After a bit they heard Iain's car drive off, Francis and Molly must have left. Iain came up to check on the shortly afterwards. Al glanced up as he walked in.

He came in with a sly smirk on his face, holding something wrapped in gold foil. "Want to see what I found in a leftover ration pack?"

"Cardboard biscuits..?"

"Ah, no," his grin grew as he perched on the end of the bed. "Something a bit better."

Al shifted pulling them both up. Matt groaned in protest. Iain just unwrapped the foil, revealing a bar of chocolate.

He did like chocolate..

"You two want a bit?"

Al thought it over before reaching out, a bite or two wouldn't hurt..

Iain snapped a strip off for him, then another for Matt. "Here. You never know, it might perk you up some."

They sat nibbling on it quietly. The sweetness actually started to lift their spirits, bring Matt a tiny smile. Al hugs him again. Matt actually hugged back this time, snuggling in.

Al smiles in relief. The mood lifted to something finally bearable.

"How are the others doing?" Al just wanted conversation.

"Picking up slowly," Iain just smiled at them. "Arthur's coming on leaps and bounds."

"Is he walking more yet?"

"Very nearly."

"Hmm."

"Fancy visiting him?"

"..Is he mad..?"

"About what?" Iain quirked a brow.

"Me leaving before.."

"He'll be happier that you're back. He misses both of you."

Al fidgets nervously. Matt shrugged sheepishly.

"I won't force you," Iain got up and stretched. "I may have skipped over telling Arthur some things for the sake of his health, mind."

Al shrunk up a bit at that.

"He just wants to see you."

"Alright.."

The Scot half smiled, offering him a hand. Al takes it while keeping his grip on Matt. Matt shuffled along behind him, forming a little chain.

They head to Arthurs room, Iain peeking in first. He grinned and pulled the twins in. "Brought you some company!"

Arthur looked up from his book, a smile blossoming.

"Hey.."

"Boys," the Brit couldn't have looked happier. "Come sit, how have you been?"

Al shuffles over to the bed, sitting. Matt took some prompting but sat on the other side. Arthur took their hands, squeezing softly. Al grips back, smiling softly.

Arthur just looked between them, smile growing and growing until he just dragged them into a hug. They folded in.

Arthur sighed happily, relieved. "I've missed you two..."

Al hugs him nuzzling in. Matt clung tight, burying into his shoulder. Arthur was content to just hold them. The Brit was actually feeling more solid this time, less frail. His embrace was stronger too. Just like Iain had said, Arthur was on the mend. It took a little of the weight off Al's heart.

Iain just leaned against the door, watching with his trademark smirk.

They cuddled for a bit, Al very nearly dosing off.

"Not just yet," Arthur hummed, waking him gently. "It's nearly lunch. Iain just went to fetch it for us."

He blinked sleepily, still not having much endurance.

"A snack might perk you up a bit," Arthur was trying to cheer him up...

"Maybe." Could he though? His stomach was still rather testy.. Then again, the chocolate had stayed and it was quite rich... It was worth a shot if it would make the others happy. Even if he just tried and managed a little bit. He couldn't guarantee more than a few bites..

Iain slipped back in, four plates on a tray. Arthur's smile grew again. "You're staying too?"

"Just to annoy you," he smirked.

Al glanced over warily. They had pasta salad today, light and refreshing. He might manage a little.

The others dug in easily, though Matt as forcing himself to look natural. Al felt guilt in his chest as he picked through his. No one spoke. They just basked in company.

Al had eaten a third of his portion before he started tilting forward drowsily.

Iain caught him with a chuckle, gently taking his plate. "Alright, don't force it."

Al just hummed softly.

"Sleep if you need it."

Al laid back on the bed, resting on Arthur's thigh. Arthur smiled softly, petting his hair. He nuzzled in, drifting away. It wasn't long before Matt followed him.

Arthur sighs softly petting them both.

"Feel better now you've seen them?" Iain hummed, setting his plate aside.

"Yes, though they don't seem to happy themselves.."

"They're doing better than they were."

"Oh?"

"Al's eating more and Mata finally got out of bed." It was technically true, Al wasn't keeping anything down the last few days. At least no one was getting worse.

"You're still not going to tell me what happened are you..?"

"It's sorted, Art, just trust me," he sighed tiredly.

"Have you even been taking care of yourself?"

Iain laughed tiredly, rubbing his eyes. "You and Francis are the only two that ask me."

"Why not take a rest? No one is going anywhere for now."

"I feel like I'll close my eyes and something'll go wrong..." he leaned back with a tired smirk. "The twins are asleep, Dylan's got Pat, Francis can handle you and Molly... But I can't settle..."

"We could always put you under." Arthur smirks softly.

"Ah, piss off," he grinned, running a hand through his hair. "I'll last a while yet."

"You'd hardly listen to me anyway.. By the way, have you been to the garden lately?"

"Not for a few days, why?"

"I swear I keep seeing something moving out there from the window.. But it's hard to tell from up here."

A curious from creased his brow. "Any idea what it might be?"

"Something small enough to duck between the rows at least. You might have foragers."

"I'll go check it now..."

"Alright." Arthur settled back with the twins.

Iain stood, ruffing his brother's hair as he stepped out, taking the plates with him. He dropped them off in the kitchen before slipping out into the garden. It looked alright at first, but as he looked there was clearly something that had been eating his plants.

His frown deepened as he went to inspect the chewed leaves. A few vegetables had been dug up as well. Irritation flared in him as he looked for tracks.

They were surprisingly hard to find, almost like they were covered. In the end he almost missed the hole hidden under the foliage.

"Rabbits...?" They weren't usually an issue he had in his garden. Then again, there was that one he saw the afternoon Al came back..

He closed his eyes, seeking out any lives in the hole. Every creature pulsed with energy; anyone could feel them if they tried. Something twitched below, stirring at the intrusion.

He pushed against it with intimidating force, commanding it out of the hole. It pushed back defiantly. Iain pushed harder; the distant roar of a dragon echoing around him.

It gave a firm powerful kick back.

That shocked him enough to knock him a bit. Iain still had the upper hand in terms of strength, but he didn't have the energy to commit to it. He sat by the hole, looking bored. "Alright, you made your point."

After a few minutes a pair of ears poked out cautiously.

"And the rest of you."

The head soon followed eyeing him warily. It was rather large for a rabbit..

"So what're you up to, ruining my yard?" he frowned at the creature.

"I got hungry. That a crime?"

"It is when you're stealing my crop. Hell, if you've got to take it, just pick one plant, don't sample the whole fucking garden."

The rabbit just watched him. The Scot stayed his unimpressed stare, quirking a brow expectantly.

"So how's the kid doing?"

"Which one?" How did a talking rabbit know someone in his house? "Pat didn't invite you in, did he?"

"Feather head. The snowy runt sent me to track him down."

The twins... He should have known... "So who're you?"

"Manabozo."

Iain frowned, mind racing. "One of Alfred's legends..."

"No, I was around before him. Just got myself attached to the kid."

He shrugged, smirking. "Works for me. Hop on in, he's asleep right now. The, uh, snowy runt's in a foul mood though, so I hope you're a fast runner."

Mana shuffled out of his hole.

Iain led the way inside. "Oh, and stop chewing my garden or I'm turning you into a stew."

"Like you could catch me." The rabbit grins.

"How about we avoid getting to the point where I try?"

Fair enough.

Kuma grumbled at the rabbit when they came in, sulking into the kitchen. The two never had gotten along well, it was just their mutual concern for the twins that caused them to work together at times.

Had it not been the fact that Al's moods fed into Matt's depression, the bear would have nothing to do with such a creature as Mana.

They still had a while before the others came back from shopping. Iain was getting a little uneasy. He was like a mother hen, fretting over his siblings. He just wanted to make sure Molly was still okay.

Francis would take care of her if anything happens.. It hardly stopped him from worrying though.

Maybe he could use the time for something else though?

Short from napping, not really.

He still needed a distraction. Pots... He could do pots... And clean up the kitchen... Laundry... Soon enough, every idle household chore that could be done was.

Were they back yet? Iain glanced out of the window, sighing with relief as his car pulled up outside.

Francis stepped out loading up on bags, Mana scampered off to hide. Molly climbed out, tired but smiling, and grabbed a couple of lighter bags too. Iain met them at the door.

Francis raised a brow at him, did he not rest at all? Iain avoided his gaze for now, choosing just to dote on his sister instead. Francis held back a sigh, sometimes a restless Iain was more harmful than good..

Molly soon batted him off anyway. She was determined to take her bags to the kitchen alone: her personal goal for the day. Francis followed soon after.

They dropped the bags on the table then Molly excused herself, saying she needed a nap. Francis watched her go and started putting things away. Iain sighed, helping.

"What is it that's bothering you so much?"

"I don't know... Something just isn't sitting right with me..."

Francis glanced over worriedly. Iain honestly just looked like he needed a good rest, but getting him to take it was harder than you'd think.

...What could he do? Tie him up and knock him out?

Francis quickly puts the rest away coming over to the man. Iain just smiled tiredly, shutting the cupboard door.

"You need a break.."

"You keep saying that, but you know I can't."

"Why not?"

Iain just gave him a look. Francis sighs pulling Iain into a chair and rubs at his neck The Scot hummed softly, his muscles knotted tight. Francis continued to work at them moving down to his shoulders.

Iain nearly gave into it, wanted to give in, but his better judgment stopped him. "Francis, we can't..."

Francis frowns softly.

"You said it yourself, we need to stop..."

"Iain.. Even if I end up having to marry Arthur directly I would still love you, you're too important to me.." (Darn you Simply! You make them too cute together! France is now officially polyamorous..)

Something lit up in Iain's eyes, a passion, love he'd been forced to hide for years. He stood and turned, pulling Francis into a tender kiss.

Francis pressed in. So what if he had two men in his life? One of them hurt and he wanted to heal him, Arthur would just have to put up with sharing. Iain needed him. He needed him to be close and loving and hold him and love him how no one else could.

Francis shifted hugging him.

"I love you," Iain whispered, resting their foreheads together.

"I love you.. I always will.."

Iain smiled, warm, genuine and rare. He leaned in, catching his lips again. Francis hugs him close.

"I think we could hide away for a while?" the Scot whispered hopefully.

Francis grins, "I'm going to make you unwind whether you want it or not~"

Iain chuckled softly, leading him up to his room.

(Alright to keep this fic not rated M I'm cutting this bit out of here. BUT I will post it as a omake in a separate story.)

Later on Al was roused awake again. Arthur had dozed off but woke when Alfred shifted against his battered side.

He was sitting up slightly, looking around the room. Or trying to at least.. Both the twins glasses had been taken off.

"Alfred," Arthur touched his shoulder gently. "Something wrong..?"

"...Was somebody here..?"

"Not that I saw," he frowned, gently picking up Alfred's glasses, slipping them on his face.

"..Could have sworn someone was talking to me.." Al blinked as the world became clear again.

"Must have just been a dream," Arthur smiled warmly.

"I guess."

Arthur rubbed his back gently. Al yawns softly shifting upright.

Matt felt Alfred move and tried to get closer but just ended up pushing into Arthur. The blond gasped as pain shot through his side. Al whipped around at that, sending his head into a dizzy spin.

"Careful," Arthur grabbed his arm, worried he'd fall of the bed. "I'm okay, don't worr-ah!" he creased over as a spasm shook through him, struggling to catch his breath.

Al frowns softly latching onto his sleeve. Arthur stayed curled up for a minute before finally relaxing, gulping in air. Al still looked unsettled though.

"M'okay..." Arthur muttered, just taking Alfred's hand. "I'm okay..."

He grips on tightly. Arthur hugged him, making a mental note to get Iain to check him over in a bit. Al still seemed rather pale too, not that Arthur's color was any better at the moment..

Maybe they should fetch someone now...? Al didn't seem to ready to walk though.

Arthur closed his eyes, focusing on the dregs of his magic. He and his siblings had their own means of communicating - it was really just an alarm bell for if one of them needed help in battle but it still worked as a help summoner now.

Al frowns worriedly, was he still hurting? It looked like he was...

Al gripped his sleeve again. Arthur opened his eyes again, confused and muggy.

"Dad..?"

"Need I'in..." he rasped softly just as the door flew open, the Scot rushing in in just his boxers. Arthur's alarm had woken him up. Al jumped at the entry, glancing to him.

Iain just rushed over to Arthur, cussing softly as he tended to him. Al shrank back at the tension.

"Arthur, you're an idiot," Iain shook his head, closing his eyes as he pressed their foreheads together and starred chanting.

Al just sat watching, his hand latching onto Matt's shirt instead.

Colour slowly returned to Arthur's face, his eyes fluttering open. He gave a shuddering sigh, shifting to hug Iain. The Scot just pulled him in, sitting up slowly. "Idiot..."

What just happened..? Didn't look like Alfred was getting answers until Arthur calmed down a bit. His hand twitched, fingers rubbing against Matt's shirt nervously.

*Al, you're fidgety...* Matt groaned beside him, struggling to fully wake.

*Sorry..*

*What's up...?* he snuggled closer.

*Dad had a fit..*

Matt snapped awake at that, sitting up sharply. Al flinched away at the sudden movement, nearly falling off the bed again. Matt grabbed one sleeve and Iain grabbed the other out of instinct more than anything. "Easy kid."

He sat back up again with a sigh. Arthur pulled away from his brother, offering his sons an apologetic smile. Al just hugs him again. Matt huddled in too. Arthur sighed, snuggling between them.

"You ok now..?"

"I'm okay," he assured him.

Al pulled back still looking rather small and skittish himself. A trait that hardly ever showed. Arthur just cooed, comforting him softly. Matt pressed against Al too, making sure he knew everyone was okay and with him. It calmed him some at least.

Iain even ruffled his hair before slipping off to get dressed. Half of the energy he'd gotten back from his nap was gone again already...