AN: Hao~ I know I'm being a lazy bum on my 'Into the Ocean' story, but lets just be nice and say that I am simply lacking the motivation to finish the next chapter (Wishesshehadmotivation) |||orz In the mean time though, I figured I'd start this one to give you something angsty to tear at~ : D I'm just so nice eh?

Hope you like it~!

~Enjoy~

Summery: Death is just another part of life that we all have to deal with. Sometimes a little help is needed to remember that, though sometimes you don't expect who you get that help from.

The echo of sneakers on wet sidewalk made there way through the empty morning street as a lone boy made his way to school. The damp chill of the October showers should have made his body shiver, should have made him blow hot breath onto his frozen fingers, should have made him rush a little to the warmth of his school. He did none of these things though even though it was something a southern boy like him should be doing, he simply continued on through the grey foggy morning at a lazy pace.

He was tall enough, standing by about five foot nine and obviously athletic as he wore his schools football jacket over his uniform and had a natural straightness to his back. His skin was smooth and slightly tanned from all the many summers that he'd spent in the sun and his wheat gold hair was thick and glossy and well kept with one rebellious strand in the front. His blue eyes were a mirror image of sunny skies, even in the colourless light of the day, and held a far off spacey look to them behind his glasses.

His name was Alfred F. Jones – but he didn't really care.

"Al." Warning.

"What~?" Fake innocence.

"Don't you even think abou- Gah! N-No! Noo~! Alfred! St-St-Stop iittt~! Hahahahaha~!"

Fits of giggles and laughter poured out from the end of the hall where Alfred and his twin brother Matthew shared a room. It was just another normal day for the two teen boys as they enjoyed these last few moths that they were able to spend with each other, before Alfred would have to head back down to the States again.

Ever sense the divorce, Mrs. Jones and Mr. Williams had made it a ritual to send Alfred to see his brother every second year for a year. The southern twin would attend to his schooling with his northern brother in Canada and then, after the summer break, head back to the States to take a year of schooling there. Matthew loved it when his brother visited him, loved his self-confidence and energy that radiated from him in a way the Canadian brother could never achieve. Alfred loved visiting his brother, loved how he got him just like that and was always patient even in the times when the most patient people couldn't be. It was hard to separate for those twelve months where they would always lose contact with one another – Matthew would lose his brothers number and Alfred would always forget to call – No matter how many years that passed by, the twins just couldn't adjust to that departure.

"Uncle! Uncle!"

"Hahaha, Matt you quitter~!"

"Hah.. How… Am I… Supposed to win… Against you?"

"Mm, Good point- Hey! We should go to McDonalds before we meet up with the guys!"

"… Only if we go to Dairy Queen right after."

"Deal! Put'er there partner!"

"Haha, you dork."

"Hey!"

Blue eyes stared out at the depressing afternoon sky. Not much had changed from earlier that morning, the air was still chill and the sun had yet to show the earth its warm embrace – if it ever did again before the winter hit. Alfred sighed into his fingers, letting his chin rest more so on his hand than before, why did it have to be such a sad looking day today? Not that he really cared or would've even noticed the difference, but still.

"Alfred?"

The southern boy looked up to see a girl with short, platinum blond hair and a noticeably large bust. Katyusha. Her smile was kind, if not a bit apprehensive, and she gestured to the empty seat across from Alfred shyly – to which he smiled and nodded for her to sit "Hey Kat, how's it hanging?"

"E-Eh? H-Hanging?"

Laughing a bit, Alfred waved his hand dismissively at the question "How are you?"

She blinked curiously at him - likely wanting to know what he meant by 'hanging' - but than smiled shyly again "I am doing rather well myself Alfred. My brother has finally gotten over his flue and is returning to school today."

"Er… G-Great to hear that Kat! Glad your not worrying yourself anymore." Internally, Alfred damned his poor luck. He couldn't stand that man! Ivan! Even the name pissed him off! That's why he just calls him 'Russia', though the ass just made a game of it by calling him 'Amerika'. Jerk.

Still, it was good to see Katyusha happy again..

"Oh! Matvey! Alfred! Over here!" Katyusha waved her one hand wildly as she used the other to project her voice. When she was noticed, she bounced in place happily, causing the southern twin to drool rather unattractively on the floor.

Elbowing Alfred in the side as inconspicuously as possible, Matthew smiled pleasantly at the Ukrainian girl and waved back, making his way over to her and her siblings - and a few others - as the other doubled over. "Katyusha! We'd almost thought you guys weren't going to make it!"

"Oh, I am sorry little Matvey! We had gotten somewhat lost on our way here, though Toris was soon able to lead us the right way. You didn't have to wait too long did you?" A bit of a wobble made its way into the girls lip as she looked at her friend worridly.

He was quick to ease her though "Oh no! We didn't wait that long at al-"

"Aw yeah! I didn't know Toris was going to be here! Where is the little guy anyhow?" Finally recovered, Alfred pulled his twin into a headlock as he looked around for the brunet – completely ignoring his northern brothers protests.

Giggling, Katyusha pointed to the bundles of people that concealed the concession stand "He said that he would retrieve the food and beverages for the rest of us. I offered to help, but you know how Toris is just so insistent on doing it himself, so kind like that."

"He is paying for the food as we speak" Ivan says casually as he looks over the groups of people that separate Toris from them, something not very difficult for him "He will be here shortly so do not fret my dear Amerika. The group will be whole again soon da?"

Alfred all but sneers at the other man, letting go of his brother to stand to his full height – which is still irritatingly shorter than the Russian male. "I ain't 'fretting' Russia, I'm just waiting for my best bud!"

"Well we are all 'best buds' here are we not?" Ivan smiled cheerily at the other and, if Alfred hadn't already had to deal with the guys deceptive ways before, he would've seriously wondered if the Russian was just that dense.

He was just about to ask Ivan that too, but feeling Matthew's eyes on his back, the American boy let out a huff and a little 'Whatever' instead before nearly leaping on a returning Toris, giving the multitasking brunet a good scare as he almost dropped all of the items he'd just paid for. Laughter soon followed this along with a lot of light-hearted chit-chat as the food and drink were spread out among the large group of comrades. They were all Matthew's friends for the most part, but Alfred was just as accepted by them – even if he didn't really get along with some – as his brother was and it was a regular past time for all of them to hang out it any given place together.

"Come on guys! If we don't hurry than we won't get the good seats!" Matthew called to the rest of them and soon him and Ivan were pulling the group along through the thick crowd, ignoring all the strangers complainants "What's the point of watching if you can't see the blood?"

Katyusha squeaked and looked worridly at her brother."B-Blood?"

Ivan smiled reassuringly at his older sister as he shoved some stranger out of his way "You can sit behind me sestra."

"May I sit beside you brother?"

"Ah, y-yes of course Natalia."

"Guys~!"

"Holy Matt! When it comes to Hockey you're such a spaz~!"

"It's Hockey Alfred."

"Yeah, it's hockey in July."

"Shut up!"

The bell rang, signalling the end of lunch break, and Alfred tossed his fork into his untouched food before he stood up from the little table. Katyusha fumbled with her empty plate as she hurried after him, only stopping to throw the plastic into the trash. "A-Ah, so Alfred. I never had the chance to ask you how you were doing…?"

Both of there steps slowed to an uneasy stop, Katyusha twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands and Alfred simply standing there….

"See ya!"

"Later guys!"

"Bye!" The rest of the group said in unison, waving a farewell to the twins.

The two brothers chuckled a little between each other at the scene and Alfred threw an arm over his northern counterparts shoulders. "Those guys are more similar than we are!"

Matthew chuckled in response. "I know eh?"

The hockey game had been as eventful as it always was with Matthew and Ivan. Both boys cheering and yelling away for there team to win – along with cheering for some carnage – while the rest of the group sat back and chatted away with each other, giving the two fanatics there well needed space (Alfred had once poorly decided to sit in front of them and was accidently smacked in the back of the head by his brother, needless to say, he never did it again). The bonus of their team taking the game had left all of the group in a blissfully happy mood, and now on their way back home, Alfred was getting the rare privilege to see his brother glow like the sunshine as he talked on and on about the amazing win. For once, the southern brother didn't interrupt what the northern was saying and simply walked and listened until his twin had finished talking.

"You know Al… I don't think I could ever be happier than I am right now." Matthew murmured as he looked up to the night sky, his cheeks were pink with all the energy he had let out and his smile and his eyes were soft and content to show that he really meant what he was saying. "I mean, I just spent a great – no, an amazing day with my best friends and brother doing something I love to do – and now look! The night is a perfect night!"

"You're really sentimental you know that?" The southern commented teasingly.

"And you're just mental." The northern commented back, a little grin playing on his lips.

"Hey~ I thought we were keeping that a secret."

"Hahaha, I love you though bro. I mean that." Matthew's smile grew soft once again as he messed up his twins hair.

"Aw shucks~! You just wanna see me blush don't ya!" Laughing when the other punched him in the arm, Alfred picked up hit pace and soon started off in a run "I bet ya that I can get there before you can Williams!"

"I bet that that's only in your dreams Jones!" Came the northerns voice along with a speeded pace.

Alfred laughed and pushed up his pace some more, races were a favourite past time for the two brothers. It was almost every day that, after school, after work, after any and all events, they would rip down the side walks to their home and see who could touch their front door first – it was also something that they were both good at and often tied each other in. With five blocks before they reached their house, Alfred was a good twenty-five feet or so into the lead, but he knew that that could change in a moments notice and he was very positive that his brother was quickly shortening the distance between them.

He wasn't going to admit that though, so looking over his shoulder, he called back "Ha! What's the matter Mattie? Can't keep up with the amazing me?"

"You're just a villainous cheater! Taking off before me like that!" Came Matthew's response, playful, not bitter. "I say that if you win this than it so shouldn't count!"

Alfred snorted and turned his head to throw out another little remark, but never got the chance as he felt a pair of hands push roughly at his mid back. He flew forward twice as fast as before and hit the grass across the sidewalk hard – scraping his right hand on a stray rock. Than-

A screech-

A crunch-

Alfred turned around in horror "Matt!"

The boy and the girl stood in the lunch hall until long after all of the students had left for class, long after the bell had rang and they were considered late.

Katyusha was very quickly going to end up ripping her shirt with the force that she was ringing it with, but she didn't know weather to speak up again or wait until Alfred spoke on his own – if he spoke at all. He hadn't so much as moved sense she had asked him that stupid – oh so stupid – question, she wasn't even sure if he was breathing with how still he was. Like a statue that some guy was going to come and pick up, sending her a weired look for staring at it. A lump was starting to form in her throat, slowly growing so that it could choke her, and her eyes were beginning to water around the edges as she waited and waited until she was sure that asking him was wrong. She didn't get a chance to spill out her stuttering mess of an apology though as Alfred finally started to move a little bit, turning his head to look out of the cafeteria windows once again. Silently, she held her breath and waited once again for him to say something - anything!

"…I think… I'm going to go see Matthew today." He spoke quietly, something that was so unlike him.

"Ah… O-Oh…." Katyusha looked down for a moment, her grip loosening on her shirt. She looked back up again though, trying to smile through her disappointment "W-Would you- Maybe, would you l-like some company?"

Blue eyes stared out at the dreary day a little bit longer, as if mapping out the path to their destination, before moving over to meet with the girls. Eventually a small, uncharacteristically plain smile spread over the southern boys lips and he shook his head just slightly "I'll be alright on my own Katyusha."

Without giving her the chance to say anything else, Alfred walked out of the cafeteria doors to find the doors out of the school. The girl looked down once again, fiddling with the little rip in her shirt

"Why do I not believe you Alfred."

"Matt!" Scrambling up from his spot on the ground, Alfred ran over to the limp form of his brother at the other end of the crossroads. 'No, nonono, no he couldn't be- He can't be! Why? Why!'

Crashing to his knees by his brothers side, Matthew's back facing him, he tried his hardest not to feel the blood seeping through the fabric of his jeans. A sob escaped his shaking body – followed by more – as his hands hovered above his twin, above Matthew. He couldn't do it – he had to – he just couldn't. "M-Matt? M-M-Mattie? B-Bro! Bro s-say something god dammit! I- I can't- I can't d-do this- Matt!"

"I'm calling an ambulance!" The driver. Alfred paid him no mind at all.

Slowly, very slowly, a shaky hand was rested down onto Matthew's shoulder – so much smaller than his own – though he didn't dare move it so much as an inch, the shaking in it amazingly ceasing within the instant of contact. Instead, Alfred kept it there very very lightly, feeling for any kind of movement; breathing, shivering, anything. After what seemed like forever with no signs at all, Alfred built up some courage and squeezed Matthew's shoulder just a bit.

"M-Matt… M-Matt, you gotta get up n-now." No response, no sign that what Alfred was doing hurt. Biting his lip, the southern brother pulled on the shoulder just a bit "Mat-"

Before he could even figure out what was going on, Matthew's shoulder was no longer in his grasp. Instead, it was closing in on the ground as the northern twins upper body rested on its back. It was wrong though, so wrong, so very wrong because Alfred knew that people just didn't bend like that, but all he could do was stare. Stare and stare as his brothers body- as Matthew's body lie almost twisted right around on the ground. Broken, bloody, wide eyed-

Dead.

Alfred screamed.

Ivan stood up from his sitting position in a corner table of the cafeteria, startling his older sister and making her look away from the doors to him. "Brother! How long have you been sitting there?"

The Russian boy simply smiled like he always did and made his way over to his beloved sibling, towering over her as he wiped away her stray tears. There were bags under his violet eyes from the fitful nights he'd had sense the loss of his best friend and his skin was paler than usual under his beige hair from the sickness he had just recovered. He still stood tall though, strong and casually proud like he always had in the years before.

Adjusting the headband that Katyusha had in her hair, he bent down to put the quickest of kisses utop her head "You should go on to class now sestra. You will never get that diploma you wish for skipping classes like this da?"

"O-Oh, yes, yes of course! Where… Will you be going to your class as well little brother?" Tilting her head, Katusha looked up at the other patiently, waiting, and it was hard for Ivan not to see Matthew standing there.

"Nyet, I have a counselling appointment I must attend first before I go to class." He smiled more and gave his sister a small push to the door. "You go now though and I will see you after school."

With a little smile, Katyusha nodded and started off for class at a jog, worrying aloud to herself about her teacher down the hall. The moment she was out of sight, Ivan's smile disappeared and he made his way down the opposite hall to the main doors.

Translations:

Da - Yes (Russian)

Nyet - No (Russian)

Sestra - Sister (Russian)

Amerika - America with an accent.