***Warnings: Language, non-con/rape implied, mention of cannibalism
***Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
Chapter 6: Raw
Izuku's relieved when Tomura's centipede body uncurls from him with the arrival of Bakugo and Dabi. Izuku looks at Bakugo, silently asking the other to tell him the truth. He's afraid of what he may hear. Bakugo's expression is tricky to read because the hornet is always frowning or straight lipped. If not frowning, then scowling.
"They do have All Might," Bakugo says, keeping his voice steady.
"Is he okay?" Izuku asks.
"As well as he can be in a dungeon," Bakugo did not want to tell Izuku exactly what he saw because he knew it would upset the omega. Izuku has enough to worry about as it stands, and Bakugo wants the omega to keep a clear head. A little lie will not harm anyone.
Dabi looks at Izuku and says, "Surely, you understand that we cannot let him out until you have proven yourself?"
"I'm here, aren't I?" Izuku says.
"There is much more you still need to do," Dabi smirks at him. "The whole reason you're here as a Cherry Bee omega."
Izuku tries to withhold the embarrassment he feels, but it shows up on his cheeks anyway. The heat in his face amuses both Dabi and Tomura.
"Dabi, why don't you show Izuku to your room? He may want to take a rest after the long flight here. We can sign the contract later tonight, and get everything done in one shot."
"I like the sound of that," Dabi agrees and holds his arm out for Izuku. "Come with me, sweet little bee."
Izuku knows that Dabi is mocking him with every word on his smug, obnoxious face, which is similar to but more relaxed than Bakugo's. Tomura is always smiling, but that smile is one of madness. Izuku links his arm with Dabi's humanoid one but cringes when two of the spider legs on the left curl around his torso. Bakugo is a step behind them, a little too close, and Dabi tells Bakugo to back off. Bakugo obeys, but the sneer on his lips shows Izuku that the hornet had to hold back.
"Bakugo remains with me at all times, right?" Izuku asks Dabi as he lets the spider lead him out of the large room.
"Not when you're with me," Dabi answers.
"But when I'm not," Izuku clarifies. "You understand that I do not feel entirely safe here by myself and I need my bodyguard."
Dabi gives a little chuckle. "Sure. It doesn't bother me at all, so long as nothing happens between you two that will make me angry."
"No, you don't have to worry about that," Izuku says. "I am dedicated to this marriage and...I hope to see change, as well as All Might's eventual release."
"Of course,"
Izuku doesn't believe one word coming from Dabi's mouth other than the threat of 'making him angry.' He hoped he would have his own room and only share with Dabi when they are to lay together. Izuku's antennas twitch at the thought of mating with Dabi, and it's going to happen tonight. His antennas tingled when he thought of Bakugo. The tingle was new to him, but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. Sensing Dabi's chemical trail made him nauseous, but with Bakugo, the feeling was comfortable. It has to be because of the situation he is in that he's feeling an attraction for Bakugo. Izuku wouldn't give the alpha hornet a second look if things were different. Bakugo's a Vespa, so Izuku knows what to expect from his own race. With Dabi and Tomura, two males whose race prefer to be solitary, are mostly a mystery to him.
Izuku hopes he can get through this night quickly. He decides that he will ask Dabi what he should do, or how he should act. Izuku wants to do nothing but lay there and wait for it to be over. And then, a thought occurs to him. Bakugo will be standing guard outside, and hear everything that his happening. That's embarrassing. Izuku feels a tightness in his chest at the thought.
"This is our room,"
Dabi opens the door to a dark area with no windows. Izuku steps into the room, his antennas twitching and body shivering with the cold. He can barely see much of the place with only one candle stand lit. Above him, and on some spots on the wall lay strings of white webs.
"They aren't mine," Dabi tells him. "They belonged to the last spider that stayed in this room."
Bakugo has followed them inside and said, "Why not clean the place up a bit?" He asks. "These webs are covered in dust." Bakugo reaches out his finger to poke one of the webs and finds that it is still sticky. Very sticky. It takes more force to pull his finger away than he would have thought.
"I like how they look," Dabi says. "I'm not the type that spins webs. I prefer to hunt for my food."
Izuku swallows at that, remembering that many of the inhabitants in the Wastelands prefer to eat meat. Vespas only eat fruits and sweets made from wheat, honey, and sugar with mead or water. Izuku's heard of low intelligent beings that wander these lands, and those in the Wastelands feed off of these creatures.
"We cannot eat meat," Izuku tells Dabi.
"Don't worry; I'm not going to let you starve. That would be counter-intuitive, wouldn't it?" Dabi smiles. "We have food here that you and your bodyguard can eat. But you must try our choice of drink."
"Is it that wine shit?" Bakugo asks, crossing his arms. "That stuff is nasty. Bitter and dry."
Dabi stares blankly at Bakugo. "Do allow your boss to form his own opinions?"
Bakugo raises a brow. "Boss? Who's that? I have no boss. I'm my own boss-" He stops himself and adds, "In a sense."
Izuku silently scolds Bakugo with a glare that Dabi doesn't see.
"Well, you're not a general for nothing," Dabi says. "Your ego is annoying, and I can see how you managed to bully your way into having Izuku take you with him. But Izuku is your boss now, the same as I. So, you will do as we say. If you fail to comply with this demand, you are free to leave this place. In other words, buzz off."
Izuku foresees Bakugo losing his temper and steps between them, spreading his wings to separate the two further. "Please, I don't want any fighting or arguing," he says, although he wants nothing more than to attack Dabi, sting Tomura, rescue All Might, and take off from this place; and never come back. "I chose Bakugo on my own. Yes, he is a bit full of himself, but that's just who he is."
Dabi smirks. "Spoken like a true little omega," he says. "I thought you'd be more of a fighter and troublemaker. That's good. It's less work I have to do."
"Less work in what way?" Izuku asks, feigning innocence.
"He'd beat you into submission," Bakugo spits out.
"I know a lot of alphas who do that," Izuku says, narrowing his eyes at Bakugo.
Bakugo looks away from Izuku with a huff.
"So, this will be our room," Dabi says. "I don't care much for the light, but I know you do. When I'm not in this room, you can light more candles. The servants will bring you any type of food you want that is within our grasp here in this beautiful wasteland of ours," He said the sarcasm with a smile on his face.
"Thank you," Izuku says. "I didn't expect you to be so accommodating for me."
"Well, an omega bears strong and healthy children if they are comfortable and well taken care of," Dabi tells him. "A hybrid offspring from the two of us will begin a whole new race of Insectoids."
"Let me stop you right there for a minute," Bakugo says. "Izuku cannot breed a whole race. You can't expect one omega to do all that. It's impossible. You're not thinking of breeding the siblings, are you?"
"Don't be an idiot," Dabi waves Bakugo off with one of his spider legs. "This is the start of a new race. With this union, we will eventually gain access to the Valley. We will spread out, and we will begin mating with female Insectoids. I just happen to prefer males over females."
"I'm not sure about that," Izuku says. "We've been at war with the Wastelands for generations. You can't expect females, or omega males for that matter, to just up and mate with your kind? It won't work. At least, not right away. It would take a generation or two for everything to happen the way you envision."
"It will happen," Dabi tells them. "I'll leave you to rest for now. The servants will bring you whatever food they can. And I suggest getting used to the wine- it will help you to get through some 'rough times.'"
Izuku swallows and nods. "I'm not very fussy when it comes to food and drink." What Dabi is telling him is to get drunk so mounting will be easier to endure. That wasn't such a bad idea. His stomach felt like it's full of rocks and food was the last thing on his mind.
"I'll leave you to get settled," Dabi gives them both a sly look as he leaves.
Izuku looks at Bakugo, who's blonde brow is twitching within the black. "You almost lost it," he says.
"That guy is annoying," Bakugo says with a snort.
"Tell me about All Might. Is he okay? Is he hurt?"
"He's not suffering, but as you can guess, he's still a prisoner. Once you marry Dabi, we'll start pushing to have All Might taken better care of. Or at least released."
Izuku sighs and rubs his temples. "I'm not so sure they will let him go. There's too great a chance of them figuring All Might will strike afterward, regardless of this marriage. I just want to get through this night." He glances at the bed. "I remember what you told me…you and Shouto. I might get drunk tonight," His voice drops. "so I won't have to remember it the next morning."
"Probably for the best," Bakugo says.
"There's no point in you staying here with me," Izuku says. "Go explore the castle. I'll just stay in here."
"Fine. Make sure to eat, you idiot. You're moping around like you've got a fucking rain cloud over your head. Try to perk up."
Izuku doesn't bother to respond to Bakugo and goes over to a spot on the wall to look at the web design. When Bakugo touched it, the alpha had difficulty pulling his finger away. If a fingertip can stick so quickly, then falling into one of these webs is a danger for him. Spiders catch prey in their webs, and that's how Izuku feels right now; like prey.
"I'll be back later," Bakugo says. "Your sulking is painful to watch."
Izuku ignored the alpha, listening for the other to leave. He sits on the bed, finding it hard and firm. Not comfortable at all. And the room is too cold. He takes a blanket from the foot of the bed to wrap around his shoulders. It offers some relief. Izuku misses the warmth of the Canopies. Staying in a dark place like this is sure to make him sick in some form. If not sick, then it will weaken him. Already he feels drained of his energy.
As promised, servants came and brought Izuku a tray of food and extra candles. They appeared to be beetles, but Izuku couldn't be sure. He thanked them for the delivery, and the servants seemed shocked at the words of kindness. They bow to Izuku and scurry out of the room. Izuku lights the extra candles first, reveling in the glow they give off, filling the room. Turning to the food, Izuku's eyes settle on the jug of what must be wine. Uncorking the top, he sniffs the liquid. The smell makes his antennas stick straight up. If this is all he has to drink, he'll have to get used to it. Maybe he can get through the next couple of days tipsy to help ease him into truly accepting this life change. He takes a sip.
"Blech!" He sips again. And again. And again. Each time he sips a little more quantity than the last. "Okay. Not terrible. Getting used to it."
Placing the jug down, he examines the plate of food: nuts, berries, a slice of bread with preserves, and some questioning type of cooked vegetable. He eats one nut, finding it to be bland and tasteless. Izuku's use to eating sweetened nuts. These nuts are a new kind. The berries are dried, which he doesn't prefer but can tolerate. So far, the dried berries are the sweetest. Izuku needs to keep in mind that the Wastelands does not have a fertile growing climate. Drying foods is a way to preserve them for an extended period. The fruit spread was good. By far his favorite.
Surprisingly, he cleared his plate, guessing he was hungrier than he previously thought. Now for the wine. Izuku takes the jug to the bed with him and starts to drink while counting the strings in the webs.
'Shithole,' Bakugo says to himself while flying past a mostly empty room. 'Another shithole. Double shithole. Triple shithole,' he pauses at a room that has hundreds of items hanging from the ceiling and packaged on shelves. 'What is this?' Bakugo flies inside to get a better look, but the room is too dark. 'Stinks as a shithole buried deep within a shithole encased in vomit,'
"Looking for something?"
Bakugo's startled by Dabi's voice, and he looks around the dark room, searching for the spider. His eyes have become adjusted to the dark, and he can make out a form in the corner ceiling of the room. Eight teal eyes open to reveal Dabi's 'hiding' spot. Bakugo stands his ground despite the urge to turn and leave. Then, he argues with himself to stop being a weakling and rip the spider the apart.
"What is this place?" Bakugo asks, following Dabi's form with his eyes as the huntsman spider creeps down the wall. Dabi stands up to face Bakugo, and Bakugo is a little put off with the way all of Dabi's eyes blink in time with each other.
"Just a special little storage unit that is all my own," Dabi replies. "And there's no reason for you to be here. I thought you were with my 'bride'."
"He wanted to rest alone for a bit," Bakugo says. "I thought I'd explore the place. And trust me, I'm more than glad to leave this fucking room! It reeks of who knows what!"
Dabi smirks. "It smells divine! A Vespa like you would not, could not, accept the beauty of this room and its items. If you look closely, you may discover the source of this 'smell.'"
Bakugo doesn't like how Dabi is taunting him, so he calls the bastard out and floats to a shelving unit. Squinting his eyes, he can make out the items in jars. His eyes widen. Limbs. They're limbs! Arms and legs, hands and feet! Some part insect, others human. It takes all of Bakugo's resolve not to let out a cry of disgust and fear at the cannibalistic sight.
"I can't help but ask…what and WHO do you hunt?"
"I am as my birth made me. I hunt to eat. I hunt and kill those of lesser intelligence. I hunt and kill those that piss me off, or do me wrong,"
Bakugo matches Dabi's hard, cold look for he knows that the spider is giving him a warning.
"So, let me see if I understand this," Bakugo starts. "When, or rather, 'if,' those of the Wastelands gain legal access to the Valley, are you and other predators of your kind going to hunt those of the Valley?"
Dabi smiles. "You own lands have beings of lesser intelligence, does it not?"
"Yes, but-"
"The same rules apply. Predators in the Wastelands are much smaller in number than the general population. What you see before you here," Dabi motions to the room around them. "Are not innocent souls."
'I don't believe you,' Bakugo says to himself. "Does Tomura eat here, too?"
"Sometimes. Tomura is the King, after all. I do like to hunt and will hunt for him on occasion. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to finish my meal and prepare for tonight. Are you jealous?"
"Pfft. Yeah, right. Don't worry; I'll be glad not to step in this wretched place again."
"Of course," Dabi turns away from Bakugo and crawls up the wall to rest in the ceiling corner. "This room is no place for the frightened and the weak-stomached."
Bakugo growls and hisses at him, bearing his stinger and buzzing his wings. "What did you say? Are you trying to annoy me, you shit-faced spider?! You think I'm afraid! I'm not afraid of this place! I just can't bear the wretched smell of it!"
"You're very noisy," Dabi says softly. "Don't go away mad, just go away."
"Fuck you, eight-eyes!"
"I've got my eyes on you," Dabi says with a dark chuckle.
"Oh, real clever!"
Bakugo did leave, furious at Dabi's attitude but also relieved to be out of that horrid place. He'll never get used to the idea of cannibalism among those in the Wastelands. They have no right coming into the Valley and spreading their filthy, unacceptable way of life.
'We should just fucking torch the entire Wastelands and get it over with!'
Izuku looks down at his hands, which are still shaking, as he nervously awaits Dabi's arrival. They signed the contract, agreeing to the marriage, to the safety (but not release) of All Might, and the promise of sharing peaceful terms between territories. All that is left is mounting. Once Dabi takes him, the marriage contract is sealed. Dabi will be coming soon, and no matter how much wine Izuku drank before, his nerves are still shot. He keeps reminding himself that his trembling is a good thing as it adds to the act of playing the submissive. In the beginning, he thought he was brave enough to get through this, but now that the time is here, Izuku can't seem to get himself together. His acting is real; there is no feigning innocence.
The door creaks open, sending a chill up Izuku's spine and causing a lump to form in his throat. His back is to the door, and he is naked, as Dabi had previously asked him. Maybe it's Bakugo, Izuku wonders. His antennas pick up the unmistakable chemical trail of Dabi. He keeps his eyes closed as the sound of Dabi's footfalls coming closer, slowly approaching the bed. Izuku shudders when a soft, furry spider's leg strokes his cheek from behind. First, it's just the one leg, then another, and another, until all six are caressing his skin. Izuku bites his lip to keep from crying out. He feels his singer forming and pushing out through his lower back. It appeared on its own as a natural reaction to the sense of danger.
"Don't even try it," Dabi's voice whispers in Izuku's ear. "Removing the stinger from a Vespa is amazingly simple to do, and then you will have no line of defense. Ever. Not even to protect our children if they need it."
Izuku folds his stinger back into his body and feels a light pat on his bare rump.
"That's better. You'll have an easier time with this when your heat comes. Until then, bite the pillow and endure it."
Bakugo stands outside the bedroom, his arms crossed with one foot up against the wall. He drums his fingers impatiently on his arm as he hears the event taking place in the room. Granted, the only sound is the creaking of the bed and an occasional grunt. What bothers Bakugo the most, and also confuses him, is the feeling he is experiencing in his antennas. Somehow, they are picking up on Izuku's emotions, and Bakugo can sense the omega's fear, repulsion, and pain. He doesn't know why he cares about how Izuku is feeling right now, but he does. Bakugo tells himself that this is all happening for a reason, that once it is over, he will be the next Hero of the Valley. Izuku is just a stepping stone for him to reach his desired goal. Nothing is going to stand in his way!
The sounds stop. Bakugo's antennas twitch. The door opens, and Dabi comes out. The huntsman spider cracks his neck and then notices Bakugo. Bakugo wants to sting the smirk right off the spider's face. Or sting all eight eyes! Or do both.
"Step one of the contract is complete, and Izuku is a virgin as claimed. Well, was a virgin,"
Bakugo scoffs and remains silent.
"I worked up quite an appetite. Do see to it that your boss is cleaned up and fed."
"I'm not his fucking keeper. I'm his bodyguard."
Dabi begins to walk away and says, "Makes no difference to me."
Bakugo watches him leave before going inside the room to check on Izuku. Bakugo sees the omega laying on his belly on the bed, legs slightly spread, and face turned away from the door. For a moment, Bakugo wonders if Izuku is dead, but his antennas tell him that Izuku isn't. As he flies closer, he can see Izuku is breathing.
"Hey," Bakugo calls to him, keeping his voice low. "You okay?" There's no answer. "Do you want to get cleaned up? Or…eat? Or anything?" Bakugo didn't know how to act. He stands silent while watching Izuku lift himself from the bed. Bakugo's eyes trail over the naked form, noting the light and dark stains between Izuku's thighs. There's bruising on the omega's hips where Dabi's fingers were. "You made it through, it seems,"
"I…hated it," Izuku tells Bakugo, keeping his back to the alpha. "It's terrible…I never want to experience it again."
Bakugo grumbles and says, "You have no choice. Once you're in heat, you'll have to. It'll get better. Don't make a big fucking deal about it. Just close your eyes, bear it, and think about a happy place, or something. You need to do this."
"That's so fucking easy for you to say,"
Bakugo's eyes widen. He's never heard Izuku curse before.
"I don't want anyone to touch me. Ever. I just want to help others…I want to keep the world safe…I want to protect the Valley…I want to save All Might. I can do all of that without ever having to know the touch of an alpha again. Now leave me alone."
"I don't know about that,"
"I said, GO!" Izuku shouts at him. "GET OUT!"
Bakugo feels an ache in his antennas but ignores it. "Fine, I'll go. I don't want to be in this room anyway!" He flies out of the room and slams the door on Izuku.
TBC