dreamtalia x 2ptalia

deux

The shrill ring of a telephone brought Arthur out his sleep. He groaned and dug his head back into his bed. It was too early to deal with anything. Besides, if it was important, they'd call his boss and Arthur would return the call later. The ringing continued. Even after the first set, the caller rang up again. Arthur groaned loudly.

"Mon ami, you should get that. I don't think they'll just stop," the Frenchman to Arthur's left said.

Arthur was thrown awake and he fell out his bed while trying to get away. What was Francis doing here?

"What the bloody hell?" He asked as he tried to play of his fall as pure accident.

Francis just laughs and leans on his arm while looking down to Arthur. "Don't you remember, you came into my bed last night."

No, Arthur didn't remember that. He remembered that he'd let Francis take the spare bedroom in his house because it was too late for the man to drive home. Though Arthur's sleepwalking was getting a little out of control. He'd find himself in the basement where he kept all his magical things and deep in the forest of all places.

"Whatever, I'm going to answer the phone. Why don't you make yourself useful and cook breakfast," Arthur scoffed as he left room. He'll be damned if he's the only one up.

In his office, he picked up the slightly antique phone and answer with a short and curt 'Hello'.

On the other end, the exasperated voice of Matthew talked. "Oh, Arthur, I thought you wouldn't answer. It's about Alfred. He... he's not right. He called me 'Temperance' and his eyes were red."

"Oh, my. That is important," Arthur replies. He knows that the two brothers are close, even closer than he is to most of the European nations. Though, Matthew's and Alfred's upbringing had them dealing with each other very closely.

"Is he alright now?" Arthur quickly asked. He found a notepad of paper and got a pen. Arthur wrote down the important bits of their conversation.

"I think? I got him back to sleep but it was weird. It wasn't like I was talking to Alfred at all. I know he sometimes gets like that but it's only for a minute and he snaps out it but.. I don't know. It just really freaked me out," Matthew explained. He sighed on his end of the phone and Arthur heard just how tired he was.

"I see. I'll come over soon to check on you two. What time is it there? Like midnight, you should rest Matthew. Then Francis and I will travel to your house," Arthur quickly explain.

"Francis is with you?"

"Yes, is that surprising?"

"A little but it's alright. Maybe we can talk about some other important things too," Matthew finished.

"Maybe," Arthur concluded. The two quickly coordinated times and Arthur scribbled on his notepad of his current to-do list.

They bid goodbye and Arthur brought the notepad with him too the kitchen. Francis was in full swing of cooking. All four burners had a pot or a pan with something delicious inside it sizzling and boiling away. For once, when Arthur saw the Frenchman in his element, he didn't feel jealous or angry.

"How is it coming along?"

"Very well, Arthur. Who was at the phone?" Francis replied as he turned his head slightly to look at him. He turned back to the food every now and then to avoid burning it.

"It was Matthew," Arthur started.

"Aw, mon chouchou and you didn't even let me talk?" Francis pouted but Arthur remained sturdy and continued.

"You weren't in the room and he didn't want to talk to you. Either way, it seems Matthew's afraid that World is trying to resurface in Alfred, which should be impossible. But we'll head out there this afternoon to check up on them," Arthur said. He wrote a small note to call his boss and tell her that he won't be in town today.

"World?" Francis asked himself softly. He forgot the previous comment from the Englishman.

"I know, it might be nothing. However, if it is World then there's a potential risk that the rest of us might have our Arcana rebel. Though, I doubt it's that serious," the English man added to lighten the mood. "I have to telephone someone, how long for breakfast?"

"Oh, just about half an hour," Francis answered. He smiled but when Arthur left, he frowned.

How was he supposed to tell Arthur that when he 'sleep walked' to Francis's bed, he wasn't acting like himself?