The old man's eyes glared down at the American boy whose jaw dropped from the surprise. When Alfred's senses started to kick in, he began stepping backwards so clumsily that his legs got tangled and he went tumbling back, but the stranger's hand quickly reached out and caught him by the arm tightly. However, he didn't release him and actually gripped the boy's arm tighter and pulled the surprised teen up close to his face, stopping just inches from their noses touching.
"What are you doing in my library?!" The man sneered and clenched the scared teen by other arm.
Alfred just sputtered blankly at the question that he wanted to answer but his head was coming up empty because he was still in shock. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest from the scare just seconds ago and how quickly it all had escalated. He nervously dared to look the man in the eyes. It was hard not to with their faces practically in one another's. He could have sworn he felt the older mans stubble tickling his face.
"I-I."
"Use your tongue, boy!"
"I-I don't know!" Alfred yelled and closed his eyes when the man's grip on him grew stricter.
"How do you not know!? You some kind of empty-headed fool!?" He snarled back and the boy felt the man's warm breath smack his face. He smelt of rum and a bit of something else.
The American darted his eyes around the floor and finally saw what he was looking for. His phone was just a few feet away on the ground behind the man, with the screen still illuminated. If only he could break free and call for help. He could scream, but he was almost positive the frenzied old man would kill him on the spot.
"You're deaf too, aren't you?!"
Alfred looked at him awkwardly. "Eh-why deaf?"
The man sneered then started thrashing the boy back and forth. "Because you won't answer me!"
"I-I-I'm s-s-sor-r-y-y!" He managed to utter as he was thrashed around like some you doll. The man may have looked crazy old but damn he still had some kick in his old bones.
All Alfred could think about was that this was it. Forgot the apple, forget Mr. Kirkland, this deranged hobo guy was going to be the one to take his life. Alfred gasped at the thought of him dying in a library. He'd be damned if he came back as a ghost and had to haunt a lame library full of nerds and damn old books with dust.
The blonde looked back at the man, deciding whether or not to lash out and try to bite the man's nose to free himself. He was seconds away from doing it to until the man suddenly stopped and glared at something over the teen's head
"Alfred!"
The man growled and turned his glare back at the boy in his death hold. "There's two of you!? What is this, Witchcraft!?"
Alfred stretched his neck around and was reviled with the sight of his twin running hurriedly towards them. He smiled for that his savor was rushing to him but his savor didn't stop his sprinting and Alfred gasped when his twin ducked and tackled into them. Alfred didn't even have his head turned all the way around before he was thrusted to the hard stone floor, landing painfully on his left arm and went sliding into the bookcase. He gasped and ducked his head but the large case of books didn't even budge though from the hit to his relief.
The man was already back on his feet and was frantically looking around for something when he paused and grinned as he reached his right hand out for something that was on the shelf.
Alfred's eyes got wide in panic and he clumsily got to knees. "Matt! Look out!"
Matthew though was already well aware and swiftly put weight to his left side and neatly dodged the bulky book that was hurled at his head. The man jeered and tried again but Matthew once again dodged it easily and kept sprinting forward. Before the mans fingers had the chance to skim the spine of anther book, Alfred's twin had already leapt up tackled the man roughly to the ground, nearly toppling over Alfred who covered his head and ducked and smacked his chest to the floor.
"Get off of me you brat!" The enraged man hollered as both fought to get a grasp on the other. When the man turned over in attempt to crawl away, Matthew pulled the other man's arm out from under him, causing him to release a heavy grunt when his chin collided with the hard floor. The blonde quickly took that arm and twisted it awkwardly behind the man's back in a painful looking arm lock.
During the scuffle, Alfred had crawled to the far side of the aisle and propped himself against one of the towering bookcases. With the light so dim with where they were at, it was hard to make out the fight scene that was happening before him. All he could see him from his position was that his bother had managed to get himself on top of the stranger and was holding him down by gripping to something behind the mans back. He assumed his twin used the arm lock trick that they had used many times in fights among each other. He had to admit it was pretty cool seeing him using it for a real fight and against someone other than himself.
"Al!" Matthew darted his eyes around in search for his twin in the dark area, breathing heavily from exhaustion. The man under him wobbled so the blonde mercilessly gripped the other man's are stricter to cause the other pain and make him stop.
"AL!"
"Over here!" Alfred crawled over to his brother but stayed a safe distance back just in case the man would break loose and go after him again. He saw the man's old brown eyes glare at him, so Alfred quickly looked away frightened.
Matthew looked his brother over, still breathing heavily with his chest rising up and down with every huff. "You okay, bro?" he panted.
Alfred twisted his arm around uncomfortably and tested it out before nodding. For a brief moment it stung when he smacked the floor, but that had only been for a second at most. Now he felt completely fine physically, just not so much mentally. It was just like when he fell down the stairs that morning and felt fine when he got up and walked around.
"What are you doing here?" Matthew demanded lowly and Alfred looked up surprised at his brother's tone but realized it wasn't being directed at him. The man gave off a short amused dry laugh, slightly muffled with half of his mouth glued against the floor.
"I asked you a question! Now answer me!" The man groaned again when his arm was twisted further back. Alfred winced as he watched what his brother was doing to the old guy. He was usually never this aggressive when off the ice rink.
"W-What am I doing here?" The old man groaned annoyingly. "It is I who is wondering the same for you kids!"
Something that the man had said earlier came to mind and Alfred crawled cautiously closer to the man who growled threating as he did so. "You called this library 'yours' earlier. What did you mean by that?" Alfred asked softly, hoping his nicer tone would get the man more cooperative from under his twins harsh death hold.
The man stopped struggling and gave the young boy a riveted look. "So you're not deaf after all…" He sighed and shifted his head to face Alfred the best he could from his forced position. "Like I said, this is my library. I own this building where you kids are currently trespassing."
Alfred awkwardly smiled at that and rubbed the side of his neck exhaustedly. "We kinda have a good reason to be here if you wanna believe us or not."
The man quirked an irritable eyebrow up at that. "Good enough to break in and assault the owner? I'd love to hear it."
"We don't know if this guy is even telling us the truth about owning the place. He could have broken in here too." Matthew reinforced with another squeeze.
Alfred ignored him and scooted closer to the man on his hands and knees again. If this man really did own the place like he'd said, then he'd be a great help in their search. He probably knew his library inside-out and scanned the shelves about a thousands times from wandering these aisles.
"You see we're looking for a certain book that might be here. We really need it for something super important to us."
"If it is for a school assignment then I don't give a damn." He grumbled.
"Wha-? No! I swear it's not for that! Plus as if I'd go to a library in the first place for school." He scoffed at the statement.
The man let out a long breath at that and tried glancing at the boy still atop his poor old back. He wasn't very young anymore like he'd used to, so being held roughly to the ground and with a heavy weight on top of him wasn't really helping him feel any younger. He just wanted the kids to leave him be already and get the hell out of his library. An idea came to mind and flicked his old brown eyes back to the other blonde who was just inches from him, staring at him desperately.
"Listen here boys, I'll help you find whatever you're looking for-"
"Really!?"
"-as long as you get this fat ass off of my aching back and promise to leave right after."
Alfred looked at his twin with begging eyes until Matthew gave in with a sigh and released his grip from the mans arm and hopped off. Alfred rushed to his side and tried helping the older gentleman up but was just swatted away annoyingly, so he backed up to stand at his brother's side.
The man dusted off his sweater and then his pants as he grumbled in what seemed to be another language to the boys' ears. When finished, he looked at the boys tiredly and noticed that they were indeed twins. But something about the one with the strange cowlick seemed distraughtly off from the other. They gave off two complete atmospheres. That was something well worth to be concerned about with the knowledge he held from his studies about twins. They should have given off the same aura but one was a lot darker than the other and it seemed fresh.
"What is it...exactly you're looking for?" He was now more hesitant about the quest that the pair was on. He had a dark feeling and a terrible memory playing in the back of his mind about it.
Matthew wasn't for sure if they should tell the stranger or not. Sure, he agreed to help them but that could be his plan for an escape once he led them in the wrong direction.
"Like I said before, we are lookin' certain a book."
"A little more specific if you may?"
Alfred swallowed and fiddled with the hem of shirt. He looked at his brother who was shaking his head 'no' at spilling their information. He would have listened but they were currently desperate at the moment.
"It's uh, by this author guy named Felicanio Varges and-"
"I can't help you."
Both blondes silently gaped at the quick response and watched the man deeply frown after his cold words. Alfred whined and stepped forward to protest but stopped when he noticed the man flinch and a worried look appeared in his eyes.
It was as though he were scared of him.
"Like I said, I can't help you. You should leave now and don't bother on coming back. I don't have what you're looking for."
This time it was Matthew who protested at the cruel response and covert response. "You said you'd help us but once you figure out what we're looking for you change your mind? It's sounds to me like you're hiding something!"
The man took in a sturdy breath and stood up tall over the shorter blonde who glared at him disrespectfully. He took a step closer to Matthew who stood and held his ground. "If I am then it is for your own good. Now leave."
"But we need that book!" Alfred begged and tried moving forward only to have his twin hold him back by his arm.
"I SAID LEAVE!"
Matthew hurriedly pulled his brother backwards and out of the way as books from the shelves above began toppling down in between them and the man. The stranger's old eyes were livid in the dark and pleaded for them to just listen and get out. More books started to fall in the distance between them until it was soon it was practically raining from above. Matthew yanked his brother's wrist and pulled him along as they ran away down the aisle. Alfred though couldn't help but to turn back around and watch the storm of books fall and shield the man from their sight. The sound of pages flapping in the open air and covers being smacking to stone, Alfred almost wasn't able to hear the voice that stirred in the air. A voice that was old and worn. A voice that sounded as though it were sobbing.
Kiku was turning the key to lock up the double doors to the library while Matthew and Alfred stood by and watched. He had just walked out of the computer storage room when he spotted his friends sprinting towards him. When the pair got closer he was going to ask what was going on until Matthew used his other free hand and grabbed him by his and dragged him along with Alfred, who looked scared out of his mind.
Now together they all stood on the outside of the library...where all the books and much needed information were not...
Kiku placed the secret key back behind its stone-hiding place then turned around to face the boys who he was not pleased with at the moment. He wasn't very surprised that Alfred had managed to find trouble, but Matthew too?
The Japanese boy rubbed his eyes and let out a defeated sigh. Just when they thought they were close to finding something important.
"Alfred-San, what is it that you did this time?"
The blonde threw his hand over his heart and acted surprised. "Me? Why do you assume it was me?" Even though it kinda was.
"Because we are in this whole situation because of you." Kiku slightly regretted the words when he saw his friend's expression turn hurt and his blue eyes dull.
"Al got caught by some man in there while searching." Matthew cut in.
Kiku shot him a puzzled look. "A man?"
"Yeah. I had a feeling that something was going to happen so I followed after him and saw the man holding Al up by his arms like a doll."
"Your twin senses were tingling, weren't they?" Alfred grinned while crossing him arms and nudged his brother's side.
Matthew just looked at him but decided not to answer. "Anyways, I jumped in to help and managed to pin him down the guy to get some answers. Al told him we were looking for a book and he'd said he'd help us."
"Then why are we out here?" Kiku crossed his arms over his chest and look confused at the pair in front of him.
"Uh, I don't really know if you'd believe us if we told you..." Alfred mumbled and looked at his brother then back to him.
"After everything we've been through, you think I'd be doubtful of anything else, Alfred-San?"
"Lets just say there is going to be one hell of a clean up for those ladies tomorrow once they get back to work..." There was a small grin present on his face and Kiku was starting to worry that he had done something horrible to the library afterall.
"What are you talking about, Alfred-San?"
Matthew groaned and moved in front of his brother to speak with the Japanese boy himself. "Look, we told the man the authors name, and he totally flipped the puck out on us and it started raining books. We ran away before anything else would happen."
Alfred snickered from behind him. "Did you just use the word puck?" but he was ignored again.
"Do you suppose that man is hiding something from us?" Kiku looked back at the library and wondered if the man was watching them from one of the windows.
"That was exactly what I was thinking, which means-"
"We're going to have to go back in there." Alfred complained and they looked to see him slumped over. "But if the old guy sees us in there again he'll totally flip."
Matthew thought about that before he grinned to himself. "True, but what he didn't know was that there was a third person with us." Hey looked at Kiku we looked as though he was catching along with his idea.
"If this man says he owns the place and is there at this time of day, it can be safe to assume he also lives in there as well... Maybe I can figure out where he lives and search through his things. If he is indeed hiding something, then I imagine he'd keep it close by and out of reach from the public." Kiku and Matthew grinned at each other now that that had come up with a new plain.
"Kiku!"
They all turned and saw a green Prius parked on the side of the road behind him. They watch the window roll further down and Mrs. Honda wave out to the boys.
"Time to come home! Dinner is ready and you have homework!"
Kiku's face turned bright red and Alfred smiled before waving excitably back to his friend's mom.
"Mom? How did you know I would be here?" The dark-haired boy yelled and swatted at his friends arm that was flying around in front of his face while waving.
"Mrs. Edelstein told me where you boys went when I stopped by their house to pick you up. Now come along and say goodbye to your friends." She rolled the window up and the boys heard the sound of the car doors being unlocked.
Kiku sighed and turned back around towards his friends. "Sorry guys. It looks like we'll have to meet up and continue talking at school tomorrow." He said goodbye to them both then jogged down the library steps and climbed into his car. The twins watched the car speed off down the road, both thinking of different things in silence.
The sun that was once high above them was now low and sky was a mixture of orange and pink. If they wanted to make it back in time before it got dark then they would have to hurry along or else their mom would come looking for them.
"Oh shit!" Alfred stopped walking and slapped his palm smack onto his forehead and closed his eyes. How could he have been so forgetful about something so important!
His brother stopped walking as well and turned half way to look back at him. "What now?" he asked and watched as Alfred slid his hand down his face and stop just over his mouth where he held it there and just stared at him with pleading eyes.
"I totally forgot to tell Kiku that Mr. Kirkland will be working at our school from now on!" He mumbled from under his hand like he was in big trouble with his blue eyes still large with worry.
Matthew almost laughed at that until he remembered that he attended the same school and his gut sunk a little deeper. "I guess he'll just figure it out when he gets there then." He supposed. There really was no other way around it and they were all going to have to get used to it because they didn't have much of a choice. If the man lived across from them, then he was pretty sure that attending the same school as him wouldn't differ that much. Would it?
Alfred groaned and dropped his hand then slid it into his jackets pocket and slumped over. "Suppose you're right. Damn, that really sucks." He laughed dryly, shaking his head while Matthew walked beside him with a similar expression.
"Do you think he'll be mad at me for not bringing it up? I mean, it was kinda important." Alfred scrunched his face as he watched his shadow walk before him and next to his twins on the sidewalk.
This time Matthew snickered at his foolishness and shook his head. "If you want to go chase down his car and tell him then be my guest. I don't really think it's something to worry yourself over though. We have more important stuff to worry about now." He said quite frankly and glanced at his brother who was staring at the ground wearily.
"Guess you're right. Poor Kik's will just find out the hard way." Alfred was silent for a moment before chucking to himself. "Can you imagine him just walking through the hallway and Mr. Kirkland pass by and say 'hello' and keep walking while Kiku just stands dumbstruck in the hall?" he laughed loudly at the funny thought while Matthew just gawked dumbly at him from his left. Alfred calmed down and shook his head with a smile still present on his face. "Oh man I'm totally gunna get it from him, aren't I?"
"Actually, I think he'll totally love it and thank you for the surprise." Matthew said sarcastically and Alfred believed him until he looked over him and saw how stale his face was and he frowned.
"No need to be rude… Just trying to cheer myself up a little." Alfred huffed and slouched forward again.
For some reason his words made Matthew feel guilty and want to apologize, and he was about to until Alfred spoke up.
"Do you too get the feeling that we are being wa-ahh!"
Alfred shouted in surprise when his left foot swayed too far to the right and got itself caught up by his other foot, causing him to go crashing forward with his hands flapping out in front of him as if trying to catch himself. Of course though, he failed, and he went tumbling forward out of control until his face collided with moist dirt. He managed to close his eyes in time before his face greeted the earth but he couldn't say the same for his mouth, which was now full of the earth.
He rolled over onto his side and coughed and spit up the dirt that littered his taste buds back onto the ground. Once he was sure it was all off his tongue he rolled over onto his back and opened his eyes to stare up to his brother who was leaning over him with his face mixed with worry and slight irritation.
"God you are so fucking clumsy, Al." was the first thing he said and Alfred wished he were leaning further down so he could strike up his arm and land a solid punch right into the others jaw.
Instead Alfred just growled and rolled his eyes at him. "Maybe I did it on purpose because I got tired of walking next to your sarcastic ass."
Matthew looked blankly at him while he spoke then suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh my god, you have dirt in your teeth!" he cried and leaned back up, too busy laughing to even offer his brother a hand back up.
"Shut-!" Alfred clamped his mouth shut, not wanting to give his brother another round of laughter if he saw his mouth again. He just sat himself up and used the end up of his sleeve to start scrubbing at his teeth and used his tongue to get in places where he could feel the little grains and specks.
While Matthew practically spilled tears from laughing so hard and Alfred still trying to violently scrub the dirt from his teeth, they failed to notice the man who walked upon the scene. The man froze when he saw Alfred sitting in a bed of flowers that he had just finished planting. When the boy leaned up, the man saw his poor plants flat under the indention that the stupid boy left from his body. His brown eyes glazed over in flames and he saw nothing but red as he glared hotly onto the blonde boys back. He dropped the supplies in his hands to the ground and balled up his now free hands into fist.
Alfred and Matthew both stopped and turned around to the man who was practically blowing smoke from his ears and at how his large chest was heaving up and down from his heavy breathing.
The humor in the situation quickly turned to fear and both boys looked to one another then back to the man who was glaring at Alfred. Alfred noticed that and mentally sighed. It was always him. Why couldn't anyone look at Matthew like they wanted to rip his head off? It was always himself he saw in people's eyes when they looked like that wanted to kill. And yet Matthew claimed he wanted more attention…
The man took step forward and Matthew took a step back while Alfred just cringed from his spot that was still on the enraged man's crushed garden. "YO TE MATARIA!" The man hollered in another language and Alfred took enough Spanish to understood what that meant. He opened his mouth to apologize but the man was already up on him and had grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and lifted him from the flowerbed.
"Uh, Matthew!" Alfred called for his brother who was still in enough shock that he was frozen on the sidewalk.
"TE VOY A SACAR LA MIERDA!" He shouted again in his face and Alfred wondered just how many times were people going to keep picking him up and shaking him around like some man doll. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY FLOWERS!?" Alfred coughed when smoke from mans mouth collided with his face. He must have been on a smoke break and came back to find them. Damn what bad timing on their part.
Alfred gripped the foreign mans hands and tried to get him to let go while calling for his brother to wake up already. "Yo! Help would be awesome right now, Matt!" he hissed and at last Matthew decided to jump in.
"HOW COULD YOU RUIN MY GARDEN YOU LITTLE PUNK!"
"Would it make any difference to you if I said I tripped?" Alfred tried convincing him and the man froze once Alfred opened his mouth.
Alfred just watched as the man ogled at his mouth. "What? Do I have something in my tee-ohhh…heh, funny story-"
"DID YOU ALSO EAT MY FLOWERS!?" The man shrieked, absolutely livid and propelled Alfred down and made him land hard on his right shoulder. Pain shot through him as soon as contact was made and Alfred's mouth opened and gasped as though the wind were knocked out of him. He rolled over and clutched it as it throbbed under his touch. When he looked up, he saw that the Cuban gardener was looming over him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Matthew jumped in between and the tanned man almost stumbled backward from the surprise that there was suddenly two of them.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Matthew shouted and the man's eyes widened as his body stood rigid. "He tripped into your garden on accident and you're going to kill him over it!? Are you seriously that fucking insane!?" Matthew shook his head in disbelief at how quickly the whole problem had actually escalated and how the man was being so damn cross over some stupid flowers.
The man's mouth was sealed in a tight straight line with his eyes glued to the floor as Matthew yelled at him. It looked much like a mother yelling at their child and the child being too ashamed to even look at their mom while being yelled at. Alfred would have found it hilarious if it weren't for his right shoulder feeling like it was fucking on fire at the moment.
"So are you going to get over your stupid flowers and say you're sorry?" Matthew demanded and the man's eyes shot up while his thick eyebrows furried down in incredulity.
"Wha-? You can't be serious right now!?" his accent rang thick as he complained back to the smaller and much younger blonde boy before him.
Matthew gave him an unyielding glare and the man gulped then nodded obediently. The blonde folded his arms over his red sweatshirt on his chest and moved out of the way from his brother that was sitting propped up on the ground and also on more flowers. The man noticed but bit his tongue and closed his brown eyes, taking a very deep breath in before releasing it, thinking to himself that he needed another smoking break. He crossed his hairy tanned arms and looked down at the little brat, seeing that he appeared to be in pain but he honestly didn't give a shit.
"Sorry for you falling into my garden and for me yelling at you." He sneered, glaring down at the other blonde.
Alfred was to busy dealing with the pain in shoulder to care or even except the man's lame and pretty damn insincere apology. He just slowly stood back up and spit in the man's direction, which caused the gardeners eye to twitch as he held back from attacking him again.
"Why you little…" he sneered as the American boy passed him and joined his brother. Once they were side by side, the gardener saw that they were twins. He watched them as the one who yelled at him inspected the other one and brushed dirt from him. Even though they looked exactly the same, he hated the one that had fallen into his garden and ruined all what he had been working one that entire morning. He better hope that the next time they meet that he has his brother with him or else he'd teach him a lesson.
The one with longer blonde hair turned and faced the Cuban man who stopped his thoughts immediately, scared that the kid was reading his mind. Instead the boy just grinned at him repentantly before turning and leading his brother away down the sidewalk. The Cuban blushed and cussed in his language under his breath before kneeling back to the destroyed bed and went back to work on his precious garden while the sun was still barely up.
The walk back home was short and silent because Alfred refused to say a word about what happened and Matthew didn't push him on the matter either. The older twin would occasionally glance over at his brother to check on him after noticing he was having discomfort in his right shoulder. When he asked about it earlier, he had just said that he fell on it wrong. He settled on that being the reason for Alfred not wanting to talk much because he was in pain so he stayed silent and agreed on watching him.
Alfred didn't even notice that his brother was watching him or that they were already in their neighborhood and on their home street. His thoughts were plagued with the thought of a certain fruit. After the pain started in his right shoulder, the sensation of the red fruit and its sweet juice on his tongue stormed back to him. He grew incredibly thirsty, so thirsty that his tongue felt too dry to use. The taste of the dirt in his mouth was finally gone because his thoughts imagined the specks to be of something else.
A chilling feeling went up his spine and Alfred looked up, expecting to see that they were in front of Mr. Kirkland's house but they weren't. They were stopped in front of his. Alfred looked over at his twin who looked at him with a different expression. Could Matthew not feel the eerie sensation that was virtually rolling off their house in waves?
Apparently not because the older twin didn't say anything and went walking up to the house and onto the stone pathway that lead up their front porch. He turned when he noticed that Alfred wasn't following him. "Aren't you coming inside, Al?"
Alfred looked down at line the separated the sidewalk from the stone path in their yard that lead to their front door. He hesitantly stepped over it and felt the air almost instantly change as soon as he set his foot down. Matthew was watching him like he was some sort of idiot from the porch. "What are you doing?" he requested and Alfred shot his head up at him, eyes wide like he had been caught.
"Do you feel that?" he asked and Matthew just shook his head and eyed him oddly.
"huh…" Alfred started walking up to his brother, feeling the air grow thicker the closer he got to the house. Seriously, how could his brother not feel that?
Once they were both on the porch, Matthew paused before opening the door to scrutinize his poorly attended brother. He had dirt all over him, including in him. The thought made Matthew skim his tongue over his teeth. The way Alfred was carrying his shoulder and covered in dirt. It looked as though he had gotten beaten up on their way back home. Well is sorta did if you include him being thrown down and falling. The dirt around his eye could pass as a black eye and the spots around his mouth looked like he had busted a lip. If it weren't for the whole situation then he would have found it absolutely hilarious.
"What is it?" Alfred spoke up, tired of being under his brother's stare for too long without him saying a single thing.
Matthew shook his head because there was really no way around it. "You look like you were jumped, Al. If mom sees you then she'll freak for sure."
Alfred an O shape with his mouth and looked down. Yeah, he was screwed but he had a feeling that there was something else he should be more concerned about than some stained clothes and a pushy mother. "I'll just sneak in around you and hurry and change before she catches me."
That seemed all right to Matthew and he turned the handle and pushed the door open, but he immediately stopped once the air of his own home hit him. "Hey, Al?"
"What?"
"I think I feel what you were feeling a moment ago…" he muttered nervously before stepping inside. Alfred apprehensively followed after him and felt what he guessed his brother felt. The air in his house felt thick and heavy. He almost wanted to step back outside but what drew him inside was the smell of something absolutely intoxicating.
Matthew shut the door behind them quietly to not let their mother know they were home but it was too late. She rounded the corner with a teacup and a little plate in hand, smiling happily at her sons. Matthew looked to Alfred as though cueing him to run up the stairs but his brother seemed lost in some sort of trance. Instead of running up the stairs and hide his appearance from their mother, he just stood there with his mouth slightly gap and his eyes wide.
"Al? Hurry up and run-" Matthew stopped though when another person turned the corner to join their mother in the hallway. Suddenly everything started to make sense in his head as things clicked together.
Alfred was frozen in spot when his eyes met green from across the hall. His shoulder throbbed under his shirt but he fought hard to not grab at it in front of everyone. For the first couple of seconds it was silent and nothing was said but then those green eyes went wide the longer they stared at him and then there was the sound of glass shattering, splitting the silence.
Mrs. Edelstein jumped in surprise and spun around, her long wavy brown hair twirling around her as she did so. "Oh, Mr. Kirkland! Are you all right?" she asked the man, as he stood there motionless with a shattered cup of tea at his feet, just barely missing his glossy black shoes. He said nothing to the woman but only continued to stare at Alfred wide-eyed who was questionably staring back at him.
When the Englishman didn't respond, Mrs. Edelstein bent down and started to pick up the pieces of the class for the man who was non responsive. She did her best to be careful as she quickly picked up the pieces with no trouble. While she was bent down, she missed the rare sight that only Alfred and Matthew caught when Mr. Kirkland's green eyes flashed red before he narrowed them irately.
The blonde gulped because the man was still staring at him when it happened and he didn't have a single clue as to what was going on with the man. He always seemed to be well in control and calm but now he was dropping teacups and acting staggered as soon as Alfred came into his view.
Alfred looked down at his appearance and back up to the man whose green eyes also scanned his form up and down swiftly. Was it because of how he looked at the moment that caused his abnormal acting? Nervous, Alfred bolted up the staircase. Matthew snapped his head in the direction of his fleeing brother then to the man who was watching his twin run from the scene as well. He noticed the Englishman's foot move forward but Matthew instinctively moved a step closer to the staircase. This drew the older mans attention to him and he scowled down at the young blonde, the weight of his glare making Matthew want nothing more than to escape it but he held his ground.
"There we go!" Mrs. Edelstein popped back up with her hands full the glass that was in chunks rather than tiny shards to her luck. Mr. Kirkland stopped his glowering at her son and looked to her with a faint smile present on his thin lips to show his appreciation. Matthew saw that as his open window for checking on his brother but the thought of leaving his mother alone with him worried him, though, they were alone together before they arrived back home.
"I'm so terribly sorry about that, love. It's very unlike me to be so clumsy with such delicate items." His heavy brows knitted together upwards like he was truly sorry and concerned to help her when he saw the glass in her small hands. He reached for them to be poured into his hands instead but she just shook her head and smiled suitably up at him.
"It's no problem! Things break around here quite often when you have two growing boys living here!" she maneuvered around the man and back into the kitchen where they previously were speaking. The Englishman took another swift glance towards the stairs then to Matthew who was still keeping an eye on him from the end of the hall like he was guarding the staircase. He ignored the young boy and followed the woman into the kitchen after a moment to continue assisting her.
Once Matthew was sure that the man wouldn't try to slip past him to escape to the second floor where Alfred was currently hiding, he let out a long shaky breath in attempt to calm his nerves. He knew he couldn't let his guard down after what he learned in the library earlier that morning. There was no way that he would let that man anywhere near Alfred again as long as he was there to look over him. He was the only one who could now since Kiku was gone and their mother was in the dark. He slipped off his shoes and looked up the stairs where Alfred had disappeared. As long as he was secure up in their room and Mr. Kirkland was downstairs preoccupied, Matthew would do his best to keep it that way and have them apart. He heard them talking in the kitchen so he quietly crept down the hall to secretly listen.
"It must be grim raising two teen sons on your own, Mrs. Edelstein while your husband is absent." Their guest started in a voice that seemed distressing while the boys' mom just smiled and nodded as she dumped the glass into the trash bin. Mr. Kirkland moved around counter and pulled out a chair to sit in and crossed a leg over the other as he sat up perfectly straight like a proper gentleman. He kept one hand in his lap while the other stretched out and picked up an apple in which he then began to twirl it around with his long fingers. "I can't even begin to visualize myself being in such a position as you."
Mrs. Edelstein turned to him and frowned sadly at the man, not seeming to notice him playing with the piece of red fruit or she didn't care. She brushed her hands on her dress to clean them off then moved to stand across him on the other side of the counter. Matthew continued to watch from carefully from around the corner.
"Is that because you don't have any children of your own? I don't mean that in a bad way if it sounds as so." She assured after her question. It only made sense that a man living on his own like a bachelor wouldn't understand the family lifestyle. She honestly felt bad for the man who lived in that large house all alone across from them. Maybe she should invite him over more or send her boys over to pay him some well-needed company if he wouldn't mind.
He looked at her and grinned lightly to show that her question wasn't taken offensive. "I suppose I can only see myself enduring one young boy in my future." He confessed and watched the fruit in his hands twirl, not particularly caring how odd it made him look.
Mrs. Edelstein giggled and blew a loose strand of hair from her face. "Trust me, two is not all bad. Sure it can be a hand full at times and they drive me absolutely insane, but at the end of the day they're my boys and I love them." She smiled divinely then turned around and reached for the kettle to pour herself some more tea.
The Englishman man said nothing but continued to twirl the fruit, acting as though what she said had zero affect him or made him care in the slightest for her opinion on her family values. Finally he spoke and Matthew scooted closer to the kitchen to hear them better as the conversation continued sound more abnormal. "See, that is where we differ Mrs. Edelstein. You have more patience than I believe I will ever acquire."
She grinned to herself and took it as a compliment. "Years of practice has gotten me to where I am today. Even if we start out the day arguing it always ends with apologies, hugs, and loving kisses. They truly are such sweet boys…" Matthew didn't know if she knew he was standing in the hall, but he was pretty sure that she didn't and she was just speaking out of honest adoration.
The man considered her words for a moment before probing her statement further. "Even at their age they bid such tender love from their mother or is it you who entreats them with such?" it was an offbeat question made the room fall silent right after.
Matthew stood there perplexed while his mom just ceased in her tea pouring and looked up at the mom with a staggered look. Mr. Kirkland didn't seem fazed by it and waited patiently for her response in his chair tidily. She smiled as though slightly embarrassed and tucked a strand of her wavy hair behind her ear before peeping back at the man whose green eyes were peering into her own, truly attentive on hearing her answer.
"Oh, um." She tittered about it to herself for a moment before coming up with an answer. "I understand that you don't have a family of your own, but no matter the age the children will get, they will always want love from their mother. It's just the bond that they share and will always have throughout the years. Does that make sense?"
The Englishman looked as though he was deliberating it over in his mind as he observed her. She didn't move and waited for him to say something so she'd know whether or not to go further into explanation for his sake of understanding.
Finally he blinked and let out a soft breath. "I don't think I will ever be able to quite understand being from your perceptive, but I do believe now I have a resolute impression of it. So, which one demands more of your attention?" he questioned and the request threw her off because of how rapidly he was ready to move on. She assumed he understood and she went back to pouring her tea and hummed in thought.
"That's hard to say…" she set the kettle down and leaned against the counter top with her glass cupped in both hands. "I would have to say Alfred is the one who acquires the most of my attention." She laughed lightly and took a sip of her tea.
Mr. Kirkland abruptly stopped twirling the fruit and stared at the woman across from him with increasing interest. "Is that so?" he grinned but she did seem to see it as anything else but a kind gesture towards her and her sons relationship.
"He may not admit it, but he loves my love." She laughed some more and shook her head. "Sometimes he's the one that comes up to me and gives me hugs or just kisses my cheek before leaving for school or going out. He absolutely adores others praising and complimenting on just about everything he's proud of doing all on his own. Oh goodness, he can't know that I'm telling you this or else he'd have a fit!"
Matthew was gapping at the wall in front of him. If his mom was speaking to any other person in the world then he would find it funny as hell but having her say those things to the very man they were trying to keep away from Alfred, not so much. He was going to have to tell his brother about this and he just knew of the fit he was going to throw and blame him for not stopping her.
"I promise to not utter a word to the lad." Mr. Kirkland beamed like he had just found out a marvelous secret and was too pleased about it that he couldn't control his emotions. He stared at the red fruit in his hand before letting it gently fall from his grasp and watched it roll across the counter and back into he pile where he picked it up. He looked at the watch on his wrist and dramatically let out wearied sigh while standing back up. Mrs. Edelstein stood as well and walked around the counter to meet him.
"It's getting rather late and it is a school night after all. Best that I be leaving now." He confessed and Mrs. Edelstein quickly recalled that the man was a teacher and needed to be up early for the next day. As soon as he uttered the words Matthew felt relief wash over him and he almost slid down the side of the wall.
His mom set her cup down and turned to the hall. "Let me walk you to the door." And Matthew quickly skipped down the hall and positioned himself on the second step on the stairs. His mom walked their guest to the door where the man put his long black coat on like he had a long walk ahead of him. When he got his final arm through the whole and fixed the coats collar upwards, he abruptly stopped when he noticed the American boy standing on the staircase like some guard mutt. He tried his best not to smile at the lad's attempt of trying to put up a strong front as he attempted from keeping him from his brother. If their mother wasn't there, then he would show the longer haired twin just how defenseless his little guards man act really was.
He then turned his attention back to the boy's mother who was opening the door for him. "I'm still so terribly sorry about your china cup, Mrs. Edelstein. I will replace it when I can."
She just swatted at him and shook her head back and forth. "Like I said! I'm used to having things break around here. It really is no problem so please don't be spending money on something so little. Thank you for stopping by for the visit. I had a lovely evening and now know how to properly brew English tea!"
The man chuckled and took a step out the front door. "It was my pleasure, love." He turned around and looked at Matthew who glared back at him. "I'll see you tomorrow at school, Matthew. Don't be afraid to say hello either, ok?" he then turned and slid his hands into his coats pockets and started walking down the porch steps. "Oh," He paused and turned his head half way over his shoulder. "Give your brother my greetings for me. The lad disappeared before I even had the chance to say hello."
Matthew crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes when his mother wasn't looking. "Yeah, sure thing." He said in a way that wouldn't get him in trouble from his mother.
He saw the corner of the man's lip turn upwards before he turned his head and started toward his eerie home across the street. Mrs. Edelstein shut the door behind him and locked it before turning around to look at her son who was standing on the steps with his arms folded over his chest. She noted the sour expression on his face and quirked an interested eyebrow. "Is there something wrong, dearie?" she asked but Matthew just shook his head and looked away from her gaze.
"I should be getting to bed. It is a school night after all." He turned around and started to climb the stairs slowly as though he were exhausted. His mom watched suspiciously then called out to him before he disappeared from her view.
"When you get up there I would like for you tell your brother that he was very rude running away like he did. I only saw him for a split second before he rushed off without a single hello to our guest or me. It's embarrassing enough that Mr. Kirkland noticed that as well. " Matthew paused on the steps and thought to himself that how she didn't mention anything about his brother's appearance. She must not have noticed him while obviously their neighbor did.
"Yeah, I'll tell him. Night."
When Matthew got into his room he found that Alfred had passed out on top of his bed, not even bothering to remove his shoes or change from his dirty clothes. He sighed and moved over to his bedside and threw a cover over top of him. The poor guy didn't even flinch but that was because he was always a heavy sleeper. Matthew changed out of his clothes and into something more comfortable before leaving to go brush his teeth. When he got back he saw that Alfred still hadn't moved and assumed that he would properly stay like that for the rest of the night. He's going to regret it when he wakes up and finds that his bed is covered in dirt.
Before Matthew climbed into his own bed he walked over to the window and glowered out at the house across the street. The sun had already set so seeing the murky house when it was night made it next to impossible. The lights weren't turned on either, but when were they ever? He checked to make sure that it was locked securely before he closed the blinds and climbed into his cold bed and attempted to find comfort in it.
For the next couple of minutes he did nothing but stare up at the ceiling wide-awake. The blonde was honestly nervous about falling asleep because he didn't know what he would dream about. After all that he learned from the days earlier events, he was nervous that the new information would only haunt his dreams and turn them into nightmares. He ran his hand through his knotted long hair and turned on his side to watch his brother from across the room, careful not to make too much noise when his bed squeaked from under him.
Even when asleep his twin looked horribly exhausted. He wondered what he was dreaming about or if he was even dreaming at all. Whatever it was, Matthew hoped it was of something good because Alfred deserved at least one secure place where he could escape to from the hell that was happening around them.
AN: Thanks for reading. The gardener man was Cuba if you all didn't figure that out. See you next chapter when we take this excitement into school!
P.S. shout out to the readers that are in Australia and New Zealand!
P.S.S. An amazing fan of this story and now friend wrote a side story from The Lost Fratello, that you see in chapter 8. It's called Mi Tomate Pequeno, written by Mattaya Anne. You should really go check it out and read what she thinks happened to the little Italian boy.
Spanish Translations:
YO TE MATARIA = I'm going to kill you
TE VOY A SACAR LA MIERDA= I'm going to kick the shit out of you