***Hi everyone. Regardless of the various negative emails I've received for the last chapter, I am going to continue with this story after speaking with old confidants and new friends. A quick blurb about myself; I do not like to know how a story is going to end. I like wondering, inferring, and being surprised. That's the kind of writer/reader I am. I don't like spoilers. To give everything away in a story summary, while it's not my preferred, I will do it because this is the fanfiction world and the not the world of published books and novels.
***So, for those of you, like me, who don't want spoilers, do not read the words below that are in the parentheses. I will also re-post this in the notes starting at chapter 1.***

***((I am an author who writes stories with real-world issues and real-life elements. This is not a fairytale. This story will show a character who is struggling to find their way out of a difficult and delicate situation with the odds against them. This character will have to suffer in order to make them stronger and succeed in the end. In this story of an arranged marriage, non-con situations are common and typical. This is a fanfiction story that has cliffhangers and will have a happy ending.)))***

Chapter 7: I'm Still Your Enemy

Izuku couldn't scrub his body hard enough to get the feeling of Dabi's touch off his skin. He can still feel the long, brush-like hairs of those spider legs against his sides and cheeks. Dabi took him on his belly, which was better than if Izuku had been forced to look at the Arachnoid. There was no intimate caressing or kissing, and for that Izuku was grateful. It wouldn't have ended well for him if he had thrown up all over Dabi.

And the nerve of Bakugo to speak to him as if nothing had happened, as if Izuku should already be used to this. Izuku would like to think that the alpha hornet doesn't know how to express himself in this sort of situation. He doesn't know Bakugo enough to assume that is the case. He should have kept Bakugo with him; at least then, arguing with the hornet would help to keep his thoughts distracted from Dabi.

'Come on, Izuku. You have to stay focused!' He tells himself as he gives up on the bathing and dresses. There is a nightshirt for him, but Izuku won't put it on. Not only does he want to keep his body hidden, but the room is too damn cold! No amount of candles can shake the chill from this dreaded place!

There is a knock on the door, and Izuku buzzes his wings as he's startled by the sound. It can't be Dabi or Bakugo because those two wouldn't knock. So, who is it? Izuku swallowed the lump in his throat and asked, "Who is it?"

"Just a servant with some fresh food for you," the voice answers. "I've brought you some sweet bread and HALF a piece of fruit."

Izuku's antennas stick straight up and twitch when he hears the word 'half' spoken. Shouto's secret spy and helper is here! 'Half' is the code word! Izuku flies to the door and opens it to reveal a hawk moth. He is a tall beta male with spectacles and dark blue hair. His antennas are thin and fuzzy with long dark strip and spot wings. The hawk moth rubs their antennas together, and Izuku knows that this Insectoid is a friend.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," he says, stepping further into the room with the tray of food while Izuku closes the door. "I wasn't sure if you wished to rest, so I thought I would bring up a snack. I'm not sure what you like, so I brought up a sample variety of things to eat and drink."

"Thank you, and it's alright," Izuku says. "I-" The door bursts open and it is Bakugo, buzzing his wings.

"Who the hell just walked in here?" Bakugo asks with a sneer, slamming the door shut behind him. "Who the hell are you, fuzzy-head?"

"Bakugo," Izuku hisses the name. "Keep your voice down! This is Shouto's friend,"

Bakugo looks to the hawk moth. "What do you have to say?"

"Half," states the hawk moth. "And you are no doubt General Katsuki Bakugo. You look and sound just like I thought you would,"

Bakugo was ready to shout, but Izuku stuck out his wing to cover the hornet's mouth. "Please, introduce yourself, Friend," Izuku says.

"I will in a moment. Again, I need to know if this is a good time to speak to you. I can find other times, but after a...mounting," he says with unease. "An alpha Arachnoid like Dabi needs to rest, so I thought this would be the best time to speak. But if you are feeling unwell-"

Izuku cuts him off. "No, please, it's fine," he says. He will do anything to get his mind away from Dabi and the pain in his lower body. He wants to return to focusing on the mission, and now that Shouto's friend is here, they can start to accomplish their main goals. "Thank you for the snack. Please, have a seat,"

Bakugo takes the seat instead and picks up the half piece of fruit to suck the juices from it. Izuku doesn't even care. Bakugo's rudeness is a low priority right now.

The hawk moth fixes his spectacles and clears his throat. "I am Tenya Iida, friend to the Butterfly Prince, and underground spy here at Graventhorn. I have been working this mission for a little more than a year now, and when our firefly told me of you coming here, I set to work finding out all the details about your arrival," Iida goes through the short version of the plan to let the two Vespas know that he is aware of the situation. "I am going to help you in any way that I can. So far, you have a great job disguising your true nature, Izuku Midoriya. To have endured all this thus far and still be standing is worthy of applaud."

"Wish I felt the same way," Izuku replies softly. "Ever since I came here...I feel like part of me is slipping away,"

"Ah, fear not, Izuku, for that will pass in time. I was able to adapt to this place easier because I prefer the night, but coming from the Valley, where the sun is always shining and tossed into cold, damp darkness, it sucks the strength and life out of everyone who is not a native here. As a Vespa of the sky and the Canopies, your body thrives off the sun and its warmth. Right now, you are at your weakest until your body adjusts to the change in climate and atmosphere. It's like depression, a feel of hopelessness and dread, but it will pass in time. I promise you."

Izuku smiles at Iida. "That makes a lot of sense," he turns to Bakugo. "Have you been feeling any changes?"

"Pfft. I don't feel any different,"

Izuku is sure Bakugo is lying, but the alpha will never admit it. "Thank you for clearing that up for me. I feel a little better knowing that this feeling of hopelessness will pass. What have you learned in your time here, Iida? Will you share with us?"

"Of course," Iida says. "A key thing I've noticed is that Dabi and Tomura do not always get along. Honestly, I'm not sure why Dabi hasn't challenged Tomura for the right to the throne,"

"The venom," Bakugo interjects. "Centipede venom of Tomura's kind is deadly. One solid bite from Tomura's mandibles and you'll be dead before you even know you're paralyzed. Am I right?" He looks at Iida.

"Yes, you're correct," Iida agrees. "Dabi's venom, while painful, is not particularly deadly. One would have to be bitten two or three times for the venom to kill the victim. As Bakugo said, Tomura's venom can kill you with one strike,"

Izuku shudders. "But, what about our venom? In our stingers."

"My hornet venom is stronger than honey bees," Bakugo quickly points out.

"For you, Izuku, it will take multiple stings to Dabi and Tomura if you are to kill them. Bakugo's venom will act faster, and a hornet's stinger is stronger. However, you must refrain from using your stinger in any way until we have the upper hand," Iida reminds them. "I know it is hard to do since the Vespas are a fighting race. But keep in mind that you are in a dark, cold place that is going to slow you down for a while. It is best to conserve your strength for now."

Izuku nods. "I agree with you, Iida. Tell us, what do you know about the League of Villains?"

"I know that Tomura is not the true leader. He takes orders from someone else. I know Tomura leaves this place when he goes to speak to his 'master.' I haven't been able to follow him yet, but I can tell you a few things that I know about this 'master.'"

"Do you know what kind they are?" Bakugo asks, growing more interested by the second.

"I'm certain it's a male," Iida says. "I heard that he lives in a rotten tree, and I heard Tomura once mention that he, and I quote, 'hates crawling that web of a tunnel,'"

"A tunnel web?" Izuku repeats and he exchanges looks with Bakugo. "Then he must be a spider."

Iida nods. "I believe that as well. It is possible that the 'master' is an entirely different type of creature. Because this mystery boss remains hidden away, it could be because of whatever he is. I say this because I've heard Tomura say, on another occasion, that, and I quote again, 'has wings but can't fly.' Now, I don't know if that is a metaphor or an actual handicap. If the master is something rare that even Tomura fears, then we have our work cut out for us."

"Hm. A whole new type of rare creature, you say?" Bakugo plucks a berry from the stem and tosses it in the air to catch it in his mouth. "I don't think that's it at all."

"Would you care to enlighten us, then?" Iida turns to the hornet, growing irritated with the alpha male.

"Let's think about this, dummies," Bakugo takes the small pitcher of wine and the wooden cup of ale. He places the two items on the table next to each other. "Why did these sudden terms of peace and Izuku's marriage to Dabi come from? While Izuku is a rare type of strong wine," he holds up the little pitcher. "this is also a strong type of drink. The wine will get you drunk faster than the ale, but both can, and will, distort your vision and incapacitate you, opening up to your weakness," he tapes the ceramic body of the pitcher. "Let's say this is the master's bearer, and this ale is the sire," Bakugo pours the ale into the pitcher. "Now we have a stronger drink. It's still a drink that will get you drunk, but faster, and probably gives you the world's heaviest hangover. Do you two get what I'm saying?"

Iida gasps. "Yes! Bakugo that is brilliant! Why didn't I see it before? Yes, if we put the few clues together that we have, 'the webbed tunnel' and 'wings but cannot fly,' reveals that the 'master' is a hybrid!" He turns to Izuku. "With this new realization...you may be the one who will bear the next rare hybrid to take over the League of Villains."

"But we can't know that for sure," Izuku says. "My kind is so rare that there is not enough evidence in history to know that hybrids will emerge from a Cherry Bee."

"It's a gamble they are probably willing to take," Bakugo says.

"If it is as you say, Bakugo. Izuku may be right as well. While we have clues and a bit more of an understanding, our conclusion is still a hypothesis. I will have this information sent to Shouto."

"Wait, Iida, what do we do from here?" Izuku asks. "We still need to find a way to rescue All Might."

"All Might is not the only one from the Valley that needs rescuing," Iida says. "There are a handful of others here, prisoners, from the Valley."

"From the Valley?" Bakugo raises a brow. "I'm a general. Why am I not aware of this? All generals learn of-"

Iida holds up his left wing to silence Bakugo. "These prisoners are from the noble families of the Valley. Prince Shouto is aware of their disappearance when the families contacted him. I was able to report that, yes, they are all here, but I have not been able to find a way to free them. They are worked as slaves in the lowest parts of Graventhorn, constantly working with criminals of the Wastelands in digging an endless tunnel. Their wings are held together by a welded link of iron. They cannot fly, only run. And to tell you the truth, their spirits are too broken right now to find the will to want to escape."

"What is their status?"

"Two alphas, one beta, and two omegas," Iida answers. "Three are female; two are male."

"Would I know any of them?" Izuku asks.

"I don't think so," Iida says. "While you're good friends with Shouto, you never spend time in the Valley palace to know all the nobles."

Izuku shakes his head. "No, I haven't. I prefer to train with All Might. I'm a commoner by birth anyway," Izuku adds. "Shouto and I only became friends because his father meets with All Might for meetings and such."

"For now, allow me to worry about the Valley prisoners," Iida says. "All Might still depends on you to find the key information on the League of Villains."

Izuku had been feeling better when Iida and Bakugo came in, but now the dread of Dabi's mounting is draining the color from his face. "I can't do it," he tells them. "I can't play the innocent...but I can't play the whore either," he looks down at his trembling hands. "Just the thought of laying with him again..."

"The goal of this marriage arrangement is to produce a child," Iida says. "I do believe that Dabi may have another agenda that does not match entirely with Tomura's. One thing is certain, Dabi wants to sire a hybrid with you. You'll get a long break from mounting while you're pregnant," he lets out a sigh. "I...I fear I don't know what else to say to bring you any comfort, Izuku. I hope that what I just said might ease your fear a little bit?"

Izuku wouldn't answer him.

"Hey, moth-man, Dabi mentioned something about wanting the Wastelands allowed to mate with those of the Valley. I didn't want to call him out on it right away, but no children are produced from unions between two different kinds of Insectoids."

"That's true, but if Dabi said that, then what he is really pushing for is power. And breeding can change over generations if the people of the Wastelands become more adapted to the Valley life. In time, those like Izuku won't even exist. It's all evolution."

Izuku still is silent.

"Look, why don't you step out for a bit," Bakugo offers, jutting his thumb to the door. "Vespas need to talk."

Iida looks to Izuku for approval, unsure of what to do. Izuku only nods, not looking up from his hands. "I fear I have overwhelmed you with a lot of information. Things will look better in the morning." Iida bids them farewell for the evening and exits the room.

"The worst of it is over," Bakugo says to Izuku. "It was your first time, but it will get easier from here," when Izuku refuses to answer, Bakugo tries again. "Look, I know I don't get it, but I've been with others and I speak to a lot of horny males who like to tell their stories of sexual conquest. Not all of these males are alphas or tops, either. Some are omegas, or are bottoms. I'm going by what they say, and what I've gathered over time."

"Bakugo...all I know is that I don't want Dabi anywhere near me,"

"Well, he's your husband now. That's going to be hard to achieve."

"I...I want to try something," Izuku lifts his gaze Bakugo. "Take my hand,"

Bakugo frowns. "Why?"

"Please, just do it," Izuku holds his hand out, waiting for Bakugo.

Bakugo grumbles a bit and clasps their hands together. "There. Satisfied?"

Izuku looks at their hands. He said that he never wants to be touched by an alpha again. The thought made him sick. However, while holding Bakugo's hand, he felt different. Bakugo's touch is calming, almost warm...and comforting. He remembers seeing Bakugo's image during the mounting like he was silently calling out for the other. He pulls their hands apart to embrace Bakugo, wrapping his arms around the alpha's neck.

"Hey! What the hell are you-" Bakugo freezes when their antennas touch. His eyes widen at the feel of Izuku pressed up against him. The fluff around the omega's neck tickles his chest. "I thought you...you didn't want...anyone touching you?"

"I don't," Izuku says. "But you are different somehow. I don't feel scared, or frightened or disgusted,"

"Let go, pollen-sucker," Bakugo says the insult but his tone of voice doesn't hold the emphasis.

"I will in a moment. Just...for a few moments...let me stay like this. It's such a small favor to ask."

Bakugo wanted to push him away. Should push him away. But his antennas do not want to break for Izuku's. He doesn't embrace the other back but continues to allow Izuku to hug him. No one is permitted to hug him. Kirishima is the only acceptation, and even then Bakugo tells the other to buzz off. And yet, his antennas are telling him that this embrace is okay; that it's more than okay.

Izuku pulls away, keeping his head low. "Thank you for that bit of comfort, Bakugo. I know it was a lot to ask of an alpha like you."

"Why don't you eat," Bakugo says, "It will help to keep your strength."

Izuku goes over to the table and has a seat, looking at all the samples of food. "Will you join me?" Izuku asks Bakugo. "We can discuss what Iida has shared with us."

"Are you sure-"

"I don't want to talk about it," Izuku narrows his gaze at the alpha. "I want to stop thinking about it. Now, tell me about All Might. Are they working him in that tunnel like those others?"

Bakugo plucks a berry. "I don't think so," he says. "They're not taking any chances with him, for obvious reasons."

"You don't have to stay with me at all times anymore," Izuku says. "I want you to keep exploring Graventhorn. Find out about those other Valley prisoners. Keep going back to see All Might," Izuku sighs at the mention of All Might. "I just want to see him."

Bakugo battles with the idea of telling Izuku about All Might or keeping it a secret. His antenna twitches, as if signaling him to go ahead and tell Izuku. "Hey, what I'm about to tell you of All Might, you need to keep your head about you, okay? Promise me that before I tell you,"

"W-what? Uh, yeah, sure. What's wrong with All Might? What do you know?"

"He's sick or something," Bakugo says. "He does not look like the All Might we know. I don't know if living in a dark cell has done this to him, if he just happens to be sick, or if it's something else. It looks like he's wasting away."

Izuku stares blankly at Bakugo, giving his brain a moment to process the information. Bakugo wouldn't lie. "Do you think…that's how he got caught? Was he sick at the time?"

"I don't know. I'm not allowed to speak to All Might."

"Are they torturing him?"

"Again, no one will tell me."

"He might die in there if we don't do something fast," Izuku says. "Let's give them access to the Valley, as promised in the peace terms. That way, All Might can be released!"

"I don't know about that," Bakugo says. "As I said before, they might fear All Might attacking them after he's freed. We need to talk to that hawk moth again and get his insight on All Might's condition. It's all in the terms and the contract, but they may not hold to that."

"All Might would never go back on his word," Izuku says. "If he promised them peace, then they will get peace."

"Yes, but you're still gambling on All Might rescuing you once he is out."

"Bakugo," Izuku sighs and puts his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do. I'm getting confused! I fear I'm losing my way in all of this,"

"You heard the moth-man. He said it's the depression that comes with cold and no light. You've had the carpet ripped right out from under you, over and over again, in such a short span of time. I think you should lay off of the mission and leave that to me. Focus on gaining Dabi's trust. You need to find out about the League of Villains. I'll work on getting All Might out, okay? One thing at a time," He can't believe he is even speaking this way! He sounds like a weak little larva.

"I don't think I can face Dabi again without losing my mind," Izuku whispers. "I might attack him, Bakugo. I don't want him touching me. I don't want him anywhere near me! I…I thought I could bite my tongue and endure it…but after tonight…I doubt that I can. I'm going to fail everyone…OW!" Izuku cries out when Bakugo grabs his antennas in one fist, squeezing tight, and causing pain. The pain immobilizes him. "Let go! Let me go!"

"Get yourself together! I've had enough of your whining and your sulking! By allowing yourself to act like this, you are going to fail everyone! Should I go and tell All Might right now that you have given up? Should I tell him you're not as strong or as capable as he says you are?" Bakugo hollers at him, holding Izuku's head on the table, watching as the omega tries to desperately to fly away. "You're the strongest fucking omega I know! I respect your sacrifice, okay? Just pull it together because I can't afford to have you giving up!"

Izuku ceases his struggling when he hears Bakugo say that he is the strongest omega he knows. "You really believe that? Did you really say those words, General Bakugo?"

Bakugo releases the other's antennas, looking away and crossing his arms while grinding his teeth. "Y-Yeah. I did. Okay? You want me to fucking chisel it in the walls?!" Bakugo glances at Izuku. "Why are you looking at me like that? Buzz off, you freckled faced, poof-necked, pollen gathering and sucking stupid lar-"

Bakugo's wings open wide, and his antennas stick straight up when Izuku's lips are suddenly pressed against his own. The act is unexpected, and Bakugo doesn't move. His wings buzz and he tries to release his stinger, but it refuses to grow and uncurl. His body is not viewing or sensing Izuku as a threat. Why not?

Bakugo holds Izuku at arms length and says, "I thought you didn't want to be touched by an alpha or anyone,"

"I feel differently with you," Izuku replies, his eyes moist with unshed tears. "It must be the omega in me because everything is better when I think of you…or if you touch me…it's okay if you do it," He embraces Bakugo again, resting his cheek on the alpha's shoulder. "An omega seeks comfort with a trusted alpha,"

"But I'm not a trusted alpha," Bakugo whispers while unconsciously wrapping an arm around Izuku's waist. "I raided your hive and took it over. I cut off a piece of your antenna," he closes his eyes and silently curses when Izuku's antenna touches his. "Trust me if you want…but you are still my enemy, Izuku."

"I know," Izuku whispers against the warm bare skin of Bakugo's neck. "You see me as a threat. I know."

"Then you shouldn't be kissing and hugging me. I am going to save All Might and become the next Hero of the Valley," he says while wrapping his other arm around Izuku in a full embrace. His body is moving on its own despite the words coming from his mouth. "You are just a stepping stone to help me achieve my ultimate goal."

"I don't not believe you," Izuku says. "All I know is that you like what we're doing right now. You are my enemy, but you are the only one I can bear. You're giving me the strength I need."

"You need to show this strength to Dabi," Bakugo reminds him, holding Izuku closer. "But…if you need to feed off my strength to get yourself back together like the pollen gatherer that you are…then go for it. Borrow my strength to see this mission through. But remember, when it's all over, you are still my enemy," he strokes Izuku's antennas with his own and says in a firm breathy whisper, "And I will destroy you."

TBC