One More Bedtime Story

He stepped out dressed in his flowing night gown and mewed in the dark. Alfred clutched on to his stuffed rabbit named Jasper while waltzing through the halls of Arthur's home. The dark stormed seemed to shake and rattle the whole place. The white painted walls were stained with blank shadows while the wooden roof began to sway to and fro, the floor boards crackled out their splintering jaws unable to contain themselves, turning his beloved sanctuary into a monster. Alfred's ears grew as large at hearing the water droplets menacingly plummet down into puddles and recant with the beat of his little heart. His sheets did not protect him, the blankets could not console him and the nightlight abandoned him fluttering off into a skinny river of rising smoke.

Knock knock, the wind would say and Alfred howled, rising high out of his bed. The long gangly fingers of the dark tapped at the threshold of his window.

"Iggy!" He mewed in mid air and crashed his ample legs against the floor boards making a dash for the long hall, not even bothering with the door. He could feel it, the storms cannibal desire for the child's flesh. Alfred screamed when he felt a hand reach his shoulder and sped up faster, his feet tapping lightly against the floor boards. No matter how far he ran to reach Arthur's door, he kept running by the same linen cabinet over and over, never even passing the nice array of flowers on the little table next to the closet.

At last he broke through and burst on towards the lump sleeping on the bed. The moment he landed, the sheets and blankets divided themselves for him and he holed himself up next to the comforting wall of Arthur's bare chest. Here warmth spread everywhere clasped in Arthur's lifeless embrace.

The man woke up jostled by the punch he received underneath his jaw, a fury in his eyes as he thought 'what bloody twat thinks that they can-', lifted the covers to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

Alfred snatched the sheets back and pressed against them shaking and crying, "No don't pull up the covers or else the bogey man will get me!" Tears streamed down his eyes joining in with the wet boogers that spewed from his nose. Though as he got a good look at Arthur's vexed face a different terror came about all together.

Seeing the bright eyes of a child in distress begging to be rescued didn't phase him. Yet a slow nod down to the small curled pout and the occasional "Iggy~" made the icing on the cake, Groaning he covered his eyes to evade this enchanting spell. He excused himself to check the time. 'Only midnight.' He looked again at Alfred and gave a lopsided smile, the pirate in him emerging .

He had a great aversion when Alfred made this face because it caused the other to requite to every whim and need the boy wanted without hesitation or fail.

"Shh shh shh it's alright. You're here with me. Nothing's coming to get you."He caressed the child in his arms and shielded his eyes, humming him a song to soothe his fears. His well deserved punishment for telling the boy about the boogie man as an idle joke, now to be paid fully in return with restless nights.

When the boy relaxed, Arthur reached out to turn on the lamp nearby and habitually rubbed Alfred's eyes and grabbed a handkerchief to blow his nose.

Alfred felt more guarded with the radiance of the light. Though doubts came that the monster hid in the shadows under the bed. He dared to peek just to confirm his suspicions of a lurking evil, but all the same he did not dare sacrifice himself so carelessly! He decided to remain within the security he knew.

"Iggy..."
"Yes? What is is Alfred?"

"Can I have a cup of milk?"

"You mean, "May I have a cup of milk?" " Arthur corrected with a clear voice.

"Oh, right. May I have a cwup of milk, pwease."

The man bowed his head, pleased with his little pupil and with a curl of respect, like a gallant butler, returned instantly with his master's order and little cup of tea for himself.

Alfred crawled toward the edge of the bed and sipped on his small cup of milk, looking at Arthur attain his natural "tea-time" posture. A silence set in and Arthur watched from his small table while blowing a cool wind on the hot tea, at Alfred's curious looks.

"Could you read me a story, please? You haven't read me one for a while and I like it when you read to me." Alfred broke through, staring at the books next to Arthur's table.

'Ahh that's what caught his attention.'
"Don't you think you're a little too old to want to listen to a bed time story, Alfred?"Arthur dramatically huffed, putting a hand on his hip while sipping the hot tea.

"Aren't you a little too old to believe in faeries?" Alfred chimed back, hiding the leer and chuckle that almost crossed his lips. 'Haha, Iggy, I got you!'

"Touché. But one can never ever be too old to believe in faeries dear Alfie." Arthur's own leer appeared. Alfred did not catch it, until he found himself tickled and tackled to death.

"No, no no no no!" Alfred gaily cried, Arthur attacking every vulnerable nerve he could find. Then he took Alfred's small chubby bell and gave it a good whirl with his lips. "Stop!" He laughed.

"Alright, alright lad." Arthur put his hands up, in a mock surrender and took this time to catch his breath. "Any requests?"

"Hmmm." Alfred stood up from the bed forgetting the monster that lay beneath.

Looking over the gilded bindings, Arthur had at least read all of these books to him once and recited them down to the last word. He began to prefer something new and the best stories told were the ones the great man himself.

"Can you recite one to me? Please~! One that has the faeries, and pirates, and mermaids!"

"Ahh a tale bout mermaids, fae, and buccaneers?" Arthur rubbed his chin, winking one eye as he gleamed a smile at Alfred.

Alfred knew that look, which made him smile with pride at his big brother.

"Well then me lad, weigh anchor and hoist the colours." The Captain grabbed his plumed black hat, standing tall.

"Aye aye Captain!" He stood up, putting the glass neatly aside and saluted obediently making himself comfortable, shifting the pillows and sheets while Jasper lay watching next to him.

Arthur pulled the curtains and grabbed a few extra candles to help create the proper environment. Alfred put his head on the pillow just as Arthur boarded beside him, kneeling as he looked out like he always did to the sea.

"Anything else ye want in the story lad?"

"You and me! And I want to be the hero!"

Arthur chuckled. Alfred and his heroic bravado never ceased to fail. Nestling down next to the boy and dimming the candle light slightly, he made himself comfortable and closed his eyes.

"Promise to do the voices?" Alfred interrupted, doing that pout again.

"Aye," Arthur gently whispered, softly smiling and dimming the glow of his eyes, "sailors promise." He crossed his heart.

Alfred hugged Jasper with a big smile and a giggle, as Arthur once again tried to regain his train of thought.

The room itself mellowed down, the storm stopped entirely in its wailing winds just to let Arthur's voice echo to the night. The trees themselves arched forward to hear. The clouds allowed for a gap, where the stars, who now winked to one another in their secret language, sat eager to listen to the tale. Something entrancing beckoned to everything as Arthur began the tale to be told for many long nights.

He opened his eyes and took in a breath, which made Alfred anxious. Holding out his hands he faced his audience and spoke, their silhouettes against the wall distorting into the twisted shapes of their imagination.

"Once upon a time there was a boy, a boy who flew far away from home to Neverland and never grew up. His name... is Peter Pan."