***Warnings: Language, tension, suspense, mild violence, scheming

***Please read on and enjoy! Comments and kudos always welcomed!


Chapter 13: Trouble At South Port

Keigo rushed to Shoto's chambers and entered without knocking or announcing himself. His sudden entrance startled Shoto, as well as Izuku, who was seated on a cushion on the floor next to the desk. Keigo glanced at Izuku for a moment, wondering why the other omega was there but quickly turned back to the matter at hand. He explained to Shoto that he would have to watch the baby while he accompanied his father to handle the issue at the south port. Keigo told Shoto what little he knew about it, but also mentioned the strange feeling he had in his bond and the trouble with Tokoyami's viewing mirror. Shoto tried to have him elaborate but Keigo didn't have time, pushing the baby into Shoto's arms.

"I shouldn't be gone long," Keigo says to the baby boy, who senses he is leaving and starts to whimper. "Don't cry now, okay? You're with Uncle Shoto, and you'll be fine!" He ruffles the baby's hair and feels a tug at his heart when his son starts to cry. Keigo had a moment's hesitation about leaving his baby but he needs to find out what is going on in the south, so he can hopefully find some leads to why his bond with Dabi is different. "Take care of him for me."

"Wait, Keigo, are you sure you should be going?" Shoto asks, holding the squirming baby. "I think your son-"

"I need to do this," Keigo tells him. "Everything will be alright," he says to his son, who is still crying but he has to be strong. He knows that the boy will be safe and taken care of with Shoto, but hearing the boy cry for him was heart wrenching. He keeps looking back over his shoulder at his son as he leaves the room. Keigo takes a quick moment to let out the breath he was holding in and to gather himself before rushing to the barracks to prepare for a possible battle.

Shoto didn't know what to do with the crying baby wriggling in his arms. Keigo had rushed in and just rushed out. He doubted the boy had ever been away from Keigo. Then, he hears Izuku ask from beside him,

"Here, let me take him,"

Shoto easily handed the baby over to Izuku, relieved to have the boy out of his arms for he was making it uncomfortable. Shoto didn't know how to handle a crying baby. However, when the boy went into Izuku's arms, he immediately stopped crying. The boy lays his head against Izuku's chest, his cries turned to little sniffles and gurgles. The baby puts a tiny fist in his mouth to self-soothe. Shoto frowns heavily at how easily the baby took to Izuku. The omega jealousy was growing in him again and he instinctively placed a hand on his belly, remembering that it was empty, unlike Izuku's.

"There, there, no need to cry," Izuku tells the baby in a soothing voice. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's calm with me because I'm pregnant. Babies can sense that sort of thing; I remember reading that somewhere,"

"I don't think Keigo should have left his son like this," Shoto says, a little tartly.

"Keigo mentioned something about his bond feeling strange. I wasn't sure if he was bonded or not. Who is he bonded with?"

Shoto silently cursed Keigo for blurting that little secret out in front of Izuku without realizing it. Izuku doesn't know about his exiled older brother, Touya, and there is no reason for him to know about it, either. He didn't want Izuku to have ammo to use against him should a tight situation arise.

"Keigo tends to be a very private person, believe it or not," Shoto explains. "He doesn't seem like it, but that's the truth. I don't even know who he is bonded with, or who the father is. Honestly, it is none of our business." He lied.

Izuku nods. "Yes, you're right," he turns his attention to the baby in his arms. "I guess we'll have to move his things in here with you,"

"I'll call the servants to do that," Shoto says. "But more importantly, what is happening at the south port that they need a small army?"

"Keigo said its revolutionists,"

"But that doesn't mean the gentry can't handle it…unless it is getting out of control," He turns to Izuku and asks, "How would a bunch of commoners and peasants hope to fight against trained soldiers?"

Izuku didn't like the dismissive tone in Shoto's voice when he asked that question. Still, he has to answer and be mindful of what he says. "Well, I guess when people are desperate enough…and they feel like they have nothing left to lose, they turn and face impending doom. If I were to defend my home back on the island, I would use my farming and fishing tools. I'm sure that's what the common people use to fight; things they have on their farms or in their trades. Axes, pitchforks, sheers, hammers, knives…do all soldiers have some sort of armor?"

"Depends on their rank,"

"Then, a farmer with a pitchfork or pickax can easily strike down another human being," he looks worriedly at the window. "I hope there isn't that type of violence,"

"My father will get it under control," Shoto tells him and goes over to the wall of cords to call the servants. "There's nothing we can do as of now. We might as well have dinner brought here and send for Bakugo to join us,"

Izuku brightened up and said, "Then we can discuss ways to change the laws!"

"I supposed. Give me the boy for now, and you can prepare my evening wardrobe. Remember how I showed you how to do it; I don't want to repeat myself."

Izuku hands the baby to Shoto and goes to the wardrobe as told. Shoto told him earlier what he wanted to wear, so Izuku sorted through the clothes to find the right one. He marveled at the feel of the red colored silk nightdress with gold trim. Shoto had such beautiful and expensive clothing, yet he didn't seem the type to prefer such materials. Such things come with title and wealth, but that doesn't mean he has to wear them. Still, Izuku laid it over the sedan chair, then took out the fur lined velvet robe and bedroom slippers.

Shoto placed the baby in the center of the bed and then stood in the changing area in front of the body mirror where Izuku was waiting. Shoto watched the other omega in the mirror as he was undressed of his morning clothes. Izuku was doing well, Shoto admitted, staying focused. Izuku helps him put on the nightshirt and ties the sides of it, but the bows were upside down. Shoto had him correct each one. When finished, he looked himself over in the mirror with Izuku obviously admiring him. This nightshirt has always been Bakugo's favorite and the alpha will be reminded of that tonight.

Soon, the servants came with the baby's crib and a few other things. A nursemaid took the boy from the room to feed him while another group of servants started bringing in dinner. Izuku was made to stand next to Shoto's armchair by the fireplace while Shoto sat. They were waiting for Bakugo to come. The nursemaid brought the baby back and put him in the crib, helping to settle him down. When the boy finally fell asleep, that was the moment when Bakugo arrived.

Izuku was so excited to see him that he ignored his duty and left Shoto's side to greet his mate. He nuzzles Bakugo's neck, taking in his alpha scent and instantly relaxing. Bakugo told him to stop the nuzzling and whispered a reminder that they only do that when they're alone. Izuku offers to help Bakugo to the table but the alpha declines, as he figured he would. But Izuku noticed that Bakugo's head did a double-take and when he followed the direction, he saw that Bakugo was looking at Shoto. Shoto, like always, glides effortlessly along the floor with perfect poise and grace while dressed in stunning clothes. Izuku would have to be blind not to notice how attractive Shoto appeared. The red in the nightshirt matched the half red hair and brought out the color of the white hair. Shoto takes his seat at the head of the table and crosses his legs, waiting for them. Izuku couldn't hide his frown and the tinge of omega jealousy threatening to rise to the surface.

"Is that pheasant I smell?" Bakugo asks, heading towards the table.

"It is," Shoto replied, knowing that it was Bakugo's favorite type of fowl to eat. "Izuku, you may sit as well,"

Izuku had to sit across from Bakugo at the table and suddenly he started to feel anxious. Even though he wants to be friends with Shoto, the other omega is making that very hard by seeming to distract Bakugo. In truth, he and Shoto are rivals for Bakugo's affections, but he has the bond, Shoto doesn't. That gives him one step up.

"Did you hear anything from my father about what is happening at the south port?" Shoto asks Bakugo.

Bakugo is already filling his plate with food. "I'm fucking pissed that I wasn't allowed to go with them; I know that much,"

"You're still healing," Izuku says. "You can't go into a fight or race head-on into trouble."

Shoto turns to Izuku and says, "No one was speaking to you, Izuku,"

"Oh…"

Bakugo points his fork threateningly at Shoto. "Don't start that shit when I'm in the room! Give him permission to speak freely, or we'll sit here in silence, which is fine by me!"

Shoto nods his head to Izuku.

"But what I was told about the situation is that it's a revolt that has the strong potential to become violent. Apparently, there are enough of them where the gentry feel outnumbered."

"Lord Todoroki won't cause any harm against them…will he?" Izuku asks timidly.

"The king has given strict orders that anyone revolting or causing such issues as this are to be shown no mercy," Shoto tells him.

"To elaborate," Bakugo starts, "The revolutionists know about this law but are likely gathering in massive crowds to avoid being held accountable. We seek out the leaders and execute them, if we can find them."

"Bakugo, which soldiers did my father take?"

Bakugo glances from Izuku to Shoto and replies, "The riflemen."

"Rifleman?" Izuku had an inkling of what that meant but he hoped he was wrong. "W-Why riflemen?"

"To shoot the masses," Shoto replied flatly, taking a sip of wine. "Firstly, my father will try to reason with the people and get them to leave. If they continue to persist, then the riflemen will begin firing those on the front line. When those people go down, the others will likely turn and run. Farm tools can't stand up to gunfire."

"That's not fair!" Izuku almost shouts. "Why should they have to lose their lives to stand up for themselves?"

Bakugo glares at Izuku, silently reminding him to keep his mouth shut about the revolution.

"They attacked first," Shoto says.

"But we don't know that for sure," Izuku pointed out. "By killing all these people, it's not going to scare the rebels away! It's going to only make them angrier!"

Shoto sips his wine again. "We hope that it won't have to come to violence such as mass murder, but sometimes those types of warnings are needed. That doesn't make it right, though," Shoto adds before Izuku could counter. "I don't approve, and neither does Bakugo. That's why we want to make changes,"

Izuku nods. "Yes, I want to help make those changes! I have a rank now, so I can be useful!"

"One that was made up for you," Shoto reminds him, narrowing his eyes. "Keigo may have fooled my father, but he didn't fool me."

"Why aren't you telling daddy, then?" Bakugo sneers at Shoto. "Why not expose Deku and Keigo's lies?"

"I have my reasons," Shoto tells Bakugo.

"None of this should matter right now anyway," Izuku interrupts. "We all share the same goal, and that's to change the rules of the kingdom and make life easier for the common people, which in turn will stop the revolution. The king has the power to make these changes happen, but he can't do that if he doesn't know what they are or what needs to be done. We should establish a system that lays all these things out for him to see and understand."

"You want democracy," Shoto stated. "We already have that, and that is the gentry and the nobles."

Izuku furrows his brows and looks down at his food, suddenly losing his appetite.

"It looks like you have more to say," Shoto says to him. "Bakugo, you've been strangely silent?"

"That's because I'm eating,"

"My lord…permission to speak freely," Izuku asks, clenching his fists on his thighs.

Shoto sighed softly. "I already gave you that permission. But go ahead,"

"You and your king have a managed democracy, and that's not good enough. It's no different from being king. Your idea of democracy are noblemen and gentry who were born into title and rank! They are blinded by bloodline, power, and wealth! They don't care about the people under them, only what they can TAKE and what they assume they deserve simply for existing! The people should get to choose WHO they want to help govern them, to represent them and work FOR them, not against them!"

"Deku-"

"That's the only way to stop the revolution! You're sitting here in the lap of luxury, having everything handed to you while thousands of people out there struggle in harsh weather and in poor conditions! Only to have their hard work be claimed by someone else?"

"Deku!" Bakugo said the name louder, but Deku still wouldn't stop.

"No! That isn't fair, nor is it ethical! The wisest thing for the king and nobles like you to do is start fighting for a democracy based not on bloodline but on personal experience! If not, revolutionists are going to get fed up and start storming the noble houses, then there will be chaos everywhere!"

"DEKU!"

Izuku suddenly clamped both hands over his mouth. He couldn't understand what had just come over him, and what's worse, he referred to the 'rebels' as 'revolutionists', which is a strong dead giveaway to his ties with the revolution. Bakugo was glaring sharply at him and Shoto had a dark look across his face. Silence filled the room as Izuku slowly took his seat and there was heavy tension in the air.

"Well, well, well, that 'bump on the head' from the river boat accident must have made you 'forget' your noble blood line and join up with the rebels to overthrow the kingdom," Shoto states slowly. "Your passion to help others just gave away your true intentions, Izuku. If you aren't with the rebels, then you're a revolution sympathizer who just stood here and declared the king is a tyrant and the nobles are corrupted. That's anarchism and sedition, Izuku, which is punishable by death."

"Hold up," Bakugo says quickly. "No one is being imprisoned or killed, so get that thought out of both your heads!" Turning to Shoto, he says, "Deku is a proto-nationalist, Shoto. You and I are basically the same, so you can't claim he is guilty when the both of us are just as guilty! Nothing he said is wrong, and you agree with it on some terms."

The baby starts to cry, waking up from the loud voices and sensing the tension.

"Izuku, take the baby from the room for now, and don't return until I summon you," Shoto commands. "I need to speak with only Bakugo."

Izuku said nothing, eager to escape the room and the huge mess he had just gotten himself into. He scoops the baby from the crib, blanket and all, and hurries from the chambers. He walks only a few feet from the door, rocking the boy to get him to stop crying. When the boy stops, it's Izuku's turn to cry.

'I messed up everything!' He lifts some of the blanket up to his face to wipe the tears. The boy just watches him with wide, curious eyes. 'I just ruined any chance I had of making things better! How could I have lost my temper like that?'

"Master Izuku?"

Izuku quickly lifts his head to see who had caught him crying and it was Shinso, who was making his evening rounds. "Um…h-hello, Shinso,"

"...is something wrong?" 'Stupid, of course, something is wrong! He's crying. And that must be Captain Hawks' baby.'

"N-Nothing," Izuku sniffles. "I just…it's um…um…omega problems…and alpha problems…I guess…"

Shinso felt his heart tighten in his chest at the sight of Izuku so forlorn and weeping. "It's Young Lord Shoto and Captain Bakugo, isn't it?" Izuku didn't say anything but he didn't have to let Shinso know that he was right. "You don't deserve to be mixed up with them," he says. "You're a prized omega, and too good for someone like Bakugo."

"Shinso?" Izuku's eyes widened and he froze when Shinso suddenly pressed their lips together.

Shinso quickly pulled away after his lips touched Izuku's. He knew why he did it; when an alpha sees their desired mate hurt or upset, they try to console them. Bakugo and Shoto must have done something to upset Izuku. However, that kiss was initially a mistake, one that could get him punished, especially with Izuku's NEW rank.

"I…I'm sorry!"

Izuku, blushing, brought his free hand to his mouth where Shinso's lips had just been. "S-Shinso…"

Shinso turns away. "I'll accept whatever punishment you want to give me,"

"P-punishment? I'm not going to punish you. But…why did you…do that?" Izuku blushed a bit.

"Isn't it…obvious?"

Izuku swallows and looks down at the baby instead of Shinso. "I…I'm…flattered," How had he gone from having no alphas to having Bakugo, then having Kai confess to him, and now Shinso! "But…I'm bonded with Bakugo."

"He's a monster of an alpha,"

"No, I see him differently," Izuku tells him. "We're just…in a tight spot right now with Lord Shoto and everything else going on…we can't focus on each other."

"Ever since I first saw you, I knew that I wanted you as my omega," Shinso openingly admits. "If I could take you away from Bakugo, I would."

"Shinso…you've been nothing but kind to me since we've met and you've been a friend," he smiles then. "I'm sorry, but I can not see you more than that, for my bond and my love belong to Bakugo." Izuku hated seeing the look of defeat on Shinso's already tired face. "But I would be honored to have you as my friend, if you will let me be yours?"

"...that might be hard for me to do," Shinso tells him. "Seeing you upset like this…my alpha instincts kicked in and…they want to protect you."

Izuku nods. "I understand," 'But I wasn't expecting this,' he thought to himself. "Um, would you mind keeping me company until Lord Shoto calls me back in?"

"...sure."

'I just hope you don't end up being one of the guards who come to take me to the dungeon.'

A passing servant had stopped to watch them for a moment and saw the kiss. They quickly hurried away.


"What Deku said isn't wrong, and you know that," Bakugo points out to Shoto.

"He overstepped his bounds," Shot says. "He insulted me by roping me in with other nobles."

Bakugo rolls his eyes. "He's only been here a couple of days, and a lot has happened since then!"

"All of this tension can end if you only leave Izuku,"

"I don't want to leave Deku,"

"You don't sound like you love or care for him other than what you feel in the bond," Shoto points out. "That is simply nature."

Bakugo takes a deep gulp of wine. "There's a lot of things new to me, too, you know. I don't fully understand the bond. All I know is that I want to be near him, to protect him, and be by his side. You can call it 'love,' but it's not the type of love poets write about. What part about me is romantic and fluffy? Nothing, that's what."

"...I'm not opposed to democracy," Shoto says. "But getting the other noble families to give up their power and control is not going to be easy. That's why our marriage would help to ease that. If the other families see us, a noble couple, making changes, they will open their ears to us." He stands up from the chair, letting his fur robe slip down his left shoulder, exposing his long neck at the start of his collar bone. Shoto notices Bakugo's gaze upon the exposed section of flesh.

"I have land and a manor near the west port," Shoto tells him. "Before you ran off, you never stayed to listen to all material goods you would get by marrying me. Yes, we would have a house in the royal city, but we would have the other manor house as well. I thought we could start our 'democracy' there, hiring people to farm and work the land and letting them appoint local leaders. Word of our new 'system of governing' will reach the royal city and people will start flocking to us, seeking work. The other nobles will catch on," he walks over to stand next to Bakugo's chair. "You can still achieve your goals; we both can. But we need to be a married pair."

Bakugo couldn't ignore Shoto's scent since the omega was so close to him. He knew what Shoto was trying to do, and it was almost working. Almost. Shoto was nearing a heat cycle soon, Bakugo could sense it. Shoto is trying to tempt him with not only omega wiles but logic as well. Shoto made a very, very tempting offer. But his thoughts went to Deku, his bonded, pregnant mate.

"I need to think about this," Bakugo tells him, and he really does. Or rather, he needs to speak with Deku about it.

"I see." Shoto says. "I would think long and hard about it because Izuku is in dangerous waters right now with what he revealed to me; about being part of the revolution, or a sympathizer."

Bakugo's eyes widened and he glared up at Shoto. "Are you fucking blackmailing me with Deku's life right now?"

Shoto shrugs his shoulders. "I never said that," he says. "But it is something to keep in mind. Just in case."

"Omega jealousy in you is a very ugly thing, Shoto," Bakugo says, his voice dropping low. "Maybe I should just marry Deku and we'll get our own place- I have the funds- and we'll set our own democracy and build up OUR-"

"Let me stop you right there," Shoto holds up his hand. "Do you really think you could win over people like I could? With your temper? You may be a Hero of the People, but no one would want to work with you for long. And as far as nobles go, just how many families would want to follow YOU over ME? You want a pack, don't you? I can bring the strongest members to make a strong pack. What type of pack could you and Izuku bring together?"

Bakugo fell silent. Once again, Shoto had blocked him with the use of political power. It helped to remind him of how powerless he still is. Shoto will continue to block him at all corners and angles. The idea of marrying Shoto and having Deku as a lover is proving to be the best and only option right now. He didn't like the idea at all, but maybe, if he can phrase it to Deku just right, he can get the omega to agree. He was hoping Deku could win Shoto over, but after the blowup, that might not happen. Deku is proving to be more flexible than Shoto by far; however, the thought of emotionally hurting Deku by making him a 'lover' started an ache in his bond.

"Then maybe I'll abandon my goals to climb higher in power and find a place with Deku and stay as I am,"

Shoto's eyes widened slightly. THAT was something he was not expecting to come out of Bakugo's mouth. The alpha loved power and control more than anything, but did he really want to give that up for Deku?

"You're lying," Shoto says. "You would never give up your ambitions for Deku."

Bakugo suddenly points his knife at Shoto and says, "Oh yeah? Just watch me." 'If you want to play hard, half-and-half bastard, then I'll play harder!'


Keigo rode beside Enji with Natsuo close behind. Finally arriving at the west port only to find that one of the castles and its fief was taken over by revolutionists. Enji sent some soldiers to assess the situation and to find whomever the leaders of these people were. Keigo kept one hand on the hilt of his sword as he watched the area for any sign of trouble.

They waited for a long while, until the sun was setting, for their soldiers to come back. Enji had sent out four, and only one finally returned. The soldier, mortally wounded, told Enji that the revolutionists wouldn't negotiate and that they killed the other three soldiers without hesitation. The soldier also said that the gentry and nobles residing were killed, having been beaten to death and hanged from the south walls. Even the guards protecting the castle had turned on them, joining the revolutionists with taking over the castle, and it was stated that the other castles in the south port were going to meet the same fate.

"Enji, what do we do?" Keigo asks him. "We don't have enough men to take back the castle right now."

"We should go back and get more forces!" Natsuo offered.

"That is not an option!" Enji tells him. "These are Todoroki soldiers behind us! They are the finest in the kingdom, and I am certain we can take back the castle! We will have to make an example of these traitors!" Enji pulls his broadsword from the sheath on his back.

But just as Enji was ready to give orders to attack, a wall of burning hot blue flame ripped across the ground, frightening all the horses and startling the soldiers. The wall of fire blocked their pursuit.

Keigo felt his heart tighten in his chest and his bond started to scream with a hot, searing pain. He knows this blue fire! But why?

"YOU-!" Enji's tone grew heavy and baritone when, out of the flames, stepped his disgraced and exiled eldest son, Touya, or the Dark Mage Dabi. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, TOUYA?" Enji shouts over the crackling sound of the roaring blue flames.

Dabi's eyes glowed bright blue and he let out a manic round of laughter. "I'M TAKING BACK THE PEOPLE AND THE KINGDOM FOR OUR MASTER! SURRENDER NOW, ALL OF YOU, AND MAYBE WE'LL LET YOU LIVE!"

"That can't be Touya…" Natsuo whispers to himself. "Touya wouldn't…do something like this…'

"WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER TO THE LIKES OF YOU, TRAITOR!" Enji shouts back at him. "I WILL NOT HESITATE TO STRIKE YOU DOWN!"

"Father, we don't have Tokoyami here to combat magic!" Natsuo says. "Don't be an idiot! We need to go back! Now!"

"THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STOP ON OUR CONQUEST!" Dabi yells to them, opening his palms to bring forth more blue fire.

"DABI!" Keigo shouts his name. "DABI! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? STOP DOING THIS! THINK OF US! THINK OF OUR SON!"

Enji's eyes open wide and he turns to look at Keigo in pure shock and betrayal.

"I'LL LET MY BLUE FIRE PURIFY YOUR PUTRIDE SOULS!"

Keigo didn't have time to react as a ball of blue flame came flying in his direction.

TBC