"Oh, come on," Alvin had said, "I am so not selfish."

"Alvin, you're the epitome of selfishness," Simon had answered. He immediately was sorry and sagged regretfully away. Simon opened his mouth, then closed it without apologizing.

Alvin's eyes had flickered angrily, but he did not lash out at Simon. He spun to his other brother instead, "Theodore?"

"Oh!" Theodore let loose a surprise squeak and staggered backwards. "Oh. Oh, Alvin, well, maybe….maybe you're a teensy, the tiniest, a little--"

This was why Alvin had shoved Theodore-- or, maybe, Theodore being in the way had been why Alvin had shoved him; in his anger it was hard to determine the reason-- and had stalked off to Dave's room.

He crawled up Dave's blanket and sat on the edge of the bed. Alvin chattered to himself indignantly, arms folded, fur raised, so wrapped up in his fury that he was completely unaware when Dave woke up.

"Alvin!"

"What do you want?" Alvin growled. He looked to the head of the bed. "Oh. Hi, Dave."

"Hi."

"Dave…"

"Yes?"

"Nothing."

"Care to let me sleep, then?"

"Alright, fine, go to sleep!" Alvin yelled back. Dave faltered, but then settled back into the pillows. Alvin's eyes widened, dismayed that Dave would actually go back to sleep in his time of need, but when he asked again, "Dave?" it was quiet.

"Yes?"

"…Nothing."

"Al-vin."

"I'm not selfish, and you don't think I am, either." Alvin fell silent for a moment. "Right, Dave?"

"Selfish?" Dave's pause was for search of tact. "Well, maybe a bit thoughtless, maybe you have to stop and pay attention to other people more often, give a little more often, but I wouldn't say selfish."

Except, Dave wondered if it were anyone but Alvin, anyone but one of his sons, he would say 'selfish'. Alvin must have sensed this, or perhaps wondered if he, too, would say 'selfish' if it wasn't himself in question, and said stubbornly, "Well, I'm not!"

"Everyone has flaws, Alvin, and if you're lucky you still have people who love you in spite of them."

Alvin was mid-yell when he fell quiet once more. He had his brothers, and he still loved them, even if Simon was nerdy and Theodore a little too nice, even if both of them did think he was selfish. And he had Dave, whose room he was in and whose distance from himself, physical and not, was still tangible. "Do…do you love me, Dave?"

"Sure I do, Alvin." It was almost a surprise how quickly he answered.

"Oh." Alvin scrambled halfway up the bed and hugged Dave's right hand. Then, shocked with himself, he stepped away. "I'm not selfish. And, and, the only reason I hugged you was to prove I wasn't. I'm not lying! I-I--selfish is when you don't give and I gave you a hug, so I'm not selfish. So there. Goodnight, Dave." With this, Alvin scampered off the bed.

"Goodnight, Alvin."