I thought about making it longer. But then I got lazy.
---
He sat on the ground, a pair of scissors in hand, scraps of paper laying around him, like snow on the ground. He hadn't seen Levi yet, as intent as he was to destroy the papers. All the photos, certificates, and achievements that belonged to Levi. And, for a while, Levi just watched, silent, as the piles of scraps grew higher and the proof that Levi actually used to be something disappeared, paper by paper. Until finally, he spoke up.
"Matthew."
Matthew's reaction was immediate. He jumped up. Turned to the door, where Levi stood. The scissors clattered to the floor beside him as he looked at his brother in surprise and guilt.
"Levi!" His face was frightened, his tone feigning casual surprise. "I didn't see you there. I, um... How long have you been standin' there?"
Levi laughed dryly, as he moved forward, out of the shadows of the hall. "Not standing, remember?" he said, gesturing at himself, at the wheelchair he sat in, his paralyzed legs.
His brother flushed, whether it was from embarrassment or anger, Levi couldn't tell. "Sorry. I keep forgetting. You know, I've always been so used to you disappearin' for hours, to go runnin' or to practice or to do whatever the fuck you've got goin' on in your life. Weird to see you rollin' around the house all day." He would have seemed apologetic, if not for his swearing and the way he flexed his fingers slightly as he spoke.
Well, it ain't my fault this happened to me, it's yours! Levi wanted to shout at his brother. But instead, he spoke with a forced grin and a light-hearted tone. "Ah, yeah. Those were the days, weren't they? You had the whole house to do what you wanted all the time, unless mom and dad decided to swing by for a bit." He looked down at the papers, not bothering to hide his doing so. Looked at a picture, the spot where Levi used to be cut out, leaving just one person. Their friend, Evan. Or Levi's friend, anyway. Evan had often talked about how he didn't really like Matthew too much. Not with Matthew around, of course. "Oh, you found my picture, I was looking for that. I think I looked pretty cool. Why'dya cut me out?"
His brother said nothing, looking down at the picture as well. Still, for a moment. Then, without a word, he left, pushing Levi back into the hall to get past him.
Levi watched Matthew as he disappeared into the kitchen, his(Levi's) eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. His brother was always so moody, so strange. Perhaps they looked alike, but on the inside, they were nothing alike.
Levi contemplated going to ask Matthew what his problem was, for a moment. But then he just turned himself around and went to his room. Matthew would just have to get over it.