Author's Note: As you guys may notice, I update with more than one chapter at a time. Don't expect this to stay steady.
Disclaimer: No.
Alfred sat on the edge of the bed, kicking his feet and watching his little brother with a frown. He sighed, shook his head, and said, "Where was you jacket, dude?"
Matthew sneezed and rubbed his nose, fidgeting under his solid red blanket. "I…I left it at-" his sentence was cut short by a fit of loud, violent, painful coughs. "…At home."
Alfred hopped to his feet and gave his brother a smile in an attempt to cheer him up. That boy was convinced his grins made the world a little brighter for everyone. Who's to say he wasn't right? "Want some soup, bro?"
Matthew gave a weak nod, pulling Kumajiro out from under the blanket and resting the bear beside his head. His blond hair was spread out against his white pillow, now dry and so was Kumajiro, thankfully.
"'Kay," Alfred said, and he left the room.
Matthew turned his head to face the polar bear beside him. "How're you feeling, Kimuji?" He smiled a bit. "That's good. I'm a little… Well… I've been better. Yeah, I'm sorry about slipping." He frowned a little and adjusted the covers over his virus-battling body. "We're lucky to have gotten away with just a cold." He turned his head to the door, the room not as clear as it once was through his eyes. His glasses had been left for dead on the streets, most likely to have been run over. In fact, the glasses were the last thing on his mind when his parents had practically dragged him into the car by his freezing little hands. He was ecstatic that they'd noticed him. That they'd remembered at one point.
The happiness vanished when he'd learned that Alfred was the one who'd noticed the boy. A long, drawn-out sigh escaped his lips and he pulled the blanket over his nose. He stayed that way for a little while, eyelids drooping and shivers subduing.
Alfred walked inside, a blue bowl in hand with steam wafting out of it. "Matthew, I got your soup."
Matthew blinked himself awake, sitting up and carefully taking the bowl containing piping hot soup from his brother. "Thanks, Alfred,"
His brother gave him a thumbs up and left the room.
Matthew looked at Kumajiro with a gentle grin. "He's a nice brother, huh?"
