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Despite the below freezing temperatures and the low visibility, Katsuki would say that patrolling the perimeter of the tribe during winter is one of his favourite things to do, purely because the world is totally silent. The snow absorbs almost every sound, and drapes over the landscape like a freshly woven blanket. It soothes something within Katsuki that yearns for peace and quiet and tranquillity.

Tonight, however, his tranquillity is rudely disrupted by the sound of distressed … bleating? 

His direwolf, Amaterasu, turns her nose in the direction of the sound at the same time that it reaches Katsuki’s ears. She lets out a chuff and leans her body to the sound, toward the moonlit hill on their right, like she’s just waiting for Katsuki’s commanding whistle. 

Katsuki clicks his tongue at the display. She’s always been far too curious and nosey for her own good, even when she was a pup. He can’t get too mad though, considering it was one of the reasons why he chose her over the others in the litter. 

He does not whistle; instead of letting her run ahead and get herself into trouble, he heads in the direction of the panicked sounds himself, Amaterasu following by his side. Thankfully the snow is hard packed, only a thin layer of ice spread over the grassy hills which makes walking easy. The night is well lit by the waning moon, allowing them to see in the dark without the need for lanterns. He and his wolf climb the hill and before they can even reach the peak, the smell hits him. 

It’s electric, reminiscent of the scent of ozone in the air before a summer storm. Katsuki lifts his face to the wind to take a deep breath, trying to gauge just what kind of situation they may be walking into. All he can gather is the sharp tinge of panic, evident in the overwhelming strength of that scent. Katsuki draws his short sword from the sheath at his hip, holding it firm as the other side of the hill and the lowland beyond comes into view. 

It’s an omega, wielding a bloody dagger with his sharp little fangs bared in a snarl. He’s standing before a great ram – probably close to Amaterasu in size – as a pack of smaller wild wolves circle the pair. Katsuki watches as a wolf darts forward, fangs gnashing, and tries to bite at the ram. Faster than Katsuki expects, the omega whirls and swings his dagger in a wide arc, missing the wolf but preventing the attack. 

He’s obviously exhausted, and has likely been fending these wolves off for some time now. So Katsuki bares his deadly alpha canines and storms down the hill, finally giving Amaterasu the whistled signal she has been waiting for. 

She bolts forward, outpacing Katsuki in a heartbeat even though he moves faster than a normal man himself. She enters the fray, making the wolves scatter for a heartbeat as they assess the new threat. The omega shrieks and throws his dagger up, his scent spiking in terror, but he relaxes a moment later when it becomes clear that this wolf is not trying to kill him. 

Amaterasu growls a low warning at the pack while Katsuki covers her exposed back with a snarl of his own larger fangs.

“You good?” He barks at the omega. The stranger is panting with exertion but still manages a shaky ‘yes’. “Right, stay outta the way then.” 

The wolves seem to have regained their confidence, circling them once more. This time when they lash out, Amaterasu and Katsuki work in tandem to drive them off with teeth and blades. He does not want to kill the wolves, but his training and his own instincts to protect the omega mean that his aim lands true. 

It doesn’t take long, but Katsuki is breathing hard and covered in sweat by the time those left of the wolf pack run off, yapping in displeasure. 

The remaining silence is eerie, especially after such a commotion. Katsuki turns to check on Amaterasu and gives her a congratulatory pat between her furry ears. She usually preens at his praise after a job well done, but tonight she barely allows that one pat before she’s turning her attention to the omega and the ram. 

Katsuki watches, jaw slack and brow furrowed in indignation, as she brushes past him and goes to sniff at the omega. He recognises the action as her checking for injuries. 

“Oh hello, puppy!” The omega greets her with a wide grin, like he wasn’t just fighting for his life a minute ago. “Thank you for your help.” 

“Fucking excuse me?” Katsuki says, drawing the attention of wide, green eyes. “I saved your dumb ass too. Amaterasu, stop nosing at him like that you ungrateful bastard.” 

She extracts her snout from the layers of the omega’s heavy black coat, turning her doleful golden eyes to her owner. 

“You named your wolf after a goddess?” Katsuki flicks his attention back up to find the omega trying and failing to hold back an amused grin. 

“So what if I did, huh?” Katsuki snaps, unwilling to defend the choices he made when he was six years old to a stranger. His gaze sharpens, pinning the omega with his most scornful glare. “More importantly, what kind of idiot is out in the middle of nowhere at midnight? In winter.” 

That’s enough to wipe the smile from his freckled face. He glances over his shoulder at the ram that Katsuki’s dumb wolf is now sniffing at. Gods, she’s so embarrassing. You’d think he never trained her. 

“We’ve been travelling for some time now, moving only during the day and resting at night. A few nights ago, that pack of wolves found us. We fought them off, but they caught our scent and have been following us since then. Ohitsuji can’t go much longer without sleep.” 

Now that he’s closer, the signs of exhaustion are clearly from more than just fighting for their lives tonight. The bags under the omega’s eyes are deep and bruised, his dark curls look ragged with sweat and probably a bit of dried blood. Even his scent, calmer now that the danger has passed, smells stale and flat. The ozone tinge has dispersed, leaving a smell like rain water that’s been sitting stagnant for too long. 

Those details fall by the wayside though, when Katsuki registers the last part of the explanation. “You talked shit about me naming my wolf after a goddess when you named your ram ‘ram’? Are you fucking kidding me?” 

Colour returns to the omega’s face as he flushes self-consciously. “I was a child. Ohi-chan has never minded his name.”

“He’s a fucking ram. You know what – fuck this. Amaterasu, let's go.” His direwolf gives a little yip and ducks her nose between the omega’s arm and torso, poking her head out to give him an imploring look. The omega lets out a laugh and scratches behind her ear, but Katsuki growls and gives a two toned whistle, a clear command. She huffs and reluctantly comes to stand at his side. 

With barely more than a backward glance at the omega, Katsuki storms his way up and over the hill, heading back toward the flickering glow of the fires at the perimeter of the settlement.

It’s the largest tribe for kilometres in any direction, at least eight days travel to the only other one close in size, and it’s Katsuki’s job to protect and provide for it. He has had his heart set on being a guard and fighter for the tribe since he was four years old, watching in awe as the older warriors fought wars to protect their community and hunted to provide when there were no battles to be won. At twenty five, he’s already proven himself to be an indispensable asset to the leader of the warriors, Miruko, and is allowed to take on some of the more important tasks. Tonight, that means monitoring the outskirts of the tribe for any disturbances. 

Tonight's disturbance is not at all subtle as he follows Katsuki over the hill. He doesn’t even try lingering far enough away so his scent doesn’t reach him. Katsuki looks over his shoulder and snarls. 

“Now what are you doing, omega?” 

The male pauses with a guiding hand on Ohitsuji’s elbow. “I’m following you.” He doesn’t sound ashamed in the slightest. 

“So you can bring more trouble? Want to let the wolves fill their bellies with the tribe's pups this time?” 

The male flinches, brows drawing down in a scowl. “I’m following you because wherever you’re going, there’s going to be a place to stay and something warm to eat. I’m sure your fighters are skilled enough to handle some wolves instead of letting them run loose in the town.” 

Katsuki clicks his tongue in displeasure, but doesn’t reply. He’s always been a bit of an introvert – a fact clearly disregarded by the idiots who call themselves his friends. So he doesn’t actually give a shit if the omega follows, just so long as he keeps quiet and doesn’t cause any trouble.

One glance at the brightening sky is confirmation enough that he can go home. He makes sure to pass by Kirishima’s home, briefly explaining the situation to the beta so he knows to take over patrol early. His friend glances over his shoulder at the stranger, giving him a friendly smile before turning back to Katsuki with raised brows. 

“You’re taking a foreign omega back to your hut?”

Katsuki scowls. “I can take care of myself, Shitty Hair. Go put a fucking shirt on and get out there already.” 

Kirishima backs up, palms raised in mock surrender as he grins with those sharp teeth. “Yes sir. Good luck!” He reaches out to scratch behind Amaterasu’s ears in farewell, gives the omega a little wave, then ducks back inside to get ready. 

Katsuki has long gotten used to his best friend's cheerful nature, present even at the crack of dawn. As much as he finds it exhausting to deal with at times, he knows he would miss it if it were gone. So instead of becoming exasperated, he simply rolls his eyes and continues on toward his hut. 

“He seems friendly.” The omega’s chirpy voice makes him flinch in surprise, though he will deny it ‘till the day he dies. 

“Sure. He’s a real fucking delight.” Katsuki couldn’t sound more sarcastic if he tried. A little annoyed huff sounds from over his shoulder, but there’s no further comment so Katsuki brushes it off. 

They walk the rest of the way in silence. Every now and then, Katsuki casts a glance over his shoulder to see if he’s still being followed and each time, the omega meets his gaze with a glare – tired, but still stubborn. How interesting. The ram keeps pace, though it’s obvious how worn out he is; Amaterasu falls back to trot alongside him, giving guiding nudges whenever he starts to sway or falter. 

When they finally reach his home situated on the very outskirts of the tribe, Katsuki stomps his way inside first, kicking the snow off his heavy boots in the doorway. Amaterasu remains outside, curling up in her man-made shelter by the front door. It’s just an old, worn pile of furs from when Katsuki was a child, tucked under a canvas den. It keeps her out of the wind, but close enough to the hut that she can be on guard and within earshot of any commands from Katsuki.

“The grandpa can stay with Amaterasu.” Katsuki grumbles. From over his shoulder, he watches as the omega jolts upright and turns to him with an indignant glare.

“Grandpa?”

When Katsuki faces him fully, he does so with an innocent expression. “You called him Oji-chan.” His facade cracks a second later when he lets out a rough bark of laughter.

The male flounders, colour creeping across his freckled cheekbones. “Ohi-chan! His name is Ohitsuji!”

Katsuki hums, very obviously goading the omega. “And what’s your name, huh? Can’t let a complete stranger into my home.” 

“Nobody asked you to.” The male grumbles with a pout. “It’s Midoriya Izuku. And I’m not here to hurt you or anything, so you don’t have to be so rude.” 

“Mhm, because that’s so reassuring.” Katsuki narrows his eyes. 

“Who are you, then?” Izuku crosses his arms and eyes him warily. “I don’t want to enter the home of a complete stranger.” 

“Bakugou Katsuki. There, we’re all acquainted.” He jerks his chin forward, a crude gesture for him to enter the circular hut first. Izuku scowls but still shucks off his boots and places them beside his own before stepping inside. 

The interior is dark, lit by a lone candle set on the low table in the middle of the room. Majority of the space is dedicated to the cooking and living areas, holding everything he needs to prepare any kind of food he could ever want. A giant pile of cushions and furs live by the large fireplace for the rare occasions where he has friends over. 

There’s a bathroom tucked away in its own little room at the back of the hut, and the mass of blankets and pillows that Katsuki sleeps on is partially hidden behind a folding screen, printed with elaborate depictions of dragons and wolves and giant birds with wings made of flame. 

As Katsuki moves around the hut, lighting a few of the little candles in odd sized lanterns and coaxing flame back to life in the fireplace, Izuku pauses in the middle of it all, taking in the entirety of the room with a brief glance. Then he turns those unusually bright eyes back on Katsuki. 

“Ohi-chan needs water. Can I heat some for him?” 

Katsuki lets out a weary sigh. All he wants to do is collapse into his pile of furs and pass the fuck out for the next twelve hours, but no. He just had to bring along the annoying, demanding omega. 

“You smell like death warmed up, dumbass. Go wash up and I’ll take care of the damn animals.” He points to the bathroom before busying himself with setting up a pot over the flame to heat the chilled water. 

Izuku stares at him, eyes narrowed in suspicion for all of three seconds before he bows his head and goes back to the entrance of the hut. Katsuki watches from the corner of his eye as the little omega roughly shoves his feet back into his worn out boots, tramples outside and returns a few minutes later with a loaded leather bag from his ram’s harness. He brings the whole bag into the bathroom with him, even though the room isn't at all big enough. 

Whatever, who is Katsuki to question the idiot? He brought a whole ass stranger into his home. He doesn't even like having his parents over to visit. Maybe he’s going senile in his old age (he’s only twenty five) or perhaps he’s grown a heart (unlikely because, again, he's twenty five), but either way, the whole evening has left him a little unsteady. 

Rather than let the numerous overwhelming thoughts piss him off anymore than they already have, he busies himself with taking the warmed water out to Amaterasu and Ohitsuji, and fixing up his wolf’s den so there's room enough for the giant ram. When he bleats at Katsuki in apparent thanks, he narrows his gaze at the beast. 

“Don’t tell your owner about this.” He warns, ushering the ram in out of the biting wind. It’s a bit of a tight fit, what with the two of them being far larger than the rest of their breed, but they make it work. Ohitsuji bleats again. “I’m not nice, shut up. I just don't want your omega to bite my fucking head off.” 

The look Ohitsuji gives him is – somehow – knowing, like he fully understands what Katsuki means. He’s only known Izuku for an hour at most, but he already has a feeling that the omega would move heaven and hell for the things he cares about, his pet ram being one of them. 

When he re-enters the hut, he finds Izuku hovering in the middle of the room once more, dressed in thick long sleeves and wool pants, with an air of uncertainty about him. 

“Put your shit down already.” Katsuki says.

Izuku casts another glance around the room, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Um, where?”

Katsuki huffs an exasperated breath; does he have to do all the thinking around here? He stalks over to Izuku and grabs the bag from his smaller hands. This close to one another, he can already smell the difference in his scent – fresh rainwater with a soft herbal undertone. Apparently his scent, much like the rest of him, is green tinged too. It’s … pleasant. It mingles well with his own warmer one. 

Now why the fuck is he thinking about their scents mingling well? Katsuki shakes himself out of the spiral of his thoughts and moves to the corner of the room, opposite his own sleeping quarters. The furs and cushions near the hearth should be a good enough place for the newcomer to sleep for a night or two while he gets himself settled in the tribe. 

He dumps the bag by the wall next to the messy pile and shoots Izuku a pointed glare, encouragement enough to get the omega shuffling over to set up a bed for himself. 

Katsuki takes his turn in the bathroom, using the chilled water in the basin to wash up and absolutely refusing to let his mind linger on anything other than the familiar steps he takes to get ready to sleep. 

By the time he steps back into the main room, Izuku is tucked beneath the blankets. All that’s visible of him is his messy tuft of green curls, and those wide eyes – wide eyes that watch him cross the room and blow out each candle along the way to his bed. Izuku speaks up just as he is about to disappear behind the dividing screen. 

“Thank you!” Katsuki pauses and looks over his shoulder. Izuku sits up on his elbows, his expression earnest. “Thank you for saving us. And letting us stay with you. It’s very kind of you.”

Katsuki huffs dryly. He’s never been thanked this sincerely before, and has certainly never been described as kind. “Whatever. Just don’t go getting yourself into any more trouble and we’ll be even.”

Izuku’s curls bounce with the vigour of his nod. Without another word, Katsuki bundles under his own blankets, safe and familiar and covered in his own scent. It’s odd to think that he’s sharing his space, his den, with a complete stranger; it makes him want to walk around the house, scenting everything he can reach just so he can settle the tense feeling in his chest. He manages to refrain, exhaustion from the night’s events pulling him into a deep sleep. 

Katsuki wakes to the sound of someone rifling through his belongings and mumbling under their breath. He’s on high alert in an instant, snatching up the dagger he keeps right beside his bed and rising to his feet as quietly as possible. He’s not usually one for stealth, but whichever dumbfuck decided to pick his home to raid deserves to be jumped. 

That plan quickly fizzles out when he takes one look around his screen. Izuku is in his kitchen, muttering to himself as he rummages through Katsuki’s food storage boxes. He’s currently shoulder-deep inside one of them, but when he doesn’t find whatever he’s looking for, he lets out a disgruntled sigh and pulls back. Of course, because he’s a clumsy dumbass, Izuku manages to hit his head on the lid of the heavy wooden box, releasing a muffled yelp as he rubs the back of his skull. 

Funnily enough, taking your head out of a box means you can see the rest of the room; Izuku lets out a second shriek when he catches sight of Katsuki and his dagger. 

“Katsuki!” 

“What the fuck are you doing?” 

Izuku, still patting the back of his head, looks back down at the storage box. He lowers the lid with a gentle thump , his expression guilty. “I wanted to make breakfast for you.”

Katsuki freezes. The implications of an omega cooking for an alpha are quite …

Apparently Katsuki’s silence is enough to make Izuku nervous. “I wanted to do something to thank you for helping Ohi-chan and I, so I thought I could make you some breakfast, but then I realised that I have no idea where you keep your cooking things, and then realised I don’t even know what kind of food you have. But now that I’m thinking about it, I’m not even a very good cook. I mean, my mother used to tell me that I could burn water. So would that really even be a good expression of my gratitude or would that just accidentally kill you –”

“Izuku!” 

The omega jolts in place and slaps a hand over his mouth, wide-eyed. 

“Take a fucking breath, moron.” Katsuki discards his dagger on the low table and makes his way over to the food prep area with a put-upon sigh. “I don’t care how grateful you are, I would rather you didn’t try to fucking kill me with your lethal breakfast.”

“I’m sorry.” Izuku whispers, slightly muffled behind his hand. Katsuki gently bats it away.

“Shut up. I’ll handle the food, you go check the animals. Make sure the grandpa hasn’t withered away overnight or something.” 

“But –”

Katsuki levels him with a sharp look. “You’re not going to be a useless Deku all day. I’ve gotta get shit done and you’re coming too, so just check the animals and eat. Got it?” 

Izuku seems to shrink in on himself a little, transforming before Katsuki’s own eyes from that frantic yet stubborn omega to someone more submissive and meek. It doesn’t sit right with Katsuki, a twinge of guilt sparking in his blackened heart. He doesn’t have a chance to say anything about it though, because Izuku just gives a jerky nod and races over to the entrance of the hut. He shoves his feet into his boots, wraps himself up in his ginormous coat, and darts outside. 

Strange. He’s never had an omega react like that to him before. Sure, he’s rude and abrasive and blunt, but when people shut up and run away from him, it’s usually in fear, not … whatever that was. There was no change in his scent, no obvious tells to show that he was afraid. He just transformed into a wholly different person in a split second. 

Katsuki tries to focus on the food prep, on organising portions of fruit and dried meat and bread onto two plates as he plans out all the things he needs to do during the day. Izuku is the one to instigate conversation as they eat, mindless yet subdued chatter about meaningless topics. 

When they’re both ready and bundled in their warm clothes, Katsuki leads the way back into the communal area at the centre of the tribe. They leave Amaterasu and Ohitsuji at home to rest, though that only seems to make Izuku nervous.

“Chill out, idiot.” Katsuki grumbles as they trek through the slurry of snow. “You’re not gonna be attacked in here.” 

“I’m not worried about that. I can take care of myself.” Izuku ignores the raised brow Katsuki gives him. “I just don’t like leaving Ohi-chan alone after a long journey. It’s more like I can’t protect him.” 

“Amaterasu is with him. He’s not alone.” Izuku hums, not sounding entirely convinced. Katsuki clicks his tongue. “You’re a big control freak, aren’t ya? Can’t stand the thought of not being there to save everyone?”

Izuku turns to Katsuki with an affronted expression. “You’ve known me for less than a day, what makes you think you know the first thing about me?”

That just makes Katsuki grin. “I’m right, huh? Let me see what else I can guess about you, shortstack.” They pause in the middle of the walkway as he gives the omega a once over, deliberately taking his time just to irk Izuku that little bit extra. “You’re a mother’s boy, used to being coddled and cared for and babied. But you saw one shitty thing happen and then realised the true nature of the world – shit ain’t always sunshine and rainbows. So now you try to act like a hero, to save the little guy. You’re pretty small, so maybe you’ve had to work harder to –”

He doesn’t see the slap coming – a misstep on his part. He very much feels the sting though. The taste of copper coats his tongue, confirming that his sharp canines cut the inside of his cheek with the force of Izuku’s strike. Katsuki blinks, then faces the omega with a stony expression. Izuku, for his part, seems just as shocked as Katsuki. But when he catches Katsuki’s gaze, he sets his jaw, eyes flashing with anger. 

“Stop.” Izuku’s voice trembles, whether with barely restrained rage or misery, Katsuki isn’t sure. The tears that well in those green eyes could honestly be from either. “Stop being an asshole. I’ll have you know that my whole life was the shitty thing, that my mother did the best she could to raise a weak little omega like me, that had dreams too big for my small-minded tribe. I just – I don’t have to justify myself to a jackass like you.” He sucks in a calming breath, turning his face to hastily wipe those tears away. “Can we just keep going? Please?” 

Katsuki gazes at Izuku for a long moment, trying to parse through the complicated flurry of emotions in his chest. When he can make no sense of any of the feelings, he turns on his heel and continues on his way. Izuku follows behind him quietly, the scene so eerily reminiscent of the night before, it makes Katsuki feel as though he’s living the same moment over again. 

There’s a quiet tension between them as they complete all the jobs Katsuki had dragged them out to do. His first stop is at Kirishima’s forge to drop off his blunt and damaged weapons for repairs. Izuku jumps at the chance to properly introduce himself, so of course, Katsuki spends an extra half hour in the sweltering heat of the smithy, listening to his best friend fawn over weapons with the omega. The only plus side of the interaction is that when they finally leave, Izuku has a spring in his step again and is muttering to himself about the properties of iron. 

Next is Kaminari and Shinsou. The purple haired alpha runs the apothecary, making and selling medicine while his omegan mate sells carvings and jewellery and the produce he harvests from their farm. Katsuki is not at all surprised when Izuku hits it off with Kaminari as well. They give a very brief explanation as to how they met and why Izuku is staying with Katsuki.

“But you don’t like people in your space.” Kaminari comments with a confused tilt of his head. “How long are you gonna let Midoriya stay with you?” 

Katsuki’s hackles rise under the scrutiny of three pairs of curious eyes, Izuku’s being the most intrigued of them all. “Until the dumb Deku finds his own place. I’m not a total jackass, as someone so eloquently put it.” 

Izuku flushes a little under Katsuki’s pointed look, though he still stares back stubbornly.

Kaminari cackles. “Maybe not a total jackass, but you’re most of the way there, huh?” 

That makes both Shinsou and Izuku laugh, so Katsuki reaches out and smacks the back of the dunce’s head.

They have one more stop after that, with Todoroki Shouto to buy some fish, and then they’re on their way home again. As soon as the hut comes into view, Izuku scampers ahead, a little unsteady in the wet snow, but he manages to get to Amaterasu’s den without braining himself. 

“I missed you, buddy!” He says, voice bright as he cuddles into the side of the giant, fluffy ram. Amaterasu, ever the attention-seeker, sniffs at Izuku’s coat, her tail wagging in excitement. He reaches out a hand to scratch at her ears. “I missed you too, Ama-chan.” 

Katsuki stalks past the shelter and says, tone deadpan, “You are not calling her that. She is a wolf, not some useless puppy.” 

“She’s sweet.” Izuku argues, still showering the two animals with far too much affection. “I’ll call her what I like.” 

Katsuki growls under his breath and stomps inside, discarding his shoes and his stuffy coat. Izuku follows a moment later, his nose and cheeks pink from the cold. His scent is overlaid with the smell of the animals, but there’s a nervous edge to it that catches Katsuki’s attention.

“Hey, um.” Izuku hesitates, fiddling with his fluffy hat. “I’m sorry for hitting you. I–I’m not usually that violent.” 

Katsuki busies himself with putting away the food they’d bought as an excuse to not look at the omega. “It’s fine. I crossed a line.” Then, with a vexed expression, he glances up at Izuku. “Sorry.” 

Izuku gives a small, sly smile. It immediately puts Katsuki on high alert. “I know how you can make it up to me.” When Katsuki stubbornly refuses to reply, Izuku’s grin widens. “Train me to be a warrior.”

Katsuki closes the storage box, having finished putting away all the fruit, and faces Izuku with a raised brow. “You want to fight?”

“You think I can’t?” Izuku challenges, straightening to his full height. It’s still tiny no matter how much he pulls himself up; next to Katsuki, Izuku’s forehead barely reaches his jaw. “Because I’m an omega?” 

Katsuki thinks back to that slap from earlier and barks a laugh, sharp and loud. Being an omega doesn’t mean shit when you have enough power behind a swing to catch an alpha – especially an alpha like Katsuki – off guard. “Because you’re tiny, you shithead. I could snap you in half.” 

“I’m not tiny!” Katsuki half expects Izuku to stomp his foot in agitation like a child. “You’re just built like a damn mountain. Fight me and I’ll prove I’m good.” 

He sizes the omega up, arms crossed as he considers. It doesn’t take him long to reach a decision. “Alright, fine.” Izuku lights up, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “If you manage to pin me down, I’ll think about training you.” 

“Seriously? Thank you!” 

Katsuki rolls his eyes but has to work hard to tamp down his amusement. “Yeah, yeah. Fight me before you thank me, dumbass. I won’t go easy on you.” 

Izuku’s expression is serious, but it doesn’t mask the excited gleam in his eyes. “I don’t want you to. Come at me with everything you’ve got.” 

Katsuki gives a slow, fierce grin. It widens even more when Izuku’s scent spikes. Just for a second, the animal smell dulls to nothing, replaced by something sweet and herbal. 

“Sure, Deku.” Katsuki says, committing to the nickname. “I’ll go all out.” 

Izuku bounces from foot to foot, looking more like an excited bunny than a grown ass male. “When? Now? Where should we go?” 

Katsuki turns back to the rest of the produce they’d bought with an amused chuckle. “Calm the fuck down. It’s late now and I’ve got to prep all the food we just bought. We’ll do it tomorrow morning in the proper daylight.” 

“Oh.” All at once, Izuku’s boundless energy drains out of him. 

“Oi, none of that.” Katsuki scolds. “Come over here and learn somethin’, Deku.” 

“‘Deku’?” Izuku scrunches his nose up in confusion as he approaches. 

“Mean’s useless. Your name looks similar to it, too.” 

Izuku stares at him. “And how do you know what my name looks like?” 

Katsuki clicks his tongue. “It’s stitched into your fucking bag, idiot. I’m not blind.” 

The omega gapes at him, wide-eyed for all of three seconds before Katsuki grows impatient. He shoves a piece of paper in Izuku’s hands and jerks his chin at it. “You’re learning that. Get reading.” 

Izuku looks down at the recipe for a simple bread loaf and begins reading. When Katsuki barks at him to move aside, the nerd takes himself and the recipe to the low table, settles onto a cushion and studies it like he’s going to be tested on the subject matter. 

The rest of the evening is far more domestic than he’s accustomed to. He’s used to the peace and quiet of his own space. On the days where he doesn’t have to patrol in the evenings, he tends to be much more productive; he’s got his own training routine and an enclosure with livestock behind the hut that takes up most of his day (he’ll have to go out after he finishes preparing the fish to check on the sheep). Other days, when he’s feeling a bit more social, he might help out Kirishima and his mate, Ashido, at the forge. Or he’ll bring Amaterasu over to annoy Todoroki’s snow leopard, just because he thinks it’s funny. The two toned bastard never seems to mind though. 

But at the end of the day, his constant comfort is the knowledge that he has his own space to come back to. 

Now, after less than a day, there is clear evidence that this den is no longer Katsuki’s alone. The pile of furs and cushions in the corner of the room are far messier than he would normally leave it, there’s a bag that’s bursting with clothes and trinkets, embroidered with a name that is clearly not his own. Even the smell of the place is different; it is no longer just his ginger and cedarwood scent, there’s now a tinge of rain and sage that tempers the warmth. 

When Izuku finishes reading the recipe, he returns to Katsuki’s side to pester him about the location of the ingredients and utensils. With far more patience than he would normally offer, he gets Izuku set up before bundling up again to check on the sheep. 

He takes his time checking their food and water and fixing up their shelter, enough so that when he re-enters the hut, it’s to the smell of charred bread. 

“I did it! Come and look!” Izuku calls as soon as he catches sight of him in the doorway. 

“I can smell it, Deku.” Katsuki replies. Sure enough, when he peers over Izuku’s shoulder into the bread tin, he catches sight of the browned loaf. “It’s burnt.” 

“We’ll scrape the burnt bits off, it’s fine!” 

“Deku, I think you managed to make toast before you even made the fucking bread.” 

Izuku shrugs, his excitement unyielding. “I think that’s a win for me. I can’t wait to tell my mother I learned how to make bread!” 

Katsuki grimaces. “That’s a bit of a stretch.” 

“Your sour face can’t deter me, Katsuki. Now sit down and eat and be grateful.” 

“Fucker, I made the rest of the gods damned meal! You be grateful.” 

Their bickering continues all the way through dinner, persevering even when Katsuki slathers a layer of butter onto the crunchy bread and finishes his slice. He likes food on the slightly bitter side anyway.

They fall into comfortable silence after dinner, washing up and cleaning away the food side by side. Izuku gives him one more reminder about their promise to spar, before he heads over to his corner of the room. 

As if Katsuki could forget. He’s not at all a morning person, but he would be lying if he said that he didn’t feel anticipation for the fight. It’s been a long time since he has had the chance to spar with someone, and despite his firm belief that the omega will not last more than ten minutes, he’s keen to feel the satisfaction of a good brawl again. It takes a little longer than he would like to fall asleep, but when he does, it’s with agitation buzzing in his chest. 

Izuku doesn’t try to cook the next morning, probably because he can’t stop fucking fidgeting. Katsuki has to remind the dumbass on more than one occasion to pay attention to what he’s doing because he barely avoids kicking his cushions into the fire and nearly trips over his own feet when he goes to feed Ohitsuji and Amaterasu. Katsuki seriously has to reach out and grab Izuku’s wrists to stop the little idiot from reaching for the burning hot pot of water heating over the fire for their tea without any kind of cloth to protect his bare hands. 

“How the fuck do you expect to spar when you don’t even have your damn head screwed on, hah?” 

Izuku flushes, ducking his head in shame. “I’m sorry! I’m just really excited.” 

Katsuki releases Izuku’s wrists and glares at him in disbelief. “Weird. I would’ve said terrified instead of excited.” 

Green eyes flash in indignation. “I’m not scared. I can fight.” 

“Oh yeah?” Katsuki leans down, his grin sharp and taunting. He has a feeling this is exactly what the omega needs to get out of his own head; a clear challenge. “Prove it.” 

Izuku’s nostrils flare, his jaw sets in determination. “Let’s go.” 

“You don’t wanna wait for the water to –”

“Let’s go, Katsuki.” 

Izuku’s scent spikes, that sharp ozone tang coating Katsuki’s tongue and making the hairs on Katsuki’s arms rise. It’s the same scent he’d identified when he’d found him fighting off wolves in the middle of the night. 

It’s the scent of Izuku ready for a fight. 

“Yeah, Deku.” Katsuki says, a thrill skittering down his spine. “Let’s fight.” 

They abandon the barely simmering pot of water and make their way outside, both dressed in loose pants and plain long sleeves. They’ll both get far too warm in their bulky coats and scarves, so simple clothes it is. This is the first time Katsuki catches a glimpse of Izuku’s figure, and he has to hide his surprise. For such a small male, he’s certainly not lean by any means. His torso is solid, his shoulders strong without being overly bulky. His waist is not necessarily narrow, but the omegan curve of his hips certainly makes it seem that way, especially when Katsuki notices the shape and strength of his thighs. He has to look away a moment later, lest he loses focus completely. 

Behind Katsuki’s hut is a small patch where the snow isn’t so thick, which is where he trains each day. If anything, he supposes that this will be a good way to get in some agility training. 

They face one another, a few steps out of arm's reach and pause. Sizing the omega up like this, he can’t help but notice their size difference yet again. He can see that the other male is strong, but that doesn’t make up for his small stature. He would feel guilty about kicking his ass, but Katsuki has always had trouble backing down from a fight, especially when it’s been offered to him on a silver platter like this. 

Katsuki doesn’t give any kind of signal that he’s going to attack – he just lunges. He very quickly finds that Izuku’s way of fighting is interesting; he doesn’t try to meet Katsuki’s blows, doesn’t try to retaliate with hits and swipes of his own. He moves like he’s dancing, redirecting the force of Katsuki’s hits, making it look as natural and effortless as breathing. This technique is one that is meant to tire the opponent out while preserving one’s own energy for a counter attack, one that’s used when you’re used to fighting people who are bigger and stronger than you are.

When Katsuki realises this, he falls back. They’re both breathing hard – redirecting Katsuki’s attacks certainly would not have been as easy as Izuku made it appear – and eyeing one another closely, searching for any kind of tell. Katsuki is still confident that, with this technique, Izuku has no way of actually taking Katsuki down. He’s yet to actually attack. So of course, Katsuki falls back on his habit of taunting and mocking to get what he really wants. 

“Too weak to come at me for real, huh, Deku?” Katsuki goads, canines flashing in challenge. “You haven’t landed a hit on me yet.” 

“I’m just waiting for you to get all your useless alpha aggression out before I actually try.” Izuku replies. 

Katsuki bares his teeth in a snarl. He can smell the difference in their scents already. His own has transitioned to the smokey bonfire aroma that unfurls whenever he’s especially provoked, while Izuku’s is as electrifying and all-encompassing as it was when he was fighting for his life. It’s confirmation that they’re both giving this fight everything they’ve got, not holding back at all. 

This time, Katsuki is smart about where and when he lunges and hits. His first feint catches Izuku off guard, giving Katsuki an opening to take their fight to the floor. They grapple with Izuku on his back, growling with his little fangs on display. The omega wriggles far too much for Katsuki to actually put him in a proper pin, but they both get a few good hits in anyway. 

In an impressive show of strength, Izuku uses his legs to kick Katsuki away so he can scramble to his feet again. Katsuki follows him upright, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth with a wolfish grin. 

“So you’re not all talk, then.” 

Izuku looks smug, even as he gasps for breath. “Believe me yet, Kacchan?” 

Katsuki jolts in place. “The fuck is a Kac –”

Before he can finish the thought, Izuku pounces. He uses his height and the element of surprise to his advantage by going low, wrapping both arms around one of Katsuki’s knees and yanking, leaving him unbalanced. He crashes to the floor, and Izuku is on him in the next second. The little omega crawls over him, sits on his hips and pins his shoulders to the dirt, chirping in excitement at the victory. 

They lay there for a long moment, staring at one another and breathing hard. Katsuki can feel every minute shift either of them make, awareness prickling all along his body at each point of contact. It’s enough to leave him dizzy and disoriented, caused by something far beyond the mind-boggling realisation that somehow, Izuku had managed to take him down. Then the reality of the situation hits him fully and he tips his head back to the dirt with a heavy thud and a deep growl. 

“Motherfucker.” 

Izuku laughs, the sound coming out breathy and delighted. “I did it!” 

“You pulled the oldest trick in the fucking book!” Katsuki snaps, pissed off with himself more than the result. 

“And you fell for it.” Izuku sing-songs, very clearly pleased with himself. “You have to train me now.” 

“Ugh. Get off me, shithead.” 

“Oh!” Izuku scrambles to remove himself from Katsuki’s lap, a light flush staining his freckled cheeks. When they’re both on their feet again, clothes hastily straightened and dirt brushed off, Katsuki gives Izuku a scrutinising look. 

“You’ll train with me every day. You’re already pretty strong, but you’ll need to learn proper technique.” He leans in close, eyes flashing in irritation. “And you’ll learn not to rely on shitty distraction techniques.” 

Izuku gazes up at Katsuki with wide eyes, his breathing still a little uneven. “Okay.” 

They make their way back inside to find the water boiling aggressively in the pot, half of it already evaporated away. They had been fighting for much longer than Katsuki had anticipated. 

“Where the fuck did you get ‘Kacchan’ from anyway, dumbass.” 

Izuku doesn’t hide his teasing grin. “I’m not going to be the only one around here with an embarrassing nickname.” 

Katsuki just rolls his eyes and orders Izuku out to collect snow to replenish the tea water they’d lost, his gaze tracking the omega as he hurries out. Maybe the nickname isn’t so bad. He’ll just have to make sure his friends never hear it. 

His friends very much hear it. That is simply because Izuku refuses to call him by anything other than the stupid fucking nickname, no matter where they are, because he’s a shameless bastard. 

Kirishima and Ashido genuinely howl with laughter the first time they hear it a week later. They're sitting in the communal dining hall, a cavernous space in the middle of the settlement with tables scattered around for people of the tribe to come together. Typically, it's used for council meetings with Chief Toshinori and the elders, but day to day, it's more a place to meet and eat with friends, to trade and sell wares, or to just come and have a drink in the warmth and glow of the massive fireplace that takes up the entire length of the wall at the front of the room. 

“Kacchan?” Ashido crows. Izuku had shouted it as he crossed the room with two plates of food, so not only had his friends heard, but so did every man, woman and child in the general vicinity. “You let him call you that?”

“I don't let him do shit, Pinky.” Katsuki growls back. 

“Well you haven't killed him yet, so I’d say you are, man.” Kirishima says, grinning wide. Katsuki rounds on him with a snarl, temper flaring. 

“Gods, it’s so busy in here!” Izuku's voice sounds from over his shoulder, just as Katsuki punches his best friend in the arm. “I nearly dropped these four times.” 

He sets the plates down, one in front of Katsuki and the other for himself, before clambering over the bench seat next to him. 

“Midoriya, how would you say Bakugou acts, hmm?” Ashido rounds on the omega, her gold eyes glinting with mischief. 

Izuku shrugs, tearing apart his chunk of bread as he flicks his gaze between Katsuki’s friends. He's clearly nervous, but desperately trying to hide it. Without thinking, Katsuki presses his arm against Izuku’s, both as a comforting gesture and a way to brush a familiar, comforting scent against the edgy male. Katsuki catches Kirishima’s red eyes narrowing in on the motion, suddenly making him aware of just how close it makes them look. 

“He’s … fine?” Izuku replies, unaware of the stare-off currently happening beside him. “I mean, he can be rude, but that’s just his words, you know? His actions are actually quite sweet.” 

Kirishima raises a brow as Katsuki clicks his tongue in displeasure. 

“Shut up, Deku. She’s fishing for gossip that doesn’t exist.” 

Izuku flicks his gaze between the three of them, brows furrowed in confusion. “What –”

“Guys!” 

Katsuki tips his head back, barely managing to stifle an exasperated groan at the sound of Kaminari’s easily recognisable voice. Sure enough, when he looks over, he finds Kaminari, Shinsou, Todoroki and Sero pushing their way over to their table. 

What comes next is probably Katsuki’s worst nightmare; a chorus of greetings and friendly pats on the back that are nothing more than an overload of sounds and scents. Somehow, they manage to squeeze the four extra people around the table, but that just means that Katsuki is pushed to the very edge of the bench seat with Izuku pressed against his side from shoulder to knee. 

“Please tell me you guys tried Miruko’s carrot cake.” Kaminari says, palms splayed on the table-top. “It’s so fucking good but she won’t let me have anymore.” 

“That’s because you’ve had three servings already, Denki.” Shinsou reasons, arm draped around his mate’s shoulders. 

“I haven’t tried it.” Izuku perks up and swivels his gaze around the room, obviously trying to find the white haired alpha, even though he has no idea what she looks like. 

There’s not enough space to jab an elbow, so Katsuki settles for pinching Izuku’s leg instead. Izuku lets out a high-pitched yelp before turning baleful eyes on him. “You’re not having any.” 

“What?” Kaminari whines, apparently devastated on Izuku’s behalf. 

“Yeah, what he said!” Izuku adds. 

Katsuki raises a brow. “Training regime, remember?” Izuku deflates at the reminder, lips turning down in a little pout that absolutely does not look cute. Katsuki clicks his tongue at the sight. “Dumbass.” 

“What’s the training regime?” Kirishima asks, ticking his brow up in curiosity. 

Six pairs of eyes fix on Katsuki with varying degrees of interest, while Izuku picks at his food sullenly. Katsuki jerks his chin at Izuku. “This fucker conned me into training him to fight. He wants to be a warrior.” 

The focus switches from him to the omega as everyone exclaims their excitement at once. Todoroki and Shinsou are much quieter about it, but no less interested. 

“Is that why you came here?” Ashido asks. “To be a warrior?” 

“U-um, yeah.” Izuku flushes under all the attention. His bread has been absolutely shredded by now, ripped into tiny fragments that soak up the sauce on his plate.

“They didn’t have warriors in your home tribe?” Sero asks between sips from his tankard. 

Izuku opens his mouth to reply but hesitates for just a second too long. It catches Katsuki’s interest; he’s noticed that the omega only seems to hesitate like this when the subject matter touches on something of real importance. 

“No, they do.” Izuku glances around the table again, seemingly sizing up the people surrounding him. Whatever he finds must soothe his doubts a little, because he continues a moment later. “I just … I wasn’t allowed to be one.” 

“You weren’t?” Sero sounds bewildered and the brief once over he gives Izuku conveys that too. For some reason, that glance sparks some kind of primal irritation in Katsuki’s gut. “You look like you can fight well, though?” 

“He can.” Katsuki grumbles, a half-hearted confirmation. 

“Did you guys fight?” Ashido sounds far too entertained by the thought. She’s leaning forward, entirely focused on them and the answer like her whole life hinges on this piece of information. “Did Midoriya win?” 

Katsuki growls in warning. It’s only because they’re pressed right against one another that he notices the slight shiver that crawls across Izuku’s shoulders before he tenses in place. His growl dies in his throat as he shoots the omega a concerned glance, but before he can gauge any real reaction, Izuku plasters on a taunting grin. 

“It’s okay, Kacchan.” He mocks, giving Katsuki’s hand a little pat, like he’s trying to placate a disgruntled child. “You’ll win next time, I believe in you.” 

“Shut up, Deku.” Katsuki hisses, his scent flaring smokey and dangerous as he pins Izuku with a furious glare. 

“He won!” Ashido shrieks, beyond pleased with the tiny piece of gossip. 

“Kacchan?” Sero, Shinsou, Todoroki and Kaminari echo at the same time. 

Izuku’s fast reflexes prevent Katsuki from slamming his head against the table in rage. He would be impressed at the show of strength and agility, if only the act didn’t stop him from braining himself as a means of escape from the excruciating conversation to come. 

Sure enough, he spends the next half an hour fending off questions and taunts and barbs. His only saving grace is the fact that Izuku acts as a physical barrier between him and the table full of aggravating morons that serve to make his life hell. 

It’s really too bad that he kind of likes these dumbasses. Sometimes. Maybe. 

By the time they leave, Katsuki is well and truly exhausted. Not tired enough to let Izuku’s hesitance from earlier slide without mention, though.

“Oi, Deku.” 

Izuku glances up from where he’d been muttering to himself. “Yeah?” 

“Why’d you pause before? When Sero and Ashido were giving you the third degree about being a fighter.” 

“Oh. You caught that, huh? ” Izuku grimaces, facing forward once more. He’s obviously trying to avoid eye contact, but Katsuki still doesn’t let it go. He keeps gazing at him expectantly. “Well, I think I already mentioned that my home tribe was small-minded.” 

Katsuki remembers it all too well; he still feels the lingering sting from the slap Izuku had delivered. 

“My tribe was what you would call traditional.” Izuku continues after Katsuki nods. He gains confidence as he speaks, face contorting in displeasure at the things he must be remembering. “They had very different views on secondary genders. When I was a child, I was just a boy. I could run amok and play with the other children.” Izuku sighs and ducks his head, watching his feet as they continue along the moonlit path. “But then I presented as an omega when I was sixteen and everything changed.” 

“They treated you differently all of a sudden?” Katsuki grumbles, unable to help the anger that simmers to life in his veins. 

Izuku nods. “I was scolded when I tried to play-fight with the others, when I behaved improperly. I used to go hunting with friends; it was only my mother and I at home, and she didn’t know how to use a bow or a knife. I taught myself when I was young so I could provide for us, but that first time I tried to go hunting after I presented, my friends dragged me back to the tribe and locked me in my house. When I tried again the next day, they dragged me to the chief.” 

Katsuki growls this time, and his scent darkens along with the sound. Izuku jerks his gaze up in surprise. “They got you in trouble for going hunting? How the fuck else were you and your mother supposed to survive?” 

Izuku gives a small smile but even Katsuki can tell how sardonic it is. “I was told that the other alpha’s would have provided for us. ‘It’s not proper for omega’s to wield weapons.’” He shakes his head and faces forward once more, his expression stony. “Omega’s are meant to stay home, rear children and make sure their alpha has a warm meal to come back to. I was supposed to be docile and quiet, interested in any alpha’s who wished to court me. Sure, I could’ve said no, but to say no is to invite condemnation from the tribe.” 

Katsuki huffs, a simple sound that conveys his displeasure. “So the choice was all for show.” When Izuku confirms it with a tired hum, he grinds his teeth. “They wanted to lock you up and just expected you to accept that? That’s fucked up.” 

“We were seen as things to guard instead of people to protect. That was never the way I wanted to live.” Izuku looks at Katsuki, his expression earnest. “I have always wanted to be a warrior, to fight and protect. I know that goes against my nature –”

“Fuck that.” Katsuki cuts in. He grabs Izuku’s wrist and drags him to a stop. “It doesn’t go against anything. Kaminari is an omega too, do you see him begging to stay home, ready at Shinsou’s every beck and call?” 

Izuku’s smile is small but real. “No.” 

“No.” Katsuki confirms, tone firm. “Here you’ll find that omega’s are held to a very different standard. They’re not helpless.”

Izuku’s smile turns wobbly, his eyes swimming with tears that make Katsuki worry that he’s overstepped a boundary. But his voice is small and sincere when he speaks. “Thank you, Kacchan. That means a lot.” 

Katsuki just grunts, never one to talk for the sake of talking. They resume their walk home in amicable silence. He can tell that Izuku has a lot on his mind; even he has a lot to think about and reevaluate with context. 

The silence between them continues as they get ready for bed – after Izuku spends ten minutes greeting Amaterasu and Ohitsuji, of course – and Katsuki is so fatigued that he forgets to filter out his instincts. Izuku has taken it upon himself to blow out the candles in the lanterns while Katsuki washes up in the bathroom, so they have to walk past one another to get to their respective beds. 

In his exhaustion, Katsuki acts without thinking. He hands Izuku the scarf he’d been wearing all day, drenched in his warm scent. Izuku takes it automatically, but he pauses in confusion, gaze flicking between the alpha and the cloth.

“Kacchan?” He asks, head tilted like a confused pup. 

“Hn?” Katsuki grunts, already moving past the omega toward his bed with heavy eyes. 

“You – why did you –” Izuku pauses with his attention fixed solely on the scarf. “You gave me your scarf.” 

That catches Katsuki’s attention and makes him stop in his tracks, because he did what now? He pivots, eyes widening in disbelief. Sure enough, the red scarf is being cradled delicately in Izuku’s calloused hands. 

Well, shit. 

Alpha’s do not give omega’s items of clothing unless they’re explicitly asked; it’s typically the first move for an omega to make when they find an alpha they wish to court. The item is usually woven into their nest, mixed with the belongings and scents of all the people they are closest to, the people whose scents make them feel comfortable and safe. 

So for Katsuki to have unconsciously handed over an item of his … it’s a deafening plea for Izuku to court him. Which is brand fucking new information to Katsuki; does he want Izuku to court him? Is he interested in the little shit romantically? They haven’t known one another for all that long, but he genuinely cannot think of any other person he’s ever paid this much attention to, or been this comfortable around for such an extended period of time. 

So Katsuki does what he would normally do in the face of a big potential fuck up – he doubles down. 

“You got a fucking problem with that, Deku?” Katsuki growls. 

Immediately, Izuku straightens and pulls the scarf close. “No! No, um. I just … Why?” 

Katsuki doesn’t really have an answer for that, so he deflects. “Fine, I’ll take it back, then.” 

He makes to swipe the scarf out of his hands, but Izuku scoots backwards, pulling both him and the article of clothing out of reach. 

“I said no, Kacchan!” He shuffles back another step, eyes flashing as he hides the scarf behind his back like a child protecting a toy. “You gave it to me so I’m keeping it.” 

“Then quit your fucking interrogation and go to sleep, dumbass.”

“Fine!” 

“Fine.” 

They glower at one another for a long, drawn out moment. Until – 

“Fine.” Izuku mutters defiantly under his breath. He pulls the scarf to his face and stalks across the room to his pile of cushions without another glance at Katsuki. 

So Katsuki crawls into his own bed, all traces of drowsiness gone, as he tries to understand exactly what the fuck just happened. It’s well past midnight before he comes to the conclusion that he has no goddamn idea. 

Somehow, a month passes and shit only gets more confusing. Katsuki had hoped that the scarf incident would be a one time thing, a single anomaly before they realign themselves into what is clear and them. 

Of course, Katsuki’s hopes are dashed almost immediately. 

There are a set of unmistakable customs in the tribe which indicate an omega’s interest in courting an alpha. Despite Katsuki’s twenty five years of disinterest, even he knows what counts as courting gestures. The thing is, he has no fucking clue how to know if that is what’s happening between him and Midoriya Izuku. 

The very next day, Katsuki can’t help but suggest that Izuku try making the bread recipe again. It’s another loud as fuck request for Izuku to perform the courting custom of an omega cooking for their alpha to show that they can help provide for their potential pups. Which, naturally means Katsuki starts agonising over having pups with Izuku. He’d only realised that he is possibly attracted to the omega the night before, and yet here he is, stressing about non-existent children. 

Izuku burns the bread again, and Katsuki eats it anyway. 

The next sign of weakness comes in the form of Katsuki scenting Izuku’s belongings. He knows that traditional practice dictates that the omega initiates the scenting, but Izuku doesn’t seem to notice all the times Katsuki gives him an opening. He has left his bare wrist out, free to brush past as subtly as Izuku wants more times in the past two weeks than he ever has in his whole life, but the offer is never taken. It’s more than a little crushing, so Katsuki reels in the urge with difficulty. 

What he can’t seem to put a stop to, however, is the strangely possessive behaviour. As if living together and subtly scenting Izuku’s coat and fluffy hat aren’t enough, the alpha within him grows absolutely enraged whenever another alpha gets too close. 

It’s less noticeable when they spend time with Kirishima and Ashido, or Shinsou and Kaminari, because both pairs are mated and dedicated to one another. Todoroki however …

“Kacchan, why is your face like that?” 

Katsuki starts, tearing his eyes away from the two-toned alpha with great effort. It’s difficult to do because there’s nowhere else to look; they’re at Todoroki’s house to buy more fish, and Izuku had become extremely interested in the process of gutting and cleaning them, so Todoroki had offered to show him. Which, of course, meant Izuku had to round the table and stand very close to the alpha. Too close. 

“My face isn’t doing anything, shithead.” Katsuki grumbles, crossing his arms. 

Izuku frowns at him. “It is! Todoroki, do you see what I mean?” 

Todoroki peers at Katsuki earnestly, and he must see something that tips him off because his brows raise in a rare display of surprise. He flicks his gaze over to Izuku and back, making Katsuki want to rage and snarl and claw at the shitty fucking alpha. 

“I see.” Todoroki says, though whether it’s in reply to Izuku or because he’s seeing another thing entirely, who can say? “I think it’s his normal face, Midoriya.” 

Izuku hums, not entirely convinced. So he rounds the table, comes to a stop in front of Katsuki and raises his palm to Katsuki’s forehead. He has to rise to the tips of his toes to do so. Katsuki freezes under the touch, unable to look anywhere other than Izuku’s vivid green eyes. 

“You’re not warmer than usual.” Izuku lowers his hand and drops to his feet but doesn’t step back. He blinks up at Katsuki, his worry fading. “Oh, that’s much better. You fixed your face.” 

Katsuki bares his teeth in a snarl as he leans forward. “There was nothing wrong with my face, Deku! Quit looking at me if it bothers you.” 

That just works to make Izuku laugh. When he turns back to Todoroki, the alpha suggests he stay on the other side of the table. 

“This bit can get pretty messy. I wouldn’t want you to go back home smelling like fish. I’m sure Bakugou likes the way you smell now well enough.” 

Sly bastard. Katsuki ought to gut him and see how he likes it. Later, when Todoroki gives him a significant look as Izuku wraps their purchases in brown paper, he’s half tempted to do just that. 

“I shouldn’t have been surprised, especially when you two came in here smelling so strongly of each other.” He mutters to Katsuki. 

“Be real fucking careful about what you say next, Half-n-half.” Katsuki grumbles under his breath. 

His warning must not be strong enough because Todoroki glances briefly at Izuku over his shoulder, and then ducks his head forward to give the illusion of privacy. 

“You should tell him.”

“That’s not how it works and you know that.” 

“So? Is what you’re doing now working?” 

Katsuki has no real response to that, so he grinds his teeth together and stalks for the door. Izuku lets out a chirp and scurries over, giving Todoroki a loud and enthusiastic farewell as they head out. 

So maybe Katsuki takes Todoroki’s words into consideration. Maybe there’s some merit to them. As much as he tries to tamp down on the possessive behaviour, he can’t help but sling an arm over Izuku’s shoulder the next time they meet with friends in the packed communal hall, or keep a guiding hand on Izuku’s elbow as they trample through the woods just outside of the tribe, hunting for deer.

For some unfathomable reason, he’s also started collecting little things to give to Izuku. A small carving of a ram from Kaminari, a few pears from Sero’s harvest for Izuku to feed Ohitsuji, a wind chime made of painted shells that the omega hangs right outside the front door. 

But with each of these instances, he notices a change in Izuku’s behaviour. When Katsuki comes close, or touches him, or leaves him the trinkets, Izuku quietens. He seems to fall into a passive version of himself. 

Katsuki hates it. 

He knows that his shitty omega is anything but obedient and meek and submissive. He is loud and stubborn and excitable and warm. Not this shell of his former self. The next time it occurs, Katsuki is determined to pry the answer out. 

It happens when Katsuki returns home with an expensive piece of pork for their dinner, hard earned after a full day of strength training and sparring. Izuku’s regime is coming along nicely; he’s far more nimble on his feet and has managed to learn several different ways to pin Katsuki down. His technique with the weapons was already not bad, but Katsuki sharpens his knowledge, fine tunes it to be precise and stronger. He’s shaping up to be a deadly little warrior and Katsuki couldn’t be more proud. 

So to celebrate, he’d gone out to buy a fancy piece of meat – he’ll be the one cooking it of course, since Izuku is still quite hopeless, but he’d wanted to surprise the omega in any case. 

“Deku! Come look at what I got us!” He calls, setting the pork down on the cutting board with a decisive thunk. 

Izuku pauses in the act of folding his recently cleaned clothes, perking up and bustling over to Katsuki’s side. He pokes his head around Katsuki’s shoulder and catches sight of the meat, then promptly freezes in place. 

“What?” Katsuki asks, puzzled by the odd reaction. “Pork ain’t good enough for you or something?” 

The gaze Izuku pins him with is complicated and burning. “N-no, that’s not it.”

“Well spit it out, dumbass.” Katsuki turns and crosses his arms, cutting an imposing figure. “You’ve been acting weird every time I’ve done something nice for the past few weeks. The fuck is up with that?”

“Weird?” Izuku squeaks, his gaze darting around the room as he wrings his hands. “I haven’t – I’m not acting any different – you’re the one acting –”

“Izuku.” Katsuki presses forward, closing in on Izuku until the small of his back is pressed against a storage box. With nowhere to run, Izuku turns his face away, defiant ‘till the very end. “Enough bullshit. If I’m making you uncomfortable, fucking tell me. I don’t like this pussy-footing around.” 

“That’s not it.” Izuku murmurs, voice tight. “I just – whenever you do those things and act like … like an alpha –” Izuku lets out a long breath, steeling himself. “It makes me realise that I don’t act like an omega should.”

Katsuki’s warning growl escapes before he can even think to reel it in. Izuku immediately gives an answering trill without thinking, like he’s trying to soothe Katsuki’s agitation even while being a mess of emotion himself. 

“And how should an omega act, huh?” He murmurs lowly. Maybe Izuku can hear the challenging edge to his words, because he sets his features and turns to meet Katsuki’s sharp gaze once more. 

“I told you already. I’m supposed to be gentle and soft and accommodating. I’m supposed to be beautiful and obedient. And every time you do the things alpha’s are supposed to do, I remember that I’m not any of those things.” 

“That’s bullshit.” 

Izuku jolts and with it, Katsuki catches the edges of his scent. It betrays the nerves Izuku feels, billowing out astringent and herbal. 

“And I think I told you already that omega’s are treated very differently here.” He starts. “You aren’t expected to be any of those things, and yet you are. You’re gentle and soft with Amaterasu and your fucking grandpa.” Izuku chokes back a giggle, his eyes gleaming with unshed tears. “Your kindness shows in the way you humour my stupid friends every time they hound you. You’re most beautiful when you’ve got a dagger pressed against my throat, smiling like a smug little shit because you managed to pin me down.”

Katsuki steps back, sure that he’s managed to get his point across by now. He can’t help but tease though, just a little bit. 

“I’ll admit that you’re definitely not obedient.” Izuku gives him a reproachful pout, which only works to make Katsuki grin. “That’s what makes you fun, though. You fight back.” 

“Kacchan.” Izuku grumbles, though he sounds anything but displeased. In fact, he seems to be trying to hide a grin. 

“Now that we’ve cleared that up, you’re gonna help me cook. I’m not your fucking maid.” 

“But I can’t cook! You know that!” 

“You’re gonna learn or die trying, Deku.” Katsuki says with an air of nonchalance. Izuku’s resulting splutter is extremely satisfying. 

With that discussion comes a whole new realm of problems. Namely, the tension that simmers between them. Izuku no longer keeps himself under control like he had been doing previously. He lets his instincts tell him what to do. 

Unfortunately for Katsuki, it nearly drives him insane. 

Their training gets more intense, both of them far less careful about maintaining proper distance between spars. Izuku also starts scenting things around the hut, leaving his mark like it’s his home too (neither of them have brought up the fact that it’s been nearly two months and Izuku has not even begun to look for another place to live). Katsuki even notices that some of his clothes have disappeared, only to catch the edge of a scarf or a shirt poking out of Izuku’s pile of cushions. It’s almost a nest at this point, so full of soft furs and squishy cushions and familiar scents. He doesn’t have the heart to point that out to Izuku though, not quite ready to handle that conversation just yet. 

Izuku helps Katsuki prepare meals, though he is relegated to food prep instead of actual cooking. He’s even managed to bake almost-edible loaves of bread, and seems set on getting Katsuki’s opinion on each one. Katsuki will take the progress where he can find it. 

By far the most indisputable show of instinct comes when they’re in the main part of the tribe, at the thoroughfare where it’s common to trade and sell goods with other hunters and stall owners. 

Katsuki shot a few rabbits that morning and is looking to sell the pelts. He’s conversing with an elderly lady, a beta, when she gets off topic and starts commending him on his hunting abilities. 

“My grandchild would just love you.” She says, taking no notice of Katsuki’s discomfort. “She’s a lovely omega, a sweet little thing –”

“No.” 

The hissed declaration comes from Katsuki’s side. He almost looks around for another person when he glances across and finds only Izuku; surely that word, dripping in venom and rage, had not come from him. 

But there’s nobody else nearby, and there’s no way Katsuki could mistake the ozone scent permeating the air. Izuku’s jaw is set mulishly, his expression hard and unyielding. 

“Deku.” Katsuki mutters, giving his elbow a forceful squeeze. Izuku blinks and snaps his gaze up. They hold eye contact for a moment, before a gorgeous flush spreads across his cheeks and spills down his throat. 

Katsuki is half tempted to ditch the lady and the pelts, throw Izuku over his shoulder and storm back to the hut to work out what the fuck is going on. His skin feels warm and prickly at the thought, a heat that licks down his spine and makes his palms clammy. 

“S-sorry! I don’t know – I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.” Izuku rambles. 

The lady glances between them, a sudden understanding dawning in her eyes. “No, that was my mistake. I’m sorry, dear.” 

The two of them blather apologies back and forth until the lady is completely smitten with Izuku’s bumbling, kind nature. Katsuki isn’t surprised in the slightest when she offers him more than enough for the three pelts. 

After he hands them over, she looks at Katsuki and narrows her gaze. “Are you alright, dear? You’re quite flushed.” 

That, of course, catches Izuku’s concern. He rounds on Katsuki with a worried expression. 

“I’m fine.” He grumbles to both of them. 

“No, Shuzenji-san is right, Kacchan.” 

Of course the fucking ball of sunshine had befriended the old hag. It only took him two minutes. Izuku reaches up to assess his temperature again, but with the motion, a wave of Izuku’s fresh, sweet scent smacks him directly in the face and makes his mouth water. He ducks away from the outstretched hand, trying not to feel too guilty at the hurt expression that creases Izuku’s brow. Now that they’ve called attention to it, Katsuki does feel a little off, almost like – 

“Your scent is strong, boy.” The old lady says. “Please excuse my boldness, but I believe you’re entering your rut.” 

And that … makes sense. How did he not catch it earlier? The combination of being in close quarters with an unmated omega, of all these acts of kindness, verging on courting. The tense aggression that has been present in the back of his mind throughout every interaction for the past few days. 

“Fuck.” He turns to Izuku and freezes. He’s already staring at Katsuki, face flushed and eyes hazy, like Katsuki’s pheromones are already affecting him. “Fuck. Deku, come on.” 

Neither of them spare another glance at the old lady. Katsuki just grabs Izuku’s wrist and takes off in a sprint, dragging the omega along behind him. They weave their way through streets, around huts and firepits and rogue animals and little children. The breeze must work to clear some of the fog in Izuku’s mind because he cries out a few moments later.

“Kacchan! Where are we – oof.” 

Katsuki skids to a stop outside a familiar front door, making Izuku crash into his back at the abrupt pause, but he doesn’t knock just yet. Instead, he whirls on Izuku, eyes frantic as he grasps his shoulders. 

“Fuck, okay, listen to me, Deku.” Katsuki demands. Now that he’s aware of what’s wrong, he can feel the distinct discomfort that comes along with his rut settling bone-deep. He has to be quick. “This isn’t how I wanted this to go at all but I’m outta time. I want – I need you to know that I want you. I want you so much it burns me alive every time I see your dumb, freckled, cute face.” 

Izuku sucks in a breath, gaze widening as he wraps his hands around Katsuki’s wrists. He doesn’t draw him away, doesn’t try to move him at all. It’s more like he uses the touch to ground himself as he stares in apparent wonder at Katsuki. 

“I wanted to do this properly – I wanted you to court me so I could reciprocate. But there were so many mixed fucking signals, I had no idea what was real and what was you being you. Shit.” A shudder works its way down his spine, his face burning with the rut and the embarrassment. He drops his head down, presses his brow against Izuku’s. 

“Please think about it. I need to go, but please. Take your time, Deku. I wanna – I wanna make you happy and train with you and laugh with you and kick your ass and have you pin me down a million more times just so I can see your satisfied, annoying smile.” 

It takes a herculean amount of effort to tear one hand away from Izuku’s shoulder and knock on the door, but he manages. Izuku is still fumbling for some kind of answer, unable to utter anything other than “Kacchan” and “wait”, when Kirishima opens his door with a wide grin. It promptly falls flat when he’s met with a wall of Katsuki’s rut pheromones. 

“Holy shit, Bakugou!” He exclaims. 

“Kirishima, can Deku stay with you?” 

Kirishima waves Izuku over, eyes frantic. “Yeah, man. Whatever you need. You need to get home now.” 

“Ei?” Mina’s voice comes from further in the hut, but footsteps sound and she pops her pink, fluffy head around the corner. “What’s going on?” 

“Bakugou’s in rut. Midoriya’s gonna stay with us till it’s over.” 

“Oh! Damn, that came on fast.” She reaches out and goes to take Izuku by the hand to lead him inside, but Katsuki jumps between them with a low, deadly growl, fangs bared to ward off the other alpha. 

“Kacchan!” Izuku admonishes. He turns Katsuki around, his expression open and sincere as he brushes a wrist along the scent gland on Katsuki’s neck. It works to calm him, to reel him back from that feral edge. “I’ll be okay, it’s just Mina! I’ll give you my answer when you’re … finished.” 

“Shit.” Katsuki shakes his head, trying to dispel the haze descending over his senses. “Fuck, yeah okay.” 

Izuku retreats a step toward the door and it takes everything within Katsuki to hold himself back from following. Kirishima steps forward, grabbing him by the sleeve to drag him away. 

“I’ll get him home, don’t worry.” He says to Izuku. 

There’s no time for further goodbyes; Izuku disappears inside while Kirishima leads him along the outskirts of the tribe back to his own hut. When he gets inside, his senses are immediately assaulted with the jarring mix of their scents. Everything smells like Izuku and it drives him to the very brink of his sanity. 

Kirishima, unaffected by the pheromones due to being a beta, makes sure he’s got enough food and water to get him through his rut. He insists on taking Amaterasu and Ohitsuji with him, promising that they’ll be in good care at his home. Katsuki allows it, soothed by the thought that if anything, having them there will give Izuku something to do while he waits. 

And then Kirishima is gone, and Katsuki is alone for the first time in months. 

His rut tears through him, more intense than any other, leaving him near delirious with the pheromones permeating through the home they’ve shared, that has become theirs instead of just Katsuki’s. He devours everything with any trace of Izuku’s scent; the pile of cushions in the corner, the rugs, the dirty clothes that Izuku had promised to wash when they returned home. 

Katsuki drags it all to his bed, stripping down until he’s completely naked before he curls up in the crude imitation of an omega’s nest. 

He growls and scents and whines and ruts into the belongings for three days, completely swallowed up by his instincts. He’s half tempted to tear through the tribe, searching for his beautiful, lovely omega, but he manages to reign himself and his instincts in before he acts on it. 

In scattered periods of lucidity, he registers the fact that his friends drop by to make sure he’s still alive. Todoroki’s burning pine scent seeps through beneath the door, letting him know he’s there. The next day, it’s Ashido’s valerian and citrus fragrance. 

On the fourth day, he begins to descend into himself again. The burning temper and urge to fuck still simmer behind every action, but he’s got enough of his wits back that he can begin to clean the hut after himself. He prepares a proper meal and breathes deep for the first time since this whole shitshow began. 

By the fifth, he feels sane once more. More human, less alpha. Kirishima comes over in the morning to check on him, the most familiar with Katsuki’s usual rut length due to being friends for so long. When he sees the lucidity in his eyes and the calm set of his shoulders, he gives him a sharp smile and runs back home, entirely too pleased to be free from suspicion. 

And then, come evening on the fifth night, a familiar scent coats the back of Katsuki’s tongue, soothing the last of his fried senses. The knock follows a moment later, and Katsuki doesn’t even need to open the door to know who it is. 

Izuku is backlit by the sunset when he opens the door, but as soon as their gazes meet, his freckled face lights up brighter than any sun. 

“Kacchan!” He breathes. “You’re alright!” 

“No shit, dumbass.” Katsuki replies, happy to fall back into their easy banter to help calm his nerves. It’s like Izuku reads his thoughts and is determined to make it as difficult as possible to relax, because his expression suddenly shifts. He goes from sweet to serious in a split second, the emotional whiplash making Katsuki’s head hurt. 

“I need to tell you something.” Izuku announces. He reaches out and pushes on Katsuki’s shoulders, forcing him inside again. “Sit down.” 

Before Katsuki turns to find somewhere to sit, he has the pleasure of watching Izuku’s face transform as he gets his first, proper inhale of their shared space. He must be absolutely drowning under the wave of rut pheromones that still linger in the room, yet to properly dissipate. 

He tries to hide it, but his weak knees give him away as they make their way inside. Purely by chance, Katsuki had set all of Izuku’s normal cushions aside to wash since he’d spent four days rutting against them, so the only space inside the hut for them to sit and talk is Katsuki’s bed. 

Izuku eyes it like it’ll lunge forward and swallow him whole at any second, but he still urges Katsuki to sit on it. He remains standing though, and it’s only then that Katsuki notices the satchel at his hip, packed full of crap. He unhooks it from his shoulder and rests it by his feet, but doesn’t take anything from it just yet. Instead, he reaches out and bonks Katsuki forcefully on the head. 

“Oi, what the fuck?” Izuku talks over him before he can truly begin to rage. 

“You’re so stupid, Kacchan!” He scolds, landing another smack on Katsuki’s shoulder this time. “How could you not tell me about the bloody cultural differences! How did you not think that my stupid, conservative, backwards tribe would have different courting rituals?” 

“Dek –” 

Katsuki shields himself against the barrage of swats that rain down across his head, shoulders and torso. 

“‘I want you so much it burns me alive’.” Izuku mocks in an awful imitation of his voice. “Good! I hope you burn! Then you’ll understand what you’ve been doing to me from the moment I arrived!” 

“Iz –”

Izuku lets out a wordless groan of frustration, then drags the satchel up and digs around inside. “You’re so lucky Eijirou and Mina are so smart, they knew what was happening this whole time. They explained your stupid courting rituals to me – in what gods damned universe was I supposed to know that I had to court your moronic ass? Here!” Izuku shoves a warm, paper-wrapped parcel into Katsuki’s hands. “I finally perfected the recipe, no thanks to you!” 

Katsuki’s jaw hangs open as he unwraps the item to find a freshly baked loaf of bread. No charring in sight. It smells amazing. 

“Izuku, this –”

“Shut up, I’m not done.” Izuku resumes his rummaging around and pulls out a strip of leather. Katsuki’s breath freezes in his lungs. He seals the loaf of bread back in its wrapping and places it out of the way on the floor. 

The collar is dyed a deep, blood red. Almost like – 

“In case you need me to spell it out any further, Kacchan.” Izuku snaps. Katsuki has half a mind to applaud Izuku on delivering the most hostile confession and courting proposal since the dawn of time. “It’s red because of your eyes. I hope you’re happy, you ginormous dumbass. I adore the colour of your stupid eyes!” He holds the collar out, finally pausing in his tirade, cheeks flushed and eyes bright. “Put it on me.” 

Katsuki takes the collar reverently, not tearing his gaze away from his feisty omega for even a second. “Izuku, you know what this means right? It’s essentially a –”

“A promise ring. I know.” It’s like all of his righteous fury drains out of him, leaving him suddenly flustered and bashful. “Put it on me, Kacchan.” 

“Shit.” Katsuki murmurs under his breath. He takes Izuku’s hand and draws him close, guiding him to stand in the space between his spread knees. “Okay, yeah.” 

Like this, Izuku is only a little taller than him. It’s no effort at all to reach up and slip the collar around his smooth, freckled neck. He buckles it in place, making sure to leave enough space for Izuku to breathe and swallow and talk without hindrance. 

His hands linger, fingers tracing the edge of the leather band before they travel up to cradle Izuku’s jaw, now able to both see and feel the way Izuku swallows against his palms. It’s enough to bring that familiar heat back to his gut. 

Izuku draws in a shaky sigh, only to whisper, “Scent me, Kacchan.” 

Katsuki swears under his breath, a long string of curses that bring even more colour to Izuku’s cheeks. He drags his palms down the length of Izuku’s body, along his shoulders, down his sides, grazing against his hips, only pausing when he reaches Izuku’s thighs. There, he digs his fingers in, begging with touch alone for Izuku to clamber into his lap. When he does, his knees digging into the mattress on either side of Katsuki’s hips, he finally lets himself indulge. 

He’s never really been one to hold back, to tread lightly when there’s something that he wants. That is clear and apparent with the way he buries his nose in the juncture of Izuku’s shoulder and neck, breathing in his scent like it’s his only chance to do so. 

Small fingers thread themselves in Katsuki’s hair, tugging and pressing him forward, encouraging him to drink his full. This close, Katsuki experiences the change in scent first-hand. There are so many complex layers to it, broadcasting each emotion. Katsuki could get lost in this scent for the rest of time, could spend the rest of his life mapping out each subtle change and intricacy. 

He drags his tongue up from Izuku’s shoulder, until he reaches the leather band, hiding the source of that intoxicating scent. A soft moan sounds overhead as Izuku tightens his grip on Katsuki’s hair, making him swear against the column of Izuku’s throat. 

“Fuck, you smell so good, Izuku.” He rasps, lips dragging against the leather. He ducks his head around to the other side, sinking into the scent there too, allowing himself a taste with tongue and gentle scrapes of his teeth. 

“Kacchan.” Izuku’s voice trembles, the end of the nickname dropping away into a moan. A cloying aroma blooms around them; if the hardness he can feel pressing against his midriff is any indication, Katsuki has no doubt it’s coming from Izuku. He drags his palms up, letting them squeeze and knead the soft muscle of Izuku’s ass. 

“Wait, wait. Pause.” Izuku releases his hold in his hair and sits back on Katsuki’s thighs. His flush has certainly intensified, a beautiful deep pink that makes his freckles stand out. “I have one more thing.” 

In a show of flexibility and strength that leaves Katsuki’s mouth dry, Izuku stretches back, arching over Katsuki’s knees to grab the satchel lying forgotten on the floor. He pulls himself upright with ease, bag in hand. He keeps his gaze averted, shy all over again. 

“Mina told me that it’s tradition for omega’s to give their alpha a signature piece of jewellery once they’re sure they want to mate with them.” Katsuki nearly passes the fuck out; if this is going where he thinks it is, then they’ve really gone from zero to everything all at once. “She said it’s a show of commitment. But I knew you would have no use for an impractical piece of jewellery, so Kirishima helped me make you this instead.” 

With that, Izuku draws out the final gift and presses it into Katsuki’s hands. A beautiful dagger of steel and silver, an intricate design carved into the hilt and flowing into the sheath with a simple finesse. Embedded on both sides of the hilt, glowing bright in the flickering candlelight and matching the eyes of the omega sitting in his lap, is a small emerald stone. 

It’s the most beautiful weapon he’s ever seen. 

He looks up at Izuku, at a loss for words, and amends his previous thought; Izuku is the most beautiful weapon he’s ever seen. 

It’s the dagger and the realisation combined that does it; Katsuki sets the weapon down with all the gentleness he can muster, cradles Izuku’s jaw between his palms, and brings him down to press their lips together at last. 

The feeling is like the sun emerging over the horizon, like breaking the surface after being submerged for minutes and hours and days. It’s so right that it destroys his universe and rebuilds it all over again, better and brighter. 

Izuku surges forward to meet him, press for press, kiss for kiss, like he’s been holding himself back for so long that the dam finally breaks after one taste. 

“Kacchan.” He moans against Katsuki’s mouth. He crushes his answering rumble against Izuku’s lips, presses it past them. 

“Fuck, fuck, Izuku.” Katsuki's breathing turns laboured as Izuku trails kisses along his jaw, sucks marks on his throat, hunches over to lay them against the exposed skin at the edge of his shirt. 

When Izuku gently nips at his collarbone, his little omegan canines scraping skin, Katsuki bucks his hips up instinctively. They moan in unison at the feeling of their half-hard lengths grinding together. 

“Kacchan – Kacchan, take it off.” Izuku pants, his breath warming Katsuki’s damp skin and making him shiver. He’s not exactly sure what ‘it’ means, so to cover all bases, he yanks his own shirt off then immediately reaches for Izuku’s. With both articles of clothing discarded on the floor, Katsuki uses Izuku’s brief moment of disarray to his advantage. 

He grasps Izuku by the thighs, flips them over and scoots them both up the bed, leaving the omega sprawled out beneath him, bare from the waist up. He lets his gaze roam across his freckled torso before ducking down to leave his own possessive little marks; hickeys against Izuku’s chest and gentle bites against his stomach. The lower he sinks, the more that sweet, herbal smell pervades his senses. 

Izuku’s moans and whimpers are like music to his ears, echoing loud enough that they would frighten neighbours if Katsuki lived close enough to have them. He spares half a second to thank the gods for his introverted tendencies before busying himself with dragging his tongue from the waistband of Izuku’s pants up to his sternum. 

“Kacchan! Wait, oh, gods.” 

Katsuki rears back, concern for his omega breaking through the haze that had descended over his senses. It’s only then that he has a chance to see the absolutely destroyed expression in those bright green eyes. 

It wasn’t a plea to stop, he realises; it was a plea to slow down before Izuku passes out from how hard he's panting. All of this just from Katsuki thoroughly marking him up. What a perfect, sensitive omega. 

“Deku.” Katsuki croons. He hovers over Izuku on his knees and elbows between Izuku’s spread legs, and leans down to brush their cheeks together, an action meant to soothe. “My Deku, my Izuku. You okay, baby?” 

Izuku whines, his hips arching up as he wraps his arms around Katsuki’s shoulders. He’s still panting, sweat beading at his temples and making his wavy hair curl into damp ringlets. 

“Want you, want you, want you.” He chants, gaze heavy and desperate. The pheromones pumping out of both of them right now would be enough to knock even the strongest to their knees, so Katsuki doesn’t blame Izuku for his fucked-out expression. He’s sure he doesn’t look any better. 

“You want me how, Izuku? Take a breath and use your words for me, yeah?” 

Izuku lets out a strangled sound of frustration and arousal, tipping his head back and putting his brand new collar on display as he hangs off Katsuki’s shoulders. But he follows Katsuki’s instructions and sucks in a deep breath, then another. Once he’s a bit more present in his own body, his lashes flutter, giving Katsuki a glimpse of beautiful, depthless green. 

“Want you to fuck me, Kacchan.” He mumbles, weakly but not without conviction. “Wanna feel you in me for the rest of my life, please. Please, please, please.” 

“Fuck, Izuku.” Katsuki gently grinds down, letting him feel exactly what kind of effect his words have on him. “Yeah, baby, okay. I need to prep you first, though.” 

“Mmm.” A dopey grin spreads across Izuku’s full lips as he drags his sock-clad feet up the back of Katsuki’s thighs, encouraging him to rut down again. “Kacchan’s big, huh?” 

Katsuki flicks the idiot's forehead with a click of his tongue. “Shut up, you sound so stupid right now.” But he can’t help the fond grin that tips up the corners of his mouth. “You gonna behave for me? Let me get you ready so I can fuck you properly?” 

Izuku’s answering groan is more than enough of a confirmation. He draws back, trailing his palms down Izuku’s bitten and bruised torso, dipping just the tips of his fingers past the waistband. When Izuku nods, Katsuki helps him raise his hips to slide the pants and underwear down in one go, leaving him entirely bare beneath him. 

His poor baby is so hard, the crown of his small omega dick is purpling, pearls of pre-come already sliding down the shaft. That’s not to mention the sweet slick overflowing between Izuku’s legs, making a mess of the backs of his thighs and the blankets beneath them. 

“God you’re gorgeous.” Katsuki purrs, sliding his palms up the inside of those powerful thighs, circling them up over his hips, squeezing his plush backside. “Those fuckers in your old tribe must have been blind. They must’ve been the stupidest assholes on the planet to not see how beautiful you are.” 

“K’cchan.” Izuku slurs, bringing his arms up to cover his flushed face. The blush travels all the way down to his chest, clashing brilliantly with the purple marks strewn all over them. 

But Katsuki misses the unrestricted view of those pretty eyes so he tips forward, pushing Izuku’s legs open even wider, and gathers both of his wrists in one palm, pressing them into the mattress above his green curls. 

He’s splayed out like a feast for Katsuki’s eyes alone like this. He brushes his nose against Izuku’s, demanding his attention without a single word. When Izuku opens his eyes and meets his burning gaze, Katsuki grins, sharp and predatory. 

“Watch me prep you, okay baby? Keep your eyes on me.” 

“Yeah." Izuku sighs. "Yeah, okay.” 

His brows scrunch up with his moan as Katsuki slides his other hand down freckled thigh, letting his fingers graze at his already slicked hole for a few strokes, before pushing one in to the first knuckle. 

“You ever done this to yourself, Deku? Ever fucked yourself down here?” 

Izuku arches his spine as Katsuki eases that single finger in and out at an even pace. “Y-yeah. Sometimes – ah – w-when my heat gets really intense.” 

Katsuki’s voice comes out distorted around the rumbling purr caught in his chest. “Mm. You ever let anyone help you through your heat?” 

Somehow, Izuku musters enough energy to tip his head up and stare at him, his expression imploring like he’s desperate for Katsuki to understand the magnitude of his admission. “Never.” 

Katsuki rewards him by leaning down to suck another mark against the skin at the very edge of the collar, adding a second finger at the same time. 

“Oh fuck, Kacchan!” Izuku tips his head back again, going limp against the blankets as he gasps for breath. Katsuki growls against his throat at the curse, speeding up his fingers and curling them to search for that one point. “Hhh, oh gods, hurry up. Please, please, please!” 

Izuku uses his limited leverage to fuck down on Katsuki’s fingers, letting out desperate little whimpers as he grinds. Then Katsuki adds a third finger, curls them just right and Izuku screams, his body locking up as his cock comes untouched across his stomach and chest. His legs shake on either side of Katsuki’s hips, tears rolling down his cheeks as he chants Katsuki’s name. He slows his fingers but doesn’t pull them out while Izuku comes down from his orgasm. 

“Damn, baby, that was perfect.” Katsuki praises, allowing some of his smug satisfaction to bleed into his tone. “You okay?”

Izuku’s brow creases as he cracks his eyes open to glare at Katsuki. Not exactly the reaction he’d expected after giving his omega such an intense orgasm, but alright. 

“Kacchan, I thought I told you to fuck me.” He hisses. 

Katsuki really should have seen it coming – he’d taught him the move after all. But when Izuku crushes Katsuki’s torso between his thighs and uses his core strength to push him onto his back, despite the hold Katsuki has on his wrists, it leaves him completely stunned. 

His fingers slip out of Izuku to steady himself against the furs, while his other hand comes to rest on his omega’s thigh. The change in position has Izuku straddling Katsuki’s hips, bearing down on him with a smug, sinful smirk. 

So he finds himself on his back underneath his omega. Again. Could his life get any more fucking predictable?

“I guess I have to do all the hard work myself.” 

Katsuki snaps his teeth at him, his answering grin bordering on feral. “Go for it then, baby. Show me how to make you feel good.” 

Izuku all but shreds the rest of Katsuki’s clothes from his body, showing no mercy in the face of his unbridled lust. Katsuki’s cock is harder than it’s ever been before – even during his ruts he’s never been this turned on. Izuku sucks in a breath, eyes going wide when he finally gets Katsuki bare. 

“Kacchan.” He breathes, giving Katsuki’s shaft a slow stroke to spread the pre-come beading at the tip. Such a simple action leaves him rolling his head back in pleasure, not because his dick is finally getting some attention, but because it’s Izuku that’s giving it. He lets his omega have his fun, stroking at different paces, twisting his palm over the head to gauge Katsuki’s reaction, but after a few minutes he has to reach out and pull Izuku’s hand away. 

“Shit, Izuku. I’m not gonna last if you keep going.” He hisses. “Remember I just finished my rut, you asshole.” 

Izuku gives a mocking little pout, eyes sparking with mischief. “Aww, poor Kacchan won’t last? You gonna come from just a bit of teasing?” 

Katsuki snarls, rising to his elbows. “If you want my knot tonight, you’d better do something about it right fucking now, freckles.” 

A new kind of hunger lights up Izuku’s features. He bites his lip as he shuffles forward and lowers himself over Katsuki’s cock, flattening it against his navel, smothering it with the slick heat pouring from the stretched hole hidden just under his own small dick. He plants his palms on Katsuki’s chest and begins an excruciatingly slow rut along the length of his dick, his grin widening when Katsuki releases a string of savage curses. 

“You gonna be a shithead for much longer, De-ku ?” Katsuki growls through his teeth, stubbornly refusing to reach out and force his omega down on his cock. 

“Patience, Kacchan.” Izuku leans down and nips at Katsuki’s bottom lip, tugging on it teasingly before letting it go. He continues his sentence right up against his mouth. “Have some patience.”

Katsuki is so distracted by Izuku’s flushed and freckled face in such close quarters that he misses the hand wrapping around his base. That is until Izuku eases down on his dick, swallowing half of its length in one go. 

The sensation punches a groan from the very depths of Katsuki’s chest, and makes Izuku tip his head back, mouth hanging open with the strength of his moan. 

“Holy shit, Kacchan.” Izuku breathes. He looks down, and Katsuki thinks that this might be his favourite sight in the world; Izuku sinking down on him, hair a complete fucking mess, eyes hazy and full of tears.

He finally gives in to the urge to grab at Izuku, settling his palms on his waist to help guide his descent. When he bottoms out, Izuku lets out a little sob, his head hanging between his shoulders as a shiver skitters down his spine. 

“You good, baby?”

Izuku groans, giving a woozy nod that doesn’t instil a lot of confidence in Katsuki. “Jus’ – just need a second. Mm!” He accidentally shifts on his knees, making Katsuki press deeper inside. Katsuki tightens his grip, trying to steady him so he doesn’t make himself pass out. 

“Lean on me, Izuku. Lie down.” Katsuki offers, sliding a palm up to gently press between his shoulder blades. Izuku follows the guiding motion, letting out pleased little chirps and whimpers the whole way down, until his forehead rests against Katsuki’s collarbone. “Lemme know when I can move, okay? I’ll go slow.” 

Izuku shakes his head back and forth, dragging his brow against Katsuki’s skin, smearing the sweat beading there. “No. Not slow.”

“Deku, I’ll fucking break you.” 

“Don’t care. Death by Kacchan’s dick.” He puffs out a little giggle; Katsuki can feel his smile pressed against his chest, right over his heart. “Good way to go.” 

“You’re such a fucking idiot.” Katsuki sounds helplessly fond. It’s awful and he wouldn’t change a single thing. 

It takes a few minutes of them laying there, breathing together with Izuku mumbling little jokes about Katsuki’s dick and exchanging soft kisses, before he lets out a breath. 

“Mmkay, move. Fuck me, Kacchan.” 

“Bossy little shit.” Katsuki clicks his tongue but he wraps one arm around Izuku’s lower back and the other around his shoulders, and cants his hips up, just a little. Again, they moan in unison and it gives Katsuki the assurance he needs that he’s not going to actually murder his omega with his dick. 

Katsuki works his way up to a slow, deep rhythm, savouring the squeeze and slide of Izuku’s cunt. Every time he fucks in, it punches a sharp groan out of Izuku, a chorus of breathy little “ah, ah, ah”s, pressed right against his skin. He can feel a wet patch forming there too, a little pool of drool that he’s fucking out of his omega. Normally it would be gross, but now it only works to spur him on, urging him to grind deeper, snap his hips up faster. 

“Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours, baby.” Katsuki pants. “What’re you thinking?” 

All that gets him is a long, unending whine. It hitches with each jolt, but it works well enough to convey what’s happening in his mind – not much. 

“Can I go faster? Can you fuck yourself back on my cock, Deku?” 

“Ye-yeah.” Izuku gingerly pushes himself upright. Katsuki releases his hold, giving him the space to hold himself up. 

“Good boy.” Izuku shudders at the praise, and Katsuki grins like he’s just landed on a gold-mine. “So good for me, baby. Doing so well. Here, let me help you.” 

He brings a palm down to grab a solid handful of Izuku’s fat ass and guides him to hump down just as Katsuki fucks up into him. Izuku lets out a little scream, lashes fluttering, but he still manages to keep up. 

“Look at you. Gods, Izuku.” The words spill out of Katsuki, his brain to mouth filter totally ruined. “So pretty on my dick. Such a good omega, the best omega.” 

That gets a reaction out of Izuku. He straightens up a little more, fingernails digging into Katsuki’s chest as he bounces back, moans spilling from his parted lips like the most perfect song ever written. Katsuki can already feel his knot forming at the base of his dick. Despite what he’d promised Izuku earlier about getting his knot tonight, he’s not quite sure his baby is up for the challenge right now. 

Their movements grow sloppy and desperate as they rush towards the finish. Izuku is straight up babbling nonsense, cock-drunk and delirious, and Katsuki cannot tear his gaze away.

“You’re gonna make me come, Izuku. I’m so close.” Katsuki groans. 

“Me too, me too, me too. Kacchan.” Izuku leans back even further, his pretty red collar catching Katsuki’s attention in the candlelight. He almost wishes he could rip it off and lay his claim against the scent gland it’s protecting but that can come later, after Katsuki has had the time to court Izuku back. 

Izuku braces his palms on Katsuki’s abdomen as he slams himself down on Katsuki’s dick. Through the overwhelming heat coiling in his gut, Katsuki realises exactly what the shithead is trying to do. 

“Need your knot, gimme your knot.”

“Fuck, Izuku, wait –”

He does not. 

Izuku bounces once, twice, then sinks all the way down, clenching around Katsuki’s knot like he never wants to let it go. Izuku screams once more, eyes rolling back as he comes all over Katsuki’s stomach this time. Katsuki follows him a split second later, weak to the feeling of Izuku squeezing the life out of his dick. His vision whites out as he comes inside while Izuku grinds his hips in little self-satisfied circles, a tired grin on his kiss-bitten lips. 

“You greedy little dumbass.” Katsuki forces out between panting breaths. “You have no fucking patience.” 

“Nope.” Izuku laughs, the sound vibrating around Katsuki’s oversensitive cock. He growls at the feeling and hooks an arm around Izuku’s shoulders, dragging him down to rest against his chest again. 

“Quit laughing.” He orders, tucking his nose against Izuku’s sweaty curls.

“Hmm, fine.” 

Katsuki tells himself that if he can’t see Izuku’s pout, it basically doesn’t exist. He still drags his fingertips up and down the length of Izuku’s spine, a soothing gesture that turns him into a pliant tangle of limbs against Katsuki’s front. The amount of trust and intimacy it takes for an omega to melt like this, especially one as stubborn and opposing as Izuku … it leaves Katsuki all shaken up. He doesn’t often feel emotions other than anger and frustration this strongly, but the burning adoration he feels for this little shit, this annoying, beautiful omega, it’s enough to drive him crazy. 

Instead of biting him all over and howling about their new courtship like his instincts want him to, he sinks into the softness. He lets his hands wander up and down Izuku’s body, threading into Izuku’s curls, massaging away any aches. By the time Katsuki’s knot goes down, Izuku is a purring puddle in Katsuki’s arms, eyes half-closed and distant. 

He doesn’t complain when Katsuki lifts him with ease and brings him into the bathroom. He whines a little when he goes to source warm water, but quietens down when Katsuki leaves the door open so he can watch him as he moves about the hut. 

They wash together, cleaning away the come and slick, and bundle up in warm clothes before they slip back into Katsuki’s bed. A comfortable, satiated haze follows them the entire way. 

“I’ll let you sleep in a little tomorrow.” Katsuki murmurs as he brushes their cheeks together. It’s an intimate form of scenting done between mated alpha and omega pairs, typically within the confines of their own home since it's such a personal action. He’s only ever seen it done by his parents, back when he was a child before he’d started fake-retching and complaining about it. Oh, how things have changed. 

“Just a little?” Izuku replies quietly, tilting his face into the caress. “What if I’m sore in the morning? What if I want more?” 

It’s far too soon for Katsuki to get hard again, especially so soon after his rut, but the heat drips into his chest and gut anyway, his scent warming at the implication. He gives an answering rumble, biting Izuku’s smartass cheek. 

“You get what I give you, shitty omega. Don’t get greedy.” 

“But Kacchan.” He whines. 

“Shut up, you’ve still got training to do.” 

“Oh!” Izuku shifts, quickly dropping the bratty act as he leans up on his elbows with his eyes sparking in excitement. “I didn’t tell you! Miruko sought me out while you were in rut. She said she’d seen us training and wanted to test me. I passed!”

Katsuki’s jaw drops open. “You’re joking.” 

Izuku shakes his head enthusiastically, curls bouncing all over the place. “Nope! I’m a fighter, just like Kacchan! Low rank, of course, but –” 

The rest of his sentence is cut off as Katsuki sweeps him into a bone crushing hug, rolling him around in the sheets. Izuku’s delighted shriek makes him grin wide.

“Fuck yes, baby! Congratulations!” 

“Does this mean you will fuck me again in the morning?”

Katsuki squeezes Izuku tighter, making him wheeze. “Fucking one track mind, huh?” He bites Izuku’s other cheek this time, mumbling against the flesh, “Fine. I guess you deserve a reward.” 

Izuku settles back, his scent turning smug and excited. 

“That doesn’t mean we stop training, Deku. Now you’ve gotta reach my level.” 

“Mm, tomorrow.” He yawns, his cute little nose scrunching up with the motion. “I’ll do it tomorrow.” 

Katsuki huffs a laugh and draws his omega against his chest. They fall asleep, totally wrapped around one another. The warmth and comforting scent of his Izuku feel so familiar, like everything about him has been etched into his skin from the moment he was born. Something about this feels like it was always meant to happen, like they’re twin stars meant to find one another in every universe and every life. 

But that could just be Katsuki going senile in his old age (he’s still twenty five), or it could be him growing sentimental now that he’s found his mate (a little more likely). More than anything though, it’s probably just the beginning, the start of all things new and theirs.