Katsuki arrived home from the Midoriya's place with a newfound fullness. He'd never been anyone's alpha before and now, it looked like that was going to change. Endorphins fired at all cylinders. He felt pride and fulfillment. He wanted this in the most primal way. To be an alpha, to have an omega to care for, to belong to someone.

As soon as he got home, he went into Midoriya's room and pulled the clothes out of his drawers. He walked down the road with them in his arms and dropped them on Todoroki's front lawn where they were immediately drenched in snow. He'd wanted to do that for so long. As he began to walk away, he heard his name called. "Katsuki! Wait!" He turned around and saw the mix-haired man hurrying to slip his shoes on. He jogged out to meet him. "What are you doing here?"

"Giving you back your shit." The blonde responded, his hands buried in his pockets. The other alpha glanced back to the pile of wet clothes.

"H-how's Midoriya?"

"None of your god damn business, that's how." He growled, especially protective of the boy now that he was fairly certain that they'd be in a relationship soon.

"Look, I know you're angry with me. I just want to talk to him. I can explain." The man's voice was desperate.

"You don't have to explain, he already understands. You lied to his face and kept him away from his family to get laid. If you're going to pretend like there's more to the story than that, then I'll have to call bullshit."

"That's not the whole story! I know that's how it looks but I swear, I wasn't trying to hurt him."

"Should I tell the cops I wasn't trying to punch you in the face, it just happened? Get back inside and forget you ever met Midoriya."

"Katsuki, at least hear me out…"

"It's going to be hard to hear you out when there's no more teeth in your head. Go! Get out of here! It's taking a lot of energy for me to restrain myself right now and let me be frank- I'm tried."

"Just let me talk to him for five minutes and you'll never see me again." The taller alpha bargained.

"Are you stupid or something? Open your goddamn ears and listen closely because this is that last time I'm going to say it. You're never going to talk to Midoriya ever again, he's mine."

"He's… yours? Did he say that?" His eyes widened with realization. He had suspected that the two might be close but to hear it affirmed was the last nail in the coffin. There was no hope for him and Midoriya.

Katsuki smirked. "No… he didn't say it… he showed me."

With that, he turned and left the broken-hearted alpha on the sidewalk. Katsuki didn't feel remorse about being so brutal. This was his job as an alpha- to crush lurkers and claim the omega. If Midoriya weren't involved, he probably wouldn't have even given Todoroki the time of day but now he had something to protect.

He couldn't stop thinking about Deku. He was so cute in looks and personality. He was brave and passionate and clever not to mention pretty. He was so pretty. He was pretty when he first showed up as a bag of skin and bones but now that he was gaining weight, he was an undisputed 10 in Katsuki's eyes. He had those long thick lashes and lean, dainty fingers. He had a little bounce in his step when he walked and he often stretch out on the couch like a lazy house cat, unaware that the alpha took note of his ass which was slowly gaining some roundness.

He picked up his phone and sent a quick text. He was dying to know what their relationship was but he knew he couldn't be the first one to bring it up. He was afraid that if he asked something like, 'can I call you my omega?', He might get an affirmative answer based on obligation rather than sincerity. He had done a lot for Deku when he was most vulnerable, the omega might have felt like he owed him something.

Katsuki: Got home safely.

Midoriya: Good! Hey, is your stomach upset at all?

Katsuki: No. Should it be?

Midoriya: No, I have a bit of a belly ache so I was wondering if maybe there was an issue with dinner. Guess it's just me.

Katsuki: Green tea and sleep.

Midoriya: Is that an order?

Katsuki: Just a suggestion. I was going to take you out for breakfast tomorrow but if you're sick, I guess it'll just be a raincheck.

Within minutes, Katsuki received a snap of a mug of green tea. He smiled and texted back.

Katsuki: see you and eight.

Deku struggled to get to sleep due to the swarms of butterflies in his stomach. Although that wasn't the first kiss he'd received from Katsuki, he was sure that this one was fully intentional rather than a product of aggravated hormones.

'How come he never initiates those things with me? Today with the hand holding and kissing, I'm the one who initiated those. I know he wanted to because I never forced myself on him, I just laid out the opportunity. And the way he kissed me… he couldn't have felt guilted into kissing me like that. That had to have been real.'

The omega snuggled into the familiar comforter and took a deep breath of the alpha's scent. For some reason, it smelled especially good today. He got his legs around the plush blanket, trying to get it as close as possible as he kept sniffing. He really needed physical contact. He dismissed this especially strong desire as a case of the lovey-doveys and went to sleep.

When Katsuki showed up at the Midoriya house the next day, he immediately recognized that there was something different about Deku. He couldn't really put his finger on it other than noticing that his scent was a little different. It was just a twinge sweeter. "How's you stomach?" He asked as they walked from the front door back out to his car.

"It's all better now." He lied. He didn't want Katsuki to call off the date. In reality, it was getting worse. His whole abdomen was sore as if he'd been doing sit ups and his body felt slightly achy not to mention that he was getting feverish. Maybe it was a little cold.

They got in the car and started driving. For some reason, the motion of the road just did not sit well with the omega. He felt nauseous and soon, the bitter taste of bile was climbing up his throat. "Ka-Kacchan…" He mumbled. The alpha glanced over and finally realized that Deku was definitely not normal today. "Can you pull over for a sec?"

The alpha did so immediately just in time for Midoriya to open his car door, lean out, and vomit on the pavement. Katsuki hastily unbuckled his seatbelt and went around to the passenger side of the car. He brushed the boy's bangs up with his hand so he could look into the green eyes. Just as he expected, they were glassy. "Idiot. You're sick." He helped the boy sit up in his seat.

"I'm not!" Deku insisted in a pleading voice. "Let's just go, I'm not sick."

The alpha sighed. "Look, I'm still going to take you out for breakfast, just another day. Come on, let's get you home."

"I'm fine!" He promised.

Katsuki wasn't going to hear any more excuses. He closed the car door and got back into the driver's seat. He started driving, the omega sniffling and silently crying into his lap in the passenger seat. He was never this emotional, there was definitely something wrong with him. "Tell me exactly how you feel." Katsuki ordered.

"I feel fine." He insisted although that lie clearly wouldn't pass anymore.

"Don't lie to me. Do you have a fever?"

"Just a little bit."

"Do you have a lot of pressure in the bridge of your nose and temples?"

"No."

That surprised Katsuki. His sinuses should be clogged if it's a cold. "How about your ears? Is you hearing muffled?"

"No."

"That's odd… Can you take a deep breath and completely stretch your lungs?"

The omega tried and succeeded. "Yeah."

'It's not a cold…' the alpha thought. 'Maybe a stomach bug?' "Tell me your symptoms."

"Sadness…rejection…disappointment" The boy mumbled, tears slipping onto his lap.

Normally, Katsuki would dismiss the boy as being dramatic but intensified emotions were a symptom of another condition: heat. Now that Katsuki thought about it, things started adding up. The nausea, fever, intense emotions, stomach ache, sweet smell, it all pointed towards an omega in preheat. He'd probably be getting migraines within the next few hours and by Monday or Tuesday, he'd be in heat. He drove back to the Midoriya's house as fast as he could and walked the omega up to the door. Thankfully, Inko answered the door and understood right away what was happening. She invited the two inside and sat them in the living room. As soon as he sat down, the omega cuddled into Katsuki. He needed Katsuki's warmth, his scent, and the physical contact. He rubbed against the alpha like a cat and soon, he was able to calm down enough to stop crying.

The alpha sat completely still, flustered and unsure. If this were normal Deku, he'd have pushed him off and told him to stop being so embarrassing but he knew he couldn't do that now. Deku was in a lot of discomfort and needed help. Katsuki just wasn't sure what kind of help he could give. Even though they were kind of a pair now, it didn't feel right spending a heat together. It was far too soon to be that intimate.

"M-Mrs. Midoriya, I have my car here, is there anything you need me to buy? I can run out and get it quickly. A heating pad? Pain killers?" He offered.

"Thank you, Katsuki, but I'll go get everything. I know which brands he likes best. Besides, I have to go book a hotel room for him." She said, slinging her purse onto her arm.

"Don't people normally do that online?" Katsuki asked.

"You can but most omegas feel more comfortable picking out their room in person so they can make sure it's in a good location and nothing's wrong with it. It's stressful to show up the day of the booking and find blood on the carpet or a weird smell lingering."

Katsuki had never considered that. He realized that, although he had read about heat in ten different medical textbooks, he still didn't fully understand the humanist side of it. "Oh… okay, well, I guess I should be on my way too then."

"Actually, would you mind staying with Izuku? I worry about him, you see."

"But…" That suggestion made Katsuki nervous.

"Don't worry, he won't go into full heat today. He may be emotional but he's still in his right mind." She said, glancing to the boy who was contentedly rubbing his chin and throat on the alpha to spread his scent. It felt like his scent glands itched and he could only scratch them on someone else.

"Okay." The alpha agreed with a nod. The woman left, leaving the two in silence. Izuku didn't seem to feel any of the alpha's awkwardness. After another minute or two of scenting, he felt relaxed. He leaned back on the sofa, his leg pressed against Katsuki's for just a bit of contact.

"I'm sorry…" the boy said. "I should have known that I would be coming into heat around now. I forgot my cycle."

Katsuki tried to play it cool. "It's whatever. Now you know."

"At least it's not during Christmas, right?" The optimist pointed out. "And now I know that if I have a baby in the future, it'll be an August baby. I've heard it's better to have a baby during the warm season."

The alpha blushed. It was hard to be cool when Deku said things like that. "Why are you so concerned with having a baby?"

"Hm? I don't know…" The omega looked down to his stomach and gently rubbed it. It was so flat. "Heat has a way of making you feel so lonely in your own body. Isn't that weird? It's always just been me in here, I have no reason to miss what I've never had, but I still do. I feel a little incomplete."

"You're not… you're not going to try to get pregnant this time, right?" He asked.

Now it was the omega's turn to blush. "N-no!" He looked to Katsuki. This alpha was handsome and strong and kind and his. Izuku didn't think he'd mind spending heat with this man. "Well… I don't think so… Katsuki, will you answer me honestly?"

"Depends on the question."

"Do you want to have sex with me?" He asked.

Katsuki felt his mind go numb after hearing that question. Did he hear that right? Who the hell would ask something like that!? "Wh-wh-what the hell are you even talking about!?"

"So… you don't like me in that way right now?" The omega clarified.

"Shut up, you fuck'n dork!"

"Are you just avoiding the question now?"

Katsuki fell silent.

"Kacchan… just tell me how you feel. I won't judge your answer. I'm just wondering if we should consider doing this together this time or not."

Katsuki let that proposal sink in. He'd had lewd thoughts about Izuku for a long time but did he actually want to have sex with him? Yes… but not yet. They'd only known each other for two weeks and they'd only confirmed their attraction for one another less than 24 hours ago. To jump in to sex at this point just to fulfil physical needs would sabotage what their first time was supposed to be like. He wanted to go slow. He wanted to kiss Izuku for a while and slowly work his way up to full intercourse over time. He wanted to build that trust and love between them. Other than producing offspring, giving your body was the most that anyone could physically give of themselves. It was special.

'Receiving Deku's whole body is an incredibly special and honored gift. I can't imagine how hard it is for an omega to allow themselves to be so vulnerable that they're willing to hand over their whole self to someone else. How am I supposed to show him that I'm truly grateful for that gift if I just take it in a moment of weakness while our relationship is so young? No… the first time should be a complete giving of self, not a quick fix to hormonal discomfort. As badly as I want it, this is too important.'

The alpha gently wrapped his hand around Deku's. This affectionate gesture did so much to ease the omega's discomfort. "Deku…" The blonde said, his voice low and smooth. "You know I'm not sappy so I'm not going to tell you how much you mean to me but just know… it's a lot… and that's why I can't stay with you this time."

"That doesn't make sense. If you like me that much, shouldn't you want this?" He really didn't understand the man's hesitation.

"It's not a matter of what I want, Idiot. I want a lot of things… and yeah, doing it now would feel good and give me some of the things I want but not everything. Can you honestly say that you completely love me right now?"

Completely? Deku wasn't sure about that. He trusted this alpha and he felt instinctually drawn to him but complete love was something that could only be formed with time. The love he felt right now was just a bud, destined to bloom into a beautiful flower when the time was right. Katsuki was right… it was too early for this. The omega looked down into his lap, ashamed for asking in the first place. Their relationship wasn't at that point yet.

The alpha noticed this slump in his demeanor and cupped the boy's cheek, bringing them face to face. He knew he had to be honest about what he felt. He couldn't hold back or the omega would continue to blame himself. "Deku… okay, listen, because I'm only going to say this once. I really like you and I want to have sex with you. I've wanted physical contact with you for a long time but you're too special to me. Your body isn't just a body… it's your body and I'm going to keep working until I deserve to receive it. I can't treat it like it's not a big deal because, to me, you're the biggest deal. So let's wait until we can really give everything to each other."

Looking into those crimson eyes, the omega felt truly loved. Again, Katsuki proved to be the only person who truly knew him. How come this man could see value in the omega's body that even he didn't see? Until now, he'd seen his body as separate from his soul, like two separate parts working together. Katsuki treated them like two halves of a whole being. The omega turned his chin up, asking silently for a kiss. Katsuki understood the gesture and responded by gently wrapping his hands around the boy's waist and leaning into him, pressing their lips together again.

As the two mouths danced, the alpha's hands roamed Deku's back. Soon, he was distracted from the kiss, his attention on measuring the boy's body fat content with his fingertips. He ran them over Deku's spine and ribs, feeling how much better he'd gotten in just two weeks. He was still bony and there was considerable progress yet to be made.

The embarrassed omega broke the kiss. "What are you doing?" He asked in a little voice.

"Just taking survey." As a professional personal trainer, it was easy for Katsuki to measure the omega's body just by touch. He felt the size of muscles and the plushness of the fat.

"Please don't… It's embarrassing. I don't want to show you my body until it's a little better."

"It's fine how it is." Katsuki insisted.

"I read your books. Omegas are supposed to have nice, full, figures. That's what alphas want."

"Says who?"

"Whatever smart person wrote that book."

The alpha rolled his eyes. "I know which book you're talking about. That book is written from a strictly biological perspective, it doesn't take into account other important factors of attraction."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that omegas have personalities along with bodies. I have a client at work with exactly the kind body that book is talking about. There's probably a photo of her in a few anatomy text books as the ideal biological specimen of an omega."

Deku pouted. "Are you telling me this just to make me upset?"

"Listen, would you? My point is that, according to that book, she's so perfect that I shouldn't be able to hold myself back as an alpha. Turns out, it's quite easy to hold myself back because she's a raging cunt. You'll never be able to learn to love a shit personality but bodies are constantly changing and we're constantly finding new ways to love them. Right now, you're skinny and I like you like this. Later, you'll gain some weight and I'll like that too. You'll eventually get old and fat and wrinkly and I'll still like your body because you're the one in it. "

Deku smiled a little bit. He knew it was silly but he liked hearing the alpha say that he was better than other omegas. It reaffirmed their bond and reassured Midoriya that this alpha was with him and no one else. "Easy for you to say, you're probably in a text book too. I bet you get hit on all the time at work."

The alpha smirked. "Is that jealousy I hear?"

"Don't let other omegas rub on you or bat their eyes at you!" The cute omega ordered.

"Okay, but in exchange, don't talk to any other alphas during your heat."

"I couldn't even if I wanted to, they make you leave your phone with the communication manager at the hotel."

"Huh? Why?"

"Omegas aren't themselves when they're in heat and one of the things you're paying for when you stay in a heat hotel is a service that keeps you from making stupid decisions. You're pretty much locked in a room with no connection to the outside world except a TV. Some nicer hotels will have specially controlled internet for the guests too but those are high luxury places. I'll probably bring some of my old university textbooks and try to refresh myself on the material."

Katsuki didn't like the sound of that. He wanted to be able to check up on the omega and make sure he was safe. "What if something bad happens? How are you supposed to get help?"

"There's a phone in the room that connects only to the front desk. They control who can go up to the rooms, when, and whether the doors unlock or not. If there's something I need to tell you or vice versa, I can send messages to you through the communication manager. Most hotels will do a few free messages a day."

The alpha grumbled in annoyance. He didn't like feeling like his omega was going to be put in jail but there was really no other way around it without heat-neutralizing drugs that often had a lot of risks associated for the omegas. He couldn't help but fear for the worst. Dangerous alphas always found ways to break into places like that. They would dress like custodians or pull fire alarms to make the doors automatically unlock. "Are you sure you'll be okay? I can figure out something else."

"This happens every year, Kacchan, I have a lot of practice. When I check in, I'll be allowed to give them the information of three people who can call asking about me so, whenever you want, you can call the front desk and they'll check on me for you. There's no reason to worry at all." The little omega rolled up Katsuki's sleeve and started rubbing their forearms for further scenting. This activity was most effective in relaxing omegas but it also worked on alphas. Katsuki felt his muscles loosening as Deku performed this ritual. "Do you have any plans for the week?"

"Not really. I'm starting with a new client tomorrow, someone famous I guess."

"Really? Who?"

"I dunno, I wasn't really paying attention when I got the call. The name sounded kinda like Yoga."

"Hmm." Deku thought about it for a while. He didn't have a great memory either. "Write me when you find out who it is, I might want an autograph."

"I'm not going to ask for an autograph. I have a good reputation because I don't give a shit about who my clients are, I just train them."

"Fine, but don't go liking any other omegas, okay?"

The alpha scoffed. "You got it." Deku was just jealous enough to be cute. Katsuki saw partners all the time who went through each other's text messages and browser histories like psychopaths. He didn't want that, he wanted trust between them.

"If someone starts making eyes at you or wagging their hips in your direction, you just say, 'Sorry, but I've already got an omega. Take it somewhere else'."

"So… you're my omega?" The man confirmed with a smirk.

"Aren't I?"

"Mm-hm." He'd been wanting to ask about that for so long. He slowly rested his arm on the sofa behind Deku's back and to his satisfaction, the boy leaned into it. His alpha pheromones kept the heat symptoms at bay until Inko came back home. Deku needed a hot bath to help with his cramping so Katsuki left but not before giving the boy his dirty gym shirt from his trunk. It was an odd gift but greatly appreciated. The scent on it worked better than any over the counter pain killer. They parted with a quick peck on the lips.

Katsuki knew it would be hard to be away from Deku for a week or longer with very restricted contact but once it was over, they would have a whole year together without worrying about that. He got home and looked through his emails to find the name of his new client because Deku seemed interested. He found it and texted the omega.

Katsuki: My new client is Himiko Toga. Have you heard of her?

Midoriya: Isn't that Cutie's real name? IS YOUR CLIENT CUTIE!?

Katsuki: Am I supposed to know what that means?

Midoriya: You can't seriously not know :0 She's a huge popstar.

Katsuki: Neat, I guess.

Midoriya: Don't fall in love with her!

Katsuki: Wasn't planning on it.

Midoriya: Seriously though, be careful. The press is always looking for rumor fuel.

Katsuki: I'll keep that in mind. Go take a nap.

Midoriya: I'm your omega.

Katsuki: I know. Goodnight.

Katsuki stayed at home the rest of the night, researching what heat is like for omegas. There was so much information and some of it was contradictory. In the end, he decided to text Ochako. She agreed to meet him after work for a coffee and conversation. Katsuki was well aware that there was still so much he didn't know about omegas. He needed an expert's help.

The next day, he had his breakfast and went to the gym like usual. He had a few regular appointments in the morning. He almost forgot about the new client until she showed up accompanied by a tall alpha and a beta woman. The girl wore messy buns in her icy blonde hair and a pink athletic leggings under a sports bra and jacket. She immediately shed the jacket when she walked in.

Katsuki narrowed his brows. His gut instinct was telling him that this client was trouble. "Are you Toga?" He asked.

The girl giggled. It kind of sounded fake. "Yeah, you probably know me as Cutie but you can call me Toga."

"Well, Toga, this gym's dress code requires the covering of the abdomen. Since you brought a jacket, that's not a problem, right?"

"I have to wear my jacket?" She confusedly looked back to the beta with her who shook her head. "My stylist chose this outfit specifically for this." The girl tried to explain. "It's just you and me so you can ignore that rule, right?"

"Actually, it's not just you and me which is another problem. Who are these people?"

"Mr. Dabi is my body guard and Mrs. Ashida is my personal coordinator." She said. Each of the onlookers offered him courteous bows which he did not reciprocate.

"They're not allowed in here."

"The omega before me had a guest." She pointed out.

"A guest? Are you talking about his baby?" Just how annoying could this client be?

"Look, the contract didn't say anything about not being allowed to bring my team with me."

The alpha sighed and massaged his temples in annoyance. "Okay. They can stay but the jacket has to go on."

"If I can get permission from management, I can leave it off, right?" She asked.

"Uh… I guess I can't stop you at that point."

"Said and done~" She chirped, pulling out her phone and sending a text to someone. Minutes later, a part-timer showed up and told Katsuki that the manager approved an exception to the dress code for Ms. Cutie. Just how much power did this petite blonde have? It unsettled the alpha.

Begrudgingly, he began the training session. He just wanted to get it over with now. As they worked, he would manually correct her form. He never gave much thought to touching omegas. He wasn't attracted to his clients and they knew that so it was never a problem. He was just doing his job. It was easier to just adjust someone's shoulders then try to explain the structure of muscle fibers.

It seemed that this client wasn't as casual about the whole thing. Katsuki picked up a wiff of something in the air during the session but ignored it until it became apparent that it was omega lust pheromones. It completely caught the alpha off guard. After that, he kept his hands on his hips and out of the way, hoping the problem would just go away. "Lower your hips." He ordered to the omega who was performing a plank with her rear lifted in the air. With another client, he wouldn't hesitate to keep his hand on their lower back and hold them flat but with this girl, he wanted a good three feet of distance between them at all times.

She dropped her hips so that she was just lying on the ground. "Oh, you're right! This is much easier~" She was well aware that she was performing the pose incorrectly but it never hurt to play stupid.

"I didn't mean to lay down. They should be in line with your shoulders." He corrected, glancing at his digital watch. Still twenty minutes. He wanted to hit his head against the wall.

"Show me?" She requested in an innocent voice. She had the kind of body that Deku was so jealous of. She had a petite frame but carried notable weight in her hips and breasts. Rather than putting his hands on the girl, he got down beside her and performed a perfect plank as an example.

"Notice how my hips are off the ground but my back is straight." He said.

"Wow! You make it look so easy!"

Before he knew it, there was a hand on his upper back. He quickly lost form, dropping down to his stomach before getting his knees under him. He gave the girl a dangerous look but it didn't startle her. She was looking for trouble to begin with and happy to get it now.

"Oh! Sorry, did I startle you? I was just really impressed. You have such great definition in your trapezius. I've been trying to shape up my back more because I have this backless dress that I'm going to wear to this year's music awards. Maybe you can help me with that too."

Katsuki didn't even try to fake a polite smile anymore. "Maybe I could recommend you to an omega trainer. I know a guy from university, Kirishima, and he works with a lot of other omegas. He's had celebrity clients before too."

"Katsuki… did I make you uncomfortable?" She sat on her side and shifted her shoulders in a way that showed off her chest. "I'm sorry… I mean, I'm in show biz so I've gotten comfortable being blunt."

"I have an omega." The alpha responded just like Deku had told him to.

"Huh? But you're not marked." She noted.

He flushed in frustration. "It's not something I want to talk about at work." What he really wanted to say was 'back the fuck off' but of course, he was at work and he wanted to keep his job.

"Then… let's talk about it somewhere else~" She suggested, leaning a little closer which prompted the alpha to scoot back. How did it end up that he was being intimidated by an omega half his size?

"No." The man answered bluntly.

For some reason, his rejections came off as playful banter to her rather than simple refusal. Maybe this game was so enduring to her because she was always surrounded by pleasers. Maybe the prospect of someone who really didn't care thrilled her, challenged her. "Are you worried about the press? I know how to stay low profile."

"I'm just your personal trainer, okay? And I'm serious, I do have an omega so let's keep this relationship strictly professional."

"Is your omega a fan of mine? Maybe they'd like to meet me~"

"I-I don't know if he listens to your music or not. Fifty sit ups." He said, forcing the conversation away from his omega.

"Hold my feet for me, okay?" She said, rolling onto her back.

The alpha begrudgingly kneeled at her feet and held them down flat. She requested to stretch once the exercises were over with as well and, of course, she wouldn't be satisfied until the alpha agreed to help her. Katsuki couldn't be more glad to leave work that day but little did he know, the manipulation and competitive drive that he saw in that one session was only the tip of the iceberg. There was a whole world of problems waiting for him now that he had become a pawn in this girl's game.