The tiring weekend soon ended, both Matthew and Gilbert were sleeping soundly, the morning sun illuminated through the thin curtains of the room and a calming silence dreaded on along with the quiet hum of Matthew's machine. Nothing seemed to ruin it but eventually it would have to end, and it did, a bit too soon for their liking. A knock at the door had awoken Matthew from his comfortable slumber, he rubbed his eyes with a long yawn and smiled tiredly when he heard the familiar snoring coming from his boyfriend.

More knocking erupted yet Gilbert remained asleep, Matthew removed Gilbert's arm from his waist and softly poked his cheek. "Gil someone's here." He announced in a tired voice and in response he got a tired grunt coming from Gilbert's throat. "Gil..what if it's someone important?" Matthew whined which brought Gilbert into quiet laughter. "Okay, okay." He opened his eyes to show the glistening red rubies he had for eyes and sat up with a yawn and a joint popping stretch.

He winced as the knocing continued and frowned in annoyance. "Damn bastards..ruining my birdies sleep." He muttered and got up from his comfortable spot on the bed, his bare feet coming in contact with the cold wooded floor. "Gil, carry me on your back." Matthew removed his air mask and jumped onto Gilbert's back latching his legs around his waist and wrapping his arms around Gilbert's neck.

Gilbet held onto Matthew and trudge toward the front door, Matthew rested his head on Gilbert's shoulder and began to doze off, still not fully awake. With a frown, Gilbert opened the door ready to yell at the person who awoke them but instantly stopped, his words getting stuck in his throat and choked him. He quickly recognized the wavy blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes that belonged to the certain person that stood at the doorway.

"F-Francis? What are you doing here!?" Gilbert asked in surprise. "I wanted to see my Mathieu, and you of course." A gentle smile spread on his lips. "Right, come in. Sorry about this, we just barely woke up." Gilbert shifted Matthew up higher on his back since he was starting to slip. "And as you can see, Matthew isn't awake at the moment." A quiet chuckle erupted from his throat. "Oh, I'm sorry I came so early. It's just been a long while since i've seen you both." Guilt laced in Francis's voice.

Gilbert grinned. "It's fine Francis, I'll just go make some coffee." He then froze. "Wait ah...can you grab Matthew?" he looked at Francis. "No it's fine, I'll make the coffee instead. Also, if you drop my baby I'll kill you." He warned in a dangerous tone. "Okay, sheesh you can get really scary sometimes you know..." he muttered and dragged himself to the living room. "Hey birdie, wake up. Someone is here to see you." Matthew stirred awake and looked at Gilbert with an apologetic stare. "Sorry Gil..I wasn't fully awake." He mumbled and slid off his back.

He staggered onto his feet and grasped onto Gilbert's hand for support. "Who's here Gil?" he asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes along with a long yawn. "Oh yeah, yo-" Gilbert was cut off by Francis walking in the living room. "The coffee is do-" "Papa!" Matthew ran to him and jumped into his arms taking Francis by surprise. "M-matthew!?" he smiled happily and swung him around in his arms. "I missed you so much!" he exclaimed as he placed millions of kisses on his face.

Matthew giggled. "I missed you too papa." Francis set him back down. "I made coffee for you two, just to wake you up but it seems you already are wide awake." He chuckled. "I can barely keep my eyes open papa, I just wasted my last shred of energy for you." Matthew smiled tiredly. "Let's go get your tank Mattie, just to be safe." Gilbert suggested and soon enough Matthew's happy expression was changed to one of fear. "O-okay..." he stammered with a trembling voice.

Francis noticed the distressed look on his son's face and gripped onto his frail shoulder. "Hold on, Gilbert how long can Matthew go on without his tank?" he asked curiously for Matthew's sake. "About two to three hours." Gilbert answered. "Very well, then I suppose you may allow him to have the time off of it for a while." Matthew looked at Francis. "I-it's really okay papa, I guess Gil is right about being safe." Francis could see the pain and desperation in his eyes.

Anger rose in his chest, he glared at Gilbert. "Alright but before you do let me talk to Gilbert for a while okay? Go get your coffee mon petit." He suggested with a gentle smile. "Okay, thank you papa." Francis released Matthew's shoulder, Matthew smiled once again and made his way to the kitchen. "Honestly Gilbert...as a friend and as Matthew's father I want you to understand that he's a human being." He heaved a sigh to calm his rising anger.

"What are you trying to say?" Gilbert gave him a puzzled look. "Can't you see that he's terrified and tired of always putting on those tubes and mask.." a glum frown made its way to his lips. "You need to understand how he feels, if not you'll just end up hurting him, and I hate seeing my children in pain." Gilbert's heart stopped at the sudden realization, he hadn't even once thought of how Matthew felt, he didn't even give him a choice. "I promise Francis, I'll make sure he doesn't get hurt." He reassured with determination.

Francis sighed in relief. "Thank you Gilbert, you're a good friend." He smiled and looked at Matthew when he arrived with two mugs in his hands. "I got yours Gil, it's still a bit hot so be careful." He warned as he handed Gilbert a mug, when he reached for the mug he couldn't help but notice that Matthew's fingers were and angry pink and slightly swollen. "Birdie...you burned yourself didn't you..." he placed his mug on the coffee table and then took away Matthew's mug.

"It's nothing really, I'm fine." He reassured, Gilbert could feel Francis's eyes boring holes at the back of his head. "It's not fine birdie." He sat on the couch pulling him along and setting him down on his lap. "I care a lot about what happens..even the tiniest injury you sustain worries me." He explained as he gently grabbed ahold of Matthew's injured hands and placed soft kisses on them. "Next time be careful and immediately call me if you ever get hurt okay." Matthew nodded in response with a bright blush tainting his cheeks.

Gilbert smiled and pulled him into a hug before releasing him again and grabbing his cup of coffee along with Matthew who did the same. Gilbert sometimes enjoyed his coffee black, but at times when he really needs a pick-me-up he tends to put lots of sugar and milk in his coffee, just how Matthew enjoyed his along with a dash of honey or maple. Gilbert chugged his quickly in an attempt to get a rush of adrenaline and or energy, Matthew wasn't even half way when the last drop made it way to his tongue. "You drink like an old lady birdie." He chuckled. "I just don't want to get a sugar rush like you, you can get a heart attack from that too you know." He said in a matter of fact tone.

Gilbert brought Matthew closer to him. "I was only playing around birdie~" He placed a kiss on his soft lips and quickly pulled away when he saw Francis glaring at him. "A-ah sorry about that." He chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "Thank you again papa for making coffee, sorry we couldn't clean up a bit. You arrived so sudden, you didn't even call..." Matthew switched his gaze from his half empty cup and looked at Francis. "Is everything okay?" he asked in concern. "Yes of course, nothing is wrong I promise." Francis reassured forcing on a fake smile that Gilbert could easily see through.

Matthew placed his mug on the table and went to sit next to Francis leaving Gilbert feeling lonely. "Aww..it's cold now without your warmth. I think I might die of hypothermia!" he shivered dramatically and wrapped his arms around himself. "Gil that's not possible." Matthew giggled, resting his head against Francis's shoulder. "It is too, I think I see the light birdie." Gilbert plopped down fully on the couch.

Matthew smiled, his eyes once again drooping tiredly. "I'll make sure to pull you back..." he said in a reassuring yet tired tone, his eyes closed and just like that he was once again engulfed by sleep, Gilbert sighed and sat up with a frown. "...last night wasn't so well...it's not good to have anxiety, especially in the condition he's in." Francis glumly looked at Matthew. "He's always out like a light isn't he?" he muttered trying to change the subject.

Gilbert looked out a window watching as Autumn leaves fluttered from the skinny and frail branches of the almost bare tree. "Why did you really come Francis?" he asked, it took a while for him to answer. He took a deep breath. "...I felt that I needed to be with him because I'll never know when it'll be the last time I see him.." the words felt like acid on his tongue and lips, regret filled his chest as Gilbert's expression turned to one of anger and fear. "He's not going anywhere. I swear he's not dying before me." He stated in a hard voice trying to keep it steady.

"I understand, I'm sorry to bring it up. Let's just live in the present and be thankful that he's still here." Francis smiled. "And thankful that you've kept him here." Gilbert felt his cheeks heat up with a blush, he didn't see himself as a hero. He met Matthew at his Senior year of high school, he wasn't a good person back then, he was a delinquent who slept with girls just for fun. Of course now he regretted it because when he laid eyes on Matthew something had sparked in his chest.

Love at first sight was possible even if people said it wasn't. "Hey now, don't be comparing me to Alfred." He chuckled nervously. "You are his hero, you can't deny it." Francis grinned. "You did save him, I couldn't do anything." His grin was changed into a glum frown. "All I did was watch him suffer...he called out to me..yet I couldn't even hold him in my arms. I hated myself for abandoning him. I still do." Tears filled his dark blue eyes.

Gilbert went up to Francis and rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, he's safe and happy now." He looked down at Matthew who had cuddled up against Francis. "Besides, I think he forgave you long ago." He placed a soft kiss on Matthew's forehead and plopped back down on the other couch. "I see you're still tired too huh?" Francis wiped away his tears with a low chuckle. "I trust you with birdie. Thanks for coming Francis, I was really starting to worry about him." Francis glanced at the digital clock that rested on the coffee table it was around 7:30, too early for the both of them.

Gilbert eventually dozed off to sleep, his snores following soon after. "Gil...I trust you to protect my son, and if you hurt him. I won't ever forgive you." and with that said he let the both of them sleep peacefully.

----------------------------------------------------

Gilbert held Matthew as he helped him with his tubes, it was around 9:30 when they awoke and when Gilbert saw Matthew's pale face he knew that time had almost ran out, it was a close call. Francis was mentally freaking out and blamed himself for not noticing. "Papa I'm okay, really I am. There's been tons of accidents like this before." Matthew reassured trying to ease his father from his worry. "I should've noticed..I'm sorry Matthew." The distressed Frenchman exclaimed.

Matthew frowned and attacked Francis with a hug. "B-be quiet! Sorry...but you shouldn't worry so much papa." Matthew looked up with a smile on his delicate lips. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, so please don't blame yourself for anything." Francis felt a tug at his heart. "Matthieu...I love you so much!" he hugged him tightly, Gilbert watched with a grin, seeing his lover happy was the greatest thing ever.

And so as the day went on and the sun soon began to set it was time for Francis to go back home. Matthew had given his goodbyes, not wanting to let go of his father's hand but eventually he left and left Gilbert with Francis. "Gilbert...you were asleep when I said this but...from now on I am trusting you with my Matthieu...so if you ever hurt him, I will never forgive you." He said in a serious tone which sent shivers down Gilbert's spine. "S-don't worry about it, I promise I'll always keep him happy and safe." Francis felt a weight lift from his shoulders after hearing his words, a sigh escaping his lips.

"Thank you Gilbert. I'll be calling weekly to check up on you two. Goodbye and thank you once again.." a smile was given to him, and with that he was gone leaving Gilbert with a massive weight on his shoulders. Everything seemed okay, but why did it feel so stressful? "Gil are you coming inside? You'll catch a cold if you don't." The melodic voice of his lover reached his ears. He hadn't even realized he was shivering until he felt the cool wind lap against his cheek. "Y-yeah I'll be there in a sec!" he called out.

"Francis...why does your promise sound and feel so difficult?" he muttered. "Why do I feel like I can't protect my birdie?"