***This is the final chapter, folks! The epilogue is after the chapter.
***I changed the ending, but I'm still pleased with how it came out! Please, read on and enjoy as Swarm comes to a close!
***Warnings: Violence, character death, language
***Thanks again for all your support! 3

Chapter 14: We Made It Through the Rain

"Damn it, I hate the rain!" Kaminari says to Kirishima, holding up the lantern to better see Kirishima's face. "It makes my hair frizzy!"

Kirishima is about to answer when they hear the warhorn in the distance. "That's not good. We need to find them! They should have been here by now!"

"But Shouto said we need to stay at our post," Kaminari reminds him. "They're heading east, so they have to come this way!"

"It's that war-horn! The Centipede King probably unleashed his army to chase them! Let's try to find them. They're going to need our help!"

"You're right. We're doing no one any good just standing around here in the rain!" Kaminari sees a bouncing yellow light coming towards them. "Hey, Kiri, it's a firefly!"

Kirishima follows Kaminari's direction and sees the same light as a firefly messenger appears.

"I've found you!" Cheers the firefly. "I've got a message from Prince Shouto!"

"Tell us," Kirishima says.

"Follow the lanterns!" He says. "The soldiers will use their lanterns to light the way to the Valley and fight any enemies they need to!"

Kirishima and Kaminari grin to each other, then Kirishima says, "Let's go squash some bugs!"

'Oh no...' Izuku stops running when there is sudden pain in his stomach. It forces him to hunch over. 'Oh no, not now!' His body's organs are rearranging themselves to make room for a baby. The raindrops trickle down his face and nose as he feels his heat fully coming on. He thought he could continue to hold it back until they reached the Valley.

"Izuku, what's wrong?" All Might is beside him, helping to steady him.

"M-My heat!" Izuku hisses. "I can't hold it back anymore!"

"What's wrong?" Asks Momo. "Why have we stopped?"

"It's Izuku's heat," Iida answers, trying to remain calm.

"Where is Shoji?" Asks Uraraka, looking around him. "He can carry Izuku!"

"We can't stop," Says Jiro. "They're gaining on us!"

"Go without me," Izuku tells them. "Leave me here and go!" His body's becoming hot and with both All Might and Momo near him, their alpha scents are only making it harder.

"I can't leave you alone," Says All Might. "I'll stay with you!"

"No, I will stay with him," Offers Tokoyami, stumbling over to them, still weakened and exhausted. "We'll wait here for Shoji and Bakugo," he says. "We'll catch up later."

Iida nods and looks to Momo. "I'll take the back. Momo, take the front." He turns to All Might. "I know you want to stay, but you're needed in the Valley,"

"But-" All Might is interrupted when an unfamiliar voice shouts,

"FREEZE! YOU'RE SURROUNDED!"

Izuku has already slid to the ground and wrapped protectively in Tokoyami's arms. Through the other omega's embrace, he can see the ants surrounding them. They've been caught, and it's all his fault. He couldn't hold back his heat, Dabi found out about their plan, and Bakugo is nowhere to be found. Shouto's army is also missing. Unable to bear his failure, Izuku turns his face into Tokoyami's chest, letting his tears fall to mix with the raindrops. This failure is the proof everyone needs to say why an omega cannot be Hero of the Valley. He's led everyone to their deaths.

"Thank you for getting us this far," Tokoyami whispers to him, sensing the other omega's distress.

"I'm sorry," Izuku cries.

Momo ushers Uraraka to stay close to Izuku and Tokoyami while she prepares to defend them. All Might takes his place closest to the three, his stinger uncurled and ready. Jiro, in a desperate attempt to try and help, releases the legs that she uses to rub against his wings to make music. She keeps trying to rub them together, hoping to produce an ear-piercing sound that will incapacitate the ants to at least give their group an opening. But with her wings linked together, the attempt is useless. Only Iida, Momo, and All Might are capable to fight, but they are outnumbered.

"Surrender now and you will only be maimed, not killed," says one of the ants, who draws his sword, which signals for the others to do the same.

'Come on, Izuku!' Izuku screams at himself. 'You have to get over this! They need your help! I have to get control of myself! I have to!'

Suddenly, there's a pair of battle cries that startled everyone. Izuku's antennas pick up the chemical trail of hornets; gamma hornets. He lifts his head from Tokoyami's chest to see Kirishima and Kaminari coming to their aid. Izuku grins, panting from his heat, and utterly relieved that help has arrived. He watches as the two hornets slay the ants with little trouble. But Izuku cannot escape with the others. His body will only slow them down. His only hope is to wait for Shoji to come.

"We need to follow the lanterns," Kirishima tells them, still holding his spear and ready to strike. "Kaminari will take the front and I'll take the back! The other hornets and Valley soldiers are all waiting! We follow the lanterns they hold!"

"Izuku, let me carry you," All Might offers.

"But you're not strong enough," Izuku whimpers.

"We'll only slow you down," says Tokoyami. "Just go and we'll meet up. Clear the way for us."

"I can carry you!" Kirishima tells Izuku, grabbing the omega's arm and tugging at it. "Come on! We need to go!"

"No! You need to help defend everyone!" Izuku rips his arm away. "Please, just go! All Might, go with them!"

"I intend to say," All Might says. "The rest of you, return to the Valley! Tell Prince Shouto what has happened!"

"Everyone, let's go!" Iida takes command, telling the others that they need to leave. Regretfully, Iida leaves the three behind and continues with the others. The only hope Izuku, All Might, and Tokoyami have is for Bakugo and Shoji to find them. 'I'm sorry...but we will come back for you!'

All Might watches the group leave and he gets on the ground beside the two omegas, wrapping his long arms around them. He would protect them as best he can, until his last breath if need be.

"I hear fighting," Bakugo says over Shoji's shoulder, his antenna twitching. "I sense Kiri and Kami! They're both there!"

"Good. We need all the help we can-" Shoji remains silent, surprised and shocked, as he suddenly loses his footing after leaping over a fallen log. With his own massive form and Bakugo's extra weight, Shoji realizes they're sinking. They've fallen into a mud hole!

"What the fuck!?" Bakugo, ignoring Shoji, uses the other's shoulders to pull himself out of the mud and crawl onto the surface. He looks back at Shoji, who is grabbing at the wet ground with his forearms while trying to pull himself out. "Come on, big guy! You can get out of there!"

Shoji struggles, trying to lift himself, but the mud is heavy and it keeps pulling him further down. Bakugo attempts to help him, grabbing at his arms and tugging, but Bakugo's heels keep slipping in the mud. The hornet curses through grit teeth as he continues to pull.

"Leave me," Shoji says calmly. "Go back to the others."

Bakugo hisses at him. "I can't show up without you!" His antennas twitch frantically when he senses Izuku's distress.

"Tell Tokoyami I'm sorry," Shoji says. "But get everyone back to the Valley."

Bakugo gives Shoji one last look, thanks the stag beetle for his help, and leaves him behind. If the circumstances were different, Bakugo would have found a way to help Shoji, but he is short on time. Izuku needs him. 'I'm sorry, Shoji,'

Shoji attempts once more to lift himself from the mud. He slips deeper into the hole, his limbs finally giving out on him. Bakugo's form is already out of sight. Shoji lowers his forehead to the dirt, closes his eyes, and waits for the end.

Izuku's body is still in pain from his heat going untreated by an alpha or medicine. The only tiny bit of relief he has is All Might's alpha scent. He wonders how All Might can completely control himself while so close to an omega in heat, but then Izuku remembers that All Might is a hero among heroes, the Hero of the Valley, and that title doesn't come easily. Despite all the suffering All Might's been through, he is still standing as the Hero of the Valley by protecting them. If Bakugo doesn't show up, the three of them are finished. Izuku's antenna already senses more soldiers coming.

"Well now, I wasn't expecting to find this,"

Izuku's eyes widen as he hears Dabi's voice. He sees the huntsman's spider walking out of the shadows of the trees. The rain has just slowed to a steady drizzle. Izuku thought his sting would have further injured Dabi, but his heat must have kept the venom from working in full.

"Two omegas and an old, broken hero," Dabi mocks calmly.

Tokoyami helps Izuku to stand as All Might moves to shield them.

Dabi smirks. "What are you going to do, old hero? You can barely stand on your own two feet- a pitiful sight of what you once were."

Izuku growls at Dabi, gritting his teeth and releasing his mandibles. "Don't speak to All Might like that, you bastard!"

Dabi looks at Izuku. "You and I have some unfinished business, wife. But I will dispose of these two and then deal with you."

"Leave these children alone," All Might commands. "I'm not afraid to stand up to villains like you!"

Dabi chuckles. "Even if you kill me here, it won't be the end. The League of Villains will still thrive. We grow stronger and mightier every day. Stand down, old hero. Your time in this world is up. You could barely save yourself and let yourself get caught. Now you fail to save those you wish to protect. Don't make a stand now as a last show of bravado. Your knees are trembling- you're barely holding yourself up now."

"STOP TALKING TO HIM LIKE THAT!" Izuku shouts, pushing himself from Tokoyami's arms to stand beside All Might.

His body is screaming with pain from his unattended heat, but he doesn't care. After hearing Dabi's insulting words to All Might, Izuku's mentor and father-figure, he decided to take his pain and turn it into rage. An omega who's heat goes untreated can become a vicious, ferocious beast; and Izuku knows this from his past heats while being locked away until it passed. Now, his body building up with endorphins and adrenaline, he steps in front of All Might, uncurls his stinger, and unfolds his mandibles. He couldn't believe the strength that has come over him. It feels like his body is taking over his brain and leaving only violent thoughts. He has the dire urge to kill as well as mate. Izuku's senses are heightened, more sensitive than ever, and his antenna picks up the smell of Dabi's uncertainty and fear. Izuku grins manically.

"What I didn't finish in that hellhole of a bedroom, I will finish now!" Izuku threatens.

"Bring it on then, wife," Dabi holds out his hand and beckons Izuku to him. "You're fighting on my territory now- the ground."

Izuku knows Dabi is right. Dabi has the upper hand. Izuku can't use his wings to fly out of Dabi's reach and attack by air, so he has to sting from a standing position.

"Having a spider smashing party without me?" Bakugo's voice joins them, his lower half covered in mud and his sword drawn.

"Bakugo!" Izuku's surprised, and relieved, to see him.

"Oh, General Bakugo," Dabi smiles. "How good of you to join us. The more the merrier, I suppose."

Bakugo points his sword at the huntsman spider. "Stand down and surrender, you eight-legged freak. On my sword is the blood of your asshole king! I separated his head from his shoulders! I plan to fucking split you in two!"

Dabi is silent for a moment, looking at both hornets and All Might. The only one who he doesn't have to worry about is the omega Luna Moth. "Three against one? Hardly a fair fight for heroes? Ganging up on one individual?"

"I want him," Izuku tells Bakugo. "I want the satisfaction of beating him!"

"Not in your state," Bakugo calls over to him. He can smell Izuku's heat and Bakugo grins as both his need to fuck and fight grow dramatically. "Let's take turns ripping his fucking legs off! I could use a backscratcher!"

All Might carefully takes Tokoyami and takes the other away from the vicinity of the fight. Though Tokoyami is worried for Izuku, he can't help but wonder where Shoji is, and why he isn't with Bakugo.

"No! This is my fight!" Izuku says to Bakugo. "I don't need anyone's help!" With a scream of rage he rushes at Dabi, fists ready, and mandibles prepared to bite.

Dabi unleashes his fangs and blocks Izuku's punches. Izuku bites at Dabi, their mandibles crashing and wrestling. Before Dabi could even release his venom from the fangs, Izuku was able to avoid it each time. He punches Dabi, and Dabi punches back. Izuku is uncertain of how many punches he received and gave, focusing on aiming his stinger at Dabi's body. Dabi was prepared for each strike of the stinger and bats it away with his many legs. Izuku must have let down his guard for a second, which gave Dabi a chance to bite him, latching on to an antenna, and rips it from Izuku's head.

Izuku lets out a cry of pain and stumbles backward. He lifts his hand to the spot where the warm blood gathers at his fingertips. He watches, shocked and disgusted, as Dabi's mandibles pull the antenna inside and chews it, eating it whole. Izuku screams again and attacks, wildly swinging his fists at Dabi and trying to sting him. He has to jump and thrust his stinger through his legs because he can't fly. The difficult state makes it hard for him to strike his target.

"I'll eat every inch of you!" Dabi says to Izuku while blocking each attack. "You taste so good! I want all of you!"

Izuku's eyes wide and manic replies with, "You'll never have me again!"

Whatever it was that gave him the strength, whether it was Dabi's words or his own will, Izuku manages to catch Dabi off guard and stab the spider with his stinger. When he knows the stinger has pierced, Izuku quickly grabs Dabi's sides and pulls the spider completely on his stinger so it sticks out the back. For good measure, he sinks his mandibles into Dabi's neck, holding the struggling spider alpha in place. Izuku pulls out the stinger and stabs Dabi again and again until the other is completely limp. Izuku lets the corpse fall to the ground, convulsing in the death throes of venom until finally becoming still. All eight legs curl inward, a sure sign that Dabi was dead.

Izuku stands over Dabi's body, panting, green eyes still wild with his heart and blood pumping. He's done it. He got his revenge on the male that raped and belittled him. Dabi is dead, and Tomura also is dead. His mission had changed dramatically, but Izuku is pleased with the way it has turned out.

"Izuku!" All Might runs to him and sweeps the young omega into an embrace. "You've done it, my boy! I'm so proud of you!"

Izuku smiles, tears welling up in his eyes as his body starts to come down from its hype. "Thank you, All Might. Now we are free! All of us!"

"Bakugo, where is Shoji?" Tokoyami goes up to Bakugo and asks him.

Bakugo wanted to join All Might and Izuku, but he had to answer Tokoyami's question, as hard as it was. "Yeah…about Shoji. You see, he-"

"Yami!"

Bakugo, surprised to hear Shoji's voice, looks just as shocked to see Shoji as Tokoyami. The stag beetle is covered up to his chest in dried mud. The lucky bastard managed to make it out! Bakugo thought, watching as Tokoyami embraces the larger male.

'Bah! All this happy ending shit makes me want to vomit!'

"Izuku! There you are!"

"Shouto!" Izuku pulls away from All Might when he hears and sees Shouto. "Where are the others?"

Shouto sheaths his sword. "Everyone made it back to the Valley," he tells them, looking at Dabi's body as he continued to speak. "They told me what happened, so I came looking for you."

"BAKUGOOOOOO!"

Bakugo can't move away fast enough when Kirishima and Kaminari come out of nowhere to embrace him, wiggling their antennas together. Bakugo, pissed off, struggles to break free.

"You bastards, get off me this instant! You're like fucking funguses! Get off before I rip out your wings and feed them to you! And what the hell took you both so long?"

Neither one was listening. They were just relieved to know that Bakugo was safe and back with them.

Shouto bows to All Might. "It's good to see you have made it,"

"Thank you, Prince Shouto," All Might returns the gesture. "What is the status of the ant army?"

"My soldiers have forced them back," Shouto answers. "The Wastelands are empty, for now."

Shoji carries Tokoyami over to Shouto and bows to him. "My Prince,"

"Shoji, Tokoyami, it's good to see you both as well. Your families will be pleased to know that you're alright."

All Might looks at Izuku, who is now staring at Bakugo. He smiles, clears his throat, and says, "I think we should all be getting back."

Shouto senses Izuku's heat. "Can they make it back?" He asks All Might.

"Leave us," Izuku tells Shouto. "You said the Wastelands are clear, that's all I need to know."

"We will be far enough away, but close enough to protect," Shouto tells Izuku.

Kaminari and Kirishima break their hold on Bakugo, both elbowing Bakugo with lude smiles and nudges. Bakugo says that he will destroy them if they don't leave, and orders everyone to go away.

Izuku doesn't hear the others leave or the short conversation that transpires between them. All he sees is Bakugo, his mate, and how much he wants the 'other' stinger inside of him. There are no sounds other than their breathing. Izuku watches Bakugo comes towards him, half-naked body and dark strips dripping with mud and wet with rain. The red eyes focus on him, bearing into his body, and Izuku feels himself shudder in anticipation.

***Scene edited for sight. Read full scene on A03***

By the time they are finished, both are exhausted and lay beside one another, Izuku's head on Bakugo's chest. Their antennas play and rub together while Bakugo's hand massages the reddish neck fluff. Izuku lets his hand glide along Bakugo's torso, admiring each hard muscle as he comes down from his high. His lower belly is full of Bakugo's seed and he senses a new life inside of him already.

"You okay?" Bakugo is the first to speak.

"Yeah," Izuku lifts his head to look up at Bakugo. "And you?"

"Pfft. You're the one to worry about. I'm fine,"

Izuku smiles and returns his cheek to the warmth of Bakugo's chest and heartbeat. "You've helped me to forget 'him',"

"He's out of our lives now," Bakugo says.

"Will you come live with me at Brambleberry?"

Bakugo thinks for a moment. "No. You should come with me. All Might has returned and he'll want his hive back. I still have mine,"

Izuku frowns softly. "I don't want to leave Brambleberry…"

"You don't have to," Bakugo says. "No one says we have to live together. We're not married, and we don't need to be."

"We share a child," Izuku says. "We have to marry."

Bakugo sighs. "I can't marry you, Izuku."

"Why not?"

"Because I still want to be the next Hero of the Valley, and you stand in my way. I plan to challenge you once All Might passes on, and I can't be married to you and have to defeat you."

It's Izuku's turn to sigh. "You're still on that?"

"Bearer of my child or not, I will challenge you."

"You're a hard-headed bastard," Izuku tells him, but he can't help the smile that comes to his lips. He likes the idea of constantly battling Bakugo. It excites him.

"Besides, you said you never want to marry,"

"I never wanted to mate either."

"And you did. Is that why you want to get married now?"

Izuku sits up and Bakugo follows. "I think you're right, Bakugo. We don't have to be married, and we don't have to live together. We can visit each other's hives, and you'll want to see your child."

"Of course,"

"And I do like the notion of being unmarried and free to do what I want without having to answer to an alpha," he smiles at Bakugo.

Bakugo rests his arms on his knees. "Is that so?" he smirks. "Well then, looks like we have a plan. After I beat you and claim the title, you can marry me then."

"Don't count on it," Izuku laughs. "I don't plan to let you beat me anytime soon. Just because you get to mount me doesn't make me any less powerful."

"I never thought that anyway," Bakugo says. "Well, maybe a little, but not enough to care. I'd rather fight you at the top of your game than not. Deal?"

Izuku leans forward and gives Bakugo a kiss. "Deal. Let's go home now. Everyone is waiting for us."

THE END

Epilogue

A year and a half later…

Izuku is laying on his side on the floor as his son squirms on the blankets. Izuku smiles at the playful sight of his child, only a year and a few months old, try to open his eyes. The thin veil of opaque skin covers the boy's still infant body and soon, it will peel off to reveal his Vespa markings. Izuku's antenna is in constant contact with the baby's letting his son know he's here until the boy can see.

He hears the door to his chambers open and turns to see Bakugo strolling in. Izuku smiles and sits up from the floor, taking the baby into his arms to greet Bakugo. "I thought you weren't coming today,"

"Yeah, well, the meeting ending early," Bakugo answers. "How's Yagi?"

"Ready to burst out of his larva skin," Izuku grins as Yagi senses Bakugo and reaches for him. Izuku hands the baby over to his father. Izuku loves to watch Bakugo's hard features soften whenever his son is in his arms, their antennas touching.

"I swear, he gets bigger every time I see him, as do you," Bakugo looks at Izuku's belly, which is swollen with the next pregnancy. "What are you doing on the floor anyway? That's why we hired Uraraka to help take care of Yagi so you can rest." Bakugo holds out his hand and helps Izuku from the floor.

"She needed a break from Yagi. He's quite demanding, like someone I know," He teases Bakugo. "I'm not naming names."

"Get your ass to the bed and rest," Bakugo says. "If your ass isn't on that bed, the only other place it should be is on my dick,"

"Bakugo! Don't talk that way in front of Yagi!" Izuku says but sits on the bed. "Besides, my belly would be in the way. And I really don't have the energy."

"Oh! Hey! Hey, look! He's coming out!" Bakugo brings the baby over to the bed and places Yagi on the sheets between them.

Izuku can't wait to see Yagi open his eyes for the first time after a year and a half. They will be able to see what patterns and colors he has, which will tell if he is a bee or a hornet. Izuku holds Bakugo's hand, squeezing it as the first tear opens in the center of Yagi's back. The baby wiggles his way out of the larva shell and flops onto the sheets, stretching his limbs and wings. Yagi's pattern is that of a hornet with a black stinger. The coloring, however, is red, the same as Izuku's.

"He's a Cherry Hornet!" Izuku gasps.

"Does he have a slit?" Bakugo checks for an omega slit but doesn't find one. He grins with pride. "HA! Now THAT'S a boy!"

Izuku slaps him on the shoulder with mild annoyance. "And if he had a slit, it wouldn't matter!"

Bakugo rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

"He's opening his eyes!"

"Please let them be red! Please let them be red!"

"He already has your hair and patterns," Izuku pouts. "Does he have to have your eyes, too? I played a big part in his creation too, you know."

"He has your strange toes, though," Bakugo points out.

"Ugh! Why do you always bring that up?"

Bakugo ignores him and points to the fluttering lashes.

Unable to help themselves, both Izuku and Bakugo get off the bed and go to their knees so they are eye-to-eye with Yagi. A moment passes, and then the tiny eyelids open to reveal to wide green eyes.

"Son of a bitch!"

Izuku grins, tears of joy in his eyes as he kisses his son's cheeks, who giggles merrily.

"He's going to have the same dumb look in his eyes that you do!"

"But does it really matter, Bakugo?" Izuku laughs.

"Well…shut up," Bakugo nuzzles the other side of Yagi's cheek. "He'll grow up to be biggest and the best, right after his father, of course."

"You're impossible," Izuku kisses Bakugo's cheek. "But I love you anyway."

Bakugo mutters 'I love you too,' but will never say it out loud. Izuku has come to accept that. He knows how Bakugo really feels for him, and he doesn't fear the alpha will ever actually challenge him. It's all talk, and Izuku will let the alpha have that talk. After all, Bakugo has helped him become the strong omega that he is, and also has given him a wonderful son and another child on the way, and hopefully more.

What started out as a fight and hatred turned to love and understanding. It was a dark path getting to where they are now, but it helped them to grow as a pair and now they are raising a child together.

And Izuku couldn't be happier.

The The End End

***Thank you everyone who has read this story and enjoyed it! Despite the wave of negativity I received, I am pleased with the support and the ending has come out better than I thought it would despite the changes I made. The ending was going to be much darker, but I kept it lighter. Regardless, I love how it turned out! Again, thanks to everyone who commented and emailed me about this fic! All of you are great! Thank you so, so much!***

***If we shadows have offended,

Think but this, and all is mended:

That you have but slumber'd here

While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme,

No more yielding but a dream,

Gentles do not reprehend.

If you pardon, we will mend.

-Puck; A Midsummer Night's Dream***