Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

Chapter 26

Arthur drummed his fingers against his polished, wooden desk as he stared as his paperwork. Nothing was sinking in and his mind was restless with worry. It had been almost two months since they had lost the unborn pups, and Francis had been grieving badly.

It wasn't the same as when Arthur had taken Alfred and Matthew away from him, as then he had been unresponsive and not really there. But this time was very different indeed.

Francis was angry at everything, especially Arthur. He would snap at the alpha if he came near him, and he would scold the pups for something that he would have shrugged off in the past. He did not cooperate with the beta nannies and had become far more adamant in his freedom about the mansion.

Arthur let him do as he pleased, as he knew his omega was hurting and needed to do whatever it would take to help him get over this, but a firm wedge had been driven between them, and every time Arthur tried to close the distance, Francis would only push him further away.

Now, the alpha could no longer bear sitting at his desk and being unproductive, so he decided to seek his omega out, hoping that Francis would allow him to at least be in the same room as him.

Hopping up the stairs briskly, Arthur made a beeline for Francis' chambers, only to find the rooms were empty. Frowning slightly in puzzlement, the alpha also checked the nursery, finding Alfred and Matthew playing whilst being supervised by one of the beta nannies. But Francis was not there.

Not wanting to seem like he couldn't control his own omega, Arthur did not ask the beta nanny if she had seen Francis, only leaving the room and heading back downstairs, closing his eyes and concentrating hard to see if he could pick up his omega's scent. Since alphas did not need to rely on their sense of smell for survival anymore, it was significantly weakened, but Arthur did pick up the slight remnants of Francis' sweet scent by the front door.

Unable to help the panic coursing through him, Arthur wrenched open the newly replaced door, stepping out into the driveway with searching eyes. Although relaxing as he spotted who he was looking for, Arthur had not expected to find his omega by the lake.

Francis sat under the same willow tree that held such wonderful memories for his and Arthur's relationship, staring out at the icy lake. The air was cold and the grass under him was frost-covered; and the winter was reflected in the omega's grieving blue eyes, the once-sparkling irises now frosted over with his mourning.

The omega sat in his tunic and heavy coat, watching the tranquillity of the lake and soaking the tree and the grass around him with the scent of deep mourning and melancholy, although his expression betrayed none of his thoughts. He did not acknowledge Arthur's presence, despite being aware of his scent.

Arthur allowed his omega some distance, knowing Francis would lash out at him if he tried to touch him or comfort him. It was very hard to see him in such distress and not be able to comfort him, but Francis didn't want his alpha near him right now.

"How long have you been out here, darling?" Arthur began softly, not wanting to spook him, but Francis just continued to stare out at the lake.

When it became apparent that Francis was not going to answer him, Arthur nibbled his lower lip. "Aren't you cold?" he asked, noting that Francis had nothing covering his legs, head or hands.

"Non." Came the sharp response. Francis' tone was short but adamant, not allowing Arthur to have any room for doubt.

After a few moments of silence, Arthur shifted his weight from one foot to the other, not wanting to leave Francis alone in his grieving state.

"What are you doing out here?" he probed gently, not wanting to irk his omega as it broke a piece of his heart every time Francis lashed out at him.

The omega's jaw tensed, and he glared out at the lake, pulling his coat around him more. "I could not be in that room another second."

Francis' chambers had become drenched in painful memories, and he trembled a little as he whispered, more to himself than to Arthur.

"Every time I wake up, I think that the bedsheets will be soaked with blood…I can't look at myself in the mirror because if I see that scar…" the omega's voice faltered and he trailed off, his hand hovering over his belly, but then he retracted it as if it would hurt to touch where his pups had once been.

Arthur said nothing, truly not knowing what he could say to make everything better. There were no words.

After a moment, Francis found the strength to continue, his voice barely above a harsh whisper. "I-If I see that scar…I'll be reminded of how my pups are g-gone…"

He let out a pitiful whimper of deep grief that made Arthur's heart ache, and the alpha approached, gently resting a hand on Francis' shoulder.

As soon as Arthur made contact, the omega wrenched away from him, scrambling away from his alpha and baring his fangs.

"Don't touch me!"

Arthur flinched back, shocked by how Francis had been so desperate to move out of his grasp. "I – forgive me, poppet…I was only trying to – "

"I don't need you to do anything!" Francis glared at him, a hatred in his eyes that Arthur had not seen there before, not even when he had first bought him. The omega lowered his gaze, pulling his coat around him again. "You've done enough."

"I just want to help you…" Arthur pleaded meekly, stiffening as Francis lashed out.

"Help me?" his voice was shrill with anger and almost hysteria, reflecting how broken this poor omega was. "By selling my pups? By taking them away from me and forcing me to produce more for you?!"

Francis' scent was thick with distress and anger, and Arthur had to fight his basic instincts to scoop the omega up, as he knew Francis would hate him for it.

"Love, I didn't have a choice." He said as calmly as he could, trying to keep his voice level but Francis' words were stabbing at his heart that was already vulnerable with his own grief.

"Of course you did! And you chose your business and your money over your family!" Francis spat, the bite in his tone making Arthur flinch. He had never been intimidated by an omega before, but now Francis was making the alpha hang his head in submission.

"I-I was doing it for you – " Arthur begged, trying to placate his omega, but Francis just turned back to the lake, hugging his knees and curling up defensively.

"Leave me alone." He growled, his tone and body language now closed off to his alpha.

Admitting defeat, Arthur sighed and took off his own coat, carefully placing it next to his omega. "I don't want you to get cold."

He said this softly, before turning to retreat back to the mansion, however Francis calling his name made his movements halt instantly.

"Arthur."

There was nothing affectionate about the way he said it, and the alpha turned to face Francis again, somewhat apprehensively. "Yes, my dear?"

Francis' expression was as sharp and unyielding as stone, as he stared hard at the half-frozen lake, and Arthur was sure that the mere ferocity of his gaze alone would be enough to crack the ice forming over the body of water.

"When I go into heat, I don't want you to mate me. If you touch me, I'll never forgive you." The omega's words were blunt and left no room for gentle persuasion, and Arthur felt his heart form another crack from the force of those words.

The alpha could summon no words in response, only lowering his gaze and trudging mournfully back to the mansion, knowing that the omega he had fallen in love with would not let him anywhere near him.

XxX

The light of the fire flickered attractively, being reflected in the emerald gaze of the alpha who seemed transfixed on the fireplace. Arthur sat in the library, an open book in one hand but he had not glanced his eyes over the pages in at least half an hour.

Francis was in heat, and even though he had distanced himself to the other side of the house and tried to engross himself in a nice book, the meek sound of Francis begging for his touch and his love was as clear to the alpha's ears as if he was in the room with him.

It was so hard to ignore it, and as Arthur stared at the dancing flames in the fireplace, all he wanted to do was go to Francis, to hold him and to satisfy every need his omega had. But he couldn't.

Francis would never forgive him if he did.

Sighing and shifting on the sofa he was stretched out on, Arthur tore his gaze away from the fire, training his eyes back on his book. He had flipped through three pages before realising that he couldn't recall a single word he had read, and he snapped the book closed in irritation, passing a hand over his face.

Francis' mewls and soft, half-muffled whines were tearing into Arthur's very soul, it seemed, and the alpha couldn't resist the urge to help, even a little. He knew he couldn't get close to Francis, because he would become overwhelmed with lust and would mate Francis despite the omega's previous wishes.

But he could at least give Francis something to help ease his urges in the throes of his heat.

Summoning Nanny Smith, Arthur shrugged off his jacket and his shirt, and he was not fazed when the beta nanny entered, nor was she as by now she had become used to the spontaneous actions of the alpha.

"Would you give these to Number Two, and some extra scent blankets?" Arthur explained, holding out the shirt and the jacket to her.

Nanny Smith regarded the articles of clothing that bore Arthur's scent, and raised an eyebrow. "Are you not joining him for his heat, sir?"

Arthur hesitated, and straightened up. "His miscarriage was only two months ago. I want him to be fully recovered before I mate him again."

Nanny Smith's expression showed she was not convinced at all, but she gave a nod and took Arthur's clothes up to Francis, tossing them into the heat room and not bothering to see if the omega accepted the clothes before closing the door harshly behind her again.

XxX

Francis' four-day heat had felt like a century of utter torture, every inch of him had craved his alpha, but Arthur had respected his wishes and remained distant. Francis hated that Arthur had neglected him, but he knew that Arthur was only doing what Francis had told him to do.

It had been three weeks since his last heat, which meant another one was due in one week, and he didn't know if he had the strength to go through it without his alpha for a second time. But he couldn't get pregnant again – if he lost his pups for a second time, he wouldn't be able to take it. He was so scared of something happening to them, of somehow losing them and not being able to ever forgive himself.

Francis barely heard the soft knock at his bedroom door, and his head snapped up from his embroidery that he was more staring at than stitching, seeing Arthur enter the room.

Arthur had hardly come near him since his last heat, as if fearing that the deprivation of a mating session would lead to an uncontrollable lust at the next sighting of his omega. But now the alpha stood somewhat defeated, heaving a sigh.

"Your next heat is in a week." He clarified what Francis already knew, and the omega half-heartedly placed a few more stitches into his embroidery, suddenly more interested in the cloth and thread than in what Arthur had to say.

"Oui." Was all he gave by means of a response, and Arthur ran a hand through his unruly blonde hair, sighing.

"Will you let me mate you then?" he asked gingerly, somewhat exasperated.

Francis only glared at him in response, giving him a firm answer without speaking a word.

Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his forefinger, stressed at Francis' disobedience as it made everything so much more difficult.

"Darling, I know you're still grieving – I am too… - but we had an arrangement where you agreed to keep producing pups for me." Arthur was trying to put it as tenderly as he could, but clearly the eggshells he was stepping on had smashed to pieces under his feet.

"After all this time, I am still just a pup-producing machine for you?!" Francis snapped, clenching his embroidery so hard that the wood making the cloth taught splintered.

"You know you mean far more than that to me, but the business – "

"Screw the business." Francis growled out, his anger and grief getting the better of him. "Screw the Kirkland name! I will never give you any more pups to be whisked away and sold off like property!"

Arthur was trying to keep his own temper under wraps, but having Francis be so blatantly disobedient and disrespectful towards him wounded his pride. Against his better judgement, Arthur's own anger began to flare.

"My business is the only reason you are here, instead of rotting away in the Home!" Arthur raised his voice, thundering across the room in a way that would have evoked fear in most omegas. But not Francis.

Arthur raised his voice, and Francis raised his own in retaliation.

"I would rather be in the Home letting ugly alphas ogle me, than spend another minute with you!" the omega shouted, throwing his embroidery on the floor.

Arthur faltered slightly at this, backing down a little. "You don't mean that…"

But Francis was riled up, and his temper became worse than Arthur's all in an instant. "I wish I'd never met you! I wish I'd died in that cell so that you never could have purchased me!"

The alpha took a step towards Francis, intending to calm him down, but as he tried to grasp Francis' shoulders, the omega flinched back.

"Don't you dare touch me!" Francis screamed, and Arthur felt a sharp sting on his right cheek.

Blinking, the alpha realised he had been slapped. His own omega had struck him.

That was the last straw.

Arthur didn't lash out. He didn't yell, he didn't break anything. What came was far worse.

There was a fierce rage in his eyes as he went to Francis' wardrobe, throwing clothes aside until he found a little brown suitcase, and he tossed it on the bed.

"Pack your things. I'm sending you back to the Home." He growled.

Francis stood where he was, still in shock at his own action and he stared at his hands, feeling such remorse for striking his alpha, but he let out a sudden whimper as Arthur turned to leave the room.

"N-Non…!" he croaked, rushing towards the door to try and stop Arthur from leaving, but the door slammed and locked in his face.

Francis sank down to the floor, letting out a heartbroken howl of anguish, not knowing what else to do.

A/N: So, this was a very dramatic chapter. It gets worse, I promise.

So, what do you think of Francis being so cruel and standoffish towards Arthur?

And what about Arthur sending him back to the Home for Dysfunctional Omegas?

Please review and let me know!

Love you all x