Chapter XXXIII – F for Fire
Feliciano stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to move nor wanting to anyway. He could feel Arthur's fingers run through his brown locks, gently soothing his mind. How much time has passed already? How long since he's been crying and resting in the training room with Arthur. Why is Arthur here anyway? Glancing up with ruby eyes, Feliciano was yet unaware that the shade of his reds had started to darken slightly, slowly reverting to his original browns.
Arthur had already noticed. Honestly, if his family thought they could keep Feliciano's past month of training a secret, those guys really are underestimating him! As if Arthur would not notice his friend's scent whenever he came back from school. In fact, Arthur understood perfectly and made it a point to wait until Feliciano is done with his training sessions before coming home. Usually, he knows that by sunset, Feliciano will be leaving his house bruised black and blue, his eyes a red of fire.
However, recently, the Italian's reds have begun to darken and grow less wild and more tamed. The fire still burned in them but it was a warm flame rather than a blazing inferno. They were still aggressive and intense but in a more subtle tone, rather than a bright mad red like before, Feliciano's glow had settled into a dark scarlet tone, more in control. Arthur wasn't sure what kind of insane training his grandfather was inflicting on his friend but if there's one thing he was certain: Feliciano looked too determined to be stopped. Arthur had never seen him with such an ambitious expression.
And so he decided to wait.
Feliciano glanced towards the blonde's pensive face. With the light shining down on them, Arthur's figure looked like it glowed of an angelic halo. He's truly beautiful. For that beautiful person, Feliciano did not mind the hellish training with the Kirklands. He did not mind breaking his body to the last bone. He did not mind feeling himself be crushed over and over under the dominance of the King. He did not mind not having the right or permission to approach Arthur anymore. He did not mind only watching over the blonde from afar. He did not mind.
For that person, Feliciano would not mind anything.
Lifting his hand up in an unconscious gesture, Feliciano found himself caressing Arthur's soft cheek. The blonde's emerald widened in surprise but he soon leaned in the touch, letting the Italian's hand roam over his facial features. His cheek, his eyes, his eyebrows, his forehead, his nose, his lips … Feliciano wanted to feel everything. After a whole month of not even speaking to Arthur, all the bottled up desire in him became hard to contain.
"You look terrified. Why?" Arthur whispered softly, bringing his hand over his friend's and keeping it in place against his cheek.
Feliciano blinked as he registered the words and the voice that made his heart weep in desire. The Italian felt tears rush back to his vision and roll silently down. Arthur hushed him softly, wiping the drops away. Why was he crying yet feeling so happy? Why was Arthur staying here? Why is Arthur so concerned about him? Isn't Arthur scared of him? Isn't Arthur supposed to wish nothing to do with him anymore?
"Why are you here?" The Italian barely whispered.
"I live here, I'll have you know!" Arthur chuckled softly. The brunet frowned, confusion on his face and anxiousness in his stomach.
"Don't you … fear me?" Feliciano's voice croaked dryly. Arthur tilted his head, clearly confused.
"Fear you? Why ever would I fear you?"
"…" Feliciano could not answer. Instead, he shut his red eyes, angry at himself as he knew that they were still of that evil red shade. He wanted to return to Arthur with his past chocolate browns. He wanted everything to be back as they were before it all became red! He wanted to return to the moment before Arthur feared the red of his eyes. He wanted to go back to before the fire in him was lit.
"Feliciano … I don't mind your eyes." Arthur smiled as he ran a finger over the shut eyelids of his friend. His words shocked Feliciano. It's as if the blonde could read his mind with ease and guess his worries. Arthur could indeed guess Feliciano's thoughts. He carefully observed Feliciano's hair curl. Whenever his friend tried to conceal his emotions, Arthur knew that his hair curl would give away his true feelings.
When Feliciano had gone mad back in town, his curl had stopped moving altogether. Cold and dead. And now, slowly, Arthur began to observe life return to it over the past month. He was glad. He no longer would see the old Feliciano, he knew that. The shy weak Feliciano that would run from fights was no longer this person. But neither had he become the stranger Alfa obsessed with blood and passion that Arthur had first met on that fatal day. Arthur could almost sigh in relief. Feliciano was not going to become like Agon. The blonde was deeply hoping for that every day he listened to Feliciano's screams and training from behind the shut door. Every day, Arthur waited to see who his friend would turn out as.
The hair curl bounced and shivered. Arthur immediately understood the reaction: Confusion and excitement … maybe even hope. Chuckling, Arthur continued his explanation.
"Whether red or brown, I don't mind. I just didn't want to meet a stranger in those eyes. I'm sorry … I was indeed terrified that day after you beat up those Alfas. But not of you. I was scared of who I feared you would become. And I suppose … I was also being scared by my own memories. I should know better than anyone that you're not like him but … I got worried and scared. Sorry." Arthur averted his gaze to the ground, angry at himself.
Feliciano reopened his eyes and stared with mild shock at Arthur's bowed head. Arthur was not scared of him. Arthur still cared for him. Arthur was worried about him. A rush of happiness coursed through him but it was tainted with internal anger and irritation. Arthur had mention 'him'. Did he mean that Agon person? Feliciano bit the inside of his cheek, the taste of blood running in his mouth. Whatever had that person done to cause such terror in Arthur? What kind of memories did he leave to the blonde? Feliciano could not forgive him. He'd be damned before letting whatever bad experience return to haunt his precious friend!
Pushing himself up in a seated position, Feliciano gently cupped Arthur's chin and lifted the blonde's head up so their eyes met. The emeralds he loved so much were brimming with regret and anxiety. It didn't suit the blonde. Feliciano wanted those luscious greens to shine and glow, full of life and pride, like before. Strong greens like a standing tree that would never falter to any wind, storm, earthquake of fire that strike it! A standing green that would never get devoured by the fires of his own reds.
"Arturo … Can I be your friend still?" Feliciano asked in a soft but solemn tone, his red eyes pleading almost like ones of a puppy. Maybe it was just the bad lighting but Arthur almost thought Feliciano's eyes to be growing darker with every minute. The blonde laughed softly, shaking his head at the absurdity of the question. He smiled his sunny melting smile. A smile only his inner Omega could muster. A smile only Feliciano ever was gifted to see. The Italian Alfa nearly felt his heart stop beating and his mind blank out. Almost so that he nearly missed Arthur's words.
"You and your silly questions! I shouldn't even need to answer this!" Arthur laughed at his friend's stunned expression and patted his head like Arthur always does. The gesture wasn't anything special but Feliciano had missed being patted on the head like that. It was the first gesture of kindness and affection Feliciano remembers ever getting from other than his family members (and they all stopped such affection since Feliciano's parents died years ago). Noticing his friend's daydream and frozen figure, Arthur waved a hand and snapped his fingers in front of Feliciano's blank stare.
"Oi? Feli? Are you still here? Hellooooo?"
It was not supposed to happen.
It was an accident.
He really didn't plan to do this. He never was planning to do this. He knew he had no right to do this. Absolutely no right to do this.
Almost in a trance, Feliciano's hands reached for Arthur's face, one cupping his face while the other wrapping around the back of his neck and head. Before Arthur could react to the sudden action, he felt himself be pulled towards his friend. It went so fast yet felt like everything was in slow motion. Arthur's mind was flashing thoughts and reactions but his body never had the time to react. Feliciano's blank mind only snapped back to reality when he felt Arthur's lips meeting his.
Strawberry and honey, with a hint of tea.
Feliciano could not even control his own body. His mind kept screaming him to stop and pull away, yet his lips dug deeper, more hungry, devouring the other's delicious taste. His hands tightened around Arthur, stopping him from struggling. Although, curiously enough, Arthur never struggled.
The blonde felt his entire being boil hot and his mind go hazy from overheat and adrenaline. He felt himself tremble slightly under Feliciano's fingers as his friend ran his hands through his blonde hair. Arthur felt Feliciano's teeth bite down on his lower lip. His mouth unconsciously responded, opening wide enough for their tongues to meet and explore. He tasted blood, mixing with the dried spices and oily flavours. Arthur had always wondered what kind of taste Feliciano had. His scent was already very particular but his taste was … Arthur could almost believe he was dining on raw wild hunts spiced with Southern flavours. The blood was not his but it only seemed to marry perfectly with Feliciano's spicy flavour.
Feliciano was shocked when he felt Arthur return the kiss and wrap his arms around the Italian's neck. His Omega pressure was melting with Feliciano's roaring Alfa aura. The two seemed in perfect sync, in a world only they could experience. Feliciano unconsciously felt his hands lower down Arthur's body, holding the blonde's waist firmly and pulling their two bodies closer together. His other hand rested on Arthur's thigh, running a teasing caress down it, making Arthur's entire being shiver in delight. Feliciano felt himself smirk in the kiss and soon they broke apart, the Italian's lips running down Arthur's jaw line, peppering it of kisses.
Arthur's glazed emeralds could no longer follow what was going on. His Omega blood was screaming for more. Damn … he knew that reaction. But wasn't it too early for that? When a soft pained whine escaped the blonde's lips, Feliciano immediately froze. The very sound of hearing Arthur's unsatisfactory complain, made the Alfa's blood flip and Feliciano snapped out of his desires instantly. A new form of look in his scarlet eyes, Feliciano was now gently looking over the Omega, his eyes searching for what had caused pain to his precious mate. Almost in fear of breaking Arthur, the brunet was handling him like touching glass, his nose sniffing for any reaction in his scent, an emotion he could explain, an explanation, a reason … anything!
Arthur slowly caught his breath, still feeling high from their experience earlier. His body was now screaming in want and pain, the exact same thing as when he begins his monthly heat. But it's too soon! Arthur still has another week to go before … Had his heats been provoked by his making out session with Feliciano? But why? This never happened before when he was dating Agon. Why now?
Another whine of pain and Arthur curled over, holding his stomach, his face flinching in agony. Feliciano's eyes widened, darkening with every second until they were no longer red, not even brown but a deep black of despair. He gently picked up and cradled the blonde in his arms. He could smell Arthur's hormonal change and understood perfectly. His own internal Alfa was screaming to him to just take the English teen here and now. But Arthur was in pain. Arthur was proud. Arthur was against this. Arthur would not want this.
So Feliciano would not.
Carrying the blonde to his room, Feliciano didn't even see or hear the other Kirklands' reactions as they saw them walk out of the basement together with the Italian carrying the Omega bridal style. Patrick nearly had a fit when he sensed Arthur's heats and was already gathering his medical tools to examine his brother's premature heat. William was growling at the Italian in threat but Alistair held him back. As Feliciano walked past the redhead, he paused and shot Alistair a glance.
Over the past month, Feliciano has been training under Merwin's supervision with Alistair as his training partner. He got more beatings than he can remember and began to grow a silent respect for the scarlet future Head of the Kirkland House. With a respectful nod, the Italian moved on.
Alistair watched him go, a smirk cornering his lips. Seems like the lad was finally in control and conscious of his own Alfa. If he's able to hold back his urges while carrying Arthur during his heat, then Alistair had one less thing to worry about. The kid is unusually strong and a fast learner. He wouldn't be surprised when Feliciano finally dares to challenge him officially, to lose to him.
"Al? What are you doing?" William hissed in a guttural growl. The Young Head shook his head, sending a warning glance to his brother to back off and let Patrick treat their brother. He didn't seem bothered that Feliciano was the one carrying their brother around and staying by his side.
"What am I doing? I'm making sure you don't so something stupid while our brother is suffering his heats. This boy is no threat. This one, on the other hand, might be." Alistair glanced towards the front door where a stunned Lovino was watching the scene.
Frowning, William looked about to argue but he revised his judgement and walked away. Nobody challenges the Head's word. And besides, he did feel Lovino's rising Alfa pressure. Someone would have to deal with containing him now before something stupid happens.
Francis had been at the door answering to Lovino. He had been about to walk down to the basement to wake up the Italian when he was surprised to be pushed aside by Feliciano wearing a dark and serious expression as he walked past him. In the Alfa's arms, Arthur was curled and whining in pain. The scent of hormones emanating from Arthur was so overwhelming and obvious that Francis himself had difficulties not to panic. He couldn't understand how Feliciano looked unfazed by it!
A sudden growl distracted the Frenchman and he remembered Lovino in the hallway. Turning in panic to the older Italian, Francis was about to place himself in between the two twins only to be pulled away by Alistair. The scarlet Alfa grabbed Francis into his protective hold. He could feel Lovino's murderous rage increase and anyone in his way would be subjected to it. He did not want his own mate to be threatened by this Italian lunatic.
"Al, Arthur is …!" Francis whispered in a chocked breath, suffocating under the intense Alfa pressures resonating in the house. But Alistair used his own aura to ease a protective cover over the French Beta, gently soothing his anxiousness. It's his duty as an Alfa to protect and ease his mate.
"Relax. I've got this. I've told Will to deal with the Italian. The other seems strong enough to handle himself and just in case, Patrick is with him."
Indeed, William was already advancing towards Lovino, hissing low threats and warnings for the other to back down. But the Italian didn't seem to hear anything. His amber eyes brimmed of an unusual emotion as he narrowed his vision on his brother holding the Omega in heat. If Arthur were not in heat. If Lovino had not been in a bad mood to start with. If he was not worried about his brother and Arthur already. Maybe Lovino would not have lost control.
Soon, all he saw was Red.