Superhero

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero.

-Marc Brown

Everyone knew Alfred. It was impossible not to – the boy went out of his way to talk to people he didn't know, helping strangers out because it was his duty as a 'hero' to do so. Everywhere and anywhere people revelled in his presence, wanting to talk to him and let him acknowledge them. Everyone and anyone was his friend and wherever he went he had a following of at least ten people, all of them wanting to catch just a small strand of the popularity Alfred had.

Everyone forgot Matthew. It was impossible not to – the boy was soft spoken and preferred to stay away from the action, walking past problems to let someone else solve them. Everywhere and anywhere he went people ignored his presence, never seeing him, never aware that he was even in the same room. Nobody was his friend; the Cuban exchange student went back to Cuba after his time was up and the Dutch student graduated the year before. If Alfred was a King of their high school kingdom, than Matthew was the lowliest peasant.

Matthew often wondered what it would be like being Alfred, being the superhero that everyone knew and loved. Being in the spotlight, people always watching, always waiting to see you succeed…or see you fall. He couldn't see himself in that position; he'd go insane from all the attention – though it was the very thing he craved everyday, ironically enough. Alfred thrived on all the attention though, and if Matthew didn't know better, he'd say that it was what gave Alfred all that abnormal amounts of energy, what made him able to do the unthinkable to help someone out.

Some would think that being Alfred's twin brother was tough, and Matthew would agree. Being the shadow to the brightest being in the entire school wasn't always the best thing, and many a time Matthew found himself being pursued by people who were mad at his brother and wanted revenge, under the impression they were dealing with Alfred himself and not his loner brother.

Other times, though, being Alfred's human shadow was rewarding. Who wouldn't love being able to do whatever they could ever want without every getting caught? Many people wish for a day of invisibility so they could do the unimaginable without any repercussions. Matthew never wished for a day; he had an entire life. And if, God forbid, he was ever caught doing something bad, his looks would come in handy. Alfred was a favourite amongst the faculty and whenever Matthew got caught, they automatically assumed it was him, letting him off with a laugh and a shake of the head, murmuring about 'boys these days'.

And that was the very situation Matthew came home from, rolling his eyes at how his homeroom teacher failed to notice the difference between the diligent, hardworking student in his class that sat in front of his desk every morning and Alfred.

He kicked his shoes off and walked into the kitchen, wincing as the cool kitchen tile hit the skin that was unprotected in the places where his socks had holes in. The home phone flashed at him with a bright light, indicating unheard messages – all of them for Alfred, no doubt. Matthew ignored the phone and opened the cupboards, grabbing a box of maple cookies and grabbing a handful of them. Shutting the cupboard with the other hand Matthew walked out of the kitchen.

The house was silent. But Matthew didn't really mind it much. The silence was welcoming after six hours of being in a cramped room full of smelly, loud teenagers. Matthew relished the silence, enveloped himself in it. It was yet another thing Matthew had that was different from his brother. Alfred couldn't stand silences – they made him feel uncomfortable, like he had to do something to lift it.

Ignoring the remote to calmly eat the slightly crumbled cookies in his hand, Matthew was content to eat in silence, his feet tucked underneath him cross-legged. Sunlight poured into the room from a nearby window and Matthew watched the large apple tree that Alfred and he used to climb when they were children move with the wind.

As Matthew ate the cookie, the front door opened. Matthew didn't even blink as it was slammed shut and the sounds of feet stomping into the hallway broke the silence.

"Mattie?" a loud voice called out. Alfred. Of course it was Alfred – who else could it be? Alfred was the only person who knew of his existence.

"In the living room," Matthew replied, his voice nowhere near as close to the loudness of his brother's. He continued to watch out the window as Alfred came walking into the living room.

"What are you doing?" Alfred asked, blunt as ever.

"Nothing," Matthew replied rather serenely. He knew how this was going to play out. Alfred would make a stupid remark about Matthew doing nothing, and then shove him to the side to flick on the TV and watch Football or some trashy reality show he was currently hooked on. He would turn the volume up to an insufferable height and Matthew would retreat to his room to escape the noise. It's what happened every single day.

Today, however, was different.

Alfred sat on the couch beside Matthew, staring out into the distance; his hands nowhere near the remote. Matthew, wondering if this was some bizarre trick his brother was pulling on him, continued to look out the window.

"Do you ever wonder what's out there?" Alfred asked finally, breaking the silence. One hundred and eighty seconds. Matthew had been counting the seconds; it wasn't normal for Alfred to be silent.

"Depends on what you mean," Matthew replied, watching as a little bird flew into the tree he was staring at and disappeared behind the leaves.

"I mean, out of this town. A different country. Outer space. Away from all these people," Alfred replied, resting his elbow on the couch arm, his head in his hand.

Matthew didn't answer.

"Haven't you ever wanted to fly away?" Alfred asked. "Away from everything you know?"

"Like a superhero?" Matthew asked drily.

Alfred didn't answer.

"Maybe I'd go to the country," Alfred finally said. "There are less people there, right, Mattie?" he asked.

"Probably," Matthew replied.

"Then I'd go there," Alfred decided. He sighed, sitting upright to lean against the couch. "I'd take you along though," he added, glancing over at Matthew quickly. "I'd never forget you."

"What's this about?" Matthew asked finally. Alfred wasn't acting like himself.

"The attention annoys me sometimes," Alfred replied quietly. He laughed, flashing a grin at Matthew. "I wish I was you," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It must be awesome having no one judge you…notice every single imperfection about you."

"It's not that great," Matthew replied, surprised at Alfred's answer. He thought Alfred lived for the attention, wouldn't survive without it. "It's lonely sometimes, having no one notice you."

Alfred blinked. "I always noticed you," he replied, looking surprised.

Matthew laughed drily. "Then you're the only one. Any time I'm ever noticed is when people mistake me for you. Other times…it's like I'm invisible."

"I'd love to be invisible some time," Alfred mused to himself thoughtfully.

"Trust me, you wouldn't," Matthew replied. "You get lonely really fast," he added, a little quieter than before.

There was another silence.

"But at least I'd have you, right?" Alfred asked quietly. Matthew smiled slightly.

"Yeah," he replied.

There was another silence.

"Sometimes I wonder if all those people actually like me," Alfred remarked and Matthew stared at him.

"What do you mean? Everyone loves you," Matthew said and Alfred let out a dry laugh.

"But do they really? Or do they just want to be popular? Do they actually like me or do they want me to help them out with something? I feel like I'm being used," Alfred replied. Matthew blinked at the bitterness in Alfred's voice. What happened to always cheerful Alfred? Matthew was supposed to be the quiet sullen one – not Alfred.

"W-what happened, Al?" Matthew asked hesitantly, actually turning to stare at his brother. Alfred shrugged.

"Nothing," he muttered. Matthew frowned.

"Something must've happened for you to be like this," he said. "So tell me."

Alfred sighed. "I heard some people who I thought were my friends talkin' shit about me behind my back," he said finally, staring at his friends. "I thought they were my friends." And there it was, Alfred's one fatal flaw: he trusted people too much. Matthew felt a flash of pity for his brother.

"Don't listen to them, they're idiots – they don't know what they're talking about," Matthew replied.

"They made some sense, though," Alfred said.

"They were just making up stuff because they're jealous of you," Matthew replied, feeling a flicker of annoyance at how Alfred was willing to accept these insults. "They wish they could even be close to how awesome you are and since they never can, they make it seem like they're so big by insulting you," Matthew added.

Alfred smiled slightly. "You really think so?" he asked hopefully.

And that's why despite the invisibility, despite being in his shadow, despite being mistaken for him and despite the fact he had more friends than Matthew ever will, why Matthew never regretted being Alfred's brother. Because at the end of the day, when Alfred and Matthew were no longer in the confines of their school, Alfred needed Matthew as a friend and as a brother and Matthew was more than happy to oblige. Because they were brothers, and that's what you do.

Matthew grinned. "Of course I do – why else would I say it?" he asked, watching as Alfred's little smile turned into a grin.

"Thanks man – I knew I could count on you," Alfred said.

"That'll be five dollars," Matthew teased and the two boys laughed. "Now let's go play something – I don't feel like watching TV," Matthew suggested, standing up.

"Football?" Alfred asked hopefully. Matthew laughed at him.

"Hockey," Matthew replied and grinned when Alfred pouted.

"You're an ass," Alfred said as they got up to walk to the backyard.

"But I'm your brother, aren't I?" Matthew teased. Alfred grinned.

"Yeah, you are," Alfred said.

Nope, Matthew didn't mind at all being Alfred's brother.

Not at all.

The End.

A/N: This story sucks, I'm sorry. This is what happens when you have Writer's Block for a long period of time.

Written for cattiechaos on livejournal.

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