he could relax without falling asleep.
"Let me finish," the younger brother stated. "So I got the kids to leave him alone. The little boy's name was Leon Kirkland. A pretty English last name for a Chinese kid, you know? So I think he's adopted. Anyway, I walk him home, and no one is there when we get there. Turns out, his dad is off at the pub next door, getting drunk. Can you believe that?!"
Matthew yawned a little. "Why would he do that?"
"I realized it when Arthur came home," Alfred sighed. "That's the dad's name, Arthur." He got a dreamy look in his eyes. "Arthur is full English, pale skin and all. Leon had mentioned that his mom died when he was born, so I figured Leon must look like her. And that's when I realized that Arthur went to the pub every day to get drunk, so that he wouldn't have to see his dead wife when he got home, so he couldn't recognize his own son…" He sighed. "Just like she used to do to me when I was Leon's age. Dammit, he's only five." Alfred clenched his fist. "He shouldn't have to live that way!"
"'She' meaning your mother?" Matthew cautiously asked. He knew that was a touchy subject, considering that he and Alfred had the same father, whom they both looked exactly like.
"I don't care what anyone says, Colleen Jones is not my mother," Alfred grumbled, crossing his arms angrily.
"Do you ever wonder if Leon thinks the same about Arthur?" Matthew quietly questioned.
"Not at all," Alfred answered, shaking his head. "That boy thinks the world of Arthur. But he thinks Arthur hates him." His face clouded over. "Mattie, this little boy is nearly six years old and he sees the world through the eyes of an adult." The words pained him as he said, "This little boy once asked me if he thinks I think his father hates him because he killed his mother…"
Matthew gasped, horrified. "Why would a five-year-old even have a thought like that?"
"I feel like that boy is so much smarter than he lets on," Alfred sighed. "And he's seen more than his father knows."
"You relate to him, don't you?" Matthew asked, laying back comfortably now.
"It's more than that," the soldier sighed. "I can't stop going over there. I'm there whenever I have free time. But my favorite part isn't when I'm playing with Leon." He lowered his voice so only Matthew could hear. "My favorite part is when I'm alone with Arthur, and he's sober. He is kind and funny and open. We stay up and talk after Leon goes to bed. Mattie, Arthur has the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen. They're like emeralds."
Matthew frowned. He remembered the last time Alfred had spoken this way about someone. It hurt his heart to think of the way it had ended. "Tell me more about Arthur," he encouraged. He knew he was the only person Alfred could probably ever talk to like this, the only person Alfred really could trust completely with who he really was.
"Where do I even begin?" Alfred began quietly, a dreamy look in his eyes. "He pretends to be a complete gentleman, but after he gets comfortable around you, he swears like no other. And I know he really does care about Leon from the way he changes his mannerisms around the boy. I notice that he tries to be more cheerful and all that when the boy is around." The smile that was on his face when talking about Arthur slowly faded. "You know, Leon did something kinda weird the other day…"
"What did he do?" Matthew asked, rolling over to face his brother. He was fighting sleep really hard by this point, having been up since the crack of dawn.
"He called me 'Dad'…" Alfred softly said. "And then after he said it, his eyes got really wide. And he looked so scared. He clung to me and begged me not to leave him, telling me he was sorry and that he wouldn't do it again…" He shook his head. "It was so sad to see. He was scared that I would leave him for calling me that."
Matthew yawned and bit his lip. "That poor kid." He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. "Alfred, if his father is as neglectful as you think, please keep an eye on that boy."
Alfred smiled. "I'll keep an eye on more than just the little boy," he quietly teased with a wink. He still had that dreamy look in his eyes. "Mattie?"
"Yeah?" Matthew mumbled, slowly slipping into a deep sleep.
"I haven't felt this way about something before in my life," the younger brother softly admitted. "Mattie, I think I'm in love…"
The captain mumbled some kind of encouragement and then placed a hand over Alfred's mouth. "If you're going to stay here with me, you're going to sleep, Alfred," he muttered to his brother.
Alfred pouted a bit but then laid down as well. "Goodnight, Mattie."
Matthew nodded and muttered something like a response and fell into a deep sleep.
.
Late March, 1942, London
Matthew marched down to the corridor of the base to the command office. He had been called there by a superior officer. He already had his suspicions of what it was. His men had all been wondering when they would be transferred. This probably had to do with a transfer.
"Good afternoon, Captain Williams," a general greeted. He nodded to the young captain.
"Afternoon, General," Matthew answered, saluting the man. He always felt nervous around men who were higher up.
The general smiled lightly at Matthew. After all, Matthew wasn't the type of person someone could be around without smiling. "We have your assignment, Captain Williams," he said. "You and your men will be stationed in a small Russian town on the Ukrainian border. Just a warning, it will be cold."
Matthew bit his lip. "With all due respect, sir, I am technically Canadian. I am sure I can handle the cold."
The general laughed. "Ah, Williams, always one with the jokes! We'll miss you around the base!"
"When are we to be shipped out, sir?" Matthew asked.
"Tomorrow morning, 0600 on the dot," the general stated.
Matthew nodded and saluted. "Yes, sir," he said.
"And one more thing, Captain," the general said. He gave Matthew a concerned look. "Can you make sure that brother of yours behaves himself while you are gone?"
Matthew bit his lip and nodded. "Yes, sir," he obediently said. "I will speak with him when I am done here."
"You are now dismissed, Captain," the general stated, saluting Matthew back.
Matthew left to find Alfred. After a while of searching, he realized that he should probably check the time. A clock told him that it was half past five. Alfred was at Arthur's. Matthew had been told he was welcome there at any time. He didn't really want to intrude upon his brother's time with that family, but he felt he needed to spend time with him.
.
A small Asian boy looked up at Matthew at the door of Arthur's flat. His brown eyes sparkled with excitement. "Alfred!" he called into the flat. "Alfred, your brother is here again!" He looked excitedly up at Matthew. "Come on in, Captain Williams!"
Matthew smiled and entered. He patted the boy's head after he shut the door. "How many times have I told you, Leon? Call me Matthew."
Leon grinned widely as Alfred walked into the front room. He looked confused, but happy to see Matthew. A shorter blonde man with emerald green eyes, Arthur, followed just after, looking just as confused but happy.
"Hey, Mattie!" Alfred greeted. Arthur cringed from the volume of his voice and shot Alfred a warning glare. Alfred noticed and gave Arthur an apologetic look. "What brings you here today?"
Matthew smiled sympathetically. "Can I talk to you privately?" he softly asked.
Alfred's eyes widened. "Is something wrong?"
When Matthew took a moment to answer, Arthur read the atmosphere and placed his hands on Leon's shoulders. "Let's go, Leon," Arthur said, leading the small child from the room. "Alfred and Matthew need some time to talk."
"Mattie, what's going on?" Alfred asked his brother once Arthur and Leon had left the room, brow furrowing in worry.
"I got my latest assignment," Matthew simply said, trying not to meet his brother's eyes. "I'm being shipped off to the Russian border tomorrow morning."
Alfred's face fell. "Mattie?" he softly said. His voice broke Matthew's heart. Alfred's voice was never this quiet. "Please, just…" He took a deep breath. "Tell me it's not true…"
"Al," Matthew softly said. He stepped over to Alfred, closing off the gap of space between them. His arms wrapped around his younger brother in a comforting hug. "I'll be okay, I promise. Don't worry about me."
Alfred took off his glasses and let them drop onto the soft plush carpet. "Mattie, you're all I have left," he struggled to say. "You're the only member left of my family."
Matthew frowned. "It will be okay, Alfred. Nothing bad will happen to me." He held his brother, who had begun to shake. "I'll be extra careful. I'll come home, I promise."
Alfred hiccupped and sniffled a little. "I'm going to come back to the base with you tonight," he decided. "We should get going…"
The captain frowned. "You don't have to, Al…"
Alfred shook his head. "No, Mattie," he stated. "This is the last time I'll see you until God knows when." Matthew was happy that he had at least kept a positive outlook instead of implying that he won't come back. "I need to be with my brother."
Matthew smiled softly. "We can stay here for a while longer if you'd like," he suggested. "After all, I wouldn't mind spending some time with Arthur and Leon before I leave."
Alfred pulled away and forced a smile as he tried to compose himself. "Yeah," he managed to say. "I think they would like that, too."
Matthew smiled. "Trust me, Alfred," he began, reaching out to wipe his brother's tears away, "I'm not leaving forever. And I'll write to you every chance I get."
Alfred smiled grimly. "You better."
For the first time in years, Matthew finally felt at a loss. His brother desperately needed him. The last time Alfred had fallen for someone, things ended worse than anyone could imagine. But this time, Alfred was in love with a foreign man, a man he would never see again after the war. He had always warned Alfred against falling in love while stationed somewhere, but it seemed that brother of his would never learn. At least Matthew was smarter than that.