"It's so quiet in here..." Matthew sighed softly, looking at his textbook and not the two Americans sitting on each of their beds.
"Mhm." Allen muttered softly. He was half napping, half listening to music through headphones.
"Could we, like, chat or something?"
"Mattie, does the quiet bother you?" Alfred crawled onto the floor, taking his brother's hand.
"A little."
"Well we can talk then if you want."
"Okay. Aboot what?"
"I dunno...how's school?"
"The same as always."
"Ah."
"Yeah."
Alfred shifted uncomfortably.
"What're ya studying?"
"Psychology."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Matthew decided that he would have to say more to get the conversation flowing. "It's a chapter on the behaviour of serial killers."
"Uh...that not very healthy to be...are you sure that you're in a state to read that?" Alfred asked.
"It's for homework so..."
"But after what you've gone through...surely it's got to be hard. I'll ask your psych lecturer to let you skip this chapter."
"Alfred, I'm an adult. I can make my own decisions."
"But you're grieving."
"So what?" Matthew shrugged, pulling the textbook closer. "You don't have to be so protective of me all the time."
"Well, who else is gonna protect you, huh? Not Gilbert because he fucking died!"
"Alfred!" Matthew choked he could feel tears escaping from his eyes.
"Just leave him alone, Alfred. You're making it worse." Allen took his headphones out of his ears reaching a hand out for Matthew. The Canadian took it and was pulled onto Allen's bed.
"Don't touch him!" Alfred hissed.
"Al, just stop, okay. I just want to study." Matthew crawled to the back of the bed and leaned against the wall. Allen went back to listening to music, except he wasn't lying down anymore.
"Why are you getting all tight with him? I'm your real brother."
"I'm allowed to have friends other than you, Alfred. You're so self centred. It's gross."
"I'm not self centred! I care about you!"
"Only to please your own ego." Allen growled.
"You stay out of this."
"Why should I stay out of this? Mattie is my friend and I think you should leave him alone." Allen stood, throwing his headphones and phone on the bed.
"Well, you're also my 2p! So maybe you should listen to your superiors!" Alfred stood as well, puffing out his chest, ready for a fight.
"Who says you're the superior one? We didn't choose to come to this world."
"Guys, stop!" Matthew started to panic. He hated having people fight around him.
"Well, you did anyway, and you're putting a burden on our resources. If you guys hadn't shown up, nobody would have died!"
"Why do you only put the blame on us! What makes you think that we're worse than you!"
Alfred grunted, bringing his fist up to connect to Allen's jaw.
"Guys!! Stop it!" Matthew shrieked as Allen threw his weight at Alfred, pushing him onto the floor.
The Canadian panicked, shooting off the bed and running out the door into the hall. He put one step in front of the other until he bumped into something soft.
"Matthieu? What's wrong?" Francis asked, putting his hands on the other boy's shoulders.
"Alfred...Allen...fighting...." Matthew panted.
"Where?" Arthur asked, stepping out from behind the Frenchman.
"Their room."
"I'll go break them up. Francis will take care of you." Arthur sped off in the direction that Matthew had come from.
"Are you alright? Do you want to go to your room?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Let's go. I'll stay with you as long as you need."
"Thank you."
Francis took Matthew by the hand and lead him at a steady pace to the room he shared with Matt.
When he opened the door, it was empty. Matthew sat down on his bed and pulled his legs up to his chest.
"I'm sure they're just tense." Francis guessed. "You can hang around Arthur and I for a while until they settle down."
"Yeah. Thanks." Matthew pursed his lips as Francis sat down beside him.
"He didn't deserve it."
"Who?"
"The girl reading this" I whispered softly into this incredibly tragic scene.
"Gil."
"No. He didn't. And you didn't deserve to lose him."
"Alfred thinks I can't handle my own grief."
"He's wrong, Matthew. You're stronger than any of us." Francis put his arm around Matthew, pulling him into a half hug.
"I forgot my textbook in his room."
"I'll send for it. Do you need anything?"
"Not right now." Matthew closed his eyes. "I just want to sleep."
"Alright. Bien." Francis helped Matthew onto his side and pulled the blankets over him. "Do you want me to sing to you?"
"That would be nice."
Francis started to him out a soft tune that Matthew didn't recognize. He closed his eyes and let the music take him away into a slumber.
Tomorrow would be a better day.

This one took longer because it is longer thanks. Hope you have a great new year in case I'm not back by then.