They head back to the couch. Matt was still sleeping, Francis having able to bring his temperature down a bit. Al sits next to him gripping his hand. He gripped back groggily after a moment. Al smiles. Hazy purple eyes cracked open, dry throat cracking on half formed words.
"Hey Mattie." Al smiles.
"A'fie..." Matt croaked. "Hurts..."
Al pulls him into a hug. He flinched slightly, body tender. "What hurts?"
"E-everyth'ng..." he couldn't quite feel it through the throbbing in his skull, but he felt like he'd been hit by a bus.
Al frowns rubbing the back of his neck gently. Matt just groaned softly. Good thing he bought more pain killers.. He asked Ro to fetch them.
She nodded and dashed off, running into Francis's back. He jumps slightly turning to her.
She stumbled back, rubbing her nose softly. "Ow..."
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah," she wiggled her nose a bit. "Al needs painkillers for Matt."
He frowns softly grabbing the bottle and coming to check. Matt was writhing by that point, every little touch like fire. He just wanted to shut down. Al was watching worriedly. Francis rushed over feeling his head.
Matt's temperature had rocketed suddenly, poor thing cooking himself, almost. Francis picks him up rushing for a cool bath. Al hurries after. Ro followed them up too, wanting to be there if they needed help.
Francis sets him in starting the water. Al was trying desperately to contact him but he felt so faint. Matt wasn't responding to the water, or to Al's attempts to reach him though...
Al started panicking sliding to the floor in the hall outside.
Ro glanced between them a moment before carefully kneeling by Al. "Alfie...?"
"Something's wrong with him.."
"Francis is gonna help him..."
"He's not talking to me.." Al huddled up into himself.
"He will when he wakes up," she rubbed his shoulder gently.
He leans on her hugging. She hugged back tight, just rocking gently.
Francis stayed with Matthieu trying to get him awake It was a good ten minutes before Matt came back, gasping and shivering in the icy bath water. Francis sighs hugging him tightly.
He huddled in, trembling like a leaf. "P-P-Papa...?"
"Shh it's alright now.."
"S'cold," he whimpered. "M'scared..."
Francis shuts off the water and dries him off. Matt just clung to him the whole time, terrified to let go. He wraps a towel around him and helps him to the hall. Al still clinging to Ro. Matt struggled to stay on his feet for long.
Ro looked over Al's head, spotting the other blonds. "Al, look, I told you he'd be okay...!"
Al glanced up to him. Matt still looked terrible, but a bit of life had come back to his eyes. Al stood up pulling Matt close to him. He stumbled in, latching onto him instantly. Al just held him a moment before they went off to his room for clothes.
Ro watched them go, heart still pounding with adrenaline. "He's gonna be okay, right...?"
Francis wraps an arm over her shoulders. "Yes he's fine." Hopefully..
She made an uncertain little noise, hugging him. He hugs her back. They just stand, waiting for the twins to reappear.
Al comes back soon after supporting Matt. The Canadian looked a little warmer, at least... He really should be resting somewhere though...
Al takes them into the library where he had moved his nest. Though he reassembled his bed as well, instead using spare mattresses from guest rooms. Matt was just grateful to lay down in something soft with a comforting smell to it. Al snuggles up to him while pulling out and tending to his eggs. Ro hovered nearby, watching the eggs curiously. Francis had gone to make everyone lunch.
Ro shifted a little closer. "...What do they feel like...?"
"What the eggs?"
She nodded softly. He fidgets a moment before carefully handing her one. She took it carefully, holding it safely against her so it wouldn't fall. "It's warm."
"That's what that box is for, if they don't stay warm they die."
A look of horror crossed her face at that and she hugged the egg a little closer. He smiles softly.
"It's okay though, right?"
"Yeah it's fine."
She breathed a sigh of relief, stroking the smooth shell. Al watched as he shifted the rest around. She cuddled it a few minutes more before offering it back to Al.
He takes it back with a wave of relief. "Why don't you pick a book and we can read for a while?"
Ro burst out grinning at that. She couldn't read herself, but she loved hearing stories. Al smiles settling the clutch between his legs.
She ran off to find a book, coming back with Al's old copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. "Whats this one?"
"That's a good one." He opens it and starts reading aloud.
She leaned into his shoulder, listening intently. He held the book in one hand petting Matt's hair with the other. Matt seemed to be listening too, a small smile playing on his lips.
They sit reading until Francis came up with grilled cheese and tomato soup. More for Matt's possibly uneasy stomach than anything. Matt shifted up a bit, ready for food. He still had cubs to feed too!
Francis smiles leaving to bring Arthur his. Arthur was awake now, cooing over his kits. Francis comes in with a tray.
Arthur smiled up at him, tiny silver-white rabbit cradled in his arms. "Hey..."
"Hungry?"
"Famished."
Francis sets the tray with him picking up his own plate. "I'm worried about Mattheiu.."
"What's happened?" Arthur set down his kit, frowning softly.
He explains what happened. "It was warm even for him, more of a fever you'd expect from a southern nation.. It took ten minutes to wake him up.."
Arthur frowned darkly at that, eyes troubled. Francis sighs swirling his soup.
"...Do you think it might happen again...?"
"I'm not sure.. He still is pretty sick.."
"Keep someone with him at all times..."
Francis nods eating his lunch. They sit together, sipping soup.
Francis pets the silver-white rabbit softly. "Have you thought about names at all?"
"There's so many of them, I just don't know where to begin," he laughed lightly.
Francis smiles. "More to come too. I guess we can start by figuring out who is what gender?"
"Sounds like a plan," Arthur smiled back. "I'm not too sure how to tell though."
"I'm sure Alfred could help."
"Think we can get him away from Matt long enough?"
"Maybe, probably best to wait for now though."
He nodded softly. "...I'm rather smitten with the two white ones..."
Francis smiles.
"There's a couple charcoal black ones too, most are just brown..."
Francis hums softly hugging him.
He snuggled in, scooping up a random kit. "Say hello."
"Hello." Francis grins. They were only two days old and yet to open their eyes. Still, it wiggled its little brown body towards the sound of his voice. He chuckles cuddling it. It pressed into his warmth needily.
Francis smiles warmly, feeling happily content. He hasn't felt like this since the colonies were small.
"Why not just lay in here a while?" Arthur smiled warmly. "They're ever so soothing..."
Francis smiles wiggling in. They form a pen for the kits, all ten enclosed between them. He smiles kissing Arthur. Arthur smiled, pressing in sweetly. They settled in for a while. Arthur was content, snuggled with his odd little family.
Later on Matt had woken up from a nap, rubbing his swollen stomach tenderly. Al watched him worriedly.
*Al... I really don't feel right...* he sounded scared, hands trembling on his bump.
*What's wrong?*
*I don't know... It just feels cramped and horrible...*
Al frowns. *That's how I felt before the eggs came..*
*B-but I... I-I don't have any eggs...*
Al hugs him. *Calm down Matt, maybe it's just cramps?*
*It hurts,* he whined, gripping tight to his sleeve. Al sat rubbing his back. Matt tried to calm down; but the feeling wouldn't go away...
"Ro go get Francis please.."
She nodded and bounced up, rushing off. Al grips Matt's hand hugging him.
It was hardly a minute before Ro returned, Francis in tow. Francis came over quickly. "What's wrong?"
Matt just whined, curling into himself. He frowns feeling Matt's stomach.
Something was definitely shifting in there... Something big...
"Matthieu lay down, Ro go wait outside."
Ro frowned softly but slipped out as Matt rolled onto his back. Al held Matt's head in his lap petting his hair.
*Al...* Matt's head was reeling.
*It's ok bro.. It'll be fine..* Francis felt around a bit.
*It hurts...* The lump seemed to be shifting downwards
Al grips his hand tightly as Francis shifts Matt's pants off. Matt's legs were trembling, the seat of his jeans already damp with the impending arrival. Francis sits reassuring him.
It was a few very uncomfortable minutes before Matt had to start pushing. He groaned, gripping Al's hand tightly.
Al grips back. *You're good bro you're good.*
*It hurts...* he didn't give up though, instinct pushing him through it.
Al just held him. Matt slowly forced out a large, pastel pink egg. He collapsed back as it finally came out, panting and trembling. Al hugs him close confused at the egg. He'd never seen one like that before..
Matt didn't want to even look at it right now. He just curled into his brother, lower back and hips throbbing. Francis covers him up again before examining it.
It was nearly twice the size of Al's eggs, which was thoroughly concerning - eagles had big eggs anyway. It was a soft pink with maroon speckles around the base and it was unnaturally warm - like it generated its own heat...
He frowns. "I'll be right back.." He walks to the door letting Ro back in and went to fetch Arthur.
Ro crept in, glancing to the odd egg. "...Is he okay?"
"He'll be fine.."
"Is that his...?" She couldn't keep her eyes off the strange egg.
Al nods.
She touched it gently, frowning softly "It's hot..."
Al frowns. Francis comes back Arthur in tow.
Arthur waddled a bit, face of worry. "Matthew...?"
Francis leads him over. "Look at this.."
Arthur shuffled in, looking the egg over. Al sits comforting Matt and watching.
He picked it up, turned and tilted it, had a listen inside. "Hmm..."
Al's head tilts curiously.
"You'd be better asking Dylan," he mused softly. "...But it looks like a phoenix egg..."
Al blinks "What...?"
"A phoenix..." Arthur repeated. "Though how on earth Matthew would end up with one of these is beyond me... Their eggs are rarer than unicorn foals..."
"Maybe it's Gil?" *No wonder you got sick earlier.. Fire and ice don't mix well..*
"Gilbert has a phoenix?"
*Make sense... I feel like shit...*
"I don't know but it fits him.. His country was dissolved yet he's still here."
Arthur considered it then shrugged. "Either way, it's here now. The egg pretty much looks after itself, being so warm..."
Al sits rubbing Matt's back. Ro sat beside the twins, petting Matt's hair. Matt just shivered exhaustedly. They huddle around him a while.
After a while, Matt passed out, needing the recovery time. Al frowns softly petting him. He looked terrible, the strain of laying mixing with lingering traces of his fever, he just needed to shut down. At least with the egg out though, he should recover quickly. Hopefully the cubs would be easier.
At least the cubs were his own... That egg was so foreign to his anatomy, it might well have been a tumor. Again Al wondered what his little mystery was. He'd have to wait and see really...
He sighs looking around the room. Arthur had gone back to his own litter, leaving the twins and Ro to themselves. Francis had gone to do laundry.
"...Is there anything I can do?" The fae was terrible for getting restless.
Al glanced up. "Um, could you grab a snack? Matt'll probably be hungry when he wakes up."
"Sure," she smiled. "What will he want?"
"Whatever we can put maple syrup on."
"...I'll ask Francis."
Al smiles softly. She smiled back before heading downstairs. Al sits with Matt still.
Matt shifted after a moment, eyes cracking open. "Hmm..."
"Hey bro."
"Feel like shit..."
"I know.." Al rubs his back.
"My ass hurts..." A run down Matt was a vulgar one at times
Al smiles softly. "At least you only got one."
"Screw having more..." he smirked slightly. "How did you manage?"
Al shrugs pulling Matt into his lap. Matt winced slightly but was happy to snuggle sit waiting for Ro to come back.
She came back with waffles drenched in syrup. "Francis gave me these..."
Al grins.
Matt saw them and brightened ever so slightly. "Al...? Help me?"
Al pulls him upright as gently as he could, setting him to lean on Al's side. Matt settled as best he could, eager for the boost the sugar would bring. Al waves Ro over to sit with them.
She came over with the plate, kneeling im front of them. "Need a hand?"
Al smiles supporting Matt. Ro cut off a bit of waffle, starting to feed Matt. He didn't really care, he just needed food. They let him eat, maple doing wonders for his mood.
By the end of the plate, they nearly had their Matt back, the blond smiling sleepily as he cuddled into his brother. Al smiles rubbing his arm.
"...Would it be bad to nap again?" Matt hummed softly.
"Go ahead."
He closed his eyes, settling in. Al sighs softly.
Once she was sure Matt was asleep, Ro turned to Al. "Are you okay...?"
"Just tired.."
"You should rest then," she nodded.
He smiles softly.
"I'll get Francis if either of you need him..." She really was a good little helper...
"Thanks."
She picked up a book, just looming at the pictures while the twins settled down to sleep. They snuggled in close. Matt was out like a light, cuddling Al tight.
They zonked right through dinner actually. Ro slipped down for her meal but came straight back again. Right now, she sat with Matt's egg, finding it fascinating. Al grumbles shifting. Matt frowned in response, juffling.
Al seemed to be bothered though, brow furrowed and hissing softly.
Ro looked up at that, slightly disturbed. "Al...?"
*Mine..*
She couldn't hear that, but Matt could and frowned, squirming uncomfortably.
"Alfred...?" Ro edged closer carefully.
"My eggs.."
"Okay...?" She didn't really know what to say to that...
He grips Matt tighter. *Mine! Go away!*
Matt gave a weak yelp, Al's grip starting to hurt. Ro frowned, trying to ease them apart. Al didn't budge. And Matt was getting desperate. She pulled harder, just trying to loosen an arm or something.
He loosens slightly. She tugged him away a little more, reluctant to stop until Matt settled. Al wouldn't wake though, caught in his dream.
At least they both looked settled... Matt could use his lungs again...
*Mine! Don't hurt them!*
*Al... Stop shouting...*
His fingers twitched, agitated.
Matt shifted, hugging his brother. *Relax...*
*My eggs.. Mine..*
*No one wants your eggs...*
He whines lightly.
*Just settle down, okay...?* Matt shifted again, holding him protectively.
His tension faded. Matt settled into his new position. Ro just watched in silent wonder. Al dozed on.
Ro sighed, kind of tired herself. It'd been a while since she last slept... She was welcome to join them. She felt weird butting in though... They wouldn't mind.
No one was awake to tell her though, so she just curled up where she was, picking up a spare blanket. She only needed a little nap anyway. They ended up sleeping through the night.