Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It’s positive

There wasn’t much else to say. After he sent the message, Katsuki went back into the bathroom. Whatever Hitoshi had to say he’d likely be coming to Katsuiki’s dorm to say it. It was how he was. Katsuki could wake up from a two-hour nap to two hundred memes and cat videos but if Hitoshi had something important to say he would do it face to face. Something Katsuki happened to like about him.

This being important was an understatement.

He sat on the edge of the bathtub trying to ignore the plastic stick on the sink counter. His mind was racing. Trying to track and follow what his choices were and what possible outcomes would come from each one. There were a million what-ifs, but there wasn’t much he could do until he knew what Hitoshi was going to say. He felt his jaw clench when he heard his dorm room door open and the padding of socked feet across his floor.

Hitoshi and he had been, not together. It was just some hookups during heats and ruts. The partnership worked for them. Low stakes and low emotional mess. This wasn’t supposed to happen, but Katsuki supposes that’s what all teenagers think. They should have talked about the possibility.

They hadn’t.

When they had gone over pregnancy with all the other dynamic shit in Health class Katsuki hadn’t really given it much thought. Knew just enough to ace all the tests. The class was shitty, it made it all so clinical and now Katsuki is realizing it hadn’t really prepared him for any of the important things, like how the fuck he was supposed to tell his mom.

Katsuki took a deep breath when the light under the door was blocked by shadows and there was a light tapping on the door. He could deal with his mom later, Hitoshi had to come first. He had no idea how the alpha would react to this.

Swallowing the bit of anxiety that was trying to fill his throat, Katsuki finally managed to say, “Door’s open,” before bracing himself.

To his credit, Hitoshi was all chill and almost obnoxiously relaxed. He was leaned against the bathroom door that he had shut behind him and the only real signs of nervousness Katsuki could see were Hitoshi’s slight hand twitches and how he kept stealing glances at the test the same way he had been earlier.

Katsuki wondered idly what Alpha instincts felt like. His Omega ones were screaming at him to close the small gap of the bathroom and smother himself in Hitoshi’s scent. Was that because he was knocked up, or just because he was aware he was knocked up? Would it be like this for the entire stupid pregnancy?
Maybe if he stared hard enough at his shower curtain the feeling would go away. Hitoshi wasn’t talking. Maybe he was waiting for Katsuki to say something, but he didn’t know what to say. There was plenty to talk about, but he had no idea where to begin.

“Are you keeping it?” Hitoshi’s smooth voice felt too loud in the quiet bathroom. It was always a weakness of Katsuki’s and even though he should have expected Hitoshi to speak he hadn’t expected him to suddenly feel so stupidly emotional over it.

His eyes snapped to Hitoshi, really trying to take in his body language. It was the obvious question. They were teenagers, months away from graduation. This wasn’t the time to be having a baby. Especially for two teens who were supposed to be going into Hero work. It would be stupidly dangerous. Reckless. Especially for Katsuki who was going directly into spotlight hero work. The fast heavy action work was already something so many people thought he couldn’t do just for being an Omega, knocked up? He might as well kiss that dream goodbye.

Logically, obviously, the choice was right there. They had no business having a fucking baby.

Katsuki didn’t know what Hitoshi wanted. He looked at how tightly Hitoshi was gripping at his white undershirt. He was clearly keyed up. Because he didn’t want this? Katsuki couldn’t know for sure and whatever his answer was could either be exactly what Hitoshi wants to hear or exactly his worst nightmare.

He watched Hitoshi closely and slowly asked, “Do you want it?”

The snarl that came out of Hitishi’s mouth was quick and biting. It shot right into Katskui’s chest forcing him to clutch at his own shirt and catch his breath. Hitoshi shoved a fist into his own mouth, possibly trying to stop any more noise, his eyes were wide as if he had surprised himself as much as he had surprised Katsuki.

They stared at each other for moments before Katsuki could feel Hitoshi rip his eyes away, intending to leave for some stupid reason. Katsuki had reached his limit though and couldn’t fucking take the space between them anymore. He took the three large strides to the door and harshly spun Hitoshi back around and pinned him against the wall.

Hitoshi didn’t resist the rough handling, nor did he make any moves to stop Katskui when he shoved his nose into the scent gland. The Alpha scent immediately washed over Katsuki, clearing his head just a bit. This was better, it would be easier to talk like this.

“Just answer the stupid question,” Katsuki grumbled.

Being so close had made Katsuki feel less like a spring ready to snap but it hadn’t seemed to help Hitoshi who was still stiff. It ticked Katsuki off. Hitoshi was notorious for just going with whatever, but he thought they had at least gotten close enough that he could trust Katsuki with how he was feeling. How the fuck was he supposed to make that kind of choice without knowing-

“I can’t let you make that choice based on how I feel about it.” Hitoshi’s words surprised Katsuki and there was a soft thud from his head hitting the door. “Don’t you see that?”

Katsuki bit hard at the gland he had been absently nuzzling. It wasn’t a nice thing to do, and it wasn’t fair, but at least now Hitoshi had his hands on him. Even if it was just trying to pry him off. Katsuki wasn’t having it though.

“You think I’m some weak bitch-omega who would let some fucking pathetic alpha make that choice for me?” Katskui snapped, all mean and unfair. He wanted to know what Hitoshi thought so he could make a detailed plan, not so the alpha could pin him into something he didn’t want. He stared down Hitoshi making sure to not give an inch of the submission his omega instincts wanted, to prove he wasn’t so fucking weak. “How pretentious. If you thought knocking me up would get me to lay down and roll over for your shit ass you are sorely mistaken you brain dead piece of-”

Hitoshi’s grip on him suddenly changed from pulling Katsuki off to holding him closer while he laughed. “Fuck Kat, I didn’t think any of that. Don’t be so dumb-”

Katsuki bristled at the mocking. “You’re dumber,” he interrupted with a snap.

Hitoshi didn’t bite at the petty fight bait though and just casually agreed with a, ‘yeah maybe.’

The stiffness in Hitoshi’s muscles loosened and Katsuki felt himself melt against him just a little bit. This felt more right. He was pulled tighter into an embrace and Hitoshi was nosing at Katsuki’s own scent gland.

“I want it,” Hitoshi said softly.

Katsuki shoved out of Hitoshi’s grip. “Good,” he said firmly while taking the stupid test and slamming it into the small garbage can.

“Good?” Hitoshi questioned.

“Yeah, good,” Katsuki said again, “You’d be a shitty alpha to feel otherwise.”

Chapter Text

Hitoshi had always been aware of Bakugo. It was impossible to be in the hero course of UA and not be aware of Bakugo. He was loud, rude, abrasive to a fault, determined, self-centered, and loud. He also had a mean streak a mile wide that Hitoshi had been especially aware of. Things had calmed down in the second year when Hitoshi had officially joined the class, but he had heard the stories. It was conflicting, his personal feelings for bullies and his odd attraction to bratty omegas. Hitoshi always was a rather self-destructive kind of person. It’s why he asked Bakugo to be his rut partner for the thrill of it.

It’s why he was sitting in the back of the class even more aware of Katsuki than he had ever been before.

He had been honest. He wanted the baby. Hitoshi doesn’t think there’s anything on this earth that would ever make him feel differently. It was his baby, and no child of his would ever grow up the way he had. This baby was wanted, wanted from day one and Hitoshi was determined to make it clear they were wanted every day after too.

He watched Katsuki blow up, literally, at something Kaminari was doing and Hitoshi felt his hand twitch. He could feel the nasty possessive instinct pull at him, telling him to put Katsuki somewhere safe. Somewhere where he and their pup wouldn’t be hurt. Instead, Hitoshi forced himself to look out the window, pretending he didn’t keep a sharp ear turned in Katsuki’s direction.

Just because he wanted the baby doesn’t mean Katsuki would keep it. They had talked about it and Katsuki made it clear he hadn’t made the decision yet. Hitoshi had been honest, he wanted the baby. He also told Katsuki he didn’t want to force the omega to carry a child. The thought of losing the baby did horrible things to Hitoshi and it had kept him up all night with awful fits of harsh emotions. Even then, he still would hate to force Katsuki into it. He didn’t want a family built on resentment. Katsuki wasn’t just any omega, he was on a harsh and direct path to becoming a top-rated hero, maybe even the best. A baby would never fit into that equation, they both knew that.

He had told Katsuki he would take the baby alone if he had to, but even that was asking for too much. Pregnancy wasn’t nothing. Hitoshi knew that, but he also knew Katsuki wanted to know every option that was available. If Katsuki would go through with the pregnancy Hitoshi was willing to do anything for the kid.

His eyes slid over to Aizawa who was probably fake sleeping on the desk. Hitoshi’s dream had been to be a hero to prove the people who called him evil wrong. Ever since being taken in by his new parents, he had grown a new appreciation for family.

When Katsuki had told them there was a possibility... and then he got that text, Hitoshi never once questioned what was more important. Still, when he looked down at his desk and at his recent notes on the de-escalation classes he’d been taking this semester he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret. He still wanted to help people.

He wanted to talk to his mom about it, but Katsuki had sworn him to secrecy. Which made sense, there was no reason to make a huge fuss if Katsuki ultimately decided to quietly get rid of it.
He felt his hormones flare out before the rest of the class reacted. He ignored the way everyone slightly shuffled to look at him, burying his head in his arms. Aizawa would probably want to talk to him about it later but he was more concerned with how he could feel Katsuki’s eyes bore into the back of his head.

“Shinso, is everything ok?”

Because of course, Midoriya would be the first one bold enough to pry into his business. No longer the scrawny kid Hitoshi had fought at their first sports festival, Midoriya had grown. Both up and out. Looking more like what Todoroki had called him, All-Might’s secret-love-child, every day. Hitoshi was tall himself, though less broad and even he had to look up slightly to make eye contact, though his slouch might play a part in that. It made it hard to see Katsuki behind him, but Hitoshi still caught sight of him walking out of the room with his bag slung over his shoulder and not looking back once.

Hitoshi took it as a sign of trust. Trust that Hitoshi was going to keep his mouth shut, something Hitoshi let himself feel oddly soft over. He pulled his attention back to Midoriya, all wide-eyed and worried.

“I’m fine,” Hitoshi shrugged trying to play casual. As if random bouts of alpha hormone control loss were normal occurrences for near-adults, and not something that should only happen back in middle school. “Just didn’t sleep last night.”

The relationship between them was weird. Midoriya was arguably the first person in the hero course he would call his friend. The freckled green hair ray of sunshine incapable of being beaten down by anything versus Hitoshi’s mild melodramatic streak of fuck the world and everyone in it wasn’t even a competition. He soon found that most of the others had been pried out of their shells in similar fashions and apparently it had just been how things were done. Midoriya just had that pack leader type about him.

Midoriya was observant and his attachment to Katsuki was evident to everyone. The day Hitoshi had walked into class drenched in Katsuki’s scent had been an interesting one and it made Hitoshi always just a bit skittish around the overprotective childhood friend. Not that Midoriya wasn’t a great guy, or a great friend… he just had too much power in his left pinky finger to really feel fully comfortable around. Especially not when he had secretly knocked up said childhood friend out of Mate. Maybe Katsuki had left him without looking, hoping that Midoriya would just kill him and erase him from Katsuki’s list of problems.

“Hey?”

Suddenly there was a large weight on Hitoshi’s shoulders and he was looking back into Midoriya’s concern-filled eyes. Man, he must be really out of it.

Before he could speak another voice interrupted him. “Isn’t there somewhere else you two need to be right now?” The bored voice made both Hitoshi and Midoriya look over to the teacher’s desk suddenly and Aizawa just cocked an eyebrow up.

Suddenly Midoriya straightened up to an impossibly higher height and squeaked out in an unfitting voice about how they were going to be late for combat training. Hitoshi took the opportunity to shake Midoriya’s hand off his shoulder and start shoving things in his bag before abandoning half of what he would need and running off ahead. With how scattered he was feeling, the last thing he needed was to get stuck alone with Aizawa right now.

Until he stepped onto the field outside and Hitoshi watched Katsuki gleefully jump off a building dropping faster than Hitoshi’s gut. Scratch that, the last thing he needed was to watch his newly pregnant omega shoving himself into quasi life-threatening situations over and over against seven of their classmates.

Chapter Text

Katsuki had had enough of Shinso’s shit. He put up with it because all the stupid online blogs he had read had told him it was common and normal for alphas to get obnoxiously protective of a pregnant omega. The effect was ten-fold when it was their baby. So Katsuki ignored the waves of pheromones and he let Hitoshi get clingy when no one else was looking too closely, but, this, this was too much.

“Fuck me like you mean it already,” Katsuki snarled back, his face twisted over his shoulder making sure Hitoshi got the full effect of his glare. As effective as it could be when he was chest to mattress ass up and Hitoshi’s fingers going torturously slow.

Hitoshi’s brows furrowed even further and it looked like he was about to make some stupid excuse as to why he wasn’t already balls deep. Katsuki growled again and flopped over, twisting them in a grapple that Hitoshi didn’t fight until they had switched positions.

“Kat-” Hitoshi started his protest but it was cut off by his own moan when Katsuki mercilessly sank down on him.

“See?” Katsuki groaned with him, “Feels good, right?”

“Yeah-mm-yes, yes,” Hitoshi huffed out, still clearly trying to restrain himself, which just pissed Katsuki off even more.

Giving only a few test bounces before Katsuki put his leg muscles to work. Arms up he gripped his own hair, eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of Hitoshi’s dick sliding in and out of him before he spoke.

“You’ve been pussyfooting around me for weeks now.” He opened his eyes and looked down at Hitoshi, daring him to say he hadn’t been.

Hitoshi just laid there taking it silently with his bottom lip tightly pinched between his teeth.

“Haven’t you?” Katsuki snapped while grinding down hard.

The bruised lip between Hitoshi's teeth fell out when his jaw dropped in a silent moan. “Yes,” he said again.

“You think I’m made of glass?” Katsuki asked while picking up the pace, really starting to feel the burn in his thighs.

Finally, Hitoshi’s hands flew to his hips, no longer gripping the damn sheets like some kind of virgin. “No,” Hitoshi said breathly.

Katsuki focused on the fingers gripping him, knowing they could be tighter. “Stupid?” he snapped.

This time Hitoshi just shook his head no side to side quickly.

“Oh, I think you do.” Katsuki continued his accusations. He was moving quickly but he was so caught up in figuring out Hitoshi’s bullshit that it wasn’t even pleasurable. “I think you must think I’m stupid. What? Worried I’m going to let some extra injure me?” Hitoshi’s eyes were wide and he didn’t say anything and Katsuki knew he’d hit the nail on the head. “As if,” he scoffed.

Then he stopped moving and leveled Hitoshi with a stern glare, holding those silver pupils intensely. He watched them flick down to where Katsukli put his hand on his gut before they were back to holding Katsuki’s eye contact.

“An injury to the gut is a substantially higher risk to life than a limb,” Katsuki decided to offer mercy and not list the statistical numbers he had studied, the way Hitoshi’s face whitened was enough proof he didn’t need more reasons to freak out over Katsuki’s safety. “You think I’d let someone kill me? Fuck that.”

Katsuki didn’t know how else to explain to Hitoshi that he was being careful. That he knew getting hurt would be stupid. He’s not stupid and he isn’t careless. It was insulting to him that Hitoshi would think of him like that just because he got knocked up.

He watched Hitoshi lick his lips and then without speaking one hand slid down one of Katsuki’s thighs before settling around his knee while the other slowly tracked up his chest and settled to cup the back Katsuki's neck in a soft gentle hold.

“I understand how that must feel,” Hitoshi finally spoke with a steady understanding voice. Katsuki figured it was the kind of voice any pregnant omega would want to hear. The kind that was soft, comforting but sturdy. Katsuki didn’t want that shit though. It’s not what he signed up for when he had agreed to let Hitoshi into his fucking nest. “Can I tell you how I’m feeling?” Hitoshi asked.

Katsuki sneered down at him in contempt. “Yeah sure, tell me what’s floating around in that cobweb ridden skull of-”

The rest of the words were punched out of Katsuki when he was suddenly slammed on his back. His knee that had been in Hitoshi’s grip was harshly shoved up next to his ear and the hand on his neck was tight, but not in a way that cut off air. Katsuki felt his blood stir, ready for a fight but before he could make any remarks Hitoshi’s face was shoved into his, angry.

“I’m not in your fucking head, Kat,” Hitoshi started off with a snarl and he mercilessly shoved himself into Katsuki’s hole. “You think it’s been some fucking picnic watching you over the last few weeks?”

Katsuki’s head lulled back as he finally started to get fucked stupid the way he had been wanting. Hitoshi was relentless and cruel in all the ways Katsuki liked. The grip on his neck snapped his head back though, forcing him to look at Hitoshi’s anger.

“Have you even once thought about it?” Hitoshi asked, and Katsuki tried to think about what he was saying and not how it would feel to have those sharp teeth on his throat.

“Thought about what?” Katsuki says stupidly.

Suddenly the hand around his neck disappeared and his other knee was slammed up by the other side of his head. Katsuki was grateful he was so flexible because he was quite literally folded in half against his will. “You bitch,” Hitoshi snarled as he really started to pound into him.

The way he was pinned and the odd conflicting emotions, most of all guilt left Katsuki feeling lightheaded. Hitoshi might have been using him the way Katsuki liked but he could feel the anger seeping out of the alpha. This wasn’t just rough sex. Hitoshi was angry, really angry, and somehow it was all Katsuki’s fault.

“You have absolutely no clue.” Hitoshi started in on him again, rough and callous. “Watching you jump off buildings, listening to you casually talking about disregarding your own safety just to get that extra hit in-” Okay, maybe Katsuki hadn’t really thought about how his choices might look from the outside. Still, he wasn’t stupid and he- “-constantly trying to not think of the times you’ve already been so close to-” Katsuki swallowed thickly as he was bounced against the soft mattress while Hitoshi worked out his frustrations. He knew he'd been in real danger before, but that’s what being a hero meant. Hitoshi must know he wasn’t going to suddenly not want to be a hero anymore just because they- “-and-” Katuski felt his eyes widen when he saw tears in those purple eyes- “and you haven’t even told me yet if you’re keeping it-”

Shit.

“-fuck fuck Fuck Fuck,” Hitoshi warbled out with his thrusts, “It’s not like I’m trying to pressure you but just not knowing it’s been fucking with me so bad, Kat.”

The pressure holding his knees up let off and Hitoshi was now collapsed on top of him, crying into Katsuki’s neck.

“Toshi,” Katsuki tried to pry him off but Hitoshi’s grip was iron.

“I can’t sleep,” Hitoshi murmured, “it’s hard to think. I just keep wondering and working myself up and I’ve been fucking trying to give you space but I-”

Not knowing what else to do Katsuki used force to roll Hitoshi’s limp body over so that he was laying on top. He ignored the way Hitoshi’s dick slipped out of him in an almost sickening slick way and focused instead on scrunching his face up trying to not also turn into a crying stupid mess.

“Hush,” he said gruffly while wiping away snot and tears off of Hitoshi’s flushed cheeks while his chest heaved in a way that had Katsuki concerned he was going to fall into a panic attack, if he wasn’t there already. He kicked himself mentally for neglecting how Hitoshi must have been feeling. Maybe he really was stupid.

He dipped down to nuzzle Hioshi’s scent gland, making sure to get fully drenched in it, hoping to soothe him. Fingers found their way into Katsuki’s hair and he listened for the quick shallow breathing to even out before he said anything else.

“Damn you’re a mess,” Katsuki mumbled when he thought it was safe for him to speak without cracking into tears himself.

“Fuck off,” Hitoshi grumbled to Katsuki’s relief.

Pushing up into a seated position Katsuki let his head tilt to the side. “Would marking me make you feel better?”

He watched the way Hitoshi’s pupils shrank as he narrowed in on the spot he would bit. It made Katsuki’s breath hitch and the way that look had him feeling like prey made him want to fight Hitoshi off of him, even though the only movement the alpha had made was to grip tighter.

“I’m not going to fucking mark you.” Hitoshi’s voice was tight with effort.

The sour taste of rejection, humiliation, and disappointment filled his mouth like bile but Katsuki held his composure. He was just about to sneer about how it had only been a joke when Hitoshi tore his eyes away. “Not because of some stupid alpha instincts over an accidental pregnancy. I wanna do it right,” he mumbled, “you deserve that much.”

Katsuki’s shoulders did a kind of strange shrug into a roll to loosen up a bit from the awkwardness Hitoshi’s sincerity made him feel. He hadn’t seen any issue of just doing it now and getting it over with, but he could feel Hitoshi's response wasn’t an outright rejection of him, just a rejection of using it as a solution in the moment. Katsuki could deal with that.

What he couldn’t deal with was the awkward uncomfortable mess he had become. The heat of their attempt at fucking was clearly gone and Katsuki just felt gross covered in drying slick. “whatever,” he said as he swung his leg over Hitoshi and slipped off the bed, “I’m going to go shower.”

Clearing his head under the hot running water Katsuki finalized the timeline in his head he had already checked and double-check with research. He had been pretty sure but considering Hitoshi’s strong reaction he hadn’t been expecting, he needed to be damn fucking sure. He wasn’t going to tell the alpha his plan if there was any possibility of backtracking on it.

He walked out of the bathroom with his back straight and his jaw firm. Hitoshi was sitting up on the bed still naked waiting for his turn.

“I’m keeping the baby,” he said simply.

Hitoshi’s head shot up and he looked over Katsuki with a disbelieving, searching look. “Really?” The doubt in his voice pissed Katsuki off, but he swallowed it down, this was his fault for not being upfront about his thoughts with the one person who should have been in on them.

“Yeah, but you better not fucking tell anyone.” Katsuki let his eyes slide off to the side when Hitoshi stood up.

Firm hands forced Katsuki to look up into purple eyes. “Don’t fucking say it if you’re not one hundred percent certain, Katsuki. I’d rather just be left in the dark than let myself think-”

“I said what I said,” Katsuki snapped holding Hitoshi’s eye contact, refusing to give in to the omega begging him to submit, “You calling me a fucking liar?”

Katsuki was crushed against Hitoshi’s broad chest. “Are..are you sure I can’t even tell my mom?” Hitoshi chuckled into his ear.

Fuck. He hadn’t even thought about the fact that the baby was going to technically be Aizawa’s grandkid.

Ripping out of his grip Katsuki distracted himself by roughly pulling out clothes from a drawer. “Especially not him, not yet.” he finally snapped. “Now go take a damn shower, you reek.”

Chapter Text

It’s too soon for Katsuki to be showing, but that doesn’t stop Hitoshi from nuzzling against the soft blonde peach fuzz right beneath Katsuki’s navel any chance he can. Though Katsuki has seemed to make it his new life mission to deny those rare chances to happen. Sometimes he gives in though, like right now.

Hitoshi kissed softly at the firm muscles. The way he’s laid out between Katsuki’s thighs gives him a good enough angle he can see the pink flush across one of Katsuki’s ears that he probably thinks is hidden by the book he’s pretending to read.

“I’ve been trying to think of a little nickname for you,” he murmured against the skin.

Goosebumps prick up across Katsuki’s thighs, which Hitoshi rubbed away gently without mentioning; he’s already pushing his luck.

“It doesn’t need a stupid nickname,” Katsuki snapped while turning a page too harshly. Hopefully he doesn’t rip it, Midoriya would be irritated if Katsuki and Todoroki got into another fight over damaged property.

“Don’t listen to mommy,” Hitoshi teased against the skin, “he doesn’t mean it, it’s the hormones.”

“I’m going to murder you.”

Hitoshi grinned. “Maybe I should call you Baby Ruth?” He continued as if Katsuki hadn’t said anything, pushing his luck further, wanting to see just how much Katsuki was going to let him get away with.

“I’m not fucking naming it Ruth,” Katsuki snarled, “besides I thought you wanted a nickname, it’s way too fucking early to be talking about names.”

Hitoshi didn’t pay the harsh tone any mind, focused on why Katsuki came to the conclusion he was talking about real baby names before it clicked.

“You idiot I’m talking about the candy bar,” he snorted at the idea of naming their kid fucking Ruth.

There was a moment of silence before another page was turned, he’s definitely not reading that thing. “The fuck you wanna name the kid after candy for?”

Hitoshi just hummed before pushing his nose further into Katsuki’s soft skin and inhaling. He could smell it now, the proof that Katsuki was carrying a baby, his baby. He wondered how long Katsuki would be able to pull off keeping it a secret from everyone.

“I call you KitKat, I wanted to have some kind of family theme going on.” Hitoshi looked up and felt himself go slightly feral at the sight of the now red ear. Giving in to the instinct just a little bit he let himself nip sharply at the skin in front of him.

Unfortunately, that seemed to be where Katsuki drew the line. The book was slammed shut and he was shoving Hitoshi’s head away from him. “You fucking freak don’t say stupid shit like that.”

Hitoshi let himself be pushed away, giggling at the now unobstructed irritated-flustered look on Katsuki’s face. “Come on Kat, I’m not gonna call the baby it the entire time,” he said, trying to keep it lighthearted but also feeling the squeeze in his chest at the idea.

“Why not?” Katsuki huffed while averting his gaze, “it’s just a lump of cells right now.”

Knocking Katsuki’s arm out of the way Hitoshi crawled up and used his whole body to cage Katsuki, trying to be intimidating without fully pinning him into a corner. “Not just any lump of cells. They’re our lump of cells, Kat.”

Katsuki’s tongue darted out to wet his lips but he still wouldn’t look Hitoshi in the eyes. It made Hitoshi nervous the way he seemed to still be detached from the idea that there was a baby inside of him.

At the same time, he was nervous about pushing the subject too.

“We don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl yet.” Katsuki’s argument was weak and he knew it. “Looks more like a bean than a person, you know.”

Hitoshi gently cupped Katsuki’s cheek and slowly turned those red eyes to him and for the first time, Hitoshi was struck with the question of what color the baby’s would be. “Doesn’t matter,” he whispered earnestly. Katsuki’s eyes widened slightly and Hitoshi recognized the fight or flight rush of adrenaline he must be experiencing. “I am going to love them,” he said firmly.

The snap was less harsh than Hitoshi had been braced for. He didn’t fight Katsuki when he pulled away while turning over. Honestly, he had been expecting to get kicked, or at least kicked out.

“How can you say shit like that,” Katuski muffled voice barely carried through the pillow he had pulled over his head in embarrassment.

“Because it’s true,” Hitoshi said simply, unbothered by the omega trying to hide away while still caged in his arms.

“How are you…” Katsuki trailed off.

“Hmm?”
The pillow rose with the deep huff Katsuki let out. “How are you so I dunno, ready for this?”

Hitoshi hadn’t really thought of himself as ready for the kid. He had just been having fun thinking about it, teasing Katsuki was fun.

“I guess,” he started slowly giving real thought to it, “it’s easier watching it happen?”

“Because you can just fucking leave if you-”

Hitoshi growled without meaning to, cutting Katuki off. “No,” he snarled.

“Sorry,” Katsuki grumbled in a way Aizawa would probably call disingenuous. Hitoshi just pushed his head against the pillow between them, closed his eyes, and took a breath to calm himself, already familiarizing himself with Katuki’s new mixed scent. Knowing Katuski was just flustered and didn’t mean what he was implying, Hitoshi let it slide.

“It’s fine if it takes you longer to get on the same page,” he murmured into the cotton pillowcase, “am I being too much?”

“You think I can’t handle you or something?” Katsuki predictably prickled at the implication that anything might dare be too much for him. It was comforting that he didn't appear to be dealing with some kind of serious mental breakdown.

“Never said that," Hitoshi said calmly trying to soothe the ruffled feathers.

He rolled off of Katsuki and pulled him flush against his chest spooning with him. They laid like that in silence with the pillow shoved between them. Hitoshi let Katsuki wander around in whatever thoughts he was thinking, focused on gently rubbing the soft belly again. "KitKat and my little jelly bean,” Hitoshi cooed out, unable to help himself.

“God, you’re so fucking stupid. How could I ever let you put your dick in me?” Katsuki moaned.

Chapter Text

"You can put me down. I'm fine," Katsuki tried, again, to get Hitoshi to let him walk on his own to his room.

"I could, but I'm not going to," Hitoshi cheerfully responded, as if Katsuki hadn't just hurled today’s dinner all over the Alpha's lap during the lame-ass movie night. The lightheaded dizziness still hadn't dissipated but Katsuki would be damned if he was gonna act like some pathetic weakling who couldn't stand a bit of nausea. He was going to be a hero for fucks sake.

"Almost there," Hitoshi cooed as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

"You're enjoying this," Katsuki accused.

Hitoshi shifted and prepared to hike Katsuki up the little bit he had managed to slip. The muscles flexing against Katsuki's thighs reminded him of how much Hitoshi had managed to bulk up. He couldn't dwell on those thoughts for long though because the sudden jolt had Katsuki's head swimming and his stomach clenched in an attempt to keep what little food it still had.

Hitoshi chuckled because he's a sadistic freak. "I sure am!"

Never before had Katsuki hated the fact that his room was the last in the hall. Hitoshi could walk faster than this he knows it. "Do you really think that's the appropriate response?" Katsuki was irritated, and not just in his usual way. It seemed like Hitoshi was unable to take anything seriously and that was really starting to grate on his nerves. Reluctantly he pushed his face against the exposed scent gland on Hitoshi's neck. It was even more irritating how easily it calmed him.

"The great Murder King Dynamight dizzy and sick to his stomach, needing assistance to his room... and you think I'm not going to capitalize on the situation?" Hitoshi's voice was light and cheerful, Katsuki begrudgingly gave him credit for being able to hide the amount of exertion he must be using carrying Katsuki all the way here.

"Do you treat everything like a stupid game?"

"Here we go," Hitoshi said instead of answering him as the door to Katsuki's room opened and the familiar mixed scent of his room flooded into the hall.

Home. Safe and with his Alpha. Katsuki dry heaved at the pathetic weak Omega thought.

"It's ok," Hitoshi whispered softly as he laid Katsuki gently on the bed.

The next few acts seemed like something a genuine caretaker would do. There was a cup of water brought over with the wastebasket and a few anti-acids placed on the small table. Katsuki might have bought the act if it wasn't for the mischievous glint in those purple eyes or the wicked grin on Hitoshi's face.

The bastard really was enjoying this.

As annoying as Hitoshi could be though, he really wasn’t the worst company to keep while not feeling great. He wasn’t loud like their friend group tended to be, and he wasn’t panicked the way Deku could get when things weren’t going great. It made it easy for Katsuki to slip in and out of sleep and every time he woke up Hitoshi was there, cuddled up next to him but not in an overbearing way.

Do you need anything?” was what he always whispered.

“No.”

The next time he woke up it was dark, but not as dark as it should have been. Katsuki looked up at Hitoshi’s poorly lit face while he concentrated on something he was doing on his phone.

“What are you even doing?” He asked.

Hitoshi looked jumped just a bit as if he hadn’t realized Katsuki had woken up again. “Hey,” he said softly turning away from his phone to look down at Katsuki, and damn did those silvery pupils look creepy like that. “How are you? Need anything?”

“No. I asked what you’re fucking doing instead of sleeping like you should be.”

Hitoshi just shrugged, eyes darting to his screen for just a moment before going back to Katsuki. “Nothing important, just trying to photoshop Aizawa’s head onto this cat.”

Katsuki waited a moment to make sure his brain had processed that sentence correctly. When he decided he had his face scrunched up in open disgust.

“Don’t look at me like that Kat,” Hitoshi whined as he put his phone down causing the whole room to go black and Katsuki’s eye’s protested at the sudden change. “I just,” Hitoshi’s wiper suddenly filled with a certain vulnerability to it, “Tomorrow you’re going home for the weekend visit and I didn’t want to sleep the last bit of time with you away.”

“I’m only gonna be gone a few days,” Katsuki rebutted. He wanted to call Hitoshi stupid, but for some reason, he didn’t.

“I know,” Hitoshi sounded like he was pouting and suddenly Katsuki was wrapped up in his arms. “I’m going to send you so. many. memes,” Hitoshi’s cute-sounding pout turned obnoxious as he was squeezed and rocked back and forth dramatically.

“Don’t make me throw up on you again.”

In the morning it was hard to tell how much sleep Hitoshi had managed to get. Katsuki shouldn’t care, it’s not like pulling all-nighters was a new thing for the insomniac. The dark eyebags were a bit darker and he was quiet in more of a lethargic way, not his easy-to-be-around way. How Katsuki could tell the difference was beyond him, he just could.

He was quiet at the bus stop and his hand only lingered on Katsuki’s arm just a fraction on the side of too long, much shorter than Katsuki had been prepared for, thinking he was going to have to pry himself away. Hitoshi just gave him a short wave with a half-smile telling him to have a safe trip and then Katsuki was sitting on the bus with his head pressed against the cold glass. He ignored the slight instinctual tug to get off the bus and go back. It was just the omega thing acting up, and Katsuki would be damned if he let something like that make him change his plans.

It was so fucking stupid, they weren’t even mated. He wasn’t going to fucking miss Hitoshi of all people just because he went home for a few days.

His phone buzzed in his pocket about an hour into the drive. Pulling it out Katsuki only lingered on the lit-up picture Hitoshi had taken of the two of them and forced him to keep it as his wallpaper for a moment before opening the text.

Looking back at him was a bizarre picture of a cat with Aizawa’s head horribly shopped on it. Katsuki fired back the rudest emoji he could find, only to then have his phone blow up with exaggerated texts of happiness that Katsuki had finally used an emoji.

Stupid.

He texted back before tucking the phone back away. He bit his lower lip to keep himself from smiling over something so pathetic. He’d be home soon and he had to focus on how he was going to tell his parents he managed to get knocked up at hero school. Maybe it wasn’t fair he wasn’t letting Hitoshi tell his parents when he fully planned to spill the beans to his own, but his parents weren’t their damn homeroom teacher.

He didn’t expect them to be awful about it, but it wasn’t going to be a fun conversation. He opened his phone again to check if his mom had messaged him yet and he snorted at the last message Hitoshi had sent him.

Take precious care of our little lima bean!

Maybe he should have been offended that Hitoshi thought he needed to be reminded to take care of his own child but he just texted back.

I hate lima beans

Maybe, Katsuki thought, as his phone started blowing up again, it was kind of ok Hitoshi wasn’t serious about anything.

Chapter Text

Sock startled when the sliding glass opened and the cat gave Hizashi a look Hitoshi did his best to mimic. He didn't fight the cat jumping off his lap but he mourned the loss of its warmth.

It was unusual for either of his parents to intrude on him when he's out on the balcony like this and even more unusual for Pops to be the one to attempt.

Luckily it seems that Pops could read a room when he needed to, and he just silently plopped down next to him on the swing and tossed one of the blankets from the couch across his lap.

Hitoshi didn't want to have whatever conversation his parents thought he needed to have tonight. He had a pretty solid idea about what it would be about, Katsuki.

“Can we not?” He tried after a few minutes of silence.

Pops huffed a laugh and put his hand on Hitoshi’s head the way he used to do when Hitoshi was smaller.

“I’ve already gone through all those embarrassing classes with you at school, wasn’t that enough?” Hitoshi tried again.

Hitoshi quirked an eyebrow when Pops pulled out a cigarette and lit it. It was common knowledge that Hizashi used to smoke, but mom had forbidden it from the house years ago. Pops kept a pack around though, for times of stress or when he’s anxious.

The more the silence drug out the more anxious Hitoshi started feeling, but he had no idea how to break it.

“You and the Bakugo kid, huh?” Pops finally asked softly.

Hitoshi cringed a bit even though he really should have been expecting this. It was the first time he’s been home since he and Kat had started sharing heats and ruts together. He didn’t sound upset or accusing, though, Hitoshi thought there was actually a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Yeah,” Hitoshi said, guarded. He wasn’t sure exactly how much his parents knew yet and he was well aware of the landmine he had suddenly been dropped in. If he let slip that Kat was pregnant the omega would be furious with him.

But, the idea that his parents knew and were sitting there waiting for him to come clean struck Hitoshi suddenly. If they knew, were they disappointed in him? Hitoshi’s never felt like he had to meet some kind of expectation to belong here. He’d been adopted late and everyone kind of understood that Hitoshi was his own person not really in need of being parented like you’d expect a small child. He’s never done anything like this before, and certainly never hid anything before.

“You know,” Pops took another drag of the cigarette, “your mom and I mated really young. Younger than you are actually.”

Looking up Hitoshi was surprised to see the soft fond look on Pops’ face as he looked up into the dark sky. He knew they had been together since… forever, but Hitoshi never asked about when they mated.

“It probably wasn’t the best idea.” Pops laughed at something, what it could be Hitoshi didn’t know.

Ah, Hitoshi sunk back into the swing. This was a lecture on mating and being too young and stuff. “We aren’t-” Hitoshi started to give some standard response but stopped. The idea of not mating with the momma of his baby seemed wrong. So wrong he didn’t even want to say something like that out loud.

Pops coughed with his laughter. Hitoshi just sank further into the cushion and pulled the blanket up over him more, trying to hide his embarrassment. Hizashi put the cigarette down before landing a hand on Hitoshi’s knee and giving it a firm shake.

“I wasn’t trying to discourage you, we trust that you’ll make your own choice in your own time.” He grinned down in that way he does. Hitoshi supposes it was to try to make him more at ease, but it just made him feel oddly guilty. Pops looked back up into the sky, either not noticing or just outright ignoring Hitoshi’s discomfort. “We think he’s a good kid. If he became part-” There was an emotion that crossed Pops face that Hitoshi couldn’t quite read, “-part of the family….” the way his voice trailed off made Hitoshi sit up a bit more, trying to catch what it was his Pops was trying to say.

Suddenly Hitoshi was pulled into a crushing hug. “You’re getting so big!” Pops almost wailed. Loud enough that mom had to call in from the house that Pops needed to control himself.

Hitoshi blinked up, but he couldn’t really see the expression on Pops’ face from this angle. Following Mom’s scolding, he did quiet down. He ruffled Hitoshi’s head again and continued. “It would be good. He’s a good kid.” Pops repeated.

The idea that his parents might reject Kat hadn’t even crossed Hitoshi’s mind. Kat was going to be a great hero, he had grown a lot over the last three years. Was already showing that he was willing to put in the effort for his… for their family.

Hitoshi knew from their secondary gender classes that there was a lot of stigma around the types of Omegas Alphas chose to mate. He frowned, surely Kat would know that didn’t apply to him. His parents knew his worth, Hitoshi knew his worth. He thought about how Kat had told him he didn’t want to be mated just cause he had been knocked up.

“We just wanted you to know that we support it, you hadn’t talked to us about it yet and Shou… we worried that maybe you thought we might disapprove because of how…” Pops looked to be struggling to find the words he was looking for.

“Nonconforming he is?” Hitoshi offered awkwardly.

“Yeah.” Pops frowned.

“We aren’t really a family of conformists…” Hitoshi said while absently digging his finger into a small hole in the blanket it had found, “Honestly, the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind you would disapprove.”

The screen door suddenly opened again and mom stood there with his hands on his hips, flour coated his out-of-place pink frilly apron. “I told you,” he said sternly.

Hizashi squawked. “I was just trying to-”

“Hush,” Shouta said with a flicker of his quirk to calm Pops back down. Which worked surprisingly well.

Hitoshi turned away, trying not to picture when Kat had harshly hushed him in the bed, to a similar effect.

“Eri’s cookies are done and she wants us to come try them before she presents them to you know who tomorrow.” Mom waved for Hizashi to go inside, rolling his eyes at the cry of how both of his babies are getting too big.

Shouta looked to Hitoshi giving him the option to come in or take more time to himself, but Hitoshi had enough of moping about being away from Kat and he stood up, folding the blanket over his arm sloppily.

“You know who?” He asked with a quirked eyebrow as he walked past his mom into the amazing-smelling hall.

Shouta sighed and followed, grumbling about how troublesome spring is.

Chapter Text

Katsuki wasn't surprised to find the house empty when he got there. The bus dropped him off around midday when both of his parents would still be at work. That suited him fine enough, they'd likely be all over him from the moment they got home until he managed to pry himself free of them at the end of the weekend.

He took the stairs two at a time up to his old room. They left it as is, for when he came home for visits, so he only had a single duffle bag of things he had brought from the dorm. The bag was tossed on the bed to be sorted through later, right now he wanted to go for a run, hoping that some exercise would pull some of the tension he was feeling out of his body.

Running still came easily to him, despite his altering body. Even with just a few months, Katsuki could feel it, no matter how much Hitoshi insisted he wasn't showing at all, he felt like he was. To him, it felt more than obvious, even if no one had said anything. Well, except for Deku… but he hadn't told anyone about that conversation. And he'd murder the damn nerd if he said anything. It made him doubt if he'd be able to keep the pregnancy under wraps until graduation. Deku had assured him he only noticed the slight scent change due to how long they've known each other, it was only a matter of time before the others started picking up on the signs.

More than anyone it was his eagle-eyed teacher he was worried about. If Aizawa found out, the overbearing overprotective heart-bleeding-tries-to-hide-it omega, Katsuki just knew he'd get pulled out of the hero course. He was so damn close to-

Katsuki stopped that frustrating train of thought when he found himself in back in front of his door. Slightly winded, but somehow even more wound up than when he left. It was aggravating.

He decided to jump into the shower and kept it cold. He tried to focus on other things, and not how soft his stomach felt when he passed over it with a washcloth. At least the bouts of nausea seem to have passed. As he was toweling off his hair he heard the front door open and close loudly. Not wanting to deal with his mom yet, he opened the bathroom door and called down the stairs.

"I'll be down in a minute!" He yelled, "Gotta get dressed from my run."

"Do you want me to start supper?" Matsuri yelled back up.

"Yeah!" Katsuki called back, surprised a bit to have heard his dad, usually, he didn't come home until late.

His mom was talking but it must have been to his dad because Katsuki couldn't make out what was being said. Wrapping the towel around himself, he went into his bedroom. Going for the bag he had left on the bed. He wanted to put his things away, not trying to delay the inevitable, but because he hated when things got too sloppy, especially in his close personal spaces.

There wasn't much to put away, and Katsuki dressed using some of the things in the bag so there was even less to worry about. It didn't take long for him to get to the bottom, and discover the ratty purple sweatshirt that only one person could have snuck in.

He pulled out the oversized thing and grumbled. The sentimental fool. It was the same sweatshirt Hitoshi had been trying to shove into his hands this morning. Katsuki didn't know when he had left his bag unattended long enough to let the sneak pull this shit off.

Inhaling deeply from annoyance, he went to shove it back in the bag, not having anywhere in the room it could really go, and that's when he realized how much the sweater smelt like Hitoshi. It hadn't been as noticeable in the dorm room because so much of Hitoshi's scent had seeped into anything that would hold it. In his childhood bedroom where Hitoshi had never been, the sweater invisibly tugged at him. Not being conscious of his actions, or reasons, Katsuki found himself pressing his face into the soft material. He'd seen the alpha always wearing this thing around the dorm, it was faded, soft, and drenched in Hitoshi's scent. It made Katsuki's chest twinge and for a moment he thought he might actually be missing the dumbass. Even though he had literally just been pulling out of his arms to get on the bus hours ago.

Katsuki slammed his door shut behind him and snickered when his mom wailed up the stairs in complaint. The empty backpack swung on the hook he had on his door for it, the purple monstrosity securely tucked under his pillow.

He went to set the table as he always had and ignored the burning hole his mom was staring into the back of his head. Impressively she managed to stay silent all the way up until Katsuki put the first bite of food in his mouth.

"So you got yourself knocked up, eh brat," She said bluntly, not even a hint of question in her tone.

Katsuki choked.

"Mistuki," Katsuki's dad chided.

"How could you-" Katsuki started to ask, his mind racing wanting to know how. She wasn't an alpha like Deku was. Could she, as an omega also smell it, and if so did that mean Aizawa-

"I'm your mom," She said interrupting his panic, "did you think I wouldn't know when my own pup is knocked up?" She sounded hurt.

Katsuki sniffed his arm, genuinely wondering if he did smell that different.

"It's not the way you smell stupid-" she pointed at him with her fork and waved it around, gesturing to his whole self. "-it's in how you look."

Raising an eyebrow Katsuki was about to ask just what she was referring to when she snorted, "Forget it, you'll understand one day. Just know I know, so spill. What happened to wanting to be a big important hero?"

"I can still be a hero," Katuski said as he forcefully stabbed at a potato that looked particularly stabbable.

He ignored the way his parents looked at each other as if they doubted him. He doesn't think they've ever genuinely doubted him before.

“I have a plan,” Katsuki said more assuredly, “I’ve gone over the timeline and it’ll be a little tight around graduation but it’ll work. And Hitoshi said-”

“Hitoshi?” Matsuri leaned in further, “Is that-”

“Hitoshi said-” Katsuki forced through because he didn’t particularly feel like wanting to discuss his sex life at the dinner table, “-that his line of work would let him be home most days, so I’d be able to start in an agency right away. I have that offer from Endeavor but I’ve been thinking of-”

"That's all well and good son,” Mitsuki waved her hand back and forth to interrupt Katsuki’s long-winded breakdown of his after-school plans, she’s heard all of that before several times by now, “but like I’m always telling you, the world doesn't follow maps and plans. Things go wrong, especially with children, right Dad?”

His dad gave a nod along with an mmm of agreement preferring as usual to let his wife do the talking.

His mom looked at Katsuki intently, “And when they do, what then are you gonna do?

Katsuki held her gaze, unperturbed by her forwardness. This was about what he had been expecting from this conversation. He was a lot like his mom in these things. She was thinking things through in her own way, likely making her own plans despite her assessment that plans were not the flawless math problems Katsuki liked to view them as.

“What I need to,” He said simply before putting the now abused potato in his mouth.

His mom sat back and started eating her own dinner while grumbling about kids and shit, which Katsuki knew wasn’t something he needed to respond to, so he kept eating. The food was good, and dinner was peaceful, for about five minutes.

Dad was the one to break the silence. ”Have you gone to the doctor yet?” He asked with a frown as if he already knew the answer.

“No,” Katsuki said matter-of-factly before picking up his water and drinking deeply from it.

“What? Why not?” Mitsuki hit the table with the palm of her hand.

“Going to the doctor would raise suspicion. I am not going to have the whole fucking class fussing over me when I’m supposed to be proving I’m capable of going pro despite my being…” Katsuki trailed off unwilling to rehash all the gender bullshit again. He had this fight when he first presented, it was water under the bridge now. He had worked hard to be the top student in the top class at the top school. It’s what had been needed to win over outdated gender bias. He even had his choice of Pro-Hero Agencies sending him offers.

“I’m not risking all of that just because I got knocked up. I’ll finish school and lay low for the last trimester, have the baby, and then start actually working to make a name for myself. I got it figured out. That’s why I’m thinking of turning down Endeavor because I know he will want to put me somewhere in the public eye right away. I figured you-” Katsuki looked up at his mom and then his dad, “-would want to spend time with the twerp, and Hitoshi has a good family too. It’s not like we would be doing it alone. Like I said, I have a plan.”

“You’re stupid,” Mistsuri sighed, sitting back and pushing her empty plate forward just a bit, but Katsuki knew what she meant and smiled. She might not agree with him, but she wasn't going to argue over it anymore.“-And you know damn well we are going to want to be involved with the kid. Don’t look at me like you're not fucking sure about that, it’s insulting.”

Dad grabbed their empty dishes and then came back and sat down, Mom looked like, now that they weren’t eating or discussing the general, she was ready to dig into the details.

"So tell me about him," she said leaning forward with a stupid grin on her face. “This Hitoshi. He got a last name? You said he has a good family? Spill.”

Katsuki thought about how to describe Hitoshi to his parents. He didn’t want to tell them about how this was just a hookup gone wrong, that would leave a bad fucking impression and Histoshi already struggled to get people to be normal around him even when they do start off right. Instead, he thought about Hitoshi staying up late last night to make sure he had everything he needed, he thought about Hitoshi being disgustingly into the idea of family, how he hid stupid sweaters in his things and sent him stupid pictures of their teachers. He could feel the stupid soft smile on his face and he hated it.

"He's stupid," was what he finally said, and decided that was enough information. He got up to go back to his room, surprised his mom didn't yell at him to sit his ass back down, but not surprised at the break out of whispers from his parents the moment he turned the corner.

“...Did you see-”

“....-that wasn’t really much information now was it-”

“-I’ll do some digging…”

Katsuki didn’t care what digging his parents would be doing. Hitoshi was going underground, he had been specifically left out of all public events after he joined the hero class and his records remained just as vague as when he had started, maybe even scrubbed a bit to hide what his quirk really did. They wouldn’t find much, and things would be better that way. Hitoshi made better face-to-face first impressions.

He collapsed onto his bed deciding he would do his weight training in a little bit. When his head hit his pillow a familiar scent filled the air around him. It made him think about Hitoshi, and how much he’s already attached himself to and seeped into so much of Katsuki’s day-to-day. Like some kind of slime, an obnoxiously bright purple slime that was stupid. After a while he gave into the temptation and rolled over to grab the sweater out from under his pillow and shoved his face in it, groaning. This was going to be a long weekend if he was already missing that idiot on the first day.

—

It had been two days since Katsuki had told his folks about being knocked up and there had been so much screaming.

It didn’t bother Katsuki though because that’s just how he and his mom communicated. She would scream at him to not over-exert himself while he did his drills and he would scream back that she’s just an old hag. She would then go off on how she was the old hag who knew what being pregnant was like.

His father, used to the commotion, would simply pop in from time to time to ask things like; when would be good times for doctor appointments, and telling them he had set the baby up with a school fund already. Practical things.

That’s why Katsuki was fine with telling his parents about the baby. They were practical, and they understood Katsuki. That if he said he could have the baby and be a hero they would ultimately believe him. Katsuki always did what he set out to do, and this wouldn’t be any different, even if they seemed to think his over-planning was some kind of inside joke between them. They fussed but in a way Katsuki could manage.

He was feeling pretty good about things as he tromped down the stairs on the last day of the break. He had appointments set up on days he wouldn’t be missed, his parents agreed to search for baby supplies and store them at the house. He turned the corner a bit harshly and was surprised that instead of his mother shouting at him to not destroy the house, his parents weren’t in the kitchen at all.

It didn’t take long for him to find them in the den though. The television was on at a very low volume. So low that Katsuki couldn’t hear what was being said. It sounded like something important though.

“A villain attack?” He asked walking up to them, his mom’s stern face lit up by a quickly flashing light and his dad sat with the remote pointed at the television.

“That one,” he said to his wife, gesturing with the remote, neither acknowledging Katuski’s arrival.

Katsuki turned and was surprised to find that it wasn't the news, but a tape of their first year Sports Festival, now paused. On the screen was Hitoshi. It was the only sports festival Hitoshi took part in. Probably the only recording of him to exist at all, and at the time he wasn’t even a hero student.

They had paused it at an unflattering moment with his face all scrunched up, yelling something at Deku. He was so much younger looking, so thin, and the dark rings under his eyes, Katsuki didn’t remember them being that bad.

Despite that, Katsuki felt his gut twinge. Though the image on the screen was a pathetic weakling compared to the man he saw in Hitoshi these days, who was confident enough to take Katsuki on at his worst, during his heats, it still reminded him how much he'd been missing the stupid fucker.

“The one with the mind control quirk?” Mitsuki’s voice tilted up in a question and they both turned to face Katsuki. The silence was thick as he struggled to read their expressions.

A villain's quirk Hitoshi’s bitter words suddenly weighed heavily on Katsuki’s shoulders as he realized exactly how the situation sounded. Though Hitoshi hadn’t brought up the idea outright to Katsuki, it was painfully obvious what Hitoshi’s quirk meant in these kinds of situations.

A promising young omega, one of the rare to be about to successfully pick up the heavy mantle of Hero, knocked up in high school by an unknown alpha. Timelines would get crossed, and even in the best-case scenario, many would think Hitoshi only managed to get close to Katsuki through manipulation.

Or worse.

The moment was broken by his phone playing a dumb tune, Hitoshi’s specific notification. Something Katsuki had set up so that he could tell his apart from the others. Only because Hitoshi got annoyingly clingy when he went ignored for too long, and as far as Katsuki was concerned the others could fuck off if they wanted to message him at fuck all hours of the night.

The message was an obnoxious amount of emojis, excited about the day, with a stupid reminder to eat between workouts snuck in at the end. He snorted and deciding this would be faster than trying to explain who Hitoshi actually was, he held the phone up to his mom so she could see.

“You think someone this stupid could mind control me?” He sneered hoping his snark would cover up the way his heart was beating loud in his ears.

The tension rose in the silence and Katskuki couldn’t stand it anymore, he shoved his phone in his pocket and was about to storm off when his mom snatched his ear, painfully, and pulled him back.

“Oi. Shut up you hormonal brat that ain't what we were talking about.”

She waved her hand and Masaru fast-forwarded the video to only then pause on Aizawa and Hizashi in the booth, Aizawa still comically covered head to toe in bandages from the not-so-comical villain attack.

“We were trying to snoop on our new inlaws.”

How they figured out Aizawa and Hizashi were Hitoshi’s parents Katsuki would likely never know. His mom, when determined to find out something she wanted, was truly terrifying.

Chapter Text

Hitoshi had been at the school since early in the morning, Mom and Pops had shit to set up for classes and Hitoshi had hitched a ride instead of taking the train in on Monday morning. He had told them it was because he liked being in the dorms when it was empty. He knew they knew it was more to do with Katsuki being scheduled to come back tonight, and so were most of the others as Monday morning was too much of a chaotic mess, and only Kaminari, being the idiot he was, was willing to fight the morning trains to have that one more night at home. Momo too, would likely be getting a private ride in on Monday, through the backways that the rich and important people took to avoid the media, and the traffic. 

Hitoshi walked through the still and quiet dorm, not even bothering to turn on any lights in the common areas. Instead, he went up the stairs but didn’t go to his room. Going past his door he went down further toward the end of the hall and thumped his head against the familiar door. Katsuki’s scent gently came through the small crack at the bottom and despite knowing it was locked he tried to turn the door handle. It didn’t budge, which Hitoshi had been expecting. His chest yearned to be inside, surrounded by Katsuki, he had missed the omega terribly. 

It took genuine effort to pull himself away from the door. Sullenly, he went back to his room to lay in his bed, mourning for the first time that they never really hung out in his room, they always spent their time in Katsuki’s. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth when his mind wandered to the sweater he had snuck into Kat’s bag. He might not have anything that had the omegas scent on it in his room at the moment, but he would soon. Pulling out his phone he scrolled around looking for something to send that would make Katsuki scrunch up his face in that cute way he always did. 

At some point, he must have fallen asleep because he was suddenly woken up by banging on his door. Hitoshi jumped up and yanked the door open.

“Bet you thought you were being slick, huh,” Katsuki snapped as the soft fabric of Hitoshi’s sweater was not so softly shoved into his face. 

Hitoshi hid his grin in the sweater but didn’t bother to hide the loud sniff of him exaggerating smelling the very obvious mixture of Katsuki’s and his scent. The fabric was snatched back and Hitoshi scrambled to keep a hold of it laughing as Katsuki made a disgusted noise. 

They tugged over the sweater before Hitoshi pulled hard enough to get Katsuki within reach and he quickly dropped the garment in favor of wrapping his arms around the omega and burying his face in Katsuki’s neck. The real deal being much better than remnants. It made Hitoshi feel buzzed and soon he was kissing at the scent gland unable to stop himself from feeling giddy. Had it really only been three days?

“It’s only been three days, damn,” Katsuki huffed, his protest was weak as he moved his head to the side so Hitoshi could get better access to his scent gland, which Hitoshi eagerly took advantage of. 

Hitoshi nipped at the gland lightly as he slid his fingers up under Katsuki’s UA uniform jacket feeling the soft skin and firm muscles of Katsuki’s lower back. It turned Hitoshi on. Katsuki worked so hard and it had paid off over the last three years. He moved his mouth a little up to avoid the gland with his harsher bite, it made his teeth ache with want to sink into the spot where a claim mark would be which made him bite down slightly harder. 

“ Fuck ,” Katsuki hissed.

Boldened Hitoshi slipped his hands down to tease at Katsuki’s waistband and he sucked at the spot he was biting.

“Did you fucking forget to eat today or something?” Katsuki groaned.

He let Hitoshi mouth at his neck for a few more seconds before apparently having enough and he started shoving Hitoshi’s face away from his neck. “Back off,” he said more firmly when Hitoshi tried to push back into his space, “I gotta put my shit away. If you want, I’ve got some protein bars in my room you can chew on instead.” 

Hitoshi hummed at the obvious invitation to continue this in Katsuki’s room but he didn’t want to do this in Katsuki’s room. “Stay here,” he said while using his height advantage to crowd Katsuki’s space. 

Slipping his hands fully down to cup Katsuki’s bare ass with both hands he pulled the omega in so he could feel how hard Hitoshi had gotten. He took a step forward and Katsuki relented, stepping back to match him. They made their way to the bed like that until Katsuki’s calves hit the bed frame. Hitoshi broke the deep kiss and took his hands out of Katsuki’s pants in favor of working to remove the jacket. 

The zipper came free easily and Hitoshi slowly slid the sleeves off of Katsuki’s shoulders making sure to let his fingernails drag across the omega’s well-defined triceps he wanted to savor every inch of Katsuki’s skin but his partner was always so impatient and was already flinging the thing down to some unknown part of Hitoshi’s floor and the hem of the tee underneath was quickly brought up and over Katsuki’s wild hair. 

Katsuki’s bare chest and abs were certainly worth marveling at, no matter how many times you’ve seen them but he seemed to be in no mood for Hitoshi’s preference of going slow, honestly, he never is. Hitoshi took the cue though because he was also eager. He pushed Katsuki back making the blonde drop on his bed with a slight bounce. While Hitoshi worked his own shirt up over his head Katsuki pulled himself back onto the mattress proper, laying down flat. 

Seeing Katsuki sprawled across his dusty lilac spreadsheet and the way those fierce red eyes raked over Hitoshi’s own bare chest put a possessive growl in the alpha’s throat. 

“You’re such a freak you know that right,” Kat said with more tease than bite.

“How so?” Hitoshi asked as he shamelessly worked his sweatpants down boxers and all. 

“The stupid sweater, pinning me in your bedroom, you just want to fuck me here so it finally smells like me don’t you?” Katsuki raised his hips slightly as Hitoshi crawled across the bed to him and Hitoshi hooked his fingers into the waistband of the pants and boxes and brought them down together. 

Kat was so smart which was probably sexier than his perfectly toned body. “Damn straight I do,” Hitoshi growled honestly as Bakugo’s cock bounced free, already hard and leaking, betraying the harsh words to how he really felt about getting fucked into Hitoshi’s bed. 

“That’s what makes you a freak,” Katsuki smirked as he took himself in his hand and started stroking, spreading the precum. Hitoshi wonders if he knew how much affection dripped from his voice when he called Hitoshi a freak. He wonders if Katsuki knows just how much Hitoshi is into being degraded by his omega or if he just does it because that’s who Katsuki is. 

It doesn’t matter because either way it’s got Hitoshi groaning into the dip of Katsuki’s hip where he had decided a nice deep purple bruise would look lovely against the pale skin that hasn’t been darkened by the sun. 

He moved his mouth to the base of Katsuki’s dick and he mouthed at it, slightly turning so his nose was buried in the course blonde hair that smelled so strongly of Katsuki . He could taste just a little bit of the precum that had been spread, and it made Hitoshi hungry for more of it. So he took it. He grabbed Katsuki’s hand and ripped it away from its slow teasing leaving his dick free for Hitoshi to latch his mouth around the swollen head. Katsuki’s fingers quickly found their way tangled in Hitoshi’s hair and Hitoshi let himself be pushed down, focusing more on keeping his sharper teeth away from the sensitive skin and letting the drool that quickly pooled in his mouth cover Katsuki’s dick. This was going to go quickly and the less friction the better for both of them. 

True to Katsuki’s nature soon Hitoshi found his head pulled up and down and the pace Katsuki found most pleasurable and Hitoshi forced himself to relax into it. His alpha nature always rebelled against this side of Katsuki but Hitoshi found it incredibly hot and between that and the way his instincts fought him having Katsuki controlling the bedroom was its own kind of edging Hitoshi had quickly found addicting. 

His growl deep in his throat during a particularly deep thrust had Katsuki holding Hitoshi down trying to drown him in the omegas scent that was pouring out from the scent glands on his upper thighs, thick from the arousal. Unable to stop himself any longer Hitoshi hooked his arm under Kat’s thigh holding it in place as he sucked and swallowed relentlessly around the cock that was buried in his throat. Katsuki pulled hard on Hitoshi’s hair with a shout but he didn’t pull off and swallowed all of Katsuki’s cum because Katsuki had been right, he was hungry.  

Now that he’d gotten a taste he felt even hungrier using the leverage he had on Katsuki’s captured thigh he moved up to Kiss Katsuki deeply, bringing the leg up with him and pressing his length against Katuki’s leaking hole. He didn’t push in but he rubbed at the wetness sloppily coating himself in slick as he sloppily kissed Kat, sharing the omegas taste with himself. Katsuki’s hands tightened painfully in his hair and kept their faces smashed together, as if he too was starving and wanting to devour anything Hitoshi had to give him. 

Blindly he felt around for Katsuki’s other leg and with the omega’s help he got that one hooked under his other arm too so he could properly spread those deliciously thick thighs apart. He slipped his painfully hard cock down Katsuki’s ass crack picking up the copious amounts of slick and teasing his hole simultaneously. One day he was going to teach Katsuki the wonders of a slow steady build-up of a bone-deep orgasm, but he relented to the fact that that would not be today. 

With practiced ease he slipped from teasing to lining the head of his dick up and pushing in with one fluid motion he didn’t even need to break the kiss to do so anymore. Katsuki whined at the sudden stretch without any prep but he was loose enough that Hitoshi wasn’t worried about tears. If he stopped to ask about the whine he would probably be murdered but most definitely would be kicked out of his own room blue-balled to hell. So he nipped at Katsuki’s lip hoping to distract him from his slowed-down pace that would probably seem like concern which Hitoshi knew would definitely get him chewed out over. 

When he felt Katsuki’s hips arch in frustration looking for more Hitoshi pushed in deeper letting himself be lost in the tight slick heat. He had no idea if sex always felt this right or if it was just sex with Katsuki. He pulled back slightly and pushed deeper finding less friction with each thrust from the slick doing its job. At some point, he would have to break the kiss to get an angle that would be deep enough to satisfy his omega. 

His Omega.

That was a dangerous thought that made Hitoshi feel so possessive it frightened him. It also lit him up at his core so deeply there was no proper way he could describe it. He wanted Katsuki to be his, he had been toying with the thought even before the pregnancy but now the thought was becoming all-consuming, especially when they were fucking. His alpha purred in his chest when Hitoshi eyed Katsuki’s scent gland on his bared throat in a position of submission Katsuki was certainly unaware he was doing. 

It made Hitoshi want . Hitoshi is accustomed to wanting and not having though so he easily tore his eyes away from the temptation and instead focused on the blown pupils in Katsuki’s beautiful red eyes and the way his jaw was slack with pleasure. He loved seeing Katsuki like this, so pliant and willing. He let Hitoshi manhandle him into any position Hitoshi felt would get him deeper or find the angle where he would abuse Katsuki’s prostate until the blonde was making noises that kept Hitoshi up at night touching himself. It was so sexy so hot so beautiful and it had Hitoshi’s knot beginning to swell which pulled on Katsuki’s rim pushing the omega deeper into the blissed-out state.

Soon they wouldn’t be able to pull apart, it would be the perfect time to position himself to have easy access to the scent gland for marking but Hitoshi just sank his teeth into the ankle that had somehow ended up in his hand from him mindlessly shifting Katsuki about, focused only on chasing the pleasure deeper. 

He kept fucking even though his knot had now fully inflated locking them together. Katsuki was close he could tell and Hitoshi was doing his damnedest to outlast the stupid stubborn asshole but he was failing fast. 

“Fuck!” Katsuki gasped and it gave Hitoshi hope that maybe the omega was falling apart faster than he was letting on but then the next words that fell from those spit-slicked lips doomed Hitoshi. “Cum already you freak!” 

The demand likely wasn’t intended to be a demand. More of a plea if Hitoshi had to categorize it into anything, at least that’s what he told his alpha who snarled against how quickly Hitoshi fell into doing exactly what his omega wanted. He came hard and his teeth sunk even deeper into the meat of Katsuki’s lower calf, the taste of iron telling him he had drawn blood which Hitoshi’s instincts took to mean he had marked his mate forcing himself to latch on even harder. He grabbed at Katsuki’s partially hard dick and worked it roughly the way he liked.

Katsuki seemed distracted enough by his own orgasm Hitoshi pulled from him to bitch about the bite on his leg long enough for Hitoshi to force his jaw to detach. He kissed at the small beads of blood that collected where his sharper teeth had pierced the skin as an apology. Katsuki didn’t acknowledge his bite or his apology he just laid with his arms flung to the side trying to dissipate the heat from his body and he drug in deep breaths from the exertion. Hitoshi shifted himself, groaning at the pull of his knot against Katsuki’s rim but he was too spent to find enough pleasure to light him back up. He found his spot nestled against Katsuki slightly shifted to the side to not smother him as he attempted to cool down. He let his hands wander over Katsuki’s sweaty body admiring the curves of muscles and the dips caused by his bone structure. Katsuki was like one of those marble statues they put in museums Hitoshi had visited when he was too young to properly appreciate the beauty of human form the way Hitoshi’s teenaged fucked out mind was able to appreciate Katsuki’s. 

“Did you have to bite me so fucking hard?” Katsuki, of course, immediately snapped as soon as he had caught his breath. 

“Sorry,” Hitoshi mumbled into Katsuki’s shoulder but he didn’t think he felt all that sorry. He was grateful it had only been Kat’s calf caught in his teeth. 

They were going to have to talk about that soon. It seemed obvious to him that they should mate, they were having a baby together. That wasn’t how Katsuki’s mind worked, however, and much like how Hitoshi sat on the edge of if the baby was going to be kept he thought he would sit waiting for Katsuki to seriously show his intentions as far as being life mated to someone like Hitoshi. The desire and instincts were harder to ignore than Hitoshi had thought they would be and without a clear no his alpha was eager to claim what it saw as naturally his.

Katsuki huffed as if he didn’t believe Hitoshi was sorry either. “Anyway, I came here to tell you before you jumped me-”

“I didn’t jump you!” Hitoshi protested.

“-My dad set up a doctor's appointment for the baby next week. Tuesday, after class. Mom thinks you should come too.”

Hitoshi stopped just as he was about to nip at a particularly soft patch of skin he had found. “You told your parents?” He didn’t like how betrayed he sounded and the way Katsuki squirmed told him he had picked up on it too. 

“No,” he said in a way that almost sounded like the truth, “Mom could just tell somehow.” 

Katsuki looked down at Hitoshi, he didn’t seem to be trying to mask the guilt that prevented him from fully looking Hitoshi in the eyes. 

“I mean, I was planning to tell them anyway,” he admitted slowly, “But it’s the truth that I didn’t have the opportunity. The old hag just knew...  she’s fucking terrifying like that.” Katsuki still wouldn’t look Hitoshi in the eyes and he picked at a freckle on Hitoshi’s shoulder. “You’ll see if you come. On Tuesday I mean, if you wanted to.”

Hitoshi bit where he had been intending to, harder than he had been intending to. “Of course I’m going, Kat. Don’t be so stupid.” 

“‘m not stupid,” Kat grumbled, but Hitoshi just hummed over him as if he hadn’t said anything at all. 

It upset him that Katsuki found it ok to tell his parents about the baby when he had been explicitly denied being able to tell his. But Katsuki’s parents weren’t their teachers and now he would get to go to doctor visits to maybe even see his baby before it was born and heck, Hitoshi thought, that would be pretty cool.

Chapter Text

Katsuki once again found his eyes trailing over to Hitoshi who appeared to be currently sleeping through the 2070’s outdated short film Minor and Major Destruction of Property and The Law.   A video that Katsuki was probably sixty percent of the reason why they were watching it, while Deku made up the other forty, or maybe it was the other way. Either way, Katsuki wasn’t giving it the attention Aizawa was expecting him to, if the glaring was anything to go by. 

Aizawa’s attention should be enough to keep Katsuki on task if for no other reason than to avoid his watchful eyes being on him longer than they needed to be. It seemed a bit unfair that he was the one getting glared at when both Hitoshi and Kaminari were asleep, the latter was even snoring. It wasn’t enough though as Katsuki, once again, found his eyes wandering. 

Hitoshi always looked so different when he was asleep and it hadn’t been missed that ever since Sunday Katsuki had only seen him without the stupid purple hoodie during physical training, and sex. Currently, it was being used as a makeshift pillow. The fucker wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that he was sleeping. 

That’s not what was drawing Katsuki’s attention. Today was Tuesday and all day his mind had been on the appointment later. It was scheduled as a date for Hitoshi and him to be at the movies with Katsuki’s parents as chaperones. An unconventional way to spend a Tuesday but no one seemed to make any fuss over it. Except Hitoshi who had been frankly, a mess. That was what was drawing his attention. 

Ever since Sunday, the alpha had been weird. Normally he was excessively clingy, and Sunday hadn’t seemed like any exception but other than the very obvious fact he was clingy to the shitty rag of a sweater, he hadn’t been clingy to Katsuki. He had said he wanted to go this afternoon and Katsuki hadn’t had the opportunity to confirm that or not because it almost felt like he was being avoided . Case in point he’s only gotten five stupid memes since lunch which was a fraction of what he normally had to ignore. 

This wasn’t about memes though because the problem that was catching Katsuki so off guard right now was that this feels like it’s the first time he’s had a good long look at Hitoshi’s face since Sunday, and even in peaceful sleep he looked like a wreck. Like this was the first time he’s slept since Sunday. He hadn’t hung around Hitoshi’s room that night for very long, he had things to organize for class Monday. 

Sometimes Hitoshi has bouts of insomnia and night terrors but ever since he had been knocked up the alpha had always seemed to find a way to use that as an excuse to be more clingy. 

A soft cough and another quirk-powered glare and Katsuki’s eyes snapped back to the screen where the man dressed up in a rather stiff-looking suit was explaining recently passed laws that protected Heroes who signed on with the recently formed Hero Public Safety Commission so long as said hero had obtained the Hero Licence they required for those interested in signing on. 

This of course was outdated information. Sure the commission did have funds and lawyers set aside for property damage incurred during missions, but it was no longer seen as a bonus to being part of the HPSC, as since then, it’s become a requirement to get the Hero Licence through the commission to be a hero at all, or even just to be able to openly use your quirk. 

Katsuki closed his eyes trying to ignore the stupid video and opened them to once again find himself looking at Hitoshi’s sleep-slack face and the dark circles under what he personally knew to be soft deep purple eyelashes. He hoped the dim room and the way the television was casting deep shadows on everything was exaggerating how dark they looked. His mind wandered to the appointment which he assumed would just be a bunch of pamphlets telling him what to expect and when as if the internet didn’t exist. The real significance of this would be Hitoshi meeting his folks, and how could they pull that off if he couldn’t even figure out what was bothering Hitoshi so much. He hadn’t even had time to ask. 

“Bakugo if you don’t find this important enough to pay attention to despite being the person I specifically pulled this video for, maybe you should go stand in the hall,” Aizawa’s quirk doused Katsuki’s again, which mind you was a rather unpleasant fucking feeling and just once he’d like to have the stupid overprotective bit- “Now, Bakugo.”

Katsuki knew that tone and he stood up, making no attempt to be quiet about it, as the class giggled at his expense. He slung his bag over his shoulder, there were only ten minutes left to the day anyway and he kicked his chair in with a non-insignificant force. At least he hadn’t used his quirk but if that was because of his choice or because Aizawa still had his erased Katsuki couldn’t tell. 

He turned abruptly to walk out and in doing so once again caught sight of Hitoshi who had at some point woken up from the commotion and was sleepily looking at him confused. Katsuki let his anger get the best of him and he made a nasty face at him before Hitoshi could wake up enough to remember he’d been avoiding him.

Not wanting to linger long enough for that to happen Katsuki quirklessly blasted his way through the door to go stand in the hall until the bell rang. 

It was surprising Aizawa never came out to scold him for his outburst, and more surprising right before the bell rang the door opened and instead of said lecture it was Hitoshi who came out with his own bag strapped to his back. 

Briefly Hitoshi looked around before his eyes landed on Katsuki but before Kat could open his mouth to say whatever wanted to come out at that moment he was grabbed by the arm and yanked by the alpha, clearly wanting Katsuki to go along with him. His stubborn side wanted to deny him that but the neediness of his stupid omega side compelled him to follow his alpha who had finally decided he was worth his attention. Which might have made Katsuki more pliant in following, but also made him really fucking mad. 

The anger burst out of him the moment they burst through the front doors of the school. 

“What the absolute fuck ,” He snapped while yanking his arm loose from Hitoshi’s grip. He stopped moving and just glared at the alpha’s slouched over back and when did he ever find that attractive because right now it made him look damn pathetic. 

“Kat,” Hitoshi said without turning around.

”Don’t fucking start with that.” He cut off the alpha.

Katsuki felt his face heat up and a growl he had no control over rumbled in his chest which seemed to finally clue in the alpha just how ticked off Katsuki was because he finally turned around and had the audacity to look surprised . 

“What-“

The growl reached Katsuki’s throat and he was well and truly pissed. “Don’t you dare fucking ask me what, you know damn well what. ” 

The guilty look that flickered past Hitoshi’s features told Katsuki he was right and it was pissing him off more that Hitoshi seemed to think he was stupid and seemed to think whatever was the problem wasn’t something he could just tell Katsuki. 

Hitoshi’s face had only passed guilty though, it had landed on angry, do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, angry. 

“So that’s what this is about?” Hitoshi’s voice was calm and quiet. “You go a day or two without all of the attention in the world and you turn into some emo bitch who can’t even control himself in class?” Hitoshi anxiously ran his fingers through his hair, slightly pulling on it the way he did when he felt like he was losing control of the situation. “You’re so fucking self-centered Katsuki I can’t even believe it, but maybe I should have it’s not like you’ve ever been the model-.”

Katsuki’s fists clenched and he felt the slick glycerin sweat pooling in his palms.“Shut your face right now, don’t you dare finish that sentence.”

He forced his fingers open to avoid sparking the dangerous levels of sweat he was producing. He was mad but he wasn’t that mad. 

Hitoshi’s eyes snapped to the movement and Katsuki felt his gut drop out of him ready for what always comes next, but instead of the usual fear his quirk seemed to cause -especially when he was so obviously close to losing his temper- Hitoshi’s face only had that stupid look of concern that never seems far from his features these days. 

The alpha closed his eyes and slowly turned his face up to the blue cloudless sky. He didn’t open them to look at it though and instead, he seemed focused on doing that deep breathing thing Mic had taught them in one of their de-escalation lessons. 

Katsuki took the time Hitoshi was doing that to wipe his hands off with one of his neutralizing clothes he kept in his back pocket. If the stupid beanstalk wanted to deescalate then Katsuki was going to deescalate much better than he was. 

Keeping his voice calm Katsuki decided to speak up first. “I’m not in your fucking head-“ ok maybe he was being a bit petty throwing Hitoshi’s own words back at him, sue him “-you could just, y’know tell me what the fuck is bothering you so damn much.” 

He shoved the damp cloth back into his pocket as he spoke and when he turned back around Hitoshi’s eyes were open and he was staring down Katsuki like he was trying to solve one of his hostage negotiating word problems Aizawa had him working on all the damn time. The silver pupils used to unnerve Katsuki but these days they seemed to draw him in, and the barely there whine that came from the alpha’s throat did the rest of the work to drag Katsuki closer. 

They hadn’t gone this long without touching since their first shared heat and Katsuki hadn’t realized how much he had taken that for granted until it was just, gone. The pull on him was more intense than he could bear and he took a step closer to Hitoshi cautiously. How could it be this unbearable to feel so detached, they weren’t even mated. 

The step seemed to snap Hitoshi out of his lost thoughts and the far away look in his eyes cleared. He matched Katsuki’s step until he was close enough to crush the omega against his chest and through the contact Katsuki felt the tension leave Hitoshi the same way it was leaving him. 

After the pounding in his ears and under his cheek slowed Katsuki turned his nose into the softness of the stupid purple sweater.

“Talk to me?” Katsuki mumbled into Hitoshi’s shoulder as his scent gland was being nuzzled. It came out more question than the demand he had been aiming for but at the moment he irrationally thought that maybe Hitoshi wouldn’t ever want to talk to him again. The insecurity of it all sickened him. Anxiety climbed in his throat the longer it went without a response. 

“Hey, brat!”

Katsuki closed his eyes and groaned, of all the shitty timing. He pulled himself away from Hitoshi, as much as the alpha’s tight grip would allow, and awkwardly turned to see his mom walking across the grass towards them with her arm raised, waving cheerfully. His dad walked leisurely next to her with both of his hands in his pockets.

The tight grip on him was abruptly gone as Hitoshi dropped both of his arms and the sudden loss had Katsuki feeling like swearing. Before he could get fully worked up over being interrupted however Hitoshi bent over to whisper in his ear a soft, “We can talk later.” Then there was a quick kiss on Katsuki’s cheek. A peace offering. 

Katsuki quickly glanced up briefly and took in Hitoshi’s carefully reserved but strained eyes and gave a quick nod, the immediate slight relaxtion from the simple confirmation was going to have to be satisfying enough for the moment. 

“Quit the lovey-dovey shit and come on or we’ll be late!” Mitsuki shouted, all grins and no bite.

”I’m coming you old hag!” Katsuki yelled and before he could double-think it he grabbed Hitoshi’s hand and drug him over. He tried to not dwell on how clammy the touch felt. What a shitty start for an introduction. 

Hitoshi though, if the company he was with would give him the chance, was a natural people person. He was polite with Katsuki’s dad and knew just how much to joke with his mom. If anyone was out of place in the car ride to the doctor it was Katsuki, who was chewing on his lip trying to figure out how he ended up being the problem when it had been Hitoshi who had been the problem this morning. 

Self-centered, Hitoshi hadn’t called him that for years. Katsuki bit harder on his cheek until he tasted blood and the hand on his thigh tightened for a split second. Hitoshi didn’t turn to him though and maintained focus on telling Masaru about the Underground Alliance and how he would be working with Aizawa at the beginning of his career until he established himself among the independent heroes that worked more as a loose net than the more strict districts of the Spotlight Agencies. 

It was a good safe topic that showed Hitoshi’s best side, he was able to explain how his quirk could help people rather than control them. Katsuki wanted to feel good about that, but he didn’t. 

Mitsuki turned around and Katsuki tried to pretend the people outside of his window were interesting enough to not notice her. 

“Brat,” She said curtly, “Don’t let your hormones run so rampant. It’s a good day.” 

Air was sucked in through his teeth and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise. He snapped his attention to her and registered her own narrowed eyes prepping for one of their shouting matches when Hitoshi cut in.

He gripped Katsuki’s thigh again. ”Actually it would be my fault he’s upset.” 

Both Katsuki and Mitsuki turned to him surprised. 

“I’ve been upset about something and while dealing with it I believe I’ve neglected Katsuki too much. I should have been more thoughtful.” He turned to Katsuki and smiled

It was the fakest thing Katsuki’d ever seen. His gut churned horribly and before he knew it he was bent over retching. Hitoshi’s arms were there and Katsuki felt a gentle rubbing on his upper back. He was pulled softly until he was leaning against the alpha who was whispering apologies so softly that Katsuki probably could have convinced himself they weren’t said at all.

”Do I need to pull over?” Masaru asked.

Katsuki shook his head no once but stopped when the horrid spinning hit him again and his mouth filled with bile.

”He said no,” Hitoshi spoke for him gently while he continued to rub circles on Katsuki’s back.

The rest of the drive was spent quietly. Masaru and Mitsuki quietly chatted about the directions they were following while in the back Hitoshi quietly tried what he could to soothe Katsuki and Katsuki tried everything to keep what little he had managed to eat today down. Fuck this morning sickness shit. He wanted to be mad, he wanted to be mean but he was so damn tired all he could do was lay against the obnoxiously comfortable alpha and focus on breathing. 

Opening his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he was eye to eye with Hitoshi who had apparently been trying to wake him up, the second thing he noticed was that Hitoshi’s face was filled with that concern again, damn he was really getting sick of that. Website articles about alpha bullshit be damned. The third thing he noticed was that they were stopped. Finally, he realized after looking around groggily that the car door was open and a nurse was standing there smiling with both hands on a wheelchair and everyone was looking at him.

Oh fuck no. He fought the wheelchair, loudly, until finally the nurse had caved and settled for letting Hitoshi support him while she walked behind with the damn thing in case he needed it. Which he didn’t.

The appointment went just about as Katsuki had thought it would. Pamphlets and discussions about the same things he had researched before he had even decided to keep the kid. They decided after asking him a few embarrassing questions about his heat cycle that it would probably be worth an ultrasound since he was at what they estimated to be around sixteen weeks. 

Hitoshi clearly perked up at this. He put all the pamphlets he had been collecting aside and scooted closer to the chair as Katsuki was leaned back and then rubbed with some cold ass jelly. 

The screen flashed black and white as the technician moved the wand around on Katsuki’s gut until she landed on what she seemed to find an acceptable angle. On the screen was a lump, truly it did kind of look like a bean but it had more baby shape to it than Katsuki had realized it would have. 

“Looks like there’s only one,” the technician said softly as she moved the wand again and clicked a few buttons marking the screen. 

Katsuki swallowed, he hadn’t even considered that there might be more than one.

Hitoshi was practically vibrating next to him, unable to choose between looking at Katsuki or the screen. “Is it a boy or girl?” He asked excitedly. 

The technician laughed at his enthusiasm. “Unfortunately it’s a bit too soon to tell that, next visit we should be able to tell. But look-“ she moved the wand quickly to dispel any disappointment Hitoshi might be feeling, “-we can count their toes, see! aaaand their fingers.” 

She was good at her job and she was able to move this way and that, showing Hitoshi anything and everything he asked about. His parents sat back, letting Katsuki and Hitoshi have the moment and he appreciated it. The way the alpha’s purple eyes lit up at every little thing was stupidly endearing. 

“When will they start kicking?” Hitoshi looked like he wanted to put his hand on the spot she was checking as if doing so would compel them to kick. 

“The first movements can be hard to tell if it's the baby or just regular body functions, especially for first-time pregnancies. Some mothers claim they can feel it as soon as thirteen weeks but that would be quickening which probably isn’t the kicking you’re imagining. I'd expect by week twenty-five you’ll be feeling something.” This time she was addressing Katsuki and he nodded politely even though he had already read those same numbers. 

After Katsuki had been cleaned off Hitoshi had given into the obvious urge to touch Katsuki and he held his hand against the spot the wand had spent the most time on. “You’ve been doing so good, Kat,” he whispered voice still full of awe. 

Katsuki shoved his shirt down, pushing the stupid hand off of him in the process. “I ain’t done shit,” he countered and, just because he was still feeling a little petty, he added, “You act like you don’t know anything, haven't you read about what we should be expecting?”

”Well yeah,” Hitoshi said and Katsuki was certain that the wobble in his voice meant he was about to cry, “but seeing it is totally different, don’t you think?”

Shrugging as he sat up, Katsuki didn’t give a proper response. Truthfully it hadn’t felt very different to him. Instead, he turned his attention to the Doctor who had come back in to look at the images. She nodded her approval and confirmed that progress was going as expected for sixteen weeks so they would go with that for calculating the due date. 

“I have a question,” Katsuki said as he absent mindedly took the copies of some of the more interesting photos they had managed to get. ”Say I wanted to keep this secret-“ Mitsuki scoffed but otherwise remained silent, “-how long do you think I realistically could keep people from finding out.”

The doctor looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well-” she started off slowly, as if giving the question some genuine thought, “-you’ve got some pretty firm abdominals which will help with keeping everything close for a good while, but the lack of adipose- er fat- means that when you do start showing it’ll be far more obvious so I suppose when that starts you can start wearing more baggy clothes. Realistically though, once you hit your third trimester the mixing of you and baby's scents will be unmistakable to alphas more sensitive noses. The ones closest to you will be able to tell sooner though so I’d be prepared for the news to hit before then.”

“That shouldn’t be an issue,” Katsuki said as he stretched from sitting still for so long, “Deku already knows and he hasn’t-“

Katsuki looked up suddenly as the wave of alpha pheromones hit him. He looked to Hitoshi to ask what had happened, but all he saw was his dad’s back as he instinctively moved between Katsuki and the pissed-off alpha while at the same time, his mom quickly slid next to Katsuki, wrapping her arms tightly around him. 

“Deku knows?” Hitoshi’s voice came loud and rough, “I can’t- but you.. and Deku ? For fucks-“ Even with his weaker sense of smell, the scent of blood hit Katsuki and he knew it was Hitoshi’s, but he still couldn’t see what was happening. He tried to shove his mom off of him but she only tightened her grip. Purring was coming from her chest instinctively, as if she was trying to calm an infant. 

The pressure in the room was heavy and it made Katsuki feel horrible . He had made Hitoshi mad, he had made his alpha mad and he only knew he needed to go to him, to apologize.. something… anything. He could tell his own pheromones were going haywire, once again he tried to get to Hitoshi to fix it but his parents stayed firmly between them.

Katsuki didn’t see or hear what changed but the pressure got worse and Masaru was suddenly very tense, he growled dangerously low, an extremely rare show of dominance for the usually gentle alpha, while putting off his own warning to the other alpha to back the fuck down. 

“I..I h..have to go,” Hitoshi said quickly, and Katsuki knew he was crying. 

There was some shuffling and then the sound of the door opening and shutting, severing the room from the overbearing anger and dropping it into sudden silence. 

Realizing what had happened but having no idea why Katsuki finally shoved his mom off and he moved to follow Hitoshi but his mom grabbed his arm tightly. “You need to stay here, it’s dangerous.”

“No,” Katsuki said urgently as he pulled against her, “it’s not. He’s not. Dad ,” Katsuki turned to his father because this was bad, this was very very bad. Something was wrong and Hitoshi needed him.

He has no idea why the topic of Deku set Hitoshi off, Katsuki had thought they were pretty good friends. In fact, Hitoshi and Deku had been friends before Hitoshi had even properly joined the hero course. There had been no indications of any issues with the way Deku had slipped into pack leader role, in fact, he thought he was certain Hitoshi liked it. 

Masaru ran his hand through his hair, smoothing it back down before he turned to Katsuki and his mom with his usual soft smile. “I’ll go talk to him,” he said and Mitsuki nodded as she continued putting off comforting pheromones Katsuki had only just become aware of.

Chapter Text

The beta nurse smiled softly at him as he finished taping a fresh piece of gauze to Hitoshi’s hand. It had only been superficial damage, from his bite, they said. The antiseptic and bandaging were standard precautions. Precautions. Like only having beta caretakers to avoid setting him off again. Precautions like the metal lock sliding into place when the nurse leaves, effectively shutting Hitoshi in once more. 

His blood pressure rose with anxiety every time he heard the rough metal-on-metal sound of the lock, and he had to consciously force himself to take a deep breath to keep his chest from tightening. This was fine. He had agreed to come here when they had found him in the courtyard bleeding and freaking out. He knew the routine. Calm breaths, be emotionless. Don’t let the alpha instincts show and definitely don’t use your stupid fucking quirk. It was all very reasonable. Of course, he understood why people were afraid of him. He was dangerous and even though the thought of hurting anyone made Hitoshi feel nauseous, he couldn't reasonably expect strangers to know that. They hadn’t forced him in here though, he chose to come here. He had agreed to the restraint to help ease tensions, Hitoshi reminded himself, again. This was for his sake as much as it was for anyone else. It wasn’t the same as the isolation room at the orphanage. He wasn’t tied up, people had been coming and going fairly regularly to check in on him. They were always kind. If he asked they would even probably let him out, he just hadn’t bothered to ask. 

The biggest difference -he reminded himself over and over- was that he hadn’t been forced to be quirk suppressed, in fact, they hadn’t even offered him the option. They were trusting him to keep control. It wasn’t the same.

It still brought up the same anxiety of the cold room he so vividly remembers spending days in at a time during his childhood, especially when he looked too closely at the artificial cozy atmosphere in what he liked to dub as a designated alpha freak out room . Lots of places had these, it was almost a requirement for high-stress places like hospitals and courthouses. UA probably had them, even if Hitoshi personally has never had to be put in one. It was painted in very neutral colors and the bits of furniture that had been placed were sparse and simple. The lamp that Hitoshi supposed was there to make it feel a little less clinical, was discreetly fused with the table and the chairs were clearly designed to not be thrown, and if they would be there was no glass or windows to shatter. It was a false, shallow, type of comfort. One that was full of poorly disguised precautions because even if they acted kind and understanding, they knew he could get easily violent. They knew he couldn’t be trusted with an omega or alpha staff member in case it triggered something unpredictable in his instincts. Precautions. Hitoshi had grown up surrounded by them and they were a familiarity like the uncomfortable outfit you’re forced to wear to look presentable at the function you actually didn’t want to attend. Not that Hitoshi remembers much about those days, the days before the orphanage. He probably only got the image from hearing other people talk about the feeling, and he projected it onto the few scraps of memories he had of his early childhood.

The grating of the lock pulled him out of his thoughts, and Hitoshi wondered what they were going to do to him now. He hoped he’d been docile long enough to at least stop getting the nervous peek in through the crack in the door before whoever it was would enter properly. When people acted skittish around him it made him feel even more worked up, it bothered him so much to be treated as if he was going to hurt someone just because . He couldn’t be mad at them though, he had been told his whole life how dangerous he was.  

The door opened up normally and Hitoshi was surprised to see Masaru, Katsuki’s dad, walking in. The man bowed politely to the beta nurse that had been in charge of Hitoshi ever since he had finally managed to calm down, and then the door was closed, the lock -once again- was dragged into place. 

Masaru looked around casually taking in the room. “I remember the last time I was in one of these,” he started easily with a soft smile as if he was thinking of a fond memory. 

Whatever that memory was, he didn't seem to find the need to share it with Hitoshi. He motioned him to sit back on the exam table and Hitoshi did. When Masaru sat after Hitoshi was settled the apologies came boiling up but got caught in Hitoshi’s throat. How was he supposed to explain himself, on the first day he met Kat’s parents and he had already fucked up. It made his eyes sting with more tears. How long has it been since he’d felt so childish?

 “Hey, hey,” Masaru said softly while awkwardly raising his hands as if he wanted to touch Hitoshi but wasn’t sure if he should.

Hitoshi rubbed his cheeks against the soft fabric of his sweater and he tried to muffle his sniff. 

How lame.  

The thought of Katsuki suddenly made him choke out a weird noise that was something between a laugh and a sob.

“It’s ok, really,” The man said easily. He seemed to have decided against touching Hitoshi, but he had scooted the heavy awkward chair closer to him. The way he held himself reminded Hitoshi of Pops who also seemed like he was always so easygoing, even when people around him were falling apart. 

“I know this might sound strange,” Masaru continued without worrying about getting a response from Hitoshi, “I know I’m not entirely aware of what exactly triggered that response in you, but I know Katsuki enough to know he’s probably not an insignificant factor in setting you off. It’s good to know Katsuki is with someone who can push back, reassuring even.” 

He put his hand behind his head almost nervously, “It’s also kinda my fault for suddenly acting so defensively there, surprised the hell out of me.”

Whatever hitoshi had been thinking Katsuki’s parents were going to say to him after his childish outburst it wasn’t that. 

“What?” He asked confused, his voice still thick with emotion that he tried to swallow.

Masaru hummed and leaned back. “How to explain… Mitsuki, ah,  is much the same, those two honestly-” Masaru chuckled, “-They are passionate and fierce and I love them dearly… but I’m not going to pretend she wasn’t also one to push every button I had. Sometimes like it was a game to her, but…-” Masaru leaned forward with a mischievous smile, “-between you and me, oftentimes I was certain it was entirely unintentional.” Katsuki’s Dad laughed at his own joke that Hitoshi felt went over his head entirely.

Unfazed by Hotishi’s lack of laughter, Masaru continued with a fond smile. “You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger. So clearly smitten-” Hitoshi felt his cheeks flare up, at the sudden blunt observation, “-but I can see you’re struggling with communication… and I remember being just like that.” 

For the first time, Masaru’s face lost its amusement. “Mitsuki didn’t have much of a father, I think that’s why she’s so passionate. She saw her mother doing so much, having to be mom and dad, that Mitsuki thinks she needs to do it all herself, and I think Katsuki is cut from the same cloth, even though I’m right here.”

Hitoshi stayed quiet but he could see it, Katsuki was a lot like his mom. 

“and…” Masaru’s voice trailed a bit, “You’re right there.”

Something in Hitoshi’s chest tightened and habitually he took a deep breath, forcing it to loosen up before the anxiety could properly set in. “I still shouldn’t behave like that.” Hitoshi scolds himself, because that was much better than feeling so vulnerable.  

Masaru laughed before he slapped both of his palms on his thighs, and leaned forward. “Tell me, do you feel threatened by Midoriya?” 

The bluntness of the question shocked Hitoshi, and he immediately felt defensive. Why would he feel threatened ? 

“No,” he said gruffly, which sounded horribly unconvincing even to himself. 

Wait, was he threatened? He didn’t think so. He knew Kat and Deku's situation. He had known both of them as individuals and had been friends with them. Though they so obviously each cared deeply for each other, Deku not only favored Todoroki but also seemed really supportive of him and Katsuki's thing, at least he had before Hitoshi had gotten Katsuki knocked up. But, then again, apparently, he had known… Wait, when did he know? Had he known back during that awkward confrontation in Aizawa’s classroom?

Hitoshi felt the spike of his hormones that flared out of him and he groaned, hiding his face in embarrassment. What was wrong with him?

“And, what caused that?” Masaru asked, slightly tilting his head without judgment

Hitoshi wrapped his arms around himself defensively and thought about how he could explain. “I just... It doesn’t bother me that Deku knows . It-” Hitoshi swallowed wondering if what he was about to say was going to sound as stupid as it felt, “-it bothers me that Katsuki finds it ok to tell anyone he wants, while at the same time, he’s so clearly forbidden me from even telling my own mom. I know it’s his body and all of that and I get not wanting to be gossiped about and I know I shouldn’t complain,” Hitoshi huffed in frustration this was dumb, “-I just, I don’t understand. If he didn’t want all of that, why is it ok when he’s the one telling people?” 

Tiredly Hitoshi felt his shoulders drop, “What difference does it make?”

“Ah,” Masaru said as if he understood Hitoshi’s blabbering, “Your mom is Mr. Aizawa yes?” 

It was phrased as a question but Hotishi could tell he wasn’t looking for confirmation, how could he know that? 

His face must have given away his confusion because Masaru waved his hand side to side as if uncovering secret documentation UA had specifically done its best to seal away wasn’t a big deal. “Remember, Mitsuki and Katsuki are cut from the same cloth. Stubborn and determined-” Masaru’s face went pale, “-I’ll tell you... when that woman wants something she’s terrifying.” 

Hitsoshi remembered Katsuki using the same language to describe his mother. 

“More importantly-” Masaru pushed “-I will say though that I don’t believe Katsuki would tell Midoriya, at least not without you being aware of it. I was thinking, remember what the doctor was saying? Alphas are going to pick up on the scent, you can smell it right? I know I can. So I think, actually, no, I’m certain, Midoriya could too. I don’t believe Katsuki told him.”

Oh. 

“-and I think Katsuki might be overlooking your personal relationship with the teacher.” Masaru put up a finger to catch Hitoshi’s attention from his surprise. “Katsuki, for all of his cleverness, has a bad habit of tunnel visioning as soon as he thinks he knows exactly what to do.” 

Hitoshi certainly couldn’t argue with that, even with the progress Kat had made he was still one of the more difficult partners for anyone in the class to duo up with during their on-field exercises. The only ones who’d been able to with any real success outside of just going along with whatever Katsuki wanted were Deku and, more recently, himself.

“He probably doesn’t realize that you likely feel very differently about why you want to tell your mom, than he feels about why you shouldn’t tell a teacher. But-” Masaru interrupted Hitoshi before he could say anything, “-that doesn’t mean you have to just sit and do whatever Katsuki wants, you know”

“What do you mean?” Hitoshi asked slowly, trying to wrap his head around why Kat's dad would be telling him, from the sound of it, to ignore his son’s wishes.

“Well, because it’s your baby too!” Masaru grinned while gesturing widely to Hitoshi. “I mean you can’t just spend the rest of your life just doing whatever crazy thing pops into that boy’s head right? Certainly, I have to curb Mitsuki-” Masaru’s voice dropped, and his hand awkwardly rubbed over his mouth, “-that uh, also stays between us.”

Hitoshi found himself really enjoying Masaru’s expressions. At first, it seemed like Katsuki was all his mom but there were subtle things in the way his face became animated when he was excited that was so distinctly, Kat. It made Hitoshi smile and he rubbed at his neck awkwardly, unsure about the way Masaru seemed to find it so easy to be honest with him, and talkative. 

He thought about the way Masaru talked to him, like he was already family, and he rubbed more self-consciously at the gland there. It was easy to forget with all the baby stuff that he and Kat weren’t actually mated. Talking about the future, as if they were, felt wrong in Hitohsi’s gut. It felt like a lie, even if it was a very nice one.

“I don’t know if that’s the kinda life Kat wants,” He said softly. 

Standing up, Masaru softly wrapped Hitoshi in a hug that was warm and gentle. He couldn’t see the expression on his face, but it sounded just as soft and warm when he said, “One more secret, I can’t tell you what Katsuki wants exactly, but that is the kind of life he talks about having. Talk to him, yeah?”

Masaru smacked Hitoshi roughly on the back twice and stepped back, beaming. “You’re allowed to want things too, and you’re allowed to vocalize and demand those things. Take it from an alpha who’s been through it, otherwise, you’ll keep lashing out like this.”

Something about that had Hitoshi’s breath hitch and he felt his face pinch up and embarrassingly there was nothing he could do to stop himself from crying again. It was an ugly cry, where he could only shake his head when Masaru looked concerned. 

“I just,” he said, voice rough and thick, “I feel like this should have been a moment with my Pops.” 

After saying it, the feeling hit him even stronger and he tried to explain through the sobs and snot and tears that he wasn’t trying to offend Masaru or anything he just, he just…”

“Do you want me to get katsuki?” 

The question made Hitoshi cry harder. “You'll let me see him? Really?”

“Of course!” Masaru said earnestly, “Why wouldn’t- ah -I mean he’s been basically fighting anything and everything to get to you, secretly, I think he’s worried about you.” 

“You have… a lot of poorly kept secrets,” Hitoshi huffed out attempting to get his breathing, and subsequently, his emotions in check. When he felt like he could properly handle a fired-up Katsuki, he calmly said, “Yeah, I really want to see him.”

Masaru ruffles Hitoshi’s hair before leaving the room, notably, the lock doesn’t slide into place this time and Hitoshi feels like he’s finally breathing freely for the first time since he had lost his shit. 

The door slams open causing Hitoshi to jump and before he can register what, Katsuki slams into him and arms are tightly wrapped around Hitoshi and fingers dug sharply to get ahold of the sweater. Hitoshi briefly notices Mitsuki closing the door to give them some privacy and once again the lock isn’t slid into place, and with that, he turns his attention to the mess between his legs. With the height of the exam table, Katsuki is significantly shorter than he is and has his face buried in Hitoshi’s stomach. 

Katsuki was uncharacteristically quiet. 

“Kat,” Hitoshi said while softly running his fingers through spiky blonde hair. He wondered if Katsuki was crying.

The fingers tightened on Hitoshi’s sweater and it kinda pulled the collar into his neck as it was pulled backward, “How dare they fucking lock you up like some kind of animal, I’ll murder 'em.” The absolute rage in Katsuki’s voice almost took Hitoshi’s breath away. 

He hummed, being well versed in quelling Katsuki’s anger at this point, “It’s ok Kit-Kat they didn’t lock me in-” Hitoshi continued to brush his fingers through Katsuki’s hair, the touch was calming himself down too. “-I chose to come in here.”

Katsuki pulled away but only enough so he could examine Hitoshi properly. “Don’t lie to me shitface I saw the stupid lock-” fingers were brushing over Hitoshi’s wrists and around his neck, “-They didn’t put those fucking suppressors on you did they. I swear to fuck-”

“No, they didn’t,” Hitoshi said and he let Katsuki verify for himself and he tried to ignore the way the touches were affecting his scent glands, until it got to be too much and, giving into the impulse he started scent marking his omega. 

Katsuki for once didn’t make a snide comment about it which Hitoshi took as encouragement but soon his wrist was snatched and Hitoshi was reminded that his hand was bandaged up as Katsuki prodded at it gently. 

“You bit yourself.” 

“Yeah,” Hitoshi said, letting Katsuki manipulate his arm so he could get a better look.

Looking up, Katsuki's face mixed between worry and anger. “Why?”

Hitoshi groaned because honestly how could someone so smart be so dumb? “ Because -” He said frustrated and tired, damn was he tired, “-the last thing I wanted to do was let my anger get the best of me and fucking, I dunno, challenge your dad over something so dumb in the middle of a prenatal dr appointment!” 

Katsuki at least had the decency to look sheepishly away before mumbling, “Y’know me and Deku aren’t-

“-I know.” Hitoshi interrupted firmly. 

And Hitoshi did know. There wasn’t any doubt in his mind.

It was Katsuki’s turn to look frustrated, but he kept his voice calm when he asked, “Then why does it upset you so damn much?”

Hitoshi pulled Katsuki back closer and he bent over to bury himself in Katsuki’s scent gland while he gathered his thoughts. He thought about the things Masaru had given him more perspective on. 

“It upset me thinking that you told him.” He said honestly.

He felt Katsuki bristle in his arms. “I didn’t. Damn shitty nerd is too fucking observant.”

“Yeah,” Hitoshi agrees softly, “But… that’s not the problem Kat.” 

Katsuki’s shoulders heaved in with the large breath he took, but he forcefully huffed most of it out before what Hitoshi would never call whining -to the omega's face- “Then what the fuck is?” 

“I want to tell my mom about the baby.”

Katsuki’s back notably stiffens and his voice is tight. “We… talked about this,” he said cautiously, “that telling Aizawa might get me kicked out of the program.” 

Rubbing at the tense muscles in Katsuki’s upper back, Hitoshi tried to be soothing. “Mom wouldn’t do that,” he countered because he genuinely couldn’t see Aizawa kicking Katsuki out of the program over this. It reeked of the exact kind of discrimination he worked so hard to intercept where he could. It just didn't fit in with Hitoshi’s view of his mom at all.

“He might.” 

Hitoshi’s cheek twitched, as he tried to not smile at the pout. “Kit-Kat,” He said, low and prodding.

Katuski shoved at him and he paced around the room quickly, before stopping and pulling at his hair. “I don't understand why it’s so damn important-”

“I don’t need you to,” Hitoshi interrupted firmly. “You don’t need to understand why this is important to me, I just… I just need you to understand that it is . That this is also my life, and my baby, and my family too, and if we are doing this -which at this point Katsuki Bakugo you better fucking realize we are- then I want to do it fully. Properly.”  

The pacing abruptly stopped and Katsuki stood there staring at Hitoshi, shocked. He opened his mouth a couple of times before closing it while he tried to find his response. His cheeks started flushing red and Hitoshi prepared to get yelled at but it never came. 

“I..” Katsuki stuttered slightly, “I hear you.” The way he said it was painfully forced but Hitoshi was starting to think those de-escalation classes really were something. There was silence as Hitoshi patiently waited to see what Katsuki was going to do next because so far this was untested waters. 

“God damn it,” Katsuki broke the silence with a curse before he put both of his hands over his face and screamed. It, by far, wasn’t at all the loudest or most forceful scream Katsuki could make. “I just-” he stressed though the hands still covering his face- “I have things I want to say but I don’t want it to turn into another fucking fight.”

Hitoshi slid off the table and as gently as he could pushed and prodded Katsuki up to the wall and crowded him in. He put his elbows against the wall and pushed himself almost flush against him. He’s not really sure why he was reacting to Katsuki’s stress this way but it felt right. Like he was somehow giving Katsuki a safer place. He kept his voice calm and low when he noticed that somehow the new positioning took tension out of Katsuki’s frame. “I’m listening,” he said softly as he nuzzled at Katsuki’s temple.

Katsuki talked about the exhibition show in a month for senior spotlight heroes. Something Hitoshi had been aware of, but since it wasn’t designed for him he hadn’t earnestly paid it much attention. Yeah, they have their offers coming in, Katsuki explained, but apparently, this was an important formality. If he could, please , get through that, Katsuki thinks there’s nothing that could stop him from being able to follow his dreams. 

“..and this,” Katsuki finishes, “is what is important to me .”

Hitoshi genuinely chews on the idea. Even if he didn't think his mom would kick Katsuki out of the entire program, it made sense that he might keep Katsuki from doing the exhibition. It would be for only four more weeks. That would put them smack dab in the middle of the pregnancy. It wasn’t ideal, but it would still give his folks time to be part of the experience. 

A compromise. 

“Ok,” Hitoshi agrees, smiling with Katsuki’s obvious relief. “But… there is one more thing I need.” 

“What?” 

Katuski’s eyes were full of weariness when Hitoshi nudged at him to look up. “You.” He said simply, “I want to do this right, or at least as right as I can at this point-” Suddenly Katsuki’s eyes filled with emotion and he just knew he was about to get interrupted so Hitoshi rushed through the rest of his thoughts, “-Kat I know it’s a lot to ask, but I want to be mates properly. You’re carrying my baby and I’m, I’m definitely not fucking leaving so if, if you’ll have me… I want to make our weird little family work.” 

“You act like I’ve been the one stopping you from that,” Katsuki sounded almost offended. “You’re the one who rejected me, remember?”

Hitoshi felt like it was his turn to look shocked because he genuinely did not remember ever rejecting Katsuki. 

The omega scoffed, “The day I told you I was keeping the twerp. I… but then you…”

The memory floods back to Hitoshi while Katsuki struggles with his flustered thoughts.

“Damn you’re a mess.”

“Fuck off,” Hitoshi grumbled.

Katsuki let his head tilt to the side. “Would marking me make you feel better?”

“I’m not going to fucking mark you.” 

Hitoshi groaned, he was so fucking stupid , “I thought you were just trying to pacify the situation I didn’t know that was a serious offer.” He moaned trying to explain himself. Honestly who just offers up something like that with absolutely no discussion or hesitation?

“What,” Katsuki snarled, still clearly flustered, “You think I’d casually offer to mate you just to make you feel better? Fucking hell you’re dumber than a fucking bag of rocks. I thought it was obvious we were going to mate.”

“Obvious?” Hitoshi cries.

“I’ve just been waiting for you to figure out if I was worth the trouble.” Katsuki flushed impossibly deeper as if he genuinely thought Hitoshi might think anything else.

“You’re worth it-” Hisoshi had started to really push Katsuki up against the wall as he realized what the omega had been implicating with his rambling and it was quickly moving from trying to be comforting to something completely different, “-No question, damn it Kat I could take you right here, you have no idea how badly I’ve been wanting it.” Hitoshi felt breathless at the thought and he was suddenly very aware of Katsuki’s exposed scent gland that was right there.

Katsuki’s head jerked to the side and, face hot with embarrassment, said, “Then just do it already.” 

“No.”  

Katsuki cursed and tried to shove his way out of being pinned but Hitoshi was having none of that and he just shoved Katsuki against the wall harsher, bending down to roughly speak into Katsuki’s ear. “I want to, fuck, I want to so bad. But not like this, let me do it the way I want to, will you give me that?” 

Katsuki stopped squirming to get away. Hitoshi couldn’t see his expression, only the very red tinge on the ear in front of him. “You're going to be a freak about it, aren't you?” 

“You mean,” Hitoshi felt the tease enter his voice, “soft and slow and lov-” 

He let Katsuki shove him away, interrupting him, and he laughed. 

Chapter Text

When Katsuki had agreed to let Hitoshi do the mating thing properly he had thought what he was agreeing to was one night of the slowest sex of his life followed by a bite and then being done with it. He hadn’t realized what he had agreed to was going through the entire bullshit courting thing from the very beginning. 

You would have thought they were past that. 

The night of the first Doctor appointment Hitoshi and he had hung out in Katsuki’s room but they hadn’t done much as far as what you would expect to happen during mating. Katsuki had taken back the sweater and was wearing it when he fell asleep, with Hitoshi wrapped around him, exhausted from the day’s bullshit and he had woken up in it, but alone. 

He could tell it was early morning, probably too soon to get up and go for a run, but late enough that going back to sleep would likely have him missing said run. Katsuki rolled on his back and the spot Hitoshi had taken up had gone cold, so he must have left shortly after Katsuki had fallen asleep. He closed his eyes and just let himself drift in the alpha’s scent that lingered. Tempted to skip that run after all. 

Blearily he looked over at his bedside and sleepily grabbed for his phone, finding it quickly he unlocked it to see if Hitoshi had sent him anything, and he had. On his screen was one notification on his messaging app. He was surprised it was just one, usually he would end up with at least seven random messages. 

Tapping on the icon he opened his message and squinted at the bright screen. After reading it he looked at the name making sure it hadn’t been some random nobody and sure enough the contact name was Hitoshi’s. Katsuki’s sleep-dulled brain struggled to catch onto the joke and he blinked a few times before reading it again. 

I like you a lot, will you let me court you?

That’s definitely what the message said. He looked at the contact again. It’s not likely someone was able to get Hitoshi’s phone away from him to send Katsuki a prank, and if they had Hitoshi would have followed the message up explaining, or something. Hadn’t they already agreed to be mates? The memory of being shoved against the hospital wall and the pure desire in the alpha's voice as he told Katsuki how much he wanted him contrasted heavily with the text. 

Was it maybe a memory wipe quirk? That didn’t make sense, he was pretty sure Hitoshi wasn’t doing apprentice work with Aizawa last night. Katsuki opened his calendar and double-checked, right, Hitoshi wasn’t supposed to be doing any shadowing until next week. 

He swung up and sat on the edge of his bed swiped back to the messaging app and read the text again. 

I like you a lot, will you let me court you?

It didn’t seem like Hitoshi’s type of humor if he was trying to joke around. Frustratingly, there weren't any emojis to help with tone indication. If there wasn’t an excessive amount of emojis it usually was intended to be taken seriously. Why the fuck would Hitoshi ask to start courting again though? Then it suddenly dawned on him. Had they been already courting? He supposes, technically, they went straight from hookups to pregnancy and he realized they never properly specifically agreed to courting. 

Feeling like he had sorted out the puzzle, and after snorting at the stupidity, Katsuki sent a quick text back.

Really? Over a text?

Waiting for a moment to see if the screen would indicate his message was read, and not seeing it, he tossed his phone down onto the bed as he got up to stretch his arms up over his head. Shaking it out he listened to see if anyone in the dorm was up and found that it was still silent. Concluding Hitoshi must have crashed at some point in the night, instead of doing another one of his wretched all-nighters, Katsuki went to change into his UA joggers. Might as well get that morning run in. 

During class, Katsuki feigned to be oblivious to the burning of silver pupils at the back of his head. Now that he realized what Hitoshi was playing at, Katsuki found he wanted to see how hard Hitoshi would work for his stupid idea to do this in the way he thought was proper. Memories of reading about how omega coy behavior was often part of courtship were pushed aside. This wasn’t him being coy, he just wanted to fuck with Hitoshi a bit, because it was funny.  

He managed to duck Hitoshi all the way up to English class where Katsuki was pretty sure he could taste the frustration in the air, even some of the others seemed to be picking up that something was causing tension and it almost made Katsuki want to laugh at the alpha’s misfortune. That is until Present Mic called for volunteers to read at the front of the class.

”Shinso!” Present Mic’s voice was always just on the wrong side of too loud. “Thank you for volunteering.”

Danger, Katsuki’s hero instincts told him, this was dangerous. Hitoshi never raised his hand in class and he most certainly never volunteered to stand up at the front of the class to read boring English literature. Casually, almost lazily, Hitoshi slowly slinked to the front of the class with his book open, clearly on the wrong page. The barely there smirk probably wasn’t picked up by anyone except for Katsuki. Something terrible was about to happen but he had no way to stop or even brace himself for the disaster that happened next. 

Hitoshi turned and faced Katsuki directly and in some of the best English ever used in the class said, “Katsuki Bakugo, please let me court you.”

Present Mic screamed in surprise along with the fifteen others in the room who knew what he had said. The rest screamed in response to the screaming. The class practically exploded with students standing up and Deku trying to maintain control of not only his pack but also himself, and failing miserably at both. The noise must have been loud enough to reach down the hall because the door slammed open and an angry Aizawa stood glaring at his husband and demanded to know what on earth was worth blowing out the eardrums of thirty students. Mic was desperately and loudly trying to vocalize what he had just witnessed while Mina and Kirishima had broken out into loud wailing sobs of how romantic and manly it all was, and in all of the chaos Hitoshi never once faltered in his determination to hold Katsuki’s eyes. The only change was when that barely there smirk grew to a full shit-eating grin. 

‘I will murder you,’ Katsuki mouthed to Hitoshi.

Hitoshi dodged a hug from Kaminari and walked over, his shoulders shaking in laughter as his parents argued behind him and he leaned over Katsuki’s desk.

”Will you say yes before or after you kill me?”

Katsuki’s eyes narrowed. He almost said something snarky when a brief moment of uncertainty passed across Hitoshi's face.

“Ok fine , ” Katsuki said before groaning at the new, somehow louder wave of screaming.

Hitoshi's face flushed pink and his grin turned genuine and soft, which almost convinced Katsuki to forgive him for this. Then the fucker went back to his seat without even reading the stupid passage and Katsuki decided that no, he was going to have to die for this bullshit. Five minutes later, Present Mic, with great assistance from Aizawa, managed to get the class under control. He wouldn’t let their homeroom teacher pull Hitoshi out of the class for scolding though because, according to Hizashi, high school was the time for such things as bold proclamations and living fearlessly. Seeing the way Aizawa seethed, Katsuki was certain the next time Hitoshi went home he was going to get an earful and a half, and that was going to have to be revenge enough. 

His pocket buzzed and Katsuki pulled his phone out to see what the asshole had sent him.

You should have just answered my text

Fuck off  

After that, things didn't change but they had slightly shifted. 

Hitoshi took advantage of more prominent forms of public affection. Katsuki found his hand in Hitoshi’s more often and Hitoshi would lean on him and even casually scent mark him midday. 

Things got more heated too in a way. He was being touched, a lot. A hand on his thigh, an arm around the lower part of his back, kisses on his neck when Hitoshi thought no one was looking. For a week, Katsuki had been pulled into every nook the school likely had so Hitoshi could grab at him, kiss him sloppy and deep, and walk away with Katsuki feeling lightheaded, and needy. 

The worst though, were all the damn fucking compliments. All the time. He told Katsuki he liked his cooking when it was Katsuki’s turn to cook for everyone in the dorms. He complimented Katsuki’s dress shirt he wore during one of his stuffy presentations for Vlad. He told him he smelled nice all the time. He hated how it made him feel stupid, hated how it made him try harder to get more compliments. He was making too much and giving Hitoshi the extras for lunch. He was fussing more in the morning about how he looked. He felt stupid and flustered and every time Hitoshi noticed it made his stomach churn. 

Between all of that and the touches and the lack of actually being marked, Katsuki found himself more flustered than he’d ever felt. His chest felt tight and he blushed as he found himself wanting to play along. It had taken him an embarrassing amount of time to catch onto what exactly Hitoshi was doing. The conclusion Katsuki had come to was that Hitoshi was courting him. Seriously. It wasn’t just a joke Hitoshi was trying to ham up for whatever stupid reason he had come up with. It was as if, if he didn’t do it properly , Katsuki could genuinely turn him away. 

Fuck, Katsuki had even overheard the fucker asking Deku what kind of mating gift he thought he would like. Apparently, the stupid alpha thought a ring wouldn’t work with Katsuki’s quirk. It was admittedly kinda nice to hear Hitoshi had considered something so easy to overlook, but was horrifically embarrassing.

Katsuki had quickly walked in the other direction as soon as he realized what was being talked about and hadn’t heard Deku’s -bound to be- stupid response. 

For two entire weeks, Katsuki suffered. Until Friday Hitoshi was scheduled to go home for the weekend. Katsuki and the others would be staying at the school to prepare for the upcoming exhibition event, but since Hitoshi wasn’t going to be featured he told Katsuki he had opted to go home. 

Katsuki paced his room, frustrated. He was debating if he even wanted to see Hitoshi off. Though Hitoshi had been more physical they hadn’t had sex since agreeing to start courting and it had gotten under Katsuki’s skin. He felt agitated and knowing Hitoshi was leaving was only making him more so. He didn’t want to go just to start a fight, but he found himself at Hitoshi’s door anyway. Instead of knocking he just shoved his way into the room and slammed the door behind him. Hitoshi was still casually packing his bag.

”Been having fun?” Katsuki snapped. 

”Yup!” Hitoshi zipped up the opening he just shoved things into and cheerfully spun, hiking his bag up on his back.

Katsuki scowled. He felt tense, but he didn’t know how to vocalize it. 

“Don’t pout Kat,” Hitoshi walked over and flipped the hood of the purple hoodie over Katsuki’s hair. The thing had become a staple of Katsuki’s wardrobe, much to the amusement of the class. The courtship had been a good excuse because, despite Hitoshi’s continued assurance it wasn’t noticeable yet, it made Katsuki feel like his stomach was more covered. Also, the way it still smelled like Hitoshi no matter how much Katsuki had worn it had admittedly been helping soften the near neverending frustration. 

Hitoshi used the edges of the hood he was holding to pull Katsuki into a soft kiss. “I’m going to pick you up Sunday night ok?”

”Sunday?” Katsuki asked, confused. They hadn’t made any plans for Sunday.

Hitoshi pulled Katsuki into a tight hug, and suddenly a sharp pain of a bite at the scent gland of his neck hit him. Even through the thick material of the hoodie, the sensitivity of it almost made Katsuki’s knees buckle. He doesn’t think it had ever felt like that and the sudden arousal knocked the breath out of him. When had it gotten so intense to have Hitoshi touch him there?

”Sunday,” Hitoshi promised into Katsuki’s shoulder. 

“Yeah,” Katsuki mumbled, feeling almost drunk on the scent of Hitoshi’s own arousal.

Chapter Text

Hitoshi giggled as he swiftly placed the cutlery on the table in any weird way he could think while Eri ran around behind him fixing it and complaining loudly at him to stop.

“I can’t stop Eri, I've been hit by a weird cutlery setting quirk,” he laughed as he suddenly turned around and worked his way counterclockwise around the table.

“You didn’t!” She cried through her own giggles, “You’re too smart to get hit with a dumb quirk like that.”

Hitoshi stopped suddenly and Eri crashed into his legs. He looked down at her with a frown, “Hey we don’t call other quirks dumb, ok?”

Eri’s face crumpled, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean-ah!” Eri’s apology was cut off as Hitoshi bent down and swooped her up into his arms. 

“I know kiddo, just reminding you,” he said, grinning, before poking at some of her ticklish spots.

“That doesn’t look like setting the table,” their mom sighed while placing four plates on the table and walking back into the kitchen where Pops was noisily singing some song that’s been popular lately while finishing up cooking. 

Eri squirmed out of Hitoshi’s grip and fixed the cutlery as Hitoshi went to the plates. He caught her sticking her tongue out at him in the corner of his eye and he turned and stuck his own back at her teasingly. It was nice having Eri so energetic and extroverted. Last year she wouldn’t have dared to chase him or talk back. 

They settled down enough to set the table properly and found their seats, Eri across from Hitoshi and Mom across from Pops. Today they were having some kind of Italian pasta that pops had wanted to try making for a while now. Hitoshi was working the noodles around the fork the way he had seen his parents doing when the questioning started with a small nudge against his leg with Pop's foot.

“So, Bakugo?” He asked, eyebrows wiggling, leaving it open for Hitoshi to fill in what he was willing to share. 

“I’m going to mate him, this weekend preferably,” Hitoshi said before quickly popping the too-big bite of noodles into his mouth. 

His parents looked at each other briefly, but they didn’t seem very surprised. 

Eri was busy struggling with the unfamiliar fork and hadn’t seemed to pick up on the topic. 

“You only just started courting right?” Mom asked as if he wasn’t involved in Hitoshi’s disastrous courting offer. 

“Only officially,” Hitoshi shrugged, “We’ve been together longer. It’d be better to do it now, and not closer to graduation and I don’t think I can wait until after.” Which was true. Now that he knew he had permission the more time Hitoshi spent with Katsuki the harder it was getting to resist just yanking him into any room and taking him. 

“You haven’t given him a gift,” Mom pointed out bluntly as he tore Eri’s bread into more manageable pieces and showed her how to use that with her fork and noodles to make things easier. 

“I was planning to go shopping tomorrow,” Hitoshi said as he tore into his own bread and started mimicking what Eri was attempting to do. 

“Can you take Eri?” Pops asked, unbothered by the sudden idea of the mating, “She needs new shoes and I have to be at the radio station tomorrow for some paperwork.” 

Hitoshi perked up at the thought of taking Eri to the mall. “Yeah!” He said cheerfully.

This time Eri seemed to clue into the conversation as she looked up from her puzzling dinner. “I can go too?” She asked with cautious eagerness. 

“Yeah,” Hitoshi said again, “and then you can help me pick a mating gift for Bakugo.” 

Her eyes widened, “Explosion Murderrrr!” she cheered, throwing her hands and a spare noodle up in excitement. Hitoshi snorted at the reminder of Katsuki’s ridiculously cute Hero name.

“Yeah, for Dynamight. So you gotta help me find something perfect.” He grinned with a wink, while Mom scolded her about flinging food around the house. 

At the mall there were so many shoes Hitoshi felt his head swimming. They had managed to find the shop Eri is fairly sure was the one they had gotten her old ones from. They walked the aisles until he found the area where the little girl's shoes were. It was so much pink. 

“Mom said you need sneakers,” he said as he pulled her away from another pair of boots. They looked at all the sneakers and Eri went over them again, carefully picking the ones she thought were the best of the bunch. Eventually, she cautiously pulled out a pair that had both glitter on the top and pink flowers as the grip pattern on the bottom. Hitoshi nodded encouragingly. 

“Do you want to wear them the rest of the day?” Hitoshi asked after they found the right size and Eri had tested them out with a few jumps. 

Eri grabbed his hand as he walked to the checkout counter. “Can I really? That’s allowed?”

She was too cute, Hitoshi decided. He had been surprised at the last home visit that she was interested in making cookies for someone. She hadn’t presented yet and Hitoshi didn’t remember ever having a crush on someone that young, but he didn’t really have a proper childhood to frame it. He wondered which of her peers was good enough to catch her attention. None of them , he felt the older brother-alpha protectiveness tug at the edge of his mind in protest at the idea, but he pushed that away as they got closer to the jewelry store. 

Not a ring, he thought as he peered around the shiny objects in glass cases. Probably not a bracelet either. Rings were the most common, but there has been more demand lately for other options for people with different quirks, especially with the rise of variety in heteromorphic quirks. Heroes also rarely wore rings due to the nature of the job. 

The objects were sold in pairs and there was so much variety, almost as much as there were shoes. Hitoshi bit his cheek wondering if he’d be able to find something today when suddenly his eyes caught on a pair of rings. He couldn’t get the rings but they had a sun and moon theme going and it made Hitoshi think about how he and Kat were kind of like that. Katsuki was his sun to his late-night coffee binge dreaded mornings and he would always watch over Katsuki at night. 

He caught the attention of the salesman. “Do you have other things in this style?” He asked, pointing to the rings.

They walked around the cases and the attendant pointed out all of the sun and moon theme sets they had. Hitoshi noted each one and weighed the pros and cons of each one when Eri cried out that she had found something. 

She had found a set of arm bands, they were beautiful. The attendant grin widened when Hitoshi looked up at them eagerly. They were perfect, Hitoshi decided as he felt the weight of them. Sturdy, but also not bulkish in a way that would impede either of them on the job. He played around with his hands trying to not blush as he showed the salesman the size of Katsuki’s bicep and he let his own get measured. If he had been less distracted he might have noticed the shift in the atmosphere, if he had been less distracted he would have noticed that the man next to him was paying more attention to their transaction than anything in the cases. 

Hitoshi took the bag with excitement and had his hand reached out for the change when the man made his move pulling out a gun, a gun , and pointed it at the salesman demanding all of the money in the open drawer. 

Training kicked in and Hitoshi grabbed Eri and slowly brought her behind him as he noted that there were at least three other people in the store. They were all freaking out and had ducked to the floor so it was unlikely they were accomplices. The salesman was shaking with their hands up but seemed unable to do what the man was demanding.

“Hey man, not cool,” Hitoshi said with the lazy teenage affliction that seemed to always grate on people's nerves, attempting to get a reaction. Anything would work; he just needed a connection in case things really went south. 

“Butt out kid,” the man snarled without looking at him, then turning back to the salesman, “Are you going to do what I fucking said?” 

Hitoshi snagged the connection but didn’t do anything with it yet. If he used his quirk against a civilian, even one in the middle of a robbery, he could get expelled for villainy behavior. No one had forgotten the Stain situation and how the only reason Deku and Shouto got away with using their quirks was because another hero got the credit and their involvement was swept under the rug. 

He can’t use mind control, not with all of these people watching him. He also couldn’t let this man shoot anyone. Eri whimpered and the grip on the back of Hitoshi’s shirt tightened. He didn’t want to be the focus of the gunman’s attention with his little sister so close to him, but Hitoshi could also tell the salesman was losing grip of something. His quirk, Hitoshi’s trained mind supplied, and then Hitoshi saw it. The telltale signs of a stress loss of control and he had no idea what it could be. 

It was a light-emitting quirk, one of the oldest on record and it was blindingly bright. Hitoshi’s eyes slammed shut and Eri screamed. Blindly Hitoshi panicked, worried about the gun and he shoved at the man next to him hoping to at least redirect the bullet if it went off. 

It did go off. Hitoshi felt the burning pain as the bullet ripped through the edge of his bicep. Pain, but nothing compared to some of the shit he’d been through in battle training. He scrambled for the fading connection but it was there and hitoshi took it with all the attention he could direct in the chaos.

“Stop,” he commanded and he felt the tension of his grip on the man's mind tighten and things stilled. 

Hitoshi blindly reached down to find the top of Eri’s head to make sure she was still there and he slowly opened his eyes to the room as everyone stared at the frozen gunman. Swallowing the lump in his throat and ignoring the sting of his arm Hitoshi let out a slow breath. “Put the gun down,” he said calmly.

The connection protested with a shiver as the man didn’t want to do what he was told, but he still put the gun down. Situation handled.

Hitoshi turned to the bystanders to ask if everyone was ok when one of the older ladies screamed, “He’s got a mind-controlling quirk!” 

That caused Hitoshi to flinch back as he was more than familiar with the accusatory tone in her voice. There wasn’t any time to address that particular issue though because the police had arrived and started throwing their weight around the room as they attempted to gain control of the room full of traumatized people. One cop was talking to the attendant while the other was getting statements from the lady who had screamed about Hitoshi’s quirk. 

That’s how he ended up getting wrestled down onto the glass of the case with harsh demands on why he used his quirk. Was he helping the robbery, was he hurting people, was he a villain . Hithoshi snarled as his injured arm was yanked behind his back which made the officer even more aggressive as he demanded Hitoshi to back down. 

Wildly he tried to find Eri and he called for her but he couldn’t see her until the cop that was snapping quirk suppressant cuffs on him yanked him back into a standing position. There she was in the arms of a woman cop and she was crying and fighting them to get to him. 

“Eri,” He said, trying to be calm but knowing he was failing poorly as she locked on him with fear, “It’ll be ok, calm down.” He clenched his teeth when a gloved hand grabbed his wound as the officer told him to shut up.

“That’s my sister,” Hitoshi cried in pain and desperation. They weren’t paying attention to him though as they talked amongst themselves, before deciding that they should take both of them to the station and get it sorted. 

Realizing how this was about to go down Hitoshi forced himself to calm down more. “Let me call my mom,” Hitoshi said after a few deep breaths.

The cop shoved Hitoshi’s head down as he was placed in the back of the car. “You’ll get your phone call at the jail.”

The cop read Hitoshi his rights and he clamped his mouth shut as the door slammed shut. The ride to the station is silent and painful. The cop tried to pry information from him but Hitoshi had been taught this lesson many times already. He stayed silent with his forehead pressed against the glass focused on the way his arm twitched in pain and more blood oozed into his dark sweater. 

At the station, they handled him roughly, far more rough than any teen should be in Hitoshi’s opinion, as they moved him into the holding cell. He hadn’t even gotten his phone call when he was pulled out and moved into a stark white interrogation room. The young detective tried to play nice cop all smiles and casually trying to get Hitoshi to admit he had used his quirk without a license, but all Hitoshi had to say to the man was that he wanted a lawyer and his guardian because he was a minor.

They sat there silently at an impasse. Occasionally the detective asked if he was sure he had nothing to say and Hitoshi just sat there glaring at the linoleum and waited. Then the door slammed open with a bang and in stormed pops who looked furious . 

“Excuse me you can’t-” The detective started.

“Where’s Eri,” Hitoshi blurted, needing to know she was ok. 

“She’s with Shota,” Pops hissed and Hitoshi shrank back at the anger. When Hizashi got quiet that’s when things were really really bad, but the anger was swiftly turned away from Hitoshi and put on the detective.

“I have every right to be with my son as you interrogate him.” He snarled at the detective. 

“They are trying to pin illegal quirk use on me,” Hitoshi quickly tried to fill in the information so Hizashi knew what was happening, “but I swear it was only in self-defense I waited until I got shot before I-”

Green eyes snapped back to Hitoshi, “You got shot ?” he asked, his scent spiked with distress. He squat down to try to asses Hitoshi’s condition and without turning back he snapped at the detective to go get their supervisor. Now . 

Being in his Hero outfit seemed to give Hizashi the kind of weight needed to make those demands as the detective shot up and moved to the door. 

“And get a fucking medic in here!” Hizashi yelled at the retreating form as he began to fuss over Hitoshi more, working on getting the sweater off. 

His father cursed while prodding at the spasming muscle that was covered in drying blood. “It stopped bleeding,” Pops mumbled, “Just a graze.”

“That’s lucky, right?” Hitoshi said nervously as he willed the damn thing to stop shaking. 

Hizashi’s eyes snapped to Hitoshi’s. “Nothing lucky about getting shot, kid-” the look softened, “-But I am grateful it’s not worse.”

A medic and Tsukauchi come into the room quickly. 

“Is this how you treat kids that get shot?” Hizashi immediately jumped the detective, their usual good will thrown out the window, as soon as the door was closed. He stepped to the side to let the medic help Hitoshi. 

“Present Mic I assure you-”

“Don’t start that shit,” Hizashi spat, “I’m not here as Present Mic I’m here as Hitoshi’s father, and for your sake, I hope you take that far more seriously.” 

Tsukauchi to his credit seemed to take it just as seriously as Hizashi demanded. Hitoshi was struggling to pay attention to their conversation as the pain in his arm increased with the prodding. 

“Sorry kid,” the medic said tightly, “my quirk can heal most of this but you’re gonna feel it for a minute, the adrenaline is probably wearing off.”

After the medic finished Hitoshi was leaning against Pops’ shoulder as he went over what had happened at the mall. Tsukauchi stayed quiet for the most part only asking a few questions to clarify. At the end of the story, the detective gave Hitoshi a genuine apology and a promise that they would be investigating the people involved and reeducating them on proper procedure and all that jazz that Hitoshi honestly didn’t give a shit about. 

“I am grateful you were there,” the detective said in a tone that caught Hitoshi’s attention. “Thank you for your quick thinking and decisive action.” 

“Yeah,” Hitoshi said tightly as pops comfortingly ran his fingers through his hair. He wouldn’t cry over being thanked. He wouldn’t. 

“You’re going to make a great hero,” Tsukauchi continued, “I look forward to working with you in the future.” 

The man stood up then and bowed to both of them with another earnest apology for how things were handled. Hitoshi didn’t respond and just kept his face buried in the shoulder of Pop's leather jacket, rubbing the familiar scent on his cheek for comfort. 

They walked out to the car where Mom and Eri were waiting. Eri quietly just shuffled over to sit next to Hitoshi after he climbed in and no one spoke the entire time. Hitoshi tried to send reassuring scents to Eri as he bruised his fingers through her hair while he tried to not pay attention to the scent of bitter anger coming from both of his parents. 

When they got home Hizashi opened the back door and gently pulled a dozing Eri out of Hitoshi’s arms and he closed the door leaving Hitoshi and Aizawa who didn’t move.

”What about Hitoshi?” Eri sleepily asked while looking through the glass at her brother.

”He’s gonna have a chat with Mom for a while,” Pops said softly, “let's go get dinner ready for them ok?”

Hitoshi sunk back into his seat at the sharp glare his mom sent him after they were finally alone. He might have gotten out of trouble with the law, but this would be so much worse. Hitoshi momentarily wished he was back in jail. 

Aizawa threw the car in reverse and Hitoshi bit his lip, deciding it wouldn’t be safe to ask what the plan was. It was quickly revealed anyway when they pulled up to Aizawa’s unmarked office and Hitoshi was bluntly directed to get into his uniform with a snappy- “You want to play hero so bad let's go play hero.”

Despite that statement, they weren’t doing anything except having Hitoshi run through the brutal drills around the city that Aizawa had set for him when he first started training. Running around like this in the dark was usually some of Hitoshi’s favorite times, but it was drastically less enjoyable with Mom in such a foul mood. 

The falling night was calm and cold and Aizawa was calmer and colder. 

Until he wasn’t and Hitoshi was suddenly slammed onto the rooftop he had just roughly landed on.

“Pay attention,” Aizawa scolded coldly. 

At that Hitoshi finally had enough and he shoved his mom off of him. “If you want to yell at me just do it already,” he snapped, wanting the horrible tension to go away. He hated this feeling. 

“Yell at you? You think I want to yell at you-” Aizawa snarled as he quickly spun and threw his capture weapon around Hitoshi tightly, “-oh we are way past yelling Hitoshi I want to wring your neck!”

”Why!?” Hitoshi cried as he struggled against the impossibly strong cloth, knowing it would be useless without being able to reach the knife at his hip.

”Why?” Aizawa hissed as he pulled Hitoshi close to his face, “Maybe because I thought I had taught you better. Maybe because I thought you knew better. To think you’d let someone fucking shoot you?-” Aizawa’s quirk flickered with his anger, “-I know you Hitoshi! I know your training. I know you had control the moment you realized what was happening, so here I am left to believe you either made that man shoot you in a non-vulnerable place, or you just hoped he would!-” Aizawa took a shuddering breath as if the mere idea hurt him, “-and at the moment I can’t decide which makes me more furious!”

Hitoshi sucked in a breath, the cold air hurt his lungs. ”Well until I get my license,” he growled, “it’s illegal to use my quirk, you know that!” Hitoshi tore his eyes away from his angry mom and tried not to cry in frustration, “Especially one like mine. I'd be in jail right now labeled a villain and-”

“I’d rather have a villain son than a dead one!” Aizawa cried while pulling Hitoshi into a tight hug.

“Mom, i..”

”What is it with you this year?” Mom continued, almost desperate sounding, “This your rebellious stage or something?” The joke was flat and misplaced, “-I thought we understood each other better than this. I… I thought... I thought we had made a bond, but I just feel like something is off. You’re lying to me, hiding things. You barely even talked to us about Bakugo before suddenly deciding to mate with him. And it’s not like I oppose but it’s just more… I seem to have vastly misunderstood our relationship and now you go and got yourself shot-” Hitoshi is certain his mom was crying now, “-you’re growing up so fast, and I feel like I barely had you and now I feel like I’m losing you.” 

Hitoshi felt the capture weapon loosen and he wriggled his arms out to wrap them around Aizawa in a tight hug back, he struggled to find what to say so he just blabbered what came to mind. “This isn’t your fault, mom. I love you. I do. I love you and Pops and Eri and my home and my family. I just.. things are so complicated, ” Hitoshi looked up to the sky and silently cursed the shitty situation,”-and I’m doing my best. I promise I am and… and I can only do my best because of you, Mom.” he felt Aizawa’s fingers back in his hair, petting him the way he used to when Hitoshi had nightmares those first few months he lived with them. 

“-You’re the first person who ever believed in me,” Hitoshi continued,” and you helped me find the path I want to walk and I feel like I finally know who I want to be.” Hitoshi’s voice dropped and he rubbed his scent against his mom awkwardly and childishly attempting to soothe, “-Please, just I need you to believe in me for a little while longer. I promise I’ll explain everything and then, then you can run drills on me until my feet bleed to make up for it-” he felt his mom chuckle weakly, “-Trust in me that I’m doing what I think is right, the kind of right you taught me. And as far as losing me, I’ll.. I’ll always be your son.”

Aizawa’s arms tightened, and his whole body shook. “Tell me you didn’t make him shoot you just so you could use self-defense.”

“I didn’t,” Hitoshi promised, returning the familiar hair petting Aizawa always used with him.

Chapter Text

Katsuki watched the clouds drift by as he lounged across the bus bench. He had his arms slung around the back of it and he wasn't particularly bothered to try to take up less space out of politeness that was probably expected of him by society when you're waiting for a bus to show up. 

The clouds weren't particularly interesting today but they were more interesting than the random people. He didn't bother scrolling through his phone, having only looked at it earlier to verify the location Hitoshi had sent and the local bus schedule in order to figure out based on the time they were supposed to meet which bus Hitoshi was likely going to be on. He smirked to himself thinking of what dumb look Hitoshi was going to have on his face getting off the bus and seeing him there. 

He didn't pick at the chipped paint or bounce his leg as he waited, he actually felt unusually calm. Which was weird once he became aware of how weird it was for him to feel so settled right before what was basically marriage. Not a bad weird but like for once things were right. 

Of course it was right. Katsuki had decided months ago when he decided to keep the baby he was going to be with Hitoshi. Why keep the baby otherwise, honestly he thought it was obvious they would end up mated and it had caught him off guard that it hadn't been to Hitoshi. At least that explained why Hitoshi hadn't marked him yet. 

That was why he felt calm. This was right. It might not have happened the way Katsuki had expected it to, but it was admittedly not terrible being ‘properly’ courted. It pleased the omega side of him disgustingly so, and was horribly embarrassing. Hitoshi had thought it was worthwhile, that Katsuki was worthwhile and he simply couldn't find a way to be mad about that. 

Even the sexual tension settled into a strange calm. That was more because Katsuki just knew the alpha must be suffering ten times what he was. Katsuki always liked when karma was more on the instant side of things, but a slow building one that Hitoshi had created himself was also enjoyable to think about. He could be calm because he knew Hitoshi wasn't, and it would fluster him even more to find out Katsuki had managed to not make an absolute fool of himself all morning the way his alpha must have. 

Katsuki bit his cheek lightly at the idea of his alpha. He might be calm right now but he wasn't a saint. Feeling the itch to check the time he forced himself to leave his phone in his pocket. The bus would come, and working himself up over if it was running late or not would ruin the whole game of looking like the king of calm while simultaneously flustering Hitoshi. 

Instead Katsuki closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of cheap wood beneath his fingers, the sound of the street and the smell of the bakery behind him. He built the memory around his senses hoping doing so would help commit this moment to memory. He pushed his fingers a bit more into the wood focusing on the texture and he took in another deep breath. 

There he is

Katsuki smirked and lifted his head just in time to catch that wild purple hair tumbling down the stairs. For a moment he was blocked by the group of people that got off the bus with him but they quickly dispersed into the crowd, blending into the background and leaving his soon to be mate slack jawed and staring at him. 

He tried to not laugh at how Hitoshi’s cheeks flushed, he tried to brush his fingers through his hair as if that's ever *helped* the chronic bedhead and his eyes tore off of Katsuki momentarily as he silently mouthed a curse. 

Katsuki felt his heart jump and his smirk shifted into a genuine smile having gotten an even better reaction than he imagined. 

“Hey,” Katsuki said casually, hoping to rile him up even further. 

Hitoshi just grabbed Katsuki's sleeve and yanked on it twice telling him to get up and follow him, which Katsuki was happy to oblige. 

“Eager?” Hitoshi sounded like he was trying to go for his usual teasing tone and Katsuki wondered if he knew how breathless he already sounded. 

Katsuki hummed and picked up his pace enough to get them side by side. He knew if he spoke he'd clue Hitoshi into the truth of how eager he was, and it was more fun to push his buttons. It was harder to maintain the sense of calmness now that Hitoshi was here where he could see him, feel him, smell him, and Katsuki glanced at Hitoshi’s lips as he subconsciously wet them with his tongue, taste him. 

Silver pupils darted to him out of the corner of purple eyes, noticeably dilating, likely having picked up the spike in Katsuki's scent at his sudden arousal. Games up, Katsuki supposes, and he gave Hitoshi a feral grin letting him know he knew. 

Hitoshi groaned and yanked Katsuki into the lobby of the hotel Katsuki had been told to wait at. 

“What, you're not even going to take me to dinner first?” Katsuki teased, thrilled at watching the pulse in Hitoshi's neck hammering. 

They rounded a corner into an empty hall and something in Hitoshi snapped. The alpha shoved his nose into Katsuki's scent gland causing Katsuki's breath to hitch. It was still so fucking sensitive.

“I'm sorry,” Hitoshi mumbled into Katsuki's shoulder as if Katsuki cared about a lame dinner date, “I… I wouldn't be able to behave with you in public right now.”

Hitoshi shoved himself away as quickly as Katsuki's blood rushed to the surface of his skin. “Don't we have to check in?” Katsuki asked, blushing furiously as he was harshly pulled into the elevator. 

“Did it earlier,” Hitoshi said tightly as he jabbed at the door close button. “Knew as soon as I saw you I wouldn't be able to stop myself-” Hitoshi hit the door close button rapidly until they started to finally close. “-which would be why I told you to wait for me here.” 

Before Hitoshi could hit the number of whatever floor their room was on Katsuki hit the highest button closest to him causing Hitoshi to whirl on him. 

“Kat…” 

The warning tone only made Katsuki feel hotter. 

“Kiss me,” he demanded with his chin tilted up defiantly. 

Hitoshi snarled and shoved Katsuki harshly against the wall of the elevator. He loved when Hitoshi got like this. It was this that had Katsuki coming back to him over and over for each heat. He didn't kiss Katsuki though he just harshly pressed their foreheads together. 

“Kat-” he said again, almost whined, and his eyes were begging. “I can't. ”

Katsuki was just about to demand why not when his words were cut off into a garbled mess by Hitoshi grabbing fistfuls of his hair and forcing Katsuki's head to the side exposing his neck. 

“If I put my mouth on you right now I wouldn't be able to stop.” Hitoshi’s breath was hot against his exposed scent gland but Hitoshi didn't close the gap. 

Katsuki rutted forward just as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. They both held their breath holding intense eye contact. It would be a disaster for anyone to join them now with how riled up the alpha was and for how the thick omega scent of need filled every square centimeter of the small room. There was a tense moment suspended in an eternity before the doors closed behind no one and they were once again closed up in the elevator. 

Hitoshi quickly snatched both of Katsuki's wrists and pinned them above him, moving to hold them with one hand as he twisted to hit the correct number before Katsuki could attempt to sabotage them anymore. Katsuki grinned when he saw above the door a little screen with an arrow pointing down and the number three. 

“Can't you fucking behave for the two minutes it's going to take me to get you into a secure room?” Hitoshi growled harshly but the nuzzling, still refusing to use his mouth, at the soft spot behind Katsuki's ear.

And well, when Hitoshi put it like that there was really only one thing Katsuki could reasonably do. 

Right before they reached the target floor Katsuki let the most pitiful omegan noise he's ever made fall out of his mouth and in the split second of surprise that had Hitoshi loosen his grip just enough he shoved the alpha harshly to the other side of the cart and he twisted the emergency stop bringing them to a sudden halt between floors four and three. 

“Katsu-” 

Katsuki cut off Hitoshi’s snarl by grabbing his jaw and yanking his head up and to the side. 

“If you're not going to then I will,” Katsuki snarled back before locking his lips around Hitoshi’s scent gland. 

Hopefully, it was just as sensitive as Katsuki's felt, and by the way the muscles in Hitoshi’s jaw tightened and his nails clawed at the smooth wall behind him, hot air hissing out of the clenched teeth exposed by Katsuki's fingers as the alpha tried to avoid bringing any more of Katsuki's scent into his nose. 

He was being mean but he wanted to go meaner. 

“You were here earlier huh?” Katsuki asked while trailing intentionally wet noisy kisses up the exposed tense skin of Hitoshi’s neck. “Bet you made it all nice. Food maybe, rose petals on the bed definitely-” Hitoshi whined finally finding the railing to grip. Katsuki chuckled deeply against his pulse. “You're such a sap I fucking knew it. Tell me Toshi, if I fucked up your meticulous plan and forced you to claim me quick and filthy in this elevator before anyone comes to see why it's been shut off-” Katsuki made it to Hitoshi’s ear and pulled it into his mouth, saying the rest directly into it,” - ruining your proper way, would you hate me?”

Katsuki knew he was being mean and he wasn't sure what possessed him to shove Hitoshi this far but knowing they were on a thin thread between whatever sappy planHitoshi had painstakingly set up earlier and the casual dirty way Katsuki had months ago expected, thrilled him. He let go of Hitoshi’s jaw and watched as the alpha took deep breaths through his mouth to maintain control. It was impressive how well it was working before Katsuki caught his eyes and for the first time, he willingly dropped his head to the side in submission. 

“Alpha.” the word ghosted across Katsuki's lips, not even fully spoken, and the thread snapped. 

Katsuki was spun and slammed into the spot Hitoshi had just been desperately trying to back up into and before he could catch the breath that was knocked out of him, teeth were sinking into Katsuki's scent gland. 

Euphoria burst into Katsuki's veins. His world quickly zeroed in on Hitoshi. Just Hitoshi. He felt the nerves lighting up as they connected the two and that was the only sensation Katsuki could feel. Euphoria like it was the only feeling he had ever felt in his entire life and the only feeling he would feel for the rest of his existence. Unaware of everything else including Hitoshi snapping the emergency switch back hitting their floor and being dragged into a room before being shoved onto the bed that would have felt softer than anything he'd ever laid on smelling like the deep red rose petals that were indeed scattered not only on the bed but sparsely on any surface the room has. 

His senses picked none of that as he felt the weaving of their connection tighten in a way that was simultaneously a gentle song and a loving caress while also being dumped into an icy ocean that was more still than a hidden pond high up in the mountains. 

Katsuki gasped as the world flooded back to him and there Hitoshi was, hovering just above him. 

“Hitoshi,” Katsuki gasped as he took another deep breath. His lungs ached as if he hadn’t ever taken a breath in his life. 

Hitoshi’s eyes softened and he brushed his fingers across Katsuki's wet cheeks. “I could never hate you, Kat,” he said, achingly sweet. 

After Katsuki's breathing evened out, Hitoshi let out a huff of air before shoving himself off of Katsuki and the bed. 

“I am annoyed. ” And he did sound annoyed, enough so that Katsuki felt a twinge of guilt. “I wanted to at least give you your gift first.” 

“My gift?” Katsuki asked while he forced himself into sitting up. 

A sharp corner of a box smacked into the side of Katsuki's head. He fumbled a bit to catch it with one hand while the other moved to rub at the point of impact. For such a small thing it had quite a bit of substance to it. Not really heavy, but dense. 

“Ow,” he said, too delayed to be a genuine response to the injury. 

Hitoshi just snorted before taking off his jacket and walking over to the bed with a bottle of water and a matching box. More gently he tossed the water into Katsuki's lap and the movement brought the sleeve of his shirt up enough to reveal a bandage wrapped around Hitoshi’s upper bicep. Katsuki dropped the box, snatched Hitoshi’s wrist with one hand, and shoved the sleeve up further with the other. 

“What happened,” he demanded, and through the too new and too raw connection guilt flooded into Katsuki's mind. 

There was a moment where they both knew Hitoshi debated about lying before he clicked his tongue in annoyance. 

“I got shot,” he said shortly and flashes of emotions blew through Katsuki too quickly making him almost feel nauseous. 

That was going to take a while to get used to. 

“It's fine, the bandage isn't even needed, just something pops made me do as some kind of precaution.”

After Hitoshi’s emotions dispersed across Katsuki's spinning mind he was left with his own emotion of pure and simple shock, before hot rage that made Katsuki flinch backward, reeling from whatever that had felt like. 

“You got shot? ” Katsuki snarled,” like you mean with a fucking gun? ”

Softer soothing emotions blew into Katsuki like a gentle breeze while at the same time, Hitoshi let off calming pheromones. 

Hitoshi looked a bit sheepish. “It's fine , Kat. Cops came, bad guy is in jail, no one got hurt-”

“You got hurt!” 

“They… there was a medic with a healing–” Hitoshi’s face contorted the same moment Katsuki felt his anger hit another level, hearing it was bad enough… to require a healing quirk, “-please calm down Kat, that hurts– ” Hitoshi gasped, his fingers clenched tightly before pushing through the rest of the story, “-a healing quirk. It wasn't because it was bad , it was because Pops was furious and demanded it, I'm fine .” Hitoshi punctuated the end of the sentence by shoving the small box back into Katsuki's hand. The thin cardboard wrinkled in his tight grip. 

Katsuki licked his lips. That hadn't felt like a lie but it also felt oddly… hollow. These new sensations were difficult to describe and he suddenly understood why most of what he found online about it was always extremely poetic and lacked much of any generally agreed-upon technical terms. As it is people struggle to describe their own emotions, this was a constant mix of two unique individuals ranging from a gentle ebb and flow to crashing waves that overpowered everything. 

It felt like when they were experiencing strong emotions Katsuki could tell them apart like oil and water but now they were calming down and the feelings settled into a more even mix of anxiety and confusion. He looked up at Hitoshi who hadn't gotten marked yet and so wouldn't be feeling the softer emotions. 

Katsuki put his palm up to his temple and pressed in trying to relieve some of the pressure. “I can tell there's something… missing-” Katsuki plainly said, attempting to not sound as accusatory as he wanted to. ” but this is so fucking weirdly intense I don't think I can handle how it's going to feel trying to pull whatever it is you're hiding out of you.”

More guilt. 

“Forget it,” Katsuki spoke softly through the rising emotion, “you'll tell me later.”

“I will,” Hitoshi promised, and the guilt dispersed slowly. The constant changes were starting to overwhelm him. 

“Fuck,” Katsuki groaned and he put the box to the side and moved to go onto his knees, swaying slightly, “I'm marking you now because you need to know what this feels like before we do anything else.”

Panic 

“No!” Hitoshi said, quickly pushing both the box back into Katsuki's hand and Katsuki himself back into the sitting position. “Gift first.”

Katsuki felt his own breath quicken with Hitoshi’s anxiety. “Don't you want to know everything about how I feel about it?” Katsuki asked, gritting his teeth through the soft churning of anxiety and frustration coming from his partial mate. It surprised him that Hitoshi was feeling anything at all, maybe it was because his quirk was also about mental bonds and Hitoshi being trained to be hyper-aware of it. Something to look into, maybe it was something that was standard-

“I wanted you to open it before I felt any of this at all,” Hitoshi groaned as he swayed with whatever emotion Katsuki was feeding to him. 

Putting out a hand to steady him, Katsuki wondered briefly if nausea was an emotion. 

“Why?” Katsuki asked bracing himself for whatever wave would be coming next. 

Whatever it was, it was hot. Hot in the way that reminded Katsuki of Hitoshi’s flushed cheeks, and sure enough moments later the color bloomed across his pale cheeks. Embarrassment. 

“I… I didn't want to know what it would feel like if you hated it. I might be able to feel some of this with the partial bond, but I think if I knew… knew everything … my heart would break.”

Katsuki scowled and he shoved himself back up and threw himself at Hitoshi wrapping his arms around Hitoshi’s neck, pulling himself closer, the box once again forgotten. Hitoshi was surprised but he instinctively grabbed Katsuki by the waist to steady them. 

Katsuki gently brushed a few sweaty strands of hair away from Hitoshi’s gland and began to nuzzle it. “Stupid. How many times are you going to be able to give me something like this, you'll be kicking yourself when you miss out.” Katsuki countered. 

The chance that Hitoshi– who would go through the effort of putting rose petals on a hotel bed for someone like Katsuki, who would go through the effort of properly courting him in the first place after an accidental pregnancy from what was supposed to be casual hookups, who would give Katsuki his trashy hotel elevator mating mark ruining said proper courtship right at the very end and who still brought him back to said room– picked a mating gift Katsuki wouldn't like was an absolute zero. 

He wouldn't push though. Pushing the creation of his own mark was fun, but he knew it wasn't something Hitoshi would appreciate. Katsuki liked being mean but he did fucking love the guy. 

Hitoshi suddenly gasped and his grip tightened around Katsuki's waist with one hand and he used the other to push Katsuki's head closer to his neck. “Yes,” he said suddenly eager, “do it.”

“You sure?” Katsuki attempted to lean back as much as Hitoshi’s grip would let him, surprised by the unexplained change of mind, he hadn't thought Hitoshi would be that easy to convince.

“Yes,” Hitoshi said breathlessly, “I want it, I want to know.”

Katsuki's grin pulled almost feral. He closed his eyes and pressed his nose against Hitoshi’s skin taking in his scent. Katsuki wasn’t really one to try to come up with a description for scents. Hitoshi smelled like Hitoshi and it was a scent that Katsuki pulled into his lungs like it was a drug. This would be the last time the alpha would smell like this, from now on he would always carry a slight mixture of both of them. A possessive satisfaction settled in Katsuki’s gut as he pressed his tongue to the spot and Hitoshi’s grip tightened. 

Mine  

Was the thought Katsuki sank into as his teeth sank into the soft pale skin. 

Under him, Hitoshi froze and Katsuki bit harder making sure the wound would be deep enough. He was lost to the feeling as the connection lit up in an entirely new wave; it was otherworldly. He came down from his high before Hitoshi and Katsuki pulled off before looking up at Hitoshi who still hadn’t moved. 

“Hey,” he said, nudging Hitoshi’s shoulder, uncomfortable with how he was so clearly not here . “Hitoshi,” he said a bit more forcefully. That was when he realized Hitoshi wasn’t fucking breathing. Fear gripped him, had he fucked it up somehow. He didn’t think that was possible but every source he could dig up on the subject had always been infuriatingly coy or clinical in a way that didn’t line up with this experience at all. 

He laid Hitoshi down and leaned in close to check Hitoshi’s other vitals and to make sure he really wasn’t breathing racking his brain for the first responder training and freaking out if he should start that or find a fucking phone to call someone .

Katsuki had his ear right next to Hitoshi’s mouth when the fucker gasped deep and frantic. He grabbed Katsuki tightly and went into the most awkward defensive stance he could while they were tangled up on the bed.

“Kat babe, why are you so scared?”

Katsuki felt his own fear through Hitoshi like some kind of echo mixing with Hitoshi’s new fear and honestly fuck how does anyone function like this. 

“You weren’t breathing,” Katsuki growled as he moved his hands over Hitoshi’s chest, cupping his cheek, ran his fingers through purple hair just anywhere to convince himself Hitoshi was still whole even though he could clearly see he was his body was moving on instinct at this point because his brain was just muddy panic that he couldn’t tell if it was his or not. 

Hitoshi’s shoulders relaxed and the bitterness in his scent faded as soothing hands tried to calm Katsuki down but it wasn’t as effective as the calmness that settled across their link. 

It was still tense but a lot less oppressive when Hitoshi sighed in relief, “Yeah that was pretty freaky when that happened to you.”

Katsuki groaned as he was pulled down on top of the bed in Hitoshi’s arms, still being soothed. They laid like that and when Katsuki settled he started trying to mentally poke at the sensation. If he was more poetic he might try to describe it but he wasn’t so he just poked at it trying to get used to the odd sensation. 

Hitoshi laughed lightly and Katsuki felt a jab back. His eyes flew open “Wait, can you feel that?” 

“Kinda?” Hitoshi said.

Suddenly Hitoshi was buried in Katsuki’s neck nose pressed against the still sore bite mark. “Does this feel as nauseating to you or am I doing this wrong?” Hithoshi groaned. 

Katsuki snickered, “It's shit, isn't it? But I think it’s settling for me so just hold on.”

Hitoshi seemed to take that literally as his grip tightened and his face pressed harder into Katsuki’s skin. Katsuki stopped prodding at the link to avoid causing more sensations to his new mate and instead attempted to think of something calming. Maybe two years ago that would have been difficult but today Katsuki felt his mind wandering to late-night cuddles and soft purple sweaters and early mornings where he would count the number of eyelashes on Hitoshi’s face instead of going for his morning run. 

Gratitude was warm through the link

Fuck, Hitoshi was going to find out how much of a fucking sap he was for his freak. 

After laying there for a time–Katsuki felt far too disorientated to care to figure out how long–Hitoshi pulled himself away from Katsuki’s skin and he felt loss but he couldn’t tell if it had come from him or Hitoshi. 

“Sorry,” Hitoshi mumbled but he still continued to pull away. His eyes closed and Hitoshi was taking in slow deep breaths. “Fuck Kat, you’re like a fucking storm of feelings you know that?”

Katsuki thinks he knows exactly what Hitoshi means. He wanted to argue that he wasn’t the only one causing this issue but then Hitoshi was laughing. 

Hitoshi opened his eyes slowly and, in response to the way Katsuki looked laying there, heat jolted through them. Hitoshi’s breath hitched and his eyes darkened. Immediately lust filled Katsuki’s mind and pooled deep in his gut.

Oh

Licking his lips only made the feeling rush over him more. But it was quickly fading. Katsuki realized he had closed his eyes and when he opened them Hitoshi was leaning over to pick up the discarded boxes. 

“We can do that in a minute Kat,” Hitoshi mumbled but the teasing tone was dulled with the accompanying feeling of Hitoshi's own desires. He put the box on Katsuki’s chest and he fiddled with his own in his hands. “I want to feel this while it’s still so intense,” Hitoshi explained. 

Katsuki hummed and picked up the box, finally considering it earnestly. It wasn’t some fancy jewelry box or anything but it did have the brand of a popular jewelry store printed in gold on the box. Opening it, Katsuki found a silver cuff. He turned it around in his hand appreciating the craftsmanship. It was sturdy but beautiful and as he twisted it he found shapes in the metal that reminded him of the night sky. He looked up at Hitoshi who was smiling down at a matching cuff that was gold but obviously made by the same craftsman to match with the same subtle swoops and lines in the metal but Hitoshi’s was decorated with sun motifs. 

“Cause,” Hitoshi said slowly while fiddling with the metal, “you’re my sun, and cause uh, shit I fucking had this planned out-” Hitoshi laughed while his cheeks flushed deeply and put the cool metal to his head while Katsuki felt his flustered embarrassment before a steadying determination smoothed the waves. “-You brighten my life Kat, and I’ll always watch over your nights cause you know I’m a hopeless insomniac I just thought it was fitting and- here,” Hitoshi put his cuff down to take Katsuki’s and it slipped right above the arch of his bicep. “It’ll be away from your quirk up here. I thought maybe an anklet or necklace or something but then part of me I guess wanted others to see it and know…”

The cool metal warmed against Katsuki’s skin as he took in everything Hitoshi was tripping over himself to explain. It was unbearably thoughtful and Katsuki desperately wanted to deflect the fondness he was feeling at remembering Hitoshi over the last couple of weeks and how thoughtful the alpha had been. 

He picked up Hitoshi’s and pulled at his arm to get the tall man to lean down within reach and he put the cuff in the same spot on Hitoshi’s arm. His fingers brushed over the bandage that was there.

More soothing scents to try to soothe the bitterness Katsuki was feeling from thinking of someone shooting his fucking mate, “It’s fine, Kat,” Hitoshi mumbled.

“It’s really fucking not, ” Katsuki snarled.

He was about to snap and tell the idiot just how much it fucking wasn’t fine but he stopped short at Hitoshi’s tears. Hitoshi shook his head harshly in response to Katsuki’s sudden mood shift.

“It's- it’s just, I didn't realize how much you love me,” Hitoshi’s lip trembled before he pulled in snot through a very unattractive snort and he shoved his cheek into his chest to try to wipe away the tears. 

Katsuki felt himself soften and he reached up to cup Hitoshi’s cheeks pulling him down for a kiss, “You're so fucking-” he kissed him softly, “-stupid, of course I love you. You mated someone you didn’t know loved you?” He wanted that to sound a lot more condescending than it came out. 

Hitoshi snorted thickly through the tears in laughter, “I knew you loved me, you asshole. I just didn't realize it felt like this.”

Katsuki could only hum in agreement while wiping away more tears he didn’t realize anything felt like this.

Chapter Text

Hitoshi laid with Katsuki for a while, gently carding his fingers through his hair while they both settled into the bond. 

“Tired,” Katsuki mumbled into Hitoshi’s chest.

They slowly rolled around in the bed until Hitoshi was spooning Kat. Sleepy arousal teased across the bond as Katsuki’s chilled back pressed flush against Hitoshi, the shirts had been discarded earlier.

”Get some sleep,” Hitoshi whispered against the back of his ear, “I’ll be here when you wake up.” 

The arousal softened into fondness and Hitoshi held his new mate close, one arm wrapped around his chest and the other was cradling the softness of Katsuki’s stomach. It would soon be impossible to continue to hide the way Katsuki’s body was changing, but they had less than a week to go so Hitoshi remained at ease. 

He gently brushed the pad of his thumb over the soft hairs just under Katsuki’s navel while he pressed his nose into the marked scent glad that now carried his scent too. This would not be hidden, could not be. 

His baby, his mate, this was Hitoshi’s family now. Of course mom and pops and Eri were still his family but this was the start of his family. Hitoshi’s heart clenched at the thought and he buried himself in the new scent, his arms tightened. 

Katsuki groaned in protest turning his own face into the soft pillow, but the bond betrayed him as appreciation and affection was reflected back at him. He did want Katsuki to be able to rest though so he gently unwound himself thinking to go get his phone when Katsuki whined in complaint at the loss too. 

“Oh hush,” Hitoshi snorted as he leaned over to snatch his phone off the nightstand before coming back to wrap Katsuki back up in his arms. He was planning on just fucking around with it when he noticed he had missed messages from his mom. 

Figured by now you’ve realized doing this on Sunday was stupid.

Take the day off tomorrow

Already told the hotel, try to avoid an accidental pregnancy

Hitoshi cringed at the last message but sent his thanks for letting them have the day off, they were probably going to need it. Luckily the bond seemed to be settling quickly for how intense it had been at the beginning. 

You’re still on the hook for Tuesday night

Hioshi sighed. He was supposed to be working his first full night shift on Tuesday since the rest of his class would be prepping for the exhibition. The plan was to have Hitoshi sleep during the later part of the day and be up all night shadowing. It was something he had been looking forward to but now he wondered if it was going to be difficult being so far away from Katsuki for so long if he can’t even lean away to grab his phone off of a nightstand. 

If mom thought it would be manageable Hitoshi had trust that it would be manageable. The man could be ruthless in training but he wouldn’t take unnecessary risk during an actual patrol. 

He opened and closed his usual apps and swiped aimlessly before switching to something else a few times before deciding actually, he didn’t want to be on his phone. The only thing he would want to do would be to send stupid shit to Kat and see what kind of response he would get. He had been downright giddy when he got Katsuki to use an emoji and he had the date saved in his phone the day Hitoshi had gotten an actual meme, one that was still relevant even. Katsuki was here though so there was no reason to text him. 

Not wanting to pull away, Hitoshi just shut the screen off and dropped it a little ways away from him before putting his hand on Katsuki’s stomach again. He closed his eyes but only dozed lightly while he let his thoughts wander to what his future with his little family would be like, and how different it was from his own, the one from before. 

Loved, and cherished. The baby wouldn’t be punished just because they were born with a quirk, or even not. No punishments, no streets, no orphanage, no isolation. They should look at apartments when Katsuki signs on with the agency he chooses. Hitoshi wants to provide his mate and child with a good house, the best he could. He wants to help Katsuki nest and decorate the nursery and make it a home. It wouldn’t be easy with them both being heroes but his mom and pops manage somehow and have for years. 

Katsuki rolled over and looked at Hitoshi with sleepy eyes. Hitoshi brought up a hand to gently brush some strands of blonde hair behind his ear, letting his nails caress Katsuki’s soft cheek. He smiled when the touch brought a slight blush to Katsuki’s cheek.

”You’re such a sap,” Katsuki said with no heat, “gonna give me a damn cavity or something.”

“Can’t help it,” Hitoshi said softly while letting his hand wander down the plane of soft skin of Katsuki’s back, stopping just at the edge of one of his more prominent scars. He didn’t dwell on it though and he continued his touching, pressing the pads of his fingers into any spot he could find and dragging his nails when he needed to change directions. “Just wanna touch you everywhere.”

The blush on Katsuki’s cheeks deepened and Hitoshi leaned in to kiss, to feel the heated skin against his lips. He was being a sap. 

“Am I ever gonna get my mean boyfriend back?” Katsuki asked with a slight twitch of his lips attempting to pull into a smirk but worry was deep in his eyes and it bled through the bond like syrup. 

“No,” Hitoshi said just to watch the flash of emotion across those deep red eyes and he chuckled at how it echoed in the bond too, he hadn’t expected that. “But maybe you’ll meet your mean husband and like him just as much.” Hitoshi grabbed Katsuki’s bare ass and dug his nails into the soft skin, pulling him closer. 

Heat flushed through Katsuki as his eyes drooped in arousal, something was on the tip of his tongue a biting remark or maybe just an insult that sounded too sweet to Hitoshi’s ears to be anything other than a term of endearment. Hitoshi got to his lips before the words could come out, kissing him deeply and with intention. “Not today though,” he said when he pulled off of Katsuki’s lips, smiling at how his mate had slightly chased after his lips when he did, “today I want to be soft.”

“Husband huh?” Katsuki quipped one eyebrow raised and amusement playing through his eyes and into Hitoshi’s mind through the connection between them. “Don’t remember marrying you.”

Hitoshi’s wandering hand had been gently tracing the bone of Katsuki’s shoulder blade and as such was in a very confident location to have him reach up and dig his fingers into the mark on Katsuki’s neck. “This was all I needed, but if you insist on a stuffy ceremony with everyone we know standing around awkwardly waiting for mediocre cake and shitty music I’m more than happy to give my omega what he wants.” 

Katsuki’s face scrunched at the picture. 

Letting go of the mark Hitoshi’s hand traced down the back of Katsuki’s arm and brushed against the silver band he had given him, then he dragged his nails up back over the shoulder to brush Katsuki’s cheek once more.

“I thought you were going to touch every inch of me,” Katsuki grumbled, “there’s a few you’ve missed.”

Hitoshi snorted at the change of subject and clear fishing. This time he let both hands drag down Katsuki’s back, nails biting a bit more than just gentle touches before he cupped Katsuki’s ass and pulled him flush. Hitoshi grinned, feeling the arousal pulse with Katsuki’s blood as it went south. 

“Would you like me to continue with my hands or…” Hitoshi let the word fade and left the silence for Katsuki to fill as he mouthed at his jaw, nipping lightly to cue him into answering.

”Not picky,” Katsuki moaned, “just touch me.”

Not picky now that was just a blatant lie. Katsuki was probably the pickiest person Hitoshi knew. Instead of pointing that out, he used his weight to roll Katsuki onto his back and Hitoshi caged him with his arms. His mate looked good like that, flushed and under him being protected and carrying Hitoshi’s pup. His alpha instincts purred at the thought. 

Katsuki wasn’t some fragile omega needing to be coddled and protected though and he was looking at Hitoshi with a sneer daring him to voice the thoughts in his head. Hitoshi knew better and opted instead to use his mouth to trail kisses down Katsuki’s chest, looking for those precious few inches he had neglected. 

He worked his way to one of Katsuki’s nipples. They had become more sensitive and so Katsuki only let Hitoshi mouth at one for a few moments before both hands were tightly pulling on Hitoshi’s hair to get him off of it. It reminded Hitoshi that he had neglected those too. 

Kissing each finger while closely watching Katsuki’s face flush deeper was deeply enjoyable and when Hitoshi turned Katsuki’s hand to lick at the rough palm the sweetness of Katsuki’s sweat mixed with the flood of emotions filling their bond of bashfulness of all things felt like a drug.

Katsuki moved his hand so that he was covering the bottom half of Hitoshi’s face, the pads of all five fingers slightly pressed into the skin and his palm was over Hitoshi’s mouth. The airy bashful feeling turned deeper, more bold, even maybe a touch of viciousness that was distinctly Katsuki.

”The way you let me put my hands on your face like this is hot as fuck,” Katsuki said as his fingers tightened slightly. 

For a brief moment, Hitoshi was confused about what would be particularly hot about that, then he moved one of his own hands to cup the back of Katsuki’s gently and he turned to nuzzle directly into the palm. 

“I trust you,” He said simply. 

That seemed to pull the rug out of Katsuki’s confidence and Hitoshi felt Katsuki drowning in some complicated feelings before he blushed deeply and managed to mumble about how Hitoshi was stupid.  

Hitoshi hummed and kissed the palm over his mouth again before gently pulling it off. “It’s not any different than the trust you show me every single time we talk,” Hitoshi reminded him, “I could take over your mind, control you-“ Hitoshi felt his face scrunch up a bit, “-hurt you.” 

Irritation quickly edged into Katsuki’s mind and he snapped, “You wouldn’t.”

”And neither would you-“ Hitoshi brought Katsuki’s other hand up to his lips so he could kiss each knuckle, “-I love you Kat, every inch of you.”

Hitoshi continued to slowly take Katsuki apart inch by inch just as he promised. All the sounds and the way his body moved under Hitoshi’s fingers and mouth edged him further into being more aroused than he ever remembered feeling but he still felt calm. He never got to slowly explore Katsuki like this, gently, and every time he found a new scar or freckle or dimple he let himself enjoy it. And he’s pretty sure the next time he would be allowed to wouldn’t be for another year on their anniversary, unless he could possibly sweet talk his way there on his birthday. 

“Stop your plotting- whatever it is- and fuck me already,” Katsuki bitched at him and Hitoshi sat back to appreciate just how worked up his fiery omega was laying there flushed deeply across even his chest and shoulders and a sheen of sweat coated him. 

Apparently, something about the moment broke Katsuki as he flung his arm over his face to hide himself as he choked out names like pervert and freak that really only made Hitoshi laugh. 

He could show Katsuki pervert. He ran his fingers down Katsuki’s thighs and hooked one hand behind a knee, yanking it up and exposing Katsuki’s slick wet hole to the open air. 

“You’re gorgeous, you know that?” Hitoshi said softly as he took in the sight. 

Katsuki flushed with embarrassment and he brought his free knee up next to the one Hitoshi was holding up in an attempt to hide himself. “How can you just say shit like that so easily?” 

Frowning, Hitoshi leaned down, pinning Katsuki’s knees almost all the way to his chest in the process. He nuzzled at Katsuki’s hot cheek softly, unsure how to explain how he had to learn to speak directly at a very young age. With a quirk like his people didn’t really give him the opportunity to dance around topics and chatter, being direct was the only way he ever was able to voice what was on his mind. 

He sighed when his nuzzling failed to get Katsuki to loosen back up. ”I’m just being honest,” he said before flopping over to lay on his back by Katsuki’s side. 

With his eyes closed he tried to feel out what his omega was feeling. Katsuki rarely spoke directly about his feelings unless it was something about hero training, but even then Hitoshi suspected his brash angry attitude was covering a lot. It’s not like they spoke about love or affection during their hookups either. He could feel Katsuki’s affection for him though even under the hot embarrassment it was there like a gentle undercurrent. 

Hitoshi opened his eyes when he felt the embarrassment cool a little and he smiled when he saw Kat pouting at him. 

“C’mere,” he said, pulling on Katsuki’s elbow to get him to straddle Hitoshi’s hips. 

When Katsuki was settled over him Hitoshi absently rubbed the strong thigh muscles bracketing him. “Tell me what you’re thinking?” He asked gently,hoping putting himself in a bit of a submissive position would give Katsuki confidence enough to give Hitoshi a bit of honesty back. 

Katsuki wasn’t so easily sold though and he just scoffed, “You can feel it already can’t you? There isn’t any reason I need to say it, shits already embarrassing enough.”

”Why is it embarrassing?” Hitoshi asked. 

His genuine curiosity must have bled through because Katsuki didn’t snap at him for asking a dumb question like he had been expecting instead Katsuki dropped his eyes down to Hitoshi’s stomach and he busied his hands by slowly running them up and down Hitoshi’s sides as he seemed to give the question some thought. 

Before Katsuki could answer though, a sudden rush of insecurity hit Hitoshi. “Are you ashamed of me?” He asked quietly. He could tell Katsuki loved him, but what would he feel when they were around others? Was he trying to delay announcing the pregnancy because he didn’t want to admit he and Hitoshi were more serious than fuck buddies? If so then why would he-

“Fuck!” Katsuki’s sharp cuss cut off Hitoshi’s spiral, “Stop whatever has you thinking like that. Ashamed? What the fuck is there to be ashamed of, huh?” 

Hitoshi grimaced. There was a lot, where did Kat want him to start?

Katsuki snatched Hitoshi’s wrists and slammed them above his head and Katsuki was practically nose to nose with him, glaring at him. “You want some fucking honesty?” He growled. “Hitoshi you’re fucking awesome, you do know that right?” He waited only a moment before clicking his tongue in annoyance. “You came to UA knowing you’d probably have to go into the stupid gen-ed class and make a huge impact at the sports festival that’s designed for the hero class to show off and you did . You damn near beat Deku even and we all know how fucking crazy he was during his first year yeah?-“ Katsuki’s face softened, “-you made it into class 2-A on your own merit despite every system working against you, I admire the fuck out of that. Always have.”

He has?

“Psh don’t be so shocked stupid, but not just that, you’re sexy as hell you got an amazing body-“ Katsuki ground his hips down for emphasis, “-you’ve somehow managed to balance treating me soft without making me feel like a pathetic weakling. You had something about you which is why I decided you were worth sharing my damn heats with.” 

Well…” Hitoshi started but wasn’t really sure what exactly he wanted to say. Katsuki never talked about these things with him.

”And damn it-“ Katsuki cut him off seemingly unaware Hitoshi was about to say anything, “-It’s not like… you know I didn’t have to keep the baby right?”

Hitoshi’s attention snapped up at that and he looked into the mess of emotions in Katsuki’s eyes. 

“It was a choice, you were a choice. I am here right now ain’t I? I let you get all romantic and shit because I liked it when it was with you cause it didn’t ever feel like you thought I was beneath you.”- Katsuki slid his hands from Hitoshi’s wrists to thread their fingers together- “I chose you, I’m choosing you. Today and tomorrow too.”

Hitoshi felt like he was just punched in the gut, his jaw felt slack and blood rushed to his cheeks so fast it was painful. He tore his eyes away to try to hide but there was no amount of burying his burning cheek into the pillow that could hide from the bond they shared that was set alight by Katsuki’s declaration.

One of his hands was let go and Katsuki gripped his chin and forced Hitoshi to look back up at him. He looked triumphant.

"See?” He said with a grin and a slight flush, “shits embarrassing-” His eyes flicked away for a moment before they came back to Hitoshi determined, “-I got hangups… reasons… for struggling to show weakness. It’s not easy for me- no, shut up ." Hitoshi snapped his mouth shut, “-Like I said, I don’t feel that way with you but it’s gonna take me time to get used to it. Maybe I won't ever be as blunt as you, but you got this stupid magic peek into my brain now that’s not going away so I’ll get more used to it. But until then, yeah, I’m gonna struggle with you looking at me like that -” Hitoshi blushed deeper remembering what had started this whole moment of vulnerability between the two of them, “-and calling it… calling me stupid things like gorgeous and shit.”

Hitoshi took his free hand and giggly grabbed Katsuki’s forearm, rubbing softly with his thumb on the soft skin, “Do you want me to stop doing that?” He asked softly.

Kastuki snorted and tried to glare down at Hitoshi, but the grin pulling at the corner of his mouth made it look too awkward to be any kind of threatening, “Don’t you fucking dare stop.” 

Chapter Text

Katsuki shouldered his way into Hitoshi’s room during the lunch break. Hitoshi had his job shadowing tonight and, according to Hitoshi, Aizawa had hinted at it being an important one. Important enough that Hitoshi had been excused from most of his morning classes and all of his afternoon ones in order to get the rest needed. 

Hitoshi’s sleepy hum wrapped Katsuki along with his arms as he carefully climbed in next to his mate. A hand started to rub Katsuki’s shoulder and upper arm absently. The way his hand kept getting caught on Katsuki’s new armband made Katsuki feel warm and self-conscious. The way their class had reacted earlier to their new relationship status had been… a lot. At least Aizawa had known about it. Katsuki would have to thank Hitoshi properly for thinking of that ahead of time when he was more lucid.

Katsuki shifted to change the pressure on his cheek, resting a bit closer to Hitoshi’s heartbeat. “I’m going out after class.”

“Why?” Hitoshi mumbled as his hand moved from Katsuki’s shoulder to the short strands of hair on the back of Katsuki’s neck, pulling on them slightly playfully. 

Katsuki forced himself to ignore the way his skin goosebumps at the touch, “Going out looking at baby shit, the old hag’s been harassing me to get a wishlist made. Just the basics and the big stuff.” Katsuki turned to nuzzle at Hitoshi’s chest, his voice muffled by the soft sleep shirt. “Thinking of bringing the nerd.”

”Midoriya?”

Katsuki bit at the soft flesh in front of him lightly. ”Do you know any other nerds that I would even think of going shopping for this crap with?”

Hitoshi laughed softly. “Yeah, stupid question.” There was a slight pause before Hitoshi moved his arm to pull Katsuki just a bit closer. “It sounds good, maybe even fun-“ Katsuki rolled his eyes, he doubted it would be fun. At best it’d be productive. “-come to me when you get back?”

Katsuki nodded and let Hitoshi rest for the rest of the period, and snuck out quietly when it was time for him to go back. Being away from his new mate was difficult and the recharge had been needed for him to put up with the nosy fucks for the rest of the afternoon. It got bad enough Deku had to finally step in and play referee to keep Katsuki from exploding, literally.

Which led to Deku agreeing to go with Katsuki to the mall. After combat training, Katsuki was beyond ready to get out of there. His class had been bad, but then it was leaked to the rest of the school and of course, that loudmouth from class B had to have an opinion, Shitty noisy prying extras. Even shopping for stupid baby things sounded like paradise if it meant getting away from them.

They were going to a department store that had a registry system for things like weddings and baby showers, even though Katsuki had been vocal about not wanting a stupid fucking party, he was convinced they were going to need things, and help. This was the easiest way for people to know what Katsuki would want. 

Do you really want random things in your nest brat?

—and that had been that because he very much didn’t want that.

His mom liked this store a lot and had given him a membership card he was supposed to use while registering. Deku and he had managed to locate the baby section and there was so much pink and blue and pastel. It was all so soft and had Katsuki feeling strange as he took it all in. 

Deku had been a good choice to bring, he was in the aisle looking at things like bottles and other basic shit while Katsuki was looking at the displays for cribs and other higher-priced items just a few feet away. 

“The mating thing was a smart,” Deku said absently as he picked through the confusing amount of styles and sizes for bottles. It was just something to put milk into wasn’t it why did it matter what shape it was in anyway. 

Katsuki looked back over his shoulder to show Deku he was listening, curious because Deku hadn’t made any comments on it this morning.

”You know because… the scent of the baby. It was getting stronger, I didn’t know how much longer you guys were going to be able to hide it. But the scent mixing defiantly overpowered that for the time being, unless of course you know you’re looking—sniffing—for it”

Katsuki scrunched his nose up at the idea of people other than Hitoshi sniffing him. “That’s not really why we did it, but I guess that’s good to know,” he grunted, “We were planning to come clean after the exhibition anyway so it didn’t matter.” Katsuki picked up the info card on the dark wooden crib and he glanced over the safety features it boasted. He liked the natural dark more than the white. Hitoshi got weird about too much white.

“Is… he going to be there? For the exhibition?”

“I think so?” Katsuki said absently as he scanned the crib into the registry along with the matching diaper changer dresser combo thing. He was glad he made a list before coming here because he had no idea what half of these things were and most of them seemed unnecessary. They would probably have a small apartment anyway so he didn’t need all of this shit. 

”Do you think he will be ok?”

Katsuki felt his hackles raise at the tone Deku was using. ”What do you mean?”

There was a quiet moment and Katsuki could practically picture the look he was getting through the tall shelving. ”Look Kacchan,” Deku paused for a moment and the guilty, “I know you don’t want to hear it but there are alpha and omega-specific dynamics you should probably be considering here.”

Oh, he really didn’t like that tone. ”Like fucking what?”

”Like how I can barely watch you in combat training anymore without the need to yank you back off rooftops and out of danger and I’m not even your mate, I’m not the kid’s father. what do you think Hitoshi is going to feel with this bond so fresh?”

Katsuki dropped his arms clenching the fancy baby diaper-backpack thing he was debating on. ”Wait, is that why you fucking stopped sparing with me?”

Deku looked sheepish as he came around the corner holding up a set of bottles that said it was ideal for newborns, claimed to be better for colic. Katsuki angrily scanned it.

”What am I supposed to do Kacchan?” Deku whined pathetically, “I can’t force myself to use my full strength against you right now and I knew you’d pick up on that and hate it even more.”

Katsuki scowled as he went over to the dreaded clothing displays, torn between the overwhelming amounts of pinks and blues. Hitoshi and he had agreed having some gender-neutral things to start with would be helpful until the gender was announced. Though neither of them thought it mattered. Katsuki eyed a multi-pack of white onesies, simple neutral, and easy to bleach.

“My mate, doesn’t see me like that, he’ll be fine.” Is what Katsuki decided to answer with, if only to stop the damn Pack-Alpha from his damn hovering.

Deku didn’t seem convinced, but knew when to drop the argument. Instead, he went over to the more colorful clothes options eyeing between the display of princesses and spaceships. 

“When are you going to know if it’s a boy or girl?” He asked as his eyes caught the tell-tale colors for the All Might display, even years after the hero retired stores still marketed him like crazy. 

“Next checkup. I was told they’d be able to tell us. We haven’t really talked about if we wanted to know or not though. Seems like a lot of fuss over nothing.” He scanned the tiny All Might footie pajamas—to humor Deku. 

Katsuki scrolled through the growing list on the hand-held display and frowned at how plain everything looked. If it was making him itch Hitoshi— Maybe knowing the gender would help, at least then his instincts might settle into a theme or something, get some color in there. It might not be all white and beige, he knew black and grey weren’t that much better. 

He did scan a few purple things mentally arguing with himself that it could be neutral. He liked how it reminded him of Hitoshi. 

Then he migrated over to the yellows and greens, trying to picture what the nursery would look like and that also made his skin itch. It didn’t seem right. Maybe it didn’t matter right now, they didn’t even have an apartment. The kid would probably be in their room anyway for what, a year? He’d have plenty of time to properly set up the space. 

There were a few things he wouldn’t hate having that he scanned— refused to scan any toy that was obnoxiously loud— but he took the car seat, a stroller and the body sling that wasn’t ungodly complex.

“Are you guys going with disposable or reusable diapers?” Deku called over.

Katsuki frowned, he hadn’t discussed that with Hitoshi. They also hadn’t discussed breast milk vs formula but Katsuki had scanned for a mid-quality pumper anyway, just in case. 

He was on his way over to where Deku had yelled from when he was stopped suddenly. His hand had been casually brushing against the many textures throughout the entire trip absently and looking over at what made him stop was a blanket. They had scanned a few of the swaddling blankets and fitted sheets for the crib but this blanket was different.

It was plush and soft. The lining was a pale yellow and the side with the pattern was just simple shapes with soft yellows and his favorite purple—it was perfect. He grabbed the blanket and rubbed the fabric between his fingers. It was a good weight, not too much but not thin like the swaddling blankets had been. He kept it close as he walked over to Deku, handing him the scanner. “Just scan the diapers meant for newborns I guess… and whatever is left on the list.. like shampoo and shit.”

Sitting in one of the display rockers, Katsuki tuned out Deku's mumbling over brands and pricing. The blanket was so soft against his face when he nuzzled into it, and it compelled Katsuki to close his eyes. It smelled like the department store which wasn’t pleasant but still, he thought about it smelling like Katsuki and Hitoshi’s new mixed scents, and about his baby being wrapped in it. When he pulled the blanket off his face he turned towards the periodic beeping noise of the scanner, it sounded like Deku decided everything on whatever shelf he was looking at was needed. Katsuki turned slowly to look at all the pastels and soft edges and somehow it felt different than it had a moment ago. Suddenly he really wanted to be with Hitoshi.

”Nerd lets go,” he said while popping up from the chair to interrupt Deku before he could scan every piece of baby safety-lock things he had found. 

Deku looked up and smiled. “Do you want me to scan the blanket?”

”No,” Katsuki said, holding it a little tighter to himself. “I’m buying it.”

When they got back he smuggled the thing through the dorms avoiding everyone who was, thankfully, distracted by the television. He slipped into Hitoshi’s room and started stripping down to just his boxers. Looking up, Katsuki noticed Hitoshi had woken up at some point and was watching him with sleepy eyes. He caught Katsuki's eyes and lethargically held out his hands in a childish grabby motion that made Katsuki snort. 

He pulled the blanket out from his bag and noticed how Hitoshi’s eyes widened. 

“I uh…” 

Katsuki didn’t really know how to explain the impulse purchase but Hitoshi had gone back to the grabby hand motion a bit more insistently and Katsuki climbed into the bed, letting himself be pulled close with the small blanket between them. Hitoshi kept one hand on Katsuki and used the other to rub the soft fabric of the blanket between his rough fingers. 

There was a gentle hum of satisfaction that bled through their bond. “This is perfect, KitKat.” Hitoshi mumbled and Katsuki almost started purring from his alpha’s approval.

Chapter Text

It was dark when Hitoshi woke up to the soft vibrations of his phone alarm coming from under his pillow. Blindly, he hit the button on the side of it that would give him five more minutes before it reminded him he did actually have to get out of bed. He didn’t need the extra five minutes it was just the fastest way to stop the vibrations and he wanted to avoid waking Katsuki up if he could. Hitoshi checked to see if he was still sleeping and decided when he saw Katsuki's soft expression that maybe he’d take the extra time anyway. Relaxing back into his pillow he spent the few minutes visually tracing over the soft curve of Katsuki’s cheek and the faded lines of the scar there.

Reluctantly he pushed up slowly when the phone buzzed again. The blanket slipped off his shoulder when he sat up and he worked his way out from under it as he judged what the best route out of the bed would be without waking up his sleeping mate. He shifted his hand and felt an unfamiliar plush texture there. and looking down he remembered the baby blanket that Katsuki had brought home from the store last night. Somehow while they were sleeping it had come free of Katsuki’s grip and had ended up halfway underneath Hitoshi. He picked it up, scrunching his nose at the scent of the department store still clinging to it. They should probably wash it, but for the time being Hitoshi buried his face in it and rubbed it against his neck to scent it heavily before tucking it back into Kat’s arms, grinning at the way his omega clung to it in his sleep.

With that, he continued his extraction mission, successfully managing to climb down and over the foot of the bed. Getting ready in the dark at this point was mostly muscle memory and he managed to get everything done before his phone buzzed a final time, telling him he needed to get downstairs. He looked back over to the bed one last time while pulling down the dark undershirt he wore under his suit. Katsuki's eyes were silently watching him and the mate bond did a strange stutter when they caught Hitoshi’s.

Hitoshi sighed softly—not as successful as he thought then—before he walked over and bent down to softly press his nose to Katsuki’s temple. “What’s wrong?” He whispered.

Katsuki turned his eyes down in a rare sleepy way to avoid him and Hitoshi pressed harder to try and coax him to talk.

”Just thinkin'…” Katsuki mumbled, “…How it’s gonna feel watching you leave every night.”

Hitoshi hummed thoughtfully for a moment before shifting his weight slightly. “It won’t be every night,” He mused, but he knew that wasn’t the point. “Are you sure you’ll be ok?”

They had talked about this, and Katsuki had said it would be fine, but maybe now that he was actually leaving it would turn out to be too much with the pregnancy and mating bond. Things weren't… they weren’t the same as they were four months ago when Katsuki had said it wouldn’t be an issue. Hitoshi had been prepared for things to change if they needed to.

“It’s fine,” Katsuki said, his tone defensive.

Hitoshi settled into a more comfortable position and ran his fingers through Katsuki’s sleep-messed hair, catching it lightly so he could pull him to look up. “It’s ok if it isn’t.” Hitoshi reminded him.

They had talked about that too, how Hitoshi’s priorities had adjusted when he realized he was going to be a father. Being a hero was important to him, but not as important as it was to Katsuki, and not more important than being there for their baby. He wouldn’t put his family second to a dream that was born out of a need to prove something.

Katsuki scoffed and turned his back to Hitoshi, grumbling, “Shut up.”—after a pause—“It’d feel the same if you were leaving to go be some lame pencil pusher too.”

Hitoshi laughed softly and continued to run his fingers through Katsuki’s hair. “Lame? I’d be the coolest pencil pusher in the office and you know it.”

Katsuki halfheartedly swatted his hand away. “Yeah right. You do know you can’t brainwash the copy machine into doing what you want right? Probably the only thing you can do is rescue people and shit. Kinda useless like that.”

That pulled a loud snort from Hitoshi. “I’ll be home in the morning, love,” he said softly. Ignoring the groan at the pet name, he gently put his hand around Katsuki’s waist to sneakily rub his belly and leaned over to kiss the now slightly pink part of Katsuki’s exposed ear, which earned him a more earnest swat to go away.

Hitoshi closed the door to the sound of Katsuki’s soft grumbling about how gross alphas are and made his way down to the common room where his mom—Eraserhead when they were like this together—was waiting with the silver case holding Hitoshi’s hero uniform.

He held the case out to Hitoshi. “Get suited up, MindJack. Then keep up.”

They swung through the city, once again more on the outskirts instead of the more lit-up downtown area. Hitoshi had been becoming more and more familiar with this part of town. This was unofficially Eraserhead’s territory, where Hitoshi would be doing most of his early work after graduation. They were heading more East than usual tonight until they landed on an unassuming office building.

“Did you notice anything about this place?” Eraserhead asked in that way that told Hitoshi there should be something he noticed, or, annoyingly, when he’s trying to trick him into blind guessing.

Hitoshi was prepared for this though because he had noticed about a block back there were no cameras in the area. Likely in a radius around this or a nearby building. It wasn’t unusual for there to be blind spots in public cameras but there hadn’t been any private ones either, business or residential.

He said as much and Eraserhead nodded approvingly while wrenching open the door that led down into the building.

“Welcome to the underground,” he said, voice taking on a cryptic tone and an out-of-character flourish wave of his hands encouraging Hitoshi to go first.

Hitoshi wanted to laugh and ask him if Pops had helped him come up with that one, but he wasn’t fifteen anymore and he knew that information, especially private information was the most valuable currency on this side of the hero world and shouldn’t be uttered carelessly. Even if there weren’t cameras that didn’t mean there weren’t hidden ears, electronic or otherwise listening in.

While working his way down the stairs Hitoshi moved to lower his vocal cords but he was stopped when Eraserhead gave him a subtle hand tap and a quick shake of the head.

Keep in uniform. Don’t let your guard down.

Well, that was one way to set the nerves on edge, Hitoshi thought cryptically and opened the door at the bottom of the stairs revealing the entire top floor of the building was one large room with sections marked for different activities. There was a sparring mat in one corner with various weapons along the wall near it. Next to that was an assortment of exercise equipment, and next to that was a study section with what looked like the large legal books Hitoshi had been painstakingly studying this year. To the left was a makeshift medical corner with a cot and cupboards, probably filled with supplies Eraserhead had been familiarizing him with. Everything in the large space was clean and organized in a way that said it was well cared for and important. He was nudged to the right to a large table with a rough count of fifteen chairs around it, about half of them filled with heroes Hitoshi had also become familiar with over the last couple of years and a handful of new people he hadn’t.

“Never figured the underground would actually be the penthouse suite of a shitty office building,” Hitoshi mused a bit louder than intended if Ms. Joke’s cackling was anything to go by. He received a quick smack to the back of his head that had no heat behind it.

Eraserhead ran introductions around the table. Ms. Joke he had met several times now she was a teacher and worked close to Eraser’s territory so they often worked together, she had even come over for dinner about a year ago so that the three teachers could stay up late drinking to shake off the end-of-year stress. Next to her was a man Hitoshi didn’t know but he had also laughed at his quip and anyone who chose to sit next to Joke was likely to be someone he’d get along with.

“Odd Eye,” Eraserhead introduced, “I’ve been wanting to introduce you because he also has a mind manipulation quirk.”

The man half stood up to lean over the table and Hitoshi shook his hand when it was pushed into his space.

“The darkness welcomes you,” He said with a smile and Hitoshi was strongly reminded of Tokoyami. “Unfortunately, the familiars couldn’t make it tonight, but I’m sure fate will bring us together again.”

Yeah, he definitely reminded him of Tokoyami. Eraserhead caught him with a side-eye and Hitoshi knew he was also thinking of his other student.

“Skycrawler,” Eraserhead continued around the table. “We worked together in his early years and has recently come back to Japan.”

Hitoshi nodded to the man who stayed sitting and he raised his coffee mug as a salute. “Recently, he says," Scycrawler scoffed, "You mean this morning. Jet lag and a night shift on my first day back, Eraser you are a cruel man.”

“You’ll get over it,” Eraserhead grumbled but Hitoshi saw the soft smile tucked away in his capture weapon. Skycrawler was one of the vigilantes Aizawa liked to use as an example of the faults in the system and how if given a chance most vigilantes want to do good and he had an obvious soft spot for the guy.

Lady Nagant stood before being introduced and bowed politely which Hitoshi returned. “Ms. Vice-President is here on behalf of the commission in Hawks stead. This sting has been in the works for a long time and she has helped keep the several organizations on the same page.”

Nagant’s face flushed slightly at the compliments and she fiddled with her hair awkwardly. ”Please Eraserhead, I’ve asked you not to call me that.”

“I’m not sure if you recognize Bigshot, Enigma, and Onemu—“ Hitoshi shook his head, he hadn’t—“They worked with Ingenium but have come to work with the underground from time to time. Since their boss’s retirement, these two have been working closely with the vigilantes downtown and trying to curb excessive force, but agreed to be a couple of extra hands tonight.”

Hitoshi shook each of their hands too though they didn’t bother to stand, forcing Hitoshi to be the one leaning over the table to them. It was one of those situations people still tiptoed around. Stain, the hero killer— one of the worst-case examples of what can happen when vigilantes take a different path than men like Skycrawler.

Next to Enigma were four empty chairs that Eraserhead frowned at before gesturing to the two women who were standing behind their chairs talking quietly to each other. They both turned and smiled after giving quick bows that were adorably in sync.

“I’m Sameko!” One of the women jumped in with a slight hop and a salute on top of the bow.

“I’m Kameko,” The other woman said shyly.

“These two are acting as the heads of tonight’s operation,” Eraserhead said, “We are going to be in their territory and they’ve done the most work on infiltration and information gathering so far.

“Mhm!” Sameko nodded excitedly, “It’s good to finally meet you MindJack we’ve been told so much about you and oh my gosh you really are like a mini-Eraser like Joke said, so cute! You even have a capture weapon too!” She giggled and elbowed her friend who gave a slight smile in response.

Kameko handed Hitoshi a file containing the mission information. He slipped into his chair next to his mentor and started flipping through it quickly. They were going to a dock on the Southeast side of an old shipyard. Hitoshi grimaced, wishing he was more familiar with the area.

While he was looking through the targets making notes of one he saw his name marked under with a note from Eraserhead who thought they would be a good matchup for him, the last four people they were missing showed up.

The Midnight Boys—Hitoshi remembered them from a sting they pulled off against a BDSM club in the red light district that had been suspected of money laundering for the few remaining members of the Shei Hassaikai group. They quietly took their seats without much fuss.

“Ok,” Eraserhead started after the newcomers got settled, interrupting that thought, “Now that we are all here it’s time to get to it. As I said last week MindJack will be joining us tonight, working with me—”

“Are you sure we should be trusting something like this to someone so young?” Enigma interrupted softly.

Eraserhead sighed, “I have entire faith in him, and I will, once again, remind you that complaints about this had been settled last week if you—”

“But you’re biased Eraser,” Bigshot cut in, “Enigma has a point, he’s too young, too green, for this. Hell, look at him, he could just as easily be one of the kids we are rescuing.”

Hitoshi ignored the mumbling at the table and Eraserhead’s responding glare—the one he did when he felt like he had spent enough time explaining something to his students and had concluded they were willfully choosing to be difficult.

“Of all people, Bigshot, you have the least room to talk about being green here,” A different voice cut into the argument—Skycrawler had spoken up, heading off the incoming Eraserhead Lecture about wasting time. His face twisted into a smug smirk. “Remind me again, how long have you been on this side of the sunset? From what I hear not one of you three have even been arrested yet.”

A few snickers broke out amongst the heroes at the table, Joke the loudest and possibly three seconds away from smacking her fist against the table.

Bigshot scowled at being called out. “Neither has the kid so if anything that just proves-”

“Actually, I was arrested last week.” Hitoshi said absently, having gone back to half-paying attention as he looked over the blueprints of a boat that had several key areas highlighted.

“What, got caught shoplifting at the mall?”

Hitoshi looked up, his eyes narrowed. He decided right then and there that he wasn't very fond of this Bigshot guy. “I’m not a criminal,” He snapped.

Tension grew thick as Hitoshi stared down at the hero across from him. He was a good half-head at least shorter than the man but Hitoshi felt he could probably stand his ground if an all-out brawl took place.

“Enough.” Eraserhead's clipped tone cut through the warning alpha pheromones Bigshot was putting out like a knife. “Need I remind you of the seriousness of this mission? MindJack will be with me, end of discussion. If you want to bicker or do your alpha dominance posturing do so on your own time, after we save those kids.”

Hitoshi refocused on the details of the mission. They were targeting a side branch of a bigger organization to rescue several heteromorph children who had been kidnapped over the last year. According to the information gathered, they were to be smuggled out of the country tonight. The goals were to save the children with no life loss, and bonus points if they could do it without alerting the parent organization to the sting and possibly compromising the larger investigation that the commission was conducting.

The Underground had been called because it was a mission that relied on stealth and several parts moving simultaneously as one. They would be slipping several heroes into hiding spots, swapping them out with several critical roles within the crew of the ship the children were being taken in. Kameko would be stationed in the steering room as a high-up official she’d been posing as undercover for the last several months. She would detour the ship to a place where the others could sneak out of hiding spots to subdue the remaining criminals and the kids would be smuggled to a life boat and brought to a designated beach by Sameko. After the children were safe the heroes and remaining criminals would be divided up into the remaining lifeboats and the ship would go into mayday shortly before being sunk in a deep volatile part of the bay that inexperienced sailors in the area could easily be swept up in. No hope for retrieval.

Hitoshi was going to work with Eraserhead to pull as many low-ranked sailors away and incapacitate them before the ship took off. Then after the criminals left on land were taken in they would rendezvous to the beach and wait in case they were needed.

The group split up into smaller teams to avoid drawing attention to a large number of people traveling together from one location to the dock. Hitoshi and Eraserhead left first since they would be the only team traveling entirely on foot. While they moved from roof to roof in the shadows, Hitoshi familiarized himself with the in-ear comm he had been given.

“So what was up with all the fuss over if Bigshot or I had been arrested,” Hitoshi mused on the frequency he had been shown that only the underground heroes could access.

Hitoshi couldn’t see the face his mom was making but knew his eyes rolled, before the light crackle of the earpiece connected.

“To the underground, it’s considered a badge of honor to be falsely arrested by the local police. They think it’s funny. Spotlight heroes, as you know, use the hero charts as a measure of their work and it becomes a major component of their pay grade, status, assignments, and job prospects. The point of the underground is to go unnoticed; we can't use the same measures. There isn't an official agency we answer to, being mostly registered as individuals or small groups, but the members have come up with a less official measurement of underground work. See, if you’re good enough at blending it becomes inevitable you’d get mistakenly caught up in an arrest eventually. Being arrested regularly means you’re truly one of the underground as it’s the one thing that doesn’t happen to spotlight heroes.”

“How many times have you been arrested?” Hitoshi snickered and didn’t bother to hide it from his voice.

There was a pause of silence as they crossed a more busy area before Eraserhead continued, ignoring Hitoshi’s question.

“As much as it pissed me off on a personal level, what happened to you is going to earn you a lot of points with the others. Especially when the Jewelry store surveillance gets released to the public. Nothing gets those guys going like excessive police force used against one of their own.”

A deep sigh that crackled through the headset, then—

“If you don’t fuck this up.”

“Oh, cool. No pressure or anything,” Hitoshi nervously chuckled.

“Don’t worry, if it goes wrong it will fall on me as your mentor. I trust you and believe you are ready for this. I wouldn’t have vouched for you otherwise. Just remember your training.”

Hitoshi’s jaw tightened. Yeah, no pressure, he thought to himself. No warning, no proper debriefing, with unbelievably high stakes of not just his mentor's reputation but also, you know, children’s lives.

The first man Eraserhead snatched off the pier was a high-ranking man in charge of the ship’s operational crew. Hitoshi recognized him from the docket as one of the officers Eraserhead had marked as a good target for MindJack specifically.

It was easy to see why after Hitoshi had him cornered and talking. The man loved to talk and the things he said were some of the most quirkist offensive things Hitoshi had heard, and he’s mated to Katsuki. Truly, Hitoshi’s favorite type of criminal was the monologers. He got his vocal cords tuned to the right frequency with practiced ease, seeing the asshole’s face when he was colorfully insulted back with his own voice was something Hitoshi doesn’t think will ever get old.

The next hour was almost too easy as Hitoshi crept around corners and perched in high shadows pulling man after man away from their task and into Eraserhead’s range. After one was extracted a hero would seamlessly slip into their spot. The team ran smoothly with limited talking over the comms. They used the single-word code Hitoshi had been tested on during his midterms rather than anything substantial that could give anything away if overheard.

Hitoshi was impressed at how well they worked together when they were all technically registered as independents. His mom had told him they sometimes ran larger missions together and needed to be able to cooperate but he hadn’t realized just how well-tuned they were to each other, especially considering the attitudes between them back at the base. Even Bigshot gave no issues, not even when Hitoshi had to directly request he change positions against the plan because one of his targets had drunk themself stupid and wouldn’t listen to orders forcing him to improvise.

The ship took off without any issues and Eraserhead and Hitoshi helped load up the criminals they had captured into the back of a police van. Explaining to the medic team which injuries they had inflicted was tedious even though the paramedics had things streamlined as best as they could it was still an annoying amount of CYA paperwork. They kept themselves busy with that when over their comms the short code they were waiting for, Lighthouse spotted, got Hitoshi and Eraserhead excusing themselves and moving down to the beach to help bring the kids to shore.

It was dark and difficult to spot the little boat but the little lantern was soon spotted and Hitoshi was surprised to see Sameko swimming in front of it with a rope, pulling it to shore. Hitoshi grabbed the head of the boat and pulled it the rest of the way to shore until it was firmly wedged into the sandy bottom. Several children excitedly jumped into the water splashing him and they ran over to the second medic team that was waiting with warm blankets and emergency supplies in case any of the children or heroes needed them.

Hitoshi helped lift the smaller ones that hadn’t immediately jumped into the water out of the boat and handed them off to Eraserhead who looked over each one personally before handing them off to one of the others. The last kid was a small boy with cat ears who refused to move and had Hitoshi climbing up into the boat. Breaking Eraserheads rule Hitoshi pulled down his vocal cords, remembering how Eri had told them they were scary the first time she had seen them. He coaxed the boy over and lifted him up after his ears were no longer pulled flush against his head. The kid quickly became enamored with the end of his capture weapon and Hitoshi let him play with it as he looked for injuries.

He was getting ready to slip off the edge of the boat into the calf-deep water when over the boat radio the mayday call sounded. Kameko’s voice called out for assistance and frantically listed the relevant marine codes for anyone who could pick up the signal. The ship would already be doomed though, they had been careful to make sure no ships capable of reaching them in time would be in the area. Then over the comms, the codeword sounded that told them the ship was sunk and they were all safe in the remaining lifeboats where they would be picked up by the coast guard being directed by Lady Nagant.

”Are you a hero?”

Hitoshi looked down at the boy surprised by the soft question and his gut twisted how he sounded too guarded for someone so young.

“Y-yeah,” He answered with a stutter, realizing suddenly this kid was one of the first people he saved under an official mission as Mindjack. His name would be written in the paperwork with details on how he worked alongside the others. He was a hero.

Little arms were flung around his neck and a breathy “Thank you,” was whispered.

Alarmed, Hitoshi looked over to his mom who was smiling knowingly. “Best part of the job,” he said before reaching out his hands to take the kid.

Hitoshi didn’t want to give up the kid yet. He held him close as he slipped into the water and trudged up to the line of medics himself. Eraserhead did not comment on it, just followed behind to make sure everything was rounded up properly.

They were quiet for most of the way back to the base where they would get more details on what happened on the ship and they would share the handoff on the beach so everyone could write their reports for the commission records.

“What’s going to happen to them?” Hitoshi asked when he finished rolling out of a jump down from a higher building to his mom’s position.

“Social services.” Shota shrugged. “The ones with family will be returned and the others will be treated as a case-by-case basis looking for homes to take them in.”

“Or orphanages,” Hitoshi spat bitterly, remembering his own time in the system. Heteromorphs hadn’t been treated kindly in his Home either, and at least he could find some reprieve with people who didn’t know what his quirk was.

Eraserhead looked at him carefully for a minute. “Yeah,” he finally conceded, “Or orphanages which aren’t ideal—“ Hitoshi snorted at that,”—but are far better than where they were headed.”

The memory of the mutant trafficking group mentioned in the docket that the children were being sold to curbed Hitoshi’s sudden anger.

“It went well, didn’t it?” Hitoshi changed the subject to something more lighthearted. He would ask for follow-up information on the children later, just to make sure they ended up in a place that would care for them.

“It did,” Eraserhead agreed.

Hitoshi wrapped his cloth around a railing on the upper floor of the office building they were going in and started climbing it. “Does it always?” He called down.

“Usually. Remember when we were talking about the hero charts earlier? Well because we aren’t scrapping for attention, and in large missions like this no one individual will get arrest credit or a brand deal for being flashy there’s no need to be as competitive. For us, the job is just a handful of kids who need saving, and we are a group of adults capable of putting ourselves aside to do so.” Reaching down, Hitoshi pulled his mentor up the final few feet.

Instead of going for the door his mom sat down on the roof and leaned against the bar they had just used to climb up. “Hitoshi, sit.”

Nervously Hitoshi sunk to the spot next to his mom. That sounded a lot like, ‘We need to talk.’ And right now there was a kitchen sink full of things that could possibly mean.

“Often, I wish I had found you sooner, Hitoshi,”—ok that’s not where he expected this to go—“You didn’t deserve the things you went through growing up, you know that right?”

Hitoshi swallowed the lump in his throat that always came whenever they started talking about these kinds of things. “I know,” he said softly, because he did, he did know he hadn’t deserved it. His family had taught him that over the years.

“If I had met you when you were little like that boy, I would have taken you home then too,” his mom continued, this time turning to look at Hitoshi earnestly.

That… he hadn’t expected that. He had been adopted after they had started one-on-one training Hitoshi to be a hero. He had honestly figured that had been a significant reason he had been pulled from the orphanage, as his mom often had said back then, ‘It was the logical thing to do.’

“You did good, the work you did tonight. You did exactly what you were asked, adjusted for unforeseen issues, and allowed others to do what they needed to do. I knew when I saw you that you’d make a great underground hero. But kiddo, it's important you know that’s not the only thing I saw in you.”

“uh..” Hitoshi had no idea what to say to that.

“You’re family, and now Bakugo is also family even though we haven’t gotten to properly welcome him into it yet.”

Hitoshi laughed, the nervousness from before coming back to him with the conversation moving to Katsuki.

His mom leaned over and bumped his shoulder against Hitoshi. “I’m proud of you, of the man you’re becoming.”

When he got back to the dorm Kat was already up and getting ready for his morning run. Hitoshi watched him as he stood in the small bathroom shaving. Katsuki was still shirtless and even from the other side of the room, Hitoshi could see the baby bump now. It looked almost like Katsuki was constantly trying to push his gut out. He figured it was still easily concealed under baggy clothing but for the first time, Hitoshi wondered if it would be visible in Katsuki’s skin-tight hero outfit.

“You were crying,” Katsuki said between swipes of his razor. 

“I think I just went through the underground version of your exhibition thing,” Hitoshi started, trying to explain just what had happened tonight, which had been a lot, but that wasn’t why he’d been crying and Katsuki’s arched eyebrow told him he knew it wasn’t either, and that’s what he wanted to know about.

“Mom said he’s proud of me,” Hitoshi tried again, but even that wasn’t quite right. “Said…said he’d have adopted me sooner if he could have. Even if I hadn't wanted to be a hero. Said I'd always be his son, shit like that.”

Katsuki wiped off the excess shaving cream and walked over to the desk Hitoshi had sat on top of when he had gotten back.

“Did it freak you out?” Katsuki asked, caging Hitoshi in with his arms.

Hitoshi thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I guess a bit…”

“The freak got freaked out, huh?” Katsuki grinned all feral before leaning back out of Hitoshi’s space. “Listen up, that stupid overbearing teacher is your mom, gonna always be your mom, maybe could have been your mom sooner, but is now, and will be even when you’re old right? And this one”— Katsuki smacked his bare stomach loudly— “Your mom’s gonna be this one’s what, grandma yeah?”—the thought of his mom being a grandma was weird—"And the same for any other pups your dumb ass wants. And they are gonna grow up and maybe have pups of their own and then you’re gonna be sitting there, a grandpa, at the table one day surrounded by your family.”

Hitoshi’s eyes went wide at the thought of himself as old and sitting at some unknown large table surrounded by his family.

“And the old hag will be there probably,” Katsuki continued as he dug around in a drawer for his shirt. “And my dad. Deku—“ Katsuki stopped as his shirt was pulled over his head, “—Deku is gonna be there with Icyhot and their pups you know cause there’s no way we are getting rid of those clingy bastards—“ Hitoshi snorted at that, but Katsuki continued, “One big stupid happy family right? That’s what you wanted right?” Katsuki leaned over into his space again tilting his head, demanding a kiss.

“Yeah, it is,” Hitoshi said softly, dipping down to give in to the demand. He was going to be a hero. He was going to be a dad. Fuck even maybe even one day a grandfather. He had a sister who for whatever reason looked up to him. A mom and a dad who loved him and wanted him.  It freaked Hitoshi out... a lot, but in a good way, he decided.

Chapter Text

Katsuki yawned hard enough to pop his jaw and shoved his hands further into the pockets of his sweatsuit chasing the bit of heat from his room that remained in them. 

Up ahead he could see Icyhot stretching under one of the tall lights that lined the track they agreed to meet up at. The sun wasn't up yet, it wouldn't be for a while, but the red and white strands tied up in a high ponytail were too distinct to be missed even in the dark. 

Katsuki picked up the pace slightly, grumbling under his breath about perfect princesses always being early and broken coffee machines shared by shitty classmates. 

“You're early,” Katsuki snapped. Despite his attempts to get the snark out of his system with his mumbling his voice still had a bit of an edge to it he hadn’t intended to be there. 

Shouto looked up unfazed, having grown used to early morning Katsuki over the years, and gave a tired smile. Up close Shouto looked less perfect under the harsh stadium lights than he had at a distance and with dark bags under his eyes like those, Katsuki wondered if it was nerves or Shouto's own alpha that had kept him up. 

Speaking of, “Where's the nerd?” Katsuki asked because he thought the plan was for the three of them to spend the morning warming up. He hadn't thought dropping from the event would change that. 

Shouto gave a kind of half-shrug that was cut short by a poorly timed yawn. “Sleeping, if I were to guess,” Shouto said flatly only the barest hint of annoyance coloring the tone, “Said he was gonna stick closer to Shinso today. Something about him being on edge.”

Katsuki scowled at the reminder of how annoying Hitoshi had been over the last few days. He rolled his stiff shoulder and tapped his fingers quickly through the exercises he had learned in physio. Mostly unneeded at this point, but still a habit that has become a part of his warm-up routine. 

“Right,” he said, because it seemed like Shouto was waiting for him to say something. 

Shouto's eyes narrowed because apparently, that hadn't been what he wanted to hear. “Izuku said–” 

“Are we doing this or not?” Katsuki interrupted while stomping over to the start line on the track. He didn't want to know what Izuku had to say, he was certain he'd already heard it twenty times this week anyway. “Sun’s going to be up soon.”

The topic was thankfully dropped as Shouto lined up with him and they took off. They matched pace because it wasn't a race. Just a morning run that Katsuki ran daily and Shouto joined in fairly regularly. 

“Izuku got accepted into the teaching program,” Shouto said after a lap of silence. 

Katsuki grunted in response. He had known that, and Shouto knew his opinion on the whole thing. He didn't have to look to know he was getting a strong side-eye. Katsuki felt his eyes roll at the incoming lecture.

“He'd probably appreciate some support from you, you know.”

Katsuki grunted again but this time he couldn’t stop from biting at the obvious bait. “He'd make a shit teacher.” 

Both of his friends knew his thoughts on Deku giving up his dream of being a hero and he didn't know why Shouto kept picking at it. He wasn’t going to agree and it’s not like Deku ever did what he thought he should anyway. His opinion clearly didn’t matter and Katsuki had finally accepted it probably shouldn’t matter.

“He wouldn't,” Shouto almost snapped and Katsuki was almost impressed. 

He swallowed his usual rebuttal that would send them in circles all over again. “Fine! He wouldn't,” Katsuki reluctantly conceded, “but he would make a better hero.”

Shouto didn't respond for ten yards and Katsuki took that to mean he agreed. In the three years at Yuei no one expected out of the top trio that were always scrambling over each other to prove who would be the best, it would be the alpha walking away from becoming Pro. 

“Saw your name on the bracket,” Katsuki said, breaking the silence and changing the topic. “Still sticking with Shouto for your hero name?” 

It was Shouto's turn to grunt in response to the touchy subject. 

Katsuki smirked and had to hide a snicker behind a cough. “What happened to the rumors?” 

“The rumors were stupid,” Shouto said lowly, his voice turning to ice. Not directed at Katsuki, he knew, but at the situation. 

The situation being a bunch of underclass girls gossiping about how Shouto hadn't picked a hero name yet and how it just must be because he was planning a dramatic reveal that he would take up his father's legacy and bring the name Endeavor out of retirement. 

“Nothing’s changed. I'm going to be Shouto, both at work and at home.” Shouto agitation bled into the pace he was picking up. 

Katsuki matched the faster pace with ease and he let himself laugh. He laughed because the situation was dumb and anyone who thought Shouto would want to bring anything of Endeavor into his own hero work was even dumber. He laughed because it smoothed the furrow in Shouto's brow and even pulled a small smile out of him. 

“Speaking of rumors,” Shouto said, his voice light with his own amusement, “I heard you're pregnant.”

Katsuki tripped over his own feet in surprise and reeled back when Shouto moved like he was going to catch him, jerking into an ungrateful move that pulled at his leg and ended with him on his ass in the middle of the track with a curse. 

He looked up, slack-jawed, as Shouto offered his hand to help him back up. It hadn't been Shouto knowing or guessing or assuming that had caught him off guard but the casualness of the statement. Like it wasn’t news, like it was obvious like it was common fucking—

Katsuki slapped away the offered hand. “What do you mean rumors?” he hissed. “Who the fuck else is talking about it?”

Shouto brought his hand back to his chest, briefly looking hurt before the expression was masked with detached discomfort. “I didn't mean… No one?” He stumbled over his explanation, shifting slightly from one foot to the other, “I was just trying to use um an expression?” 

He sounded unsure of himself like when he was practicing slang with Kaminari and Mina and Katsuki was reminded that while Shouto had made a lot of progress over the last few years there were situations he was still woefully inept when it came to social situations. 

Begrudgingly Katsuki put his hand back out for help, not that he needed it… just to reassure that Shouto hadn't misstepped in some unforgivable way, and huffed when he was pulled back to his feet. 

“Let me rephrase,” Katsuki said tightly, attempting to smooth over his souring scent that was putting Shouto further on edge while brushing the dirt off of his ass, “Who else knows, because I fucking told Deku to keep his blabbering mouth shut.”

Despite not wanting Shouto to think he was angry with him he still jabbed his finger into his chest with that last word because not even Shouto was supposed to know. 

Shouto grabbed the hand Katsuki was jabbing him with but the grip was soft and cautious. Katsuki almost fell back on his ass again when the calming pheromones hit him. 

Impulsively he wanted to pull away because Katsuki had long hated the idea of being comforted by another omega this way, especially by someone who was not his mother, but he let Shouto pull him in closer. They didn't hug, they never hug, but Katsuki did allow his head to drop, resting against Shouto's stiff shoulder. 

The awkwardness was familiar to them. Outside of their connection to Izuku, Shouto and he had formed their own kind of kinship in their mutual clumsy nontraditional omegan behavior. Katsuki who always ran away from the possibility of being seen or treated as weak and Shouto who had grown up in an abusive household that wouldn't let him. They could count moments like this on one hand but at least with each other, they could be comfortably awkward. 

“No one knows,” Shouto said, his voice vibrating through his chest against Katsuki's cheek in a way Katsuki would murder everyone before admitting was soothing. “Izuku was being weird and extra mumbly about you and at first I thought he and you–but no you and Shinso were so close and then you guys went secret shopping but that–just a lot of things made me wonder I didn't actually think–honestly it was half a joke and half conspiracy, you mean you really are actually–”

“Oi, just shut up already,” Katsuki grumbled, pushing away from the soothing scent and moving to line up to continue their jog hoping the dark covered the embarrassment he felt heating up his cheeks. He decidedly was finished with indulging Shouto's budding pack-motherly instincts any further. “You aren't supposed to know. Fucking Deku wasn't supposed to know. And I don't want to hear any lectures about something you just found out today.”

Katsuki quickly got back into a proper pace wanting to finish the last three laps. His chin jutted a bit from stubbornness when Shouto caught up and continued on as if Katsuki hadn't just told him to drop the subject. 

“How far along are you?” Shouto asked a bit breathy from running to catch up. 

“Just past the first trimester,” Katsuki answered curtly. 

Shouto hummed. “You don't look that pregnant?”

It sounded like a question with hopes of getting information, but Katsuki just responded with a simple clipped ‘good.’

They were silent for another half lap and Katsuki felt lulled into the rhythmic thump thump of their matching steps. It was a good day for him. His knees felt firm and his muscles loose, even his bad arm felt good. 

“You shouldn't–” 

“Damn it Icyhot, shut up.” 

Katsuki stopped just short of starting their last two laps and turned to leave. Fuck em, he'd run two extra tomorrow or something. 

“But Aizawa wouldn't–” 

Katsuki whirled back harshly and stomped back over while whispering harshly, “If you tell anyone, especially Aizawa, I-“ Katsuki took a moment to think of a threat that Shoutomight actually care about, “-I... I will leave this fucking pack you and the nerd are trying to form so quickly your head will spin and I swear on my mate and my unborn pup I will never speak to either of you again.”

By the time he finished his rant he was almost pressed flush against Shouto's chest but the soft comradery from before had evaporated as Katsuki's words sunk in. He almost took them back when his chest tightened painfully and he saw the way Shouto's face crumpled to near tears but he didn't and that spoke even louder. 

“You wouldn't,” Shouto gasped out, finally, unable to find anything else to say. 

“I would,” Katsuki lied through his tightening throat. He wouldn’t, probably, he doesn't think he could leave them even if he wanted to at this point, but he needed this. He needed Shouto and Deku and Hitoshi to just shut their damn mouths for one more damn day and let him fucking have this one thing. He didn’t understand why that one request seemed to be so difficult for them.

Shouto's panicked face closed off and that too almost had Katsuki taking back his words, but still, he didn't. His lip did start to bleed with how hard he was biting it to keep his mouth closed and his face contorted in a way that was hopefully more convincing than he felt it was.

“I see,” Shouto said stiffly, “So that’s why Izuku changed his mind about participating today. Fine. Then I guess I'm backing out too.”

Katsuki stepped back, feeling like he had been slapped, he wished he had been. "What?”

Shouto's stance became more firm. “That's right,” he said with a curt nod. Like he was trying to convince himself as much as Katsuki, but he wasn't as stubborn and his eyes softened only a moment later when Katsuki's challenging glare didn't. “Katsuki, please, I can't.”

“Why not?” Katsuki demanded. 

This was supposed to be the match they settled the score in. Who was stronger before they debuted as proper heroes. Having grown tired of competing over everything they settled into only keeping score of the big things–like the sports festivals where they were now tied because year one did not count damn it–and he might have won their second year too, Shouto had beaten him this year.

“You know why,” Shouto shook his head disbelieving of what Katsuki was demanding of him, “My quirk can level city blocks there's no way I could use it against you.”

“You could yesterday.” Katsuki fought the impulse to stop his foot, but he did feel his palm itch with the familiar feeling of his quirk wanting to spark.

Shouto crossed his arms and looked down at Katsuki as if he had stomped his foot like a child. “Obviously, I didn't know you were pregnant yesterday.”

Katsuki felt himself deflating. This was a stupid fight, he knew that. It just irritated him. Faintly he recognized the pull on his bond, Hitoshi was up and was worried, which might have been nice at any other moment but right now it just seemed to highlight the issue. “Why does everyone suddenly treat me like glass as soon as they find out.”

Shouto’s brows pinched together confused, as if he was supposed to be able to answer that, but couldn't, and the fact that he couldn’t was bothering him.

Katsuki walked away, unable to deal with both a face-to-face with an awkward Shouto and Hitoshi’s sleepy confusion sharpening into a clearer panic. “Never mind. Quit if you want, Fuck off then.” 

Shouto grabbed his wrist, stopping him short. “What do you want from me Katsuki? I can't use my full power, you know that, and you still hold a grudge against me over the first-year sports festival. I feel like you’ve caught me between a rock and a hard place here. What should I do?” 

“I just want to be treated like normal.”Katsuki hated this. Hated feeling trapped between logic and emotion because he knew Shouto wasn’t wrong, but it still felt like he was, like they all were. “Everyone that knows is so busy tripping over themselves to treat me differently. I’m being treated… as if I've suddenly become incapable and it frustrates the fuck out of me, ok?”

Shouto softens and Katsuki almost punches him for it, but it’s dogged easily with a laugh and soon they were childishly roughhousing rolling in the wet grass. 

“Hey,” Shouto said suddenly, “I get it, people were acting that way when… when my family…” Shouto’s voice wavered but quickly cleared, and Katsuki stopped fighting to get out of his grip to hear him out, “Listen, when you hit the field you know I'm going to have a head start and I'm going to have saved so many more people than you.”

Katsuki looked up at the strange statement, Shouto never acts competitively over statistics, never truly rose to Deku and his constant declarations of being the ‘Number One’. After everything with Endeavor coming to light he had made efforts to distance himself hard from such ideas, even going so far as to refuse to take a hero name different from his own.

Shouto looked down at where Katsuki was laid out in the grass, unsure, but he also looked like he was trying to get Katsuki to meet him halfway. A truce. An attempt to bandage a wound in an amateurish awkward way. 

“You'd get sloppy trying to chase numbers like that,” Katsuki said cautiously. He appreciated Shouto’s attempt here but he didn’t want his insecurities to push him into something he’d regret.

Shouto rolled over with a huff looking up at the sky now instead of Katsuki. “Well then something else,” he said.

They lay there for a moment, and as the sun finally broke over the horizon Katsuki sat up. “Lowest property damage.” He said suddenly.

Shouto looked over at him with a curious look. 

Katsuki awkwardly waved his hand between them. “Powerful quirks, so the one with the lowest property damage will be the winner.”

"Yeah,” Shouto said with a nod, “I like that.” He reached over to shake on it when a yell broke through the early morning quiet. They looked up to find a sleep-disheveled Hitoshi stomping over to them with what looked like a winter coat being aggressively waved above his head. 

Chapter Text

Hitoshi made sure both of Katsuki’s pink-tinged ears were properly tucked into the hat he had shoved onto his head, despite the physics of his omega’s hair making it seem an impossible task before he politely bowed to Shouto to sorta apologize for interrupting their morning. Whatever the two omegas had been arguing about wasn’t shared with him, even though it had been the harsh animosity boiling through the bond in a way he’s never felt when Katsuki was supposed to be with Shouto, that had originally pulled Hiotoshi out here. That and since the anger had simmered before he had even finished gathering the warm clothes he had noticed Katsuki had ‘forgotten’ again, Hitoshi decided, along with everything scheduled for today, it was probably something better left un-pushed. Katsuki would tell him if it was important, even if his and his mates' ideas of importance differed at times he felt comfortable enough that if it was important important he’d be told.

Katsuki eyed him solidly, waiting for the usual prying, but instead, Hitoshi decided to use his fussy-mate privileges with fussing over getting Katsuki warmed back up rather than being fussy over information that would be shared if it needed sharing.

“It’s not even that cold,” Katsuki grumbled as he ripped off the hat Hitoshi had just finished wrestling into place. 

“If it’s cold enough for your winter costume, it’s cold enough for a hat,” Hioshi said firmly and moved to wrestle the hat back into place–his attempts dodged easily.

“You know I’m only-” Katsuki dipped out of reach again with a growl, “-wearing it because it covers my stomach bet–Damn it knock it off!” –Hitoshi ducked under a half-assed sparking fist with a snort while protecting the flammable hat. 

They bickered like that all the way to the locker room where Katsuki was supposed to get ready, and Hitoshi soaked in the confidence Katsuki was putting off. This was part of their bond he doesn’t think he will ever get sick of.

“You feel good today,” He said without question, and Katsuki hummed in agreement. His back was to Hitoshi as he examined the costume in his locker, assessing the pieces individually for any damage he might have somehow missed when putting it away last. 

Hitoshi eyed the way Katsuki’s muscles shifted under the thin black undershirt and, without really thinking about it, moved closer to run a hand up from Katsuki’s abs to his chest. He really enjoyed the way the muscles tightened under his touch. “Feeling… Really good,” Hitoshi purred into Katsuki’s pink-flushed-for-a-different-reason-now ear. 

“Don’t be a pervert,” Katsuki grunted while shoving an elbow into Hitoshi’s chest in an attempt to dislodge him. 

The nipple under Hitoshi’s playing fingers hardened, emboldening the alpha. “Not a pervert,” he said with a grin while he worked his fingers harder, “but it feels like you might be.” He pushed himself more fully against Katsuki whose arm that had been trying to push him away finally dropped with the groan of pleasure that escaped him. 

“You’re a dick,” Katsuki snapped, but the usual bite to his words was gone–and the way he laid his head back on Hitoshi's shoulder, tilted just enough to give the alpha access to his neck–betrayed him openly, even if their mating bond hadn’t. 

Hitoshi grinned into the pulse now under his lips, as he kissed his way down Katsuki’s neck–taking small nips along the way to great effect. His other hand moved up to cup the other peck and began rubbing until the bud hardened on that side too. Katsuki responded by moving up onto his tiptoes to push himself firmly against Hitoshi’s chest, pulling a satisfied purr from the alpha. 

“You feel so good like this Kat, all ego and headstrong until I touch you, then what?” Hitoshi murmured between kisses and bites, unable to hold his affection in, “You become putty in my hands,” he paused to inhale deeply the scent of Katsuki’s growing arousal, ”-It’s always been like this, ever since I first touched you, hasn’t it?” Hitoshi sucked hard at the pale skin of Kat’s shoulder, at all of the parts unblemished by Hitoshi’s mating bite–or the fading marks from nights before–uncaring of how many more marks he was leaving. He had told Katsuki, once, that was one of the best perks of Katsuki’s winter costume–the high collar. 

Despite being all mouthy earlier, Katsuki didn’t say anything back. Opting for actions over words as he does so often, he buried one hand deep into Hitoshi’s hair–getting a nice handful the way Hitoshi really liked–while the other stabilized himself with a firm grip on the back of Hitoshi’s thigh. He then used his stupidly strong grip to pull Hitoshi flush against his backside, so there was no room to hide how affected Hitoshi had become just from touching Katsuki. The omega silently rolled his hips back, letting his smugness bleed through the bond, which said enough. 

Hitoshi growled deep against the soft skin of Katsuki’s neck in approval. 

“That's right, be a smug bastard all you want Kat, you know I love that about you–” Hitoshi said while grinding up hard in response, “–but you and I both know I already know the sounds you make when you beg for what you really want.” 

“You wish I’d beg for it,” Katsuki snapped before whirling around in a twist that suddenly had Hitoshi’s head bounce against the lockers once with a hollow clang. Katsuki’s scent filled his mouth when he gasped from the sudden unexpected pain, and Hitoshi felt drunk on it as his mate pushed back in close, flush against his chest. “You want me begging for you right here, as if I don’t give a fuck who’s about to walk through that door, don’t you?”

Hitoshi groaned when he imagined it, and shamelessly nodded as he pulled Katsuki’s ass closer so their dicks rubbed together through the too-many layer of their pants. Then Katsuki’s breath was hot against his own ear, “That’s cause you’re a pervert,” he said with a laugh, and a brief return nip, before pushing off and leaving Hitoshi’s hot skin to chill in the cold air of the locker room.

But Hitoshi was a man, and he was an alpha, and he did not whine at the sudden loss of touch and heat like some pup–whatever noise he did make was apparently still pathetic enough to earn a scoff from Katsuki anyway who gave Hitoshi a good look up and down taking in the sight of him flustered and wanting.

He smirked coldly as if Hitoshi couldn’t feel the want and desire mirrored right back at him. “Go take a cold shower, and after that find Deku to bitch to or something, you horny bastard,” Katsuki sniffed all high-and-mighty as if Hitoshi couldn’t see him adjusting himself after he moved back to being in front of his locker, before throwing a classic Bakugou glare over his shoulder to Hitoshi, “I gotta get focused.” 

Briefly, Hitoshi thought about arguing, thought about grabbing Katsuki with some real strength and forcing him back into the small space between him and a locker, towering over him the way he knew Katsuki would never admit to liking. But his mate was right, it was time for him to focus and Hitoshi knew he could have Katsuki any night–every night– the way he wanted. Likely, would have him tonight, just the way they liked it–with Katsuki’s adrenaline pumping and Hitoshi feeling a little feral after watching his mate in a good fight. 

It was those thoughts that got him through the second shower that morning he didn’t really need. 

Then, being a good alpha and mate, he listened to what Katsuki wanted and went off to find Midoriya in the crowd of people. A much easier task since the other alpha had shot up in height and width, more similar to his mentor in his prime than ever before, that–and his distinct green hair–always kept him standing out in a crowd. And there was always a crowd, much to his displeasure, and Shouto’s from the look of it. So instead of working his way through the mass of Deku’s fans, he quietly shuffled up next to his other friend and watched along silently as Midoriya blushed and chuckled awkwardly at all of the fawning. He still wasn’t used to it even after years. By now he was at least a pro with the interviews and articles in the media, but these close encounters with genuine friends still seemed to fluster the big and mighty Deku. 

“You’re really going to drop out?” He asked Shouto, looking for anything to talk about while they waited for Deku to sign every random object that was being pressed into his hands. 

Shouto lifted one shoulder in a slow half-shrug while he slid his eyes over to Hitoshi, not bothering to fully turn his head away from his own mate-to-be. “I can’t fight him properly when he’s like that.”

Hitoshi felt his cheeks heat slightly and the hairs on his neck prickled in some long-ago instinct that should have told him to drop the topic, but the line was still very long–and Hitoshi wanted anything else but to watch the tomato-faced hero attempting to sign the yet another set of breasts. “Like.. what?” He asked, turning away from the sight in front of him, even though he was certain he knew what, it would at least keep the topic in familiar uncomfortable territory. 

Shouto’s eyes narrowed, he didn’t bother to confirm the truth they all knew. Hitoshi tried to shake off the immediate irritation at the realization that yet another person was in on the secret, after today it wouldn’t need to be a secret, that was the promise. Besides, if Midoriya knew it wasn’t really that surprising Shouto would soon catch on. It would be insulting to think he wouldn’t with how sharp he was.

“So does that mean I can write you down as a yes for the R.S.V.P. for the baby shower?” Hitoshi tried to joke. 

“I can’t believe you are letting him do this,” Shouto said, and the cold heat in his words put Hitoshi on the defensive, but before he could respond it was Midoriya who cut in. 

“Cut him some slack Sho, you know nobody lets Katsuki do anything, not even his mate.” Hitoshi jostled with the unexpected force of the slap on his back.

Shouto hummed as if he didn’t fully agree but also lacked a proper response because they all knew Midoriya was right. Kacchan was going to do things his way no matter what any of them had to say about it. For Hitoshi, that’s part of what attracted him to the omega. 

“We should go find seats, if you’re done putting your name on other people’s breasts,” Shouto said, turning to Midoriya with one raised eyebrow and a barely hidden smirk at the sputtering his question caused. He didn’t need to fight with Hitoshi to let his opinion be heard and Hitoshi was eager to let it drop, opting to become the third wheel to Midoriya’s attempts to whine his way out of being in his own trouble. 

It wasn’t like Hitoshi disagreed. Katsuki being so far along, getting into all-out fights–quirks allowed–made him nervous too, of course, it did. Of course, he would rather Katsuki not and there had been talks about it between them of how once the pregnancy was announced the fights would likely stop even if Katsuki wasn’t thrilled he had told Hitoshi he knew realistically that’s what was going to happen. The long-standing prejudice against omegas, even those who have more laid-back jobs than heroes, would pressure him into being benched, which, to Katsuki’s hot-headed credit, he seemed to agree he should probably take it easy in the last trimester. That was the basis for the compromise for today.

That was their conversations, though, and he and Katsuki were both private enough people that the details of their intimate thoughts didn’t need to be justified to their friends. So he just motioned for Shouto and Midoriya to lead the way. 

It was agreed Hitoshi would sit with them because with Midoriya knowing about the pregnancy and being an alpha himself and having more physical power than Hitoshi even with just the embers of the One-For-All quirk if anyone would be able to stop Hitoshi from losing it at the sight of his pregnant omega getting hurt it would be him. The first fight was with Monoma, and everyone was expecting it to go very one-sided, giving Hitoshi an opportunity to gauge just how comfortable his alpha instincts would be with watching the full event. He wanted to support Katsuki, but he knew sometimes supporting meant not being there to fuck everything up. 

Monoma was the only person in the stadium who seemed to think it was him with the upper hand in the fight and his boastful nature had only gotten worse since they put up that damn statue of him. It was an exhibition though and no one knew the art of a proper exhibition quite like Monoma, except perhaps Aoyama. Hitoshi wasn’t sure why one loud obnoxious blond could be so attractive to him when others put him off terribly, but he was looking forward to his mate properly putting the beta in his place. Monoma was all hot air, Katsuki’s ego was actually backed up with strength and intelligence. 

The beginning of the match started just as everyone, except Monoma it seemed, expected with Katsuki moving about the space expertly and getting a few good hits in while smartly avoiding any touch with the copy quirk. It was a bad match-up. 

There was a moment about five minutes in though when there was… a twinge. That’s all Hitoshi could think to describe it and he wasn’t exactly sure what kind of twinge it was. Midoriya and Shouto didn't seem to have noticed anything and Katuski’s movements hadn’t faltered in any way. It wasn’t until the second twinge that Hitoshi figured out that it was coming across the bond. Still, nothing seemed amiss truly so Hitoshi just narrowed his eyes to watch closer, trying to figure out what was happening. 

The third twinge was bigger, and Katsuki’s foot slipped just slightly along with it, only noticed by Hitoshi because of how hard he was starring. Midoriya hadn’t seemed to notice the slip, but he did turn his head slightly to Hitoshi when he squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. 

The fourth twinge came, which was stronger–more like a grimace–and confusion bled quickly into Hitoshi’s mind through Katsuki. The grimace was bad enough and Hitoshi’s feedback probably made it worse, causing Katsuki to be distracted just enough to allow Monoma’s fingers to graze across his cheek, not enough to cause any harm, but definitely enough to activate his copy quirk.

Suddenly an uncontrolled explosion blew the two heroes in the rink apart as the inexperienced Monoma activated the powerful quirk. Katsuki grit his teeth hard enough Hitoshi can see, from all the way in the stands, the muscle straining in his jaw. He wanted to reach out and calm him down, reassure him, maybe figure out what the fuck was happening but he was worried about becoming even more of a distraction. 

“Hey, Shinsou, maybe we should-” Midoriya started, clearly planning to suggest they leave, Hitoshi could see why he would think that but Hitoshi wasn't stressed about the fight, he was stressed about whatever was causing Katsuki to.. To… to… twinge like that? What was that?” Katsuki seemed just as confused and that was causing him to feel stressed for that too. No, he couldn’t leave now. 

He was just about to say so when Monoma and Katsuki simultaneously blasted themselves closer. There would be no point in avoiding touching now if it meant ending the fight quicker and Katsuki had a lot of close combat experience fighting against Deku’s OFA. There was a brief grapple and Katsuki’s boot made contact with a cheekbone in a sickening crunch but then there was another damn twinge and Katsuki’s eyes widened just enough to show Monoma the opening he needed and with a sudden twist there was a palm against Katsuki’s gut-

Hitoshi moved faster than he had ever moved before. Monoma using Katsuki’s quirk was reckless and uncontrolled. A straight shot to the stomach could- His mind went blank, unable to fill in what exactly could happen all he thought was a desperate need to not let it happen. In the chaos of the explosion, Midoriya was seconds too slow as Hitoshi’s sneakers squeaked against the stone tiles of the stage as he ran towards his injured mate and child. He narrowed his vision to just the treat standing above them and he knew he had to take out the threat and protect his family. He fought against the sudden force grabbing his arm as dark green whips wrapped themselves tightly around him and he tasted his own blood from how hard he bit his lip from the force of the fall. 

“Deku!” Hitoshi snarled as he fought against the stupidly powerful quirk. 

“I’m sorry Shinso but I can’t let you-” 

“Let me go!” Hitoshi snapped and the whips dropped around him. If Hitoshi looked back he’d see the telling blank look on Midoriya’s face that his quirk had taken over his mind but Hitoshi’s only goal was to rip the threat’s head off. He needed to protect Katsuki and his baby. 

He was inches away from them when he felt the sickening feeling of his quirk being ripped from him and immediately he was wrapped up in Deku’s quirk, again, and yanked harshly back. He snarled in anger. Midoriya was supposed to be their pack leader, he should be protecting Katsuki and the pup too, he knew so why was he letting this happen? 

Vaguely, Hitoshi could hear his mom yelling, but it was Katsuki’s voice that overpowered everything echoing more through the bond than through the noise of blood pounding in his ears.

“No! Stop, please don’t hurt him!

“Wait! It’s not his fault!”

Hitoshi fought the restraints to try to turn to the sound of Katsuki's distress

“...Deku!”

There was a growl ripping from Hitoshi's throat. He needed to get to Katsuki, he needed to...

“....he’s just trying to protect the baby…” 

The sharp needle in Hitoshi’s neck was quickly followed by darkness.

Chapter Text

It’d been hours.

At least, to Katsuki, it felt like it’d been hours.

He shifted again, his arm stiff from the hard mattress and the limited space to move around but he stubbornly still refused to go back to the dorms, even if they would be more comfortable. Ever since they had let him into the room, he had immediately attached himself to Hitoshi’s side and had refused to budge. Laying here still, hours later, in the dark and quiet room, listening to the rhythmic noises of the machines connected to his mate that were feeding back information on his vitals, Katsuki clung to them as a dreadful sort of comfort in the emptiness.

Anxiety thrummed through him and he tugged at the roots of his hair in an attempt to ease the tension building in his mind with his eyes squeezed shut so he could concentrate on what little was bleeding through Hitoshi's chemically silenced mind. It was like trying to pull water through cotton and, if he was being honest with himself, it might have just been Katsuki’s desperation telling him he could feel anything at all.

Fingers slipping from his hair to covering his face, Katsuki groaned, turned slightly and looked through the gaps in his fingers at the unnatural blankness of his alpha’s face, only distorted by the leather straps of the standard issue muzzle that were pulled tight across his tanned cheeks, still drugged up and helplessly laying next to him. And yet this had been the compromise. The other option was isolating him into one of those empty rooms they put alphas who go out of control. Katsuki knew how much Hitoshi hated those rooms, he couldn’t bear the thought of letting him wake up in one alone.

More minutes crawled by, measured through robotic feedback of Hitoshi’s heart. It was rhythmic and calm, almost enough that Katsuki wanted to let it lull him to sleep, and nothing like how it had been thundering as he crushed Katsuki to him. Katsuki bit his lip and rolled it between his teeth, uncaring when he broke the skin, he had never seen Hitoshi so lost in blind rage. It hadn’t suited him, but the way he is now suits him even less. Hitoshi should be restless, annoyingly noisy even when he’s doing nothing, and stupid looking. Not… not so empty, not drugged, not handcuffed to the cold metal hospital-like bed rails. Not fucking muzzled like that.

This was his fault, Katsuki thought as his gut churned in guilt. No matter how he looked at it, Katsuki knew this never would have happened if he had taken this more seriously. Maybe if he had banned Hitoshi from watching the fight like Deku had suggested or… No—Katsuki threw his arm over his eyes—unable to keep seeing Hitoshi like that. What happened today wasn’t something created today. He couldn’t deny it to himself anymore, Katsuki had noticed, of course he had, he’d have been blind not to. Keeping the pregnancy secret had been making Hitoshi upset, but Katsuki had ignorantly thought, no, willfully denied, just how much so.

His canine dug harshly into the fresh sore in his lip in irritation. This… this was his fault, his mistake and, unfairly, Hitoshi was the one who was paying for it.

The way they had ganged up to take down his alpha in his blind rage had been awful, but afterwards had almost been worse. Even though he had been subdued, drugged to the point their bond had gone silent, they still insisted on muzzling him and cuffing him to the bed, like…like some villain. And they had made it clear, the only reason they were even letting Katsuki be near him at all was because it was agreed by others it was to prevent the alpha from going off again upon awakening. So, reluctantly, Katsuki had agreed with the restraints to be able to stay with him, but he hadn’t agreed that they would continue to sedate him the way they had. Katsuki clenched his hands by his sides, digging his fingers into the rough sheets, he didn’t need comfort right now, he needed solutions.

Lost in his guilt and self-turmoil, Katsuki almost missed when the mechanical murmur of the many machines was joined by murmured voices of people. It wasn’t until his ear picked up the unmistakable high pitched not-quite-human voice of Principal Nezu coming from down the hall from Recovery Girl’s wing that he could distinguish the murmuring into words he could understand.

Nezu, who was speaking in an unusually level and serious tone, responded to something Katsuki hadn’t heard, “I understand over the last few years he’s been your special project-“

“He’s not my special project he’s my son-” Aizawa interrupted, the tone of the sharp correction sent shivers down Katsuki’s spine.

The teachers had reached the door to the wing but seemed to decide to finish their conversation on the other side of it. Katsuki pulled some of his focus from his self wallowing to listen in.

“I don’t really understand the difference. But-!” Nezu’s quickly cut off Aizawa’s apparent attempt at interrupting, “-the point is that young Monoma could have been seriously hurt, I’m sure you understand we can’t do nothing about that.”

Aizawa was quiet for a moment and Katsuki had to strain harder to hear the defeated sigh.

Katsuki looked again to Hitoshi, and forced himself to deny himself the comfort of reaching over to brush the strand of soft purple hair that had come loose from behind Hitoshi’s ear. Just how used to it had he gotten over the last few months—always having Hitoshi right there within reach, so easy to touch casually.

Undeniably, the situation was bad. Katsuki shivered once more at the memory of Hitoshi’s rage, how he had, essentially quirkless, faced off against Deku-the literal boy wonder-savior of the war. Risked literally his own dream and whole career-for Katsuki of all people-all because Katsuki was selfish and stupid and, once again, let his ego get the best of him.

And Hitoshi, who was only doing the right thing protecting his mate and pup, was going to get the fall for it. That realization rolled into a more horrifying one. Deku…Deku could have really hurt Hitoshi. Even with just the embers of One-For-All, Deku could, and has, done a lot of damage when needed. The monster quirk could shatter blocks and even change weather patterns just from the sheer force.

Katsuki forced himself to take a deep shuddering breath and let go of that thought. That isn’t what happened, that wasn’t going to happen. Maybe it really was a blessing the nerd had caught onto the pregnancy early.

If only the others had too.

No.

If only Katsuki had allowed Hitoshi to be honest with his family the way he had wanted.

It was too late for that now. Katsuki had forced them into this mess because of his fear of being denied his one dream. That made the burden of what happened today his responsibility, not Hitoshi’s.

Katsuki, too angry with himself to give into the desire for physical comfort, brushed briefly through the empty bond to comfort his mate from something he wasn’t even aware of yet, and slipped out of the bed before his conviction could fade. He would do what he should have done months ago. Fix what could be salvaged. And he would do this out there. Hitoshi wouldn’t want to be seen like this, or to be treated as a background prop to a conversation about his future he would once again be excluded from unfairly.

With determination he only barely felt, Katsuki opened the door, then slipped though and closed it quickly, protectively shutting off the line of sight to his mate from the intruders.

He turned to Aizawa first, still not really sure what to say but knowing he should say something. What could he say to the person who had been his mentor through some of the worst times in recent Japan, in his life-but also his mate’s mom he’d been lying to by omission for months. It was tempting to lash out over how he had let Hitoshi be treated this way, but bit back that desire knowing Aizawa had fought it just as hard as Katsuki had. But the image of shadowed lines of leather across Hitoshi’s cheeks burned in his chest.

Katsuki swallowed around the lump in his throat and shifted his weight awkwardly before deciding maybe Nezu would be the less intimidating conversation to start with.

Squaring his shoulders, Katsuki steadied himself before turning to the Principal, “If anyone should get removed from the school it should be me, this is my fault.”

Aizawa went to say something, but Nezu quickly held up a paw to silence him. But Nezu himself didn’t speak, just looked at Katsuki with beady black eyes and a calm calculating look everyone knows he uses to hide all kinds of unknown mischief with.

Katsuki shifted again under the piercing gaze and felt himself crumble to the pressure. “He wasn’t doing anything wrong, you have to understand-” Katsuki briefly turned to look to Aizawa but quickly turned back to Nezu, not wanting to decipher the look Aizawa was giving him. “-He was just reacting to me getting hit in the gut.” Katsuki pressed his loose black tee down, highlighting his slightly rounded belly-now so obviously pregnant Katsuki had no idea how everyone hadn’t noticed. “I’m... I... We...” Katsuki stumbled over the words and he felt his face heat up in embarrassment. “So a few months ago I found out I was pregnant, see?" Katsuki gently touched the soft bump through the thin fabric of his shirt, "And Hitoshi… he… we were just…” Feeling the prickling sensation at the corner of his eyes, Katsuki yanked his hands from his shirt letting it drape loosely again, and barreled forward desperate to fill the awkward silence, terrified of what Aizawa might say to fill it, his embarrassment now seeped high into his ears and wanting nothing more than this conversation over. “Hitoshi and I agreed to keep the baby, but I was worried about how omegas are seen in hero work-” Katsuki spared another quick glance to Aizawa, hoping he’d understand, before returning to explain, “I was the one who told him to not tell anyone, he wanted to tell, but I thought… I just… I didn’t think-” Katsuki flinched at Aizawa’s harsh scoff at that, “-He seemed fine, or at least-” Katsuki’s voice faltered, “-that’s... what I kept telling myself. I thought if I could just get through this one thing it wouldn’t matter that I was an omega. I would have proven that and even if I was pregnant it couldn’t be taken from me. We planned to-”

Katsuki’s voice failed him as he tried to explain his reasoning he still hadn’t managed to properly explain to Hitoshi, while the true realization of just how much of this was his fault poured over him like a bucket of ice water. Finally, unable to find the words that would magically fix this, he looked up into his teacher’s eyes hoping to find anything but the rejection he fully expected to be there. Rejection of him as a hero, or rejection of him as family, Katsuki was no longer certain which would hurt worse. But Aizawa wasn’t even looking at him.

Instead Aizawa moved past Katsuki to go into the room they were keeping Hitoshi. His body was tight with fury and warning but when he moved to slam the door shut Katsuki still moved without thinking to shove his hand against the door stopping it.

Aizawa shoved again at the door as he snarled, “I am here to see my son in the hospital, Bakugo. I have heard what you had to say, and be sure, I will talk to you later to discuss this in detail, but right now I need to prioritize my incredibly stupid child.” Before shoving one last time with incredible strength, clicking the latch into place and shutting Katsuki out.

The thick silence in the hall rung in Katsuki’s ears until it was broken by a soft sigh. Katsuki looked down to the principal who was looking at the door as if it was some kind of puzzle.

“I don’t really understand humans,” Nezu said in the same tone someone might use if their strange science experiment had given them results they hadn’t expected.

Katsuki might not know how to talk to his mate’s furious mother but he knew what he had to say to Principal Nezu.

“You can’t expel him,” Katsuki said firmly, turning fully to face him, “He’s so close to graduation, and just recently he saved all those kids. He’s going to be a great-no-he is a great hero, and-”

“And yet,” Nezu interrupted him with a tilt of his head, “You think I should expel you instead? Even though you are also so close to graduation. You even, quite literally, put your own life on the line during the war just a few short years ago if I remember correctly. Think carefully about this. Think outside of this moment, charged with your human emotions, what would really be best for you, for the two-” Nezu paused, allowing his eyes to travel over Katsuki briefly- “the three of you? What about your pack? What about… society? Wouldn’t it, logically, make more sense for you to become a hero and not young Hitoshi who we all know-despite what changes have happened over the last three years-would struggle with being accepted as a true hero with his quirk and now a very public form of aggression on a peer?”

Katsuki felt his cheeks flush in anger, his fists tightened-the familiar slick of nitroglycerin between his fingers-and his teeth grit. It would be terrible to lose his cool here and now. Principal Nezu wasn’t saying anything untrue, but still Katsuki felt his usual careful planning and calculations fly out the window at the mere thought of Hitoshi waking up to find out he had been expelled.

“It wouldn’t be right!” Katsuki snapped when he thought about how Hitoshi would react to being told he had been deemed unfit to be a hero because he had chosen Katsuki of all omegas. He stared at the floor, blinking furiously while he fought to keep the sparks that ignited from his clenched fist to a minimum, “It wasn’t right for me to force Hitoshi to keep this secret. It wasn’t right for me to pretend it was all ok when I knew it wasn’t. Damn it-!”Katsuki cursed bitterly, looking up at the ceiling quickly trying to hold back the stinging in his eyes,but that’s on me, personal shit. I’ll deal with that.”

Katsuki shudderd in a breath and rubbed his burning cheek against the sleeve of his shirt before looking Nazu right in his eyes. “But it wouldn’t be fucking right for Hitoshi to get punished when he was doing what any good alpha would do, What any other alpha would probably be fucking praised for in any other situation. If one of us should be stopped from graduating over this it should be me. It’s more my fault than his, by a lot.”

Suddenly Katsuki felt himself being pulled tight against a broad chest, a thin but strong arm wrapped around him, gripping his shoulder, effectively pinning him. He barely had time to register the fear of being grabbed like that when a familiar voice loud in his ear said, “Now that’s the kind of man I like!”

Yamada grinned down at Katsuki wide before turning to frown at the principal.

“Don’t pick on the kid, Nezu, it’s not nice.”

Nezu sighed, the sharp glint in his eyes from Katsuki’s challenge dimmed slightly. He grumbled something about his fun being ruined as he quickly made his way up Hizashi’s leg to sit precariously on the shoulder opposite of the arm that was wrapped around Katsuki. He leaned over, considering Katsuki for a moment.

“Young Bakugo, had anyone said anything about being expelled?”

Katsuki felt like the floor had fallen right from under him, “But, you-”

“Take this as a final personal lesson from me, spy work doesn’t suit you, Dynamight. For one, you jump to extreme conclusions far too quickly, two, you act on those conclusions immediately and finally. If you’re going to eavesdrop on a conversation you would be better to eavesdrop on the whole thing. I’m surprised with how close you’ve grown to Shinso you haven’t even picked that much up yet.”

A sudden loud crash interrupted Katsuki's attempt to recenter himself from the whiplash of facing down the barrel of his career-ending moment and sudden teasing by his mate’s father and a shout echoed down the wide hallway.

“I will not be calm! Where is he?!”

Principal Nezu's ear twitched, and both he and Hizashi turned to the commotion.

“My, who could that be?” Nezu asked.

Nezu’s body was shifted slightly with the exaggerated shrug Hizashi made.

Katsuki, however, knew exactly who it was and in an attempt to delay the inevitable he found himself backed up to the door between facing his clearly enraged mother and a clearly enraged Aizawa. Katsuki made the quick deduction that Aizawa would probably lose his job if he tried to kill Katsuki, unlike his mother, and immediately dipped into the dark room leaving the other two to deal with the raging omega.

It took Katsuki’s eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness and when they did he found Aizawa sitting on the bed, where Katsuki had been, brushing his fingers through Hitoshi's wild purple hair. Katsuki realized then he didn't think he’d ever witnessed his teacher being so familial with Hitoshi. He watched, almost transfixed, the soothing gesture until it made him feel like an intruder. Not just in this moment, he realized, but with the lie now exposed, also possibly with Hitoshi's relationship with his entire family.

In here, Aizawa didn't look like his teacher the way he had in the hallway. He looked softer in the glow of the machines, looking every part the mother watching over their child he was.

Katsuki walked over, not able. to just stand by the door awkwardly and entirely incapable of leaving now that he had intruded. He sat on the chair near the bed. Not really knowing what else to do, Katsuki stared down at the floor, taking in the details of his hospital slippers instead of more of the intimate scene he had walked in on.

“He didn’t need to get drugged like that,” Katsuki grumbled, picking at a loose strand in his hospital clothes, unsure why that was how he decided to break the silence.

Aizawa didn’t respond, not even with a grunt.

“He’s not dangerous,” Katsuki continued anyway, letting his irritation bleed into his tone. “This is my fault not his, I should be the one-”

“Attempting to redirect the blame onto yourself is not appreciated right now, Bakugo. It doesn’t help the situation the way you think it does.”

Katsuki sucked in his bottom lip, bitting down to stop the automatic response that jumped to his mind. However he chooses to do it, Aizawa is right to scold him, whatever he had to say Katsuki deserved to hear it.

There was silence for a long time but Katsuki forced himself to sit in it uncomfortably until Aizawa continued.

“I have never been pregnant," Aizawa said, still brushing his son’s hair. His tone was difficult to place but it sounded almost mournful. “I will not pretend to know why you’ve been making the choices you have and why he,” Aizawa motioned to Hitoshi “had decided going along with such stupidity was a good idea.”

Katsuki swallowed what he wanted to say to that, keeping in mind what Aizawa had just scolded him over. He was right, blaming himself wasn't going to help the situation.

Instead Katsuki decided to try to shift the subject, “Was anyone hurt?” He asked, feeling foolish for not thinking to ask sooner.

“Luckily not.” Aizawa said softly.

Then he looked up at Katsuki sharply.

“Bakugo,” he said sternly, “Hitoshi may not have come out of my womb, but I want you to-need you to-understand the terror I felt watching him jump into that ring and having Midoriya snatching him away from another student. And… and knowing if something happened… lf it had gone just one singular millimeter more out of control than it had already become, it would be me who would have to use my own quirk take away my own son’s means of defending himself.” There was a pause while Aizawa took in a heavy breath and let it out slowly. “Neither of you are as invincible as you think.”

There was a weight there that felt heavier than this moment but even Katsuki knew it wasn't the time to pry.

He sat there mulling over what was being described to him, he pictured what Hitoshi had done. Then, he considered Aizawa not as an omega, or a hero, or even a teacher but as a mom, and Katsuki rested his hand on his stomach and thought, what if it had been the baby in the ring, how would he have felt in Arizawa's place.

And then sickeningly he realized, it had been. “Oh,” he whispered, horrified as just what had happened just hours before entirely washed over him. Hitoshi’s anxiety, Deku’s and Shouto’s reservations, it wasn’t about Bakugo getting hurt or suddenly being less than, it had been about the extremely fragile baby that he was supposed to be protecting.

Katsuki lifted up his shirt to check the damage he had gotten when Monoma had used his own quirk against him. "During the fight, I felt... I mean something was throwing me off. Hitoshi, he... he knew it too, I could feel it through the bond. I could feel his anxiety reacting to me and I... should have stopped it then, I know that-" Katsuki starred hard at the floor and his free hand gingerly went to touch the skin next to the burn. "Monoma managed to get my quirk because of the distraction and he-"

Katsuki thought about Hitoshi’s fear and anger over the last five months. He doesn’t know how it hadn’t actually connected with him. That he was pregnant.

Suddenly, Katsuki realized in a panic he had no idea how the baby was. Everything else had happened so fast he barely even had a proper time to evaluate his own condition and everyone else was caught up in what to do with Hitoshi. Katsuki knew he was fine but who knew what a hit like that to the gut could do to his baby.

He looked up at Aizawa, suddenly the taste of bile on his tongue stopping him from saying anything.

“It seems like you’re finally catching on, relax and come here,” Aizawa demanded, leaving no room for argument and, even though he was still reeling from the full weight of the realization that he was pregnant, pregnant with a person inside of him entierly dependant on the choices he'd been making, he stood up and walked over, and immediately noticed that Hitoshi’s face was no longer the peaceful blankness it had been.

“He needs you,” Aizawa said, shifting to slide off the bed, “and I need to go stop that commotion outside.”

Katsuki climbed into the empty space Aizawa left, and he started carding his fingers through the purple locks the way Aizawa had been doing, marveling at how quickly Hitoshi’s face relaxed again and the bond hummed with a content feeling replacing the anxiety Katsuki had been dumping into it.

Aizawa was almost to the door before he stopped. “This might have not been an ideal way to start this. But all the more, welcome to the family, Bakugo.”

The door opened and the loud noises got even louder before they were muffled again, and, ah, his father was here too. Katsuki groaned.

Katsuki wasn’t left alone for long. The door swung open and a loud clattering machine rolled in. Katsuki had just enough time to feel bewildered and shift closer to Hitoshi in unease before Recovery Girl slid out from behind it, huffing in irritation.

“Honestly,” She huffed while fiddling with the machine, “All this noise about the alpha kid and not one, not one person thought it would be important to tell me you were pregnant until now?”

Katsuki tried to muster up the energy to explain how that was his fault but she seemed uninterested in his stammering excuses and just bullied him gently into laying back on the cot.

“Up up, get that shirt up, let’s see, let’s see.” Recovery Girl said briskly but didn’t wait for Katsuki to comply, she just shoved his shirt up and started prodding, careful to avoid the obvious injury. “Do you know about how far along you are? When was your last heat cycle?”

Katsuki’s cheeks flushed furiously. He’d always been uncomfortable with the invasive personal questions doctors always seemed to steamroll him with.

“The doctor told me I’d be about twenty weeks now.”

“That far? Hmm.” She untangled the cord to the wand of what Katsuki now recognized as an ultrasound machine. “Well it’s no wonder the alpha boy reacted that way. Honestly, back in my day that kind of thing was highly valued in an alpha, and now we treat them as if it’s some kind of defect.” Katsuki shivered as the cold gel that had been put on his stomach spread with the wand, and he thought maybe despite her steamrolling, Recovery Girl was kinda alright.

“There they are,” she cooed and she did the picture snapping thing the other tech had done at the hospital capturing images. “The heart rate looks good, oh, and they are moving quite a bit. Can you feel that?” she asked while gently pressing with the wand, and Katsuki did feel it. That same movement that he had noticed in the fight, that had been the baby. “Twenty weeks, twenty weeks,” she mumbled while moving the wand. ”If I remember correctly, that’s about time you can determine the baby’s sex, if you want I could look and see?”

Katsuki strained to look at the blobs on the screen, still not entirely sure how anyone could tell they were looking at a baby much less details such as that.

He knew they were supposed to find out at the next appointment, and briefly, he considered saying yes because of the convenience of it and possibly skipping out of his next appointment, but he turned out of habit to ask Hitoshi and paused. Hitoshi lay there, still unaware of everything, still unknowing of if their baby was even ok, and Katsuki thought about how excited Hitoshi had been to go to their next appointment and how this whole day had already been so incredibly unfair to the alpha.

“I could write it down and put it in an envelope,” Recovery Girl said softly. “You could wait and find out together.”

Katsuki reached over and laced his fingers with Hitoshi’s. “I think I’d like that,” he said.

Chapter Text

Hitoshi woke up groggy, which immediately put him on alert, causing Sock to startle at his sudden stiffening. After a quick assessment of his mental clarity, he let out the breath he had sucked in too quickly and forced his muscles to relax again. He wasn’t in the school infirmary anymore, he was home. Had been for several days now, but he still finds himself mentally back there when he’s drifted off–when he feels drugged. Katsuki turned next to him, wrapped a warm arm around Hitoshi’s middle, and pulled him closer. With the warmth radiating off of Katsuki as a comfort, Hitoshi easily melted further into the bed and his mate’s arms, rewarded with soft satisfaction bleeding through the bond as Katsuki fell back asleep. 

Katsuki had been by his side as a constant over the last few days. He was pushy and stubborn, just as always, but sometimes jittery in ways that Hitoshi found himself unsure of how to deal with. What had happened at the exhibition had been ugly–according to everyone–but what happened afterward was what Katsuki was skirting. From his mom, he'd learned that what the school did wasn't an unusual reaction to his actions. Despite the weird way it clung to him mentally, his assurances to Katsuki–that what the school did was reasonable–seemed  to make things worse.

Sock tucked his wet nose back against Hitoshi’s neck, satisfied that his human bed wasn’t planning on moving any time soon. Hitoshi should also try to sleep more, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to now that he had woken. He turned to gently run his nose along Katsuki’s slightly sweat-damp hairline taking in the comfortable scent, then tilting slightly to softly scent him in return with the gland under his chin. They would be going back to classes in the morning and the idea was making Hitoshi feel almost possessive after having so much of his omega’s undivided attention. It was nice that graduation would be soon, after which they’d be moving into an apartment. Against Sock’s wishes, Hitoshi rolled over to more fully embrace Katsuki. They would be able to spend every night next to each other, just like this. 

He should take this quiet time to ‘process what had happened to him,’ Katsuki’s words. Which wasn’t unfounded. It had been horrible, waking up restrained and half-drugged had taken him back to his younger years far too vividly. But Katsuki had been there this time–his mom and pops too, which, no matter how many times he tried to systematically work though what had happened, all it did was have Hitoshi realizing more and more how much different this time had been. His family was there, he hadn’t been alone. 

A sharp spike of irritation though the bond, half a second before the exhausted sigh that heaved Katsuki’s shoulders alerted Hitoshi that Katuski hadn’t fallen asleep–or if he had, he had already woken back up. 

“Go to sleep,” he whispered into the dark, while he let a hand trail over the curve of Katsuki’s lower back.

Hitoshi felt his sleep shirt shit from the grip Katsuki had on it tightening. “You first,” he mumbled, tilting his head back and running his nose along the glad Hitoshi had just used to scent him. 

He shivered with his nerves flying down his spine and settling deep in his gut. 

Momentarily, Hitoshi thought about how his entire family was sleeping just a few doors away, before Katsuki bit down on the gland, hard.

Growling–with all higher functioning thoughts flying out of the window–Hitoshi’s hand flew to Katsuki’s hip, grip tight in warning, but there was no hiding from the way arousal flooded the bond from both of them. Despite himself, Hitoshi tilted his head further back giving room to let Katsuki do what he wanted, which was eagerly taken advantage of. While Katsuki worked to bruise up his neck, Hitoshi slipped his hand under the covers and Katsuki’s night shirt, and used that along with his grip on Katsuki’s knee to guide him on top as Hitoshi rolled onto his back. He bit his lip to hold back the groan as the familiar scent of Katuski’s slick seeped out from a gap made in the blankets from their shifting around. He slipped his hand up over that wonderfully thick thigh to cup the curve of Katsuki’s bare ass while the other worked to push the sleep shirt up, exposing one of Katsuki’s nipples. The breast tissue was noticeably softening, but was still firm under Hitoshi’s rough fingertips. The skin tightened as the nipple grew hard from Hitoshi’s attention.

Katsuki was so responsive to everything he did. Hitoshi felt drunk on it as his fingers slipped though the slick pooling. Katsuki whimpered when Hitoshi teasingly brushed over his entrance with rough fingers, while still rubbing the bud between his fingers on his other hand.

“Shh.” Hitoshi shushed him, doing it again hoping to get more of those noises anyway. He grinned at the silent curses he knew were falling from Katsuki’s lips. 

Lips that should be busy doing something else. 

As if reading his mind, Katsuki smacked his hand away and dipped under the covers. He shoved Hitoshi’s own shirt up. 

“It smells like a fucking brothel down here.” Katsuki’s harsh whispered voice was muffled by the blankets.

Hitoshi snorted in response before quickly having to shove his own hand in his mouth as wet heat engulfed his dick without warning. It was villainous what Katsuki could do with that mouth, and Hitoshi was long past his shame in how into it he was. The way Katsuki bobbed while simultaneously swallowing had Hitoshi bucking up for more immediately, and he knew it would only take a few more of those well timed swallows for him to fall apart. Katsuki would mock him for cumming so soon but Hitoshi didn’t want to stop. Deciding he’d blame it on it having been so long, he let his free hand tangle into Katsuki’s blond spikes as he came down his omega’s throat. 

Hitoshi squirmed as Katsuki kept going past his orgasm, until he had to shift his leg up to try and push Katsuiki off of his sensitive dick. Katsuki reluctantly popped off himself and immediately turned to sink those damn teeth into the gland there. Hitoshi’s hand fell from his mouth as he let out a sharp, surprised moan. He came down from the pain to Katsuki’s chuckling against the throbbing gland. He nuzzled it and Hisohi felt pride rolling off Katsuki like heat. 

The smell of sex seemed to fill the room when Katsuki came back up from under the blanket. Any thought of keeping this secret in the morning long gone as Katsuki’s red eyes pierced through the dark full of possessiveness. 

Maybe it was strange, for an alpha, but Hitoshi loved it. He felt just as much thrill at the way Katsuki demanded and owned him as his alpha instincts did of the omega. Katsuki’s lips found his in the dark, mirrored enthusiasm nip for nip. In return, Hitoshi’s fingers found Katsuki’s dripping hole again to push two fingers in. Katsuki was loose, wet and eager as always, pushing himself down on Hitoshi’s fingers hungry for more. He impatiently slid his knees further apart to attempt to catch Hitoshi’s still hard dick against his rim, whining when Hitoshi stopped the brat from just dropping himself on it unprepped. 

Using his free hand, Hitoshi tugged Katuski’s shirt, giving him something to do while he added a third finger almost just as easily.

Katsuki’s shirt hit the floor and Hitoshi, knowing he only had moments, took the slick he had gathered in his quick attempt at prep to slick up his dick before his hands were grabbed and pinned above his head. Briefly his alpha flared up at the idea of being pinned, but Katsuki sank himself in the next breath causing Hitoshi’s brain to immediately switch to prioritize thrusting up to meeting Katsuki half-way. Katsuki paused to enjoy the feeling of fullness and burn of the stretch. This was maybe Hitoshi’s favorite moment every time they fucked in this position–when Katsuki would let his head drop exposing the tanned length of his neck fully to Hitoshi, which now proudly showed their mating mark. 

Beautiful, Hitoshi thought, always. He hoped that the feeling conveyed properly through the bond. Katsuki was gorgeous and more than Hitoshi could have ever given himself permission to even dream of having. Before because of how strong and powerful the prideful omega could be, and now just as much so but softer with the way his body was changing to accommodate their growing pup. 

Knowing from experience that this moment was truly always just a moment, Hitoshi quickly grabbed Katsuki’s hips with both hands stopping him from going at this the way he liked to in the dorms. Here his bed did squeak and, despite his brain being full of pure desire, he hadn’t forgotten that his parents were right there. Katsuki’s throat rumbled in frustration but, mercifully, he didn’t fight Hitoshi on him taking the lead. Using his grip to keep Katsuki flush to him he pulled Katsuki closer, while pushing himself even further in. Encouraged by a swallowed groan, he pushed back and repeated the motion again, harder and was rewarded with Katsuki’s hands dropping to rest by his calves that were folded up under him. Katsuki let Hitoshi move him back and forth, only slightly adjusting so the pressure would be exactly where he wanted it to go. Katsuki’s eyes slid shut, melting into the sensation, and dropping his head back to further expose the mark in subtle submission. Hitoshi’s fingers dug deeper at the sight and he gave a deep hard thrust to show his appreciation, which had Katsuki flailing until his hands landed behind himself on Hitoshi’s thighs to support himself. Using the new support and angle Hitoshi was free to put his abs to use, lifting his ass off the bed and giving Katsuki a slight bounce.

The response was immediate and delicious as Katsuki tightened. His gorgeous red eyes slid open to stare down Hitoshi in an irritation that wasn’t felt at all though their bond. Hitoshi grinned, and another bounce forced Katsuki to grip his thighs tighter to keep himself still. Unfortunately Hitoshi wasn’t really built for strength, and he had to lower himself before getting a cramp. He tipped his chin up, silently telling Katsuki to come down so he could whisper in his ear. 

“Tell me what you want Kat, I’ll give it to you, you know I will,” he teased softly, when Katsuki got close enough to hear him. 

Katsuki turned, hot breath brushed against Hitoshi’s ear in the dark, voice full of arrogance “You know what to do, alpha.” 

A shiver raced through his nerves, because he did, he knew exactly what his mate wanted. Hitoshi hummed in acknowledgment, pulling Katsuki flush against him again, the chilled sweat on Katsuki’s skin was slick against his own. The new position allowed Hitoshi to tease his knot against Katsuki’s entrance, making them both groan. It had been a long time since they had had sex, but even longer since they had properly knotted. That’s what Hitoshi wanted, and he knew Katsuki did too.

But the trick was getting it done without waking up his parents. 

Katsuki, making it clear he had no such reservations, moved to start what was guaranteed to be some of the loudest sex they had had to date , but Hitoshi held firm keeping Katsuki from pulling up as high as he wanted. 

“We can’t , Kat,” he hissed, despite them both knowing he wouldn’t actually say no, not if Katsuki pushed.

Katsuki always pushed. 

“You said you’d give me what I wanted,”Katsuki hissed right back, his muscles tightening and squeezing Hitoshi in the process. 

Hitoshi’s mind raced for any way he could have both hot sex with Katsuki and keep his parents out of the loop. “I also said you had to tell me,” he countered, mostly to just save him a little bit of time to think, “You haven’t actually told me what you want.”

Grasping at straws and they both knew it–fuck it was so hard to think when Katsuki got like this. Hitoshi, for all that he is, might make for a terrible alpha because he can’t help but want to give into every one of Katsuki’s petulant demands at the drop of a hat–or, in this case, the drop of a well worn sleep shirt. 

Katsuki, never one to back down from a challenge, and far louder than was strictly necessary in Hitoshi’s humble opinion, sneered, leaned back and said, “Give me that fucking knot, alpha. ” The last word and their bond oozed with pure dare, challenging Hitoshi. 

Hitoshi might be embarrassingly weak to Katsuki but really, what alpha could possibly refuse their pregnant omega demanding to be knotted when said like that. One stronger than Hitoshi, maybe. Katsuki’s triumphant grin gave away that Hitoshi’s defeat bled through their bond before it could even show on his face, but it fell just as quickly when Hitoshi pushed Katsuki over and pulled out of him. 

“Quiet,” Hisohi shushed him with all the authority he could muster in the moment, and he shuffled around awkwardly on the bed until he managed to move Katsuki into a better position. With this better angle he was able to tightly grip the scruff of Katsuki’s neck, something he rarely did outside of a heated need to control a spiraling situation. Hitoshi pushed gently, but firmly, until Katsuki moved into a traditional presenting position. 

“I’ll give you what you want but we are doing it my way, do you understand?” Hitoshi whispered his eyes darted over Katsuki’s prone position making sure none of his omega’s limbs were folded awkwardly, while he gave Katsuki space to wrestle with his conflicting feelings. Hitoshi knew this wasn’t a position Katsuki was a fan of because of the stereotypes omegas dealt with , but it wasn’t like they never did it this way. It only took a few moments until he felt Katsuki willingly submit. 

Still, he gave his mate a few more breaths to settle before attempting to press himself back in. The soft muscle gave easily to Hitohsi, eager to have him back inside. In this position, he could use the firm bed to resist the way he pushed against Katsuki’s hole, and trusting that his omega would behave, he used both hands to slowly pull Katuski’s cheeks apart to give his knot more room to press in further. It was slow and stretched Katsuki painfully. Despite the pain, Katsuki made no complaints–only twisted his fingers up in the sheets and buried his face into Hitoshi’s pillow–allowing Hitoshi to keep pushing until finally the ring of muscle gave way to his knot. 

Satisfaction filled them both. With a sigh Hitoshi pulled back to test the hold Katuski’s body had on him which pulled a soft noise of complaint from Katsuki. Hitoshi’s eyes traced the curve of Katsuki’s back and drank in the bright flush high on his cheeks, his eyes glassy from bliss. Hitoshi marveled at how beautiful Katsuki looked when knotted. They never talked about it–Hitoshi was well aware of how skittish Katsuki was about his omegan traits–but he wondered how it felt as an omega, to have Katsuki go so pliant. Feelings bled across the bond, but there was nothing there from Katsuki that mirrored the intensity of his own alpha instincts preening at him knotting his omega. 

“Cum inside of me,” Katsuki groaned, more into the pillow than to Hitoshi. His voice was rough, needy, and pitched a bit higher with a whine and Hitoshi could almost imagine it sounded like begging. As much as Katsuki was capable of begging. It pulled him from his wayward thoughts about bonds and instincts.

Hitoshi laid himself flush to Katsuki’s back until he felt he was at the right angle, and he rocked himself back and forth. The combined feeling of Katsuki’s heat–and the tightness around his knot keeping him firmly attached to his omega–brought Hitoshi quickly to the edge, as their bodies were designed to do. He bit down over the mating mark, deepening it further, as he tipped over into his orgasm. Katsuki hissed and quickly followed, fingers twisting in Hitoshi’s sheets as they rode out their combined orgasm.

Katsuki’s cold, sweat-slick shoulder wasn’t very comfortable but Hitohsi rested his forehead there anyway until he could feel his legs enough to safely maneuver them into a spooning position. Katsuki shifted his legs, pulling at the knot and causing Hitoshi to hiss in protest, still very sensitive from the orgasm. Katsuki didn’t let that stop him from shifting again until Hitoshi had to grab at him and make him lay still. The touch seemed to settle Katsuki enough and Hitoshi kept one arm wrapped around Katuski’s middle and let the other hand lazily trace over the silver armband on Katsuki’s arm as it glinted in the low light of the room. 

Chapter Text

Katsuki shifted the bags of groceries as he shimmied the key into the lock, annoyed with himself for not stealing the nicer key off of Hitoshi's keyring. Eventually, the lock gave way to his jiggling and Katsuki toppled into the entryway. Despite his center of gravity being fucked, he managed to keep upright–and keep every egg intact–as he kicked his shoes off as quietly as he could. He padded into the kitchen in his socks, put the bags up on the counter, then paused to hear if he had woken up his light-sleeping insomniac of a mate.

There were no sounds coming from the bedroom, just the soft ticking of the clock in the kitchen. Katsuki huffed in relief. Tiptoeing around his home was something he hadn’t expected would give him as many problems as it had over the last few months. Growing up in the Bakugo household was always noisy and the dorms at the school had often been even more so. Katsuki hadn’t ever had to think much about being loud.

Hitoshi said he liked Katsuki loud, in all ways. Had dismissed Katsuki’s concerns with excuses such as ‘growing up in a loud orphanage’ and ‘it’s not like pops was known for being quiet’ and he also agreed the dorms had been loud–said it was a comfort to wake up to loud things.

But, at the dorms, Hitoshi hadn’t had to sleep through the day for long ass night shifts, except those handful of times for his internship. He could sleep in late at his family’s home on the weekends he stayed there, and Katsuki knew that Hitoshi hadn’t liked the orphanage at all. The fact of things was that Hitoshi needed sleep, was a light sleeper, and Katsuki was–begrudgingly addmitted–to be a bit heavy footed most of the time by habit. He didn’t think Hitoshi was lying, but Katsuki had realized–far too late in this weird ass realtionship–that Hitoshi had a fucking problem with dismissing his needs in annoyingly sincere ways.

Thankfully, Hitoshi didn’t work every night. He didn’t work regular day hours like spotlight heroes would either. Just occasionally, when his quirk would be especially helpful. Most of those calls were during the day, ransom calls were Mindjack’s specialty which tended to happen during banking hours. Even during those calls he worked mostly with the underground–had been building up a reputation with them it seemed–and they would request Hitoshi’s assistance. Sometimes that would turn into a bigger deal than originally planned. Like tonight, He’d been on a particularly nasty streak with the recent case Aizawa requested his help with. Tonight would be the fifth night in a row. Whatever they were doing, it’d been taking a toll on Hitoshi.

So, because Hitoshi was awful at taking care of himself, Katsuki had spent his day making a plan to cook a well balanced dinner tonight that would both keep Hitoshi feeling energized–despite the sleeping difficulties that might have been mostly Katsuki’s fault–and be something with leftovers he could send along with the stubborn alpha.

The bond stayed blissfully peaceful as Katuki put away the groceries, keeping out the food he would be using. Everything tucked into its spot perfectly, down to the half-carton of milk sliding into the gap on the shelf of the refrigerator he had designated for it. Having full control over the kitchen had been something Katuki had been fucking ready for while they had been planning their transition from the dorms to an apartment. Katsuki felt himself pull a grin as he found his pan exactly where and how he had left it–not a single scratch. No open jugs, no untwisted bread bags, no Kaminari leaving incriminating lightning shaped cracks in this glassware from who knows what because everyone knew that twerp didn’t fucking cook.

He was almost finished when the alarm in the bedroom went off causing the bond to finally stir. Groggy irritation rolled in the back of Katsuki’s mind like a fog. Katsuki focused on his task, only finding a bit of amusement when he felt Hitoshi's palpable contemplation for more sleep get interrupted–likely by the smell of food waiting for him. The fog cleared, replaced by curious pokes in the back of his mind that Katsuki ignored, the lazy ass could get up and come get his attention properly if he wanted it that badly.

Katsuki would never admit how much relief it was that the flood of panic that used to accompany these groggy wake ups were coming less and less these days. Too-familiar nightmares that clung to Hitoshi’s cold clammy skin, even after waking up, had been a problem for weeks after the exhibition. Hitoshi would wake and Katuski would either be there or come to him. Letting Hitoshi cling to him until the nightmares let go. Nightmares were part of this life, Katsuki even still had some on occasion from the time he had been kidnapped in his first year at UA, but it was concerning how persistently they had plagued Hitoshi.

Maybe he should ask Aizawa about it.

He debated with that thought, getting a bit lost in it while he waited for the the simmering sauce to thicken. Warm arms wrapping around him with an appreciated hum in his ear pulled him out of the wrestling match he was having with himself over the awkwardness that had been between him and his teacher since the fall out of the pregnancy reveal. 

“Smells good,” Hitoshi murmured.

“Did I wake you coming in?” Katuski asked, even though he knew he hadn’t, as he sidestepped out of the limp hug to tend to a pot before it could come to a full boil.

Hitoshi yawned while shaking his head no, which turned into more of a shaking out his hair the way a long haired cat might do after waking from a deep nap. 

“Put the dishes at the table instead of scratching at your–I know the fuck you’re not about to just grab those, go wash your nasty hands.” Katsuki scowled as threatened Hitoshi with the wet spoon. 

“Yes dear,” Hitoshi said through another jaw breaking yawn as he moved away from the stack of dishes he was about to grab towards the sink.

Katuski turned back to the stove to snap off the heating element, fighting an unfamiliar sudden nausea that hit him with the new pet name. “Don’t call me that,” he snapped harsher than he intended to.

Hitoshi cut the water off harshly. Reluctantly, Katsuki turned to see Hitoshi’s shocked face, which matched the shock of the sudden vacuum between them in the bond. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. Really,” Katsuki said, surprising himself with how sharp he still sounded in his own ears. He felt his face flush and he abruptly turned his attention back to the food. It would be stupid to start an actual fight over a nickname. Hitoshi called him hundreds of pet names and dear was far from the most offensive thing he had been called this week.

“Kat,” Hitoshi said carefully, as he grabbed the plates. He didn’t move to the table, though, instead he hovered around Katsuki, unsure. “What’s wrong?”

Awkwardly, Katuski just shrugged. Unsure how to explain to Hitoshi what had suddenly come over him–only wishing he was better at swallowing his knee jerk responses. “I don’t know,” he finally said, “just… don’t call me that.”

Hitoshi swooped in to give Katsuki an annoying amount of tiny stubble itchy kisses. “Ok Kit-Kat.” Hitoshi said through a scratchy grin against Katsuki’s cheek practically nuzzling him until Katsuki was forced to swat him away.

He then moved to complete the task of setting the table without further question, easily dropping the issue that way he tends to do–leaving only Katsuki to dwell on what it had been about the new nickname that had put him off. He moved the food to the table, still not fully certain. Hitoshi, having had time to wake up more, now looked at the food with the proper amount of appreciation so much work deserved.

“How was work,” Hitoshi asked without looking up, focused more on shoveling a massive bite of food into his mouth. 

Katsuki scowled, at the table manners and at the question. It seemed Hitoshi was set on tripping over twenty hidden irritants Katsuki had been internally dwelling on before going off to his night full of who knows what.

“Boring,” He answered curtly–his next bite was stabbed rather than properly plucked–work had been a sensitive subject recently.

Hitoshi paused halfway between shoving bits of food into his mouth. He put his chopsticks down and chewed what was in his mouth slowly with contemplation. “Are you–” Hitoshi chewed on his next choice of words more thoroughly than his last bite of food, “--not getting… along?”

Katsuki put the stabbed bit of food into his mouth instead of answering. No, that wasn’t the problem. He was getting along with everyone in the office just fine, maybe even too fine. Going to Jeanist’s agency had been a good call, just like he had thought. But it was still office work and Katsuki hadn’t worked as hard as he had for the near decade and a half since his quirk manifested to just sit around an office pushing papers with well meaning sidekicks and extras. 

“You’ll be in the field soon,” Hitoshi said as he poured more miso into his bowl, guessing with ease what it was that was bothering Katsuki. “Just a couple more months.”

Reflexively, Katsuki moved his hand to his now very visible bump, even in his loosest of clothes, and tried to not be annoyed by how Hitoshi watched the movement with a disgusting amount of fondness. As if sensing his hand the baby’s foot shot out to kick at the touch and Katsuki rubbed at it soothingly with now practiced ease.

“Kid’s kicking,” He said, grateful as Hitoshi scrambled over–nearly tripping over the chair his foot had been casually hooked around–to have a change of subject. 

Taking Hitoshi’s hand, Katsuki guided him to the spot where the movement had been. It was horribly endearing how no matter what Hitoshi was doing, or what time of day it was, or how many times in the last hour, Hitoshi was always just as eager to feel the baby as he had been the first time. 

He sipped his tea while Hitoshi whispered to the baby secrets Katsuki pretended he couldn’t hear. The whispers turned to about the mission he was going to go on tonight and Katsuki tried even harder to tune it out. Knowing Hitoshi was leaving for another night was already rough–rougher than he had anticipated it could be. Katsuki would end up spending all night tossing and turning thinking about the actual details of the danger his mate would be in.

Hypocritical as it was because of how much he itched to be in the field himself. He let his fingers run though Hitoshi’s soft bed wrecked hair, and found himself already longing for morning when Hitoshi would be back home–for the few minutes before Katuski would be the one dragging himself out of bed and into the office to respond to more emails.

He didn’t look, but he did feel a smile that pulled at Hitoshi’s lips as he pressed them against the soft skin of Katsuki’s stomach. Soft skin and fat… so much fat. It was important for the baby, he knew that, had accepted it. Mostly. Katsuki had known it would happen and what it would take to work off–even before he had gotten this big–he had known that. So sure, It might take a couple months to have the baby, but then he’d have to spend even more time getting back to full utility to be even somewhat useful in the field. 

“Bring home some milk,” Katsuki said, interrupting his thoughts and Hitoshi’s exaggerated whispers. It was a stupid request, he had just gotten some milk, but suddenly giving Hitoshi a reason to come back seemed important.

“I thought you went shopping on your way home today?” Hitoshi murmured in the same voice he had been using to talk to the baby. 

Katsuki felt his eye twitch and he pulled his lip between his teeth, chewing on it. “I did,” he said, still resolutely refusing to look down, “but I forgot the milk.”

Hitoshi turned his nose into Katsuki’s skin leaving more soft kisses. “Ok,” he said–again easily letting it go of the issue–even though they both knew Katsuki was lying.

Hitoshi shifted to his knees moving his attention from the baby to Katsuki. His thumb gently pulled Katuski’s lip out from its abuse, and he leaned in for a kiss, but Katuski swatted him away instead of letting his face get attacked by stubble again.

Hitoshi let himself be shoved away with a shallow laugh as he stood up. 

“I… have to go shower and get ready.” 

Katsuki didn’t think he was imagining the way the words sounded reluctant, and almost like an apology, but Katsuki would refuse to take them as one. 

“Shave off that shit growing on your chin while you’re at it,” He said instead, smiling to himself when Hitoshi’s shallow laugh turned into a proper one. 

“You don’t want me to grow it out?” Hitoshi called down the hall and Katsuki made sure to direct all his disgust at the thought into the bond, receiving only a wave of fondness and another full laugh that echoed in the bathroom in response.

Katsuki pushed himself out of the chair and moved the food he could pack into a bento into the kitchen, leaving the rest  and the dishes until after Hitoshi showered.  He did not put stupid shapes into the seaweed–and he never would, no matter how much Hitoshi whined about wanting it–but he did put all of Hitoshi’s favorite things in, putting more of the vegetables he did like and less of the ones he didn’t.

The goodbye at the door was lingering. Katsuki didn't say how much he didn't want Hitoshi to go, and Hitoshi didn't say how much he knew Katsuki didn't want him to go. Katsuki shifted his weight from foot to foot, said something about the milk again, despite himself. Hitoshi agreed and kissed him again before the door was shut and Katsuki was left alone in the apartment, his instincts itched for him to open the door back up and demand his alpha to come back. He forced himself to walk away instead. 

He looked over at the few dishes still left, but turned to go into the bathroom instead. The hot bath wasn't as relaxing as he had hoped it would be though. It just made him even more aware of the strange shape of his body. He put on some of Hitoshi's clothes, appreciating their larger size as he flopped into the bed with his phone as he pulled up the bookmark of the website of baby names he had been looking over earlier that day. 

A notification flashed across his screen and Katsuki opened it to a text from Hitoshi telling him to go to bed. Katsuki immediately responded with his favorite emoji–a hand flipping off the middle finger. Katsuki locked his screen with a chuckle at the sudden bright feeling in the bond when the message was marked read, and tossed his phone off to the side, not checking what it was Hitoshi sent him in return. Instead he stared up at their bedroom ceiling and tried to calm himself so Hitoshi could work. Another message buzzed through his phone, likely telling him he wasn't being successful, so he closed his eyes and rolled over. He pulled Hitoshi's pillow into his arms and pressed his nose into it, letting the scent actually calm him as the baby inside of him squirmed a bit with the sudden movement before also settling.

A couple more months.