Finally! It's done! This isn't as good as I wanted it to be but, as everyone knows, I'm going through a bit of a dry spot at the moment and I've been bludgeoning my brain to get this done and I'll see about doing a rewrite at some time but, in the meantime, enjoy!

Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya!

When Omega Meets Alpha Pt 3

Over the next couple of hours, during which Alfred finished his work and could give Arthur his undivided attention, he learnt that Arthur had four older brothers and one younger one and that they all called him Bunny because their mother had called him 'her cuddly little bunny' and the nickname stuck. Arthur was the only blonde out of the brothers, taking after their mother while the others were like their red-headed father who had been a typical alpha that believed that omegas were meant to be home-makers and baby-makers and Arthur's brothers pick up on that and had somewhat the same attitude so when Arthur refused to find a mate and wanted to make his own way in the world, it was met with jokes by his brothers and derision by his father, especially when he took business courses on-line but he passed them all and got his degree.

And then came the hard part. Finding someone who would hire him. Alpha bosses were out as most would not hire a omega and those that did usually wanted something in return and Arthur was not about to prostitute himself. Then he got a break.

While trying to get an interview for a job at the London branch of Hetalia Advertising, he knew he had no chance, judging by the dismissive look on the face of the alpha boss he had been trying to persuade to take him on when Feliks Lukasiewicz, who had been overseeing a joint project between the London and New York branches appeared like a guardian angel.

He had an opening for a secretary when his previous one had left to marry her mate and he was stuck with temporary ones until he could fill the position. He looked over Arthur's CV and found him to be a highly intelligent omega, although lacking in experience but Feliks knew that was down to no one giving him a opportunity to show what he could do so Feliks decided to take a chance and he arranged for Arthur to be taken on in London and then transferred to New York

A temporary work visa was arranged and Arthur moved to New York, much to the surprise of his brothers and the disapproval of his father who believed that Arthur should 'give up this nonsense and find a good beta or, even better, alpha to settle down with' but Arthur's mind was made up and he went to New York.

While working, Arthur applied for a more permanent work visa and then citizenship to be able to stay in America, not that American alphas were any more approving of omegas working in the business sector than British ones but at least someone here had given him a chance. After learning Arthur's history, Alfred shared his own.

Arthur learned that Alfred's alpha father had died when he and his brother were very young and they were raised by his omega mother and, with that, Alfred's understanding of omegas made sense to Arthur. Alfred told him of the times that Matthew had gone into early heat and how Alfred had protected his brother like the alpha that he was. Protective but with a level of consideration that a lot of alphas would not be bothered with, Arthur really began to consider the idea of having an alpha mate if that mate was anything like Alfred, even better if it was Alfred.

Alfred, being an alpha, had been able to attend Business College, unlike Arthur, as being an omega, it was frowned upon and no college would take him. He had also taken Media and Design courses and was asked to create posters for many of the meetings and groups that the college hosted. And then, a representative of Hetalia Advertising had come to give a talk about the advertising business and seen Alfred's work and recommended that Alfred consider working for them and the rest was history.

Arthur also listened to Alfred talk about his omega brother and how he wanted to be a hockey player but everyone thought that, being an omega, he was too delicate for a such a rough sport. Until he got on the ice and nearly hospitalized a number of other players in his try-out. No one could reconcile the sweet, shy omega with the puck-whacking death machine he became when the skates went on. Alfred had laughed at them when his delicate flower of a omega brother knocked everyone into the middle of next week. Plainly put, Mattie was a monster on the ice and he became the school's hockey team's secret weapon but he had to tone it down during practice.

Arthur got the impression that Alfred and Mattie were very close and he wished he could have had that with his own brothers. To be clear, Arthur loved his brothers, he just did not like them very much.

A wave of need ran through his body and Arthur could not hold back the groan that escaped his throat and he bit his lip against the urge to beg Alfred to just get here and mate him. He should let Alfred end the call before he embarrassed himself and made Alfred uncomfortable.

"I'll let you go now," Arthur said, fighting his body's screaming to beg Alfred to come to his apartment. "I've kept you on the phone for long enough." Alfred had heard Arthur's groan and knew what it sounded like. It was creating a response in him and he thought it would be a good time to end the conversation.

"If you're sure, dude," he replied.

"Yes," Arthur replied. "We can talk again tomorrow."

"Okay, Artie," Alfred replied. "I'll call ya tomorrow, goodnight, dude."

"Goodnight, Alfred," and Arthur ended the call. He faced a long heat-filled night without Alfred's voice. He had not realise how much he had come to look forward to Alfred calling and his room suddenly felt lonely as he began to take care of his needs.

Alfred let Francis know that Arthur was not taking the incident further but laid out the conditions that Arthur had stated. Francis agreed and counted himself fortunate and Alfred settled down to work, passing the secretary's desk and his temporary secretary. She seemed efficient and all but she was not Arthur and there was still a day before Arthur's heat lessened if he was anything like Mattie and today would be the worse. It was brutal for Mattie and Alfred hope Arthur was handling it okay.

Arthur writhed on his bed, sweat soaking his body and bed sheets. He had long since discarded his sleeping gear, the sensation of the cloth rubbing against his skin had been too much and he was curled up in a foetal position, moaning with longing. He could not stand it any more, he wanted an alpha and not just any alpha, he wanted Alfred.

He grabbed his phone from the bedside table where it had been charging, yanking out the charging cord as he pulled it toward him. It took him a while to find the right number as his hands were shaking but, finally, he hit call.

Alfred was discussing some research material with Gilbert when his phone ran. He took out and saw it was Arthur and he wondered why Arthur was calling him at work. Was he sick? Hurt? He indicated to Gil that he was taking the call and pressed answer.

"Hey, Artie!" he greeted. "What's up, dude?"

"Alfred!" Artie's voice replied. He sounded hoarse and breathless, even panting like he was in pain. Alfred sat up.

"You okay, Artie?" he asked, concerned. There was a moan from the other end of the phone. "Artie?"

"I need you, Alfred," Arthur gasped. "I can't take it any more. Please! I want you to come here to me, I'm desperate!" Gilbert could hear Arthur over Alfred's phone and raised an eyebrow at Alfred.

"Are you hurt. Arthur?" Alfred's language suddenly became more formal at the idea of the omega he wanted for his mate being injured.

"No," Arthur replied. "I just need you! I need you to …... mate me!" Alfred sucked in a breath as he realised exactly what Arthur was asking and Gil's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Artie..." Alfred said but did not know what to say next. It was something he wanted to hear, wanted to happen but like this was wrong. "That's the heat talking. If I do what you're asking, you'll hate me when the heat dies down. We'll talk after the heat is over and you can think with a clear head."

"But I need you now," Arthur whined like a petulant child denied his favourite treat. Arthur never whined, ever! If something did not go his way, he pretended that it did not bother him, showing the British 'Stiff Upper Lip'. "Please, Alfred! I need you to come here and make love to me, I'm begging you!" Alfred caught Gil's smirking look and facepalmed.

"If I do what you want," Alfred replied. "You'll regret it when everything is over and you'll be angry with me for giving in to you. Wait until this heat is over and you're thinking straight."

"You're not coming!" Arthur's voice became higher in distress.

"No, Artie," Alfred said. "I don't think that would be a good idea. It's for your own well-being."

"It's in my well-being for you to be here," Arthur replied. "Please, Alfie!" Both Alfred and Gilbert's eyebrows rose. Alfie! Alfred took a deep breath.

"No, Arthur," Alfred said, firmly, using Arthur's name formally to get his point across. "I can't do it, I'm sorry."

"Well, FINE!" Arthur exploded on the other end of the phone. "I don't need you, I don't need any alpha. I should have know better than to trust one. WANKERS, ALL OF YOU!" And the call was cut off, leaving Alfred staring at his phone.

"Wow!" Gilbert said in awe. "I don't think I've ever heard Arthur beg before. Let only call an alpha, even during one of his heats."

"Do ya think I did the right thing?" Alfred asked, hoping that Arthur was not going to put in his resignation when he returned to work.

"Ja," Gilbert replied. "He'll thank you when his brain is less heat-addled. Embarrassed but thankful. You know, you've got further with him than any alpha I know, he must really like you." Alfred sighed.

"Will he still like me after this?" he mused.

Arthur threw his phone across the room in a fit of frustrated anger at Alfred's refusal and gave a rage-filled scream, distracting him from the aroused agony he was suffering but soon, his anger ebbed and the distraction was gone and he wept with the unbearable longing that raged through his body and he was convinced he would not make it through the night without an alpha. He even considered calling Francis to grant him relief.

But he could not bring himself to call anyone else but Alfred and Alfred had refused to come to him so he lay in his bed and suffered.

Matthew, once again, found himself giving his younger brother relationship advice when Alfred rang him about the latest development with Arthur, panicking, despite Gilbert's reassurances, that he had messed up his chances with the British omega.

"Alfred, calm down," he ordered. "Arthur wasn't thinking straight and he was desperate. I remember a few heats where I would have taken any alpha if one crossed my path at the time but I was still glad it didn't happen. I think he'll think more of you that you didn't take advantage of his desperation but he'll be embarrassed that he actually called and begged you."

"How do I deal with that, Mattie?" Alfred asked.

"Call him tomorrow," Matthew suggested. "The heat will be wearing off and he'll be thinking more clearly. He might not answer at first so be persistent and it might be awkward at first so wait for him to mention the phone call and reassure him. Gently because he'll still be emotionally fragile, although it sounds like he'll cover it up."

"Yeah," Alfred agreed. "He doesn't like to show what he thinks is weakness. Dude's like an alpha, that way."

"Probably comes surviving in a home full of alphas," Matthew observed. Alfred had told him that most of Arthur's family were alphas. "It must have been hard, being the only omega, besides his mother."

"True," Alfred replied. "Dude didn't have it easy. His Dad wasn't exactly keen on him studying for a career and no college or university would have him so he had to get his business degree on-line. His brothers kinda agreed with his Dad so I guess he had to be tough. No wonder he won't act like an omega."

"Difficult household to grow up in," Matthew agreed. "Just like you only had me and mom when we were little so you grew up understanding omegas more than your average alpha. The more I think about it, the more I think you could be just what Arthur needs."

"I just hope he gives me the chance."

Arthur spent the night, alternating between longing and anger at Alfred but he finally managed to fall asleep and when he woke the next morning, the heat was less intense but the events of the day before hit him like a train.

"Oh Bloody Hell, NO!" he screamed to the hands that covered his face as he curled up into a ball in his bed. Oh God, he had really rung up his boss and pretty much begged Alfred to come and screw him. He screamed again in humiliation, wondering how he was going to face Alfred when he went back to work. If he even could.

Another wave of longing swept through him, although not as strong as the night before and Arthur sighed with relief at the sign that his heat was almost over. Then he would have to face the embarrassment his heat had driven him to.

Arthur felt able to move and, above all he wanted a shower as he was covered in two days of sweat and ….. other stuff and he desperately wanted to be clean so he dragged himself from his bed into the bathroom and climbed into the shower.

He sat on the floor of the shower as the warm water fell over him, washing the sweat away and when he was clean, he turned the water to cold as another wave of longing hit him. The cold shower help him deal with it but eventually drove him out of the bathroom as he began to shiver. He dried off and went back to his bedroom, dressing in fresh pyjamas and pulling the soiled sheets off the bed and creating a new nest. Then he crawled back into the bed to ride out the rest of his heat and wonder what he was going to do about facing Alfred.

Alfred got all his work done before leaving for the day as he wanted no distractions when he called Arthur. Be persistent, his brother had told him, and keep calling until Arthur answered so Alfred grabbed a beer, sat down and picked up his phone.

Here we go!

He dialled Arthur's number and it rang. And rang. And rang. It continued to ring without answer for thirty seconds before the call was declined, then he dialled again. Once again the call was declined, as were the next fourth but he continued to call.

While Arthur still had intense periods of heat, they were not as bad as the day before and tomorrow, with luck, he would be in post-heat and the whole ordeal would be over until the next time which not be for some months. He managed to make some food to replace the energy that his heat had sapped him of and he watched a little TV but it did not distract Arthur from the Alfred situation for long.

It was as if thinking about Alfred caused Arthur's phone to ring and, after retrieving it from where he had thrown it to, he groaned to see it was Alfred on the caller id. He could not talk to him, not after what happened yesterday and Arthur was surprised Alfred was even calling him. Why would he even want to after that embarrassing phone call?

Arthur could not do it so he declined the call and settled back into his bed with a groan. A few seconds later, his phone rang again, once again Alfred and Arthur declined again but Alfred was not to be deterred. Arthur declined the next three calls and it was followed by another.

"Please," Arthur begged as he declined that call. "Just get the message and GO AWAY!"

His phone rang again and Arthur tried to smother himself with his pillow. Alfred was not going to give up so Arthur was going to have to talk to the boss he had plead with to …... Arthur gave into the inevitable and pressed accept.

This was going to be so shaming.

Alfred waited as his phone rang expecting it to be declined again so he was surprised when the phone was answered.

"Hello, Alfred," Arthur's somewhat resigned voice said. "Why are you calling?"

"Why wouldn't I, Artie?" Alfred replied. "I've called you everyday since your leave of absence." He heard a sigh on the other side of the phone.

"It was me that called you yesterday," he said. "Or don't you remember me begging you to ….."

"Yes! I remember!" Alfred interrupted him. Mattie had said that Arthur might try to avoid the subject but it seems he was not going to allow that elephant into the room. "Dude, I know what a heat can be …. well no, I don't know what a heat is like but I have a brother who does and I know that you're not responsible for yourself when you're like that so I'm willing to ignore it if you are."

"How can I just ignore it?" Arthur replied. "Every time I look at you from now on, I'm going to relive it and …... maybe it would be better if I resigned." That was not what Alfred wanted to hear.

"Artie, I'm not accepting your resignation," he said, adamantly. "So get that idea out of your head right away."

"It would be better if you did accept it."

"Better or just easier?" Alfred asked. "Didn't have you pegged as a coward, Artie."

"What!" was the spluttering reply on the other end of the phone. "I'm not a coward!"

"Then why are you trying to run away?"

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are, Artie," Alfred replied. "Wanting to quit your job because you can't face an awkward situation is running away. It's no less awkward for me, ya know. I wanted to do what you were asking. If it makes you feel any better, I still do."

"W...What?" Alfred took a deep breath and took the plunge.

"I didn't want to come across like the other alphas you've met," he confessed. "But I want you as my mate, Artie. When you made that call, I was ready to make a beeline for your apartment but I knew it was the heat talking and if I took advantage of that, you'd hate me when the heat wore off and I didn't want that. I want you to choose me of your own free will, not because of a biological urge so I'm asking you. Don't resign! And please! Would you, Arthur Kirkland, do me the honour of becoming my mate?"

Arthur held the phone against his ear in silence. Did Alfred just asked him to become his mate like a …. marriage proposal! He knew that Alfred was not actually asking to marry him but it was kind of …. sweet! From almost the first time they met, Arthur got the impression that Alfred was not a typical alpha but this …...

"Artie?" came Alfred's voice down the phone after he did not answer for a while. "You still there?"

"Yes," he replied. "I just wasn't expecting …... it's just that this is somewhat sudden."

"Yeah!" Alfred sounded a little sheepish. "I wasn't going to ask that this soon, I was gonna wait until you came back to work and we got to know each other a little better but, what with yesterday and you threatening to resign and all ….. Artie, will you, at least, consider it?" Arthur went silent again. Did he want to be Alfred's mate? He was thinking about it but never thought it would come up, that it would ever be a possibility and now that it was …

"Will you give me some time to think about it?" he asked. "It's just so quick …."

"Sure, dude," Alfred replied. "As long as this means you're not going to resign?" Arthur smiled.

"Why don't you come by tomorrow?" he replied. "And we'll talk about it."

The hotel that the Valentine's Day Ball was being held in was, as expected, busy as Hetalia Advertising employees were milling about. Antonio was, unsurprisingly, at his Italian secretary's side, somehow getting the grumpy Lovino to be his date. Francis was with a female beta with long, brown hair and tanned skin who was from the Seychelles. After what had happened with Arthur, Francis was sticking with betas for a while. Gilbert had a date with his long-term beta girlfriend, Elizaveta, a cheerful girl with wavy brown hair, although sometimes, her occasional arguments with Gil did result in him being chased around with her wielding with a frying pan. They were accompanied by Gilbert's younger brother, Ludwig who worked in Research with his older brother and his date was Lovino's younger omega brother, Feliciano who worked in Art. Rumour was they planned to mate during Feliciano's next heat.

Arthur had returned to work a week earlier and, for the first days, he was subject to the odd side glance as people remembered the hullabaloo before he went absent but he did a good job of ignoring them. What he could not ignore were the requests to accompany him to the Valentine's Day Ball, now that he no longer had the excuse of heat to not attend but he naturally rebuffed them, saying he already had a date for the Ball.

That was who everyone at the Ball was waiting for now, to see who had managed to soften Arthur up enough to accept a date. Alphas were discounted as everyone knew what Arthur thought of those. They had thought that maybe he would be coming with Kiku, Lukas or any of the other betas but they all came with others. Kiku with Hercules from Art and Lukas with Matthias from production so everyone was pondering. The only exception to that was Gilbert who had been privy to the begging call but, in a rare display of tact, he had kept that information to himself, with the exception of Elizaveta who had been sworn to secrecy but still squeed for a full hour and had been shipping Alfred and Arthur ever since. So when Arthur turned up with Alfred, it came as no surprise to Gilbert, although it was very much a surprise to everyone else, giving Arthur's apathy toward alphas.

But everyone's eyes were drawn to the opened neck shirt that Arthur was wearing, revealing that Arthur was no longer up for grabs.

Alfred had visited Arthur and, although Arthur was in post-heat, they both managed to control themselves to make a big decision. And all week Arthur had been wearing closed neck shirts to hide the new mating marks that Alfred gifted him with when he and Alfred decided to become mates after all.

And that's what happens when Omega meets Alpha.

Yes, I know that the ending is crap but that's the best my brain is capable of at the moment. I just don't know what's wrong with me. I used to turn out a story or chapter a week but now I'm lucky if I do one a month. It's quite worrying to tell the truth and I hope this dry spell ends soon. I have plenty of ideas, I just can't seem to get them written down.

Well, that's my frustrated rant out of the way so until I can pull another story or chapter out of my brain matter,

Hasta la Pasta!