Day 1
"This is sooo goood!" Alfred moaned as he stuffed pieces of pancakes in his mouth. Who knew that he has a thing for Pancakes, I thought the only thing he liked are burgers and other American cuisine. I poured the batter on the pan and swirled it around, The sweet aroma spreading across the room as the happy child and bear began eating on their breakfast.
"Can I have some more?!" Alfred tip toes down his chair and ran to me tugging on the hem of my shirt, I chuckled as I carried him with one arm and use the other one to flip the pancakes using my spatula. He looked at it in awe and somehow getting hungry all over again, He had five stacks already and I haven't even started!
Once I finished, I brought over the request of Alfred and Kuma. I began eating my breakfast while Alfred had a hard time squirting some maple syrup onto his pancakes. Who knew kids could be so fun? I chuckled at his pouted expression, squinting harder until he handed me the maple syrup and I poured it for him, His optimistic smile returning.
I have to take care of him until he grows huh?
I sighed thinking it's for the best I just let him be until he can come back to his old self. I see him now as a child at first, not to mention my brother as well, But when he grows up, we'll see ourselves as strangers again.
"Big brother Mattie, aren't you gonna eat your breakfast?" He asked between munching pancakes and slurping on his orange juice "you know it's bad to skip meals!" I chuckled, his words bringing me back to my childhood when I said that to him. He gives me the meals instead cause we were low on rations before, I worry too much about him and all he does is save me like a hero would. I'm still thankful for all the things he did just to sacrifice himself for me, now it's my turn to sacrifice myself for him.
I watch him carry his plate carefully and onto the sink, He ran towards the living room and switched on the Tv as he flopped on the coach—Kuma following behind. Alfred is really fast when he's really young that if he was surrounded by a gang, they'd never realized where he went off to. Now I'm alone on the dining table still with plate full of five stacked pancakes and hearing the murmured voices of the Television, I stare at nothing for a while as I ate my food little by little.
*
"Slow down Alfred!" I shouted with my hand cupped around my mouth. Apparently, we are shopping for new clothes and some toys for Alfred in the department store, Alfred is a bit reckless and energetic at times and is really hard to handle. I managed to buy everything I need and Alfred hasn't break anything, Now were in the toy store and Alfred couldn't handle his excitement.
"Big brother! Big brother! Let's go there! I want guns! And balls!" Alfred tugs on my sleeve while jumping, his toothy grin showing. I chuckled silently, looking at his funny expression as he runs towards the entrance and twirls around. I smiled and nodded telling him that I'll be coming over, I used to be like that when I find something in the meadow while he looks for something useful. It could be either a butterfly or a little flower but I'll eventually let it go..
Back to the present, I roam around the aisles filled with toys and stuffed animals, Alfred seems to be enjoying it and Kuma just follows him behind. He'd be laughing from time to time and he would sometimes let me join to his silly games, I promised him I'd buy something but not when he expects me to buy the whole freakin' store!
"Big brother! I want this one!" He pointed at one of the mobile airplanes hanging on the ceiling, it looked big than I thought but he wanted it. My eyebrows furrowed as I heard the price when I asked the employees..
350 dollars.
And all that's left is 150 bills and seventy-five cents..
I stared at Alfred who was gazing at the big airplane, I don't want him to be upset nor disappointed in me. "Alfred?" I said and he looked at men "how much do you want this airplane so badly?"
He smiled widely from ear to ear as he spoke "As much as I want! Then we can all play after we put together the pieces!" Then he looked down on the floor; expression abruptly changes "but if it's too much, we could go buy the other one over there.."
My eyes widened but quickly changed to a gentle smile. No wonder why England wanted to take care of him, he was so darn cute!
"Okay, let's just find a better looking airplane.."
*
Alfred was fast asleep in my bedroom. He promised me that we would play with it when we head home, but maybe after the running, I guess it kinda worn him out (despite him being always energetic and enthusiastic). I'm making chicken nuggets courtesy from Alfred and some carrot sticks, Kuma is in the living room watching TV.
We bought those soldier figurines and a remote control helicopter that Alfred really wanted, it surprisingly fits our budget and we bought that instead. Just as soon as we bought it and went in the car, he wouldn't stop talking how much he'll have fun with it.
Then now, well...yeah..
The sizzling of the chicken and the smell of it was just to tempting to try I couldn't wait to eat it with Kuma and Alfred. After I've finished cooking, I decided to stay at the backyard and read. I checked little Alfred in my room to see he was still asleep, I sneaked in quietly to get a book on my nightstand but as I picked up the sheets started shifting and and a small arm peeled out to reach mine.
"Big brother?"
I hummed in response. His eyes looked as if it had a layer of water around it, the blue shiny orbs stared back at mine with uneasiness and sadness, my head is now filled with concern.
"what's wrong Alfie?"
Alfred looked away, feeling nervous now. I immediately went on my eyes to be in eye level of him pulling him into a hug. I rubbed circles against his back to calm him down, his sobbing was muffled against my sweater. This was a new feeling—emotion rather. Alfred was never that type to cry or be sad over personal things; but as a kid, it's hard to deal with big problems.
"You can tell me Alfred, I'm here for you" I closed my eyes as I whisper those words, he then tightened the grip of the hug and I brought him up to my arms to rock him. Alfred looked up to me with snot on his nose and tears filling up his eyes, his sobs now growing louder as before. My eyebrows raised then furrowed, worry obviously plastered on my face.
"I h-had uhh.." he stuttered as hiccups interrupted his voice. I patted his back and let his head rest on my shoulder to rock him again. "You don't need to rush your words Alfred" I continued, "don't forget to breathe".
Alfred sniffed and finally spoke, "I had this dream where you.."
"Alfred? Can you continue your sentence?" I asked.
"I had this dream where you disappeared"
My eyes widened and my body stiffed. It took me a minute to finally gave in. It was all just a big blur yet it was quite clear to understand, nothing comes out happy around me, I've never been fully contented with my life anyway but hearing it from my "older" brother who is crying on my shoulders, is a first time to realize how much someone cares for my existence.
"I was older and taller than you, you were scared and, and I couldn't do anything" the way Alfred spoke saddened me. He was really terrified and sad, and it struck me with grief knowing that this will foreshadow when the time come, but it's better to enjoy the happy moments that wouldn't last than to live in despair for the rest of your life..
Right?
"Don't worry Alfie, it's just a dream.." I soothed him.
A growl erupted both our ears and Alfred insists that he wanted go down, I quickly obliged and followed him suit into the kitchen.
*
I finished washing dishes when I noticed that the room was engulfed with uncomfortable silence. It pains too much to not hear the sweet obnoxious laughs, muffled footsteps and knocking on things the little American gave. I hollered his name assuring that he was by his bedroom or somewhere out of my sight but he didn't give a response.
I paused for a moment till I started sprinting towards the sliding doors from the backyard.
"Alfred?"
He peeked put the crook of the tree with his hands tucked behind him as if he's hiding something. His face now back to his old personality plastered against him with a toothy grin that seemed almost too big, I sighed in relief knowing that he was alright.
"Big brother! I have something for you!!" He called as he gestures his hand to come forward. I came walking towards him now looking down at his height, "What is it?"
"You'll know" he smiled.
I chuckled at how excited he is, he politely tells me to come by his height and lower my head towards him. Though I didn't see it, I felt a soft brush against my hair with pointy but not sharp object touching my head. I look up to him once he told he was finished and saw a bunch of flowers on his head. My eyes widened to see how cute the little American is with his cute grin flashing as the moon illuminated its brightest upon him and the stars shined like the pearly whites on his mouth.
"America, you did all these?" I say as I pick up the object from my head to see the same flower crown that I usually make as a little child for him. A wave of nostalgia flew over me and I had to hold back the tears from coming out. He nodded and hummed in response. I smiled looking back at the times when he was always this energetic, I mean he always and will always be my hero and my beloved brother but this is the first time we hung out in years.
"Thanks you Alfred, but why did you make this?"
"No reason!" He ran around with Kuma following as they played, Kuma has one on his head too but it was a lot smaller compared to mine and Alfred's. Regardless, he made these flower crowns with his own delicate hands and I absolutely adore that.
Alfred insisted to join his game and I ended up smiling a lot.