Matthew had always silently been Alfred's hero. He had always supported and protected his brother from the shadows, unseen and unacknowledged.

A slam and a crunch accompanied by a gasp as pain exploded along his spine.

He didn't mind though that Alfred, and the rest of the world, overlooked what he did, crediting others with what he had done.

The sickening sound of something slicing through wet flesh and a whimper of pain.

Really he didn't because it allowed him to better protect those he cared for.

"Look at the hero now." A muffled cry before a wet splattering sound.

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It was attendance day at a world meeting, this time the meeting was in New York. Alfred was rushing around looking for his brother, Matthew. The two had made plans to meet up before the meeting so Matthew could look over Alfred's presentation on global warming. The problem was his brother hadn't shown up. This caused the younger brother to grow increasingly worried. Matthew was never late for an appointment.

"Hey Gilbert!" Alfred flagged down the albino, one of his brother's friends. "Have you seen Mattie today?"

"Mattie? Naw, haven't seen him yet. Why?"

Alfred worries his bottom lip before answering. "He was supposed to meet with me before the meeting but he never showed."

"That's not like him at all. Wonder what could have happened to him?"

The two share a glance before hurrying off to the meeting room to check in with Ludwig before leaving to head for the Canadian's house.

Matthew's house was near the border with the United States. He had once told Alfred it was to make it easier for him to get to meetings since most were held at the UN building in New York. Alfred always joked with him that it was so he'd be closer to the 'hero'.

When the pair reached Matthew's house they saw a red pick up in the driveway that usually signified Matthew was home. Making their way to the door they knock before entering.

"Mattie? Hey bro, you here?"

"Yo, Birdie, the awesome me came to check on you?"

They were greeted by silence upon entering but once they turned into the living room both gasp in horror at the site. Blood. It was everywhere. Splattered on the walls, the floor, the furniture. It trailed out and into the kitchen and the two followed it there. In the kitchen, the wall shared with the hallway had been painted an off white with yellow tones to it. Matthew had always left it more or less bare as the kitchen table sat next to it. When the two entered to follow the trail in they saw that wall covered in bloody letters.

'Where is your hero now?'

Reading this Alfred clenched his fist tightly.

"Who could have done something like this? Why would they go after Mattie?"

Gilbert glanced around, disturbed by the carnage and hoping for some kind of clue to who had done this when he spotted a picture laying on the floor next to the wall with the message.

"Shit, I should have been here. They were taunting him, asking him where his hero was as they..."

Gilbert picks up the picture and interrupts Alfred's ranting about how he was the hero and should have been here.

"Al, why would they write that for Birdie to read? He would have been 'dead' before they wrote it given how much blood there is. Besides, look at this."

Gilbert holds out the picture he had picked up so Alfred could get a look at it. It was a picture of the two brothers. They had their arms around one another and were smiling. However over Matthew in the picture was a bloody smear drawing on a cape and hero symbol.

"I think, that question is for you."

"Wha what? I don't get it, Mattie..." Alfred grew silent in thought as he thought about how often Matthew came to his rescue. Silently aiding him and helping him look good in the world's eyes. It finally dawned on him that he never really saved anyone, it had always been Matthew in some subtle way. How could he have not noticed that?

"We should get back and inform the others about what happened. We'll need to send out searches for him and contact local police."

Alfred feels his rage building once again as he clutches the picture hard enough to crack the glass. "Oh, I think I already know who is responsible for this."

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Hey guys, what's up? So anyway, fun Idea I had for a little story, let me know what you think and more may be on the way.