Morning comes and light shines in the window. Matt woke with a groan, pulling the blanket over his head. Al soon follows. In the blanket fort, Matt started drifting off again. Al nuzzles closer. Matt hugged him tight, like a teddybear. He hums contently.
They could have had more rest, but Kuma decided to jump on them, demanding food.
"Ack!"
"What the hell?!" Matt jolted up, swearing at the bear in a string of French.
"Why'djou do that?" Al said, voice cracked and raspy.
Matt stopped, eyes wide as he turned to his brother. "D-did you...?"
"Huh?" He was still half asleep.
"You spoke!" Matt grinned; glomping him.
Al blinks. He did?
"Do it again!" Matt grinned.
He didn't know what to say. "Uh.. Cupcakes..?" It was dry and scratchy as hell, and barely above a whisper, but it was there.
Matt hugged him like he'd given him gold. "Come on, let's get you some water before you hurt your throat."
Al follows along rubbing it a bit. He got him a glass of water and a pack of throat sweets they bought yesterday. "Here."
Al takes it drinking the water first. Matt just watched, grinning like an idiot. Al smiles at that. Once Al had finished the water, he offered breakfast. They pull things out getting started.
While they're cooking, Arthur came down looking tired and grumpy.
Al smiles "Morning."
"Good morning Alfred," he sighed without really paying attention.
Al grins glancing to Matt. Matt grinned, nearly laughing as Arthur stopped, turning slowly. "Wait... What?"
"Hi!"
He laughed and pulled him into a hug, squeezing tight. Al smiles snuggling in, he was already starting to get sore though. Arthur hugged him for much longer than he had too, finally letting go with a fatherly smile. *Don't push it, okay?*
*Ok.*
Matt patted his back as Arthur went back to making tea. Al goes back to the oatmeal he was making, sucking on the lozenge. The mood was lifting again now, despite how tired half the house was.
Soon enough the others come down and they set up to eat. Just with half of them grinning, the others fed off the positivity. Al smiles eating carefully. Matt matched his pace, just making sure he had company.
The meal finished. Germany going up to do more research on what few names they gained and Francis compiling a plate for Iain. Molly Matt and Arthur stayed downstairs. Ivan helps with the dishes. Soon, the kitchen is spotless...
Al smiles a bit sitting back. Matt sat with him, tapping his feet to the radio.
*Hey Matt?*
*Yeah bro?* He was radiating contentment.
That made Al smile. *Did you know Artie has a gym upstairs?*
*I heard rumors? Never really thought to check though.*
*Same here. Wanna go explore?*
*Bet your ass I do!* He grinned, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. Al grins following. They end up running up the stairs, roaming the halls with a childlike excitement. The look into various rooms, checking the contents. They found spare rooms, store cupboards, the library again, and a room with a questionable amount of weapons... And finally the gym, kitted out to the brim.
*Wow.*
*One guess at who uses this the most.* Matt chuckled, gazing around the room. Arthur was passed working out, but his older siblings weren't. Al grins going to pick up some weights.
*Remember to start of easy.* Matt hummed, heading to the battered punchbag.
They stay a while using the various equipment. Al wasn't up to full strength still and wore down faster than he normally would. At least he could feel like he'd done something constructive today. It lifted his mood tremendously. Plus his voice coming back. He felt great! Things were finally getting better.
Al sits on the floor resting a bit. Matt sat by him, handing him a bottle of water. He takes it sipping.
*Feeling better?*
*Much.* He smiles.
Matt grinned and leaned on him. Al hugs him. He hugged back with one arm, ruffling his hair. Al grins.
*You stink bro.* He laughed.
Al grins slyly leaning on him more. He gave a playful cry, pushing him away. Al laughs. He laughed with him. Al smiles hugging him for a minute. *Guess I should go wash huh?*
*I think we both need to.* He chuckled.
Al smiles getting up. He pulled himself up too and started towards the nearest bathroom. Al looks for one as well. There were two on that floor, luckily.
He goes in making sure to lock the door this time. They were on the third floor, no one ever went up here anymore... Just as well though. He undressed and peeled off the few bandages he still needed, there were marks all over still but most had healed enough to not need bandages anymore.
Matt was just next door, silent support in the simple form of good vibes ebbing through their link. He checks them over quickly before stepping in. Hopefully they wouldn't leave too much scaring once gone.
*Bio oil bro.* Matt chuckled lightly. *Your letting thoughts wander again.*
*Sorry.. It really is looking better little by little though.*
*It's okay.* his smile was clear as day. *Mind if I have a look when you're done?*
*Sure, probably should start lotioning anyway.*
*Alright. I'm nearly done, so I'll see you in a sec.*
Al finished up his own shower grabbing a towel. Matt did the same, knocking on his door a moment later. Al wraps up opening it. Matt smiled brightly, hair dripping on his shoulders, towel around his waist. Compared to Al now, his muscles looked massive. He'd build back up if he kept using the gym though. True. *So, let's see.*
Al comes back in so they could use the light. Matt hummed, looking him over then offered to rebandage some of his more tender wounds. Once wrapped they gather their clothes and head to their room.
*You are looking much better now.* Matt hummed.
*Yeah, things are goin good today.*
They split to get dressed then take their dirty clothes downstairs and set a load washing. Afterwards they go off to look for something new to do.
*Want to explore the rest of the house?*
*Sure.*
Matt grinned and grabbed his hand, setting off. They go along checking more rooms. They find more guest rooms, a music room filled with instruments, another library filled with slightly ominous looking books and a few other odd things.
*Wow and I thought my house was big..*
*I swear it looks smaller than this outside...*
*Maybe he expanded it? Like in the Harry Potter books?*
*Mayb... bro, you've gone mad!* Matt laughed; moving to the next door. *Lemme guess, this is his room of requirement?*
Al giggles a bit.
He opened the door and stopped. *...I think he might have expanded it...*
Al looks in. Inside was a full length swimming pool. Arthur must get bored easily... *Holy crap..*
*I know, right...*
Al chuckles. *This is kind of cool though.*
*Fancy a swim later?* he grinned.
*Oh yeah. How long we been up here anyway?*
*I don't know really, like half an... or two hours...*
Al chuckles. *I think we should go back downstairs.*
*Yeah...* The others would be wondering where they'd gone!
They make their way back down. At some points having to back track on their own scents. Damn Arthur's house got confusing... They find their way eventually though and end up in the lounge again. Al leans against the wall for a minute. *Man this place is huge..*
*I know right?* Matt puffed a bit. *No wonder he's still in great shape...*
Al chuckles standing up. *By the way how's Ro been doing?*
*She's been hiding in the garden a lot. Still can't fly though.*
Al frowns a bit. *Well she should be better soon.*
*I hope so... She's been getting lonely without the other fairies...*
Al hugs him and leads to the kitchen. Matt glances out to the flowers on the ledge. Al does as well. The fae in question sat on the petals of a daffodil, staring bleakly at the trees.
Al frowns a bit. *What if we took her out there?*
*We could try it?* He shrugged.
*Worth a shot.*
Matt opened the window and scooped her up, bringing her inside. Al smiles. He sat her in his shirt pocket, just chattering cheerfully. She perked up when he mentioned the woods. Al smiles going to pack some sandwiches.
Soon as they're packed up, they head out, leaving a little note on the fridge should anyone need them. They head out for the tree line following Ro's directions. They weave through the trees, getting good and lost before she tells them to stop.
Al looks over. Her little eyes were alight again. Matt shrugged and sat down. Al does as well glancing around them.
A few moments pass then little lights start creeping out, curious little fae coming out. Al keeps still but his eyes pass from one to the next. Matt's too. Ro's wings started fluttering, but still hadn't healed... Al could sympathize.
The lights grew closer and closer till a little orange one broke out of the group and flew over. "Ro...?"
They boys sat watching.
The new fae had short black hair and an orange dress like Ro's. "Ro, why are you with humans?"
*We're not getting her in trouble are we?*
*I don't know...* "They aren't humans, they're nations!" Murmurs go up at that. *You remember your iron...?*
*No actually..*
*Me either...*
*Well let's just hope they're scared of birds if anything happens..*
*It worked in Tinkerbell...* If not, bears worked... The little voices were talking so fast now, it just sounded like rustling leaves. Al couldn't keep up with them even with his language skills.
Everything suddenly stopped as Ro screamed "No! I'd rather leave than let you have them!"
Al blinks at her. Matt too.
"Ro, you know the rules..."
"Rules be damned!"
*Ok now I'm curious..*
*Shh, just watch...*
"So you're going to be an outcast?"
"Rather that than what you want!"
Al frowns slightly.
"Just give them up!" "You can come home!" "Don't be stupid!" Voices start to tumble together again.
Al glanced to Matt, *Is she wanting to stay with us?*
*I don't know... Either that, or she doesn't want to stay with them...*
*Matt.. Molly said the reason we can even see her is because of the shield.. I don't know if we'd still be able to when it's gone..*
*I know... Which is why I wanted her to rejoin the others, but she doesn't seem to want to...*
*What do we do?*
*I guess we just wait and see...*
He turns back to the bickering girls.
"Then get out!" The orange fae screamed. "Go live as a pet!"
Al frowns. Matt frowned and stood. "We should go..."
*But..*
*Bro...* But the fae were already disappearing again...
Al sighs. Ro had lost all of her light now, wings drooped. Al frowns. "Don't kick her out.."
"She has chosen her own path," an old fae came forward, white gown flowing elegantly with her silver hair. "She has chosen to remove herself from our circle."
"Why?"
"It is our custom, if we damage our wings, to give up use if them in penitence of our foolishness. She was careless and must pay the price."
Al frowns. "But that's like giving up your right to walk..."
"Wings are sacred. If she is not going to look after them, she will lose the right to use them."
"It wasn't her fault though, it was an accident.." His voice was really starting to crack horribly.
"Al, you'll ruin your voice!"
"This is none of your concern. You simply happened to be here."
Al glares at the elder. "You've never been grounded have you?"
"Actually, I have," She glared back, a proud arrogance around her. "One of your kind pinned my wings for display."
He softened at that sighing.
"Our rules are quite simple. If she wishes for her wings back, she must earn them."
He couldn't talk any more signing instead while asking Matt to translate. 'How?' Matt asked for him and the elder just laughed. "None of your concern."
Al frowns.
"One final chance, my child," She turned to Ro. "Either come home, or leave forever."
He looks at her. She was fuming now, burning brighter then ever. "Stick it up your arse, you old bat!"
*Too long around Iain...*
*Yep..*
The elder huffed and turned her back on them. "Then it's time you left."
Al sighs looking at Matt. He shrugged, looking quite sad. *Looks like we've got no choice...*
*Sorry..*
*Don't be... They're out of order... But it's not our place to say...*
Al stands waiting for him. He gets up and goes with him. They head back to the house. They get half way when two little voices call out behind them. "Wait!" Al stops turning.
Two fae had followed them, one yellow, one green. "Wait up, we want to come with you!"
Al blinks. Ro jumped up from Matt's pocket, wings buzzing. Matt shrugged. *You think anyone would mind...?*
*Probably not, if anything she won't be alone.*
He smiled softly as the duo dove into his pocket, hugging Ro tight. *I think they're friends.*
Al smiles as well. *Come on, let's get back.* He seriously needed some more of those candies.
They hurry home, learning on the way that the yellow fae was called Mina and the green was Trip. Al pops a couple candies in his mouth and sits on the couch. They relax for a little while now, letting the trio settle. Ivan comes through at one point and sits with them, steeling Al for cuddles. Al blushes slightly.
Matt just smiled and let them be. He really ended up with France's love for, well... love. Al snuggles in opting for a nap. He had really done a lot today. Matt left them in peace, going to find the others.
Francis comes out of Iain's room having just changed his bandages. Matt stopped and smiled. "How's he doing?"
"Getting better, the bleeding is nearly gone now."
"That's good," he smiled. "And how are you?"
"I'm ok, just a little tired."
"I can make dinner today?"
Francis smiles. "That would help thanks."
Matt smiled and took the dirty bandages. "I'll look after these, you go rest for a bit."
Francis smiles moving off to find Arthur. Arthur had retired to the library for a bit, embracing the quiet. Francis comes in sitting across from him.
He looked up at the noise and smiled. "Matthew?"
"Yeah."
"You deserved a break," He came and sat with him. "You're the only one that's not gone mad in all this."
Francis smiles hugging him. "There have been a couple of points."
Arthur snuggled in. "At least you only get nurse and chef... Protection stinks. I've had seven people trying to get in this week..."
He frowns slightly. "Who?"
"A couple lost travellers, a couple agents with the creep downstairs... I fried the latter..."
Francis hugs him protectively.
"It's tiring..." He sighed cuddling in. Francis rubs his back gently, he needed to get off it soon though.. And how did they find the house? He could only pass it to Molly right now and she didn't handle it well at all... He seemed alright for now...
Francis hopes for Iain to get well soon, he was also worried about invasion now.
Iain was healing fast... No one would get in here unless they were a nation though, so invasion shouldn't be an issue...
Francis sighs nuzzling in Arthur's hair.
"How long do you think we'll be stuck here for?" Arthur sighed.
"I don't know.. Ludwig is working with the others to track the info we have so far.."
"I know... But we won't be safe until we've dismantled most of this operation..."
"Hopefully once we get things sorted our governments can act quick enough to catch them."
"I hope so..." He yawned.
Francis hugs him close kissing his head.
Arthur smiled warmly, leaning up to capture his lips. He smiles leaning in for a moment. Arthur hummed, letting it last. They'd barely had time to breathe these last few days... Francis holds him close petting his hair.
"I've missed this." Arthur smiled softly.
Francis smiles. "Me too."
He kissed him again before pressing into the crook of his neck. Francis cuddles with him closing his eyes.
"I love you." He whispered, wrapping his arms around his waist.
"I love you to mon lapin."
"I love you too, you frog." He teased lightly.
Francis chuckles. They just sit in each others company, letting it ease their troubles.