"Is it storytime yet, Mr. Arthur?"
"Yes, yes it's time. Now get to your bed and I'll read." The small blonde gleamed at Arthur, quickly preparing his bed for sleep. From under his pillow, the young Alfred took out a rather worn down book, bound with leather.
"Alright, hand the book to me Alfred."
"Yessir!"
"Okay. Once upon a time—"
"Alfred. Alfred!" The blond opened his eyes and rubbed them from the abrupt wakening. He felt around for his glasses and put them on, his blurry vision slowly coming into focus. To the left of him was a familiar blond adorned with a curl on his head, dressed in a white lab coat. It matched the machinery surrounding him. "Thank goodness you're alright. Any longer in there and you would've died!" Alfred rolled his eyes.
"You're over exaggerating, Mattie. A time machine couldn't kill this hero!" He proceeded with his usual shining smile, but the Canadian knew better.
"Al, I know what that thing does. You age twice as fast, and your body can't handle it for any longer! You can't keep going back to the past! Get over it already! Can't you be happy with the Arthur you have now?" Alfred grabbed onto the collar of Matthew's shirt. His eyes pierced the violet ones, and his breathing became ragged.
"I can't let it go, Mattie! I can't... I just..." Tears welled up in his blue eyes, and he released his grip on Matthew.
"Shh... Al... I know... It's ok..." Matthew teared up, hating the lie he used to calm down his brother. "I know you miss it, but the past is killing you. I don't want to lose you." The American wiped his damp cheeks and slowly nodded. Climbing out of the whirring machine, Alfred slumped off to the exit of his brother's laboratory. He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced back to see a pitying smile on Matthew's face. "I'll let you in one more time tomorrow, Alfred. After that, I'm taking her apart." Alfred discreetly grinned back and left to get some rest.
—•—
Knock knock.
Alfred waited patiently in front of the entrance to the lab. He rubbed his eyes, not used to the early schedule of his brother. Creaking on its hinges, the door slowly opened to reveal a pair of violet eyes. "Ah! Welcome back Al. Let's get you into that machine now, eh?(/slapped)"
"Yea, Matt." Matthew smiled and led him to the time machine, shining with a cool beauty. Alfred stepped into the metal box and let the Canadian strap him in. "Are you ready, Alfred?" He nodded. " Oh and don't forget! Never change a thing in the past, okay?"
"Yes, yes Mattie. We've been through this before." Matthew shook his head.
"It's just a precaution. Have fun!" He lowered a slightly opaque lid onto the container. Alfred heard a few switched flicking and closed his eyes. The sound of gears running filled his head. Suddenly, silence filled the air, and he slowly opened his eyes. He was staring at a beautifully patterned ceiling. To his left was a pair of thick eyebrows.
"Good morning, my little Al!" Light filtered into the room through the curtains. Alfred yawned and smiled at Arthur.
"G'morning, Arthur." The Englishman smiled back as he held a plate of burnt scraps in front of him.
"Breakfast?" Alfred politely shook his head and replied with a no. "Okay, but if you don't eat, you won't become big and strong!" Arthur took his plate and left Alfred alone in the room. Alfred hopped off the bed and looked around. This was his final trip to the past... No more burnt food or obviously fake stories... Alfred walked back to his bed and grabbed the old book from under his pillow. He hugged it tightly, tears rolling down his cheeks. When Arthur checked the room again, Alfred was asleep, holding the book.
—•—
Alfred woke up. He saw a blank ceiling. To his left was his brother, and not Arthur. Something was different, however. He looked down to his chest and across it were his arms, clutching the old, leather bound book. Widening his eyes, he looked back to his brother and no longer saw the warm and gentle face. Instead he was greeted by a dirty blond with his hair tied back, but he also had the same curl of his brother. There were now bags under the pair of violet eyes.
"M-Mattie?"
"I thought I told you not to call me that, you idiot." Alfred was stunned. Was this what his brother meant by not to take anything? Would things change this much?
"Uh, yea. Sorry... Matthew." His seemingly cold brother grunted and turned away. Alfred was astonished. He stared down at the old book again. Well, shit.