Chapter Text
The suitcase zipper wound its way around the frame of the suitcase. Alfred stumbled in place, a dreary hiccup escaping from his lips. “Wh-Waaait…honey. You d-don't have to leave so soon.” His words stammered out and slurred together as weakly raised a finger in an inebriated protest. Yuki emitted a deep sigh and turned to face him directly, her hands squarely on her hips. “Alfred. Shai and I can't be here when you're like this. This is the fourth night in a row you’ve come home drunk.” She fretted ruefully, pacing around the bedroom she spoke.
“Honey, you know just as well as I do when you get drunk, you get in a bad mood. We know you won’t hurt anybody, it’s just…” Alfred waved his hand dismissively, brushing off her concern like a chip on his shoulder. “I-It's not that bad…”
Yuki glanced sympathetically into Alfred's eye, almost pitying his state. “Look, you’ll see me again at the marriage counselor tomorrow. We can work something out there. Just…please don’t drink anything else.” She snatched up her suitcase from off the bed and began to walk past Alfred, but she paused in her place upon hearing an audible sniffle coming from her husband.
Sighing heavily, she glanced over her shoulder at Alfred, her gaze falling on his glittering eye. “You’re not going to rope me back in with Shia, are you?” Yuki spoke morosely. She knew this conversation all too well. “I m-miss him, h-hon. N-Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him.” Alfred’s voice fell to pieces, shattering under the weight of his own melancholy with teardrops dripping down his cheeks.
Yuki felt her heart drop at the mere sight, she almost couldn’t bear it. She approached Alfred, resting her gentle hand on his shoulder. “I know you miss him. I miss him too, I think about what happened every day. That hospital, you know he hated being there. We fought so hard to make him better. He did too. We all did. But he was just too sick, honey.” Yuki’s voice was soft and silken as she spoke. “I always k-keep thinking. M-Maybe if we just spent a little m-more time with him, or a little more m-money. Then, m-maybe this wouldn't hurt so much…” His voice faltered, the alcohol muddled his words and mind.
Yuki sighed, tenderly brushing the teardrops from his cheek. “I know it seems that way, but we did our best. And he’s at peace. He's happy now.” Yuki carefully pulled Alfred into a weak hug, rubbing his back. “B-But he’s not here. My little boy…I-I can’t just let him go.” He leaned over into her and poured his tears out into Yuki’s shoulder.
“Come on, honey. Lie down, you need to be sober for tomorrow. Please.” She guided Alfred to the bed with an almost motherly disposition as he stumbled towards the bed. “I-I’ll be okay, hon.” He collapsed onto the bed and rolled onto his back, his worn clothes from the day still covering his body. Yuki looked down at her husband with a forlorn grimace spread across her lips.
"Please, just go to bed. The appointment is at 1, so don’t be late.” She pleaded carefully. Alfred's eyelid seemed to sink, signaling for Yuki to leave. She swiveled on her heel and sauntered towards the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, honey.” Yuki waved to Alfred, before she exited the room. Alfred heard her call up to Shai, and a few moments later the front door opened and shut. They had left for now.
Alfred shimmied around the bed and tucked himself underneath the polyester sheets. He glanced over to the nightstand and flicked off the lamp, shrouding the room in darkness. His lone eye flickered shut and he felt the path of his tears begin to dry. Tomorrow was a new day.