"Gil, can I talk to you?"

Gilbert and Alfred both looked up, surprised to see Matthew standing next to their table, Alfred's gaze immediately dropped back down and he looked around, as if expecting their father to come down on him for even being near Matthew. Gilbert frowned, reaching under the table and squeezing his thigh gently, still looking up at his brother, nodding.

"Of course,Birdie-why don't you sit down?"

"Oh, ah, right, of course." Matthew said, hesitating briefly before he sat down next to Gilbert, smiling over at his brother but he didn't make any sign that he even noticed, pushing his food around his plate instead, suddenly seeming to lose his appetite. Gilbert glanced over at him, sighing softly and shaking his head.

"So, what'd you need, Mattie?"

"I just…wanted to see how things were going. I mean, I'm pretty sure you two are, ah, together at this point, yeah?" He smiled a bit nervously, and Gilbert chuckled, nodding, squeezing Alfred's thigh again.

"Yeah, I guess you could say we are, Birdie. So what, you gonna lecture me on my ways and tell me to keep my hands off your brother? Because I can tell you, I'm not fond of listening to other people."

"No, that's not it…I just want to give you my, ah, blessing I guess." Matthew said, smiling and glancing back over at his brother. "When I saw you two, at the mall the other day, it was…the happiest I've seen Al, since we were split up."

"Yeah, he told me about that." Gilbert murmured, feeling Alfred's hand reaching down to curl over his own and squeezing a bit, and he just squeezed it back. Matthew grimaced, looking over at Alfred, his mouth opening and closing several times before he could find something to say.

"I've missed you, Al." he blurted out, cheeks flushing a bit as he looked down at his lap, Alfred's head snapping up a bit at the surprise of Matthew addressing him. He didn't talk to him much at all these days, mostly because Alfred was scared of his father finding out, and Matthew hadn't really tried all too much to talk to him either. He was silent, though, looking back down without responding, and Matthew just smiled a bit sadly, looking back at Gilbert.

"I know your reputation precedes you, but I think that the way you've been with Al, at the Mall, taking him out like that and making him smile….that's something wonderful, and I don't want to stop you. I just want you to keep making him happy."

"I am happy, and I'm right here."

Matthew and Gilbert both looked over at him, Alfred's head lifted up and he was gazing right at them, his blue eyes shining with not quite anger, just determination.

"I'm tired of everyone talking about me like I'm not in the room, I'm not dumb, y'know, I'm not crazy! And I…I like Gilbert, Mattie, and I don't need anyone to tell me if I can be with him or not, not you or Dad or anyone, 'cause I wanna be with him!"

"And I'm happy for you, and I want you to be happy with him." Matthew said, smiling softly and hesitating before he reached over the table, resting his hand on his brother's shoulder. Alfred just looked back, not letting his gaze fall back to his lap as was the usual these days, he looked his brother right in the face, and then surprised both of them by smiling brightly.

"Y'know, I…I missed you too, Mattie."

"Oh, Al…" Matthew smiled warmly, standing up and going around the table, wrapping his arms around his brother, although his eyebrows furrowed when he looked down, reaching down to grab his wrist, running his fingers over the little marks, eyes widening. "It's true, isn't it? What everyone's said, you…you've been doing this to yourself, Al?"

Alfred bit his lip, looking down and nodding, Matthew's eyes instantly swimming with tears.

"Oh, Al, why didn't you tell me? You…you haven't even talked to me hardly, since mom and I left."

"Because I…I…" Alfred didn't want to say it, his father would be upset if he said anything to Matthew, let alone sitting here, in the crowded lunchroom hugging him, all these people watching….his father would be so upset, and suddenly he panicked, pushing Matthew away and tearing out of the room. Gilbert pushed back his chair to go after him, Matthew made a move as if to as well but Gilbert just turned around, shaking his head.

"Not now, Birdie, I should go after him alone, I don't think he'll want you to come after." He told him, and Matthew swallowed heavily, nodding and sitting back down, Gilbert noticing him burying his face in his hands as he ran off after Alfred, ducking into the bathroom where he figured he would be. Sure enough, he heard a sniffle from one of the stalls, and he knocked on it.

"Al? Al, unlock the door, it's me."

"N-no, Dad's…he's gonna be mad, he'll find out I was with Mattie!" Alfred whimpered, and Gilbert just pounded on the door a bit more, starting to get worried.

"Al, he won't know, you're worrying over nothing, just calm down."

"No, n-no, he'll be very angry, he…he says I can't be near Mattie."

"Al, how's he gonna know? Just please, open this door."

"Can't, Gil, I c-can't." Alfred said, his voice trembling, and Gilbert looked down, freezing when he saw little dots of red.

"Shit, shit-Alfred, open this door right now, what do you think you're doing?"

"I-I'm just makin' it go away again, Gil." Alfred whimpered, and Gilbert gritted his teeth, pounding on the door louder, glad no one else was in the bathroom right then, this was bad enough without an audience, but it was lunchtime and people would be coming in soon enough.

"Alfred, don't you fucking dare! You were doing so good, and this…this doesn't fix anything, damn it, Al! It doesn't fix a damn thing, all it does is hurt more and…and I don't want you to hurt like this, Al, I want to help you."

"Y-you can't help me…I just want it to go away, at least for a l-little while, all this pain, a-and not being able to see Mom or Mattie, and all these secrets and feelings and I just can't d-do this anymore!" he cried, a sob choking its way out of his throat, and Gilbert pounded both fists on the door, realizing they were trembling, but he didn't like this, didn't like feeling helpless.

"I can't let you do this, Al, I can't, I won't fucking let you hurt anymore, you understand? This won't make anything better, and you know that, so you stop this!" He shouted, his feelings coming out as they always did, in a rush and explosive, he didn't know how to control the intense worry and concern in his gut, and he slammed his hands onto the metal door, making it open with a bang. Alfred looked up, blue eyes wide and the small blade falling from his fingers as he scrambled back on the toilet seat, fingers fisting into his hair, little drops of red slowly falling down the tanned skin.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't be mad! I'm s-sorry, Gil, I…."

Gilbert didn't even say a single word, just rushing forward, wrapping his arms around the other boy, holding him close, his own frame trembling as tears slid down his cheeks.

"Don't you ever, ever, do that again, Al…fuck, you scared me, I thought my heart was going to fucking shatter into a million pieces, if you'd…if you'd done anything more, I don't know what I would've done, I…"

"Oh, Gil, I'm s-so sorry, I'm sorry!" Alfred choked, wrapping his arms around him in turn, rocking a bit as he tried to hold back his sobs. Gilbert just held him, wrapping his fingers around his wrist, not even caring if the blood got on his fingers, he just wanted to cover it up, to make it go away even if it really didn't do much of anything. They stayed like that awhile, until they heard the door open and they both started, Gilbert looking up, cheeks wet, pushing the door closed with his foot, muffling the other boy's quiet sobs in his shoulder, waiting for the person to go about their business and leave before he pulled back again, looking down at Alfred, hesitating before he leaned down and kissed the wet trails on his cheeks.

"Come on, let's get out of here, okay? I don't fancy spending all day in the bathroom, as fun as playing hooky is." He whispered, smiling slightly at the way Alfred's cheeks heated at the affection, and he nuzzled his nose a bit. "Quick, before I get sappy, cutie. We'll go get you some bandages, the Nurse is a friend of mine-well, I say friend-anyway, she won't tell, but we should get you patched up."

Alfred nodded, sniffling and scrubbing at his cheek with his free hand, letting Gilbert help him to his feet, wiping off his face with a paper towel and wrapping another around his wrist before he led him out. He'd half expected Matthew to be waiting by the door or something, but the boy must have figured he wouldn't be wanted just then, and he was a bit relieved. He didn't think Alfred could handle that right now, not right after his episode, and he shielded him from curious gazes as students flooded out of the lunchroom to their classes, leading him to the Nurse's office. She didn't say anything once Gilbert gave her a look, mouthing "I owe you one" before she grabbed some bandages and began wrapping them around Alfred's wrist, smiling as she taped them up.

"There you go, Alfred-I'll write you both a note for class, since I doubt you want this bringing any attention, yes?"

"Yeah, thanks again, Maria." Gilbert said, taking Alfred's hand and helping him up, not quite noticing the slightly amused look on the woman's face, chuckling and shaking her head.

"Of course, Gilbert, any time-now how about we get you two to class, hm?"

"Alfred?"

Alfred looked up at the soft voice, freezing, fumbling to try and push to his feet from where he'd been sitting on the steps at the front of the school waiting for his Dad.

"M-Mattie, what are you doing?"

"I'm talking to my brother. Which, legally, despite what dad says, I'm allowed to do." Matthew said quietly, smiling a bit morosely and looking Alfred in the eyes before he could look down, reaching down to take his hand, trailing his fingers up to his wrist that had the bandages around it. "Because no matter what he tries to tell you, you can be with me, and talk to me, and I still care about you more than anything, and I…I hate to see you hurt, like this, Al. I want to be there for you, like I used to, hug you and pinch your cheeks when you start blubbering like a baby, like you always used to."

"I do not." Alfred retorted without even having to think about it, and it just felt natural, right, just being with his brother again, and one corner of his mouth turned up slightly. Matthew just shook his head, reaching up to cup his brother's cheek so he could tilt his head back up in order to meet his gaze.

"No matter what, Al, you're my brother, okay? And that will never change, no matter what, and I'm going to make sure you know that, you won't have to keep hurting alone."

"I'm…I'm not alone." Alfred said softly, smiling slightly and shaking his head. "I've got Gil too."

"You do, don't you?" Matthew said, and he was surprised when Alfred threw his arms around him, squeezing him a bit, in a manner almost childish, but it made Matthew smile when he heard him whisper.

"But you'll always be my brother, Mattie."