The Baker Street Irregulars
"Ugh my head hurts, could you keep it down Bonnefoy?" pleaded a red eyed Arthur who seemed to be lying on the breakfast table
Francis looked up from his humming as he had been reading the paper while Iain watched the two closely. Iain hadn't dared go home, in case something strange happened again. Francis had taken all this in his stride, as he poured tea from a teapot into a mug for the suffering Arthur.
"My humming iz annoying you? After you go to all zee trouble to annoy me by playing your violin at zee early 'ours of zee morning?" Teased Francis
"Tha aside, do ye remember what happened tae ye yesterday after ye got yersen plastered?" asked Iain of his brother
Arthur winced up at Iain who looked at his pained brother seriously. Francis felt his breath catch. If Arthur did remember their passionate kiss what would he have to say for himself? Would he deny it even if he remembered it? After all it was only natural to be ashamed of kissing another man. Francis wouldn't blame him... still it would hurt.
"Mmm? Of course I do. I don't see why you're both so interested in all that. Just leave me be!" Whined Arthur as he buried his face in his arms.
Iain let out an "ach" sound as Francis watched Arthur closely. Arthur noticed Francis's glare and rolled his eyes, then closed them in the pain that he had caused himself to do so. Francis decided to take pity on Arthur and offered him one of his Indian cigars. Arthur looked at it and waved it away. This took Francis by surprise slightly, as he had always found Arthur smoking them or his pipe when in his study.
"That's only for solving problems, not for hangovers." Muttered Arthur but Francis could hear the smile in his voice.
Iain seemed to be able to hear it as well, but before he could speak Mrs Hudson came strolling in with a letter addressed to Francis. Francis accepted it with a small nod and words of gratitude. Arthur peered over in his slovenly position with curiosity.
"Alas gentleman, I 'ave been called away by zee church to attend a charity event in a sister church in another community. Et seems I will be gone zee whole day. Try not to miss me to much mon cher Arthur." Francis informed them choosing to address Arthur in such a way to annoy Iain
Arthur bolted up and stared at his tangled web of pictures and string that showed the connection between all the fae cases. Francis was use to being ignored in such a way and took his jacket in his hand.
"Is it common?" Asked Arthur suddenly
"Ez wat common?" Asked Francis
"For parishes to visit other parishes?" Asked Arthur
"Oui, our church goes often to less fortunate community churches to give out food or clothing. " Francis answered
"Ah ha! Why did you not tell me this sooner Bonnefoy? You have just helped me solve this case! Who would have known that you had such a head for these things?" Arthur gushed
Francis blushed slightly at the complement as Arthur began bounding round the room announcing sudden exclamations of "oh of course!" and "exactly!" . His energy had disappeared as suddenly as it had come, and he turned to the two astonished people behind him.
"I have to contact them right away to make sure!" Arthur announced before getting his coat and promptly leaving.
His steps could be heard disappearing in the distance and then the closing of the front door was heard that signalled his departure. Francis and Iain stood in an awkward silence. True, the two had been friends long before Francis had met Arthur, but last nights events hung heavy in the air. The two didn't even want to speak to each other right now. The mantle clock chimed and Francis was shaken from his thoughts and silence.
"Well I must be going. I 'ave to go to ze church. I could call a cab for you if you wish?" Francis said graciously
"No. Ah have business tae discuss with mah wee brother. Ah will noo be tresspassin on yer hospitality any longer." Iain said coldly as he stood with his coat under arm.
Francis watched him stride out of the room. Had he lost an old friend there to gain a new one? Aghh! Why are the Kirkland brothers so complicated? Francis couldn't help but ask himself as he turned off the lamps to leave and call his hansom cab. He strode down the stair case, nodded his head in a gentlemanly manner to his land lady and closed the door behind him to turn to the crowded streets of London.
...
Nothing had prepared Francis for what awaited him on his return to 221B Baker street. Oh at this time he had been living with Arthur long enough to be use to the chemical experiments, the drugs, the bullet holes in the wall, dummies hanging by a rope, and all sorts of oddities that, god help him, he now considered to be a daily part of life. From the outside things looked normal, as he opened the door to their flat it looked normal inside as well. However as he walked into the living room he saw two small boys curled up on the sofa.
On closer inspection Francis felt his heart stop. Why did the boy with the shorter blonde hair that looked slightly messy look a little like Arthur? If the other boy looked like Arthur, the boy sleeping next to him looked a little like a shorter haired child version of Francis. Both boys wore scruffy ragged looking clothes and had blackened feet from trudging through the dirty streets of London. Francis dully wondered if the boys had ever bathed before in their lives.
Francis heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Arthur. He smiled and raised a finger to his lips and beckoned Francis to follow him into the other room, something that Francis did with out hesitation.
"Who are zey?" Francis asked
" Ah those boys are the Baker Street irregulars. The shorter haired boy is called Alfred and the other boy is his younger brother Matthew. They are two homeless little orphans who gather information for me. You see these boys see and hear everything that goes on in the streets in London. After all, why would anyone pay attention to two little homeless boys presence? Adorable aren't they?" Arthur explained
"Zis sounds slightly immoral; taking advantage of two petite boys." Francis replied frowning as he peered through the doorway to look at the sleeping forms
"Taking advantage of them? Of course not! In return for their services I will let them dine with us and sleep here in the winters. I also pay for all their medical bills and make sure they learn to read and write to some degree. I think that is a fair trade?" Arthur answered
"Oui, very nice. 'Owever why iz et you didn't consult moi?" Francis asked sulkily
"I didn't think it would be a problem. Think of it as a part time adoption. I always thought that you fancied yourself as a family man." Arthur replied with a shrug and walking back into the kitchen.
Francis fully gaped at Arthur. Was Arthur announcing that these two boys be something like sons to them? If that was the case then did he consider himself and Francis a couple? Then again this was Arthur... there was no way anything emotional could be involved in all this. But still, the way he had looked at those boys...
Francis's paused in his contemplation when he noticed black smoke billowing from the kitchen, and ran in to save Arthur. He found a forlorn Arthur staring at this crisp black thing in a frying pan. He muttered something about cooking not being true chemistry, as Francis laughed and began to work on a new dish, asking Arthur to help him now and then in an effort to help him keep his pride. The boys walked into the kitchen while Francis and Arthur where bickering with each other. They decided to help them and soon the immaculate kitchen was covered in flour and globs of raw batter.
"Our names are Alfred and Mathew. What's yours?" Asked the shorter blonde haired boy who had startling blue eyes
"My name iz Francis Bonnefoy. I am Arthurs roommate." Francis told him
"I like Arthur. He is very kind. He listens to us when no one else does." The quite boy with the longer blonde hair said gazing at Francis with his magnificent purple eyes.
"Alright then, Attention!" Arthur called when re entering the room
The two boys flew into a line standing shoulder to shoulder with some giggling. They both saluted in union. Arthur stood in front of them with his hands clasped behind his back, looking very much like a commander examining his troops.
"It's time for business. What do you have to report on the mission I gave you? Alfred, you go first." Arthur commanded after saluting back
Francis sat back on one of the arm chairs by the fire to watch their little show. A faint smile played across his lips as he watched Arthur with the boys. Francis could tell he was fond of them. The blue eyed brother answered Arthur's command.
"Well we went to the church like you asked. When we arrived we saw the woman you described getting out of a cab. A man at the church, he looked like a priest, addressed her as an Ms Adler. The same woman left the church after her talk with the priest and we heard her tell the cab to go to St Pancras Station. She mentioned that she had an appointment at Durham University to the priest before she did so."
The purple eyed brother nodded. Arthur stared off into space while the two boys chattered eagerly away to each other about the things they had seen on the trip.
"Do you know the name of the church?" Arthur asked
"Yeah, we can read now you know. It was St Augustines ." Alfred said puffing up his chest importantly
"I told you that. You had trouble reading that name even while sounding it out." Reminded Matthew
"Did not! Shut up! If I wanted advice on how to speak French then I'd come to you, but as this is English you can go and-" Retorted Alfred before Arthur silenced him by clearing his throat
"If you want to stay here tonight you have to behave." Warned Arthur
Both boys hung their heads. Francis sighed. Well now that he was helping raise these two perhaps he should learn a bit more about them. Did little Alfred say something about his brother knowing French? Well Francis thought as he watched the three other people in the room converse earnestly, he had plenty of time to get to know them. He just hoped Arthur wouldn't place them in too much danger.