A.N./ I've had such an urge to write, but my laptop had taken to having a horrible demise Now, however, I can finally write!
"I'm sorry, sir, there really is no cure for what he is. He will always be like this." He readjusted his glasses trying not to look the devastated father in the eye.
"No cure? No cure! Are you seriously telling me that there is nothing I can do? Are you telling me he will always be this way? I can't accept that. There must be something. Counseling, some sort of therapy, there must be something. Hell, I will even allow electric shock therapy. I cannot, no, I will not let him continue on this way. Tell me, doctor, what can I do?" Arthur's voice quivered slightly. He did not want to leave this room. Not with that thing out there waiting for him. Alfred was in his mind already. He grabbed ahold of the doctor's arm.
"Please, I don't know what to do anymore. He's… He's gotten so out of hand." The doctor placed a hand on his shoulder as if to apologize.
"Behavioral therapy may be an option, but there is not a guarantee. He will manipulate any therapist you take him to in order to make them think he is 'all better', but he will not change. I'm sorry to have to tell you this." The doctor pulled away from Arthur. He stood with his arms folded in front of him looking at Arthur as he processed the information.
"I understand." His son was now classified by the DSM IV. He turned and walked out of the room to where Alfred was sitting impatiently. He was kicking his legs back and forth in a bored fashion. Arthur walked up beside him. He didn't know what to say to the lad. What do you say to someone like this? He couldn't help but believe it was all his fault.
"Let's go, Alfred." Arthur could barely utter the sentence. The diagnosis took so much away from him and from his son. His child would never be normal. He could act it all he pleased, but he was now professionally diagnosed a monster.
"So I've got it, huh?" He looked up at Arthur. He was only fourteen. Not a real classification yet, but he would be when he turned eighteen.
"Yes, you've got it. I'm sorry to tell you this." Arthur managed to grind out of his mouth. He took a deep breath through his nose. Alfred stood staring at him. They were in front of their car now.
"No you aren't. Don't lie, dad. I can tell when you're lying. You're not sorry to tell me at all. You're just sorry that I got diagnosed." Alfred smirked at him. Arthur unlocked the car.
"You have a behavioral disorder. It is nothing to be ashamed about, son." It was all his fault. He should have stopped him when he saw him pull his brother's hair. He should have stopped him when he ran in front of that truck. He should have stopped him from doing so many things. It was all his fault.
"You think I'm a monster. So does the doctor. Some doctor he is. He could barely stand it when I psychoanalyzed him back. He said it was another one of my symptoms." Alfred scowled at the thought of the good doctor. Arthur just smiled. He didn't like the doctor either. He was the bearer of bad news.
"Get in the car, Alfred." He slid into the driver's seat and started up the car. Alfred slid into the passenger's seat.
"I don't think you're a monster. I think we will just have to work a little harder to control your impulses and such. I want you to live a normal life, son." It was quiet after that. The ride home was awkward without Alfred's usual chitter chatter. It was somewhat disappointing that his son wasn't trying to talk his ear off. He looked over at his son playing games on his phone. A diagnosed monster. Arthur sighed.
"For what it's worth, I'll try to understand you." Arthur muttered hoping Alfred would not hear him. Alfred's head snapped up and he smirked.
"That's exactly what I'll need." He smiled that creepy smile of his and went back to his game. Arthur's grip tightened on the wheel. This was his son. It was his monster.
A few years later…
Alfred sat in class flicking pieces of paper at his brother's head. First period wasn't interesting anyway. Matthew kept flinching every time a piece hit his head. Alfred couldn't help the smirk that fell on his face when he saw Matthew turn around and glare at him.
"Alfred, where is your homework?" Mr. Wang stood staring at him expectantly. He had everyone else's homework in his hand already.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Wang! My dad fell down and broke his ankle yesterday. Mattie and I spent all night at the hospital with him. He should be going into surgery in a few minutes. I'll have to call and check in on him here after a while, but I completely forgot about my homework. I'll get it done tonight. I swear!" Alfred looked so apologetic and tired that Mr. Wang let it go. He didn't want to worry the poor boy anymore than he already was.
"Just get it to me tomorrow." Mr. Wang kept walking and collecting everyone else's homework besides Alfred's and of course Matthew's who was forgotten.
Alfred kept up his worried look until a few minutes before class ending. He walked right up to Mr. Wang's desk and smiled politely.
"Do you mind if I call the hospital? I wanna check up on my old man." He held out his hand expectantly for the phone. Mr. Wang tossed him the phone and went back to checking his mail. He kept an eye on Alfred with his phone to make sure he was actually calling the hospital. The boy had a habit of lying.
Alfred dialed the hospital's number and waited for someone to pick up. A few rings later and he heard the nice voice of a nurse.
"Hi, yeah I'm calling to check up on the patient in room 212. Yes, I'm his son. I know I sound a little young. He had me and my brother at a young age." Alfred had no idea who was in room 212. He just took a guess of a room number and was happy that someone was in it. He had a great amount of luck.
"May I talk to him? I'm a bit worried. Yes, thank you." He waited a moment before an elderly gentleman was put on the phone.
"Hey dad. I was just calling to check on you before your surgery. Yeah… I just called to say that I love you… I know it's not life threatening, but I just want you to know. Bye, dad." He hung up the phone and smiled at his teacher. Apparently the man he just talked to didn't have a son. It was kind of funny the way he cussed at him telling him that he was off his rocker.
"Thanks for letting me talk to him." The bell rang before the teacher had a moment to say anything. He ran out the door grabbing his backpack on the way. He had to figure out what he was going to say to get out of lab today.
As he walked to his second period the creepy guy grabbed his arm. He smiled at him with his eyes narrowed slightly. He never liked this kid.
"Fredka, that was an interesting tale this morning. If I did not know you better I would have said you were lying. Of course, you wouldn't do that, now would you? Of course not. It certainly wasn't your father who dropped you off this morning." Ivan gripped his arm tighter as Alfred's smile fell a little. This was why he didn't like this kid. He always saw too much. The only good thing about him was he usually said too little to get in his way. Ivan did have a history for blackmail, though.
"Ivan, your pretty eyes must have deceived you. My dad's in the hospital with a broken ankle. He couldn't have dropped me off this morning like he does every morning. That's impossible. It was my neighbor, Francis. He has a thing for dad so he'll do anything he asks." Alfred could tell a lie faster than the normal person could tell the truth.
"Must have been my mistake. Francis has gotten some very bushy eyebrows lately and much slimmer." Ivan smirked at him. Alfred laughed his usual laugh so that no one would think anything of their conversation.
"Ivan you are so weird! That's why I love ya!" He took off to his next class without another word. That brat was a threat. The only reason he hadn't dealt with him was that he never really got in his way. Ivan knew his boundaries quite well. Alfred hoped he wouldn't forget them.
He walked into second period and everyone stared at him. Something was up. He just smiled and walked into the room. He sat next to some guy named Ludwig.
"What's everyone staring at?" He smiled even more politely than he usually did.
"I do not know." Ludwig answered in a gruff voice. Alfred ignored him in favor of the cute boy next to Ludwig.
"What about you, Feli, do you know what everyone's talking about?" He leaned closer to Ludwig as he said this to show the big man who's boss.
"They're all talking about how you and Katyusha broke up." He piped up practically jumping in his seat. Alfred smiled at him.
"Of course they are. She's a very nice girl and I'm a really awesome guy. They expect us to be together, but I have my sights set on someone new. Someone a little more interesting…" He didn't dare say who. He knew that everyone would be guessing who by lunch. It was very funny to see it all happen. He didn't really have anyone in mind, but Feliciano was a jabber jaws and he would take his guess a thousand times over before he eventually gave up.
"Who is it? Is it Natasha? She's a little young, but really pretty." Feliciano smiled at him. He was getting excited and he climbed into Ludwig's lap which was really funny watching him blush.
"It isn't Natasha. Keep trying." He smiled and leaned back. He propped his feet up on his desk. The bell would ring soon.
"It's Elizabeta! It has to be! She's the only girl who can keep up your fighting spirit!" Feliciano exclaimed and bounced a little. Alfred almost rolled his eyes.
"It's definitely not Elizabeta. I'm not going to tell you who it is. I think it's kinda funny how you want to know so bad." He couldn't help the slight smirk that graced his lips for a moment.
He jumped up as the bell rang. He didn't feel like class today. He walked out right past the teacher and gave her a little wink as he made his way to the gazebo outside. Alfred pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up.
Ivan came up and sat down beside him. He cast him a bored look and took a drag of his cigarette. He tossed it on the ground after he was finished.
"Nice to meet you here, comrade." Ivan smiled at him. It was so creepy the way he did that. It was like he knew things that he shouldn't and very often he did. He was dangerous.
"What do you want, Ivan?" He lit up another cigarette and looked at Ivan expectantly.
"Why would you assume I want something? Perhaps I just want company." He had the audacity to smirk at him! Alfred couldn't help the scowl that appeared on his face.
"You always want something and trust me when I say that it's never just company." Alfred leaned toward him with a sickly sweet smile.
"Well, the front office keeps some of the worst records I've ever seen!" Ivan remarked his smile getting bigger. Alfred pulled back a little. He knew then.
"I wouldn't know." His smile dropped off his face. He leaned back away from Ivan.
"It is rather interesting. Your diagnosis." Alfred tried to keep the scowl off of his face this time.
"Well, I know you won't tell anyone, will you, Ivan?" He smiled even sweeter than before.
"That depends on what you have to offer me." Ivan smiled and leaned in closer to Alfred.
"Do you realize who you are dealing with?" Alfred's eyes narrowed just slightly.
A.N./ Oh how much fun this will be! Anybody guess what he is diagnosed with? I left a bunch of clues!