"Mattiiiiieeeeeee!" Alfred whined.

"What?" Matthew snapped, irritated.

"I'm booooorrrrrrreeeeddddd."

"And what do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Entertain me."

"You should be entertaining me, Alfred. Seeing as this is your fault," Matthew said. He kicked his shoe with his bare foot, watching it flop onto its side, feeling a lot like Alfred. Boring work, really. At least when they were dog-walking they were out and moving. When they were cat-sitting, it was literally just sitting and watching the cats take a dump in their litter boxes. And feeding them occasionally.

This was technically Matthew's job, since Alfred was sixteen and definitely old enough for most "serious" jobs like working in a store. Matthew was a little bit young for his grade and wouldn't turn sixteen for a few more months, about halfway into the next school year.

Wow. The good news? Their punishment ran into summer, so they had plenty of time to get rid of their debt.

The bad news? Wasting summer break working.

"I don't see why they couldn't have just come and lived with us or something instead of making us stay here," Alfred bemoaned.

"They said the cats were unfriendly and shouldn't leave their home," Matthew murmured. "Also, Dad and Papa wouldn't let them inside our house."

Alfred gave a melodramatic sigh and plopped his head back.

"This sucks."

"Stop whining," Matthew snapped. "You're the reason we're doing this."

"I know," Alfred said miserably.

"You know if you actually went to work at Staples or Pet's Mart or Target or Lenny's or somewhere then you could make some actual money?"

Ivan had agreed to pay for all the damages, but unfortunately their parents needed proof, so they ended up having to gather signatures and making up exactly "where" they got the money. So their punishment was still a punishment, just without the added side effect of being free labor, as they were actually getting paid.

"I know, I know, but money disappears so quickly," Alfred whined.

"It disappears because you spend it," Matthew chuckled.

"Which is why I don't bother gaining it 'cause I know I won't be able to save it!"

Matthew just shook his head in exasperation and amusement. Then he felt something rub against his foot. He glanced down. A cat with fluffy white fur and big black eyes was rubbing against his leg, its tail curling in delight. He smiled and reached down. Both of his hands encased the little creature, whose mass was half-fur. He picked it up and dropped it in his lap. It felt almost too light for its size. He wondered if they were underfeeding it or just seemed bigger and heavier because of the thick fur.

"Which one is that?" Alfred wondered.

Matthew rubbed its neck, smiling as it purred in response. He checked the collar.

"Kuma-Kuma... I can't read the end of his nametag; it's blurry. I think it was rubbed off or something." Matthew inspected the cat. Now that he was looking at it up-close, it didn't look so well. Kuma... Kumatatsu? Kumakiro? Kumashiso? Some Japanese-sounding name, he was positive, since the family was Japanese, perhaps Kumajiro? Kumajiro. Suited him. Kumajiro it was, then.

So Kumatatsu. He didn't look so well. His eyes seemed tired and elderly, if not dull. His paws were red and looked raw, like they'd been rubbing against a harsh surface for too long. His fur was thicker in some places than it was in others and there were a few blatant bald patches.

"Looks like Kitty's let himself go," Alfred commented. "He looks old."

"Yeah," Matthew agreed. "Poor thing. He seems lonely."

"All cats seemed lonely. They like being lonely," Alfred said. "It's why I've always liked dogs more."

"Hmm," Matthew hummed, hugging little Kumashiso closer to him, afraid that if he hugged him too tight the cat would dissolve in his grasp. "It's almost four. We can leave in thirty minutes, okay? After I feed them dinner."

"Okay," Alfred said. "Awesome. Good. Finally!"

"Hey!" Matthew exclaimed. "No more whining! You only have to endure thirty more minutes."

"That's a lot of time..."

Matthew huffed. His brother really had no patience. Thirty minutes was nothing.

Besides, whining was pointless. It wouldn't make time go faster or work easier. Come to think of it, though, now was a really good opportunity to ask about something he'd been wanting to ask Alfred. But until now, they hadn't been alone...

"Alfred, tell me the real reason you're covering for Ivan's sister."

Alfred immediately pivoted to stare at him. Geez, Alfred, for someone who's trying to hide something, you have the subtlety of a bull in Yao's closet, Matthew thought.

"Why do you think I have to have a reason?" he asked.

Matthew stared at him.

Alfred stared back.

"Al, how dumb do you think I am?"

Alfred sighed.

"Not dumb at all," he groaned. "In fact, I wish you were a lot dumber!"

"Um... thanks?"

Alfred let out another heavy sigh and looked off into the distance. Matthew waited, petting Kumasasu. Patience. Wait, he'll spill.

Suddenly, he sprang up, illiciting a flinch from Matthew and a startled hiss from the weary cat.

"Sorry," Alfred apologized to them. "But I just don't know what the hell is up with me!"

Matthew's shoulders drooped. "Okay, out with it. What did she say to bother you? Did she threaten you or something?"

The Canadian didn't think she had, because Alfred wasn't the type to be intimidated, quite the contrary, he would make a few of his own threats and he'd back them up too.

"I just-I'm not..."

"Alfred, you can tell me anything," Matthew said. "You can tell me anything, you know that? I won't tell Dad or Papa."

"I know I can trust you," Alfred nodded. "I know you won't tell. You never have before. I just-it's just not an easy thing to admit, you know?"

Matthew wanted to say, "no, I don't know," but he kept it to himself, patiently waiting for his brother to continue.

He did.

"Okay. So for the longest time... I was a really, really bad brother," Alfred spoke quietly. Which was what shocked Matthew. Alfred never spoke quietly. He had two volumes, loud and screaming. He'd never spoken with an inside voice before. And he'd never looked so grave or serious before. Well, no, not necessarily. He'd seen Alfred's face when he was furious before. His face would get dangerously fierce and he'd get a nasty glare in his eyes, a look that told you, seriously, stop pissing me off. But he looked... almost sad?

Since when did Alfred feel sadness?

"Scratch that. I'm a really shitty brother. When you needed me to protect you, I ignored you. When you just needed me to be there for you, I abandoned you. And when you were all alone, I forgot about you like everyone else. I'm a-I'm a complete asshole! I've always called myself a hero, but what good is a hero who can't even protect his little brother?"

"Al-Alfred, you don't-you shouldn't beat your-"

"Even if it's not entirely my fault," Alfred continued. "I still feel bad. I still feel guilty because it's my duty as a brother! And you-well, sometimes at night, I picture you curled up in a corner crying because you've just been alone for so long and I think about how horrible it must be to be alone for so long and I think about how horrible loneliness is and then I-" his throat seemed to close up and he choked a little bit.

Matthew grasped his shoulder comfortingly.

"Then I think about how much I h-hate being alone and then I start crying to myself like a big baby and I can't stop and I feel like utter shit because it's how you felt for so long and that's why I get really protective when you're around Gilbert and Ivan and it's also why I couldn't bear to get his sister in trouble because she had a break down and I realized she was just another lonely person and-"

Matthew's grip tightened. Alfred choked in the middle of his long, run-on sentence. He gave a large sigh and dropped his face into his two hands. Matthew didn't need to see his face to know he was crying. It was a little unnerving, to be honest, because Alfred was not the type to cry, at all. He was the kind who would break his leg and be really pissed off about it, not cry about it. He'd rather sock you in the face than admit you hurt his feelings, but here he was crying and admitting that at night he felt so bad he would cry.

"Alright, alright," Matthew sighed soothingly. "It's okay, it's okay, Alfred, you don't have to feel guilty..."

"I do, I really do," Alfred murmured, his voice oddly clear. When he looked back up, his face was almost composed again. His face was a little flushed still and his eyes were still tearing and abnormally bright, but otherwise, he just looked unusually grave. His brother tried not to feel too disappointed. Something about seeing Alfred break down made him feel oddly sensitive, like his brother breaking his facade down in front of him made him feel more vulnerable and open himself. Made him feel like they were closer than before, more intimate.

"Come on, pull yourself together," Matthew tried gently. "So that's why? You felt bad for her? What did she say?"

"S-she just reminded me of-of you when she was talking and she-she started crying and-I-"

"Alfred, I understand," Matthew said, taking in a deep breath. "I understand completely. But... you shouldn't have lied."

"I know."

"You shouldn't have kept this from me."

"I know."

"Arthur is already suspicious."

"I know!"

"She tried to kill you and probably would've attacked me if I'd been there."

"I know!, but-!"

"She's clearly unstable."

"But-"

"And if anyone gets hurt because her assault wasn't reported, you're going to be the blame."

"I know."

"And it'll be my fault too, because I didn't report her-"

"I know! Listen, Matthew, I know you think I'm an idiot, but I thought all this stuff out, okay?!"

Matthew's lips pursed. He looked away shyly at the floor. Alfred glared at him for a moment, but he was only mildly annoyed and he was hard to stay mad at.

"I'm sorry, man, I'm sorry, I just-I know! It was a really stupid thing to do and I know it! Stupid, stupid, stupid shit move to make, I know! She's nuts! A crazy bitch! I sure as hell don't like her! I just feel bad of her! I don't care about her! Why am I covering for her? She tried to kill me! She hit me and tried to stab me! She's got so many issues it's ridiculous! And she's into incest! Something's messed up in her head and she's the most demented, messed up chick I have ever met! And I don't know why I feel like I have to cover her!"

He looked incredibly pissed for a second, glaring at the ground, his jaw trembling, his fingernails digging into his palms. Then he let out an grunt that came off more as a suppressed scream.

"Life is so fucking complicated! I feel one way and think a different way! And I've never felt like this before! You know me! I think what I say which is what I feel! I've never done this keeping it to myself shit. I've always been able to do what I think is right! It's one of my heroic qualities! But now-now I don't know what I should do now."

Matthew nodded, letting out a breath he'd been holding. He shook his head rapidly, as if to clear his thoughts.

"I think that-that now we're in too deep to back out of you-our lie. I think that, uh, you can rely on your 'hero' instinct, even if it might stupid to... other people. If you felt bad for her, then you felt bad for her and you did what you thought was right. And I don't think anyone can blame you for that. She sounds like a sad person, a very misunderstood person and I can see why you felt you didn't need to give her more trouble. That being said, you're-you're going to have to be designated protection for when she comes back around-" Matthew faltered as suddenly his brother grabbed him like he was a teddy bear and squeezed him.

"Oh, Mattie, thank you so much for understanding! I still feel bad, but thank you for getting it," Alfred muttered into his neck. "And if she comes again, I won't let her hurt anyone! Least of all you! And she's still a bitch, no matter how bad I feel for her, so you don't have to worry about me wimping out or nothing! I'm the hero!" And Matthew knew then that Alfred was back to normal. He'd be okay.


Whew. Been a month. Sorry. I've been busy. Mostly with work I should've been doing three months ago, but didn't bother doing it at the time. And then, well, I got distracted by more work, like writing other stories. And well, it took me a month to update.

Anyone read High School Sweethearts? I feel bad for putting so much work into that story and putting this story's update off for so long, but hey, I was in a rut.

It's kind of amusing to me that Alfred thinks Natalya is sick for loving her brother while I whole-heartedly ship AmeCan.