chapter 6: nightmare and birdie's friend
About a month after Alfred had left them Mathew was just starting to understand how things were going to be for the rest of his life. Although he still firmly believed his brother who was his hero would come and rescue him. For that reason alone he smiled every night despite being sore, broken, hungry, and cold he would look out that window and whisper "one day you'll come for me Al right? You promised remember. You promised you would be my hero."
Even though a month passed he firmly believed this as he went about the day constantly cleaning and hiding from his drunken father who despite his flaws Mathew cared for dearly and prayed his father's heart would be healed where his brother broke it.
He did his best for his father even though he tried not to stay around him, he cleaned every drunken mess he made and cooked all his meals, and when his father passed out on the couch he climbed the step stool and struggling to pull down the big blanket from the linen closest said a prayer to whoever would listen for his father , then draped the blanket over his father's lonely body.
These were the good days the days Mathew dared to live however there were also the bad days. During these days Mathew just wanted to die. Usually they started with Mathew being woken at three in the morning by his father screaming incoherently at him a fire in his eyes.
He would grab Mathew roughly by the arm and throw him off the bed into the wall he would then scream more and hit Mathew until he started crying then he'd drag the boy and shove him down into the basement where Mathew would stay until his father remembered him during a good day or came down later that day to torture him with magic and fists. Today had been a day like that and Mathew lay at the bottom of the stairs having been unsuccessful at catching his balance on the stairs.
His arm was twisted funny and a long gash on his forehead made him feel like he was spinning. "WHERE ARE YOU?" he had cried out loud in frustration shaking and curling himself into a ball. "YOU PROMISED ME ALFRED!" his heart plummeted hearing approaching footsteps but he shouted once again as they disappeared.
"YOU LIER YOU LIER I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I DON'T NEED YOU I DON'T WANT A HERO ANYMORE! YOU LIED! YOU PROBABLY FORGOT ABOUT ME LIKE EVERYONE! AM I EVEN ALIVE!? I COULD BE DEAD AND YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW! I HATE YOU YOU'RE A JERK A HOSER I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! IM IN SO MUCH PAIN! MY FATHER HATES ME BEATS ME BECAUSE YOU BROKE HIS HEART BECAUSE HE LOST HIS MIND WHEN YOU LEFT! YOU'RE FAULT IT'S YOUR FAULT! IM DON'T WAITING FOR YOU! IM DONE!" he yelled until his voice broke and then he fell asleep sobbing. It was at that moment he lost hope it was and that moment he lost faith in his brother and it was at that moment he no longer had a hero.
Mathew woke up in a cold sweat his heart beating loudly in his chest. He was on the ground in an unfamiliar room. His nightmare had woke him up and he was sure it wasn't even morning yet. Then everything came back and he jolted up only to fall again head spinning around and around.
"…Alfred…..Alfred!" he screamed knowing his brother wasn't there knowing Britain had taken him.
"Why didn't I tell him? Warn him." He said to nobody. He knew he had to do something, he knew he had to save his brother, be the hero his brother had never been for him, though he would never admit that to Alfred.
"phone..," he coughed taking ten minutes to stand up, still feeling weak and sick but he should be used to that feeling seeing as he had lived with it for years. It took him longer to find one and even longer to think of someone to call. Finally deciding on someone he dialed a number and prayed someone would answer.
"This better be good Alfred!" a loud voice screamed back hard core music in the background as well as a lot of other people. Mathew flinched.
"S…..sorry, n…..never mind….," a pause in which Mathew was about to hang up and then..
"Birdie!" Mathew's chest swelled and he nodded before realizing he was on the phone and then turning pink hastily said.
"….hi gill…how'd you know it was…." But he was interrupted by hasty talking.
"This is so awesome ksksks where are you birdie? It's been almost a decade. Now boom your back from the dead. Ksksks almost thought I made you up you know because everyone except Alfred had never heard of you, and America seemed more likely them the awesome me to have some dorky imaginary friend. So where are you? I'm leaving this party and coming to see you before you disappear again!"
"u…um Americas house…and you don't…..h…..have too," he added feeling guilty because he really wanted Gilbert to come the Prussian used to be one of his close friends as a child despite being considerably older than him, but age meant literally nothing to countries.
"You kidding!? This party is so unawesome! Ksksks besides I want to see you." And with that he hung up leaving poor Mathew flushed and flustered. He had to appear OK for gill so he started to work on getting dressed, which was a slow process in his state. As he got dressed he told himself he would simply ask for a ride to Britain's that's all. He couldn't get someone else involved in this. He hadn't even gotten downstairs just now dressed in long sleeves and a sweater when the door burst open a voice calling that was not at all Gilbert's.
Authors note: Quick thanks to my sister who pointed out some *cough cough* little minor errors with my grammar so thanks and while im thanking people thanks for the review, followers, and all the readers.