Chapter Text
Katsuki cleans and cooks like a man possessed, a life calling that he must at all costs accomplish with 100% perfection, not a single speck of dust remaining or a pinch too much spice in his dishes. On normal routine, Katsuki actually already undertook a significant portion of chores (of their abnormally large pack) upon himself, but now he runs himself almost haggard at his insistence of completing these tasks all by himself. Going so far as to snarl at packmates that try to help.
Acts of service is clearly Katsuki’s preferred love of language, even if to his death he won’t admit that any of his actions is based on love. The urge to serve seems to be amplified multifold as the alpha is going through rut.
“Kacchan I can eat by myself...”
Apparently it affects not only his insistence to cook all their meals, but also the way he delivers it to their stomachs. Currently, Izuku is seated on Katsuki’s lap, face flushed pink in embarrassment, as Katsuki impatiently pokes a spoonful of unadon to Izuku’s lips.
Their other packmates are situated around them, looking in amusement at the rawest display of an alpha’s craving to provide, down to the core of its base meaning.
“Just fucking take it before I force it down your throat.” The growl isn’t unkind, but there’s no doubt that Katsuki has no qualms of delivering his threat if push comes to shove. In this case, Izuku refusing to open his little mouth.
Seeing little else he could do, Izuku stops wiggling like fish out of water in his attempt to escape and just resigns to his fate of being hand-fed by his alpha. He timidly cracks his lips open. And if he’s being honest to himself, he could admit that that idea profoundly appeals to his omega side.
Katsuki’s unadon tastes like heaven, it’s unreal how much flavour it packs blending in harmony in a not-nauseating way. Izuku’s omega positively gloats at what an excellent alpha Katsuki is, a prime provider and protector. His body is an unyielding fortress, toned arms capable of withstanding the heavy recoil of his quirk are dutifully moving to deliver spoonful after spoonful of food to the omega’s waiting mouth.
If Katsuki keeps up with this sweet endeavour of his, Izuku’s blush might take permanent residency on his cheeks, his whole body warming like sitting in front of a hearth.
“Full?” Katsuki asks as Izuku gulps down the last mouthful.
Izuku hums in a ‘yes’, looking up to him with an expression of gratitude. His belly goes on a little somersault at seeing how Katsuki has the softest look on his face, gazing down at him with a little adoring smile.
Back in his room, body winding down from the day"s activities, Izuku relaxes into the comfort of his bed.
He is holding one of the books Principal Nedzu lent them, inspecting its thick-leather cover and the bold-black title.
The one he is informed contains the theory as to what unique biology governs omega heats and alpha ruts, their latent differences to each other.
The function of heat is pretty straightforward. Omegas are increasingly fertile during heats, their enticing pheromones help to draw in enough alpha suitors in droves and the omegas get to pick the cream of the crop, evolutionarily equipped to weed out alphas they deem unqualified. The ones that particularly possess desirable mate-material traits and status will stand out above the rest, perceived as prolific providers to help the omegas breed powerful offspring.
In contrast, alphas no longer into ruts. They used to have periodical mating cycles like omegas still do but overtime the instinct died out. There are some theories as to why alphas evolved to stop going into ruts while omegas still have heats.
It is speculated that alphas that had milder ruts were more favoured by their lead alpha because they were more ‘available’ all year-round. Whereas alphas with more demanding ruts were essentially ‘indisposed’ during ruts, incapable of performing their pack-assigned alpha tasks such as hunting, patrolling, warring with rival packs when the situation called for it. Not to mention ruts impaired self-control, the littlest thing could set them off flying into rut-induced rage that often led to internal chaos and destruction in the pack.
Thus, alphas that were affected less by ruts naturally became the lead alpha’s most reliable alphas, their most trusted warriors, their closest confidantes. As ruts occurred at regularly recurring intervals, they became predictable weaknesses that could be exploited, for instance if a lead alpha’s or prime alphas’ rutting periods were to be exposed to enemy packs. They could strike when the pack’s defense was technically at its weakest.
And so, alphas with longer and more violent ruts often got bumped down the pack hierarchy, reduced to grunts that didn’t get to mate as this particular trait was categorised as an ‘unfavourable’ alpha trait. Omegas, on the other hand, were in no way disfavoured for having heats. Heats were celebrated, a sought-after chance for the strongest alphas to breed the omegas to produce the strongest offspring, there was no disadvantage to the pack when the omegas became incapacitated for a week in their nests as they were the designation ‘traditionally to be protected and provided for’ in the first place.
Along with the hypotheses bit, there are several allegedly true accounts depicting bloody violence, destruction, rape, and even the slaughtering of a whole village perpetrated by rutting alphas that had lost control, fitted among the texts are gruesome photos—some in black and white—that send chills down his spine; battered bodies full of slice marks and bloodied fangs. Izuku hastily lets his eyes skim over those and skips the majority of that section.
That is, at least, the theory most widely accepted by designation experts. It sheds some light on his confusion about how ruts came to be an extinct physiological phenomena unlike heats that still flourish on. Apparently the public is also being kept in the dark to avoid alienating the minority of alphas that still show symptoms of ruts, seeing as history hinted at the discrimination of these alphas with the misfortune of having heavy ruts—correlated with a lowered level of self-control to be labelled ‘a danger to society’.
Suppressants make things much more manageable in the modern times; help to suppress leaning-on-savage tendencies. The dose is dependent on the severity of rut an alpha exhibits, the more violent the higher the dose. Seeing as this is Katsuki’s first rut, Recovery Girl administers it as it goes, keeping a close tab on the blond to properly assess the next dose.
Katsuki gets crankier day by day, like some part of him has gone a little bit unhinged, bristling at strangers that dare ‘approach’ him and his packmates even unintentionally because the hallway is only so wide.
“What the fuck are you looking at!” Katsuki roars at someone that walks just a tiny bit too close to them. As was said, the school hallway is only so wide and that student’s eyes only wander absent-mindedly over them like one would when walking past strangers going in the opposite direction. The poor guy jumps like a startled deer and quickly skitters away.
Trying to soothe the irritated alpha as much as he can, Izuku takes advantage of his omegan nature and releases pheromones and purrs to try to calm him down. The lines of tension on Katsuki’s shoulders ease up just the slightest bit, the alpha then slides a possessive arm around Izuku’s waist and pulls him in.
The omega glances up at the alpha, worried as he’s been the past few days. The efficacy of the suppressants seems to be declining little by little, the alpha is back to having the aggressiveness level he exhibited when he attacked Akechi.
Izuku can only hope that it doesn’t get to the point where they have no other options other than to knock him out or to chain him somewhere secluded in the dorm, as the school has suggested. These extreme measures are, in fact, not too far-fetched. There are rutting alphas that do require such treatment be imposed on them because they get too violent. Another option mentioned to them was sending Katsuki to a trusted government-backed alpha wellness center that specializes in handling and caring alphas in their peak ruts. Of course that idea was immediately shot down, there is no question that the pack will take care of their alpha themselves, no matter how severe his rut will become.
In the end, it will all come down to Katsuki.
More specifically, to his biology.
Drifting in the waves beyond consciousness everything is still and silent, abstract darkness and colours. Abruptly, something that feels like bone-chilling bright flash of a thunder slices against layers of tranquil black and he is jolted awake.
His sense of danger is pinging at him and heart rapidly thundering in his chest, a recollection of a memory unwittingly pops at the forefront of his mind to that one time a kitten had scared the living daylights of him when it leapt out of an alleyway and nearly got squished by his foot. Only this time it is no kitten.
With a capacity to hurt more than inconsequential scratches from tiny kitten claws.
A figure is standing by his door as it clicks shut.
Izuku’s body is pumping with adrenaline, getting ready to activate One For All when recognition filters in.
“Ka-Kacchan??”
The alpha is standing still, eerily staring back at him. The room is dark and Izuku can’t quite make out what expression his alpha is currently making. His eyes flicker to the side. The digital clock on the bedside table reads 01:46, blinking intermittent red and nothingness.
Gulping, his throat feels just slightly parched, “You scared me! What are you doing here this late?”
Another few seconds of silence, there is tangible tension building, or maybe it’s just Izuku since Katsuki is still like a statue, undisturbed. Or not. Clad with a simple black tank top and baggy cotton pants, sleep-soft, yet the alpha’s stance is muscles bunched up like loaded spring, an animal ready to pounce. Izuku lifts himself up to settle in a sitting position on his bed, lids heavy from remnants of sleep still clinging but now turned an edge more alert.
“Um… are you sleepwalking?”
It’s kind of unnerving how unblinking Katsuki’s stare is, assessing him with some obscure frame of understanding he can’t quite put a finger on. He finally drops it and walks further in. Prowling along the periphery of his room, the alpha stops occasionally to rub his temple against the wall, the wardrobe, the window frames. It doesn’t seem like sleepwalking in that his movements look full of intent, yet it doesn’t detract from the fact that it is still a highly questionable behaviour.
“Kacchan?” Izuku tries again.
At the call of his name, Katsuki’s attention shifts to him again. Those red eyes seem to glow in the dark, the way they seem to size him up has an almost predatory quality to it. Izuku swallows, nervousness bubbling up. He does have an inkling as to what prompts this sudden middle-of-the-night trip.
‘Could it be?’
Finished with his scent-marking of the omega’s territory, Kacchan heads over to his bed, steps unnervingly silent like having donned on hunting predator’s paws. Izuku’s eyes are following his movement apprehensively.
The mattress creaks at the added weight of another person. Arms come up to encircle his tense midriff and legs tangling with his own, the alpha buries his face into the crook of Izuku’s neck and arranges his limbs for a prime position of cuddling, producing a tiny chuffing sound into his skin.
Stunned but definitely not opposed to it, Izuku immediately reciprocates the embrace with a warm smile spreading on his lips.
“I’m here, your omega’s here.” Izuku coos, his nose instinctively finding its way into Kacchan’s hair. Intoxicating alpha scent gets drawn deep into his lungs, eliciting pleasant tingles to travel all the way from his brain down to the tips of his toes. Katsuki’s normal scent is already pleasing, here now is simply taking it to the next level. He smells practically exquisite. Izuku can drown in it forever.
Feeling his eyelids drooping, Izuku drags his body down the mattress taking Katsuki with him, directing the alpha to move along with him and mould his body to his. He is starting to doze off when something disturbs him.
“Mm..?” Izuku slurs, consciousness is brought to the land of the living once again. Katsuki’s hands have shifted, travelling lower down his tapered waist and arriving to the swell of his buttocks.
Now Izuku is positively wide awake.
“W-What are you doing?” He stammers. The trail left by the alpha’s touch feels hot, and he shivers as if feeling cold instead. A purposeful hand kneads on one of his cheeks and Izuku yips, jerking away in reflex. Katsuki’s grip is like iron however, undisturbed by the omega’s negative reaction as his hands keep on exploring going even lower.
His omega thrills at the proximity and the alpha’s apparent.. interest in him. In his body. Izuku, the rational human part of him, is terrified. Tongue lathes against his neck, deep alpha purr infused with carnal want reverberating into his tense form. Izuku’s panicked eyes try to locate Katsuki’s face. Oh god.. the alpha looks ravenous, the intensity in those red eyes threatening to set alight the oil flowing in his veins until he is thoroughly consumed by the fire.
Izuku’s breath hitches as Katsuki’s hand attempts to slither under his pants.
His hand shoots out to grab that offending appendage at the same time angling his hips away, “T-That’s a no no zone”. He hates how meek his voice is sounding and denying Katsuki what he so clearly wants is defying every fiber of his being, Izuku just isn’t made to deny his alpha. However he also knows he’s far from ready for it, to let his body be swept into Katsuki’s desire-filled hold.
“Omega.”
Rough fingers are now breaching the edge of his boxers causing inadvertent whimpers to escape out of Izuku’s throat, he can smell his own scent souring. The strength in his hand is leaving him, might have to do with how his senses are thoroughly overwhelmed by heady rut scent and the ring of the alpha command; overtaken by the instinctive call to submit, the omega is at the alpha’s mercy.
“Alpha. No.” Izuku whines pitifully, trying to wriggle away to no avail.
Katsuki halts his ministrations like someone has pushed the pause button. Feeling so relieved that he could almost cry, Izuku fully lets out his distressed whines. The alpha’s scent immediately changes from all-consuming desire to one of comfort, hands drawing up higher abandoning the course of action the omega is so clearly displeased with. Now his touch is soothing, the alpha responds with a low whine that seems to telegraph his regret at causing the omega distress.
Izuku folds further into his alpha, heart pounding with mixed emotions. He’s immensely relieved that Katsuki has heeded his call and let up on his roving touches. On the other hand, his omega is berating him for his show of unwillingness. Tears prickle at the edge of his eyes. A feeling of abject inadequacy assaults him, he feels like he’s being such a bad omega that refuses to satisfy his alpha in his time of need.
A louder whine spills out of Katsuki, lips pressing soft kisses on his neck gland probably as a response to how distraught he senses his omega currently is. Izuku feels another raw wave of failure hits him. Katsuki is in peak rut and he still manages to make the alpha worries for him.
Detaching himself gently from Katsuki’s embrace, he now can look into Katsuki’s eyes. Gone is the lustful intensity he dreaded looking at before, all that is left now is pure protectiveness of an alpha. Katsuki whines again, eyebrows slanting in remorse and eyes giving off the impression of a kicked puppy.
Izuku’s heart clenches. “Sorry Kacchan..” A wisp of a whisper, ashamed to have to utter that word. Doesn’t Katsuki deserve this from him? His beloved alpha is fastidiously attuned to and attentive to his every need and yet in return Izuku can’t give him this? He briefly entertains the thought of just squeezing his eyes shut, detaching his mind off his body and letting it happen. However, a little voice in his head whispers—rooted from the well of memories spending cherished time together—that Katsuki will definitely disapprove of Izuku offering himself up with discomfort lodged deep in his guts, sacrificing his mental well-being to pander to his alpha under a misguided sense of duty.
He simply isn’t ready yet...
Izuku tips in, a feathery brush of lips on the alpha’s forehead. Whispering once again with no small amount of regret, “Sorry...”
The night carries on, and as Izuku’s skyrocketing heart rate settles back down to normal the alpha lies with him, soft breaths brushing on the skin of the nape of his neck in subdued rhythm. Katsuki is cuddled up against his back with his arms securely wrapped around his waist, no further attempt at probing exploratory touches. Only the safe secure hold of an alpha.
Trying to dismiss the self-disparaging thoughts corroding his mind like acid, Izuku revels in the simple animal comfort of his alpha’s closeness, lulling him back into worry-free sleep and today’s trouble ceded for morning comes. Not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. All is right in the world.
Izuku wakes, blearily registering warm wetness lathing strips from the hollow of his neck up his throat. With dregs of sleep still clinging, Izuku yawns and stretches, small fangs poking out. A shadow looms over his closed lids and then warm and wet is dragging across his opened mouth, eliciting a shiver travelling down his body.
Emerald eyes flutter open.
“Morning Kacchan.” Izuku greets, “How are you feeling?”
Even after being pressed on the mattress for hours on end, every strand of blond spikes still stands tall at attention. Katsuki is hovering above him propped on his elbows, red eyes observing him quietly. Gold dust flitters about him from the strips of morning light slipping in between his blinds, there’s an ethereal feel to it and Izuku, with the engines of his mind still sluggishly revving to full awareness, likening it to an-
‘-angel.. Kacchan’s an angel.. ’
Izuku giggles, an image slips unwittingly to the forefront of his mind of Katsuki sporting a manic grin, mini-explosions popping on his palms, juxtaposed by a blinding halo over his head and pure-white wings on his back.
There’s a pang deep in his chest, the remnant of guilt still festering. Izuku tries to brush it off.
Soon enough, Izuku exits his bedroom with Katsuki faithfully following behind him. The normal Kacchan will yell at him to walk behind him but not this version of him. Flanking his behind—covering blind spots, ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of danger. On their way down to the kitchen, opting for stairs since his bedroom is just on the 2nd floor, they hear the steps of someone climbing up the stairs. A low growl starts in the alpha’s throat.
Momo pops into view, eyes go wide on them both. Turning a bit wary once she takes notice of Katsuki’s demeanour.
“Is he…?” She trails off.
Izuku nods. He’s been releasing a steady stream of calming omega pheromones and it seems to do the trick of allaying the brewing tension.
Nose twitching, noting the thick alpha scent-claim wafting off Izuku, Momo asks in slight alarm, “Has he been with you the whole night?”
Izuku is quick to reassure the agitated alpha, “Nothing happened, don’t worry. We just slept together.”
Momo eyes Katsuki critically for a few more moments, before sighing, “I’ll inform Aizawa-sensei.”
The whole pack is given permission to skip a few days of classes for the whole duration of Katsuki’s peak rut. Inquisitive Class 1-B is informed the reason why their neighbouring class is empty the whole day/days is because of a special training conducted outside U.A. And now Vlad King is forced to devise one for his class when they start whining about ‘special treatment’ to Class 1-A.
They have been advised to have at least two people keeping an eye on Katsuki at all times, primarily to prevent him from venturing out of the dormitory building and potentially scaring the wits out of everyone that has the misfortune of coming across him. Or worse, harming them. So far the pack finds the school’s concerns unfounded when Katsuki seems more interested in patrolling the inside of their dorm—his territory, every nook and cranny is inspected and scented thoroughly.
“Yeah yeah you’re the alpha Katsuki.” Eijirou laughs.
They’ve been roughhousing, rolling down on the bare floor courtesy of Katsuki goading him to it (“-it’ll be unmanly to not answer to his challenge!”). A few minutes have elapsed when Katsuki disables all Eijirou’s attacks, pinning the beta down with his entire weight and then jaws clamping at the vulnerable column of his neck, teeth digging lightly into tender skin.
“Eiji!” Yuuga gasps.
“It’s fine bro.” Eijirou waves a hand at him, a mirthful smile still in place.
There’s the rumble of a growl travelling across the skin of his neck, warning him that the alpha doesn’t appreciate that movement. Following his instincts, the beta slumps the entirety of his body submissively, effectively appeasing the alpha’s ire and the hold on his neck is released soon afterwards.
A discovery they’ve made is that Katsuki loves roughhousing, yet probably another favourite pack activity that he almost never expresses let alone initiates, probably due to restrictions he still placed upon himself in terms of interacting with his packmates. To fulfill the alpha’s desire to establish dominance, the chosen partner yields at the end. Well even if they give it their all they’ll be hard-pressed in beating Katsuki. Their prime alpha is a tenacious and talented fighter, that aptitude for combat is practically embedded right deep down his DNA.
Out of all the alphas, it is quickly made apparent that Katsuki has a favourite.
From how ‘well’ they get along, it’s baffling to discover that he likes grappling with Shouto the most, once even progressing to a deep scenting session that lasts a long hour. And he seems to draw the most pleasure at ‘putting Shouto in his place’, exerting his dominance on the other prime alpha. If you look at it from a ‘pack rank’ angle, it does seem to make some sense.
This time though, Katsuki has the nerve to put him in a position to be mounted.
“You’re going to regret this..” Despite the grind of his teeth, the words still come out monotonous. Suppressing his growl is no easy task when Katsuki acts out a disturbing posturing ritual which consists of humping the air right above his buttocks, snarling near his ear in a show of dominance.
Shouto wants to swat at his cheek, leaving a nice imprint of red, rut or not.
He begrudgingly reigns in his impulse on the grounds that dominance display is relatively harmless, submitting to it doesn’t equal yielding/losing in a serious spar; doesn’t mean inferiority in actual combative ability. Shouto supposes he can indulge this slightly shameful play for Katsuki’s sake. Besides, if there’s ever a time that Katsuki is being, dare he say, cute, then here’s one: Katsuki (after that horrific gyrating of groin over his ass of which memory he would like to be scraped clean off his brain, thanks in advance) plopping down on his back and nuzzling into the back of his neck, purring. Shouto can’t see him from this position but if the delighted squeals of the girls and the numerous phones being whipped out seemingly out of thin air—positioned for prime camera angles are any indication, then he can be relatively certain that Katsuki does make quite an adorable picture.
It escapes his notice that the general consensus deems that he is as much a part of those adorable pictures as Katsuki is.
“Well that’s a sight I never thought I’d see,” Fumikage says coolly, portraying an indifferent front. Never mind that he’s inching ever so slightly to the edge of the pack, well out of sight of the rutting alpha. Or so he thought.
“I will rip those cursed gadgets out of your cold dead hands then smash them to smithereens.” Fumikage warns darkly, the black feathers surrounding his face all puffed up in livid shame.
Not even a trip to the bowels of seven circles of hell can purge the memory of this utter humiliation, Katsuki pinning him down belly-to-the-floor and feeling his crotch brushing every so often against his clothed ass.
Dark Shadow, on the other hand, ever so proud of its photogenic ability is posing near its master’s gloom-doom-destroy-all face, a straight shadowy finger jabbing repeatedly into an ‘o’ shaped one. If common sense doubts that a shadow entity can form a lascivious expression then Dark Shadow is a norm-breaker, takes the whole entire cake, snickering in wicked satisfaction at its master’s plight.
Grinning ear-to-ear, Mina snaps another photo with her phone, “Aw~ come on we have to properly document our lovely alpha’s first rut!”
“Dude say cheese!” Hanta adds, also brandishing his phone gleefully.
“ ‘Preying on innocent butts Bakuhoe is at it again!’ makes for a dank spicy headline! Am I right or am I right??” Denki wheezes at his own joke, phone shaking from the force of his laughter.
“You guys are seriously courting death.” Kyouka shakes her head although the tone of her chiding is largely negated by the twitch of a smile threatening to form at the corner of her lips.
Another instance of Katsuki’s rut shenanigans finds him in the arms of Momo, laying on her back on the couch with Katsuki sprawled on top of her. The alpha has his face pressed in between the hills of Momo’s ample bosoms, purring with such a blissful expression on his face. Every so often nuzzling lovingly and leaving light kisses on the sides of the soft mounds. Momo doesn’t seem to mind.
“Who knows that the big bad alpha is this cuddly?” Momo giggles, hands stroking spiky locks fondly.
Snickering at the side, Hanta thinks that even Katsuki is not immune to the appeal of soft boobs despite him never having expressed the slightest bit interest in it.
It’s funny seeing him attempting to assume a dominant position with Mezou, their 6’2’’ (187 cm) tall alpha. Key words: attempting to. Positioned on top, the sheer breadth of their biggest alpha’s back means Katsuki can’t even leverage himself or particularly his extremities properly on the ground. Even when Mezou tries to draw himself as small as possible, the resulting effect is still far from ideal. Like a pint-sized rooster trying to mount a bigger hen.
The frustration clear on Katsuki’s face elicits a wave of adoring ‘awwwww’s instead, a reaction that he’ll be so inclined to respond with indignant yelling packed with a barrage of expletives were he a bit more cognizant of his surroundings and ecstatic spectators.
With Tenya it’s a slightly different case. Aizawa-sensei has advised him to not indulge in Katsuki’s desire to exert dominance, it’s crucial that the lead alpha must maintain a sense of hierarchy superiority over him to ensure Katsuki be kept ‘under control’ in this self-control challenged state of his.
“Down!” Tenya’s voice is sturdy, command packed with the full punch of alpha authority. Standing to his full height, he levels a piercing glare at a growling Katsuki.
Crouching low on the ground, Katsuki is all manners of aggressiveness. Body hunched in a threat display with teeth bared and arms spread and quirk popping off.
“Katsuki. Down.”
There’s a visible flinch, the aggression in his countenance faltering just the slightest bit. It doesn’t take much after that. With Tenya still steadfast in his dominant stance and not a twitch of a muscle that might indicate hesitance, the tense moment ends when Katsuki finally sags down, showing his neck.
“There you go.” Tenya smiles, glad that it doesn’t have to resort to an all-out battle. If it does.. well, he doesn’t really like his chances pitted against Katsuki. Now subdued and nestled into Tenya’s side, Katsuki tilts his head in timidly and proceeds to lick under the alpha’s chin in a submissive display.
One other thing they have been advised is to not leave Katsuki alone with Izuku, their pack sole omega. Omega pheromones have the most alluring effect on an alpha in rut and they certainly don’t want accidents happening.
Surprisingly, the way he treats Izuku is tame in comparison to how he wrestles the heck out of the alphas. And some betas that he views to be a bit too cocky for his liking that he has to remind them of their ‘hierarchy’ in the pack.
“That tickles!”
Pinned underneath the sturdy body of his alpha—with said alpha being mindful to not crush his quarry with his substantial weight, is the omega laughing in delight. Katsuki is latched on his neck gland, suckling and licking alternatingly, his throat producing a trilling sound that clearly conveys utter joy at the taste of luscious omega pheromones soaking into his oral caverns.
More paparazzi snaps and squeals ensue, not in their wildest dreams they can hope to even imagine Katsuki producing an expression akin to an adorably eager puppy. A playful horn-dog smirk? Sure they’ve seen it before, although still really rare, that Katsuki has mainly directed to their omega. But adorable? The penalty will most definitely be a scorching mouthful of explosion to anyone that even dares to hint at it.
As the hours pass, so does Denki’s rationality return back to him.
“Damn, he’ll totally kill us once he comes back to his senses, kick all our asses all the way to Friday..” He stares at the scene unfolding before him with dread pooling in his belly.
A dot of red laser light is tracing a haphazard trail across the carpeted floor before the full force of a pair of brawny arms slam on top of it. There’s a displeased growl when the dot manages to escape at the last second, a fleeting flash of red now several feet away, swaying mockingly.
Other than amped-up dominance, there’s also Katsuki’s desire to hunt of which itch is released in the form of chasing his packmates all over the limited confines of the dorm. Pouncing on them like how a predator would to a prey. It’s how dogs or cats would play, or any other mammalian predators really to hone their hunting skills.
After several hours of non-stop chasing, all 18 of them are exhausted while Katsuki’s energy level is still sitting precisely at sky high. They desperately need to find an alternative way to amuse him. A brainstorming session later (and Mashirao screaming out that his tail-fur will go bald after the plan to use his tail like a feather teaser cat toy has gone as well as expected: Katsuki, their 180 lbs (81 kg) cat, attacking with vigor and biting the tempting yellow tuft and then pulling), and somehow the laser pointer pops up as their saving grace.
Going in for the kill, Katsuki yet again hurls his body towards that pesky red dot. Mina is the current laser pointer master and is skillfully whipping the laser back and forth, every time keeping it just a smidgen out of reach of the pouncing predator, riling the alpha up even more.
“Come on boy! Almost got it!” The beta girl yells out in encouragement, grinning widely in delight.
To Denki who is beginning to regret ever taking those pictures and hollering teasing remarks (oh shit will Katsuki remember anything later?), Shouto responds to his earlier remark, face as flat as a frying pan, “Friday is just a few hours away, I doubt he’d recover back to his normal self by then and be made aware of your ‘crime’. ”
Denki just gives him the stink eye.
“This is a historical moment guys!” Tooru is taking a video of the whole ordeal, making it an Olympic sport precision in tracking the alpha’s agile movements with her phone, “We have to print it out frame by frame, hang those physical manifestations of the word ‘cute’ across the walls of the common room!”
“Yeah good luck keeping them hanging there later safe from the wrath of a pomeranian with a killer temper.” Rikidou chuckles. He’s among the minority that doesn’t feel the need to memorialise these precious moments of Katsuki being heart-meltingly adorable, it’s enough that he’s here currently to enjoy it while it lasts. Also, he’s got a feeling that Katsuki will be far from being amused when he inevitably discovers it later.
Alas, the relative calmness ends when there’s a knock at the door.
Katsuki stops completely in his tracks, eyes turn aggressive as a feral growl rips out of his lungs.
Before anyone can shout a warning or move to intervene, Katsuki has bolted towards the door. Even with his higher-brain functions compromised at this point in time, Katsuki is apparently aware enough to twist the key still lodged in the door keyhole to open the lock. All in the span of a split second. Katsuki is already lunging at Aizawa-sensei, growls pouring out of his throat like a mad beast and the air around his drawn palm lighting up ominously that you can practically feel the oppressive heat even from afar, the alpha barring no limits in his attack.
Fortunately Aizawa-sensei’s quirk is ideal against such a scenario.
Eyes shining red, he shoots out his scarf to bind the snarling alpha.
“Calm down, alpha.” The teacher growls in a bid to intimidate. Katsuki glares furiously at Aizawa and struggles violently against his bindings like a wild animal.
The rest of the pack rush outside their dorm in panic, breathing out in relief when they see that their volatile alpha has been contained successfully and safely before he could hurt their visitors.
Aizawa sighs, an apologetic frown forming on his face, “Hm.. sorry about this. We should have informed you first that we’re coming.”
Izuku trots close. Offering his presence to mollify the highly-agitated alpha, he presses his neck against Katsuki’s snarling maw. The effect is instantaneous, the alpha’s struggles and the beastly lines of his mouth go lax at being surrounded by soothing omega pheromones.
Tail swishing nervously, Mashirao tries to cover it with a small smile, “Um.. it’s okay, I’m glad that no one is hurt.”
Recovery Girl steps closer from the safe distance she has put herself when she sensed Bakugou was attacking, “Good evening everyone. Apologies for our abrupt arrival, this is quite an oversight, we really should have informed you first beforehand. The reason for our visit is that we think it’s wise to monitor Bakugou’s vitals during his peak heat. There are records that rutting alphas tend to overheat and get dehydrated due to the excessive amount of energy building up that they need to expend.”
“You’ve been making sure that Bakugou takes in enough water as I’ve told you right?
“Yes we have!” Tenya answers, then launches into brief details on how they went about achieving it.
Making sure that Katsuki eats is pretty easy, even influenced under the haze of peak rut his appetite remains healthy and he seems to be aware of his need to eat. They gave him easy-to-consume food like onigiri, sliced fruits and single-mouthful sushi. All of which were swallowed down after a few enthusiastic chews.
Water is a slightly different thing, Katsuki’s patience is extremely thin to take the time to sit still and drink. He could only tolerate a few gulps of water at one sitting before bounding away again to do the things rut demanded him to do. Sweating more moisture than he took in. That’s when they figured out a tactic that tapped into his baser instincts.
Once Izuku croons out a call using his special omega voice, Katsuki is practically at his beck and call, shiny eyes and wagging tail and all. It’s easy for Izuku to coax the water bottle opening to rest against Katsuki’s lips, tips the bottom upwards gradually with the alpha obediently following the movement and letting the water flow in his throat, red orbs steadfastly glued on the omega like he is the most fascinating thing the alpha has ever laid his eyes on.
“That’s good.” Recovery Girl nods in approval.
While Recovery Girl questions the lead alpha some more about their proper caring of Bakugou, Aizawa looks to his strapped-up alpha student. Bakugou is pretty much pliant against the hold of his omega. He carefully slides off his scarf and arranges it back around his neck.
“Midoriya.”
Midoriya glances up at him. Slowly that his movement won’t be interpreted as an attack, Aizawa hands over a thin metal medium-sized ring. “Here’s a quirk-nullifying anklet, it’ll be safer that way. Help me put it on Bakugou. You have the least chance of being mauled violently while doing so,” he says with a small smirk.
His omega student nods and accepts it. Bakugou is still staring warily at him over Midoriya’s shoulder, ready to defend his omega if he makes any suspicious moves.
Midoriya coaxes Bakugou to offer up his ankle to him with a cooing tone, “Here Kacchan.”
Eyeing the thing warily, Bakugou reluctantly lets Midoriya clasp the metal cuff around his ankle. While Bakugou is experimentally jiggling the anklet and observing the metal curiously, Recovery Girl walks over to them.
“It’d ease my mind if I can take his temperature just to be sure that he’s not overheating,” she says to Midoriya.
“Yes of course! Um…” Izuku thinks for a bit, “Let me do it, please.”
Oral readings are more accurate as compared to armpit temperatures, but it runs the risk of Katsuki biting the thermometer, thinking it as a foreign and suspicious object, and causing the disaster of mercury splashing into his mouth. Cradling his jaw, Izuku pops in his forefinger alongside the thermometer in between the alpha’s lips, finger acting as a deterrent against Katsuki’s teeth clamping down. The alpha will never intentionally hurt his omega.
Izuku fights down the warming of his cheeks when he feels Katsuki’s tongue languidly tracing the shape of his finger, no doubt enjoying himself with any opportunity of tasting his omega skin. The thermometer beeps signaling that it has finished its reading. Katsuki tenses, teeth digging lightly down and trying to peel his jaw off the firm hold of Izuku’s hand. Izuku hurriedly pulls the thermometer out while still keeping his finger in, shushing the slightly alarmed alpha.
Recovery Girl confirms that Katsuki’s body temperature is normal and hands off another dose of suppressants she deems fitting for the alpha’s peak rut. Both teachers take their leave after imparting a few more words of advice.
As bedtime approaches, another problem arises. Katsuki seems set on the idea of spending a night yet again with Izuku. Of course it is met with cries of disapproval from his entire packmates. Izuku tries to convince them that it’ll be fine, and that he’ll scream if he ever needs help.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Momo asks for the umpteenth time, the gleam in her eyes telegraphing just how worried she is. It’s not that she fears that Katsuki will hurt him, it’s just… bodily harm is not the only way to hurt someone. If something ‘drastic’ happens, it could devastate her omega’s mental state. Something that every fiber of her alpha is screaming to stop from potentially happening.
Izuku stands in front of his door, hand clamped on the door knob. Pawing at the door, Katsuki is impatiently conveying with his eyes and body language that he wants to go in, “Yes, it’s fine. I trust Kacchan,” he says, packing as much reassurance and confidence into his tone.
And it’s true, from the brief near-disastrous episode of their previous night together and how attuned to Izuku’s reactions Katsuki was, Izuku is convinced that Katsuki will not force him into a situation that he shows unwillingness to.
Izuku just has to swallow down his guilt at the unfairness of it all for his beloved alpha.
At his own selfishness.
—
Katsuki’s peak rut lasts two full days. By the third morning on Saturday, the alpha’s awareness has fully returned back. And with that, all the disconcerting thoughts of a thinking self-aware human being.
He’s withdrawn, secluding himself in his room. The full realisation that he had degraded into a—(sub-human) creature primarily led by baser alpha instincts for the past two days dawns on him, rattles him, like countless needles submerged in ice-cold water have pierced and infiltrated his bones down to the bone marrow. Making a permanent, ice-cold base inside that sends shivers spearing down his body. Insecure, he is feeling alienated in the fleshy confines of his own body. How does one suppose to feel about losing control, losing governance of the body that he has trusted would never fail him his whole life?
No control of his own fucking body.
Is it incredibly self-pitying of him knowing that his omega is also going through the same thing on a regular basis? Probably. Deku doesn’t have to hide from the world that he has heats though, everyone readily adores a nesting loopy-looking adorable omega. Omegas in peak-heat mostly curl up in their nests, losing coherency and most awareness of their surroundings. Heat has a clean, invulnerably innocent image weaved deep into the fabrics of society, omegas can’t commit wrongdoing while they’re in heat, already absolved of any sins or crimes that might arise the whole duration of their heats. After all, in-heat omegas have no control of their bodies.
His legs lead him to All Might’s office. Seated in front of his childhood idol, his trusted teacher and mentor and with his head bowed down, Katsuki speaks.
“What impact will this have on my career as a hero?”
All Might is opening his mouth to answer before Katsuki speaks again, his tone full of frustration.
“If this ever gets out… Fuck!”
Only silence follows. There are minutes of it, silence and stillness that is gnawing at his core. Finally All Might responds, the tone low and slightly forlorn.
“It will be fine Young Bakugou...”
The teacher clears his throat, now his tone picks up a more up-beat quality to it.
“Being different isn’t bad, we just have to break out of the mould of common perception to be able to see things more flexibly. Other people may have a hard time seeing things this way, that’s why we have to show the ‘good’ through our actions.”
Katsuki’s fingers are grinding and clenching against each other as he lifts his eyes to connect with warm azure-blue ones.
“You might be the first alpha hero that has the courage to publicly admit that you experience ruts regularly. Perhaps you might even redefine the negative connotations surrounding ruts in the eyes of the public, and help other alphas be more at ease with their unique biology. In order to change a particular perception on something that is already entrenched deep in society, one possible way could be a group of people united in a cause stepping up to challenge it. Or someone. A brave, unflappable someone that those discriminated can relate to, and look up to as a role model.”
All Might gives him a blinding grin and brings his skeleton-thin arm up to form a fist in an encouraging gesture, “So chin up, young hero!”
The disquiet plaguing his mind has quieted down a bit, leaving hollowness behind as he exits All Might’s office. Steps silent against the marbled floor, his lowered line of sight catches on familiar red shoes.
Katsuki looks up.
Izuku’s face is neutral, devoid of its usual expressiveness. A small smile lifts the corners of his lips, “Come on Kacchan. Let’s go home.”
Dusk starts to settle in, a blend of purple and orange hanging in the sky. Dimming the coloured light reflected off the surfaces of their surroundings, the smooth asphalt road, wooden benches and the vegetation all around. The smell of trees and slight breeze brushing skin accompany their sensory as they silently make their way back to the dorm.
Katsuki is still occupied with his own whirling thoughts. Ever since he was born, it had always been made apparent to him that he was superior compared to the common people. Confidence, charisma were the essence of Bakugou Katsuki, he found people naturally following him no matter the social circles he happened to stumble into. The compliments showered at little him by the adults around him and peers alike went exacerbated exponentially when his quirk manifested, praised as amazing and fitting for hero work. A talented individual, Katsuki was a top dog through and through. Presenting as an alpha, a designation traditionally meant to lead, only cemented his belief in himself and stroked his ego to the extremes.
It almost irreparably ruined his relationship with Izuku.
He knows now that he’s far from perfect, but this discovery of his biology… Fucking stupid rut is like a blotch marring the corner of his not-so-shining records while he already has his acute anger issues to deal with. He knows his abrasive personality does not make him a crowd favourite either, the summary of his reputation being: despite having a praiseworthy control over his powerful quirk, there"s also the image of him being bound up like a raging wild beast on that Sports Festival stage during the award ceremony. In other words, like a package of the worst personality qualities of an alpha all congregated into one: violent, ill-tempered and irrational. If even that becomes common knowledge… then it might as well be a bottleful ink toppling down and drenching all over its surface, decimating it.
“Deku.”
Izuku glances at him, “Hm?”
Swallowing nervously, his lips quiver minutely before words tumble out, “Am I a defective alpha? Inheriting a trait that nature deemed to be undesirable-” His throat closes off abruptly then, parched like he hasn’t ever been before. By gods, how difficult it is to say out loud his weakness. No control of his own fucking body. Even when he simply reacted to an intruding alpha that breached into his territory, he still didn’t let up even when he saw that it was Aizawa-sensei. A trusted alpha. He was completely prepared to kill who he falsely perceived as an intruder to defend his pack.
There’s a reason why nature erased ruts from human genetic makeup. Only Katsuki’s biology and body didn’t seem to get the memo.
Katsuki’s eyes are kept well away from Izuku’s, the alpha doesn’t dare to see the kind of expression he’ll be making. He feels vulnerable, ribcages carved out revealing the beating heart underneath. He reflexively tenses up when he hears Izuku begins speaking.
“I used to be quirkless in a society where having a quirk is the norm. Do you think I’m a defect, Kacchan?” His words succinct and matter-of-fact. Calm.
The answer is obvious, and the past him would have said the opposite.
“No.”
Katsuki feels a finger brushing against the back of his hand, a silent ask for permission. His hand opens up and the omega’s smaller one slides in firmly, filling the spaces between his fingers perfectly like puzzle pieces.
“Kacchan. Please don’t beat yourself up with something you can’t control. No matter what, no matter if it gets out and public opinions on you turn demeaning, please be assured with the fact that all of us will stand with you.”
Feeling the beat of his heart stutters out of rhythm, Katsuki lifts his gaze to the omega. Izuku’s eyes are shining, light reflecting off the earnest emerald pools. Showing full resolution behind his words.
And pure, honest love.
“You won’t ever turn us away.”
Breath catching in his throat, Katsuki breaks eye-contact. His chest feels tight with emotion he can’t immediately identify. Silence blankets over them both, although now it feels companionable instead of threatening to suffocate like previously.
Izuku chews on his lips, maybe now is time to address his guilt, “Um.. Kacchan? Sorry. That time, in my room I didn’t.. I wasn’t ready to.. um-”
“Stop”. Izuku immediately complies, his omega responding to the firm tone of the alpha. “You don’t gotta do shit, Deku. Never let anyone guilt-trip you into doing things you don’t want to or aren’t ready for. If they try to then they ain’t worth it”
Hearing the words pouring out of Katsuki’s mouth soothes the persistent guilt, like balm to a burn. As always, at times of feeling highly emotional, Izuku’s eyes feel heavy and he tries his best to will away the tears.
He almost misses the alpha whispering out quietly.
“-’m the one that has to say sorry.”
Izuku opens his mouth to protest but a glare stops him. Blinking in bafflement, he swallows down his words. Then it’s a smile that forms unbidden on his face from the warmth blooming in his chest, feeling light and freed up from the burden that’s been haunting his thoughts.
So so grateful. Izuku thought it was impossible to fall even more in love with the alpha beside him, yet as always Katsuki manages to go beyond all his expectations. The giddy feeling that has replaced the guilt will likely be lingering deep inside for quite some time.
Soon enough, the dorm comes into sight. There is someone standing in front of the door.
“Candy cane.” Katsuki greets with a foul tone.
The corner of Shouto"s mouth twitches. "I see that your eyesight is as poor as ever, dear Katsuki."
Instead of further snark, Katsuki gently lets go of Izuku’s hand and speeds up to reach the other alpha. Without any sort of verbal warning, Katsuki crowds in and shoves his face into Shouto’s neck scent gland. Shouto tilts his neck away to allow him better access. Usually alphas tend to be averse to letting another alpha near their vulnerable neck but Shouto has no reasons to be wary of Katsuki"s intention.
“Do I smell sweet like candy?” Shouto asks, all teasing tone as the other alpha scents him.
After a few more seconds of thorough scenting, Katsuki finishes by licking a wide strip against the creamy column of his neck. Peeling his face off, Katsuki levels him with a scowl. “Gross. I’m gonna make my rounds.”
Which probably means he’s going on another scent-marking spree as he disappears into their dorm door.
Leaving Shouto to stare at his back in amusement and Izuku’s grin to widen until the muscles of his cheeks are hurting.
The topic of rut will be revisited a few months from now when Katsuki’s second rut comes by. And everyone will be much better prepared for it by then. Including Katsuki.
And no matter what, they will always be there for each other.
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“Which motherfucker needs a facial deconstruction from yours truly today?”
Katsuki lowers his phone. His face is shadowed ominously and the smile that forms is dark, promising of pain.
Several people that feel called out are sweating profusely now. Pretending to look somewhere else and not hear anything.
Even invincible that Tooru is, everyone can practically feel the smiles and flowers radiating off her, the sleeves of her uniform tilted to the right as she says cheerily, “In case you can’t make it out, right now I’m pointing all my ten fingers to this guy beside me~!”
Hanta stares at her in horror, “Bullshit! You were the one taking a whole frigging video!”
There’s no time to feel betrayed though when there’s a live missile gunning after his ass, as he hurriedly gets out of dodge along with Denki and Mina. Who automatically just run despite not being specifically put target marks on, effectively making Katsuki also hone in on them as prey to pummel.
“That’s horrible Tooru-chan~! I thought we are packmates sworn to be loyal to each other!” Mina cries out, tears shooting out her eyes like fountains, as she dodges a lethal swipe of an arm.
Alas the important thing is that no one dies, just slightly singed hair and soot on clothes that won’t wash off and cries of terror.
Thank goodness that Izuku has saved all the precious photos and videos in his harddrive.