***Warnings: Language, mild smut, mpreg, dialogue heavy
***Please comment or give kudos! Thanks for the support!

Chapter 7: Rough Decisions

Bakugo didn't care for Shoto's insight because he hated the fact that he did not think of it first. Sending a human to represent the human race was a good idea, but he didn't want Shoto going. Not that he was concerned with Shoto handling the politics, it was more the dangers an omega faces, especially a human, when alone among alphas. Humans do not possess anything of use to protect themselves other than weapons. They don't have fangs or claws or talons or venom. And there was one other thing that concerned Bakugo about giving Shoto the permission to act as an envoy; they might kidnap Shoto to get back at him.

He wasn't the most liked warrior in the world, but he was respected to a point. He never loses, and he always sees things through by giving it his all. In the past, he has beaten other high ranking nobles in things like games and politics. And not to mention his brutality during the war- he killed anything that moved, made armies surrender, and took over territory for the Sultan. The other races know that he is married to a human, and he couldn't risk having Shoto kidnapped. Finally, he made his decision.

"No, I don't agree," Bakugo said to Shoto and watched the other frown even more, even become annoyed. "They won't listen to a human, much less an omega. Not yet, anyway."

Shoto frowned

"Besides, I already have Wingus and Dingus heading to handle these issues."

"Then, what if we were to go together?" Shoto offered. "As a married, mated pair. Wouldn't it be better to show them what unity can look like?"

"That may not be such a bad idea," Said the female naga. "Currently, now that we're with the humans, we have the numbers to annihilate the other races if we wanted to,"

"Good. Let them be afraid of us," Bakugo said. "It's better that way,"

Shoto couldn't stand the meeting any longer and he stood up from his chair, politely dismissing himself. He wanted to race out of the room, but instead carried himself with pride and poise. Once he was out the door and it was closed behind him, he hurried to the gardens, wanting some fresh air.

He strolled in the garden for a bit to clear his head, then took a seat next to the fountain. He thought back to the meeting and how his ideas were dismissed. It would be nice if he could become an envoy, but he knew it was never going to happen. Bakugo proved that by denying him going solely and together.

'I never asked to be an omega,' He thought to himself, lazily dragging his hand in the clear water, occasionally touching a fish. 'I thought Bakugo was different…guess I was wrong.' He put up his hood to shield the hot sun from his head and face. 'I'm going to end up like my mother. History is going to repeat itself.'

"There you are, Master Shoto," said a servant. "Your father is here to see you."

Shoto frowned. Seeing his father is not what he needed right now. He had hoped his father had gone home, but he must have stayed in an inn somewhere in the city. Shoto nodded to the servant and asked them to take him to his father.

His father was waiting in a small meeting room talking to Bakugo. Both alphas paused to look at him as he entered. Shoto bowed his head to them, and walked over to take a seat. He kept his face stoic, his back straight, and his hands folded lightly in his lap. Shoto wanted to glare, to stand up, and turn his hands to fists, but he didn't.

"Hello father, husband," he said flatly. "It's good to see you again, father. To what do we owe this visit?"

"Enji was stopping in to discuss some military plans," Bakugo answered.

"And I wanted to see you," Enji added. "You look well,"

"Thank you, father." He had nothing else to say, so he remained silent.

"We've decided to send me as an envoy," Enji said.

Shoto gripped his hands in his lap. "Oh. That's…good. I'm sure you will do well," he began to feel sick in his stomach with all the lip service and lies he was preaching to his father. An omega should always stroke an alpha's ego and pride to make the alpha stronger. After all, that's all his father wants. "Is that all? May I go now?"

"Yes. Alphas are talking now," Enji said.

Shoto bit his tongue to keep silent, stood up, bowed, and then left.

Bakugo looked at the door after Shoto walked out and frowned heavily. He didn't like this side of Shoto. He knew first hand how passionate the omega can be when given the chance to do something. Acting so compliant and submissive was actually annoying, and that wasn't who Shoto actually was as a human. He knew Shoto's relationship with his father was a rocky one. Enji Todoroki was an old fashioned alpha with out of date views. Bakugo didn't mind Shoto not getting in his way or causing issues, but he only felt that way to an extent. He never pushed the whole 'alphas are better than omegas' thing because he didn't believe that birth should make someone entitled to anything or slap a label on them. Everything he has he earned through hard work and pushing through tough obstacles. Yes, he was born noble, but his family line was never this powerful; it was all him and his success. Shoto can do more, but the omega should still know where the boundaries are.

Bakugo waited until he finished his meeting with Enji and then went to find Shoto. He asked a passing servant if they had seen Shoto. The servant answered 'no', but another servant passing by said they saw Shoto heading in the direction of the orange grove. Bakugo made his way to the orange grove just in time to see Shoto entering it. Shoto should not be wandering around the grounds without guards, Bakugo thought, but then dismissed it because he knew Shoto wouldn't like it.

"Hey!" He shouted to Shoto.

Shoto paused and turned his head. "Oh. Hello, husband. Did you finish your meeting with my father?"

"Stop talking like that! It's fucking annoying!"

"Stop talking how?" Shoto asked, his voice hollow. Of course, he knew what Bakugo meant. "I'm clearly not good enough to be the human envoy."

Bakugo hissed, flicking out his tongue. The tip of his tail twitched. "Listen here, if you're as smart as I was told, then I want you to think as to WHY I said 'no' to you being the human envoy!"

"That's an easy answer," Shoto stated. "I'm an omega and likely to be pregnant soon."

"Wrong," Bakugo hissed out and curled his snake body around Shoto, trapping him. "Try again, dummy."

Shoto's brows furrowed. "I don't understand," Bakugo flicked his forehead. "Please, don't do that again,"

"Answer correctly, then!"

Shoto had to think about what Bakugo was asking. Then, it came to him. He looked at Bakugo's slitted snake eyes with disbelief. "You're worried for me!"

"Come again?"

"You're…worried about me," Shoto continued. "They might kidnap me or hurt me as a way to get to you."

"I'm not worried about you!" Bakugo shouted. "I just don't want anything stupid to happen to you that makes ME look bad or makes things HARDER for me!"

Shoto smiled softly, lowering his eyes. 'You're lying, Katsuki Bakugo,' he said to himself. "That's why I said we should go together. Even that naga agreed. Why send my father? If we go together to show strength and unity-"

"Tsk- you're annoying" Bakugo crossed his arms and looked away. "There's no reason to even think about this until Deku and Shitty-Hair get back." He could feel Shoto's eyes and smile on him. "And stop staring at me!" He snapped, taking his anger out on an unsuspecting orange plucked from a tree.

"Bakugo, please consider the two of us going," Shoto said. "Don't send my father. He can be too…forward sometimes. You and I will show everyone that we're…better than them, and that they can be just like us if they want to," There, that's how Bakugo would speak, so the alpha is likely to agree. 'I need to inflate his ego while still being the 'slightly' submissive omega.

Bakugo paused, thinking, as he gobbled up the orange. "You think they would be jealous of us?"

'That worked!' "Yes, I do. You now have the human armies, massive in numbers, and we're clearly a threat to the other races. We can represent both sides, and strive to have the other races join forces through marriages for peace. If they even want to marry a human, that is. They could always just join forces with us. What do you think? Can we become a power couple? We're the first to marry, so maybe we can be the leaders of all races. Wouldn't that be nice?" 'I wonder…' Shoto let himself lean into Bakugo, resting his cheek against Bakugo's, and releasing some of his omega scent. "Let us be powerful together…the couple that brought peace to the world. We could be heroes…more respected than even the king and sultan."

Bakugo smirked, his tail flicking with delight. "You know, you have a point," he said, liking the smell of Shoto's omega scent. He let his tail slide up Shoto's leg, then through his thighs and groin, around his waist, and finally stopping at the omega's chest. He shivered with pleasure when Shoto's tongue licked the lighter underside of his scales.

They mated for a third time on the ground of the orange grove, but this time, Bakugo transformed into his human side. He took Shoto on his back, letting the omega wrap his arms and legs around him as he thrusted. Shoto was panting heavily next to his ear, tightening his inner muscles around him, so he had to thrust harder. He didn't mind it for the extra resistance made it twice as pleasurable to plunder, and that's what he did. Bakugo was ready to finish, but then Shoto pushed at his chest, asking him to 'wait'. Bakugo did so, though it was hard not to just keep thrusting. Then, Shoto rolled them over, so he was seated in Bakugo's lap. Shoto started moving his body. Bakugo felt his climax coming on again with the thrusting from Shoto, and decided that he liked watching the omega ride him. But he would not let Shoto be on top for long. He flipped them back over and finished inside Shoto, filling him to the brink.

Afterward, Bakugo lay next to Shoto on the ground and said, "When Deku and Kirishima come back, no matter what news they bring, we'll go together."

'That was easier than I thought,' Shoto thought to himself. 'We both got something out of it, too.' his third mating with Bakugo was the best one thus far, and it was at this moment that he decided he wouldn't want another alpha unless it was Bakugo. And as he was laying against Bakugo's warm, sun-kissed body, he thought about telling his father that, should something happen to Bakugo, he would never have to marry again. He wanted only Bakugo, and hoped that the alpha felt the same way. Even if Bakugo did feel that way, the alpha would never show it.

"Do you want an orange?" Shoto asked him.

"Yeah. I could go for one."

Shoto got up and plucked one from the tree, then sat next to Bakugo, using his cloak as a blanket (which now had a few 'love stains' on them). Shoto peeled the orange and pulled it in half, handing one to Bakugo. They sat in silence, enjoying the orange together. Then, Shoto took his last piece and held it to Bakugo's lips, wondering if the alpha would accept it. Bakugo did, snatching it carefully from Shoto's fingers. Shoto blushed, like the feel of Bakugo's tongue against his skin.

They finally returned home and went their separate ways, with Shoto visiting his father. He asked his father to make up a new marriage contract, stating that should anything happen to Bakugo, he wouldn't have to marry again. His father was against this at first, stating that Shoto's future children would need an alpha father, so he should remarry. Shoto insisted, and it got to the point where his father eventually agreed. Shoto also said he would like a copy of the contract, to make sure there were no hidden changes. Again, Enji agreed, and Shoto bid his father a 'good day'.

Shoto slept better than he had in a long while, even though Bakugo wasn't in bed with him.

Two days went by without any events, and Izuku was the first one to return, riding on the talons of Fumikage Tokoyami, who came with a message for Bakugo from the Roc King.

"I speak on behalf of King Keigo," Fumikage started. "With listening to Izuku, we've decided to join with the nagas and the humans, though we aren't keen on marriage between the races yet."

Bakugo glanced over at Shoto, waiting for the omega's reaction.

"That's good to hear," Shoto said. "Bakugo, what do you think?"

"It's good enough for now," Bakugo replied, then turned his attention to Fumikage. "You, bird-brain, what else did the Roc King say?"

"...He said that he would not approve of marriages between humans and rocs, but he will entertain marriages between any other races with rocs. He also said that any other mixed marriages would be accepted and recognized."

"The Roc King is on our side." Izuku added. "So, we won't have to worry about an attack from them."

"What about that group of Rocs that attacked a human and naga base?" Shoto asked Fumikage.

"That was a rogue group," Fumikage replied. "We do not condone what they did, and we are looking for the culprits."

"There's going to be no future talk of attacks on us or the humans?" Bakugo asked.

Fumikage shook his head. "No. There was too much loss during the last war. We don't want a repeat of it. However, we will not take any sides if another war or dispute happens. We're going to remain neutral."

A guard enters the hall and announces that Kirishima has returned.

"What perfect timing," Shoto muttered.

Kirishima slithered in, but his face was grim. He came next to Izuku and Fumikage.

"Well?" Bakugo demanded, not liking the look on Kirishima's face.

Kirishima bit his lower lip and anxiously scratched the back of his head. "Um…well…you're not going to like it…"

Bakugo's tail started to flick and whip in annoyance. "What did they say?"

"They don't condone a mixed race marriage," Kirishima said. "So…they don't want to join us. They don't like humans at all,"

Bakugo frowned heavily at this and crossed his arms. On the light side, the Rocs weren't going to join forces with the werehyenas or issue an attack. The Rocs were their most dangerous enemy because they can attack from the skies. They are lesser in number than humans and werehyenas. The werehyenas were a threat, and he worried that the werejaguars and werelions would team up with werehyenas. They could still fight them off if they teamed up to attack, but only with the human army. If it were just the nagas, they wouldn't stand a chance given their numbers. While Bakugo liked the prospect of war and fighting and killing, he didn't want to be on the losing side.

"Did that werehyena say anything about the werelions or werejaguars joining?" Bakugo asked Kirishima.

"Not that I know of," Kirishima replied. "Denki didn't say anything about it, and he can't keep a secret. He would have told me."

Izuku added, "We need more human and other race marriages,"

"Or things can remain neutral," Shoto said. "I think following the roc's idea of neutrality is the best way to cease any rising forces against us."

"But we can't trust they won't team up and attack," Bakugo snapped. "There's no such thing as 'neutral' when it comes to kingdoms in power. I doubt the were-races would follow the rocs."

"We can at least try," Shoto said to Bakugo. "Why don't we go together to see the werehyenas? Maybe we can stop them ahead of time, before they join forces, if they even plan to,"

"The were-races are as much a warring race as the nagas," Bakugo countered. "They want to fight,"

"Then we push for neutrality," Shoto also countered.

"They won't want neutrality," Bakugo countered again.

"We should at least try- get to them before they get to us."

"I need to think about this," Bakugo said with a frustrated sigh. "The sultan should be doing this shit, not me!"

Shoto was glad to leave the meeting because Bakugo had pissed him off with the constant countering. He would have to keep pushing for himself and Bakugo to go together as envoys. Shoto paused to lean against the wall as he felt a bit nauseous. It had happened early this morning as well, but it went away quickly. Now it was back, so he went to his chambers to rest. He had nothing else to do today.

He lay down on the bed on his back, closing his eyes, and taking deep breaths while the gentle breeze filled the room. He could smell the oranges. Suddenly, he had a massive craving for oranges, so much so that the nausea disappeared and was replaced with hunger. He got up, feeling a little dizzy, but ignored it and went to summon a servant to bring him oranges.

Shoto paced the room, his stomach rumbling, waiting for the oranges. When they finally came, he had forgotten to thank the servant when they handed him a bowl filled with the orange fruit. He went out to sit on the balcony and began eating the oranges one after another. Why was he suddenly so ravenous? And why was he craving oranges?

And then, realization struck him. The ill stomach in the morning, the dizziness, the hunger and cravings; there was no doubt, he was pregnant. He felt light headed as the realization slipped over him. He wanted to rush to tell Bakugo, but he decided against it. Should Bakugo know he was pregnant, then the alpha wouldn't let him act as an envoy. He planned on talking Bakugo in to working together a power couple. It was better he not tell Bakugo just yet until he knows for certain what they plan to do.

He placed his hand on his lower belly, but he didn't feel happy or excited. After all, he was simply doing his duty, just like his mother. Mate and produce offspring. No love needs to be involved. This was just his duty, and he has fulfilled the terms and conditions of the marriage. This child will be born just like him- not a child of a loving union, but a necessity.

Suddenly, he lost his taste for oranges.

TBC