AN: Okay, so this story takes place 10 years later. So, like, 10 years after where we left off in the last chapter.

Brotherly love at the end~ :)

Anyways, last chapter!

It was late afternoon and Matthew stood in front of his former house in Britain. He gripped his suitcase while a backpack was slung on one of his shoulders. Mr. Kumajiro sat next to Matthew's leg, waiting for his owner to do something. Matthew was wondering whether he should knock or just use his old key to open the door.

It's been a while since he's been to England. Not since he left his father, Arthur, to go to school in Canada. He hasn't seen Alfred, his brother, in a while either.
Over the years, living with Arthur, Matthew and Alfred grew very distant. Relatives would mistake Matthew for Alfred countless times and Alfred's enemies and rivals would go after Matthew. After all that, it's no surprise that Matthew has a nasty grudge against his brother. Even after Alfred had moved out of the house before him to live in America.

Matthew sighed. He finally decided to just knock. Even though it was his house and he had a key, he didn't live here anymore, so it would be rude. He reached out to knock the door only to have it opened before his fist could move. Standing before him, was a face he barely recognized. Blond, a curl, blue eyes. It was his brother alright. Alfred. With the addition of glasses. And a burger in his mouth.

Alfred took the burger out of his mouth to chew.

"So, uh...Who're you? I mean, you've been standing out here for a while now." Alfred said, with his mouth full of his burger.

Matthew's eye twitched. Leave it to Alfred to forget his own twin brother.

"You tryin' to wink? Dude, that ain't gonna work. I'm not gay." Alfred said casually, taking a bite into his burger.

Anger bubbled in Matthew. He let go of his suitcase, lunged forward, and punched his brother in the stomach. Alfred fell to the floor, his burger flew outside and nestled in a nearby bush. Mr. Kumajiro reached up and sniffed it.

"I'm MATTHEW! Matthew! Matthew, dammit! And I'm not-GAHH! Maplehockey!" Matthew yelled.

Alfred lay dumbfounded on the floor, staring at the angry blond in front of him. His eyes widened at the other's words. Alfred leaped up and grabbed Matthew by his shoulders.

"Wh-whoa! Mattie? Is it really you? Dude! You're as tall as me now! A-and you have glasses too!" Alfred said, a big smile on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, it's me." Matthew grumbled.

"Well, watcha standing outside for? Step inside our old man's house!" Alfred gestured for Matthew to come in. Matthew stepped in the house, dragging his suitcase.

"Come on, Mr. Kumataro." Over the years, Matthew had never gotten out of the habit of calling his bear by a different name. Although now, he adds a "Mr." in front of each name he uses. Mr. Kumajiro padded inside the house and immediately found a good place to sleep. He laid his head down on his paws and fell asleep. Alfred closed the front door.

Matthew looked around the house as he left his suitcase under the coat rack.

"Not much changed, eh?"

Alfred's eyes widened.

"Dude! You sound like a Canadian now!"

"And you sound American."

"Of course I do, bro!"

"So, what are you doing here?"

"Same reason as you, bro. Visiting my old man."

"Speaking of our 'old man', where is he anyways?"

"Probably out shopping to make 'dinner'." Alfred made air quotes with his fingers when he said "dinner". Matthew snorted and looked at his brother.

"So you let yourself in?" Matthew asked.

"Pfffft, so totally bro! With my old key here!" Alfred dangled a key identical to Matthew's on his finger.

"I see." Matthew said, dropping the backpack he was carrying down next to a couch. He slumped down in it, and Alfred did the same.

An awkward silence ensued. Alfred was the one to break it.

"So, uh... Wanna play video games?" Alfred asked.

Matthew snorted. "No. I can't and I don't want to play video games." He crossed his arms.

"Well then why don't we finish playing our game of hide-and-seek from 10 years ago?" Alfred mumbled. Matthew whipped his head around to look at Alfred.

"What?" Matthew asked, wanting to confirm what he thought he had just heard. Alfred laughed awkwardly, bringing his hand to the back of his head.

"Nothing, bro! I was just mumbling to myself!"

Matthew looked at the floor.

"So you still remember."

Alfred brought his hand down and looked sadly at his brother.

"Yeah..."

Silence.

Alfred suddenly stood up and clapped his hands together.

"Well, let's finish it now!" he yelled enthusiastically. He went over to Matthew with a big smile on his face. He looped his arm into his brother's and yelled,

"Let's go, Matt!"

Alfred dragged Matthew outside and slammed the door shut. He dragged Matthew all the way to the old woods where they used to play in, ignoring his brother's protests. Alfred let go of his brother's arm and spun around.

"Perfect place, huh?" Alfred grinned. Matthew looked at his brother and shrugged.

"I suppose." he replied.

"Okay bro, imma start counting and you go run and hide, kay?" Alfred said, his little curl bobbing.

Matthew stood there, not sure of what to say. He was at war with himself. Should he just go along and play? Or should he yell in his brother's face and stomp on back to the house?

Matthew sighed and turned around. Alfred had already started counting slowly. Matthew took one look at his brother who had his face buried in his arms as he leaned against a tree, counting. Taking a deep breath, Matthew ran to that place, the place where he hid years ago.

He felt a bit nostalgic running through the woods. He was shocked to find a playground that wasn't there before, in the middle of the place where Alfred and him used to play. It gave the place a more modern look, with the addition of street lamps lighting a small, forest path. He began to think that his old hiding place was gone, replaced by this playground, when he saw the familiar clump of bushes next to a plastic slide.

He was feeling a lot more nostalgic as he approached the bushes. As he pushed through and sat behind them, he realized how small the place had gotten. Or rather, how big he had gotten. Mattie hugged his knees and waited.

Alfred was just about to finish counting.

"8...9...10! Ready or not, bro, here I come!" Alred yelled.

He looked around. At this moment, there was only one thing on his mind: to find Matthew. He did not want the same thing that happened years ago, happen again. He and Matthew would finish the game. He would make sure of that.

As the sky darkened and the stars were slowly revealing themselves, Matthew felt panicked. Not long after, he began to cry.

He wasn't crying because he wasn't able to go home in the dark. He was 19, he could walk home by himself. No, he was crying because he was scared of his old fear. The fear of being abandoned. Left alone. Forgotten. The fear of being left alone in the woods by his family. As stupid as that old fear might be, Matthew was still scared. He cried quietly as the street lamps slowly turned on, one by one.

Matthew heard footsteps through his sobbing. He plunged his head into his arms and continue to tremble, tears sliding down his face.

"Mattie? You okay?"

Matthew didn't reply. He kept sniffling until he felt someone's hand on his shoulder.

"Matt, why are you crying? I'm here bro." Alfred said softly.

Matthew peered over his arms to see his brother, worry etched on Alfred's face. He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as uncontrollable sobs threaten to be unleashed.

Alfred, his eyes soft, knelt down and opened his arms to his brother. Matthew whimpered and lunged into Alfred, burying his face into his brother's chest. He wrapped his arms around Alfred and let those uncontrollable sobs go.

Alfred wrapped his arms around Matthew as well, stroking Matthew's hair that was identical in color to his. Matthew sniffed and Alfred could feel his shirt getting wet, but it didn't matter. His brother was crying and Alfred felt a twinge of guilt.

Matthew sniffed again and said,

"I-Im sorry a-about y-your shirt, A-Alfred." between sobs.

"Mattie, it's no biggie. Now, are you going to tell me why you're crying?" Alfred asked, pulling away a bit so that Matthew was looking at him. Alfred rested his hand on top of Matthew's head.

Matthew's lip quivered. Alfred was afraid that he'd start crying again.

"Look, Mattie. It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I was just aski-"

"I'm scared."

There was a pause.

"Alfred, I'm scared. I-I'm scared tha-that what happened when we we-were kids will happen a-again. You know, wh-when I was left behind h-here." Matthew sniffed, "I-I know it's a stupid fear," Matthew chuckled sadly, "But it's how I feel. I-I'm sorry I'm crying over nothi-"

Alfred hugged his brother, silencing him, and buried his head in Mattie's shoulder.

"Mattie, Mattie, Mattie. It's not nothing. What I did back then was wrong. I should have pulled away from Dad and made him help me look for you. But instead, I walked away. I forgot to find my favorite twin brother." Alfred mumbled in Matthew's shoulder.

"Al, I'm your only twin brother," Matthew chuckled softly, hugging his brother back. "And you've found me now."

"It's my turn to apologize, Mattie. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Alfred pulled back to see Matthew's face and asked, "Will you ever forgive me?"

Matthew smiled and wiped away his remaining tears. True, he had a nasty grudge against his brother (that no one cared about), but Alfred was his brother all the same. No matter what.

"Sure. Why not?"

Alfred's eyes sparkled as a huge grin broke out on his face. He picked Matthew up bridal-style and started swinging him around, laughing.

"Yay! I found my bro and he forgave me! Now I'm truly the hero!" Alfred yelled.

"GAHH! AL, PUT ME DOWN." Matthew protested.

"No~"

"Oh for Maple's sake-" Mattie reached up and gave Alfred a hard, long noogie.

"Ow!" Alfred exclaimed, letting go of Matthew to rub his head, "Dude, that freakin hurt!"

Matthew tumbled to the ground with a thud and stood up, dizzy. He brushed the dirt off of his sweater.

"Aaaw... Why'd you do that, Mattie?" Alfred whined, still rubbing his head.

Matthew stepped towards him and planted a kiss on the spot where he noogied his brother. He started walking away but stopped and turned around.

"Because I love you." Matthew said matter-of-factly while shrugging his shoulders.

Alfred was dumbfounded. But he then grinned and walked over to his brother. He tousled Matthew's hair and said,

"Aw, I love you too bro!"

"Just one question for ya, bro."

"What?"

"Are you really gay?"

The next day Alfred was nursing a broken nose.

...leaving Arthur to wonder what had happened between the two brothers the day before.

-END-

Thank you for reading! :)