Chapter III – F for Fight
"Alright, you're hungry. Let's get a table and eat."
"Si!" Feliciano's bright smile returned instantly, worries all forgotten in the blink of an eye. Arthur shook his head indulgently and followed after his hyper-active friend.
Neither noticed the odd glares they were receiving. One particular dark glare narrowed angrily on Arthur as the person stood up and growled threateningly.
"Oi! What do you think you're doing to my fratello, bastard?!"
Arthur jumped at the sudden harsh voice and felt a hand grab his collar and yank him forward. Had he not known for a fact that Feliciano is currently ve-ing and flapping his arms about in panic next to him, Arthur might have believed that the furious Italian aggressing him was Feliciano. But it definitely wasn't. This was a fully angry typical Alfa and fuming with dominance. Oh bloody great … what had he done now?
Far from being remotely impressed by the display of dominance and the stench of power that Alfas' emit (more so when they are trying to impose themselves), Arthur simply stared blankly at the angry clone of Feliciano. Although … they did look alike, Feliciano's hair curl is on the left. That guy has it on the right. And he looked more aggressive and Alfa-like than the shy Feliciano.
'I'm guessing this is Feliciano's brother.' The Englishman concluded.
"Ve! Fratello! What are you doing?" Feliciano babbled in panic as he saw his brother suddenly attack his new friend. Lovino growled in fury and shot a silencing glare at his brother.
"Stay out of this Stupido! I'm doing you a favour!"
"Ve?" Feliciano was about to ask and argue, something he never does when his brother takes charge of things. Usually, Feliciano would let his brother handle everything. But this time … he didn't want his brother to beat up his new friend … or the other way around.
"Fratello! This is my friend! Arturo, this is my fratello! Please don't fight! Ve!"
"The hell he's your friend?! And how dare you talk back to me?!" Lovino hissed back.
"Yes, I gathered he was your twin." Arthur answered back with his usual calmness, not angry or scared or … or anything really. He just seemed to watch as things unfold themselves, and that pissed Lovino even more. The Italian furrowed his brows together and brought his face inches away from the blonde's.
"You! Who the hell do you think you are? Don't you dare order my fratello around! He may not act like one but he's an Alfa! Go find yourself an Omega to use as your pet but stay away from my brother or I'll personally deal with you!"
Arthur tilted his head and frowned in slight confusion. Had he ordered Feliciano around? It's possible. Arthur tends to order everyone around and he might have inadvertently done the same with his friend. But Feliciano never complained. And Arthur is sure to have apologised each time he upset his new friend. The blonde shook his head, already knowing why Lovino was acting so protective. He knew the same would have happened if his brothers thought him to be in danger. Except his brothers wouldn't have taken the diplomatic approach of Lovino. They would have gone for the: Hit first, ask questions later.
Crossing eyes with the brown-amber ones of Lovino, Arthur challenged the other Alfa, his head held high and his whole body language screamed power and dominance. Even though taller than the blonde, Lovino felt an irrational fear run through his body. The way the blonde was staring at him, his cat-like green eyes carving into his soul, and his strong aura of dominance, oppressing and intimidating, Lovino almost felt himself grasping for air. But he would not let himself be intimidated by some random Alfa bullying his little brother!
"I'm sorry."
Lovino couldn't have been more shocked in his entire life. Feliciano on the other hand was feeling as guilty as ever when he listened to Arthur apologising. It was again his fault and again Arthur had to apologise for him. He felt so pathetic and troublesome to his new friend.
"What?" Lovino breathed out in a disbelieving breath. All tension had vanished … well, aside from Arthur's natural intimidating aura. That never seemed to vanish in any way. Arthur's emeralds bore into the Italian's chocolate eyes and Lovino almost backed away. How could the blonde feel so menacing when he's apologising? How could an Alfa apologise in the first place?
"I said: I'm sorry. I didn't mean for my behaviour to seem disrespectful towards your brother or your family. I am well aware that Feliciano is an Alfa and I would never wish to step over his human rights and his freedom. I'm afraid this was a misunderstanding and I apologise for it."
The entire cafeteria fell respectfully and disbelievingly silent. Arthur's body language was in no way apologetic and in fact, he looked about to jump into a fight at any given chance. But his words were calm, composed and unnaturally rational. Not at all the words of an Alfa being challenged by another Alfa. Lovino narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the blonde's odd words. An Alfa that apologises so easily is considered weak. But from the dominance radiating from the blonde, Lovino doubted he was anything but weak!
A table behind, Alfred was watching the scene with intense interest as his cerulean eyes never left Arthur. No matter how you looked at it, he was not an Omega. And when Alfred had heard the blonde state himself as an Omega in class, he couldn't believe it. How could a weak Omega flip him over and break his nose, almost knocking him unconscious? And his smell was overwhelmingly … well, actually, thinking back, Alfred remembered smelling two scents from the new boy. One strong intimidating Alfa scent but it had been overlapping the sweet, deliciously sweet, hypnotisingly sweet scent of … an Omega. If not his scent, Arthur's words just now and the way he so easily apologised, keeping his calm and a cool head, that was not an Alfa talking. That was an Omega.
If you omit the intimidating eerie aura that the blond constantly emits when he's being threatened.
Alfred sighed heavily. Not only did he feel shame from getting put in his place by an Omega, he also hated the fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he looked or thought of the new blonde Omega. It made him feel sick.
Next to him, his brother Matthew was watching with deep interest and shy conviction in his eyes. Alfred hadn't told anybody about the incident with Arthur except Matthew. And the Omega Canadian could hardly believe an Omega had beaten his brother! To the point of depressing him! He felt intrigued and curious about Arthur and wanted to know more about him. He might even get to be friends with him? Thanks to his brother's overbearing presence, Matthew had little to no friends. The only people he knew where Alfred's Alfa friends and he hated being around them. He felt invisible all the time and even Alfas didn't notice him in the overly-Alfa presence of their group. Matthew never had a mate thanks to that. And thanks to his brother scaring everyone away. He never even got friends and the only Omegas and Betas that tried to befriend him were only using him to get close to Alfred. And all failed since Alfred is very picky about people and gets bored of his partners easily.
At the table Lovino had just left to assault Arthur, aside from Alfred and Matthew, there were another 3 Alfas and one Beta: Ludwig, Gilbert and Antonio all felt their Alfa blood boil and their eyes narrow suspiciously on the intimidating blonde. They all assumed him to be an Alfa but his words were just … too odd. His calmness … it made him seem even scarier than if he had gotten angry like any typical Alfa. He was frighteningly more intimidating as he kept that calm and cold attitude. Francis, on the other hand, seemed to be staring at the blond in thoughtfulness, as if he was trying to remember something. Arthur's physic looked familiar and Francis could swear he had seen him somewhere before … those eyebrows …
"Who the hell are you anyway, bastard?!" Lovino growled as he roughly let go of Arthur's collar and retreated a step back. Not because he was scared! Not at all! … well, yeah, maybe a little, but come on! The guy is just … just standing there looking all scary and shit and he's not even getting angry and he keeps staring with those glaring green eyes!
Arthur hesitated for a split second before answering. If anything, he hated when people asked for his name.
"My name is Arthur Kirkland."
Gasps and nervous coughs erupted in the cafeteria as everyone stared wide eyed and terrified at the blonde. Even Lovino looked shocked and slightly frightened. Feliciano frowned at this. His brother never let others intimidate him. Oh sure, he might get scared when his opponent is a stronger Alfa, but Lovino is too stubborn to show it. Here, he paled completely and was half-glaring and half-staring in shock at Arthur. Why? What's wrong with Arturo?
"Bastard …" Lovino growled threateningly, suddenly snapping back into his aggressive mode. Arthur frowned but he had been expecting this. In one quick leap, Lovino had jumped and punched the blonde's face. Feliciano shrieked in panic but couldn't intervene to stop them. He could only watch as Lovino assaulted his new friend … or the other way around.
In fact, it quickly became the other way around and Arthur was fully in control of the fight. He didn't even seem afraid and was smiling broadly like a deranged demon in the midst of the fight. Feliciano shivered at the look in his friend's eyes. An Omega … should not be enjoying fights.
"You goddamn bastard! Just because you're a Kirkland doesn't mean you can bully around my brother and make a fool out of me! You're sorry?! You really think you can get away after insulting me like that?" Lovino spat despite understanding that he was losing the fight.
Arthur didn't answer. His eyes grew cold and angry but he still didn't yell back and simply punched or kicked. Feliciano frowned in confusion. He knew that Arturo had been sincere in his apology. Why would people think otherwise? Okay, so Arturo looks like an Alfa but … maybe Lovino didn't realise that Arturo is an Omega? Although Feliciano was certain that his brother would not have started that fight if avoidable. But as soon as he heard Arthur's full name, Lovino went bonkers and everyone in the room reacted strangely. Why?
Francis' mind suddenly clicked when he heard Arthur's name. Of course! Of course he knew that boy! He was … oh dear, Lovino would not get out of that fight unscathed. Not against a Kirkland.
Antonio frowned, suddenly understanding why this Arthur guy felt so intimidating. If he's from the Kirkland clan, it makes sense. Gilbert and Ludwig also understood and their expression grew cold and dark. Like any Alfa in the room, they all felt the need to assert their authority. But in a case where you already know you would lose, the frustration of that realisation is something unbearable for Alfas. The frustration of submission.
"Enough. You'll hurt yourself." Arthur's cold voice snapped in the hanging air of the room. He was straddling Lovino, successfully pinning him flat out on the ground, and locking his arm, twisting it so that with only a small pressure and he could break it anytime.
"Bastard!" Lovino hissed in fury, struggling to escape and whining at the pain in his arm whenever he tried to move. Arthur's expression never softened. In fact, the man smirked in amusement. He didn't mean to look cruel or heartless. Not really. And he wasn't. But fighting was just so much fun that he couldn't help enjoying it. It's in his blood.
But unlike most Kirklands, Arthur was not as ruthless and used his sharp mind to take decisions, rather than sinking into his emotions. That's why he felt himself freeze instantly when from the corner of his eye he saw Feliciano approach, crying and pleading for the fighting to stop.
"Feliciano. Do not speak another word and do not move another inch." Again, the order snapped in the air like a whip and effectively, Feliciano obeyed.
Disbelief shone in Lovino's eyes. Feliciano had been acting odd all day. First he was hanging out with some random Alfa, taking orders from that Alfa and ignoring him, his own brother! Feliciano never used to argue with him but today he actually dared to talk back at him! And now, he's just obeying that Kirkland bastard as if it were the most natural thing in the world! Dammit!
Feliciano didn't understand but his body reacted instantly. Arthur's order … demand? It sounded like an order but behind the sharpness of the voice, Feliciano clearly heard the concern and worry of his friend. He didn't want the Italian to interfere because he didn't want him to get hurt. And Feliciano's body reacted to those words. Even when his fratello gave him orders it never felt like that. Usually he would obey out of fear and with reluctance. Or because he didn't know what else to do. But here, he was … willing to obey. He felt it normal to answer those words. He trusted Arthur. Arthur would not harm his brother. So he would do as Arthur said. No questions asked. Because he didn't have any questions. He understood everything.
Everything.
Except the tingling feeling in his stomach and the rush of heat across his face.
Arthur didn't even look back to see if Feliciano had obeyed or not. He knew, almost like instinct, he knew that the Italian would understand and not interfere. Odd, but usually, Arthur isn't so trusting of other people. The bubbly Italian just keep creeping over him and his usually emotionless heart was now strained to contain the anger and frustration he felt. He normally never gets emotional. But the idea of someone claiming he was abusing of his friend's kindness … that he would not accept. Ever.
Leaning closer, Arthur increased his eerie aura. He wanted to make his full presence so intimidating that Lovino would be forced to submit. Eventually. They all do. He brought his lips to the Italian's ear and whispered in a dark purr.
"Had I been my brother, I would have already said: Yield."
Lovino froze at the order. He felt his body would almost instantly obey but his mind felt disgusted by the idea of submitting to the blonde. But Arthur continued on, noticing every subtle change in Lovino's body language.
"But I'm not my brother. And I won't. So listen carefully to my order: Do not ever again accuse me of abusing your brother. If you do, the next time I will kill you. Am I clear?"
Lovino felt himself nod against his will. His arm was released and the weight holding down his body finally lifted itself. Arthur stood up and glared down on the Italian.
"I wasn't trying to mock you either. I was truly sorry for our misunderstanding. But I won't be sorry of ending your life the next time you dare to threaten me." The emeralds then surveyed the room and every student seated in the cafeteria. A silent warning that applied to all of them. Arthur made sure his words fully sunk in. He looked back at his fallen tray of food. He wasn't hungry anymore anyway. His eyes then looked up at his friend who was still frozen still and oddly silent, like Arthur had ordered him.
"You can move now. You should tend to you brother." Arthur spoke even more icily than usual.
After what he said and did, the blonde held little hope of remaining friends with Feliciano. He had threatened to kill his brother after all. Arthur walked out and wandered off outside to clear his head. He ignored the stares and for once, maybe he shouldn't have. Because Feliciano's stare on him was far from the accusing one he imagined. The amber eyes simply seemed … sad.
AN: So ... that's all for the test-run. How was it? Worth continuing or not? I actually think I like it.