"…Matt? Hey, Matt?"

His brother blinks, slowly pulling himself out of whatever thought cycle he had been stuck in. "Wha…" He looks around with the same sluggishness, the nearly dazed expression, before they lock eyes. Matthew's amethyst eyes widen and he sits straighter, muttering, "Oh, sorry, Al, um...W-what were you saying?"

"Well, I was saying that…" Alfred trails off, eyebrows furrowing. He and Matthew had agreed to catch up on some quality bro time a few days back, but now that he's actually at his brother's place… it's obvious that something isn't sitting well with him. Matthew has already spaced out a few different times, and that just isn't normal for him.

Bad day? Sure, they all have bad days. And being a nation is exhausting. But… something is telling him that that isn't it. Maybe he was finally starting to learn how to read the atmosphere after all… Instead of continuing their conversation, he asks, "Tough week?"

Matthew shrugs, his gaze averting to the floor. For a moment, there's a flash of something in his eyes. Annoyance maybe? Frustration?

He's not about to let his brother go off again, but… there's something almost defeated about his expression that catches him off guard. Man, I wish I knew what he was thinking… Softer, he asks, "There anything I can do to help?"

There's another shrug, though Matthew gives a soft huff of amusement as he raises his eyes again. Even silent, his brother can really be sarcastic… Alfred frowns for a moment, trying to think of something he could say that might help, and then… he smiles.

The answer is obvious.

Without a second thought, he says, "You know what? It's Hug Your Brother Day. C'mere." His arms wrap around Matthew's shoulders. There isn't any resistance from his brother, and he pulls him closer. A beat of silence passes between them. Then another... and then Alfred feels his shoulders relax. Matthew returns the embrace, and tightly at that. It's like he expects this to be the last hug he'll ever get.

Alfred wonders silently, just how long has it been since you've had one of these?

They're quiet again as he absentmindedly rubs his brother's back. The comfortable near-silence is better than the strained one before it, though it does allow him to hear the subtle shift in Matthew's breathing. He's obviously had a lot more than a rough week…

After a few moments Matthew tentatively speaks up, despite whatever it is that he's feeling. "Alfred?"

His voice is so small and… it sounds almost scared. It reminds him of when they were younger, and he responds in the most reassuring tone he can muster. "Yeah?" Hopefully his brother knows he's not going to let go just yet.

"…Can it be Hug Your Brother Day every day?"

Alfred can't hold back a small laugh as he tightens his grip just a little, and nods wholeheartedly. "Absolutely."

AN: Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think if you want. I always enjoy reviews. This popped into my head the other day and I'm using it to try and get over writer's block. Plus, Matthew needs more hugs.