Chapter 12

Izuku finds a hard time being useful.

He wants to help but he feels inept at nearly everything. Not once in his life has he ever done laundry, bought groceries, cleaned, or anything else apparently vital for living. Still, he tries to do a variety of these tasks in exchange for medical attention and a place to stay. Iida pays for rooms wherever they go, and whenever he's out with patients, Izuku will make sure to scrub away clothing stains, prepare supper, organize supplies, and to do anything else he can find.

It takes a lot of learning as he goes—since at first he burned nearly everything he tried to make and he wasn't very good at cleaning either—but he'd rather put himself to work than remain dead weight. Although Iida had told him that no real payback was necessary, Izuku insisted that he wanted to help. He wouldn't allow a single hour to pass without asking what he could do, pestering and harassing Iida until the alpha actually began to look visibly irate.

"Fine," the alpha had finally said, dropping a load of dirty clothes in Izuku's lap. "If it'll make you happy, there's a stream only a couple kilometers from here. Finish the laundry before I get home tonight, but don't work your wrist too hard. It's just starting to heal."

That's how it began: from that day on, Izuku would do any task he could no matter how bad he was at it. But he picks up on these skills rather quickly, since he is persistent and will dedicate all his free time to getting better, and after some time he starts to gain steady progress. His food tastes better and he laundry takes him less time than before, only three or four hours instead of seven or eight.

And he'll never complain about the work. Not once.

Even when his hands ache from kneading dough or wringing out clothes, or when his knees are bruised from kneeling on pebbled banks of creeks or wooden floors as he scrubs them clean. The chores keep him busy and he'd rather be here than anywhere else.

But no matter where he is, he always tosses compulsive glances over his shoulder. Whether he's in a forest, traveling from one town to the next, eating, cleaning, or even speaking to Iida... he'll always catch himself looking behind him. Just in case. Iida never asks about it—he's far too polite, probably —but it's constant and repetitive. Sometimes Izuku will look back again immediately after he's already done it, which probably makes him seem a little mentally off.

He just can't shake the feeling that none of this will last. It would be nice to believe it, to have it really sink in, but he's scared that it will be nothing but temporary. Maybe it just feels too good to be true and he needs to consciously recognize that this is his new life. Maybe he needs to relax, to calm

down and ground himself.

So weeks pass. Then one month, and two months, and soon enough it becomes three.

Three months since he's seen Bakugou's face and four months since the day his life had been torn to shreds. Even with all that time, his feelings haven't been sorted out completely. He's tried to push them aside in favor of work but they always escape when the sun falls below the horizon, manifesting as nightmares that plague him. More often than not he'll awake in tears, clutching his blankets and swallowing gasps of cold air as he struggles to stabilize. But if he shares a room with Iida then he never sleeps to begin with, because as long as there's alpha scent, he remains alert throughout the night.

Sleeping becomes a regular problem. It's difficult to rest because he's too wary to let his guard down, always watchful, always vigilant. He lives in constant fear and it's draining in more ways than one. Just existing feels tiring at this point and he doesn't know how to make it stop.

All he can do is keep moving. Work, eat, attempt to sleep, rinse and repeat. If there's anything he's learned in the last few months, it's that practice makes perfect. He'll try and try and try again and again until he gets it, learning how to walk and talk and live like a normal human being once more.

It's all in the footwork and he's been told that he's a quick learner.

Maybe it's just paranoia, but he makes sure to train his body.

(Just in case.)

Once his wrist heals, he starts doing push ups to strengthen his arms. He begins with thirty, then sixty, then ninety and above. Even Iida becomes surprised when he can carry several dozen pounds worth of supplies, but he does what he can to exercise because it helps with his mental state and makes him feel more stable.

His legs have become clean cut, thighs lean with hard muscle. Whether it's walking, jogging, or running to get somewhere he's always on the move. Sit ups help as well, and although his abdomen is already strong, they help define the muscle more and it's good to keep his core fit. Soon enough he feels much tougher than he was before. It aids his confidence too, developing it and making him feel like he can do

things. There shouldn't be a link between his fitness and personal capability, but it serves to liberate him from shackles of weakness and it's... progress.

Great progress, even.

Izuku gets used to cold water.

He hated it at first, admittedly. But here he is dipping his feet into the river bank, toes sliding over smooth pebbles with his pants rolled up to his knees. It's freezing and he guesses the water had melted from the ice caps up in the mountains, running into the waterways and filling them anew. They're so crystal clear that it's easy to spot silver-bodied fish swimming through the currents, nipping at gnats that land on the surface.

Despite always traveling, Iida always finds inns to stay that are close to rivers. For obvious reasons of course—they're a source of clean water and it's easier to do laundry—but after chores Izuku always finds himself here. With trees towering above him and reaching the skies, casting evening shadows against the forest floor, it makes him feel so small. In a good way, though. It's like the world that surrounds him assures him of his value and keeps him safe.

Nature makes him feel more present. There wasn't much time when he'd stray far from the castle, especially since his mother wanted to keep an eye on him. She was so worried for him constantly, scared of what his destiny would bring.

She clearly had a right to feel that fear.

It's during these times when he thinks too much and sometimes too little. He

wonders where his mother is and if he should try to find her. He wonders if she would be disgusted or disappointed with what he's become and with the things he allowed to occur. There isn't a day that goes by where he asks himself if he's paid enough to ease his debt to the world, as a failed prince of a failed nation consumed by fire and slaughter.

It hurts to think about, and what hurts more is he knows he doesn't deserve to hurt. He's not sure what he could have done to stop Bakugou but it could have been something. Anything. He could have kept people from getting killed even if he's not sure how. He could have sacrificed himself earlier, moved certain forces to the east, others to the west. Maybe, just maybe it would have helped.

And with that, he carries each lost life on his shoulders and he swallows down his grief. Even if Iida or anyone else knows who he is, even if he has a fresh start the stain will always be there. Deep, deep in his soul where no one else will see, and it aches with the pain of a thousand suns. It burns and it twists with agony on top of everything else he hates himself for.

Thinking about what he went through with Bakugou feels selfish compared to the destruction left behind. The regret is agonizing and he'll have to live with it for the rest of his life, knowing he killed his own people and ruined the lives of thousands.

He'll never forget. Never.

But sometimes, he feels like the pain dulls slightly. His heart aches when he sees Iida smile, endlessly grateful when he comes home to a warm meal, clean clothes, and stocked supplies. As a doctor, his workload is heavy and he always finds people to care for. He never seems to get tired of it, though, and Izuku wonders why that is. Does it come from somewhere? Is he just a wellspring of positivity and optimism and growth?

At first, Izuku thought it was too good to be true. Even when assured that there

wasn't a catch, it still didn't feel right. But as things slowed and sank into rhythm, it started to feel more and more genuine. Certain behaviors and reactions just came naturally to Iida and Izuku watches closely, finding more and more truth to the alpha's character. It's taken a long while to come to the final verdict but it seems to be that Iida is a good person.

He does have flaws, however, as no one is entirely good. While respectful, he does tend to be a bit pushy with things such as check-ups and monitoring Izuku's health. It might just be protective alpha instincts but they clash with Izuku's independence, and while he doesn't fight much, they have gotten into a few arguments that Izuku tends to win. Afterwards, Iida usually backs off and gives him space instead of pressing issues.

It's a bit of a push and pull, a back and forth that slowly eases into a more gentle cycle and healthier balance. Iida becomes more tentative and Izuku steadily relents, though he outright refuses to give many personal details. He knows that the alpha is just trying to monitor his hormones after suppressants but various questions regarding slick consistency did get a bit invasive.

However, one day Iida came with a surprise: a batch of pseudo suppressants. Apparently they wouldn't induce any very serious effects, such as altering his scent, but they at least made the slick stop while around alphas and his scent glands became far less sensitive. He felt a bit embarrassed by reacting so vicious to the questions earlier—since Iida was actually just trying to help—and he tried to apologize the best he could.

Iida forgave him and there's been no problems since.

Granted, Izuku is a very quiet person. He never speaks unless spoken to, and even when Iida does open up a conversation, he sometimes finds himself falling silent again. It's nothing intentional but he just... feels like he needs to take as little room as possible. He doesn't want to be more of a burden than he already is and he knows it must be difficult for Iida to put up with him.

But still, it's like Iida can read his mind. There will be moments when they're eating, not a single word spoken, and out of nowhere he'll say:

"Thank you for the meal."

"Thank you for fetching groceries."

"Thank you for ironing my clothes."

And when Izuku glances up towards him, he'll see that look in Iida's eyes that truly says:

"You're doing wonderful."

"Your work is appreciated."

"You're more than you realize."

And with that, Izuku's heart softens. It melts and in that moment all he wants to say is:

"I wish I could do more."

"I wish I could help more." "I wish I could save your life like you've saved mine, because nothing I do will ever amount to what you've done for me. Not ever, because that's just how much it means to me."

But he doesn't say it. He can't because the words just won't come and he's scared of what will happen when he speaks. His words are broken, jagged splinters of things that have gotten him hurt over and over. Whenever he's spoken his mind, it's ended in pain. Whenever he told Bakugou how he truly felt, it ended with something he can't even imagine without tears stinging his eyes.

So he swallows them down, deep, deep in his chest and keeps them there. Saves them, because even though he cares for Iida there's something within him that tells him speak and you'll get hurt, live and you'll get punished, tortured for existing in this world who hates who you are. It's within these moments where all he can do is give a brief nod, he can't even manage you're welcome because it feels like too much to ask, too much to place on the person who has helped him learn to live again. He feels like he's never owed so much to anyone in his life and it becomes hard to imagine this spot beside him empty.

That's when he decides to stay with Iida for as long as he'll have him, because he's not sure where else he'd go.

(He eventually becomes too scared to think of his mother.)

(It's ironic because he always loved every part of her. Especially her eyes—they're as green as his own, warm and tender and gentle—but what once brought him solace now brings him fear. He can't bear to think of how she'd look at him if she saw those glands, the way those eyes would widen if she saw the bonding mark curled up his neck. She would be horrified and disgusted, since she tried to prevent this in the first place.)

(Maybe she even knew this would happen, which is why she disappeared without a trace. She couldn't bear to watch her only alpha son be reduced to nothing but an object.)

(But he'll probably never know. Not now, not ever.)

(All he can do is try to surpass the image that Bakugou placed upon him, shedding it like skin and returning to the world anew.)

"You've made progress," Iida says one day, inspecting his arm and rolling the wrist.

Izuku glances up towards him. "You mean with healing?"

"Technically yes." A small smile slides across the alpha's lips. "But what I mean is that I can do regular checkups now without you pulling away."

Oh. Being touched is still anxiety inducing but now he can tolerate more of it for a longer period of time. Iida can be a bit scary, admittedly, though it's mostly his size and scent that puts Izuku on edge. Sometimes he feels guilty for still perceiving him as a threat but he's slowly beginning to relax in his presence.

"I think your wrist is fine now. Are you experiencing any issues after going on the faux suppressants?" Iida asks. "A lot of nausea at first," Izuku murmurs. "But it's been a while so it's starting to go away. Now I just get headaches sometimes."

The alpha nods and releases Izuku's wrist, sitting back to check a few vials of medicine. "Do you want something for that?"

"Well... they aren't too bad." "And we both know that you have a high pain tolerance," Iida says as he arches a brow. He places three corked vials in Izuku's hand and curls his palm inwards. "Take these if they start to bother you. I can also give you a

sleep aid too."

"Sleep aid?" Izuku echoes as he blinks a few times.

"Your eyes are constantly dark and you always stay up for as long as possible, making up excuses to avoid going to bed. I know you don't sleep." Iida combs through his collection of pouches, pulling a small fabric one. "If you make tea with this, it should help you with the nightmares."

He rubs the back of his neck, fingers tangling with the locks that curl around the nape. "I'm okay, really. I don't think I need that."

"Just try it once."

There's plenty of protesting but Iida is persistent. He doesn't back down until Izuku gives in with a sigh and eventually takes it, mumbling about how he won't promise to use it. Still, Iida seems satisfied with the tea being in Izuku's possession at least.

"Oh, one last thing," the alpha mentions briefly as he fishes around in his pocket. Only a few moments later he's pulling out a small sack of coins. Izuku's eyes widen as it's placed on the table and slid toward him.

"Money?"

"Yes, money. That's for the work you've been doing lately."

Izuku tentatively reaches out to take it, and as he hoists it into his lap, he swears it must be at least half a pound. "This is too much."

"It's only thirty bronze coins," Iida says, turning back towards his supplies to reorganize. "You do a lot while I'm away so I figure I should give something back."

"I was doing it to repay you," Izuku protests.

"You worked for free for three months and all of those chores probably cover what I've given you thus far. I think it's pretty fair to pay you at least a little."

There's no point in arguing because judging from Iida's tone, this decision is completely final. All he can do is peer inside the bag to check its contents as he attempts to hide his budding excitement. He never expected to be given anything like this and it feels like a testament to his independence. In a strange way, he almost prefers this in comparison to being treated like royalty. It's nice to work and earn payment in return rather than be given things for his status.

"Thank you, Iida," he says softly, sincerely. Iida gives him a curt nod. "It's no problem, really—"

"No, I mean..." Izuku hates to interrupt but he feels he has to. "I want to thank you for everything, and even though I work really hard to pay you back, you still give me so much. I feel like it's difficult for me to convey how grateful I am because I know I'm quiet a lot but I really am happy."

"I'm glad that you are. It means a lot to me that you enjoy traveling with me even if the places we stay are a little run down," Iida says with a growing, amused smile. "It's more than traveling," he insists. "You were patient with me even when I was hostile and scared and confused. You gave me time and space to heal. I know I act weird sometimes but it's only because I get anxious. It's really hard to remember that I..."

"That you...?"

There's something rising in his throat and he tries to swallow it down, but it persists regardless. As tears begin to prickle at the corners of his eyes, he quickly wipes them away with his sleeve. It's embarrassing but he can't help but feel like crying.

"It's hard to remember that I'm not alone," he whispers, voice cracking. "I'm really, really lucky that I'm not. Shit, I'm sorry."

"Hey no, what are you apologizing for?" Iida asks and leans forward.

A short laugh bubbles from Izuku's lips as he begins to tremble. It feels like he's about to crack and he's not sure he's ready. "I don't even know."

"Then you don't need to say sorry. Just breathe, okay?" The alpha holds out his hand a bit, keeping it at a safe distance. "I won't ask to touch you because I know you don't like that, but you can hold onto me if you want."

Izuku sucks in a breath as his chest tightens painfully. He's reluctant but he needs something to stabilize him, so his own hand creeps forward and slides around two of Iida's fingers. They're warm but the pads are smooth as he clutches them, hanging on to that feeling. To calm himself, he squeezes the fingers in his grip and keeps his breathing steady. His previously growing panic teeters slightly, dangling over the edge. The only thing that keeps him grounded right now is grasping onto Iida as tightly as he can manage.

He's never felt so exhausted in his life. It's been so long since he's slept properly that it feels like it's been ages ago. No matter how hard he works, he's never tired enough to just have one night of dreamless rest. This feels like a vicious cycle of anxiety, pain, and weariness that's begun to take a real toll.

"What are you thinking?" Iida asks.

Izuku shakes his head but refuses to look up at him with tired eyes. "Nothing."

"It must be something," the alpha insists, though his voice is gentle. "This is hurting you, I can tell."

His head aches and his heart feels ready to give out from the pressure. If he speaks another word he feels like he'll burst... but maybe that's what he needs. Maybe he needs to release this instead of swallowing it down, pulling each painful emotion into the shelves that are his ribs. Rows and rows of bottled sadness and despair and rage and helplessness are growing too hard to bear. "I don't want to cry," Izuku barely whispers. "Not in front of you."

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," Iida says, but Izuku shakes his head and squeezes those fingers tighter in his grip.

"You'd hate me if you knew."

"Knew what?"

His breath hitches, teetering on the edge of a sob. "If you knew how much of a failure I was." "Absolutely not," Iida murmurs. "You are not a failure."

"I had one job and it was to protect people." Izuku's voice cracks as tears roll down his cheeks. His heart hurts, pounding in his chest as loathing creeps inside him. "I did more than failed. I became a fucking humiliation and now I hate myself. I destroyed everything I wanted to protect, even myself, because I wasn't strong enough to do anything about it."

Iida's eyes soften, and for a moment, Izuku feels a hand curling around his

own. It doesn't scare him for once—the alpha's touch is warm and gentle, cradling him and holding him together—and Izuku gives the hand a desperate squeeze.

"Listen," Iida says, running a thumb over Izuku's knuckles. "You are so strong. I have a lot of admiration for you because I see how you carry yourself. There's something about you that's strong and feral... you never give up and that's real power."

"Maybe if I did give up, things would have been easier," Izuku whispers hoarsely. There's tears dripping down his jaw now and he looks like a mess.

"Easier, maybe, but not better. You wouldn't be happy with yourself if you lived a lie." Iida tilts his head as a slight gesture, nodding towards the window. "See that?"

Izuku glances in the same direction, a late summer breeze shifting through the leaves of trees that tower outside. A few clouds can be spotted in the distance far beyond the horizon. Colors streak across the sky in orange and pink as the sun begins to sink past the mountains. It's beautiful, truly.

"Good things happen to those who don't back down," Iida says, a smile creeping across his lips. "You're here with me now, aren't you? If you gave up and if you never left, you never would have found this."

Sometimes he thinks back to being trapped in that tent with that smothering scent constantly overwhelming him. Just remembering it makes him sick, but now he has so much space to live and grow and explore. It feels good to breathe and to cry, to be independent and work and exist for himself. If he had never left... he's not sure if he'd ever enjoy life again.

"You need to forgive yourself," Iida continues, a bit softer this time. "No matter what you've done, I know that deep in your heart you are a good person. Genuinely, I can feel it. You need to let the past go or you'll be feeling like this

forever. Allow yourself rest because you are not wicked." Izuku gives him a nod and he sniffs a bit, wiping away his tears. "Okay. I'll try."

"I believe you will and I know you'll succeed," he says, releasing his hand. "Now, let's get some food. I'm not going to make you cook when you feel like this."

It takes some convincing and they go back and forth a bit—Izuku is very persistent and he tries to insist on preparing dinner regardless—but Iida wins for once and they leave the inn to find something to eat. For some reason, Izuku's chest feels lighter now and his heart carries much less weight than before. This time he tries to make small talk with Iida instead of falling quiet and rarely speaking a word. Maybe this is the first step to growing into his own skin.

He can finally breathe again and air has never tasted so good. "What are you going to get?"

Izuku grips the bag of coins a bit tighter as he scans the selection of market goods. "I'm not sure."

"You don't have to buy anything right now," Iida says with a frown. "In fact it might be wise to save some of it."

The stall owner seems a bit impatient, probably because Izuku's been standing here for several minutes and still hasn't decided what to get. He's already bought a leatherbound notebook for writing with his last payment from Iida, but now he wants something new. What it is, he isn't entirely sure just yet.

But right then, he spots something.

Or rather, a few things: there's a three long, green ribbons tucked away on one of the back tables. They're smooth when Izuku runs his fingers across them and he briefly wonders if they'd look nice in his hair. It's been growing out too much and he hasn't felt the need to cut it, so...

"Those are a pretty good deal," Iida says once they leave. "I support your choice."

"I'll save the rest since you're so adamant about it," Izuku says, a slight smile playing across his lips. As they walk, he ties his hair back in a small, low ponytail with one of the new ribbons. It feels good to keep it out of the way, though he might need a few pins for the stray locks.

But he feels the heat of Iida's gaze on him, and when he glances up, he sees that the alpha is watching him intently.

"What is it?" he asks, suddenly a bit worried that he's done something wrong.

"Nothing," Iida says, blinking a few times and looking away. "It's just... the first time I've seen you smile."

Really? Izuku briefly brings his hand up to his face, the tips of his fingers brushing against his own cheek. "I hadn't even noticed."

"Also, your hair looks good like that," Iida remarks. "Very nice."

He can't help it—he's smiling again, though only a bit wider than before—since it has been a while since he's felt confident in his appearance. The compliments don't make him feel anxious, though he can sense that the alpha feels nervous about coming off the wrong way.

"Thank you Iida," Izuku says, tucking one of the strands behind his ear. "I

don't plan on cutting it anytime soon so it'll be like this for a while." Even as they continue to walk, Iida continues taking short glances towards him every now and then. He pretends not to notice, since he assumes that Iida might just really like the way his hair looks right now.

(But Izuku doesn't find out til later that Iida just loves his smile. Nothing more, nothing less.)

Cooking becomes one of his favorite pastimes. Iida tends to rent cabins rather than rooms at inns these days, since they offer a bit more privacy and they're equipped with more amenities. A kitchen is something rather essential and it's cheaper to cook at home rather than buy food already prepared. Izuku never shies away from the work either, since it's become relaxing to prepare meals.

And Iida is out right now but he should be home soon, hence why Izuku has already begun fixing dinner. He wasn't sure exactly what to make but he figured that he should start with noodles. Maybe he'll stir fry them with slices of beef or chicken, he thinks, but the first step is to bring the water to a boil. In the meantime he'll start by washing the vegetables.

However, as Izuku scrubs the dirt off carrots and mushrooms, he begins to feel... strange. Something doesn't seem right and he tries to push it away, but it nags at him and he isn't sure why.

It's probably nothing, after all. He gets anxious like this constantly and he needs to start learning to cope. This is probably no different than any other time he's felt weird but still, the feeling doesn't wane.

Then he hears a

creak.

Izuku jolts at the sudden noise, throwing a glance behind him. There's nothing different or out of place, though: only a single table in the middle of the room with a few eating utensils that Iida had left, as well as a small case of medicinal herbs. But nothing had fallen off the table or kitchen counter either... so what made that sound?

He reluctantly turns back to the sink to continue with his task. Maybe he's losing it a little, or there's just a rat under the floorboards somewhere. It wouldn't be the first time it happened, so—

"You're as beautiful as I remember."

Izuku freezes when he hears that, eyes widening slightly as a surge of panic locks in his throat. That voice... he knows that voice. And by the time he spins around he finds himself only a few meters away from the one person he never wanted to see again.

Bakugou.

He looks so, so different than he did before: a deep black cloak clings to his shoulders, and this time, his chest isn't bare. It's plated with dark leather armor with a few accidental streaks of blood smeared across the sleeves. The alpha has clearly been busy killing something and Izuku hopes to the gods above that those hands were never around Iida's throat.

(He hopes, god, he fucking hopes for both of their sakes.) But Bakugou doesn't just look different, he feels different. The initial cockiness is long gone and he looks ready to fight, no, ready to win and the price of losing is far greater than anything Izuku can afford to pay.

"You're here."

It comes out hoarse, soft as a whisper, but he can barely manage anything more than that alone. He says it like he's trying to convince himself that this isn't an illusion, no hallucination as anxiety freezes his thoughts. After all, he wasn't able to smell him or feel him through the bond and he isn't entirely sure why.

Bakugou only grins at that, clearly finding his confusion amusing. "I promised I'd find you, didn't I?" His eyes are immediately drawn towards Bakugou's previously wounded hand. He can't tell if it's unusable but the safest conclusion to make is that Bakugou made a complete recovery. Whether he actually did or didn't doesn't matter. Izuku can't take chances right now.

His mind is working so quickly, so many miles per hour he can't possibly stop to think clearly for a second. Fear has already wormed its way into his guts, forcing his chest tighter and tighter like a vice and he tries to just breathe.

Now isn't the time to panic.

Now is the time to stall.

The only thing that stands between them is a table so small that the alpha could probably lunge across it in a matter of seconds. There's only one exit to the kitchen and that's through the doorway that Bakugou stands near. Is there any way to draw him away from it? If he leaps across the table then maybe Izuku can find a way around and to the door, but... the chances are so slim.

He needs to think and there's no time to do so.

"How did you do it?" Izuku asks, voice thin. It's shaky and he hates that he can't keep it steady during the time he needs it most, but it's probably safer if Bakugou assumes control. "It's been months and the trail should have gone cold."

"Let's just say I got a little help," the alpha murmurs as he cocks his head. "And clearly you did too."

Izuku's stomach churns as he realizes the room is probably riddled with Iida's scent. There's no way to tell if Bakugou had already found him and the thought makes him sick.

"You do look like such a pretty omega housewife, though," Bakugou continues as he takes a step forward. His eyes are dangerous and possessive, almost as if he's ready to snap and fly into a rage. "It's a shame we couldn't have that for ourselves."

"He didn't do anything with me," Izuku slinks back a bit, cautious.

"Whether he did or didn't doesn't matter. He'll die anyways."

Relief and fear clash in his mind as he realizes that Iida isn't dead yet, but it also means that Bakugou has every intention of killing him if he shows his face. Then again, it makes sense that Bakugou would come straight to Izuku first. It's a matter of priorities and clearly Izuku is at the top of his list for obvious reasons.

"You need to reconsider," Izuku protests and Bakugou barks out a bitter laugh.

"Reconsider?" He bares his teeth, sliding his tongue across his canines. "We're far past anything you could possibly try to bargain with me—" And suddenly, there's a loud creak as the front door opens.

"Izuku, I'm home."

Blood freezes in his veins and he feels Iida's presence within the house before he can even see him. Judging from the hunger in Bakugou's eyes, he can too, and the world seems to slow as he turns towards the door ready to kill. There's red in his eyes and it's obvious that if Izuku doesn't do something fast, Iida will be dead in a matter of minutes. Fetching a knife from a drawer will take moments too long. Throwing himself at Bakugou will only buy time and who knows if it will even work.

Think.

Think, Izuku, think—

Before he even knows he reached a decision, he's already moving. The pot on the stove is filled with water bubbling with high heat and he surges forward to grip the pot handle. There's no time to use gloves and it burns his hands but he can't bring himself to care: he lunges forward as quickly as his instincts will allow, swinging it as an arc of boiling hot water is flung straight across Bakugou's face.

And the alpha screams.

With pain or rage he has no idea, but Bakugou immediately recoils regardless as he stumbles backwards. It barely gives Izuku enough time to bolt through the kitchen door and slam it shut, locking it in an attempt to keep Bakugou inside for any amount of time. His heart is pounding with fear and his hands ache, red and angry with his rash decision but there's no time to think.

But right as he turns he finds Iida standing before him, eyes wide. It looks like he had dropped his bag on the floor with shock.

"What the hell is going on?"

There's a slam against the kitchen door followed by a shriek of fury. Izuku jumps, terrified, and he already knows that it probably won't hold Bakugou for

long. He just needs to get out of here now but... what if there's men outside? What if they're already surrounded? No, if Bakugou had men to spare they would have already captured Iida. But maybe they were instructed to let him go in just so Bakugou could kill him.

The thought chills him to the bone, but it also means that they were probably told to kill anyone who leaves the house if Bakugou isn't in sight. There's nowhere to run... is there?

"Izuku," Iida growls as there's another slam against the kitchen door. "Tell me what's going on."

"No time," he whispers, eyes darting frantically. They finally catch sight of a closet and his heart skips a beat as a new plan forms in his mind. Taking Iida by the arm, he leads him towards it and kicks open the closet door. "Get in."

"Absolutely not," he hisses. "What's happening?"

"My mate is here," Izuku says quickly, not bothering to hide the panic in his voice. "If you try to escape, there will probably be people outside who will kill you. You're going to stay here and I'm going to run. I'm small and fast enough to probably get far enough away to lead him and his men somewhere else."

"But—"

"When he breaks down that door, he's going to be so angry that he's only going to be thinking about hurting me. He's not going to search the house," he continues breathlessly, throwing a glance over his shoulder as the kitchen door is slammed against a few more times. "When he chases after me, you need to go to my room and take my dagger. Then you're going to use that to arm yourself when you get out of here. Who knows who was sent to watch the house even after I get away."

"I'm not leaving you behind," Iida insists.

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not—"

In the midst of his frustration, Izuku grips Iida's collar and yanks him down to his level. It makes the alpha blink a few times in surprise.

"Iida," Izuku murmurs softly, "we have no time to argue. I care about you so much, just... please. Do this for me. I've lost everything and I can't lose you too. Not right after I've found you."

"Why can't you hide and I lead them away?" Iida protests.

"I won't let you die. He won't kill me because I have value. This is the only way we both get to live."

"You won't be living if you end up with him again."

"But you will be alive and that will keep me sane." Izuku pushes him towards the closet and Iida almost stumbles over himself and he's reluctantly driven inside. "Now do what I say because we're both out of time."

"Izuku—"

"Please."

There's a desperate look in Iida's eyes and it pleads not to be left behind, but Izuku has no choice. There's no other way and deep down, Iida probably knows that too. It hurts and his heart aches from pounding so hard but there's nothing left to do but this.

Izuku wants to say something else. In fact, there's a multitude of things he wants to say but the clock is ticking. So he shuts the closet and hopes— prays

—that Iida will be alright, and he turns towards the back door and runs.

Or perhaps that's an understatement.

He leaps through the frame and his boots his the ground right as he hears the kitchen door finally tear from its hinges, falling straight down into the floor as Bakugou releases a triumphant, hysterical laugh. Izuku's blood runs cold and fear grips his chest, but he can't let it rule him now. There's no use in checking his surroundings for Bakugou's men, stopping for even a moment would prove fatal, so he bolts straight into the forest in hopes that the familiar terrain will aid him.

Just as he thought, he hears Bakugou give chase and relief quells his growing panic. Iida will make it out, he has to now that he's drawing Bakugou a safe distance away. Maybe if all goes well, he can even escape himself. His greatest advantage is his head start, even if it's only by a dozen meters or so. He silently thanks his past self for his training because now is when he needs it most: he's sprinting past trees, relying on quick reflexes to duck beneath branches and vault over fallen logs toppled in his way. Despite his dread he forces himself to breathe, in through his nose, out through his mouth. If he doesn't he'll risk tripping, slipping, or falling and just once is all it takes for him to get caught.

The pressure is immense and his breath is hot and nervous. He should probably glance behind him but he's too terrified of losing his footing, so he instead allows his jaw to slacken and taste the air. It's heady and thick with alpha but also beta soldiers, though he expects it's a small group instead of a large one. Not too close but not too far either, and he can still sense the steady drum of Bakugou pursuing him. The gap is slowly but surely closing between them—the alpha is fast and lean, keeping a hunter's pace—and if Izuku doesn't do something soon, Bakugou will catch up.

Maybe if there was something to climb he could find safety. Not a tree or a slope but maybe a cliff with footing easy enough for Izuku to scale but too difficult for Bakugou to follow. Of course there's the possibility that Bakugou's hand might be completely healed but there's no other options and at this rate, he'll get captured. If he can at least outrun Bakugou, his headstart should be extended by at least a few hundred meters since he's already so far ahead of the other men.

The risk will just have to be worth it because he has no other choice.

Izuku dashes through a small creek, leaping across half of it to buy more time. The stones are slippery but his boots provide enough traction to keep himself from falling. As soon as he's out and into the forest once more, he internally counts to himself.

One and two and three and four and—

He hears a splash behind him, a clear indication that Bakugou is following close. Only four seconds lie between them and he wonders if that would even be enough time to scale something above Bakugou's reach. It would have to be at least nine or ten feet—since Bakugou is about six feet and he could attempt to leap and catch Izuku's ankle—which means it'll have to be the fastest he's ever climbed anything in his life.

There's also no doubt in his mind that the soldiers have ranged weapons too, such as crossbows. But the only reason why they aren't being used at the moment is because Bakugou must be far too close to get a clear shot. If they hit the alpha by accident it would be the end of their lives, but as soon as Izuku starts to scale any sort of rock face he would be a sitting duck. There would be no time to waste even if he's out of Bakugou's reach.

Fuck, this is insane.

"You better not slow down!" Bakugou calls out behind him. Izuku almost trips over a root in surprise, nerves under pressure. "I'm going to make good on every single one of my threats when I get my hands on you, fucking whore!"

His tone is terrifying, almost a little imbalanced. Nearly all of his composure has escaped him since he was obviously collected before, but now he's pushed to the brink of rage and hysteria. "I can't wait to finally fuck you," he continues with a snarl, deep and hungry. "I'm going to make you cry like the omega bitch you were meant to be, I'm going to fuck you on my knot and you'll never be able to leave ever again!"

The pit in Izuku's stomach grows but he tries to push it down. It's probably a tactic to mentally break him down, trying to make him too nervous to think straight. Still, it's difficult to swallow his panic and it triggers fear within him regardless. His legs ache but he can't afford to stop, especially with Bakugou so close behind, and each reminder of the alpha's presence makes nausea rise within him.

In the distance he spots a rising cliffside quickly coming into view through the trees. It's taller than most buildings, and regardless of the surface it'll just have to do. Most times he would receive help from Iida to climb to the top but this time he'll have to do it all by himself. If he can just leap off the first few boulders maybe he can at least reach a proper height before Bakugou can catch him. As the foliage breaks before the cliff, he springs straight onto the first foothold he can find. He almost doesn't make it, pebbles tumbling downwards but he tries to rise higher. His hand curls around a large root bulging from the rockface, yanking himself upwards as he scales to the next handhold.

Two seconds have passed which means half his time is already gone.

His breathing stutters as his arms strain, wrist aching a bit as he climbs the next few feet. He's almost above Bakugou's level, if he could just move faster then he should probably make it—

But before he can reach the next solid place to put his boot, something cracks against the back of his skull—something large, like a rock or stone that Bakugou must have thrown—and suddenly he's lost his footing, falling, falling like a star from the sky. The impact knocks the wind out of him as he crashes into the ground, head throbbing and reeling from the blow.

Pain comes in sudden spikes as a numb ache starts to spread through his ribs. Fuck, did he land on them? Hopefully they're just bruised, not broken. But his head hurts the most however, and even as he reaches back with trembling fingers, he can already smell blood.

There's a hand in his hair and he yelps as he's dragged upwards. His surroundings blur with tears and he struggles to stay calm while he's forced to his knees.

"Look at me."

Izuku shakes his head but there's a thumb pressing past his lips, grinding against his gums and along omega fangs. Anger surges within him and he sinks his teeth straight into Bakugou's finger, but to his surprise, the alpha doesn't even flinch.

In fact, he laughs.

"Fuck, your attitude has gotten worse." Bakugou hooks his bleeding thumb on the inside of Izuku's mouth, forcing his jaw open. "But it's fine. I'll have all the time in the world to train you."

(It's dangerous and he shouldn't be acting like this, but if Bakugou takes out his anger on him, maybe there won't be enough left over for Iida. The self

sacrifice will have to be worth it.)

So Izuku growls and tries to jolt back, but Bakugou's fingers are already slipping into his mouth. They taste like sweat and ash and he hates it, making a muffled sound as he tries to bite down again. He soon realizes that it's Bakugou's wounded hand so he must not be able to feel the pain if the nerves are ruined. There's a hitch to the movements he makes too since it's not entirely healed.

But it's hard to pay attention to such details, especially with his head throbbing like it is. His heart has been skipping beats as well, fear coiling around his lungs, tightening until he can hardly breathe. He can't let this happen again and he feels sick with the thought of Bakugou making good on all of his previous threats, but at the same time he'd rather die than buckle under this pressure.

Suddenly, the fingers slide out of Izuku's mouth. Before he can indulge the momentary relief, the back of Bakugou's hand cracks across his face so hard that his vision blurs. The world swoops around him and the only thing that keeps him from collapsing is the tight grip in his hair, forcing him to look upwards.

There's first-degree burns that wind up Bakugou's neck and jaw, shrouding a quarter of his face with red. Izuku had moved too fast when he attacked so he must not have aimed properly, so a lot of the water had hit his armor. Still, enough of it had met its target: there's pink, peeling marks coiling around his skin. His hair is also soaked and though it's spiked in different directions from the chase. "I bet it feels good," Izuku growls. Blood trickles down his neck from the wound dealt to his head. "Last I remember, you were into that."

However, the alpha only responds by clicking his tongue softly. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't already hard."

Izuku is flung into the ground and a sharp cry escapes his lips, landing on broken ribs as his head crashes against the forest floor. A violent cough rises from his chest and he finds himself spitting blood, and as he tries to roll back to look up, he's met with the blurry image of Bakugou above him unbuckling his belt.

Nausea rolls in his guts as fear suddenly seizes him, but his head feels so heavy he can barely move. It's throbbing with a pulsing, agonizing ache that hurts so much, it's paralyzing. In fact, he's starting to think that it's not just the wound: there's something within him fighting to rise to the surface, begging him to let go. But he's far too afraid to black out again, especially after trying so hard to keep his life intact.

He can barely see but he knows that Bakugou's men are just now beginning to surround them. It's easy to sense their presence, to taste them in the air and he hopes that Bakugou doesn't actually plan to humiliate him like this. Maybe he'll be too possessive to share the view.

But no, that does seem to be the plan.

Bakugou grips Izuku's wrist and yanks it back, locking him in place and pinning him against the ground. The position forces Izuku's hips up with a cry as Bakugou mounts him like a beast to yank his pants down to his knees. The alpha's cock slides against his hole and just like clockwork, slick starts to drip between his legs.

He hates this body. It's too fucking fragile to take his rage and all he wants to do is scream, he wants to sob, he wants to burst from the seams and kill Bakugou. He wishes it were his mate's blood. He wishes it were his own blood. He seethes with fury, wanting to kill and destroy.

But he has no power

here.

Nails sink into the soil until dirt cakes beneath them in filthy crescents, tears rolling down his cheeks as he starts to cry. From pain, frustration, rage, and every twisted feeling he's stored within himself. It hurts and all he wants to do is disappear. He could barely take Bakugou alone, but everyone watching him like this? The humiliation will destroy him and everything he's worked for, everything he's tried to do for himself will be gone.

"Make them look away," Izuku hisses, but the tremble to his voice gives away his lack of composure.

"They need to see how pretty of an omega you are," Bakugou purrs. "Especially when you're in heat." Oh god, no...

It's been six months since he's been off suppressants. Even when Iida introduced the pseudo ones, he had even warned that a heat could still occur the next time he's knotted. The chances were especially high after an extended period of abstinence, since his body would have been waiting, ready and fertile.

But the tip of Bakugou's cock is already sliding inside him, stretching him around its girth. Instead of stopping at the knot and beginning to thrust, the alpha growls and forces himself further against the twitching hole, pushing all his weight into it as Izuku's breath hitches with a pained sob. The pressure hurts and he cries, begging Bakugou to stop, but after only a few brief moments the knot forcibly sinks inside.

His body shudders with a sudden burst of panic as he wails in agony. He's bleeding, he can feel it and it hurts but his brain is pumping so many endorphins that it completely negates the pain. Heat swallows him at once, a fire alighting beneath his skin as the world becomes fuzzy and hard to grasp. It feels just like the throne room except much, much hotter and far more

disorienting.

Bakugou's knot isn't inflated enough to cum just yet however, and as he carefully pops it out, a rush of slick follows with a pained whine from Izuku's lips. He struggles against Bakugou's grip but the alpha only purrs.

"I'm gonna pump you with cum," Bakugou growls, pulling Izuku's arm back further. It feels like it's about to snap and he cries, hiccuping as he trembles. "And then you're going to give me a strong litter of beautiful pups. How does that sound?"

His mind feels like it's ripping apart, body spasming as he tries to gulp down air. He can't breathe but Bakugou doesn't bother to slow down: the alpha is already thrusting and the familiarity of it is agonizing. All he wants to do is cry, but he feels so hot, so dazed that he can't think of anything but the cock pumping within him and turning his brain to mush.

And his urge to break is so profound, it's almost undeniable. Unstoppable, even, but he resists it despite the circumstances. Every instinct he has is begging to let go, every fiber of his being screams to be bred and fucked and humiliated and destroyed and owned.

But he refuses.

He refuses even as he bawls, even as he sinks his fingers into broken soil, even as his body wracks with sobs he just can't release his hold on his mind. Instead he hisses through grit teeth, fighting off his own instincts. Through tear-stained cheeks and burning eyes, he prevails and forces back his heat and fights to keep himself intact.

It's painfully difficult, however. Bakugou's cock stretches him wide, the tip pressing right against the swollen bundle of nerves deep within him. Maybe it's because of heat or time off suppressants but he swears it's gotten sensitive enough to make him drool, even unknowingly. His omega canines ache as the

glands work, salivating for alpha cock to fill his mouth.

And the intrusive thoughts are getting worse. Just like the throne room, he finds his mind going on tangents, aching to be full of alpha seed, alpha pups, an alpha's litter— "Fuck, you're so tight ."

Bakugou releases his arm but before Izuku can fight, he's pinching the scent gland through Izuku's cloak. The omega immediately slackens with a distressed whimper, mind blanking for a moment. It makes his walls loosen around Bakugou's cock just enough to catch the edge of the knot stretching him naturally.

His body wants this. It's moist and fertile and receptive, begging for pups as hot slick drips down his trembling thighs. He feels so sick that he could die, tears sliding down his jaw but he refuses to allow dozens of men watch him fall apart. They're laughing, grinning, staring down on him and he can feel the heat of their gaze. If he could just...

"By the way," Bakugou purrs, knot smacking against Izuku's soaked entrance. "I must have forgotten to tell you, but I sent a someone after that shitty alpha of yours. Maybe I'll gift his head to you for our honeymoon, assuming there will be anything left of him."

It hurts.

Izuku is so tired, so exhausted, but Iida will make it. He has to. Someone has to live through this or he'll... he'll... he's not sure what he'll do.

"Just let him go," he whimpers.

"Why would I do that?"

"He saved my life, just please —"

"You don't need him anymore," Bakugou growls. "You only need me."

Everything hurts. His ribs ache when he breathes, his head is still dripping blood, his mind is tearing itself apart. He's scared, so terrified for Iida and deep down he thinks he already knows that the alpha probably won't survive. Bakugou was going to kill him from the start and he had no intention of allowing him to walk free.

And Izuku cries.

He cries for Iida and he cries for himself. He cries for his people and his freedom, his life, everything he's lost and in that moment, all he wants to do is scream.

So he does.

It's painful and human, so deafening that he hopes that every single person in this world can hear him break. He can't take this. He can't stand this, he's going to shatter into a million pieces and he swears he's going to die. There's no way he'll survive this. Trying to fight has always been a fruitless endeavor and he's not sure why he's tried so hard. It's fucking worthless.

He's muttering now and he's not entirely sure what he's saying—maybe he's talking to himself or Bakugou, he wouldn't know—and the insanity of it makes nervous giggles bubble from his lips, even as tears fill his vision. His mind is already somewhere else but they're so far away, so intangible, there would be no point to try and catch them again.

"Looks like you're starting to lose it," Bakugou growls, pushing his knot against the first ring of muscle. It slides in easily but Bakugou rocks his hips back to yank it out, with so much slick following that it makes an audible wet sound. "At this rate I'm gonna go into a fucking rut."

Izuku can barely take it: he's crying as his body wracks with laughter. Maybe it's the hormones or the endorphins, the fear or the irony of it all. Maybe he just feels so defeated, so exhausted that this is all he can do. His mind is in splinters and he won't bother trying to put it back together. Not even with these alphas around him, watching him hungrily.

This is where he'll die, he thinks.

But before he's shattered completely, something rises to the surface to protect him. It cradles what's left of him, holding him close and pulling him away until it's safe to return. He sinks into this darkness and fades, because if he doesn't, he'll be ruined beyond repair. It's all too familiar to resist and he has nowhere else to run as everything fades to black.

Without the resistance, heat comes in full force. It swallows him up like a raging fire and Deku moans softly as every instinct to breed takes hold. He arches his back and spreads his legs wider, a deep purr rising in the chords of his neck. His scent glands grow sensitive and swollen as they release a new type of pheromone. It's heavier, much more powerful and he curls his fingers into the forest floor as he moans.

God, he missed Kacchan so much. He missed being full and groomed and held, but the alpha is too preoccupied with mating him to be gentle. Kacchan's touch wanders to his hair, gasping a handful to yank back and pull for leverage. The rough gesture makes Deku purr louder between clipped whines.

His mate gives a possessive snarl as the knot sinks inside, finally growing large enough to lodge within him. Deku whimpers as his eyes roll, the head of the cock pressing tightly against something that feels so, so good that he can't possibly think. Hot alpha seed shoots from the tip and starts to fill him,

stretching his walls to accommodate the fit. Not even a drop escapes, however, since the walls cling to the knot as it shifts inside him.

Kacchan smells so amazing. He tastes feral and violent, like a wild animal that takes what it wants and guards what it owns. Even when knotted, Deku can feel the grip on his hair tighter than ever as the alpha growls, selfish and greedy to hoard what's his.

Being beneath him is what he was meant to for, so he purrs receptively in an act of submission. Deku hopes his pups will grow up to be strong and powerful just like their alpha father. He'll provide as many litters as Kacchan wishes to have, because his body belongs to his mate and he should use it as he sees fit. To have such worth... he would be honored to serve.

A warm tongue laps at wet blood that's dribbled down the back of his neck and Deku hums softly, rolling his head to the side for his mate. Kacchan seems to be satisfied with his obedience since he begins to nip at the skin to mark him with small love bites. When Deku tastes the air, he can smell that Kacchan is on the verge of a rut. It's the calm before the storm but he isn't afraid, only eager to be bred as many times as it takes to appease.

And somehow, he has a feeling that it might take a while to satiate the alpha's appetite.