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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on May 19, 2012 21:18:19 GMT -5
Francis blinked, watching Arthur stir. He had thought that he wouldn't be waking up this way anymore, with Arthur beside him. His instinct was to wrap his arms around the pirate and kiss him good morning, but Francis contented himself with just squeezing Arthur's hand. He gazed at Arthur for a long moment.
"Hello." Francis slid his hand out of Arthur's. "Good morning. Are you hungry?"
Shifting to sit up, Francis tried to pat his hair back into place. He had just realized that he had been too tired to dress properly before sleeping. He wasn't sure whether Arthur was comfortable in his current state, so he left the bed and trudged across the room to put on his clothes.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on May 20, 2012 15:16:56 GMT -5
Arthur watches him sleepily, allowing himself to wake up properly. As Francis moves away and goes to get dressed, he takes silent delight in watching the undressed man move. He grunts in indignation as he starts to dress.
He shifts a little, his healing burns aching.
"M', certainly hungry for something." He manages to remark. He doesn't alter his expression, but there's a mischevious glint in his eye as he looks Francis up and down.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on May 20, 2012 22:21:42 GMT -5
When Francis glanced back at Arthur, his shirt midway down his torso, he caught the spark in Arthur's eyes. He was more than familiar with it, and normally, he would have given what that look demanded without a second thought.
Abandoning his quest for trousers, he made his way to the bed. But rather than taking Arthur then and there, Francis just sat down on the bed and took Arthur's hand.
"You're going to be all right, I know it. And so will the children." Francis paused, taking a long look at Arthur. "Will...will we be all right?"
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on May 21, 2012 15:43:54 GMT -5
Arrching his eyes Noble for a long moment, searching his eyes. He sighs.
"I'll answer this question how I've answered it before --- all those months back, after... after that ball..."
He leans up, and kisses Francis deeply on the lips. They tingle and he can feel his heart fluttering, the feeling of those lips against his achingly perfect.
Whe he finally parts, he takes a breath, resting their foreheads together. He looks down for a moment at their hands, now interlaced, and rests back on Francis' eyes. He adds a further confirmation, just to make sure.
"Only... Only if you want it to be."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on May 21, 2012 17:17:07 GMT -5
Francis didn't need any more words after that. All his doubts and heartache faded with the kiss, and Francis could only respond in kind. He lost himself in Arthur, catching up on all those weeks they were apart.
Some time later, Francis led Arthur to the kitchen, hand in hand. He found the cook already at work, making their lunch. Breakfast was already laid out in the large dining hall, but still untouched. The children were apparently still sleeping.
"Should we do the honors?" asked Francis. "Or should we wait?"
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on May 22, 2012 16:43:04 GMT -5
Arthur, admittedly after that, felt rather more at ease than he had done before. He sighs, almost happily, and eyes breakfast. He's starving, and tugs a little on Francis' hand.
"I'm.. I'm sure they won't mind. They won't even be used to eating so much, or even breakfast...and they need sleep..." He remarks, moving towards the table.
He seats himself down, and take a small bite. He's slowly getting his appetite back. He looks up, eyes almost as childish as the others in the household.
"... There's no tea..."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on May 22, 2012 17:09:24 GMT -5
Francis sat down beside Arthur rather than his usual spot at the head of the table. He couldn't bring himself to be detached from Arthur for too long. As he began to dine, in his normal, dainty manner (etiquette must never be sacrificed under any circumstances), he chuckled at Arthur's remark.
"Oh no, what a travesty!" Francis' eyes were twinkling.
He signaled for the butler to fetch them tea, which he did with impressive speed. Francis thanked him as he poured a piping hot cup for Arthur and set it before the pirate.
"There." Francis wiped his brow in mock relief. "Crisis averted!"
Just then, the pounding of many small footsteps grew louder, and a few of the children burst into the dining room. The others trudged in, rubbing their eyes and yawning. But they all stopped when they saw Francis and Arthur.
Suddenly, they exploded into shrieks of joy as they raced toward Arthur and threw their arms around him.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on May 23, 2012 14:42:51 GMT -5
Arthur's expression twisted into multiple ones as he settled his eyes on the children. First off, he looked almost apprehensive. Then he looked relieved. As the children surrounded him and clung to him, forcing him off his chair to kneel before them. It's a look of love. Then, it's one of shock. He can't quite believe that they're all clinging ahold of him, calling out his name joyfully.
A few of the younger ones are accidentally hitting against his burns and making him bite his cheek to not show himself wincing, but he ignores it and softly clings to the children.
He can only bring hhimself to say a few words, voice frail.
"H-Hello..."
He buries himself against them, lost in their world.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on May 23, 2012 15:15:30 GMT -5
Francis watched, his heart swelling, as the children piled onto Arthur. He was about to tell them to be careful, that Arthur was suffering some injuries, but couldn't bring himself to ruin the scene.
Instead, he pushed his chair back and smiled fondly. If the children's reactions couldn't convince Arthur that none of this was his fault and that the children still loved him, then nothing would.
"We missed you!"
"Why were you hiding?"
"I saw you run!"
"We wanted to play again!"
"Come play hide-and-seek with us!"
Francis clapped his hands. "Darlings," he called. "It's time for breakfast."
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on May 23, 2012 15:27:55 GMT -5
Before breakfast could be started or the children could run and start playing hide and seek, Arthur started to cry.
He was fed up of crying, if he was totally honest, but he couldn't help himself. He didn't believed he derserved an ounce of this, an ounce of anything. Sure, he'd found the children a while back now and visited them, but that was because he remembered being like that and only ever wanting someone in the street to stop for him. It was rather selfish in his opinion. Also, yeah, he was the reason that the inn had set on fire and three of them had died. He knew he wouldn't ever quite forgive himmself for that, as much as Francis wanted to. They had so much to look to....
He's mainly just confused, and overwhelmed. He feels himself grabbing one of the older children -- Alice, in this case, and clinging tightly to her. He buries his head in her shoulder and lets out a whine, shoulders shaking.
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