A little short but no cut anytime soon after.
The three sit playing with the litter. Meanwhile back in the library Al had disappeared, Matt's arms holding the pink egg instead. Matt hadn't noticed, the warmth of the egg was enough to keep him asleep.
He had locked himself in his room, sitting on the floor of the adjoining bathroom as pain spasmed through him. Doing his best to block it from Matt. They never could hide it entirely though...
Matt started to stir, the little niggling feeling of something being wrong was prodding him awake. The room was empty save his and Al's eggs. The Canadian frowned when he woke to effective emptiness. *Alfred...?*
Another dull spasm seeped through.
Matt jumped up, trying to work out where it was coming from. Off to the left and upstairs towards Al's room. He took off after it.
The door was locked. He called Kuma, getting the disgruntled bear to barge it in. The light was on in the bathroom. He waddled straight over, looking in.
Al was on the floor tears on his face as he contracted. He had three eggs already but there was also the syrupy mess of his other chamber. Matt paled, screaming for Francis as he got ready to help his brother. Francis came running for the second time that day. Al had just had too much pressure on his stomach, it all wanted to come out at once.
Matt started feeling around, trying to work out if they could help ease it out of they'd need a trip to the hospital. So far everything was fine. He nodded to himself and started helping things shift about so they could come out.
Another two eggs came before something different showed. Matt frowned curiously but encouraged Al to keep pushing. He was exhausted already, but out came a small furry body of a brown bear cub.
Matt gasped, catching the little body. He cleaned it off and made sure it was breathing before showing it to Al. *Look...*
Al glanced up at it before reaching to hold it. Matt let him take it, the cub nuzzling in for warmth. *...Feels like it might have some siblings still to come...*
Another two eggs before the next came. Francis trying to clean it off but it wouldn't wake.. Poor little body crushed by the new eggs.. They just had to set that one aside... Poor thing... Hopefully the others would be okay...
Out of the four cubs only two lived, both male, one slightly smaller than the other. Al sat to sore and tired to move crying softly. Matt left the dead cubs to Francis, simply cleaning Al and covering him up before hugging him softly. Al leaned in limply. Traces of anger mixing in with sorrow. Matt just sent over calming waves, coaxing him towards sleep. He needed to rest after all that.
It didn't take much, seven eggs and four cubs was exhausting. Francis comes back carrying his much lighter frame back to the nest in the library. Matt brought the live cubs, sighing with relief to find they were healthy enough, if a little small. They were lucky to avoid getting crushed. Francis set Al down covering him up in the blankets.
Matt stood awkwardly with the cubs. They needed to feed but Al wouldn't be producing milk in his state... Truth be told Al hadn't shown any signs of milk at all. He had stocked up on some formula though as Francis comes in with some. Matt traded a bottle for a cub, feeding it. Francis feeds the other. They both latch on eagerly.
Matt managed a soft smile, watching tenderly. He'd always loved babies and bears and this was both! They sit suckling until they had their fill yawning tiredly. Matt took them back, wanting to look after them. It wasn't that he didn't trust Al, he just knew his brother needed rest, not cubs demanding attention.
Francis lets them be going back up to Arthur and Ro. They had sat and played with the rabbits the whole time, mainly to stop Ro from getting worked up.
Arthur looked up. "Okay?"
"Alfred went into labor, seven eggs four bear cubs. But not all of them made it.."
Arthur nodded softly but Ro looked horrified.
"What did you do with the stillborns?"
"I wrapped them up and set them in the den for now."
"Let Al know when he's back to himself..."
Francis nods sitting next to him. He leaned over, kissing his softly. Francis smiles sadly hugging him.
"It'll all work out..."
They settle in with each other for the day until dinner. Francis leaving to cook. Ro floated down with him, wanting to help somewhere. She needed to feel useful. He smiles glad for the help. She hadn't spoken since the mention of the dead cubs though...
He just coaxed her with gentle instructions. She seemed content to be told what to do. It was a little unsettling - she looked like a puppet. He took note of that sending her up with the boys plates when they were done.
She took them both to Matt then left, knowing that he would know better than her how to get Al to eat it. Francis had been hoping that he would talk to her though. Al was still groggy at this point. Matt had tried, but she left too fast...
Al shifts with a groan at the smell of food.
*Hey, you coming back to us?*
*Oww..*
Matt couldn't help chuckling softly. *How do you feel?*
Al sighs. *..Where are they..?*
Matt set aside the plates and picked up the two live cubs. *You had four but the others didn't make it...*
Al frowns hugging them close. Slight anger bubbling again. They nuzzled in, sensing their 'mother'.
Al sat with his knees as close to his chest as he could manage. Still very sore but stomach much smaller. It would still be a while till it was normal though. It would need some toning up, having been stretched out of shape.
*Ro brought us some food...*
Al glanced up, stomach clenching painfully.
*Try some for me ..?*
Al reached out tentatively. He was hungry but still upset.
*Here,* Matt scooped up a forkful for him, holding it out.
Al ate, one arm protectively wrapped around his cubs. He glanced to the incubator.
*They're alright, I've been keeping an eye on them..*
*...where's the new ones..?*
*Bottom drawer...*
Al sighs looking down. Anger seeping up again.
*How did you get those eggs...*
Al was silent for a moment. *Remember that day I came home late?*
-flashback-
Al was walking down the street in town. He had the hood of his hoodie pulled up and head down trying to pass as a woman. The street was silent, nearly empty as people sat inside enjoying meals.
One man came staggering out of a bar though, yelling and jeering drunkenly. He spotted the blond and smirked. "Hey hey, pretty lady, where you headed?"
Al ignored him continuing on.
"Oh, don't be a bitch now," he hollered, following him down the path.
Al felt a hiss bubble in his throat but kept silent. The man caught him up and grabbed him, pulling him into an alley where he pinned him to the wall. "Where ya goin? I just want to show you a good time."
Al pushed him off but his body was tired and sluggish from the pregnancy.
"Bun in the oven," the man smirked. "Brilliant. Means this won't leave a trace..." he pulled Al's hood back and paused.
Al scowled at him.
The man just gave a drunken smirk, flipping him and pinning him to the wall before-
"Stop! Stop, I-I've seen enough...!" Matt had curled in, eyes closed in an attempt to block it out but it hadn't worked.
Al stopped turning away from him shamefully. Matt needed a moment to collect himself, disgust overwhelming him. Al felt it shying away and hugging the cubs.
Matt wasn't disgusted with his brother, but rather the man that violated him... His actions had caused two deaths...
Al sat petting the thin brown fur gently.
*Those two are healthy...* he needed to speak, get that image out of his head... *Feeding well too...*
Al nods softly. *Hey um.. Do you remember where I keep my flashlights?*
*Out in your garage? Why?*
*I want to try something.*
*What you thinking of?*
Al drug himself over to the incubator, pulling out his first eggs. Ivan's eggs. *I wanna see inside..*
Matt watched him for a moment before going to fetch a torch. Al sat stroking a shell. Nothing would show in the new eggs for a few days at least, but these..
Matt came back and handed him the torch.
Al takes it putting it under one and turning it on. A dark blob filled about a third of the egg veins hanging in the apparent emptiness of the attached yolk to feed it. Al smiles softly.
*That one looks good,* Matt smiled warmly.
Al smiles brightly checking the next. They all seemed to be fine, growing steadily. At least they knew Ivan's eggs were going to be okay.
Al sighs holding them for a bit before putting them back. Matt had gone and fetched some more bottles for the cubs. Al sat looking them over. One clearly smaller than the other.
*I get the feeling this one was the runt of the litter,* Matt petted the small one gently. In fact, its size probably saved it being crushed...
*Kenai and Koda..*
Matt chuckled softly.
Al shrugs. *It fits. And to be honest I always hated the name Boris.* Al smirks.
He laughed, the noise bubbling out. Al chuckles.
*I wonder when I'll have mine...*
*Dunno.. I think mine were kinda early..*
*It explains why Koda's so small...*
Really his stomach couldn't take anymore. And with the two that died his body forced them out to rid himself of the damage.
*At least it's over now... You can start healing.*
Al sighs leaning on his twin. He still felt drained and vitamins were still low. He'd be stuck on supplements for a while.
Almost like he knew, Francis had just sent Ro up with water and a little cup of pills. Al glanced up to her. She held out the cups, saying nothing. He takes them setting them down and tugging on her arm. She reluctantly sat down, hugging her knees to her chest. He frowns hugging her.
She just sat, tense and anxious. She wanted to hug back but she didn't want to let herself go, so she gripped his shirt instead.
"What's wrong..?" His voice was slightly raw.
She shrank down, refusing to answer. Al frowns. Matt watched worriedly.
Al picked up Kenai. "Look what I have."
She looked at it and was instantly reminded of the two dead cubs downstairs. She choked, running out of the room. Al frowns sad and baffled.
Matt got up. *Want me to bring her back?*
*Yeah..*
Matt slipped out, returning a few minutes later with a tearful redhead. Al had bundled the cubs in a blanket out of sight.
She still hung back, reluctant to even look at either of them. Matt coaxed her back to Al, sitting her down. Al grips her hand. She sat tense, like she was waiting for something bad to happen.
"Ro.. It's not your fault.."
Her hand tightened on his.
"If anything it's mine.."
She still didn't look up.
He frowns pulling her into a hug. She hiccupped, clinging to him.
"It's ok.." Al felt himself tearing up as well.
She just buried in, crying silently. He held her close rubbing her back and leaning on Matt. Matt hugged them both tight. Al sits letting them both grieve.
They all flush their systems, Ro calming down. Al rubs her back sleepily, he was still very tired. She looked exhausted herself now. Al nuzzled into Matt. He still hasn't taken his pills yet.
Matt noticed and prodded him gently. *You need them...*
He huffs downing them quickly then snuggling into the blankets. Matt petted his hair softly, waiting for him to sleep. Al hugged Ro close nuzzling the lumps that were his cubs. She passed out quickly, not used to stress. It wore her out quickly. Al was already gone.
Matt watched them for bit, checked the cubs then slunk off to find someone to hold him for a while. He just wanted to curl up and hide. Francis caught him pulling him into Arthur's room. Matt folded into them instantly, just snuggling in. Francis gave Arthur a worried glance while he held him. Arthur gave one right back, petting Matt's hair. They watched over him silently.
Matt just clung for a while before finally falling asleep. Francis sighs.
Arthur frowned softly. "Poor thing looks half gone..."
"It's been a rough day.." Francis sits explaining their earlier visit. "And this sudden new clutch? Something must have happened.."
"Judging by his reaction," Arthur nodded to Matt. "It was nothing good..."
Francis sighs. Nothing was ever easy with the twins...
The night passed on Francis and Arthur going to bed.