Archive of Our Own ^beta

Kiku, on the other hand, had been up for four hours, since the storm started. Not wanting to wake the sleeping man next to him, he had tried meditating; however, the thunder kept him from relaxing. Having previously been in the study, he crawled back into bed and snuggled next Alfred.  

Just as he started to doze off, an especially loud crack of thunder sounded. Starting out of bed, Kiku let out a cry of distress. At the sudden noise and movement, Alfred sat up, flailing his arms in an attempt at a karate chop .   

"What is it? Who's there?" Seeing the smaller man standing in the corner, he relaxed. "Kiku, are you okay?"  

Before he could respond, thunder sounded again. Kiku cried out and stumbled backwards into the bed.   

Alfred was quiet for a moment, before crawling over to his fiance. "Kiku?" he asked gently, wrapping an arm around the Japanese man's shoulder. "Are you afraid of thunderstorms?"  

Kiku sighed, and shifted so that he was sitting on the bed, facing Alfred. Al's arm dropped, and instead took Kiku's hand. "I am sorry, Alfred. I did not mean to wake you. I have just never liked thunderstorms. Even when I was a child, I hated them."   

"Keeks, you should have told me. I would have stayed up with you--or at least distracted you."  

"I know. But you have been so tired lately, and with all of the stress from your parents and your brother with the custody battle, I wanted to let you sleep. You should no t have to deal with my silly childhood fear along with every thing else."  

Without saying a word, Alfred lifted Kiku's hand to his mouth, and gently kissed the gold band on his finger. "This ring," he met his fiance's gaze,"Means that you're problems are my problems. Your stupid childhood fears are mine now. It’s a promise that nothing you say to me will  be laughed away. If I need to stay up until three am to help you through thunderstorms, then that's what I will do. Kiku Honda, don't you start holding back on me because of my parents. Their problems will not affect  this home. They're adults, they'll figure it out."   

The American leaned forward and met Kiku's lips with his own. Giving him a reassuring kiss, Alfred leaned his forehead against Kiku's. "Thank you," the smaller man murmured.   

"Don't. You should already know this." Alfred pulled back to look at him just as the rain started to ease up outside. "Are you going to be okay?"  

Kiku nodded in response, and moved into Alfred's lap, snuggling against his chest. Al wrapped his arms around the smaller man, pulling him close. "Good. Because Mattie's going to need a ride to Gil's in about two hours, and I'm exhausted."  

Kiku turned and squinted his eyes at the blond. "Alfred..."  

Alfred placed a loud kiss on his cheek. "I love you, too. "   

It was the blasting of Taylor Swift that awoke Matthew, and the smell of burning followed by the smoke detector going off was what made him get out of bed.   

"Gil?" he called, running down the stairs. "Everything alright..." he trailed off.  

The blonde took in the sight before him. Gilbert was standing in the middle of the kitchen  holding a frying pan that was emitting black smoke as whatever in it burned. The floor was covered in flour and eggs , and his shirt was bundled up in the sink. The stereo was still blasting Taylor Swift, and Gil looked like a deer caught in headlights.  

"Um, Gil?"   

"I wanted to surprise you," the Prussian rushed out an explanation, "for your birthday. It was going to be breakfast in bed but then the pancakes started burning and I dropped the carton of eggs and I'm not very awesome at the moment. "  

Matthew covered his mouth with his hand and closed his eyes. His face started to turn red and Gilbert dropped the pan to rush forward. "Matthew, are you crying? Ficken 1 ,  please don't cry! I'm such a dummkopf 2  I ruined your birthday -"  

Matthew cut him of f with kiss. Gilbert felt Matthew smiling against his lips.   

"You  are  an idiot," the Canadian   murmu red. "But you're my idiot." He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's shoulders, said boyfriend  wrapping his around Matthew's waist. The latter nipped at Gilbert's lip piercing, then rested his head on the Prussian's shoulder.   

"Tell you what: you clean up the kitchen, then come join me in the shower, and afterwards we can go out for breakfast."  

" Mmm , I like that plan," Gilbert breathed into Matthew's hair.   

"Good. You have fifteen minutes then I'm getting wet without you." He pulled away and Gilbert groaned.   

"You’re awful, do you know that?" Gilbert called after him.  

"I want birthday sex in fifteen minutes!" Matthew called from the top of the stairs before disappearing into the bedroom.  

"Right, and  I'm  the one corrupting you," he muttered as he surveyed his mess.

Lukas sat at the kitchen table, head face down, his second mug of coffee in his hand. He groaned at  the sound of Matthias cheerfully bounding down the stairs .  

"Morning babe," Matthias practically shouted at the still half-asleep Norwegian.   

"Fuck off" he muttered into his arm.   

"Mhm, love you too ." The Dane moved easily around the kitchen, going about making breakfast for the three of them. Grabbing the remote on top of the microwave, he switched on the radio. Alexander  Rybak  filled the room.   

Lukas slowly sipped his coffee, listening to Matthias sing along to the musician, violin parts and all .   

Matthias danced around the kitchen as he worked, somehow managing to never spill any of the food. As the song finished, he shot Lukas a cheeky grin and commented "Not bad for a Norwegian."  

Lukas flipped him off, Matthias responding with sticking his tongue out.   

"It’s better than your God  awful music."  

"At least I can cook, sweetheart."  

Before Lukas could throw out a retort, Emil came running into the room. He ran up to Matthias, latching onto his leg.   

"Well the little prince awakens!" Matthias exclaimed, picking up the five year old and swinging him around.     

"Again! Again!" he chanted, giggling at the faces Matthias made.     

"Once more, min lille pus(1)." Matthias repeated the motion. He hugged the child close to him, pretending to whisper in his ear. "Shhh, Emil. Lukas is a mean monster in the morning. We don't want to awaken him, right?"  

"Right!" Emil "whispered" back conspiratorially.     

Lukas rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair as he watched the interaction between Matthias and Emil, sipping his coffee.   

Matthias swung Emil a third time despite his previous statement, then put him back down. He crouched down to be at eye-level with him, and then actually did whisper something in the five year olds ear. Emil nodded eagerly, and Matthias opened to drawer next to the sink. Reaching in, Emil pulled out a handful  of silverware, and carefully started to set the table. Lukas ruffled his hair as he walked by, Emil shrieking and running back to Matthias.   

"The monster got me, bror(2)!" he squealed.   

"Oh no! Well, it’s a good thing we're about to feed him, isn't it?"  

"Oh knock it off, you two!"  

Emil giggled and climbed up onto the chair nearest to Lukas. Matthias set the steaming plates of food onto the table, and sat on the other side of Lukas, directly across from Emil. As he scooped the Aebleskiver(3)  onto the five year olds plate, Lukas rose to refill his coffee.   

He leaned against the counter, watching Emil animatedly recount his dreams from the night before. Matthias listened attentively, inserting the proper "Oohs" and "No ways!" when necessary.   

Matthias was always great with Emil; they had a bond the Lukas never understood. While he constantly questioned his ability to both parent and brother the five year old, Matthias never second-guessed his actions.   

Lukas returned to the table and ate  in silence, listening to the other two talk, thinking how lucky he was.   

As Emil finished and left the table, Matthias began to clear the plates. The faucet started running just as Lukas finished his third cup of coffee. Quietly, he brought the empty mug over to the sink, wrapping his arms around Matthias' waist from  behind.   

The Dane started, but relaxed almost immediately. "Are you awake now, Min skønne(4 ) ?" He teased.  

"Mhm." Lukas nuzzled his face into Matthias' back. "Takk(5) ."   

"Mhm, I love you, too."