Matthew looked out at the crowd from the altar. Everyone was dressed in somber black. Arthur was valiantly trying to hold back tears. Alfred had completely given up on that, and had gone through an entire box of tissues already. Matthew took a deep breath, refusing to look at the coffin to his right. He took a deep, cleansing breath and began to sing.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see."
Francis had sung this as he cooked, sashaying around the kitchen, mixing, tasting, adding various ingredients. The memory sprung, unbidden, to Matthew's mind. His sweet voice faltered ever so slightly in its singing.
"I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now, I see."
He would hum it as he held Matthew in his arms, stroking his hair and soothing him to sleep.
"T'was grace that taught my heart to fear
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed."
Matthew always slept better in Francis's arms, after they had made love, or if they just cuddled, knowing that they were safe with each other.
"Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
And Grace will lead me home."
The tears were threatening to choke him now, they were steadily rolling down his pale, clammy cheeks, but he ignored them, willing his voice not to tremble.
"The Lord has promised good to me.
His word, my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures."
Matthew resented the words he was singing. What Lord would take the love of his life from him? Francis wouldn't want him thinking like this. Francis was devout, questioning everything, and finding his answer in God.
"When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun."
Matthew's thin voice began to waver. The church was packed to the gills, and dead silent as he sang. The notes of the song floated up to the steeple and back down again, filling the room with lyrics.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see."
His voice choked on the last note, and he began to quietly sob, his shoulders shaking. Arthur came forward and pulled him gently to his seat.
Author's Note- I highly recommend listening to Celtic Thunder's version of Amazing Grace.
This is just something I got inspiration for, and wrote on the fly. I'm sorry if there's any grammatical errors.
Please don't comment on the fact that this is Christian. I am an atheist, and I still love the song Amazing Grace. Please suck it up and be tolerant of other religions. Also, France is a Catholic country, so... yeah.
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