Mathew's getting a sinking feeling that things are taking a turn for the worse, not better. The argument he and Alfred get into when Mathew vehemently opposes Alfred's decision is a good warning sign.

"You can't! He's..." Mathew founders. "He's not okay, Al! If you upset him-"

"Seriously?" Alfred flares defensively. "So I'm the problem? What, you think I'm going to make him worse?"

That's not exactly what Mathew thinks, but it is what he fears. Alfred's never been the most... tactful..of people, and most of his recent conversations with Arthur had ended in yelling.

"I'm not saying that!" Mathew protests, "But if he's already this bad because of the last time you fought - you know how he gets - then I'm just worried... He might get worse."

There it is, the big dark thing Mathew's been trying to keep hidden, his biggest fear. And Alfred, like the brother he is, doesn't even notice.

"The last time I fought? So it's my fault that Arthur is a complete dictator? "

"That's not what -"

"And do you think I'm just going to go in there and what? Lose my shit at him?"

Not in so many words, but yes, kinda. Mathew's never been the best at hiding his emotions, and it's clear Alfred reads it on his face. His brother bristles even more.

"Seriously? I'm trying to help you, Matt, and if you can't even see that, maybe I should just go."

At some point, Alfred has lept to his feet, and stands like he's about to storm out, and Mthew can't think of a way to diffuse the situation-

"Could you guys cool it?" Carlos suddenly interrupts in a hiss. "People are looking!"

Ans Mathew is suddenly aware that they are currently in a very public space, and that the employees are shooting them looks like they're just about to ask them to leave. Mathew shrivels, and Alfred turns to bristle at Carlos too, which Mathew knows won't be pretty. He's actually surprised Alfred's tolerated Carlos this long without a fight, considering their history. But before Alfred can upset Mathew's best friend (and get them kicked out of the establishment) Carlos shuts him down.

"Why are you arguing with him? He's high. And you yelling is kinda proving his point."

Alfred's mouth snaps back shut, and the viens in his jaw works like it physical hurts to have to listen to Carlos. Carlos raises an eyebrow.

"For God's sake, Sit down already!"

Alfred twitches, like he's considering remaining standing solely to spite Carlos, and Mathew reaches for him, catching his forearm, and tries to tug him down.

"Al, please!"

Alfred sits like he'd much rather be flipping a table, but he sits. Carlos makes a derisive sound that nearly has Alfred on his feet again.

"So are you going to talk like normal people or are you going to throw a fit and storm off again?"

Which is the perfect thing to say to make sure Alfred doesn't storm off again, if only out of spite. Mathew's never been more grateful to his friend. He makes a mental note that he owes Carlos like 30 lunches. Crisis adverted, Mathew relaxes. His stomach is grumbling again, despite his voraciously snacking earlier, and he eyes his demolished donut. Crumbs or not it's still a donut. He reaches for a handful of crumbs and rather messily devours what had once been a donut. Alfred eyes him, and the tension leaks out of him, and he groans like he's acknowledging something he doesn't want to.

"Right." He says, and because Alfred can't just let things go, "Later, after we sort out Arthur, we're gonna have to have a talk about the drugs."

Mathew cringes. Oh that is not going to go well. He peeks at Carlos who is doing a great job of naturally avoiding eye contact. Great. Well, at least Alfred has calmed down a bit. Mathew tries to reframe his earlier protest in a way that won't piss Alfred off.

"I didn't mean that you were going to purposefully upset him. It's just Arthur, and he's already so upset, and anything can set him off - you know that - and besides, he's passed out drunk so you can't talk to him even if you want to."

Alfred seems to accept the proffered olive branch, and settles back into the booth less like it had offended him and more naturally.

"Yeah. I get it. It's just," Alfred doesn't apologize either. "you're not... You didn't tell me, and he's got you all fucked up, and then you were all-" Alfred tries to reform his sentence into something more coherent.

"I'm not gonna yell at him, I just don't want you to be so...like this, and you didn't even tell me, he did."

Mathew doesn't know what to respond to that.

"I wasn't... I thought I was being stupid, a bit." Mathew admits. "It's not like I wouldn't ask you for help, I just.. Thought maybe it was just me, I guess."

Not strictly true, but Mathew would rather tell a few white lies than go for round two of The Great Shouting Match. And he really doesn't want to get kicked out of Tim Horton's. Alfred seems to settle at his words, back to his usual brother.

"Okay." He takes a calming deep breath. "Listen, Mattie, I really do gotta talk to Arthur, or else we can't fix anything. I promise I won't yell, even when he's a jerk, but you gotta give me a chance, kay?"

Alfred makes it sound like he's asking for something really simple, but it doesn't feel that simple to Mathew. It isn't that he thinks Alfred is lying, but its easy to lose yourself in the heat of the moment, and Alfred has always been hot-tempered. But...

"Okay."

The word sounds as shaky as his breath when he says it, and Mathew tries to calm himself down. It's just Alfred, just Arthur. Just a talk. He tries to even his breath as he inhales, but it still comes shakily. He gets a sudden urge to smoke another joint, and his fingers twitch to reach for one before he remembers who's sitting next to him. Someone reaches and grabs his hand, less in a sweet way, and more in a pinning-the-arm-down-by-the-wrist kind of way.

"Matt, calm down."

He startles out of his thoughts and suddenly reality cuts in way too clearly, and Carlos is pinning his down like he's worried Mathew might hurt himself if he doesn't, and his eyes are concerned and worried. Mathew takes another shaky breath.

"You're just coming down, chill." Ah, right, he'd forgotten the crash could bring a sense of anxiety when it comes, but Mathew isn't sure that only the cannabis is to blame for his nerves. Carlos gives his wrist a slight tug, and bewildered, Mathew makes eye speaks slow and clear, with conviction. "It's going to be alright, Matt. Alfred's got this."

Bold words from someone who knows Alfred personally, especially when the part he's best acquainted with is Alfred's fists. But Carlos is also the type with a short fuse, so maybe as a fellow short-tempered person, he can sense something in Alfred that Mathew can't. Mathew takes another deep breath in, but it's steadier this time. It's true that Carlos isn't always the most level-headed person, but he's reliable in a way no one else has been recently, and he's never once fallen through when Mathew needs someone to talk to, and he's not the type of person who would lie to make someone feel better.

"Right. Thanks."

It's not just Alfred, it's his twin, his other half, and his only older brother. Alfred might fight with Dad a lot, but he won't do something he knows will upset Mathew. A sudden montage of times Alfred had in fact, done that exact thing, plays in his mind, and he corrects his thoughts. Alfred won't do something that he knows will seriously upset Mathew. Probably. He looks sheepishly at his twin. Alfred has an expression like he really would like to be punching something or breaking something right now, which isn't encouraging. No, he should trust his brother.

He looks at Alfred from the corner of his eyes.

"But it really does need to wait...I wasn't making it up when I said he was passed out drunk right now."

Alfred sighs, like this is majorly inconveniencing him.

"Fine. Tomorrow then."

Mathew kinda wishes tomorrow will never come.