A/N: Hi guys! I'm so glad to be back and at this again. This chapter marks the beginning of the "House of Flowers" arc, meaning it's only going this medieval epic is only going to pick up from here. Thank you all for being patient while I struggled to figure everything out!
He really fucking hated sweat. Okay, fine that was going too far, maybe. Being covered in sweat meant he had put in a day of work. One more day put towards rising to the top. Of pushing his body further and further until eventually he'd be absolutely sure he'd be the strongest alpha to inherit the title the chief in this backwater of a town. But when he hadn't gotten a good nights sleep in days and could literally feel his shirt fusing with his back, yeah he could say he fucking hated being sweaty.
He wouldn't have to be in this position right now. The damned sun hadn't even come up yet. If this were a normal day, he'd still be in his bed. He wouldn't be filthy, the inside of his mouth wouldn't taste like shit, and he'd probably be able to think clearly.
But this wasn't a normal day. You might be asking, "Well why the fuck not?" Well, if this were a 'normal' day for him, he wouldn't be standing there, in front of aunty Inko, her son cradled in his arms and Katsuki's teeth grazing the other boy's scent glands. Katsuki wouldn't be left alone, staring dumbfounded like a fish at the pale wood of the Midoriya's front door.
He sure as hell didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of the mother of the only omega whose scent he could actually tolerate. Nevermind that it had to be that stupid deku's fault. Sneaking out in the middle of the night and shit, the nerd could have gotten lost in the freaky tall flowers that surrounded their village. And then Deku just had to go into heat right after they had gotten done making up and shit. Katsuki swore that the omega had no sense of timing.
Katsuki's brain went on autopilot after that. He didn't remember when his legs started moving, taking him farther and farther away from Izuku's delicious chamomile scent. He only snapped out of it when he stumbled upon something he really shouldn't have seen.
It was really quite romantic really. A pair of villagers, an alpha and omega, huddled in the dark corner between two buildings Katsuki had been blindly walking alongside. Rays of moonlight cascaded down the omegas body as the alpha, cast in shadows, embraced them, peppering kisses down their throat. A tradition, a promise to claim. Really fucking wished he could have tried to do something like that with the omega he was currently trying to woo, but gods above he was sure Deku would find some way to ruin it. Nah, his brain supplied regretfully, Deku would love it. 's always blabbing about romance and true love and shit.
Katuski realized he might look like a creep, considering he hadn't moved from his spot, his feet glued to the cobblestone, and he was currently staring at the pair in the dark like some sort of deprived animal. He stumbled out of his trance when the omegas scent travelled to his nose. The omega had been letting it out loosely as it hadn't expected the company of more than one. The omega was obviously unclaimed, their smooth pale neck glowed in the moonlight - Deku's looks better - but their scent, to Katsuki it was almost repulsive. Too sweet, too clingy, too helpless, it was too much for the blond alpha. It was always the same story. To Katsuki, it felt like every omega in this village of theirs was trying to suffocate him with their scent. They always left him gasping for air, and not in the good way. He even tried seeing if it was maybe just the village's omegas, but when outsiders came to have discussions with his mother, the village chief, he'd been met with the same fate when catching their omega compainion's scents.
Only Deku, his thoughts reminded him again as he began to walk away again. Only Deku is good. He didn't even get what was so special about omegas. After all, as soon as they presented, omegas were whisked away to be pruned and plucked and taught all sorts of omega shit. Before last night Katsuki hadn't spoken a full sentence to the green eyed boy for about 5 years. Now that he was an adult, Katsuki still hadn't really talked to a single omega, far too busy training in the woods with a reluctant shitty haired beta trailing behind him. Apparently Deku was exactly what he needed. The omega's scent relaxed him rather than repel him. Deku had proven himself to be strong and resilient, having grown up without an alpha to protect him. To be fair, Katsuki did know one thing about omegas, having examined many couples out and about the village. He was absolutely not going to put up with some clingy omega that demanded all his attention and wouldn't be any good for anything besides a cook and a bed warmer. Can Deku even cook?
Katsuki supposed it was only normal for the other boy to be cautious around him. It's not like they were strangers or anything. He and Deku were just placed on different paths. But despite not speaking in years it seemed to him that Izuku was just as interested in him as he was in the omega. In the past, Katsuki had caught the others eyes when the omega would chance a look at him. Katsuki's alpha instincts forced him to outright preen in front of the omega, sending a message of 'Hey nerd, come and get it.' Their little game of cat and mouse went on like that silently for years, finally coming together last night…
"Kacchan~"
Nope, no, no, he did not need that goddamn memory popping up into his head right now. Not right now, when he still couldn't figure out how to deal with this mess. Looking up out of exasperation, Katsuki caught a beautiful sight. The sun had just begun to shine it's golden light alongside the Dagobah mountains to the east of the village of Musutafu. He hated it. Before Katsuki could find a way to punch the shit out of the sun, however, he realized he was at his front doorstep.
Katsuki had snuck out the night before to pursue a certain fleeing Deku, and he really hoped that he could avoid confronting his parents on his way back inside his house. He could deal with his father; at most, the older beta would just shake his head and tell him not to do it again. The old hag, on the other hand. Oh boy, he'd rather not think about it. Failing to notice the light of a single candle shining through the window, he pushed open the front door as silently as he could. Not that it helped, fucking thing was made of wood so old, he wouldn't be surprised if half the damn village was awake because of him. On drunken feet Katsuki stumbled inside and shut the door behind him as swiftly but quietly as he could. Not that that helped, either. His parents were already waiting for him.
"Katsuki~," came Mitsuki's call from where she sat at the kitchen table, her husband desperately rubbing his arm against hers in an attempt to quell her rage. "Did you enjoy your little midnight stroll?"
The younger alpha remained silent. It was clear his mother wasn't done talking just yet.
"Goodness me, look at the state of you, brat. You've bigger bags under your eyes than those in the markets. Gods above, if only our farmers returned from their fields loaded with bags of crops as big as yours then our village would truly be prosperous."
Katsuki really wasn't in the right state of mind to deal with this slightly deserved earful.
"I'm heading for my room, I don't want to hear this."
"Well, Katsuki, you know what I don't want. I don't want to have to worry about what trouble my son, who, in case you forgot, is supposed to be in line to be the next chief, is getting up to in the middle of the night." She stood up from the table, leaving her husband behind. "So tell me Katsuki, what exactly were you up t-"
Sure, Katsuki had gotten into fights with his mother before. They've all but torn up their living space and left behind the wreckage for the quieter of the Bakugou to pick up the pieces. But, for the first time in Katsuki's life, his own sharp red eyes and pointed canines were directed at him. Katsuki stared into his mother's eyes and she stared back. In that moment he knew that she knew. He was so screwed.
He cursed himself inwardly. Even in his sleep deprived state, how could he have been so careless? Not more than two hours ago had he had Izuku laid out in his lap. Not more than two hours ago had he accidently coaxed the poor omega into a heat. Of course the pheromones were bound to stick to his skin like glue.
For a few moments, it seemed like Mitsuki was conflicted. First she was shocked, then angry, and then, with a small smile, she maneuvered around her son and promptly exited their home, slamming the door behind her. Masaru was at a loss for words, longing for his alpha to come back and resolve this argument. Katsuki decided it was best for him to finally get some sleep, and made his way upstairs to his bedroom without a glance at his father. Fucking finally, he thought, It's been way too long. He collapsed into bed in the clothes he was wearing. Something that he almost certainly would find disgusting once he woke up, but he hadn't slept in almost a day.
He must have slept for quite some time, because by the time he woke up, the sun was high in the sky and shining directly on his face from in between his curtains. He tossed his sheets off of him and sat up, grasping the front of his shirt from in between his hands.
"Disgusting."
He peeled it off of his body, feeling the dried sweat and dirt moving against his skin. Not being able to wait any longer, he shot up off the bed and made his way to the bath room, his shirt still pulled halfway over his head. Upon entering the room, he found it blessingly full of steam, the water basin seemed to have been filled recently. Alongside the wall, all his favorite perfumes and soaps were lined up. His father must have gotten this ready for him. Great, he'd have to thank him later.
After showering and destroying the germs in his mouth using the paste he'd gotten from the round face girl that hung around Deku once as a birthday gift, he made his way downstairs to find the table set with all manner of his favorite dishes but still no father or Hag in sight. He ate his fill, careful not to gorge himself or he'd risk messing up his training.
Katsuki decided it'd be best not to wait around for his mother to show up, especially since he had no idea how to react to that mess that happened last night. How was he supposed to react to the old hag smelling fucking heat pheromones on him. She'd probably assume the worst. She's probably hunting out there in the village hunting down the supposed omega he snuck out to meet with.
Lost and looking for something to do, Katsuki sets his sights on sparring, and set out to find his fighting dummy, Kirishima. The red headed beta wasn't anything special with a longsword, but at least he could last longer than most of the other alphas in the village against Katsuki's explosive technique. Before he could make his way across the village, his ears caught the thundering of boots before the booming horns of the hunting party flooded the village square. Shock and awe filled the townspeople as the huntsmen and foragers returned from their hunt. Katsuki took a seat on a stone fence, looking on at the commotion with what he hoped was disinterest. To be completely fucking honest, Katsuki believed he should be part of the hunts, too. The smartest, strongest alphas who could prove themselves as leaders always started out in the hunting parties. And gods above knows he's tried to join them. The only thing one needs before joining is the endorsement of the village chief. Now that's something that Katsuki never gotten. Not even his mother seems to think he's worthy.
He really must've zoned out, because before he knew it two bodies had draped themselves across his shoulders."Bakugou!" shouted the first one, a girl. "We've missed your grumpy face so much."
Katsuki tried pushing them off, shouting out every obscenity he knew and creating some new ones while he was at it. This only made them laugh and latch on harder, because of course nothing could leave him alone with his thoughts for too long before deciding on screwing with him. With a couple well aimed swats and thrashes, Katsuki managed to shake them off, and as he reached for weapon at his side that wasn't there his assaillants came into view behind him, coughing and laughing in the dirt. At the sight of Mina and Kaminari he hesitated. He still kinda wanted to kill them for messing with him, though.
"Don't tell me you're looking for this, Bakugou?" from behind him, Sero joined them clutching a small sheath under his armpit. He must've snatched it while he was occupied with idiot #1 and idiot #2.
"Hand it over before you stink it up, beanpole," Katsuki threatened. Sero surprisingly obliged, only to take a seat back next to him and continue to pester him, Mina and Kaminari joining them on the ground. After a long stretch of awkward silence, Mina decided to ruin Katsuki's peace and quiet.
"So," Mina fiddled with her thumbs. "We had a really good hunt this week." The female alpha looked over at Sero, nudging the beta's legs.
"Uh, yeah," It was Sero's turn to twiddle his thumbs. "We caught a couple of deer, we found that lone bull that was terrorizing old man Kirishima's fields..."
At the mention of the name, Kaminari perked up. "By the way, how is Kirishima. I bet you spend a lot of time with him since you're not allowed to go on the hunts." As always, Kaminari was unable to read the room.
"I'm pretty sure he didn't-"
"He didn't mean to-"
Katsuki didn't even react to Kaminari's words, which actually wasn't all that unusual unless the electric blond really pressed his buttons. The hunts were always a sore topic for Katsuki, so to be taunted about them and not bursting out at Kaminari was uncharacteristic.
"Hey Bakugou, what's got you all dazed out like that?" Mina reached up a hand as if to check Katsuki's temperature, but it was promptly swatted away.
"Oh I can name exactly one thing that can put Bakugou in this kind of mood," Sero said. "And he's bright green eyes and freckles all over."
"You don't fucking know that soy-sauce!"
"I wonder what Midoriya is doing out and about. He usually tends to stay on the outskirts of the village."
Katsuki really couldn't stop himself from staring. Not more than twenty feet away was the source of his main turmoil. Looking just as dazed and confused as he felt. Katsuki assumed that Aunty Inko must've given Izuku some suppressants for his heat. He wouldn't put it past the over protective mother omega to have some relatively strong medicines in her arsenal. Especially if Izuku was out and about this soon. Izuku and his mom walked further away and Katsuki tried his best the green haired omega in his field of view. It wasn't until they were far gone that he noticed that all three of his 'friends' were staring at him with shit eating grins on their faces.
"Hey, did something happen between you and Midoriya?"
"Shut up, pinky," Katsuki really wanted to get some fresh air all of a sudden. "Go to hell, all of you."
"Awe, love you too, man." Kaminari called from his spot on the ground, waving the angry alpha goodbye."
Katsuki weaved his way through the crowds of people gathering to greet the hunters, and the townspeople began to part around him like a shark. Reaching the other side of town, where most of the housing were built, he followed the path that he knew would take him to Kirishima's. He didn't make it very far when a hand wrapped around the back of his neck. Normally he would have gone on the offense, but a quick scenting revealed it to be his dam. He hadn't even heard the damn hag sneak up on him.
"Katsuki, you're going to be a good boy and come with me, okay?"
"What the fu-"
"And before you start blowing up like you usually do, I want you to know that I have a gift for you."
Normally he'd be just a slight bit skeptical, but considering what had occurred the night before Katsuki was more than a little nervous.
Maybe if I twist myself this way, her grip will loosen enough for me to trip her. Like usual, his mind was working overtime, trying to find the best plan of action. He never got to do anything worthwhile, however, because just as soon as he was about to start struggling for real, they stopped in front of a relatively new looking house. Construction equipment still littered the yard. The crisp white paint on both the house exterior and the small wooden gate looked wet.
"Hey hag, what the fuck is this."
"This, Katsuki, is your new home. Aren't you excited? I had your father monitor your movements this morning and as soon as you left our house I told him to bring all your clothes and personal belongings here!"
"You're just kicking me out? Don't I get a say in this?"
A whack over the head shut him up. Really, he should've been expecting that.
"Quiet, ungrateful brat. Do you really want to live with mom and dad forever? How are you supposed to show me you're ready to take care of our people when you can't even take care of yourself?"
"What are you talking about? And where did you get a house from? This wasn't here yesterday!"
"Oh, I already had this house mostly prepared. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you, Katsuki!"
"Whatever, I can take care of myself. And if it means I don't have to hear your screaming in the morning I'm all in."
"Oh you won't be taking care of just yourself, my sweet little brat."
Katsuki paled. What did this evil alpha have up her sleeve.
"As chief of Musutafu, I hereby sentence you to house arrest. You are not to leave the land we stand on until I deem fit. The only way for you to be allowed out is if you can manage to care for the occupants awaiting you inside that house."
"Occupants? Wha-wait who the fuck is in there?"
Mitsuki once again grabbed him in her iron claw.
"What the hell, let me go. I change my mind I don't agree to this!"
The thought of being trapped inside some hut with a stranger was not appealing to Katsuki.
"Good luck brat, give me some grandbabies!" Mitsuki cackled as she shut the door in her son's face, seemingly barring it from the outside.
"What the fuck! Let me out!" He must've banged and wailed on the heavy oak door for an eternity. When finally he tired out, he slumped to the floor, defeated. His hair hung in his face, his shoulders were hunched over. Someone else was supposed to be in this house with them. He couldn't stand the idea of them seeing him like this. He was startled at the sound of a door sliding.
He had to be hallucinating. This couldn't be real.
Standing in the doorway to what was obviously a bedroom stood the source of his troubles. Eyes blown wide, hair disheveled, and wearing what was probably one of Katsuki's shirts hanging off his shoulder, exposing the pale, freckled skin, that damned nerd had the nerve to ask him what he was doing there.
"K-Kacchan?"
