“Arthur? Are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you know who I am?” he asked, his voice was edged with slight panic despite his calm outward appearance.
Arthur groaned and managed to pull himself up into a sitting position. It was easier to look at Alfred this way. “Of course I know who you are,” he muttered. “Get me something to drink.”
Alfred laughed, relaxing. The sound was oddly solid; the only first real sound that did not feel like an illusion. “Only just awake and ordering me about already? You’re definitely Arthur!”
“Git,” he muttered. That word sounded so strange to him. When was the last time he had used it? It could have been centuries ago.
Alfred only smiled and looked at him with an expression he could not quite place. The force of that gaze however tender it was only made Arthur squirm.
“W – What?”
“Nothing,” Alfred said and his smile widened.
“Idiot,” Arthur frowned at him, except that his frown was the wrong way around.
XX
“She didn’t deserve a royal funeral. She doesn’t even deserve those flowers!” Alfred glared at the gravestone overshadowed by weeping willows. The stone statue of an angel above the polished slab seemed in bad taste to him.
Arthur gave him an understanding look as he knelt down to place lilies on the grave. When he rose again the sun flashed across his eyes, blinding him for just a second. It was too bright and warm of a day to be spending with the dead.
“It feels like a dream,” Arthur murmured.
The wind carried the scent of yesterday on it, brushing past them as if to beckon them towards the future. Such a nostalgic smell made his head swim, the patterns of sunlight through the weeping willows were like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle scattered over the field; a kaleidoscope of light.
“It’s not a dream, Arthur!” Alfred perked up. Rushing out of the shade of the willows he spread his arms wide like a child, as if he could embrace both the sun and sky. “Smell that fresh air! It’s the start of great new things!”
Arthur frowned at him but followed him. “You’re so optimistic. My economy is shot,” he muttered.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you out!” Alfred thumped his chest. “Besides, sometimes stuff like this has to happen so that new things can grow.”
“I don’t trust your loans anymore,” Arthur shook his head, only half joking.
“How mean! I won’t suddenly ask for a total repayment, I promise!”
“Who can believe the things that you say?” he retorted.
Without warning, Alfred flung himself on top of Arthur, almost toppling them both. “You’re so cruel, Arthur! And I nursed you so lovingly these six years! Six years whilst you were bat-shit crazy!” he cried, trying to hide the fact that even mentioning it brought back unwelcome memories.
“...I know,” Arthur shoved him off, growing pensive as he thought about the time that he had passed in a half-conscious state of insanity.
Even though it seemed a dream, he distinctly remembered the touch of a cool hand against his head and the presence of someone sitting by his side, always there to keep him company no matter how badly he cursed and screamed.
Arthur turned his back to Alfred so that he would not see the faint blush warming his cheeks as he muttered something under his breath.
“What was that?” Alfred stepped closer.
“I know,” Arthur said. “Even though I can’t really remember it very well, I remember feeling as though I was lost somewhere in a deep, dark place. I couldn’t find the way out no matter how hard I tried but then...well, you found me and lead me out of that place so...so...thank you...I guess.”
“You guess?”
Annoyed that Alfred was making him say it out loud, he took a deep breath and stiffly bellowed; “Thank - ”
“Arthur,” Alfred suddenly cut him off as he collided into his back, arresting his arms by wrapping himself around him.
“W – What?” Arthur tried to catch a glimpse of his face.
Alfred’s breath tickled the back of his neck. He hugged him tighter, pressing his chest against Arthur’s back.
“Welcome back.”
For a moment Arthur was at loss for words. Then, slowly, he managed to worm himself around to look Alfred, nestling against his warm chest. Arthur closed eyes with what felt like contentment.
Re: If you find me...[28b/28]
Arthur groaned and managed to pull himself up into a sitting position. It was easier to look at Alfred this way. “Of course I know who you are,” he muttered. “Get me something to drink.”
Alfred laughed, relaxing. The sound was oddly solid; the only first real sound that did not feel like an illusion. “Only just awake and ordering me about already? You’re definitely Arthur!”
“Git,” he muttered. That word sounded so strange to him. When was the last time he had used it? It could have been centuries ago.
Alfred only smiled and looked at him with an expression he could not quite place. The force of that gaze however tender it was only made Arthur squirm.
“W – What?”
“Nothing,” Alfred said and his smile widened.
“Idiot,” Arthur frowned at him, except that his frown was the wrong way around.
XX
“She didn’t deserve a royal funeral. She doesn’t even deserve those flowers!” Alfred glared at the gravestone overshadowed by weeping willows. The stone statue of an angel above the polished slab seemed in bad taste to him.
Arthur gave him an understanding look as he knelt down to place lilies on the grave. When he rose again the sun flashed across his eyes, blinding him for just a second. It was too bright and warm of a day to be spending with the dead.
“It feels like a dream,” Arthur murmured.
The wind carried the scent of yesterday on it, brushing past them as if to beckon them towards the future. Such a nostalgic smell made his head swim, the patterns of sunlight through the weeping willows were like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle scattered over the field; a kaleidoscope of light.
“It’s not a dream, Arthur!” Alfred perked up. Rushing out of the shade of the willows he spread his arms wide like a child, as if he could embrace both the sun and sky. “Smell that fresh air! It’s the start of great new things!”
Arthur frowned at him but followed him. “You’re so optimistic. My economy is shot,” he muttered.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you out!” Alfred thumped his chest. “Besides, sometimes stuff like this has to happen so that new things can grow.”
“I don’t trust your loans anymore,” Arthur shook his head, only half joking.
“How mean! I won’t suddenly ask for a total repayment, I promise!”
“Who can believe the things that you say?” he retorted.
Without warning, Alfred flung himself on top of Arthur, almost toppling them both. “You’re so cruel, Arthur! And I nursed you so lovingly these six years! Six years whilst you were bat-shit crazy!” he cried, trying to hide the fact that even mentioning it brought back unwelcome memories.
“...I know,” Arthur shoved him off, growing pensive as he thought about the time that he had passed in a half-conscious state of insanity.
Even though it seemed a dream, he distinctly remembered the touch of a cool hand against his head and the presence of someone sitting by his side, always there to keep him company no matter how badly he cursed and screamed.
Arthur turned his back to Alfred so that he would not see the faint blush warming his cheeks as he muttered something under his breath.
“What was that?” Alfred stepped closer.
“I know,” Arthur said. “Even though I can’t really remember it very well, I remember feeling as though I was lost somewhere in a deep, dark place. I couldn’t find the way out no matter how hard I tried but then...well, you found me and lead me out of that place so...so...thank you...I guess.”
“You guess?”
Annoyed that Alfred was making him say it out loud, he took a deep breath and stiffly bellowed; “Thank - ”
“Arthur,” Alfred suddenly cut him off as he collided into his back, arresting his arms by wrapping himself around him.
“W – What?” Arthur tried to catch a glimpse of his face.
Alfred’s breath tickled the back of his neck. He hugged him tighter, pressing his chest against Arthur’s back.
“Welcome back.”
For a moment Arthur was at loss for words. Then, slowly, he managed to worm himself around to look Alfred, nestling against his warm chest. Arthur closed eyes with what felt like contentment.
“...I’m back.”