Someone requested I write this up. I was planning to do this scene, but I have trouble writing Flint. So have this as a short one shot to start off the side stories.
He had broken their promise. Lucas had promised Flint that he would return from the tunnels as long as Flint waited for him at the entrance to the cave. This, however, never happened. Then again, Flint had broken the promise as much as his child did. That wasn't strange though. Flint was a reliable man, but since his wife had died, his hadn't been able to keep a single promise.
"I promise that neither you nor Claus will get hurt," he had told Lucas once. That was a broken promise.
"I'll bring Claus home today." He's promised this one a thousand times, and a thousand times he had failed to follow through.
"I'll be back soon." He never came home that night. The last time he had visited the house had been months before Lucas left on his journey. It was a shock to him to discover his son was gone when he came home one day.
It was finally Lucas' turn to break a promise. They were far from even, but Flint was still worried. Then again, this was a situation very much deserving of worry. Instead of being in the horribly polluted New Pork City, he found himself at home, in bed.
Flint was calm for only a moment, before the memories of what had happened in New Pork City came rushing back. He had been waiting for Lucas when the ground started to shake. The cave was falling apart. He tried to rush to where his son was, and then there was simply darkness. He didn't know if Lucas was dead or alive. He knew one thing, he had to find his son. Losing one was more than enough.
The man was about to run out of the house when he noticed something. There was a shape in the other bed. Had whatever brought him here also brought Lucas home? Was it the Dark Dragon? The man was lucky his father in law had told him about what Ionia said. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have been aware of the mission his son was on. Flint gave a sigh of relief. He may never find Claus, but at least Lucas was still there.
As the balding man neared the bed to insure the person sleeping there was actually his son, he realized that there were in fact two shapes. Lucas and someone else? Could it be Claus? Was Claus still alive? The man's heart skipped a beat.
The blankets were up too high to be sure at first. He could see a little bit of Lucas' blond hair sticking up out of the bed. Flint had to hope. He reached and pulled down the blanket. He felt like he might cry at what he saw.
His younger son was curled up around the elder. For a moment, they continued to sleep peacefully. That was when the cold was noticed. Claus was the first one to wake up. He pushed off of his brother and tumbled out of the bed. He hadn't changed a bit. He was older now, a bit bigger, but he was still Claus. The older twin often found himself waking up due to that very situation. He was really no good at staying in bed.
Lucas, missing the warmth of his brother, groped at the bed for him. Unable to find him, he grabbed one of the other pillows and pulled it over his face to block out the warmth. Say what you wanted about Lucas, he was the master of sleeping in. He too, hadn't change all that much. At least not in the mornings.
"Stop being such a bed hog, Lucas… You pushed me out again." Claus groaned from his place on the ground. Even his voice was still the same. Flint was happier than he had been in years. This might actually be the happiest that he had ever been, aside from the day the twins were born.
"Claus… You're home," he finally managed to say. Up until this point, he'd been unable to speak. Finally, his family was back together. He'd been right. Claus was alive this whole time. Though he'd never found him, Claus was alive! "You're finally home."
The tears finally defeated Flint. He dropped to the ground and scooped out his missing boy. He pulled Claus into full wakefulness with a tight hug. The hug was only returned with one arm. It was a little strange, but Flint was more concerned that his missing boy was finally home.
At this point, Lucas got up. Claus shot him a look that Flint hadn't noticed. "You didn't tell him? Damn it, Lucas, you've known for like a week and you didn't tell him?!"
The younger twin gave a loud yawn. "I was going to surprise him. Once I brought you back home, I was going to tell him. I didn't want to get his hopes up and realize it was all a dream."
Claus sighed against his father. Finally, Flint broke the hug. He was leaving his other son out. A scolding from Alec had recently informed him of how Lucas felt. Lucas was always alone. He missed his father and still needed him, but Flint was always away looking for Claus.
"So you've known he was alive this long and you didn't tell me? I guess that was the surprise you said you had for me." Flint rubbed his forehead in annoyance, but it didn't last. "I'm just glad to have both of my boys with me. Come here Lucas, you deserve a hug as well. I'm sorry I was never there for you."
"It's alright." Lucas slid off the bed and into the three person hug. "I know you just wanted to find Claus. I was never mad."
"But you were alone, and that was wrong of me." Flint pulled both his son's close to him. "I missed you both."
"We missed you too," Lucas replied happily.
"Where in the world was Claus, though?" The two boys tensed at Flint's comment. He had the feeling he had touched a nerve with them, something he had not meant to do.
"Oh Dad…" Claus sighed. "That's a very long story…"
It's rather short, but I hope that it is okay for now. I won't be able to post anything else for a week, since I'll be without internet. I'm hoping to get the next two scenes complete by then, as well as the first chapter of the next fic I'm working on.
On a side note, we already packed lunch for the way done. We're having omelette sandwiches.