A/N: Well, it's been a while... Alright then, let's continue!


Chapter 8

The afternoon was sunny and warm. The natural light felt nice on Matthew's back as he was seated behind Alfred on the motorcycle with his arms wrapped loosely around the other's waist. Alfred took a turn a little too quickly for Matthew's comfort almost making Matthew lose his balance. Alfred had been uncharacteristically quiet which scared the Canadian. "Alfred?" Matthew was met with silence yet again. Once they had arrived at their apartment and were inside the front door, Alfred was in his room before Matthew could ask him anything. He followed. "Tell me what's going on," he demanded as he leaned on the door frame to the other's bedroom.

Alfred paused what he was doing, turned around and regarded the other for a minute or two, then narrowing his blue eyes and shaking his head he turned back around and resumed what he had been previously doing.

This wasn't like Alfred. Usually he'd tell him what was bothering him. What had papa said to make him act in such a way? That had to be it, right?

He slowly approached the blond and sat on the bed covered with the red, white, and blue comforter that Matthew had gotten for him the previous Christmas, because that old DC Comic superhero one had to go. It was very old and tattered. There was a small suitcase on the bed and a red duffel bag at his feet. The honey blond eyed the object on the bed that was already halfway filled with clothes. "W-Where are you going?" he tentatively asked.

Alfred slammed the suitcase shut and faced him. His sky blue eyes seemed darker and full of hurt and betrayal.

"Dad wants me to come to the U.S. for a while. He said everything would be explained when I got there."

"But that's not what's bothering you, is it?"

"Oh, like I should tell you what's bothering me," he muttered darkly.

This really wasn't like Alfred. "What are you going on about?"

"You told him...You told him before me, your own brother!"

Matthew flinched at his twin's volume. "...Al..."

"I heard everything through the door. My conversation with dad wasn't that long. I heard everything you said to that...that Frenchman who talks to himself!" He turned around and walked towards the dresser on the other side of the room, racking a hand through his blond hair in frustration. "When you and Miguel left lunch on Monday, I asked the others who were still there what was going on. Yi, Sakura, Lovino, and Feli said that they had no clue of what was going on. Vash, Miguel, Ludwig aren't saying a word. Roderich definitely isn't saying a thing!" He slammed his hands on the dresser causing some of the items to jostle but not fall over. "Then you go and spill your secrets to that man of all people!"

By this time Matthew was no longer sitting on the bed, he was standing. "It's not my secret to tell!"

He shook his head in disbelief gesturing in the air with one of his hands. "You seemed to have no problem telling him!"

That stopped him in his tracks. He had, hadn't he? Why had he done that? "H-He's easy to talk to..." Matthew defended weakly.

"And I'm not?! You've only met him twice!" He gave a disbelieving laugh. "I know what it is." He turned back around eyeing the Canadian for a few moments. "He must have you wrapped tightly around his finger. Soon enough you'll be giving him sexual favors like you did for your ex."

Matthew gasped in shock as his hands flew up to his mouth. Had his brother just called him...?

No...

NO!

He needed out. He needed to get away from him. He could faintly hear Alfred call for him to stop as he ran out of the room and grabbed the keys. He ran out the house, across the street, and into the garage. He hopped onto the bike, put on his helmet, and turned the key in the ignition.

For what seemed like hours, he drove. He eventually found himself in front of his mother's house. He knew that she was still at work so he went up to the garage door and keyed in the number which opened the garage, pulled the motorcycle in just in case it started to rain, closed the garage door, opened the door to the house, tossed his phone on the coffee table, and collapsed lengthwise onto the sofa, his feet hanging over the edge. While lying on his back he felt wetness running down his face. When had he...?

Something settled on his abdomen which made him prop himself on his elbows to see what it was. What he found was a black, ginger, and white cat named Aja with dark amber eyes. Matthew's mother had found her a few years ago as a kitten on her way to work one day. Aja had been hanging around the hospital where his mother, Evelin Linda Williams, worked.

Aja stood up, leaned forward, and licked the trail of salty wetness on both sides of his face. Matthew managed a weak smile and scratched her behind the ears. Within moments the cat was asleep on his chest. Not long after Matthew followed suit as well.


A buzzing noise woke up the Canadian. He groaned a bit as he reached for the offending noise hitting the coffee table or the wine glass, when the hell had that gotten there, which he almost knocked over, in each failed attempt at getting his phone, meaning that he had to actually sit up and reach for the damn thing, causing Aja to wake, fall into his lap and gaze up at him not amused about being woken up in such a way. He apologized to her and picked up the phone and answered groggily.

"Good, Matthew, you're there!" Thalia's voice was filled with worry. "Are you alright?"

Matthew sighed. At least it was only Thalia not Alfred. "As alright as I'm gonna get. Why, is something going on?"

"I...umm..." There was a short pause then she began again. "Where are you?" He was about to answer when she continued. "You know how I like face to face conversations better than ones over the phone," she finished a little too hastily.

That was true; she was rather fond of talking to people in person, but something felt off, her voice was a tad different as well. "Did Alfred put you up to this?" annoyance clear in his voice. He wasn't annoyed at her, per se, just at Alfred.

"He says that he's sorry!" she uttered frantically.

"Put him on."

"W-What makes you think he's here!" she began to get defensive.

"I know my brother. Put. Him. On," he repeated, pronouncing each syllable with an uncharacteristic stern undertone. There was a shuffling, then silence, then:

"Mattie! You're okay! I'm so glad you're okay! I'm—"

The honey blond didn't let the other finish. "Shut. Up." It surprised Matthew that Alfred actually got quiet, thus he continued. "I'm not in the mood to talk with you," his voice came out calmly or at least a lot calmer than he felt. "I may say something that might upset you, like you did me, if I continue talking." Matthew hung up before Alfred could reply and laid it on the coffee table, eyeing the wine glass. There were a few droplets at the bottom of the glass. This hadn't been there long, meaning that she was home from work.

Aja hopped off he lap when he stood. When he didn't hear the taping of his footsteps he glanced down and found that his shoes were no longer on his feet. He sighed. His mother must've taken them off when she came home. He turned around when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. His mother was now at the foot of the stairs, a towel still wrapped around her head covering her light brown hair. She must have just finished a shower.

She gave a soft smile. "I see you're awake now."

Matthew murmured a quiet hello and followed her to the kitchen where she started cutting up some vegetables for whatever she was to cook for dinner. By this time she had taken off the towel and had laid it across one of the kitchen chairs. Her slightly curled brown hair was moving as she chopped. It had gotten longer since he had last visited her. Maybe she was growing it out again.

"It's nice of you to drop by, but I would've preferred that you called before hand." She glanced behind her to find him leaning gently against the wall. "You will just have to deal with something simple."

"I don't mind."

They were silent for some time. Conversation didn't start again until the food was prepared. They talked of various topics, but nothing of real importance. A few things that were said one made the other laugh. He always liked spending time with his mother. She always made him feel better just with the little things she did. Not once during the whole meal did she ask why he was here, though he knew that she would eventually. She always did.

After the dishes were done, they ended up siting next to each other on the couch.

"What's going on between you and your brother?"

How did she do that? How did she always seem to just know? He was silent for a while. Might as well get it over with. "We had a bit of a fight..." She turned to face him, raising an eyebrow as if asking him to continue. "We...he basically called me a whore."

Her brown eyes widened. "What happened to make him say that?"

"He overreacted," he said, eyes cast down at his phone. He had since put the thing on silent mode so that it wouldn't vibrate or ring. There was a small light blinking on the top of his phone, meaning that he had a message or missed call. No, probably more that one message and or missed call. He really didn't feel like dealing with Alfred for a while. At least Alfred's trip will allow Matthew some space. What perfect timing...

"Has he apologized yet?"

He pulled his eyes from the phone and locked his eyes on his mother. He sighed and cast his eyes to the far wall where the fireplace was. "Not in person." He felt a slender hand squeeze his shoulder gently. He glanced at her again and he was met with a gentle smile.

"Are you staying for the night? I don't have to go in tomorrow..." He gave a small nod. She frowned a little in return. "You know avoiding him will not help the situation."

"Yeah, you're right, but I just don't want to deal with him right now."


A/N: Ah, sorry this seems short. That's because the next one shall be longer.