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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Jun 12, 2012 15:48:32 GMT -5
"Francis." Arthur sighs into his neck. "It's tied. You can pull away now."
Shrugging at the sling around his arm, Arthur sighs and leans back onto the bed. He'd been stripped of his top half, a few scratches and cuts on his shoulders and chest. There was a black eye forming on an eye, and his nose had finally stopped bleeding, some of it that had dried crusting a little around his nostril. He runs a hand through his hair and looks up towards the Noble.
"You know, I'm going to start taking out insurance against you. Every time I go anywhere with you outside of this mansion I always end up bloody and beaten. Is it permanently in your horoscope or something?"
He pauses, and reaches his arm to Francis, worried. He knows something's wrong, he's known it since he'd killed the Leader.
"Oi. Am I being ignored? That'd be a first for whenever I'm on your bed."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Jun 12, 2012 16:05:54 GMT -5
Francis would have been incredibly charmed by Arthur if he weren't in his current state. In one last desperate attempt at oblivion, Francis leaned forward and kissed Arthur, hard.
It only lasted until Francis had to pull away for air. He sighed, resting his head against Arthur's shoulder.
"You need to rest, my love." He reached up and lightly pecked Arthur's forehead. "You need to recover."
Francis' body felt heavy as he stood. After squeezing Arthur's hand, Francis left the room and made for his study. It wasn't until the door was locked behind him that Francis cried out, letting his anger control him.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Jun 12, 2012 16:28:12 GMT -5
It took a few minutes, but soon, the door unlocks and Arthur enters, standing there for a few moments. Silently, he closes the door behind him, kneels down, and wraps his arm around Francis. He sighs into his hair, running his fingers through it.
"Shhh." He murmurs, clinging to him. "And you say I bottle everything up.... you shouldn't run off and hide like that when you're this upset, Francis... this isn't a one-sided thing, you know. When I'm in trouble and when I've been in low spots you've always held me and brought them back out of it... I'm always going to do the bloody same for you, you know...."
He tightens his grip, his eyes closing a little. "It's okay to cry..."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Jun 12, 2012 16:40:06 GMT -5
Francis shook his head, but all the same, he turned to clutch at Arthur. Burying his face in the pirate's chest, he swallowed back anymore shouts, or worse, sobs.
"I - I can't cry," he mumbled insistently. "I can't. Because if I do...then it's true. It happened. And I can't make it that way. It didn't happen."
He bit his lip, afraid if he said anymore, he would break down. Francis had to content himself with taking deep breaths, pressing himself close to Arthur's warmth, and forgetting.
A small part of him suddenly understood now why Arthur hated it when Francis saw him at his lowest. Francis felt weak and helpless, and this was not how he wanted Arthur to see him.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Jun 12, 2012 16:44:58 GMT -5
"Well, if that isn't some screwed up logic then I don't know what is." He mutters, leaning against him. "Crying doesn't make anything true. It just means you're scared that it is. And it's okay to do that. Because you don't want to know that she's hurt anymore."
He rubs his back.
"I can't say whether it was true or not. He could've just as easily done it to have made you irrational and in fact lied; or to truly break you down, which it pretty much did or would've done. But you could find out if you wanted to, just to... give closer. There's nothing worse than not knowing, that.. I know."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Jun 12, 2012 17:00:07 GMT -5
Closure. Was that what Francis needed? Did he need to know if his sister really was hurt? There was nothing he could do; she was gone and so was her tormentor. Was it worth knowing?
Francis pulled away, inhaling deeply. It took him a few moments to regain his composure, and when he felt somewhat put together, he stood and helped Arthur up.
"Thank you, my sweet." He strode over to his desk, focusing on fixing the mess he had made. "You can rest now. I shouldn't have worried you, love. I'm fine now."
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Jun 13, 2012 15:21:49 GMT -5
A hand places itself on Francis' arm. Arthur sighs.
"If you think I'm leaving you then you're an idiot. I don't care what you say, or what you try to do. I'm staying with you. It's the least you could bloody let me do. Yeah, sure, I need resting, but I also need you. And you seriously need some comforting."
He sighs, leaning forward and resting his head gently on the other's shoulder from behind. "Please, Francis?... I don't care if you're hurt. Least I can do is... is.. help..."
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Jun 13, 2012 15:44:33 GMT -5
There it was again - Francis' inability to deny Arthur anything he pleaded for. It was impossible to turn Arthur away now, especially since Francis could tell how badly Arthur wanted to help.
Francis turned and pulled the pirate into his arms. "Thank you, my darling," he whispered. "I know you mean well. But there is honestly no need to comfort me. There are some things I will never know...things I can never change, no matter how much I want to. It's no good wasting energy and time wishing and imagining and regretting. Is there?"
He hoped he was able to mask the defeat in his voice with the willfulness of his words. The worst part was that it would forever haunt him, because the only two people who knew the truth were gone.
Francis pulled away slightly and took Arthur's hand. "Come, we'll go to bed together. Maybe some sleep will help us face whatever trouble comes out of this."
On the walk back to Francis' bedroom - their bedroom now, as Francis considered it - Francis tried to keep a stream of mundane chatter, pointing out new fixtures and decors and anything else he could talk about. Keep his thoughts focused elsewhere, and Francis was even able to manage a tiny smile.
But his voice trailed off once they arrived and settled into bed. Francis didn't know what else to say to fill the silence.
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Post by Cpt. Arthur Kirkland on Jun 13, 2012 15:58:28 GMT -5
As they remain in bed, Arthur gently pulls Francis towards him and just holds him, breathing gently in it. He runs a few fingers through it.
"Just because there is no reason to be unemotional doesn't mean that you shouldn't be. We're people, we're going to cry and be sad when we really shouldn't. I get sad when I think about Alfred sometimes, even though he was never my child and all he did was grow up. You've just had a nasty shock and now you're unsure. It's.. okay, you know. Stop hiding behind walls. I do that and you tell me off for it, so the least you can do is not do the same."
He kisses the top of his head.
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Post by Francis Bonnefoy on Jun 13, 2012 16:19:24 GMT -5
Francis burrowed into Arthur, clutching him tightly. The warmth of his lover, the gentle sense in Arthur's words, and the evident concern in his tone...all of that touched Francis deeply.
He hid his face in Arthur's shirt, trying to swallow, willing the wetness in his eyes to disappear.
"I can't understand," he mumbled, his voice trembling. "I can't. How can anyone even think to hurt her? She was kind and innocent and beautiful. She was good. And she suffered."
Logic told Francis, years and years ago, that his sister was the easiest way to manipulate him. She was hurt to get to him. But in his heart, he still couldn't grasp the fact that she, who was her own separate person, had to endure all that and die because of him.
He shuddered from the force of his suppressed sob.
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