***Warnings: Language, Bakugo's insults/foul mouth, politics and ideology, talk of rebellion, mild sexual mentions, humor, plotting, fluff and angst, unimportant/random OCs.

***Please read on and enjoy. Comments and kudos always welcomed and greatly appreciated!


Chapter 3: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme

Izuku takes a deep breath then opens the door to Kai's hard eyes and towering form. He wondered why Kai and the guards were here; he hadn't done anything wrong. He wants to tell Kai to get off his property but that wouldn't do him any good. Izuku knew it was better to play dumb, say little, and be polite.

"Good morning, Sir Magistrate. What brings you here?"

"You were seen carrying something very large into your house from the shore," Kai says. "What was it?"

"Carrying something?" Izuku repeated. "I always carry stuff from the shore," he says. "I found some canvas from the shipwreck that I can use for various things, but I wouldn't consider it 'large'."

"My guards need to check your home," Kai tells him. "I won't step foot into your filthy fish hut."

Izuku lets the guards inside, watching as they tear apart his one room home. They didn't break anything, but all of his things would have to be put back. They found the pile of canvas and rope, showing it to Kai who waved it away in disgust.

"Would you like me to turn it over to you?" Izuku offers.

Kai nodded but added, "The guards will take it," he says. "That is royal canvas, made from high quality material. It's wasted on you."

Izuku doesn't say anything as the guards gather it up, along with the rope. He didn't care about the canvas at all, so long as they didn't find Bakugo.

"In the future, Izuku Midoriya, do not take items or materials from shipwrecks that belong to the king,"

"I didn't know the ship was of the royal fleet," Izuku says. "I'm sorry for taking it, and I won't do anything of the like again."

"Good." Kai said nothing else as he turned from the house and mounted his horse.

Izuku watched them leave down the hill, waiting until they were almost out of sight before closing the door and locking it. He raced back to the cellar door, throwing it open to see that Bakugo is stirring awake. Izuku removed the handkerchief from Bakugo's mouth, gently slapping the alpha's cheeks.

"Wake up, Bakugo,"

"...mmm...just...fucking die...Deku Fish!" One red eye peeks open.

Izuku grabs Bakugo from the floor, holding him in his arms as he steps on a barrel to lift them both up and out.

"Put me down, you poor excuse for fish chowder! Are you going to hit me with a frying pan again? I have a fucking bump on my head now because of you!" Bakugo didn't like how easily the omega is able to lift and carry him- usually omegas lack the endurace. Deku had carried him from the shore, along the path and up the hill to this house. Once he was placed back on the bed, he asked why he was hit with a frying pan and thrown into the cellar.

"Our head magistrate showed up without warning," Izuku tells him. "I couldn't let him find you, especially after everything you told me about your medals. I don't trust him at all, and he will know exactly who you are, and I can promise that he will not help you."

"Who is this asshole?" Bakugo asked.

"Kai Chisaki. Do you know of him?"

Bakugo smirked. "Yeah, I know of him. So, this is the island he was banished to," he snickered. "You did the right thing in hiding me, Deku Fish."

"I did?"

"I'm the one who got his arrogant ass posted here! Well, I wanted him to be placed in an area that would drive him crazy, and my sources didn't fail me. I signed the document!"

"Oh."

Bakugo tilts his head at Deku. "What? You look like I just told you that your best friend has died,"

"He's very cruel and harsh to us," Izuku tells him. "You sent him here and our lives have been turned upside down. He takes all his frustrations out on us...and we haven't done anything to him."

Bakugo scoffs a little. "There's many fishing islands, I didn't know it would be yours. Go ahead and hate me, if you want. It means very little to me. I might as well ask, what do you plan to achieve by keeping me here? You're putting yourself in jeopardy by hiding me. What are you looking to get out of it, Deku Fish? Money? Power? A house that doesn't smell of fish and broccoli?"

"I saw someone who needed help," Izuku says, his tone flat and his hands clenched at his side. "And I helped them. Not everyone does something only to expect something in return!"

Bakugo stared at the omega as he unlocked the door and left the house. He replayed the words in his head and found them hard to believe. No one does something for nothing. Either Deku is more dumb than humble or he is really that pure-hearted. A valuable trait in an omega. If that is the case, then it's no wonder Deku lives in a place like this; humbly dull.

Bakugo hasn't taken the time to look at the tiny house because he didn't want to, but now that he's recuperating in bed, he has nothing else to do. The house is old, made of dark wood with a stone foundation. Deku had all the things necessary to live; a fireplace, a woodstove, a table and two chairs, a bookshelf, a cupboard, dried herbs and fruits hanging from the ceiling rafters, one bed- one bed? Bakugo just realized that he is in the only bed, so where was Deku Fish sleeping? He sees a blanket and a sack of something in the corner as a makeshift bed. Bakugo grumbled under his breath when he felt a teeny tiny little tingle of endearment at the omega's kindness. Shocked with himself, he smacks the bump on his head to distract him from the thought.

'Stupid Deku! Wait a minute...it looks like a storm whipped through here,' The house was a mess, as if someone was searching high and low for something. Was that the reason for Kai's visit? "Hey! Deku! Get back in here!" He shouts towards the window, then again louder. Shortly after, Deku comes back inside, wiping at his eyes. "Were you crying?"

Izuku sniffles and replies, "No!"

"Bullshit! You're a grown man! What the hell are you crying for?"

"I'm just...a little frustrated, okay?" Izuku said while starting to put things back in place. "I'm being belittled and insulted and I just had my house ransacked only to be met with ungratefulness!"

"HA!" Bakugo let out the loud laugh and pointed at Deku. "See? You DO want something in return!"

Izuku paused to stare at him. "Wanting a little bit of respect or even one 'thank you' is not asking for something; it's common courtesy."

"Wrong." Bakugo lays back down. "Admit it, Deku Fish, you're looking for something in return, just like all of us. Don't get frustrated over something like that; it's part of being human. We can't have everything we want, but we can get what we need. I always want more, and unlike you, I see what I want and I go after it. It's my reward, not my entitlement."

Izuku put away a few more books. "I guess you weren't at the top of your class for nothing," he said softly. "What you said makes sense but...you're not entirely correct."

Bakugo glares at the omega's back. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Yes, a person can achieve a lot, so long as they have the societal advantages of old family names and bloodlines."

"...that's a big word for a fishmonger living on a tiny island. Societal."

Izuku holds up a book and says, "I don't need a school to learn,"

"Hey, I didn't come from a rich family or grew up in the royal city; I came from a little village much like this one. I worked hard to get where I am, so why can't I indulge in my achievements? I pulled myself out of the streets and EARNED my way to the place where I am now."

"Which is why you should be more sympathetic to the people who were like you but haven't gotten those advantages yet," Izuku turned to picking up the fallen bowls. "If anything, you can be a Hero of the People in so many ways! You can give them hope that maybe, some day, they can be like you, or give them the self-esteem and courage to do better for themselves." Izuku turns to Bakugo with a smile. "I think that's what some of the rebels are trying to do, make lives easier for people like you and me, so we can make something of ourselves." He goes over to Bakugo and takes a seat in the chair beside the bed. "You insult me for being a fisherman, look down on me for living this life but won't do anything to help make things better for me. You sent Kai Chisaki here to punish him and in turn, he punishes us because we're beneath him. Why doesn't he put his funds into making our town a better place for us to live? Help us build better boats, or bring in more livestock, or cut our tributes and land taxes so we have more money to spend on making things better, rather than sitting up in that nice house being bitter. Do you see what I mean, Kacchan? You're very smart, so I know you understand me."

Bakugo did see the truth behind Deku's words but he doesn't want to admit it to the omega. He does want to see change for the people, but he planned to leave most of that to Shoto after they marry. Their plan was more or less to slowly do away with the old fashion traditional laws of the nobility, not necessarily the peasants and the surfs. However, he was becoming uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation, so he decided to change subjects.

"I'm hungry," he said. "Put together a meal for me using what you have. Anyone can make a meal look good if they do it right. I want four different kinds of food on my plate- make sure it's a CLEAN plate!"

Izuku jumped up from the chair and grabbed the frying pan, apologizing to Bakugo when the alpha flinched at the sight of it. "I'm up for that challenge! I know just want to make you! Rest for now and I'll let you know when it's done!"

'I might regret this,' Bakugo thought to himself.

Bakugo didn't fall asleep, though. Instead, he lays awake listening to Deku doing something outside. Eventually, he sits up and stretches his neck to see what the omega is doing out back. He sticks his tongue between his teeth when he sees the large white turnip Deku pulled out of the ground, wiping off the dirt. Deku then pulls up a carrot and a potato. Bakugo couldn't bear to see anymore and laid back down. Nothing can taste good with turnips.

Deku comes back inside with a basket of vegetables and herbs. Bakugo doesn't say anything, silently watching the omega work. He remembers his mother doing this; chopping vegetables and meat for a meal. He's gotten used to chefs and servants making food appear in front of him. Some of the best meals he's ever eaten were the ones he and his parents made together. Deku then takes a fish from the cellar, cleaning and cutting it. Next, he tossed the chopped vegetables and fish into the frying pan on the woodstove. Deku adds some herbs to the mixture as well. Bakugo hated the taste and smell of fish, but whatever Deku was cooking made his mouth water and his stomach rumble. His alpha instincts were coming to the surface; enjoying the site of an unwed, unmated omega preparing a meal for an alpha. Finally, Deku added the herbs and the smell was even better than before.

"Are you done yet, Deku Fish? I'm getting hungry!"

Izuku laughs as he removes the frying pan from the woodstove. "Don't worry, it's all done." He moved the contents onto a clean plate, grabbed a fork, and brought it over to Bakugo. "Here you go, Kacchan."

Bakugo looked at the plate of food and though it was not fancy, it both smelled and looked good. He motioned for Deku to put the plate on his lap since he only had one hand. Deku was looking at him with the wide-eyed innocence of a child. There's two things he dislikes on this plate, fish and turnips. His stomach was another issue altogether and it just wanted some food. He went for the fish first, sticking his fork in to pull away the soft, white meat. He hesitates as he holds it to his lips, still feeling Deku's eyes on him.

"Don't sit here and stare at me, you Freaky Fishface! What's so interesting about someone eating? Go do something constructive!"

"Sorry!" Izuku jumped up from the chair and hurried over to the wood stove to prepare something for himself. There were no sounds of gagging or spitting, which is a good sign that Bakugo likes the food. He kept glancing towards the bed, wanting to see Bakugo's reaction.

"What are the flavors in this?" Bakugo asks. "The herbs, I mean."

"Oh. I used rosemary, parsley, sage, and thyme." Izuku answered. "Would you like to hear why I chose to use them?"

"Not in the slightest. I'm done. Take it away," Bakugo demands.

Izuku sees that the plate is empty and he grins. "You liked it! See? If you try something once, you may find that you like it!"

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child and you're my mother!" He suddenly lets out a hiss of pain as he accidentally knocks into his broken ankle with his other foot. "Fuck! Stupid ankle!"

"I guess the pain killers I put in the tea have worn off," Izuku says. "I'll have to go into town and trade for more."

Bakugo raises a blonde brow. "Trade? You don't use currency?"

"I have to save it for taxes," Izuku tells him while reaching up to the rafter to take down a bough of dried heather. "Will you be alright if I go into town for a bit? I won't be long."

"Pick up some wine for me," Bakugo says. "That's the best medicine."

Izuku sighs. "I can't afford wine, and I already told you, only the magistrates get the wine." That wasn't entirely true because some of the townspeople, in secret, make their own wine from the wild berries that grow all along the island. There's no chance that Bakugo would like that type of wine, and he didn't want to get caught walking around with a wine bottle stuffed in his coat.

"I was saved by the poorest omega," Bakugo heaves a heavy sigh.

Izuku rolls his eyes as he wraps his scarf around his neck and grabs his floppy hat. "I won't be long." He says and exits the house, taking a deep breath of fresh air. 'That alpha is such a pain in the a- bottom." He didn't like to swear if he could help it, and Bakugo can do enough swearing for the both of them.

Walking the market street towards the apothecary, Izuku greets his neighbors, stopping briefly sometimes to speak with them. Despite what Bakugo and Kai say about their town, Izuku loved it here. Everyone was friendly and hard working. Everyone knows each other and are willing to help out. They all support each other to the best of their abilities. He knows all the vendors, waving to them as he passes.

Izuku stops at the front of the butcher shop to see the secret flag of the Rebellion hanging from the window. That means there is a meeting of the people tonight. Other groups in the Rebellion have their own secret flag symbols as a way to get messages across without getting caught. For their island, it's a shark and a clam. The shark represents them, the people; strong and silent, but vicious when they need to be in order to survive. The clam has a pearl inside, which represents the kingdom. They want to break the shell and get the pearl. Izuku had suggested a sea otter instead of a shark but he was booed because there's nothing threatening about an otter.

But now he has another issue; Bakugo. How can he go to the secret meeting without the alpha asking where he was going? Izuku bits his lip in guilt for there is only one way to make sure Bakugo stays silent and resting. He'll have to drug him.

'Oh, Kacchan, I'm sorry,'

The alpha can NEVER know.

When Izuku returned, Bakugo was asleep and he smiled at the alpha. Bakugo can look so sweet and soft when he's sleeping. The sun was starting to set and the night would get cold, so Izuku placed another blanket over Bakugo. He hasn't gotten very good sleep since Bakugo's been here because the floor is cold, hard, and uncomfortable. But Bakugo needed the bed more than he did, so Izuku would have to manage.

As he started to reheat some cabbage soup and add more herbs, he thought about sharing the bed with Bakugo. Staring at the alpha while stirring, he couldn't help but picture himself laying bedside Bakugo, flesh against flesh. He blushed. Bakugo is the first alpha he's ever thought about laying in bed with and sleeping together. While he is an unwed, unmated, and virgin omega, he wasn't exactly the most sought after in the town. He hadn't been since he first came into young adulthood. Izuku knew that it has to do with the type of omega he is, a well-built, well-toned male of greater strength that is uncommon in omegas. He was a little taller than other omegas, too. He was also too old to be considered an omega of marriageable age. If an omega was male or female and unmated after twenty-one, they were considered 'less-desirables.' After twenty-one, omegas couldn't participate in the Spring Fertility Festivals. Each time Izuku was present during one when he was of age, he was always the only omega left that no one wanted.

While it was disheartening, Izuku didn't let it get to him and made himself useful in other ways, like helping out around town with the neighbors. Some people, like the Charms, were always trying to find an alpha for him but Izuku knew it was hopeless. In truth, Izuku would much rather be appreciated for his hard work and neighborly friendship rather than his omega nature. However, that doesn't mean he hasn't had the instinctual urges to be with an alpha. As much of a stubborn mule as Bakugo can be, his omega side gets a certain thrill out of caring for him.

What would it feel like, Izuku wondered, to be in Bakugo's strong alpha arms, smell his alpha scent, and absorb his alpha aura? Would Bakugo even accept him? Probably not, he sadly reasoned with himself. Bakugo seemed to hold on to alpha and omega traditions. He would not be the appropriate omega mate for a Supreme High Ranking Officer like Katsuki Bakugo. The alpha would want a small, quiet, and docile omega; traditional. Izuku can never be that way. He would never say it to Bakugo, but he is certain he could hold his own if Bakugo were to fight him. Something else Bakugo wouldn't like about him.

'I need to stop thinking about him in that way,' He says. 'I can't lose focus on why I have Bakugo here...to help with the Rebellion.'

But what would it be like to run his hands over those hard muscles? Bakugo's skin was soft, he knew that from splinting and bandaging him, but he didn't let his hands run freely. What would Bakugo feel like looming above him while in an alpha rut? Could he be a gentle alpha lover? No, that's impossible. There wasn't one thing gentle about Katsuki Bakugo! But then, why did that realization increase the arousal he just felt between his thighs? His face became hot with embarrassment.

Bringing his focus back onto the soup, he ladles out two bowls. In Bakugo's bowl, he crunches up the sleeping and pain killer herbs as small as possible to mix in with the broth. He waits for it to dissolve completely before gently shaking Bakugo awake.

"It's fucking cold in here," Bakugo says with a yawn.

"I'll put more wood on the fire," Izuku tells him. "I have dinner made, too. Some nice vegetable soup. It will help keep you warm and the herbs in it will help dull the pain."

Bakugo grumbles and says nothing while Deku brings him the bowl wrapped in a cloth to shield his lap from the heat. Deku doesn't sit beside him but goes to the table instead to eat. Bakugo looks at the soup; it smells good but looks too watery. His mother used to add water to leftover soup to make it go longer, but that never meant it was good. Scooping some up with the spoon, he blew on it a few times then put it in his mouth. It wasn't terrible, but it was watered down. There was a mild aftertaste, but he saw pieces of soggy cabbage floating around and assumed that had to be the source.

"How is it?" Izuku asks.

"I think it would be better used for washing clothes," Bakugo replied.

"Well, keep eating it because that's all I have for tonight and I have somewhere to go."

Bakugo looks at him. "Where are you going?"

"To help out some of the elderly," Izuku lied. "The storm caused some damage for them and I always help out."

Bakugo looks at the setting sun over the horizon and asks, "Helping them at night?"

"Well, they work during the day and it's hard for them, so I pick up where they leave off until it gets too dark to see properly."

Bakugo shrugs his shoulders. "Whatever." He continues to eat the soup and starts to feel calm and sleepy. Very sleepy. "I'm done with this,"


Izuku takes the bowl and watches with a coy smile as Bakugo settles into bed, seemingly falling asleep the moment his head hits the pillow. Izuku sits to finish his soup, waiting a bit until he hears Bakugo's light snores. Bakugo should sleep through the night without issue. Izuku put the bowls in the washbasin and left for the meeting, locking the door behind him.

"Show it." Demands the beta male standing at the front of the butcher's door.

Izuku reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out the small piece of cloth with a shark and clam on it; their banner. The beta nodded and ushered him inside. They chose the butcher shop as a base because the place disgusted Kai and he was unlikely to show up here. Another beta male stops him at the cellar door, asking to see the banner. Again, Izuku shows it and is welcomed inside. Heading down the stairs, he can already hear the dueling voices of the members. The cellar was lit with lanterns and their leader was standing on a butchering table with a makeshift podium, trying to settle everyone down. Izuku says hello to a few as he takes a seat atop a barrel in the back.

"I heard that the ship was from the kingdom!" Someone said loudly.

"It was mentioned that it was a regular cargo ship!" Another says.

Another alpha, from the front, took the center to address the crowd. "The fact that Kai Chisaki rushed to the shore tells us that it WAS from the kingdom!" He says and the others cheered and agreed. "Why are they sending more royal ships here? Haven't we paid our tribute?" Angry shouts and boos filled the room.

"We can't just sit around here like fools!" Shouts another.

"I say it's time we take action!" The man in the center suggests and the room is a mix of 'yeas' and 'nays'.

Izuku continues to listen, waiting to hear more before he felt he could chime in.

"How do you suggest we do that?" Someone asks. "We are too small of a town!"

"Then we strike in a way that they won't expect!" The man in the center counters. "We seal off our port! We arm our shores and stand our ground! They want tributes? They won't get any!"

The crowd goes up in mixed roars and cheers and counter-arguments until the leader bangs his gravel four times on the podium.

"Order! Order! Fellow Brother, we don't have enough information from the mainland to make a stand like that!" Voices agreed with him. "Our first order of business should be to take down the magistrate!"

"But what good will that do?" Someone questions. "Once the kingdom's soldiers come, they'll find out and punish us!"

"Again, this gives us time to strike first!" Says the man in the center. "We can't expect change to happen by sitting here and waiting for something to happen! We're commoners, after all! We don't have much, but we should have the right to make and manage our own laws and government!" More cheers and applause.

"ORDER! ORDER!" Shouts the leader. "Our young omega lad, Izuku, has something to add."

Izuku had his hand up and all eyes turned to him. He stands on the barrel to address the crowd. "Brothers, I'm just as frustrated and angry as you are, but we can't fight with violence as we are now."

"You speak as an omega," Someone shouts. "You would say that!"

"No! Hear me out! It's true, I want to avoid violence and bloodshed if possible, but I think the key to our victory is to LEARN about our enemy first!"

"Brother Izuku," Says the leader. "How do you expect us to learn about the enemy? Surely you don't think Kai will tell us?" Some laughter fills the room.

Izuku shakes his head. "No, I don't mean using Kai. I think, the best thing for us to do, since we are so far away from the mainland and news travels slow, that we send a few of our people to the kingdom to gather information for us."

"That will take too long!" the man in the center shouts. "Soon the next quarter will be here and we'll be robbed of all our goods!" Many cheered in agreement.

"I understand that, I really do," Izuku tells him. "I don't want to give away my hard work for free just because the nobility feels entitled to it! But if we, as small as we are, try to hold a siege and make a stand in our place, we won't last long! The kingdom has a royal fleet and an army! We're only farmers and fishermen! We need to fight with knowledge first! The more information we have on our enemy, the better chance we have of winning! We also need allies! Other brothers and sisters on the mainland and other surrounding islands!"

"I second Izuku!" Someone says from the crowd and more voices join theirs with the same murmurs of approval.

"But we need to show the hierarchy that we aren't just farmers and fishmongers!" Says the man in the center. "We need to stand up for ourselves!"

"Then let's show them we're not the dim-witted, primitive surfs and peasants they think we are," Izuku countered. "Let's show them that even the smallest person from the smallest fishing town can have just as much power and knowledge to govern themselves!" Izuku smiles at the people and adds, "We'll scare them more when they realize we are unpredictable. If we show up with knives and pitchforks, we'll be slaughtered! We already have an advantage against them; we have the goods they need and rely on. They're not going to slaughter the mass of us because then they won't have the labor to help them live comfortably! We'll gather information, keep them guessing, and win our victory that way."

"Well said, Brother Izuku!" The leader hammers his gavel. "I call this meeting to an end! Tomorrow night, our council will assign a small group to sail to the mainland and gather whatever information they can! Meeting's adjourned!"

Izuku almost couldn't contain his excitement and relief that his suggestion has won! Now, if only he can get Bakugo to come to their side, they will be a fearless foe!

'Just like Kacchan, I am going to be a Hero of the People!' Izuku vows to himself.

In the shadows of the cellar, unbeknownst to the members, Kai stands perfectly still among sheets of leather with a second magistrate. This was the second rebel meeting he had attended from the shadows, sneaking in through the outside doors. They thought they could keep him away because this is a butcher's house, but they were mistaken. So long as he didn't have to touch anything, he could handle it; and tonight, he is glad that he chose to come.

"We should crush them while we have the chance," the second magistrate whispers to Kai once the cellar was empty.

"No, I don't think we need to resort to that method,"

"But why not? They want to overthrow us!"

Kai nods. "I know, but unlike you and the other pompous-ass nobles lounging about in the kingdom deserve to be taken down by those they deem worthless. Defeated by riffraff and rabble...what a shameful way to go."

"I...I don't understand what you mean?"

"It's simple. The three of us magistrates were banished to this disgusting island by those same nobles. I want to see them fall, but, as a noble blood myself, I don't like to get my hands dirty with peasant politics. I say, let the peasants do their thing and take the revenge for us. We'll have a clean slate; all our dirty work will have been done, and I'll have greater opportunity to take the throne."

"...but what about Tomura and his misfits? I heard they are growing rapidly in number! What should we do about him."

Kai pulls his hood up and wraps the black cloak tightly around him. "Leave him to me."

TBC