I thought of many ways in order to help Alfred regain his memory, but the items seemed to help the most, so I decided to keep that going for a while.
"Al, I've brought something you may remember"
He glanced over at me, as I had brought him many things, different each day.
"If it's a weapon or something...I'm not afraid to fire"
"It isn't, don't worry, it's a toy"
"Set it on the chair...then back up"
"Alright...Remember this?", I said, putting down one of his toy soldiers onto the chair. He picked it up, handing it carefully in his hands.
"It looks like...Where did you get this...?"
"Your storage room, I made them for you. Remember?"
"They seem familiar, something about it"
"You were a child...I handmade them for you back when you were just a colony"
"I...These...No, what am I thinking...It's just more mind tricks!"
"Is that really what you think Al?"
"Not like you all haven't done them already! Those illusions won't work on me! No matter what you do to me, I'm not your comrade"
"Alfred...I'm not with Russia, he's my enemy too! What can I do to prove that to you?"
"You're probably lying just like the rest of them out there...Pretending to be friendly to gain my trust before you start the treatment again!"
"No no Al, that's not it all", I pleaded, taking a step forward. He readied his gun right up in line with my eyes.
"Don't you dare get too close"
"Are you going to shoot me? Hm...Alfred, do it. If you are one hundred percent convinced I'm a soviet bastard and working with him, then shoot me. Now."
"Don't...Don't push me!"
"...Can you really do it? It's me, Alfred. It's Arthur...Artie. I have a stuffed bear that you like to make fun of. You enjoy my scones. You secretly watch Doctor Who...You're going to tell me you can't remember anything? Then do it, if there isn't a hint of doubt in your mind"
"Stop making things up about me! I don't even know you, move any closer and I swear I'll do it"
"Heh...remember how you sat on my shoulders? It never rained at your house, so we'd go out and play games with the animals. You loved for me to use my magic to tell you stores, and when you did have a thunderstorm, you'd curl up to me and I'd have to comfort you back to sleep..."
"Just stop it! You're confusing me!"
"And then whenever I had to leave, you'd cry and grab onto my hand, not letting go until I promised you that I would be back...Heh, then when I did, you would dress up in my pirate jacket and hat. They were much too big for you..."
"How...I just...No. He has to be lying...You have to be lying! That bastard told you about me, didn't he"
He didn't believe a word I said, that bastard got to him more than I even though possible. If I was going to free him from his own mind trap, I was going to have to push him more. I needed to simply get through to him enough to look at his wounds. I could tell from there that they had not been treated properly at all, probably still bleeding, running the risk of infection. I needed to bring up anything that I could to help him.
"And then you split from me in the Revolution...You can't just not remember that...But it only helped us grow closer...Haha, remember that time when you lost your glasses and had to go for a whole meeting running into walls"
"I...", He set down the gun on the bed, "Who...If you supposedly don't work for him...Who are you?"
"I'm your brother...I was so worried about you...I just want to help"
"But I...How do I know nothing's going to happen...That you're not like one of them, you won't hurt me like the others"
"Alfred, you should know I'd never do that...I'd rather hurt myself. I want to help heal you, please Al"
"No...I can't let them hurt me again...If you're lying or wrong..."
"Then you can shoot me. I'm unarmed, I don't and have never wanted to hurt you"
"I...Just a little closer okay..."
I took a step or two, not wanting to scare him off, "Is this alright?"
"You don't...look like you have anything..."
"I don't, absolutely nothing. No electronics, no weapons"
"Then...It's fine. Why are you even here, if you're supposedly not working for him"
"I wanted to see how you were, the doctors hadn't been in here the entire time. I was rather worried for you"
"Those guys in white coats, they tried doing things to me...I wouldn't let them near me"
"Alfred...When we found you, you were nearly dead. They're just trying to help"
"No! They wanted to use needles and syringes! I'm never letting anyone near me with those again"
"...Maybe when you're a bit more well"
"No! Not after last time..."
"Alright...sorry. Forget I said anything"
"You wouldn't know, nobody does"
"...You can't tell me right now, can you?"
"Tell you?...No...No no no..."
"Ok ok, calm down. Don't think about it"
"I just...No I can't tell you"
"I'm not forcing you to in the slightest. Just know, I'll always listen"
"Alright...that's a weird thing to say"
I hadn't realized how everything was going, I was simply talking to him like he knew everything, like he remembered me. I needed to calm down now though. He needed help and that was the real reason why I was there.
"You've changed so much...But it'll be alright now"
"I haven't changed..."
"Yes, you have...Have you remembered anything at all?"
"No...Not much...It's all just a fuzzy mess, running together"
"Eventually you will, I have no doubts about that. You'll return to normal"
"I don't even know what that means"
"It's no matter. Are you hungry?"
"No...They could do something to it. They're everywhere"
"You need to eat, Alfred"
"I've gone this long without it"
"You'll starve!"
"Doesn't matter...It's better than the alternative"
"I won't have you treating yourself this way"
"It's better, safer"
"...I guess I'll leave you to it then..."
"You're going to leave?"
"I have to..."
"Right right...go then"
The next day, I opened the door slowly, as not to startle him. He reached for his gun, pointing it at me quickly.
"Oh...It's just you", he muttered to himself.
He set the gun down at his side. His reaction was encouraging, did he not see me as harmful?
"You set your weapon down? Then you don't see me as a threat?"
"Well...You always keep your distance when I ask...and haven't done anything yet...So I guess not"
"That's a relief..."
"Don't think you can try anything though!"
"I wouldn't dare"
Every time I walked into that room, he would back up on the bed. I hadn't done a thing to him, but he still feared me.
"I'm sorry if I make you feel uncomfortable"
"It's not just you, don't worry"
"...Everyone then?"
"I'm the only one I know I can trust..."
"When you get your memory back, everything will be easier. I know it for a fact. I miss the old Alfred"
"Tsk...Then sorry..."
I sat in the corner, on a chair that I had brought in from outside. Each day I would move it just a centimeter closer along the wall, he watched intently as I did so, but never stopped me. I glanced around the room, seeing if he had changed anything while I was away. Nothing was different, the window was shut tight, curtain blocking the sunlight, his coat still hung in the corner where I had left it, and an untouched meal once more adorned the table.
"I see you have not eaten again today"
He ignored my statement.
"You're wasting away like that you realize"
He grunted in acknowledgment, turning away from the lunch. It was getting to the point where you could hardly recognize the young man. He had lost most of his weight, his bones jutting forth from the skin. Dark circles enveloped his eyes, a result of the sleepless nights he forced himself to endure. He looked like just a shell now, existing simply to exist, not much had changed over these days.
"Come now, at least sleep. I'm sure you're exhausted"
"No...You're most vulnerable asleep. I'll stay up forever if I have to, I don't care"
"Nothing's happened to you here. Yet you're still this cautious"
"Why wouldn't I be, it could all just be a trap"
"Yes of course...Hm?"
I glanced over and noticed he was shivering. The poor lad was freezing. He wasn't functioning properly with no sleep, not to mention the blood loss from his wounds that were never adequately treated. The room was naturally quite cold, considering the season, and he was just ill-equipped to stay warm. I motioned to retrieve his jacket, but he was having none of that.
"If I think I need my jacket, I'll get it myself!"
He moved to the edge of the bed, testing to see how his strength would hold up in the event that he actually did want to obtain his jacket. He shakily moved off of the bed, bracing himself with the end table. I quietly moved closer, seeing that I did not believe he could do it on his own. It seemed like he had not stood on of his own accord for many days, as his legs seemed to shake when he finally did gather the strength to stand.
"Alfred sit down...Please just listen!"
He did not take two steps before his knees gave out and he was plummeting to the floor. I did not have two seconds to think, my body simply acted on its own. I ran over, swinging my arm around his chest, holding him up. His body was shaking much more than just a minute ago, that's when my mind finally registered what I had done.
"Oh god, Alfred, I'm sorry! I could not just let you fall..."
"I...You..."
I directed him back to the hospital bed, apologizing the entire way. How could I have been so rash...
"You...helped me? I..."
"Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?"
"I just...didn't think..."
"I couldn't have you hurting yourself more...I have to watch out for my little brother"
"B-brother..."
"I'm always here, whether you remember me or not"
"...Ar-Arthur..."
I hadn't gotten him back yet, but something had changed. His eyes went wide, looking over at me.
"Hm? What is it..."
Suddenly he gripped onto my shirt, collapsing into an embrace. I didn't know what sparked it, if he was just that weak, or something else...
"Alfred, come now. What's wrong..."
"Arthur...it's really you...r-right?"
"You...it can't be...you know me?"
"Nothing else but..."
"Oh thank god", I returned the gesture resting my head on his, "You scared the living daylights out of me, you know that..."
"You don't know the difference it makes, knowing someone...anyone"
"It's going to be alright. You're going to be alright. Can you trust me on that?"
"I...I guess so", he said, relaxing in my arms and drifting off to sleep, pinning me to the bed with his body weight, not that I minded at all.