APH- A Hero in a Bomber Jacket

Chapter 9

Matt was sitting at his desk with a red table lamp on. The light was shining on a notebook, which he was doodling in while humming along with music being played on a small radio he kept in his room. He was feeling pretty good today. Normal weekend, normal drawing, light rain outside, a perfect day to not be interrupted by an annoying brother.

Alfred poked his head into Matt's doorway.

"Maatt..." He said, trying to grab his brothers attention. Matt sighed and turned his head to look at Alfred.

"Alfred please don't ask me for adv-"

"Matt, I need some advice."

Matt facepalmed and glared at his brother.

Alfred grinned, clearly amused by this. "Okay, great. So listen," he started as Matt turned off the desk lamp.

"So, you know Arthur, right? Y'know, green eyes, real skinny, english accent?"

Matt answered, "Alfred, he comes over here, like, every week. Of course I know who Arthur-"

"Yeah, okay, anyways," Alfred cut in again, "So, when I was sick we kind of y'know had this nice little moment. Like, we were fighting, and then he was crying, and then we were hugging, and then he was laughing, and it was like a weird romantic comedy montage like in that one movie um... I forgot what it was called..." Alfred trailed off for a moment. Matt cleared his throat and tapped his watch signaling that Alfred better hurry this the hell up.

"Oh, right." Alfred continued, snapping out of it. "So, he also told me that he... um, swings the other way. And I'm totally cool with that! But like, what if I never talk to him about it and he thinks I'm not okay with it? Or like, if I bring it up at an awkward time, and he'll think that i'm hitting on him or something like that? I don't want him to think i'm falling for him or whatever." Alfred said, barely focusing on Matt at all.

Matt answered Alfred, looking uninterested. "Well, are you?"

Alfred blinked at him. "Am I what?"

"Falling for him. Arthur."

Alfred could feel his face heat up.

"Wha- N-no. Pfft, stupid, of course not! I don't think so anyways... " Alfred answered, remembering that moment at Gil's party. He certainly wasn't about to tell Matt about that

Matt rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that sounds like a real solid no."

Alfred glared at Matt, annoyed. "Matt, I'm not gay."

Matt turned the desk lamp back on and continued drawing.

"I never said you were." He answered matter-of-factly.

Alfred just gave him a weird confused look. Matt rolled his eyes at him and explained.

"Alfred, you don't have to be gay or straight. There's like, a billion sexualities in between that nobody's even heard of."

Alfred stood silently in the doorway, it looked like he was actually giving this some thought. His thoughts were interrupted by Matt who quickly added,

"Oh, and it's 2015 and we're living in America. Nobody cares. You could identify as a helicopter and nobody would give a damn." He said, giving his brother a genuine smile before watching him run out the door.

Matt could hear Alfred calling to their mom and slamming the front door. Their mother quickly walked up the steps. Her short blonde bob bouncing as she stood in the doorframe of Matt's room.

"What's Alfred going on about? He looks excited." She asked, curious.

Matt smiled at her.

"He's just figuring stuff out, I guess."