Francis got up early to make breakfast for his family. He crept out of bed careful not to wake Arthur. He pulled on a pair of pants and slipped on a button down shirt. He checked his hair in the mirror and smiled. He thought to himself how perfect he looked before gliding out of the room. He closed the door softly before going to check on Matthew and Alfred. They had really scared him last night. He opened Matthew's room and found it empty. He opened Alfred's door and found the twins curled up facing each other in the way they used to sleep when they were little. Francis smiled and went to cover them up. Matthew moved in his sleep as Francis turned to leave. His sleeve pulled halfway up his forearm to reveal fresh cuts from the night before, but Francis hadn't seen them. He was already leaving the room.

He made his way downstairs and sighed when he saw the mess that had been left from the night before. He started cleaning. He finished soon and went to the kitchen happy to finally start breakfast. He whistled as he threw together the ingredients and happily thought of the quaint little family breakfast he would prepare. He smiled at the idea of waking everyone up with the smell of delicious French cuisine. He heard footsteps and he got excited to see which family member he enticed first.

Arthur appeared with a scowl on his face. "Must you be so bloody loud? And what are you cooking? It's nauseating."

"Zat's just because you're hung over." Francis stated feeling slightly hurt by his husband's comment, but he knew he was just grouchy. "I found you wis an almost empty bottle of peach schnapps last night. And I sought I was zee one who was going out drinking. Sit. I'll make you somesing that will cure your hangover."

"Francis, don't take this the wrong way, but sometimes I hate everything you have to say in that stupid accent and I just want to slap you." Francis giggled and handed him a mixture in a cup.

"Drink. And not to worry. I feel zee same towards you." He started humming and looked slyly over at the miserable Arthur before he went to YouTube and he turned the volume up. "It's our song, mon amour."

"Huh?" Arthur said as "True Love" by P!nk began playing.

"Ugh, NO!" Arthur banged his head against the table before swearing. Francis started singing along to it.

"At the same time, I wanna hug you, I wanna wrap my hands around your neck. You're an asshole, but I love you. And you make me so mad I ask myself why I'm still here or where could I go? You're zee only love I've ever known, but I hate you, I really hate you so much I sink it must be TRUE LOVE!" He kissed Arthur who pushed him away roughly.

"Shut the hell up!"

"Oh, you are starting to sound like Lovino!" Arthur glared at Francis.

"No else can break my heart like you." Francis sang along giving Arthur a sad look. Arthur knew it was real, though Francis was trying to pretend like he was acting. "Just once try to wrap your little brain around my feelings. Just once please try not to be so mean. Repeat after me now R-O-M-A-N-C-E." Arthur sighed. Why was he being so annoying this morning? Arthur knew that Francis was trying to get his point across with music, but he thought it was rather childish. He guessed it couldn't hurt to appease him. He knew which verses Francis wanted him to say. He muttered along to the words to Francis.

"Why do you rub me the wrong way? Why do you say the things that you say? Sometimes I wonder how we ever came to be, but without you I'm incomplete. I think it must be true love." Francis smiled happily. "Now will you turn it down? I have such a bad headache." Francis turned it off and continued humming as he cooked.

"You walked right into zat, mon chère." Arthur groaned.

"Shut up…"

"Drink what I gave you. It helps. It's Gilbert's recipe and have you ever seen him or Ludwig wis a hang over? Non." Arthur sighed. He did have a point. He took a sip because coughing and gagging.

"What the hell is this? It's awful."

"Zis is how everyone feels when you cook. Just drink it." Francis winked. Arthur glared at him.

"I hate you."

"I hate you more." Francis winked.


Matthew woke up to find his brother curled up in a ball staring at the wall. Alfred was really scaring him. He wouldn't talk last night after Arthur hit him except to repeat over and over to Matthew, "Mama doesn't love me." Everything that happened had caused him to relapse with cutting, but mainly his fear for Alfred.

"Are you okay?" Matthew asked quietly. Alfred glanced at him shook his head. Matthew sighed and hugged him. "Get dressed, Freddy." He sat up, but just stared at the ground without responding. "I think Papa is making breakfast. Do you want to come down and eat?" With that Alfred burst into sobs. Matthew mentally cursed himself and hugged his brother. "Come with me."

Alfred allowed Matthew to lead him downstairs by the hand. They froze as they saw Arthur. They didn't know what kind of mood he'd be in, but they were shocked to find him pleasantly drinking his tea and laughing at something Francis had said.

"You're too much." Arthur wiped his eyes. "Good morning boys. Did you sleep well?" Alfred's hand tightened its grip on his brothers. Matthew turned and offered him a warm smile before turning back to the kitchen.

"Good morning." Matthew said going to sit down.

"Good morning, Mattie! Good morning, Alfie!" Francis said in a sing-song voice.

"Hi, Alfred." Arthur smiled. Alfred took a step toward Francis, not saying a word. Francis looked at him. "Do you want to help me cook?" Alfred looked at him before grabbing him in a hug again. Francis was again shocked. It was so unlike Alfred. He would have expected it from Matthew, but not Alfred. Even when Alfred was little he never did this, not to Francis. If he wanted a hug or wanted to cuddle, he always without fail went to Arthur. Francis wrapped him in a tight hug and was shocked when he let out a shudder breath as tears formed in his eyes. Francis turned to look at Arthur.

"What zee hell did you do?" He asked. Arthur's eyes narrowed.

"What makes you think I did something?"

"He was his usual self yesterday before I left, you know happy, smiling and joking around. I get home and he's like this. What did you do?" Arthur rolled his eyes. He wasn't about to tell him what had unfolded the night before. He definitely wasn't going to tell him what happened when he got a little drunk and went back downstairs and started just wailing his frustrations on his younger son carefully avoiding his face know it would be obvious to Francis.

"I didn't do anything. We just got into an argument is all."

"He doesn't get like this when you two get into arguments. This isn't normal." Francis was starting to get angry.

"I love you, Papa." Alfred whispered. Francis was a bit relieved that Alfred was finally talking. He still held his son and tried to comfort him as he finished cooking and serving.

"I love you too, bébé." Francis noticed Alfred shaking. He felt tears well in his eyes. What was going on?

"Arthur, mon cœur, what happened?" He asked softly.

"I told you, nothing." Arthur said coolly. "Why don't you believe me? Maybe he had a nightmare in which you died or something?"

"I don't think that's the case." Francis said softly. "Mattie, ange, can you please finish up?" Matthew nodded and Francis took Alfred out of the room still holding him in a tight hug.

Matthew finished up putting the food on the plates before setting the table. As he set down the plate for Arthur, he reached out not wanting to stand too close to him. Arthur grabbed his wrist and shoved up his sleeve. Matthew cursed himself for being so careless as to let anyone see it besides Alfred.

"What the bloody hell is this?" Arthur exclaimed. Matthew tried to tug his arm back, but Arthur held strong. Matthew winced as the pressure caused the cuts to stretch and sting. "I asked you a question."

"I…"

"Did you do this to yourself?" Arthur hissed yanking his arm toward him. Matthew nodded. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you know how much you'd break Francis' heart if he saw this?" Arthur pushed Matthew away with disgusted look. "You and that brother of yours…" He shook his head. Matthew felt the tears in his eyes. Some of the cuts were started to bleed. Matthew felt a wave of anger and courage rise in him. He stood up.

"It's your fault. You're the reason we're so messed up right now." Matthew was shaking as he glared at him. "And you messed up my brother so much." He whispered the last part. Arthur stood up and shoved him hard against the wall. Matthew gasped as Arthur grabbed the front of his shirt. Francis was literally just in the other room and would come back at any moment and Arthur was still doing this.

"You need to shut up and mind your place. If you ever," Arthur slammed him against the wall again, "ever show Francis and crush him, it will be the last thing you do. You do not, I repeat, you do NOT get to hurt him with your selfishness! I will not see that beautiful man cry because of you." Arthur sat back down at the table and began to pick at his food. Matthew was still leaning against the wall taking deep breaths to calm himself down.


Francis led Alfred to the back patio where flowers lined the small covered area. "What's wrong?" He sat him down.

"Nothing." Alfred muttered as he hugged his knees. "Just don't leave us. Please."

"Mon chère, I would never leave you." Alfred glanced at him with teary blue eyes. Francis wanted to cry. What could be bothering him like this? He brushed the tears off his face. "Why are you worried I'll leave?"

"You made a schedule." Alfred sniffled. "Please don't leave."

"Schedule? Ohhh, mon chère, I sink you misunderstood. Zat was schedule for us to have family time and give you boys time wis each of us. It's not a schedule of me leaving." Francis smiled and adjusted Alfred's stray hairs.

"Don't go." Alfred took him in a hug again.

"What happened last night?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Alfred sniffled again.

"Did you have fun wis your dad?" Alfred shook his head.

After a moment, "Mama doesn't love me anymore."

"What? Mon chère, of course he Arthur loves you! Why do you feel he doesn't?" Alfred buried his face in Francis' chest.

"I told him something important and he laughed at me. Then he got angry." Alfred winced as he shifted, his bruised body protesting the movement. "Please don't start hating me too, Papa." Francis moved Alfred gently from around him and stood up.

"I could never hate you." He said softly before angrily storming in the house.

"ARTHUR!" An angry French accent cut through the tense silence. He stormed in the room and grabbed Arthur by the arm and dragged him out of the room. Matthew watched in shock. He wondered if Francis had seen what happened. Francis dragged the Englishman to the living room.

"What is your problem?" Arthur demanded.

"Why does Alfred sink you don't love him?"

"Um…what?"

"He sinks you don't love him. He sinks you hate him. Why did you laugh at him? What did he tell you?"

"Look, Francis, that's not of your business. It's between me and my son."

"Our son." Francis said coolly.

"I really don't give a shit whose son he is or isn't. The point is it's not your business when he tells me something and not you."

"It is my business when's he's a mess like zat because of it!"

"He's just trying to tear us apart. Forget it, Francis. You know I love him, but I can't stand by while he is out to destroy our family!" Arthur went to go back to the kitchen and Francis grabbed him.

"You are not leaving until this is fixed. Now you go apologize! I wanted a nice family breakfast and it's been a disaster so far." He pushed him outside. "Alfred, Arthur has somesing to say to you before we have dinner!" Francis gave Arthur a look before going inside. Arthur glared at Alfred.

"What did I tell you? You and your damn brother need to stop this! You want to tear everything apart! Well tear your own lives apart but leave us out of it." He slapped Alfred hard and grabbed him by his shirt. "I will not lose him because of you and your twat brother. Do you hear me?" He picked Alfred up to his feet by the front of his shirt and shook him. "Do you?" Alfred just stared at him, tears falling down his face. "Do you bloody understand!?" Alfred nodded. Arthur threw him to the ground and sent a blow to his side before turning to walk away.


I'm sorry it took a little longer to update than usual. Brace yourselves.