Beyond help part 3
A small worn photo of Matthew floated to the ground, joined by several pages of personal information. Francis simply stared, and stared. His blue eyes widened to incredulous amounts. Matthew, the boy he cared for at school, the student most loathed by others, the orphan hated by his husband and son.
how could this be?
years ago
Arthur stared incredulously at his sister. There was no possible way what she was saying was true.
"y-your pregnant?" His voice barely came above a shocked whisper
"yes, please Arthur you have to understand, I didn't mean for this to happen. It was just one night, both us were under the influence of alcohol we didn't know what we were doing..." she rambled on and on with excuses as to how they didn't mean it, she didn't know what would happen, she even begged for his forgiveness before his patience finally wore thin
"Alice, who is the father?"
She immediately snapped her mouth shut, and shifted her eyes away from her brother
"alice..." his voice became slightly darker "who is the father?" he repeated himself.
"Arthur I'm so sorry..." She sounded desperate and tired
"Alice who is the father?!" He was nearly shouting now, feeling desperate himself and hoping what he began to think she was going to say was not true.
Her voice was barely audible "francis"
Arthur sat tense, unspeaking, for many moments before finally breaking the silence "you mean Francis as in, my fiance Francis?"
She sobbed "Please Arthur, I'm sorry. Neither of us meant for this to happen, I don't even think he remembers the night, ple-" she was cut off by Arthur's sharp voice.
"get out" he snapped
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The sharpness in his voice "w-what?"
"I said get out, don't come back, and don't you dare try to contact Francis ever again"
Her sobs came back in full power "please Arthur I have nowhere to go, nowhere to stay. My child... they'll need a father to help please he can still be with you but I need someone to help me raise this child"
"you're right, someone has to help and that someone is not Francis, not my Fiance, and definitely not the father of the son we have coming on the way!"
She gasped "Arthur, I didn't know..."
"you didn't know, and you never will. Now get out before I call the police"
It was the last time Arthur saw his sister, but not the last time he spoke to her. Several moments later, he made the phone call the changed the life of the child growing within his sister forever.
"Alice?" His strained voice came through the receiver.
"Arthur?" His sister replied, sounding exhausted.
"Hello Alice. How... How have you been?"
"I've been... fine. Thank you for calling. And yourself?"
"Fine, fine. No complications with our son, and we have yet to choose a name for him"
An uneasy silence settled between the two as Arthur prepared to finally but his plan in action while Alice pondered as to why her brother was calling her now, 3 months after kicking her out on to the streets.
"Look Alice, I feel it is only necessary I tell you this" He put as much heartfelt emotion as possible in to those words
"T-tell me what brother?" she sounded anxious, and worried
"I finally realized that you truly will need a man to help you raise your child" the lies fell from his lips too easily "and so I told Francis about you and your child, but... god sister I'm so sorry"
She tried to remain silent, not wanting to know what he was going to say, but she was unable to hold her silence for long "what did he say"
"I'm so, so sorry sister" He wasn't "but he said he does not want anything to do with you. I never imagined he could be so cruel, but he is."
He could just hear his sisters sobs through the phone. He felt no pity for her, he felt no remorse. Francis was a man far too kind for his own good and had confessed to sleeping with sister just days after forcing his sister away. Francis begged for forgiveness and that was a treat he could give. He loved his soon-to-be-husband more than anything, and was more than willing to forgive him knowing deep in Francis's heart he was a kind man.
But that was the problem Arthur faced, Francis was too kind. Too willing to help others in need. If he knew of the child he was to be having soon he would never forgive himself. He would make all sorts of promises to love both of them equally and help their son just as much as his own, but that's not what Arthur wanted. Arthur wanted Francis all to myself, yes it was selfish of him, but there was no way Francis could properly divide his time between the two families and The british man's worst fear was that Francis would abandon him in favor of his sister and her child. Technically, their son on the way wasn't even his! He had no obligation to Arthur and his son, but Alice's coming child was the Frenchman's flesh and blood. He would leave, Arthur knew it, and he couldn't let happen to his son, even if it meant throwing his sister to the dogs
"I- I understand. Brother, I must go" and she hung up on Arthur, who was determined not to feel any regret at his decision. He was only mildly successful.
5 months passed before Arthur was notified his sister, Alice Kirkland, had gone in to childbirth. Giving the same response he'd given his sister, that they didn't want her, he hung up. The words felt bitter and sour on his tongue but he kept reminding himself, this was for his son. This was for him and his family. He was doing the right thing.
It took them 2 weeks to finally notify him of her death. The funeral was short and small. Her parents attended, along with Arthur, Francis, and their newborn son Alfred. No one was told of how she died. Arthur held that knowledge close to his heart, willing no one to discover the child she'd born. And no one discovered him.
It was 12 years that then passed, and Arthur was happy with life. Alfred was a popular young fellow, making many friends. Francis was teaching high school, but volunteering some time as a councilor at the middle school Alfred was taught at. It was then that Arthur met him.
The young boy with the dead hope in his violet eyes. The soft blonde hair of his sister, the waves in his hair of his husband. He came to discover the boy's name, Matthew. It was the blank spot for his last name that finally convinced Arthur the quiet boy who offered kisses to other boys (or girls) in exchange for their cookies and other various treats, was indeed his nephew.
He prayed to god every night that Francis would not discover who the boy was. As luck would have it, Francis remained blind to the killing similarities between them. Lord knew he spent enough time with the boy to see them. But Francis had no knowledge of Alice ever being pregnant, there was no way for him to discover his true son. So why did rage and fury fill him every time over the course of those years when Francis mentioned him? Why did Francis speak with such a prideful tone of voice whenever Matthew was brought in to the conversation? Did he already know? Was he planning on abandoning them in favor of this blank son of his?
He desperately tried to change Francis's views on blanks. The man was truly too good for his own good, and believed they could be saved, that they could actually change and possibly even contribute to society. How he could even consider this? It was all because of this damn blank boy!
Over the years, Arthur's hatred towards blanks grew and grew thanks to his paranoia over Matthew. Unknowingly, his hatred was rubbing off on their son and before he knew it Alfred was getting reprimanded for beating up the orphans within the academy. Of course his punishments were anything but severe, just a little half hearted scolding about how hurting others was wrong. Francis tried to enforce stricter rules on their son but Arthur forbade it. In his eyes, this kept Matthew even further from their lives.
Present time
Francis still sat and stared at the paper. How was this even possible? Surely he'd never impregnated a woman? They would have told him! But here it was, clear as day, that he was the biological father of Matthew.
Just at that moment, Arthur emerged from his office, cup of steaming tea in hand.
"who was that at the door?" Francis couldn't bring himself to answer Arthur's question. How had this happened? How had he let this boy live the terrible life of an orphan all these years?
"Francis?" He held his head between his hands and hunched over, desperately trying not to cry. He couldn't explain to Arthur what was going on in his head. Hell, he didn't even know what was going on in his head.
Arthur peered over his shoulder, and saw the documents laying on the floor. He bent over and picked them up. A headshot of Matthew's face, his grades in school, various personal information entries including his date of birth, July 1st.
"Francis what's this all about?" Arthur still held the incrimenating files in his hands, unaware of what was about to transpire.
"He's my son" Francis mumbled, but Arthur heard him loud and clear.
"what?" Shock quickly entered his voice. Francis assumed it was from learning his partner was unfaithful, but in truth Arthur wanted to know he discovered it.
"The foster agency came with these papers, saying he's my son. I have 3 months to decide whether or not I want to care for him" Surprisingly, despite the hell wind that was blowing through him and the fact that is mind was just a one giant jumble, his voice was calm and unwavering.
Feigning confusion and innocence, Arthur asked "how?"
"I- I" guilt slipped in to his voice "I don't know mon chere. I am sorry" tears began streaming down his face "I am so sorry"
Arthur embraced his husband from the side "it's alright love" He kissed him on the cheek, the slight stubble tickling his lips "We'll just leave him. He doesn't need to know your his father. Just forget this ever happened" He moved to throw the papers in the fireplace where they would later be burned, but Francis grabbed his wrist.
"Non, we cannot. Arthur mon chere" He looked him in the eyes "He is my son, I have left him to a life of misery and loneliness. The least I can do is help him now" He was too kind for his own good.
"Francis, it is not your fault. You did not know. You owe him nothing."
"Arthur, that is wrong. I owe him everything. I am his father, I do not know who is mother is, but I should've been there. I owe him his life."
"Francis you gave him life. That is all. You do not owe him a thing. Just forget you ever found these papers"
"Arthur we must care him"
"but he's an orphan!"
"No he is not!" Francis snapped and stood up "An orphan has no parents, no one to claim them. I received the responsibility of that boy the minute those papers landed in my hand!"
Arthur stared at him with hate filled eyes "I do not hate orphans because they are orphans, I hate them because they are raised as orphans. They are disgusting, rude, impolite little shits and I will admit, it is not their fault! They had no parents to teach them otherwise, But Matthew has been raised as an orphan and I will not have some blank pig in my house!"
For minutes that felt like hours, they stared each other down, neither ready to give up their position of temporary power to the other. Their staring match could only last for so long before Francis finally took a seat, and sighed in to his hands "Why don't we compromise. We take in Matthew for the 3 months until he graduates, and then see if we want him to stay alright?"
Arthur felt dread creeping in. He wanted Matthew nowhere near his home or his family, but Francis was clearly unwilling to give in so he finally sighed and sat down next to him "alright, but only 3 months"
A/N whaaat? Is Zoe actually updating on time? yes she is! Luckily I have a pretty good idea on how the rest of the story will pan out so as long as life does not interfere, updates should be on schedule from now on 3
reviews are terribly scary things that scare away life and ensure updates come on time~