The Darkness Beneath

-10-

"Are you seriously rereading zhose filzhy old books again, Cher?" Francis sighed as he climbed onto bed next to Arthur that night.
"I'm just reliving old memories." The Brit lied. "And I thing the lads and I are going to start playing around with this stuff again."
Francis rolled his eyes. "You're supposed to be zhe adult in zhis relationship."
"I can still have fun."
"You're such a nerd, Arzhur."
"I'm your nerd."
"Arzhur." Francis put his hand on his husband's cheek. "Are you feeling okay? You know it's okay to cry around moi, right?"
Arthur nodded. "I know."
"Zhen why aren't you?"
"I'm just not ready for that yet." He set his book down and pulled Francis toward himself, resting his head on his chest.
"Just let me know when you are."
"Mmm." Arthur closed his eyes. The day wore him down much more than he thought it would, but he just wanted to be awake next to Francis for just a bit longer.
"Papa? Daddy?"
Francis pulled away from Arthur in order to look up. The Brit wanted to pull him back, but he had been clingy enough.
"Matthieu? What are you doing awake?"
"I had a nightmare." Arthur rolled over to see Matthew standing in their doorway, looking down at the floor.
"What about Alfred?"
"He won't wake up."
Arthur could feel panic brewing in his stomach. He won't wake up? What was that supposed to mean? Was the older twin the next on whatever was possessing Matthew's bucket list?
"Awe. Come here." Francis held out his arms and Matthew waddled across the floor. He struggled to climb into the large bed, but Francis helped him up.
"I'm...going to make sure Alfred's alright..." Arthur squirmed out of the bedsheets, padding out of the room and down the hallway.
He opened up the boys' bedroom door slowly and with hesitance. The floorboards creaked below him as he stepped into the room. He was terrified of what he might find lurking in the darkness, but he turned on the light anyway.
Alfred was lying on his side, his right arm outstretched across the bed and his left fist curled against his drooling mouth. He was breathing softly and in a healthy rhythm for a sleeping boy.
"Thank the heavens." Arthur whispered under his breath as Alfred mumbled in his sleep and started groping at the sheets beside him.
He opened his baby blue eyes, face scrunched up in confusion.
"Mattie?" He muttered.
Arthur decided to step forward.
"He's sleeping in our room. Do you want to come too?"
"Only to make sure Mattie is safe." Alfred declared. "I'm not gonna sleep in there because I don't like sleeping alone. That's not it."
"Of course." Arthur nodded, knowing full well that the boy was lying but not wanting to make a fuss. He held out his arms but Alfred hopped onto the floor by himself instead.
The boy did, however, take his hand as they walked through the dark hallways to Francis and Arthur's room.
Tonight was going to be long and stressful.