Hi everyone!

What you're seeing in front of you is my very first venture into the Phineas and Ferb fandom…and the first fan fic I've finished in nearly three years. You'll have to forgive me if this story doesn't flow as well as it should – I struggled a lot when writing it. Seriously. You don't want to know how long this tiny little ficlet has taken me. XD

Enough babbling – I hope you all enjoy! :)

-Cherry

All that Matters

Whenever people met Phineas and Ferb for the first time, they often commented on the very same thing – how amazingly well Phineas understood Ferb. Despite the latter's silence and constant stoic expression, Phineas constantly appeared to be on the same page. It didn't matter what they were doing, or how few words Ferb uttered, Phineas always knew what his brother wanted or needed at any given time.

What people seemed to fail to realize was that it went both ways.

Admittedly, it was a skill Ferb scarcely needed to use since, nine times out of ten, Phineas was as easy to read as an open book. He was talkative, open and honest to a fault – lying just didn't come naturally to him. And yet…

There were times when Phineas would attempt to hide his feelings. Times like when something troubled him. He would cover it with a smile, hiding his discomfort to the world until he knew what to do about it. It was a tactic that worked well – no one really seemed to know when he was bothered by something until the matter was solved.

That was, no one except Ferb.

He always knew.

For all intents and purposes, it had been a normal afternoon, followed by a normal evening and a normal dinner. There had been nothing in Phineas' manner throughout the evening that would have suggested otherwise. But in spite of that, Ferb knew without a single shadow of doubt that it had been anything but normal. There had been something on Phineas' mind – something which had bothered him a great deal and which he could not stop thinking about.

And that was also why he knew with equal certainty, even as they crawled into their beds, that neither of them was planning on falling asleep.

He flicked off the light in a swift movement, plunging the room into complete darkness. For a moment, he simply stared off out into the complete darkness, listening to their slow breaths echoing in the silence of the room, as he waited for his brother to speak. Then there was a rustle, the faint sound of sheets being pushed aside, and he took the opportunity to sneak a glance towards Phineas' bed. While it was far too dark for him to distinguish any type of details, he could still make out the faint outline of the red-headed boy as he moved to sit.

When Phineas finally spoke, the words were barely a whisper; so soft Ferb almost for a moment believed he'd imagined them. "Does it…does it bother you?"

He blinked, a frown starting to crease his brow as he waited for Phineas to continue.

"Yeah. I mean…" Phineas began, leaning his head against the wall with a sigh, "when people don't acknowledge you."

"I must admit I've never thought of it that way," he replied, the words slow and deliberate as he tilted his head to the right.

"But today! When Isabella-"

"Oh, yes. Isabella," he began, allowing amusement to creep into his voice as he continued. "Her partiality to you is clear. She has been that way ever since we met her."

"Yeah, but she shouldn't be!" Phineas said, the words tumbling out of him in such speed it was as if a dam had burst inside of him. "She – if anyone! – should know how much work you do on our projects! And she's not the only one. Everyone's constantly thanking me when we do everything together. It's not fair to you! Despite everything I've-" Phineas froze, whatever words he had been about to utter died on his lips as he clenched his jaw shut with such a force Ferb could have sworn he could hear the other boy's teeth creak under the strain.

Ferb frowned. Even with Phineas' hasty stop, it didn't take much imagination to figure out what he'd been about to say. 'Despite everything I've done to make them understand!' Ferb's brain supplied an instant later. The words rang in his ears as the memories of their various projects flashed through in his mind, his brain unconsciously seeking after something which he knew had to be there. A something of importance, but of such tiny magnificence that it had been overlooked as it occurred.

Then, in the mist of all the recollections of projects, a small fleeting memory resurfaced.

And in that instance, he knew.

"Why are they called 'the F-Games'?"

"'F' for 'Ferb'!"

Ferb exhaled, releasing a breath he didn't even know he was holding. "You've been naming them after me," he whispered.

Phineas nodded. "Yeah. I thought…I thought it might make them notice."

"You didn't have to."

"No," was the hoarse reply. "I know. But I wanted to."

"And that's exactly why it has not bothered me yet." He could feel a small smile pass over his lips as he spoke, and yet he was completely powerless to stop it. The giddy sensation of gratitude towards his brother that was bubbling up inside of him made any attempt to oppress the smile impossible. He could only be grateful for the darkness hiding his uncharacteristic moment of emotion. "You haven't given me a reason to feel bothered by it. You do not take credit for the work I do – in fact, you are the first person to mention what work is mine."

"But-"

"I don't mind working in the background. If I had, I would certainly let you know, but I am quite happy as it is. I do not care what the others think – the public is fickle, as we're both well aware. As such, they will choose to think what pleases them. You've tried to change their perception, but you can only lead a horse to water – you cannot force it to drink. The fact that you're not basking in the light of the praise you receive is good enough for me."

"I'd never do that!" Phineas protested.

"No, but a lesser man...or boy in this case, would. You give me credit when credit is due. That's all that matters in the end." Ferb paused, letting the words sink in before continuing, his voice lighter. "And in any case, I think you might be missing the important part – as far as I know, neither of us is doing this for the recognition. We do it for fun."

"And for the ladies?"

"And for the ladies," he agreed, letting out a soft growl.

Phineas let out a short laugh before sobering up again. "But you'll let me know, right? If…if you think I'm not doing it right. If you don't agree with something."

Ferb held out a quick thumbs-up as he laid his head back on his pillow. "The very same moment."

Phineas nodded, climbing underneath his blankets once again. "Promise?"

"I will even make it a pinky-swear, if it'll make you stop worrying," he deadpanned.

Phineas laughed again. "You're the best-" he began, the words interrupted by a sudden yawn. "You're the best brother one could ever ask for…" he mumbled, trailing off as sleep claimed him.

Another smile snuck its way to Ferb's face, as he listened to his brother's steady breathing. "No. I don't agree with you," he whispered finally. "You are the best brother one could ever ask for."

Fin