The next 7k words are basically just going to be Izuku caring for/worrying about his angry wolf boy. Also shirtless Katsuki. And some character back stories.
Izuku woke to the dying embers of the sun setting low through his window. The concentrated light had rested on his lidded eyes, effectively telling his brain it was time to get up.
He shifted away from the glow--wanting just a few more moments of rest, when suddenly an icy fear pricked his spine and the rabbit jolted upright. The air constricted from his lungs, heart threatening to burst from his chest. His eyes turned wide and panicked, flitting around the room, unsure of what day it was or where he sat entirely. Shadows of sinister figures danced in the edges of his vision--darting away when he looked in their direction and taunting him from the darkness. It wasn't until the sleepy haze cleared from his mind when he recognised the familiar shapes of his own room. Posters and figures blended together in the waning light, with little glow in the dark stars stuck to his ceiling contrasting a luminescent green. His forest eyes landed on his comic hero theme clock, scanning the neon blue letters. 5:25 pm.
Izuku didn't realize he was still tense until his clenched jaw ached in protest. He took a strained, deep breath and relaxed the muscles of his body, starting with wiggling his toes and working his way up to rub his temples. He was home. Safe.
The rabbit shimmied back into his pile, the blankets molding around him in the perfect way to lull him back to sleep.
Izuku was woken next by a peculiar sound. His ears flipped groggily toward the source, silently wondering if he'd heard it in his dreams, when another, louder noise drifted through the apartment. It sounded similar to a cat's purr--or maybe the revving of a tiny chainsaw--but he couldn't quite place it. He turned over, curious, but not enough to leave the warmth of his comforters. When the third sound broke through the dusk, the hybrid knew exactly what it was: snoring.
He lazily turned back to his clock. The screen read 7:15 pm. He should probably get up to eat and drink something like Recovery Girl ordered.
And check on Katsuki.
The rabbit untangled himself and rolled out of bed. When his feet hit the floor, he sharply inhaled, the sudden bolt of pain up his injured leg like a shot of caffeine. His mouth snapped open in a silent "O"--his pain silent for fear that any sound could wake his guest.
The rabbit's gaze fell to the battered state of his body. He hadn't forgotten about the events of the past night, but part of him had hoped that it was all a dream. His injured leg was visibly swollen, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as hours earlier.
He took another elongated breath, but the mask surrounding his face was staunching the full flow of air from gracing his lungs. The material had grown itchy throughout the night, with bits of velcro and nylon irritating the sensitive skin around his neck.
The longer he thought about it, the more annoying it became. He felt fine, so it couldn't hurt to take it off while Katsuki slept.
Right?
He didn't know exactly how his messed up hormones worked, but he figured it had something to do with his weakened sense of smell. Normally, the only way to get to the level of pheromone resistance he had was to bond (have a claiming mark bitten into your scent gland), but he'd never been mated. He could only assume that normal alpha pheromones didn't affect him because they simply weren't potent enough. That would explain why only pure alphas could waver him--they had incredible power--but that was all he was sure of.
The last 24 hours inspired Izuku to reevaluate everything he thought he knew about himself. Starting with one, horrifying, career-ending question:
How had Katsuki triggered his heat?--or more perplexingly, why hadn't Overhaul?
The cobra's pheromones hadn't affected Izuku that way, and he'd been indisputably stronger out of the two pure alphas potency-wise.
Katsuki obviously wasn't in rut...but he'd still physically reacted to Izuku in the Ring. Could that have been the reason?
The rabbit's cheeks lit up as ghosts of the experience fluttered behind his eyes. The crushing force of the wolf's body over his, utterly trapped. Strong arms shielding him from the gaze of the crowd--cheers dying to a distant buzz. Their own world where time seemed to slow as their hearts raced ahead.
His hand snapped up to either side of his face as if he could rub the blush away.
The mask stays on. He concluded.
The rabbit slowly turned the gears of the doorknob until he could quietly slide the door open, then he did the stealthiest stumbling-tip-toe to his kitchen that he could manage. It involved a lot of desperate windmilling to keep balance while narrowly avoiding nearly-forgotten creaky floorboards.
It felt like he'd passed through a war zone by the time he reached the kitchen.
His hand instinctively flipped the light on as he passed the fridge, but regret flashed across his face a moment later. Of course, through all his escapades, there was one thing he'd forgotten: turning on the kitchen light would wake Katsuki up.
The wolf was sprawled half-way off the couch with Izuku's blanket wrapped tightly around his neck and one arm. Due to the rabbit's small apartment, the living room led straight into the kitchen, with the couch angled in such a way so that the artificial light blasted directly onto the alpha's face.
The rabbit didn't know what to expect when the wolf woke up. Would he get angry? Violent? How awkward would it be between them? Why did he think accepting an alpha he hadn't seen in years into his home was a good idea?
The wolf's chest rose with another soft snore.
Izuku wasn't sure if it was with relief or anxiety, but the breath he'd been holding released at Katsuki's apparent deep slumber.
Then curiosity pricked the rabbit.
He cautiously padded over to peer over the wolf from the back of the couch. He knew he shouldn't intrude like this, but he had so many questions.
It was for science.
The wolf's features were in partial display under the kitchen light. The way the harsh glow lit the low contours of the wolf's face was reminiscent of the way he would hold a flashlight when they were kids.
It reminded him of the times when he and Katsuki would camp under the stars in their parent's backyards--building little fires and telling scary stories. Well, it was mostly Katsuki telling the stories while Izuku cowered in terror, but the little wolf would always begrudgingly accept his shaky hand as they drifted off to sleep. The rabbit never had nightmares those nights.
Izuku couldn't remember if he'd ever been able to study Katsuki up close. His face was so different from the one the rabbit remembered--more angular; rough. The alpha's forehead held a stitch of anger to it, even in his sleep. There was a scar that carved a line just below his left temple all the way through his eyebrow. Every breath held the resonance of a soft snore, which, after closer examination, was likely caused by his deviated septum--the product of getting his nose broken one too many times. The rabbit's heart ached at the thought of his old friend being forced to fight battle after battle in the Ring. Despite his many injuries, Katsuki didn't look worn down or disfigured. The rest of his skin was smooth, with shiny, surprisingly well-groomed blond fur framing strong cheekbones and a dark set of eyelashes.
His perky blond ears twitched in his sleep, picking up sounds that only existed in the alpha's dreams.
Izuku's mind wandered back to many years ago, when he and the explosive wolf had been friends. Katsuki had never cared that Izuku was a rabbit. The blond treated him just like the other hybrids, even if that meant playing equally as rough. He'd always come home with scrapes and bruises that his mom would nearly faint over. She'd insist he tell her who was bullying him, but Izuku always explained that he'd tripped while playing with friends. It was nothing compared to the joy of learning from them.
Prey variants usually chose to work as farmers or low-stress jobs, unless in the case of animals like horses or oxen who could do heavy lifting, but Izuku had always idolized the police and their work keeping the city safe. Since all of them were predators, he thought it was so cool that he got to hang out with Kacchan and his group. It gave him a sense of purpose. Reassurance that maybe one day...he could work beside them as equals.
Of course, that all ended when Katsuki discovered he was an--
"What are you mumbling about, shitty omega?" Katsuki grumbled, his voice husky with sleep.
The sudden sound nearly sent Izuku rocketing into the potted plant behind him, but a hand twisted into the collar of his shirt and pulled him forward over the edge of the couch. He barely managed to catch himself before colliding face-first into the body beneath him.
Wary red eyes bored into his--only inches away. "Mind telling me what the fuck you're doing, creeping around me while I sleep like a damn pervert?"
An incoherent mess stammered out of Izuku's mouth--the flood of explanations log jamming at the tip of his tongue.
Katsuki's talons released his shirt and the omega sprung upwards into a pleading stance with his hands clasped together--hiding his beat-red face.
"You see, I noticed you were breathing funny--NOT THAT YOU'RE WEIRD--and I got worried and--"
"I've told you to mind your own damn business." Katsuki interrupted.
Izuku's mouth remained open, prepared to further defend himself, but the alpha dismissed him with a grunt and rolled off the couch.
"Where's the damn bathroom in this snake pit? I gotta take a piss."
The rabbit pointed to the open door down the hallway across from his room. Without another word, Katsuki stomped his way through the room. His tail lashed with irritation, and he slammed the door behind him. The lock clicked shut a moment later.
Izuku relaxed against the back of the couch. He couldn't hide the disappointment he felt for the alpha's cold attitude toward him, but it was naive to think that the blond would act the same way he did when they were kids. Had he been wrong to think there had been something between them in the Ring? So much had happened during their time apart. Both of them were entirely different people...and Katsuki had been through so many horrible things. It was likely that any kind of compassion the wolf had shown him during their escape had been purely of convenience.
But that didn't make it hurt any less.
Izuku looked down at the comforter he'd given the wolf. He supposed now would be as good of a time as any to run the laundry. It reminded him of his own blood and sweat stained clothes. Disgust twisted his face as he realised he'd gone to bed in them. Suddenly, a shower seemed like the best thing on earth.
He began to gather the blanket into his arms, but recoiled when the back of his hand ran over something slick and warm. He released the blanket and studied his digits in the kitchen's glow.
Horror twisted his stomach.
Scarlet red painted his hand like a crime scene.
He ripped the mask off as he flung the comforter to the floor. A metallic scent burned his nostrils.
Blood. So much blood.
The couch was a navy blue, but a sizable puddle darkened most of the first cushion to black. Smooth velvet was matted and sticky, with clumps where the liquid had clotted and dried up.
Had Katsuki been bleeding like this the whole time?
Izuku couldn't remember seeing the wolf's back all morning. Had Katsuki really gone through the effort of hiding it or was it simply coincidence? No--he'd just seen the wolf retreat moments go. His black shirt and the dim light must've been concealing it. The rabbit would've smelled it if it weren't for that damn mask. He could've made the alpha accept treatment at the ambulance. Katsuki seriously just came home and went to bed--did he not care that he was bleeding out in the middle of Izuku's living room?
The rabbit hopped over to the bathroom, completely ignoring the protest of his leg, and pounded on the door.
"Katsuki, please let me in. I saw the blood."
No response.
The omega grew frantic, knuckles biting into the hardwood. "You--You need an ambulance. Should I call 911?" His head swiveled around the room, "Yes--I'll be right ba-"
The door flung open and Izuku's swinging fist nearly collided with Katsuki's face.
The scene in the bathroom was down right gorey. Blood smears and hand prints covered most of the white surface area, with the contents of every drawer and cabinet strewn across the countertop and floor. A mysterious wad of toilet paper sat in the sink.
Perhaps the scariest sight of all was the wolf, glaring back at him with ruby eyes that sent wordless threats in his direction. His blond fur was spiked lethally sharp, ears and tail flicking with anger and lips pulled back to reveal one side of his deadly canines. Sweat glistened off every patch of strikingly pale skin.
"Don't call them." The wolf panted. "They'll take me too."
The rabbit blinked, not entirely sure of what the alpha meant, but he could save all unimportant questions for later.
If an ambulance wasn't an option, it was time to put his police medical training to use.
"Leave the door open, or I really will call them." The rabbit yelled back as he limped to the pantry down the hallway. He found the first aid box right where he remembered and returned to the wolf in a matter of seconds.
"Sit down." Izuku instructed as he pushed the alpha further into the room to make space for his supply box on the counter.
To the omega's surprise, Katsuki dropped onto the lidded toilet without complaint. His legs stuck up awkwardly high from the small size.
Izuku lifted a pair of scissors from the kit and turned to face Katsuki. The wolf's eyebrows scrunched, but before his lips formed any words, the rabbit had already slid the blades down the side of his tank top--effectively freeing his chest. The back remained stuck to the wound like glue.
The rabbit had decided to take an aggressive approach to treating the wolf because he knew that any kind of nerdy explanations or babying would make him resistant.
So he didn't warn Katsuki how much it would hurt when he peeled the rest of the shirt from his wounded body.
It sounded like unsticking a giant bandaid, but that could barely be heard over Katsuki's startled growl.
Izuku half-expected the alpha to attack, but the blond's body only tensed with narrowed red eyes and ears drawn tight to his head. His tail lashed out and hit the shower curtains, knocking a precariously placed shampoo bottle into the bathtub.
"How long have you been bleeding?" The rabbit demanded. He discarded the shirt and began to thoroughly wash his hands.
"Since Overhurl pushed me into the wall." The wolf gritted, "I thought it would stop by now."
The omega studied the damage. There were a multitude of shallow scrapes where concrete had grazed his skin and several weeping punctures where rubble attempted to run him through. The flesh around it was dirty and angry red from swelling. Nothing was life threatening with proper treatment, but it looked incredibly painful--and highly at risk for infection--if it hadn't caught already.
"S'not as bad as it looks." The wolf downplayed.
Izuku held an incredulous expression, but it was hidden from the wolf as he bit open a pack of gauze. He wouldn't be able to place it until he'd cleaned the wound, but he wanted to make sure that he had enough dressing to cover it before agitating the bleeding. It would be dangerous to run to the convenience store halfway through the procedure.
To his absolute delight, he had more than enough, so he could get right to disinfecting.
He often felt self conscious for having such an extensive medical supply, but his paranoia was paying off because he had exactly what he needed: an excessive quantity of antibiotics. Of course, he couldn't apply those to a dirty wound.
The next step Izuku knew Katsuki definitely wouldn't like.
"Can you step in the shower?" The rabbit asked. His voice was calm, conversational.
"Huh?" Katsuki grunted. He turned to face the omega, apprehension clear on his face.
"I need to get the dirt out of your injury." Izuku insisted.
"I can do that myself." The wolf huffed.
"Really?" Izuku questioned. He removed the sterile tweezers from their pouch and held them towards Katsuki. "I think there's some debri you might need to dig out of there."
The alpha's eyes focused on the instrument, then disregarded it as if it offended him. The sparks of a challenge lit his features, but it never caught--leaving only bitter trepidation. He knew he'd probably make things worse by brute-forcing his way out of this one.
"Whatever, doc. Just don't fuck things up." Katsuki mumbled. He rose, pulled back the curtains with excessive force, and stomped into the tub.
Izuku would've done a little victory dance if it weren't for the half-inch long claws attached to his explosive guest.
He stepped over to the shower, but Katsuki turned around. "Actually...I'm gonna shower now and you can take the little bits outta me after. Deal?"
The omega considered it, and concluded that was probably a better plan than what he had in mind. It gave the wolf an opportunity to get clean before being swathed in bandages. He thought about the chances of Katsuki using it as an opportunity to try to remove them himself, but if he was going to be that stubborn he might as well suffer the consequences anyways.
Izuku smiled, nodded, and exited the bathroom--bringing the tweezers with him just in case.
This is gonna be another double chapter upload, so the next chapter starts immediately where this one left off! I'll just have to edit it a tiny bit. Should be uploaded tomorrow!
Reviews and favorites really motivate me to keep going. I love hearing what you guys think! ,) 3 (of course this story is largely self-indulgent, so I'll keep making it till completion no matter what )