Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

According to his pack, Katsuki was only gone for a little over a week, but to him it felt like a lifetime. Somehow, the villains had spiked his drink with enough sedatives to knock him out while he had been at a bar on a particularly rough day after work. Usually, he had strong resistance to such substances—alpha metabolism or whatever— so whoever had the task of subduing him must have known. Shitty situations like these are exactly why he never drank alone.

Katsuki woke up, head pounding, vision blurry—not that he could see much once he adjusted anyway. The room had no windows and the only light in it filtered in through the slits in the door’s frame. He went to sit up and noticed his restraints—reinforced bindings with quirk suppressants. Shit! He checked his scent gland, because when he moved his neck the skin felt tight; there was no pain, so they couldn’t have been mutilated, and couldn’t feel any patches on his skin, so it must’ve been some gel scent neutralizers and they’d dried by then. It wasn’t an optimal situation to find himself in, but he hoped they’d release the chain that tied to the shackles on his feet at least to be able to go to the damn toilet. Knowing villains, that would be a big no.

His struggle against the chains did not go unnoticed.

“Oh, look Rin. Big, bad, alpha hero is awake!” A disembodied gravelly voice echoed throughout the room.

A shrill, female voice squealed and clapped through the speakers. “Oh, goodie! We get to have some fun now!”

Katsuki took a deep breath to calm the splitting headache and nausea that began to build. He didn’t get much reprieve because the door was thrown open, flooding the room with bright, fluorescent lights making him squint his eyes. He had chains around his ankles, so he swayed back and forth enough to get him into a crouch. It was better to stay low and in a defensive stance than to stand in this situation; if he stood, he could run on impulse and he’d just come tumbling down. The figures came to stand a few feet away from him—maybe five or six by his estimate. They were too fucking close for his taste, but his cell didn’t allow much room to run.

“Hello there, DynaMight. Welcome to our little den,” the first figure spoke.

He knew that voice. Fuck!

It was a recent omega villainess that was made by Satan himself, apparently, because she could manipulate pheromones. MOTHERFUCKING PHEROMONES! In a world where scents play such an important part, the hag had a huge advantage.

“Let me go, bitch!” He used his command, but it was as if he hadn’t spoken at all.

Fero, the villainess, just laughed in his face. She bent over in tears and actually snorted—snorted!

“Oh, you knot-head, don’t you see you’re powerless here? That’s precisely what we want the world to see, puppy.” Her voice turned sickly sweet; it made him want to vomit again.

This crazy-ass omega was sadistic as fuck; agencies all over Japan were looking for her. Her M.O. was emasculating prominent alphas, breaking them to where they couldn’t function anymore, record them, and then preach omega supremacy. Her main goals were: 1. Get rich with alpha servants at her beck and call, and 2. Have omegas reach top power in society. Or at least that’s what she’d voiced so far—basic-ass idiot. Why were these new villains so moronic in their demands? Katsuki could not give a rat’s ass about it. He advocated for omegan rights himself, but this bitch was hella crazy and he was not about to make this easy for her.

“I don’t fuckin’ care that I’m quirkless right now, Fero. You won’t do whatever the fuck you want with me.”

“Oh, good! You know who I am. But poor Mr. Might, don’t you get it? I’m going to break the fight right out of you.”

He spat at her feet. “Fuck you!”

She chuckled and then set her lips in a mock pout. “Let’s see what your alpha thinks about insulting an omega like that.”

The sickly scent of pure almond extract began turning pungent, and Katsuki tried switching to breathing through his mouth, but that didn’t work. The omega’s distress seeped into his very core and it had his alpha thrashing around, pleading to make things right. He held on pretty long, let out a growl and clenched his teeth, trying to keep himself in control. Too soon, tears began to pool traitorously in his eyes. Just when he was about to lose it, she reined it in.

Fero clapped condescendingly. “Well, you did better than others. Some already beg at that. I think I’ll have fun with you, hero.”

With that, she stepped out, leaving him in complete darkness once more. He hoped his agency would notice he’s missing quickly and come for him. As much as Katsuki hated to admit it, he recognized that the chances of him coming out unharmed were slim.

No amount of training could have prepared him for the following days.

He still has nightmares about the things she did.

After that first encounter, she would come in at different points in the day, never betraying the time outside or the day of the week it was. Since his senses were deprived, he quickly lost track of time and spatial awareness. All he knew was that, whenever she came for her little torture sessions, there was a little camera that activated in one of the corners of the room, following her every movement.

His hopes to be released at least to relieve himself were shot down, so he had to smell, and sometimes even sleep near his own waste. At times, he passed out and when he came to, his clothes had been changed and the room was clean again—whether they were subduing him with pheromones or drugging him, he couldn’t be sure.

It began with torturing his alpha with distressed omega scents, each time she increased the number of omegas, and each time he felt closer to going completely mad. He had been trained to keep his alpha in check, but there was always a breaking point.

She didn’t let him fully break; there was a point he craved it. Better broken than suffering. He wanted death and she wouldn’t grant it. Fero brought him to his breaking point and then began all over again.

The second form of torture for him was debilitating his body and resolve to fight back. Of course, he didn’t take it lying down—he’s Katsuki-fucking-Bakugo; he fought back until he couldn’t. No matter how much he kicked, snarled, or thrashed, he was eventually taken down by a handful of betas, held down, and tortured. He was beaten, cut, and burnt.

They brought in a healer, gave him water, food, and let him rest.

All that time, he seethed and wondered, why? Why heal him? Why feed him? Why would she let him regain strength again?

Once again, he heard disembodied laughter, and as much as he hated it, his body responded with a shiver; fear ran down his spine.

No fucking way in hell was he admitting that. And, where the fuck was Shitty Hair and the rest of the idiots?! Had no one noticed he was missing? Were they not able to receive his location? He’d rather die than give this fucking sadist what she wanted. He’d grit his teeth and keep his metaphorical mask in place.

“Hey, DynaMight, ready to become my bitch?”

“HAH?! What the fuck are you talking about, crazy?”

“We’ve experienced fear and pain together, maybe we should try more…positive feelings,” she purred.

“No thanks; I'd rather pass,” he sneered.

“Who said you had a choice?”

Those words were the last Katsuki remembered before blacking out.

When he came to, he was in a hospital and saw Kirishima in his Red Riot uniform sleeping on the uncomfortable chair by his bed.

After some routine checks, he was cleared, yet Kirishima still refused to meet his eyes. By the time they go to his apartment, Katsuki couldn’t take it anymore.

“Okay, what the hell is wrong, Shitty Hair? What happened? How’d ya find me? What happened to that bitch, Fero?”

Kirishima looked at him with sadness and shame, his scent wasn’t faring much better. The redheaded alpha went to the kitchen and began serving the takeout they’d gotten on their way back.

“I think we should eat a bit before speaking, Katsuki,” he said sternly—it was not a suggestion.

It had been a while since Katsuki had seen his friend like this, so he just nodded and decided to be patient; he knew Kirishima was just thinking of how best to tell him. As a teen, Katsuki might have demanded answers immediately, but a lot of anger management therapy later, he was able to control his outbursts much more successfully.

As they set the plates on the table, the redhead asked, “Do you want the rest of the pack to come over?”

“Why would I need them, Shitty Hair? I’m fine,” he huffed.

Kirishima’s brow furrowed and he set down his plate. “Hey, bro, do you remember what happened to you?”

Katsuki assured him he did and recounted everything that had happened. He swore, the only thing he didn’t remember was getting rescued. That is until Kirishima whispered,
“You blacked out…you don’t remember the last three days.”

Katsuki swallowed. Three days lost—three days he had no control over and no memory of. He felt his heartbeat echoing in his ears, becoming deafening, but he took deep breaths; he needed to know.

“There’s no easy way to tell you this, and your therapist has already been contacted…”

“Why?” He almost whined.

“Fero triggered your rut and withheld until you went feral. We’ve recovered the recordings and made sure no part of this experience is released, but you weren’t okay man. You-you were covered in blood and the air reeked of sex and death.”

He felt the panic clawing at his chest, his heartbeat and breathing rose at an alarming rate, but he felt like no oxygen was actually making its way throughout his body. With every passing second it got harder and harder to breathe, the ringing in his ears was driving him crazy; he didn’t even notice he was crying until the warm, salty droplets fell on his lap—when did he get to the floor?

He had his rut triggered, he’d killed someone maybe, he’d possibly raped someone or someone had raped him, he couldn’t be a hero anymore—that bitch!—he-he was a piece of shit; a good for nothing knot-head alpha who couldn’t control himself. Why was he alive? They should’ve killed him!

His mind was so loud! Why couldn’t he stop?! This was bullshit!

Anger, pain, confusion all mixed in his mind. His alpha was eerily quiet, not voicing acknowledgement or denial of his actions or thoughts—it was fucking terrifying.

His scent turned rotten, but Kirishima turned on the air purifier in the apartment, and rushed to his friend’s side, trying to coax him out of the panic attack. He rubbed his friend’s back and pulled the blond’s hand to his chest.

“Inhale 1, 2, 3. Exhale, 1, 2, 3…”

He reacted to the touch. Katsuki could faintly make out his friend’s words, but the rise and fall of the other’s chest let him know what he had to do, so he inhaled through heavy sobs, and exhaled through heavy sobs, until the sobs mostly subsided. He wasn’t sure when Kirishima left his side, but the cold ice pack that was pressed against his skin felt nice.

The redhead knew he needed to distract his best friend, so he asked, “What’s your mother’s name, buddy?”

“Mitsuki,” he answered through shuddery breaths.

“Spicy or sweet?”

A pause. Katsuki tried to control his breath before answering. “Spicy”

“Can you tell me something you feel?”

“…Cold shit, whatever.” His breathing was still somewhat labored, but it was slowing down. Katsuki pushed back and balled his hands in his hoodie to hide the shaking, more for himself than Kirishima.

“Can you tell me something you see?”

The blond smirked briefly and made eye contact. “Your ugly ass.”

This made Kirishima chuckle. “That sounds more like you.”

Katsuki whined a little too high for his own liking when his mind went back to the subject at hand and he could feel the tears threatening to spill over again, but he needed to know.

“Fuck. Fuck. I-I did bad shit, didn’t I?”

His pack brother brought him into an embrace and that was all the confirmation he needed. He didn’t blast him, push him away, or even complain because for once in his life, he wanted to be held.
Kirishima held him like he would break and reassured him that Fero had been caught, that they caught everyone in that damned group, that he would be safe now, but Katsuki couldn’t help thinking that it didn’t matter, because he’d been used and manipulated, and he felt dirty as hell, unworthy.

That was just one of the many panic attacks that had begun to plague him day and night. Nightmares became so frequent that he didn’t even have the strength to work out. His appetite came and went, and the little he ate, he mostly threw up in the toilet when memories surfaced. He missed his dad and some of his friends too; nowadays, he could only text half of the squad. Why? Because Kaminari was an omega and for some reason, the moment he got a whiff of his scent, Katsuki snarled, canines bared and ready to attack. After that, he and Jirou, Kaminari’s mate, were asked to stay away for everyone’s wellbeing. Sero stayed away too because, even though he was a beta, his partner was an omega, and the smell was so potent on his clothes, Katsuki almost went feral at it. They said it wasn’t his fault, that they understood, but he could not forgive himself. How could he? He attacked the pack he was meant to protect.

The day he returned to the office was yet another letdown.

Katsuki was livid.

“I’m sorry, Great Explosion Murder God DynaMight, you’re suspended until further notice. The details are in the document we’ve just sent you.”

Just what he needed.

Chapter Text

Abduction, lost memories, suspension from his job, isolation from friends and family—everything was wrong; nothing was as it should have been. Katsuki Bakugo was the number three hero and everything was right on track for him to assume the number two spot this year. He had been working on his temper, donating to charities, and his rescue count was pretty damn impressive. The Hero Commission was on his back about finding a mate, but he didn’t really want one; all he needed was to be number one, and he was well on his way to achieving that. There was no way he could’ve foreseen this happening, but it had, and now he had to deal with it.

It took Katsuki a few days accept his new reality, but he’d begun going to therapy like his notice required. In truth, he wanted to see his friends and his father, and go back to work again, so he was willing to do the work. He wasn’t the same hot-headed kid he was ten years ago; hero life and anger management therapy had given him a major reality check.

Leaving his home was a hassle; scents everywhere became triggers. They always say omegas are becoming scarce. If that’s so, Katsuki swears most of the omega population is in his town, then—so fucking many! Making it to the damned rehabilitation center was an exercise in and of itself; it took too much self-restraint and breathing exercises to avoid stepping into—or causing—danger.
In the beginning, he’d worn a mask with a filter to tone down the overwhelming sucker punch that society would give him, but now he had to tough it out for his own good. He couldn’t exactly depend on the mask forever—he refused to live in constant fear of having it ripped and going feral on innocents. As a hero, he would heal and be better for the world he swore to protect.

The first day he stepped into the opulent therapy facility, he felt like it was all a hoax; it seemed too…perfect. White marble countertops, pristine white walls, black metallic fixtures, vast entertainment areas, and floor to ceiling windows in the back—too clean, too nice, too much.

Nonetheless, slowly, but surely, he began to adapt and began to see the reason for its success. Something that helped was that people had to wear scent patches unless it was part of their therapy, probably a common safety precaution in a secondary gender treatment facility.

The secretary knew him by name within the week. He would arrive and sign in, go to group therapy, drink some tea or eat something at the cafeteria, participate in a—mandatory— group activity, and then go to individual therapy; he even actually liked his afternoon session, not that he’d admit it. Dr. Ji was a savage old lady that didn’t take anyone’s shit—then again, as a psychiatrist for Alphas, she needed to be like that.

Four months went by in a flash.

As always, the receptionist greeted him with a friendly smile. “Welcome again, Bakugo. Today you’ll be seeing Dr. Ji before heading to your therapy.”

He shrugged. “Sure.”

The notice was unusual, but it had happened a few times before, so Katsuki just thought he’d made progress or that there was going to be some change he needed to know about. Pushing through the sleek, cherry-wood doors, he walked towards the doctor’s office.

The last change to his treatment had been to give him some extracts that imitate omegan scents. He was supposed to smell them a few times a day with increasing amounts to get used to them, but as much as he hated to admit it, the sickly scents still irritated him—then again, he’d only been on them for a week. On the plus side, the nightmares and panic attacks had lessened considerably in the time he’d been there, so he had some trust in the system.

Katsuki was trying his hardest, as he did with everything; his life felt empty without his job and he needed to go back. His friends assured him he could take as much as time as needed—it wasn’t as if he needed the money, and he needed to get better in order to do his job effectively—but he still felt the insane need to protect. Whether this was due to his alphan nature or his dedication to being a hero, it was hard to tell.

As soon as he reached the psychiatrist’s office, he knocked twice and the was ushered in by the woman herself.

“Please take a seat, Bakugo,” the old alpha said as she poured him a cup of tea. “How are you feeling today?”

He grunted. “’m fine.”

Dr. Ji smiled and shrugged, already familiar with his attitude enough not to take it personally. “I know that you’re not completely fine, but that’s okay. How have you reacted to the scent exposure therapy so far?”

His eye twitched, tongue just itching to say something back, but he focused on the question. “It’s been okay. It doesn’t trigger me as much anymore, but it’s still fucking irritating, or whatever.”

The doctor hummed but didn’t say anything about it for a moment and continued to write on her notepad. Katsuki’s leg was already bouncing up and down to release excess energy; he’d woken up late and had to change his workout to the afternoon to make therapy. When the doctor spoke again, she asked him to look at her in the eyes and he did, curious about why she was being so mysterious as to the reason he was there.

“Now, I know you might still be getting annoyed by the scents, but I thought that, since you’ve been here for a few months, and I’m sure you’re just itching to get back into action-”

At this, he perked up and sat up a little straighter. If he had a tail, it would’ve been wagging.

“-maybe we can try some immersion therapy.”

His shoulders slumped and face scrunched up in confusion and indignation. “Hah?”

“Well, immersion therapy is,-“

“Yeah, yeah, I know what it is. What I don’t know is why you think exposing me to a shitty omega would do me—or the poor sucker for that matter—any good, Doc. You’ve seen how I get. What if I hurt them?!”

“Oh, trust me, we’ve taken that into consideration. We’ve found a strong omega that we believe can handle and guide you through your episodes until you can consciously rein them in. You’ll be introduced today. Is that okay?”

“Doc, I don’t know…”

As if on cue, the doctor’s office phone rang, and she held up a thin manicured hand asking him to wait a moment.

“Hello? Oh, he’s here? Perfect timing, tell him he can come right up.”

“Him? I’m meeting them now?!”

“Yes, him; I wanted to speak with you both. Will a male omega be an issue?”

Shit.

“No, not a problem at all. Male omegas are rare, but I’ve been reacting negatively to all omegas, so it should be the same fucking shit, right Doc?”

Apparently, this was the right answer because she grinned. “Right! Now, when he gets here, I’ll explain everything to you both. He’s been with us for about two months, but he has worked with pro-heroes for a long time.”

“Tch. Wouldn’t expect you to assign me just any extra.”

“I would not.” She smirked in a way that troubled Katsuki a little—the old bat was hiding something.

Before Bakugo could ask more about, well, anything, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in!”

The door opened slowly, maybe to prevent startling them, or maybe because the omega was nervous—'had he been told he’d be doing this with the number three hero?’ Katsuki forced his leg to stop bouncing and held his breath a little in anticipation. Hopefully, he wouldn’t offend the guy too much by telling him he stank.

A bowed head of trimmed verdant waves rose to reveal the most breathtaking set of emerald green eyes Katsuki had ever seen on a person, framed by scattered freckles on smooth ivory skin. The guy was beautiful, but a total nerd—he had subtle hero merch everywhere! He had Ingenium shoes, Earphone Jack jeans, Red Riot backpack. Katsuki wasn’t disappointed that he didn’t have anything from his own line, not everyone liked him, and it could’ve made things weird after all; maybe it was better this way.

“Good morning Dr. Ji! Is this the alpha we spoke about?”

‘He looks Japanese, but he has an accent. Maybe he’s lived abroad?’

“Yes, Midoriya, this is Katsuki Bakugo; you’ll be spending some time together in the following weeks.”

“Sounds good! Nice to meet you Mr. Bakugo, or do you prefer DynaMight?” the omega asked, extending his hand.

Katsuki took his hand and shook it, noticing the scars that littered it. Unusual for omegas, who were often vain in terms of looks. “Bakugo is fine, Mr. Bakugo’s my old man, and DynaMight is for when I’m on duty.”

Midoriya nodded with a bright smile and sat down in the chair next to his. Katsuki stilled for a moment; there was no scent. The greenette must have noticed because he said, “I thought it best to wear scent blockers while we get you used to the scent, and the scent neutralizers here removed the scents from my clothes, so I’m a beta until Dr. Ji instructs otherwise.”

Katsuki nodded in understanding, but the doctor spoke before he could reply.

“That’s perfect, Midoriya, darling. We’ll give that a go in a little bit. First, I’d like to go over the specifications before we move on so that we’re all on the same page, okay?”

“Sure.” Katsuki crossed his arms over his chest. He still felt unsure and a little defensive at the idea of having an omega constantly around him.

Midoriya on the other hand just chirped, “Okay!” taking out a notebook and getting ready to write down whatever was relevant. Katsuki snorted and shook his head at the nerd, earning him a glare from Dr. Ji.

“So, we’ve already begun establishing Bakugo’s scent tolerance through exposure therapy, but as you know, Midoriya, it’s important that you do your own set of questions to determine just how much he can endure in the beginning.” Midoriya nodded. “The second step has also begun, because Bakugo has been practicing his grounding and relaxation exercises this month as well, right?” Katsuki nodded. “Good. Our third step, which is where both of you come in, is to begin interacting with the problematic element—I mean no offense to you Midoriya-”

“None taken.”

“-in an environment that is comfortable for Bakugo. So, he’ll be establishing the places you’d meet. That could be here, at a park, at his home, or even with members of his pack. Do either of you have issues with this?”

Both men shook their heads.

“Perfect. At first, you’ll begin with only a minute or two of exposure to the scent and you’ll be able to ask Midoriya to stop when you feel agitated. This will allow us to measure your improvement and how you’re able to be around an omega for increased periods of time. The goal is for you to spend an entire day surrounded by omegan scents and not feel irritated or enraged. What do you think Bakugo?”

Katsuki rubbed his neck, unsure. This could go well since it’s controlled and he’d be able to go back to normal, or it could go extremely bad and he’d hurt the omega. He sighed. “Doc, my concern remains the same. It all sounds good but…”

The omega turned to face him. “What’s your concern, Bakugo?”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” he stated simply, as if this was the only possible concern he could have.

“You won’t.” The omega smirked and answered assuredly with a determined expression; he clearly wanted to help and it both felt nice and aggravating—was this guy looking down on him? What was up with that overconfident expression?

He felt his anger begin to bubble and he should take deep breaths, but he needed to answer. “You don’t know that; hell, I don’t know that!”

The doctor noticed this too, so she gave him the reminder. “Bakugo, breathwork please.”

Katsuki glared, then rolled his eyes, but complied.

The omega gave him a look, whether of understanding or pity Katsuki didn’t know, but he was already annoyed; there was no way this could end well.

“Bakugo, I don’t say this because I’m underestimating the situation,” is he a mind reader? “I’m saying this because I’ve worked with other pro-heroes for the past six years, just like you have—well, maybe not exactly just like you have, but I have experience with heroes. The point is, that I’ve taken my fair share of outbursts and I can protect myself just fine, but I can also help de-escalate the panic attacks and moments of rage. So, what do you think? Can we try this?”

Katsuki eyed him skeptically.

Dr. Ji added, “Bakugo, I truly think you should give this a chance.”

The blond gripped his chair tight and huffed; he needed to get past this as soon as possible, so might as well try. ‘If Doc is so insistent, it’s probably for the best, right?’

“Fine…I’ll do it.”

The doctor clapped her hands together and kept her eyes on Katsuki. “Great! Could we try our first exposure here? It would be better to get that first one in a controlled environment. Would you be comfortable with that?”

“Whatever,” he answered.

Dr. Ji smiled and nodded to the greenette. “Please remove your scent patch, Midoriya.”

The nerd complied and let out his calming scent. Katsuki took deep breaths, expecting to feel agitated immediately, to find the stench unbearable; the longest he’d been able to do the isolated exposures had been only ten minutes and that was with his alpha thrashing around threatening to destroy everything.

What he never could have predicted is for Midoriya’s scent to be so appealing. He was expecting to be drowned in a nauseating saccharine scent but was met with the smell of spiced apples in the fall. For the first time since his capture, he didn’t want to instantly rip an omega apart. For the first time since his return, he felt his alpha react positively. He inhaled deeply for his next breath and instantly regretted it. He couldn’t handle it for reasons he couldn’t begin to comprehend yet—he’d never felt this way before and the unknown irked him.

“S-Stop, Midoriya.” He could barely get the words out and he avoided the other’s gaze. The greenette’s scent was intoxicating, but the more he smelled, the more annoyed he got, only it wasn’t at the scent, it was at the man, or what it made him feel.

The other man just nodded and covered his scent gland once more.

Dr. Ji glanced at her watch. “Two minutes and ten seconds for initial exposure isn’t bad, but challenge yourself, Bakugou; you didn’t seem to react as you have with the other scents, so I’m sure you could have held out for longer.”

“Tch. I’m no loser, Doc. I just thought this was a quick test, but I can last longer,” he said with feigned confidence, “I’ll have this down by next month.”

“I trust that you will.” She smirked. “Actually, your drive and competitiveness are two of the reasons that motivated me to pair you two up; I think you’ll both push each other to improve.” Midoriya tilted his head in question, but she paid no mind to it. “Mr. Midoriya isn’t a permanent worker here; this is just until his work permits come in, but he’ll go back to his usual job next month. After that, you’ll be able to return to work under the agreement that you’ll continue therapy for as long as is needed to deal with the other consequences of the event.”

“That works.” The blond nodded. Now that he knew he had a time limit, he wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Sure, it was a challenge, and Katsuki Bakugo never backed down from a challenge, but he still had this gnawing question in the back of his mind—would he be able to beat this in a month? At least this would give him something to talk about in group next time he went.

The doctor nodded and excused herself for a moment. While she stepped out, the two men exchanged numbers and agreed that, due to his hero status, it would be best to conduct their meetings in the clinic or at Katsuki’s apartment.

Since they had to begin their time together that same day, Katsuki invited Midoriya to eat breakfast with him before going to one of the group activities—alpha support group was skipped today in favor of meeting the greenette. After selecting from the buffet-like arrangement, they made their way to one of the balcony seats that overlooked the center’s grounds. It was relaxing; they had a clear view of a shimmering lake where they could fish, the pergola under which art classes took place, the meditation pagoda, the outdoor gym, and the recreation center that held an array of activities inside—Katsuki’s favorite was rock climbing, of course. From certain corners, one could see the community garden that had seasonal plants and vegetables as well. Yes, it was a place for the privileged, hence Katsuki’s initial hesitation.

“So, Bakugo, should we get the initial questions out of the way, or would you rather we do it during one of the activities?”

Bakugo growled a little and grumbled, “I’d rather not have to answer, but now’s a good a time as any, I guess.”

Midoriya chuckled—'how dare this guy make chuckles melodic?' And, 'what the hell brain?!'

“All right, well I’m not going to pry into what happened, you can tell me if you so wish when you are ready. However, I should know, what is your current tolerance to omegan scents?”

“I’ve gone up to ten minutes, but that’s including pushing boundaries with my alpha.”

Midoriya hummed and took notes on a small notebook he procured from his backpack, different from the one he had previously. “Okay, so we need to increase that this week then if we want to meet our goal. Do you prefer sweeter scents or those with a little spice?”

Katsuki quirked an eyebrow as he continued eating some bits of fruit. “Hah? Why? It’s not like you can change your scent anyways.”

The greenette grinned. “Actually, my happy scent tends to have a little more spice than my calming scent—or so I’ve been told. I’d rather expose you to the one you’d be most comfortable around while we increase that time limit.”

“Oh. Then, spicy, I guess.” Katsuki was mildly grateful of the nerd’s consideration, not that he’d tell him that.

“Noted. Next question would be, what activity will we be doing today? Not everything is jeans-friendly, and I could change while you finish eating, so that I don’t interfere with your schedule.”

“You don’t really have to do the activities with me if you don’t want to; I know there are certain activities omegas avoid.” It’s not that Katsuki didn’t want the omega to go with him, but he didn’t want to be blamed for endangering the guy or something.

Midoriya chuckled. “Oh, trust me; I’ve taken advantage of all the activities in the center so far except for martial arts, but that’s because I’ve never been able to visit at the right time. So…?”

Katsuki’s lip quirked just a little at that. “Alright, we’re rock climbing today, so go change.”

“Okay, sounds fun. I’ll meet you there!”

And with that, the omega left the table hurriedly. Katsuki finished his breakfast and made his way to the recreation center to get their gear.

As he was completing the paperwork, he heard a commotion outside, so he went to check—wouldn’t be the first brawl he’d broken up at the center.

Sure enough, there were two alphas grappling and snapping at each other on the ground, aggressive scents stinking up the open space in a matter of seconds. He let out a sigh and stomped his way over, but before he could intervene, there was a flash of green. In the blink of an eye, one of the alphas was bound and the other was pinned to the ground by none other than a glaring Izuku Midoriya.

The greenette looked fierce, and once again, his alpha stirred.

“What the hell happened, Shun?” The alpha merely lowered his head submissively at the omega. “This’ll set you back months! Go to the meditation center and I better not see you causing trouble again.” The man was released and he scurried off, lest he risk angering the omega further.

The omega ran a hand down his exasperated face and marched over to the other alpha. All the while, Katsuki just looked at the scene, flabbergasted. His brain didn’t process that the sunshine-filled, cheeky omega he’d met a matter of minutes ago had some sort of enhancer quirk and brought alphas to submission.

Picking up brawler number two, who bared his teeth at him, Midoriya let out his calming scent and, once the alpha relaxed, released his bindings only to chastise him. “You! Why did you pick a fight? Do you even want to see your family again?!” The alpha looked to the side in shame and the greenette reapplied his patch. “Think of them the next time you want to go all out. You want to fight? You call me, got it?” Barely meeting the greenette’s eyes, the alpha nodded and slinked away.

‘What the fuck? Just who is this omega?’

Strong omega; could make a good mate.

Great, his alpha had been silent for the better part of four months and when it does speak up, it’s to talk crap. He’d just met the man and sure he wasn’t annoying, and his quirk was somewhat impressive, but that didn’t mean he liked him. This was his support omega. Literally nothing could happen between them—not that Katsuki wanted anything to happen anyways.

Noticing he had an audience, Midoriya made his way to Katsuki, rubbing his neck sheepishly as if he’d spilled a drink and not just broken up a fight between two supposedly stronger opponents. “Sorry you had to see that. Sometimes the patients relapse. Those two idiots get into it frequently, so they should know better. They were so close to clearance too!” He pouted and shrugged. “Oh, well. Better they relapse here and not in the streets, I guess.”

In an attempt to not freak the omega out, Katsuki grit his teeth and did not comment. He merely nodded as he opened the door to the recreation center so that Midoriya could enter. He was somewhat proud; past him would’ve probably snapped, demanding answers and probably challenging Midoriya to a fight to see who was stronger.

The men at the desk handed over the things Katsuki had signed out and they made their way to the open indoor space. As they began to strap on their harness, Katsuki took notice of the omega’s body. Before, it had been hidden by an oversized hoodie, but now, in a long-sleeved compression shirt, Katsuki could see the taut muscles underneath. Midoriya still had the ass and curves that made his second gender obvious, but he wasn’t an ordinary, soft-bodied omega, that much was evident. Once again, Katsuki found his mind on the greenette—he hated it. Bakugou Katsuki didn’t waste time thinking about temporary extras.

Midoriya’s green eyes were on him and Katsuki tensed, thinking he’d been caught raking over the omega’s body, which was why he relaxed after the omega’s next words. “You’re not this type of quiet, Bakugo. I bet you’re wondering about why I’m here if I have that quirk?”

Katsuki shrugged. “Not really my business. Just didn’t expect you to be able to bring two alphas to their knees.”

The greenette narrowed his eyes in contempt at the blond and bared a fang. “Why because I’m an omega?”

‘Feisty lil’ one, ain’t he?’

Katsuki shook his head and held up his arms in surrender. “Not at all; I know tons of strong omegas. You just seemed…friendly, I guess.” Still, it was nice to see that Greenie had spunk; submissive omegas were frustrating as hell.
Midoriya’s demeanor visibly relaxed and his lips transitioned to a smug grin. “And I can’t break up a fight because I’m friendly? What sort of heroes do you associate with, Mr. DynaMight?”

“I didn’t mean it like that. Just forget it—it’s whatever. I just didn’t expect it, okay?!” He snapped defensively. The omega’s eyes lit up with mischief. The little shit!

“Don’t worry, I’m teasing. Just as a heads-up, I’m not a typical omega, so don’t base your expectations on those—actually, better to not have any expectations at all. There are many things that just might surprise you. Now, shall we see who gets to the top first?”

Katsuki gave a feral grin at the challenge. “You’re on, short-stack!”

Midoriya was definitely not a regular omega, and Katsuki was starting to see why Dr. Ji paired them up. He was as competitive as Katsuki but knew when to stop taunting. He was strong enough so that he didn’t become a burden, and he was clever enough that he didn’t become a bore.

Katsuki found that racing Midoriya up the rocky walls was fun, and he hadn’t felt like he was having fun in a long time. Sure, he bristled at the first alpha that made a comment about how ‘fucking delicious’ the omega’s ass looked from that angle—he felt the greenette was his responsibility now, after all—but that was brushed aside and replaced with an odd sense of pride when Midoriya promptly, but respectfully, told the perv to “fuck off” and dragged Katsuki by the harness to the most difficult climbing station.

After two hours of pure physical exertion, both men were panting and sweating. Katsuki felt Midoriya’s gaze on him as he guzzled down his third water bottle—a refill, of course; he’s no villain to use plastic—but when he turned to smirk at the greenette, the man was wiping himself down with a towel and looking another way.

“That was awesome, Bakugo,” Midoriya breathed, “usually people give up on me after a while.”

Katsuki couldn’t help the upturn of his lips. “Ditto. Even my hero friends have a hard time when it comes to climbing.”

Then, the greenette graced him with a blinding smile. “Maybe we could do this as training from time to time.”

And Katsuki didn’t fully hate that idea.

“Sure,” he answered, but he felt the strangest urge to say ‘thanks’ too. He bottled that one up; this was purely transactional. Midoriya was there to help; Katsuki was there to heal, not to be friends. But you could be, his brain supplied.

Shaking his head, he took a look at the clock on the wall and noticed he only had twenty minutes before he had to leave for individual therapy, Midoriya’s alarm went off when the minute hand reached the number seven, and he turned toward Katsuki.

“It’s almost time for your therapy, so we should probably do that second test. Is that okay?”

Katsuki nodded. He was ready now. They made their way to some benches at the dock and Midoriya began talking about recent news, a diversion tactic, Katsuki noticed. He was grateful for it. The omega’s scent trickled in and he found that, for the first few minutes, conversation wasn’t as difficult.

“I came from America a few months ago, but I’ve always kept up with Japanese heroes as well.”

“Really? Who catches your eye?”

Izuku kept his eyes trained on the lake as he spoke. Katsuki could see some hidden emotion behind his eyes, maybe even some tears pooling before the omega straightened up and eliminated all hint of it when he began speaking.

“I grew up idolizing All-Might.” Katsuki stiffened at the mention of his old teacher. “I actually learned a lot from him,” I did too, he wanted to say, but opted to listen instead, “but now, I like your graduating class, actually. A lot of good heroes came from it.”

Katsuki nodded; he could acknowledge their batch was a good one—except Mineta. No one really understood how that guy managed to pass as a hero.

“Anyone in particular?” He had to admit, he was curious.

It’d been eight minutes already. Midoriya blushed a little and played with the hem of his shirt as he spoke. It was a little cute annoying. “Well, Shouto, Creati and Uravity, mostly because we met at a mission and became good friends; Red Riot and Pinky because they’re an amazing duo; and, well, there’s you too.”

Katsuki’s alpha was pleased that he’d caught the omega’s eye before they’d even met, even if Katsuki himself felt wary and knew it didn’t mean anything. He decided to tease a little and bumped Midoriya’s shoulder with his, making the man release a little yelp. He chuckled. “Are you a little fanboy, Midoriya? Is this you wanting to fulfill a fanboy fantasy? Is that why you work with heroes?”

Midoriya’s face turned cherry red, making his freckles pop in the most mesmerizing way, but they were quickly concealed by covered arms that were trying to hide the man’s flustered face. “I-N-NO! What the hell is wrong with you?” He let out a hilarious whine. “I’m a fanboy, sure, but I-I’d never do anything s-so perverted or take advantage of you.”

“Relax, Midoriya.” Katsuki laughed as he attempted to pry the other’s hands from his face. “I was just messing with you. If Dr. Ji recommended you, I have no actual reason to be suspicious. Though if you want merch, let me know; I could probably get it in advance.”

Midoriya pouted as his hands finally came down. “You’re mean, Bakugo. You shouldn’t tease like that.”

Nine minutes: his irritation was growing, but he thought he could tough it out.

“So, I’ve been told,” he grumbled. “So, if you know so much about me, any suggestions for improvement?”

Izuku chewed on his lip a little, deep in thought and muttered, “Besides your temper? Well, you usually begin with right-handed attacks, so that’s a weakness if villains catch on to it.”

“Hah?! I do not!”

“Yes, you do.” The omega chuckled.

For some reason, this set Katsuki off and he bared his fangs, growling, “And what would you know about that, Deku?” It just slipped out; it was irrational—he didn’t mean it. It was an impulse reaction triggered by the session, nothing but the accumulation of his distress and frustration. He regretted it immediately.

The omega’s scent disappeared as he reeled it in and set the patch over his gland. “We should stop for now or you’ll be late. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Bakugo.” He bowed and left.

The greenette’s eyes barely showed it, it was just a flash, but Katsuki knew he fucked up.

Bad alpha. You hurt omega. Fix, fix, fix!

Katsuki huffed and stomped off to therapy. It shouldn’t bother him this much. They both knew this would happen; it’s part of his issue and why Izuku was with him in the first place. All throughout his appointment the encounter gnawed at him. No matter how he looked at it, he was fucked. If they were to hang out for the next month, he’d have to apologize next time he saw him.

Chapter Text

Katsuki spent most of the day in a bad mood. Insulting Midoriya when he snapped had been the beginning of his bad luck. Why bad luck?

First of all, his alpha wouldn’t shut the hell up.

Then, on his way home, someone recognized him on the train, and he had been ambushed with questions about his hiatus. Luckily, most of them were betas and the omegas were incredibly few, so the moment the car’s door opened, he ran and blasted his way home, regulations be damned. They were lucky no casualties came from that encounter because he was a minute or two from losing it.

The third moment was that, when he went to get the ingredients to make his favorite spicy beef curry, the meat had gone bad and he was missing a few spices. Despite that, he wanted to cook the dish so badly, he was willing to go buy what he needed. Since he was already irritated, he decided that wearing the mask was best, and thank fuck he did. It took going to three markets to get everything he needed! People were so idiotic that the mask didn’t help much in terms of his already volatile emotions. In the end, he did snap at an omega, but it wasn’t because of her scent, but rather the hellishly slow pace at which she worked and the fact that her clumsy ass let the packed meat fall into the trash can and had the audacity to try and put it back with his things—did Katsuki look like a pig?!

Of course, it didn’t end there. The curry took almost double the time to cook because one of the burners began to malfunction, and he didn’t even notice until about halfway through when the roux was too watery for that stage of the cooking process, and the potatoes could still break through a window if you chucked them hard enough. With an exasperated sigh and a slew of expletives, he changed the pot to another burner and stayed to monitor it.

After having eaten, he took a quick bath, slipped on his navy-blue joggers, and plopped on the bed, almost praying that it didn’t collapse, because at this point, it wouldn’t surprise him. The day had been hellish, but it was finally time to rest. He had felt his eyes get heavy, struggling to stay awake for whatever stupid subconscious reason, when he received a text message.

Midoriya: Where do we meet tomorrow?

The blond took a deep breath. Right. They needed to spend time together every day. He didn’t have therapy, so it would be pointless to go all the way to the center…

K. Bakugo: My apt? [Tap to access location]

It took a while for the greenette to message back and it made him antsy. The omega was clearly just communicating for the sake of work. They’d gotten along just fine until he’d screwed up. He was headed down a hole of self-deprecation and annoyance when he heard the phone’s ping!

Midoriya: Ok, I’ll drop by around 10.

He typed out a simple “Ok” and put the phone back on the nightstand. Not even his night terrors gave him a break that night.

Unable to sleep well the night before, Katsuki got out of bed early and decided to work out. There were days where he barely slept and got a rush of energy as if his body was just expelling all of its reserves at once—that’s exactly how he felt then. Still brimming with energy and nerves. Taking advantage of his state, he began to clean up his apartment and rearranged everything until his alpha approved. He had no idea where he acquired that random art piece that now hung on the accent wall in his dining room, but he figured it looked decent enough. A Bakugo was never sloppy, always had good design sense—he had his parents to thank for that—but his own apartment lacked…personality. It was like a model home. After this most recent rearrangement, it looked more lived in, like it could be a home rather than just a place to crash.

As much as he wanted to contradict it, he was putting up all that effort for the omega; not because he wanted him as a mate, but because he wanted to be on good terms with him, and for that to happen, he needed to make a good impression and he needed to apologize.

After cleaning, he took a bath because he was still sweaty as fuck—his quirk had its drawbacks sometimes. Katsuki turned on the water as warm as he could, letting the steam rise and open his pores; this was something he did out of habit—open pores mean less issues when using his quirk—but now it had become a way to unwind whenever he began feeling overwhelmed. It was not meant to be a long shower, but it helped. His loud thoughts telling him that he was a failure, that he was unworthy, that he was unfit to be a hero, a friend, an alpha finally quieted and all he felt was the sluice of water running down his back. His apprehension towards the visit lessened somewhat with the feeling of his fingers working the suds through his wet locks, massaging his scalp as if the tension bled from his muscles and went down the drain along with the soapy foam. It was soothing, but not soothing enough. Despite that moment of quiet, as soon as the water was turned off, reality set back in and worry returned. What if the omega didn’t forgive him? What if Katsuki did something weird? What if he insulted him again? He could be honest with himself; it was a big possibility.

He debated for a while whether he should wear something casual in case they went out but decided that would be stupid. Katsuki was in control; this was his home, his den, and he had planned to stay in. He did not dress up for the visit; he was in his own home, for fucks sake. Throwing on some black joggers and dark green v-neck, he sat on the couch. Once again, he looked around the room, taking stock of the kitchen and dining room as well, wondering if things were okay, and running through what he’d say to Midoriya when he came in.

Fuckin’ Fero.

Ever since he came back, he felt indecisive about everything, insecure—Bakugo Katsuki was self-assured and confident, not this-this-whatever this was! When heard knocking on the door, he absolutely did not flinch, but his heart was beating erratically. Who can blame him though? This was the first person outside of Mina and Kirishima to come into the apartment in four months; he hadn’t risked it after the Denki episode.

“Coming!”

Apparently the greenette didn’t hear him because he knocked again.

“Wait a fucking minute, I’m here!”

Despite having security in the building, he’d given Midoriya clearance for the rest of the month—less of a hassle than having to answer his phone each time the man came over. He quickly ran to the door. Pausing, he took a deep breath, and then opened it to usher the omega in.

Midoriya stepped inside and took off his shoes but paused, waiting. For a moment, Katsuki tensed, the urge to tell the greenette to go away was felt the moment the man crossed the threshold, but his other half, his alpha, was begging him to welcome the omega and apologize so that they could get back to normal. Katsuki knew that he had stayed still for far too long while he had his internal struggle and all he could do was stare at Midoriya while the omega studied his appearance, most likely gauging if it was safe to say something. The blond hated that someone would feel that wary around him. It was awkward. They stood in silence, regarding each other by the genkan but refusing to budge for what seemed like an eternity before Katsuki snapped out of it and finally said something.

“Come, let’s sit on the couch. I was thinking, maybe we could play some video games? Do you like those?”

Midoriya’s eyes widened and for a moment and Katsuki thought he’d somehow fucked up again, but then the greenette shook his head and let out a nervous chuckle, fidgeting with the edge of his long sleeve. “Y-yeah I like to play, but um, I-I wanted to talk to you about yesterday first,” he said as he walked to the living room and sat on the large, grey sectional that the blond had vacuumed earlier.

Katsuki sighed and ran a hand through his hair, sitting on the arm of the couch on the opposite side. Of course, the omega was waiting on him to apologize!

They both spoke at the same time. “Listen, I-”

Midoriya giggled. “You go first, it’s okay.”

Apologize. Make it right. Make omega stay!

As much as he hated it, Katsuki knew what he had to do and he was no weak-ass coward, but those emerald eyes made it impossible to keep eye contact, so he settled on looking at his hands. Taking a deep breath, he spoke quickly, but firmly. “Fuck. Okay. I don’t do this much, so it’ll probably suck, but,” he bit his bottom lip, and inhales deeply before continuing, “I’m sorry for snapping at you yesterday. You were just giving your opinion, and I shouldn’t have fuckin’ snapped. I was an asshole, and I understand if you’re having second thoughts about this shit.”

Risking a glance, he saw Midoriya gape at him, waving his hands frantically in front of him saying, “No, no, no! It wasn’t your fault at all. I was afraid I’d insulted you and that you’d immediately ask for a different therapy omega. I had noticed you were a little irritated and should have stopped. It’s part of the healing process, and it’s bound to happen. What set me off was you calling me Deku.”

“But that’s how your name is written; I saw it on your little nerd book. I didn’t think when I said it, but I can see why it’d be offensive.”

“I know,” the omega said with a wry smile that made Katsuki’s stomach tighten. “I don’t really want to talk about it now, but let’s just say I was bullied as a kid—it’s how I got some of the scars and the name just brings some bad memories.” Midoriya took a breath and looked up with a smile. “As you can see, it wasn’t your fault, and I’m sorry for letting you think that it was.”

A part of him wanted to find the fuckers that had abused Midoriya as a kid and beat the shit out of them. Part of him begged to know more. How could they do that to someone so nice? And how did he even get bullied with that quirk? It made his hackles rise to think that the bullies could’ve been alphas and used their commands on him…but he didn’t, couldn’t, say anything. That wasn’t Katsuki’s business. He wasn’t the man’s alpha.

The hero was snapped out of his thoughts by a rumbling stomach.

Midoriya rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Sorry, I did my workout, but since I woke up late, I just didn’t have time for breakfast.”

“Why didn’t you tell me then?” Katsuki snarled without any malice and crossed over to the kitchen to prepare a fruit bowl to give the guy.

“Oh, I wasn’t asking for anything-” Midoriya saw Katsuki’s raised eyebrow, daring him to say no to the offering, so he smiled, “-but I’m grateful, thank you.”

The open floor plan was one of the things the blond liked the most about his apartment. The kitchen, living room, and dining room were all in the same space. He quickly took some of the pre-cut fruit he had in the refrigerator, drizzled them with honey and sprinkled some granola on it before walking back.

“Here, eat this,” he ordered, shoving the bowl of fruit towards the greenette which he quickly took with a nod.

“Thanks again, Bakugo.”

Good alpha—provide for omega.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his alpha. Why was it so fixated on this man?

“Don’t thank me for basic decency, Deku.” Katsuki saw the omega flinch, so he punched his shoulder lightly and gave a wicked grin. “And yes, I’m calling you that now, because we’re changing the meaning of it. Those fuckers called you useless? We’ll change it to Dekiru, to show them you can do it.”

He almost grimaced at his own words, hating he was so cheesy. If any of his friends had heard him, they’d never let him live it down, but it was all worth it when bright, watery eyes looked up at him like he’d just brought down the moon and was gifted a wide, beaming grin. Deku didn’t say anything, but he nodded aggressively.

With the awkwardness dissipated, Katsuki decided to get an early start on lunch, seeing as how his guest was hungrier than he was letting on. Even though he’d turned on the TV, Deku decided to join him in the kitchen, offering to help. Of course, he shot Deku down each time, but that didn’t change the fact that the greenette was choosing to be there with him. His alpha was practically purring at the fact that he was providing for the omega in his house. He shut those thoughts away, thinking of less troubling topics like recent crime rates and when the recycling would be picked up.

Luckily, Deku brought attention to the real reason he was there as soon as the ingredients were in the pot—a most appreciated reminder. The greenette suggested they do the first session before they ate, so that he’d have the chance to do a few more during the day and Katsuki agreed. The curry was left to stew, and they decided to play a game while they did the session and waited; that way they’d have a distraction like last time.

As Katsuki set up the gaming system, Izuku peeled off his patches, letting the enticing scent of spiced apples flow freely into the room. Just like the time by the lake, Katsuki kept his breathing stable, but kept his mind focusing on different details to avoid feeling overwhelmed. They chose a fighting game—obviously—and began selecting their characters.

“Really, Bakugo? You’re choosing that barbarian brawler?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely! The guy’s a beast!”

Izuku rolled his eyes. “Alpha brain”

The blonde scoffed. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Selecting a rogue-type character, he answered, “Only that there’s more to winning than just strength.”

“Let’s see who wins then, De-ku,” he challenged as he clicked play.

Playing served as a good distraction. The omega did beat him in that first round, much to his chagrin, but he managed to get him back in the second one. Despite being aware of the scent, because it was still very distinct, he managed to work through his breathing, and the constant need to pay attention to the game served to keep him rooted in the present. This time he lasted ten minutes before showing any signs of aggression, which wasn’t bad, but he’d hoped to do more. Still, Deku praised him.

“That was great, Mr. DynaMight!”

That was what it took.

It began with shallow breaths, his lungs working overtime. He tried to slow it down, to count them out, but they burned, they craved more oxygen than was available and it hurt; it had his core trembling. Then, his heart joined in, hammering in his chest. His senses felt like they were going into overdrive and shutting down all at the same time—his vision blurred. Katsuki could faintly hear Midoriya in the background calling his name, but all he focused on was the deafening pulse in his ear and the deep-set panic that dug its claws in him and refused to let go.

He could feel various gloved hands holding him down by his wrists, ankles, and a sharp pair of nails threatening his jugular. One of the bodies holding him down had crouched dangerously close to his face, their hot breath fanning over his cheek, leaving a trail of goosebumps and sickening moisture wherever it touched. His mouth was dry, and as much as he attempted to shake off the phantasms, they wouldn’t release.

It all felt so real—the betas that held him down. Three other figures entered the room—omegas. He was snarling, cussing them out, damning them because they were not his omegas, they were not welcome in his den. They did not care. He felt slicked hands pump his member, and the traitor responded, earning hollow praise. The omegas used him like a fucking heat aid, bouncing on his cock, rubbing themselves on his skin, and using the exposed glands on his wrists to scent themselves until they came, moving him and bending him at will to the positions they believed most humiliating or pleasurable. He was helpless, a puppet to manipulate—there was nothing he could do.

Katsuki’s body felt the rush brought by the forced rut, but his limbs felt weak. Had they drugged him? Why weren’t they disgusted by his distress? He never knotted, but he could feel them touching where he didn’t want to be touched, not by them. He bucked his hips, twisted his body, and tried toppling them off to no avail. It only made it more interesting for them. He could feel the tears both past and present stain his cheeks, ragged breaths, and bile that went up but never out. He could hear the false praises once more: ‘You did great, Mr. DynaMight…That’s what real alphas are like…Just what I needed, alpha’.

A faint, spiced apple scent began to ground him back to reality, quelling the wicked taunts. It felt so out of place in the dark cavern of his mind. He clawed at his neck, leaving angry red marks in their wake, wanting to be rid of the vivid memory, of the long, sharp nails that ran down his throat, but firm, caring hands pried his own away and tucked them to his sides. Katsuki felt he was being held, but these hands weren’t threatening as the others were; he allowed himself to settle against the firm chest that kept him upright.

A scarred hand was caressing his arm in a soothing manner and he leaned into the touch.

“Bakugo, can you hear me?"

He did, still faintly so. Katsuki did not trust his voice, but he nodded nonetheless.

“Good, I’m glad. I’m holding you to my chest so you can feel my breathing. Can you try to match it?”

He nodded again and tried focusing on that, trying to practice the strategies that Dr. Ji had taught him. Even so, images flickered of naked, twisted omegas and disgusting touches, but as his breath eventually settled, so did they. He stayed there for a moment, unmoving; his muscles were still tense, and as reality set in, so did his shame. He’d always been aggressive, but to cry and be submissive, trusting, to another this way? It wasn’t normal; he didn’t feel right. Katsuki didn’t want to be so weak in front of the anyone, to need to be saved from himself and the filth of a memory that clung like a second skin. No matter how many times he scrubbed himself raw, the feeling remained. He had recoiled from every other person’s touch except Eijirou’s, because he was pack—Eijirou was his brother—and Deku, but he couldn’t bring himself to conjure a logical explanation for why his body didn’t feel the all-consuming repulsion that plagued his existence around him; anybody else, would’ve lost their hand by now.

Omega cares for us, is what his alpha repeated all throughout the encounter, but the omega had been tasked to care, this wasn’t an omega he could ever hope to be interested in him. Katsuki was a job; a job that would be over in a month and they’d probably never see each other again.

Once stable, he dreaded the moment that Deku would ask him what the episode was about, but the man never did; instead, he filled the silence with a story of how he got the scar by his left eyebrow.

“So, my friend and I were celebrating after a job well done and she wanted to do my eyebrows, right? Completely out of nowhere because we’d been talking about recent rescue missions—that we’d seen on the news, of course. And deep down, I should’ve known it was a bad idea, but we’d been drinking for a while. Problem is, that drunk me is a lot more trusting than sober me, so I said yes. BIG mistake. She was tipsy as fuck! So, she had one of those stupid little blades angling it above my brow, and she stumbled—I just thought, holy crap, this is how I lose my eye—just slicing my temple open as she tried to break the fall.”

Katsuki yawned and barked out a weak laugh. “That’s hilarious Deku, but fuckin’ stupid, ya know? Why the fuck would you let a drunk rando near you with any sort of blade?”

“I was drunk too, Bakugo; not exactly the best conditions to make wise choices. And she wasn’t a rando, she was a friend.”

Katsuki smirked but felt too emotionally drained to fight the drowsy feeling that overcame him, so he let himself go.

Oddly enough, he felt safe.

He awoke with a start about an hour later, eyes bleary from slumber, quickly taking stock of his surroundings. While still on the sofa, the heavy, wool blanket he kept in the hallway closet had been draped over him—Deku must have found it. Sitting upright, he pushed it aside, turning his head to follow the sound coming from the kitchen. The sudden movement made his vision swim, so he closed his eyes again.

“Bakugo? Are you awake?”

Katsuki took a deep breath, leaned back into the couch, and grumbled, “Yeah.”

“Oh, good, I was just about to wake you up. Food’s ready! Want me to serve it?”

As appealing as his alpha found the idea of the omega cooking in his kitchen, using his utensils, and serving him his meal, he was not willing to let go of more of his pride, so he opened his eyes, got up, and hip-checked the omega away from the pot of curry.

“I can do it…and thanks again.”

Midoriya looked up at him and smiled, not a smile of pity, but a smile of reassurance. “That’s what I’m here for, you dummy. You don’t have to thank me every time it happens.”

Right. He was there for that. Katsuki needed to remember that, because he felt like a terrible host too, and failure was not something he felt comfortable with accepting.

Deku never questioned Katsuki about what happened during his freak-out. Instead, he treated him like a regular person, and they spoke about mundane things like how much meat prices were rising and the best exercises to strengthen kicks. The greenette knew more about exercise than Katsuki expected—although he should’ve known based on the solid body the other had. Many omegas had good curves, but abs, ass, and thighs like those were the result of hard work and blessed genes.

Once they finished eating, Katsuki felt like himself again and requested a second exposure. Deku eyed him skeptically, but he insisted. He needed to get back as soon as possible, and if it triggered any more memories from the time he’d lost, then it would be a win; despite the momentary pain, not knowing was much worse.

Izuku took off his patches while they washed the dishes and Katsuki tried to keep the grounding techniques present in his mind. He focused on the sound of Midoriya humming to the beat of whatever song was playing the background. Other than some growls escaping his throat at the end, he didn’t really feel the effects as strongly as he’d had other times. Deku tapped at his shoulder and gave him at thumbs up; he seemed…proud. The omega was observant; Katsuki hadn’t indicated verbal praise had been the trigger for his previous episode, but the greenette still avoided it.

“Fourteen minutes!”

For some reason, even though it wasn’t a great time, Katsuki felt good about it—he didn’t have an episode. This time, he gave a small smile back.

Something peculiar that he hadn’t noticed was that the greenette seemed to be writing everything down. Once the freckled man had dried his hands, he’d procured the notebook that he’d seen during the meeting with Dr. Ji, and he wrote down the exposure time, environment, and effects. It was strange, but Katsuki could appreciate the attention to detail and dedication.

After the whole ordeal, the blond wasn’t really in the mood for a game, so he asked, “What if we watch a movie instead?”

The other man cocked his head to the side curiously. “What did you have in mind?”

“Well, you said you like heroes, right? There’s a few we can choose from.”

Midoriya perked up and went through his collection as he got some snacks. They sat on the same grey sectional from before because it was the one directly in front of the T.V.—and the most comfortable—keeping a cushion’s distance away, but it turned out that Midoriya loves to comment during movies, and with every interruption, the greenette inched a little closer, bursting with excitement at whatever was happening on the screen.

About halfway through the movie, Katsuki became hyperaware of the other man’s presence, his alpha once again making himself known. To avoid embarrassing himself, he decided to make the time the other spent there worth it, so he tapped Deku on the shoulder. “Can we try again?”

Izuku nodded.

“Don’t stop until I get annoyed, okay?”

“Okay.”

He attempted some of the breathing techniques this time. He tried to focus on the air flow, inhaling and exhaling slowly as a fight broke out on screen. Deku’s eyes glimmered, entranced by the action in the movie, while Katsuki was entranced by how the changing light reflected on viridian eyes. Snapping out of it before he creeped his therapy omega out, he focused on breathing again and lasted longer than he expected.

When he hit the twenty-minute mark, Midoriya gently placed his hand on Katsuki’s forearm and asked if he was okay, clearly worried that he hadn’t been paying enough attention. The blond flinched at the sudden touch and grit his teeth, requesting for a few more minutes. Deku hesitated but agreed. However, when he saw Katsuki’s knuckles go white around one of the cushions, he stopped and reeled his scent in. It was too late though—Katsuki’s glare was on him in an instant.

The alpha stood up abruptly and growled in front of the freckled man. “Why the fuck did you stop?! I could’ve lasted longer!”

Midoriya stood his ground, meeting his eyes, and stated firmly, “No, you couldn’t have. Not without fully losing it.”

“Hah?! Who are you to get in the way of my progress?! Are you looking down on me, Deku?”

“No, I’m not. I’m looking out for you; it’s kind of my job, remember?”

“Fuck your damn job!”

In a flash, the blond had pinned Deku to the wall, his fangs dangerously close to the other’s collar. His hot breath caressing the other’s neck, threatening to snap it should he be displeased any further, but before he could register what was happening, the move had been counteracted and the greenette had immobilized him on the floor. Midoriya’s left forearm pinning his chest, the left hand to his right bicep, and a knee to his stomach: Katsuki couldn’t move.

Applying a little pressure with his knee to the blond’s stomach and lower rib, Deku reminded him, “Grounding techniques, Bakugo.”

“Like hell, shitty omega! Let me go!” He was pumping out aggressive pheromones like crazy, but it did nothing and neither did his command. Instead, the omega activated his quirk and tightened his grip, staring Katsuki down.

“I won’t release you until you calm down, alpha. Stinking up the place won’t do anything, and neither will your commands. I can’t scent you to calm you down, so this all depends on you.”

It frustrated Katsuki to no end. Why didn’t this omega submit to his command? He struggled against the firm grip, but Midoriya did not let go; on the contrary, he applied more pressure. Katsuki let off some warning blasts from his hands yet Deku didn’t even flinch.

“What is up with you? I’m going to blast you, motherfucker! Get away!”

The greenette huffed out a chuckle. “I’ve had worse; now come on, you are more than your rage, Bakugo.”

“Don’t call me that!” he snarled, yelling louder than any of his previous protests. For some reason, the clear challenge within his own home didn’t faze him as it should have, while hearing Deku refer to him by his last name fueled the broiling anger within. It made no sense.

Verdant eyes looked for answers, with the right eyebrow raised curiously and lips pursed. “What should I call you then?” he asked seriously.

Katsuki didn’t know. It’s not like he knew why it was pissing him off, so he’d never really thought of another way to be called. Everyone called him Bakugo—his old teachers, his classmates, his coworkers—but hearing it from Deku’s mouth was driving him mad at the moment. He heard Midoriya hum and then saw the man give him a shit-eating grin.

“You know? Since you’re throwing a tantrum, I think I’ll call you Kacchan. It’s cute.”

“It’s not. Don’t you fuckin’ dare!” He snapped his teeth, meant to be threatening, but it only seemed to amuse the other man.

The greenette’s grin only widened, breaking out into full-on laughter. “Oh, now I definitely will. You should know I love a challenge as much as you do by now.”

“Oh, do you, now? And I’m supposed to care?”

The omega smiled cheekily. “I mean, I did match you at rock climbing, and I’d like to think I gave you a run for your money at the game before you got that last win, Ka-cchan.”

“You little shit! Stop calling me that! And get some fuckin’ glasses. That last round was completely mine.”

“You’re such a brat, Kacchan. Can’t accept when someone might be as good as you?” The tone was playful but not entirely aggravating.

Katsuki glared, but he felt his aggression slowly receding. “I’ll accept it when I see it. All I see from those was a lucky break.”

“Oh? From those? So, you’re saying that me beating you at rock climbing over five times was a lucky break?”

“Maybe,” he taunted. He didn’t really think that; the omega was clearly fit and agile.

“Then, I guess I’ll have to continue proving myself until you’re left without doubts.” He winked.

“I guess you will. I don’t have enough evidence to be fully convinced yet.”

The greenette smiled, noticing he had relaxed, and released him as the two continued to banter back and forth, but it was fun this time around. It made sense when he thought about it later; arguing was a familiar interaction, something he’d grown up with during his childhood.

At the end of the night, he couldn’t help but think this assignment wasn’t going to be as bad as he originally thought. Maybe Dr. Ji was onto something after all.

Chapter Text

In the dark, Katsuki waits, and waits. Hours must pass by—it’s hard to tell. The hunger gnaws at his stomach, the bile burning his insides; he needs to go to the bathroom, but what is he supposed to expel? They hadn’t given him anything. He feels himself slipping, but he thinks of his comrades, of his parents—he needs to stay strong. The door opens. That cloying almond extract smell makes its way to his system and he immediately coughs, slowing his breath to inhale as little of it as possible.

There’s a flash!

His cheek is bleeding.

Damned Fero.

He’s beyond words; he needs something to keep him human, but his hunger, the darkness, the anger—it’s all too much. This time, she’s brought in another omega, both of them releasing the sickening scents as much as possible. He couldn’t help it. He dug his nails into the skin of his thighs, the pain keeping him aware, if not coherent. His alpha is getting to be out of control, a too-strong beast rattling its cage and on the brink of escaping. His fangs elongate, his pupils narrow to pinpricks, and growls emanate from his being without his consent.

‘Why did they do this?’

He yells, “Get away! Don’t touch me!” but the omegas only laugh in his face.

“That takes away all the fun, puppy. You’ll never let another omega touch you after this.”

He crouches, poised to attack, but the chains scrape against his skin, leaving bright red lacerations in their wake. Just as he leaps to defend, everything goes black.

Katsuki awoke with a start, breathing heavily and checked his thighs for the marks and blood that he’d seen just a few moments ago. The marks vanished months ago; his skin was clean. Steadying his breathing, he looked around. The light filtering in through the corner of his blackout curtains illuminated the outline of his furniture.

Just another nightmare.

Getting up, he peeled the blankets away from his sweat-drenched skin.

“Time to get ready, I guess,” he grumbled as he made his way to the bathroom.

It was a bright, sunny day, and the blistering summer heat had begun to fade to a cool breeze. Today’s activity? Art Therapy. Katsuki wasn’t the artsy type whatsoever, but after hearing Midoriya’s ‘I’ve tried everything except for martial arts,’ he took it as a personal challenge to branch out and try the activities at least once—after all, his therapists, both past and present, recommended he push the boundaries of his comfort zone. This was him, pushing the boundaries alongside his therapy omega. There might be the ulterior motive of crushing Deku at something else, but it was minor. This was for therapy. Katsuki Bakugo excelled at everything, so some crappy painting about his dreams should be nothing.

“Mr. Bakugo, I love that you went ahead and gave life to your trauma—this painting is exquisitely detailed—but I’m concerned that you, as a hero, wish to murder these beings,” his visionless art therapist said upon gazing at the painting.

He could hear a snort—Midoriya’s attempt at suppressing his laughter while he continued on his own piece. Katsuki flipped him off as he tried to explain his piece to the extra, to explain that he’s not homicidal despite his frequent catchphrase: ‘DIE, SHITTY VILLAINS!’

“The bad guys aren’t dead, lady; they’re unconscious because I kicked their ass. This painting is clearly of me beating all the villains in Tokyo and becoming a symbol of victory.”

The woman squinted at the drawing and tilted her head sideways. For a moment, the blond thought that the therapist was slow but that she’d actually get it—that was before she muttered, “But why is there so much blood? The background is dark with warm, violent colors bleeding into the sky…”

Katsuki huffed. This was not the reaction he was expecting. He grumbled, “Have you ever seen a villain fight?”

The woman paled and then went beet red when she noticed she had mumbled the comment out loud. “O-oh, my bad, Mr. Bakugo. I-I didn’t mean any disrespect. I commend you for your masterful shading and overall details,” she rushed out as she apologized once more while moving on to the next station.

Midoriya, noticing Katsuki was getting somewhat riled up at the therapist’s attitude, abandoned his own painting, and walked over to the blond’s station.

The greenette hooked their index fingers while he looked at what the hero had made. Katsuki startled at the sudden touch. He usually hated touch, felt appalled and disgusted at it since the whole Fero episode, but this…this wasn’t revolting. He could handle this, he assured himself with a mental nod—it was his personal challenge, since the freckled man didn’t seem to be aware of what he was doing. Omegas tend to be touchier, and if the nerd felt the need to seek comfort from him, he wasn’t going to deny it—he was a hero after all. His alpha didn’t mind much either; the annoying fucker was moments away from purring, though Katsuki would never allow such a mortifying thing to happen and kept saying things like Good alpha. Omega feels safe with us.

In fact, his alpha was so vocal about it that it distracted him from the infuriating therapist, shifting his focus entirely to the man beside him.

Deku took his time to appraise the piece, completely oblivious to Katsuki’s inner conflict. The painting had a city during sunrise, the buildings’ surfaces dark, due to the shadows cast by the light behind. In the middle of the piece stood Bakugo in a triumphant pose, surrounded by bruised, cut, and bloodied corpses that, according to him, were still alive. The greenette’s eyes crinkled with amusement as he surveyed the piece.

“You really are good at everything, aren’t you?” he asked softly.

Katsuki’s alpha soared, his chest instinctively puffed out—he wasn’t one to turn away a compliment when it came his way. With a smirk he replied, “I really am, nerd.”

However, as it often happened, the omega’s lips turned to a shit-eating grin immediately shifting the mood. “However, are you sure those villains are alive? I’m pretty sure Japan’s laws protect them against this type of damage, and it would be sad to lose—what did you call yourself?” He paused for a moment tapping his chin, pretending to think, before continuing. “Oh, right! It would be an absolute tragedy to lose the symbol of victory due to manslaughter.”

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at him. “You lil’ shit. You were doing so well, too. I was just about to offer to buy lunch.” Then he added a grumbled, “They said dreams, they didn’t say it had to be abiding by real world rules.”

Deku laughed. “Sorry, sorry. All in all, you did show good skill here. Please pay for—wait—we don’t pay for lunch!”

The blond laughed, now walking over to the omega’s station, having the other powerwalking to keep up. Surely the brat did worse.

He didn’t.

Just like when sparring, Izuku proved to be a worthy match.

Izuku’s painting was overrun with emotion, textures, and symbolism. There was a green rabbit trapped in a cage with bars made of hateful words that, if Katsuki had to guess, had been used against the man himself. The rabbit was crying tears of different colors, but when you looked closer, there were vague violet and blue faces in the reflections. The dream part, he guessed, was that there was a key in the lock, painted in red and white, symbolizing that he hoped Japan would be liberating, maybe. It seemed the nerd poured what he felt into each stroke, a sort of organized chaos that only added to its content. Katsuki hoped that it was true; that the omega could find freedom and happiness during his time here. He wondered what exactly had happened abroad that could make him move here and if it had to do with those scars of his.

“Sorry, I know it’s a bit sad. I think I took the therapy part too seriously, huh?” He chuckled mirthlessly.

Katsuki huffed. “Well, isn’t that the whole point of this? It’s not as good as mine, but it’s not bad, Deku.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.” The greenette smiled, and that made a part of the blond loosen up and relax.

After taking their canvases and leaving them on the drying racks, they made their way to the offices where Katsuki had his scheduled check-in with Dr. Ji, but a nurse stopped them at the entrance. “Sorry, Bakugo, Dr. Ji is taking longer than she thought with the previous appointment. Could you partake in another activity while you wait, or would you rather reschedule?”

“I’ll wait.” He turned around on his heel and began walking away. He wasn’t going to make more trips than necessary.

“Kacchan, wait!” Deku called. “Where are we going now? We’re missing at least one session, you know.”

The blond stopped abruptly, causing the other man to bump into him. “What activity could we do that would allow that?”

The greenette pinched his plump bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger as he contemplated the question. After a moment’s thought, he answered, “I think that, out of today’s schedule, gardening would be our best bet. Are you willing to get your hands dirty, Kacchan?” he asked with a playful glint in his eye.

“I was born ready, Deku. I ain’t afraid of no dirt!”

With a chuckle, the greenette began walking towards the plot of land using his index finger to continue pulling Katsuki along. It’s like he completely forgot about it, which made Katsuki’s lips curl slightly upward. Usually, people flinched at the idea of touching him, those calloused, explosive hands that were capable of so much destruction; yet Izuku acted as if he was completely unaware of that or he just didn’t care. The itch that crawled under his skin at foreign touch, screaming that it was dirty, disgusting, was still there, but he was determined to fight it.

“So, what are we planting today?” Midoriya chirped, finally releasing the blond.

“I don’t know; you’re the one who wanted to get your hands dirty,” Katsuki said with a smirk, earning him a punch on the shoulder and an amused headshake. The freckled man insisted that he be the one to get their equipment and went over to the gardening shed that held all the tools they’d need before the hero could protest.

Katsuki waited by their spot for a while, pausing to check his phone and answer some texts, but after a few minutes, his anxiety shot up. Deku was taking too long. Abandoning his post, he walked over to the shed and peered inside—it was empty. His hands became restless. Izuku always let him know where he was going; he knew Katsuki doesn’t like surprises. He went back to the gardening area to see if they’d crossed each other and he just hadn’t noticed, but jade curls were nowhere to be found.

When he was about to walk back, a scent of aroused alpha hit him like a brick wall and alarms went off, blaring in his head.

Find omega. Eliminate the threat. Save omega.

Izuku could save himself, logically, the blond knew this, but logic is hard to listen to when your anxiety and alpha begin yelling the same thing in your mind. It was so loud! He needed to find the source, needed to see that his therapy omega was okay. He couldn’t exactly eliminate anyone in the therapy center, but he could sure as hell intervene and get them kicked out. Turning the corner behind the shed, where the fertilizer and some of the other materials were kept, his eyes caught a sight of emerald green.

The intruding alpha had the audacity to try and grope Deku’s ass. Katsuki began stomping his way there, but the freckled man wasn’t taking the gesture sitting down. Midoriya quickly slapped the other’s hand away and created distance between them.

“Oh, come on, sweetheart; I just wanna have some fun. You’re unmated, so you must be craving some dick by now,” the alpha said, closing the distance between them once more.

Katsuki felt like he was going to be sick—he felt absolutely mad, in both senses—his alpha screamed at him to retrieve the omega and his own rage at the lack of respect for the greenette clashing together.

“Oi!” he yelled, trying to get the other’s attention. Deku remained calm, and made a motion with his hand, asking Katsuki to stand down, but Katsuki couldn’t just allow this.

The other alpha didn’t flinch. Still standing uncomfortably close to the freckled omega, he gave Katsuki a side glance and asked, “Oh, is he yours?” while licking his lips. “You really shouldn’t leave a treat like this unmarked.”

“Shut the fuck up! You better back the hell away from him,” Katsuki snarled.

The other alpha puffed his chest out and bared his fangs in a dangerous grin—a clear challenge. Katsuki tried to breathe through it, but the pheromones the other was releasing were saturating the air around him, so he took off his scent patch and began releasing his own, causing the other alpha to stagger, but he had yet to back down.

Instead of submitting, the other alpha growled, stepping into Midoriya’s space once more.

The freckled man took another step back, covering his mouth and nose with his hand—the scents were suffocating him, Katsuki noticed.

“Leave us alone, or I’m calling security. Last warning,” Izuku said firmly, but as he reached for his phone, the knothead grabbed Izuku’s wrist.

Katsuki wasn’t sure how, but in the blink of an eye, his hand was wrapped around the other alpha’s wrist, adding so much pressure, that the other alpha let out a sound that was supposed to be threatening but that came out more like a whine in the end.

“Let him go,” he ordered the foreign alpha, tightening his grip—surely the bone was close to snapping.

The other alpha’s eyes darted between both of them before releasing Deku’s hands.

Without taking his eyes off the alpha, Katsuki asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, Kacchan, I’m okay,” he confirmed with a nod as he rubbed at his wrist.

After another beat, Katsuki flung the other alpha with unmeasured force, making the other stumble to the ground. Taking another step forward, he growled, “I better not see your ugly mug around here again, you fucker!”

The other alpha was losing himself. Katsuki needed to keep control. Keep Deku safe and keep the other alpha distracted long enough for security to arrive. He saw that Izuku had retrieved his phone and was contacting the main office.

Before security arrived, the other alpha let out a snarl and lunged towards Katsuki’s middle. Katsuki dodged it and took opportunity of the momentum to redirect the attacker straight towards the ground again. The fucker scrambled, getting back up on his feet, but instead of lunging for the blond a second time, he lunged for Midoriya.

Katsuki saw red.

He wasn’t entirely aware of what happened. He remembered baring his teeth and preparing his arms to blast, but then? He gained consciousness once more, the fading scent of spiced apples in the air. Blinking away the haze, he looked around. The offender had his arms tied behind him—no burns—and security had come to take him away.

Izuku was the one to go to them first. He spoke to the guards and explained how Katsuki was standing up on his behalf, since his attempts at reasoning weren’t working. The guards nodded, accepting the explanation and recording it before telling the blond to reel his scent back in, that the danger had passed. Katsuki couldn’t hear them though, his eyes had fixed on the alpha that dared to insult both him and Deku, broiling anger running through his veins at the sight of the man. He could hear the greenette’s voice far away, but he couldn’t understand what he was saying; soon, he didn’t hear anything at all. He was moving, his feet taking the lead without his consent. It wasn’t until he felt an index finger curl around his, that he whipped his head to face the shorter man, snarling at the offender—Deku, he recognized.

“Kacchan…Hey, Kacchan?”

“What the fuck do you want? I’m busy,” he said, eyes darting with confusion between the alpha being dragged away, Deku’s face to check if he was okay, and the lingering finger that wrapped around his own. His mind was overwhelmed with different thoughts. Attack. Protect. Stay. Retreat.

“Why did you decide to mix charcoal into your grenades a few years ago?”

Katsuki blinked, utterly disoriented. “What?”

“I asked why you decided to mix charcoal into your grenades, Kacchan.”

“Oh, um, to make explosions safer in closed off spaces. Why do you ask?” The blond released Midoriya’s finger, clutching his head in his arms, eyes closed; his head was pounding.

“No reason. Welcome back.” Izuku smiled warmly, then shook his head. It seemed he wanted to say something, but instead he asked, “Want to see if Dr. Ji is available now? I think that jerk cut into our gardening time.” The soft smile shifted to a grimace. “Sorry about that.”

The blonde released his hold and looked up at the man in front of him. “Tch. Why are you sorry? It’s that knothead’s fault.”

“Still, I should have done something sooner, but I was afraid to trigger him further. Thanks for standing up for me; that scent was nasty.” The greenette smiled brightly, making a dimple appear on his left cheek.

Katsuki’s alpha just about burst with pride at the acknowledgement, but all he did was ruffle the jade curls. “’s no problem, nerd. What kind of hero would I be if I didn’t, huh?”
Midoriya shook his head to get the blond’s hand off and pouted. “Don’t do that.”
Katsuki chuckled at the cute ridiculous sight and began walking towards the doctor’s office.

“Welcome back, Bakugo,” Dr. Ji greeted as she thumbed through his folder and wrote down the date. “How are you feeling? I hear you had a run-in with another patient.”

Katsuki huffed. “’m fine. Fucker was harassing D-Midoriya; it’s not like I can let him get groped by random alphas.”

“And you think Midoriya wouldn’t have been able to handle the situation?”

This made Katsuki pause. Midoriya thanked him, but... “He was too gentle—afraid to trigger the bastard.”

However, even the blond could acknowledge that it didn’t mean he was incapable—he’d seen Deku separate those two other alphas, so he had the skill for it without a doubt. Additionally, Katsuki still didn’t remember what happened, but he did know the outcome of losing himself to his alpha, of an alpha-alpha fight, and of going feral. None of those traits had been found in the scene he encountered when coming back to his senses. Had Deku intervened?

The doctor hummed, taking notes, but didn’t comment. “How has your treatment with Midoriya been?”

“Fine, I think. You were right; he can keep up with me, handle the outbursts. Isn’t bad company either.”

“Good to hear. His notes on you have been positive as well. Only after a week, you’ve been able to increase your tolerance from ten minutes to three hours and some minutes; it’s impressive. I’m glad to see that I didn’t underestimate either of your competitive spirits.”

“Thanks Doc.” Katsuki felt a weight lift off his shoulders. It was nice to have confirmation that he was improving.

“Have you tried to do exposures during sports?”

Katsuki nodded.

“Good; it’s good to measure your responses to moments with high adrenaline. And sparring?”

He shook his head. “No, not really. I didn’t think that’d be allowed.”

“Oh, sweetie, are you saying that because of Midoriya?”

“Well, yeah. He’s a therapy omega, not a hero or a pro-fighter.”

The doctor’s expression changed to one of extreme amusement. She knew something Katsuki didn’t. “Have you asked him about his thoughts on it?”

“No? He mentioned wanting to take martial arts, but I thought it was just one of those bucket list things, like take a self-defense class for omegas or something.”

Dr. Ji chuckled and shook her head. “I won’t say anything but ask him what he wants to do one day; he might just surprise you. He’s used to being with heroes; do you really think he went ahead into the field empty handed?”

Katsuki rose a brow, but the doctor didn’t let him ask anything.

“Have you considered hanging out with friends again?”

“Yeah, Doc, but since I’m spending most of my day with Midoriya, I haven’t really had much time to plan anything.”

The woman scoffed. “And you were just planning to ignore them for a month? You dummy, just take him with you guys! He’s an omega, not a pet. He’s allowed most places—except rut houses, of course,” she ended with a chuckle.

Katsuki widened his eyes at her words. How had he never considered that?

She narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s your homework. Alpha friends first. See a movie, have some drinks, go for a run; I don’t really care what you do.”

He scowled but nodded.

“Verbal answers, Bakugo.”

“Yeah, yeah; I’ll call Shitty Hair and Raccoon Eyes to do some shit this week.”

This seemed to be the correct answer because Dr. Ji smiled and nodded, scribbling furiously in her notebook—although she didn’t hold a candle at the nerd, he thought. The fact that Deku was back on his mind was becoming worrying.

“Now, one last thing before we run some minor tests: you had expressed your concern over the fact that your communication with your alpha had been nonexistent since the event: Is this still the case?”
Katsuki ran a hand through his hair. He’s supposed to be safe here, but he’s still worried about the doctor’s reaction. He can’t just say his alpha is interested in his therapy omega.

“Um, no.”

“Elaborate. When did it begin communicating with you again?”

“About a week ago.”

The woman furrowed her brow. “When you started treatment?”

“More or less; can’t remember the exact date,” he lied. He wanted to tell the truth, but not if it was going to make someone lose their job; especially if they were doing it well.

Dr. Ji hummed. “Interesting.”

“What is doc?”

She smiled sweetly. “Nothing, dear. Before our next appointment I want you to go out with those friends of yours and Midoriya. It’ll be good practice, and once you build a little more resistance, maybe you can attempt to meet your omega friend and your father.”

Katsuki gave a doubtful upturn of lips that couldn’t really be called a smile. “Sure,” he said, but he didn’t mean it. He couldn’t meet them until he was absolutely certain he wouldn’t hurt them.

The woman eyed him suspiciously. “In addition, you will work on touch tolerance. Begin small. A handshake, a brush of finger, stuff like that. When you begin feeling more comfortable with those, try something longer lasting; maybe like draping your arm over someone’s shoulder, or holding someone’s hand. Fans can be touchy, so you’ll need to work on that, so you don’t freak out at the first ‘Dyna-babes’ that want to grope a strong alpha. Maybe your friends, or even Midoriya, could help you out?”

His eyes widened, but he nodded. How the hell he’d do that without coming off as creepy or unnatural, he had no idea, but if the doctor ordered it, he supposed he’d have to find a way.

Chapter Text

That fucking red light mocked Katsuki, simply blinking at him as if saying, ‘Look at you, useless alpha. Can’t even defend against weak omegas and betas.’

Blink. Blink. Click.

It was the lock to his cell. The door opened slowly this time, most likely taking advantage of the fact that he could not release himself from the bindings. The scent of almond extract wafted into the space before its owner made her appearance. Katsuki tensed.

“Hey there, Mr. DynaMight. Ready for some fun?” Fero asked. A male beta followed with a wicked grin that reminded him of that bitch, Toga.

“Fuck you!” he managed to spit out, but his words were not acknowledged.

“Today, I’m leaving you in the hands of our resident twins. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time!”

He growled at them.

Wait. Twins?

The wind briefly howled, but before he could question where the current came from to cause such a noise, there was someone behind him. Where the hell had they come from?!

“DynaMight, I’m such a big fan!” the female twin said—an omega. She was behind him, but he never saw her enter. His breath hitched against his will at the feel of cold steel against his scent gland.

The boy laughed. “Thank you for this opportunity, mistress. We’ll do you proud.”

The too-sweet scent of maraschino cherries filled the room, keeping that almond extract note present in his mind, and Katsuki gagged. Bile rose—he forced it down. He was not about to give them that pleasure.

“That’s not very nice,” the girl pouted. They were a lot younger than the others, but their presence was dark, imposing.

The cherry scent rose; the boy grinned. “Let’s get started, shall we?”

Cut, punch, taunt. Increased scent. Cut, kick, taunt. Decreased scent.

His alpha was thrashing wildly, he felt his pupils slit and expand, teetering on the edge of losing himself before being brought back.

Their method was simple, but given that Katsuki was restrained and unarmed, it was effective.

Curse, block, snarl. It was all Katsuki could do. At times, his alpha took over, his consciousness compromised, but he regained control.

He never gave up, but neither did they. His skin was littered with scattered, crimson slits. He was tired, hungry. The scent increased. The sparse contents in his stomach rose in his throat, but this time, he couldn’t hold it back.

The boy gasped and staggered back. A look of disgust quickly replaced by a sadistic one. “Naughty, naughty, DynaMight. You’ll pay for ruining my new shoes.”

The boy discarded the knife on the ground, trading it for a set of knuckle rings. The first few punches hurt like hell. Katsuki spit out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. After a while, he simply became numb to them. The beta did not target his face alone. He seemed to take a sick glee in marking the blond up everywhere he could. Ribs, thighs, arms. The boy was excited, even aroused if the spike in his dulled scent and half-chub were indicators of anything. Disgusting.

With a growl, Katsuki aimed to bite at the wrist the next time the boy lunged. A mistake.

The next hit caused his vision to fade. He could no longer fight, could no longer move. The blond was completely at their mercy and he hated it.

The boy had procured the knife once more and cut open Katsuki’s clothes, the female omega clapping with glee nearby, although the hero no longer had enough energy to search from where.

“Maybe I should leave you knotless, eh, alpha?” he sneered.

“Aw, such a waste, big bro,” she said with faux dejection.

“Just cut it up a bit, then?”

“Ffffuck off,” Katsuki managed to utter, trying to stay conscious.

He felt the cold steel blade against his lower body, tracing lines down his hips, up along his perineum, his shaft, then around the head and back down. Katsuki couldn’t even tense. The movements were repeated, making goosebumps rise along his skin; an involuntary shiver ran down his spine. He felt weak, and dare he think it, fearful.

There was nothing he could do. Even his alpha had given up.

When the dagger was raised, poised to strike, he shut his eyes and clenched his jaw. He felt a warmth pool around his legs and bottom. He’d pissed himself, whether from fear or weakness, he couldn’t tell.

No pain came, only shame.

The two laughed at his expense.

Just when he thought it was all over, the beta approached Katsuki, nose covered. “Thank you for this Mr. DynaMight. Like Fero says, ‘even the great fall prey to fear under the right circumstances.’ This was fun. Let’s do it again!”

Katsuki cussed in his mind, but no words came out.

Then, darkness.

“Where are we going, Kacchan?” Deku asked, digging his heels with his arms crossed.

Katsuki turned around with an indignant expression. “What do you mean, where are we going?”

The greenette’s eyebrows rose, his arms flailing around him as he said, slightly exasperated, “You told me to put on my shoes, and then dragged me to this parking lot! Plus, you’ve ignored my questions the whole way here. How am I supposed to know?! As far as I know, you’re kidnapping me.”

Katsuki covered his mouth with his significantly larger hand, which Deku promptly bit, making him withdraw it and scrunch up his face in disgust. Gutsy little bastard. He scowled and hissed, “Shut the fuck up. I’m not kidnapping you, nerd. We’re going to the mall.”

“And you couldn’t just say that from the beginning?” he asked. To be fair, he had a point, but Katsuki wasn’t about to tell him as much. The omega eyed him suspiciously and then muttered, “I thought you didn’t like the mall,” before continuing their walk towards the car.

“Doc said I should get used to social environments. Isn’t a mall fucking social?” he huffed, seemingly offended at Deku’s observation.

In truth he was trying to follow that idiot Pinky’s suggestion. She seemed so offended that he’d only been doing the exposures at home or at the center and made a semi-valid point: Deku must be getting bored. So, he’d decided to take him shopping—omegas like that shit, or so he’d heard.

Midoriya put a hand on his hip and silently studied him.

“Stop staring. It’s freaky as hell.”

The greenette looked away, a light blush on his ears. “It’s just unusual for you, Kacchan, that’s all. Besides, weren’t we going to begin social contacts with your friends?

“Yeah, and we can plan that while we walk in the mall. What? You sayin’ I can’t handle a stupid trip? I can handle the supermarket, I can sure as hell handle a measly shopping mall, Deku.”

“Th-That’s not what I said at all! So mean,” the freckled man huffed, getting in the car as soon as it opened. When they began moving, he added, “Just don’t think I’m releasing my scent there. There will be too many scents already.”

Katsuki clicked his teeth. “Fine by me.”

This was not going as well as he thought it would.

Once at the mall, he tried to be more…amiable. He matched the omega’s pace and let the nerd gawk at random trinkets in the stores, but after the first few, he noticed that Deku would pick something up, look at it longingly, and put it away. That didn’t really work for Katsuki, especially since he also had to try to find ways to initiate simple contact, so he decided to take a new approach.

The next store was a clothing store, so the blond took the opportunity to walk towards the area where there were clothes that reminded him of Midoriya and began to pick out the ones he thought would look best. Every time he would pass something on to the omega, he’d try to make their fingers brush or their shoulders bump.

“Um, Kacchan, why are you picking out clothes for me?” the greenette asked in a flustered state. “I-I mean, we’re here for you, right?”

Katsuki avoided his eyes; stupid emeralds made his stomach flop. It was weird as fuck. Was this like a secondary quirk of his? “I’m helping you out, Deku. Didn’t you say you needed to update your wardrobe or something? You should be grateful that the son of two renowned designers is taking his time to give his opinion.”

Deku stuttered, “U-um yeah, I guess.” Then he brightened up and smiled softly, a persistent blush painting his cheeks as he whispered, “Thank you, Kacchan.”

The blond grunted his assent and kept on walking. Sometimes, he’d let his touch linger and Deku would look at him with an emotion he couldn’t quite figure out, before he’d retract his hand and cough or look to the side and move on. Admittedly, it got a bit awkward, especially when it seemed his alpha got the wrong idea about their little shopping trip and began its annoying little encouragements.

Good alpha, provide for omega.
Show we can make him happy.
Omega likes our choice!

They were almost finished making their selections when an attendant approached them. She smiled in that fake customer service way, and said, “Welcome! Can I help you locate anything?”

“We’re fine,” Katsuki grumbled, as he kept thumbing through the rack.

However, he didn’t take his eyes off her. She was an omega, and that alone left him on edge. It was thanks to this that he noticed the disapproving look she gave the greenette before she spoke to the man. “Shouldn’t you focus on lighter colors? An alpha wouldn’t spare a second look if you wore those. What kind of alpha wants such a depressive omega? Maybe get some gloves too, hun, don’t want anyone noticing those scars.”

The greenette didn’t say anything, merely thanked her for her opinion and turned around, but this served only to enrage the blond even more. “Why don’t you mind your own business? I’m pretty sure an extra like you isn’t paid to make their customers feel like shit. And you talk about what an alpha would like? I can assure you no alpha would want a judgmental, fake-ass bitch, so I’d look in a mirror before spewing those archaic views at others.”

He would’ve continued, but he felt a hand on his forearm that broke his rant. The omega’s eyes were glossy, but Deku shook his head as he murmured, “She’s not worth it, Kacchan.”

Katsuki let out a low growl that sent the trembling clerk running away before looking down at the man beside him. “Damn right, she’s not. Don’t listen to that crap, Deku; just wear what you like.” Then he turned around to walk to the fitting rooms. “Not like she had any room to give opinions—most flat-ass omega I’ve ever seen,” he grumbled.

Katsuki had said it to himself, but apparently the greenette heard, and let out a snort in a futile attempt to stop the bubbling laughter. Once it was out, he couldn’t stop himself. It was infectious, so the blond ended up laughing too, and something about the whole scene made him feel pleased.

Deku tried on piece after piece despite his initial protests, yet Katsuki couldn’t help but frown when he noticed that the omega did not accept anything but long sleeves. How many times must he have faced asshats like that clerk before? How many alphas have rejected him for what was clearly a sign of perseverance? Even if he didn’t know the story behind the scars, the blond knew they looked too gnarled for it to be something like a bike accident as a child or anything like that.

Still, they both selected the pieces they liked most, and went to pay. Katsuki’s initial plan to pay was foiled by a pup who recognized him. He patted the pups head and gave him his autograph, but by the time he’d turned around, Deku had already finished his transaction and was waiting for him by the entrance.

The next stop was a comic and collectibles store. It had been a while since Katsuki had indulged in entering one, doing most of his shopping online. Bids were sometimes frustrating because there was this one other fan with the handle SmallMight07 that constantly beat him. That said, being in a store like this one with so much rare merch was an exercise in self-restraint. He couldn’t just geek out and look like a total dweeb!

As if on cue, Deku squealed. “Oh-my-gosh, oh-my-gosh! They have a rare Bronze Age All Might special edition comic book. Only about a hundred were ever released!”
Well, okay, maybe he could.

“Hey, nerd, hand that over here,” he said as calmly as he could muster. Truth be told, he was freaking out too. He was only missing that one and two others; and the other ones were lost in bids to the American bastard, SmallMight07.

The greenette actually snatched it away with a playful smile, putting it in his basket. “Sorry Kacchan, this is the only one I’m missing—well, this one and number five because I was too slow.”

It couldn’t be…Katsuki won that comic on a bid. “Too slow?”

“Ugh, yeah. I get most of them on online bids, but there’s this guy—at least I think it’s a guy—with the handle #1GZ that outbids me every once in a while.”

The blond’s eye twitched. This guy is either his biggest rival or his soulmate. What the fuck?! “SmallMight?” he asked, mouth agape, because it just couldn’t be.

Deku’s eyes opened wide in surprise and understanding, eyebrows shooting all the way up as he stuttered, “N-No way! #1GZ?! I-It was you?!”

Suddenly, they were both engaged in a full-on geek out session, comparing their collections and venting their frustrations with bids against each other. For a moment, there was no one else there and he didn’t think about Fero, or his touch aversion, or even the fact that he still had two fuckin’ weeks minimum before he could get back to work. It was…nice.

Well, nice until they were spotted.

A short alpha, still in his mid-teens, approached them. “Oh. My. Gosh! You’re DynaMight! This is so exciting!” he said in a loud whisper. “Can I have your autograph, or maybe a picture?”

The greenette beside him gave him a nudge forward, encouraging him. It couldn’t be that bad, right? It was an alpha, and he’d been doing a lot better at interactions lately. “Yeah, I am, kid. But listen, I’m still on my hiatus, so if we could keep this between us?”

The boy nodded and almost purred, “Of course, Mr. DynaMight, sir. My lips are sealed. Please wait here.”

It was odd, but Katsuki figured it was just the kid being a weirdo—fans were like that sometimes. The little extra went, bought a DynaMight poster they had in stock, and practically sprinted back. The short alpha’s demeanor completely changed, and he was acting oddly, batting his lashes a little too much and putting his hand a little too low on the waist when Deku went to take the picture. It made Katsuki shiver.

“Thank you!” the kid chirped, but as he went to take the poster from the blond, he scented him and winked before turning around.

It felt so wrong.

The fan walked away quickly, so he didn’t see anything, but Deku immediately noticed that Katsuki was not okay. He was sweating more than usual, and he couldn’t stop his hands from shaking.

Filthy, disgusting, unworthy, his mind supplied. His alpha didn’t stay silent either.

Clean, clean, clean. Eliminate the scent. Omega won’t want us like this.

He needed to calm down, he needed to focus on something. Seeing Deku’s hand, he automatically reached for it, hooking their fingers together, just like the omega had done before. It allowed him to breathe again, but his breathing staggered. It stank; it stank so badly of that runt.

The greenette, observant as ever, sniffed the air, immediately noticed what upset him, and took out a small pack of scent-neutralizing wipes from his backpack. As gently as he could, he wiped it over Katsuki’s gland, wordlessly removing the offending pheromones. There was still a remnant of the feeling, but it was like a weight had been lifted.

“Fans can be so disrespectful,” the omega muttered, as he sifted through the contents of the cart. “Hey, Kacchan,” he said a bit louder now, “do you have this Silver Age pin? They’d sold it overseas, but I don’t remember if they had it here in Japan, too.”

It took a minute for Katsuki to focus on the words.

“Kacchan, do you have the pin?” Deku asked again, this time his smile faltering a little.

Katsuki straightened up a little before he answered, “Of course, I do. What kinda fan do you take me for?” as naturally as he could.

They remained in the reading area for a while longer. Katsuki settling his heartbeat as he listened Midoriya nerd out about their favorite hero. The thought of All Might himself still upset the blond to an extent—All Might left UA and moved to the U.S. right after Katsuki had provoked All for One, after all. No matter the reassurances the older man gave, the explosive hero still felt responsible for it.

At some point during that train of thought, Deku had ordered coffee, because when he suggested moving to the café area, the server was already preparing their drinks. As they waited, Katsuki took a moment to look around; the place was pretty big, and the food looked halfway decent.

Having regained full awareness, he felt something twitch against his fingers.

Oh. Oh, fuck.

His fingers were still linked to Deku’s!

Quickly, he retreated his hand as if burnt. “Shit. Sorry, Deku. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable or anything.”

The freckled man looked worried, almost hurt, but quickly schooled his expression and said, “That’s okay, Kacchan. I know you have to work on touch; I don’t mind.”

Katsuki gave a grunt, but nothing else. What exactly could he say?

Thankfully, the waitress came by and gave them their orders, which broke a little bit of the tense atmosphere he’d created. So much for a fun day out. He sucked at this.

At least one of them had social skills, because Midoriya quickly retook their conversation. As they drank their coffees and ate some spicy chicken wraps, they began talking about possibilities for their outing with Mina and Eijirou. He’d rather begin with those who’d be safe to approach.

As their plates were cleared, the server thanked them for eating there and gifted them some freshly baked almond cookies. The smell was overpowering. His fingers dug into his thighs, and his leg began bouncing up and down.

“Sorry,” Deku said sheepishly, offering the person and apologetic smile and rubbing the back of his head. “I’m super allergic; I can feel my throat itching already. Can you give this to someone else?”
The server immediately took them away, offering a thousand apologies as they scurried off.

Katsuki released the breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding in.

“All good, Kacchan?” the man before him asked, bright eyes searching his.

“All good, Deku.” Then a thought popped into his head. “Wait here; I’ll be right back.”

Admittedly, he still felt bad about the hurt reaction on the greenette’s face once he retracted his hand so brusquely. Even if Midoriya himself hadn’t reacted negatively, the man’s omega was probably being as annoying as his alpha due to the time they were spending together. Given that his main objective that day had been to take Deku shopping as an apology for having him cooped up, and he hadn’t been able to pay for anything yet, he stealthily waved the server over.

Tiptoeing around was completely worth it when he saw the look on Deku’s face as the cashier told him, “Oh, no. Don’t worry, mister. Your purchase has been paid for!”

Katsuki turned around and began walking out of the store, chuckling at the omega’s face whose cheeks were puffed out in indignation.

“Kacchan!”

Ignore.

“Kacchan, wait!”

Ignore again.

“Kacchan, I didn’t know you were such a coward.”

Pause.

“A what?”

“A coward. Doing things, then running away. If you want to do stuff for me then you’ll have to do things upfront, or I’ll think you’re spineless, no better than the extras you’ve defeated.” Then with a dramatic sigh and swoon, he added, “Whatever will become of DynaMight’s reputation then?”

He huffed. The nerd was just being ridiculous. “You’re making no sense, Deku. Just shut up, be grateful, and accept the favor.”

“Nope! That’s way too much money. How about,” he paused, tapping his index finger on his rosy bottom lip, “something simple. A game of rock, paper, scissors!”

With a snort, he turned around. “Quit playin’, nerd. Let’s just keep going.”

The freckled man scoffed. “I’m not playing. You know what? I’ll make it interesting for you. If you win, I’ll give you issue #8. I know you still don’t have it because it hasn’t been put up for bidding since about three years ago, and I won that one.”

A competitive fire was lit within him once again. “You’re on! Best two out of three?”

“You got it!” Deku replied with a smirk.

In the end, Katsuki won, feeling smug that he got to pay for everything and acquire a rare piece for his collection as well. The rest of the day went fairly smooth. They went into a few more stores and he bought Deku a few more things because he has no fuckin’ fashion sense beyond hero merch.

Omega is happy. We made omega smile.

His alpha was preening—he pushed it down. He needed to ignore it; his alpha was dense as fuck. Deku was already becoming a good friend; it’s not like he could deny that anymore, but there was still that nagging feeling that Deku’s only there for his job. Katsuki can’t fucking fall for those tiny chocolate freckles, those annoying as fuck emerald eyes, that smooth ivory skin, and he especially could not look down to that thick ass or muscled thighs like his alpha wanted because it’s just not right.

The blond decided to focus on the different store fronts to clear his mind.

As they were making their way to the car, hands full of bags, a large group of friends, maybe a pack, went by, laughing loudly and making a fool of themselves. In a way. they reminded the Katsuki of his own.

Katsuki led Deku through the opposite side of the road to avoid the aggregate of scents that was sure to follow them, but the wind blew from that side. A mere fraction of a second later, the blond’s brain hyper focused on one scent: Almond Extract.

Deku must’ve smelt it too because he quickly grabbed Katsuki’s arm and dragged his shaking form with help of his quirk to the car, throwing all the bags in the back in one swift motion.

“Breathe with me, Kacchan. You’re safe, we’re in your car. It’s just me, Deku.”

Katsuki nodded. His brain understood, but his body seized up and he couldn’t really make sense of it. There were too many colors, too many movements outside. His fight or flight sense was skewed, and he was heavily considering getting out of the car—it was too small. He wanted to breathe, he needed to, but his lungs didn’t listen.

“Kacchan,” Deku called, intertwining their fingers. “Focus on me, Kacchan. Remember what Dr. Ji taught you.”

The hero’s eyes drifted towards the source of that entrancing voice that broke through all the noise the rest of his senses produced and locked onto the emerald ones that beckoned him.

Once again, Deku reminded him to breathe.

On instinct, because he sure as hell wasn’t calling the shots, his hand moved to Deku’s chest, feeling the rise and fall of it as he had during their second day together, going over the exercises he’d practiced so many times. It was grounding, not disgusting.

We’re safe, we’re safe, we’re safe.

Midoriya held onto that hand, and in that instant, his mind cleared. His lungs filled with fresh air imbued with his amber, sandalwood, and cinnamon, along with Deku’s calming spiced apples, causing his body to unwind.

“Better?” the omega asked, giving his hand a small squeeze, smiling hopefully at the blond.

Katsuki nodded, taking deep breaths. The scarred hand on his kept him tethered to reality, thumb rubbing along his knuckles in a soothing motion until he fully responded.

He was safe. He was with Deku, and they were safe. Fero was not there, nor would she ever be.

Chapter Text

Midoriya Izuku was an ass for making him feel all different and, dare he say it, positive. How dare he make Katsuki change?

“Kacchan! Five and a half hours!” Deku chirped with a little jump in this step while they walked back to the apartment from the train station after a successful day at the center.
Omega is proud of us! Omega is happy!
“Tch. Were you seriously doubting me, nerd?” he asked, looking down at the greenette, towering over him, but as always, the man did not budge. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that—it was both irritating due to his nature and refreshing because it meant the freckled man felt safe around him, like he wasn’t a threat.
Midoriya rolled his eyes and playfully elbowed the blond alpha. “I would never. How could I ever look down on the number three hero?”
Katsuki averted his eyes, grumbling, “Shut up,” as he pushed the omega away.

Almost two weeks of immersion therapy had gone by, and being constantly surrounded by Deku’s scent had been extremely productive. Before, it had gotten to the point where Katsuki was getting discouraged and feared that he wouldn’t be able to return to work again, but now, thanks to Deku, he was almost at his midpoint goal. It hadn’t been easy, though; he’d snapped quite a few times, but it was improvement, nonetheless. Doc did say it would take time.

Going over his last session with Dr. Ji, he remembered feeling proud when she said, “Midoriya has spoken very highly of you and he has every reason to. Not only has your scent tolerance gone up considerably, but your attitude seems better as well.”

Of course, Katsuki snorted. “Doc, I may be improving on the whole scent shit, but my attitude is as messed up as it ever was.”

The female alpha narrowed her eyes at him, a playful smirk upon her lips. “You haven’t said ‘fuck’ or yelled in the twenty minutes we’ve been here.”

And that made the blond pause. Hell, she was right. He was changing. Sure, touch still fucked him up sometimes, and certain words or scents set him off, but he was improving, and that lifted his spirits considerably.

Walking up the winding path, clad in athletic wear, Katsuki made his way to the small artificial lake that was in the middle of the park. The day itself was slightly breezy, very few clouds were in the sky, but just enough to mellow the intense brightness of the early morning sun. It was pretty great weather for an early jog.

Given that it was summertime, the chrysanthemums and violets were in full bloom, adorning the lake’s surroundings. Deku was already on a bench, talking to someone on his phone. The nerd worried his bottom lip as he heard the other person speak, playing with the hem on his shorts. He wore a tight burnt orange rashguard, with black shorts and black tights under them—a very similar look to the one he’d worn on their first day, but something about seeing him in an orange so similar to the one on Katsuki’s costume made his alpha stir. The blond really wished the fucker would stay dormant because Katsuki refused to screw this shit up—his secondary gender could go to hell.

“…yeah, ok. I told you I’m fine, Mom, you really don’t have to worry. Yeah, he’s nice, and no, you can’t believe the crap they post on newspapers. If you did, then-”

Noticing Katsuki for the first time, Deku grinned and waved enthusiastically, getting the hero to give a small wave and finally approach.

The freckled man held a finger up and spoke into the phone again. “H-Hey- yeah, Mom? He’s here; I’ll talk to you later, okay? Yeah, yeah. Love you too.”

As the greenette put his phone away in his runner’s backpack, Katsuki couldn’t help but smirk. “Told your mom about me, Deku?” he asked, with a teasing air, raising his brow and crossing his arms over his chest.

The freckled man took it in stride. “Yeah, Kacchan. I’m a hero fan, as you well know. I can’t tell anyone else, but I needed to tell my mother, or I’d explode!”

Katsuki’s lips twitched into a rare smile and even rarer laughter bubbled up in his chest. He was going to reply to that when he felt a large hand clap his shoulder.

“Bakubro!”

Of course, it was Kirishima.

“Hey there, Blasty,” Mina chirped and waved, then looked to the side at the wide-eyed greenette that seemed to vibrate with excitement.

“OH. MY. GOD! Y-Y-You’re Red Riot and Pinky! I’m so glad to meet you!”

The redhead grinned. “Nice to finally meet‘cha, man!”

Mina bounced on the balls of her feet. “Oh, I can’t believe you’re really here, Deku! Katsuki didn’t mention you were such a cute green bean!”

The freckled man looked at her, then at the blond, then back at her, bewildered. “Cute? Green bean?”

“Shut up, racoon eyes,” Katsuki barked, then moved to stand between the other alphas and Midoriya. Giving the guy a side glance and light punch in the shoulder, he tsked and asked, “Why the hell are you nervous, Deku? Just treat them like any other two idiots on the street; you were just fine when you met me.”

“Mean!” Mina called, sticking out her tongue at the blond. “After we take the time from our patrol to see and help out our best bud, this is how you treat us?” She fake pouted and put a hand to her forehead dramatically. “What ever shall we do, Ei?”

Deku suppressed a chuckle at her antics, but as soon as Eijirou spoke to him again, he got so flustered, he had stuttered and mumbled halfway through the rest of the introductions. This didn’t last though. He gained his confidence once more and spoke to them with ease.

Seeing the three of them interact was like having three direct sources of sunshine in front of Katsuki—three beings that radiated so much life, happiness, and warmth that it was blinding. It was nice to have a day out with the alpha couple again, and Katsuki would deny it if anyone asked, but he actually missed the two dumbasses.

They jogged for an hour. At first, they all kept pace, pointing out things they saw, but Deku must have seen that Katsuki was getting bored because he said, “Hey, guys, how about a little race through that forest area? The uneven ground serves for good training, right?”

Kirishima grinned, “Sounds good to me!”

Mina chirped, “I’m in!”

And Katsuki gave a feral grin. “You’re on, Deku!”

“All right, alphas,” Midoriya began, “let’s circle around to the fountain and we’ll run from there.”

The blond felt his skin tingle in anticipation.

“On your marks.”

Katsuki took a deep breath, his heart beating wildly in his chest, drowning out his friends’ taunts.

“Get set.”

His hands twitched, his every fiber hyperaware of his challenger and the path to the finish line.

“Go!”

He sprinted forward, hearing and feeling the crunch of leaves, branches and dried dirt beneath his feet.

“You’re fast Kacchan, but I’m faster!” the omega taunted, leaving a trail of spiced apples in his wake as he dashed past the blond.

Katsuki could hear Kirishima and Mina hoot and holler behind him, “Damn! Go, Mido!” but his eyes could only see green curls as he pushed himself to catch up.

It didn’t take long to get close enough to the nerd.

“Bet you can’t catch me before we get there!” Deku said, giving a wink and setting off into a sprint again, this time zig zagging along the tree line to lose his pursuers.

Our omega is fast and strong.

Katsuki shook his head. This wasn’t the moment for his alpha to step in.

“Don’t get too cocky Deku; this race isn’t over yet!”

The guy was still a good way ahead, his friends were following nearby.

“Dude, Midoriya is wicked fast!” Kirishima panted.

“Yeah; I didn’t think the little dude would outrun us like this,” Mina added.

Our omega is impressive. Catch him. Win and mate, win and mate!

The blond almost choked. What drugs was his alpha on?! Although, he had to admit, Deku was kicking their asses. He smirked. “Did you think I would accept any therapy omega? Of course, he has to be the best.”

The alpha couple shared a look Katsuki couldn’t quite decipher, but that didn’t matter at the moment. He had to beat Deku. His legs and lungs felt the burn, but it only fueled his drive. For those last two minutes before the forest exit the only thought in his mind was ‘Catch Deku’.

The omega giggled as he evaded Katsuki’s attempts at grabbing his shirt. The guy was a nimble little fucker.

Then he said, “Hey Deku,”

"Yeah, Kacchan?”

“Did you see the new commemorative badge for All Might’s Silver Age reboot?”

That made the greenette stutter enough that his step faltered, and he stumbled. Before Katsuki’s mind processed, he lunged, taking them both down. Still, he broke the freckled man’s fall, cushioning Deku’s head with his own hand. “Gotcha, Deku!”

The omega was flushed with exertion, panting, and laughing lightly. Katsuki gulped. The scent of spiced apples was incredibly thick thanks to the exercise and he could feel his mouth water, fangs itching.

Midoriya, oblivious to his plight, shook his head with amusement and gave his chest a playful push yet didn't make the move to stand. The blond was too stunned to move.

“You’re- You’re unbelievable! That’s cheating!”

“Are you guys okay?” Eijirou asked worriedly, the other two finally catching up to them.

Katsuki, realizing their position, snapped out of his daze and scrambled to get up.

Mina frowned. “Yeah, you took a pretty bad tumble!”

Midoriya nodded, catching his breath. “Yeah, we’re fine. Kacchan here just can’t stand to lose, so he’d rather trick me.”

The blond dusted his pants off and shouted, “It’s called strategy, Deku. Eat my dust!” as he broke into another sprint to the finish line. He felt his face still warm from the tumble; he needed to distance himself from the nerd.

He could hear the chuckles from the other three, and Deku saying, “Let’s make him regret those words.”

The other two pumped their fists. “Hell yeah!”

The chase was exhilarating. “Keep your eyes on me, Deku, you dweeb! I’m winning this shit, not you!”

The clean forest air purified his system, allowing him to focus a little more on the race and less on the lingering scent of feisty omega.

The fountain came into view. The sting from the scrapes was beginning to annoy him, but he didn’t have a chance to fixate on it because he felt a fist bump against his shoulder.

“Who are you calling a dweeb, #1 GZ?”

Katsuki’s eye twitched. He tried to go faster, but his legs didn’t cooperate. Fortunately, it seemed Deku was just as tired because they ran side by side, huffing and gaining an inch before losing it again, until they got to their destination. Once there, the omega passed him a water bottle.

A minute later, the other two alphas came into view. “Got any water for us?” Mina asked.

Midoriya smiled and nodded. “I brought some Onigiri. Want to go over to the shade and take a break?”

Eijirou beamed. “That sounds amazing, man!”

“I’ll get the first aid for you two pups,” she snickered as she rummaged around in her backpack.

Katsuki and Deku both grumbled a little at that but didn’t make a move to stop her from cleaning up their scrapes.

While, leaning against a tree trunk, wiping down the streaks of sweat that ran down his brow, Kirishima asked, “So, Mido-bro, how has your experience with Kats been so far?”

Midoriya, who sat across from him, brightened up when spoken to, shooting the shark-toothed hero a signature smile before answering, “It’s been good. I feel honored that I was chosen as his therapy omega; he’s been making great progress!”

Mina leaned against Kirishima’s side and wiggled her eyebrows. “And Bakuhoe, how has your experience been? And don’t give us that ‘fine’ bullcrap; we want deets! Haven’t seen you in forever, hun!”

Katsuki’s face flushed, and he took a towel to wipe sweat away, to pretend it’s only because of the exercise that he’s probably beet red and not because his alpha wouldn’t stop pestering him about the friendly omega beside him.

“What do you want me to say, you dumbasses? I’ve already told you all of it. The nerd deals well with my panic attacks, we’ve managed to up the time from ten minutes to almost six hours, and he’s not bad company either. I’d say it’s been good so far.”

Midoriya hummed in agreement, pleased with the answer, as he took another bite.

Shitty hair had the audacity to laugh. “Dude, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about anyone! Midoriya, I don’t know what you’ve done with him, but you have our respect.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? I say nice crap all the time,” Katsuki snarled, but a scarred hand resting on his shoulder magically caused all the anger to seep out. He flinched and felt confused because this kept happening and it wasn’t normal—it just wasn’t! Touch equaled disgust, couldn’t he just go back to that?

Green eyes bore into his and he felt compelled to hold the gaze, to not look away. “Don’t worry, Kacchan; I think he’s trying to say that you’ve had impressive improvement so far; not so different than what Dr. Ji or I have been telling you.”

Katsuki scoffed and looked away. “Yeah, yeah.” His ears burned, but no one really had to know.

Deku chuckled, shaking his head.

A loud cackle and a snorting laugh broke their moment of peace.

The greenette raised his brow, confused, but Katsuki had a feeling and glared at the two hyenas in front of him; this, of course, only had them double over, laughing even harder.

The omega leaned to his side, whispering, “Did I miss something?”

Ignoring the pleasant warmth from the body next to him, the blond huffed and shook his head. “Nope. They’re just being dumbasses.”

He was rewarded with a small giggle, and that almost made up for the wheezing comments his friends made right after.

“Did he just call you KACCHAN?!” Kirishima bellowed, and Ashido joined in.

“Midoriya, that’s too cute for the god of explosions here!”

Deku’s arms flew up to quickly cover the crimson tinge that overcame his skin as he gave a strangled groan. Katsuki couldn’t decide whether to coo and tease the greenette or strangle his best friends—he’d attempt both.

“I’m so sorry, Bakugo! It just came out! That was so unprofessional,” the greenette mumbled, completely mortified.

“Who the fuck is Bakugo now? I got used to Kacchan, so just stick to that embarrassing shit.” Then he turned to the two freaks he called best friends, tiny explosions setting off in his hands. “What the fuck are you two laughing at?! Get ready to die, you little shits!” and he tackled them, roughly—yet playfully—and wrestled them to the ground.

“We give, we give!” Kirishima yelled, but his pleading was ignored.

“You haven’t suffered enough!” Katsuki replied, as he grappled with his friend on the ground, letting Mina have a reprieve from the fictitious fray. Midoriya’s laughter filled the background.
After they’d settled down, Katsuki and Mina went over to throw the trash away before they left to go to the couple’s apartment for game night. He saw that Kirishima had approached the greenette, but before he could even acknowledge about it, Mina was pulling him along.

As they approached, the blond noticed that Kirishima and Deku had shifted to face the park. He saw the redhead’s eyes widen the way they did when he solved a puzzle as the nerd spoke.

Katsuki had a feeling that would be a problem later. Once within hearing range, Mina put a hand to his forearm, telling him to wait a bit—eavesdropping, even on her husband. The woman never changed.

It seemed that Kirishima had said something funny because Midoriya laughed a little.

“I don’t think so,” Deku spoke in a hushed tone as he shook his head, looking to the playground where a few pups were playing tag. “Bakugo’s been trying really hard to get better, and he pushes himself harder than anyone I’ve seen. I think he puts up with me because he wants to get back to what he does best: being a hero.”

Kirishima clapped a hand on the omega’s shoulder. “Nah, man! Yeah, sure, he’s a workaholic, but he doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t have to be nice to you; he chooses to do so. Do you have any idea how many assistants he went through in his first year alone?”

Before Midoriya could respond to that, and before his ex-best friend decided to embarrass him further, Katsuki bellowed, “HEY, IDIOTS! LET’S GO, WE’LL BE LATE TO THE GAME!”

Kirishima jumped up, waving a hand for Deku to follow, and raced towards the blond and Mina, replying, “HOW CAN WE BE LATE?! THE GAME BEGINS WHEN WE GET THERE! IT’S AT OUR HOUSE!”

Before getting into Eijirou and Mina's car, they decided to use the bathroom near the parking lot, leaving Katsuki and Midoriya to wait. Taking the opportunity, the alpha nudged the freckled man's shoulder.

“Hey, Deku?”

The greenette blinked and cocked his head sideways, curiously asking, “What?”

He took a breath. It was time to finish his homework from Dr. Ji. “What’s something you’d like to do? How about you pick the next hangout?”

“Really, Kacchan?” The way those two emeralds lit up with excitement and hope made Katsuki’s heart skip a beat. The man seemed to ponder his answer briefly. “Well, I did want to…” he trailed off; the light was snuffed. “Nah, we can just keep doing whatever you want.”

Katsuki frowned. Whatever Midoriya wanted to do couldn’t be that bad. “Come on, nerd, spit it out.”

Deku seemed reluctant but after a second nudge, he relented. “I have been itching to spar, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

What the hell? Why would that be bad?! “Have you met me?! I’ll ask at to use the training area at the agency.”

The omega clapped and bounced in his seat with excitement. “Really?! Oh, gosh, that would be great!”

The agency allowed the sparring practice as long as they had Dr. Ji’s approval, which Katsuki got the very next day. Kirishima and Mina joined them as emotional support per Deku’s request—they also served as a reminder for Katsuki’s alpha that this was between friends.

At that point, he couldn’t really deny the green-headed man made his days more bearable. Deku was an annoying little shit, but he was also patient and kind, even when Katsuki was being petulant. He’d improved so much with Deku, and he did not want a different support omega. It wasn’t always easy, though. His alpha kept making stupid comments, blurring with his real thoughts sometimes, but Katsuki had to do his best to keep himself under control—an increasingly difficult task—especially on that day, where Deku would be releasing his scent the whole time they were to train—another suggestion from Doc to check how he’d respond in hero-like situations.

Their small group had been assigned the 7:00 p.m. slot after the shift change so that the agency was as empty as possible. Some people greeted Midoriya, which was weird for a second before Katsuki remembered the man had mentioned working with other heroes, so he rationalized that must’ve been the reason for it and shrugged it off.

Turning on the lights, he gave the omega a general tour of the area, leading him through the main offices, cafeteria, conference rooms, and finally to the lockers to store their belongings, before entering the vast training space. It was there that the greenette removed the last of his scent patches—he’d taken off the ones on his wrists back at the apartment—and Katsuki’s skin felt electrified in anticipation.

It had been almost five fuckin’ months since he’d last sparred.

They were really doing this!

Each training room had their own set of lockers as well as design. This one was the one Katsuki used the most, since it had been quirk-proofed against chemical and elemental bases—hence fiery explosions would barely cause a dent.

Once they left the lockers, there was a control room on the right, where those that weren’t fighting could monitor everything from a safe distance behind quirk-proof glass. There was also a narrow, around four-foot-wide area to the side where there were two benches, usually used to stretch against or take a moment to rest. And finally, there was the sparring arena.

That particular arena was great for practicing aerial moves since it had a twenty-foot-high roof and had various beams that crisscrossed at around fourteen feet, so that he could gain a vantage point. In addition to that, there were small blocks on the walls, that at first glance looked to be there for cosmetic reasons but could be used as shields or to gain momentum. As for width, it must have been around fifty by eighty feet, so, shorter than a basketball court, but wide enough to spar comfortably in. Katsuki took the sight in with excitement—it had been too long since he’d last been within those walls.

Seeing as how it had been a while since the blond had been able to spar, Katsuki suggested they all warm-up and begin with quirkless shadow sparring to loosen up, using each other as imaginary targets. For the first one, Kirishima and Deku worked together on the left side of the area, and Mina and Katsuki on the right. Admittedly, seeing the redhead against the omega was harder than he’d thought. His alpha was a raging mess. Mina noticed and eyed him, daring him to do anything with a teasing smirk on her pink alien face—the challenge kept him from reacting. Then, it was Deku and Mina, and Kirishima and Katsuki. His best friend was relentless; even if his alpha berated him, he didn’t have time to dwell on it. After about twenty minutes of that, they were all pumped, and Katsuki had sweat enough to use his quirk. Even though they all wanted to spar, he quickly claimed the arena and pulled Deku along with him.

On Mina and Kirishima’s call, the session began. Katsuki, thinking Deku’s quirk enhanced speed and strength, began on the offense, quickly blasting his way forward, playing with angles so that the greenette would have a harder time blocking or evading. He didn’t expect the nerd to zoom across the field and materialize black tendrils that grabbed him by the ankle, effectively throwing him to the side against one of the blocks.

Fuck!

In a stroke of luck, the blond bounced off it and managed to land on all fours, skidding to a halt.

Hunt!

The attack gave him a different sort of adrenaline rush, one he’d never felt before. In an instant, his pupils narrowed, the world around him faded and he could only see Midoriya, who looked fierce and utterly devastating as green lightning danced around his body, and his quirk shimmered under his skin.

Katsuki smirked and recovered quickly, breaking into a sprint to blast himself up to the beams above while blasting an AP shot in Deku’s direction, grazing his bicep.

“How many quirks do you even have, Deku?” he growled.

Midoriya returned that smirk, and with a flick of his fingers sent a blast of air that made Katsuki deviate a little.

That was familiar.

From where?

The freckled man was quick; another blast was a firm reminder to focus.

“Just one, Kacchan! It’s just a little complicated.”

“I can see that!” he yelled back, as he set off a sequence of blasts against his opponent. All the while, his alpha kept pestering him.

Hunt! Chase him, catch him, claim him. Make omega ours.

Katsuki, of course, ignored his alpha as best he could; he couldn’t claim Deku—not that he wanted to. It seemed the omega was affected as well; his pupils dilated, his eyes often drifted from the blond’s face, and his scent was just a smidge richer. It was exhilarating to feel that instinctual need to prove their prowess, to prove themselves a worthy match, and to make the other submit.
They gained confidence and speed around each other, moving seamlessly, blocking and attacking, hitting their target every once in a while, but ultimately ending in a draw as the time ran out.
Kirishima and Mina watched the two intently. It looked more like a mating dance than a fight; the other two were absorbed in their match, oblivious to the world around them. They were both interested, that much was clear thanks to their scents, and it made the couple happy for their friend. Nonetheless, they felt they were missing something.

As they reset the grounds so that Kirishima and Mina could spar, Katsuki kept stealing glances at Deku.

'Is he a sidekick? A bodyguard? He must have training to fight like that.'

“Hey, Kacchan? You’ve been around my scent for hours, and you managed to fight without being overly aggressive—by your standards of course-” He giggled.

“Lil’ shit,” Katsuki grumbled.

“-so, I was wondering if you thought you wanted to meet your friend Kaminari soon. I know you miss him, and I think we could meet at The Center’s café so that Dr. Ji and the others could be there if anything happens—although I don’t think it will—or even your apartment if that’d be more comfortable for you.”

Katsuki’s eyes widened at the suggestion. Sure, that would be awesome, but was it time?

Mina jumped on Katsuki’s back, almost sending him toppling forward. “Yes! That’s a great idea!” she effused.

“Get off me, Raccoon Eyes!”

She giggled and jumped off, going to Kirishima and snaking her arms around his torso, barely containing her excitement.

The redhead patted him on the shoulder. “I think you’re ready, bro. It’d be super manly if we could all hang out together again.”

The blond bit his lower lip and pondered over the suggestion, his mind running through all the possibilities, when he felt a familiar index finger curl around his own. His heart beat a little faster, but his worries eased—it felt right; he didn’t release— instead, he maneuvered their hands so that their palms faced each other and laced their fingers together. Deku gave it a squeeze and looked into his crimson eyes, “You’re ready, Kacchan.”

And with that show of support, looking into those green eyes, he didn’t find a reason to deny, so he nodded.

They went back to the apartment after their sparring session with his friends to complete the day’s scent exposure and so the nerd wouldn’t eat a crappy snack from the corner market instead of actual food. During the last scent exposure of the day, they had been comparing items in their collections and he had corrected Deku on a fact, so the omega had begun teasing him about being the bigger nerd.

Katsuki wasn’t going to stand for that, so he wrestled him to the ground.

They were just rolling around, laughing and having fun, but his alpha had to ruin everything.

We could have this every day. Make omega ours.

With a surge of adrenaline, Katsuki ended up straddling Deku, pinning him to the ground by the wrists. He relished the victory for a second and tried to catch his breath, both of them panting heavily. Deku struggled a little and attempted to twist his hips so that he could topple the blond, which caused some friction against Katsuki’s crotch. To make matters slightly more difficult, their scents had been intensified by their earlier sparring session and by the wrestling.

For a split second, time slowed down. He noticed how the greenette was absolutely flushed, still lightly panting, stabilizing his breath; how Midoriya wet his plump lips with a swipe of his tongue; how a single drop of sweat trailed down freckled cheeks and made its way down his neck to disappear into his collar; how corded muscles twitched under his grip, still overexerted from the last escape attempt—it was too much.

He quickly got up and mumbled an excuse about having to go to the bathroom, leaving a very confused greenette on his living room floor. He wasn’t having another panic attack, but his heart sure as hell wasn’t taking the hint. Actually, it did. His bastard heart knew exactly what it was doing, sending all his blood to his nether regions.

He cursed. Why now? How embarrassing! Thoughts of Deku panting, sweating, and writhing under him kept popping up, and his mind—and possibly his asshole of an alpha—wondered what Deku would look like naked, on his bed, or maybe bent over the kitchen table—holy shit, even pressed against the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. Fuckin’ traitor!

He couldn’t just rub one out because Deku would smell the cum and arousal on him, and he’d never be able to live it down. He had to will it away. Think, Katsuki, think! Grandmothers, dead puppies, the old hag, gruesome crime scenes—ugh! Why was this happening?!

Make omega ours!

No! He needed to control this for another week and a half at least. He needed to finish this program, and he wasn’t about to ruin a good thing because he was feeling needy. Besides, who’s to say Deku doesn’t have someone in his life already?

He doesn’t smell of other alphas.

True, and he did spend all his time with Katsuki—no alpha would stand for that, not that Deku would stay with an alpha like that. His lips twitched upward just slightly at the thought; the greenette would kick their ass. Still, he would stay in control and be a decent person.

There was a knock at the door. “Kacchan, are you okay?”

He rolled his eyes, suppressing a groan of frustration. “Yeah, Deku. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s- I wanted to-I was just checking, Kacchan; sorry for bothering you.”

He heard the footsteps recede and slumped against the wall.

Ugh! Now he’d made the guy feel bad.

It took some time for his dick to understand he wasn’t getting any and settle the fuck down, but it did. Once he was back to normal, he washed his face and wiped it down, before flushing his fake business and heading back out. If Deku thought he’d taken too long, he didn’t comment on it. Fortunately, the rest of the night went well and soon, the omega had left.

That night, he had no nightmares; he dreamt of what his future could look like after therapy, and it wasn’t all that bad.

Chapter Text

A few days after their sparring session, Kaminari would finally be able to visit. They decided to do the first meeting at Katsuki’s apartment so that it felt like a safe space, a controlled environment; unknown alphas could interfere if they decided to meet at The Center, and that would just ruin their entire experience.

To prepare, Katsuki had been asking Izuku to use his sweeter scent, which irritated him a lot faster than he’d like to admit—especially when the greenette was being a little shit, but by that day, he could hold eight to nine hours in open spaces, and Katsuki even managed to survive another trip to the mall without wanting to strangle anyone.

Once again, he felt hopeful that he’d be able to get to twenty-four hours before the month was over. Since they were already at this level, Deku was spending most of the day with him—not that he minded. What started to fray his nerves was the idea that the omega would begin sleeping over during the last week of treatment, which wasn’t bad, and he could handle it, but wasn’t good either because his damn alpha wouldn’t shut up about it.

His body was reacting, and it’d really suck to do something stupid because of it. While his sweet scent was still somewhat triggering, his happier scent—the one with a bit of spice—was…

After almost four months of silence, having his alpha trying to ruin his relationship with his therapy omega for almost three weeks straight was not only annoying, but also downright torture, and it was bound to get worse if he the man was around him all day and night. It made him shudder just to think that, on the first night there, the omega could wake up to a rutting alpha because his second nature couldn’t keep it in its pants—it was fucking horrifying!

However, at the moment, he had another issue to tackle: his friends’ visit.

The day of the visit, Katsuki was cooking up lunch when the first two of his guests arrived; so, when the doorbell rang, Deku was the one to open it. It felt so domestic. Katsuki’s alpha was celebrating because the omega felt at home enough to open their the door. The freckled man greeted them with a smile and stepped aside so that Kaminari and Jirou could walk in.

“Hi, Mido! Nice to,” Jirou paused strangely, almost imperceptibly, “meet you in person. We’ve heard a lot about you.”

The omega smiled, but it seemed a little strained. Katsuki found it really strange. Why the familiarity? Why did she pause?

Kaminari extended his hand towards him, seemingly unaware of the interaction. “Yeah, man, nice to meet you! You’re the Deku?”

Izuku nodded with a smile and closed the door.

“It’s so cool to meet another male omega,” Kaminari chirped while extending his hand.

The greenette chuckled and shook the electric-blond’s hand. “Kacchan calls me Deku, but my name is actually Izuku Midoriya. I’m so glad we can finally meet!”

A look of extreme amusement crossed Kaminari’s face as he turned toward Jirou. “Kacchan?” he asked her, raising his eyebrow. “Please tell me that’s a nickname for Blasty.”

Jirou laughed. “Oh, it is. I’ll tell you the story later. Mido, where is Bakugo anyway?”

Pretending he hadn’t been hearing, or watching them from the corner of his eyes, Katsuki shouted, “I’M IN THE KITCHEN!”

Kaminari laughed and shook his head. “Duuuude, I’ve missed those feral screams.”

“Who the fuck you callin’ feral, Dunce Face?!”

All three of the people walking toward him chuckled.

Katsuki continued to aggressively mix whatever ingredients he had in the wok. When, he looked over his shoulder, he saw the other blond fidgeting a little. “Hey Deku, watch over this for me?” he asked in a softer voice.

Izuku smiled and nodded, taking over lunch preparations while Katsuki went to his friends.

The alpha bit his cheek and looked to the side with remorse. “Listen, Pikachu,” he sighed and looked up, “I-I’m sorry for what I did before.”

Kaminari’s eyes widened. The ash-blond could almost hear him think, ‘Was Katsuki Bakugo actually apologizing?’ Kaminari only stared as the alpha continued to talk with uncharacteristic calm, Jirou smiling proudly beside him.

“I wasn’t in a good place, and I couldn’t really control it, but that’s no excuse. I’m getting better though, and I promise to let you know if it gets too bad so you can leave before anything happens.”

Amber colored eyes shone with tears, and Jirou rubbed her mate’s back in support.

Kaminari couldn’t help it. His struggle to hold the urge to embrace his friend was palpable, so Katsuki nodded, signaling him that it would be okay to hug—this one time.

With a sigh, the omega gave him a squeeze and said, “You don’t need to apologize, buddy, I know you didn’t mean it.”

Katsuki stiffened at first, startled by the contact despite having allowed it, but he pushed down the apprehension and mild disgust crawling under his skin and wrapped a single arm around his friend, patting his shoulder. He felt somewhat proud of himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t feel the repulsion to touch, and he didn’t think he’d ever feel as comfortable as when he hugged Deku, but he managed to hug back and offer some comfort. Maybe he could see his dam soon, too.

“I really missed you, Blasty!”

“Yeah, yeah. Me too; now get off me. I’ll kill ya if you tell anyone.”

Kaminari chuckled, letting go of the hug and going back to Jirou’s side. “No worries; even if I tell the world Katsuki Bakugo hugged me willingly, no one will believe it. Midoriya is clearly a miracle worker!”

Katsuki gave a sharp nod and smirked. “Damn right no one’ll believe ya’.”

With the tension diffused, Katsuki went back to the kitchen ‘before Deku ruined their meal’ and the others settled comfortably on the couch, talking, and getting to know each other more.
Soon, they sat down to eat, everyone praising the meal and telling stories of missions. Deku seemed enraptured with all their accomplishments, but apparently not enough to forget about his job.

“Kaminari, you can take off your patch now if you’re comfortable with it. Kacchan can handle it!”

The alpha in question scrunched his brow. “Listen, Deku, I don’t know if—”

But emerald eyes met his garnet ones with unwavering confidence. “I know you can, Kacchan. If it gets to be too irritating, just let us know, and I’ll get him another patch.”

Though a little hesitant, Katsuki nodded, and Kaminari removed the patch, letting his lemony scent flow into the room and mingle with theirs. The new scent, as it always happened, made him flinch and his nose twitched. In his effort to ignore the change, he took his chopsticks and began eating. He hadn’t even noticed he’d curled his index finger around Deku’s until the other gave him a small tug and an encouraging smile in response. His alpha preened.

After an hour passed, and Midoriya confirmed that Katsuki was still comfortable, they called the rest of the squad. Katsuki couldn’t help but puff his chest at the proud looks and praise he received from Deku and his merry band of idiots for his progress.

“I told you to fuckin’ go to the left, Tape Face, not the right!” Katsuki shouted as he smashed the buttons on his controller. Mina, Jirou, Sero, and him were sitting on the sectional, while Kirishima, Kaminari, and Deku were scattered nearby, either on the armchair or on the floor.

“I’m sorry, I thought you meant in the next corner!” Sero whined in reply.

The group had settled comfortably for the past hour and Deku quickly integrated with the friend group, winning them over with his radiant smile, upbeat nature, and interesting anecdotes, all of which Katsuki had already heard before.

Because we know our omega best. Our omega fits well within the pack.

‘Our?’ Katsuki frowned, pushing that thought back and focusing on the game against Mina and Jirou. He wouldn’t address that thought at the moment; his alpha needed to chill out.

He had to admit, he felt as if the biggest weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Sure, he wasn’t completely okay yet, but he was grateful to be able to hang out like that with them after so long—even if they were embarrassing as fuck at times.

Raccoon eyes was the perfect example of that.

Mina had been too quiet that afternoon, even more so given that she knew Deku. She hadn’t done any invasive questioning, which she usually did straight after meeting someone new, so it should come as no surprise that she used the first opening to ask, “So, Midobabe, how are you still single? I mean, you’ve never brought anyone over from what I’ve noticed, and no alpha with a brain would be okay with a hottie like you walking around with pro-heroes all day.”

Katsuki’s ears perked up but kept on playing. It was impressive how quickly the nerd’s face changed color; he almost looked like a ripe strawberry.

“M-Mina! H-How can you just you ask that?!” The greenette didn’t even look at her in the eye, and she just giggled at his flustered state.

“I’m just curious! This is just between friends, ya know? It’s not like I’m starting a matchmaking service because of it or anything.”

Sure. Super subtle, Pinky.

“S-sorry, I’m just awkward around these topics. But, to answer your question, I guess no one really caught my eye in America—or they did, but then their scents were all wrong—not that I had time to go out much with training and all that.”

“Oh, that’s okay! Honestly, I was blessed in that department. Kiri and I met in middle school, so I didn’t really waste much time looking.”

“That’s so nice though! And you two make a great couple; you always look so happy.”

The pinkette smiled. “Yeah, it is, and we are. But we were not talking about us, mister! I know you moved here recently, but surely someone has shown interest by now—especially since you have that bod, and on top of that you’re being such an angel working at The Center.”

“O-oh, w-well yeah,” he laughed nervously, “I’d rather not say; it wouldn’t be very professional.” Katsuki did everything he could to prevent his body from reacting at that, and he silently hoped that Mina would pester him about it, but she didn’t get to.

They were interrupted.

“It’s manly that you keep your private life private.”

Damned Shitty Hair.

Kirishima sat on the arm of the couch with a hum, not caring that he interrupted a conversation, and leaned to put his hand on Mina’s shoulder. “Hey, Midoriya, how come you’re working as a support omega? I mean, you’re awesome at it, but you have mad fighting skills, bro. You mentioned training, right?”

The others were still focused on the game. Katsuki, however, was very invested in this part of conversation as well. His character crashed while making a turn, but it was fine; he’d kick their asses later. He hadn’t dared to ask the nerd those questions yet out of worry of overstepping boundaries, but with the nudge Mina gave him, he knew his friends were questioning Deku for him.

“Oh, thanks, Kirishima,” the greenette said with a light blush, fidgeting in his spot. “I’ve actually been called in to transfer to an agency, but I’m waiting on my work papers. I can’t say more; you know, NDA’s until they announce it and all that.”

The group erupted in cheers and congratulations, patting him on the back, leaving Katsuki bristling at them being ‘too damn handsy and noisy’, and at the vagueness the omega used in his wording.

What job? Was he a hero, sidekick, support omega, or something else? What agency? Why an NDA? Why did he have to wait for papers if he already had his visa? The man couldn’t be a support omega without it. But more importantly, why hadn’t he told Katsuki about it? Hadn’t they gotten close? If he wanted to work in an agency, Katsuki could’ve recommended him without a second thought!

Those questions would be left unanswered that night because the topic shifted to hero work again while he was lost in his inner rambling, this time Kirishima, Mina, and Sero providing their input as well.

Between eating, playing, and talking, two hours passed rather quickly. The group’s scents had gotten somewhat stronger with the passing of time, so the omegas in the room had re-applied their scent patches upon Deku’s request. He didn’t prompt the freckled man; he just knew. Nonetheless, when he and Sero were wrestling over the remote control, and Sero held the blond’s wrists a little too tightly, things turned sour.

The first to notice was Kirishima, who saw the change in his friend’s face, eliciting a warning for Sero who immediately released the blond. Then Deku, who rushed over to do his job, creating a space for the blond and taking note of his reactions.

Katsuki’s eyes were unfocused, seemingly watching something none of them had access to; his mouth was slightly agape because he was no longer breathing in through his nose. Every exhale was shaky, hesitant. To an outsider, it would seem he’d spaced out, but an acrid odor began to taint the blond’s natural scent, alerting the others in the room of his distress and igniting their instinct to soothe.

The others wanted to help, but Midoriya asked them for some time to let Katsuki work through the episode himself. It wasn’t like they could release their calming scents in response because it would just make things worse, so they opened the balcony doors to air out the mixed scents and stood in the next room, looking from afar.

“Kacchan needs to battle through it alone at first; we’ve been working on that this week. If this happens on patrol, you can prompt him, but hopefully, he’ll be able to get through it himself. Give him a minute or two. If it gets too bad, I’ll intervene, don’t worry.”

The group nodded and hovered nearby, still worried and on high alert, but they knew they needed to listen to Midoriya when it came to this, so they restrained themselves.

Katsuki felt the rush of panic when his wrists were immobilized, that nausea bubbling up. Then, he felt the edges of his vision spot and fade until they turned to black. He could tell he was having another one of his attacks. With some effort, trying to focus on Deku’s voice, he began to go through one of the grounding techniques he had been taught. Still, he could hear voices that didn’t belong.

“Don’t struggle, alpha; you’ll just make this worse.”

“Just stay still!”

“The son of a bitch scratched me!”

The floor beneath him was cold, bare, and so was his skin. The shadows were trying to hold him down, but he fought, thrashing around, and establishing what little distance he could.

Managing to sit in a crouch, he was able to use his restraints to catch his first opponent’s fist and ram them against the wall behind him. A beta managed to push him down, but he kicked them in the stomach, hooking a foot around their ankle and another to the knee, making them stumble to the ground with the momentum they’d gained.

The one that had been thrown against the wall had recovered and attempted to choke Katsuki from behind. He was near feral, his fangs and nails elongated. With a guttural snarl, the blond brought his nails up to claw at the other’s face, neck, and arms, leaving deep, crimson gashes wherever he nicked.

There was blood, too much blood, but he couldn’t focus on that. He just wanted them out—gone. He wanted them to stop, stop, stop. He hated how they grabbed and touched; how they took advantage of his basest nature.

‘It isn’t real. My friends are here, and they are real.’

The omegas screamed.

‘I can smell kamaboko in spicy sauce, mapo tofu, and green tea in the apartment.’

He could feel talon-like nails digging into his back.

‘The soft rug beneath me is real. The hands are not real, the bruises are not real, the cuts are not real…’

His attackers looked distorted now, his brain working to separate past from present. His nails were no longer caked with flesh and blood. Slowly, Katsuki was able to focus on what was actually around him.

His heart still beat too quickly for his own liking and his back was coated with sweat, but he felt…comforted, somehow. Warm hands were cupping his face, wiping away the tears with a soft, sincere smile.

“Kacchan!” Deku anchored him with his touch as he whispered, “You kicked its ass!”

Katsuki felt a wave of relief at seeing the greenette, his alpha wanted to croon at the words of approval, but he bit it back, only allowing a small smile in response as he regulated his breathing. He felt lightheaded.

“You did so good, alpha. Want some water?”

As if on cue, someone Katsuki didn’t focus on gave Deku a glass which was handed over to him.

He wasn’t sure how he’d made it to the floor, but there he was with his knees up, Izuku kneeled in front of him. He breathed in and out under Deku’s instruction until he felt the vestiges of his memories dissipate entirely.

Once he’d drank it all, the omega asked, “Ready to get up?”

The squad was baffled at the interaction. When their friend was coming to, the tenderness Midoriya showed, caressing their friend’s face and whispering sweet nothings as easily as he’d taunted and joked around with him was…new, unexpected. But what left them utterly stunned was the soft expression on Bakugo’s face as he saw the greenette in front of him—a way they’d never seen him look at anyone—and the slight, relaxed upturn of his lips that threatened to be more of a smile and less of a smirk. They were left with no words; they could only watch the two in their private bubble until Bakugo snapped out of it and helped the other up.

“Shut it,” is all he growled in warning, but it held no real bite; they knew it was from embarrassment. He knew they knew.

After that, they stuck around for a little, not wanting their friend to feel like they had left because of the episode, but it was late and most of them had patrol that night or the following day, so one by one, the group left.

Midoriya, however, stuck around for an extra hour, telling the alpha he just wanted to ensure he was okay. Katsuki didn’t mind, and they watched TV, slightly leaning on each other at the couch.
When all of this had begun, touching others made him want to scrub himself raw, but now, it was more manageable. There was still this grating voice in the back of his mind, wanting to deter him from making contact with others, but it was muted—he was stronger than it.

Part of Katsuki was somewhat irked that he couldn’t smell the omega anymore due to the scent patches, but the other part knew he needed a break from it all.
Once the greenette left, Eijirou and Mina cleared their throats to call his attention—hadn’t they left already?

“Hey, Bakubro. How are you feeling?”

“’m fine, Shitty Hair. Getting my memories back and all,” he drawled with a wave of his hand, turning to get something to drink from the fridge.

“You know what I mean.” His friend crossed his arms and looked at him intently, waiting for an answer.

With a roll of his eyes, Katsuki answered, “It’s fine. Really. Drop it.”

Mina trailed after them. “So, we noticed you’ve changed the place up a bit?”

Katsuki regarded her skeptically. Why did she care? “Yeah, a few weeks ago, why? Does it look bad or sumthin’? And what does this have to do with anything?”

“No, no. It’s just that this place had been the same since you moved in a few years ago. I’m curious as to what motivated you.”

Katsuki shrugged as he plopped back on the couch. “Just wanted an improvement, I guess.”

Both friends hummed. “And you’ve been calmer too,” the redhead remarked, taking a swig of his own drink.

Katsuki narrowed his eyes at the two. “Isn’t that what the damned support omega is for? What are you two fuckers getting at?”

Mina rested her elbows on her knees, lacing her fingers together, before looking at him with an impish grin. “Do you like, Mido?”

“Sure. He’s annoying, but not bad to be around.”

Kirishima rolled his eyes so hard, he thought they’d stay there. “She’s asking if you want him to be your omega, bro.”

Katsuki choked on his drink, sputtering, and coughing all over the place. “What the hell?! Why would you ask that?!”

“Babe, I saw how you looked at him. You’re whipped.”

“Dude, I’ve never seen you so protective over anyone. You cook for the guy, redecorate for him, let him answer your door, and the guy can hold his own against you—something your alpha must be drooling over, considering you always want the best. You should just court him already!”

Katsuki growled a little at them, but they knew him too well and fighting it would only end in another barrage of questions and statements, so in the end, he just slumped in his seat and nursed the glass in his hands. “I can’t. He’s my support omega; how big of a knothead would I be if I make a move? Let me answer that: A huge one! It’d be taking advantage of the whole situation, and I refuse to do more unheroic shit.”

“So, you do like him?” Mina gave a small smile and cocked her head to the side—'the same way the nerd does’. Katsuki shook his head and returned his attention to the pinkette.

“Yeah, Pinky, I fuckin’ do,” he said and let out a whiny groan as he dragged a hand over his face. “My alpha won’t shut up about him and even if it wasn’t harassing me over the guy 24/7, I’d probably still fall for the bastard because he seems to be a walking wet dream.”

Kirishima and Mina both shared a pleased look and smiled.

“We’re happy for you, Blasty.” The redhead grinned.

“Why? Are you deaf now too? I can’t do anything about it!”

Mina grabbed his hand and gave a comforting squeeze. “For now. Besides, you’ve admitted it to yourself, and that’s the first step. As long as you’re honest with yourself and with him, you could always try to approach him when you finish the program.”

Katsuki retrieved the hand, and stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking to the floor once more. “What,” he worried his bottom lip and began again, “what if he doesn’t want to talk to me after? What if this is all just a job to him—why wouldn’t it be? He’s a rare male omega, who is fuckin’ ripped and kicks alpha ass like it’s nothing.”

Kirishima gasped, which made the blond look up. With a dramatic flair, his friend said, “Is this the great Katsuki Bakugo, Great Explosion Murder God DynaMight, doubting himself?” Then dropped the act and spoke plainly. “You’re blind if you haven’t noticed Midobro cares about you, like really cares, not just for his job. Do you honestly think he’d hang out with us and help you cook if he didn’t?

‘He has a choice of just existing in your space and minding his own business as he goes about his day, but he doesn’t. He makes an effort to be nice, contribute, and help you grow. He could literally have other alphas on his free time if he wanted to, but I’ve never smelt another on him—and I don’t think he’d have much trouble finding company if he wanted it. Midoriya literally smells like you at this point, bro, so believe in yourself, and ask his manly ass out on a date once all this is over.”

Mina cooed at her mate, praising how greatly he’d spoken, and made him blush. Katsuki blocked them out. He could feel his alpha seethe at the mention of someone else getting the omega, but he ignored it in favor of this new option that he’d never even considered. He could approach Deku after the whole mess.

With a hug, the other two alphas left him to his thoughts. Once he noticed he was alone, his apartment suddenly felt too big for him; it was overwhelming—too silent, too empty. He missed Deku’s mumblings and his soft footsteps over the hardwood floor.

That night, his alpha almost drove him insane with its whining, only calming down when he found that the omega had left his jacket. Once settled in bed, he brought the garment to his nose and inhaled the spiced apple scent, instantly relaxing, burying himself deeper into his comforter, and drifting off into a much-needed slumber.

Chapter Text

Lately, sleeping had become easier.

Because omega gifts us his scent.

Okay, so Katsuki had to admit—only to himself—that Deku’s scent was relaxing when received for under ten hours, and he’d been happier too, which is why when he finished Alpha Support Group and Midoriya wasn’t there to greet him, he felt his stomach sink.

Deku had never been late, had never been absent; he was always waiting.

Katsuki’s skin itched with an odd paranoia. His alpha urged him to reach out, to call, to do anything that would give him news, but Katsuki rationalized that anyone could have a bad day, so he went over to eat some breakfast and tried texting the freckled man, instead.

He finished eating, read an article, and still no answer.

Where is omega? Is omega in danger? Find our omega!

The blond frowned. ‘Not ours. Besides, Deku is strong; he’s fine.’

Despite knowing the guy could kick anyone’s ass, Katsuki felt concerned as different scenarios went through his mind. ‘He could have been ambushed—there’s a lot of lowlifes that target omegas. Maybe he’s sick—does he even have family in Japan to care for him?’

He shook his head, clicking his tongue in annoyance, feeling like an idiot for worrying. Without paying attention to where he was walking, Katsuki ended up in front of Dr. Ji’s office.

He rolled his eyes. ‘Really?’

However, if he was already there, it was better that he knocked, so he did and entered when the doctor granted access.

“Hi, Doc. Have you seen Midoriya? He didn’t meet me outside of group like he usually does.”

The woman looked up from her screen and waved him inside. “Oh, good morning, Bakugo. I’m sorry, an orderly was supposed to let you know about it. Mr. Midoriya is fine; he was just called back to his old job. Apparently, there was an emergency regarding his last task, and he had to leave in the early hours of the morning. He left the latest reports, nonetheless; I’m very pleased with your progress.”

An emergency? What sort of work did he do? Dammit, why hadn’t he asked before? Why would they make him travel back? Would he be back tomorrow?

Asking without sounding codependent or stalkerish was harder than he thought.

In the end Katsuki settled for, “Thanks.” He huffed. “Where did he go? How long will he be gone?”

She gave him a rueful smile. “Sorry, dear, I can’t give details as to where, and he said he’d try to be back as soon as possible. You won’t be able to text him either, but here’s a bag of scented items so that you can continue using his scent at home. While you’re here, one of our omegas will accompany you.”

Too long! Where’s our omega?! We don’t want another omega.

A small, curvy, blue-haired woman walked in, looking at the hero sheepishly through her fringe. The moment he got a whiff of her scent, he couldn’t help but to scrunch his nose—too sweet, like pure cotton candy. Katsuki had to gather all his self-control and media training to prevent from gagging in front of her. If Deku was there, he’d say to look at this positively, so, Katsuki would reply that he was thankful he didn’t want to rip her head from her shoulders like he would’ve two weeks prior—from murder to displeasure, there was evidence of growth.

Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but to be tense and cranky as fuck, and the poor little extra they paired him with flinched every time he paused. Every time an alpha spoke to him, he’d growl or talk back. Basketball? No shots made.

As the hours passed, a sense of apprehension took over—'Is Deku safe?’

He had said he worked with heroes, but doing what? They weren’t bonded or mated, so it wasn’t like Katsuki had a real connection to know how he was. He could call that Candy Cane bastard or Cheeks, but he’d have to explain how he knew Deku and why he wanted to know about him, and he wouldn’t give them the sense of satisfaction that came from him admitting he needed something. It was enough that Racoon Eyes and Shitty Hair already knew the truth.

His omega for the day gently tapped his arm, pulling him out from his thoughts, to ask him if he was reaching his limit, and he nodded because he was. Deku would shake his head disapprovingly and pout. He only lasted four hours with the extra.

At least his day at The Center was almost over.

During therapy with Dr. Ji, she noted the change in behavior. He’d been giving her short answers and having bursts of irritation throughout the session.

“How was your day, Bakugo?”

“Shit,” he grumbled.

She nodded. “And why do you think that is?”

Rolling his eyes, he answered, “Don’t know, Doc.”

She shook her head amusedly. “Try again.”

Narrowing his eyes at her, he crossed his arms.

“Defensive posture, Bakugo. We’ve been working on this. You need to be truthful, or this won’t work. Have I betrayed your trust at any point?”

With a huff, he answered, “No, you haven’t.” A few seconds passed before he gave a more honest response. “I think I got too used to having Midoriya around and now my alpha is going crazy.”

Dr. Ji hummed and took some notes. “That would make sense. Many patients are irritable when their schedules are suddenly changed, especially if you were establishing routines, and seeing Midoriya was your routine.”

Katsuki sat in silence.

“He took away your choice, and that upset you. Am I wrong?”

He gruffed, “Yeah, you are.”

“Can you identify why, then?”

“No.”

She sighed. “Then your homework is to meditate on the possible reasons for your change in mood. In addition to that, I want you to try doing the things you usually do with Midoriya, without him. It could be something simple like going to the mall or hanging out with your friends.”

Katsuki grunted in response, and that signaled the end of their session. He was fully aware he was uncooperative, and he was glad she didn’t judge.

As he walked home, he thought of her words. Why was he so out of it? Katsuki began employing one of the techniques they’d worked on in group: Identifying their emotions and the cause. The more he pondered, the more he could see that everything revolved around the omega, Izuku Midoriya. He was furious at Deku for leaving him and not saying anything, sad because the omega didn’t trust or care enough to inform him of it, anxious because he didn’t know when they’d see each other again and fucking livid because he wasn’t supposed to feel that way. His chest ached, and he knew it wasn’t the anger. For the first time in his life, Katsuki Bakugo felt longing.

He hated it.

Unlocking the door to his dwelling just cemented those feelings even more, particularly that last one he’d rather not name again.

There was no one waiting for him or entering with him this time.

To distract himself, he turned on the TV and began making food, triggering memories of the past few weeks. He could imagine the scent of spiced apples surrounding him as he went about his day; the strong, scarred hands helping him in the kitchen or caressing his arm to ground him after a panic attack; and melodious giggles echoing throughout his dwelling, sometimes at his expense, but it didn’t rile him up as when others did so. For the past few days, he had felt he was home, whereas now he found himself alone again in a fancy apartment that was much too big for one person. It was unsettling.

Katsuki had lived alone since he graduated, so he could do this.

But did he want to?

The more he thought about it, the more depressing his life before all of this seemed, and his friends’ worries were now justified. Hell! Even he’d be worried if any of his friends had lived the life he had lived for the past eight years. He was a workaholic, no doubt, labeling it as driven, often sleeping over at the office to ensure maximum productivity. He rejected most offers from his friends, didn’t have any hobbies, and barely put in an effort to improve himself outside of hero work.

In truth, he’d never even considered taking on a mate. He didn’t want a whiny, defenseless, pampered omega that would just bring stress into his life. Sure, ruts would be more comfortable, and he’d be calmer, but other than that, he’d never seen the appeal.

Our omega isn’t whiny, defenseless, or pampered. Our omega is independent. Our omega is strong.

He wanted to blast away at his alpha’s words: Deku wasn’t his omega. Walking over to the master bathroom to rid his body of the terrible scents that had clung to his clothes and skin, he noticed how there was space for two in the shelves and cabinet, but only one was claimed. The other side was being used to hold fluffy towels, the assortment of body washes and hand creams he’d gotten from sponsors or fans, and other crap he didn’t really use. He wondered if it would ever be filled.

His clothes hit the floor and the spray of water beat upon the ceramic and tiled bath. His body had maintained the physical definition but lacked its usual glow, its natural appeal. It was littered in pale scars and fading tan marks, too.

Stepping inside, Katsuki thought about how the media sometimes still portrayed him as borderline villainous—would that ruin his chances with Deku? He had never really cared much about what others thought of him, but for once, he wished he had. Midoriya had said he was used to attitudes and alphas like him, that he’d worked with them, and he seemed to relax in Katsuki’s company. Deku knew the real him, but would he want someone with a stained image like his?

Would he want a broken alpha?

The room became suffocating; it felt like the walls were closing in.

He tried to focus on showering as quickly as possible, rushing through with his scent-neutral soap and scrubbing shampoo into his wet hair carelessly, rinsing it with mechanical precision. He didn’t even finish toweling off in the bathroom, just continuing as he walked over to the bedroom to slip on a pair of black boxer briefs—who else was there to see him anyway? His shoulders slumped.

Why were all these annoying feelings bubbling up now? Why had he never craved someone’s company like this before?

It was clear he’d mostly lived a solitary life. If it wasn’t for his ‘Bakusquad’, he’d probably be a hermit or live at the office. Up to his last abduction, his life had been a gray blur of waking up, exercising, eating, working, eating, more work, and passing out. Not that beating villains was boring, because it wasn’t—he loved it—but there had to be more to life, he just hadn’t cared enough to look.

Sure, he still watched a movie or TV every now and then, and he liked cooking and hiking, but he hadn’t even gone hiking in the past three years, opting to just take extra shifts, or hanging out with his friends on the off chance they had the same days off. It’s how he rose so quickly in the ranks. It had gotten to the point where he’d been given mandatory vacations because he’d exceeded the allowed accumulation of days.

Pathetic.

And it’s not that he hadn’t dated at all. Mina, Kirishima, and even Uraraka had set him up with a few betas and omegas, but they smelled wrong, were too submissive, or were boring as fuck. No one enticed him or brought out the desire to create a nice den. No one had made him even think about wanting company, a partner, pups. No one really challenged him—no one until Deku.

He huffed, letting himself fall on the side of the couch Midoriya usually sat in, taking a deep inhale. The omega that followed him around that day didn’t make him angry, his sense of failure did—failure to keep Deku around.

Katsuki wanted Midoriya there, wanted to run his hands through soft green curls like he’d done to cool down one time, he wanted to hear Deku’s ‘Kacchan is amazing’ whenever he cooked or overcame a panic attack, he wanted to count the freckles on his cheeks and kiss the ones on his shoulders, he wanted to cook for him every day and welcome him home—he wanted Deku, but he couldn’t.

‘Pitiful. Big bad DynaMight pining over the one omega he can’t have.’

With shaky hands, he took out one of the sealed bags Dr. Ji gave him and buried his nose in the soft fabric of one of Deku’s sweaters, instantly and completely unwinding and relaxing. It was like a drug. He felt high off the scent, weightless, and wondered if he could use the therapy as an excuse for Deku to scent other things around the house; he wanted the greenette’s scent around.

Katsuki didn’t believe in that ‘true mates’ crap—that was all propaganda—but if it did exist, he would feel Deku was his without a doubt.

What other explanation was there for it?

For a moment, he wondered what their scents would be like if they mated since they already make a mouth-watering combination just by being in the same space. Spiced apples mixed with his own amber, sandalwood, and cinnamon; add a bit of salted caramel from his quirk and they’d feel like it was Fall all year. Funny how they’d smell like his favorite season.

Katsuki closed his eyes and leaned back, inhaling deeply once more.

It was a nice thought, but for that to happen he’d have to confess, and for that to happen, he’d have to wait two more weeks, then courting, and that was if Deku was even interested in Katsuki that way to allow it. He should be optimistic, he was attractive, strong, and passionate—those were good, right? He was the number three hero, a fucking amazing fighter, and a damn good cook, too.

Yeah, he was Katsuki-fucking-Bakugo. He was going to nail this whole…whatever this was. Katsuki brought the sweater closer, wrapping it near his face to avoid having it fall, taking in deep breaths, letting it take over his senses, and replaying Mina and Kirishima’s assurances about the freckled man’s interest in him, but even that didn’t work. Tying the sweater around his shoulders—because no way would it fit him—Katsuki went back to his room.

Something felt off.

Though his muscles unwound, his mind was still running laps, leaving his alpha to insert its own thoughts. His den wasn’t perfect, his bed was a mess—there was no nest. Was that why the omega left? Though his logic told him it was stupid, his instinct overrode the thoughts, and he focused on getting as much clothing and bedding as he could to make a decent nest.

Buzz…

His phone’s vibration broke him out of his trance. Looking at the clock, he’d been rearranging his room for an hour. Katsuki shook his head. Instincts were so annoying.

Buzz, buzz…

Whoever it was didn’t take a hint and persisted in trying to reach him.

[Ma calling]

It was his parents. He hadn’t really been able to talk to them much since the whole incident. The overwhelming guilt of when he lost control around his father when they visited the hospital prevented him from being able to act like everything was okay. Despite his brashness, he loved his dam and he missed being able to hug him—his sire too, but that one was a bit harder to admit.

“Hello?”

“Katsuki!” his mother squealed into his ear. “It’s been so long since we’ve talked; I figured I’d check to make sure you were alive.”

“Hello, Katsuki,” his father said, clearly standing farther away from the phone.

“Hey, old man,” he muttered fondly. Though he couldn’t muster the energy to bicker as he usually did, he still replied to his mother. “It’d take more than scent intolerance to make me kick the bucket, hag.”

She chuckled. “I know, I know.”

He could hear her hiss to his father, “Ask him!” and he could imagine him smiling lovingly as he replied, “I will, dear.”

“So, Katsuki, we bumped into your friend, Kirishima, and he told us about a new therapy you’ve begun. He said it’s going well?”

Deku’s grin flashed through his mind. “Yeah, it is.”

Then, Dr. Ji’s advice echoed, “I want you to try doing things you’d usually do with Midoriya, without him.”

His hands gripped at the bedding, and before he could back out, he continued, “It’s going so well, actually, I was thinking of going over for dinner—if you’re in Japan, that is.”
“That would be amazing, Katsuki,” his father said, and he could practically smell his pleased scent.

“Today?” his mom asked.

It was soon, maybe too soon, but if he didn’t accept, he’d surely find a way to back out. “Sure. If I leave now, I should make it.”

His mother hummed. “Okay! We’ll get started on it, then. Will you be coming alone? I think Kirishima mentioned something about an omega that has to be around you?” Her tone was curious but teasing. Just how much did Shitty Hair say?

“He had to go back to his last job. He won’t be here for a few days.” His alpha whimpered in response, and he instinctively pressed the jacket against his neck gland to soothe it.
Mitsuki made a displeased sound. “All right, we’ll meet him another time, it seems. See you here, Kats.”

“Bye, son.”

“See ya’.”

He knew he should probably have Deku around when he visited them; he didn’t want to lose control or face a trigger like he did with his friends, but at the same time, this was a challenge. Having the omega around was so that he could get used to daily life again. If he could prove that he could handle events like visits or training without him, then maybe his therapy period could be cut short.

Yeah, Deku had become a safety net, but he would show all of them that he didn’t need anyone else anymore. He could handle something as simple as talking to his parents.

Quickly, he pulled on some jeans, a shirt, and a hoodie, even going as far as to pack an overnight bag. Staying at his apartment would only make him feel miserable, so this visit, aside from allowing him to reunite with his parents, would be a good distraction from his current—ugh—feelings. However, to be safe, he threw in one of the sealed bags with two of Deku’s garments and tucked in a handkerchief in his hoodie’s pocket.

As he locked the door, he couldn’t help but feel his stomach churn with anxiety. Nonetheless, with one last sniff at the spiced apple scent, he set out toward the garage, his nerves ebbing away with a hint of confidence.

“You’re ready, Kacchan.”

Chapter Text

For the entirety of the journey to his parent’s house, Katsuki did feel ready. He was going to see his parents and show Deku that he could manage on his own, without the omega’s direct comfort; however, the closer he got, the more that confidence wavered.

“Kacchan,” Midoriya had said once as they talked about the possibility of him visiting, “You’re the most determined person I know. No matter what happens, regardless of whether I’m there with you, I know that you’ll handle it amazingly. You love your dam; you won’t hurt him.”

He bit his inner cheek. How could Deku be so sure? Last time he’d gotten so furious; he’d almost bit his father. What if he—

Tap, tap, tap.

Oh.

He’d arrived. He’d arrived and his mother was tapping at the door, meaning that he’d been sitting there like an idiot for who knows how long.

“Gimme a second, Hag.”

She smiled and nodded. “Take your time, brat. Just wanted to make sure you came in before it started to rain.”

Her voice was so calm. Sometimes, when he thought about their past interactions, it became jarring. His mother had taken anger management and a good deal of therapy too after a particularly nasty argument. She’d lost control and scratched his face, had made him bleed. For a month, she didn’t invite him home and didn’t look at him in the eye when they talked. It was his father who reached out and asked Katsuki for help.

Katsuki opened the door and met her shining, crimson eyes. It wasn’t like his mother to cry, but he could let it slide this time. Though still looking young as ever, the years of hard work and concern had left their mark in the corners of her eyes and mouth. She was still beautiful, though—not that he, her near carbon copy, could ever say otherwise.

Taking a deep breath, he took the steps to close the distance, and she quickly wrapped her arms around his middle, scenting him with her familiar jasmine and sandalwood, welcoming him back home.

“Missed ya, kid,” she said with an unusually wavering voice.

His own eyes felt a little misty as he returned, “Missed ya too, Ma.” It hurt his alphan pride less than he thought it would to acknowledge that.

They didn’t take too long to let go, only three, maybe five seconds, but it felt like a huge step. There was a small trace of his father’s scent that clung to her, as it always did with mated pairs, and instead of recoiling, he felt a wave of nostalgia come over him. It reminded him of when his parents arrived after a long trip, or quiet Christmas mornings when the two of them would make his father a surprise breakfast. 

Mitsuki studied Katsuki as he turned around to grab something from the car. Her son looked different–healthier. He no longer had those violent marks–bruises, cuts, burns–marring his skin; no longer had deep set bags under his eyes. Her son could speak again with his beautiful, gravelly voice; nothing like that croaking, raspy attempt he’d made when he awoke. They really hadn’t spoken much. She knew Katsuki felt guilty over attacking his father and wanted to give him space, but damn that was hard to do. He would always be her pup, after all.

His friend, Eijirou, had kept them up to date with his progress, but after their encounter that day in the hospital, she wasn’t sure what to expect. With Katsuki’s career choice, she knew that he would be in the hospital eventually, and even have a few brushes with death, but this…She’d rather not think about it, or she’d get upset again. Fixing a smile on her lips, focusing on the fact that he was there, she turned and walked to the steps to wait for him.

Before locking the car door, Katsuki grabbed the dessert he’d brought for them and the bag with one of Deku’s shirts. He placed the cake on the hood of the car and folded the garment to fit on the inside of his jacket. Then, he rolled his shoulders, grabbed the dessert, and walked toward the door.

The changes to the indoor décor had been minimal, but he found himself looking around for each of them as he took off his shoes and put on his house slippers. It was strange being there again, strange to feel strange in the place where he’d spent over half his life. 

Slowly, he padded deeper into the dwelling, following his mother to the kitchen to set down the dessert. 

“We changed the tiling,” she remarked, taking the cake and storing it in the fridge. 

He hummed, noting the new tile work and the new curtains as well. 

“How’s work?” he asked, wanting to hear her speak more, not wanting to speak himself just yet.

She busied herself serving up a variety of plates which she’d hand over to him so that he could place them on the table. Apparently, his mother had gotten a bonus for her latest collection. Even more so, a businessman had approached them–the CEO of a big chain of stores–and offered to partner up. They would make five store-exclusive designs for his store, and his parents would have a permanent area to market their products. It was a decent deal, and Katsuki’s alpha preened at their success, but there was also something else, something more toxic threatening to crawl up.

He swallowed thickly, that anxious, restless feeling just bubbling under his skin. Life went on while he was away, and he had missed it. No matter what he did, he’d never get that time back. Katsuki felt guilty. Before, he’d gotten so caught up with hero work that he’d hardly been able to keep up with his own parents. He knew they were there, thought they could wait, but they shouldn't have had to. Now, after months of therapy, he could see that it wasn’t healthy, and that he actually longed for that sort of familial bond. In the attempt to protect other families, he’d neglected his own…and improving that was one of his most recent goals. 

The smell of her cooking, the spicy and savory blends, felt familiar, making that out-of-place feeling partially simmer down. Once all the plates were on the table, he noticed that there was something bothering her.

“Spit it out, Ma. You’ve never really held back, so why start now?”

She chuckled and nodded before she asked, “Are you ready for me to call your dad down?”  

“Yeah.” What else could he reply? It was one of the main reasons he was there!

Katsuki’s hands shook at the thought alone. He knew he had done well outside, and even more so with Deku, but he couldn’t help dreading the worst outcome. Instinctively, Katsuki took the handkerchief from his pocket and inhaled, seeking comfort in the lingering spiced apple scent before returning it. His mind cleared and the slight tremble of his hands subsided. It was as if Izuku was there, linking their fingers together and leaning onto his side for reassurance.

He was so focused on it that he didn’t notice his mother’s intrigued glance before she shouted, “Masaru, Katsuki’s here!”

The male omega made his way down the stairs. Katsuki could hear the thump-thump-thump of his hurried footsteps that matched his beating heart. The joyous yet nervous scent of bergamot and cinnamon reached him first, and he could feel the tears rising in his eyes again.

When he finally saw his dam’s slightly tanned skin, gentle brown eyes, and forgiving, kind smile, Katsuki felt a part of him break. How could he have tried hurting this man a few months back? How could his second nature betray him like that?

He stood his ground, not wanting to scare his father off, but his frame shook, and warm, salty droplets trailed down his face. He felt like a pup, but he knew that was somehow okay.

Masaru whispered, “Oh, Katsuki,” and walked over to him, wrapping him in an affectionate, protective embrace. Sometimes he forgot how strong his father was, and the sudden impact almost knocked him off balance. There was no fear, no disgust, only love. They both cried together, scenting each other, a blanket of solace and safety wrapping around them.

He was home.

While a part of Katsuki felt somewhat uneasy by having an omega scent him like that, he did as Deku had suggested and focused on the positives of the situation. His ribs and lungs felt the pressure of the tight arms coiled around his middle, but it was the best feeling he could think of at the moment.

He felt the joy emanating from his father, the tears that stained his shirt, the easing of the tension in his shoulders. He knew he yearned for this, but he hadn’t realized just how much it could affect him. He’d always had his parents around. It was an option to be or not be around them, but to have that option taken away had been more unsettling than he’d care to admit.

“I’m happy to see you, son,” his father said shakily, still running his fingers through Katsuki’s hair like when he was a child. It was soothing.

He smiled down at his old man. “I’m happy to see you too.”

Mitsuki let them have that moment, though her alpha urged her to join. She was immensely happy and relieved at the interaction; it showed such improvement that it made her feel hope she hadn’t felt since she received that call from the hospital, informing them of Katsuki’s whereabouts. An image of Katsuki’s initial emaciated state popped up in her mind and she clenched her fist. 

“Food’s getting cold, boys, let’s eat!” she called.

Both men sat down, and Katsuki began catching up with Masaru. It was almost like old times, Mitsuki thought, though she wasn’t blind to the changes. Katsuki, who was usually self-assured and brash, was now calmer and hesitant. 

“Thanks for the food, Ma, this is good shit.”

“Better be the best shit you’ve ever tasted, brat,” she replied with a grin, trying to play along, but how could she keep it up if she didn’t know where he was at the moment?

Masaru, reading them both well, as always, was the one who brought the subject up. “Son, Kirishima was telling us you started a new program?”

Mitsuki saw Katsuki subtly sniff his jacket again before he answered, “Yeah, omega immersion therapy.”

“But aren’t omega scents what trigger you?” she asked. 

“Yeah, and that’s exactly why. The idea is to desensitize me to it. Through timed exposures, I get used to being ‘round omegas again.”

When Katsuki had arrived, she had sworn he had a foreign scent, but she’d brushed it off as him maybe having bumped into someone at the supermarket. Now she wondered… “Is that why you keep smelling your jacket?”

His eyes widened and his ears turned red. “Y-yeah. Dek–the omega I was assigned had to leave for a few days, so he left some scented items behind for me to continue the process.”

“He? A male omega?” Masaru smiled. 

Rubbing his neck, Katsuki replied, “Yeah, surprised me too.”

His father sniffed at the air. “He has a pleasant scent…like spiced apples, right?”

Katsuki grunted and brought a piece of chicken to his mouth. He needed to redirect this conversation because the whole point of doing this was to take his mind off Deku, to do this without Deku.

“Mixes well with yours,” his mother teased, and he nearly choked.

“What the hell, Hag?!”

She smirked and held her hands up in surrender. “I was just pointing it out.” Then she turned a bit more serious, as she added, “I know better than to try and push something now. Your focus should be on getting better.”

Although his mother’s words should have put him at ease, but they only made a pit form in his stomach. It was like she agreed he and Deku would be good but under different circumstances…circumstances where he was less broken. 

Masaru took another bite, and asked, “How has that experience gone?”

And much like when his friends asked, he reassured them that Izuku was a professional; that the man knew what he was doing. Despite wanting to change the conversation a few moments prior, he found himself wanting them to know that Deku was strong, and a nerd, and that they could hold conversations for hours. He told them about their first meeting, and about his breakdowns, and how Deku had handled them all perfectly. He told himself that he was telling them all this to dispel any of his parents’ fears about the process, but deep down, he knew it was something more.

Mitsuki saw how her son nearly bloomed when talking about his therapy omega. Where other topics had been like walking on a thread, this was easy and comfortable. Whenever they talked about the news, Katsuki would rub his fingers against the fabric of his jeans; or when they brought up family matters or big changes, his shoulders hunched forward. However, when they brought up this “Izuku” –an omega that Katsuki called by his name rather than ‘the freckled extra’ or some such nickname– his eyes would light up and his smile would soften. She had been joking about the scents, but now she wasn’t sure what to think.

“I’m glad the therapist was able to find you a good match,” Masaru said with crinkled eyes. “Even more so that he had worked with heroes.”

His alpha was overjoyed. ‘Our dam thinks we made a good match! We need to tell omega!’

But he knew that wasn’t the match his father was talking about, so he attempted to ignore the comments made by his second nature. In addition, there was no way he’d tell Deku that; it’d be fuckin’ weird!

Once they finished eating, his mother brought out the cake and served them each a piece. 

“So, how many hours can you endure now?” Mitsuki asked.

“‘Bout ten, more or less.”

“That’s great progress, Katsuki,” his father voiced, proud, like when Katsuki achieved a new goal as a kid. It fed his need for validation. He was doing right by them.

“Thanks, Pa.”

His mother ruffled his hair. “We’re proud of ya’, kid.”

“Get your eyes checked, woman. ‘m not a kid.”

He ate a spoonful of the too-sweet cake, then added, “But it’s reassuring to see improvement…. for a moment I thought I’d have to live locked up forever.”

His parents hummed but didn’t know how to respond to that. He didn’t know what to say after that; he’d never even admitted it before. So, they sat in silence and finished eating.

XXX

When it was time to do the dishes, Katsuki sidled up next to his mother and offered to wash so that she wouldn’t ruin her nails. Handing him the sponge, she stepped to the right. 

They worked together, side by side. It reminded Mitsuki of times when Katsuki was just a pup. A time before he presented, before he got his quirk, before all the expectations and stress they’d placed on him, before their alphan tempers flared... Katsuki had always helped; had always been kind in his own roundabout way. She was to blame for that part. She should have read more parenting books or sought out help instead of beating him into line. 

Now, she dried the cups Katsuki had placed on the mat on her left side and watched him; watched the handsome, mature man he’d become. However, the longer she watched him, the more she noticed something was wrong. 

Katsuki’s brow furrowed; his eyes looked frightened.

“Katsuki?”

He seemed far away, like he couldn’t hear her despite being right next to each other. His hands didn’t reach for another plate. Instead, his left hand swiped over his right arm, as if he was trying to rid it of something. Then, he repeated the motion on the opposite side.

“Why won’t it come off?” he muttered again and again, haunted. The swiping turned frantic, leaving behind bright red marks.

“Katsuki, stop it,” she called, grabbing his shoulder, trying to shake him out of it, but he wouldn't react.

“Masaru!” she called. 

“What dear?”

“Release some of your scent. He won’t react to me.”

“Why is there so much of it?!” Katsuki yelled, lost in his own world.

“Katsuki,” she shouted, trying to grab his hands, but he was much stronger and kept at it. His breathing was becoming erratic, his entire demeanor desperate.

Her husband frowned, looking at their son who had broken through some skin. Droplets of crimson fell onto the soapy water on the stainless steel sink. Urgently, he released as much of his calming scent as he could, but Katsuki’s eyes snapped toward him, absent and cold. “Go away! Leave me alone!” 

He stopped. 

Katsuki had gone back to looking at his arms. He was crying now and kept trying to rub whatever was bothering him away. “I need it gone, need it gone!”

“Fuck! What can we do?” Mitsuki asked him, but he was at a loss.

He went to the kitchen, where they still kept a small first aid kit, and then he noticed the bag by Katsuki’s jacket. The bag!

Hastily, he grabbed the bag and took it to Mitsuki, who ripped it open with her teeth to reveal the garment inside. The scent of spiced apples wafted into the area, and Katsuki’s movements slowed significantly, his pupils dilating.

“I-I think it’s working, dear,” he said to his wife, incredulously seeing the effect a single scent could have on the whole situation.

 “Katsuki, you’re safe, you’re with us–your Ma and Pa,” she said softly, not touching him lest she aggravate the situation.

Katsuki blinked, raising a hand to wipe away the tears that ran down his face, smearing his skin with blood. His eyes were still somewhat vacant, but he seemed to be coming back to them.

Their son’s eyes lazily shifted to the shirt. “Deku?” he asked, his voice deeper. He must have been running on instincts for the most part. Arms still bleeding, he reached out to take the piece of scented fabric, but Mitsuki pulled it back.

“Let’s get you cleaned up again, and then you can have the shirt, yeah?” she said, reaching out.

This was, of course, the wrong move, because when she hugged the shirt to her chest, his nostrils flared, and he bared his fangs.

Taking a step back, she tilted her neck submissively and held up her hands as a show of surrender. “I won’t harm it; I just want to check your arms, pup.” 

But all Katsuki could sense was that an alpha had his omega’s scent and wouldn’t let go. That alpha spoke but still wouldn’t let his omega go, so he growled as a warning.

Startled, Mitsuki dropped the shirt, and Katsuki pounced on it like a lion does its prey, but instead of burying his fangs in it, he buried his nose, taking deep inhales of it like it wasn’t enough. For minutes, they watched their near feral son bleed on the floor, clutching onto the scented fabric like a lifeline until a purr rumbled from within his chest.

They didn’t know what to do aside from holding each other and waiting for him to become verbal again. It was heartbreaking to see him like that, terrified and cornered instead of his usual confident self. He was getting better, but clearly, whatever had happened had dug its fearsome claws deep within their son, and recovery would take a lot longer than they had anticipated.

XXX

Katsuki came back to Deku’s scent, which was confusing. Hadn’t he been washing the dishes with his mother?

Then another scent tainted the spiced apples he’d come to crave. It was metallic and coppery–blood.

He shook his head and opened his eyes. When had he closed them?

As his lashes fluttered open, he noticed there was a piece of fabric pressed to his nose. He was the one pressing it. He lowered the piece and noticed the angry, red welts on his arms, still fresh and painted in swipes and drops of blood. Looking up, he saw his parents.

Shit.

They looked worried and terrified, everything he’d tried to avoid

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

He’d had another episode. 

With a sigh, he slumped his shoulders and got up. “Sorry,” he muttered again. “Didn’t think that’d happen.”

“You don’t have to apologize–”

“Like hell I don’t! I should be over this–”

“But you aren’t, and that’s okay.”

“That’s okay, Katsuki.”

Okay? None of this was okay!

He shot them a remorseful look and turned around. “Let me clean this up. I assume you want to talk.”

“Only if you want to, pup,” his dad said.

“Doc said it would help to talk about them, so…gimme a minute.”

While Katuski cleaned himself up, his parents wiped up the blood, the dishes forgotten in the sink. Afterward, they all went to the couch and waited for Katsuki to speak first. 

He had been thinking about how to explain when he himself wasn’t sure what had happened.

He interlaced his fingers, resting his elbows on his knees. “I…I think this memory was from when I hurt one of them.”

“Your captors?” his mother asked.

“Yeah.”

“What did you see?”

“I could just see my hands covered in blood. There was so much of it.” He drew a shuddered breath. “No matter how much I tried to clean it wouldn’t come off. I couldn’t see anyone or anything, but that rotten scent of copper was overwhelming. It was like it crawled into my skin and refused to get out.”

“That must have been terrible,” his father said.

His mother bit anxiously on her bottom lip. “Is there anything we can do?”

He gave her a half-hearted lopsided smile. “Nah. It’s up to me now.”

Masaru got up and gave Katsuki a hug. “Just…remember you’re not alone, son. If you need to talk, we’re just a call away.”

Katsuki just about cried again, but he was too damn tired of doing so. He was so sure that an episode like that one would’ve scared his parents away again, but there his father was, hugging him like he was still the same Katuski from a year ago or from ten years ago. He wasn’t the same, but they weren’t the same either. He stood to full height and wrapped his arms around the older man, letting himself melt into the hug. “Yeah…I know.”

This time his mother did join in and squeezed them both as tightly as she could. 

“Thanks.”

Chapter Text

Three days. Katsuki spent three more days without that breathtaking, infuriating, clever, stubborn omega. 

The first day after visiting his parents was bearable enough. He went over the events that happened at his parents’ house during therapy and concluded that it could've been worse. With some coping techniques, he managed to tolerate The Center better than last time, too. There had been a sweet, cherry-like scent, but Katsuki grit his teeth and moved forward. He didn't lose control; he only suffered a headache. The outburst he had against a knothead alpha harassing a curly-haired omega before he left was totally warranted. If the reason he only calmed down was when he noticed the omega had no freckles, no one needed to know.

On the second day, his thoughts were muddled. Routine, repetitive motions kept him on track. He checked his phone obsessively, his alpha prying, whining, begging for its future mate. He would pocket his phone, run fingers through his hair, shift his feet, and take it out to check again. No messages, no calls, no voicemails, or emails. The Center couldn't provide any information, and Katsuki wouldn't risk annoying the Commission, further delaying his return to hero work. He groaned and pushed through the revolving door into the bank.

Katsuki was independent, strong, capable. The omega didn't need him, and he didn't need the damned omega. He needed to dig into that drive, and face the frightened, manipulative beast underneath to unearth his boundaries and overcome his fear. He couldn't allow himself to fail, to be the one who sets the nails in the coffin that would be his home if he fails to have successful interactions. He went to pay some of his bills. He could do that electronically, but those infernal waiting times would be good practice in terms of foreign scent exposure.

Irritation began to simmer within, rising to a boil with each swipe of his lockscreen, with each blank inbox and lack of unread messages. Pressing that button on the side, he turned the device off and waited to be called for his turn. 

His alpha was incessant, freaking out about Deku's absence, begging to call, to ask about, to retrieve their omega. Another headache had formed by the time his turn came up, but he managed to complete the task well enough. The voice in his head roared louder and went from distracting to consuming–bad alpha; alone, alone forever; omega left us; omega’s gone; we lost omega. It was maddening how his alpha took up more and more of his mind, so he cut his trip short and went home lest he appear on gossip columns for yelling obscenities at the wind. 

There were familiar pack scents at the door when he arrived back home. After locking the door behind him, he rolled his eyes and grumbled, “I didn’t give ya the spare key so that you could break in whenever you damn please, you mooch,” as he toed off his shoes.

Both Kirishima and Mina were sitting on the couch glaring at him with arms crossed over their chests. 

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” Mina asked the moment he stepped past the genkan.

"None of your business, Pinky." He felt like a kid getting caught sneaking in after curfew.

"We've been worried sick! You usually read the messages, at least!"

Katsuki sighed and got some extra spicy chai tea ready. He knew they wouldn't leave without an explanation. It took an hour of explanations, then another of working through his thoughts before they seemed satisfied and left him alone. 

On the third day, he woke up with a quiet resignation. He made breakfast, did a home workout, and showered. The scents on the items that Deku had left him were fading, turning into a blissful memory. It put a damper on his mood, his alpha whining about the loss of their omega yet again. The whole night had been spent tossing and turning with irrational concerns prompted by his instinctual need to protect. What if Deku had been injured? What if he flew abroad and the plane crashed? What if he lost his phone and wasn’t able to locate Katsuki or remember where he lived?

Logically, Katuski knew that Deku should be back soon, well and alive, but with no word or indication of when he’d return…

He needed to get used to it, to living and functioning alone again. He fuckin’ hated his second nature for getting fixated on the omega. If Deku rejected him, even if they somehow managed to stay friends, he needed to be able to live without his scent and his comfort. Despite his downcast thoughts, Katsuki went to therapy, put in the hours, and felt proud that he was able to push his time limits with a random omegan scent, too. It was one step closer to being a hero again.

When there was a knock at the door on the fourth day, his alpha perked up at the thought of it being Deku, but he told himself it was probably Kirishima worrying over him again since he declined the squad’s invitation to the movies the previous day. Katsuki groaned at the thought of being dragged out. Since he didn’t have to go to The Center, he was planning on staying in, enveloped in Deku-scented blankets and watching his shows, meaning that he was hoping to avoid human contact. This idle train of thought was probably why his brain short-circuited at the sight of apologetic viridian eyes and tired yet blinding white smile.

“Hi, Kacchan, how are you?” The omega shifted anxiously by the door. "Sorry I took so long." 

“Deku…you’re back,” he said a little incredulously. Before he could really register his actions, he crushed the greenette in a powerful embrace and began not-so-subtly scenting Izuku with his wrists, earning a few giggles and squeals of ‘Kacchan!’ He inhaled, but no fresh scent was present—damn blockers!

A sharp hiss made him break off the hug and it was then that he saw it. Deku’s visible skin was littered in bruises; there were dark circles under his eyes, and some bandages around his hand. The rest of the damage, because no doubt there was more, was obstructed by his usual long-sleeved shirt.

"Shit." A mixture of embarrassment and anger flared though him. His cheeks heated up as he realized what he’d done, so he cleared his throat, not daring to look Izuku in the eyes again, and stepped back to let the other in.  Katsuki pushed his embarrassment aside, hoping that if he ignored the impulsive scenting, he wouldn't need to have an awkward conversation. The outrage that grew by the second at the injuries, however, was harder to quell.

“What the hell happened to you?” Katsuki asked as he led the man inside, not noticing the fading blush on Izuku’s face.

The shorter man gave a near-teasing smile. “I believe I asked how you were first, Kacchan.”

“Cut the bullshit, Deku. What-Why-Where…” His brain seemed to struggle with what question to ask first.

Making his way to his usual corner on the couch, Izuku chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry I wasn’t able to text or call; I can’t use my phone when I travel like that. I had to tie up some loose ends. It was urgent, but I’m back for good now.”

Katsuki took his place next to the omega, crossing his arms to restrain the urge to scent the man again, and narrowed his eyes at him. Ignoring his inner alpha, who was yearning to purr and croon at being around the omega again, he remarked, “That still doesn’t explain the bruises and bandages.”

Deku picked at his nails, deep in thought, and for a second, alarms went off in Katsuki's head, his alpha telling him he’d made the omega uncomfortable and that he’d leave them alone again. Luckily, the freckled man replied, “It’s really nothing. I was just helping some heroes and got caught up in the crossfire. I’m fine though.” 

He spoke so nonchalantly. Was this an everyday occurrence? No one would harm him again if Katsuki could help it. He had failed this time, his alpha made sure that he knew it, but after the following two weeks passed, he’d make sure this man—hopefully his man, his omega, by then—could live a safe, happy life.

“You must’ve worked with some shitty-ass heroes to end up like that. What the hell were you even doing?” Deep down, he knew the comment wasn’t fair, but he wasn’t thinking logically. His alpha was snarling indignantly.

Izuku's brow furrowed. “That’s not true, Kacchan. You know better than anyone that accidents happen.”

He had evaded the question. He was hiding something, Katsuki was sure of it, but… he would find out later. At the moment, all that mattered was that the omega was back and that he was safe. 

With unusual apprehension, Katsuki rubbed at his nape. “Um, can you take off your scent patch?” Realizing that might sound inappropriate, he quickly added. “The items you gave me lost their scent, and I wasn’t able to do the last exposure.”

His alpha chuckled. ‘Liar.’ 

Katsuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his second nature. Sure, the pieces had lost their scent because he’d spent a good deal of his time alone sniffing them, and a few of them were still wrapped around his pillow, but Izuku didn’t need to know that.

The omega just smiled and brought a hand up to his collarbone to peel off the offending items. “Of course! I thought it'd be a shorter trip, so I didn't plan for that amount of time.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Deku fiddled with the hem of his shirt, and if Katsuki hadn’t been so aware of everything, he might’ve missed the mumbled, “Is it weird if I say I missed your scent too?”

His alpha was instantly appeased; he was too. The omega missed him, and that knowledge made him smile.

“Nah, Nerd, I missed yours too. Got used to havin’ ya around, you know?” Suddenly, he felt guilty; he should’ve asked before tackling the man when he arrived. “Sorry for scenting you like that when you got here…it was over the line.”

Emerald eyes widened at that and Deku sputtered out, “N-No Kacchan! That’s fine. I-it’s normal when people spend a lot of time together, really!”

There was a beat of silence, each relishing in the fact that their absence was noted, that they had been missed and appreciated. It was a comfortable silence that was broken by the velvety smooth voice Katsuki had thought of the last four days.

“Um, don’t you have to go to The Center today?”

The blond shook his head. “Nope, went in yesterday. We can stay in. What do you think about cooking up some lunch and watching a movie to catch up?”

‘Yes! Court our omega!’

“Sounds great!”

‘Omega wants this too,’ his alpha crooned.

Together, they made spicy ramen with some rice on the side while Katsuki told Izuku about the things that had happened in The Center–leaving out his irritable mood and slight breakdowns, of course. He could mention those later.

Having Deku in his house again improved his mood greatly. It felt like the hole in his chest that had been festering for days was being healed. His home didn’t feel as cold with the other there. His thoughts quickly shifted when he noticed some crimson stains on the bandage that wrapped around Deku’s wrist. 

Knowing the omega would just brush it off, Katsuki got up and retrieved the first aid kit, wordlessly taking Izuku’s hand and undoing the blood-soaked gauze that reached up to the man’s elbow. Izuku protested, sputtering for Katsuki to stop rolling the sleeve up, but Katsuki tugged the smaller hand closer and inspected the wounds. It was worse than the other had let on. Deku had three deep cuts that had to be stitched, and they’d burst open a little, probably when he had been reaching to get the utensils for cooking. 

“I’m fine,” Izuku insisted, “I can rebandage after we eat,” but neither Katsuki nor his alpha would accept that.

The freckled man had older scars too, gnarling and discoloring the skin, and for the umpteenth time, Katsuki wondered what the guy’s job was, or if they had been caused by the bullies of the past he’d mentioned. He wanted to demand answers, but if Deku had respected him when he had his panic attacks and didn’t want to speak about them, then he had to return the consideration now. Besides, they'd been happy. He didn't want to ruin the peace they'd built. With a defeated sigh, ignoring the tense gaze from the omega, he finished his work.

Once the hand was bandaged, the two men took their bowls and sat on the couch to begin the movie. The acting was subpar, and instead of action, it seemed more like a comedy, but they enjoyed it, nonetheless. Izuku's scent had permeated every corner of the room by then, and Katsuki sank into the plush cushions, allowing himself to get lost in the plot and the sound of Deku's laughter and muttering.

After an hour, Katsuki felt Izuku's weight on his shoulder. His heart nearly stopped. Slowly, he turned his head to look at the omega and saw that he was asleep, his chest rising and falling at a constant rhythm. Those jade curls had slightly fallen over his face, leaving only rosy, freckled cheeks visible from Katsuki’s angle. The movie went on, forgotten in the background, as his eyes drifted over every speckle. He wondered if anyone had ever counted them all; if they were consistent or multiplied in the summer. 

Being the considerate alpha he was, Katsuki brought the omega closer and shifted the other’s body so that he was comfortable; although, he had to admit he couldn’t resist subtly scenting the omega again. Izuku smiled in his sleep and wrapped his arms around Katsuki’s waist, effectively cuddling his side. He could get used to the contrasting body heats, to the feeling of that foreign form on his, like a weighted blanket that eased his anxious mind. It brought a smile to Katsuki's face, and he buried his nose in verdant waves, gently sniffing their mixed scent, committing it to memory. The whole feeling was so relaxing that Katsuki fell asleep as well.

XXX

“..achan! Kacchan, wake up,” Izuku pleaded, his voice dripping with concern. Katsuki grumbled, and pulled the omega back to his chest, too sleepy to care about anything other than that simple contentment he felt.

“Kacchan, we fell asleep. I’m so sorry.”

The blond complained once more but slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Deku’s worried expression and teary eyes sobered him up. He sat up, alarmed, and looked around to see if there was anyone there, if there was any danger, then at Deku to see if his injuries were worse, but there was nothing. 

“What happened, Deku?” he mumbled, throwing his head back, dizzy from having gotten up too quickly after waking up.

Through squinting eyes that were still adjusting to the increase in brightness, Katsuki was able to appreciate the person beside him. Izuku was gorgeous, hair mussed up from sleep, emerald eyes shining in the morning sun, and a light blush covering his cheeks.

 “I fell asleep against you Kacchan; I might’ve even scented you unconsciously. Ugh this is so inappropriate." He covered his face with his hands. "It’s so embarrassing!" Lowering his hands, Deku leaned forward. "I-I would never take advantage of you. You know that I’m not that type of omega, right?”

Izuku was fidgeting, his hands lightly trembling. Was he afraid Katsuki would be angry? It was unlike his outgoing nature, but if he was truly worried about it, the explosive hero couldn’t let the omega think that at all, so he patted the man’s arm. “It’s okay, Nerd. We both fell asleep. And I don’t mind the scenting; I thought we covered that already.” 

Not wanting to sport a blush of his own, he got up, ruffled Deku’s hair, and began walking away, but Izuku held on to him by the wrist, tugging him backward. His body tensed. He tried to take deep breaths, but he felt someone yanking his collar backwards, grabbing him by bindings he did not have a few minutes ago.

‘Another memory.’ They were easier to identify now, though not as easy to dismiss.

The same betas and omegas as last time were once again in his cell. This time, he had managed to break through one of the chains—those that restrained his feet—so he kept some of them away with kicks but winning one against five isn’t possible with kicks alone. One of the omegas had a knife—’a threat to our den’. As she swung, he weaved, blocked, came behind her and snapped her neck. Soon, he had a male beta at his back and a female at his front, one trying to choke him, and the other coming at him with a taser. 

With his alpha in control, he didn’t measure strength. The main goal was to eliminate the threat. 

He push-kicked the female, creating a small opening to grab the male and perform a throw over his shoulder, smashing the beta on the concrete floor. The female with the taser lunged towards him, so, with a quick move, he did a controlled takedown and transitioned to an americana shoulder lock, effectively popping her shoulder from its socket. The beta wailed, but he had no time to waste; the male had recovered and was coming at him once more, albeit with a slight limp.

From that part on, the memory came lightning quick, blurred images passing quickly like a flipbook: his teeth sinking into one of their necks, opening up wounds that gave way to streams of blood; bones snapping; loud screaming—unpleasant smells and sounds that invaded his senses, but his den was safe.

Red, red, red. The red life blood he’d been trying to rid his hands of when he visited his parents was present once more, this time with a clear source. The crimson, viscous liquid wouldn’t come off because it was impossible to clean. A death was a death, and he’d killed viciously. Those were three, but how many more had he murdered in his rut-driven haze?

This time, when he came back from his memories, he remained frozen with silent tears dripping down his face, and desperately clinging to Izuku like a lifeline. Deku held him, humming a comforting melody, and carding his crooked fingers through Katsuki’s blond locks. 

“I’m here, Kacchan. You made it out. You’re so strong, alpha. I’m proud.”

Katsuki was sure Izuku must have almost choked on his scent with how pungent it had become, but the man didn’t stop his ministrations. 

Izuku had never seen the hero reject his approaches quite like that, so he released his comforting scent and spoke to him gently, hoping to distract and coax him out of his misery. 

Katsuki stared at nothing for a long while, feeling the man he fell for—his support omega—provide solace and reassurance, something he didn’t feel he deserved. 

He wasn’t a hero; he was a killer.

“Deku, stop,” he whispered.

The man’s hand hesitantly slowed its movement. “Stop what, Kacchan?”

“Stop trying to make me feel better, I don’t deserve it,” Katsuki explained, turning away from the warm body that held him and hugging his legs to his chest.

Deku scooted closer, positioned himself against the blond, back-to-back, and linked their index fingers together. “Can you tell me what you remembered?”

Katsuki snatched his hand away. It was one thing being told he’d killed someone, but after almost five months, he’d been able to focus on the other parts of his trauma; he’d been able to push that away. Now, with this memory, that barrier of safety shattered, leaving cutting shards to pierce him at every turn. He shouldn’t link his index finger to Izuku, shouldn’t seek out comfort when he hadn’t earned it. He'd killed people by accident on the job, and that had hurt, felt like a failure, but this was purposeful, intentional—a villainous victory. 

“No…you’ll hate me…”

‘We’ll lose him. Omega will leave. Be afraid.’

His alpha was right. Who would love a killer? 

“I won’t, Kacchan. I can’t.”

Katsuki let out a humorless laugh. Of course, the man holding his hand was forced to like him for the sake of his job. 

Once again, he could see the blood on his hands, but he didn’t bother trying to wipe it off. He felt a crushing weight on his chest, preventing the air from flowing to his lungs. Katsuki closed his eyes and focused on the space around him instead.

It felt like an eternity, but it was only mere seconds spent in silence before Izuku spoke again. “Kacchan…I think you should know by now that I don’t care because of my job alone. You’ve become a great friend, and I just want to know how I can help. I’ve been through a lot myself, and it’s much easier to overcome it with someone rather than alone.”

“Deku…” What was he supposed to say to that? How could the omega read him so well? He felt some degree of peace with the reassurance that he was cared for beyond what was required, but this admission wasn’t something as small as setting off an explosion on a friend. It was manslaughter!

His emotions, still on high, prompted more salty tears that fell in rivulets down his chin and moistened his shirt. The future he’d planned and worked toward seemed so far away, so impossible now. Whimpers escaped his lips, and his hands shook, the reactions out of his control. He felt broken, embarrassed; he didn’t want Deku to see him crumble again, so he turned his head. He really had become a useless alpha. He should be stronger than this.

“Kac-Katsuki, look at me,” Izuku implored, now kneeling in front of him, wiping away the rampant tears. Katsuki let him. Those calloused hands felt like a cooling, soothing balm against his sensitive skin. “You can trust me, rely on me. I’m here for you, alpha, but you need to let me in. I really can’t do much unless you talk to me.”

Katsuki sniffled, his eyes glassy and open wide. “Omega…”

“I’m here, alpha,” Deku reassured, still wiping tears away and fully removing the remaining blockers to envelop them in his scent. 

Katsuki breathed lungfuls of spiced apple, feeling his tense body unwind like a stubborn coil that had been twisted too tightly. It physically hurt, but after enough time with his focus on Deku’s scent, it truly did feel more manageable. With his mind somewhat clearer, he wiped away the remaining moisture on his face, and cleared his throat, steeling himself for Deku’s reaction. There was no use in hiding it if it was common knowledge among the heroes who rescued him. It was bound to come out someday.

‘No. Don’t,’ his alpha begged. 

Shame and hesitation wound their deadly fists around the blond’s throat, but Katsuki pried them open. This needed to be done. 

He went to speak and paused; he couldn’t bring himself to look at the omega as he said it. He felt too exposed. He looked to the side—one of his most frequent distancing moves—and hoarsely stated, “I killed three people...maybe more.”

For a moment, the omega didn’t say anything, simply moved to hold his hand. Katsuki had to look down to make sure he hadn’t triggered his quirk because the space where their skin touched seemed scorching hot. 

Guilt-ridden, the blond went to remove the hand the omega was holding yet again, but Izuku tightened his grip and locked their gazes together just as firmly. “Kacchan, I knew that information already. They told me when I was briefed, and even saw how it happened. It doesn’t change how I see you, hero. You are still the same amazing Katsuki Bakugo I've had the honor of getting to know these past weeks. The fact is you were abused and manipulated; there was nothing you could do.”

Izuku took a deep breath before he continued. “We’ve all done and faced things we’re not proud of, and it takes time to heal, but you are more than your mistakes. You’re a smart, strong, and capable hero, Kacchan; a great alpha, too, and you’ll kick this thing in the ass, but it takes time and a shit load of patience.”

Katsuki’s crimson eyes searched the verdant ones in front of him and all he found was acceptance and truth; there wasn’t a hint of hypocrisy or lies. He wanted to be angry at the people who revealed his experience, at Deku for hiding it from him, but he knew it was protocol. It wasn’t their fault. 

Then and there, he realized that he shouldn’t give a single fuck about his rapists and tormentors. He had a right to feel violated and angry. It was self-defense, like everyone said. It was unfortunate, but it was what saved his life. It was why he was there, busting his ass to recover from their treatment. He wasn’t the revolting one in the scenario, they were. 

He stared for much longer than was necessary or proper, but he could see it. He had visible proof that Deku accepted him. Izuku Midoriya wasn’t terrified, wasn’t disgusted, wasn’t uncomfortable because of him, and it brought him validation, in a way, about the situation.

For the time being, he didn’t say anything, just nodded. Izuku asked if he could hug him, and he acquiesced. The omega’s sinewy arms wrapped around him. Their bodies fit together easily, like pieces of the same fucked up puzzle. With Izuku so close, he felt like he belonged, like he was whole despite the chips along his edges.

They stayed there for minutes, maybe hours, but time didn’t matter. He stared at everything and nothing, repeating every memory again and again to complete the picture of what had happened when he was taken. 

At some point, Izuku guided him to the bathroom and brought over clothes so that he could shower, only giving him privacy after the water was pleasantly warm.

“I’ll be right outside, Kacchan. Let me know if you need anything,” Deku said with a kind smile.

Katsuki wished he could call him back, but he had no logical justification, no reason other than wanting to see him. Focusing on his movements, he managed to direct his body through practiced motions, lingering when the soapy suds ran down his back in rivulets, startling when he thought he saw crimson swirling down the drain. He closed his eyes, counted to ten, and opened them again. The red marks in the water were gone.

When he stepped out, already dried and dressed, he noticed that Deku had left warm tea and a scented blanket in his den.

“Deku?” Katsuki called. His throat felt raw, and it burned to speak, but he would push past it.

A resounding omegan chirp was heard outside, from the guest room, so he walked in that direction. It was odd because Deku never really entered rooms unless he was asked to. As he opened the door, he couldn’t help the way his heart pounded in his chest, or the way his lips instinctively curled upward with a hint of fondness. The curly haired omega was practically buried in a pile of fabric, making a nest on the guest bed. 

“What are you doing, Deku?” he asked, chuckling amusedly when the mess of dark curls popped up, looking side to side before finding him. 

“Ah, Kacchan! I thought you’d take a bit longer, sorry you had to see that.” Izuku stepped out of the nest and guided him back to the kitchen as he spoke. “I figured I’d stay the night. I don’t really feel comfortable leaving you alone after that memory surfaced.”

‘Omega wants to stay? Invite him to our den!’ 

Katsuki coughed at the sudden thought. No, he would not do that. The omega probably had his own things to do; he shouldn't be worrying about him at all. Katsuki was supposed to be making progress. “You don’t need to stay, Deku. I can take care of myself.”

With a smile, Izuku replied, “I know you can. This is for me and my conscience. I'll leave early in the morning. Now, did you drink your tea already?

“No. ‘s in my room.”

“Get it. We can drink some together.”

Katsuki gulped. They’d done so many things together, built camaraderie and trust, but as the minutes ticked by, it sunk in that Izuku was staying over; Izuku had provided comfort; Izuku wanted to be around him. Aside from the obvious elation, he felt a buzzing underneath his skin and a stuttered thought process. Izuku was staying. In his house. Taking the cup, his eyes fell on the blanket again.

“And what’s the scented blanket for?” 

A rosy hue painted the man’s freckled cheeks and the back of his neck. “I-I’ve noticed my scent has actually grounded you in the past, so in case your memories resurface,” Izuku trailed off and started again. “Since we don’t sleep together–I-I mean, we’re friends, and if you wanted comfort–” The man stuttered again and sighed defeatedly, finally muttering, “Just thought it’d be useful.”

“Oh.” Katsuki wasn’t sure what to make of that. A part of him was glad that Deku was just as nervous as he was, but the other part wondered if…

Some cookies were placed in front of him. “Want some?”

“Sure. And…thanks for the blanket, Deku.” He wanted to thank him for everything else, too, but he couldn’t find the right words.

“No problem!” The man grinned and took a cookie for himself.

Together, they drank their tea, ate some cookies, and then went their separate ways. Katsuki thought that he wouldn’t be able to sleep at all with the knowledge that someone–that Izuku– was in his house. A small part of him pondered if he'd get territorial. However, despite the fact that Izuku re-applied his patches before going to sleep, the house smelled just as wonderful as Katsuki had imagined it would the previous week, like his favorite season. Their combined scents were soothing, and this lulled Katsuki into a deep slumber. He never woke up to nightmares, not even to piss. He slipped away, dragged to dreamland by the pull of spiced apples, and didn’t rouse until the sun was filtering through the windows and an obnoxious rapping was heard at the door.

“Hold your horses, I’m coming!”

Hastily, Katsuki brushed his teeth and rinsed before dragging his feet to see who it was. Begrudgingly, he opened the door.

“Hey, man!” His best friend greeted cheerily, holding up a bag with breakfast from the only decent place near his apartment.

Rolling his eyes, he stepped aside to let Eijirou enter. “Lower your damn voice, you’ll wake up Deku.”

“He’s not here.” Kirishima chuckled. “He’s running some errands and called me over. Check the fridge.”

‘Omega left?’ his alpha asked, whining again. Stupid second natures.

He grumbled and took the bags from Eijirou’s hands, rummaging through them to see what the other alpha had brought. “Didn’t notice, just woke up.”

Had he been so far gone that he didn’t even notice Deku moving around? Or was it because he lowered his guard? Walking to the fridge, he saw the note: ‘Good morning, Kacchan! I’m glad you got to rest! I was called in for paperwork, so I’ll pick up some food before coming back ^_^’ 

“Yeah, I–he said he left a scented bag in his room…” Kirishima looked at him skeptically. “Why was he over though?” Then, he gasped. “Did he sleep over? Did you finally talk?”

Turning around, he slapped a hand over the redhead’s mouth. “Shut your trap. I ain’t telling him shit, and you know it.”

Eijirou pushed the hand off,  grabbed a plate from the cabinet and served his food, munching on a piece of ham he’d snatched from the fridge. “Then, what happened?” 

Katsuki sighed, putting the kettle to boil. “Things are…as good as they can be, I guess. ‘m just fucking exhausted.” Without meeting the other’s ruby red eyes, he sighed, rolling his shoulders, and said, “I remembered how I killed…”

“Oh, man, that’s rough,” Eijirou mumbled. “That explains the why, at least, but not why everything smells like him, too.” 

The blond grunted, ignoring the second half of the statement. He took his plate to the table on the balcony and walked back to wait for the tea. 

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I saw it anyway; it wasn’t your fault, and it was clear. The Commission saw how you were manipulated; they’re not pressing charges or anything.”

“Not sure if that’s better or worse.” Katsuki sighed. He stepped out onto the balcony and sat down. Kirishima stood behind him by the sliding door, not sure whether to join or not.

“Speaking of that…Fero’s people…they were all caught.”

Katsuki turned to face him. “Fuck, really?”

Eijirou smirked at the show of emotion and took a seat on the opposite chair. “Yeah, really. We had some help from another squad. They had caught wind of a group that matched the description, and their agency put together a plan before contacting us. They had an exceptional lead that caught them in no time.”

Katsuki rested his elbows on his thighs, his fingers digging into his hair. “So, it’s over?”

“Yeah,” the alpha chuckled, “it is, bud. No one will ever have to experience what you did ever again.”

“Holy shit,” he whispered. “Who was in that other squad?” He sat back up, searching the other’s face. Something in him needed to know. 

Eijirou shook his head. “Y’know I can’t say that ‘til the case is closed. Final day for that’s coming up soon. Still, chances are that the boss will be the one to tell ya.”

With a huff, the blond alpha nodded. He knew that it was protocol, and as dumb as it was sometimes, he’d get nowhere trying to fight it. For a minute, he simply ate, wondering how they’d taken down Fero and her associates. He’d never really asked about that either. Maybe soon…

“How did Midoriya react to your memories? I assume you told him.”

“Yeah, I did.” Katsuki shrugged, taking a bite out of a pastry. “He was…comforting, understanding. He’d seen what I did before taking on the job, too.” He was still perplexed at the omega’s reaction, but he couldn’t deny that Izuku was everything he needed at that moment. The guy went above and beyond what was required of him, Katsuki was sure of it.

He bit at his lip, mulling over the night’s events once more. Another moment of silence passed. He could feel Kirishima’s eyes on him but didn’t say a word. His friend was patiently waiting for whatever he’d say next, and though the redhead was expecting Katsuki to give more details about the omega’s reaction, Katsuki went ahead and said, “Shitty Hair, I want to get this program over with.”

Eijirou sighed, stabbing an egg with his chopsticks. “Dude, I know this is uncomfortable for you, being all emotional and stuff but you need to be patient with yourself. Besides, I thought you wanted Midobro around. Won’t ending it make him leave earlier?”

 “I do want him around. That’s why.” Katsuki felt his ears heat up from the moment the words left his lips, but he was done being in denial. He stuffed another bite into his mouth. He might want to be more honest, but it was still embarrassing as fuck. Nonetheless, his usual way to approach things would get him nowhere.

“Oh…oh! You can’t wait to make your move, is that it?”

“I ain’t saying it again, idiot.” The blond huffed. “I’ve decided. I’m finishing this before the month is over.”

“If anyone can do it, it’s you man!”

“Tch. I know. I’ll be back to normal this week, just you wait.”

Chapter Text

Immersion Therapy evolved as they got closer to the end of their journey.

“You’ve made remarkable progress, Bakugo,” Dr. Ji said as she went over Izuku’s notes. “I do believe you’re ready for the next stage.”

Katsuki sat up straighter at the words, brow furrowed. “What do you mean by that, Doc?” He thought the twenty-four hours were the last stage.

The woman smirked. “Midoriya isn’t the only omega in the world, and although you’ve made sure to go out plenty, and he’s shared his notes, I need to test your resistance within a controlled environment to verify those observations. This would truly be the final stage for your certification, and you’re a week ahead of schedule, so congratulations.”

Katsuki clicked his teeth and crossed his arms. “How’d you plan on doing that?”

Now, when he reported to The Center, he was led to a different area—an area that required personnel with a key card. The floor was dark gray concrete. There were cameras in the corners and the three lights by the door. It reminded Katsuki of an interrogation room of sorts, except this one had no furniture at all.

“These are training rooms,” Izuku has told him on the first day. “We use them for various purposes, but since some of those devolve into combat, we make sure to keep it bare. I’ll be with you during the entire process, but if it ever gets to be too much, simply raise your hand or let me know, and I’ll call the whole thing off, okay?”

The blond huffed and rolled his eyes. “Won’t be necessary, Nerd.”

Deku grinned and nodded. “I know, but I still need to inform you.”

Katsuki was guided to the middle of the room, where he sat face to face with Izuku. When a light by the door flashed green, they took off their patches.

“Like Dr. Ji said, we’ll be here for five minutes, and then another omega will enter. The first session will last thirty minutes. Whether you want to sit in silence or talk is up to you.”

“Got it. I think I prefer to talk for now because this shit will feel awkward as fuck if we don’t.”

Izuku giggled. “That’s fair. What do you want to talk about?”

They talked about their childhood this time. At first, it was about their parents, which led to their first homes.

“No way, you lived in Musutafu too?!” the omega squealed.

“Tch. Yeah, lived there my whole life.”

“Wow…who would’ve thought?”

Time went by faster with conversation. Soon, there was a knock on the door. An omega with pin-straight russet hair entered; her ears were pointed, and her fangs were unusually long. Katsuki suppressed a shiver. One of his captors had pointed ears like hers, only their hair was violet. He didn’t want to dwell on it too much, instead keeping his eyes on Izuku and prompting the man to continue. He knew that Deku noticed that something was off because of his concerned gaze, but luckily, he was perceptive, as he always had been, and distracted Katsuki by asking him about his first year of quirk use. While it was obvious what he was doing, the blond was grateful for it and replied to keep the conversation going.

Though slightly tense, the rest of the time there was mostly uneventful.

The second session would be an hour long, and every session after that would be thirty minutes longer, adding distressed and other unpleasant scents until the doctor deemed him ready. They scheduled him during the morning, noon, and night to see if the time of day affected the results as well.

Despite the frequent changes in schedule and mood, Deku arrived no matter what hour Katsuki needed him. Izuku responded as a hero did, with a smile and intensity but without hesitation. It made Katsuki appreciate him even more. It was the little things the other man did too, like staying on the phone talking about All Might movies to distract his mind, brewing him that lemon-ginger cayenne tea to soothe his throat, or even preparing a mask, scented by him for Katsuki to wear when everything got to be too much. He was a constant form of support; Katsuki hoped he could return the favor some day.

XXX

After a particularly challenging session with Dr Ji, the two found themselves at the cafeteria, watching the news and eating breakfast.

Sixteen hours without snapping. Katsuki felt so close yet so far away from his goal. Only eight more hours, and he’d be cleared. He’d been working extra hard, pushing his limits as much as he could, so he hoped that he could still get to twenty-four before the month was over.

Scrolling through his phone, getting used to social media again, he noticed that he’d been mentioned in a few gossip sites. Some for his “mystery omega,” or running away from people at that mall, but the one that struck him most were those that boasted of how quickly he’d made his recovery and how easy it had been for him. With only a few words, they belittled months of effort and struggling.

If only they knew. 

Pushing his limits often came at a price. Some days, it was nightmares or panic attacks in the middle of the night, waking up in sweat-soaked sheets with a sense of disgust and guilt. Others, it was trembling at the overwhelming sensation of multiple scents, vomiting after sessions and tasting the mix of bile, venom, and copper that lingered after he was done. Dr. Ji had reassured him and told him that it was normal; she reminded him that recovery wasn’t linear and that memories would surface from time to time, but what mattered was how he dealt with them.

He was going to mention it to Izuku but thought it better to talk about it later. The omega seemed off. He’d sighed over six times while they waited for their table and ordered their drinks. He was usually more talkative when seeing heroes in action, too, so it was cause for concern when a major fight was taking place, and the freckled man didn’t even mumble. Katsuki also noticed a less spiced tone than usual in his pheromones.

Katsuki nudged the nerd’s knee with his own. “Hey, what’s wrong, Deku? Your scent isn’t as happy today, and you’re distracted as hell.”

With a strained smile, Izuku responded, “I’m so happy you could tell! You’ve improved so much, Kacchan.”

Katsuki could tell he was deflecting, and as weak as he felt to those pleading eyes, he stood his ground. With a raised brow and arms crossed over his chest, he held eye contact with the other for a few seconds, and before the minute was up, the omega caved.

“It’s nothing really.” Izuku sighed. “I just haven’t seen my friends since I moved, and I’d made plans for the weekend, but they bailed.” Then he tilted his head from left to right and added, “Well, not really bailed as much as they got called in to work patrols.”

Patrols?

 “That sucks. So, your friends are heroes here?”

“Ah, yeah. They’re ex-classmates of yours, actually. Shouto and Uravity? I think I’ve mentioned them before,” he answered with a sheepish smile.

“Yeah, you did. I thought you’d just met them on a mission though and maybe talked once a year. Didn’t think you were ‘drinking buddies’ close.”

“How could I not try to be their friend? They’re super nice and humble, too! Besides, I enjoy getting to know fellow omegas like Ochako. Shouto was a bit…reluctant at first, most likely because I’m not an alpha, and they assigned us to the same room, but after I helped him during training the first time, he apologized, and we became quick friends.”

“So, you’ve slept with Halfie?”

“Kacchan!” The omega whined, his face turning as red as the tomatoes he had on his plate. “Don’t word it like that! Yes, I roomed with him, but really, it was never romantic or sexual.”

Katsuki grunted, taking a swig of water. His alpha was happy at the confirmation which made it incredibly hard to keep that emotion out of his scent.

Round eyes flicked up at him, the blush on those freckled cheeks remained very much present. Still, the omega seemed to compose himself or sense his conflict because he cheekily asked, “Why? You want to know if I’m single, Kacchan?” 

Katsuki choked on his drink, striking his chest, and willing his lungs to work again. What the fuck?!

Izuku chortled in a way only he could make attractive. “Are you okay? I was just kidding. But really, why’d you ask?”

Katsuki looked up at him through his lashes, regarding him thoughtfully before settling for, “Just curious. Besides, you’re my responsibility now; gotta make sure any shitty alpha who looks at you treats you right.”

“Well, someone is listening to his alpha today,” Izuku sang playfully, clapping a hand to Katsuki’s shoulder. “Thanks for caring, but you know I can take care of myself.”

The blond just thought about how wrong that first statement was. If he listened to his alpha at all they would be courting, hopefully, maybe cycle-sharing—and would have done other things. Things he wasn’t sure he was entirely ready for. Memories of those disgusting omegas and betas slithered under his skin, so he stuffed another piece of ham into his mouth and focused on the taste and the feeling of it as it went down his throat.

“Shut up, and let me be a stupid alpha,” he huffed, trying to appear unaffected, knocking their knees together again. “‘sides, just because you can take care of yourself, doesn’t mean you can’t accept help from others…” 

Then he added, “I haven’t seen the Todoroki bastard in about the same time you have. He’s taking over my cases, so he’s working and sleeping for the most part, and I’ve only spoken to Round Cheeks when the idiots made a video call to her during one of their visits.”

There was a quick change, much like with their first day working together; a flash of emotions flickered briefly through the emerald eyes before settling on a soft smile. “You’re not a stupid alpha, Kacchan; you’re a really good alpha, and any omega would be lucky to have you by their side.”

Katsuki’s heart fluttered, his alpha incredibly pleased with the fact that Izuku thought he was a worthy alpha, and he felt—ew—warm and tingly all over. Was that what Kirishima described back in high school?

Unbothered by  Katsuki’s lack of response, Deku continued. “And I’m glad to know I’m not the only one missing my friends. Maybe we can make plans to hang out with them together?”

Katsuki grimaced. He would hate that. “You’d really subject me to torture after all I’ve been through? I thought I could trust you, Deku.”

Izuku gigged in that baffling melodious way it did when it was genuine. “Oh, please. Don’t bother denying you care about them. Half the fandom thought you were dating one of them after that Vietnam mission; the split was in deciding which one!”

Katsuki clicked his tongue and threw a bread roll at the man, who dodged it with ease. “You punk. Maybe I should leave for the day since you’re in the mood to slander my name.”

“No!” the omega protested with a pout. “You mentioned a pool!”

 “Yeah, I did.” Pretending to mull it over, Katsuki hummed as he picked up his tray and stood. “Maybe I’ll tolerate your dumbass self a bit longer. It’s hot as fuck outside, and I’d rather not be a bomb threat.”

The omega smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners with amusement. “Well then, thank you for your eternal patience, alpha. Let's change, yeah?”

XXX

Katsuki had entered the pool first, and he was immediately grateful that he did. When Izuku walked towards him, he could finally take in all of his features. Since the center promoted a “body positive” mindset, men were not allowed to wear shirts in the indoor pool regardless of their secondary gender. That meant that he was finally getting the opportunity to see Deku without those vexing long sleeves.

Izuku was a vision. His ivory skin was a masterpiece, and the freckles that dusted his curves only served to enhance his beauty. The clothes the man had worn before, even the tight rash guards he sometimes wore to workout, had utterly failed to accurately portray the athletic build that sported sinewy muscle, taut under his skin, that moved and became more prominent as he flexed them when he moved even in the slightest.

The omega was breathtaking.

Izuku stepped into the pool cautiously, his arms folded over his chest as if they could cover everything. It made Katsuki frown. Why would he look so insecure? He remembered the store incident, but he thought the insecurities were about his hands. Now, he could infer that was not the case.

Katuski’s body moved before he could restrain himself, his fingers tracing the pale, jagged scar; the largest one that covered most of the omega’s right arm. 

Izuku shivered under his touch.“W-what are you doing, Kacchan?”

Katsuki was still lost in appreciation, trying to commit the dips and curves, at least visually, for now, but at Izuku’s question, he retrieved his hand and shook his head. He must’ve come off as such a perv, yet that burning curiosity kept its hold on him. “I’ve never seen them before, Nerd. How’d you get them?” 

The freckled man gave a wry smile and lowered himself into the water all the way to the neck, probably to hide his body, much to Katsuki’s disappointment. “They’re ugly, huh? It’s part of the reason I don’t have an alpha—that and my work. Most want a flawless omega, and that’s something I’ve never been.”

The blond’s eyebrows shot up, a low growl leaving his lips at the thought. “Deku, no. They’re a show of strength, and any alpha who makes you feel ‘less than’ because of them can go fuck themselves.”

Izuku’s eyes widened, his lips slightly parted as if Katsuki had uttered something unfathomable, but quickly composed himself and looked away.

“I’m here to listen if you want,” he offered as he moved to sit near the omega.

Izuku blinked twice, processing Katsuki’s words. “Not that I love to talk about it, but I suppose I’ve seen enough of your darkness to allow for a little of mine.” He chuckled.

Katsuki reached for his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before releasing it and reclining on the edge of the pool. “Nerd, you have enough information to ruin me at this point. And if I’ve learned anything this past month, it is that sharing one’s darkness with others can be somewhat therapeutic; shit helps us heal.”

Izuku giggled a little behind his left hand, his shoulders relaxing. “I’m not supposed to do this with patients…”

“But didn’t we establish that we’re more than that now?”

Izuku paused and turned to look at the blond. He smiled bashfully. “Y-yeah…I guess.” While he spoke, he kept his eyes trained on the ripples his fingers caused when he combed them through the water—a self-soothing exercise, Katsuki realized. “I’ll spare most of the boring parts, just…remember that this happened a long time ago. It doesn't matter anymore.”

When Katsuki nodded, Izuku asked, “You know how male omegas are rare, right?”

The hero nodded again, already concerned about where this was going. He knew male omegas didn’t have it easy. He’d heard of and investigated one too many cases about male omegas being abducted or hurt and never seen again. The underground markets still hunted them all over the world. They were rare indeed. While some, including the Japanese, consider them near useless because of their low fertility, others believe they are invaluable—the breeders of strong quirks.

“Well, as a child, I was also quirkless—late bloomer. So, I had two things going against me. I was a meek, tiny little pup who never manifested a quirk. The children at my school, and the teens in my middle school, were relentless. I suffered through everything from rumors to broken bones.” 

He paused and ran his fingers to trace some of the smaller scars. “This one time, maybe in fourth grade, a teacher saw that my knee was bleeding badly. A classmate had pushed me into the sandbox, but there was this piece of broken glass that dug into my skin, lifting the layer in that area entirely. The kids ran after seeing all the blood, but the teacher just splashed alcohol on it and called it a day, leaving me to cry in the corner and calling me a little bitch; that I would ‘suffer more in the future’, and that I had better get used to pain.”

Katsuki growled at that. The world was so fucking twisted, he knew. Again, he felt this pressing  need to shower the omega with affection and reassurance, but he would wait. He would stay calm before voicing opinions–he had promised. He dug his fingers into his thighs and listened quietly as Izuku continued.

 “That one needed stitches, but since I was not allowed to call my mother, it scarred like that. The bit of skin had stuck to the area that was healing, so it took on that bumpy shape. My mother was livid, of course, but there was nothing she could do about it; it wasn’t like we could afford to move anywhere.” 

Showing off a gnarled burn mark on his rib, Izuku continued. “The bullying got worse, a guy with a flame quirk burned part of me, and he burned up my notebooks as he listed off all the reasons I could never work anywhere near heroes; he even told me to take a swan dive off the roof and pray for a quirk in my next life. That and the rape attempts during pre-heats were the worst moments I can think of; sometimes, I still flinch around certain scents—it’s part of the reason I volunteer as a support omega.”

The blond inhaled sharply, biting his cheek. Izuku needed him to listen, not act. Through Izuku’s story, Katsuki realized that the trauma he went through was what omegas have to fear for during most of their living moments. It made his blood chill.

Not wanting to interrupt, Katsuki linked their index fingers together to show that he was there for him. It seemed to be enough for the omega, who continued.

“Anyway, on a day I wanted to just end it all, in middle school, I met an older alpha willing to teach me self-defense; I’m alive because of him. Shortly after, I got my quirk, so I was learning everything at once. It was an overhaul of everything I did to live and breathe, both as an omega and as a quirk holder. The pain from constant injuries and overused muscles was immense.

“The semester I was going to apply to U.A., my mother told me we were moving to the United States. She promised that I wouldn’t have to suffer anymore.” He laughed somewhat bitterly at that; it made Katsuki’s stomach churn. 

“My mentor moved with us, I had a great time in high school, and made the friends I didn’t have while living here. My quirk, however, wasn’t as forgiving. Apparently, I have an ‘alpha’s quirk’, so my body wasn’t equipped to handle it. I tore skin and broke bones like crazy just trying to train it. The rest of the scars were gained at work, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I know I’ve helped people, and that’s a good enough reward for me.” Izuku stopped and gave him a wobbly smile. “A few years later, when my dad died, I came back, and you know the story from there. Now I have a good job, and I befriended this strong, blond alpha and his pack, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Katsuki smiled at that last part; it was nice to know that the omega thought of him as strong and that he was part of his happiness. Nonetheless, it was evident the man had gone through a lot of pain in his life. Again, he felt compelled to comfort, protect, cherish—his alpha chanted it like a mantra. 

The blond ran his fingers through his hair, gathering his thoughts.  “I’m sorry that you went through all that, Deku, and I know you spared me most of the details, but I can somewhat imagine.”  

He clicked his tongue, moving his gaze away to look at the others in the pool. “If you ever want or need to talk about those, I’d be willing to listen—even if my alpha wants to murder whoever hurt you.” His index finger remained linked to Deku’s, keeping them afloat. “I stand by what I said: your scars are reminders of your strength. I’ve known many alphas who turn into pups after a papercut, so you being a badass omega that mastered a complex quirk like that should be something you’re proud of.”

That was enough to make the omega look up at him and give a nervous laugh, and the resulting grin felt like the best gift he’d ever gotten.

“Thanks for that, Kacchan.”

Katsuki grunted and laid back. After a minute, he spoke again. “So, only a few days left…what’re your plans after all this aside from the new job?”

Izuku sighed. “I’ll throw myself into work…but I’d also want a break from society’s expectations, I guess. Maybe I’ll go to the countryside for a day or two. I’m happy to have met you and your pack, but moving here has had its downsides, too. It’s not really a secret; I just hoped it wasn’t enforced.”

Katsuki furrowed his brow and cocked his head to the side curiously, confused as to what the omega was referring to. Izuku took a page from his book and looked to the side, avoiding scrutiny while he spoke.

“Japan has stupid rules sometimes. You know the one because reporters have been asking you for years. I received the letter that I have two years to find a mate, or I’ll be shipped off to live at a breeding camp for a few months.” He rolled his eyes. “As if finding one was so easy. Not only does my quirk scare most off, but these scars also end up scaring the other half. I’m not asking for attention or pity; ‘m just stating facts. No one wants a careless and ruined omega. But, I’ll figure something out.”

Katsuki grit his teeth, and just thought, ‘Fuck it. He needs to hear it,’ as he took Izuku’s hand in his and wove their fingers together. This startled the shorter man, but it earned him the undivided attention he desired. The blond wouldn’t say he’s great at communicating, but he’d put himself out there for this omega.

“You’re beautiful, Deku.”

The man looked at him incredulously.

“I’m not sure who you have associated with so far, but you are so talented, and strong. Any alpha would be blessed to have you choose him.” He most certainly left out that he wished to be that alpha and opted for following his impulse, taking the hand they’d linked and kissing a scar on the omega’s knuckles.

Izuku’s breath hitched. He was so flustered, his skin immediately tinted pink, and a strangled, embarrassed sound came from him as he pushed Katsuki away. “You don’t just get to say embarrassing shit like that, Kacchan!”

Katsuki splashed some water at the omega, smugly declaring “I can say all the embarrassing shit I want if it’s true.”

“Shut up,” Izuku said, playfully splashing some water back. “But thanks…it means a lot, even if I don’t fully believe it.”

Katsuki smiled softly. “I meant it, Deku. Even if you suck at water fights, I’ll always be here when you need it.”

A mischievous grin spread over Izuku’s face as he replied, “Oh, really? I suck at water fights, do I?” and that was all the warning the blond had before the greenette pushed him into the deep end of the pool and challenged him to a race.

Most of the morning was spent in the pool with the two roughhousing and laughing (and being chastised by personnel for their immaturity). It was fun, cathartic, and liberating. At moments, curiosity nipped at Katsuki’s brain again. Who was Izuku’s mentor? What did he work in that caused those scars? But another smile or splash of water would make him push those thoughts away. They evoked a feral grin and a drive to win and dominate; to show Deku that he could take anything thrown his way.

The omega had not rejected his comment, hadn’t gotten awkward or pushed him away–well, not emotionally. He felt an unusual giddy emotion, not unlike the rush he got before a fight, creeping up on him, but then again, Izuku had been bringing upon rare emotions since the day he arrived. For now, he would enjoy Izuku’s friendship, and if he was lucky enough to have the omega accept his courting, then he’d be able to get more answers.

Chapter Text

Katsuki chopped onions to throw into the pan with the ground beef while Eijirou helped by getting the spices. In the meantime, since Mina, Sero, and Izuku had gone out to do the groceries, the two of them were brainstorming for possible places they could carry out the first 24 hours of exposure. Izuku suggested Katsuki’s pack be there too for support.

Eijirou hummed. “What about a hotel near the beach? We haven’t been in forever!”

“A hotel would be too damn suggestive, Shitty Hair, what the fuck?”

Eijirou chuckled. “We would have things to do, and if you decided to shoot your shot with a certain omega,” he trailed off, wagging his eyebrows.

“Fuck off. Next.”

The redhead hummed, measuring out spices and adding the ones that were needed. A few minutes passed before he gasped. “Dude! What about Kouan—the campsite! I’ve been there a few times with the fam, and they have a killer view of Mt. Fuji. They have cabins, too.”

Just then, the other three entered. 

"We're going to Kouan?!" Mina squealed, always looking for the next adventure. “Ah, so exciting! Gimme a minute.” She put her bags down and tapped away at her phone.

Izuku chuckled. “What happens at Kouan?”

“Yes!” Mina cheered. “There’s the Five Lakes Festival. There’ll be food, drinks, shows, and fireworks!”

“That sounds nice!” Izuku commented with a beaming smile, putting down the bags he’d carried in.

Sero grinned. “Sounds like an awesome time, when are we going?”

But Eijirou whistled and stopped them from planning. “Guys, this is for Bakubro’s 24 hrs, so it’s his choice.” His gaze was unwavering as he asked, “Do you feel comfortable with that, or should we find somewhere else to go?”

Katsuki was grateful. He kept his eyes on the stove and threw in the sauce, but his mind whirred with the different scenarios. It was near a hiking trail, so he could escape if needed; it was scenic, and he could rent a cabin for his friends; and he could see the fireworks with Deku, who seemed eager at the prospect. The only downside was the crowd, but maybe he could find a way to limit the time there. There wasn’t really a reason to say no.

He shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t suck.”

The weirdos around him grinned. That was a victory for them.

XXX

The group woke up extra early, and made their best effort to divide everything between two vehicles. Katsuki regretted letting Kaminari drive, since he had insisted that Katsuki and Izuku should take the back seats. Jirou took one in the front, leaving Hanta and Camie in the other car with Mina and Eijirou. Katsuki hated that Sero had brought that nightmare of a woman because that meant they had been paired up; it felt like a couple’s trip. His hands sweat profusely when the thought entered his mind: What if this made Izuku uncomfortable?

Jirou, as if sensing his apprehension, turned to the back and engaged Izuku in conversation about their early band days and how Denki had fried their first two guitars. Between their laughter and the music in the background, Katsuki managed to breathe and relax a little. Enough, at least, to reply honestly when Izuku’s inquiring eyes turned to him.

“Are you okay? You’ve been quiet since we left.”

“I’m fine, you worrywart. Just a bit tired today.”

“Nightmares?” the omega asked with a pout.

“Nah,” Katsuki said.

The man regarded him for a few more seconds before shaking his head fondly. “Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

With a grunt, the conversation ended, and Izuku went back to chatting about a new single with Jirou. It amazed Katsuki how well the omega fit in with the members of his pack.

‘Because he belongs in it,’ his alpha urged, but Katsuki chose to ignore it. It simply wasn’t the time.

Upon arriving, Katsuki's pack, like a well-oiled machine, swung into action. Bags were grabbed, supplies were hoisted, and with practiced efficiency, the car was emptied in mere minutes. Their 10-person cabin promised ample space, and soon, everything was arranged comfortably enough.

It was during this process that Mina whined. “No! I left my toothbru-hush.”

Eijirou scented her from behind. “It’s okay, Babe, we’ll go to town in a bit anyway.”

“Thank Gods, fam. I’m totes missing my face mask, and I cannot sleep without it,” Camie added.

“For fuck’s sake, Blondie, you’re a hero; I know for a fact you can adapt.” Katsuki regretted the words as soon as he spoke them, when he saw Deku’s face of disappointment, and sighed. “I suppose we can go and get lunch, too. The festivities won’t really start until night time anyway.”

“I read the noodles with yuba here are a must have. Do you think we can find some?” Izuku asked, his scent blooming with excitement. 

Katsuki inhaled deeply, smirking to hide how energized it left him. “Of course we will! We’ll get all the specialty foods!”

One of his friends coughed a rough, “simp,” but luckily Izuku didn’t seem to hear them. The alpha glared for good measure before continuing his task.

Likewise, the omega worked diligently to help the others unpack, and by noon, they had finished. Much to his relief, the town was only a few minutes away by car.

There were fewer people than Katsuki had thought, buzzing from store to store with excited chatter about the night’s activities.

“I’m gonna go get my things!” Mina exclaimed loudly as she dragged Eijirou and Camie with her. “Camie can get her mask there too.”

Katsuki nodded briskly and turned around to ask Izuku where he wanted to go while they waited; however, the omega was no longer there. Immediately, that familiar anxiety flooded him, but it left just as quickly when he saw the freckled man crouched near the street corner.

Jirou chuckled. “You should take a picture, Blasty. That’s so cute!”

Cautiously, he approached. Izuku was petting and talking to a large ram that was almost as tall as he was—It had to be over five feet tall! Stealthily, he took a picture before making his way next to the man. 

“It trusted you?” Katsuki asked in a hushed whisper, wary of the large animal.

The omega hummed with a smile. “Akio here walked up to me and asked for pets.”

“You do know these things are aggressive by nature, right? Be careful.”

The greenette giggled. “You’re aggressive by nature too, but you’re the sweetest when you want to be, Kacchan. Maybe it’s the same for him.”

“You little shit,” Katsuki grumbled, but he couldn’t really be angry. Not when Izuku said something like that. Besides, his father’s words came to him and kept echoing in his mind since he saw the scene. 

‘Animals usually trust the best of people. ’ 

The alpha couldn’t help but believe that was true. Izuku was the best.

The ram, it seemed, belonged to a soft-spoken shopkeeper. After speaking to Akio’s owner for a few minutes, they decided to wander around the nearby shops and stalls. A prickling unease crawled across Katsuki's skin as the influx of new scents signaled a burgeoning crowd. He felt the omega look up at him and smile.

“You got this, Kacchan,” Izuku whispered, briefly grabbing his hand to give it a squeeze before releasing it to continue looking at the various wares.

Katsuki nodded. Yeah, he could. The scents were unsettling, but it wasn’t overwhelming. He would show the omega he could handle this, and would finally end this process.

“Kacchan, look!” Izuku exclaimed, looking all too proud for finding a black and orange yukata. “It matches your costume.”

Katsuki looked at the thing with dread. “Why would I need a Yukata?”

“Because,” he said matter-of-factly, “it’s not a full festival experience if you don’t wear a yukata.”

“Who said—”

“There you guys are!” Sero shouted from the stall across theirs. The man’s eyes shifted to what Izuku was holding, and he grinned. “Dude, that one’s perfect for Blasty!”

“Right?! It’s in his size, too!” 

“I ain’t wearing my uniform as a yukata,” Katsuki gruffed.

Sero smirked. “Oh, Mina and Camie will love this. Let’s all get yukatas!”

Denki readily agreed from behind, and Katsuki could tell his expression was already turning into a grimace. He just wanted a chill experience.

A tug captured his attention. Izuku was looking up at him with a calculating gaze. “Do you hate them that much?” Then, he looked down, and bit his lip, looking self-conscious. “I’m sorry if I was too pushy. This is for your benefit, and I got way too excited.” Even his scent dimmed, and Katsuki absolutely hated it.

“Shut up, Dummy,” he grumbled. “I’ll wear one of those damn things, ok?”

Doubtfully, Izuku asked, “You will?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said with a lopsided grin. “Now wipe that look off your face, and go look for your own yukata.”

Izuku’s expression brightened, giving a rapid nod. “Thank you!” However, he didn’t move. It was as if he was contemplating saying something else, but when Katsuki went to ask, Izuku shook his head and bounded off. 

Katsuki furrowed his brow. He hoped it wasn’t anything bad.

It took them half an hour for everyone to choose their yukatas and for the girls to get the accessories they wanted. By then, the sun was beginning to beat down on them, so they decided it was time to take refuge in one of the diners nearby. However, the sun also had another downside: sweat. Sweat brought stronger pheromones, and stronger pheromones meant that Katsuki was being tested far more than he’d wanted to be. Eijirou was the first to notice this time.

“Man, you okay? You look like you’re either about to blast a civilian or take a shit.” The man put a palm to his forehead, which Katsuki immediately brushed off.

“Get offa me, you mother hen. I’m fine.”

Eijirou’s voice had caught Izuku’s attention, and the freckled man quickly took out his notebook.“You’ve drank a lot of water, so I’m assuming it’s the scents, huh?”

Katsuki scoffed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I’m fine, Deku. I can handle it.”

With a gentle smile, Izuku replied, “I know you can. But wouldn’t it be better to not have a headache the rest of the afternoon? I brought a spare scent-filtering mask.”

“I’m fine without it, and the headache will go away.” 

By now, the freckled man knew better than to push, so he shrugged and returned to browsing the wares they encountered on the way to the diner. Nonetheless, Katsuki could almost see people’s scents slithering around him, could hear the whispers and murmurs as if they were directly next to his ear, could feel those predatorial stares boring into his core. It was insistent, the sense of paranoia, like others would touch him as the betas and omegas had.

Izuku wrapped their pinkies together and tugged him forward with a hum, dispelling the delusions that threatened to take over his thoughts again. Had it not been for Izuku, Katsuki would’ve taken a lot longer to come back to reality. 

With much reluctance, he held out his hand. “Give me the mask,” Katsuki  said. 

Putting on a scent filter was like blinding yourself temporarily, disorienting and frightening, but after? After using it, Katsuki could enjoy the music that had begun playing somewhere toward the center of town, he could be more aware of where the omega was and what his pack was up to. It was like seeing the world through recently cleaned glass, making colors vibrant and clear. It allowed him to be able to focus on anything other than vigilance, so he was able to appreciate the nostalgic feel of the town and the friendliness of the vendors.

“Better?” Izuku asked.

Katsuki nodded. “You done?”

The omega smiled. “Yeah, I was thinking maybe we could finally get that lunch we talked about?”

“Hell yeah! My treat, and don’t you dare try any funny shit.”

“Okay, Kacchan!”

The two texted their group and they met at a nearby gyudon restaurant. Their meal was served quickly and effectively, and by the time they’d finished eating, Katsuki had calmed down enough to forgo the mask once more. Once done with their meal, they went back to the room to chill after the long trip—festivities wouldn’t start until the evening. At least, that was the plan, but Mina and Camie thought differently, so they took Izuku and Kaminari hostage in order to get them ready for the night’s events.

It was a danger to leave Deku in Mina’s hands, but admittedly, a part of him wanted to see the man dressed up. And much to his (and his alpha’s) delight, the devil in pink did not disappoint. 

’Praise omega! Make him ours!’   his alpha demanded with a pleased purr when the man came out.

Deku wore Katsuki’s colors on a yukata, which paired nicely with his black collar. The burnt orange, charcoal, and forest green brought out his eyes, though the effect was augmented by a sleek line of eyeliner and a hint of mascara. Those jade waves had been styled with precision, and adorned with gold bobby pins that held the right part of his hair back, leaving the left portion of it to cascade down the side. 

Katsuki gulped, realizing he’d been caught starting. 

“What do you think, Kacchan?”

He was salivating; thoughts weren’t really a priority, but somehow he managed to reply, “Y-you look nice, I guess.” He could hear the snickers of the rest of his pack, and suddenly, he wished that the earth would swallow him. Was that really the best he could do?

“C’mon, Kats, you can be honest,” Mina teased. “You can tell him he looks hot—or do you prefer to do that in private?” she said with a wink.

The blond growled at her, embarrassed that she would put it so bluntly, but he wasn’t given a chance to respond. Before he could even look at Izuku again, he was shoved in the opposite direction.

“Here, Man,” Eijirou said, pushing him along with a bundle of clothes toward the restroom. “Our turn to change.”

He’d never been more grateful for the shark-toothed bastard; however, as he saw Izuku’s half-hearted smile, he wished he’d said a little bit more. He didn’t have a lot of time to think about it though. As soon as they were dressed, they went out into the festival area, following Mina and Kaminari’s list of “must do activities”. The evening flowed with an air of camaraderie and competition, so much so that Katsuki barely focused on the scents around him. 

“C’mon, Man!” Dunce face said, pushing Deku right next to Katsuki, “It’s your turn.”

He got to challenge the omega and reveled in the fact that he was just as competitive as him. When he competed against Camie, hearing the man cheer him on spurred him to victory; and when Izuku went against Shitty Hair, Katsuki found himself cheering for the freckled man too. It was a cool, invigorating night, and Katsuki had to admit he’d had a lot more fun than he’d expected.

When darkness fell entirely, they didn’t notice. It was Jirou who asked, “Shouldn’t we get our snacks and find a place to sit for the fireworks?”

“Oh, I forgot!” Mina lamented. “The hillside must be completely full at this time.”

Izuku raised his hand—like a dork—and asked, “Isn’t the view from our cabin super clear? The area’s private, so only people staying next door would be on the shore.”

“Best idea, Babe,” Camie said, shaking her hips in excitement. 

With mixed scents of relief, pride, and excitement, they all began their walk back. Sero and Jirou had taken over setting up the site, while Mina and Ei brought out the refreshments. Katsuki busied himself by moving the things they brought around and dividing the refreshments on the different blankets, but he didn’t notice people pairing up again when they sat down. He could feel those pesky gnats—or ‘butterflies’ as Racoon Eyes had corrected—in his stomach when the man sat down wordlessly beside him.

“It’s so odd to see fireworks outside of New Years and 4th of July,” Izuku said, getting comfortable under the blanket.

“4th of July?”

“Independence Day for the US.”

“Ah.” Fuck the butterflies, Katsuki was sure he’d set off his own quirk in his stomach the moment the greennette’s leg brushed against his. Thoughts to the man’s reaction earlier surfaced, and he decided to be brave; to tell him what he really thought. “Listen, Deku I wanted to—”

“They’re starting!” Mina squealed, interrupting, as the first of the fireworks shot into the sky and shattered into  countless sparks.

Both Katsuki and Izuku turned to look at the show in the sky, but when he turned to speak to Izuku again, his breath caught. The bright yellows, blues, and reds reflected in their eyes, but Katsuki couldn’t even spare a second to look at them in person. He was captivated by the scent of spiced apples swirling around him, wrapping him in a cocoon of joy and comfort; by the way a small dimple appeared in Izuku’s cheek as he watched the explosions in amazement. It made him reflect on his own quirk and how long it’d been since he’d used it for its purpose; but he also thought of Izuku’s reaction to the fireworks in the sky, and he wondered if the man could ever look at him the same way. It was sappy, and for a moment, he wondered if he was scent drunk, but he knew he wasn’t; it was becoming a more frequent occurrence with Deku around.

He jolted and felt his heart race when a warm hand settled above his, more so when only their index fingers entwined. Part of him wanted to question, to react, to do something , but another explosion went off, and he shifted his gaze to the sky. Not wanting to interrupt Izuku’s enjoyment and his own contentment, he leaned back and decided to try again the following day.

XXX

To commemorate the 24 hour mark, Katsuki wanted to do something for himself. He wanted to escape the city and their friends; he wanted a moment of silence…but his alpha wanted Izuku there too. He tried dismissing the notion, until the greedy bastard suggested Deku might be worried if he disappeared. Begrudgingly, made two small breakfasts to-go in hopes the man would join him, and woke him up.

That rounded freckled nose scrunched and wiggled before Izuku’s long lashes fluttered open. Katsuki’s gulped. How could that be fucking cute? He shook his head.

As softly as the blond could, he said, “Just wanted to let you know I was going out for a walk so you didn’t freak.”

Izuku smiled drowsily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Give me five minutes to get ready. I’ll go with you.”

Within ten minutes, the two were out. One of the things that irked Katsuki when he went walking or hiking with his friends was that they complained about the hour and chatted nonstop to the top. However, Izuku seemed used to this, looking entirely in his element, and he walked silently appreciating the nature around them. Sure, he made a comment here and there, but it wasn’t overbearing; it didn’t detract from his experience. It made the blond curious. Did Izuku hike frequently in the US? Was he quiet for Katsuki’s benefit or for his own preference? 

About twenty minutes in, Izuku asked. “So, where are we going?”

Katsuki smirked. “You walked into a trail and you didn’t bother to read where it led to? What if I’m a serial killer?”

Izuku bumped into Katsuki playfully, “Nah, I trust you, Mr. Hero. I’ll take my chances.”

“It’s Nakanokura Pass View Point,” Katsuki said with a roll of his eyes. “It’s not really a hike, but it’s meant to be beautiful at daybreak this time of year.”

The greenetted hummed and quickened his steps. “Then we should probably get a move on, huh? It’s almost sunrise!”

“Yeah,” Katsuki said, cursing the still too-dark sky for not allowing him to see the man’s smile. “I was just trying to accommodate for your slow ass.”

“My ass is anything but slow,” Izuku said with a wink, and tried going up the trail, taking two steps at a time. 

Clumsily, he slipped, and Katsuki lunged to catch him. He was grateful to feel the weight secure in his arms, preventing a nasty fall to the floor and possible concussion; even so, he couldn’t find it in himself to move a muscle. The spiced apple scent turned a bit sour due to the scare but then bloomed with spice. Their faces were unbearably close, and Deku's pheromones began mixing with his own due to the proximity. Katsuki couldn’t help but flicker his gaze to the man’s plump lips, wondering what they would feel like, what they would taste like—it was then that he caught himself. 

What was he doing?!

Awkwardly, he pulled Izuku upright, and took a step back to breathe in fresh air. “Be more careful, Deku,” he muttered, starting to walk forward lest the man see his flushed face. He wanted to do things right, and he couldn’t keep getting distracted.

Nonetheless, he stumbled when he heard a noise from the omega. ‘ Was that…was Deku disappointed?’ Surely, he heard wrong because not a second later, Izuku said, “Thanks, Kacchan. Hope we can still make it,” and walked past him. 

They didn’t really say anything until they reached the top. Deku had even muted his scent, allowing the apples through for the sake of treatment but nothing else. The whole time, Katsuki wondered if that was it. If he’d made the omega so uncomfortable he would quit or maintain the awkwardness until the end of his treatment. It would be hell if that was the case. But Katsuki Bakugou was a lucky bastard, and he was allowed to feel relief when the sun’s rays stretched over the horizon.

Izuku gasped. They were able to witness as black gave way to nature’s medley of hues. The clouds soon parted to reveal hints of the varying blue tones the sky had acquired— cornflower, azure, powder, and sky seemed to fight for dominance momentarily until the sun finally broke through. They were breathless, taking in the peaceful moment. The colors settled, leaving a gradient of gold and azure. It was no longer a struggle between the colors, but a silent agreement to coexist.

Izuku’s whisper broke through the stillness. “It’s bewitching—ethereal.”

At some point, the omega had wrapped his hands around Katsuki’s arm. The closeness had him taking deep breaths to steady himself. The sight of the sun rising behind Mt. Fuji was, as Izuku had described, simply ethereal, but the reflection of the morning’s light on Izuku himself, was stunning. It left Katsuki enthralled, unable to look away. 

Deku's speech broke Katsuki out of his spell. "It is," he said, no longer thinking of nature’s beauty, but rather, the man beside him.

“Can we take a picture, Kacchan?” the omega asked hopefully.

Katsuki’s heart clenched. Why was this fucker so cute? “Yeah, sure.”

For this one, he smiled almost as brightly as Izuku did. It was so unusual, the man kept glancing between the picture and Katsuki himself. Katsuki chuckled and looked out into the vast openness of the space. It felt like true freedom, and he envied the animals who lived there and didn’t have to deal with pheromones or villains.

“You have a beautiful smile, Kacchan,” Izuku said in a whisper, startling him. “You should show it more often.”

“Shut up,” Katsuki grumbled, ignoring the way his ears and neck heated up. 

The blond could feel Deku’s gaze on him, and could almost imagine the man’s placid smile. Up there, they had their breakfast and shared some tea before making their way back to camp.

They returned just in time to join the rest of their friends and help prepare breakfast. Throughout the day, they took advantage of the facilities, windsurfing, canoeing, playing by the shore, and just talking with each other. 

It was incredibly amusing when Deku challenged Kirishima to an arm-wrestling competition because he was feeling curious. At first, the omega suggested no quirks, but Kirishima said he wanted to know how ‘manly’ Midoriya’s quirk was, so they ended up doing a round of each. In the no quirks round, Kirishima’s build allowed him to overpower the greenette; however, in the quirked round, Kirishima’s hand ended up embedded in the tree trunk, and the sight did something to Katsuki. Something he quickly shook off before the others could smell it on him. He distracted himself by going to help Mina set up the grill. 

It was the most relaxed any of them had been in a long time without having to worry about being called in or track the time, and the blond wished they could have more of it. It was as Katsuki stoked the campfire at night that he realized he'd never felt “off”. Despite the extras that were at the activities, despite people of all genders sweating around them as they ran or swam or sat around, Katsuki hadn’t needed comforting or any of his techniques all day. He’d even survived Deku’s unfiltered scent all day! He smirked victoriously. He had actually done it.

XXX

A low creak woke Katsuki up on the last day, stirring him enough to feel that the spiced-apple-scented warmth that used to be next to him was missing. Immediately, he shot up. Noticing the rest of his pack was still deep asleep, he tried calming his racing heart. No villain, no robber, no threat. Still, his alpha nagged at him.

’Why isn’t omega in nest?’ it whined.

Maybe he had gone to the restroom, Katsuki tried to reason, but the beast was not having it.

As stealthily as he could, he put on his jacket and boots and stepped outside. There Izuku was, on one of the benches by the lake, bundled up in his blanket. He looked thoughtfully at the sky, and Katsuki couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips.

’Get closer,’  his alpha commanded, but the sudden urge made him trip.

Izuku’s trance was broken, and he looked back at Katsuki. “Kacchan,” the man said softly, smiling. “Good morning.”

“Mornin’. Why are you out here?” he asked, voice hoarse from slumber.

“I loved the sunrise yesterday, so I wanted to appreciate it one last time before we head back,” he said. Then, he pressed himself to the side and opened up a space in his blanket. “Want to join me for a bit?”

While he realized it was probably a bad idea, morning Katsuki had less of a filter, so he readily joined the omega, leaning into the man’s body. To his pleasant surprise, Izuku also leaned his head on the alpha’s shoulder.

“Is this okay?” Deku asked. 

Katsuki grunted his affirmation, not daring to move, wanting to brand the feeling of their bodies side by side in his mind. Izuku, however, interpreted it as stiffness—or something like that.

“Oh, Kacchan, I forgot you don’t like the cold.” He pouted, giving away more of his blanket.”You can go back in if you want,” he mumbled. “I’ll be in soon.”

Katsuki huffed and gave back the extra blanket space. “‘S not cold, and I won’t leave you alone out here, dumbass.”

The two stayed there for nearly half an hour, silent and under the blankets until the sun rose and enveloped the dormant campsite. Well, until they heard wood creak under someone’s weight and startled, jumping apart.

“Mornin’, dudes,” Eijirou greeted with a teasing lilt in his voice, holding his phone up. “Going to get started on breakfast, ‘k? Take your time and join when you can.”

Katsuki flipped him off for ruining the moment, but quickly forgave him when he saw the red-headed bastard had sent a picture. With a groan, he stood, stretching his limbs. 

“I need a shower to wake up, but thanks,” he said, ruffling the omega’s hair.

“Thanks for what?”

Katsuki chuckled.

“Kacchan?”

Katsuki left him there and got his things. Inside the room, a few others had begun stirring awake. It didn’t take long for everyone to join in on making and serving breakfast. By eight, they had finished eating, and by nine, they were handing back the keys.

When they were in the car once more, Izuku smiled smugly. “So, Mr. Bakugou, how does it feel to have met your exposure goals?”

This time, they rode with Shitty Hair and Racoon Eyes. The two idiots cheered and waved their hands around in celebration. But there, surrounded by his friends and the omega, he had to admit: “It feels pretty damn good.”

Chapter Text

The day after their trip, life resumed as it had before—except for one thing. Deku was acting weird.

“Sorry, Kacchan, it’s just a work thing,” he answered every time Katsuki asked, but he wasn’t convincing anyone. The omega insisted, “I’m getting the papers done for you to be able to go tomorrow, so just give me today, please!”

It was irritating as much as it was concerning to know that Izuku was lying to him. Katsuki cooked dinner for them, and the freckled man barely said a word! Not a minute after the dishes were washed, Izuku excused himself for an hour to go “to the office”. The secrecy around his job was no longer a tease; Deku was actively hiding it from him.

When the omega returned, Katsuki cornered him by the door, feeling a little desperate for answers. He thought they were connecting; he started to believe that they were reaching for more, but now Deku was pulling back, and that terrified the shit out of him.

“You know, I can’t tell you that,” Izuku replied.

Katsuki could feel the pressure in his head from the incoming hurt and anger. “Why not?! Haven’t I earned your trust by now?” 

Those emerald green eyes looked up at him, wide and apologetic, but still the omega refused. “I’m sorry, Kacchan, just wait until tomorrow, okay? It’s not that I want to keep this for myself.”

Katsuki huffed and stomped away. He could hear the man’s frustrated muttering when he’d locked himself in his room, but Katsuki refused to give it more weight than he already had.

The following morning, the blond woke up with a lightness that heavily contrasted tension from the night before. 

It was finally the fucking day: His last evaluations. 

He quickly showered and dressed, and went out to the kitchen. His plan was to make a badass breakfast, apologize to Deku, and get to the clinic early. He could admit he’d been an ass, and the omega knew him, so surely he hadn’t taken it to heart. However, when he stepped out of his room, Izuku was nowhere to be found. He wasn’t in his room, wasn’t in the kitchen, and the apple scent of his pheromones had gone stale.

Katsuki’s scent soured, his mouth turning into a frown. What could be so important that Izuku  left? Had something bad happened?

’ Omega?’ his inner bastard asked.

Rolling his eyes, refusing to feel anything other than excitement, the blond walked to the fridge to get the ingredients he needed, when the smell of fish caught his attention. There atop the stove sat freshly cooked rice, egg, miso soup, and salmon along with a note.

‘Good luck on your final evals! I was called in for a physical at 7am, but tell me all about it later!’

‘Omega cooked for us. He cares.’

Katsuki smiled and quickly prepared some tea to go with his meal. The food was simple but delicious; he couldn’t wait to thank the man.

XXX

While Dr. Ji had explained the process when he began Omega Immersion Therapy, Katsuki did not anticipate the testing to take that long. He spent nearly an entire work day between tests. First it was the lab for some blood samples, then a psychological evaluation, and finally, the bane of his existence, an STC—a scent tolerance assessment.

For that one, Katsuki had been asked to bring his uniform, and he did not expect for heroes, including Floaty, to be called in.

“Hi, Bakugo!” she’d said cheerily. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he hissed.

Dr. Ji and one of her assistants walked in through the door. “Bakugo, allow me to explain that. While a regular civilian would only need to be concerned about scent exposure in low to mid stress-inducing circumstances, heroes face a variety of scenarios that are usually in the highly-stressful category. For that reason, we’ve teamed up with UA to create a battle and rescue situation that will run for a minimum of one hour, given that it is the standard length of such a situation. We will be transferring you to UA training grounds and will continue monitoring you throughout it all.”

Katsuki grunted in assent. He couldn’t really do anything about it anyway; it’s not like he would reject the chance to earn back his hero license. That said, if they were placing him in a high stress situation, shouldn’t Izuku be there? 

He looked around, knowing the omega would never choose to leave him, more so when the challenge involved exposure to other heroes.

“Hey, Doc, where’s Midoriya?” he asked, trying to scent the area in vain.

His therapist smiled. “Missing him already?” she teased.

He felt a growl rising in his throat but quelled it. Threats wouldn’t get him anywhere with her; she was an older alpha.

“We’ll cover that in our exit meeting, Bakugo. For now, he will not be in this assessment simply because you can’t rely on a therapy omega in the real world; and if you were to need one, then they wouldn’t approve you for hero work.”

Katsuki huffed in annoyance, but could see the logic in it, so without further complaint, he changed into his uniform and boarded the bus that would take him to his next destination, feeling Floaty along with other Center extras follow behind.

At the training center, he met the rat bastard, Nezu, who was there to open the facilities. Eyebags, Frogger, and YaoMomo were there too. He grimaced, hating the reminder that most heroes were now aware of his situation. Behind them, there were other rookie heroes he’d seen on the field and extras that’d he’d met along the years at UA. 

“Your previous class members will serve as the hero team,” Dr. Ji instructed, “And the others will serve as civilians or villains. We’ve made sure to include the usual a/b/o ratio, but there will be areas with increased omega populations, such as daycares and hospital settings.”

Katuski grunted. 

“In this scenario, Creati will be the other hero to arrive first on the scene, but she’s been tasked with triage, so your job is keeping villains at bay while others arrive and getting the civilians to her.”

“I know what triage means, Doc. Now, can we start this shit? My hands are itching to blast something.”

Dr. Ji chuckled and went up to the command center while the extras placed themselves around the playing field.

“All right, Bakugo,” Nedzu’s tinny voice said through the earpiece, “I’ve set up the villains and their hostages in their locations. Keep in mind that under no circumstance must you lose.” The rat’s voice darkened at the end before he chirped, “Let the games begin!”

The ground shook about three blocks away and bells began to ring. Shaking meant that extra Grand was there too, and he was on the villain’s side. “What a fuckin’ pain,” he muttered blasting his way there.

Grand, despite his improvements, was no match for Katsuki, so he was able to evacuate the three civilians in his area. By then, Frogger and Eyebags had joined in. He’d tasked Frogger with transferring civilians to YaoMomo, while Eye-bags joined in the search for others. Katsuki knew he was expected to send eyebags to the hospitals and daycare, but he would show them all he was ready.

The next villains were the vibrator’s girlfriend and the meatball bastard; those two really pissed him off. They’d drawn them near a daycare, where one of the newbie extras supposedly had hostages. To get to him, they needed to get rid of the nuisances. Of course, right then, an alert on their coms went off that a fourth villain had been spotted in the banking district, so he told Eyebags to leave him alone. Frogger, nonetheless, stayed by his side.

“Bakugo, how many hostages inside?”

“No number yet.”

“Roger that. If you cause a distraction, I can camouflage myself and make it inside.”

Katsuki grunted but faltered. Being near a daycare meant increased omega and pup scents, and it seemed that for the exercise, they had prepared distressed scent samples and were diffusing it in the area. Rotting cherries, wildberries, butterscotch, and florals threatened to stifle him—Katsuki couldn’t let that happen. He took in a breath for 4 seconds, firing off a barrage of explosions to keep the other two occupied, and held it in for 8, doing his best not to lose focus and exhale too quickly. The muscle memory that he’d created the past month by battling with Izuku was coming in handy. Slowly, the fog that wanted to take over cleared enough for him to maneuver and close the distance.

“I’m in,” Frogger communicated through her coms. “Ten civilians inside; only one villain.”

“Got it. Let me know when you’re out.”

“Roger. You’re doing good, DynaMight, keep it up!”

He smirked. He’d show them good.

The other two really did give it their best, but eventually, Floaty arrived and they brought the “villains” down.  He was glad they became heroes; they would have been disturbing criminals.

While they surveyed the area to determine where to go next, he and Uraraka sat on one of the rooftops to catch their breath.

“Help Frogger with the tykes,” he told her, wiping the sweat off his brow.

“Nah, Tsu’s fine,” she said, pointing to show how Tsu had already tied a rope to the kids’ hands and was leading them through the back alleys toward the rendezvous point. “All that’s left is the hospital, right?”

“Guess so, Cheeks,” Katsuki replied, looking up at the clock. Twenty minutes more of this left.

“You good?” she asked.

The blond regarded her; she was worried. He hated it. This was nothing compared to what they’d survived before. His breathing might be a bit strained, but that just meant he had to exercise more. With a brisk nod, he stood, taking off into the mountainscape where the hospital was. 

There was a crackle in their earpiece before Eyebags’ voice broke through. “Done with the bank evac. Where to next?”

“We need a triage area near the mountains. Get materials from Momo and meet us there.”

“Gotcha.”

A blast caught Katsuki’s attention before any movement did. He was thankful for his reflexes because he was able to yank Floaty out of the way and set off an AP shot before a cannonball got too close.

She yelped from the sudden pressure against her stomach, but quickly recovered and growled. “I’ll take him; you go ahead, Dynamight.”

The blond chuckled and nodded. “Have fun.”

After seeing her run off in the right direction, he blasted his way to the hospital, but paused at the gates. The scents here were concentrated as fuck, The mask was in his pocket, but he refused to wear it just yet. 

His inner bastard was against it too. ‘Prove yourself. No license, no courting omega.’

Katsuki rolled his eyes; of course that’s why his alpha wanted him to win this time.

“Well, well, well, I’m glad you made it DynaMight, just in time to fail,” the rookie cackled. The extra was really getting into character, and he wondered if he looked this idiotic when they ran the exercises in UA. “There’s no way you’ll get us all before we retrieve what we need.”

Just then, Izuku’s words came to mind. “Focus on the villains like you do on me, and you’ll be able to block out some of the scents.” 

Katsuki smirked. Yeah, that worked.

Throughout the rest of the test, he couldn’t help but think of Izuku. When the space around him became too tight, he imagined the omega’s index finger around his; when the scents became present again, he tried calling Izuku’s enticing scent of spiced apples; and when a “villain” was a little too slippery, he recalled the new maneuvers they’d tried in training. Despite not being there, the omega helped him through it all.

‘Go to him; we need to tell him!’ his alpha requested as soon as the trial was over. 

He sat on the ground, catching his breath while the med bots rolled their way to him and checked on initial injuries. 

‘We’ll tell him soon. Hold on, you overgrown pup.’ He knew they hadn’t seen him in a few hours, but it was no reason to be that desperate. 

After the medbots did their duty, the other heroes rushed to his side, patting him on the back and congratulating him. 

“I’m super proud of you, Blasty,” Eyebags drawled. “I’m sure Izuku is too.”

Katsuki’s skin pricked. Another one that knew Izuku? 

He wanted to ask, but Uraraka jumped him from behind, clinging to him as she said, “You did it! No more time off now, Bakugo!”

And by the time his eyes searched for the sleepy fucker, the man had left again. A pit settled deep in his stomach. Was there something he should’ve seen before? Something he missed?

He was transported back to the clinic to finish up his paperwork. It was rather quick after he showered and changed. Dr. Ji signed his release papers and cautioned him about possibilities of relapse. 

“It’s been a pleasure working with you, Bakugo. Your progress was outstanding.”

He nodded, feeling oddly sentimental about never stepping foot in that place again. It would be weird not to go there every day now; and he had to admit, the rehab activities didn’t suck. 

“Thank you for your help,” he said with a slight bow.

“Do you have any questions before you leave?” she asked, pushing her glasses on the bridge of her nose.

“Actually, you haven’t answered a previous question?”

She raised her brow, her mouth twisting upward amusedly. “About Midoriya?”

“Why ask if you know?” he replied, looking away. His ears heated up, but he couldn’t leave with the nagging feeling that something was off.

“He had stayed on to help you with your treatment, but he began his new job some time ago, and they called him in today.”

Katsuki furrowed his brow. “Oh.” Izuku hadn’t told him that.

The older alpha stood and walked over, prompting him to look up. “Don’t be a knothead, Bakugo, and don’t overthink. He wanted you to focus on passing and to do your best. He insisted that you were amazing and deserved to be back on the streets, so make sure you live up to that.”

Wide-eyed, Katsuki nodded and stood up. “Thanks again, Doc.”

He needed to get home. He wondered if Izuku would work full-time or start off as part-time. Regardless, he’d make some dinner and wait. It was time they talked.

XXX

Katsuki felt a rush of excitement once he left. He was DONE . He had his license, had permission to go back to work, and had the approval of the omega he wanted to court, too. His skin felt as lively as it did when his sweat sparked in the midst of battle. He wanted to call Deku, but since he would see him back home, he called his parents instead. It only rang twice before the call was accepted.

“Katsuki?” his father asked worriedly. “Everything okay, Son?”

The blond could hear the sound of sewing machines and his mother swearing in the background. “Can you get the hag on the call?”

“Of course.” 

There was some rustling and some hushed whispers before the sound quality changed, and he realized he’d been put on speakerphone, probably holed up in their office.

“Brat, what miracle is making you call? Are you okay? Did you finally pop the question?”

Katsuki choked on air, stumbling. “What the fu—no! We’re not even courting!”

“Ah, but I never mentioned who, and you still have someone in mind,” she sang teasingly. “Please bring him over one day.”

Katsuki remembered his last visit there and how he gushed about Izuku. He wondered what they thought about him, and whether they’d approve, but he shook his head. He needed Deku to know how he felt first and then talk to others about him. His mother’s voice brought his attention back to the matter.

“Seriously, though, what’s up?”

“Just wanted to let you know I passed the scent tolerance test. I’m cleared for work.”

His father gasped. “Oh, that’s amazing, Son!”

“Hell yeah! Are you coming over this weekend then?”

Baking out a laugh, Katsuki replied, “Give me a few days to settle in, woman!”

“Psht! We’ve been waiting for months; I don’t give a rat’s ass about waiting.”

Her expressions, so much like his own, amused him. “I’ll let you know once I have my schedule.” He walked for a few more seconds before he added, “But there’s a chance I can bring Izuku by so you can meet him.”

Something fell in the background, and this time, it was Masaru who cursed. Katsuki chuckled. “Sorry for interrupting work; we’ll talk later.”

“You know you can call anytime, Katsuki,” his father reassured. “We’re here for you.”

The blond nodded, though he knew no one could see. They had more than proved their patience and care for him throughout the years.

His mother added, “Can’t wait to meet Izuku! I’ll make you both a feast to celebrate!”

“Love you, Son.”

“Love you too,” he replied softly, still despising the mushiness of the term, before ending the call.

Getting a little exasperated with the walk, he called a taxi. He desperately needed to get back to the apartment and tell Deku the news.

His foot bounced the entire way, thinking back to when they met, the times Izuku had to calm him down. He recalled holding hands, and the feeling of watching the omega walk into a room. His chest felt warm.

‘Omega, omega, omega,’ was all his inner bastard could think about. There was a chance now, and they didn’t want to let it—or him—go.

However, when he reached the apartment and opened the door, he felt his heart plummet and the room go ice cold. Immediately, he went to Izuku’s room, hastily opening it, only to find that everything was gone.

Izuku’s bags, his toiletries, his pseudo nest. 

All he found was a new note: “I needed to go back sooner than I thought. We’ll talk soon, and I’ll explain…I promise, Alpha.”

Though his alpha preened at being addressed, and having some relief at knowing the omega wasn’t just taken, Katsuki couldn’t help but worry,

He tried dialing Izuku’s number, but each time, the call was ignored and he got sent to voicemail. A minute later, he got a text from the man.

Deku: “I’ll call when I can.”

He should be celebrating, feeling overjoyed that he got to return to work, but he felt empty without the omega around. His apartment felt incomplete, too quiet, frigid. It was irrational, for he knew work could be demanding, and maybe Izuku’s workplace had an insane policy in place, but after years of hero work, of knowing the dangers out there, not knowing where this place was also filled him up with anxiety. 

What if Izuku was taken? What if it was a trap? A memory surfaced of Fero, trailing her hand over his chest, but his mind conjured up the image of the omega in his place. Hands shaking, he walked back to Deku’s room. For once, he gave into his instincts willingly and crawled into the guest bed, taking the pillow Izuku had used. It still smelled of spiced apples, so Katsuki buried his nose in it, seeking comfort.

He hadn’t realized how exhausted he felt until then. The images in his mind didn’t cease, bringing tears to his eyes. 

“Fero is in Tartarus, you idiot. She’s not harming anyone else,” he murmured, focusing on his breathing. He felt his lids heavily droop. How pathetic was he? He hoped the omega would reach out soon, but why would the freckled man want the broken remains of who he used to be?

‘Shut up!’ his alpha commanded. ‘Omega will be back.’

Would he?

It was in this tug of war between fears, tiredness, and insecurity that Katsuki let himself go and rest, surrounded by the scent of the one he craved most.

XXX

Katsuki woke up, tangled awkwardly in the sheets he’d apparently spent the night scenting. He hated it; the omega’s scent had faded on the most part. Taking his phone, he unlocked it to find two missed calls from Deku in the middle of the night. He frowned; he’d call later. The guy was probably asleep. Begrudgingly, he got up to work. He found it ironic how little he wanted to go now after passing so many trials to be allowed to do so. Still, he took a thorough shower, prepared his bag, and pushed past the door, ready to go to the agency. He should’ve checked out the news, but there was no time for that; he woke up too late. A little voice in the back of his head, which sounded an awful lot like Kaminari, reminded him that he should do something nice for those that covered for him in the past months. While he’d order takeout for another day, he stopped by a bakery and picked up breakfast pastries to leave in the break room.

The apprehension he’d had the previous day faded slightly at the smiles and cheers he received when entering the agency. 

“Welcome back, DynaMight!”

“We’re happy to see you again, Sir.”

“Dude, this place finally feels right!”

Katsuki gave them a genuine smile in return, feeding off their encouragement and allowing himself to feel a bit more proud of the progress he’d made. He was munching on a curry bun, on his way to the schedule screen when he heard, “DynaMight, please report to Fatgum’s office. DynaMight, please report to Fatgum’s office,” over the speakers.

He sighed. He forgot the big lug wanted a meeting to catch him up on everything. Was it so hard to let him go back to blasting bastards? 

“Morning, Boss,” Katsuki said, plopping down on the chair across the older hero’s desk.

“Morning, DynaMight! Excited to be back?”

Katsuki shrugged. “It was about time.”

The older hero regarded him with curious eyes. It bugged Katsuki. Still, he patiently waited for the man to speak again.

“How are you feeling after everything? How did Omega Immersion Therapy go? ”

“It went… a lot better than I expected. I‘m feeling pretty damn good, Fat.”

“I’m glad.” With a playful smirk, Fatgum said, “Given the schedule changes, you’re going to begin with a different partner tomorrow.”

“What the fuck?” Katsuki balked at the idea. “What happened to Red?”

“His rating went up when paired with Alien Queen, so we’re trying to keep them together more often than not. He’s also done well with Shouto and Chargebolt.”

The blond just blinked confusedly, face twisting, not really knowing what to say.

“Now, I know you only go for the best, and we think this new recruit is a good fit for you.”

“A newbie? Who? How in the world would they be better than Red?” Katsuki asked, his mind still reeling. He thought things would go back to normal, but…

“Not a newbie, Boy. You’ve already met him, but he was under a non-disclosure agreement. The number one hero from the US has moved to Japan, and he’s requested to specifically work with you.”

“Y’know I never cared about foreign extras. Who’s the number one—?”

The door opened, but Katsuki was still looking at the desk, brow furrowed.

“Oh, just in time,” Fatgum said, his entire face lighting up with excitement. “DynaMight, meet hero Nexus, your new hero partner.”

Before Katsuki could turn, the beautiful scent of spiced apples engulfed his senses and bewildered the fuck out of him in a single breath.

‘Omega?’ His inner bastard perked up. ‘ Omega’s here! Told you Omega was the best!’

Katsuki looked from one man to the other, perplexed. His hands sparked, so he pressed them to his pants. “What the fuck is going on?” The blond wasn’t sure whether he wanted to kill the newcomer or kiss him. 

There stood Deku, the idiot that had him worried and pining the night before, dressed in a wavy patterned carmine red, dark blue, and black skin-tight spandex suit that didn’t complement his hair or eyes in any way but hugged his curves sinfully. Katsuki was held captive by the sight; the sight he’d thought would stay only dream. He’d mused how it’d be to work alongside Izuku in the past weeks, but now, he wondered how in the world that wish had come true.

“Number one?! What the fuck, Deku?!” He should really take a breath and think things through, but his past self came out in a lash of confused outrage. “You lied to me?!”

“Now, now, Dynamight,” Fatgum said, raising his hands to placate him. “Hero Nexus would’ve been denied his transfer had he broken the non-disclosure agreement throughout your treatment.”

“So I was just a mission to you?” He chuckled incredulously, the rotten thought making its way to the forefront of his mind. “Was everything a lie?”

He saw the omega’s eyes widen; he saw the hurt, and regretted his words immediately. It was then that he remembered the guy’s words two nights prior.  

“It’s not that I want to keep this for myself.”  

Fuckin’ NDAs.

“N-no, Kacchan. If you let me—” Izuku looked to Fatgum. “Can we…?” 

The older hero nodded and released his calming scent, the hints of cumin always a grounding surprise. “DynaMight, hear him out. Nexus arrived shortly after your re-evaluation. When your therapist suggested Omega Immersion Therapy, you were initially supposed to be with a Center omega, but then we considered it might be better to see how you would react to your future hero partner’s scent. Had it been intolerable, you’d have been given a beta side-kick and that would’ve been the end of it.”

Fatgum opened a file on his computer; due to the label, Katsuki knew it was his record. “According to the reports, you had no issue with Nexus; in fact, you finished your rehabilitation ahead of time. In my opinion, there should be no reason you both don’t work together, but if after your conversation today, you wish to go your separate ways, this agency will still support you both.” Clearing his throat, he looked back up at them and added. “For today, you two may go back to DynaMight’s apartment, which I assume is a familiar place to you both, so that Nexus can fill you in on the details of his arrival, his selection for your therapy, and Fero’s capture. I expect you both to be here tomorrow with a firm answer.”

Izuku’s hands were shaking, uncharacteristically so since Katsuki was the one usually on the verge of a breakdown. The blond’s heart beat erratically, not knowing what to believe or expect, but his alpha urged him to return the favor, so as they made their way back, Katsuki looped his index finger with Izuku’s.

‘I am here,’ he wanted to convey.

He felt the omega tighten the grip slightly, showing him that he was just as nervous as Katsuki was. It brought reassurance to them both. Luckily, they were able to make it back to the apartment rather quickly. Neither had spoken a word since then, each too absorbed in their thoughts. Katsuki figured he should be the first to speak since he was the one left in the dark, but what would he say?

In the surprise of it all, he’d forgotten the state of his apartment, so when the doors opened and the stench of anxiety rolled out in waves, he cringed. Wordlessly, he opened the windows and turned on the scent neutralizers. 

“Sorry for the smell, I uh…” He couldn’t admit he thought he’d been abandoned right? That he’d been feeling self-deprecatory despite kicking that scent tolerance test’s ass?

Deku surprised him yet again and bowed as low as he could. “I am so sorry. I didn’t want to lie to you, but I really wanted to make sure you recovered well.”

Katuski gulped, twitching his jaw, trying to figure out what to say. Information was always a way to quench his nerves about a mission, so he decided to motion for Izuku to sit and treat this more of a debriefing. 

“When did you arrive? Were you called here for me, or…?”

The omega crossed his legs and took a deep breath. With a decisive nod, probably giving himself an inner pep talk, he began, “I moved to Japan two months after you were taken. Fatgum had just interviewed me, and said to wait for my answer. He called me a week later to accept me and tell me of his intentions and your status.”

Katsuki’s face couldn’t hide the mortification at being seen in that state.

“Kacchan…” Izuku’s voice sounded like a warped mix between a plea and a reprimand. “I thought telling you before would bring some resistance, but...I have to admit that I started falling for you the first day I saw you at the hospital.”

The blond’s breath hitched. “What—why?” Nothing was making sense.

“Well…even through pictures I could tell you’re quite handsome, as you know, and when I visited the hospital, your scent…you should be aware is enthralling.” That captivating freckled face looked so red, Katsuki was beginning to worry he’d pass out. It was cute, honest, and goddam infuriating.

“Izuku, you need to start making sense. What the fuck—Just finish the fuckin’ explanation. Sorry.” He balled his hands into fists, pushing his bastard alpha out of his mind. His heart was fluttering at a hummingbird’s pace; maybe he’d be the one to pass out first.

“I was already volunteering at the Center when the agency contacted me again. I told them I shouldn't be on the hero scene if you weren’t aware of our new partnership, and I agreed to help out but only inside the agency with evidence analysis. It’s how I met many of the others.”

“So, the hero Shitty Hair was talking about; the one helping with Fero’s capture…that was you?”

Jade waves bounced around as Deku nodded briskly. Katsuki wanted to run his fingers through them.  “Yes,” the omega said, his scent tinged with rage. “That sick, depraved animal deserved to die; I couldn’t let her roam free. It took everything in me not to rip her apart, but I wasn’t about to let her take away my career. She had done enough damage.”

An angry, protective Izuku was hot. The anxiety that pricked at Katsuki’s skin over being tricked, being used, slowly melted. The omega hadn’t been acting. This raw energy was real, and all for him. He cared too. Katsuki inhaled and exhaled, counting out each breath and Izuku patiently waited, like he always did. The blond could tell the man was holding back; that he wanted to provide more comfort, and Katsuki realized Deku was keeping himself in check back for his benefit. He hated how his throat tightened and how emotion brought hot tears to his eyes.

Izuku, too focused on his own apology, didn’t look up. He kept his gaze downcast as he said, “I used to be quirkless,” in a whisper, but Katsuki paid close attention so as to not miss a word. “I met All Might just as my mother decided we were to move back. Toshinori had already chosen me as his successor, so he moved with us, and we trained in the United States. It’s why we lured Shigaraki and All for One out of Japan, but it’s also why you didn’t have him as a teacher, and for that, I apologize. I didn’t mean to take him away; I even told him to choose someone else—”

“It had to be you, Deku,” Katsuki choked out, thinking about the recent events in his life. Nothing would’ve been the same had All Might changed his successor. Japan would’ve been torn apart, being a much smaller territory than the US; they would’ve never met; Fero might’ve gotten away with it.

Those emerald eyes that brightened up every room still wouldn’t meet his own, so Katsuki stood.

“I understand if you feel betrayed, if you don’t want to see me again, but—”

Closing the distance, Katsuki kneeled before him and cradled freckled cheeks in his hands, lifting the man’s gaze. “ No,” Katsuki said firmly. “You do not get to ruin me and leave. I’m pretty sure you could smell the rot in the air when we arrived; that’s how I feel when you’re not in my life, Izuku. Last night, I thought I’d over-stepped and scared you away. I was fuckin’ spiraling at the thought that I couldn’t share my biggest triumph in the last few months because I’d fucked up. I started to regret not kissing you on that mountain, not hugging you when you were distressed that night…Izuku, I…”

“Kacchan…”

Katsuki’s chest was heaving, Izuku’s lips were wobbling, both of their cheeks were pinkened and moist with tears—they were a mess, but they were a mess that had been denying their true feelings in favor of their duty, and Katsuki was damn tired of it. With one hand, he removed his scent patch and embraced Izuku as tightly as he could, his shoulders immediately unwinding at the sound of Izuku’s purr.

“Hell, I think I fell in love with you in less than a month, and that may be pathetic—”

Izuku immediately put some space between them and looked at Katsuki firmly. “I fell in love with you too, so shut up, Kacchan.”

Katsuki chuckled, tears now flowing freely down his face. “You’re such an idiot. Do you know how hard it’s been to keep things professional in the last few weeks?”

The freckled man nodded. “Same. But...we don’t have to keep things professional anymore, do we?”

The blond knew his scent bloomed with excitement, but he didn’t care. He smirked and replied, “I guess we don’t.”

This time, he cupped Izuku’s nape, his thumb running against the omega’s jawline. He was nervous, eyes flitting from heavy-lidded emerald eyes to plump lips as they closed the distance. Their lips brushed tentatively before they slotted messily, perfectly. Their hands wandered uncertainly, Deku’s resting on Katsuki’s shoulders (probably to avoid triggering him), whilst Katsuki’s free hand couldn’t resist the anchor of muscled thighs. He angled their faces, deepening the kiss, exploring the connection that had his entire body buzzing, providing a sense of victory that no fight had ever been able to provide. He was afraid he’d feel disgust thanks to Fero’s associates, but he could only feel his partner , and that fed his resolve.

Deku’s lips were softer than he imagined, his kiss far more addictive than it should’ve been. Slowly, they parted, breaths mingling in soft pants, unbidden smiles stretching their lips. It was a new start for Katsuki, a new start for them .

Izuku was truly the exception, far beyond his scent. Five months prior, Katsuki had been raped by omegas, he abhorred the idea of having to work with one much less touch one; but now he found comfort in this one, couldn’t imagine a future without him, and he was looking forward to continue healing so that he could truly give all of himself to this man. Now, he found himself thinking back to when they met. If only he could tell himself a little earlier that Omega Immersion Therapy was exactly what he needed.

Chapter Text

Before this experience, Katsuki would have seen a year as nothing more than time spent leveling up: a blip in the timeline of his kickass life. But things change. In a day, he’d been captured; in two weeks he’d been tortured before being rescued; in each week that followed, there was a milestone to his recovery; and in a month, he’d fallen in love with Izuku Midoriya. Hours, days, weeks, months—it all mattered.

In the weeks after Izuku’s confession, they’d explored their new relationship. Katsuki and Izuku both were going plus ultra at both hero work and their relationship to the point where Mina and Eijirou sat them down and said: “Stop trying so hard.”

It took them a few tries but they did. This meant Deku moving into Katsuki’s apartment because they had gotten used to living together, and it meant a lot less gifting, a lot more talking and simply existing together. 

Like many couples, they loved kissing and touching and being as close to the other as they could. Nonetheless, Katsuki was still Katsuki, so whenever the omega tried to take intimacy further, he froze and the moment would be ruined. They were working past it, and they’d gotten to the point where as long as Katsuki was the one in control, he could enjoy needy touches and the glide of their skin. 

There were so many nights where the blond would lock himself in the bathroom after a failed attempt, trying to banish the voice that blamed him. That voice said that they could be normal if he’d get his shit together. That he was putting his relationship on the balance by rejecting Izuku because his omega simply didn’t deserve a dysfunctional partner. That their natures would continue to be dissatisfied because he couldn’t be stronger than his past. He really wished he could recover faster like with his scent tolerance.

Even more so when Izuku approached him and told Katsuki that he was ready to share his most vulnerable moment: he wanted Katsuki to heat-share with him.

“But if it’s too soon, I do not mind waiting another cycle. I didn’t want to make the decision without you,” Deku said, and with a caring hand, he reached out to grab the blond’s. “I just want you to know that I am serious about this—us.”

Katsuki stood there, in awe of his omega’s strength and took the proffered hand, pressing a gentle kiss on the man’s scarred skin. He knew that ever since the agency reported them as a pair, the freckled man had been under far too much pressure and harassment to mate, yet Izuku never addressed it with him. Cheeks, however, had filled the blond in on demands and subliminal threats his future mate had gotten. Katsuki got so angry one time, he almost went and blasted a few buildings (along with their HR employees).

He studied the omega’s face and posture, and it all expressed honesty and fondness. It warmed his heart that Deku was being so patient, but…he shouldn’t have to be. 

“No, you idiot. Why would you spend the week in pain when you have an alpha?” Taking two steps forward, closing the distance even more, Katsuki sighed and shifted their handhold to link their left index fingers together in a sign of reassurance. “I’ll be there for you, and I’ll take care of you, okay?” 

Izuku’s beautiful emerald eyes shone with moisture from the tears the man was, no doubt, holding back. “I don’t want to trigger you, and I…I just want to make sure we both enjoy this.”

“How about,” the blond started, bringing his free hand to cup his omega’s cheek, slightly shifting his wrist in the movement for a light scent-marking, “we agree to scenting and cuddling, and if we both naturally take it a little further, then that’s okay too.”

Deku bit his lip, his expression somewhat hesitant.

Katsuki huffed in frustration, adding, “Fuck, you know I’m serious about you. Let me prove it like this too.”

“Yeah, I do.” Izuku smiled bashfully, looking at their linked fingers. “And I think that scenting and cuddling sounds like an amazing way to spend this week.”

“You really don’t mind that’s all we do?” Katsuki asked with a doubtful expression, tilting Izuku’s face so that he looked up at him. He didn’t want to be a negligent partner; he also knew of alphas that had been left for much less. Anxiety threatened to grab hold of his thoughts, but his omega dispelled it with a few words.

”Silly, silly alpha,” Izuku purred. “I just want you in my nest.” 

Katsuki knew it was meant to be more teasing than alluring, but his alpha didn’t seem to get the difference. 

‘I want you in my nest,’ echoed in his mind. 

A sudden need to be close struck him. With his doubts banished, Katsuki grabbed Izuku by the collar and joined their lips, feeling the corners of his mouth tug into a smile. He was extremely lucky to have this man in his life. 

The joyful scent of spiced apples enveloped the room, and any remaining fear was aptly dismissed. Izuku felt the same.

The next few days were for preparation. 

Even though they’d talked their decision over with Katsuki’s psychologist—not that it was any of her business, but Izuku insisted—with their boss, when they left the notice, and with Eijirou and Mina, who were their emergency contacts in case anything went wrong, Katsuki still felt wholly unprepared when received that decisive text.

Deku : Pre-heat started. Boss told me to go home bc I was stinking up the place xD

KB : K. Let me know when you get home. Be there soon 

It was time! But…what if he froze or had a panic attack? What if— his phone started ringing. It was FatGum.

“Get off the streets and straight home, Pup. Your omega needs you.”

His breathing was faster than it ought to be; it felt like he had to keep talking. “But my patrol—”

“Will be covered by Tetsu,” Fatgum interjected. “Take a deep breath, come on. 4-7-8, remember. I know this concern isn’t from the omega,” the man said mirthfully. “Hero Deku trusts you with his life.”

After completing two cycles of breathing, Katsuki responded, “I know.”

“Real Steel’ll be there in three minutes. Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts!”

“Never.” His mind was less muddled, and he was suddenly very aware that his boss had taken the time to learn how to intervene in these moments. Even though it didn’t feel like enough words to convey what he felt, he said, “Thanks, Fat,” and meant it.

With that, their call ended. And the older man was right. His alpha wouldn’t let their omega down, not after everything. The bastard was excited, pacing inside him, wanting to be let out. He quickened his stride to the agency to pick up his wallet and keys, and then blasted his way home. Since he didn’t bother changing, no one would question it.

When he was about ten minutes away, he received Izuku’s text about being home, along with a picture that had Katsuki salivating. The omega was cozy in their nest, which had grown significantly in the past week with additions from most of their pack members. He was wearing nothing but one of Katsuki’s large t-shirts and he was cuddled up with a Dynamight mascot plushie (Dynamy, it was called—ridiculous). 

Deku : I’m in good company until you arrive <3 

His alpha scoffed. The plush imp didn’t deserve to be hugged that way; that was Katsuki’s place! 

Newly motivated, he gained speed and made it home in record time.

His senses were heightened in anticipation of the omega’s needs. Katsuki had to admit he was impressed with how fluidly he managed to open the door and settle his things. He called out a greeting, but he received no response, only a muffled whine that came from their den.

“Izuku?” he called, quickening his pace to reach his omega.

When he noticed the alpha, Deku said, “Hi, Kacchan,” with a pained smile, curling into himself a little tighter around the plush.

Immediately, the blond looked around for any injury or danger, yet he couldn’t find any. 

“It’s okay. It’s just cramps,” the omega uttered with labored breaths. “It’ll go away.”

Noticing a few seconds had passed without Katsuki moving, Izuku smiled and willed his body to lean back on the larger pillows. “Can you scent me?” he asked, knowing full well it would help relax his muscles.

This prompted the alpha to move, albeit carefully. He scented Izuku’s wrists but stepped back. “Gotta take a quick shower to get the street gunk off me; I’ll be back before you know it.”

The omega did not seem all too pleased, but he nodded, bringing his wrists up to his nose and tightening his hold around Dynamy. Deku’s eyes fluttered shut and he sighed. “Okay, Kacchan.”

The sight of it made butterflies swarm Katsuki’s stomach, so he rushed into the bathroom. Why was his boyfriend being so cute ? It made him want to squeeze something violently and shake it around. 

The alpha showered as quickly as he could, pulling on a pair of boxer briefs and some shorts. He also moisturized because his skin felt weird without it after so many years of having this routine. Finally, he applied a pheromone oil meant to keep his glands healthy and preserve the potency of his scent for longer. Some people used it in the place of perfume, but it was meant to be part of basic self-care. He figured it couldn’t hurt to prevent redness during cycles where so much scenting would take place.

The clock on the wall hadn't even ticked past ten minutes since he’d gone in, but it seemed as if an entire hour had vanished when he stepped out of the bathroom. Izuku was supposed to be the needy one, yet here Katsuki was, craving the man’s body heat and scent. Normally, he would tease the other, but seeing Deku squirm made him uncomfortable too, so he sped-walked across the room and got into bed, settling behind the omega, throwing the mascot plushie to the corner of the nest.

“Getting comfortable there, Kacchan?” Izuku said with a purr, pressing against him. “I know I finally am.”

The blond scoffed, tightening his grip on his future mate and rubbing his scent all over Izuku’s neck. Katsuki was comfortable, for the most part, except for the heat radiating from the omega’s body. It had him wondering if the man had a fire quirk hidden somewhere there.

“Want me to bring you some sorbet? Maybe a fever reducer?”

Turning around in Katsuki’s hands to face him, Izuku replied, “Both sound great, alpha, but first,” he cut himself off to press a kiss to the blond’s lips, releasing a pleased whimper the moment it was reciprocated. They made out languidly, hands a mere whisper on the skin, until a cramp made Izuku jolt back.

“I’ll get our ammunition now. We’ll kill all these heat symptoms!” Katsuki declared confidently, earning a pained giggle from Izuku. 

“My hero.”

The two ate their sorbets in bed, and once the pain killers kicked in, Izuku played a movie for them to watch. Katsuki felt absurd for wanting to constantly be on the omega, but his alpha wanted to touch and scent and make Izuku feel loved.

Even when he wasn’t intending to, he would be swiping his wrist or his neck in a scenting motion. At times, he would rearrange the pillows or grab Izuku’s feet to massage them. About halfway into the movie, his brain went against his instinct and he began to worry: Would it be too overwhelming? Was he overdoing it? 

Insecurity must’ve soured his scent because Izuku paused the film and turned around. “What happened?”

Katsuki nipped at his shoulder. “It’s nothing. Play the movie, nerd.”

But the omega wouldn’t budge, and the blond knew the man wouldn’t be satisfied until he came forward with the truth, so he hid his face against Izuku’s back and voiced his concern.

“Oh, Kacchan,” Deku cooed and turned around to face him. Gently, the omega cradled Katsuki’s face. “In any case, I’ll become overwhelming. There is no way you’d overdo it. And if you do, we already know I can kick your ass, even without a quirk.”

“Oh really? I’d like a reminder of when that happened,” he challenged, but his expression must have shown some level of doubt because Izuku kissed him again, lingering for a second before resting his forehead against Katsuki’s. 

“This is perfect, alpha,” he said softly, tracing his features with roughened fingertips that left a slight tingle in their absence. “Now, cuddle the shit out of me and watch the movie.”

This made Katsuki bark out a laugh. “You’re really something,” he said, maneuvering their bodies so Deku could lay between his legs this time. 

Once the movie finished, they moved around a little. Since Izuku was feeling somewhat sore, Katsuki helped him stretch, but because the omega was still in pre-heat, his inner nature came out a little more often than it usually would. This meant that stretching would progress to play fighting, and play fighting would often devolve to a heavy makeout session that left them both in need of a time out.

The first two days were spent like this, in domesticity and reassuring touches. Katsuki felt so fulfilled simply cooking for Izuku and providing for him that it left him dizzy with happy pheromones. He could understand now why everyone was so adamant about heat-sharing with their partners; the rush was rejuvenating, much more than going to a spa or traveling. 

While he usually liked spoiling the shit out of people he loved, this was different. He didn’t feel himself, but this time, in a good way. The sensation only added to the marvel that experiencing a vulnerable Izuku was. He’d never met this Izuku—at least not entirely. Seeing the grabby hands, the wide-eyed pouts, the bashful requests… all so omegan. It made Katsuki feel incredibly cherished to be trusted like that. It was a whole other side to his partner and himself that he wanted to explore further. 

However, on the third day, everything changed. 

They’d had an early lunch after Deku’s cramps had subsided. Since the day was pleasant out, they’d been planting some new seeds in the balcony, and it was then that the omega’s heat bloomed. Katsuki had noticed Izuku felt uncomfortable because he’d rubbed his thighs and gone to the bathroom twice already to ‘fix his underwear;’ he’d also complained about his shirt feeling scratchy. But neither of them noticed a major shift until Izuku’s scent thickened. 

Katsuki wanted to swim in it, drown in it. It was nothing compared to Izuku’s aroused scent. This was so much more . It was a call, a beacon, a temptation; it was comfort and home; it was…Katsuki couldn’t find the words to accurately describe it, but he became acutely aware that he was salivating a little more just pondering about it, so he swallowed thickly. It was then that a splash of water fell on his feet from the watering can he’d been holding. He’d zoned out. 

Setting the container down, he looked to the side, thinking that Deku should probably go inside, when he realized the man was no longer by him.

The scent came from within the house, so Katsuki followed it. Izuku was washing his hands in the bathroom sink, and for a moment, Katsuki wondered if the omega was somehow immune to the effects of his heat. He wasn’t whiny or trying to lure Katsuki to bed; he wasn’t aggressive or reclusive either. The blond waited by the door frame, hands crossed to stop himself from touching the freckled man.

“You okay?” he asked.

Deku dried his hands and nodded before walking over to Katsuki and wrapping his arms around the blond’s shoulders, making the previously folded arms unfold and rest on wide hips. 

“I’m okay, just missing alpha,” he said so sweetly, Katsuki knew Izuku had indeed been affected.

“I haven’t gone anywhere, Deku,” he muttered, pressing a chaste kiss on the omega’s cheek. 

But when he pulled back, Izuku brought a hand up to Katsuki’s cheek, his thumb holding the blond’s face in place. With a lidded gaze, the omega sensually brushed his lips over Katsuki’s, initiating a chase with no intention of being caught. It was a siren’s song, an enchantment. The alpha only tilted his head when Izuku’s lips ghosted over his jaw, near his scent gland, and even felt a twinge of disappointment when they went back up. This time, he readily met them, feeling ever so light at the glide of their lips. 

Why had he worried so much? Deku was nothing like the assholes that fucked him up. The freckled man was everything he wanted. Maybe they could do more than just cuddle. 

Katsuki’s chest rumbled to match Izuku’s purrs as their hands began to wander. Without parting, they felt their way back to bed. Grunts and mewls were elicited from their throats, a verbalization of the contentment from their second natures at finally being brought together. 

Katsuki wasn’t sure how much time passed, but he could feel his cock straining against his pants, and he felt Izuku’s when he pressed down. He smirked into their kiss and led his right hand to tease the freckled man’s erection.

However, when Deku ground down instinctively, the freckled man froze and put some distance between them. For a moment, Katsuki felt confused. He hadn’t had any memories, and they were finally progressing, so why had Izuku stopped?

“What happened?” he mumbled, trying to clear the lusty haze in his mind that demanded he drag his omega back down. “I thought you wanted this,” he muttered, wondering if he’d overstepped a boundary.

With teary eyes, shifting somewhat uncomfortably, Izuku replied. “S-sorry, I was getting carried away. I need to breathe. I don’t want—I didn’t mean to…”

It was then that Katsuki realized what Izuku meant. With a soft smile, ignoring his current desires, he crawled over to Izuku and wiped the tears before they could fall. “Deku, omega, you didn’t hurt me, you didn’t cross any lines,” he said, pausing to scent the man and calm him down a bit. 

Izuku whimpered and warm rivulets readily streamed down his speckled cheeks. Katsuki chuckled and brought his boyfriend into his arms. “I want to make you feel good, so if you want to grind that sweet ass against me, do it. It’s not like we haven’t done it before!”

“Kacchaaaan,” Deku whined, his cheeks blooming in a rosy hue. “Don’t just say stuff like that!”

Playfully, Katsuki licked one of his freckles, tasting the salty tears, earning a wet giggle from the omega. “If I wanted to stop, I would’ve asked you to stop, don’cha think?”

“B-but if I lose myself and I—”

The blond wasn’t about to listen to this bullshit, so he interrupted. “Do you think I’m weak, Deku?” 

“No, of course not!”

“And you remember you have quirk-nullifying bracelets so that you don’t destroy our apartment during your heat?”

Izuku pouted. “Yeah, I know…”

“Then…?” With a sigh, Katsuki took both of Izuku’s hands in his and gave them a squeeze. “Let me be your alpha, okay? You’re safe with me, just like I’m safe with you, so don’t baby me because I’ve never asked you to.”

That seemed to be enough to quell Deku’s anxiety because the omega gave him the sweetest smile. “Okay, Kacchan.”

After giving Izuku a tissue to blow his nose with—otherwise, the crying would never stop—they picked up where they left off. Izuku was back on his lap, hands were roaming, touching, but Katsuki didn’t want them to move too fast.

“Sit on the bed for a moment,” Katsuki said with an edge of command in his tone, testing the waters.

Izuku’s pupils immediately dilated, so the blond knew he’d done a good thing. 

“Hands on the bed, omega,” he ordered, and the omega complied with a low whimper. 

“W-what do you want me to do, alpha?”

Katsuki smirked. “Just feel good,” he replied, crawling behind Izuku. Once comfortable, he lightly bit Deku’s shoulder, prompting a groan, but while the omega tensed his legs from the sensation, his hands remained rooted on the covers, heeding the command. 

“Tell me if you don’t want anything, ok?”

Izuku replied, “Yes, Kacchan,” using his nickname to let him know he was still present; that it wasn’t only his omega taking over.

“Good.” With that assurance, Katsuki began pressing kisses and nips on freckled shoulders whilst his hands pinched and played with Deku’s chest. 

The omega threw his head backward, breath growing heavier. Katsuki kept a hand loosely on the man’s throat to tilt his head and be able to appreciate the sight. Fuck, he was gone for this man. “So goddamn pretty, omega,” he praised. 

“Touch me, alpha!” Izuku pleaded, opening his legs a little more.

Katsuki chuckled meanly. “I thought I was .”

Izuku huffed. “Not what I mean!”

Pressing a kiss to the man’s temple, Katsuki smirked and nodded. “I supposed you’ve earned a little more.”

The blond’s hands groped and massaged their way down, and his inner alpha howled at how Deku arched into his touch, knowing it was pleasing his omega. Katsuki took his time, one hand playing with the man’s chest, while the other palmed at his still-clothed cock.

Izuku sighed, relaxing into his partner’s body, eyes closed with such trust that the blond just about burst. This was his omega. He felt his fangs itching to claim, demanding to secure their future, but he simply focused on his task. There would be no claiming so soon into their courting. 

Curiously, after realizing he didn’t even feel close to a negative reaction, Katsuki paused his attentions and moved to face Izuku. The omega looked at him with a combination of puzzlement and wonder. It fed his confidence. Again it struck him how odd it was to see Izuku so submissive, so visibly wanting .

With a mischievous grin, Katsuki tugged at Izuku’s underwear, and the omega all too readily lifted his hips to allow the constraining fabric to be removed.

Hungrily, the blond licked his lips and pressed a kiss to Izuku’s ankle. He enjoyed having those emerald eyes fixated on him as he sampled every inch of skin up the man’s leg. Izuku meweled and gasped but didn’t dare move too brusquely lest the alpha pause his exploration. 

Deku was utterly intoxicating, and every lick or nip brought out more of that scent. When the blond finally reached his destination, slick already glistened around the fluttering hole. The omega’s body was getting itself ready for breeding.

‘Yeeeesssss! Breed omega!’ his inner bastard cheered. Katsuki wouldn’t indulge that thought too long. 

Instead, he let his instinct to taste Deku’s hole take precedence, but he wouldn’t do it right away. He kneaded the man’s ass, simply because he loved that ass, and he toyed at the moist rim with his thumb, earning him a delicious groan.

Izuku bit his lip sultrily, his eyes half-lidded with slitted pupils that only conveyed lust .

The omega’s sounds were enough to prompt Katsuki to continue, popping his index finger inside. Unhurriedly, he pumped it in and out, in and out, until he felt the omega trembling. Izuku was close. 

Immediately, Katsuki switched to a different spot.

“Wait, no,” Deku panted. “Keep going!”

“No one said you’re getting your prize so easily,” the blond said with a smirk. Katsuki knew that giving the omega what it wanted too readily could be a problem if they didn’t go all the way. He needed to draw it out as long as he could; he needed to tire the omega until it was satisfied.

His fist wrapped around the man’s dick and he pumped it slowly, at a grueling pace. Part of Katsuki was grateful for Deku’s insane stamina because had it been the other way around, and with his partner looking at him that way, Katsuki knew he would’ve busted a knot already.

When it was clear that Izuku wanted to protest, Katsuki shut him up with a kiss, increasing the speed of his fist just a little, switching up his grip.

Izuku leaned back, panting. His skin was flushed, his eyes were glassy—

”Fuck you’re perfect,” Katsuki whispered. “So fucking hot, omega.”

He paid closer attention to the sounds that came from Deku, to the way the man’s muscles contracted and quivered. When he was too close, Katsuki paused and moved on to hungry kisses or played with the man’s chest, applying some pressure at the base of the omega’s cock, just to stave off the orgasm.

Katsuki was painfully hard, and he could feel his own member throbbing for attention, but he wanted to wait a little longer, to worship his future mate until this wave abated. 

There was no inch of skin left untouched, unkissed. 

Izuku wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but as tears rolled down his eyes from their most recent round. He knew he needed release, and from what he could see, his lover did too. The blond’s command had weakened by then, so he overrode it with his own.

“My turn, alpha. Lay down. ”

Crimson eyes widened. 

‘What the hell?!’

Katsuki could do nothing but swallow back his groan when Izuku slid into his lap, freeing the blond’s dick from its confine, and grabbed both of their cocks in his shaking, scarred hand.

“Let me make you feel good too,” the omega said with such confidence that Katsuki wouldn’t dream of objecting.

The freckled omega pumped while moving his hips, and all Katsuki could do was grab onto his boyfriend’s muscled thighs and groan. “Izuku–Deku–Fuck,” he grumbled, feeling pleasure a little too strongly thanks to his earlier neglect.

His skin pricked with goosebumps, a slight mirage of the past, but being surrounded by Izuku’s presence erased it almost immediately. His pleasure only intensified when the hand around his cock sped up. All Katsuki could do was curse and praise his omega nonsensically; there was no room for other thoughts. He could feel his knot swelling and his vision spotting when one of Izuku’s hands played with his balls.

“I’m close,” Deku whimpered.

Katsuki grunted; he was too. He’d never felt anything so extraordinary. His legs were suddenly incapable of holding their ground, near useless. His hands dug into the meat of Izuku’s ass so hard, he was surely leaving a mark.

“Please!” Izuku moaned, but never paused his merciless pace. He was crying, desperately begging to cum, and when he finally did, it was the most beautiful thing Katsuki had ever seen. The blond’s only regret was that he couldn’t enjoy the sight for too long because the combined sight with the movement from Izuku’s spasming hips brought Katsuki over the edge. 

His heaving chest was covered in their warm, sticky spend, but his mind couldn’t register much. It was like his ears had been filled with cotton, his thoughts dulled by a blanket of bliss. He felt his partner roll to burrow into his side, but they were both far too numbed out to clean up right away.

They were floating, which was odd considering they didn’t go all the way and no mating had taken place, but they couldn’t bring themselves to question it. They were loved, they were safe, they were sated. 

The two remained in that state for minutes that neither bothered to count, and when the haze cleared, Katsuki internalized what had happened: No vivid flashbacks. Not a single one. He stared at his hands, at his body. 

Sure, Izuku had complied beautifully in his request to take control, but even still that nagging feeling that he would lose control persisted. So to see that it hadn’t happened…

Katsuki smiled.

“Fuck yeah!” he said in a whisper to avoid waking his omega up. Deku had fallen asleep, contentedly curled up beside him. 

‘We did good. Omega is happy,’ his alpha commented with a purr. 

Katsuki laid in bed for another minute or two, relishing in the sight of Izuku’s placid expression and the heavenly mixture of their scents before he started to feel his skin tightening from their drying fluids. Reluctantly, he left a scented pillow in his place and went to the restroom to clean himself up. He smiled in the mirror at his still-flushed chest, at the marks Izuku had left on his abdomen as he ground up into his fist. Katsuki felt hot in the face again, so he splashed frigid water on it. 

Food. 

They needed food.

Swiftly, he cleaned himself, and then gently cleaned Deku up as best he could. The omega stirred but was apparently too drowsy to fully wake. Then, Katsuki padded his way to the kitchen, grabbing some water and two of the wraps he’d prepped the previous day. Since Izuku was resting, he figured he could eat his ahead to let the man rest.

As Katsuki turned around to take some food to his lover, he bumped into the omega, who’d snuck up on him.

“Jeez, Deku! Give a man a warning, will ya?”

Izuku giggled, much too innocently for his next action. Licking his lips, the freckled man dropped to his knees and ran his hands up and down the blond’s thighs.

“I-Izuku, you gotta eat first.” He hated that he stuttered, but this behavior was wholly unexpected. “Come on.”

Deku purred and nuzzled his cheek against his partner’s thigh. “I’ll eat, but first, I have to thank my alpha properly,” he murmured.

Even in his state, Izuku waited for his assent. His willpower was admirable, and Katsuki wondered if he would be able to fight against his instincts like that when his own turn came. “I want to say yes, but Deku, you know…”

Izuku nodded. “Slow. Omega will be slow for alpha.”

Fuckin’ heat made both of them weak.

Katsuki tilted his head, his lips pressed together tensely as Izuku took his hardening cock in a scarred hand and gave it an experimental lick. They’d never gotten that far. Katsuki was always giving pleasure, not receiving it—at least not in this way. For a moment, he thought about stopping it all, but the notion vanished when Deku swallowed his member in one go.

“Ngh!” The blond had a death grip on the counter’s edge. To avoid dropping anything, he threw the water and wrap on the counter and held on for dear life as Izuku bobbed leisurely, eyes closed and his expression placid. 

Katsuki felt the hair at his nape stand on edge; he bit his inner cheek. His brain automatically began comparing that to the way his captors had attempted to bring him to ruin like that, but the thought became a dulled down image in the back of his head. The freckled man’s other hand rested on Katsuki’s hip, his thumb tracing his skin in a soothing motion. It was distracting.

The alpha looked at the omega’s expression, admiring the tenderness and devotion in the act. It was strange to even describe a blowjob like that, but Katsuki felt compelled to be a sap when it came to his future mate. 

“Izuku…” Katsuki waited until the omega hummed. “I’m your ah—alpha; I’m meant to take care—uh—of you.” He took a couple of breaths before he added, “You don’t have—-”

With a pop, Deku stopped what he was doing and looked up. “I want , alpha. You say you want omega to feel good. Omega feels good if alpha feels good too,” he declared seriously, and just as quickly, he went back to his ministrations.

Katsuki moaned, reflexively tilting his head back. “Ah, fuuuuck!”

His alpha, it seemed, wasn’t in agreement with his protest. ‘Our omega is hot! Look at him!’

And in truth, Deku was a vision. His skin glowed, and his emerald eyes shone with tears and a desire so strong, it had Katsuki’s knees buckling. The omega’s mewls vibrated through his core, adding to the sensation. It was in these observations that he heard a slick, rhythmic sound and he realized that Izuku was fingering himself. 

“Hells, you don’t know what you do to me, do ya?” he muttered along with hushed, incomprehensible praises that spurred the omega on.

Soon, he lost himself in Izuku. Izuku’s breath, Izuku’s sounds, Izuku’s heat. Katsuki felt that familiar pressure coil in his lower abdomen, and it wasn't long until he spilled his seed down his omega’s throat.

Deku drank it up greedily, licking and sucking at his dick until oversensitivity kicked in and Katsuki cupped the omega’s head to pull back.

He stood there feeling boneless, panting through the aftershocks of his orgasm. Izuku, however, kept his eyes fixed on Katsuki as he whined into his own climax.

The blond chuckled incredulously, wondering how he’d lucked out this way. Lowering himself, he captured the freckled man’s lips in a lazy kiss, letting their lips draw out before diving in to taste his lover again. 

“Thank you,” he whispered. “You’re such an amazing omega,”he praised. “But now, we need to take a break and eat.”

Izuku’s brow scrunched, but he nodded. Gently, Katsuki helped him up to the sink to wash his hands and then led him to the table. Though the omega sat on his lap, he seemed to be coming down from his wave. Deku’s movements seemed more purposeful and his fever had disappeared. 

That said, after the first few bites, he felt Izuku shiver, and even the blond’s alpha grew concerned.

“You feeling better?” Katsuki asked. “Do you want me to get you some clothes?”

Deku didn’t speak, but he shook his head as the trembling increased. A sour note wafted into the air, and Katsuki couldn’t find a reason for it, so he maneuvered the man in his arms to face him.

The omega had tears trailing down his cheeks. 

“Hey, hey, did something happen? Fuck! Did I hurt you?”

“No!” Deku sniffled. “ I could’ve hurt you. I’m so, so stupid. I’m sorry!”

Wiping tears away, Katsuki asked, “Talk to me, Izuku. Why do you think you could’ve hurt me?”

“The—I—We’ve never done that before!” Izuku sobbed, trying to wipe away his tears. “You were tense and doubtful, and I should’ve stopped, but I couldn’t—My omega—I,” the man couldn’t seem to finish the rest of the thought, but Katsuki understood. 

“Deku,” Katsuki sighed, “Yes, I was apprehensive because it was new, but if I didn’t want it, I could’ve stopped you.” He hugged the omega, pressing his ear against the man’s chest and scented him. 

Nonetheless, even when hugging him back, the omega was still distressed, so the blond groaned and added, “I was a little scared, I can admit that…but you helped me through it, just like you’ve helped me through so many other things.”

Izuku sagged a little in his touch, which prompted Katsuki to continue. “It was amazing. Best blowjob I’ve ever gotten, is that what you wanted to hear?”

The omega giggled wetly and slapped at his shoulder. “Kacchan! No!”

Smirking, Katsuki put some distance between them and teased. “Oh? Should I say I’ve never emptied my load in someone’s mouth with the same intensity? That no extra could ever compare to the mastery that your tongue provides?”

Izuku was still sniffling but he also laughed, and Katsuki was once again struck with how much he loved that. 

“Dammit, I love you, Deku, and I really want to do right by you.”

Immediately, Izuku gasped and turned his attention toward his alpha again. “I love you too,” he chirped before pressing kisses all over the blond’s cheeks. “I want this to be good for both of us.”

Foreheads pressed together, they took the opportunity to breathe each other in. However, Katsuki was still aware that this wave of lucidity and peace would not last for long, so he urged Izuku to grab the wrap again. 

“Finish eating; my leg is falling asleep.”

With a dramatic gasp, Izuku asked, “Are you calling me fat?”

Katsuki played along, saying, “Nah, I’m calling your ass thicc,” before taking a bite. 

The freckled man rolled his eyes but complied with the request. Then, Katsuki left Izuku to shower while he changed the sheets. Soon enough, they migrated to the couch, where they continued an episode from a cooking show they’d started the week before. Nonetheless, Katsuki couldn’t focus because he noticed the omega kept shifting.

“You okay? Is it back already?”

With an embarrassed smile, Izuku shook his head. “It was a great wave, so we have some time, but I think I might’ve pinched a nerve.”

Katsuki frowned. “You want a massage?” 

“Nah, but I’ll put on some hot and cold cream so it improves while we finish this,” Deku replied and got up.

The alpha felt an urge to follow, but he stayed in his place. Before long, his boyfriend was back and smelling like menthol and apples. Katsuki tried not to gag; it truly ruined Deku’s scent.

By the end of the episode, Izuku was still feeling the soreness and slight jabs of pain, so he reluctantly asked, “Can I take back what I said? I might need that massage.”

“Anything you need, Freckles,” Katsuki purred and led him back to their room. There, he procured the coconut oil and put the skills he’d learned from that one seminar Mina forced him to take.

Luckily, Katsuki was skilled with his hands. Izuku melted into the bed and let out an obscene moan that had his dick hardening again. He couldn’t act on it though, wouldn’t dare trigger another wave neither of them was rested for.

“Sorry,” he mumbled as he kneaded at Deku’s lower back.

“It’s normal, Kacchan,” Izuku sighed. “Just keep going.”

And Katsuki did. He wasn’t going to be the villain that wronged an omega in heat. He focused on his movements, instead, and worked through every touch of tension Izuku held in his muscles. After the initial knots, Izuku quieted down and they both calmed, absorbed by the repetitive motions. When Katsuki’s hands began to feel sore, Izuku mumbled a drowsy thanks, and turned to the side to fall asleep.

“Love ya, Nerd,” Katsuki whispered, pressing a kiss onto the man’s curly head before walking to the bathroom to clean his hands. He would try to fall asleep quickly too to avoid being exhausted when the next wave hit.

Surprisingly, they both slept soundly…for about six hours. The sun hadn’t risen yet, the sky still dark with a faint, ethereal glow beginning to materialize in the horizon, when Katsuki woke up to the sound of a hoot owl and Izuku’s naked body rutting against his thigh. Izuku’s body heat was worse than the day before; the man was sweating and flushed, panting breaths in his desperate attempt for release.

Their fourth day was intense, and no matter what Katsuki did, the omega would go back into that pliant, needy mindspace. Around mid-morning, Katsuki’s fingers were sore, his thighs too. He felt like such a bad alpha for wanting to take a break, but Izuku’s omega was nowhere near close to relinquishing control over his future mate’s body. It was then that he remembered the backpack Deku kept under his side of the bed.

With a defeated sigh, the blond admitted he had to let go of his pride. Quickly, before the omega got over his last orgasm, Katsuki zipped the bag open and took stock of Izuku’s toys. His alpha was already protesting, but he shut it up. While he’d been fine with everything they’d done so far, he didn’t want to push their first attempt at penetrative sex in such unpredictable conditions. It’s not what they’d agreed to anyway.

A displeased whine caught his attention. Deku had stopped being verbal about two hours prior, but it was still easy enough to understand what he needed. Swiftly, Katsuki grabbed what he could before climbing over Izuku and burying his fist in the man’s wavy hair to kiss him good morning. Izuku moaned into the kiss, hands already searching for Katsuki’s dick, but Katsuki let out a gravely chuckle and tsked. “No, omega, we’re doing things differently today.” 

The freckled minx chirped in question, tilting his head to the side.

“First, we’re going to tie you up a little,” Katsuki said, taking the fabric restraints and securing them to the bed.

Curiously, Izuku allowed it. The man had never admitted to liking that, but if he owned the item, it might as well be put to use.

“Then, we’re going to make sure you don’t cum too quickly, because I want my omega to enjoy every moment,” Katsuki added, sliding a cock ring down Deku’s throbbing member.

He had to do this right, if he wanted to keep the omega happy. Just as the day before, he took his time, kissing and touching. He pressed his lips along every scar, and his mind went to that day at the pool. Izuku’s eyes were lined with tears, not expecting the affection, but Katsuki wanted him to know that every part of him was beautiful. He muttered words like, “So brave,” and “So strong,” and Izuku whined for each one. It made the blond want to do this sort of thing far more often. He kept his praise and worship until the smaller man writhed with need.

“Are you ready for me, omega?” Katsuki asked, biting Izuku’s lower lip.

The omega nodded rapidly and cried out, wiggling his hips to entice his alpha.

Taking the knotted dildo that was closest to his size, Katsuki slowly pushed it into the man’s hole, trying to rock his hips to mimic the movement so it would seem like he was the one fucking him. Then, he turned on the vibrating cock ring, which caused Izuku’s body to shake while it adjusted. 

In and out, Katsuki pushed the dildo, slowly adding speed. With his free hand, he jerked himself off because the sight of Izuku’s face teary face and the sound of his moans would have been pure torture without it.

“Fuck, omega,” Katsuki cursed, hastening his strokes.  

Deku’s body wracked and trembled with pleasure, his member red, swollen and leaking, and looking oh so delectable. Katsuki would suck him off if it didn’t mean that he would have to break the scene he’d created.

“Such a perfect omega,” he growled. “Do you feel good?” 

Jade waves bounced with Izuku’s nods. “M-more,” the omega managed to say, his hips grinding to take the dildo deeper. His hole was swallowing that thing up, and Katsuki knew it wouldn’t be long before the fake knot slipped in. Their slaps and moans shamelessly disturbed the morning quiet.

Even though it wasn’t actually them going all the way, they both got utterly lost in the illusion, and it felt like an eternity before he came. But even then, Izuku was still crying in rivulets, emitting mewls and moans, pushing himself to go further, to get that knot.

“Alpha, please,” the omega begged shakily, eyes glassy.

Still, Katsuki did not relent. He fucked him harder with the toy, taking it as a personal mission to make his omega come untouched. It didn’t take long for Izuku’s muscles to begin quivering, and it was only when they became erratic that Katsuki pressed the button at the base of the fake dick to make it pulse and the knot to inflate, trapping it inside. 

Izuku’s body arched, hands still flexing, tied above him. His thighs shook violently, his body spasmed without his consent, and a minute later, his darkened dick thrust upward, shooting long streams of fruitless spend. 

Katsuki watched in awe. Would it ever stop? It was so fucking hot, he hadn’t noticed that he’d left both devices on. Izuku was a soiled, whining mess, and Katsuki discovered a new kind of pleasure. He wanted to make Izuku look like that again. The poor man was overstimulated, but with the extra vibrations, just when Katsuki thought it was over, Izuku came again, his voice a wrecked wail.

Immediately, Katsuki turned everything off and removed the cockring. With an unsteady hand, he reached for an anal plug and switched out the dildo for it. Izuku was floating again, fucked out and blissed out. It was beautiful. Even without receiving a single touch from the man, the blond and his alpha felt fully satisfied. Exhausted, Katsuki collapsed next to his future mate and didn’t make any further attempt to move. 

It was past noon when the blond next woke. Izuku still rested next to him, so Katsuki took the opportunity to clean their mess up. With sore muscles, he trudged to the kitchen to grab a protein shake and a breakfast meal he’d prepared the day before. 

He wondered how much longer this heat would last. Even with toys, he felt exhausted. And he wasn’t even doing the full task! Before, he thought he was a worthy alpha, but now, if half the job had him doubting, did he even deserve Izuku as a mate?

Secondary natures were stronger than tiredness. Even with exhaustion clear in his semblance and shaky legs that barely held his body up, Izuku exited their room. Katsuki rushed to pick him up and place him on a chair. Then, he heated up a dish for Izuku too.

Even with the freckled man’s presence, the feeling of unworthiness plagued him throughout his meal, and he was thankful for Izuku’s omega because it prevented Izuku’s normally observant, curious nature from noticing his state. However, once they finished eating, while Katsuki washed the dishes, his luck ran out.

“Kacchan,” Izuku said hoarsely.

Katsuki’s eyes widened. “You back, nerd?”

With a small smile Izuku nodded and ambled toward him, hugging him from behind. “Why do you look so sad?”

“I’m not sad, Idiot; I’m tired because of your insatiable ass.”

Izuku huffed and hugged him tighter. “Try again, you jerk.”

Katsuki sighed and rinsed his hands. He should've known Deku wouldn't let this go. Gently, he tapped at Izuku’s wrists so they loosened and Katsuki could turn around. Then, he pressed his lips to the man’s forehead. “Just a little frustrated, Izuku. It’ll pass.”

Challengingly, Deku asked, “Frustrated with what?”

“My…performance today. Dammit, you deserve better!” his eyes stung. His alpha was berating him, begging him not to give his omega away. “We tried, and I just couldn’t keep up, so…”

“You stupid alpha!” Izuku chided, pinching his side. “You had me worrying for nothing.” Hugging him tighter, the freckled man pressed his ear to Katsuki’s chest and spoke with certainty. 

“You’ve been the best alpha. Who cares what society says your role should be? You made me feel safe, you made me cum stronger than any heat-aid ever did, and you’ve gone above and beyond to keep me fed and clean. How is that being a bad alpha?!”

Katsuki blushed, tears blurring his vision. He hugged Izuku tighter and buried his face in the man’s jade waves. He couldn’t reply yet.

“Kacchan,” Izuku said softly. “You’ve beyond proven that you love me. We don’t have to go by anyone’s script but our own.” The man rubbed circles on Katsuki’s back. “And if you ask me, you’ve done a stellar performance.”

A traitorous whine escaped Katsuki’s lips as so many of his insecurities were addressed.

Izuku must have noticed, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he added, “This was the first heat where I haven’t blacked out from the pain, and I had to adapt to All Might’s quirk, so that should tell you how bad they got.”

“But Deku—” he whispered.

Izuku shook his head and put some distance between them. “I wouldn’t be opposed to pleasuring you more often or being pleasured in different ways, but we can try that when we’re both ready, yeah?”

Katsuki nodded, once again struck by his omega. He felt breathless, and if he could, he’d propose right there. How was he so fortunate? 

“Now, let’s go to our nest. I demand end-of-heat cuddles.”

The blond snorted. “Are those a thing?”

“They better be!” Izuku chirped.

Seeing Izuku’s smile and truly taking in his words was enough to get Katsuki back to feeling himself. Trying to lighten the mood further, he took the towel behind him, playfully rolled it and whipped Izuku’s thigh. “You’re just trying to get another round outta me, huh!”

Izuku smirked. “It wasn’t the plan, but if you’re offering,” he trailed off, wiggling his ass.

“You brat, get back here!” the blond shouted, before he picked the omega up in a fireman’s carry and walked him back to the room.

Maybe they weren’t perfect, maybe they would fall into old patterns and fuck up, but in that moment, Katsuki knew that as long as they had each other, they would work together to overcome anything.