Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Izuku slammed his hands against Katsuki’s chest, creating distance between them. “Do you wanna fuck me or do you wanna fight me?”

Katsuki was paralyzed at the question; Deku had never been that straightforward, never looked at him this furiously. “What if I say both?” he returned a little dazed, a little breathlessly aroused.

“Then pick which one is more important to you, Kacchan. I-I can’t keep doing this!”

Did he read this wrong? “What the fuck are you talking about, Deku?”

Izuku scoffed and paced around, moving his hands haphazardly as he spoke. “You-You’ve known how I’ve felt about you for the past three years and you’ve never made a move. You challenge and insult me most days, we are kind of friendly other days, but you only ever express any interest when you’re getting close to your rut.”

Then, the omega paused and looked at Katsuki with such a raw expression, eyes already shining with tears, that it made his heart clench. Why was the nerd affecting him like this?

With a pained look of resignation, Izuku pried his eyes away from the blond’s, refusing to meet his gaze any longer. Taking a deep breath, he continued. “My heats are getting worse without an actual mate, Kacchan, and I refuse to share them with you if you won’t take me seriously. The next one’s in three weeks,” he trailed off.

“Deku, what’re you-“ the freckled man raised his hand, letting him know he wasn’t done.

Why was Deku saying this? Katsuki knew the nerd’s heats just like he knew his own ruts. He didn’t want a mate, but something about letting Izuku spend his most vulnerable moment with anyone else ate at him, so they’d become heat and rut partners. He knew of the nerd’s feelings, but he never thought he’d need to act on them; they were already living together, what else did they need?

Tears were flowing freely now, but the greenette pushed through between sobs.

“The next one’s in three weeks, and both Kirishima and Shinsou have offered to bond with me and help me through them.”

Katsuki growled, “What the hell?!” How dare those two fuckers offer that to his omega.

But Izuku didn’t cower, and he didn’t take anything back—he turned around and growled back in challenge, eyes already puffy and red from crying. “You don’t get to be jealous or have any claim over me, Kacchan!” He huffed and turned away as if struggling on whether to stay or go. “I-I love you, but I can’t wait anymore. If nothing changes, I’m accepting one of their offers. I’m sorry for being such a burden over the years.”

'You aren't. Stay.'

The blond grabbed him by the wrist. “Stop this shit. Like hell you will! Shitty Hair is my best friend; he’s with Raccoon Eyes anyway! And you can’t seriously be considering Mind Fuck over me, right?” He was breathing heavily now, his voice desperate.

Who did this bastard think he was?

'Stay'

“Not that you’d care, but Mina welcomed me into their pack; she was the one who suggested the offer after going with me to my last checkup, something you’ve never really bothered with."

'Shit'

"They’re both alphas, they wanted an omega they could trust, and she saw the opportunity when she noticed how bad my situation was. And Shinsou, no, Hitoshi, has become a close friend over the years. If you didn’t have your head so far up your ass, you’d know that.”

Katsuki was frozen on the spot, trying to process everything that had been said.

"I love you, but I don't want to feel like this anymore."

The blond did not, could not, respond. He saw the look of disappointment and sadness on Deku’s face, smelled the distress and anger in the air, felt warm tears streaming down his own face, felt Deku’s lips on his skin as he gave him one last kiss good-bye, tasted that wonderful spiced-apple scent he’d come to crave, and heard the heart shattering wails that he no longer knew whether they were the omega’s or his own.

He blacked out at some point.

When he opened his eyes once more, his Deku was gone, little to nothing was left in the omega’s room except for a note, and his house felt foreign; it no longer felt like home.

Taking the note, the blond curled up in the omega’s bed, taking in as much of his scent as he could. It was grounding. He could feel that darkness that threatened to consume him recede, if only for a few minutes, until the scent faded. His alpha seemed stuck in a constant, manic state of

We hurt our omega. Omega left us. Get omega back!

How could Izuku leave like that? They’d always been together; Deku always followed him. This had to be some sick joke; his childhood friend would never abandon him like that, would he? He clutched at the paper, unwilling to open it just yet.

'It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.'

Even in their worst times, the omega had always had a smile on his face, as wobbly as it might have been. Even when they fought back at ground beta, he had taken it as a challenge; he’d seen the moment for what it was, and he’d never put the blame on Katsuki or left. Even when Katsuki had left him, Izuku had always come back, so surely Deku would be coming back to him—right?

We failed our omega. Omega hates us. Get him back!

His eyes welled with tears once more and he gulped down the sob that threatened to arise. It was so fucking stupid! Katsuki didn’t want a mate, he didn’t want to be tied down, he only needed an omega to keep his alpha in check, and they’d been together their whole lives, so he was the best alternative. Besides, why would he take Izuku’s feelings seriously? One day, the freckled man would realize that he didn’t forgive the blonde for all the pain he put him through, and then what?

Why did it feel like he was breaking? Like he was the guilty one when Deku had just ruined their mutually beneficial agreement. Except that…it hadn’t been mutually beneficial, had it? Not to Izuku.

With some effort, he sat on the bed and wiped furiously at his eyes. Katsuki Bakugou was no coward. Taking a deep breath, he slowly unfolded the now wrinkled paper Izuku had left. The nerd had most likely written himself up a speech he didn’t get to give, so he left it.

Inhale. Exhale

White knuckles punched the wall in frustration. He couldn’t do it!

Katsuki threw the note on the bed without looking at it and paced around the room.

This wasn’t pain or cowardice. Hell no! This was anger. Yeah, Katsuki was pissed. After all the work they’d put in, all those years of friendship, all the battles they’d fought together, and it was this easy for Izuku to forsake him?! Fuck him!

Fuck that nappy-ass Shinsou for making a move on him. And best friends, what best friends? Those assholes, Ei and Mina, pounced the moment he turned his back; didn’t even fucking consult him on it. After almost ten years of friendship, this is how he’s treated? Fuckin’ traitors, all of them.

If Deku wanted him to know something, he’d have to say it to his face, or not at all. He wasn't sure what the end game was, but he was not about to play the omega’s twisted little game.

Tossing the note on the dresser, he went to the bathroom, got dressed, and left for the agency. He didn’t want to be late; after all, he had patrol with Deku.

Chapter Text

Izuku knew the scent of grief would be overwhelming to Katsuki’s alpha, but he couldn’t help it; part of him wanted the blond to know how much it hurt, how much he was suffering. In turn, the freckled man could feel the confusion and panic in the other’s scent, but he couldn’t back down. It was now or never.

He didn’t expect the blond to be that overwhelmed, but once the alpha was out cold, Izuku placed him on the couch, left the copy of the results on the bed, and took the bags he’d packed—he didn’t know when he’d be back. If Kacchan had any feelings towards him whatsoever, he’d contact Izuku as soon as he read the document.

Heart still pounding, hands still trembling, and tears still spilling in streams of sorrow, he left towards his mother’s house. Sure, it was a predictable place to go, but he needed that calming lavender scent his childhood home had. He’d already sent a message to work to let them know he wouldn’t be coming in.

“Izuku?” he heard his mom call from inside.

He didn’t answer, simply felt that vise around his throat that got tighter and tighter as time passed. His omega was shattering his psyche, thrashing around wildly at their alpha’s rejection.

Why doesn’t alpha want us? Where is alpha? Bad omega! Damaged, unworthy—get alpha back!

Again, and again, and again, his nature reminded him of how unwanted he was, of how he’d failed as an omega.

“Oh, sweetie,” his mother whispered the moment she saw him, sensing his distress, and brought him into a hug.

Izuku whimpered, nuzzling into her scent gland in search for consolation, feeling as if he was a pup again in her arms.

“Things with Katsuki didn’t go well?” she asked.

He didn’t answer, merely taking a deep breath to regain his composure.

She nodded in understanding and said, “Let’s head inside; it’s too cold out.”

They placed the bag by the entrance, made their way living room and sat on the sofa. Izuku had told her about his plans—granted that they didn’t involve any screaming, but the general message was there.

The greenette chuckled bitterly and shook his head, wiping a stray tear, before he whispered his answer. “He’s been rejecting me for three years, mom. I should have known he wasn’t interested. I’m just not good enough for him.”

She slapped his arm; he looked at her in shock. His mother was rarely angry, so it was quite a jarring sight. “Don’t you dare say that, Izuku! You’re special, you’re loved, and you’re wanted by—not one—three alphas. If he can’t appreciate you, then at least try to see the others in that light. They want to cherish you, and you’ve known them to be great as friends, so maybe they’d be great mates too. Will you actually give at least one of them a chance?” She finished her message slightly out of breath, tears brimming in her eyes.

Even in his current state, Izuku could decipher her message. 'You won’t die for him, will you? You’ll let others take care of you for once?'Another strangled whimper left him as he clutched at the arms of the sofa, his nails threatening to tear through the fabric. He didn’t want to, but he knew he had to.

Gathering up what little strength he had, he gave his mother a resigned nod and stood. “I’ll be in my room,” he mumbled.

“Of course, darling. Get some rest.”

Inko heard a crash in the middle of the night. Throwing the covers off, she rushed out of her room—there was nothing in the living room, the door was locked.

“Izuku!”

She opened the door and had to cover her nose immediately. The stench of overwhelming hopelessness, anger, and distress had sunk into every corner of his room, making her eyes water. Her son was on the floor, his eyes slightly open but somewhat glossed over.

“Izuku, honey, can you hear me?”

Clouded emerald orbs shifted towards to the sound, but no verbal response was given.

“Hold on, I’ll call Kirishima or Mina, okay?”

No response.

She took his phone fumbling around, looking for the contact, but her shaking hands didn’t cooperate.

She dropped it.

Taking the phone in her hands once more, she found the redhead’s number and dialed.

It rang only twice, but Inko felt as if an eternity had stretched; an eternity where she could only see her son on the floor, unaware of the world around him.

A hoarse voice, still sluggish from sleep, answered, “Izuku, it’s—what the hell! It’s 1 am—are you ok?”

Inko’s voice quivered. “K-Kirishima, i-it’s Mrs. Midoriya. He’s n-not—Can you or Mina please come by? I-I think—this has never happened before.”

Clatters and curses were heard before he replied, “On our way,” and with that, the call dropped.

When Mina and Eijirou arrived at the Midoriya home, they were unsure of what to expect; all they knew was that their omega was in trouble. Heart in their throat, they pounded on the door desperately. Their alphas were crawling under their skin, needing to see the omega, to comfort the omega, to make sure he was safe. It had been like that since they got the call; they just couldn’t help it.

They didn’t have to wait too long. Mrs. Midoriya opened the door quickly, telling them to forget about their shoes, and go directly to Izuku’s room. Still, they toed their sneakers off out of respect and rushed inside.

“I-I was afraid to move him.” Her voice cracked as she spoke; the woman looked absolutely destroyed.

“It’s okay,” Mina tried to comfort her, “we’ll take it from here.”

The despair in the room was oppressive, making them gag. It didn’t smell as it should.

The two heroes moved swiftly. Mina got to work, making a nest on the bed, adding their own pieces to the fold in. Even if Izuku didn’t see them as mates yet, he could at least feel comforted by the feeling of pack.

The redhead on the other hand began to assess their, hopefully, future mate. He brushed away the hair that had plastered onto Izuku’s face, whispering sweet affirmations to begin coaxing the omega out of his state.

It had symptoms of drop, but it wasn’t quite that. It had to be what the doctor warned them about. Besides, omega drop was something that didn’t happen anymore—a thing of fiction—even more so for trained heroes like Izuku. Still, the hardening hero knew they had to coax the greenette out of that state sooner rather than later.

“Besides this, did he show any other symptoms?” Eijirou asked as softly as he could, as if speaking too loudly would hurt the freckled man more.

The plump woman shook her head. “H-He was sad about Katsuki; it didn’t go well—he didn’t give details—but I didn’t notice anything else.”

The alpha couple shared a concerned look.

Inko knew both alphas were furious, there was that underlying note in their scents that told her as much. She was glad to see their care for Izuku was more than their outrage over the situation.

Mina finished and moved beside her mate. “His vitals?” she whispered, following his example.

“Seems stable.” The redhead answered, taking the greenette into his arms. “I’m moving him to the nest; staying on the floor like this will wreak havoc on his neck.”

Mina nodded and helped him settle Izuku comfortably.

Inko looked as the two slowly brought her son out of the unresponsive state. She saw the way they looked at him fondly, how Mina laid next to him as she ran her fingers through his hair to establish a physical connection while Eijirou spoke nothing but loving praise.

They were good alphas, she decided, and her lips curled upward. 'Good'
Suddenly, she felt a bit intrusive.

The moment she saw Izuku’s eyes blink, his fingers twitch, the weight on her shoulders lifted, and her body slowly began to unwind. He was safe. Her baby boy was loved and alive—that was enough for her for now. With that, Inko stepped out and left her son with the two.

“Our omega is so beautiful, isn’t he Ei?” she whispered with a smile, close to Izuku’s ear, to see if the small praise would reach him.

Eijirou nodded with a smile of his own. “The best, Mina.” Then he laid down on the greenette’s other side, head propped up on his hand, and looked down on the man wistfully. “You know Izu, if you give us a chance, we’ll make sure this never happens again. We were serious about caring about you. You’re awesome, man.”

“We’d be the best alphas for you, Zuks,” Mina purred as she began scenting Izuku on the wrist; Eijirou did the same on the other one.

The distressed scent began receding; the greenette’s eyes fluttered shut.

Both let out a sigh of relief. A part of them preened at being able to have that effect on the freckled man. It was clear the omega was now fully asleep, so they cuddled closer around him, slowly matching the rise and fall of his breaths. They didn’t want to leave him after that; they knew they couldn’t risk it.

The pinkette was the first to drift away. Eijirou reached over and rubbed a thumb across her cheekbone, looking at her fondly. Hesitantly, he caved and traced the outline of the large scar on Izuku’s arm. The greenette was so manly. Who would reject an omega like him?

The redhead’s eyes closed, the exhaustion from the previous day and the emergency seeped deep into his muscles. He didn’t fight it.
Just before he lost consciousness, he heard the omega mutter in his sleep.

“Bad omega…Alpha don’t want…doesn’t care...better die.”

And just like that his tiredness turned to fury. It seemed he’d need to talk to his best friend before patrol—the blond had been given enough chances. They would not stand in the sidelines any longer.

Chapter Text

“He’s what?!”

Katsuki couldn’t believe it. Not only did Deku ruin what they had at home, but now he was missing work?! They’re they Wonder Duo, partners, a unit—they’re supposed to patrol together, always!
His alpha was a nuisance once more upon receiving the news.

Where’s omega? Look for omega, protect omega, get omega back!

“One more thing, Dynamight. From now on, you’ll be assigned a different partner,” his boss said, but before he could ask anything, there was a knock at the door. A huge alpha—Pineapple-head would be his name—entered the room; a hero he’d never seen before, if the gaudy uniform was anything to go by.

“Meet Raijin; his quirk is similar to Chargebolt’s, so we thought it’d be easier for you to get acquainted with him.”

“Fuck no,” Katsuki spat and walked away, knocking his shoulder against the newcomer. Enough was enough. After patrol ended, he’d go knock some sense into Deku.

Again, and again, the beast within beat against the threshold of his mind.

This boss yelled behind him, but he refused to listen. He didn’t fuckin’ need a different partner, he already had Deku.

’You don’t get to be jealous or have any claim over me, Kacchan’

Like hell he didn’t. He might not be his mate, but it had always been Katsuki and Izuku, Kacchan and Deku. They didn’t have a bite on their necks, but they had over twenty years of relationship—in one way or another. There had to be some rights there.

’…I can’t wait anymore. If nothing changes, I’m accepting one of their offers.’

What had to change? Why did things have to change? It made no sense!

Wait.

That was it.

Nothing made sense. There was probably nothing wrong.

Did Deku want to have regular sex? He said he needed something more. Was that what he meant by things had to change; that he wanted to do it more often?

“Hey, partner!”

Ugh. Pineapple-head was too cheerful. He stank of citronella; the guy was basically a walking bug zapper.

“What do you want?” Katsuki snapped, swiping his card to mark that he left for patrol.

The guy mirrored his movements. “Just wanted to tell ya’ I’ve always been a fan!”

Barf. The worst mix of Deku and Pikachu.

“I’m honored,” he drawled with his usual irritated expression.

Patrol sucked. There were barely any criminals to pound his frustrations out on, new guy fucked up twice creating property damage Katsuki would have to take care of, and to top it all off, both his mind and alpha wouldn’t stop bothering him about a certain greenette.

’You’ve known how I ‘ve felt about you for three years, and you’ve never made a move.’

The reminders of that conversation—if it could be called that—kept echoing in his mind.

A move to what? Katsuki isn’t great at emotions; everyone knew that, so why did Deku expect more? His insides churned. He’s usually the best at understanding the blonde, and the best at dealing with him, so why now?

’My heats are getting worse without an actual mate, Kacchan.’

Right.

But Katsuki didn’t love Izuku, right? Not in that way. Sure, they were compatible. They were both hot, great at their job, competitive, and their combined scents were heavenly, but that was just biology. They also bickered, and they’d been around each other their whole lives. For that reason alone, Deku shouldn’t even consider it.

Maybe a bond mark would be enough? Yeah, Katsuki could compromise—probably. He didn’t want to though. Maybe the greenette was feeling hormonal and that triggered the latest episode? Maybe he’d return and Deku’d be back to normal.

Bond, mate, pup. Get our omega back! Make him stay!

Letting out a loud sigh, he dragged his large hand over his dreary countenance and swiped his card once more to clock out. Where had this shift even gone?

Pineapple head had given up half-way through patrol, so the extra just slinked back to whatever hole he crawled out of, without bothering to say goodbye. He’d better not return; like hell he’d give out Deku’s place.

He was still too pissed, too confused. Invisible hands wrapped around his neck in a choking hold, his heart felt like it would give out, his hands trembled, and he sweat profusely. He needed to burn off some energy; he was pent up. Begrudgingly, he dragged his feet to the gym. The blonde was not ready to face Deku yet. Sure, he was beyond pissed, but something held him back.

He sprinted up a steep incline of the treadmill for about half an hour until he heard a familiar voice say, “Bakugou, we need to talk.”

Rolling his eyes, Katsuki lowered the speed, taking his time for a full two-minute cool down until he made it to a full stop. Then, he stepped off and began to towel off, finally addressing the man before him. “What do you want, Mindfuck?”

“Based on the fact that Midoriya isn’t here, can I assume you’ve rejected him?”

“I haven’t rejected shit,” he said, an involuntary growl rising.

The lavender haired man’s lips broke into a lazy, self-satisfied smirk. “And that’s the problem, isn’t it? You never reject him, but you never want to claim him either.”

“Shut up.”

“Sometimes I wonder just how high your standards are to be able to spurn the highest-ranking omega hero, who also puts up with your shit and has been in your life since you were pups.”

“You don’t know shit!”

“Who will ever be able to top that? Is his scent unappealing to you, because it’s pretty fuckin’ mouthwatering to me and every other alpha in this agency—probably even some omegas.”

“YOU BASTARD!” Katsuki yelled at the top of his lungs, lunging for the other alpha; however, Shinsou already had him under his quirk. With a simple, “Stop,” Katsuki froze in place, unable to do anything but bare his fangs and glare.

Shinsou looked at him from top to bottom, sneering at the blond. “You’re pathetic, Bakugou. You broke the one good thing you had in life, and for what? To keep rising to the top? To keep those walls of yours up? Keep building walls, close yourself in. Eventually, people will stop trying and you’ll suffocate under your own pride. As for Midoriya, I suggest you get your head out of your ass before it’s too late to have him even as a friend.”

Katsuki felt powerless, his mind numb. He tried breaking out of that internal prison, but he couldn’t do anything except listen to the other alpha speak about his Deku.

“Oh, that stinks! Are you upset or jealous? Good,” the man purred, getting a little too close for comfort, narrowing those amethyst eyes to peer straight into Katsuki’s crimson ones. “As Midoriya’s friend, I’m thoroughly pissed that you’ve used him as your little rut aid, leading him on with no hope of a future.”

He wasn’t using Deku; he’d never hurt Deku that way. His heart sped up.

“Did you even read the paper he left you?”

Katsuki’s eyes widened, blood chilling.

That nappy-ass bastard chuckled. “You didn’t. Figured. You should; most of it is your fault. Sometimes I wondered why he had so much faith in you to be a mate when you can’t even be a friend. No wonder he went through all that last night.” Shinsou shook his head. “I won’t take up much more of your time, oh superior alpha. All I’ll say is that I’m glad Deku is waking up. Even if it hurts him now, there’s three of us willing to pick up the pieces and help build him up. I wonder how that must feel. In fact, Kirishima and Mina spent the night cleaning up your mess. Two of your best friends who have encouraged you and helped you grow for almost a decade are now willing to side with the omega you’ve undervalued. You have no idea how badly you’ve screwed up yet, Bakugou.”

The blond needed to snap out of it. What was in that letter? What happened to Deku? Why did Kirishima and Mina have to spend the night? His mind was a cacophony of thoughts, tugging one way and the other with no rest. He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak—this fucker really needed to let him go!

“I think I’ve said my part. Stay there for five minutes, cool down, and remember everything we talked about, won’t you? Who knows, maybe you’ll learn from your mistakes and do things right by another omega, because an omega like Deku, is an omega you cherish, and omega you do your damned best to keep. I can assure you; he will feel cherished, and we’ll court the shit out of him so that he never doubts how good of an omega he is again.”

With that, Katsuki was left alone to stew in the festering cluster of darkness that consumed him. He was fucking pissed at Shinsou, but part of him knew that the fucker wasn’t a liar, and that by not reading that letter, he might have lost his first friend for the foreseeable future.

After whatever that interaction was with Shinsou, Katsuki was left to his thoughts, which admittedly, had gotten somewhat depressing. He took a quick shower; he didn’t want to take too long. The day had been abysmal, and he just wanted to fall on his bed and ignore the world for a few hours.

The blond was just about free of the confines of the agency, glowering at the floor as he barreled through the latest arrivals when a hardened hand made him pause.

“Kats?” Eijirou’s voice bounced around in his mind, his nature at odds between wanting to confide in his best friend and rip him apart. The redhead was standing before him, already in his hero suit, his face a mix of concern and seriousness that seemed wrong in contrast to his usual sunshine-filled demeanor.

Katsuki took a breath to steady himself and grunted. “What do you want, Shitty Hair?”

“Can we talk?” It was a phrased as a question, but the tone it was delivered in told the explosive hero that there was no room for a negative answer, so he shrugged.

They walked over to the agency’s rooftop; a usual hangout for the Bakusquad and Deku ever since they joined. However, this time around, the silence in the air was poison in his lungs, slowly draining any and all hopes of a positive outcome. The lack of scents didn’t help; they were both on blockers, so they couldn’t tell what the other was feeling.

Once seated, Katsuki shook himself out of it. He wasn’t about to waste his time. “What did you wanna talk about, Kirishima?

Eijirou worried his bottom lip—Izuku did that a lot, too. He was somewhat hesitant, beginning and cutting himself off.

Katsuki turned around to look at him in the eye. “Hurry up. I don’t have all day.”

This was different than when he spoke to Shinsou, he knew it. This conversation could cost him a lot more than one friendship if it went downhill, so he steeled himself. His alpha was growing unsettled, but no matter how much his hands shook, or how tight his chest got from the adrenaline within, he took deep breaths and gripped his left arm, using the texture of his scars to stay grounded.

“It’s about Izuku. I wanted to talk to you before,” he waved his hand around as if to indicate ‘all this’, “but he was the one who said he wanted to give you a chance first,” the redhead chuckled bitterly, “That man has given you one too many chances, Kat.” He seemed slightly resentful about it yet trying not to be. “I love you, but I also love him, and I can’t bear to see him waste away on someone who isn’t ready to take care of him like he needs it.”

What?!

OUR Omega. Kill him! He wants to take omega away!

Katsuki felt his eyes tear up, whether because of the omega or the fact that his best friend had given up on him, he wasn’t sure. He didn’t speak, so the other continued.

“I agreed because, in the end, all that matters is that he’s happy, right?” Ruby eyes looked up with a shred of hope that seemed to crumble the moment they didn’t get the answer they hoped for.
The blond felt a strong hand squeeze his knee. “It’s okay if you don’t see him that way, you know?”

Katsuki’s eyes widened. Isn’t that what everyone was on his case about? If it was okay, why didn’t it feel like it? “Really?” asked incredulously, his voice low, trying to stay in control.

“I mean, it would be the best possible outcome if you did, considering you two have been together for so long,” Kirishima paused with a shrug, “if you don’t, that’s okay, too. Just because someone loves you, doesn’t mean you have to love them back, but-”.

Of course, there was a ‘but’.

“-that also means you have to be clear and tell him as much. You can’t have it both ways.”

The blond nodded, biting the inside of his cheek, shoulders slumped forward. What else could he say to that?

“That said,” Eijirou continued, “what Izuku told you is true.” His voice gained confidence and strength in his resolution. His eyes burned with determination like they did whenever he was revving up for a particularly exciting mission or when he asked Racoon Eyes to mate with him. “Mina and I plan to court him; we can’t ignore this just because you’re our best friend, Bakubro.”

For the first time in the conversation, Katsuki found his voice, choked up as it was. “Why?” A charged question. Why did they have to love Deku? Why were they doing this to Katsuki?

The redhead’s eyes softened. “Because we love him—have loved him for years now, really—and our alphas call to him, but we kept our distance because he was yours.” His mood suddenly turned somber; the blond didn’t need scent to tell as much. With an audible gulp, Eijirou continued. “When Mina…When we learned about the results…we just didn’t want to give up without even tryin’, ya know?”

A moment passed and neither spoke. Those damned results. Just what did they say?!

“I’m still your friend, Katsuki. Tell me what’s going on in that mind of yours.”

Katsuki’s voice was raw, his mind going a mile a minute, reeling from his friend’s words. “I feel pissed. I feel betrayed. I’m so fuckin’ confused and I don’t know what to do, Ei. I’ve never lived without Deku-”

“And you don’t have to. He can still be a part of your life.”

“-but I can’t really see myself mating yet. I-I don’t want a mate, but at the same time, I want him. He’s always been my Deku and now everyone wants to take him away? Now he wants to just fuckin’ abandon me?! After-After everything we’ve been through?! It’s-“ the tears and emotion he’d been holding back burst forth like a dam, drowning all logical thought. He should stop talking. He hated them—that was a lie—he hated that knew he didn’t hate them but felt he should.

They sat there. Two best friends, one listening to the other. Not two alphas, not two rivals, just…Katsuki and Eijirou. Katsuki spoke of his dreams, his fears, his insecurities. He spoke about things he’d only ever told the nerd, about things no one else knew.

When all was said and done, Eijirou smiled. “Feel better?”

He nodded.

It was a lie.

He didn’t feel any better. He wasn’t any closer to giving up Deku willingly, he wasn’t any closer to forgiving Eijirou and Mina for going behind his back and keeping a secret like that about his omega-

The redhead stood up, but Katsuki stood in his way, refusing to meet his eyes. He needed to know, needed to ask, “How is he?” That damned Mindfuck got in his thoughts and now he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

It was only a moment, but Katsuki saw a brief flash of emotions in Eijirou’s eyes that he wasn’t quite sure how to interpret before the other hero spoke. “Not great, but he will be.” The man answered and began to walk away.

'Without you’ his mind supplied. It was left unsaid, but he knew it was implied.

Just as the redhead reached the door, he paused. “I hope you can understand. This isn’t a challenge. If you step up and make things right, I know Izuku will be yours—just make sure you know what you want first.”

And that was the problem, wasn’t it? Katsuki didn’t want an omega, yet he wanted Deku. He didn’t feel any closer to knowing what decision to make.

One more step.

Eijirou’s voice was darker this time, more menacing than Katsuki had ever heard him speak before. “Oh, and Kat? You hurt him again, and I’m not responsible for what we’ll do.” The redhead left dents where his fingers had been.

That bad, huh?

A growl turned whine left Katsuki’s body before he could suppress it. One day he had everything he ever dreamed about, the next, he was being replaced, left behind.

Go to our omega. Make this right.His alpha whimpered, howling inside, recognizing his distress.

Could he ever make it right?

Chapter Text

Kirishima was the first to wake; he had an early shift. As his eyes fluttered open, he panicked for a brief moment, bolting upright—this wasn't his den!—but then his sight landed on the two curly haired cuties laying cuddled to each other and his body relaxed.

Right, they were in the Midoriya house.

The redhead looked fondly upon the other two, trying not to think about the omega’s last mumbles the previous night—a futile attempt, really.

Lowering himself to sit against the headboard, he ran his fingers absentmindedly through Izuku’s curls, untangling the little knots that had formed as he did.

How could Bakugo hurt this omega to the point where he wanted to die? How to even reject him in the first place?! Of course, that was likely Izuku’s second nature taking over and not the man himself speaking, but still. A part of the freckled man thought he was so unwanted that the world would be better off without him, and that just broke Eijirou’s heart.

Such a powerful, gorgeous omega—and that scent! Heavens, the distress from the situation is probably the only thing that prevented them from going into rut after being exposed to it in high quantities for long periods of time. Sure, they’d lived together in the dorms all throughout high school, but scent blockers were a thing. That unfiltered, constant onslaught of spiced apples was going to be the death of him; he knew, Mina felt the same.

Unconsciously, he switched over to twirl Mina’s pink waves, looking down on her with warmth. He and Mina had loved each other, but something had always been missing—his eyes flickered to the greenette—luckily, they found it.

His thoughts drifted to how amazing their house would smell with their intermingled scents: His own pine and whiskey, Mina’s cardamom, and Izuku’s spiced apple scents were a recipe for safety and comfort. He imagined them just laying on Izuku’s nest, roughhousing around, and after things were more stable between them, he could imagine Izuku round with pups from both of them. Gods, they would be beautiful. Black hair and green eyes, or jade hair with golden eyes—

“What are you thinking about, babe?” Mina had woken up a moment ago to his happy alpha scent as he gazed down at both her and the omega between them. She was curious.

He chuckled sheepishly; his cheeks lightly tinted. “Just about how things could be if this works out.”

She sat up and leaned over to give him a quick kiss. “That does sound like a dream,” she sighed before looking down at the freckled man, still asleep between them. “We need to get him back to normal before that though; make him see that we’re the best choice.” Then she looked back up at her mate. “You’re talking to Kats today, right?”

Eijirou reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers, letting them rest just above the omega’s sleeping form. “Yeah, I will.”

“You sure you don’t want me to come?” There was a hint of concern in her eyes; they both knew this was a complicated situation.

Still, he nodded. “I’m sure. He might see it as us betraying him rather than what it is. I’ll make sure to remind him that we want to be his friends; we just also want to be ‘Zu’s mates, too.”

She hummed and untangled their fingers. “Got it. You’re right. Let’s make him some breakfast before you have to leave, ok?”

Slowly, they got up from the bed, making sure not to rouse the sleeping omega, and made their way out of the room.

“Did you sleep well?” Inko asked from the couch, making them jump at the unexpected sound. She giggled and set down the coffee cup she had been drinking.

Mina and Eijirou both bowed with a “Yes, we did. Thank you ma’am,” that made the woman’s eyes crinkle with amusement.

The short omega released her calming lavender scent and walked over to them. “You don’t have to be so formal. We’ve known each other for years, and you’re courting my Izuku. I think you can at least call me auntie.” She gave them a wobbly smile with shining eyes, and brought a tender, chubby hand to each of their cheeks. “Thank you for saving him. I really can’t ever stop offering you my gratitude for that.”

Both alphas purred at the praise and acceptance, releasing their own scents, and covered the hand that rested on their cheek with one of theirs.

Mina spoke first. “There’s no need to thank us, auntie. We love your son, and we want him to get past this just as much as you do.”

The redhead grinned. “That’s right. We’d do anything for Izuku.”

The woman’s tears overflowed, and she wrapped her arms as tightly as she could around the other two. “That makes me so happy,” she sobbed and backed away, realizing she may have overstepped. “Sorry about that; I just know a fraction of what he feels, and it’s a big relief to know there’s people looking out for him.”

“You never need to apologize for that,” Eijirou reassured.

Inko patted away the tears. “Okay, okay. I can’t promise I won’t cry again, but that’s enough for now. I set two new toothbrushes in the bathroom, so you can use those, and I’ll get started on breakfast.”

“Actually-” Mina began.

The short woman smirked. “You want to cook for Izu?”

They nodded.

“That’s perfect, then. Okay. Let me know if there’s anything you need.” She began to walk away, but paused.

The two alphas were already trying to figure out if something was wrong, but she spoke quickly enough. “Will either of you stay the day?”

The pinkette chirped, “I will! Well, if that’s okay with you. Ei has to work, but he’ll be back later.”

“I would love that, Mina. I have to work, too, so I’ll be more at ease if you’re here.”

“You can count on us!”

Inko gave them a grateful look, and with that, they were left to their own devices.

Eijirou and Mina went all out for breakfast, making both Japanese and Western alternatives to tempt the omega to eat; they knew it would be a formidable task. Once they finished, Eijirou took the tray and Mina climbed back into bed, scenting Izuku’s wrists, and rubbing her hands along his arms to wake him up.

The freckled man turned the other way, with a light grumble.

It was so cute!

Setting the tray down on the bare nightstand, Eijirou joined them on the bed on the side Izuku had turned to. “Hey, ‘Zu,” he whispered as he stroked the curls affectionately, “Mina and I made you breakfast.”

An emerald-green eye squinted at the redhead, the other remained closed. “’m not hungry,” he mumbled and closed his eyes again.

The two alphas shared a worried look, but still, they tried again. They knew that Izuku was being heavily influenced by his omegan nature at the moment, and the omega must feel depressed.

This time, Mina spoke, establishing some physical contact by playing with his curls. “But you’re such a good omega, Izu. I know you don’t want to make alphas worried.”

The greenette’s eyes opened slightly, tilting in the direction of her voice. They were still swollen from the crying he’d done the night before, and they began to water once more. His brow furrowed as if confused, then released a low whine and a burning, bitter scent, like a sort of rancid apple chamomile with charcoal began permeating the air.

The alphas automatically counteracted with their calming scents, but the freckled omega was clearly distressed.

“What’s wrong? Talk to us, ‘Zu,” Eijirou begged.

“Bad omega…Not good enough. I try and try, but never good enough for alpha. Just a stupid, ugly omega,” he cried, sobbing into the bedding beneath him.

Mina’s eyes were tearing up. “No, no. We talked about this, remember? You can have more than one alpha.”

“Yeah, and we love you, omega,” Eijirou said, with a soothing rumble, as he hugged the shorter man.

Mina scooted closer, rubbing along his back, joining with a small croon. “We love you. We’ll take care of you, okay?”

Izuku stayed between them, silent, the potent alpha scent making his sobs reduce to sniffles and his body go slack, but the streams of tears continued to trickle down his chocolate-dusted cheeks. It took a good while, but after some coaxing, they got him to eat two bites of white rice, half a cup of juice, and a bit of scrambled egg.

With a heavy heart, Eijirou left for work while Mina stayed behind.

Throughout the morning, Izuku moved very little. He was like a shell. He’d move where Mina moved him, and he’d occasionally respond with a grunt or two, but he ate little, had no motivation, and remained detached and disoriented. It was a jarring contrast to his usual cheerful self. Then, an idea struck.

What were Izuku’s favorites?

1. Katsuki (Absolutely not!)
2. Katsudon
3. All Might

She had already made him Katsudon for lunch, and even though All Might had passed, she still had one more way to use his image to her advantage. When they sat down to eat, she turned the TV on, and she selected one of their mentor’s movies.

As soon as the picture flickered to life and the greenette’s idol posed with this catchphrase, “I am here!” Izuku sat up a bit straighter and seemed more lucid. He was so enthralled, he ate about half the Katsudon, purring and chirping at times.

Mina was overjoyed to say the least, and she immediately snapped a picture, sending it to her mate.

Mina: Got him to eat! Watching movies. Wish u were here babe!

Ei: I’m so happy! Love u <3 Ur the best.
Ei: Talked to Kats…He knows he screwed up. Tty about it l8r.
Ei: He asked about Mido…

Mina: Love u 2!
Mina: K…

She wondered how that intervention had gone. Part of her worried that Katsuki would realize he loved the omega and that Izuku would go running back to him, but she couldn’t let that sour her mood.

Izuku looked at Mina, realizing who was with him for the first time since he left for his room. She was staring at the TV, but she held her phone as if it carried the weight of the world. His mind was still hazy, but he hated seeing the pinkette upset like that, so he tried to release some of his calming scent.

“Mina?” He called, voice hoarse, probably from the night before. He cleared his throat a bit and tried again. “Mina, what’s wrong?”

The woman snapped out of her trance and a beaming smile overtook her features. “Izu, you’re back!”

The greenette tilted his head in confusion. His speech was somewhat slurred and delayed at times when he tried to ask, “Back from…where? When did you…get here?” Then he noticed her causal clothes. “Did… something happen?”

Her eyes were pure softness. His sight shifted in and out of focus, but he felt when she brought a hand to cup his cheek. “I’m fine, hun. And you had a rough night; Ei and I stayed over. Your mom called.”

His eyelids were heavy, drooping down even as he struggled to stay awake. “Oh,” is all he mumbled, before falling asleep once more.

Mina brought him to rest on her lap, and whispered, “Get some rest, my omega. We’ll sort this out when you’re better.”

After waking up a second time, Izuku let himself be guided to the restroom by Mina, who had filled the bathtub with warm water, set out a change of clothes for him, and arranged an assortment of bath oils he could use.

Izuku was exhausted inside and out, so he dragged his feet, shuffling around to get what he needed before lowering himself into the tub, trying to quiet his mind from the harsh thoughts that plagued him. His omega was one thing, but his self-esteem was another and when they joined forces, it became so overwhelming—an internal dissonance that only resulted in self-pity and self-hatred.

He didn’t want to feel this way, and logically, he knew there’s nothing wrong with him; some even have said they found his plain face attractive. He’s also aware that he didn’t do anything wrong—delusional, maybe, but not wrong.

However, at that moment, his thoughts were a constant stream of ugly, unworthy, unwanted from his omega, while his innermost thoughts remind him of all the ways other omegas are better; how he really had nothing to offer.

Izuku’s eyes teared up.

Who wants a mumbling omega who can’t cook, can’t clean right, can’t keep up with others?

His teeth clenched.

Most people preferred delicate, curvy omegas with smooth features, and while his ass and thighs were the highlight of his physical appearance—if the catcalls and comments he’s received are anything to go by—he is still too muscular and too scarred. Kacchan deserved the best.

He bit into the small wash towel he’d brought in to muffle his sobs. Why couldn’t he be enough?

He shouldn’t be crying about one alpha when there’s another waiting for him.

Why couldn’t he do anything right?!

The sobs increased, wracking through his system, creating a turbulence in the water that reflected that of his soul. He hoped Mina wouldn’t hear. This wasn’t fair to them.

He couldn’t understand. Nothing made sense!

Maybe Kacchan wanted someone who could cook something enjoyable for him from time to time, maybe someone who didn’t cry as often, or who was less clumsy. Maybe Izuku finally drove him up a wall with all his talking, maybe he simple didn’t want pups that looked like Izuku—after all, the Bakugous are gorgeous, so they should mate hoping for radiant pups as well. Or was it the sex? Was Izuku such a bad omega that he couldn’t even sate his alpha during rut to the point where he actively avoided it outside of need?

Objectively, rationally, he knew this situation was out of his hands; but he couldn’t help but feel that something had to be inherently wrong with him for the man whom he’d had in his mind as ‘mate’ for the majority of his life to completely disregard his feelings and safety.

Why hadn’t Kacchan called? Did he push him away so much that Kacchan didn’t care?

The more he thought, the more his chest tightened. A knot of barbwire that secured around his heart, his lungs, his every fiber. His logic battled his instinct, and instinct was winning. It became so difficult to breathe, so difficult to think. His mind was muddled, all that he could do was feel that anguish and self-hatred rot his very core. It hurt, it just hurt so bad, and all he could do was clutch that piece of terrycloth and squint as hard as he could.

Maybe if he forced all the tears out, they’d go away. Maybe if he’d worked harder, been more consistent, spoken more clearly, practiced his cooking more—maybe…something could have been different.

Mina knocked on the door. “Hey, Izu, you okay in there?”

Izuku swallowed harshly and hummed in affirmation because his throat felt constricted; words seemed an impossible feat.

“Okay, then.” She seemed unconvinced but didn’t comment further. “I’m making some dinner. Ei should be back soon and Shinsou is joining us, so try not to take too long.”

She didn’t wait for an answer, the soft footfalls receded, and he was eternally grateful for it. He felt trapped as he sat there in the water, unmoving save for the light tremors that wracked his body.
He stayed there for a few more minutes. Her voice had broken through his spiral, so his physical reaction was less violent now. He needed to be better for them. What good was a hero that didn’t know how to simply exist around others?

Inhale, exhale.

Not again.

He sat there a few more minutes, taking shaky breaths as deeply as he could and going through his grounding exercises.

Once better, he lathered up quickly and rinsed. He would do better, be better.

Kacchan didn’t want him, so he had to respect that, as much as it hurt. He had good alphas courting him, caring alphas, alphas who he should be grateful even looked his way.

He would make it so that he was worthy of someone’s love, so that they didn’t feel they had to do it out of pity or sense of duty—because that’s all it really was, right?

Another breath and he slipped on his clothes, pausing afterward to check his face before he stepped out, greeting the golden-eyed alpha with a soft smile.

Izuku had been able to go from being quirkless to being a top hero and he’d overcome major battles as an omega in an alpha-dominant society, surely, he’d be able to overcome this too.

Chapter Text

When Shinsou and Kirishima arrived at the Midoriya household, they felt a wave of relief wash over them. Izuku had changed into some joggers and a racerback tee which showed off his taut muscles beautifully and was helping Mina prepare dinner; he even smiled at something she said. The smile was barely there, just an upturn of the lips, but way more than what they expected to find that day.

“We’re here!” Kirishima grinned, going over to give his mate a kiss, a bit disappointed that he couldn’t do the same with the breathtaking omega.

“Oh, you’re back!” Mina chirped. “Wait until you taste what Mido-babe and I made.”

“Welcome back,” The freckled man gave another small smile, turned to begin setting the table and said, “I can’t vouch for my skills, but Mina is a great cook.”

'Alpha hated our cooking' Izuku’s heart tightened; he swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Thanks, hun! Glad you like it.” Mina’s alpha preened at the praise.

Kirishima beamed, seeing the two work together. “She’s way better than me, that’s for sure.” Then, went towards the room to change. Mina went after him, letting Shinsou and Izuku have a moment to themselves. Sure, their dominant natures hated leaving their omega alone with another alpha, but they knew they had to play fair; it was for the best.

Shinsou walked towards the greenette but paused. Izuku was lightly shaking as he distributed the plates. It was almost imperceptible, easy to hide, but it was there. “Hey,” he began, “you look good, Izu; better than I expected from what Mina and Kirishima told me this morning, at least.”

Izuku nodded and spoke in a low tone, just loud enough for the other to hear. “I’m trying. Sorry for worrying you.”

Lavender eyes regarded the freckled man cautiously before asking, “You have nothing to apologize for; it’s not like you wanted that to happen.” The hands were still shaking, so he ventured to offer, “Do you think it’ll help if I scent you?”

Izuku bit his lip, seemingly conflicted, but ultimately held out his wrist. That was enough for Shinsou, who took the proffered wrist and rubbed it along his neck. A shiver ran through the guy, but the tremors subsided. “Thanks, ‘Toshi.”

“No problem, Izu.”

Mina and Eijirou walked back to the dining room, relieved to see the omega slightly more at ease but irked by the extra scent that mingled with his. Still, they went to serve the food.

Dinner was filled with idle chatter, Shinsou and Kirishima focused on talking about their patrols, both conveniently leaving out their encounter with a certain blond. Izuku was finally responding; they weren’t going to risk upsetting him. The fact that the freckled man was wearing scent patches in his own home despite the neutralizers in each room did not go unnoticed by any of them.

At one point, the lavender-eyed man perceived that the omega wasn’t even giving the occasional hum in their conversation as he’d had been doing throughout dinner.

“You okay, hot stuff?” he asked with a wink, not wanting to put the other under a lot of stress.

Izuku blinked and looked around before realizing Hitoshi had been talking about him. Regular Izuku would’ve blushed; this one, didn’t react. The omega tilted his head in confusion. “Did you just call me-?”

“I did. Unless you prefer baby? Or maybe, kitten?”

Izuku’s blood ran cold, and he scowled. “No. Not baby. No bunny, either,” he growled. It was the firmest he’d spoken all day. They all tensed, knowing the reason for it.

Shinsou sobered a little. “Got it. Any other word you’d like us to avoid?”

With a wry smile directed mostly at his plate, Izuku answered, “Not unless I get to change my hero name, but that’s fine. That’s the least shocking one; it’s not too directly tied to him.”

They nodded, not knowing what else to say to that, and finished their meal in relative silence.

When they all finished, Mina and Kirishima went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, leaving Izuku and Shinsou alone on the couch. The alpha put his arm around the freckled man’s shoulder, rubbing his arm soothingly.

“He doesn’t even deserve your tears, you know that, right?”

The greenette gave a wry smile, wringing his hands nervously, avoiding eye contact. “I know. It’s not his fault I feel like this. There are a few things I probably shouldn’t have told him, either. I just let my omega get the best of me.”

“That’s not what I mean, Izuku. He did something wrong. What I meant is that he’s such a dick, he never deserved you. He deserves to feel bad, to pine for you like you did for him for so long, and he deserves to see you happy without him. What he did-”

Izuku scrunched his nose; the scent of angry alpha was engulfing the room.

“-was unforgivable. If he didn’t feel the same way, he should have told you. He is the one who shouldn’t have said a lot of things. He shouldn’t have asked you to share your heats with him; he knows how vulnerable omegas are during those.’

The freckled man just stared at his friend, mostly because the guy was rarely this emotive, but also because Shinsou was angry for him and not with him. Izuku’s eyes stung.

‘He shouldn’t have asked you to move in with him; that was misleading as hell with how emotionally constipated he is. And he sure as hell shouldn’t have told you he loved you without clarifying that it was as a friend, telling you that he needed some time to think about it, because that was just damn manipulative and despicable.”

Izuku’s eyes were filled to the brim with tears; if he didn’t have his patches, he knew his scent would be nauseatingly sour. His more logical train of thought was completely in agreement with everything that had been said, but his omega was already crying out in the blond alpha’s defense. It was so loud again. He needed to be a good omega, needed to be positive for the three alphas in the apartment, but the feeling was too overpowering.

“I think you should leave, Shinsou,” Eijirou growled, glaring at the lavender-eyed man.

“He needs to hear the truth. He can’t be left to think that it’s his fault,” the other countered, getting up to defend himself if necessary. “I have just as much right to be here as you do, and I’m not leaving unless he asks me to.”

Wiping at his eyes, Izuku took a deep breath. “It’s okay, both of you. Don’t.” He took off his scent patches and let out his calming scent as much as he could. His omega still protested, creating chaos in his thoughts, but the people before him were more important; he couldn’t let it escalate because of him. The other two reacted instantly and unclenched their fists, arms slack at their sides. “I’d prefer if you didn’t coddle me, but it will take me some time to fully accept the situation, so I’d appreciate it if we could reach a happy medium here.”

Mina stepped forward with a blissed-out grin on her face, reacting to the omega’s scent. “We can do that, Zuzu.”

“I’m glad. Um, now that you’re all here, thank you for taking care of me.” He bowed. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay your support, especially knowing that this will strain your relationship with Kacchan.” He stood upright and looked at his watch, placing the patch over his gland once more. “Oh, no! I forgot it takes longer to get to the agency from here. I have to get ready. Thanks for the food.” With that, he left for his room, leaving the three alphas to stand in the living room.

Without the scent of omega to subdue them, they shook out the lingering effects.

“I should go. I haven’t slept for over 24 hours and my cats must be pissed,” Shinsou commented as he went towards the door, “Tell him I’ll call later?”

Kirishima nodded, albeit a bit stiffly. “Yeah, man, we will.”

Mina waved goodbye, and the tired alpha left. Then, she walked to the bedroom and knocked on the door. “Can I come in? I have a shift today too, so I need to get my things, hun.”

“In a minute.”
The omega came out with the bag he’d arrived with the night before. “Room’s all yours. I’ll wait here.”

The pinkette gave him a quick thanks and a peck on the cheek, before closing the door behind her.

Taking a good look at him, Eijiruo was able to see that he’d applied some make up under his eyes to hide the dark rings; it covered part of his freckles. He hated that.

“Are you sure you want to work tonight, Zu?” Kirishima asked.

Izuku gave one of his weak yet determined smiles. “Yeah. I need to keep going; can’t let one rejection be my downfall, right?”

He was trying. He was trying so hard, but Kirishima knew that look all too well—the guy was crumbling. Without giving it much thought, he enveloped his omega in a tight hug, covering him in his scent. He felt the other’s warm tears stain his shirt, so he hugged him tighter. “You’re the strongest person I know, but you aren’t invincible. It’s okay to cry, it’s okay to feel crappy, because you know what? It’s a crappy situation; just remember we’re here to help you through it. We love you, ‘Zu; nothing’s going to change that.”

Izuku nodded into his shoulder and hugged back just as tightly as if he’d lose him if he let go. For a moment they stood there, simply holding each other, before Izuku gave a final squeeze and took a step back, wiping his eyes. “Thanks, Ei. I’m sorry for being such a burden; I’m sure this isn’t what you wanted.”

Mina came out with her and Eijirou’s bags, dropping them by the couch and taking her own chance to hug the greenette, albeit more briefly. “Hey, hey, none of that B.S. You’re not a burden, and the only thing we didn’t want, was for you to feel this badly or for our best friend to turn out to be total tool. Like we’ve said before, we love you, and we’ll keep proving that until you believe it, got that?”

Izuku nodded shyly. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Oh? Give me a moment. This must be Ocha. I didn’t answer her texts yesterday and she must be worried.”

The pinkette nodded, going over to wait next to her mate to give him some space, but the omega’s face blanched and he pocketed the phone quickly. Without addressing whatever just happened, he said, “I think I’m going to stay at an omega-only hotel near the agency. It wouldn’t be fair for you guys to travel all this way, and it’ll be hell to commute every day; this apartment is too far from the city.”

“No way,” Eijirou protested, “You know all the terrible things that happen in those places!”

Placing a placating hand on the redhead’s shoulder’s, Mina added, “We wouldn’t really be at ease knowing you’d have to stay there, babe.”

Izuku let out a shaky chuckle, running a hand through his curls. “And where am I supposed to stay? All Might is dead, Iida out of the country, Ocha and Shouto are newly mated, and I really don’t want to be around that-”

“Then why not stay with us?” The words were out his mouth before Eijirou could think. It was moving too fast, it wouldn’t be fair to the other alpha, but like hell was he going to stand by and let Izuku stay at some godforsaken hotel with shitty security while he went through this shitshow.

“W-what? Y-You want me to stay with you?” The omega seemed incredulous, like he was sure they’d regret it, so he gave them an easy out.

No way.

“Only if you want. I know this is fast, but it’d be safer, and you’d still be close to work.”

The shorter man stood frozen in his spot, mulling over the alpha’s words.

'Good alphas. Alphas want to keep us safe. Go, go, go!'

His omega seemed to like the idea, and he didn’t seem to find much of a problem with it. They were friends, and they were also courting him, but he knew he could trust them to respect boundaries. Kacchan wouldn’t really think to find him there, either—at least not at first. Maybe it was a good idea. He hated those omega hotels anyway.

Looking up at both, now fidgeting, heroes, he whispered, “Ok.”

Chapter Text

Katsuki's plan was to go home, and lose himself to sleep, but when he arrived, he couldn’t help but notice the stale air. Their apartment was empty.

It didn't smell of him and Izuku; there was no "Welcome home, Kacchan"; no spicy meal that probably tasted iffy but was left so he wouldn't have to cook when he got home,; there was no nerd asleep on the sofa or even curled up in his bed.

Izuku had never returned.

K.B: Where r u?

He paced. Was everything they said true? Did Izuku leave for good?

His alpha rattled around, whining, and asking for its omega. His alpha was pathetic.

He grabbed something to eat and attempted to watch the news for word of the guy. Katsuki couldn’t help but feel some concern at the lack of reply. It was already the afternoon and still nothing. Even when Deku was on missions, he answered his messages quickly.

Having bathed at the agency, Katsuki changed clothes and grabbed a beer—a leftover from when his friends came over. He usually kept that shit out of his body, but he needed to unwind.

K.B: Answer me, nerd!
K.B: You better not be dead in a ditch somewhere...

He took another swig and went to the omega's room, ruffling the drawers for anything. He found a sweater and inhaled the guy's scent—the only omegan scent he didn't want to gag at.

He chugged the rest of the bottle down and decided he needed something stronger. Pulling out a bottle of sake this time, he sat on the nerd's bed, glaring at the letter.

Stupid fuckin' letter.

MindFuck had said, ‘No wonder he went through all that last night.’

Gone through what?

‘In fact, Kirishima and Mina spent the night cleaning up your mess.’

What mess? This was an argument that too many people were interfering in. Deku was probably going through an early pre-heat or something; maybe his hormone levels were off.

The paper stood there, crumpled, mocking him.

"Fuckin' fine!" he huffed. "If they want me to read this shit, I'll read it."

It was printed on both sides; a shit-ton of compiled results. His eyes widened as he picked up key words over the paper.

"...marked at an early age...never overriden..."

What the hell?! Deku had been marked?!

"Patient had claimed the alpha was notified after heat sharing three years ago, but no action was taken..."

The alpha was...he and Deku had been heat/rut sharing for way more than 3 years. Had he accidentally marked Deku?

But the paper said, 'at an early age'. Without much thought, he dialed his mother's number. She would be at work, but he needed to know.

"Hey, brat! Long time no talk."

"Dunna time to talk," he slurred.

"Are you drunk?"

"Did-I-mark-Deku?" This was embarrassing.

"Why are-"

"Did I fuckin' mark Deku, hag? When we’re brats?"

There was a chuckle in the background. "Yeah; during your first rut. You practically attacked poor Izu, and when the teachers managed to separate you, you'd already created the bond. Inko didn't have the funds to get rid of it, and we figured it'd keep him safer, so we convinced her to have him keep it.”

"Why?" It came out like a whine, but he didn’t care; he just wanted to understand.

"Why what?"

"Why din’ I know?”

"You were his bully at first, and you reacted badly to any association with him, so we figured it was best kept a secret. He came clean before you heat shared the first time, though, because I remember Inko and I were there during preparations. You seemed to ignore it-"

"And you didn't think that was weird?!"

"Honestly, I just thought you were embarrassed. He also told you three years ago; I remember how nervous the poor thing was—even asked me for advice! You two ended up together anyway, so what’s the issue?"

"I don't remember that—did he?” he whispered, dazed, racking his brain for details before adding, “and we’re not together."

"Oh," she paused, and when she spoke again, she seemed a bit sadder, though she tried to mask it. "That actually explains a lot. And we need to talk about that second part later. I hope you found the answers you were looking for, Katsuki. I need to go; the show’s starting."

"Okay," he said numbly.

"Love you, brat"

Love you too, hag"

He and Deku were…so when Deku had asked Katsuki if he regretted their bond, and he had said “fuck no!” that he was glad they were together again, the nerd had taken it to mean something entirely different.

Okay, so he can kind of understand why the omega was so upset; he thought Katsuki had formed the bond on purpose and then led him on, refusing to complete it.

Fuck!

This changed everything though.

Is this why Katsuki didn’t tolerate other scents? Why they worked so well together? Why Deku was so fuckin’ obsessed with him? Hell! Was this the reason they’d done everything in life?
But a bond alone wouldn’t cause Deku’s heats to get worse, right? Wouldn’t cause him to be that desperate?

He searched it up, reading article after article, because, who needs sleep when you’ve discovered you’ve been bonded to your best friend for over fifteen years?

After countless webpages he concluded that:

1. No. A bond alone should’ve actually helped Deku, especially if they heat shared, and the omega was scented frequently.
2. He is an idiot, because he spent an absurd amount of time reading online, when he realized he never reached the end of the paper Deku had left. There were probably more screwups to face.

With a deep breath and another swig, Katsuki retrieved the paper he’d left folded in half. The alcohol burned down his throat—it was calming.

“Bond reinforced during heats…”

But the initial bond had been in the neck gland, and Izuku had always worn his collar during their respective heats and ruts at Katsuki’s insistence. This thought surfaced a memory from a heat, probably about a year before.

It was their fourth or fifth time that day, already on the third day of their cycle. Their bodies were drenched in sweat and slick in the mid-morning hours, uncaring that they’d soil everything once more in a few more minutes. Katsuki fucked Izuku without abandon, pounding into the omega as deeply as he could in that mating press, growling obscenities intermingled with praise, nipping along the edges of the nerd’s collar and up his jaw, grazing the shell of the man’s ear, driving the other crazy.
Deku moaned wantonly as his prostate was hit over and over, clouding his vision, creating a visible conflict on whether to beg for more or for reprieve, resulting in incoherent babbles, that Katsuki’s alpha preened over.
Making such a powerful omega submit to him, beg for his pups, drive him to ecstasy when just a drop of the man’s slick could do the same for him—it was intoxicating. The freckled man panted needily, holding on to the blond’s shoulders with a bruising grip as Katsuki’s knot began catching on his rim.

That time, though, something new happened.

Izuku released a shoulder and clawed at his own collar.
“Leave it alone, omega,” Katsuki ordered.
The omega whimpered, bracing himself against the impact, but soon attempted to remove the collar once more.
Katsuki growled and pinned the other’s arms above his head, using them as leverage to go even deeper.
It only took three more thrusts for Izuku’s hole to clench around his throbbing cock. The blonde fucked him through his orgasm, thriving on overstimulating the other to the brink of tears, and just when his knot was about to pop, he captured Deku’s lips in a sloppy kiss, his entire body tightened, hips stuttering, toes curled, and arms shaking. His fangs extended, wanting to mark, to claim, so he bit at Deku’s shoulder instead.
As he panted heavily over his partner, the other muttered, “I don’t see what the big deal is,” turning his head when he noticed he said it out loud.
At the moment, Katsuki was too blissed out to care, and ignored the comment, opting to bring the other man close to his chest instead.

It wasn’t a big deal because he and Deku were already bonded. How many other signs had he missed? Had he renewed the bond in the first two lust-hazed days of their cycle?

The blond wasn’t sure if it was the sake or the new information, but he felt dizzy, so he pushed the bottle away before he could take another drink. It was frustrating and confusing; his alpha already beating himself up at failing their omega.

He steadied himself and kept reading. Another entry from a few months ago.

“…signs of emotional trauma due to rejection.”

Katsuki huffed at that one. How was he supposed to know?!

Three months ago. Patient has been warned that due to the combination of his age, quirk, and prolonged distress, heat symptoms will get progressively worse, regardless of heat sharing, resulting in death if not treated. Patient approved surgical intervention procedure to server bond if symptoms become severe.

His alpha cried out as he read. We’re losing omega! We hurt omega! We’re sorry, we’re sorry, we’re sorry!

Why hadn’t Deku just told him?! He wouldn’t let him die! Sure, he hadn’t considered ever having an omega, but he would if Deku’s life was on the line.

“Hey, Kacchan…do you care about me?”
Katsuki snorted. “I have to, or no one else will.”
The nerd grimaced but joked it off. “I’m sure at least my mom would.”
“Auntie doesn’t need those headaches, Deku. Maybe you should take care of yourself for once and let others have a break.”
No answer. A tense silence filled the room, but Katsuki kept on reading on his phone until Deku spoke on his way to the bathroom, his voice cracking just a little. “You’re right, Kacchan. Maybe I should.”

Well, fuck. Deku was asking for reassurance, and Katsuki had told him he was a burden.

Bad alpha. We rejected omega. No, no, no!

One month ago. “observed signs of depression…increased chances of omega drop or feral behavior”

Oh.

Katsuki’s grip tightened around the sweater. Now a bit more observant, he noticed that it wasn’t even the nerd’s sweater; it was one of his own that the omega had taken for his nest; no wonder the scent wasn’t as strong.

Kirishima and Shinsou had both capitalized on how much Deku was hurting. He was a fool for thinking it was all an act. He didn’t even dare to call the omega—what would he say? He didn’t have his answer. He wanted Deku by his side, he wanted to save his best friend, but…

Kirishima’s word echoed in his mind. ‘…I can’t bear to see him waste away on someone who isn’t ready to take care of him like he needs it.’

And that was just it. Katsuki wasn’t sure he could take care of Deku, and love Deku, like he needed, like he wanted, like he deserved.

During his last moments of coherence, the blond wondered: Would things have been different if he’d listened to the nerd? Would they actually be together? Or would they at least been able to separate while preserving their friendship?

That night, Katsuki drank.

He drank to numb the feeling of being an oblivious piece of shit that had driven his best friend to depression and desperation. He drank to numb the feeling of loneliness that crept into his bones. He drank to forget that he’d ruined the best relationship he’d ever had.

Chapter Text

Izuku’s patrol was…not distracting enough.

Mina was with him and kept him grounded, but there wasn’t enough action to keep them both entertained the whole time. Still, he smiled at her, occasionally added to their conversation, and let her scent him when needed. It was strange to have someone be that openly caring—a stark contrast to how it had been with Katsuki, but there was one thing that threw him off.

The messages he received from Kacchan were the worst. They started before he left his mother’s apartment.

Kacchan: Where r u?

How dare he pretend he cared?! Izuku didn’t know whether he wanted to cry from the cruelty of it all or punch him in the face.

Kacchan: Answer me, nerd!
Kacchan: You better not be dead in a ditch somewhere...

He wished! Maybe then he wouldn’t have to be this humiliated; wouldn’t feel this oppressive weight on every cell in his body and mind that made him as useless as he once feared to be; wouldn’t feel like he was doing something wrong in allowing Shinsou, Ei and Mina in.

His omega cried. 'Alpha is worried about us! Answer Alpha. Go home!'

But that was just it; that place was no longer home.

Izuku was sure of it now. Staying with Ei and Mina was for the best.

A few hours had passed while in patrol when the pinkette suggested they stop to grab something to eat.

Conversation with her was easy; her cheerful demeanor, infectious. Once he truly listened, their interactions became a little bit better. He thought of the blond a little less, though the tightness in his chest never faded.

When they finished, they still had a few minutes, and she video called her mate, making sure they were both in the frame. It was so different to have Ei as a suitor rather than just a friend. The man had always been positive, encouraging, and sweet, but now, having all that attention directed at him, made him feel a little warm, a little bit special—it was…something he never expected to have. Kacchan wasn’t exactly one to verbalize his true thoughts and feelings.

Kacchan…

Izuku couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Sure, having these three alphas court him was flattering, and he couldn’t really ask for better people to take an interest. Had he not been in love with the blond alpha for over a decade, he’d already be head over heels for them; although after knowing them for so many years…it was hard not to feel a certain fondness, especially for all they were doing for him. There was pain, but also hope.

About six hours into the shift, his cellphone rang. Izuku pouted and pocketed his phone.

“Who was it, babe?” Mina asked, bouncing along his side. Only two hours left and so far, they’d only stopped a mugging.

He smiled wryly and answered, “It was Kacchan.”

She gave an empathetic smile. “Do you want to talk to him?”

Izuku shrugged, pocketing his hands. He was happy to be wearing scent blockers. “Part of me does, just to get closure, I guess,” he said in a low voice, playing with a loose thread. “I’d like to know what he’s thinking, what I did, but…I don’t think I can hear that yet.”

She threw an arm around his shoulder and rubbed his arm with her thumb. “That’s reasonable. Heal first. I know we’ll have a really quick courting, Izu-babe, but we’re fully aware that you’ll need more time; just talk to us, okay? About anything; I mean it.”

His eyes watered and he wiped the unshed tears away. With a shaky breath, he grinned at her and said, “Thanks, Mina.”

The continued patrol for another hour. The greenette’s pocket kept buzzing intermittently, constantly breaking his concentration.

“Texts?” she asked, pulling him to stand aside to an alley out of public view. Whenever the paparazzi caught a hero on the phone, it was always a big show.

Izuku nodded and unlocked the screen.

His shoulders slumped. “It’s from Kacchan.”

Mina tensed but gave him an encouraging nod. They had all agreed this was up to Izuku, and they wouldn’t make it harder than it was.

The freckled man closed his eyes tightly, inhaling, then exhaling, and rolled out his shoulders.

Just reading should be fine, right?

Before he could back out, he opened the messages.

Mina noticed Izuku’s eyes watering again, his hands shaking—just what did that asshole write? How dare he upset her omega! With a huff, she peered over the shorter man’s shoulders.

Kacchan: u bstrad! Why didn't you tel me thd truth hahhhhh?
Kacchan: u don’t get ti do this!
Kacchan: I don wantt a mate. I just didnt want to lose u…
Kacchan: When sre you comin back?
Kacchan: Dekuuuu it doesnt smell like you
Kacchan: Sorry…
Kacchan: I've been abad alpha…don’tthink Ican love yu like you want. Just come bsck…

No wonder the poor guy was shaking! Before any more came in, Mina plucked the phone from Izuku’s hands, and enveloped him in a hug, taking off her scent patch and releasing as much of her calming scent as she could.

Izuku trembled against her body, but he held in the urge to cry. He was in public; he could hold off his own selfish desires just a little longer. Kacchan was drunk; he knew that, but it didn’t hurt any less. If there was anything he knew, it was that drunk Kacchan had no filter. Those messages were clear enough. He had no chance with him. Izuku’s heart felt like it was being torn apart, twisted and dismantled, and here was nothing he could do about it. He clutched at his chest, as if that would keep it together while another arm curled around Mina, her presence giving him the illusion of stability.

“I just need a minute,” he whispered hoarsely.

Mina stroked his back and curls, as he tried to clear his mind. She crooned gently and whispered reassurances in between, but her alpha beat against its confines, berating her to make things better, to rip out the idiot that upset him. “It’s okay Izu, you’re allowed to be sad, angry, whatever it is you need to feel. I’m here for you.”

Izuku’s sorrow morphed to embarrassment. He was a pro-hero, goddammit! He had beaten so many villains and he was like this over a dumb alpha?! Sure, this alpha wasn’t just any alpha, but that didn’t matter. He should be stronger than this; he shouldn’t need comforting in the middle of patrol.

With a shaky breath, he took a step back, giving a wobbly smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I just feel so stupid. No need to worry, though, I’m fine now.”

The freckled man felt Mina’s warm palm cup his cheek. He leaned towards it a little and looked into her golden eyes.

“You’re not. You’re such a strong, beautiful, caring omega, ‘Zuks, and if he wasn’t able to love all that awesomeness you have to offer then it’s his loss. We’ve said it before: it’s okay to feel.”

A few tears managed to escape—she wiped them away. Izuku shook his head. “Thank you, Mina. Um, I’ll be fine to finish patrol at least.” He sniffled. “Let me just clear up this whole situation,” he chuckled weakly and gestured at his face.

“Take the time you need, hun. I’ll text Ei so the bath can be when we arrive, ok?”

“Sounds good,” he answered softly.

Once at the alphas’ apartment, Izuku unpacked his bag and sank into the bath Eijirou had prepared. They’d gotten home in the early morning hours, so once he dried his hair, he bid them good night and laid down to sleep. The alphas had offered him a place in their bed, if not as partners, then for comfort, but he denied. Although they’d shared a bed on other occasions, he needed some time to himself, needed to think.

He couldn’t sleep.

How was he supposed to?

His omega was oddly quiet, but his own mind kept revisiting events from the past ten years, from the past three years, from the past two days. What had he read wrong? Was there something he did or didn’t do? He didn’t want to force Kacchan into anything, he just wanted to understand.

Mina had given him back his phone when they got back to the apartment, and though it hurt, he opened the messages from Kacchan. There were three more he hadn’t read.

Kacchan: I dind’t want to hurt you
Kacchan: It’s Kacchan an Deku gainst the world right?
Kacchan: Come back..This is empty. Please Deku

Izuku pressed the phone against his chest and tightened his eyes, forcing the tears out with the lowest of whimpers, hoping it was soft enough that Mina and Ei didn’t hear. They were doing so much for him, being so sweet; they didn’t deserve to be burdened.

Reading through all the messages, first, he could acknowledge that the blond was angry. It was understandable; they told each other everything, but Izuku kept such a life-changing development from him. In truth, he wanted to see if he could get the other to mate him without conditions to serve as influence. He was so sure Kacchan just wanted to wait a bit until they reached higher rankings, but when they achieved that goal, he crossed that off. Then, he thought it could be because Izuku hadn’t been clear enough, so he’d start hinting more, preparing meals for him, dressing more provocatively, and organizing dates.

Nothing.

Nothing worked.

Second, Kacchan loved him, but as a friend. It took, well, gods would know how much alcohol, but the blond admitted to missing him and that the apartment didn’t feel the same without him. That was nice, but not what Izuku needed—or wanted. With time, he really did want to remain friends with him. For now, he needed space.

Starting the next day, he’d pour his all into figuring whether he’d prefer being with Shinsou, or Kirishima and Mina. Starting the next day, he’d be more himself and go back to focusing on hero work and improving himself. For that night, though, he’d mourn the loss of what never was. He’d let himself cry and remember every single moment he’d loved. Sure, Katsuki hadn’t done anything in the romantic sense beyond what his alpha drove him to, most likely due to their bond, but he’d been a great friend and they’d had fun together, they lived happily together, disagreements and all—enough for Izuku to mistake it for interest. How could he have been so wrong?

For five hours, Izuku merely tossed and turned, reliving he past and letting go of as much as he could. Eventually, he exhausted himself, eyes puffy, nose stuffed, and body aching. Just before he fell asleep, he wrote back.

I.M: I won’t be going back to the apartment for a bit, but I’m safe. We’ll talk soon. You’re my best friend Kacchan; this doesn’t change that. I just need a bit of time…
I.M: And…I know you’ll freak about the messages. Don’t. I would have liked to hear it from you, but I’m glad I know the truth now.
I.M: Please don’t be too mad that I kept that secret; I’ll explain… and take care of yourself.
I.M: BTW the painkillers are in the first drawer on the kitchen island; I moved them so they’d be closer to the door when we got back from work.

That was enough. He felt the urge to go and make sure the man was alright, but he wouldn’t. He needed to shut the door for that love and open it for another—or others.
He had a restless sleep, but three hours were better than zero, right?

Katsuki woke up with a groan. His head was pounding, ears ringing—what the fuck happened? He begrudgingly opened his eyes just a sliver to find his phone when they fell upon the emptied bottle of sake.

Ah, right.

He’d drank; that was always a mistake.

Why was he drinking again?

The pressure on his eyes intensified when he attempted to get up again. Then, it happened. The alcohol, along with everything left in his stomach came up in a rush. He barely made it to the bathroom.

“Good to see you’re awake.”

Katsuki jumped, banging his head on the toilet seat he’d been holding up. “Motherf-Who-”

It was Eijirou, standing in casual clothes, leaning against the door’s frame, arms crossed over his chest. “Izuku sent me.”

Something within Katsuki resented that the man called Deku by his given name. They’d known each other for years, and it wasn’t really that weird, but now that he knew the redhead had romantic intentions-

Kirishima scoffed. “Even when he’s heartbroken, he puts others first. He sent me here to make sure you were okay; that you saw his message about the painkillers. I’m not sure if I want to kiss him or kick him for it.”

Katsuki vomited again, having no choice but to listen.

“I’m pissed at you, Kats, and I really wish I didn’t have to be.”

The blond tensed. He looked up at his friend’s face, but his vision swam. Katsuki clutched at his head with both hands.

“Here.” Eijirou thrust a glass of water and two pills in his hands. “I know the results are a lot to take in, but you need to get a hold of yourself, man! You promised you weren’t going to hurt him, but you went and got drunk.”

“How did-”

“How did we know? Oh, you texted him.” The anger was clear in his voice.

Katsuki’s eyes teared up. He’d like to say it was from the smell of vomit or from the headache, but that would be a lie.

“What did I-” the pressure in his eyes intensified, followed by another wave of sick.

There was a clatter on the floor. Eijirou had thrown his phone over. “When you empty your stomach, take a chance to read it. Let’s just say you made it clear that you missed him, but that you’ll never see him as a mate.”

The redhead turned around, a hand on the door, but he made no move to leave yet. Katsuki didn’t speak, waiting on the other to finish whatever was on his mind.

“That was extremely shitty of you, man. Things had to be said, but after all you’ve been through, he deserved to hear it from your mouth, not read it from a drunk text while on patrol.’

Katsuki nodded to himself, blinking away the warm sting of tears that made themselves known. Just how far was he going to push Izuku away? How much was he going to screw up? He needed to explain.

‘The way Mina described it—when he broke down during patrol—it was heart-wrenching. And the way his eyes seemed devoid of any emotion when he came back…count yourself lucky he’s on your side. Just…do as he asked and give him space; let him heal.”

Katsuki shook his head, “I-I need to talk to him, to explain-”

“No.”

“He needs to know that I-”

Eijirou whipped around so quickly, slamming his hand against the wooden door, that it startled Katsuki’s hungover self. “Needs to know what? That you don’t love him as a partner, but as a friend? That you didn’t care enough to call when you read the truth? That you’re sorry? He knows all that already.” The redhead’s eyes held so much fury, his jaw set. He was restraining himself because they were friends, and Katsuki could understand why. If the roles were reversed, he’d be the same way.

He didn’t mean it. He didn’t want that to happen. He needed them to understand. “I didn’t know!”

For a moment, Kirishima looked taken aback, but then his expression hardened once more. “Didn’t know what?”

“’bout the fuckin’ bond; bout anything,” he murmured looking down. His alpha wanted him to fight, but he wouldn’t. It wasn’t the time.

Eijirou chuckled bitterly; it sounded so wrong coming from him. “Who cares? Bonded or not, you knew about his feelings, your knew he wanted more—everyone knew! Yet you still kept him by your side. It was selfish and he’s the one facing the repercussions now. You were afraid of losing him as a friend, but we could have lost him.” He clenched his fists at his sides, voice cracking as he spoke. “Just…let him contact you. He’ll do so when he’s ready.”

Katsuki felt another wave of nausea hit, but nothing came out. Between coughs, he asked, “What about us?” While he’d been afraid of pushing one friend away, now he was afraid of pushing away three.

The ruby gaze softened. “We’ll be okay. Just let us cool and don’t mess with our omega.”

'Our’

He couldn’t promise that.

Katsuki needed to talk to Izuku. Soon.

Seeing as how he didn’t answer, Eijirou walked away, whispering defeatedly, “Breakfast is on the table,” leaving him covered in sweat, vomit, and tears.

Laying back down on the cold, hard floor, he took the phone that had been left by his side and read through the messages. Yeah. He deserved this.

Chapter Text

For two days, Izuku stuck to his resolution, letting his omega take the wheel in terms of what to do for most of it given that he often overthought things. It was easier since it seemed Katsuki was avoiding him too. Whenever they saw each other from across the room at the agency, the blond seemed to make himself scarce, making sure they never came to be face to face. While a part of Izuku worried about the dark circles under the alpha’s eyes, he knew distance was best.

The morning after he got the texts from Kacchan, he made sure to shower and get dressed before Mina and Eijirou awoke. He busied himself making breakfast as a thank you for taking care of him and got their uniforms ready. It was only fair after all they’d done for him.

Kirishima was the first to exit the bedroom, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. Izuku could admit the redhead looked amazing wearing nothing but black boxers and his hair in a loose bun. He could feel his ears and cheeks heat up the more he appreciated the alpha's assets, so he turned to face the stove before saying, “Good morning, Ei! Breakfast will be done soon.”

Eijirou startled at the sudden sound, still a bit dizzy from the little hours of sleep he’d gotten. They’d both been worried about Izuku. However, seeing the omega ready to start the day, cooking in their kitchen, brought hope to his heart. “Good morning, ‘Zu.”

Izuku felt goosebumps rise along his spine as a warm hand settled at his hip, while the alpha peered over his shoulder, subtly scenting him. The ease of touch and affection was so new.

“That smells good. Whatcha makin’? Can I help?”

“Oh, just some breakfast potatoes to go with some scrambled eggs with ham and spinach.”

“Sounds amazing! Want coffee or tea?” Eijirou pulled away to begin his work, leaving the greenette to miss the warmth in the spot where the man’s hands had been.

Izuku smiled at the enthusiasm. Kacchan would have just pushed him aside and done everything himself. “Might need coffee today,” he chuckled. His limbs ached due to the exhaustion from crying so much the night before—yeah, coffee sounded heavenly.

“All right!”

They both worked in comfortable silence, and soon, Mina exited their bedroom. She wore a long satin robe over her night gown that trailed behind her as she padded sleepily toward them. First, she went over to Eijirou, giving him a soft, languid morning kiss; then walked over to the freckled man, wrapping her arms around from the back just draping over him while he served their bowls. “Mornin’, Izu. Thanks for breakfast.”

“It’s the least I could do,” he said with a hum, focusing on the portions and not on the unfiltered morning scent of two alphas that enveloped him, leaving him feeling extremely safe and only slightly lightheaded. The domesticity of it all felt so nice. Izuku’s heart felt heavy at the thought that he’d never get that with Katsuki, but his omega preened at the praise he got from the two when they tasted the meal, and even more at the constant attention he received.

At first, the greenette thought they’d been doing it to work him out of his funk, but even as they settled into their routine, they never wavered. He knew they were this way around themselves, but towards a new omega in their territory—even being part of the pack, he thought there would be a little more resistance.

This continued throughout their days. They worked together, cuddled together, and laughed together. At times, he could even ignore the pull to go to the blond, though he knew it wouldn’t go away entirely until he severed the bond.

His efforts weren’t only towards them though. He did prepare a bento for Shinsou as well on the first day, which was received with a lazy grin. On the second night, they patrolled together and went to a cat café afterward. They sat on the floor, just talking and playing with the cats, while drinking coffee and eating a few pastries.

On the third day, however, his heart ached more than usual. He’d never gone this long without any sort of contact with Kacchan. Even for missions, they’d have each other’s scents. That’s why, while he finished his workout with Eijirou, he whispered, “I think it’s time I talk to him.”

The redhead dropped his weights. With a furrowed brow, he asked, “Are you sure?”

Izuku sighed. “Yeah. This is unfair to him too.”

A low growl left Kirishima’s throat. “That shouldn’t be your reason, and you know it. Do it because you want to, not because you think you owe him anything.”

The freckled man looked up into that concerned ruby gaze, trying to convey his sincerity as much as he could. “It’s for both of us, really. If what you said is true, then we both need more closure than I thought.”

Eijirou was silent, worrying his bottom lips as he mulled over it for a moment. “Okay. Let us know if there’s anything you need.”

Izuku smiled, and he couldn’t help but hug the alpha. “I know. Thank you, Ei.”

Knowing that Kacchan was avoiding him, Izuku decided that his best chance at creating an opportunity was to take a look at the agency schedule and wait. The blond had a meeting in four hours. Knowing the guy, he’d be there in three and a half because Kacchan was never late.

He thought he’d be terribly nervous, but he felt oddly at peace. That swirling miasma of anxiety and despair that had been oppressively weighing his entire being somewhat shifted, relieved that he’d be around the alpha again.

The greenette ate at the cafeteria, where he was fussed over by an extremely worried Ochako. In all fairness, he had been ignoring her calls and messages; he just didn’t want to be a bother. After a thorough scolding, they chatted the time away, catching up.

Izuku had missed her so much, that when he looked at the time again, he only had a few minutes to get to the meeting room across the building before the blond arrived. With a hug and a hurried “goodbye” he power-walked, briefly considering using One For All to get there faster, but ultimately deciding against it.

As he opened the door to the staircase, the elevator door parted.

Izuku’s breath hitched, and he let out an involuntary whine at the sight.

The scent of amber, sandalwood, and cinnamon permeated the floor. Crimson met emerald and time seemed to stop. The alpha took a step forward but stopped, eyeing the freckled man warily. It seemed like he wanted to run, though Izuku couldn’t allow that.

Katsuki wasn’t sure what to feel when he saw his best friend again. His heart sped up and it took all his strength not to run over and scent him. His alpha was going crazy wanting to beg for forgiveness.

“Hi, Kacchan,” Izuku said as he took a step forward.

The alpha stuffed his hands in his pockets, and gave a gruff, “Hey,” in return.

It was so wrong! Even at their worst, they’d never been this awkward.

The greenette gave him a small smile, hopefully asking, “Can we talk?”

“Sure. Let's go to the roof.” How was the blonde supposed to say no?

Once on the agency’s rooftop, they leaned against the wall, too anxious to sit, while the breeze cooled their skin.

“So-” they both started.

“I-” again.

Izuku chuckled. “This is absurd. We’ve known each other our whole lives.”

Katsuki grunted. “Yeah, I guess.”

Silence engulfed them again and the omega just couldn’t take it. “Okay, Kacchan. Do you mind if I go first? I was thinking maybe it’d do us some good to put what we feel into words.”

The blond didn’t look up, but he nodded. “Ok.”

Izuku frowned. “Did I really screw up that badly that you can’t even look at me?” he whispered.

The sullen mask broke leaving a mix of hurt and confusion in its wake. “What are you talking about, Deku?”

“You-You’re not looking at me. I know that I made mistakes but-”

A crackled, wet, somewhat hysterical chuckle left the alpha’s throat. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. You’re blaming yourself for this?!”

The greenette knew he had to reel it in before Katsuki got defensive, so he released a little of his calming scent as he spoke. “No, that’s not what I mean…entirely. I’m not letting you off the hook that easily either. I meant what I said that day, although maybe a bit less harshly.”

The alpha felt his tense muscles unwind. “Oh.”

“Listen, Kacchan, Ei told me that you didn’t know about the bond,” he fiddled with the edges of his gloves, “and though I still don’t fully understand how that happened, I know that I could’ve been a bit more honest with my feelings; I could’ve told you about the results, too, and I didn’t. Who knows? Maybe we could’ve ended this without the drama.” Izuku grimaced. He felt tears pool in his eyes.

Katsuki’s alpha felt uneasy seeing the guy like that.

Comfort omega; don’t make him sad.

“Deku, I-”

The freckled hero shook his head, verdant curls falling forward. “Please, let me finish.”

The blond bit his lip and nodded, resisting the urge to brush those tears away from the man’s rosy cheeks.

“This hurts more than any fucking bone I’ve ever broken, and even if in my anger I made it sound easy, it was a lie. It’s so damn hard to convince myself that what I thought we had was a figment of my imagination. Looking at things objectively, I,” he paused, drawing a shaky breath, “I know that I saw everything with the belief that you’d chosen me too; that that was the reason you kept the bond. The reason I was so clingy and annoying—besides just being part of my personality—”

Katsuki chuckled a little.

“-was also my trying to be a good potential mate. It was frustrating to feel that you didn’t see my efforts and it drove my omega—and later, me—mad because it was a constant feeling of failure, of unworthiness.”

The explosive hero felt the pressure in his eyes; his throat constricted.

Izuku’s voice broke, and so did Katsuki’s heart. “Overall, this was just yet another amazing example of how much we suck at communication.”

He smiled the saddest smile Katsuki had ever seen.

“And while you will always be my first choice, my symbol of victory, the guy I hoped to get to the top with and maybe even have a few pups with, I would never try to force you into it, or much less, want to destroy our friendship.” A few tears escaped, but Izuku gave a wobbly smile. “I’ve missed you so much, Kacchan. I respect your decision, and I’m sorry about the way I spoke to you.”

The greenettes entire frame shook, and Katsuki couldn’t help it anymore. He embraced the omega, one arm wrapping tightly around this back, and the other cradling the soft jade waves as Izuku tried to calm his breathing.

Katsuki ran his fingers through the other’s hair, attempting to soothe him while whispering a continuous steam of variations of, “I missed you too, nerd. You haven’t lost me. You’ll never lose me, Deku. I’m sorry; I’m sorry, too. You’ll always be my best friend.”

Once the freckled man calmed a little, sniffling against the blond’s chest, he looked up and Katsuki took it as his cue.

“Like you said, nerd, it was both our faults, but mostly mine. I’ve been a terrible friend and alpha. The moment you confessed, I should’ve been honest, but I wasn’t. I thought you’d eventually get tired of me and forget about it…I was afraid of losing you as a friend, too.”

“You’ll never lose me, Kacchan’s amazing,” Izuku hummed against his chest.

Neither had stepped away from the embrace.

Katsuki nipped at him. “Did I interrupt you?”

“No. Sorry, Kacchan, continue,” the omega said amusedly.

“As I was saying—and listen good, you lil’ shit, because I’ll only say it once—I’m sorry about taking advantage of you. Even if that wasn’t my intention, it still happened. And…I’m sorry I can’t give you the relationship you deserve.”

Izuku returned his gaze to the floor. He knew it, but having it confirmed still felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to his heart and lungs. It burned, it hurt, it branded him inside out.

Katsuki hooked his index finger to the freckled man’s chin, making him look up. “But you’re a great omega. You’re caring, you’re strong as fuck, you’re smarter than any extra out there, and you’re even a decent cook. You are the single most selfless bastard out there, and any alpha that catches your eye should count himself pretty damn lucky…I was pretty damn lucky.”

Izuku’s breath hitched, and the torrent of tears he’d been trying to hold back so hard, began to fall freely. The blond didn’t let him look away.

“I know how you think, Deku. Don’t let any asshole, including me, ever make you think you’re anything less than beautiful, amazing.”

“Kacchan…what-”

Katsuki grazed the greenette’s jaw with his thumb lightly before pulling the hand away. “While I do love you, I can’t be your mate because I’m not in love with you—or anyone else for that matter.” He kicked at the ground trying to figure out how to word this correctly; he could practically feel the other’s dejection. “The only thing I can ever focus on is helping people, being number one. I don’t want pups; I don’t want a family. I’ve never really felt attraction in that romantic sense; only whatever my alpha pushes towards me. But, Deku,” he paused, looking up into those shimmering emeralds once more, “if there was ever going to be anyone, it’d be you. It’s always you. Kacchan and Deku, the Wonder Duo, right?”

Izuku tackled him, hiding his face in the alpha’s chest once more, tears staining both heroes’ suits.

“Talking with Shitty Hair made me realize that we don’t have to heat or rut share for us to always be together; that I don’t have to lose you, just be with you a different way. So, can we still be friends, nerd?”

Frantic nods was all the greenette could manage, both overwhelming relief and lingering sorrow flooding his system. He already knew Kacchan would never be his—that’s something he was still coming to terms with—but hearing that it wasn’t his fault, that he wasn’t a despised omega, that he didn’t destroy what they had, that Kacchan still loved him and wanted him to be happy, that Kacchan still wanted to be his best friend was something he desperately needed.

Deku was always such a crybaby, but he knew those tears were the very same he himself had been suppressing. Katsuki held the shorter male there, rubbing circles along his back, resting his head atop the mop of curls again, inhaling the scent his alpha had craved for the past few days.

The embrace brought them security, comfort, reassurance. His heart felt lighter, he could feel the muscles in their bodies unwind, and how they melted in each other’s arms, simply relishing in each other’s presence.

It was crushing just how much he hadn’t even noticed he missed it all.

Buzz, buzz

“Shit!” the blond grumbled.

Izuku jolted backwards, stepping out of the embrace. “Oh, no! Your meeting!” The freckled man wiped away the tears on his cheeks.

“It’s ok, dumbass.” The blond cleared his throat. “Well, now that we got the bullshit emotional stuff outta the way, I gotta go to save some extras.”

Izuku chuckled. “Go be a hero, Dynamight. And,” he paused, lightly rubbing their wrists together, “thanks for this. I know it’s not easy.”

“Nothing ever is with you, is it, shitty nerd?” Katsuki chuckled, ruffling the other’s hair.

“Wouldn’t be as fun if it was. Right, Kacchan?”

With one last look, he nodded. “Right, Deku.”

Once the blond left, Izuku took a moment to recompose himself. While wrapped up in the embrace and the other’s scent, he’d felt warm and protected; like everything would be okay, but now all alone again, he wasn’t sure what he felt. There was that relief of it all not being his fault, but his heart still yearned for that relationship that could never be.

Well, at least things were clear now. No uncertainties.

Sure, there were a few details he wanted to learn about, but it could wait for later.

Now?

His phone rang.

“Hello?”

“You’re still at the agency, aren’t you?”

“'Toshi?”

“Who else has your number and sounds this exhausted? Just answer the damn question.”

Izuku chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, fair point. I am. Aren’t you supposed to go patrol soon?”

“Nah, got something more important. Come downstairs?”

Izuku peeked out the ledge of the building and saw a dot of lavender below. “Oh, I see you! I’ll be down in a bit.”

“How did-”

Izuku hung up.

As soon as Shinsou saw him, he motioned for the omega to follow and kept walking with no explanation.

“You’ll see when we get there,” was his answer.

And see he did, after their ten-minute walk. His eyes widened at the large, red neon sign that obnoxiously announced the words “Rage Room.”

Izuku turned to the alpha, “Wha-”

“You can’t tell me this whole thing isn't making you want to destroy something.” Shinsou smirked, earning a challenging grin in return.

Once in, the smirk widened to a grin, the other's emerald eyes already tearing up. Ochako, Shouto, Tenya, and Tsu were all there.

“Izu!” Ochako squealed as she went to hug the other omega.

“You’re going to injure him before we ever start, kero,” Tsu said with a slight upturn of the lips.

Shouto chuckled. “He deserves to be a bit beat up after keeping this from us."

“We would appreciate if you didn’t keep life-threatening scenarios from us, Midoriya. We are your friends, and it is our duty to help,” Tenya added, hands chopping away at the air as they always have when he spoke sternly.

Tears cascaded down freckled cheeks, a wobbly smile still in place. “Guys!”

He enveloped them in a group hug, apologizing for keeping big secrets, saying he didn’t want to burden them; and they reassured him in return, scenting him to provide comfort and reassurance. His omega wasn’t that happy that Katsuki’s scent was erased by theirs, but he was partially grateful. He needed to get used to living without it.

“We already chose a room!” Ochako chirped, dragging him by the hand.

Izuku reached out toward Shinsou and pulled him along, mouthing a “thank you” for organizing the whole thing.

The lavender-eyed man’s alpha preened at being able to help the omega out.

In the antechamber, they suited up and got to pick from a selection of bats—wooden, steel, or spiked—before being led to the actual room.

When the door opened, Izuku couldn’t help but to let out a choked laugh. His friends were special. The room was padded with corkboard, and there was graffiti on the walls. On a variety of stands, there were computers, TVs, ceramic vases, printers, and a whole bunch of other random things, but they’d arranged for each one to have a moment, which they knew Izuku thought of as special between him and Katsuki, stuck to them—some even had his gremlin face.

He felt a little apprehensive at first—it was Kacchan’s face after all—but then he felt Shinsou nudge his shoulder. “Ready to destroy this shit?”

Izuku looked at others, all giving him a nod and thumbs up, waiting for his signal, and that seemed to be the push he needed. With a deep breath and newfound determination, he nodded. “Let’s do this!”

After their 30 minutes of smashing were up, they got their belongings back and decided to take a walk to a nearby ramen place. Shinsou draped an around his shoulders as they did, Izuku’s cheeks tinting from the proximity.

The alpha hummed. “So, how was it?”

“It was more…cathartic than I thought it’d be, if I’m honest—though the moments were maybe a bit much.”

Lavender eyes looked up at the clear sky. “Nah; you needed closure for all of it. And, I gathered it was cathartic when you cried and smashed that keyboard, yelling…phrases explodo boy would be proud of.”

Izuku covered his face. “Ugh, that- didn’t you say, ‘what happens in the rage room, stays in the rage room’?”

“Psht. No!”

“Well, you should’ve,” he mumbled, moving his hands to his pockets. The greenette nibbled on his lip, lost in thought.

Shinsou bumped his hip against the other’s. “Spit it out.”

With a sheepish smile, Izuku answered, “I was thinking that we were going to hang out in three days, but I have an appointment with Mei.”

“The pink-haired crazy girl from high school?”

“Yup! She’s back from her project with Melissa on I-island, and she’s making a few tweaks to my costume. So, would you come with? Maybe we can go to that cat café you like afterwards? It’s about a five-minute walk from there.”

“Yeah, sure that sounds good.”

Izuku smiled and nodded. Yeah, it did sound good.

Chapter Text

When Izuku got to the Kirishima household, he felt exhausted but happier; it felt so good to be able to confide in his friends again. A nagging thought made him wonder if Eijirou and Mina would mind that he went out like that.

‘It’s fuckin’ disrespectful, nerd. How am I supposed to know your troubled ass didn’t end up in a gutter somewhere.

‘I’m a pro-hero, Kacchan’

‘Who the fuck cares? Heroes die too, don’t they?’

He shook off the memory, noticing that Mina was approaching him.

“Did you have fun, babe?” she asked, scenting him and pulling him towards the living room where she and Eijirou had been watching TV. The two sat on the sides, leaving him to sit between them.
The three scents intermingling allowed the slight bits of apprehension and nerves in his bones filter out; he felt safe, protected. Kacchan never much liked when he smelled like his friends.

Alphas care. Alphas love us, his omega relayed. He knew his friends did; they’d been through too much together for it to be otherwise.

Izuku sat down, sinking into the space between the two warm bodies that snuggled to his sides and hummed. “It was fun. I missed the others.”

“I bet! It’s been a while since we’ve hung with the squad, too.”

“Yeah. It’s been a while since even we went out for anything outside of work. I was thinking that we should go out this week,” Eijirou proposed, resting his head on Izuku’s shoulder. “Just the three of us though; I think we have a day and a half in common, right?”

“That’s right!” Mina chirped. “Would you be up for that, Zuks?”

“Yeah, sure. I need to run a few errands, but we can plan something.”

The freckled man couldn’t help but remember a similar question with a highly contrasting response.

”Want to go out, Kacchan? It’s been a while since we’ve gone to a restaurant or to the movies. Oh, maybe we could even go hiking!”

Katsuki grumbled. “Fuck off. If I have one day off a week, I want to relax in my own home, not have to worry about shitty extras finding out who I am whenever I go out. What’s wrong with movies here?”

How foolish Izuku had been. To think that he’d believed that was Kacchan’s way of saying he wanted to spend the day in with him rather than share him; he was just a homebody.

His scent soured. The two alphas in the room automatically let out their calming pheromones and rubbed along his side.

“What’s up, Izu?” Eijirou asked, quickly followed by Mina’s, “Did we do something? Can we help?”

The greenette shrunk into himself, reeling his scent in.

Bad omega, made alphas worry!

His eyes watered, but he shook his head. “I’m sorry; it’s nothing.”

He went to get up, but a large hand held his wrist gently, slowly lowering it to hold his hand. Emerald eyes locked onto the ruby red that looked straight into his soul, pleading. “Talk to us, man. It’s not a bother, and it’s definitely not ‘nothing’…just…don’t you trust us?”

Trust alpha; alpha is good.

Izuku couldn’t look away. Both of them looked at him with such sincerity and fondness, that he couldn’t help but to answer, “Of course, I do. I-I actually feel safe with you.”

Both alphas felt immense joy at the admittance.

The omega continued, “It was another incorrect memory. I was so dense. The signs were right there.”

Mina pouted, wrapping her arms around him and dragging him back to the couch, where Eijirou had begun to arrange a few soft blankets.

“You’re not,” she assured him.

Eijirou spoke softly as he settled one of the scented blankets over them and ran his fingers through Izuku’s hair. “Then lean on us, and let us help you through this; let us remind you of your brilliance and of what an absolute gift you are. Maybe some of those experiences are negative, but think how much stronger you’ll emerge, and how it probably pointed you toward a happier future. No one is unbreakable-”

The greenette snorted.

“-yeah, yeah poor choice in words— you know what, just leave it there.” He finished with a laugh. “I’ve been enough of a sap.” The redhead pulled them both into his arms. “Just remember we’re here for you.”

Izuku had a long day, and he was drained physically and emotionally. With the scent of two strong, amiable alphas, he began to drift. Sleepily, he murmured, “That makes sense, even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.” He yawned. “I’ll be in your care, then,” the omega added with a sleepy smile, snuggling against the broad chest before closing his eyes—‘only for a minute,’ he thought.

Mina wanted to record it; Eijirou was just happy to have seen it. Izuku was just too damn precious when he was sleepy. Not wanting to waste any time, they both let themselves drift, ignoring what had been on the T.V. in favor of taking a nap with their omega; however, the nap turned into a full sleep.

The first one to wake was Eijirou, his alarm blaring in their room, reminding him to get to work.

He was still sleepy, but stumbled his way to the bathroom, letting the spray of water wake him up. If he measured his time correctly, he could wake the other two up with breakfast. His alpha liked that idea, so he quickly stepped out of the shower, brushed his teeth, and made his way to the kitchen—except he didn’t make it that far.

His pupils blew wide upon the thick scent of pre-heat, an underlying layer of vanilla that made his gums itch. Before he knew it, he was curling up against Izuku, leaving no space between them, burying his nose in the crook of his neck. Mina, though still asleep, had her nose against his other scent gland, rutting a little against the pillow between her legs.

Izuku, awoke to the scent of alpha, but also to an embarrassing amount of slick. Instantly aware, he felt something hard between his legs, pressure on his neck, and a little bit of saliva there too.

“E-Ei? Mina?”

Eijirou gave a rumble in reply, his hand gripping the omega’s waist. Mina didn’t even stir, still deeply asleep.

The greenette, seeing the other two’s reaction, realized that, yes, he was in pre-heat and was in a bed with two alphas, without his blockers. Shit!

Putting his hand above Eijirou’s, he attempted to pry the alpha’s hand off. “Ei? I need to go to the bathroom, can you let go for a moment. I’ll be back.”

The redhead whined, but he must have had a moment of clarity because he immediately let go, backing away to the edge of the bed, cursing. “I'm so sorry, ‘Zu. You just smell really good.”

Izuku nodded, his cheeks tinted pink, and replaced his body on Mina’s hold with his pillow. “It’s okay. I should’ve been more aware of the day. I’ll, um, clean up and join you for breakfast, ‘k?”

Eijirou was gripping a pillow to his front, willing his buddy below to go down, mortified that he almost touched the omega like that without consent. “Sure, and I’m sorry again for…you know? That awakening. Didn’t mean to make things weird.” He chuckled awkwardly.

Izuku nodded. So, it seemed his pre-heats were stronger too. In the past, he mostly just felt hungry and emotional in the days leading up to his heats; never had he felt so immediately aroused, even after moving in with Katsuki. It must have been the lack of suppressants, he reasoned.

After bathing, he slathered on as much scent blocking cream as he could. Was it healthy? Probably not, but he needed to make sure none of his scent leaked out during patrol. If Eijirou and Mina reacted that strongly, then his scent must have been more potent than he remembered.

Izuku left shortly after Eijirou—pre-heat always gave him a boost of energy in he first few days, so he wanted to burn a little off before patrol. On his way back, he ran into Shinsou who was just leaving the precinct near the agency.

“Hi, Shin!”

“Hey, hot stuff. Early morning workout?”

“Not so early, but kind of,” he panted as he ran in place, trying to keep his heartrate up, “just burning some calories since they have me on desk duty today.”

“Nice. I’m heading home before I crash on the street,” he said with a lazy grin.

The greenette giggled. “Might be a good idea.”

“Yeah, maybe. Call you later?”

“Sounds like a plan!”

Just before they left, Shinsou scented him. Izuku stiffened, knowing his scent might’ve leaked through in the process. He’d rather not have a repeat of that morning out on the street. But…Shinsou didn’t react. He simply scented, smiled, and waved him goodbye.

He didn’t want a scene, but he wasn’t expecting no reaction either, all things considered. That was weird, but he shook it off and continued his run. The lavender-eyed man was great at keeping his emotions in check, so maybe he didn’t want to embarrass Izuku; or maybe his blockers hadn’t worn off as much as he’d thought.

Desk duty was busier than usual. Izuku had finished most of his paperwork in the first three hours, so one of the newer heroes on board pounced on the opportunity to ask him to look over some case files. Someone was targeting betas with omegan partners. They were used to villains targeting the quirkless, omegas, and even alphas, but they’d never dealt with one that targeted betas like that. They tried finding some other connection—jobs, living areas, age demographic, even people they knew or were related to, but nothing panned out.

Izuku promised to give it another look later on and went out to get a snack. When he returned to his office, he froze when the scent of aroused alpha hit him, a scent he knew a little too well.

“Kacchan?”

Large hands wrapped around his middle, the alpha’s chest to his back, as Katsuki growled lowly in his ear, “Why do you smell so good?”

Cautiously, he put his hands over the blond’s. “Kacchan, I have my blockers on. Whatever you’re smelling isn’t me.” His heart hurt at the proximity, the desire coming off the other man was weakening.

“It is you, omega…fuckin’ delicious,” the alpha said, grinding his erection against Izuku’s ass.

His inner omega purred at the familiarity, but the greenette was freaking out. This wasn’t okay. “Kacchan, you’re not thinking straight. You’re stronger than your alpha—isn’t that what you’ve always said?” he hissed.

This wasn’t fair.

He couldn’t breathe, the scent was too oppressive. He tried to get out of the other’s grip, but the hold merely tightened in response.

“You always liked it when I was a little rough, didn’t you, Deku? You can’t be over me this easily.”

He did like it, but he had to resist.

Warm lips assaulted the spot where his jaw and ear connected. He tried to break of, but the alpha growled, merely moving to the other side.

This wasn’t Kacchan. This was Kacchan’s alpha; Izuku knew the difference now. His omega, however, didn’t and it was begging him to submit.

“I-I need you to let go now. You said you couldn’t love me this way, so this needs to stop. I need an alpha, and you made it clear that it couldn’t be you.”

The alpha whined, nuzzling against his neck. “Alpha is sorry; I didn’t know what I was saying.”

Izuku’s eyes filled with tears of sadness—because he would’ve given anything to hear that a week prior, six years prior—and rage—because he knew Katsuki didn’t mean it, and that was just his alpha responding to the scent because of the bond. A nasty longing curled up in his chest, tightening, making it so hard to respond.

As hard as it was, he needed to be honest with himself: This man had rejected him. This man didn’t love him like he wanted, but he had others who did, and he couldn’t fail them—he couldn’t stand to be a bad omega again.

He knew he needed to shock the alpha out of his haze, even if it hurt him. Taking a deep breath, he let 5% of his power surge through his body. He headbutted him, knowing the alpha would dodge, so he could stomp the right foot. With a yowl, Katsuki let go, cursing and jumping around to relieve some of the pain.

Izuku backed away, creating some distance between them.

“You need to go, Kacchan. I don’t think it’s good for us to be near each other until the bond breaks.”

Katsuki’s eyes widened, searching for something, anything that was clue as to why he was there; what had happened. He zeroed in on Izuku's hurt eyes and where freckled hands were covering. His face paled at the realization of what he almost did. “I’m-Deku I didn’t-”

“It’s okay, Kacchan. I know what it was.”

“No, but Deku—fuck!” he cursed, pacing back and forth. Why did he have to ruin everything?! This fuckin’ bond made him weak as hell toward Deku. No wonder the other had misinterpreted the situation. But now—he looked at the other, still wary of his presence—he’d made the other fear what he could do. That was his friend. When had he lost control? He was just coming in from patrol and was going into the lockers when…he doesn’t remember anything after that.

A scarred hand settled on Katsuki’s shoulder. “Kacchan, I know you didn’t want to hurt me. It’s a messed-up situation, and things are bound to happen,” the omega squeezed his shoulder and smiled shakily. Katsuki had caused that. Once more he’d hurt the person he’d vowed not to hurt again. His mind was headed to a dark place, when Deku spoke again. “There’s still a few things I do want to clear between us, but until your alpha and my omega are separated, we can’t be in the same space.”

Katsuki nodded, breathing shakily and running a hand through his hair.

Just when they separated, the door opened, and a low growl reverberated around the room.

Izuku’s eyes widened in panic. Before he could act, the blond’s feet were iced to the floor.

“You bastard, get away from him!” Shouto ordered, as his fist collided with the other alpha’s cheek.

“Shouto, wait!” Izuku pleaded, pulling his friend away. “He didn’t do anything!”

“Like hell he didn’t. Open up a window; this place reeks.”

“Leave it, Deku,” Katsuki said, cradling his reddened cheek, and turning to face the alpha. “I didn’t do shit. I was just about to leave.”

With a cold glare, he snarled, “Yeah, you better.”

“Shou, I think you misunderstood-”

Shouto scoffed. “I didn’t misunderstand. He uses you for years, says he can’t be your mate, and then smells a little pre-heat and comes around for a taste of the action. He should count himself lucky it was me and not Kirishima, Mina, or Shinsou that came in.”

Katsuki’s visage morphed to horror. “I-I didn’t know I was-”

Shouto let out a humorless chuckle. “Just a knothead? Yeah, it’s what you keep proving.”

The blond’s hands were shaking from rage. He couldn’t- Deku can’t- This bastard should just-

“Hey, ‘Zu, I was-” Kirishima paused, taking in the scene before him. Shouto pumping out aggressive pheromones, knuckles red from collision; Katsuki’s cheek swollen, eyes watered, fists clenched in either anger or frustration; and Izuku, with shimmering emerald eyes filled with worry and standing protectively between the two. Without a thought, he went over to the omega, searching for any damage. “Are you okay?”

Izuku hummed. “I’m fine, Ei.”

He couldn’t bring himself to look away, though his body was hyperaware of the other two still in the room. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Shouto huffed. “I’ll tell you-”

The redhead growled, “I asked Izuku.”

Though he bristled at that, Shouto kept quiet.

Izuku started off cautiously, keeping his voice low but audible. “I was getting some coffee to go over a case file and when I got back, Kacchan was in the room.”

Eijirou scented Izuku’s wrist and smiled encouragingly. “It’s okay, you can speak freely. I just wanna know.”

The omega nodded and spoke with a bit more confidence. “His alpha’s reacting to my rejection. I got him to calm down and we agreed he should keep his distance until we break off our bond, just to be safe. That’s when Shou came in.”

Shouto scoffed, but otherwise said nothing.

Ruby eyes searched for his best friend, seeing him slouched on a chair, as if awaiting punishment. “Did you do anything to him?” Eijirou asked the blond.

Katsuki shook his head. “Deku’s strong as fuck. No one can make him do something he doesn’t want to do.”

“Damn right he is,” the redhead answered with a nod, trying not to react to the underlying message. Izuku had defended himself, but if he hadn’t…Eijirou shook his head. No need to worry about things that didn’t happen. His omega was safe; that’s all that mattered—though his alpha was riled up.

Shouto shook his head and walked toward the door. “I need to go before I do something stupid, Izuku. Call if you need anything.”

“Thanks, Shou.”

The blond remained on the chair.

“If there’s no issue, you can go, right? Or was there something you actually needed to say to him?” Eijirou wrapped a protective arm around Izuku, feeling an odd sense of pride at how the shorter man fit perfectly by his side.

Katsuki got up, pausing to look at his two friends with a mix of remorse and pain. “Sorry, about all this shit, Deku. I still don’t know what happened.”

“Stop it, Kacchan,” Izuku said with that burning look of determination he loved so much. “Since when does the great Dynamight sulk? You said sorry, you were forgiven before you said it. Now we move on, yeah?”

With a slight upturn of the lips, Katsuki nodded and walked away.

Without giving himself too much time to think about what’d happened, Izuku turned to Eijirou with a wobbly smile and asked, “So, what brings you around my office?”

The redhead shook his head, closed the door, then enveloped the omega in a hug, scenting him as he did so.

It was the first time Eijirou had done it that wasn’t on the wrist. Izuku’s breath hitched as their glands made contact, immediately feeling a torrent of energy, as if he’d activated his quirk, run through his body, electrifying and draining him at the same time. His fists clenched around crimson gears. Izuku’s pupils dilated and constricted, his entire body adjusting to the union of their scents—Pine and Whiskey, entwined with spiced apples and a hint of vanilla.

“Whoa,” he couldn’t help but whisper. It was only a second or two, but it left him breathless and a little lightheaded.

Eijirou’s lips stretched to a lax smile; he felt it too. It had been a while since he’d had such an intense reaction to scenting; not since he did so with Mina during high school. He brought his right hand to cup a freckled cheek. “How do you really feel, Izu?”

Izuku smiled, feeling his face warm on contact, still a little high off their scents. “I’m better now; that helped a lot, actually. It was…stronger? More intense of a reaction than what I usually have with scenting.”

“Yeah; that happens sometimes. I’ve only felt it like that with Mina, though.”

“Oh,” Izuku smiled, nibbling on his bottom lip while avoiding eye contact.

“Yeah. So, what really happened?” he asked, then adding, “If you feel like sharing, of course.”

The greenette shrugged. “If we’re courting, you should probably know; I don’t like keeping secrets.”

Eijirou couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t either.” That smile quickly faded to a stern line as he heard the details of what had transpired. He felt a possessive need to somehow mark the omega as his—beyond the scenting, pride because of how manly his omega was, and a little sad with a hint of anger for his friend. He never thought it would get this bad.

“How are you feeling about this, Ei?”

The redhead chuckled. “Well, can’t say I’m happy about it, and I wish it didn’t happen…but it also gives me a little hope that you resisted him. Is that terrible of me to say? Be honest.”

Izuku hummed. “No; I don’t think it is. I don’t think I’d feel very happy if something like that was going on with someone I cared about. I think you and Mina have been handling this beyond well, so thank you for that.”

“Are you thankful enough to go have lunch with me?” the redhead asked, nodding towards the door.

A warmth flowed through his chest. This alpha wasn’t ashamed of being seen with him, wasn’t afraid to be truthful about his feelings, wasn’t reserved about comforting him. His inner omega was over the moon; the least he could do was be honest. “Even if I wasn’t feeling thankful, I think I’d say yes. I enjoy my time with you, Ei.”

Eijirou’s alpha preened. With a pleased look, he extended his hand in the hopes that the other would take it.

Izuku took it with a bashful smile, but he pulled the other back. His omega had been repeating the same thing for the past three minutes and it would drive him crazy if he didn’t ask, “Um.”

The alpha gave him a questioning look. “Yeah? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I was just, erm, could-do you mind if we-” He’d never asked this to anyone else before.

With a chuckle, Eijirou got closer; they were almost chest to chest. Voice low, he asked, “You want to scent again?” unable to hide the excitement he felt.

Izuku nodded.

“All you had to do was ask,” he purred, wrapping a hand around Izuku’s waist to bring him closer.

Chapter Text

Izuku took Eijirou's hand with a bashful smile, but he pulled the man back when he'd started walking. His omega had been repeating the same thing for the past three minutes and it would drive him crazy if he didn’t ask. “Um...”

The alpha gave him a questioning look, rubbing the back of his hand with his thumb. “Yeah? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I was just—erm—could—do you mind if we—” He was trembling. He’d never asked this of anyone else before and it was something so personal, too.

With a chuckle, Eijirou got closer; they were almost chest to chest. Voice low, he asked, “You want to scent again?” making no effort to hide the excitement he felt.

Izuku nodded.

“All you had to do was ask,” he purred, wrapping a hand around Izuku’s waist to bring him closer.

Their glands rubbed together, oils mixing, the effect slightly less intense, though no less pleasing. The greenette let out a chirp and purr of his own in response, quickly stepping backward, his expression turning horrified when he realized what he'd done.

“Hey, hey; it’s okay.” Eijirou tried to smile and reach out, to bring the omega closer again; he missed the sensation of the shorter man’s body already.

Twisting away from the redhead’s grasp to get his wallet, glasses, and mask from the desk drawer, Izuku mumbled, “Sorry for being so embarrassing; ‘m still getting used to it.”

A pout quickly formed on the alpha’s lips, his eyes hinting at the disappointment he felt at losing the other's touch. “You have nothing to be sorry for. It’s nothing bad; it’s healthy to sate your instincts every once in a while. You’re safe with us, you know? If we ever do something to make you uncomfortable, just tell us.”

Izuku looked at him like he’d grown a second head for a second, but nodded with a hum. He tried making sense of the words as they walked outside. Sure he’d liked scenting like that; he could see how it could become addicting even, but it didn’t mean he could indulge whenever he wanted. He had been suppressing his instincts for years, limiting his major needs to what was needed to stay sane, and now they were telling him to indulge? It felt wrong, dirty, like he didn’t deserve it. Besides, who's to tell how his body would react? It seemed to be betraying him a lot lately, and he wasn't sure how much more he could withstand; but somehow Kirishima’s expectant smile made him wonder if someday it could start feeling right.

The two went to eat their lunch, and when they returned, Izuku spent a few extra hours at the office, the events from earlier in the day simmering along with the details from the case. Before he left, he texted Katsuki.

Deku: Even if we can’t see each other, we can still text

Kacchan: K

Deku: Kacchan…let it go. NOT YOUR FAULT

Kacchan: fck off

Deku: don’t think I will

Kacchan: stupid

Deku: miss u too =)

Kacchan: ┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐

He smiled. Despite everything, they really were the ones to know each other best. Then, he pocketed his phone before getting his bag. A familiar scent of leather-bound books neared, and soon after, the door opened.

“Aren’t you supposed to be home already?”

“Shin! Thought you were out for a few days!” Izuku smiled, going over to hug the alpha, but as soon as he did, Shinsou scrunched his nose.

“Kirishima scented you?”

Izuku cocked his head to the side, wondering if it was wrong to allow that. “Yeah, to calm me down a bit.”

An eyebrow rose in question.

With a shake of his head he smiled and said, “Rough day; I’ll tell you about it when we go see Mei.”

Shinsou was skeptical but shrugged. “Just stinks a bit. Join me for coffee? I have a meeting before going on patrol, but it got held back a bit.”

“Sure; I was heading out anyway.”

The alpha paused as they reached the door. “Can I try scenting you?

“Oh, um, yeah. It’s only fair, right?”

“Right,” Shinsou replied with a nod.

Both, slightly fidgeting, got closer. Izuku held on to broad shoulders to stabilize himself, while Shinsou held on to the omega’s forearms. It was a tentative scenting, but the effect was immediate. Izuku felt at ease once more with the familiarity of the scent; however, their combined scents threw him off a little. Leather-bound books and spiced apples were…an interesting combination.

Shinsou smiled awkwardly. “That was weird, wasn’t it?”

Izuku chuckled. “A little.”

Throwing an arm around him, the underground hero pulled him along. “Makes sense though; we’ve been around each other for years, but never this close. Your omega must still miss Bakugou, too, right?”

A wry smile made its way to the greenette’s face while he locked the room. “A little. It’s been getting better. I was able to resist him today, which was a relief. I was worried my omega would take over.”

“That’s nice. Good job, hot stuff.”

Izuku shrugged, but his cheeks gave away his flustered state when his freckles became more prominent in contrast with a light blush at the compliment. “It hurts, but I know that’s the bond’s effect. It’ll be gone soon enough.”

They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the cafeteria that was luckily empty due to the hour. Shinsou’s arm was still around Izuku’s shoulder, Izuku’s arm resting on Shinsou’s waist.

While they waited to be seated, the alpha began, “Speaking of the bond…”

“You want to know if I’ve decided?”

“Not exactly. I’m more curious to see how you’re dealing with all this," he said with a wave of his hand, "the sudden courting and relationships. I mean, our alphas will take over and we’ll try to court you, but it won’t mean anything if your bond with him is still a willing one.”

Izuku fiddled with the hem of his sleeve as the other ordered for them, biting his lower lip, deep in thought. Once they sat side by side on a bench in the inner patio of the café, he answered, “I think I’m coming to terms with it. I’ve been able to look at things more objectively and realized that not everything was as I saw it. There’re still things I want to clarify with Kacchan, but it hurts less, and my omega’s calmed down quite a bit. I don’t think I’ll be that close to a drop any time soon.” He took a sip of his drink, meeting the calm lavender eyes and smiled. “I’m really thankful for everything you guys have done. It’s helped a lot.”

“We would’ve gotten him to take a few days off, drop a few rankings, or maybe even go on a trip to a different country before any of that had happened, but you wouldn’t let us.” He rolled his eyes playfully with a sigh.

The shorter man giggled. “I think that’s a bit much, but I do appreciate the support.”

Shinsou took a swig of dark coffee. “It’s not enough. By the way, here.” He handed Izuku a small gift bag.

“Oh, thank you!” Izuku rustled through the bag. He was grateful for the change of topic. Just because he was hurt and looking for a mate, didn’t mean he felt comfortable speaking badly of Kacchan just yet. Taking out the tissue paper, he noticed a holographic pack of cards based on underground heroes and gasped. “Wow, Shinsou, this is…”

The guy smirked. “A gift for a geek?”

Izuku snorted. “Yeah. You’re lucky I’m one." Shaking his head, he decided to ask, "So, I’ve been curious, why did you decide to court me? You never said.”

After another sip, Shinsou shrugged. “Just wanted to be a good friend, I guess. Sure, your scent is great, but it boils down to the fact that I couldn’t see you suffer under Bakugou’s thumb anymore. It really pissed me off how he used you like that. I’ve seen way too many omegas lose themselves to allow it to happen to anyone else.”

That made Izuku smile. “You've always been a good friend, even before all this.” He bumped his shoulder against the taller man’s arm. With a slightly lower tone of voice, he added, “I feel honored that you would be willing to give away a chance at happiness to save me—a true hero in my eyes.”

Shinsou scoffed. “What chance at happiness? Have you ever seen me with anyone? I’d rather live my days with one of my best friends than with randos who don’t give a fuck.”

The greenette hummed, busying himself with stirring the remainders of his drink. “That wouldn’t be too bad, I guess. Just be honest with me, ok? If you don’t want to do this anymore or meet someone, let me know so that we don’t waste our time.”

“Won’t happen, but you got it, Iz.”

Izuku went home that night thinking about Shinsou. While it would be a lot better to be with a friend that with a stranger, there was a part of him that wanted more for both of them. Was it that selfish to want love and to wish more for his friend as well? His mind kept ruminating over their situation. He was so distracted while entering the Kirishima’s apartment that he didn't notice the two alpha’s scrambling around, one in the kitchen, and one going up the stairs to the terrace.

“I’m home,” he mumbled, putting his bag by the door, and heading toward his room to change without waiting for an answer.

Mina and Eijirou shared a concerned look but took advantage of the omega’s distracted state to finish preparing.

Once changed into yoga pants and an oversized shirt, Izuku paused. The shirt he was wearing was once he frequently got Kacchan to scent. It smelled amazing but felt wrong. Or, not exactly wrong, but rather unpleasant, at least. Thinking about the blond still made his chest hurt and eyes tear up. Just because his rational self had accepted they’d only be friends, his omega still yearned for Kacchan at times and memories would resurface. Wearing his clothes would be self-inflicted torture. Turning around, he changed it to one of his new, softer hoodies, his stomach growling as he did. With a chuckle, he turned the knob and stepped out.

“Ah!”

“Ouch!”

Izuku bumped straight into Mina. “I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention,” he rushed out.

She waved it off. “It’s okay. Welcome home, Izu,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him, releasing some of her scent. "How was your day?" He told her he was fine, but he could tell there was something on her mind. She bounced on the balls of her feet and balanced back and forth until she finally said, "Ei told me you let him fully scent you, and it seems Shinsou did too. Do you mind if I," she paused, seeming a bit sheepish at the request.

“Yeah, you can.” The omega smiled warmly. He would always have to beg Katsuki for a scenting outside of his cycle, but here they were, asking him. It was bizarre. This whole experience was. Did alphas ever ask?

Mina quickly did so, partially afraid the omega would change his mind. She was relieved that he didn’t. Instead, she felt him relax into the embrace; the added cardamom to his spiced apple and vanilla undertone made her mouth water. Her pupils dilated for a moment, reveling in the absolutely energizing feeling that enveloped her entire being. She knew what that feeling was. This was right; this was her omega. They’d only had him for a week, but she felt her world would crumble if he left. He was their missing piece, there was no doubt about it. Shaking her head, blinking to clear her vision, she remembered why she was there. Slowly, she unwrapped herself from the guy’s arms and nodded towards the stairs. “I hope you’re hungry because Ei and I have a surprise.”

Another growl from Izuku’s stomach answered that. With a giggle, she grabbed his hands and led him to where her mate was waiting for them.

The two alphas knew they wouldn’t have the time or energy to go on a date after both Izuku and Eijirou had been on patrol, but they did their best to make up the terrace area for a little escape from reality. The omega had already entered pre-heat, meaning they had less than a week before his heat hit, so they would court the heck out of him in the few days they had. They wanted him to feel comfortable, appreciated and, hopefully, loved.

Emerald eyes widened. His curious expression changed to one of surprise, and both alphas couldn’t be more pleased at the happy scent they received in payment for their hard work. The terrace had been lit with string lights, crisscrossed from side to side, along with lit candles scattered on the floor. There was a table under the dark wood pergola, topped with several choices of food and drink, but the atmosphere was made complete with the relaxing music in the background—one of Izuku’s favorite instrumental arrangements.

The freckled man wanted to question where they even found that out, but he was too entranced by the whole scenery to do so. Eijirou hugged him from behind, scenting him a bit lighter this time, probably not wanting to erase his mate’s scent completely.“Welcome back, ‘Zu. Do you like it?”

Izuku swallowed thickly, nerves setting in. This seemed like a date—was a date—but he couldn’t bring himself to run away. He could feel his hands shake as they held on to the ones that settled on his stomach. “Y-yeah. This looks amazing,” he answered, voice filled with wonder. It was breathtaking; he’d only seen something remotely similar in movies.

“We’ll go out tomorrow, since we’re all free, but we wanted to do something nice for dinner,” Mina said, biting her lip expectantly. Even though the omega said he liked how everything looked, they didn’t have his complete approval.

Seeing her a bit fidgety helped settle Izuku’s nerves a bit. “Sounds great,” he whispered with a smile.

Eijirou unwound himself, and grabbed the omega’s hands, leading him to a chair they’d cushioned and scented just for him. Mina took charge, asking the guy what he wanted, and served up each of their plates, engaging in normal conversation with ease.

They ate and talked for hours, transitioning from the chairs to their outdoor daybed.

Izuku was sure it was the combination of red wine, sake, his pre—heat, and that super-comfortable daybed, but he felt extra cuddly, so he let the alphas curl up next to him. It was something that was always in his nature, but also something he’d mostly suppressed given that Kacchan was…not fond of cuddling on a regular basis. Cuddling was reserved for stressful, sad, or rare post-sex moments.

He could get used to feeling good like that more frequently...

They were all sated, both in terms of hunger and affection, but Mina remembered they had one more surprise. Getting up from the bed, she bounced over to the table and pulled out a bag from under it.

“Here! We hope you like it!”

Izuku took the bag with a shy smile. “Thanks, guys.” Two courting gifts in one day. He wasn’t sure how to act. Taking the small box out, he looked at the two alphas questioningly. It appeared to be expensive, and he suddenly felt guilty.

“Open it!” Eijirou said with a wide grin. He was excited! It had taken the forever to select a gift, but he really hoped their omega liked it.

Slowly, Izuku loosened the ribbon around the box and opened it. His breath hitched. He’d always looked at other omegas longingly when he saw one of those around their wrists. It was a scented bracelet, but this one was personalized. The woven leather band held the same colors as his hero suit, but it had two silver scent charms: a gear with Eijirou’s scent and a droplet with Mina’s scent.

The two alphas saw their favorite emeralds sparkle with tears and those rosy lips split into the brightest smile the omega had given them since the whole ordeal had started.

“I love it,” the omega chirped before hugging them both, allowing the unfiltered scent of happy omega swirl around them. They relaxed into the hug, slowly moving on to lay near each other on the daybed, simply enjoying each other's company.

It was the perfect end to their day, and if they were lucky enough, it would be the first of many.

The following morning, they all dressed casually, hiking boots on. The plan was to go on an early hike through a small forest that led to a private beach; Sero had recommended it. Izuku had been feeling weightless since the night before, and it truly felt like things were looking up. The scented bracelet he'd received was securely clasped around his wrist, emitting a faint, but relaxing mix of the alphas’ essence. Despite knowing it might not be a good idea to wear it there, he couldn't bring himself to remove it, so he didn't.

Eijirou and Izuku carried a cooler with food and drinks, while Mina carried their bags. They sky was mostly clear, the sun was shining bright, and the breeze ruffled through their hair.
About midway through the path, they stopped to rest and look around. The omega heard a stream trickling nearby, so he went to check it out, but as he bent over, he slipped and fell.

Mina rushed to help the freckled man. The fall wasn’t that bad, but it must’ve hurt like a bitch.

Izuku was dizzy; he heard a male say, “-gotta be more careful.” Logically, he knew it was Eijirou, but his brain supplied ‘Kacchan’. He balled his fists; this couldn’t be happening!

But it was.

Images of the past flashed through his mind; Katsuki was upset in all of them.

’I know you’re not useless, so quit acting like it, or I ain’t going out with you again.

You’re better than this, Deku.

Tch. What kind of omega are ya that you can’t even muster a bit of grace—or is it that you reserve your coordination for fighting and fucking alone?

You gotta stop makin’ people worry, nerd, or they’ll get tired of cleanin’ up after your ass.’

His eyes were filled with tears at the thought of those words alone, but soft caresses along his arm and hair broke him out of his haze, meeting a most worried pair of eyes.

“Where did you go, handsome?” Mina asked in a low tone as if afraid of spooking him.

Eijirou shot him a crooked smile. “You blanked out there for a minute, ‘Zu. Got us a bit worried; the fall didn’t seem that bad.”

Izuku looked down at his arms and saw the scuffed-up forearms but was otherwise okay.

Was he acting useless again? Was he being embarrassing? Was he just being a burden? He wanted the thoughts to just go away. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone?

Seeing that he hadn’t responded, Mina scented his wrist and tried to address him again, tucking a curl behind his ear. “You didn’t hit your head, did you, babe?”

Izuku shook his head, both in answer and to dispel the remaining memories. “I’m okay; just spaced out like Ei said.”

They seemed unconvinced but jumped to their feet anyway.

“Ready to go, then?” Eijirou bounced, extending his hand for the omega to take.

“Yeah.”

’Alphas are so kind, so caring’

Izuku had been thinking a lot. His pre-heat brain might be making his omega even more vocal than it usually is, but it had been hyper focused on finding a mate. Even if it wasn't Kacchan. It was to be expected, he supposed; it was the first time since middle school where he has been without suppressants of some sort.

After fifteen more minutes of walking, they saw the opening and their breath was taken away.

Izuku faintly heard a, “So cool, man,” from Eijirou as they took in the sight. The sea before them was a shimmering gradient of blues, the sky was clear, and the fine, white sand felt like powder between their toes. The waves crashed lazily against the shore and the breeze blew lightly. It was so peaceful.

The only downside was that palm trees were scarce, but they managed to find a spot where the forest they were hiking through connected to a trio of palms and set up their area under the shade.
The best part? There was no one else there—they had the whole beach to themselves! Sero wasn’t kidding when he said they’d be free to relax without fear of fans or the media.

Izuku hummed a happy tune while Kirishima and Mina fought over the barbeque. He helped unload their beach chairs and spread out their towels, but his mind drifted once more.

He though about Katsuki, though mostly as someone to learn from. He wondered about the ‘what if’s’, sure—it would be weird if he didn’t—but he’d thought about those so much in the past two weeks that his heart was slowly accepting reality and, in a way, he felt relieved about the whole situation. If Katsuki had mated him out of duty or as a favor, he didn’t think he could have ever forgiven him.

“Hey, ‘Zu, can you help me here?” Eijirou asked, bringing him back to the real world, holding out a sunscreen bottle. “Mina’s getting the meat ready to grill.”

“Yeah, sure!” Izuku was so sure he could do it; they’d put on sunscreen on each other before and even bathed together, but for some reason, his heart sped up while applying the thick, white substance over the redhead’s taut back muscles.

A groan left the other man when he rubbed at the shoulders, and Izuku froze, afraid that he’d slick up as a response. “Damn, that feels good; don’t stop.”

Mina was giggling behind them. “Don’t mind him; he just loves a good rub down. It’s sunscreen though, so apply it and ignore the protest.”

“Hey!”

“You can get a massage later; don’t whine about it you big puppy!”

Izuku tried but failed at muffling a laugh, and the alphas looked pleased. As soon as they were all ready, they went into the water, swam around, played and splashed, but about an hour in, Izuku decided to just float—after Mina and Ei both promised not to let him drift away, of course.

Eyes closed, he began to think of Shinsou’s admittance about preferring to spend his future with a friend, and while it was a valid preference and he agreed they’d be good together, he didn’t want to deprive Shinsou of the opportunity of finding a loving mate. Their tastes aligned, just not their relationship preferences.

But Mina and Ei…

“Hey, Zuks, want to go play some volleyball before we eat? We have to reapply soon, too.”

Izuku smiled brightly. “Sounds fun! I’d love to!”

The rest of the day was spent in utter bliss. They ran on the beach, found a few areas to explore, and by mid-afternoon, they were ready to leave.

If only the peace would’ve lasted.

The moment they stepped into the main path that led them to the parking lot, they were swarmed by the media, Mina and Eijirou immediately flanking Izuku on each side so that others wouldn’t get so close.

“Hero Deku, Hero Deku! What happened between you and Dynamight?”

They powered through. He would have to release a statement about it later.

“Why did you two break it off? Was it amicable?”

Eijirou growled, telling them to back off; that harassing them on their free time wasn’t manly.

“Did you leave him for his best friends? Is the symbol of peace a cheater?”

At that the two alphas snarled, and the reporters flinched, but didn’t walk away. An oppressive scent filled the air, a mix of disappointment and anger. The omegas among the group began curling in on themselves at the possible threat."

All eyes fell upon Izuku, but Izuku couldn’t bring himself to care. “Dynamight and I were never together; therefore, I am not a cheater.” It tasted bitter on his tongue, but his rage spurred him on. "We are hero partners and will continue to be hero partners.” They kept walking, they were near the car. “Leave Pinky and Red Riot out of this too. It’s none of your business. If you need to know something, I’ll release a damn statement. Now, back off!”

Quickly, the trio threw everything in the trunk of the car and jumped in, trying to ignore the rising clamor of the press and the flashing of cameras all around. The cacophony of sounds, made it hard to concentrate. Eijirou fumbled with the keys, and Izuku and Mina had to try to put on their seatbelts a few times before achieving their goal. As Eijirou pulled out of their spot, the last they heard was, “What are your thoughts of Dynamight’s appearance with international desert hero, Sahara?”

“Sahara?” Mina questioned.

Eijirou drove out of the parking lot furiously, as quickly as he would without running over anyone—although his alpha would’ve been more than happy to do so. What the hell?! Couldn’t they let them have one moment of tranquility?

Mina looked back at Izuku, who was absentmindedly picking at his nails, but he had a faraway look. Slowly taking his hand and intertwining their fingers, she asked, “Everything okay, hun?”

Izuku shook his head and gave a shaky smile. “Yeah, yeah. I was just…surprised. I'm processing the information. I’d forgotten about her for a minute there.”

“Do you know which hero they were talking about?” Eijirou asked, taking a left to enter the highway.

The omega shifted a little in his seat and tightened his grip a little before taking a deep breath and answering, “Yup. She’s visited UA a few times. One of the few people, especially omegas, Kacchan actually likes to be around besides us.” His voice got smaller, and he kept his eyes fixed on the joined hands while he spoke. “We met her at UA. Rough family history—probably worse that Shouto’s, considering her dad never changed, but she overcame it. She was one of the few that defeated Kacchan effortlessly at first. It pissed him off, though now they’re more or less well matched.” Izuku chuckled.

The two alphas were confused, was their omega happy or upset? There was no scent other than his base scent.

As if reading their minds, Izuku explained, “We met her during a team-up mission at the beginning of second year. I was actually jealous, but Kacchan said he hated how insufferable she was, and I was so happy when he continued to heat and rut share with me that I didn't press it.”

This time, Eijirou interjected. “Okay, but if she was at UA and she’s known you guys for so long, how come we never met her?”

“Yeah, babes, it’s weird.”

“She was there on a secret mission; we weren’t allowed to tell. Then one day…she just left. She almost died, and Kacchan closed up about her; said never to mention her again. I know she tried reaching out, but he never accepted it. We didn’t see her until this year. We had a mission together a few months back, and I asked him to invite her over.”

Mina squeezed Izuku’s hand, searching his freckled face for answers. “How do you feel about that now?”

Izuku chewed his inner cheek, mulling over the question, but the answer was surprisingly clear. “I’m glad she came. Kacchan had said that if there was anyone for him, it was me, but…I’m not the one for him, I can see that now. I think if we were meant for each other, something would’ve happened on his part at some point within the last ten years.”

Eijirou and Mina held their breath for a moment. The redhead had never wished to have paid for transportation more in his life. He wished he could see into those emerald eyes and try to decipher what the other was feeling, but he could feel the hope through his bond with Mina.

Izuku looked at the two with fondness; his heart, though still heavy from mourning, now seemed lighter—he didn’t feel like dying anymore, and he’d even felt moments of unbridled joy with the two, so it was a definite improvement. “I think that Kacchan has someone else out there for him, someone who can understand how he feels. If anyone can feel that drive, but also the burden that comes along with it, it’s her. I’m glad that if neither Ei nor I can be with him for the time being, that he has her, regardless of whether it’s as a friend or lover.”

“I’m so proud of you, Zuzu,” Mina whispered, scenting Izuku’s wrist before releasing his hand.

“Yeah, man; that’s super mature of you.”

The greenette smiled, and they could tell it was honest.

The rest of their time went by without a hitch. They cooked together, played some video games together, and play fought a little before heading to bed. It was fun, and the tension from the media mob had been released.

Izuku knew he wanted to try one thing before his heat settled in; he wanted to convey his sincerity, and maybe his intention a little. He’d need to talk with Hitoshi after they visited Mei, but for now…

After they were settled in, there was a knock at the door. Eijirou looked at Mina skeptically. There was no way that—

“Hey, um,” Izuku began, the tips of his nose and ears a bright red, his hands shaking from the nerves, “t-think I could sleep here tonight?”

“Of course!” Eijirou piped up, his voice cracking slightly from excitement.

The alphas sat up immediately, making space between them. The omega’s scent immediately invaded their senses…unfiltered. It was too good to be true; they still couldn’t believe it. Mina quickly asked, “Zuzu, you’re not wearing scent blockers?”

Izuku, who had begun to climb onto the bed recoiled and went to remove his knee from the mattress in a hurry, wondering if maybe he did do something wrong. “Oh, does it make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry I should’ve asked. I’ll go apply some now. You know, maybe I shouldn’t—”

Both alphas reached out to grab a wrist to prevent him from leaving.

Mina smiled and rubbed circles on his hand. “No, hun. I was asking to make sure you were comfortable, especially after…that last morning. I didn’t want you to do it for our benefit. This has to be something you want.”

And for a moment, Izuku just stood there, focusing on breathing and going over the words in his mind, words that assured him that the alphas still wanted him, that he hadn’t ruined everything.
'Go to alphas, trust alphas. Our alphas are good; they keep us warm, safe,' his omega urged.

Eijirou smiled and gave his arm a small tug. “We love your scent, omega. Please give us a chance?”

And Izuku gave his own wobbly version back as he accepted the invitation and laid down in the space they made. “Yeah. Sorry for freaking out. I don’t want to…upset you, I guess? This is all new—strange—in a way.”

Mina cupped his face and looked into his verdant eyes. “No need to apologize at all. I should have worded it better.”

Izuku nodded. As he turned a little, he felt Eijirou wrap his hands around his waist.

“Is this okay?” the redhead asked.

Another nod. Mina scooted closer and laid her head on his chest, which prompted him to curl an arm around her.

His heart felt like it would break out of his chest, the nerves making his senses hyperaware. He felt Eijirou’s breath on his neck, Mina’s fingers tracing soothingly along his arm, their calming and happy scents surrounding him, the cool air that flowed through the room…but he also felt the way their bodies seemed to perfectly slot together, the way their heartbeats soon aligned, the way that nest felt like the most comfortable thing he’d ever laid in.

Despite the feeling of betrayal and guilt still lingering in the back of his mind, he had to admit, he felt at home. These alphas were his chance to love and be loved, these alphas were his home, his future.

His eyes closed with a flutter, only saying a soft, “Good Night, Ei and Mina.”

“Good night, loves,” Mina sighed happily.

“Sweet dreams,” Ei muttered, nuzzling further into Izuku’s scent gland.

And swathed in comfort, they all drifted off. Any stress or trouble could be dealt with later.

Chapter Text

Katsuki saw as the curvy brunette wearing sunglasses and a black face mask exited the airport with two suitcases in hand. The moment gold met crimson, the suitcases were released, she broke into a sprint and crash-landed in his arms, squeezing him tightly around his midsection. He cursed at the brusque show of affection but returned it just as strongly. He felt the tension he didn’t even know he had seep from his shoulders.

Despite never having taken in Sahara's scent, she had brought an odd sense of comfort with her bluntness and determination in a time where he was going through a lot of turmoil and change. When she left in the cover of night, when he witnessed her almost-death through a small screen, when they all spent months wondering if she’d make it, he decided she wasn’t worth the worry and effort. He’d already gone through enough with Deku; he wasn’t about to invest in another self-sacrificial idiot. She was just a distraction from a larger goal. They could’ve been great friends if he had been more mature; he can recognize that now. Katsuki had spent years erasing Sahara, erasing every conversation, every sparring session, ever cooking match they’d had from his memory to no avail, and now she was back…thanks to Deku, who convinced him to call.

Looking up at him, she lowered the mask to reveal a shit-eating grin. “Hey there, Blondie.” She winked. “Shitty backup has arrived! Did ya miss me?”

“Tch. Who’s missing your annoying ass?” he smirked, unwinding his arms and going to retrieve her luggage.

As Katsuki threw the luggage in the back seat, he heard them—camera shutters. With a sigh, he lowered himself into the driver’s seat and shot his PR manager a text.

“That’s going to be a nightmare, isn’t it?” she asked with a grimace.

“Yup. You’re a PR disaster in Japan.”

Katsuki pulled out of his parking spot and began their drive to the hotel.

“Sorry. I forgot how trigger happy they are here.”

“And how hugging and touching people here are something more than just a greeting?” He scoffed. “You’re just too used to it, Goldie.”

There was a beat of silence. It stretched enough that it became awkward. Katsuki could practically hear the gears turning in her head. It bothered him. “You never beat around the bush in the past, don’t start now.”

She chuckled. “True. Hugging, kissing, touching—it's all super common where I’m from. So, not beating around the bush, how’d you fuck up? I don’t smell him on you.”

“Don’t smell who?”

Sahara rolled her eyes. “Deku, you idiot; thought he’d be your mate by now.”

“Never was, never will be,” he grumbled. He was getting a bit tired of that question.

“Did you want him to be?”

His grip tightened around the wheel. “Nope. Never really felt like that for anyone.”

She let out a low whistle. “How’d he find out? He seemed to think you guys were together last I spoke to him, and he was going through all those medical issues.”

He shifted in his seat. “Even you knew, huh? Well, it was…a mess, but we’re dealing with it. He’s choosing a mate soon.”

The brunette hummed and her hand found the forearm he’d rested on the center console. “And how are you holding up? I know you care more than you let on. Do you have a support system?”

Katsuki sighed, “Why do you care? We haven’t really spoken in years.”

The hand around his forearm gave a small squeeze, as if to say, ‘I’m here’, and she gave a sigh of her own. “Because, ‘Tsuki, you may no longer be my crush, and we might not talk as much, but I’d like to think we’re still friends.” She paused, retreating the hand, placing both hands on her lap. “I know I betrayed you that year. You said you and your friends would find a way to help me and I ran off alone, knowing what you’d gone through with AFO and Deku…I was stupid-”

“Yeah, you were.”

“-but Momo and Shouto aside, you’re still one of my best friends. You know things that no one else knows, and I’d like to think it goes both ways.”

“You were stupid to have a crush on that punk, too, you know?”

“Psht, of course I do!”

“Oi! You don’t have to agree.”

“Um, I do? It turns out that affection was probably more of a big bro thing than a mate thing.”

He freed a hand and pushed the side of her face. “Ew, another annoying brat. Can we just go back to fighting every five seconds?”

“Nah! My big bro needs someone to kick his ass back into gear!” She grinned, batting his hand away and leaning over to him just in the slightest.

He chuckled. “Still a pain in the ass, huh?”

“Always,” she chirped.

“So, what have you been up to, you nightmare?”

The car ride settled into a comfortable back and forth. It was strange to have this sort of interaction after all the drama that had happened in the past two weeks, almost unnatural. The conversation stilled once they pulled up to a gated driveway. It was a large traditional house, well kept by maids and international heroes who stayed from time to time, belonging to Sahara’s family.

“Are you sure you want to stay here?” he asked. “Pretty big house for you to be alone.”

She pressed the code to enter as she answered, “Yeah. It’s less drama than a hotel, and it’s still pretty close to the city. I’m staying for a while too, so it’s best if I don’t have to pay.”

“Why are you back?”

The brunette slumped a little in her seat, biting the inside of her cheek. “Remember that last fight?”

Katsuki sighed, putting the car in park. “Yeah, how can I forget? One minute we’re fuckin’ relieved it’s all over, and the next that spider bastard basically melted half your shoulder before the recording cut.”

Golden eyes refused to meet his, her tone dropping almost to a whisper. “That’s the one. I…I owe you an explanation.”

“Want to just go inside?” he gruffed. He didn’t want to talk about this, but he could practically hear his therapist saying it would be good to get closure.

“No, let me just-“

“Fine.”

“I never came back because I was ashamed, terrified, really. I’d left you all here, and recovery took too long. My mind was hazy at the beginning; I was unconscious for weeks. It was months before I could speak, another three before I could even move my fingers…a year had gone by without contact and I could never really find the right words to justify everything. You were dealing with your own shit, and Deku was still recovering from his own battle. I just thought it’d be best to cut ties.”

“Stupid asshole.”

She giggled, looking out the window, though the mirth didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I am. So are you.”

He swatted the back of her head, though his chest seemed a little lighter. “You shouldn’t decide stuff for other people. We would’ve helped you, dumbass. Even half ‘n half came ‘round askin’ about you.”

“I know.” She turned around looking straight at him. “But that wasn’t what I needed. Being alone helped me realize I was in the wrong too. It helped me grow and be a better hero afterward, though with support of course,” she smiled moving her shoulder that sported a brace.

“Thought that was part of your hero costume.” He furrowed his brow, curiously looking at the intricate shoulder support that peeked beneath her shirt.

“Nope. I have permanent damage.”

He grunted and stared at it for a moment, noticing her expectant look, before realizing, “You’re retiring, aren’t you?” Dread coiled in his gut. Once again, his thoughts went to, ‘we failed, we didn’t protect, we weren’t good enough to trust,’ but he snapped out of it. It wasn’t the time, even if his alpha kept on badgering him, telling him it was true. He was unworthy; he failed two omegas now.

A wry smile made itself onto her face. It looked wrong. “Yeah. Sorry we can’t compete for number one here. Made it close enough in internationals though, huh?”

“Idiot,” he grumbled, unbuckling his seatbelt. “That’s not the only thing I care about.”

Sahara undid hers as well and they rounded the car to get the luggage. Grabbing on to his wrist, she held his gaze with a little determination, just like Deku’s when he was about to give up but didn’t want to. “You better make it for both of us, but before we can do that, let’s talk about you. Can’t be number one with that much pity and self-loathing.” With that, she let go, they took out the suitcases, and she shut the trunk.

“Just when I was starting to tolerate you,” he mumbled, following her inside.

There was a longing in his heart to make amends with the only person besides Deku who’d immediately accepted and understood his personality. He’d pushed Deku away and the man had forgiven him; he’d pushed Sahara away and she’d also come back, but the past weeks had taught him that people would eventually get tired of that, so he would do his damn best to be decent this time around. If that meant talking about things that made him want to blast his own face off, then that’s what he’d have to do. Start with her, let his merry band of idiots in again—because they didn’t stop blowing up his phone, and when the bond was broken, he’d talk to Deku. He needed to do better for both their sakes.

The house had been cleaned and the fridge stocked with food before they arrived, so they agreed to busy themselves with cooking. Old rivalry sparked within them: a glance, a smirk, a nod—it was all they needed.

“I’ll take the food,” Katsuki said, as he took out the fresh ingredients, “Can’t have you poisoning us with your weird combinations.”

Sahara chuckled. “You weren’t complaining during the last mission, but I guess I’ll make the dessert because your taste buds are singed off from all that spice.”

It was invigorating, to move seamlessly within the kitchen, focused only on the plate before them. No drama, no heartbreak, no doubt— just food.

Once everything was ready, they sat down.

“Feeling better?” she asked with a knowing smile.

He looked at her skeptically. “Why’d you do it?”

Sahara began serving their plates. “Competition always seemed to calm you down—well, relatively, but you know what I mean.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, yeah, ‘m better.”

She smiled. “Good. Now eat, and tell me, what did I miss?”

And for once, Katsuki decided to be wholly honest with both her and himself. He told her about his and Deku’s arrangement, about the letter, about the bond, about how he made things worse by drinking himself to oblivion, about the people courting Deku, about his alpha’s appearance at work—everything.

He felt his chest tighten as he spoke, his alpha always providing unhelpful commentary, and throughout the whole thing, she didn’t interrupt, didn’t judge, didn’t try to cheer him up; Sahara only listened. He didn’t cry, though. He’d done enough of that. He only felt this ache, this guilt, this hollow feeling in his chest that wouldn’t go away. It was that nagging voice that told him he’d be unloved, that he wasn’t worth it, that he was a failure.

They had long since finished their food by the time he finished. He half-expected her to dissect the situation, half-expected her to berate him over his actions, but again, she did not react as he expected.

She mulled over the details in silence, not meeting his eyes.

“Fucked up so bad I left ya speechless, huh?”

The brunette shook her head. “Not at all. I was just thinking you two have had a messed up past two weeks. Your alpha must be driving you mad, right?”

Katsuki clicked his teeth. “Fucker won’t shut up.”

“Deku’s omega must be about the same, yet he’s taking the steps towards a healthier future. So, what will you do for your health?”

“Hah?! Did you not hear what I said? I fucked up, but I’ll be fine, Goldie.”

“You won’t if you don’t get help; I’ve seen it happen before,” she said with a frown. “Our second natures can be both blessings and curses. Sometimes our desires clash with our omega or alpha and you can feel like one part of you is slipping.”

Katsuki averted his eyes. “Yeah,” he said softly.

“Friends help a lot; most times one can vent a little and things are righted, but this situation goes beyond venting, don’t you think?”

He didn’t answer, eyes focused on the fountain he could see through the window. The water flowed in a steady stream, it was constant, soothing. She waited until he shifted in his seat; for an indication that he was still listening.

“Your friends haven’t exactly been as available. If I remember correctly, Denki and Sero would’ve tried cheering you up in the first days, but when you didn’t respond, they probably backed up. This is exacerbated by the fact that the situation was so tense and between two friends, so they couldn’t show favoritism—especially because Eijirou and Mina were involved too.”

Why could she always read him like this?

He grunted. “What’s your point?”

“Have you considered therapy?”

“Why?”

She pouted. “This is a big change in your life. Deku had been a key player in every aspect of it, and while he’ll still be there as your hero partner and as your friend, he’ll be someone else’s mate. Even if you don’t feel anything romantic towards him, this is going to affect you—is already affecting you—and you’ll feel his absence deeply. Am I right?”

Katsuki bit his lip, mulling over her words, then gave an almost imperceptible nod.

“I’m glad you’ve become more sincere, ‘Tsuki.; it shows how much you’ve grown.”

He scowled. “That’s not what we’re talking about, ya sap. Shut up!”

Sahara chuckled. “Your reddened ears betray you, oh dear, Dynamight.”

The blond threw a cushion at her which she dodged by shifting the area to sand for a moment before solidifying again.

“Demon spawn. You were brought here to torture me, weren’t you?”

She gave him a feral grin and leaned forward as if to pounce. “Oh, we’re just getting started.” However, she leaned back and grabbed the cushion he’d thrown, placing it on her lap. “But we haven’t finished out conversation yet, so that’ll have to wait.”

He rolled his eyes, but there was no heat behind the action. “Fine. What else?”

“As I was saying, this is a big change, and a therapist could help you navigate it. It did me wonders to have someone after…you know.”

“I’ll think about it.”

She gave a pleased nod. “So, what else will you do?”

He tilted his head slightly and scrunched his brow in confusion. “What else what?”

“This is your journey of self-improvement! What’ll you do to achieve happiness?”

“Is this some hippie bullshit?”

She chucked the cushion back at him. “No! You deserve happiness. You made a mistake—okay, a shit ton— and you were an ass who hurt your best friend, sure! That same best friend forgave you and is willing to patch things up, so that’s one thing out of the way. BUT…what makes Katsuki Bakugou happy? Besides being number one, you workaholic bastard.”

He chuckled. “You’re the worst.”

“Buuuuut…?”

“But, I guess, you don’t suck as much as everyone thinks.”

“No one thinks that.”

“I do.”

“Keep going.”

He sighed. “I guess I can try to be more honest about my—ugh—feelings.”

“That’s a good start, but I didn’t ask what you’d do for others. Yeah, being honest will help your relationships, but the others aren’t the ones feeling like crap, you are.”

“Your point?”

She pinched her bottom lip in a moment of thought and then gasped. “I have an idea!”

“I’m terrified.”

She grinned. “You have to stay occupied all week so your alpha doesn’t go interrupt the new bonding. So, we are having brother/sister bonding time!”

“That’s a terrible idea.”

“No, no, no! We can invite the rest of the BakuSquad-”

“Don’t encourage that term.”

“-and we could go hiking, camping,”

“Okay?”

“Maybe get some rare spicy food in that restaurant in Osaka you like? Self-care is the lesson of the day!”

“I hate it.”

“I know, and you hate yourself, too, which is why we’re doing this. You need to do stuff that makes you empowered, that makes you feel good, and doing stuff for you helps. We need to find something competitive too. So, consider yourself unavailable and kidnapped for the next week.”

“I should’ve sent you back. Is it too late to return you?”

“Non-refundable purchase, I’m afraid.” She grinned. “So, you onboard?”

“Do I have a choice?”

She didn’t answer, taking their dishes to the sink instead, leaving him to think about their conversation. Despite a thousand insecurities still lurking around, he smiled, because for the first time in a while, his alpha was quiet, and there was a small feeling that this was a step in the right direction.

Chapter Text

Eijirou woke up feeling warm, so very warm. Opening his eyes just barely, he saw Izuku curled up to his side, a soft purr vibrating in his chest, and Mina clinging to Izuku’s back like a koala. He chuckled, taking advantage to run his fingers through both of their smooth, wavy hair. The omega had surprised them that night. Izuku wanted to be with them. His alpha was so happy, he could almost burst. But he couldn’t. He needed to be patient and wait for the omega’s decision to be explicitly confirmed.

After a deep inhale—because damn that preheat scent was amazing—he made to detach Izuku from his torso, but the omega hugged him tighter.

“No, stay,” the guy mumbled.

Eijirou whined. How was this fair?

“I have to. We have work soon,” the redhead explained. “Mina has to go too.”

“Mmm’k,” Izuku replied with a pout, before releasing the alpha, sitting up, and rubbing his eyes awake. He was always cuddlier before his heat.

Eijirou smiled softly. “You know you can stay a bit longer.”

The omega shook his head. “No, no. I need to run…meeting Hitoshi.”

“Okay, okay. Can you wake up Mina? I’ll go bathe first.”

Izuku nodded and waved the alpha off, then turned to Mina who was still deep in slumber. She looked so beautiful even in her sleep, it wasn’t even fair. He felt slightly entranced, tracing her features with his index finger. She stirred sleepily beside him.

“Mina, it’s time for work.”

She snuggled deeper into his chest. “Ugh, just give me a minute.”

“Mina,” he cooed, “if you wake up, I’ll bring back those pastries you like from Amai’s.”

That earned him a stretch. She smiled lazily and pressed her forehead to his. He immediately flushed but tried to keep his nerves under control.

“M’kay. You better,” she muttered.

Mina was just sleepy; his pheromones probably had her a bit loopy, that’s all. And then she did something he absolutely did not expect. She smiled sleepily and gave him a peck on the lips, resting her palm on his cheek fondly, before getting up and joining Eijirou in the bathroom.

The greenette’s brain fizzled. Had she just—What?!

But she didn’t mention it when she came out, nor did she act any differently during breakfast. Had she still been asleep?

The redhead looked at him worriedly. “You okay, ‘Zu? You seem a bit distracted.”

“Yeah!” he squeaked, before busying his mouth with the rest of his food. The two alphas looked skeptically but continued eating as well. It was better to stay quiet. She probably didn’t even notice.

As soon as he finished, Izuku took a bath and applied his blockers. He checked the calendar on his phone. He didn’t have many days. Two more at most. He needed to leave everything settled by then.

After breakfast, he pulled on his softest hoodie on with a fitted pair of jeans and his signature red shoes. Hitoshi was already waiting when he got to their meeting point.

“Hey.” The man nodded in greeting and threw an arm around him. “Ready for your super cool upgrade?”

“Yeah!” Izuku beamed a smile, but there was a little nagging feeling; like he shouldn’t allow his friend to do that. While he was pack, he was also an unmated alpha, and his system was…adjusting to this whole situation. Not even a full minute into their walk, Izuku's phone buzzed.

Sahara: Hi! Landed yesterday. Blondie’s safe w me.

The omega paused and stared at the message.

Lavender eyes studied him. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just wasn’t expecting someone to write.”

Hitoshi shrugged. “Okay. If you say so.”

I.M.: Kk. Thnx for letting me know. Good flight?

Sahara: Yups! I’ll b around when you finish ur heat. Lunch soon?

I.M: Sounds good!

Sahara: Bring ur mates~ I’d love to see who claimed Japan’s #1 Ω 😉

I.M: Lol don’t say it like that >///<

Sahara: C ya! Have fun~

He felt his ears heat. He was definitely trying not to think about the upcoming days. Looking up with a nervous chuckle, Izuku said, “Sorry! A friend arrived and they want to meet up after my heat.”
“That’s fine. You don’t have to explain.”

They walked for a few short minutes making small talk about patrols and recent events until they arrived at the building. A secretary greeted them immediately and led them up with a polite, “Ms. Mei will see you now.”

Izuku noticed a small twitch the alpha’s nose gave but chalked it up to allergies because he didn’t sense anything out of order with the scents nearby. Still, the higher they went, the more it happened; like Hitoshi was being troubled by something—or someone.

“Deku!” Mei squealed when she saw them enter, running up and hugging the omega tightly until his bones hurt.

“H-Hey, Mei. You said you had some time to talk about an upgrade today?”

“Sure! Follow me!”

Then she noticed the tall alpha beside him and turned to greet him, but Izuku was baffled at what he saw. The moment the two shook hands, scenting accidentally due to Mei’s enthusiasm, it was as if the universe had slowed down, allowing the beta and the alpha to coexist without interruptions. Their pupils dilated, breath hitched, and bodies shivered. He could smell the interest on them both.

It was an instant connection.

He coughed involuntarily, cursing when he noticed how quickly they both released. Mei was the first to snap out of the daze the found themselves in.

“S-sorry. That was weird,” she smiled a little too strongly. “Let’s go up to the lab and we’ll hash out the specifics, okay?”

Izuku nodded, shooting Shinsou a teasing smile. While Mei went to get her tablet, he bumped shoulders with the alpha. “Won’t happen, huh?” he giggled. “Go after your chance at happiness, dummy. Betas don’t react that way unless it’s a highly compatible match.”

Shinsou’s eyes widened with understanding and guilt.

The freckled hero shook his head. “I’m happy, so don’t worry about that. I’m not going back him.”

From guilt to gratefulness in an instant, the alpha smiled which the omega returned.

“I’m back!” Mei chirped, and Izuku knew she would be there to stay.

Throughout the whole meeting, Izuku could feel the other two stealing glances. Shinsou was so nervous, like the omega hadn’t seen since high school, so it was he who ended up passing on the alpha’s number to Mei with a wink.

Still, they went to grab a bite to eat and spent the rest of the morning together. When they parted, it was with well wishes for their respective relationships and a promise to meet up again soon.

As Izuku walked back through the busy streets of Japan, he couldn’t help but think of the two alphas he’d be saying “yes” to. They’d done so much, shown him so much love and patience, in such a little amount of time, that he wanted to do things right—even if it wasn’t the traditional approach. Then again, none of this was.

His phone vibrated against his thigh.

Kacchan: Hey, nerd. Got everything u need?

Izuku smiled. Even though they weren’t together, Kacchan had always cared.

I.M.: Yup ^_^ Buying a few last min things rn

He’d just arrived at the shopping mall. He had about two hours to get back home before he needed to reapply blockers, so he’d need to be quick.

Kacchan: Don’t b stupid

Kacchan: U decided?

The freckled man nibbled on his bottom lip, putting a few snacks in the cart before answering. He had decided, but telling Kacchan about it was still a bit bittersweet. He wanted to share the news with his best friend, he had no doubts his chosen ones were good for him, but his omega occasionally still called out to the one who’d never be his.

Izuku sighed and shook his head. Contrary to what he thought he’d feel, he honestly couldn’t wait to for the bond to be broken. It was so heavy on his heart and his mind; he was so tired of feeling like he was rejected, a mistake.

He’d held back all these years, but he refused to do so any longer. Maybe being clearer about it, more explicit, would’ve saved him the heartache. He’d learned his lesson. After grabbing the beef jerky he knew Eijirou would die for, he texted back.

I.M.: Yup!

Before thinking about it too much, he attached a picture they’d taken that night at the rooftop and sent it.

Kacchan: Good. Those fuckers are crazy about u

Kacchan: This is weird…

I.M: Yeah ^^; it is…but thnks Kacchan. It means a lot

He wondered on whether to ask or not, whether it’d be weird or not, but Izuku figured it’d be harmless to ask.

I.M: Sahara txted me. She wants to meet up after my heat?

Kacchan: Yeah. She’s kidnapping me this week so I don’t fck up

I.M: Have fun! I’m glad you have her

Kacchan: ‘m not. Doesn’t suck as much as I thought tho

The omega smiled. Kacchan was happy, even if he didn’t write it, and that relieved some of the pressure in his chest.

Putting his phone away, he finished his purchases. He still had three hours before Mina and Ei’s shift was done, and they had a short meeting after. It should be enough time to get everything ready.

Chapter Text

Back at the Kirishima household, Izuku cleaned up the place as best as he could. Then, he got to work to the big task at hand: fixing that nest. Alphas weren’t always great at making nests, and while this one was decent—and thoroughly scented—it was messy, as if done in a rush. Plus, it didn’t have anything much padding on the sides or items belonging to Izuku. Although it was a constant battle with himself, he was going to be a part of that unit now, and he wanted to show Mina and Ei that he meant it. Re-building the nest alone to accommodate his own supplies took up a little over an hour of his time. After he deemed the room acceptable, he stored the extra provisions they’d need where they’d be accessible but wouldn’t affect mobility during the cycle.

He smiled. ’Nest is perfect. We need to show alphas!' his omega chirped.

However, as he gave it one last glance, he couldn’t help but think, “What if they hate it? What if they get angry because I messed with their den? What if they change their minds?” Closing his eyes, he tried to think of good times, but for every good memory, a negative one would resurface. Rejection upon rejection replayed behind closed lids. He could almost hear the husky voice that began each one, and one in particular stood out.

When they moved into their shared apartment after graduating from UA, Katsuki was somewhat harsh with Izuku’s habits, and those moments stung a bit more than others.

“You call this a nest, shitty nerd?! What kind of alpha you plannin’ on bringing here?” Katsuki said with a huff, getting into Izuku’s nest and mindlessly reorganizing pillows.
The freckled man’s omega grated on his nerves. ’Fix nest! Alpha doesn’t approve; he doesn’t like our nest!’

“I tried my best, Kacchan! I’m still learning. It’s not like we had fancy nests back at UA,” he mumbled, eyes already watering in frustration. “I just wanted to fix it for us. You’re the only alpha I’ve ever invited.” Izuku elbowed him out of the space and began to rework the nest he’d spent the last two hours putting together.

Katsuki didn’t try to console or help him again, he just looked at him confusion until it clicked. “Oh, your heat’s soon, right?”

A bright blush covered Izuku’s cheeks and ears. “Yes. Will you be able to spend it with me?” he asked, trying to ignore his omega’s nagging. He knew the blond had been talking about a mission that required travel.

For a moment, Katsuki didn’t answer. He took out his phone and began to scroll, typing away every once in a while.

It made Izuku’s blood still. Was Kacchan rejecting him? Was Kacchan abandoning him for someone else? He was lucky he had patches on from work, or his scent would have given away his uneasy state . His anxiety spiked as the seconds ticked away—Izuku didn’t want the alpha to be upset at him. He was trying to be good! Why wasn’t he ever enough?

After what seemed like an eternity, the blond looked up. “I had to move some things around, but I’ll be here, ya crybaby.” He slapped Izuku’s ass and wiped away an errant tear. “Besides, it’s too short notice for you to find a replacement, hah?” he said with a teasing tone.

Izuku smiled nervously but gratefully. “Why would I need a replacement when I’ve got Kacchan?” Pausing his nest-building, he walked over to the blond and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You said you’re the best, right? Can’t let someone else challenge that.”

The tension had been lifted, his insecurities reassured, and then it all crashed down when Katsuki said, “Got that right! Just fix that shitty-ass nest, or I might just have to bring someone else to teach you how it’s done.”

While the blonde chuckled and went to watch some TV, Izuku fell to his knees, trying to regain some control from his omega. His thoughts were a discordant jumble of words that narrowed down to the fact that Kacchan didn’t find him an acceptable omega, that he wasn’t useful enough, that he was replaceable.

Izuku didn’t want to be replaced.

After that day, Izuku began to sleep less in order to take more trainings during his time off work. Nest-building, cooking, cleaning, sewing, massaging—all the omega-deemed skills, to make sure he could satisfy his partner’s alpha. He wanted to be accepted, to be loved, to be indispensable in someone’s life. Even though he’d planned on asking Katsuki to mate that night, he’d held off, wanting to wait until he was that omega he wanted; until he was deserving of his love. His friends all protested, but he convinced himself that this would be worth it because his relationship with Kacchan was worth it; that all the nerves and nights spent crying would result in their union; that thought alone gave him strength to continue.

It took years to regain some confidence in himself, to take off the rose-colored glasses and start noticing that maybe he wasn’t the problem.

When Izuku opened his eyes, he wiped the tears and looked at the clock. He needed to get started with food and get dressed before the alphas got home. That version of him was in the past; that version of him didn’t have all the facts. This time, things would be better; the alphas had already confessed, his alphas said they loved him. He chuckled, wiping the remaining moisture. He was welcomed, he was cared for. All he needed was to accept their proposition and show them he meant it, that he wanted this and cared for them too. The nest would be okay—his omega said it was perfect, now he needed to make their meal and place the gifts. Izuku nodded, fists closed in determination. He could do that; he’d make his intention clear.

As he prepared their meal, more memories surfaced.

Katsuki had gotten home from a long shift. Aside from petty robbers and lost children, he’d handled two hostage situations and a big-name villain. Suffice it to say, he was exhausted.
He shuffled to the kitchen, wrapping his hands around Izuku’s waist, leaning his weight on the omega’s back.

“What ‘cha cooking there, Nerd?”

Izuku squeezed his arm affectionately and leaned back a little, reveling in the alpha’s scent and the comfort it brought. “Mapo Tofu. I know you’ve had a rough day. Fuyumi coached me through the changes you two made last time.”

Katsuki hummed, slightly scenting him, before releasing his grip.

Izuku looked back and smiled. He enjoyed those domestic moments they had; they were his absolute favorites, and he always did the same thing. He tried committing Kacchan’s relaxed, happy state to his memory, because that was the best reward Izuku could have had to any of his efforts.

“I made you a hot bath. Go ahead, Kacchan. I still need to finish the soup and steam the broccoli.”

The blond grunted, shuffling his feet in place like he did when his pride was at stake, or his alpha was too loud. “Thanks, Deku.”

And Izuku’s omega preened. He’d made alpha happy.

He sniffled a little. “It wasn’t all bad. Kacchan really did have his moments; even if they were just platonic.”

When the rice was ready, and Mina’s favorite stewed okra and tomatoes were almost done, Izuku checked the other dish, Eijirou’s Niku Udon with extra meat. The thing took almost two hours to prepare, but if the smell was anything to go by, it would be worth it.

Why are you fussing so much, Nerd? It’s just our parents!” Katsuki groused, getting up from the couch.

“I just want everything to be perfect, Kacchan! It’s the first time they visit!” Izuku was multi-tasking: Rice, cutlets, two different spicy dishes, soups—it was a lot!

The blond pushed him, but Izuku stood his ground, slapping the other’s hand away.

“It’s not going to be perfect if you keep getting distracted, you idiot—just move over!”

Already exasperated, eyes shining with tears, Izuku begged, “Please, just let me do this!”

He wanted to prove that he was worthy of being Kacchan’s omega. It was enough with his second nature screeching his inadequacies in his mind, he didn’t need his boyfriend telling him this too.
The blond stared at him for one minute, then two.

A knot formed in his chest and kept getting tighter and tighter with each passing second. Izuku was on the brink of what could have possibly been a full-fledged breakdown. After the whole nest fiasco, he’d kept making excuses whenever their parents wanted to visit for dinner just to gain time to learn how to cook something worthy of a Bakugou. This was supposed to be that moment!
Just when the omega thought he’d snap, Katsuki grumbled, “Fine. How do I help, then; you’re making me anxious.”

The knot loosened just a smidge.

'Alpha cares. Alpha wants to help and provide.'

“Check the spices?”

With a grunt from the blond, they both got to work in a comfortable silence. That night, everything had gone well. Mitsuki had eased his worries when she said she was expecting her son to claim him any day now, considering they’d been together for so long.

“Crazy to think it’s been so many years since then.” For a brief moment, he wondered if Mitsuki had heard about their separation, if she had been clued in on the misunderstanding; they were all just as excited as he was. He supposed they must know something. She called her son most weeks. But…he’d worry about them some other time. They were Kacchan’s family and he would get to tell them whenever he was ready.

For that night, all that mattered were his new alphas. Mina and Eijirou…he really hoped they liked all this and that they didn’t have second thoughts.

'Alphas love us, alphas want us. Got to make things perfect for alphas,'his omega chattered, excitedly.

Second natures were so…weird. He giggled. Although, he admitted that it was thanks to his second nature that he’d begun the process of moving on so quickly, that he was given this second chance, and that he’d even considered the pair in the first place. Had he been a beta, he would surely still be crying over Kacchan, and would’ve rejected the other two’s confession just because of their friendship, out of fear of reading signals wrong or ruining what they had, missing out on all the beautiful moments they’d had so far.

‘And the ones to come,’ his mind supplied.

Izuku smiled. “Yeah, and the ones to come.”

After Izuku finished with the food, he took a bath with scentless shampoo and soap, shaved, and moisturized. Despite seeing that he still had some time, he felt antsy, nervous, taking care of every detail related to his person. In truth, he could feel his heat inching closer, his temperature rising, and he hoped he’d at least make it through dinner before it hit.

Though rarely indulging in his omega nature, Izuku did enjoy more omegan clothing during heats, both in soft fabrics, and in lingerie. Under his rolled up burgundy long-sleeved shirt and navy-blue chino shorts, he wore his favorite black strappy, lace body suit that he hoped the alphas would like. He’d never been able to wear it for anyone before and just the thought that anyone would see him had him blushing a bright red as he applied a touch of a glossy lip balm.

“But they will see you, Izuku,” he whispered to himself, “and it’ll go well because you know this is right, and you know they’re aware of it.”

The other alphas had not reacted to his scent, they didn’t act as protectively or as loving, either. Ei and Mina were it, so he could not screw it up.

He looked at the time. “Shit!” Mina and Eijirou would be home any minute and he still hadn’t been able to finish! Taking his pheromone perfume, he dabbed a little below his jaw and on the crook of his elbow; then, he put on his ruby-red studs and applied just the tiniest bit of liner to enhance the green in his eyes.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he nodded in approval.

As if on cue, the door opened, and the alphan couple walked in.

“We’re home, Izu,” Mina said cheerfully, toeing off her sneakers in the genkan.

Eijirou inhaled and his senses were assaulted by the variety of scents in the house—various plates, candles, mate. His gums itched and he looked at Mina. She was just as pleasantly confused.

“Zu, where are you?” the redhead asked, and just then, Izuku came stumbling out of the bedroom looking like a whole damn meal. He was grateful for having left on his scent patch after work, but he was sure their faces said it all.

Izuku—as they both knew—was the most beautiful omega they’d ever seen. He had gorgeous jewels for eyes that would put any king’s treasure to shame, that were framed by thick, dark lashes; glowing skin that was kissed by the gods, sprinkled with cinnamon specks to give a hint to his mouthwatering scent; and that ass and thighs that they’d gladly die between if it meant getting to be that intimate with him if only for a moment. He was perfection and they were in its presence, somehow magnified by the way the omega was dressed and made up. They received a blessed bright smile that erased all negativity from their day, leaving them feeling only grateful and loved.

Their omega had done this for them.

Mina cleared her throat, focusing on the man before them. “Zuks, what’s going on?” she asked breathlessly.

“You look beautiful,” Eijirou said in a daze.

Their omega chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, feeling the shaved part of his new undercut. “Thank you. I’m glad you like it. I wanted to do something in return for all the effort you’ve put into all this—not that you didn’t,” and so began his rambling until Eijirou let out an amused laugh.

“Calm down, man. We’re looking forward to it! Lead the way.” The redhead took his hand and rubbed his knuckles, carefully using the other to scent him. Instantly, Izuku’s heart slowed down a bit.

“Sorry for muttering, I—”

The female alpha cupped the greenette’s face and took off her patch to release her own calming scent. “There’s nothing to be sorry for, hun. Now, what did you have in mind?”

With a shy smile, he grabbed both their hands and let them to where their food had been served. “I made your favorites; I hope you like them.”

“This looks amazing, ‘Zu,” Eijirou praised, and it went straight to the omega’s core.

“Thanks for the meal!” They both hummed, taking their first bite.

Izuku couldn’t bring himself to touch his plate; he was too nervous. What if he’d messed them up? Sure, he was a good cook, but not the best; and those weren’t plates he did often—or at all.

Luckily, the alphas voiced their approval quite quickly, moaning and licking their lips with each bite. It shouldn’t have been as lewd as Izuku’s brain made it seem, but it made him squeeze his legs shut with the hopes that the jolt would be enough to stop from slicking up.

To distract himself, he started up a conversation and grabbed small bites to eat. One of the things he liked most was how easygoing the two were; they knew and talked about everything and had no problem switching topics when needed.

Before they knew it, the food was gone, and it was time for the second detail.

“Oh, I don’t want to forget!” Izuku chirped, going over to the counter to grab the two gifts. “I got you something.”

“You didn’t have to—”

“But I wanted to,” he mumbled as he handed over their respective bags.

This was it. Either he’d be fully accepted or finally rejected. Hopefully, it was the former.

The alphas held theirs gingerly, afraid to break it but excited to know what would be inside.

Eijirou was the first to release a gasp upon seeing the contents, his ruby-red eyes shining with tears. “’Zu, does this mean—"

“Izu, are you sure?” Mina asked, her mouth agape, holding a customized scent bracelet, already scented by both her men.

And to that, the freckled man nodded, taking off his scent patch, with quivering lips and tears of his own threatening to spill, letting his second nature confirm for him.

Suddenly, Mina had taken his hand and pulled him in for a heated kiss, pouring all her emotion and need into it.

Eijirou was behind him brushing his lips over the shell of Izuku’s ears. “We’ve wanted this for so long, omega.” His pupils were already blown, and Izuku could feel the man’s hardening length press against his back. “Let us know if it gets to be too much.”

Izuku couldn’t answer, one hand holding on to the back of Mina’s neck, and the other to Eijirou’s hips—all he could do was feel. Feel as Eijirou planted a trail of bites and kisses down his neck, the grunts and growls against his skin, the large hands that cupped his pecs and a thumb that brushed over his sensitive nipples. Feel as Mina’s hands wandered down his abs to his groin, palming his attentive member, feeling the wetness through his shorts.

He should be ready to present, yet he felt conflicted. He knew he wanted this, but his omega was also whimpering at the absence of his bonded alpha.

Izuku groaned throwing his head back when Eijirou bit at his earlobe—one of his spots. “Y-You—Bond me, bond me first. I’ll fight back if you don’t.”

Both alphas ceased their ministrations and a wave of pain hit the omega, causing him to bend over and let out a small whine.

“Izuku!” The couple rubbed his back asking about what they could do, but he shook his head.

“Bond!”

“You sure?”

“Anything else you need?”

‘Mark, bond, mate. Make alphas ours!’ his omega cried.

Izuku shook his head. Emerald eyes were dilated, leaving only a hint of green, and his breathing became labored. “Do it, please!”

Both of them nodded, gently holding him in place and bit down, letting their venom flow into his system. Izuku let out a sharp cry that turned to a shuddering moan that shot straight to their lower regions.

Mina and Eijirou whispered praises and promises softly as they lapped at the bleeding wound until it stopped. The area was so sensitive, it had the omega twitching with need. They could smell that entrancing scent of arousal filling the air and they swore they’d never felt so pleased.

“Your turn, babe,” Mina said, tilting her head so that Izuku could have better access.

He licked at her scent gland, coaxing the oils. She felt both her own member and pussy throb, already wet and ready, but she knew she needed to be patient. Her trembling hands ran through jade curls, and when his small omegan fangs sunk into her flesh, she tightened her grip.

It felt like her system crashed and rebooted. It was intense, much like it had been with Ei, but at the same time different. With her alpha, she’d felt a burning passion running through her veins, as if both venoms were fighting for dominance until they decided to rule together. But with her omega, she felt a give and take, a harmonious peace causing her system to shift and realign until her entire being was as it should’ve always been.

Then, it was Eijirou’s turn. After seeing how his wife had reacted, he brought the omega over to straddle him. Izuku looked into his eyes and asked, “Are you ready, alpha?” and boy did that shoot straight to his dick, causing him to rock his hips upward involuntarily.

The greenette chuckled, letting some of the tension seep through. “That wasn’t what I was asking, but I think we’ll get to that soon.”

With grin, the alpha submitted to his omega—oh, that sounded so right—and gave clear permission. This time, Izuku scrapped the redhead’s gland with his fangs, licking and sucking the oil. Eijirou’s head spun, and all he could do was hold on to the freckled man’s hips, until—when he least expected it—those small fangs pierced his skin and claimed him as their own. A groan slipped through his lips, but he couldn’t bring himself to be ashamed of it. This is the moment they’d dreamed of for so long and it was finally happening.

Once the moment had passed, and Izuku had cleaned the area up, Mina grabbed his jaw and began to kiss, a bit gentler this time, leaving the omega seated on his partner’s lap, knowing he’d enjoy it; but the omega tried deepening it, letting muffled mewls and grunts fill the air.

She could feel the other’s skin emitting scorching temperatures and knew it was a sign that they needed to act. They could try all the tricks they wanted throughout the week, but right now, they needed to control his heat.

“You’re burnin’ up, hun,” Mina cooed, “Let’s get rid of all this.”

“Yeah, please,” Izuku whimpered. He could already feel himself turning more needy, more submissive, letting his omega take over, but he wanted to remember, so he attempted to stay lucid even if for a little while longer. Having taken suppressants for so long was making it near impossible.

“What’s this, I-zu-ku?” Eijirou purred, playing with the straps that led to the lace over Izuku’s chest. The greenette wasn’t really sure when his shirt had been unbuttoned, but it was now being thrown to the side by a very hungry-looking alpha.

“It seems our breathtaking little minx had another surprise he didn’t tell us about,” Mina said lowering the omega’s pants to get a full view. And what a view it was.

They’d seen him in changing rooms, seen him at the pool, seen him in almost every facet of their lives, but now that they’d get to mate with him? It was downright primal. They wanted to claim him, mark him up, fill his ass up with their seed, and make sure the world knew that the most beautiful omega in the world was theirs.

Mina focused on assaulting his lips and playing with his chest, while Eijirou’s hands tugged at the seam of lace that laid against Izuku’s inner thigh. Thick fingers caressed his shaft, down his scrotum, and went to play with his hole, but they found his next surprise.

“I-I’m ready, just take me.”

Eijirou let out an excited growl. Mina smirked, stroking her husband’s length, while her other hand slipped the drenched plug out of his waiting hole. Izuku waited no time to position himself right above the alpha’s cock, using Mina’s hand as a guide. Without warning, he sat down completely, taking Eijirou fully, releasing a pleasured groan.

The alpha, however, threw his head back, and his arms shot out to hold the omega in place. “Holy ffuck! Wait, wait-“

Izuku rocked his hips as far as he could. “Can’t, can’t! Just move, Ei,” he whimpered impatiently.

To keep him busy as her husband got used to the warmth, Mina focused her attentions on Izuku’s chest, which seemed to have become as sensitive as the rest of him, eliciting noises she’d burn forever in her memory. Soon, Eijirou was ready, and she turned to kiss him while Izuku rode him out.

“Ah-alpha, harder!”

Eijirou’s hips bucked upward, using his hands to bring the omega back down as roughly as he could.

“There, there, there!”

“Shit, ‘Zu,” he growled, pushing the omega to his back and continued to fuck into him at a punishing pace.

Izuku called for Mina to sit on his face, and while he was thoroughly fucked, he ate her out as if she was his last meal. With what little consciousness he had left, he wanted to make he treated them both equally.

And thus, their night—and week—began. Having been on suppressants, made it a longer cycle. Both alphas fell into their ruts, and even after they’d come out of their haze, Izuku was still in his. They had never been gladder to be a thrupple because any regular person would’ve dropped from exhaustion or resorted to heat toys. Instead, while one of them fucked, the other fed or cleaned. They worked seamlessly, as if it was second nature to them—though maybe it was.

By the end of the whole ordeal, a thoroughly fucked out Izuku snuggled against his new alphas, sporting a deeper, more permanent mark. He purred happily and mindlessly caressed Eijirou’s chest where he laid.

“Thank you,” he whispered, wondering once more if this is something he deserved.

He must have muttered part of it because Eijirou brought him closer and Mina pressed a kiss to his temple before she answered, “You deserve this and so much more.”