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The me from the darkest depths

Summary:

After a small mishap during a fight with a villain, Izuku wakes up in a foreign forest, all alone.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: Fall of the mighty

Chapter Text

Light shined through the green canopy in fluttering flashes. On the forest bed, Izuku laid unconscious among the shrubbery and various types of creeping plants. The soil was soft and moist yet unforgiving as it slowly chipped at the boy’s body heat, bit by bit. His breaths came out in puffs of white fog above his chapped lips. 

 

Bearing the cold no longer, Izuku jerked awake with a gasp and rose to frantically look around himself. Stiff joints popped loudly with each movement, sore muscles protested in agony and his head throbbed from the fight he remembered partaking before finding himself in an unfamiliar forest. 

 

Though not quite sure of what had happened, Izuku had a few ideas. 

 

The villain he’d been fighting against was said to have a mysterious, unregistered quirk that apparently made things vanish. He had been careful to stay out of his grasp but at the last minute found himself faltering for a split second due to the injuries caused by that man’s team mates. Five against one couldn’t be counted as fair but Izuku wasn’t one to back down in the face of hostages- and he’d been doing well holding his own while he waited for back up. He’d defeated three of them and guessed he’d win if he kept his energy up but then his knee creaked painfully and gave the villain a chance to grab him and activate his powers. 

 

Previous victims had never been found so it was believed that they’d died but seeing how Izuku was still alive and kicking, that couldn’t have been the case. Perhaps it was only a teleporting quirk, Izuku reckoned. He needed to find out where he was and go back.

 

‘I hope everything turned out ok with the villains.’ Izuku thought. ‘I saw Ida and Todoroki coming but I can’t help being worried for the hostages. I hope they’re all safe.’

 

With that wish in mind, Izuku rubbed his aching knee and got up, trying not to put too much strain on it. He faltered slightly and leaned on a nearby moss covered tree before he activated his float and drifted up in the chilly air until he rose above the treetops.  

 

Nothing but trees in all directions, with the occasional set of faded mountains far enough to be but mere miniatures decorating the blue horizon. 

 

Izuku panicked. He was completely alone, who knew where, with nothing but the gear he was wearing. Not even his cellphone had suffered the same, cruel fate. 

 

The sun was yet to be in its peak so the boy guessed it was still early, maybe 9 or 10 in the morning. He didn’t know how long he’d been in the forest already but if he used his powers to move quickly, he might find a town or city by the end of the day so he picked a direction and promptly set into motion, soaring through the sky. 

 

Hours passed and evening came but Izuku found nothing. He’d passed by mountains, valleys, rivers, plateaus- only to find himself in another forest with no sign of people anywhere. No indication of where he could be either, nothing he recognized. If it weren’t for the overwhelming exhaustion setting deep in his bones, Izuku would have lost himself to overwhelming nervousness and fear. 

 

Upon seeing the sun recede behind the horizon, the student gathered the last of his energy and attempted to build a small shelter beside a narrow stream with what little knowledge he had about survival in the wilderness. He collected sticks and logs for the structure as well as soft plants to use as a mattress. 

 

With the leftover materials, he made a campfire- not because he was cold, since judging by the moist, warm atmosphere he was most likely in a tropical rainforest. 

 

Rather, Izuku had made a campfire because he was afraid. Of being alone in the darkness of an unfamiliar environment. Of the untamed creatures surely living in it. 

 

He was strong and lately he’d been gaining confidence in his abilities as well, with all the training he’d been doing. Nonetheless, as strong as he’d gotten, he was still vulnerable during his sleep. Vulnerable, tired and way too sore. His stomach protested, he hadn’t eaten all day. He had figured he’d have time for that once he was back. Unfortunately, things hadn’t really gone the way Izuku had hoped for and now he regretted his decision to ignore his body’s natural needs for so long. 

 

Night fell and despite the tension gripping the student’s heart and mind, his body was worn out. He fell asleep. 

 

The next morning, Izuku spent some time gathering things that seemed edible. During his search, he found mostly fruit but they were rather strange. He’d never seen anything like them before. 

 

Adorned with bright colours and swirling patterns, the fruit had a semi-hard outer shell that could be cracked open to reveal a squishy inside. Izuku wasn’t sure if it was truly safe to eat the fruit but upon tasting it, he disregarded his doubts. The boy wasn’t well versed in botanics but fruit that tasted so sweet and delicious couldn’t be poisonous, right? Besides, he had to eat something. It was either the weird fruit or nothing.

 

After filling his stomach with fruit and water, Izuku was off. 

 

However, his efforts to get back home proved over and over again to be useless. He was fast and covered great terrain each hour, but it wasn’t enough somehow. There was no human soul to be seen at any point of his journey, the most he’d found was bizarre creatures he wasn’t sure were a catalogued and studied species. He opted to stay away from them.

 

Days passed and the boy fell into a monotonous routine that consisted of eating fruit, mushrooms, roots and sometimes nuts while searching for a way back, and then building a small shelter for the night. A shower every now and then, though it did little to rid him of the intense body odor he’d developed. His anxiety only grew with each passing moment. 

 

Izuku hardly slept anymore, the deteriorating condition of his body had become unbearable and it kept him awake against his will. There wasn’t much he could find to eat and he couldn’t find it in himself to chase, hunt and kill any animal with his own two hands, no matter how much he needed the nourishment nor how unusual they looked. He’d eaten fish twice, out of sheer desperation and strong pains stabbing his stomach, but that had been it. 

 

As a direct result, he’d lost a significant amount of muscle and constantly felt sluggish, tender and weak. He couldn’t travel as much anymore and often had dizzy spells that incapacitated him. Meanwhile, his wounds seemed to take forever to heal and resting was impossible. The stress from overworking himself when he was low on fuel made his body enter and stay in a flight-or-fight mode, which meant he was constantly on alert and couldn’t get a wink of sleep despite feeling his body chipping away piece by piece. He’d toss and turn but his mind refused to turn off. It only wore him down harder.

 

At the rate he was going, Izuku was afraid he’d actually die before ever getting anywhere.

 

It was with dread, misery and fearful loneliness that on the fifteenth night in the wilderness, he left his makeshift bed to gaze up at the moonless night sky in hopes of escaping his inner monologues. Painted on the veil of darkness, he saw among many a very bright star, too big to be normal. Izuku wondered briefly if he was hallucinating due to sleep deprivation, but as morning approached, the star didn’t disappear. It only got bigger and with it came the most breathtaking sunrise. 

 

That was when Izuku realized: there were two suns. One that had set, and another that had just rose. 

 

‘No, that’s not possible! How could…but- there’s no other explanation… Is there?’

 

Izuku’s mind raced with thoughts, disbelief, shock and faint terror. He’d been using the sun to guide him through his quest. If there were two with different trajectories on the sky, that means that this entire time Izuku had been running in circles , getting nowhere. For days on end, no less. 

 

And now he was too spent to go anywhere, to even use his powers. 

 

Izuku felt his skin crawl, liquid fire coursing inside his veis, as he sat under the gleaming rays of the sun. The itch on his neck was especially terrible so he dug his nails into the flesh for some relief. It didn’t come.

 

His body ached all over, joints too corroded and inflamed to move properly, muscles too sore. 

 

Around him, birds chirped and sang with all the joy they could muster. Plush vegetation dotted with colorful flowers danced in the gentle breeze and spread its refreshing fragrance. The jungle he’d settled in for the night was truly beautiful. 

 

Unfortunately, it did nothing to calm Izuku’s nerves when he came to the painful conclusion that he’d likely die there, wherever the place might be. Was he still on Earth, even? 

 

The hero student tried to stand but blood rushed to his head making it feel as if his skull would be split in two. His vision blurred and his legs buckled under him.

 

As he fell, Izuku heard rustling coming from a nearby shrub. He tensed in anticipation and scrambled the best he could to his shelter. It would hardly protect him, hide him at best. However, at the minute he really couldn’t bring himself to fight. He couldn’t even bear his own weight. If he entered a confrontation with a wild animal, he’d surely lose so he had to stay out of the animal’s sight. 

 

The sound of soft flapping echoed through the calm of the trees, coming closer to his position beneath the wooden structure he’d built near thick roots protruding from the soil. There was some space under them, enough for him to squeeze into, in case his shelter proved to be useless. 

 

Sweat dripped down Izuku’s temples as he fought against the growing panic. He looked intently at the vegetation in front of the entrance to his shelter, eyes wide open, unsure what to expect. 

 

Suddenly, a small head peeked from outside and the green haired boy went white and stiff in fear, too scared to even scream. He felt faint. 

 

The creature took a step forward and before Izuku could do anything, it tackled him and rubbed his snout against his cheeks. It was around the size of a basketball, covered in black scales and had a line of three small, round horns running along the sides of his skull. There were wings and a tail on his back, as well as claws in both its hands and feet. They were blunt at that moment but they’d surely grow sharper with age, as the creature matured. 

 

The oddest smell filled Izuku’s nose as he let the animal nuzzle, chirp and purr on top of him. It wasn’t a bad odor, it was simply intense and unfamiliar- he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. In fact, he couldn’t pinpoint what animal it was either. It certainly resembled a lizard but lizards didn’t have wings. 

 

'Wait… Did I just come across a baby dinosaur?!’ Izuku thought, incredulous. ‘No, that can’t be it. They don’t exist! ...Right?’

 

The boy took a deep breath to calm himself and felt his body go completely limp in an instant. A strange haziness clouded his mind and left him staring at the ceiling with his jaw slack, unable to comprehend what was going on. He rolled his head to the side but couldn’t muster the strength to move any more. 

 

He absentmindedly felt the small tongue of the cub lapping at his neck, licking and nibbling the exact same spot he’d felt an itch on for the past couple of days. It sent tingles down his spine and provided Izuku with much needed relief from the persistent discomfort. 

 

In the back of his head, Izuku knew he was in danger. Cubs themselves were oftentimes inoffensive. However, they are always followed and protected by their mothers and those were ferocious. Aggressive and territorial, they’d do anything to secure the safety of their offspring. If he didn’t get away soon enough, he’d be killed. He knew that, yet he just couldn’t bring himself to move. He was so relaxed and warm and cozy that the mere thought of running away seemed ridiculous and unreasonable. 

 

Fuzzy in the best of ways, almost like he was high- though without the drugs. 

 

After so many sleepless nights, Izuku finally felt like he could rest again. All the combined weight of his previous injuries, anxiety, exhaustion, sleep deprivation and malnourishment came crashing down on top of him and, unaware, he drifted off into unconsciousness for the first time in those last twenty four hours. 

 

When he woke up, the cub greeted him with a cute, high-pitched cry. It was still nestled on his chest, like it hadn’t bothered to move. Izuku really didn’t know how he was still alive, but he didn’t want to waste his good luck and wait for the mother to come finish him off. She was probably searching for him with all her might at that moment. 

 

He still couldn’t figure out what kind of animal it was, but it wasn’t the time or place to waste effort trying to figure out something that should be left to actual scientists. 

 

On the other hand, the way he’d suddenly lost control over his body was quite alarming. The more Izuku ruminated over it, the more his memories seemed to fuzz out of his grasp, not allowing him to come up with any explanation. Had he eaten something rotten or poisonous and felt its delayed effect at roughly the same time the creature appeared? He remembered having smelled something strange, had that been the cause instead? Was it because his body was indeed dying? Did the cub have some sort form of venom that’d rubbed on him? He honestly didn’t know, nothing made much sense. 

 

The boy carefully wrapped his arms around the creature, held it close to him and rose to a seated position before putting the cub down on the moss flooring. For a brief moment, his regained mobility took him by surprise- he’d expected to be still a bit altered and maybe he was. He had no idea what had happened to him but he felt livelier and more energized than he had ever since coming to the foreign environment. For that reason alone, Izuku didn’t label the experience as a completely bad thing. A very tiny, twisted part of him even found the sudden high comforting , as if it were meant to shield him from the harsh reality and ease his worries. He’d been overridden by fretful uneasiness since long ago, after all. It’d been a nice change.

 

Izuku petted the cub and left the shelter. He needed food and water. Badly.

 

Evening was approaching but there was still time to gather edibles, if he opted to stay another night at his current shelter- which he would, he needed to recover and make a plan. 

 

After realizing he’d been running aimlessly,  Izuku intended to be a lot more careful with his trips as well as his energy output. Additionally, he wanted to confirm his hypothesis about the existence of two suns and then, if it had any truth to it, track their movements. He’d have to memorize the landscape too, so he wouldn’t roam lost again. He doubted he’d have enough fire in him to get back up if he failed to return to human society this time. 

 

That being said, there was another thing preoccupying Izuku. During his foraging, the cub never left the young hero’s side, much to his growing concern. All of his attempts to get away from it had been unsuccessful, it just kept following him for some unknown reason. Izuku theorized it could smell him when he took note of the quick sniffs coming from its rounded snout. 

 

If he used his quirk he’d be able to lose the creature from his tail but he was too weak to do that so soon and he really didn’t want to spend the last bit of his vitality just yet. He didn’t want to die. He was lucky he could walk at all, after what he’d put his body through.  

 

Plus, the cub was way too cute. The way it purred, meowled, huffed and squeaked went straight to his heart and melted him from the inside out. When it wasn’t up in the air, flapping its wings, it waddled and stumbled all the way to Izuku and nuzzled his leg. Sometimes it settled on his shoulders and wrapped his arms around his head or curled around his neck like a scarf. 

 

How was a man to resist?

 

Izuku guessed he’d use Float a short bit to get away in case the mother appeared unexpectedly, that wouldn’t be too damaging. 

 

Under the reddening sky saturated with warm-colored clouds of all shades and shapes, Izuku munched on berries, praying they were harmless. When he stood to get back to his shelter, he was startled by a fierce roar in the distance. It was somewhat muffled by the greenery but Izuku could tell the source was not too far away. Perhaps it was the mother, who’d finally decided to show up to take his cub home. 

 

'Yeah, I better not stay here for that.’ The boy mused as he increased his pace no matter the draining fatigue in his system. 

 

Meanwhile, the cub had stopped in its tracks and remained still, eyes focused on something among the trees. It whined but made no attempts to follow Izuku anymore, to his relief. 

 

Having returned without any incident, that night Izuku decided to sleep in the empty space under the roots of a colossal tree instead of his wooden shelter. He had to squeeze himself in but the interior was relatively spacious. Enough for Izuku. 

 

The thick ramifications served as bars that kept outside threats away and the spot was hidden away from sight to begin with, as all sides except one were covered with moss, vines and creeping plants. It made Izuku feel safe, even without his usual campfire. He’d been gripped by more uneasiness than usual after leaving the cub behind. Not that he was worried for it, Izuku was worried for himself (and the cub too, though it had its mother). Whenever his gaze ran over the shadows in the forest, it seemed like danger was looming close. Hopefully, any predators around wouldn’t find him inside his spot and if they did, they’d be too dumb, big or clumsy to get in to hurt him. 

 

As he was settling in his new bed, Izuku saw a familiar black spiky head peering into his safe spot from the only entrance there was, albeit a tight one. He immediately felt panic bloom and rushed to push the cub away. The mother was near, he’d be- 

 

A clawed hand gripped his wrist the moment he stuck it out from between the roots. Izuku struggled with everything he had to pull it back in, shocked and afraid, barely containing screams and tears. Nonetheless, he was still too weak to resist or escape the firm grasp so almost effortlessly he was dragged out of his temporary shelter, thrashing. 

 

He heard a low growl from above him as he was firmly pressed against the earth face down and his body stiffened in sheer terror. The tears finally flowed down his cheeks at the thought of his imminent death. 

 

Then, came the most mouth-watering scent he’d ever had the pleasure of smelling, wafting through the air and wrapping around him like a warm blanket. It was intense- sweet and thick, like caramel, and a bit toasted at the edges. Once again, Izuku’s mind fogged up and his body relaxed against his will. The distress bled out of his system as if it had never been there and Izuku just couldn’t remember why he’d been so afraid in the first place. The stranger didn’t feel dangerous, they felt like strength, comfort and security. Like they’d protect Izuku from anything and everything, take care of him, keep him happy and content and full

 

As he was rolled around onto his back, Izuku saw the stranger was a human male, though his vision was too blurred to note any detail to his face. 

 

‘A person!’ He somehow managed to realize amidst the mental fog. At last, he’d found someone. Finally. 

 

After that, he was picked up bridal style and made to have his head rest on the man’s broad shoulder, nose pressed against his neck. The boy’s mind immediately became incoherent again and he fell limp in the arms carrying him. It was fine, he reasoned unconsciously. He could let go now- he was safe. 

 

 


 

 

The scenery morphed, blurred and shifted across Izuku’s eyes. The vibrant green from the flora was seen nowhere anymore, having been replaced by the walls of a cavern lit by a couple of torches. In his half aware state, Izuku felt the press of soft fur on his back. He’d been placed in the center of a nest covered in animal pelts, woven blankets and pillows stuffed with hay, though they weren’t rough or prickly at all. Quite the contrary, they were very smooth and comfortable thanks to the surrounding textile case, to the point they made Izuku instinctively snuggle them. 

 

Caramel lingered on his tongue and nose. It was everywhere he turned to, filled his lungs and got to his head. He was still stuck in his high, overwhelmed by the urge to tilt his head back and stretch his neck, which he gladly obliged, fuzzy and warm. The two strange bumps that had silently formed over the past week in the junction of his collarbone with his neck were puffy and slightly moist with a substance unknown to Izuku. 

 

A hand came up to gently palm over his throat; its thumb massaged, kneaded and dug into one of the bumps. It alternated between firm, slippery drags and feather-light circular motions. Sometimes it traced his jaw while cradling his nape and pressed on a spot under it, where a steady pulsing of blood could be felt. Izuku sighed in bliss, the touches were delightful. 

 

In any other situation, the boy would be worried at having a stranger’s hold in his throat. In that moment, however, the man’s hand was so gentle and kind and comforting, he couldn’t bring himself to care, granted he didn’t really have a choice in the matter.  

 

Minutes passed and despite being incapable of comprehending the situation he was in, Izuku noted an insistent tugging at his hero gear, carefully being slipped off of him. His bare body shivered, both because of the chilly air as well as the man’s attentive gaze. He didn’t remember when, but at some point his hands had moved toward the forearm hovering above Izuku’s chest to wrap calloused fingers around the hard muscle. He made no attempt to pry it off, he’d just wanted something to hold on to. 

 

The stranger shifted to retrieve something from the floor beside the nest. The warm hand hadn’t left Izuku’s neck though so the boy didn’t grow restless, uncomfortable nor impatient, he just kept sinking into the furs. Within a heartbeat, a cold salve was rubbed into the skin of his knees and thighs. Upon feeling slight pressure on the bruises scattered throughout his body,  Izuku hissed and squirmed and let out small whimpers. It hurt, he didn’t like it.  

 

His dissatisfaction fell on deaf ears, however. The other continued his actions, thankfully in a more tender manner, and kept him in place by the neck the entire time. Once he finished, he released his hold, covered Izuku in blankets and tucked him in, moving to lay on top without resting all of his weight on the smaller frame, lest he was crushed- just the right amount to make him feel secure enough to settle down for the night. 

 

There were arms on each side of Izuku, they caged him but in a good way. It felt like he was being protected from the outside by a solid wall of muscles. Sun-kissed hands ran through his green locks, stroked his scalp and fondly squished his cheeks. They showered him with attention and Izuku couldn’t help but eat it all up and love it. 

 

Alongside the warmth of the person on him, he felt vibrations rippling through the cavern. They emerged from the man’s chest and echoed until they sank deep into Izuku’s bones. He didn’t know what the sound was, but it seemed like something akin to a purr. Regardless, it made his cheeks flush a pretty pink and his eyes flutter shut. He was lulled to sleep in no time. 

 

Chapter 2: Among the unknown

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Upon waking, Izuku was alone cocooned in blankets, comfortable and well rested. His legs were still sore but didn’t hurt as bad as they used to, the usual burning tension of microtears in his muscles kept at bay somehow. He’d grown used to it after so many days of inadequate caloric intake combined with all the physical overexertion but it sure felt great not to be plagued by the intensity of the pain anymore. In comparison, the hollowness within his stomach was much more bearable.

 

Darkness surrounded him, the only source of light came from the mouth of the cave, too far away to be of significant help to his eyes. 

 

Memories of the previous day jolted him upright. Half of him was glad and hopeful at having found someone. The other half was apprehensive, for he’d once again fallen into that high, right after smelling caramel. 

 

Twice was one too many to be a coincidence, thus there weren’t many doubts in Izuku’s mind- it was the scent that had affected him and although he felt great during the moment, it was controlling and incapacitating him. He’d have to be careful with what he smelled from then on. The cub had had the same effect on him despite the different scent, after all. He wondered what the reason could be and what other creatures and scents could have the same effect on him. It was, no doubt, extremely dangerous. An invisible gun.

 

The boy was stuck in an unknown place and didn’t have much knowledge about animals, plants or routes back home. Any type of vulnerability could prove to be life-threatening, not to mention his body’s condition was steadily worsening. Actually, he was quite invigorated from having been able to sleep peacefully for the second time. However, Izuku wasn’t foolish enough to believe he was fine, he was still malnourished and weak. 

 

As he stood, the dizzy spell he was hit by only confirmed his musings, leaving him clutching his head and leaning against the rock wall beside him for stability. Still, he had to find the person from earlier, he needed answers, some kind of guidance or clues. Even if their odor was troublesome, they hadn’t harmed him so he didn’t have much reason to be too fearful. He’d keep his distance not to sense the caramel and ask questions from afar. 

 

Izuku wondered whether the man would come back- he wasn’t sure he lived in the cave but there were signs of it being inhabited. After his sight had adjusted to the shadows, he’d seen the vague outline of various objects neatly organized around the circular bed. Clothes, shoes, swords among other types of weapons as well as cylindrical containers of all sizes, made of leather. 

 

A blush tinted the hero’s cheeks while looking at his own body once he’d shaken off the dizziness out of his system. He was nude and his gear was nowhere to be seen, so he reluctantly decided to borrow some clothes from his ‘saviour’ (that doubled as his kidnapper). If they complained, he’d ask for his own stuff and return the ones he put on himself- simple cream coloured pants and a silky tunic that was too big for his stature. Perhaps it’d have fit him better if he still had his muscles but as he was, it engulfed him. 

 

The scent of caramel permeated the fabric but it didn’t rob Izuku of his motor control like previously. 

 

‘Is it because it’s too mild?’  He sniffed it a couple of times. Maybe. 

 

Regardless, it wasn’t like he’d get answers by asking the clothes so Izuku brushed his questions aside for the moment and trudged out of the cave. 

 

Outside, he was met with an encampment buzzing with life. A village of some sorts. 

 

It was situated on a beautiful glade that overlooked the endless expanse of mountains ahead. Valleys, treetops, lakes, rivers and watersprings embellished the landscape and blended into the blue horizon the farther away they got. 

 

Must be around midday, Izuku reckoned. The sun was high in the sky, burning brightly among the fluffy white clouds. 

 

The soil was covered by the greenest grass he’d ever seen and as if guarding the territory, two sides of the field extended into tall conifers. People strolled from one tent to the other, busy with their daily activities and duties. Nobody really noticed him, and if they did, they showed no sign.

 

The entire scene didn’t resemble modern life at all, it seemed like something out of a movie or a history book, judging by the way they acted and looked like an actual tribe. Well, at least they were humans. People that could be asked for help, hopefully.

 

Two possibilities crossed Izuku’s mind: either he was thrown back in time or thrown somewhere so far away he was probably not even in Japan anymore. Neither was reassuring, though one promised a lot more complications than the other. He didn’t know what he’d do if he truly had gone back in time, but he doubted that to be the case anyway. Should his hypothesis be correct, there were two suns, which meant he was somewhere that wasn’t even Earth to begin with. 

 

Izuku groaned. That was definitely worse than traveling in time. 

 

Scanning the area, Izuku evaluated the place the tribe had decided to settle in. It was a great place if one was to live in the wild. It was on high ground so no surprise attacks. On the front there was a precipice few would dare climb and ever fewer succeed doing so. On the opposing side, there was a tall wall of rock whose top could be used as a vantage point and on the flanks, dense woods hid the campsite away and made entry difficult.  The only thing that was missing was perhaps space for crops, but he supposed they might not need it. They had some livestock and acted normal but Izuku knew not to compare them to people on Earth. 

 

As the surprise from seeing the campsite dwindled, one crucial question struck him: how had he missed this place? He recognized the lake in the distance, he’d once caught fish there. Had he been more out of it than he’d first thought? Delirious with hunger, or inattentive due to exhaustion?

 

“Hey.” A baritone voice pulled Izuku out of his inner ramblings.

 

He turned to the source. 

 

“How are you feeling?” 

 

A familiar blonde with crimson eyes entered his field of view. Where had he come from? Izuku hadn’t heard any footsteps approaching. 

 

Shock and disbelief seized him when he took in the person’s facial features.

 

“Ka-Kacchan?!”  

 

The man raised a brow. 

 

“Who?” 

 

Izuku’s mind reeled with that single, innocent query.

 

As he tried to process the startling situation as well as his own stupefaction, the young hero examined the person he believed to be his childhood friend. Given a bit of attention, certain differences began standing out. 

 

This person had the same handsome face but seemed a bit older. They were taller and broader too, with dense muscles on their frame. Kacchan had only a couple extra inches on him. Meanwhile, Izuku’s full height barely reached the jaw of the man in front of him. 

 

The way he was dressed was also in accordance with the tribal setting: boots, loose pants, dagger at his waist, beaded necklaces and patterned sleeves around his arms. There was even a tattoo on his shoulder, a symbol whose meaning escaped Izuku. The boy tried not to flush when his eyes lingered on the uncovered torso. 

 

Coupled with how they didn’t recognize the old nickname Izuku had come up with, it was safe to assume this person was not who Izuku initially thought he was. 

 

‘But if he’s not Kacchan, then who is he?’  He questioned himself, scrutinizing his appearance even more only to note the crimson eyes had a golden slit on them instead of a round, dark pupil. ‘Why does he look so alike yet so different? What the hell is going on?’  

 

Izuku’s musings spiraled at full speed into pure unease. 

 

“It’s okay, you’re safe. No one will hurt you here.” The man reassured him. His brows were slightly furrowed but the hand that had begun stroking his rebellious, green locks was gentle and kind, which was nothing short of confusing to the smaller boy, though they did help him relax somehow. 

 

‘Kacchan would never be this nice to me, not even if he died and reincarnated.’  

 

Suddenly, Izuku had an epiphany. 

 

He didn’t want to believe what he’d conjured up but it made sense. The two suns, the lack of familiar manmade cities, roads or objects, the tribal campsite, the weird cub, all the weird fruit and animals he’d come across and lastly, a person with the face of his childhood friend. Either he had gone mad or he was in a parallel world. 

 

“Is Kacchan your mate?” 

 

A bewildered pause stretched.

 

“What? No! I don’t have a… a mate .” Izuku didn’t even know what the other meant but he answered anyway. “Kacchan… was my friend a long time ago. Now, we’re something like rivals and stuff but we were getting along better before I came here. So I guess we’re still friends? I don’t know, uh- forget what I said. He's just someone I know.” 

 

The last part of his rambling was nervously mumbled out but the blonde didn’t seem to mind it since he continued the conversation. 

 

“So you really are unmated. Why were you alone? Where did you come from? What’s your name?”

 

Izuku took a moment to wonder what that whole mate thing was and why it mattered. In the end, he decided to answer all the questions, since he also had some of his own to shoot. It’d only be fair that way. 

 

“I’m Midoriya Izuku and I came from Musutafu. I was in the middle of a fight when I got hit with a quirk. Next thing I knew, I woke up in the forest. Where am I, by the way?” 

 

A weird, troubled expression flashed on the man’s face for a second. It appeared to be pity or concern but there wasn’t a way to be sure. 

 

“I’ve never heard of that place, must be really far away. You’re in the land of the Ultar tribe, north of Fire Peaks. Why were you involved in a fight?”

 

Izuku contemplated whether he should tell the truth or avoid the question. Explaining the nature of hero work and his internship as a student was sure to be too complicated or tedious of a task so he opted for a mixture of both. 

 

“There was this group of bad guys… They were hurting people, I had to stop them.” 

 

The man seemed appalled at his words. 

 

“You fought them?!” 

 

Izuku eyed him in confusion. “Yeah. No one else could and those who did hadn’t arrived yet.” 

 

The blonde fell into deep thought, gaze fixed on the dirt floor. Out of nowhere, a caramel scent crept up Izuku’s nostrils but, like the clothing, it didn’t incapacitate him. In fact, it made him worried because, as crazy as it seemed to be, the boy would swear he could taste the tumultuous emotions flashing through the man. There was something about it that differed from the time he’d been high despite the similarity but it evaded Izuku’s understanding. Maybe it was because it didn’t smell as sweet or as rich or as thick. Hell if he knew. 

 

After a moment in silence, crimson eyes locked on green and the young hero found the courage to speak up.

 

“Uh… may I ask who you are?”

 

The scent instantly dissipated. 

 

“I’m Bakugo Katsuki, son of Bakugo Mitsuki from the Dragon Clan.” He promptly replied. 

 

Any doubts he still harbored were erased with the introduction, Izuku truly was in a parallel universe. 

 

‘Was that the villain’s quirk? Then, I’m…  Am I permanently stuck here? Is there a way to go back? Think, Izuku, think!’

 

The tall Katsuki hadn’t seemed out of the loop when he’d mentioned quirks. Perhaps quirks existed in that world too. If that were the case, he could try to find someone with a similar quirk to send him back. 

 

The problem was that it was too risky and nothing guaranteed success of any kind. No one in Japan had known the villain’s ‘disappearing quirk’ sent people to parallel worlds, none of them had come back. It could happen that he’d find someone in that place whose quirk was at first glance similar in the way it made people and objects vanish but instead of sending them to another world, it would actually erase their existence. On another note, even if the quirk did its job, was there a way to control it and choose which world it’d send Izuku? Surely there would be more than a single universe he could land on. Was he to jump from world to world in hopes of eventually finding his own? Was that even feasible?

 

‘I am completely and utterly fucked, aren’t I?’  The hero concluded, gritting his teeth in terror. ‘No one came back and I’m not going to either... Fuck me sideways with a toaster, shit…’

 

“Is there something wrong? What are you thinking about?” 

 

Izuku shifted his focus to regard the other male.

 

Strangely enough, a tiny voice in the back of his head begged to hug him in search of comfort, an unprecedented phenomenon. Izuku had never had a similar urge toward his childhood friend, granted this was a copy and not the one he knew. 

 

Still, it was no less weird and awkward so he promptly pushed the idea away.

 

“You were the one who found me in the forest, right?” 

 

Katsuki hummed out a quick agreement and for a split second, Izuku recalled the time he’d been naked in the cave. He forced a blush down and ignored the growing embarrassment.  

 

“Do you have a quirk? Also… umm...my clothes, where are they?” 

 

A proud smirk appeared on Katsuki’s lips. He lifted his hands to show sparks appearing on his palms. “Yeah, explosions.”

 

Izuku halted. ‘The quirks are the same?’ 

 

That was really valuable information. 

 

“Also, your clothes are being washed right now. You can have them back later, but I’d honestly prefer it if you kept wearing mine.” 

 

The oddity of the request almost left Izuku in a daze.

 

“Huh?” He croaked out. “What? Why? Is there a problem with my clothes?”

 

“They’re ugly.” 

 

Of course that’d be the reason, Izuku thought. He hadn’t known what he was expecting but parallel words aside, this was still Kacchan and Kacchan wasn’t nice. Nor polite. He’d nearly forgotten that after the affectionate way he was touched, treated and talked to. 

 

Just as Izuku was about to retaliate to the mean comment, he caught a fond chuckle coming from the tall boy, along with something he never knew he’d ever get to hear. 

 

“Plus, I like it when you smell like me. It’ll keep you safe too.” He’d said before approaching Izuku and grabbing the collar of the tunic to rub on his own neck. Izuku was red in a heartbeat. 

 

Caramel travelled through the air and swallowed the both of them. Similar to the first time in the forest, though not potent enough to turn Izuku into a ragdoll, it sneaked itself in and traveled along his system to melt his brain; made him want to be at the mercy of the blonde, be beneath him again, bare his neck, be bitten.    

 

‘What am I even th- ?’

 

Izuku felt the faint beginnings of the same warmth and coziness from the other times he’d been high. He could still think and move but he didn’t trust the scent so this time around, while he had the opportunity, he stopped himself from slipping and immediately backed away along the mountain wall. Getting away felt horrible, he wanted to stay with the blonde. Katsuki’s presence was so pleasantly domineering it whispered irresistible promises of security and happiness to him.

 

‘But to what extent are these my own feelings and not the scent’s manipulative effects?’ He mused. 

 

Meanwhile, Katsuki seemed perplexed at the abnormal behaviour but his expression soon turned serious. He took three steps back and sat on the ground. 

 

“Izuku, why are you trying to get away? What’s wrong? Can you tell me?” 

 

In the distance, Izuku realized his attempt to disengage from the scent had been futile, it clung to the fabric and followed after him. Fortunately, it was less intense without the blond near. 

 

He tried to push the comfortable warmth away from his mind- he could still think, he was fine. Izuku was fine. He hadn’t slipped into a high. He was fine. 

 

So he responded truthfully. 

 

“Your scent is too strong, it makes me feel weird.” 

 

“Do you not like my scent?” Katsuki tried not to sound disappointed. 

 

“No, uh. It… it’s the opposite, actually. I love it, it’s so sweet and nice, but it makes me feel and think things I don’t usually feel nor think.” Izuku blushed during his confession. Maybe he’d been a tad bit too honest. “I’m afraid of losing myself.”

 

A moment of silence passed as Katsuki dwelled on something unknown to bystanders. 

 

“I’m sorry, I did something insensitive. I won’t release my scent so easily around you anymore so you can relax.” 

 

Then, the topless man rose and entered the cave. 

 

‘He apologized?’  That definitely wasn’t the Kaachan Izuku knew. ‘He listened, understood my concern and apologized. I can barely believe this.’

 

Within a minute, the blond came back with another tunic in his hand and threw it to him. 

 

“Change into that, it’s clean.”

 

Izuku gladly followed the orders through and handed the worn article to its original owner, who promptly gave it to someone else once he’d indicated it was to wash. 

 

After taking care of that matter, Katsuki turned to him. 

 

“I’m going to get us some food for lunch.” He explained. “Can you wait for me in my den or would you feel more comfortable eating somewhere else?” 

 

Izuku tilted his head. “Den?” 

 

Katsuki signaled to the cave with a swift nod. 

 

“Oh! Yes, of course. That’s totally fine.” 

 

“Can you walk back on your own?”

 

Izuku stared at crimson. ‘Isn’t he being too caring? Or is this just how Kacchan is like in this world?’

 

Nonetheless, deep down Izuku liked it. This version of Kacchan was a really nice person. He had a feeling they would get along well in the long run. 

 

“I can, don’t worry. I’m fine.” 

 

“I saw the bruises. If you’re in pain or need help, you can always tell me.”

 

“I will, thank you.” Izuku gave a sheepish smile to Katsuki and watched him leave. 

 

His heart squeezed at the sight but he forced his legs to power through the weakness and take him back to the bed of furs, all the while having half a mind to interrogate the blond about his body odor and its effects. Was what he’d gone through normal? Was it normal to crave a certain scent and presence as badly as he did? And could Katsuki, indeed, control his scent like he’d said he’d do? He’d never heard of anything of the sort, it seemed insane. Then again, in his world nobody had much of a scent to begin with, so Izuku guessed he’d have to adapt. 

 

‘Talking about adapting… I have to come to terms with the fact that I might have to live here for the rest of my life… What should I do?’

 

Izuku curled up in Katsuki’s bed and draped a blanket over himself before bringing his legs to his chest and hugging them. He sighed. 

 

The entirety of his life as far as he had memories, Izuku’s dream had been to become a hero and help people. He’d gone through so, so much before a single glimpse of hope appeared. 

 

At last, he’d gained a quirk and the opportunity to study in UA, to get stronger, to fight and save. It’d taken so long to control his quirk but he’d managed it after drowning himself in training and pushing his limits over and over again. Against all odds, he’d risen and was finally going somewhere only for it all to be stripped away in an instant.

 

Needless to say, Izuku felt lost. Empty. 

 

The people back home must be worried about him, he supposed. ‘Do they think I died?’ 

 

And maybe he had. 

 

Hero Deku could be no more in that world, where society as he knew it didn’t exist. Izuku knew it was a dangerous lifestyle from the start, he knew the possibility of death was very real. However, to live on after being ‘killed’, with the full awareness of his situation and his impotence regarding it was a special kind of torture no one should go through. Cruel to its roots.

 

Honestly, it shouldn’t be surprising that Izuku had gotten this kind of fate. He’d never been a lucky kid.

 

A sarcastic snort echoed through the silent cave. 

 

Eventually, his internal monologue drifted to the mental image of his parents. How were they? 

 

The former hero observed the light coming from the entrance. 

 

Did they exist in this world as well? 

 

Did they have a son of their own? 

 

He sighed. The depressing and frustrating reverie he’d fallen into was quickly becoming something Izuku wanted to escape. He was sick and tired of it all, he just wanted to go home.

 

Dull pain slowly demanded his attention. It had always been there, the boy had just pretended it hadn’t. His damaged knee wasn’t as swollen that day but it still ached and, truth be told, Izuku had barely managed to stay upright during his conversation with Katsuki. He’d felt a bit faint the entire time too.   

 

The injuries he sustained in that fight with the villains half a month prior hadn’t healed yet, much to his puzzlement and annoyance. The cuts had been shallow and those closed on the first few days but the other lesions and bruises from the blows he’d received had kept growing darker and more painful at first- and after reaching a deep purple tenderness, their recovery had been excruciatingly slow. Whether it was due to the lack of medical assistance or because of a lack of food wasn’t clear. In retrospect, Recovery Girl’s quirk truly was convenient- and dearly missed by Izuku.

 

Two torches were quietly hung on the walls of the cavern and set on fire. 

 

Under the warm light that filled the space, Izuku saw not just Katsuki but also the cub from the previous day. It hurried to him and latched onto his face, digging its tiny, blunt claws on his temples, chirping. 

 

“You!” Izuku let out a meaningless accusation. Before he lost his lucidity the other time, he remembered the cub had led what he’d believed was his mother to his hideout. Turned out, it’d been a person so Izuku wasn’t sure if he should thank it despite the initial panic he’d felt as well as the subsequent high.  

 

“He couldn’t wait anymore to meet you so I brought him along, hope you don’t mind.” Katsuki said as he set down a bag on the ground and came closer to the nest. There was a wide tray in his hands and it supported two bowls as well as a big plate of different meats. It even had some nuts, bread and cheese to accompany it. 

 

Katsuki plopped down in front of Izuku and watched the boy cuddle the cub after moving it to his lap. 

 

“You know this creature?” 

 

The blonde raised an eyebrow and then smirked. “Of course I know him, he’s my little brother.”

 

Izuku choked on air. “Brother?!” 

 

Katsuki seemed amused by his reaction but just proceeded to hand him a bowl of soup and a spoon to dig in, receiving a shy ‘thank you’ in return. 

 

“Pups from my clan can’t control their shape-shifting very well when they’re young so they spend most of their time in dragon form since it's easier and more comfortable. I used to be like that too, until I learned how to stay in human form.”

 

“You are both part dragon?” 

 

“Are you an idiot? What did you think I meant when I said that I was from the Dragon Clan?”  

 

There it was- the sharp tongue Kacchan had been infamous for. Although Katsuki was much more mellow and thoughtful, certain things didn’t change, it seemed.

 

“Uh… Well, I didn’t expect you to be actual dragons. I never knew they existed.” Because they didn’t. In Izuku’s world.

 

Getting used to the parallel reality would certainly be quite the challenge, he could already sense it. 

 

Katsuki snorted, eyes suddenly going cold for the first time since they’d met. The change was jarring and made Izuku aware of how warm-hearted he’d been so far. He regretted his comment a bit, he hadn't meant to upset such a nice guy and he definitely didn’t want to be at the receiving end of said anger either. 

 

“There’s few of us but we’re not extinct. I won’t let that happen.” He looked deeply into Izuku’s emerald eyes for a brief moment before his stare locked on his neck. “Speaking of which…” 

 

Flustered by the intense gaze, the proximity of their bodies and how intimate it all felt, Izuku quickly scrambled to start eating his share of soup. 

 

“Earlier, you said you didn’t have a mate.” Katsuki interrupted his speech to take a bite of meat. “I’m planning to court you, is that ok with you?” 

 

Izuku halted his actions, confused. “What do you mean?” 

 

“I want to be your mate.” He simply stated.

 

Izuku choked again, but this time on soup. Then, he blushed furiously. 

 

“What?! Why?” 

 

That was already the second time the blonde had brought up the whole ‘mate’ topic. Just how important was it, really? 

 

“I am officially of age, which means I need to find a mate to settle down with and continue my lineage. I can’t participate in the Tournament without being mated either.” 

 

The brief explanation only raised more questions in Izuku’s mind. 

 

“So you’re saying you want to have children.” 

 

“Right now I’m just looking for a partner, but yeah. In the future I’ll try for children too.” Katsuki explained as he kept eating. “I told you, I won’t let my dragon blood die.” 

 

The statement made sense but Izuku still didn’t understand the situation. 

 

“Why me, then? I’m a man.” 

 

Two men couldn’t possibly have children together and that was without counting the fact that Izuku didn’t swing that way, no matter how attractive Katsuki was. In fact, the idea of them getting together short-circuited his brain since Kacchan had never been more than a friend to him- and that was on good days. 

 

Lost in the stupor induced by the caramel scent, he’d gladly accepted the intimacy of being naked and cuddled but, as sober as he was in that moment, being that close to Katsuki would just be incredibly awkward. 

 

On the other hand, Izuku had caught himself craving the man earlier, he’d wanted to be closer to him, dominated down to his bare psyche. His brain had done that thing the previous night too, equating domination with protection. Almost as if being under Katsuki’s control alone would guarantee him happiness and safety for life. Feelings like those were completely new and unprecedented. Izuku still hadn’t figured out why he’d wanted to be bitten. The one thing he did know was that he was influenced by the scent and that changed everything. 

 

To what extent were his desires valid when there was an important factor manipulating them? 

 

Izuku was glad Katsuki was keeping his scent as faint as possible, though he could still sense it if he breathed in deep enough. It truly swayed him in a way nothing else could, uncovered deep and dark urges and filled him to the brim with uncertainty. 

 

What he felt seemed closer to instinct than just artificial and temporary illusions or actual conscious wants, but there was no way to ascertain anything. Regardless, he wouldn’t act upon it. Sex with his childhood friend was weird, after all, and he’d never be able to give him any children to begin with.

 

Katsuki raised an eyebrow. 

 

“So what? You have a womb as well, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man.” 

 

Izuku nearly spat out the food in his mouth.

 

“Woah, wait a minute, what?” He waved his arms in front of him. “What are you on about?! I don’t have a womb, that’s impossible.” 

 

Bafflement took over both males, neither understood the other. 

 

Katsuki’s eyes lingered on Izuku’s abdomen. He came closer and slipped his hand under Izuku’s tunic to rest it on the lower part of it. 

 

“You do have a womb, though.” He put pressure on a certain spot and looked at the boy’s round, innocent eyes. “Right here.” 

 

Izuku turned beet red at the touch and swiftly brushed it away. It’d caused butterflies in his stomach but he wasn’t about to admit that.

 

“I…” He fumbled around but words didn’t form in his mouth. 

 

Common sense dictated that men couldn’t possibly have children, for they had no wombs, but that was back in Izuku’s world. Could he apply the same logic in that new place? 

 

“How do you know that?” Izuku blurted out. 

 

“Your scent, obviously.” The dragon hybrid replied. He pressed his nose to Izuku’s neck and took a long inhale. His golden pupils dilated and glowed before they returned to their original slitted shape. “You smell mostly sick, hurt and weak but underneath all that I can sense your own unique scent. The scent of a very fertile mate.” 

 

The two locked eyes with each other for a second and Izuku nearly combusted. 

 

“Y-You can smell the state my body is in?” He managed to ask after fighting with his embarrassment for a break. 

 

“Yeah, that’s normal. We have scent glands for a reason.” 

 

Izuku remembered the bumps Katsuki had stroked the previous night and his hand unconsciously went up to feel them. True to Katsuki’s words, two glands were nestled in the sides of his neck, only noticeable if they were poked and kneaded. Shivers ran down Izuku’s spine, touching them felt amazing for some reason. He wondered when they’d appeared, how and why. Those weren’t there before. 

 

‘But if I have these things, that means…I might very well have a womb too...’ He paled at the thought. 

 

Nothing made sense anymore. Wasn’t he a normal human male? What had happened to him? Was this also the result of the villain’s quirk? Had his body just adapted to this world or something?

 

Izuku stopped short. 

 

Of course. Adaptation. That might have been it. 

 

Humans’s special ability before the appearance of quirks was their adaptability and versatility. They thrived in different environments because they changed according to what was around them. For example, should Earth’s gravity get any stronger, they’d grow bigger muscles to be able to move around. Could it be possible that Izuku had gone through a similar process to survive in the foreign world he’d ended up in?

 

Notwithstanding the argument’s logic, for growing muscles and growing completely new organs from scratch were too different in essence, the latter still seemed impossible. Inconceivable. Doubts festered inside Izuku. Was his theory really right? It didn’t seem the least bit likely but he had proof. The scent glands.

 

Their existence within Izuku’s body was undeniable, which meant he had no choice but to believe in the blonde’s words and their implications. He was a part of that parallel reality already and had to accept his new identity. Going back and continuing his journey to become a hero was not an option anyway.  At least, not a viable one. 

 

So he was a man, a man with a womb apparently. A man the half dragon version of Bakugo Katsuki, his childhood friend turned rival, wanted to partner with and impregnate. 

 

It was difficult but Izuku, at last, found in himself a piece of sanity to cling onto and articulate words with.

 

“I bet there’s plenty of... fertile people around.”  

 

“Not as fertile as you.” Katsuki went back to eating his meal.

 

Meanwhile, Izuku had lost his appetite. The pup on his lap had long since fallen asleep.

 

“You said I smelled sick.”

 

“You do, but I can nurse you back to health.” 

 

Izuku didn’t know how to feel about anything anymore. Had he become a walking womb in the span of a conversation?

 

“If you don’t want to be courted, all you have to do is say.” 

 

The green haired boy fixed his attention on crimson, astonished. 

 

“I like you so I won’t give up but if you talk to me I can tune into your emotions and change my behaviour to suit your needs. Above all else, you're my future mate, the person I’ll love with all my heart so I want to give you the best life I can. I don’t trust anyone else to treat you as well as I know I can.” 

 

The arrogant selfishness in Katsuki’s words reminded Izuku so much of his Kacchan it left him in a daze at first. Then, came the disappointment since Katsuki had openly admitted he wouldn’t respect his decision, should he choose to reject him.

 

Finally, the reality of the confession hit Izuku hard and painted his cheeks a deep red. It’d been so honest and straight-forward, with a promising and earnest kindness hidden beneath the selfish facade, that he was left speechless and Katsuki must’ve observed the chaos in his face or maybe smelt it, because he merely gave Izuku a smirk and continued talking. 

 

“Prepare yourself.” He said. “I won’t stop until you fall in love with me too.”

 

Even if preparation were possible, Izuku didn’t know how he should go about it. He fumbled with his words. 

 

Noticing his distress, Katsuki tried to divert the conversation. “The food will get cold, you should finish eating now.” 

 

Izuku obeyed and they both ate in silence until nothing was left.

 

Not wanting things to get awkward, the former hero swallowed his nervousness. “Uh… The tournament thing you mentioned... what’s that about?”

 

“It's a competition to determine who’ll be the next Chief of our tribe, it happens every three years. Last time, I was sixteen so the next will be held within a year.”

 

“You want to be the Chief?” Izuku asked in awe. “Why?” 

 

Katsuki moved to put the bowls and plate back in the tray as he replied. 

 

“I’m from the Dragon Clan but this tribe is my home, I’ve grown up here and know everyone. I want to see them well.” And he’d do anything to make that happen.

 

Ambitious, determined, passionate and ultimately benevolent. Perhaps Katsuki wasn’t too different from Kacchan, Izuku mused. 

 

His chest throbbed with admiration, the same admiration he’d directed at Kacchan in the past- though at the time it hadn't been sprinkled with a little bit of something more that Izuku couldn’t comprehend yet. 

 

Listening to the blonde’s aspiration made Izuku want to help him. He couldn’t be a hero anymore, but he could contribute to Katsuki and his people’s happiness and maybe that’d be a fulfilling way of life as well. 

 

As fast as the thought came, Izuki shook his head.

 

‘He literally wants me to have his children. I must be going insane. There has to be another way of helping.’

 

“I’m taking the dishes away, be right back.” Katsuki declared. “If you want dessert, there’s fruit in the bag by the nest.” 

 

‘Nest? Does he mean the bed?’

 

True to his word, the bag on the floor was filled with all kinds of different fruits, some of which Izuku recognized from his time in the forest. 

 

Before the boy could say anything, Katsuki left.

 


 

The morning of that day had been eventful. Izuku could barely wrap his head around what’d unfolded, not to mention the realizations he’d had as well as Katsuki’s sudden confession. Fortunately, the rest of the day was serene enough for him to recover from the chaos in his mind. 

 

Awake, Katsuki’s cute little brother- Asahi was his name- proved to be a very playful and energetic pup. It warmed Izuku’s soul like nothing else could, though he soon was forced to return to his mother’s side. It seemed dragon pups (and adults as well) were strong and very much feared so they didn’t really have to worry about anything, Katsuki had told him all creatures knew to stay away and not attack. Nonetheless, Asahi was still young and needed to be cared for accordingly.

 

After lunch, Izuku was first taken to see a healer who tended to his wounds and gave him some herbs to rub on the bruises as well as leaves to make tea with. Tea made with those specific plants would boost his immune system and speed his recovery, or so he’d been explained. 

 

Then, the two went on a stroll around the campsite and Izuku was introduced by Katsuki to his friends, one by one, in an effort to integrate him into the tribe. They were all people Izuku recognized from his own world- Kaminari, Mina, Sero, Kirishima. He wondered if his other classmates were there too, preoccupied with their own lives. If there were, he hoped he’d get the chance to meet them.

 

The personalities and quirks of the classmates he’d conversed with didn’t appear to be any different from their original counterparts, but Izuku hadn’t spent enough time with them to make any good judgment yet. For example, Katsuki had appeared like a totally contrasting person in the beginning but after a lengthy conversation, he’d seen the similarity to Kacchan, so first impressions were clearly not very reliable. The only obvious difference he could pinpoint was their scent. Some smelled milder than others but they all had a specific scent that was neither pleasant nor unpleasant- nor as sweet and powerful as Katsuki's. 

 

Regardless, it was nice to be able to see their familiar faces again. Reassuring. 

 

In a way, it made him feel as if he still had a place he belonged to in spite of having been snatched away from his hometown. 

 

When Katsuki noticed the exhaustion in Izuku’s steps, including the slight shaking and slumped shoulders, he tried to take him back to the cave and make him rest while Katsuki would go train. However, Izuku kept insisting he was fine and forcefully followed the blonde all the way to the training grounds on the other side of the mountain, where the warriors of the tribe spent time perfecting their fighting skills as well as their expertise with various weapons or their own quirk. 

 

The taller boy had begrudgingly let Izuku come with him but on the condition that he’d obey every given order, which was why Izuku soon found himself plopped down on a cushiony pillow and wrapped in a fluffy cotton blanket like a kid, munching on some sacks while he watched the other men and women spar. 

 

Truthfully, Izuku hadn’t wanted to stay in the sidelines and watch from afar the matches Katsuki partook. He wanted to participate.

 

Hero classes seemed like a far away reality and he missed them. He needed some physical activity. However, his body was a hindrance. The occasion he’d faltered and fallen, only to be picked up by Katsuki and taken to the training grounds held like a bride had been humiliating enough for Izuku to know better. He had to wait, get better and then kick Katsuki’s ass. 

 

Those beautiful crimson eyes lit up in arrogant mirth after every victory against his pals. How Izuku wished to see that look vanish once he didn’t give the other the satisfaction of winning. The boy could hardly wait, he mused as he chewed on a handful of nuts. 

 

The next short break the sparring men took, Izuku approached the two for there was something that sparked his curiosity.

 

“Hello, um… I’m Izuku, nice to meet you!” He introduced himself to the man beside Katsuki, who he didn’t recognize from his past world. 

 

“Hi, Izuku. I’m Nagi, the pleasure’s mine.” Nagi smiled brightly and chuckled. “What do I owe your enthusiasm to?”

 

“Oh, I, uh- I just saw your match and was wondering how you were able to remain uninjured after taking explosions to the face. Is that your quirk? It didn’t look like you have any type of hardening so it has to be something else, what is it?” 

 

Izuku’s eager query earned him an amused laugh. 

 

“You’re right, it is my quirk.” Nagi replied. “I can create air bubbles that manipulate light, so it looks like I’m getting hit but I’m actually somewhere else. What you saw was just an illusion, a trick of lighting.”

 

“Woah… that’s amazing!” Awe shimmered in Izuku’s eyes, his obsession with heroes and quirks making him mentally explore and analyse the implications of such a power. 

 

“Yeah, it is.” Katsuki chimed in. “It’s thanks to this guy our tribe is always safe.” 

 

“...Because he created a barrier around the village…” Izuku whispered, mostly to himself, once realization hit him.

 

Well, that explained why he hadn’t noticed them previously. It made sense, if he thought about it: in a primitive setting, where even dragons existed, you wouldn’t want to make your home stand out. It would only attract danger.

 

“You’re smart.” Nagi complimented, proud fondness evident in the expression of his face. 

 

“Hey.” Katsuki diverted his friend’s attention. “Out time is up. Next round, bubble man.”

 

Then he turned to Izuku and ordered him to go back to the sidelines.

 

Afternoon soon turned to evening as the sun sunk into the horizon and the three males had dinner around the village’s campfire, accompanied by the rest of Katsuki’s friends. They had some harmless banter and shared funny stories of their childhood before Izuku had yet another realization. 

 

He waited until they finished their meals to tug Katsuki to a secluded area.

 

“Uh…I have a question…” 

 

Met by silence, Izuku assumed the dragonkin was listening and promptly continued his speech.

 

“Where am I going to stay for the night? Can I even stay here?” 

 

The topic of primitive lifestyles and customs was fairly cryptic in itself, not much was known nor could have been known to begin with, especially considering it was a primitive tribe from a parallel universe. However, there was one thing Izuku did know, courtesy of history classes: tribes were usually exclusive. They didn’t accept outsiders very well. Everyone had been nice to Izuku so far, given him food and medicine, but he couldn’t be sure whether they’d accept him or send him away. 

 

“Where did you stay last night?” Katsuki smirked. 

 

“The cave…” Izuku replied. “But isn’t that your place?”

 

“It is.” He said as he invaded Izuku’s personal space with his towering frame and hooked his muscular arms around the smaller boy’s waist. “But it’ll be yours too in the future so make yourself at home, greenie.”

 

Izuku flushed and his heart pounded hard, their faces were so close he could feel Katsuki’s breath. Trying his best to avoid eye contact, he pushed the blonde away but he merely tightened his hold. 

 

“Stay still.” He said. 

 

However, Izuku only gave up once he came to the conclusion he truly wouldn’t be able to escape the firm yet loving embrace. He was an absolute nervous wreck. 

 

When he felt the resistance fade from the boy’s body, Katsuki leaned down to rub his cheek on wavy hair for a brief moment. Then, one of his hands came up to cradle the head and pull on its green locks to tilt it up. 

 

“It’s only been a day but you’re getting better.” He commented after sniffing the scent glands nestled in the exposed neck. 

 

“I-Is that so?” Was the reply given. 

 

Much to Izuku’s growing panic, the next moment he felt a wet sensation on his throat along with the gentle nibbling of teeth. Pleasure shot up his back and heated Izuku up like a furnace from the inside out. His face was as red as a tomato.

 

“What are you doing?” He managed to squeak out, voice tiny and nails digging into broad shoulders.

 

“Helping you.” 

 

“Huh?!”

 

“Your glands are very swollen, that’s a bad sign.” Katsuki explained. “They might burst if you don’t drain them.” 

 

Izuku would’ve paled at the new information if the intimacy and the intense chills didn’t threaten him with the possibility of a growing erection. Those glands were way too sensitive for their own good. 

 

There was little caramel around but Izuku felt his mind dull a bit nonetheless. He resisted both that and the heat pooling in his nether regions the best he could.

 

Under his jaw, Katsuki snickered quietly to himself and continued his ministrations.

 

“You need to start releasing your scent more. It’s because you’re always keeping it in that you’re like this.”  

 

“As if I can control that!” The shorter boy retaliated, powered by outrage despite the sensations rippling through him- he hadn’t even known he had scent glands until that day. 

 

“You can’t?” Skepticism laced Katsuki’s voice. 

 

“Of course not, nobody taught me how to!” 

 

“What a pity.” He mocked. “Guess you’re gonna have to let me suck on them everyday, then.” 

 

Izuku could feel the mischievous grin against his throat. The audacity of the prick, he thought. 

 

“Or! You can stop harassing me and teach it instead.”  The spiteful words formed on Izuku’s tongue all on their own.

 

The persistent teasing was becoming unbearable and he wanted out before something very bad happened. Izuku tussled.

 

Thankfully, Katsuki decided to let him go.

 

“Sure.”

 


 

Within the safety and privacy of the den where the duo had retired for the night, the lessons began. 

 

A thick curtain hung from the ceiling. The tribe was mostly respectful of the other members’ private time and didn’t pry or eavesdrop but Katsuki still felt he needed the extra barrier, at least from then on. Sharing the space with the person he wanted to claim awakened in him the eons old instinct to hide his future mate away and he could do little to resist it. Plus, the curtain offered some insulation from the cold and the murmuring noises coming from outside, which was crucial in the recovery of a malnourished and feeble person whose sole goal should be to rest well. 

 

Candles made of animal fat provided enough light for the lessons to start. 

 

“Are you comfortable?” Katsuki asked as he enveloped Izuku in the warmest furs and blankets he owned. Nights tended to get to glacial temperatures in the mountains, after all. 

 

He got a sheepish laugh in return. “Yes, don’t worry. You don’t have to treat me like a kid.” 

 

“You are a kid. Worse than a kid, actually. Kids know how to let out their scent.” Katsuki’s lips stretched into a teasing grin. However, he stopped his smothering and sat himself down on the nest as well.

 

Izuku pouted.

 

“That’s not my fault!” 

 

“Doesn’t matter whose fault it is, still can’t do it.” 

 

Displeased, Izuku untangled an arm from the covers to punch Katsuki’s chest. It was light, playful, but it got his point across- he was not to be mocked for that specific issue. “Just get on with it!” 

 

“It shouldn’t be too difficult.” Katsuki turned toward the big human bundle beside him. It was a wonder how he wasn’t bothered by the chill that’d fallen upon the land along with the sun. 

 

Perhaps it was due to his dragon side, Izuku reckoned. Rather than freezing as one would have expected, Katsuki had been nearly boiling hot when Izuku’s fist had come into contact with the skin of the uncovered torso. Faint envy settled in his gut whenever Izuku remembered what he’d lost in comparison to that the blond possessed. He’d never had as much muscle as Katsuki but it was a worthy amount of its own and he’d worked hard for it, so it was saddening that he didn’t have it anymore. 

 

Izuku pushed those feelings away and concentrated on the instructions given to him.

 

“You just have to relax. Picture your glands opening up.” Katsuki explained. 

 

It took a few frustrated attempts but Izuku eventually managed to do it, if the increasingly moist feeling on his neck was anything to go by. He grazed his skin and collected some of the substance on his fingers for closer inspection. The liquid was clear and slippery, not too unlike drool. 

 

As it dripped down his collarbone, the cave filled up with an earthy scent Izuku immediately recognized. It was the same smell that, along with sweat, had made him think he was disgustingly dirty weeks prior, driving him to take a bath every chance he got. Not that it stank, it didn’t. In fact, it was rather pleasant, if not refreshing. What had put Izuku off was the sheer intensity of it. His body odor had never been strong and even when it was, he usually couldn’t tell because people can’t smell their own selves. At least in the world he came from, they couldn’t, no matter how normal it was in that parallel reality to have a scent as well as what appeared to be sharper olfactory senses, though that last bit was just the boy’s guess. 

 

Izuku wondered just when his body had begun changing. The body odor had become too overbearing by the end of the first week in the forest but by then the glands had to be fully formed. It’d been a silent process but in retrospective, the soreness he conjured up to battle injuries should’ve been an indication. 

 

The showers he’d taken couldn’t erase his scent, only dull it temporarily. However, at some point he’d failed to notice, the odor had disappeared for the most part and an intense itch had replaced the previous soreness over the following days. 

 

The significance of it all had escaped Izuku at the time. 

 

When caramel wafted in the air, timid and almost imperceptible, Izuku turned his focus from his introspection to Katsuki. The blonde was looking at him through golden eyes rimmed by red, glazed and a bit lost as they stared intently at Izuku’s lips. Despite the aloof and unaware look on his face, almost as if he wasn’t entirely present or in control, the man’s body posture was clearly tense and indicated great self-restraint. Calloused hands had balled into fists with the effort it took to keep his last semblance of sanity but Katsuki was ready to pounce despite them.  

 

Sensing something would happen if he didn’t act fast, Izuku worked out a diversion. “How did you smell me if I was keeping it all in?”

 

Vaguely, he wondered if his scent was making Katsuki feel something similar to what he felt when he breathed caramel into his lungs.

 

Golden eyes locked on Izuku, attentive. They made him vulnerable with the intensity. 

 

After some time, Katsuki found the use of his vocal cords and tried his best to talk, albeit in a low, raspy and somewhat pained tone. 

 

“They... were overflowing so I-... I could smell you if I got close enough.” 

 

Katsuki seemed at war with an entity of discarnate nature, he’d begun twitching and shaking his head. He gripped his own biceps and gouged them for purchase.

 

After a final conflicted glance thrown at Izuku, his restraint broke and he slowly inched closer, pushing the apprehensive boy down to his back. Though he kept his own scent under tight wraps, Katsuki allowed himself to get a taste of indulgent earthiness. He lapped at Izuku’s neck, sucked, licked, nipped and drank like a parched man.

 

Meanwhile, the protests on the tip of Izuku’s tongue dissolved when he felt his glands being stimulated and drained of their pheromone infused juice. His head swam in debilitating bliss and he lost any will to resist at having his weak spot mercilessly explored and exploited.  

 

He wanted it. More and more. 

 

He wanted Katsuki to hold him close, caress his waist, spread his thighs and take him. The teasing of teeth reawakened his desire to feel them pierce through his skin into his flesh. He wanted the pain, it seemed none but necessary in that moment. The searing pain of being claimed and devoured. Dismantled to his most elemental pieces, rearranged and put back together however Katsuki pleased. 

 

A wild, inescapable urge to be dominated and owned seized Izuku. Heat stirred his insides, pooling in his pelvis. 

 

He needed Katsuki, needed him deep within. Needed him to fill not just his body but also his heart and soul, mess him up so much that he wouldn’t be able to even cry out any more.

 

The solid weight pinning him to the nest was comforting and arousing instead of restrictive or unsettling. Izuku didn’t want the option of running away anyway and even if he had it, he would merely throw it to the gods. Almost like air, he needed Katsuki. All of him. 

 

Sharp fangs trailed over the exposed throat and claiming venom dripped onto the unblemished, creamy expanse of skin. If injected directly into a scent gland, the pheromones in the venom would permanently tarnish the claimed, mixing their scent with that of their mate and making it so the body of the claimed would only accept to be impregnated by the seed of one person and one person only- the person who’d claimed them. The offspring of any other individual with different pheromones and DNA would be barred from nestling in the womb and taking root- though this was all information the green haired boy would discover much later.

 

Izuku raised an arm, ran his fingers through blond locks and melted into the nest below.

 

“Katsuki…” He breathed out, a content sigh that was closer to sounding like a shy moan. 

 

Suddenly, everything halted. 

 

The dragonkin lurched backwards, away from the other boy. His forearm was caught between strong mandibles and bled from where it’d fiercely been bitten in an effort to regain composure. Katsuki regarded Izuku with terror, guilt and regret. The entirety of his body shook and trembled like a leaf.

 

“I-I’m… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” He croaked out in a feeble and unstable whisper, seeming close to tears before he fled into the moonless night, apology unheard. 

 

Dazed, Izuku sat up and let the blankets fall from his frame. The pain of abandonment flashed through him like a hot iron spear, it punctured his chest and contaminated him with feelings of inadequacy. Why had Katsuki left? Did he not like Izuku anymore? Was he not satisfied? Was Izuku not enough?  

 

Reason told him not to pursue the blonde, no matter how much he wanted to. It would be a bad idea and the blond wouldn’t want to be around him to begin with- he had run to be away. 

 

Hurtful, lonely and worried thoughts kept sleep at bay that night, not too dissimilar from when Izuku was alone and lost in the forest, prisoner to horrible insomnias. 

Notes:

So... this chapter was 9K words long (the first one was only 4k), did you like it? Just fyi, I was actually planning to post the first 13K of the fic all at once, in one big chapter, but I decided against it because I felt people would get overwhelmed quickly :P
Let me know it you prefer longer or shorter chapters.

Also, there's a reason why Izuku became an omega in specific and I think y'all should know of it.

Truth is, Izuku could've easily become an alpha: he's strong, determined and protective of those he loves (and everyone else, really). However, during the most crutial part of the adaptation process his body had to go through to survive after he entered the parallel world, he failed to take care of himself properly. Izuku was nearing his death and his body knew that, which is why it instead became something that other people wanted to take care of: an omega. It was his body's (only) way of ensuring survival in the face of Izuku's negligence.
Please note, this is unrealistic. In a real-life scenario Izuku wouldn't have grown new organs (he would've died because of unknown diseases his immune system wasn't prepared to deal with), but for the sake of the fic... u gotta do whachu gotta do ;9

Anyhow, thank you for all the support so far! It means a lot for me, I'm really grateful :D Let me know what I could improve or add to the story in the comments below
Stay awesome, babieeeeesssss <3

Ps: someone asked me if I planned to update on a schedule and to that I will say: nope. I'm an impulsive writer as well as picky when it comes to wording/flow/character development/plot holes/etc so I will only update when I feel the story is ready to be read (which is why I spent around half a month to write some of it before finally posting).

Chapter 3: Acceptance

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Katsuki’s whereabouts were a mystery the rest of the night. 

 

However, once morning came, Asahi waddled into the cave and joyfully joined Izuku in the nest as the boy processed the latest happenings through what he hoped was a more neutral, rational lens, no matter the restlessness and fatigue in his system. 

 

None of the cute distractions sent his way wavered his introspective frenzy, yet even after countless rounds of contemplation, rummaging his memories, tapping into undwelved depths of his identity and, once nothing else worked, some soul-searching, Izuku still hadn’t found any answers. There was nothing that could account for the sudden lust he’d felt. It had come to him as naturally as breathing and it made sense. But it didn’t. 

 

Distress seeped into Izuku’s scent and sensing it, Asahi nuzzled his warm chest underneath the covers and cooed in hopes of cheering him up a bit, though it had little success for the former hero was too lost in thought to pay any mind to the affectionate gesture. 

 

Within his mind, there was only confusion, sadness, disappointment and to a certain extent, shame that could be neither explained nor justified. His sense of identity was in shambles due to all the evasive feelings and queries he harbored as a consequence of his less than normal behaviour.

 

Izuku wasn’t gay but he’d wanted a man. A carbon copy of his childhood friend, no less. He still didn’t know exactly how to feel about that, but, as bizarre as it was, he hadn’t disliked it the slightest bit. In fact, it had felt right . Like it was meant to happen. 

 

The cravings for being made to fall into utter submission were as baffling as demanding of completion. They had resonated inside Izuku for hours after the incident until they finally muted once sunlight shone through the empty spaces around the curtains. The urges and wants hadn’t disappeared though, Izuku could still feel them deep in his core. Slumbering, idle and indolent. Waiting, scanning for another opportunity to resurface. 

 

Nonetheless, what bothered Izuku the most was how he couldn’t lay the blame on anything but his own self. During the entire experience, he had technically been fully aware and conscious- there had been no haze, no mental fog or cloudiness as opposed to when he was consumed by the numbing high of syrupy pheromones and thereby rendered useless. No, he had been coherent and he’d wanted it all. 

 

The thoughts and ideas that had emerged in him, although foreign and uncharacteristic of his persona, had truly been his own and Izuku didn’t know how to interpret that nor what to make of it. They pestered him as easily as chocolate taunted chocoholics. Invisible but unavoidable. 

 

‘...What’s wrong with me?’ 

 

The hollow feeling that clutched him following Katsuki’s absence was also on him. 

 

It had all been on him, nothing else. 

 

Yet notwithstanding the reality of the situation, the boy still couldn’t help but to avoid the gross weight of the responsibility and acknowledgment that were being demanded from him. He didn’t feel like those odd emotions belonged to him, after all. Rather, it was almost like they had emanated from a new facet of his self that had just recently surfaced from the darkest depths of his psyche. It was him, but at the same time, it wasn’t. No words could describe what it truly was and he didn’t have the ability to comprehend it properly either.

 

Unable and unwilling to find the motivation needed to get up and start his day, Izuku laid beneath the blankets and, at last, gave Asahi a bit of attention, pets and cuddles. The black scales covering the pup’s body were smooth and slick, granting an easy glide to Izuku’s fingers as they stroked the small but sturdy frame of the dragonkin. He was grateful for the company and comfort given so easily by the pup.

 

Mental and physical fatigue chipped his vital energy away, he’d barely slept a wink. It’d been a miserable set of restless naps at best.

 

Minutes ticked by, perhaps hours. He doesn’t have a way of knowing since the curtain kept the cave dark for the most part. The candles had long since burned all their fuel. 

 

Eventually, a rustling of fabric disrupted the oppressing silence of the cavern and then hesitant footsteps approached the nest. Izuku nuzzled a pillow and hugged Asahi tighter before daring to steal a glance at the intruder. It was Katsuki, with a torch propped in one hand and a tray with food on the other. 

 

“It’s time for breakfast.” He stated, obviously uncomfortable if his adamant refusal to look Izuku in the eye was anything to go by. 

 

It must be early in the morning, Izuku inferred. He quietly shifted his gaze away from the blonde.

 

“I don’t really feel like eating.” 

 

Katsuki observed him for a moment before putting the tray in front of the boy and backing away once again. The torch found its place in a metal support burried in the rock of the wall.

 

“I’m sorry for yesterday.” He said, seeming truly regretful and apologetic. “I have no excuse, it’s all my fault. I lost control of myself.” 

 

The sincere apology did little to amend Izuku’s taciturn attitude. Truth be told, the former hero didn’t know why he was being so reticent and sulky. He didn’t even understand why the blonde was saying those things, he’d done nothing wrong as far as Izuku could tell. However, something intangible forced depressing emotions onto him, told him what had happened had been bad. That he ’d been bad and driven the blonde away. That he didn’t deserve to be loved or cared for.

 

The way Katsuki had left him had cut into his guts with a cruel, benumbing coldness- worse than the pain any other rejection could’ve ever caused. If there was one thing those long hours alone had showed him, it was that Izuku was fonder of Katsuki than he’d originally assumed. Izuku had missed him, and at that moment the only thing he wanted was a tight embrace around his frame. Reassuring words, pretty promises, a vow to never abandon Izuku again. Only those things could ever hope to revive his joy.

 

“I didn’t mean to force myself on you and it definitely won’t happen again but if you want me to stop the courting and stay away, I’ll leave you alone and never bother you again.” Katsuki finished his speech, though with difficulty because despite recognizing his mistake, he still didn’t want to give Izuku up. 

 

The dragonkin had been on the lookout for a mate since his eighteenth anniversary a few months prior, yet no one he’d come across compelled his attention and affection as much as the green haired boy. When Katsuki had found him on the verge of death, cooed up under the roots of a rotten tree, terrified and all kinds of miserable but still fighting to live on, the instinct to protect and provide had been too strong even for Katsuki, who’d beaten discipline and restraint into the core of his identity. Perhaps it’d been love at first sight, hell if Katsuki knew. One thing was certain, however. Izuku was the one for him and Katsuki didn’t just want him in a sexual way, he wanted to see the boy thrive under his nurture and care. To love him and be loved right back. 

 

That being said, he’d respect whatever decision Izuku made. 

 

“You’ll… leave me alone… forever?” Izuku repeated, disbelief settling onto his features as he processed the words. 

 

“...Yeah.” 

 

Tears spilled from the former hero’s eyes. He finally sat up, ignoring the panicked chirps coming from the young pup beside. “Why? Did I do something wrong?” 

 

“No! Gods, no.” Katsuki refuted. “You did nothing wrong, Izuku! I told you, it's my fault.” 

 

“Then why did you leave me yesterday?” He sobbed and hiccuped. “And now you’re saying you’ll leave me forever!” 

 

How irrational, Izuku realized absent-mindedly. Yet he couldn’t escape the hurt and sadness, couldn’t stop crying. It was almost like a nameless entity, the incarnation of the utmost secret emotions buried within his consciousness had taken over his body to fix the situation the way it saw fit. Estranged ages before his first memory but an integral part of Izuku nonetheless, it’d somehow figured crying would make Katsuki take back his earlier statement and as such, it pushed Izuku to the back of his head, where he’d be too powerless to try and go against its decisions.

 

“Wait.” Katsuki ran his fingers through his hair out of sheer puzzlement. “You don’t want me to stay away?”

 

“Why would I want that?” Izuku craved him. There’s no way he’d want to be apart. 

 

The blonde seemed shocked. He stepped closer to Izuku, irresolute, and cupped his tear-stained, round cheeks. 

 

“I almost did something horrible to you. Don’t you hate me?” The question was soft but laced with shame. 

 

“No! What are you even talking about? What did you do?” Izuku’s sniffs died down thanks to the glimmer of affection gone his way. Confusion replaced the previous dejection. 

 

“Did you not notice? I… I almost claimed you.” Katsuki confessed. “We hadn’t even talked about becoming a pair and I wanted to court you properly too but then… I…” 

 

“Claim? What do you mean?” Whatever it was, it sounded appealing to Izuku. He calmed down at long last. 

 

Baffled, Katsuki explained the concept of mated pairs and claiming bites, to which Izuku blushed furiously. So that had been what he’d craved. The ownership of a bite and then the following commitment and devotion he’d be gifted. The responsibility he’d pass onto Katsuki by giving him his life and his freedom as well as the love and security he’d get in return. Never before had he seen reality through lens like those nor been aware of the exchange of power in the most primitive way between two people involved with each other. Yet, in that moment, it consumed him. 

 

The previous night had been like a match that had lit up a fire in Izuku, a fire of urges and desires he’d been ignorant of until the moment he felt the tip of Katsuki’s fangs. 

 

Sweet caramel had warned him of his new nature but he’d avoided it and chose to walk the same path he’d grown up on- only to be confronted with the undeniable reality that he’d changed, been reconfigured, and couldn’t strive for the same destiny anymore. 

 

It was a painful realization, lately Izuku had had lots of those, but being around Katsuki helped ease the chaos and instill peace. Objectively, it’d been less than two full days since he met Katsuki, too short of a window for his attachment to be sensible and justified. Sleep deprivation and loneliness were definitely affecting his reasoning, the same as his long history with Kacchan, the childhood friend version of Katsuki. However, being together just felt right and he couldn’t deny it any more. It was as if Katsuki completed him and no one else would be able to fill the void in his soul the same way.

 

“I wanted it too.” Izuku shyly revealed, much to Katsuki’s incredulous glee.

 

“Really?” Crimson eyes widened and for a moment, the handsome features on the dragonkin were childish with awe and adoration before Izuku was pulled into a tight hug. “Then, I can really be your mate after what I did?” 

 

Had it been any other time or person asking, Izuku wouldn’t be able to answer that question or probably would’ve refused. But as things had progressed, as an enigmatic force was stirred in the most profound valleys of the boy’s psyche, there remained no other choice for him but to agree. If it was Katsuki, he’d gladly accept in a heartbeat the fate of those mated. The two of them were meant to be together, for the ethereal pull of the instinctual binds was unshakable.

 

“Yeah.” Izuku gave a small, genuine smile. 

 

Katsuki peered into the depth of Izuku’s eyes, searching for a sign of uncertainty- but finding none, he deflated in relief and crouched to briefly hug his own legs. Then, he lifted his head again to regard Izuku.

 

A moment passed in silent companionship. Having put their feelings out in the air and resolved the conflict wedged between them made direct eye contact much less awkward to Katsuki but no less nerve wrecking. Meanwhile, Izuku was at peace. His inarticulate longing had been sated and so, it returned to oblivion. He finally felt in control of his own emotions again, sure he’d made the right choice.

 

“I still want to court you properly though.” Katsuki said after another moment, hints of playful smugness tugging his lips into a smirk. “Bet your smitten, love-struck face is as dumb as it is cute.” 

 

Offended, Izuku scowled hard and pouted. “Katsuki!” 

 

Katsuki merely grinned. 

 

“Keep up that attitude and I might change my mind.” Izuku mumbled, averting his gaze.

 

A blush adorned his skin, they both knew he wouldn’t. 

 

“I’d like to see you try.” Katsuki pushed Izuku onto his back and firmly squished his cheeks with a rough hand. “You can run around as much as you want, I’ll make you come back to me each and every time. I’m too good to pass up.” 

 

The blatant arrogance roused the urge to fight within Izuku. 

 

‘He’s Kacchan alright. Gentler and more loving but still an asshole.’

 

Though irked, Izuku chuckled at the thought. “Sure thing, your Highness.” 

 

A second after his sarcastic concurrence, the sweet scent of caramel wafted in the air. It engulfed both of them, infiltrated into Izuku’s lungs and filled him with a dizzying urge to submit. To be good.  

 

“Don’t get cocky, greenie. Now that I know you want me, I’m not holding back.” Katsuki grinned out of mirth and pure mischief. 

 

“Katsuki…” Izuku gasped and lolled his head to the side instinctively, hands coming up to rest on the blonde’s torso- too shy to pull and close the distance between their bodies but too lonely to stay by Izuku’s side. 

 

Amidst the cozyness of the scent, Izuku felt the press of something cold and a bit moist on his leg- a snout.

 

Asahi let out a cry, followed by an annoyed huff. He was sick of being ignored and wouldn’t tolerate it any longer.

 

“Shut up, you don’t get to demand shit, you little brat.” Katsuki spat out, sending a sharp but inoffensive glare at his brother. “If mom finds out you snuck out again, you’ll be grounded, so you best pray I don’t tell her.” 

 

The young pup whined and seemed to contemplate whether he should throw a fit or not but Izuku picked him up before he chose what to do and held him close, peppering his face with quick pecks. 

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to forget about you.” He said. 

 

Accepting the apology, Asahi nuzzled against Izuku and reveled in the affection.

 

While the two were distracted, Katsuki went to retrieve the tray on the floor to place it next to Izuku on the nest. Then, he took a few raspberries and slotted them between the boy’s lips. 

 

“Eat.” He ordered. “You need food.”

 

Unable to resist the sudden surge of hunger, Izuku opened his mouth and let himself be hand fed, relishing the comfort and security emanating from the blonde’s tranquilizing aura. His eyes closed at some point and as he chewed, Izuku vaguely noted the surge of another scent among the caramel as well as a purring noise not too dissimilar from the one he’d heard the first night in the cave. The only difference was that it was higher pitched and not resonating from Katsuki’s chest. 

 

Whatever it was, Izuku felt too hazy and comfortable to ponder about it. If he put in a bit of effort he could still tap into his reason and solve the mystery but a voice inside told him that really wasn’t necessary. He wasn’t in danger, after all; he didn’t need to think. 

 

So he didn’t.

 

Above, Katsuki cooed, petted soft green hair and continued to feed Izuku until he had his fill and couldn’t stomach any more. Asahi hadn’t held back either and had eaten to his heart’s content, unknowingly stealing Katsuki’s breakfast. Though Katsuki noticed that, instead of scolding his brother he indulged him and let him have it. Pup needed it more than him, he reasoned with himself, turning his focus back to Izuku.

 

“I’m on patrol today.” He revealed, quietly tracing the dark circles under Izuku’s eyes with his thumb. “You take a nap and rest, I’ll come back at lunch time.”  

 

“Mmmm...kay.” Izuku slurred as he rolled onto his side and snuggled the furs, content in every possible way. The anxiety that had gripped his mind and heart during the night had long since dissolved, leaving only exhausted but comfortable warmth behind. He was finally ready and in dire need for some untroubled slumber.

 

“And you-” Katsuki directed his words to Asahi, who cowered under the stern voice, knowing fully well what was to come. “Are not skipping your lessons, you hear?” 

 

Asahi whined, glowered and hissed, promptly approaching Katsuki to give him a few weak punches with his tiny fists. He threw in a bite to the calf too, for good measure.

 

“Don’t give me attitude, brat.” The older dragonkin warned before grabbing Asahi by the feet and throwing him toward the mouth of the cavern like a piece of dirty laundry. Had the child been any other child, he’d probably have gotten hurt but, alas, he was part dragon- tough and fearless- thus, such an insignificant attempt at aggression did little to even startle the pup. Asahi was long used to being manhandled, to boot. And could fly too. He was invincible in his own, naive mind. 

 

Asahi squealed, flapped his wings to avoid hitting the ground head first and fled into the bright greenery outside, leaving Katsuki alone to lull Izuku to sleep, smother him with his scent and nibble the still swollen glands for a brief moment.

 

Once assured his future mate would be safe and sound and content and smelling like him the rest of the morning, Katsuki left to go about his daily routine. 

 

Earthy undertones clung to his taste buds and fogged Katsuki’s rationality but he resisted the temptation to stay and marched all the way to his designed guardhouse on the perimeter of the tribe’s territory. It was his duty to protect not just Izuku but everyone in the tribe from any threats, after all.

 

 


 

 

“You know, I’ve been wondering about this for a while.” Katsuki said as he took a bite out of the fish on his plate. “How come you’re so clueless about your own biology? You didn’t even know what Claiming was.” 

 

Taken by surprise, Izuku didn’t look up out of nervousness and uncertainty. He opted, instead, to observe a line of ants inching back to their mound a few feet away while he thought of an appropriate answer.

 

They were both in the open field, seated on a sort of picnic towel under the shadow of a large tree, enjoying the pleasant weather and beautiful landscape. The pale sunlight offered no hint of heat yet it was still amiable and inviting. Spring was most likely just around the corner, Izuku presumed, so after being woken from the slumber he’d fallen into, he had insisted on eating outside to get some fresh air. The nest was snug but he could only stay there for so long before the light of the candles and torches began hurting his eyes. 

 

Another option would have been to join the rest of the tribe near the campfire but Katsuki had insisted on having some time alone with him for the sole purpose of getting closer to each other, so they crossed that out from the start.  

 

Weighing the implications of every possible justification that could be given, Izuku decided to come clean- it was for the best. If he was going to live in that world permanently and take Katsuki as his mate, telling lies and building things from there was a sure way for everything to come crashing down eventually. Plus, Izuku was a terrible liar to start with- telling the truth was just sparing him the energy he’d otherwise waste on memorizing a narrative that he would no doubt screw up reciting.  

 

“Uh..yeah...I-” Izuku hesitated and then sighed, setting his cutlery down on his plate. “That’s because they are all new to me. I wasn’t like this before.” 

 

“You mean you’re a late bloomer and only presented recently?” 

 

“No? I mean, yes but...Not exactly.” 

 

Sensing the weight of the conversation, Katsuki too halted his actions and raised a brow, a gesture intended to silently urge Izuku to continue. 

 

“You see… This is going to sound crazy but you need to believe me, okay?” The former hero requested. 

 

“I can’t promise you anything.” Katsui replied, as honestly as he could. “But I’m willing to listen so give it a shot.” 

 

Izuku hesitated and with his vacillation, a moment of anticipation stretched. 

 

“I’m from another world.” He finally declared, fidgeting and fixing his gaze on the soil. “I’m not sure why, but my body began changing once I came here so I’m experiencing a lot of things for the first time. That’s why…”

 

The sentence was never finished. 

 

“Is this related to the quirk you said you were hit by during that fight?” 

 

Izuku agreed, secretly startled with the sharpness of Katsuki’s perception despite always having been aware of his intelligence. “I think so, but I’m not sure.” 

 

“Hmm, that explains why I couldn’t find a single thing about that Musutafu place you mentioned.” He said. “And those weird clothes too.”

 

Izuku looked at the hero gear he was wearing. The dragonkind had brought it back along with his lunch and healing tea so he’d put it on out of habit and also for old time’s sake. The suit was basically a second skin to him, after all.

 

“Yeah…”

 

Katsuki let his eyes trail up and down Izuku’s frame.  

 

“So, what were you like before your body changed?” He asked. “You said it was impossible for you to have a womb. What else was different?” 

 

The atmosphere visibly lightened, which prompted the both of them to resume their meal.

 

“I didn’t have scent glands for starters, and scents didn’t make me feel strong emotions either.” Izuku said. “I still can’t understand how it messes with my head to be honest…” 

 

Katsuki hummed and finished swallowing the last of his food before he cleared the other’s confusion. 

 

“That's because the scent’s supposed to subdue you.” The blond wiped his hands on a clean cloth and kept explaining. “Keep you calm and pliant.” 

 

“What? Why?” Izuku’s face scrunched up, indication that he didn’t follow the logic in the argument.

 

“Makes it easier for me to keep you safe. Can’t have you running about, panicking and acting impulsively if something bad happens.”

 

“Huh?! I don’t get it, isn’t that counter-productive?” Izuku refuted. “It’s exactly because of the scent that I can’t even think about my safety, much less fight or do anything for it!”  

 

“Fighting is my job, not yours. You don’t need to worry about those things.” Katsuki said as gently as he could. “I’ll protect you.” 

 

At their core, the words were sweet. However, for some reason, they rubbed Izuku the wrong way. He didn’t want to be treated like a child. Even his mother had already put her trust in him.

 

“I can protect myself, you know?” He scowled. 

 

“Maybe in your world you could, but here you are as vulnerable as one could ever be.”

 

Izuku’s body was proof enough. Emaciated, malnourished, worn out and sluggish. Nonetheless, it was only a temporary condition he could overcome with time, the boy thought. 

 

“I am weakened right now, but I’m not weak!” 

 

Katsuki halted for a second but his expression softened the next moment, when he regarded Izuku. “Even If you were healthy and strong this exact second, it’d still be my job to care for you, protect you and make sure all your needs are met.”

 

He shifted closer to the former hero and cupped the freckled cheeks.

 

“Don’t argue with me on this, Izuku.” 

 

The hand slid down Izuku’s chest and settled on one of his thighs. A mouth with sharp fangs advanced to his throat. 

 

“From another world or not, you’re mine now. I haven’t claimed you yet but you’re mine all the same.” Katsuki rasped out. “Don’t ask me to mistreat you.”

 

Izuku pressed his knees together upon feeling the same bubbling warmth travelling down to his hips. He wanted to protest, to refute, to deny the claims and hold his ground, but as the familiar urge to be filled and taken returned, he could do little more than believe those possessive assertions and crave what came with them. 

 

“...Got it?” The blonde pressured for an answer, gazing deep into emerald gems. 

 

“Yes.” Izuku agreed instinctively. His mouth had moved on its own, without even given his brain time to ponder before letting out a reply.

 

The smug grin on Katsuki’s lips could be felt in the depth of the kiss Izuku was pulled into. Caramel overpowered not his nose but his taste buds.  

 

‘So this is the claiming venom he told me about…’  

 

Izuku’s eye’s glossed slightly, head swimming in fuzzy comfort. The flavour was so intense it made the boy seek out more of the substance without even noticing. Slippery tongues caressed each other, languid and loving. Their mouths melted and moulded into one as they explored each other’s body impatiently.

 

Through the vague haze, Izuku felt himself be moved to straddle Katsuki’s lap, where he rutted shyly against the growing erection on the blonde’s crotch. 

 

Then, Katsuki pulled away, winded and tousled from having his hair roughly grabbed, stroked and played with. 

 

“Hey.” 

 

Izuku panted and wiped the drool on his lips with the back of his hand. 

 

“W-what?” 

 

“Wanna do it?” The blond asked, arms circling the smaller frame and giving his ass a firm squeeze. Disheveled and barely contained lust sparkled in the golden, dilated pupils. 

 

Never in his life did Izuku ever think he’d want to, but he truly did want to do “it”. So bad his belly ached in anticipation, actually. He didn’t even know how that was going to work between two men but he supposed they’d find a way.

 

After the embarrassed nod he gave to Katsuki, pheromones hit him hard and the world faded into a mere blur that churned as he was taken back to the nest. 

 

Laid on the furs, Izuku was quickly stripped down to his birthday suit. 

 

The obscure privacy given by the curtains lessened the bashful insecurity that would’ve risen upon being utterly bare before someone else so, instead of wallowing in embarrassment, Izuku found the courage to press fervent kisses to Katsuki’s neck and relish on the sweetness of the impeccable skin as his scarred hands traced the outline of sturdy muscles. 

 

The only light, albeit subdued, among the black void of the cave came from Katsuki’s eyes- crimson and golden orbs as clear as crystal yet as frightening as a predator lurking in the shadows of the loneliest nights spent in an untamed jungle. They wandered throughout Izuku’s lithe form with an intent so assured that it made the boy wonder whether they could see in the dark. It wouldn’t be surprising should that be the case. 

 

Katsuki slid lower in the nest and fit himself between Izuku’s legs, nipping and caressing any place within reach before finally descending to tease the plush flesh of his inner thighs. No area of his figure was too great to be left unsoiled, spared the obsessive scenting Katsuki was adamant on doing.

 

Faint touches lingered on Izuku’s groin but they were soon forgotten in favor of the sensual tongue that began paying attention to his genitals. It licked the tip and then enveloped Izuku in the burning yet lenient, slick heat of Katsuki’s mouth. Painful arousal consumed him.

 

Amidst the ripples of pleasure, Izuku wound up with his fingers gripping blonde locks, timid moans escaping his lips no matter how hard he bit them. 

 

A faint, unfamiliar wetness dripped down his buttcheeks but he attributed it to either drool or claiming venom- or perhaps a mixture of both.

 

All too soon, the ardent ministrations ceased. Katsuki inhaled deeply, stiffening for a moment, and raised one of Izuku’s legs to rest on his shoulder. He hugged the limb briefly and moved his hand to taunt his lover’s unsuspecting entrance.

 

When he carefully pushed a finger in, the only thing that stopped Izuku from letting out a startled cry was the pure yearning that had sunk into his core. The yearning for more, for something bigger, harder. 

 

It was as if, independent from Izuku’s knowledge, awareness and experience, his body already had a resolute idea of what it needed- it needed Katsuki.

 

“Have you ever had anyone before me?” The blonde asked as he patiently stretched Izuku and searched for the sweet spot hidden within him. 

 

Izuku could barely hear the question, tensing under the sensation of having his insides fondled for the first time. Each stroke stirred him up like nothing else and made it so he couldn’t even phantom why he’d never considered going for men before that moment. 

 

Scraping the last remnants of his sanity, Izuku formed an answer the best he could. 

 

“N-no.” 

 

“Good.” Katsuki said, tightening his hold on Izuku’s leg and pushing his fingers as far as they could go. He curled them slightly on the way out and, by a strike of good luck, a small bump brushed against the pads of his fingers. Simultaneously, Izuku choked out a confused yelp- the only confirmation Katsuki needed to be sure of his discovery and reap the rewards of his efforts. 

 

“I’ll be your first and your last as well. Remember that, greenie.” 

 

The blonde rubbed, nudged and abused Izuku’s prostate to his heart’s content and relished how Izuku struggled to keep his voice down. 

 

Izuku clamped his palms over his mouth at the merciless treatment and writhed to contain himself. He was close, they both knew, and at the rate they were going he wouldn’t last much more. Tiny moans sneaked through the gaps between his fingers every once in a while. 

 

“St- stop.” Izuku demanded. 

 

The scent of the dragonkin was silently encouraging him to orgasm.

 

He wanted to let go, to come undone and nuzzle the furs. Bare his throat. Be claimed.

 

“Why should I?” Katsuki snorted, though it harbored no ill intent for he was utterly captivated by the boy. 

 

“I…” Izuku began, blinking hard to concentrate and will the overwhelming fog away from his thoughts. “I want to feel you inside.” 

 

One sentence- one simple sentence and Katsuki was a goner. All of his restraint and patience vanished into thin air in the span of a sharp inhale. 

 

The blonde growled in a low, warning tone and caught Izuku’s wrists to slam them on the nest, ever so mindful not to actually hurt the precious boy. He latched onto the neck with his teeth, putting just enough force into the bite to keep Izuku in place without claiming him. 

 

When the boy gave no sign of resisting in any way, Katsuki trailed his hands down to hook Izuku’s thighs around himself and aligned his member with the weeping entrance, thoroughly prepared for what was coming next. 

 

As he was penetrated, Izuku cowered against Katsuki’s broad chest and searched for purchase on the tapered waist. Katsuki’s stocky build smothered him and trapped him in what little space there was between him and the comfortable nest but Izuku thrived under the heavy weight. It freed him of everything that had plagued his consciousness- the worries, responsibilities, all the negative emotions.

 

Despite the size of Katsuki’s shaft, there was no pain in being filled to the brim. The stretch was satisfying and just to Izuku’s liking, it made him feel complete. He screamed and shook when Katsuki bottomed out, rendered incoherent not only because of the scent of caramel but also due to the feeling of sheer powerlessness that seized him. Izuku felt like he truly belonged to Katsuki and he loved it. 

 

It would’ve been terrifying to be as vulnerable as he was in that moment in any other situation but the person above Izuku wasn’t a random stranger. It was Katsuki. A trustworthy mate, the future father of his children, the person who’d love and care for him until he died.

 

There was no harm in being in this man’s clutches, right? 

 

With that thought, Izuku relinquished any and every bit of his self to the blond and accepted the mindless euphoria that came with Katsuki’s loving thrusts. He spread his legs wider and melted against the nest, turning his head to the side out of instinct. Somehow, Izuku knew he needed to do that, it felt right. In fact, everything about their coupling felt right.  

 

The pace Katsuki set started off slow and steady, indolent. He rolled his hips sensually and grinded deeply into Izuku to allow him to adjust to his shape while he stuck his nose into the source of the earthy scent and milked the pheromones oozing out of the two glands. Uninhibited from releasing their contents, the past swelling had gone down significantly- even more so since the beginning of their activities. Given some more time and persuasion, they’d surely return to normality. 

 

Soon enough, each drop of maddening pleasure shooting up Izuku’s abdomen and down to his toes accumulated and made the boy thrash about, in an attempt to cope. He threw his head back and arched his spine. It was a wonder how he’d managed to last so long without climaxing, his lower abs almost cramped out of unadulterated need. 

 

Tears prickled his eyes and threatened to spill but Katsuki used a kiss to distract him and eagerly swallowed the desperate cries and keens.  

 

Between harsh pants, Izuku finally found the chance to voice his pleas. 

 

“Wait, I- ah… I can’t take it anymore.” He professed, clawing at Katsuki’s shoulders for a break to stall his impending ruin. However, the dragonkin did nothing less than force his cock as deep as he could into him and halt- firm and unyielding. Izuku’s mouth opened in a silent scream, legs spasming and sparks flying in his vision. 

 

“You can.” Katsuki swiftly replied. “See? You’re taking me so well.” 

 

Izuku gasped for breath and involuntarily clenched around the thick shaft.

 

Truthfully, he felt like he was going to lose his mind but as his body reveled in the sensation of being stretched and made love to, he knew Katsuki was right. He could take it, and he would. He had to. 

 

He had to prove he could be good. That he was good.

 

Supple thighs trembled and hugged the blonde’s hips closer. Had the tight embrace not been as restrictive around his small frame, he’d have used his hands instead but as it was, his arms were squished between their chests and wouldn’t budge an inch to save their lives. 

 

From his position, Izuku bared his throat and looked pleadingly at golden pupils. 

 

“Keep going.” He whimpered, to which he was rewarded with an arrogant, borderline malicious smile. Izuku couldn’t see it but he could sense it from the spike in the addictive scent.

 

Katsuki resumed his thrusts, still lazy but more indulgent. Carefree, in a way- he was in no rush, after all. His next patrol was only the next day and he could go one afternoon without training. The only goal he had for the following hours was to slowly drive his future mate to insanity, make him crumble down and cling to him, cry and beg like the pretty little thing he was. 

 

The feeling of being joined to Izuku made Katsuki’s heart swell with pride and contentment. It got to his head and nearly made him lose himself in it. However, he wanted this to be a pleasant experience for Izuku- the best experience- so he kept his head bowed, his limbs caging Izuku, and at long last coaxed an orgasm out of him. His fangs itched to bury themselves on the glands right in front of his face but he fought the urge and held it in. 

 

Nothing was stopping him, not even the green haired boy. Nonetheless, Katsuki didn’t want to claim him so early in their courtship despite the fact that there was no doubt the two were meant to be together. He wanted to make sure Izuku truly wanted the same as him, loved him as much, and was prepared for the commitment that came with it. Senselessly forcing him into the role of mate wouldn’t benefit either of them, much less the pups Katsuki wanted to raise with care somewhere in the future. 

 

While Izuku wallowed in the aftershocks of his high, he was rolled onto his stomach and made to raise his ass. The new position made him feel too defenseless but when he felt Katsuki enter him again, the thick girth that nestled inside his core overthrew his reason once more. He glanced at his stomach and was not surprised to see it bulging slightly a couple inches below his belly button. Katsuki was big, after all. 

 

Overstimulation threatened to set in but Izuku ignored it and pressed his face flush to the nest and curved his spine instinctively, so Katsuki could slide deeper still. As strange as it sounded, Izuku found himself wanting to be bred, though he wouldn’t use that word to describe his desire should anyone ask him to. He didn’t even fully believe he had suddenly gained the ability to carry children when he came into that parallel world yet something in him begged to get pregnant and he could do nothing to coerce the voice into silence. They were in too nice of a position for Izuku to be pupped by Katsuki, it was impossible to get the thoughts to go away. 

 

Turning his face to peer at the blonde, Izuku’s breath immediately caught in his throat. Not only were Katsuki’s eyes glowing menacingly, his skin had begun shimmering. Burgundy specks floated and spread across his upper body, seemingly originating from his back. 

 

Beyond the muscular frame, a large pair of red wings swung and unraveled with grace- visible only because they too emanated a dim light from how fervid they were. It was a beautiful sight all in all.

 

Katsuki was losing control, Izuku vaguely realized. His movements were less careful and deliberate, thrusts faster and ever so slightly more erratic. Harsh hands grabbed Izuku by the hips and teeth sunk into the scruff of his neck.

 

Slick ran down Izuku’s thighs and he cried out of bliss, squirming and writhing, trying his hardest to take everything given to him and stay still like Katsuki wanted him to. 

 

“Katsuki!” He choked out. His sweet spot was caressed with each drag of Katsuki’s cock against his inner walls and it was doing little to prevent another orgasm from building in his pelvis. 

 

Katsuki groaned, shifted to support his weight on his elbows and continued his assault on Izuku’s wet, inviting insides.

 

Among the various kinds of noises filling the cavern and the arrows of pleasure stabbing all of his senses, Izuku picked up the unsettling sensation of Katsuki growing in him. He couldn’t comprehend what it was nor what was happening but he felt ready for it nonetheless. 

 

As the knot inflated to its full size, Izuku shouted, burying his forehead on the furs, and Katsuki decreased his pace until it was but a mere affectionate grind and stroked Izuku’s erection to completion again so they could ride through their orgasms together. 

 

The moment the blinding fireworks died down behind his eyelids, Izuku slumped into the pelts, spent and sated. A tingling sensation trickled from his backside to the bite mark Katsuki had given him and a hot pressure wore his belly down. He didn’t need to sneak a peek to know it was mildly distended. The fullness that challenged his limits was more than indication enough.

 

Izuku snuggled the nearest pillow and purred absentmindedly. His expression was glazed and his mind hazy. At that point, all he wanted was to go to sleep, he was too comfortable, happy and relaxed not to. 

 

The most primitive part of his brain knew he’d been knotted and it compelled him to remain completely still under Katsuki despite the desire to wrap a blanket around himself and curl up around his womb in a protective manner. Izuku hoped vaguely that the seed would take root, though he’d learn later it would be impossible unless he was in heat.

 

Meanwhile, Katsuki tried to both calm his breathing and regain his composure. Once he did so successfully, he licked the blood leaking from the wound on Izuku and moved their bodies to rest on their sides, slotted comfortingly against each other. They were sticky all over and needed to clean up but that could wait, Katsuki reckoned. He threw a thin spread above themselves and cuddled his future mate until his knot subsided. Izuku was long asleep by then and only woke up after the entire mess had been taken care of. Soiled furs had been washed, hastily discarded clothes folded neatly into a pile and sweat along with dry slick on skin wiped with wet towels. 

 

The only thing left unbothered was the semen trapped beyond Izuku’s puffy entrance- there was no way Katsuki would empty his beloved of his essence. It’d either come out on its own accord to be disposed of, or stay inside forever.   

 

Night was closing in when Katsuki opened the curtains to air the stuffy atmosphere of the den and Izuku lamented his messed up sleep schedule for a brief moment. How was he supposed to sleep again after taking a restful nap? 

 

The cozy and fluffy warmth that persisted in his belly didn’t let him dwell on any negative emotions for much more than a fleeting second, however. 

 

Cocooned in multiple blankets, he was hand fed a generous dinner by Katsuki and just as he attempted to get up to go gaze up at the stars in hopes of somehow tiring himself out enough to sleep again, the dragonkin pushed him back down onto the nest and engulfed him in his calming pheromones. Izuku’s memories become dodgy starting from that point. 

 

Caramel drained his limbs of any free will Izuku possessed and demanded he show no less than utter submission toward the blonde. He was swiftly sent into unconsciousness again, completely ignorant of the storm looming ahead along with the despicable monsters hiding in it.

Notes:

Y'all, izuku isn't in love yet nor has he lost himself to instinct, don't get the wrong idea!
This chapter was to show Izuku recognizing his instincts and accepting he's not being manipulated or tricked into feeling them. Shit's not over yet ahahaha

Chapter 4: Rivals

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

When Izuku regained his full awareness and realized what he’d done, he panicked. Memories came rushing back to him like water that rushes through a collapsed dam.

 

‘Shit, what have I done?’ 

 

It was morning again, and birds chirped as he laid in the nest with a muscular arm loosely hung around his waist. His backside was sore and there was a dull prickle of pain stinging his nape but none of it was enough to shroud the pleasant satiation that soaked him to the bone. Satiation so great it quickly and inevitably became unsettling. 

 

Izuku looked at the sleeping dragonkin, whose serene features could have easily been mistaken by those of an angel- silky, golden platinum strands falling onto the pillow below, sharp jaw, unblemished skin. Plush lips, long lashes. The former hero could barely believe it but the two of them had had sex. Half of him felt unworthy while the rest was concerned, Katsuki had wanted him and Izuku had matched his desire. Consented.

 

In fact, not only had Izuku agreed to have sex but he’d also agreed to be Katsuki’s mate earlier in the day. His feelings had guided and persuaded him into doing those things, since they had felt so appropriate back then, but as his lucidity finally bared its fangs and showed him the true reality of his situation as well as the implications of it, he was less than prepared to deal with the aftermath and the subsequent internal conflict. 

 

Katsuki groaned, squirmed haphazardly and tightened his hold a fraction of a bit but made no sign of waking.

 

‘Oh my god, what have I done, what have I done? What have I fucking done?!’

 

Only in that moment did the significance of his actions dawn upon him. Questions concerning his former decisions plagued him. 

 

He wanted Katsuki in his life, for sure, especially if he was to live in that parallel world forever with no remnants of his past life. He didn’t want to be alone, after all, the loneliness was too much to bear and Katsuki completed him like no other, comforted him, felt right

 

In addition to that, he'd lusted over the handsome man and in a fit of impulsive, mindless arousal, wished to have his kids too. Reveled in the prospect of belonging to him.

 

But was that really what he wanted? 

 

It had all seemed sensible when he’d done it, natural and obvious, so he’d thought that it was fine. Yet the more he pondered over the issue, the more unwise and unreasonable it turned out to be. The more he recognized to what extent his unstable emotions had clouded his judgement. 

 

Him? Become someone’s possession? Settle down and have kids? With his childhood friend’s carbon copy, no less? Unfathomable. Not to mention the aspect of childbirth and how he couldn’t ever imagine it, much less be prepared for it.

 

The intangible personification of his heart’s darkest and most mysterious forces had begged for those things but to what extent was it worth listening to? To what extent was it right? Benefic? Did it have Izuku’s best interest in mind or was it just as brainless as Izuku had been when Katsuki made love to him? 

 

Despite everything, Izuku was still a hero. A strong and independent man. His circumstances had changed, his body had changed and his feelings were changing too, for some reason- but his personality was the same and he refused to let it become otherwise. No way was he going to allow himself to be treated like less than the autonomous person he was.

 

Back in the field, he hadn’t done anything about it but Katsuki’s words stuck to him like glue and made it evident he didn’t see Izuku the way he saw himself. Under the sweet guise of protection, the blonde had clearly shown to be not just possessive but controlling too, going as far as to insinuate Izuku was something that had to be taken care of, like a child.

 

Granted, he had every right and reason to be worried for Izuku. When they met, he was in terrible shape, barely staying afloat. But his condition was reversible and, thus, temporary while the clauses of a relationship with Katsuki were not. Once he was claimed, it’d be permanent. 

 

Could he live like that? In the threads of passion he’d senselessly craved to be dominated down to his essence but would he still be happy if his entire self was monopolized until the day he died? Could he accept having decisions made for him? Having his actions restricted? Would he still like it if he were silenced with pheromones whenever he said or did something the dragonkin wouldn’t tolerate? 

 

They weren’t even a pair yet but Katsuki had already given him a taste of that- one time back in the forest, when he’d tried to fight back, and once in the nest when he came up with a sarcastic retort. In none of the occasions did Katsuki mean any harm, but what if a day came where he did?  

 

The power Katsuki held over Izuku wasn’t absolute but it was frightening nonetheless. A simple kiss had made him obediently lay on his back, naked and defenseless. That alone was already alarming but even more so was the fact he had enjoyed it all. 

 

Craved it. Izuku hated how much he’d craved it- still did, if he were honest. How much it made his chest swell with satisfaction to finally be unraveled fully. 

 

Reason told him it wasn't reliable to admit such authority, that he shouldn’t submit no matter how good it felt, for it could lead to unforeseen repercussions, to abuse and exploitation. There were too many pitfalls in letting his emotions dictate his future. 

 

So, why did he want it so bad?

 

Izuku’s mind and heart were against each other and caught in the middle, he didn’t know which side to choose. The distress must’ve seeped into his scent, though, because soon Katsuki stirred out of dreamland and began kissing his neck. 

 

“What’s gotten your panties in such a twist, princess?” Katsuki teased as he moved to spoon the boy properly. His voice was raspy and riddled with sleepy torpor. 

 

“N-nothing.” Izuku lied. 

 

The dragonkin chuckled and took an inhale of earthiness so drawn out one would assume he’d been deprived his entire life. Hints of something fruity had begun appearing to adorn the scent with a certain sweetness, albeit it was vague enough to be easily dismissable unless actively sought for.

 

“You’re a horrible liar, you know?”

 

“I-” Izuku swallowed and kept his body pliant so Katsuki could cuddle it as he wanted, in order not to raise any suspicion or concern. “I’d rather not talk about it.” 

 

“I understand, I won’t pressure you.” The blonde said, rubbing their cheeks together. “Come to me when you’re ready, baby.” 

 

Izuku’s heart skipped a beat at the pet name. He hated how much he liked it. 

 

While his lover wallowed in his internal turmoil, Katsuki unhooked his grasp and stretched the drowsiness out of his system. 

 

“I have patrol today too but I’ll go bring us some breakfast before that.” He put on his trousers and boots. “Be right back.” 

 

“Okay.” Izuku replied, also getting up. He really needed a change in environment and a bit of fresh air, his brooding had left his reasoning too muddled and confusing. Being in the nest didn’t help him either.

 

Once on foot, the former hero noted how the swelling in his scent glands and on his injured knee had gone down. The pain was almost non-existent and the bruises were fading fast- or rather, faster than before. Overall, he was quite revitalized. Still a far cry from what he used to be, but it was progress.

 

The dark blinded him but Izuku managed to find a random tunic and put it on, since his hero suit had been nowhere to be seen nor reached. It was large and could very well pass off as a dress on him so he didn’t feel exposed nor anxious until he walked out of the cave and noted a trickling sensation on his thighs. 

 

Izuku almost combusted when he peeked down at his legs and saw what was on them. 

 

‘Jesus fucking christ, I did not need a reminder!’ He mentally yelled at himself. 

 

And as if it couldn’t have gotten worse, in that same exact moment, a group of villagers passed by right in front of him. Judging from where their eyes lingered, it was safe to assume they’d seen Izuku in all his glory- tousled, pantless and leaking semen. The tunic was big enough to cover the latter problem since it fell to his mid-thighs, but his legs were out all the same and the marks on them would surely be misunderstood.

 

The boy was mortified with embarrassment and promptly ran toward the forest to the left, where he knew a secluded stream to be. He’d seen it in the distance the previous day during his stroll with Katsuki on their way to the training grounds. It was relatively far from the village and one would have to steer away from the carved paths to reach it but he’d be able to clean up in peace there, away from people and any judgement they might make.

 

Well, that had been the plan but sure enough, Izuku’s visual memory failed him and he quickly found himself lost among the conifers. 

 

‘Great.’ He deadpanned. ‘Now I’m lost for the second time. Good job, Izuku.’

 

It was odd, though. When he’d been with Katsuki, it hadn’t seemed too complicated to get to the stream, it wasn’t exactly hidden nor tucked into the vegetation. Just a bit further away from the dirt tracks. To top that, Izuku had paid extra attention to the area to memorize it properly. How come he’d gotten lost? So easily, too.

 

Izuku roamed around for a few moments in search of any of the landmarks he’d imprinted in his brain before the answer came to him. 

 

The bubble.

 

Nagi’s powers manipulated light and he’d made a giant bubble around the place. Inside said bubble there were bound to be illusions, traps and tricks to keep the village safe and inaccessible. Either Izuku had fallen prey to them, or he’d accidentally strayed too far and wandered outside of the bubble, only to be confronted with how the woods actually were- foreign and labyrinthine. 

 

Regardless, he did not know how to go back and as such, his former embarrassment was replaced by dread and anxiety. He might be in an awful lot of trouble, he nervously discerned.   

 

The former hero pondered what he should do. Stay still and wait for someone to come after him or try to find a path to the village and risk roaming further into the unknown? Perhaps the first option was better, he reckoned. Katsuki would know he’s gone after coming to an empty home and he’d no doubt search for him, smell his trail. Asahi, who was a mere child, had followed him via scent back in the jungle, therefore there was a good chance Katsuki would do so too. There was nothing to worry about, he concluded. He wasn’t alone that time. There was help on the way, probably. Hopefully.

 

That single piece of knowledge served to calm Izuku’s nerves and gave him the reassurance he needed to keep looking for the stream. If he was to wait for rescue, he might as well try to look presentable to his savior. Although, truth be told, he really just wanted to get rid of the sticky mess between his thighs and using the communal showers in the village was definitely not an option to him.

 

Any stream would do, it mattered not which, so he ambled onwards.

 

“Well, well, well.” 

 

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice echoed among the trees. Izuku stopped short, goosebumps rising on his forearms and on the back of his head. An ominous presage fell upon him yet left unclarified the nature of the impending danger. 

 

“What do we have here?” 

 

Izuku frantically turned his head, observing all directions, trying to reign his panic. 

 

“Has your mate never told you to never wander alone, little one? Does he not care?” 

 

A figure at last materialized out of nowhere and weaved free from the flora to reveal itself and strike Izuku with terrified bafflement. 

 

“Sh-sh…” The name refused to be uttered. ‘Shigaraki?!’  

 

“What was that? I didn’t quite hear you.” The pale man said in a flirtatious tone, making no attempt to hide the sinister intent sparkling in his maniacal eyes. 

 

In a brief surge of clarity, Izuku recalled how the quirks were mostly the same in that world. In that case, he’d have to stay far away from the other or else bad things were bound to happen. There was the possibility that the parallel world’s Shigaraki was not evil nor powerful but Izuku didn’t know that yet and he definitely didn’t want to learn it the hard way. 

 

Not to mention how his overall aura as well as the circumstances they’d met were entirely too unsettling for the former hero to believe in any shred of benevolence the other could have. 

 

‘I need to get away from here.’  

 

Izuku was not in condition to fight, he’d only recently begun recovering. At most he’d be able to hold off the man for a bit but the odds were not stacked in his favor, he’d most likely lose if he stuck to the end or found out that parallel Shigaraki's strength was equivalent to that of his villain version. Izuku didn’t have his muscles anymore, nor the same energy as back when he was on active duty. 

 

For that reason, the boy slowly backed away, never taking his stare off the source of his unease. From a logical point of view, it didn’t even make sense to fight. He had no probable cause and that man was not his opponent to begin with, he was but a stranger. Yet his gut told him otherwise, assured that the one before him was his former rival reincarnated, armed with the same lust for destruction and chaos that’d made so many civilians’ lives a living nightmare.

 

Once upon a time, he would have never given up and retreated in the face of vile danger. However, he’d grown since then, matured, realized there were occasions it was best not to engage and accepted that risking his life to win a confrontation he had no chance of winning was not worth it. Sometimes, planning, preparation, backup and a Plan B were needed. Though he trained and became a hero, in that instant he had none of those. Not even his gear.

 

“Don’t worry.” Shigaraki grinned, subtly sniffing the air. “I’m not going to hurt you, even though you reek of that draconic pest. You look too much like him.” 

 

Izuku gave no response. A fearful frown was etched on his features and tension gripped every single one of his muscle fibers. The hostility was palpable despite the seemingly friendly attitude of the villain’s double. 

 

“In fact, if you cooperate, I promise we will treat you very well.” 

 

Izuku’s eyes widened in horror. 

 

‘We?’  He scanned his surroundings once more but found nothing, which was arguably more concerning. 

 

“What do you want?” The boy hardened his expression and resolve, mentally preparing himself to use his quirks should he be given no choice.

 

“Nothing much.” He said as he took a few steps forward to approach Izuku, who in turn stumbled backwards to increase the space between them once again. “Well, nothing from you, at least.” 

 

Shigaraki’s chuckle sent chills down Izuku’s spine. Going by first impressions, the man seemed to be just as deranged as he’d been in Izuku's world, even without mummified hands on his body. 

 

“You see… that murderer mate of yours-” Shigaraki bent his neck to loudly crack the bones. “Has something that belongs to my clan. And I’d really like to have it back.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Izuku scowled. “You don’t even know who my mate is.” 

 

Amidst the mental frenzy, it had escaped Izuku how he had his doubts concerning a relationship with Katsuki and how he was unsure whether or not he should go through with it or not. Instead, feeling pressured to not only find an escape route but also understand what he was being told, his automatic response had been to already regard the blond as such and act like it. 

 

“Oh, but I do, sweetheart.” Fake honey dripped from the man’s amused laugh. “Bakugo Katsuki, right?” 

 

Izuku’s blood froze on the spot. 

 

“I’d never forget his scent, especially not after what he did to my friend and my people.” Shigaraki continued. “So why don’t you be a good boy and help us out a little, would you? I’m not the bad guy here.”

 

“What did he do?”

 

“Why don’t you ask him? He’s right there, after all.” He pointed nonchalantly to something behind Izuku, which prompted him to avert his gaze for a split second.

 

In retrospect, he should’ve known better because as brief as it was, the distracted interval was more than enough for Shigaraki to close the distance between them, grab him by the neck and slam him against a nearby tree trunk. 

 

Izuku gasped for breath. ‘Fuck, I messed up. Sly, cunning bastard.’

 

Once he got slightly accustomed to the suffocating pain radiating from the firm grip, Izuku didn’t hesitate to throw a hateful glare to the man in front, clenching his jaw to avoid crying out. 

 

“Feisty.” Shigaraki commented, unaffected and unconcerned. “Anyway, do yourself a favor and don’t struggle. If you do that, we’ll get along just fine.” 

 

“Fuck you.” Izuku spat out, only to wince when the hand squeezed tighter.

 

“No, that’s not it.” Shigaraki corrected in a mocking manner. “I’d let you try again but we really need to get going. I know someone who would love to meet you.” 

 

Immediately after saying that, a musky scent drifted to Izuku’s nostrils, repugnant but heady. Strength drained from his body and any resistance he’d had in him faded like mist. 

 

It was nothing like Katsuki’s pheromones, it had no comforting edge, no sweetness, no affection. Only intimidating domination remained, overpowering and nauseating. Izuku despised it but at the very least it didn’t turn his brain into mush, for which he was relieved and grateful. 

 

His thoughts darted at five hundred miles an hour trying to come up with a solution, a tactic to deal with the creepy aggressor. Yet nothing aside from brute force would do and he was aware of that. He had to fight, to move his limbs somehow. Resist until Katsuki came. 

 

Horror settled in his gut when Shigaraki picked Izuku up like a sack of potatoes and began marching to who knew where. Adrenaline seared through his veins. 

 

Seeing what it’d come to, Izuku conjured all of his will power to activate One for All on his right hand. He was very much afraid and his body refused to budge but that was fine, he convinced himself. A single finger would do. If he could move only one finger, it’d be enough

 

Izuku grit his teeth and concentrated on clenching his fist. His fingers twitched and gave out, heavy like lead, but after a few desperate attempts, the former hero managed to curl them and aimed at Shigaraki’s legs. Draped over the man’s shoulders, there was no way he’d be able to see what Izuku was planning to do so the boy took his time to amass the maximum amount of destructive power he could muster in his middle finger and, once ready, he flicked it. 

 

The following blast propelled Izuku through the air and hurled him to the ground, knocking the wind out of his lungs. But perhaps that was fortunate because so did the paralysing pheromones get knocked out too. 

 

Izuku rose with some difficulty, wheezing and panting for oxygen. His finger was intact, much to his surprised delight.

 

“You fucking bitch!” Shigaraki but screamed. He was sprawled on the ground, wailing in pain. His legs didn’t look broken but they certainly couldn’t be in good condition, Izuku mused. Not after receiving a blow from his quirk, no matter how limited it’d been. One for all was a force to be reckoned with, after all. 

 

The former hero took that shout as his cue and swiftly ran with all his might away from the scene, not stopping despite the burning strain on his heart and lungs. 

 

Out of nowhere, Katsuki appeared in his view. 

 

“Izuku!” The blond flew to the green haired boy using his large wings, concern evident in his face. 

 

“Katsuki!” Relief flooded him.

 

Katsuki caught him in a tight hug and held him as if he would disappear any second. However, one deep inhale was all it took to make him go from worried to furious. 

 

“What happened?! What are you doing here?” He asked, attempting to keep his voice from showing his true emotions.

 

“Uh, n-nothing. I just went looking for a stream but then I got lost.” Izuku laughed sheepishly but soon cowered under the dragonkin’s barely contained anger. It was bleeding into his scent and turning the surrounding atmosphere stuffy and oppressive. He struggled to breathe. 

 

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Izuku.” Katsuki’s tone was soft and calm but the boy knew he was anything but. 

 

“I-” 

 

Izuku didn’t even get to finish his sentence before a thick wave of menacing pheromones wrapped around him. He shook and fell to his knees by Katsuki’s feet, unable to resist the indestructible urge to submit. Be beneath. 

 

“His smell is all over you. What happened?” 

 

Electricity shot throughout Izuku’s system, pure fear took over. He looked up at Katsuki, eyes wide and glazed, lips trembling. Slick gathered around his entrance but he failed to notice it, thoughts too scattered to spare any attention to anything other than the answer to the question asked. Crimson gems sternly glared at him from above and refused to let the boy avert his gaze. He clawed at Katsuki’s pants for purchase, wishing for nothing more than to disappear into the ground. Dig a hole and hide. Curl up somewhere or maybe spread his legs and offer himself in hopes of somehow placating the wrath sent his way. 

 

He wondered absentmindedly if that was truly Katsuki. The gentle, considerate and indulgent man who’d pleasured him so passionately the previous night.

 

“I- ah...clean up, so... stream. Got lost.” Izuku swallowed, throat dry like sandpaper. He struggled to focus. “Shigaraki… appeared. Said-”

 

Katsuki’s face visibly twisted in wild rage at the mention of that name but Izuku didn’t have it in him to stop his speech. He couldn’t yet, he hadn’t been ordered to do so. He had to listen, be good. Katsuki was mad, he had to be good. 

 

“You- ngh... their thing. Had.” Tears stung Izuku’s eyes, his cheeks flushed with the stress induced by the entire situation. “Wanted my… cooperation.”  

 

“Did he hurt you?”

 

“A little…”

 

“Where?”

 

“Uh… neck.” 

 

Katsuki examined his neck, and true to Izuku’s affirmation, there was a red handprint blossoming in the area.

 

“How did you get away?” 

 

“F-fought, used… quirk.”

 

“Enough.” Katsuki said at last, screwing his eyes shut to calm the storm within. 

 

Izuku instantly deflated. The invisible weight that’d been wearing him down lifted from his frame, making him feel lighter than ever, almost dizzy. Something in his core begged to be coddled, held and comforted. He’d been good, he deserved it. 

 

A whimper escaped from his lips.

 

Sighing heavily, Katsuki crouched down and picked Izuku up. 

 

“You idiot.” He whispered, scent acquiring the ripe sweetness that turned Izuku’s psyche into a blank void. “Should’ve told me first before leaving like that.” 

 

The blonde’s secure embrace tightened further. 

 

Meanwhile, Izuku was too out of it to answer, to even comprehend what’d been said. He watched mindlessly as the greenery became a room with walls made out of clay. Neither the water lapping at his skin nor the slippery touches fazed the boy while Katsuki bathed him, attentive and thorough. The presence of other people did partly grab his attention but he was too fuzzy and warm in Katsuki’s arms to let it bother him. Succulent treats might’ve slipped into his mouth and filled his stomach and salve might’ve been rubbed on his wounds but he truly couldn’t have cared less, lost in the haze. 

 

Time ticked by and evaded Izuku’s understanding. He didn’t remember passing out, yet the next time he opened his eyes, he was back in the nest with Katsuki hovering over him. 

 

“Five more minutes…” He moaned, drowning in drowsiness as he turned his back to the blonde. 

 

“It’s lunch time, baby. Come on. You gotta eat.” Katsuki persuaded as he carefully peeled the fur from the boy and sat him up. A tray with food was promptly placed in his lap, though Izuku needed a few more minutes to fully awaken.

 

As his awareness returned, so did all the memories and the subsequent shock. His palms got sweaty due to the confused queries floating on his tongue, too reluctant to be easily uttered. 

 

The conversation with Shigaraki had been nothing short of a whole can of worms waiting to be opened, analysed alongside his body’s intense reaction to Katsuki’s domineering attitude. 

 

Izuku had always known Katsuki had a colder facet to him since they talked about his draconic lineage but the angry one was new and by far a lot more terrifying. An ice cold splash of sobering water to the face. He’d almost broken down in tears from the tone of his voice alone and the notion that the blonde wasn’t as gentle and soft as he’d originally thought only exacerbated his current worries. 

 

On another note, what had Shigaraki meant when he called Katsuki ‘murderer’? The dragonkin might have his scary moments but Izuku couldn’t imagine a point where he’d actually kill someone. Even his Kacchan, who’d tell, scream, promise or order people to die wouldn’t dare act on his threats because, deep down, he cared. And similarly, Katsuki was also a caring person. 

 

So, what had happened? What was the thing that, according to Shigaraki, Katsuki supposedly had?

 

Never did the blonde’s past seem as enigmatic as in that moment and while they ate in silence, Izuku couldn’t stop pondering about how he should bring the subject and incident up. 

 

Thankfully for him, he didn’t have to wait long nor struggle too much, for Katsuki showed an opening.

 

“Izuku, I’m going to ask you a favor.” He said. “Don’t leave the village alone again.”

 

The former hero stiffened. “This is because of Shigaraki, isn’t it?” 

 

“Yeah.” 

 

A tense pause stretched. 

 

“He wanted to retrieve something of his that was supposedly with you.” Izuku began, tentatively. “What was that about?” 

 

Katsuki regarded him with an unreadable look. Impassive would be an appropriate adjective to describe it.

 

“You really know nothing, huh.” He remarked, more to himself than to Izuku. 

 

“Uh… yeah. I’m from another world, did you forget?”

 

“No. No, I didn’t. “ He sighed. “Shigaraki… is an annoying idiot from the Cobra Clan.” 

 

“So…?” Izuku pressured further. “What does he want with you?” 

 

“Izuku.” Katsuki warned, scent spiking with an emotion Izuku couldn’t quite put a finger on. “Let it go. Don’t worry, I won’t let him get to you again.”

 

Unease? Anxiety? Guilt, perhaps. Somehow, the latter seemed fitting.

 

The boy halted. ‘Yeah. He smells... guilty.’

 

Why?

 

Was it really because he failed to protect him?

 

“What do you mean, let it go?! I was attacked because of it! I think I deserve to know!” 

 

The two held a long staring contest but Katsuki relented eventually, unwilling and sullen.

 

“Fine.” He said. “What he wanted was the Elixir of Eternal Subservience. The Cobra Clan’s ancient relic.” 

 

Izuku gave the blonde an odd look. “Okay…? What’s that? And why do you have it?” 

 

It sounded dangerous, to point out the least.

 

“It’s a potion that grants one the power to control those who drink it. Basically, turns people into loyal slaves.” Katsuki explains. “I don’t have the potion though, just the recipe, which means nobody besides me can make it.” 

 

“You said it was originally that clan’s relic, but now it’s with you. Did you steal it?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Why?!” 

 

“It’s complicated, okay?” Katsuki groaned in frustration. “I was vengeful back then. I wanted them to pay for what they did to us. To my clan.”

 

The more Izuku probed, the more complex and intricate the narrative got. He did not know what to make of it. 

 

“What did they do that was so bad?” 

 

“They joined forces with the Phoenix Clan and attacked us, thought they could get their hands on our Stone.” Katsuki sounded more and more pained as he spoke, as if he were reliving the incidents his words described. “So many of us died, Izuku. My dad. My sister.” 

 

The frown on Katsuki’s face deepened, he refused to hold eye contact and show the moisture gathered at the base of his lashes. The stench of guilt worsened and that was when Izuku realized the true extent of the conversation’s emotional charge, the reason why Katsuki hadn’t wanted to articulate the story behind his actions.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Izuku apologized. “You don’t have to say anything else.” 

 

Though he hadn’t declared it out loud nor did he have all the pieces of the puzzle, Izuku trusted Katsuki to be a good person that wouldn’t have stolen and killed for a flimsy excuse. That being so, he wouldn’t probe further and merely listen in case the dragonkin ever felt like sharing his past. 

 

Undoubtedly, there was a mountain of secrets buried beneath the surface. What Izuku had just gotten had been but a quick taste of the most superficial layer and it already had him hungry for more. He wondered if he’d ever get to learn the full truth.

 

Upon being freed of the interrogation, Katsuki shuffled closer to Izuku and leaned against him to give a timid nip to the neck. The cuteness of the gesture made Izuku’s heart flip in his chest. 

 

“Don’t leave the village alone.” He ordered, though it sounded more like a forlorn request, a plea. “You got away this time, but who knows what’ll happen next. They know your face, they know you’re mine.”

 

Izuku blushed, conflicted once more as the musings from earlier in the morning emerged from the confines of his brain. The refusal to become a possession. The refusal to be controlled. The refusal to let his inherent strength and capabilities go unacknowledged.

 

“They won’t hesitate to hurt you to get to me. Be careful.” 

 

“I will.” Izuku reassured him. 

 

“I can’t lose you too.” Hands curled around the boy’s waist, warm and loving.

 

And despite his rationality, the protectiveness radiating from the dragonkin, along with the rare display of emotional fragility nudged Izuku’s feelings onward, urging them to be victorious in their struggle. 

 

“You-” He hesitated, unsure of his next statement. “Y-You won’t.”

 

Unsure not because he entertained the thought of dying but because he couldn’t tell for sure whether he did belong to the blonde to start with.

 

A quiet moment passed, meals forgotten in their tray. 

 

The gentlest of breezes caressed their cheeks and when fangs sunk into the skin below Izuku’s jaw, not quite near the glands, the boy just let it happen. 

 

Notes:

So... I guess it's time to get to know Katsuki a little better :D I cooked up some plot while thinking of his background :p
Tho just fyi, from this point on, I have no idea what's going to happen either ahahah
Regardless, hope you all enjoyed it so far and that you stay for the ride!
Let me know in the comments in what way I could improve the story, pretty please with a cherry on top <3 Constructive criticism gives me life ^-^

Also, dunno if y'all saw it but the title of this chapter is "Rivals" and I think it deserves an explanation: in this ch. there's various sets of rivals mentioned
1.Izuku's emotions vs logic / instincts vs personality and beliefs
2. Izuku vs Shigaraki
3. Dragon Clan vs Cobra+Phoenix Clan
4. Izuku vs Katsuki (but you gotta squint to find this one)

And yeah... that's it. Bye babiess <3

Notes:

Hello my dudes, hope you liked my story because I already have 20K of it written (though I still have to proof-read it ).
I'd say I wrote it but, to be honest, the story wrote itself. Sometimes I wanted certain things to happen but the characters said "No bish, u listen to me ok? we're not doin that!". Bakugo did that a lot, actually.

This story is mostly to explore the instictual aspect of the Omegaverse Universe and how Izuku, a normal teenager, will adapt to the new urges and thoughts in his head.

Meanwhile, Bakugo is just an absolute sweetheart. You'll see it later so do look forward to it.
Bye babiessss

Edit (30/11/2020): plot was found, whoops
things will eventually get complicated so buckle up kids