Chapter XXVI – A for Agon

Young 14 years old Arthur stared dully out the window of his personal ride to school. How annoying. Everyone is going to stare at him again and call him a freak. Because of his family. Because of his name. Because of his race. Because of his personality.

"I hate this."

Now that Francis was gone, Arthur had lost his only friend. He was alone. Alone in a world that seemed set out to crush him with all of Karma's might. Feels that way anyway. Sighing heavily Arthur laid back against the seat of his car.

"Is something displeasing you, Sir?" his Indian chauffeur inquired suddenly. The car stopped at a traffic light, giving Arthur a few seconds to think his answer. Eventually, he only shrugged.

"Life displeases me, Rajesh." Was the dull fatidic answer the blonde could give.

The concerned driver didn't answer. It wasn't his place to speak. He had no way to fully understand his master's situation and therefore, no words of his will ever have any meaning to the young one. But is there anyone out there able to remotely understand what Arthur is going through? Is there even someone in a condition like his, able to appease him and support him? Is there even someone who can bring back a smile on Master Arthur's face? Rajesh shook his head in sadness, hoping dearly that someone could save his young master from his misery.

"Have a pleasant day, Sir." Was all he said as he dropped off the depressed boy to school. Arthur hummed for all answer.

Walking to his class, Arthur felt awfully lonely, feeling the stares of others on him. Judging him. Cursing him. Mocking him. Envying him. But nobody even bothered trying to talk or approach him. No. Why bother? Freaks are just there to serve as a show. You can't call a freak someone you talk too. There is this distance needed between you and it … otherwise, you might find yourself thinking that the Freak … might actually be like you. And how ridiculous is that?

Arthur sat at his desk and buried himself in his crossed arms as he waited for the bell to ring and school to end. Even his brother William was now attending High school and no longer came to the same Middle School as Arthur. Fiona was in an all-girl school because she beat up too many boys in her last elementary school but seemed to hold back on girls. So their parents decided it would be safer for everyone if their daughter were to remain a while in an all-girl school. Peter was too young. And all his older brothers were in High school or university (in Patrick's case).

Arthur only wished he could disappear into the void of space, never to be seen again. Life would be easier. He wouldn't have to suffer …

"Hey, Kirkland! Just because you came here in a fancy car, don't let it go to your head, rich freak! I'll show you! Today, I'll beat you to a pulp that will make you cry like the sorry excuse of an Omega you are!"

… this.

Arthur's irritated emeralds glared hatefully at the disturbance. The three boys that had approached him with their challenge stepped back in sudden fear, all confidence flying out the window. Everyone in the classroom froze as they watched the monster awaken. Arthur pushed himself back up on his feet, about to break these challengers to pieces but luckily for them, the bell rang and Arthur slumped back to his original position. The three terrified kids scurried away, trying to save appearances and not seem scared, while one of them had actually pissed himself.

"You're lucky the bell rang! We would have smashed that arrogant face of yours! You … you got lucky!"

Arthur ignored them. He ignored the chatter of his classmates. He ignored the teacher starting lesson. He simply ignored the entire outside world, locking himself in his peace of mind. Just another shitty day in this hell of a life.

As he walked out of his school, Arthur looked up in surprise and a wide grin broke his face. His feet suddenly felt lighter as he ran up to the person waiting for him at the gates by the familiar black car that would drive them home.

"Pat! You came home! I thought you were staying at Uni for the holidays!" Arthur jumped in his older brother's arms, feeling the other laugh his usual boasting cheerful laughter. Arthur even noticed a few changes in his brother since he left home to live in student accommodations. His body seemed broader and his muscles firmer. His chin felt scratchy like he wasn't shaving as neatly as before or maybe he was attempting to grow a beard? Arthur briefly imagined his brother looking like his grandpa Merwin … the teen quickly shook the thought away or he might not stop himself from falling in a hysterical fit of laughter.

"Aye, originally, that was the plan. But I ended up not needing to pass my exams for next semester since I aced the ones just now. So I'm basically free the whole second half of the year!"

"Eh! Really? So you'll stay with us!"

"Well, I still need to attend class and pretend I'm actually there … but I can visit you guys more often!" Patrick grinned brightly at his brother, noticing how Arthur had grown since the last time. He already knew his blonde brother would probably grow up to be taller than him but he was glad that for now, he can enjoy his Big-Brother role to the fullest (size included)!

"Hey hey, don't I get a proper introduction? You never said your brother was such a cutie, Pat!"

Arthur jumped at the foreign voice and stared with wide surprised eyes at the man standing next to his brother. Arthur had barely noticed him since all his attention was focused on Patrick but now that he was looking at him, Arthur felt his cheeks flush red of embarrassment for not having even seen the man.

He was Alfa, tall with a strong and attractive body that made many Omegas drool silently as they passed him. He had raven black long hair braided in a very complex way that made it fall elegantly on one shoulder. Arthur noticed streaks of dark blue adding colour to his hair, and his ears were pierced with rings all around the lobes. A golden dragon hung from his left ear. His face was handsome to say the least, with mirror-like crystal eyes in which Arthur felt he could see himself drown deep. When he smiled, the man seemed like he was sparkling … absolutely god-like.

Arthur tilted his head with a frown. How come this guy sparkles so much yet he barely noticed him? Oh well, it doesn't really matter!

"Sorry!" The young Kirkland spoke to the stranger, releasing his brother and offering his hand out to the new face he was meeting. "I did not notice you. I should have paid more attention. I am sorry for ignoring you in such a rude way. My name is Arthur. Are you a friend of my brother?"

The older man looked surprised for a minute and didn't respond immediately. An amused chuckle then escaped his lips as he shook Arthur's offered hand, confusing the younger boy with his laughter.

"You didn't notice me? That's the first time someone speaks such words to me! Especially an Omega!"

Arthur froze and glanced back angrily at his brother whole lifted his hands up in defence.

"Hey! I didn't tell him anything! Just that I was picking up my little brother from school!"

Arthur turned his frown to the strange man who was now grinning like he was having the best time of his life teasing the younger boy.

"How did you know?" Arthur thought his Alfa pressure was intimidating enough to cover his Omega one. Was it the smell? But Arthur had just hugged Patrick so his Alfa smell should still be on him.

"I'm pretty good at figuring out other people … though I must admit, you're one big mystery to me. I almost believed you were an Alfa at first and I'm still really surprised that I got that Omega part right! You're so cute, it'd be such a waste if you were an Alfa!"

"Whatever thoughts you're having, remember, that's my brother you're flirting with!" Patrick sent his friend a cold warning smirk that only made the raven laugh.

Arthur listened to the man's laugh with fascination. It chimed so brightly and in such a perfect sound … a bit too perfect. In fact, everything about this man seemed just too perfect that it made Arthur uncomfortable while fascinated at the same time. This was the first time someone was acting so nice with him while knowing that he's … well, abnormal.

"Relax future Heir! If I'm going to snatch away the Princess, I'd have to defeat the dragon first, right?" The man winked maliciously at Arthur, making the younger boy blush nervously. He had never been compared to a princess before … he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. But one thing was for sure … in that comparison just now, there was a huge mistake …

"Patrick can't be a dragon. William is the Dragon. Patrick would be a Giant." Arthur blurted out suddenly, making both University students blink before they burst out laughing. Pouting angrily, his face growing red from embarrassment, Arthur fumed and started fisting his brother.

"Haha! Arthur's a big fan of fairy tales! When he was small he gave all of us a magical creature that he thought we looked like. I'm the Giant, Alistair's the Unicorn, though he hated when Arthur told him, and William's the dragon! You still think that, Artie?" Patrick fell back in another hysterical fit, ignoring his brother's angry punches.

"Well, may it be dragons, giants or any other monster … in the end, the Prince Charming always saves the Princess! Right, Artie?" The raven took hold of Arthur's wrists, stopping his assault on his ginger brother.

"I … I'm not a Princess!" Arthur blushed madly as he pushed back the older man. He watched with wide eyes as the braided haired man bowed with a kind sparkling smile.

"Although much braver than any other, I think Arthur would make a very cute Princess! What of me then? What am I? Would I be your long awaited Prince Charming?"

"Hey, Agon, you really don't want to ask him that! He might take you seriously!" Patrick warned him with a smile.

Agon … His name?

Arthur stared at the sparkling man before him. He was perfect in every point. Exactly like a Prince. Agon smiled as he kneeled down to one knee in a dramatic show, making Patrick fall back to the ground in laughter. But Arthur wasn't laughing as he felt the large hand take his smaller one and lips kiss his palm. The lips were neither cold nor warm. Just the right temperature. Just perfect.

Like a fairy tale.

"Won't you let this Prince be your friend? I think I'm starting to get fond of you, Princess!" Agon whispered.

For anyone else, it would seem like a cute display of two university students playing around with the little brother of one of them. And that's what it was … a game. Arthur just had no idea at that moment … what kind of game he was getting into.

"Agon!"

The man looked up from his phone and smiled his usual sparkling smile at the approaching blonde. It may seem like he was the personification of a radiant Apollo, but in Agon's eyes, the only radiant presence came from the cute blonde wrapping his smaller arms around his. Looking down at the teen, Agon could not stop a small satisfied smirk corner his lips. Greeting him was a sight to please any Alfa.

Arthur was nearing his 15th birthday and for the occasion, Agon had offered to take him out to town to get him an advance birthday present. But it seemed that the older man was the one getting a present seeing how cute Arthur looked. Dressed in his punk style, Arthur wore leather jeans that really melted over his legs like a second skin, showing off more than enough the enticing shapes of his ass and legs. Heavy black boots with spikes and chains, even a metal sole under it looked adorable! As if Arthur were walking in his brother's shoes and they reached high-up to his knee … very nice indeed. His tank top displayed a pirate skull design and over his slender shoulders Arthur carried a dark jean jacket that only reached half-way down his torso, with chains hanging from the back of the jacket, sewn in the material. A few chains and wrist bands covered his arms and a collar hung at his neck with little emeralds gems incrusted in it.

Agon couldn't help but stare. Arthur was both cute and hot at the same time. Beautiful and dangerous in every way. A perfect contradiction. The blond smiled at him mischievously, red streaks in his golden mane which he seemed to have let grown longer but not too long. Just enough that his hair fell slightly in his eyes, shadowing them in a hypnotic way when he stared from under his bangs, with his long lashes framing his beautiful emerald eyes.

Shit … did the boy not realise how delicious he looked?! Agon tried to shake away the feeling of desire in him. He didn't want to ruin his relationship with Patrick or scare Arthur away by making a move. The boy is barely turning 15! He'd wait at least a couple more years before considering asking Arthur out. Hopefully his body will last until then. Having Arthur's slender arms tightly wrapped around his own larger one was not helping in the least.

"Sorry I made you wait~!" The boy teased, clearly not sorry at all and Agon bet he had made him wait 30 minutes on purpose. Arthur may think of this as a game but he had no idea that he held Agon wrapped around his fingers.

The older man smiled, sparkles everywhere. Arthur's expression seemed to frown at that and instantly, shrieks of Omegas and Betas everywhere around them started to erupt.

"Not at all!" Agon replied, his smile curling into a teasing smirk that only Arthur noticed. Immediately the blonde's smile returned.

"If you keep smiling that sparkling gentlemanly smile, every Omega around is going to assault you!"

"Oh they can try but I doubt they'd ever catch me!" Agon grinned as he pulled Arthur and they walked down the street of shops.

"I never get how popular you are when you're always teasing me all the time! I must be cursed!"

"Well, on the other hand, unless I stand right in front of you, you won't see me! And sometimes, even that's not enough to grasp your attention! Are you purposefully ignoring me to make me angry?"

"Oi! I notice you … uh … occasionally …" Arthur frowned trying to remember a single time he noticed Agon without having been prior expecting him but each time his attention had always been focused on something else.

Agon chuckled in amusement. In all honesty, he really didn't mind Arthur's lack of attention. The boy was the first person to have ever treated him like just a normal average person. In fact, compared to Arthur, Agon felt like he didn't exist. It was a strange feeling for someone like him who constantly can't escape attention.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?"

Arthur's eyebrows knitted themselves more as he now focused on what he wanted to ask Agon. Said Agon kept watching him like the boy was the centre of the world and more.

"I don't know … Alistair's paying me a tattoo next week …"

"Oh right, you wanted one! I could have given you one, you know …"

Arthur shook his head, blushing slightly as he answered.

"No! I want your gift to be special. That tattoo is just a small caprice of mine." Arthur chuckled and averted his eyes, confusing Agon by his reaction.

What was that about? Why is he avoiding eye contact?

Agon let it slid, not wanting to push Arthur. Their day went as perfect as ever. A day with Agon is always perfect but every time, Arthur always feels like something's missing. Looking up at the older man, Arthur stared in fascination at the god that made his heart pound. But Agon is much too amazing for him. He also older, why would he be interested in a kid like Arthur? The blonde could wish though … Fact is, he already knew what he wants and how to obtain it … he just didn't know what Agon would say.

"I want ice cream."

Agon jumped and looked back at the sudden request of his … date? Well, can you really call it a date when you're accompanying your best friend's little brother on a shopping trip? He smiled, flashing stars around him almost automatically and many Omegas nearby fainted from his dazzling aura.

"Sure. I'll get us some. Just wait for me on a bench, alright? I won't be long."

Arthur hummed and did as he was told. From afar, he watched his older friend queue in the line for ice cream. His green eyes darkened in irritation as many Omegas came to chat up his sparkling friend. Playboy as always. Glaring away, Arthur tried to ignore the stabbing pain in his heart. When had he started to fall for the perfect Alfa? Even Patrick had no idea that his little brother was head over heels in love with his best friend. And Arthur hoped he wouldn't find out any time soon since that would probably involve Patrick challenging his friend and consequentially beating him to a pulp.

Sighing sadly, the blonde never noticed a group of three male Alfas eyeing him with interested grins. Only when they walked up and accosted him did he deign to take notice of them.

"Hey cutie~! What's with the long face? Did your Alfa forget you?"

Arthur froze at the words. Why did those words made him sound like he was an abandoned pet? He hated it. Distracted in his brooding, Arthur had forgotten to enhance his Alfa façade and let leak out his Omega aura. Obviously, that leads to wankers coming up to him. Again. Well, at least they didn't want to fight unlike the idiots at his school. Arthur glared at them, putting back up his Alfa dominance and surprising the trio of older Alfas. One of them leaned closer and grabbed Arthur's collar, pulling him close and he buried his nose in the blonde hair. Arthur was so surprised by the sudden gesture that he reacted too late. Pushing the other back violently, Arthur flipped the man over his shoulder and slammed him into the ground. But seeing the satisfied grin on the man's face, a dreading panic curled his stomach. The Alfa smirked up at him.

"I never thought Omegas could be so aggressive. But you smell so delicious it would be a shame to leave you be!"

The other two stepped closer to Arthur as the knocked out one was getting back on his feet. They whispered sweet promises to Arthur, encouraging him to follow them, sometimes even touching him inappropriately while remaining discreet. Arthur's internal panic made him snap.

Never before had these Alfas seen a monster. Never did they expect it to be an Omega.

Arthur breathed heavily as he watched the three men run off, beaten black and blue while he himself only had a few bruises, barely noticeable. Taking his seat back on the bench, Arthur breathed out and calmed down his erratic heartbeat. He couldn't act all violent in front of Agon. He didn't want Agon to hate him. And no Alfa likes a rebellious Omega. Arthur had many times been turned down due to his violent nature and his rebellious attitude. Now that he finally had someone who accepted him and he was close to, outside his family, he really did not want to lose Agon.

When said Agon returned, Arthur noticed how his crush seemed like he was stomping angrily towards him. Uh …? Agon is actually angry? This is new. What could have angered him like that?

Agon's crystal eyes flashed angrily at the blonde as he handed him the ice cream cone of vanilla and dark chocolate. Arthur jumped at the aggressiveness in his gaze. The teen almost automatically lowered his head in submission … the very thought of doing so frightened him. There's no way he would let an Alfa submit him … right? Not even Agon, right? He loved Agon but he was also taught never to lower his head to anyone, not even his mate. Because in his Clan, the Omega cannot be mistreated.

The raven took seat next to Arthur and started shooting draggers around them with his mirror glare. Arthur felt strangely nervous and tried to ignore the heavy tension. But to no avail as Agon spoke up finally.

"Eat."

The order was sharp and icy and Arthur surprised himself in obeying. He quickly stopped and stared in disbelief at his own action. Had he … obeyed an Alfa that was not part of his Clan …? He turned to Agon, unsure if he felt fear or rage. He loved Agon, yes … but he was also frightened by this strange new face of Agon. This Agon was intimidating and did not sparkle anymore.

Agon looked back at him again with that sever angry look that made Arthur want to cower and apologise. But he didn't. Because Arthur, with his family pride, would not let himself be controlled by anyone!

"What? Why are you suddenly all angry and glaring at me? I waited like you asked!" He snapped at the older man, a bit louder than he had wished as he tried to hide the nervous shivering of his voice.

"… Next time you want ice cream, you are forbidden to leave my side for one second."

"What?! Who the hell decided that?!"

"I did! I saw some Alfa bastards come up to you while I was ordering ice cream!"

"I sent them off! I punched them black and blue! Those were jerks!" Arthur completely forgot about his original plan of not seeming like a violent brute. He'd rather be feared than be called weak!

"Arthur! It's not just this once! The entire day, jerks like you say, have been staring at you! Be more mindful of your surroundings! Whenever you let your guard down, your Alfa tunes down and everyone can see clear as day your Omega side! Do you know how frustrating it is for me to watch that? I should be the only one allowed to look at you …!" Agon stopped himself as he realised he might have spoken too much in his anger.

Arthur had grown strangely quiet which did not calm down Agon from his worry.

"A-Arthur … just … forget what I said …"

"Agon." Arthur's voice trembled but Agon could not decipher the emotion behind it.

"Arthur! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say it like that … truth is I …" The older boy clenched his teeth, unable to speak another word.

"… I want my present now." Arthur declared calmly.

"Eh …?" Before Agon could register anything, he felt Arthur's lips collide with his own.

The kiss was … absolutely perfect.