Chapter XXXV – F for Fugue
Arthur groaned as he woke up, his entire body feeling like a volcano erupting. His hazy vision couldn't focus on his surroundings and his throat was dry and raspy. He felt a cool hand land on his forehead and a calming voice. He couldn't make out the words but the voice sounded familiar.
A shot of pain.
Arthur muffled a cry, biting his lips. He felt the taste of iron and blood wash his mouth and his head was pounding like crazy. His senses were high and alert, he could feel and hear everything, even down to his own heartbeat ringing too bloody loudly. Arthur tried to calm down, familiar with the overwhelming pain he was currently experiencing. But it was too early for his heat! Why was he having his heat now?!
Sitting up straight, Arthur kept a hand clenching his stomach and the other was helping him stay up and stable on his bed. He felt two hands on his shoulders attempt to lay him back but Arthur shrugged them off with a whine. He couldn't even growl anymore. Why does he always get so pathetic when his heats come?! It's frustrating! It's infuriating!
"Arthur! Please! You need to rest!"
Arthur tilted his head at the voice, his blurry vision making out a blonde figure. The voice sounded familiar. Not a threat. So not an Alfa. But Arthur had very limited number of acquaintances that aren't Alfas. Only two of which would be allowed to enter the house during his heat. But Tino has silver hair so that leaves …
"Fran-cis …?" Arthur croaked, suddenly feeling nauseous and bending over in a foetus position.
"Yes, it's me! Just stay down. I'll take care of you." Francis gently nursed him, patting his back and helping the younger blonde back to a lying position.
Francis had seen Arthur in his heats only once before. It always made him feel completely hopeless that all he can do is watch as his friend suffers like a martyr. Because Francis is a Beta, he never got this agonising pain, despite having regular periods of heat himself. Omegas suffer so much ... Francis can't even imagine what Arthur must be enduring in his everyday life. He was terrified that after Arthur's incident with Agon, his little master would have given up on love all together. He wouldn't have blamed it for it but for an Omega, living alone all his life is both frowned upon and difficult to endure. Omegas are a dependant race that need some form of support. Omegas like Arthur cannot be left alone to their demise.
That is why clans were formed.
"Francis … what happened …?"
The blonde snapped out of his thoughts at Arthur's question.
"You were in the basement with Feliciano and … well, I don't really know what happened down there but he came up carrying you and you were in your heats. Isn't it too early? Were you having some form of stress that caused this?"
Arthur stayed quiet for a moment, sorting out his mess of memories. Down in the basement with Feliciano? Yes … he had gone to the training room and there he saw Feliciano suffering. Arthur hated to see his friend suffer. He hated seeing the Italian with such a serious and pained expression. He wanted to see Feliciano bright and sunny. He wanted to see him smile like an oblivious idiot like he always does.
He remembered the shame and fear in Feliciano's behaviour. The Italian avoided him. He was afraid of Arthur's reaction. The red in his eyes was no longer crazy or aggressive, but instead sorrowful and self-hating. Arthur remembers calming Feliciano's fears. He remembers the relief on the brunet's face. And then, he remembers the kiss …
Arthur's body suddenly burned and pain shot through him, almost in response to his thoughts and needs. Arthur cried in agony, louder and more painful than ever before in his life. Never had his heats been so agonising. Francis panicked around him, asking him if he was OK. Of course he's not bloody OK!
Arthur dropped back in his covers, his body shivering like it was freezing yet his insides radiated of heat like melted magma. He needed another's heat over him to calm his shiver. He needed another's presence to appease the heat eating him up from the inside. He needed …
He needed Feliciano.
...
Arthur blinked.
His pain had subsidised and he was now alone in his room. He frowned and wondered when he had passed out. Pulling himself up, Arthur no longer felt in excrucial pain. Strange. Was his heat already over? Wandering out of his room, Arthur could instantly feel the magical protective field around his room the moment he touched his door handle. Walking out, Arthur was suddenly assaulted by the stench of Alfas. His own family was downstairs and seemingly in a strong debate of arguments. Usually, they are grim and concerned during his heats. But why are they now arguing? And what about?
Silently, Arthur advanced down the stairs and hid behind the door leading to the living room. He masked his presence with a spell. Well, his family is versed in magic and the only rule is to keep themselves from using magic out in public. Leaning cautiously, Arthur listened to the wild arguments.
"He kept calling the brat's name day in day out! The whole night he was screaming like on his death bed! This has got to stop!"
"And what do you suggest Patrick?! That we just stop him from frequenting his best friend?" Fiona snarled at her older brother, always taking Arthur's defence.
"It wouldn't be a bad idea. Arthur shouldn't even be friends with an Alfa." William mumbled in his breath.
"But Feliciano is nice! He's not like the other Alfas!" Peter began arguing.
Hell even Peter gets to join on this clan meeting?! What the hell is this about? Are they seriously discussing his situation behind his back and suggesting he cut ties with Feliciano?! Arthur felt his anger level rise dangerously but he kept himself under-control, so not to get noticed.
"That's not the issue, Pete! If this keeps up, Arthur might seriously die! Do you have any idea of how much blood he lost?" Patrick roared.
Arthur blinked in shock. Blood loss …? Well, yes, during his heat periods he gets his ovules dying and being replaced by new ones but that only happens on the last days of his heats. A sudden fear took him and the Omega ran silently back to his room, throwing over his covers and horror painted his face. His bed sheets were red. Crimson red. Covered in red.
Blood loss.
Arthur, stunned, returned back to spy on his family, determined to get an explanation for this. Luckily, he got there to hear Patrick explain his medical analysis.
"The blood usually should only come from the dying ovule in an Omega's body! Just like for Betas! That in itself is harmless and not that painful. But Omegas have this problem that they need a certain Alfa hormone to stabilise their heats. For some reason, Arthur's body got unusually needy and is now harming itself! It's almost like Arthur was calling for the kid! He caused himself an internal bleeding! I managed to stop the bleeding but he might fall back into this delirious state any time now! It doesn't even look like normal heats anymore! I don't even know what to do?!" Patrick shouted that last part in a panic desperation.
The room fell quiet. Arthur felt his stomach churn as he slowly understood his condition. He knew his heats were unusually painful but … delirious? Had he really been in such a state? He couldn't remember.
"It's not use arguing about this. For now, we will let Patrick take care of Arthur's health and keep Feliciano away from him until Arthur's body settles down." Merwin declared but a snort came to interrupt.
"And how are you going to do that? The kid just keeps showing up every day on our doorstep! Every time Arthur gets his heats, Feliciano comes to wait for him every damn morning!" Alistair growled, obviously angry and worried by the whole situation.
"Then isn't it your job to make sure he doesn't come?" Merwin warned his heir with a dark threat.
"What if … what if Arthur's condition doesn't get any better?" Bridget asked, her voice trembling in motherly fear and concern.
"Then … We'll probably have to just end Arthur's relation with the Vargas." Merwin spoke coldly without an ounce of pity.
The sound of a door slamming interrupted the Kirklands and all took a minute to react. A sudden fear washed over them as they rushed to Arthur's room and found it empty. Running, outside, Alistair could no longer see his brother. Out of all the Kirklands, Arthur is the fastest runner, trained to escape if the situation needed it. There is no way they would ever catch up to the blonde, especially since he was already out of sight.
"Shite!" Alistair growled, slamming his fist in the wall, cursing his carelessness.
Arthur stopped running when he was sure he was far enough and out of reach. Cut all ties with Feliciano …? He can't. He can't do that. Arthur's rational mind understood the concern of his family but he could not accept this solution. He could not. Not Feliciano.
When had Arthur become so infatuated? He could not even remember when he started having feelings for his best friend. After all, in barely less than a year, Arthur had already fallen head over heels for the abnormal Alfa. To think it usually takes years for Arthur to simply trust someone …
The Briton wandered the streets aimlessly, dressed in nothing but a T-shirt and joggers. Barefoot, Arthur hardly felt the cold wind whipping against his back. Where could he go now? Having run away from home was a first for Arthur. Usually, home is where Arthur feels the safest. But now … where could he go for safety? Where left?
Feliciano.
No. Arthur shook his head determinedly. He knew exactly what would happen if he met Feliciano in his current state. He was already weak and light-headed from his loss of blood and his heats could strike back any minute. Just thinking about the Italian made Arthur's body heat up. He could not take that risk, no matter how much his entire being begged to return to the brunet. Arthur ignored his irrational desires and continued to wander.
Kiku?
No. He went away with the Wang family for a short trip to China. Family business, Arthur understood from Leon's explanation. The young Chinese Beta was incredibly chatty with him, despite being cold to other people. Yao often complains how Arthur stole his little brother. Arthur chuckled at that and immediately regretted it. He began coughing violently and his knees gave in.
The rain began to fall.
Arthur lifted his head up, letting the sky's tears wash over his face, blank expression and empty emerald eyes.
Francis?
No. He would probably contact Alistair if he saw Arthur. And Arthur did not want to see his family just now.
Matthias?
No. Same reaction as Francis, most probably.
Who else is there …
Alfred and Matthew?
Matthew would probably be fine but … Arthur could not bring himself to deal with Alfred just now. The Alfa is bound to act overly protective and childish as always, or worse. And Arthur did not want any more drama.
Ludwig and Gilbert?
One Alfa is already not something Arthur looks forward to (except Feliciano) but two would be too much.
Who could he go to for sanctuary. Just for a while. Not even a day.
Arthur suddenly realised how very limited his list of friends is. Most of them he doesn't even consider asking them for help, and the other half will probably rat him out to his family. Great. Arthur always strived to be independent and now, he sees just how dependant of his family he truly is. Just like any Omega, alone, Arthur can't do anything.
"Am I always alone …?" Arthur questioned the dark sky.
Maybe.
Maybe Arthur always was alone. Maybe he's meant to be alone. Maybe the idea that he could integrate was just an illusion entertained by his relatives. Maybe he really is just an anomaly of nature, doomed to extinction. Maybe. Even Feliciano now is able to act like an Alfa. But what can Arthur do? He can die from his heats. Terrific. He must really have the most pathetic existence in the History of humanity.
"I should just die …" Arthur pleaded, almost like a wish. The only tears rolling down his face were from the Heavens, his eyes dulled and his body seemed to relax in defeat.
"Arthur?!"
Arthur heard footsteps near him and a voice call his name. He knew that voice. It's a voice hidden in shadows, behind a mask of sunshine. Arthur didn't move as he felt someone kneel next to him and shake his shoulder gently. He felt a warm hand cup his cheek and bring his face to the side. Arthur let the other turn his head and he was faced with the very concerned set of olive green eyes.
"Arthur? What happened?" Antonio whispered softly but receiving no answer from the dead-looking Brit, the Spaniard carefully picked the smaller teen up in his arms like a bride and carried him away to shelter. He didn't know what had happened for him to find Arthur under the rain in such a state of passive pain. Because, if Arthur's tears were anything to go by, Antonio would nearly believe the sky itself was crying the silent tears of the Omega.
Arthur was so frail in his arms that Antonio felt his dread increase. He was shivering and not just from the rain and the cold. His beautiful emeralds had lost all light and his expression was one of a person that had given up on life. Cringing when he felt Arthur lean against his chest and muttering noises, Antonio hurried his pace back to his flat. He was certain that for Arthur to be in such a condition, it had something to do with Feliciano. The Spaniard nearly fumed in rage at the idea that the idiotic Italian had somehow hurt Arthur. But for now, his first concern is to treat the Omega and get him better.
"We're almost there, Arturo. Don't worry. You're safe now."
Safe?
Arthur didn't even know what that meant.
Safe had always been Home.
But now, Arthur had no Home.
So where is Safe?
"It's not as big as your house but you'll be warmer here than out in the rain, si?" Antonio offered him a small smile, unsure and worried.
Safe.
Arthur nodded.
This was indeed … safe.