Just Over NY - [Hetalia] Uncle!2p!Canada x Bratty!Reader

Chapter 13: Allen and Matt's Tragedy

"Mattie, wait up!" Allen called after his older brother, stumbling after him on the pavement. "Don't leave me behind!" 

Matthieu stopped, turning around to face him, giving him a nearly toothless grin. "I won't. I'm right here, idiot!" 

Allen giggled, coming up beside Matt and giving him a little shove. By looking at the pair of boys, you'd never guess they were brothers. Genetically they weren't, Allen having been adopted by Matt's father. Or, at least until Matt's father had mysteriously disappeared from their lives. 

The boys had quickly taken to caring for themselves, managing perfectly well in New York. It wasn't hard to snag a meal here and there, and they even had their own apartment. Well, the place was condemned, but there was a bed and running water still. And for them, that was all they needed as long as they had each other.

"Where you goin' anyways, Matt?" the darker skinned boy asked, eyeing a roaming dog they passed. 

"I'm hungry," was all the blond said in reply, looking around the corner at the small hot dog cart that was usually stationed not far from where they lived. Allen understood, eagerly following his brother as his own stomach growled.

They approached the woman serving passers by, the two of them giving her their biggest puppy-dog eyes. Allen spoke up first. "Wendyyyy? Can we please have some hot dogs?"

The woman turned around, her curly hair bouncing a little. "Oh, it's my favorite boys!" she said with a smile. "Of course, Al. How many would you boys like today?"

They were most certainly lucky to have met someone as generous as Wendy. She had been a friend of their dad's before he left. Thankfully to the boys, she often allowed herself to care for them. But she didn't know how they really lived. 

"Four please," Matthieu continued, pointing to the ketchup. 

"I know, I know, ketchup on all of them," she said with a laugh, giving the boys their two hot dogs. "Now get along, you two. I'm assuming you have big plans for the day as usual."

Allen grinned and giggled, nodding. "Oh yeah! For sure!"

The boys then scampered off together back to hide in the room they'd claimed as their own. As far as a life without a parents went, they had it really good. And most of all, they had each other.

                                                                                            ****

"Look, I can't live like this anymore, Al."

"Yes you can! Dammit, Matt, we've been doing this for years and suddenly you just want to... to leave?!" he said with a huff. "I can't believe you!"

Matt narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Al, you know this is no way to live. We gotta be worth more than this dump with shitty jobs. And finding food we can afford isn't any easier now that you've gone vegan!" he grumbled.

"Hey, I will never eat a hot dog or anything like them again, not after all those years of them," Allen said, shrugging. "Besides, what's that got to do with anything?" 

"All I'm saying is that I've got some dignity. I want something better for myself than this. If you don't feel the same way, then stay. But I'm getting the hell out of here and making something of myself." Matt crossed his arms, his decision not budging. 

Allen just glared at him for a long moment, his eyes slowly narrowing. He bit his lip to keep himself from looking like a baby in front of Matt. "... But... Matt, we can make it! As brothers, right here like we are-"