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At precisely seven o'clock in the morning, Arthur was awoken by someone kicking open his bedroom door. Of course...
"RISE AND SHINE, EVERYBODY!" Alfred yelled. Arthur didn't even open his eyes, instead burying his face farther into the pillow.
"No. Shoo." Arthur groaned, waving his hand to signal him to go away.
"It is the Fourth of July, Arthur!!" Alfred sighed in mock betrayal.
"I am aware. I don't care."
"The birds are singing, Arthur!" He gasped. "The sun is shining! We're wasting valuable barbecue time!" Arthur finally cracked one eye open just in time to see Alfred throw open the curtains, flooding the room with sunlight. Arthur hissed and buried himself further beneath the blankets.
"Where did I go wrong." He murmured, rethinking his ways of parenting.
"You raised a patriot? I don't see a problem." Alfred said, tapping his chin as if he was in deep thought. He grinned. "Happy Fourth of July!"
"It's seven in the bloody morning! You've lost your mind."
"I lose it every July! This is nothing new for you." He said, way too chipper for the current time. Arthur groaned into his pillow.
By the time Arthur finally wandered downstairs, still in his robe, the house had already become unrecognizable.
There were red, white, and blue streamers hanging from the ceiling, tiny American flags had been placed in every flowerpot, and ribbons tied around the dining chairs. There was even bunting draped over the mantle. Arthur slowly turned toward Alfred. "How and why."
"I started decorating at five." He explained, placing an American flag hairclip in his hair.
"Again, why?" Arthur asked, though he already knew the answer.
"I was excited! God forbid I want to spend MY holiday the way it's meant to be celebrated!" Francis floated into the kitchen carrying a tray of pancakes decorated with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream arranged into little stars.
"Good morning!" he chimed. "Breakfast?" Arthur stared.
"...You encouraged him." Had everyone but him in this house gone mad? Francis smiled innocently.
"I did nothing of the sort. You wound me." He placed the pancakes on the table with exaggerated flair.
"You handed him glitter. Just now. I saw it." He did see it. They weren't subtle about it. At all.
"It's festive glitter." There's no such thing- oh, whatever. It's too early to care. (As long as he isn't the one who's going to have to get the glitter out of the rug).
Matthew quietly slipped into the kitchen, carrying a bowl of fruit. "...Happy Fourth of July."
"THANK YOU!" Alfred practically tackled him into a hug, making Matthew laugh.
Arthur took a slow sip of tea, already exhausted. "You're entirely too energetic."
"I've had coffee." Alfred responded like it explains everything.
Francis blinked. "...How much coffee?" He asked slowly, concerned. Alfred thought about it.
"Enough." He responded. "I stopped counting after the third cup."
Arthur closed his eyes. "Oh, splendid. Truly splendid!"
By nine o'clock, Alfred had produced a handwritten schedule, handmade with glitter glue and blue and red markers. It looked like a Christmas list. If festive was his goal, he'd done exceptionally well...
🇺🇸 Fourth of July Master Plan 🇺🇸
8:00 – Patriotic Breakfast! ⭐
9:30 – Backyard Baseball!
11:00 – Water Balloon Battle!
12:30 – Barbecue!
14:00 – Patriotic Music!
15:00 – Games!
17:00 – Another Barbecue!
19:00 – Sparklers!
21:00 – Fireworks!
22:00 – Victory Ice Cream!!!
Arthur lowered the paper, pinching the bridge of his nose. "...Why are there two barbecues?"
"Because one barbecue isn't enough barbecue. Especially for MY special day. Don't argue with the list." Alfred snatched the schedule back, smoothing it over from where Arthur crumpled it.
Matthew leaned over Arthur's shoulder. "...What's the star next to breakfast for?" Matthew cocked his head, turning to Alfred.
Alfred beamed, practically radiating sunshine. "It means mandatory."
"I'm ignoring at least eighty percent of this." Arthur responded, glancing at the schedule that was taken from him.
"No you're not. I won't let you." Alfred said with determination, now attaching the second American flag hairclip into Matthew's hair.
Francis smiled sweetly. "You've already participated in breakfast." Arthur froze.
By lunchtime, nothing had gone according to Alfred's schedule. The baseball game had ended early because Arthur claimed Alfred's rules made no sense (he was right). The water balloon fight had started forty-five minutes ahead of schedule after Alfred "accidentally" threw one at Francis. He retaliated, of course. Arthur was caught in the crossfire.
Matthew nearly dropped the cooler. Luckily, he did not get involved.
The barbecue had been delayed because Alfred forgot to buy hamburger buns. Francis insisted on arranging the food PERFECTLY. Arthur insisted food did not need to be arranged more than once.
As the sun began to set, the four of them settled into lawn chairs in the backyard. The grill had finally cooled, the sparklers had burned out, and the only sounds left were crickets and the occasional burst of distant fireworks. Alfred looked around at the yard. The decorations were crooked and half the streamers had fallen down.
Someone (Arthur) had quietly removed three of the flags. The schedule had been abandoned hours ago. Nothing had gone according to plan.
He smiled in spite of it all "This was awesome!" Arthur snorted in disbelief.
"It was a disaster." Well, he was kind of right. But that didn't mean Alfred had to listen to him!!!
Francis laughed. "That is what makes it a family tradition, no?"
Matthew nodded. "We should do it again next year." (They were going to already... Alfred never let them miss a Fourth of July).
Arthur looked between the three of them. "You all realize I'm going to say yes again." He didn't even say yes this time!
"Yep, and you'll complain the entire time. We know." Matthew said, like routine. Arthur always complained. They could tell he was enjoying himself, though.
A firework bloomed overhead, painting the sky in red, white, and blue. Arthur glanced at Alfred. "...Happy Fourth of July." That was the first time he'd said it today.
Alfred's grin only widened. "Thanks!"
Nobody said anything else. They sat in the lawn chairs, watching fireworks.
Alfred demanded a proper Fourth of July- so, of course, he got just that.