He's Just a Friend ((USUK))

Chapter 10

The door burst open and a tall alpha stormed into the apartment. The frantic looking alpha slightly terrified young Peter.

"Artie! Artie where are you?" Alfred called out. Arthur walked swiftly into the room and Alfred engulfed him into a huge hug. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Who hurt you? Artie tell me now!" The alpha seethed. Arthur sighed and pointed directly at Peter. The boy felt himself shrink into his seat, he thought that Arthur didn't have another alpha to fall back on. He knew Francis refused to help Arthur so he thought that no one would come to the male's aid.

"Alfred meet my younger brother Peter, Peter meet Alfred my alpha friend." Arthur said slyly as he moved around Alfred to close the front door. Alfred caught on quickly and noticed a bunch of Arthur's stuff knocked over and on the floor, along with Peter spilling crumbs on the freshly cleaned couch.

"Excuse me, but did you know Arthur just cleaned that? 'Cause if you didn't well now you know." Alfred said and Peter shrugged.

"Jerk Arthur said something like that but I didn't really pay attention or even care." Peter grumbles and Alfred walked over calmly his usually bright blue eyes turning sharp and hurtful.

"Well sit up straight and try not to drop any crumbs. You'll be cleaning the couch once you're done eating, along with cleaning up the rest of the mess around this place. Also don't you dare call your brother a jerk." Alfred said in an alpha tone making the other look down and nod.

Arthur was very grateful to have Alfred to rely on when it came to this. Peter was his only brother who treated him this way, the others usually just ignored him or treated him like a normal person not some type of machine. He guessed that Peter became like this towards Arthur since the omega had always kept him under strict rule. After Peter presented everything went downhill from there.

Arthur and Alfred had watched on in amusement as Peter cleaned up the mess he made with a pouty look on his face. Arthur sighed and quietly explained to Alfred what Peter was like and why he was here along with how long he would be here. Alfred had nodded and told him he'd help out for as long as he could but of course he couldn't stay here and he also had work. Arthur had said that he didn't need to be here always but just to help keep Peter in line or as much as they could keep the boy in line.

Alfred for the next few days continued to help out Arthur with Peter. Peter would walk himself home from school, since the school was close enough to walk from, and of course Alfred and Arthur would walk back together. Arthur's job was a little easier seeing as nearly all the staff members were on and working. Mathew and Francis were the only ones away but there was still four people working, including Arthur.

Arthur also learnt a little more about Alfred. The alpha was a business man. Alfred had said that he was slowly making his way to CEO of the corporation.

"What's the business about?" Arthur asks Alfred on their way back to Arthur's place.

"It's about the protection of betas. I'm sure you have heard of the stories about betas being purposefully killed because they aren't 'useful' per say. I had a best friend when I was younger who was a beta, he was murdered because he was a beta. After watching his family go through such pain, and of course I went through a horrible stage of sadness as well, I felt as though I couldn't just stand by and let these things continue." Alfred says through a sad smile.

"I understand how horrible that must've been. I know when I first entered high school everyone seemed sad, luckily I knew Antonio, Gilbert and Francis at the time, those gossip gurus, and I asked them why everyone was off. They said that some beta siblings that were friends with nearly everyone had been killed. The reason was of course they were betas." Arthur sighed running his hands up and down his porcelain coloured arms to try and warm himself up. He had forgotten his jacket since it was quite warm that morning, however now it was cooler as they walked to his house in the late afternoon.

"You cold?" Alfred asks shrugging off his own jacket. Arthur welcomed the warm bomber jacket being wrapped around his shoulders.

"Where did you get a World War 2 bomber jacket?" Arthur questions.

"The usual story, it was just handed down to me from my grandfather since I had such a huge interest in his stories of the war. He wrote it in his will, I found it funny that he did but was also grateful after finding out one of my cousins had their eye on it as well. I love it even more because it has a huge 50 on it, and America has 50 states and 50 is also my lucky number." Alfred happily states. Arthur nods; it was the usual sort of story. Arthur's grandmother had given him her journal that she had written during the war, it was very interesting to read it. Francis also had some mementos that family had given him from their time during the war.

"My grandmother gave me her journal that she wrote during the war. I'm positive my oldest brother, Alistair, was given some of my grandfather's medals. Other than that not much got passed down in the family." Arthur smiles and Alfred nods. The two walked in silence back to Arthur's apartment. Once inside Arthur smiled at peter who was working on some homework.

"Arthur can you help me please?" Peter asks and Arthur wonders over to Peter.

"What subject?" Arthur questions.

"Math, I have English next." Peter mumbles and Arthur huffs removing Alfred's jacket and hanging it over the arm of the couch.

"Bloody hell Peter you know I'm bad at Math." Arthur grumbles and Alfred pops down on the other side of Peter.

"I'm good at Math." Alfred says and the brothers look at him.

"Please help me Al!" Peter begs and Alfred laughs his usual loud, obnoxious laugh. Arthur gets up making himself and Peter a cup of tea along with a cup of coffee for Alfred. He brings the cups to the other two before settling down himself. Arthur helped Peter out with his English before allowing the boy to run off and play around on the laptop.

"I never knew you were good at Math." Arthur states and Alfred chuckles.

"Oh I love Math! I always had good teachers and I was good at it so I never found a reason to hate it Sure I disliked how much homework we got, but who actually likes homework?" Alfred laughs and Arthur chuckles before taking a sip from his peppermint tea.

"Is that peppermint?" Alfred asks moving closer to the cup to smell it better. Arthur nods and Alfred smiles leaning closer to the scent.

"I love peppermint." Alfred grins and Arthur hums in agreement.