Chapter 8
Izuku was trembling from head to toe, both in fear and in anger. He never expected Shoto to do something like this, especially when Shoto up and left him alone and pregnant. Hisashi clung to him, the boy sensing the tension between all of them. Izuku looked from Shoto and the officers to Bakugo. He saw and sensed confusion in Bakugo. Was the alpha really going to arrest him and have Hisashi taken away? If this had been some months ago, Izuku would have handed Hisashi over to Shoto to have a better life. But Izuku was under the impression that Shoto didn't want to share his high life with a baby. So, why was Shoto coming around now after Izuku made a nice little life for himself and his son?
"Kacchan, please, don't let him take me!" Izuku pleaded with Bakugo.
"...the law is against you," Bakugo said slowly, refusing to look at Izuku. "If the alpha father wants the baby, the omega has to hand it over, or share their life with the alpha."
Tears welled up in Izuku's eyes. "Kacchan, please…" he was almost whimpering. He didn't want to lose his child. His heart would break if Hisashi was taken from him.
"However," Bakugo added. "The law also states that a child under the age of five needs to have their omega bearer with them. Therefore, I can't arrest him. There is no charge here."
Shoto kept a straight face and didn't respond to Bakugo.
"So, we're done here," Bakugo said. "And it's strange how you could up and leave both of them at first, and then come back for them."
Shoto still didn't say a word. The cops behind him were waiting for something to happen.
"And one other thing," Bakugo started. "The kid has an alpha father, and that's me. I mated with Deku, so that makes the kid mine."
Izuku's heart beat rapidly as he took in Bakugo's words. Was the alpha serious? Did Bakugo want them to be together?
"But you cannot give Hisashi a life like I can," Shoto reminded him. "The law says-"
"Yeah, it does say that, but that law doesn't differentiate between the alpha sire and the alpha father, it just has to be an alpha. I can provide for the kid well enough."
Izuku wanted to throw his arms around Bakugo and hug him. The alpha was standing up for him! But then, he wondered if Bakugo was only doing it to help him. Were Bakugo's feelings for him and Hisashi true?
"So…you and Izuku are a bonded pair?" Shoto asked, flatly.
"Yeah, we are," Bakugo said. "There's nothing more to do here."
"I can come back with my lawyers," Shoto warned Bakugo. "And don't forget, Bakugo, you have a secret."
How could he forget? The aftershock of his mistake and the death of his troop haunt him every day. If Shoto decides to leak that secret, he'll lose his post as Sheriff and likely never get another job on the police force. His pride would be shredded. But he felt Deku's unease and worry at the thought of losing his child. He thought back to all the times Deku comforted him and didn't judge him over what happened in the war. His alpha side was even calling out to the omega. He heard Hisashi let out a little whine, and the sound was the final straw.
"Then go the fuck ahead and tell my secret!" Bakugo shouted. "If I lose my job as Sheriff, then fine! Now you have no reason to get your damned lawyers! And you have a pretty big secret too, asshole! I'll let everyone know, especially your 'daddy,' that you banged a commoner and sired a child out of wedlock. That won't look good for you and 'daddy', right?" Bakugo smirked. "The slimeballs of this world do LOVE a good piece of gossip, especially when it comes from rich people. The upstanding Todorokis will be a laughing stock. Isn't that why you left Deku and Hisashi in the first place?"
Izuku just smiled at Bakugo, feeling the tears pooling from his eyes. Those words were harshly said, but there was a great deal of emotion in them. Bakugo was standing up for him, even going so far as to lose his job to save them. But then, Shoto had something more to say.
"I know I made a mistake," Shoto said. "I'm trying to render it,"
"This isn't the way to do it," Bakugo said.
"Shoto, can I talk to you? In private?" Izuku asked. Bakugo gave him a look that read, 'what are you doing?' "Just you and me."
Shoto nodded and let himself inside the house, telling the guards to remain outside.
Izuku led them into the living room, and making sure they were alone, he spoke. "This isn't like you, Shoto," Izuku started. "Really, tell me the truth. Why are you doing this? I've never done anything to you."
"I…had a lot of time to think. My father still does not know about you, or the child."
"And how do you think he will react when he finds out? You don't get along with your father at all, so why do you want to show up with a baby in your arms that was created with love, but out of wedlock? And with someone like me…a poor man with permanently green arms that tells the tale of work and hardship."
"...you could just be a servant in my house. My father wouldn't have to know."
"I don't want to live that way," Izuku said. "Shoto…if you really want to see your child, then you're more than welcome to visit. But I want to stay here, with Kacchan. I respected your wishes when you up and left me, so please accept mine," he smiled gently at Shoto. "You were always a kind, honest man, Shoto. Don't let that change." He went up to Shoto and kissed his cheek. "Please, don't act this way. This is how your father would handle things, and you're not like him."
"So…you love Bakugo, then?"
Izuku nodded. "I do. Please, don't reveal his secret. You can come and visit. You don't have to be completely isolated from seeing your son. Please, Shoto? Go back to being that man I first fell in love with,"
Shoto remained silent, taking in all of Izuku's words and explanations. The omega struck a nerve inside of him. He started to think back to all those happy times they spent together before Hisashi was born. He was ashamed that he had run away, but at the time, it seemed like the best option. But he saw things in a different light now, and if he could have Izuku as his own, he would. Izuku said his heart belongs to Bakugo. Arresting Izuku and taking Hisashi away, maybe that wasn't the best option. He was angry that Izuku had run away. But now, listening to Izuku's words, he was having a change of heart.
"I can visit?" Shoto asked.
Izuku nodded. "Yes. Are you going to change your mind about arresting me?"
"I was angry because you ran off," Shoto told him. "Maybe I…overreacted a bit."
"Shoto, you're a good man," Izuku reminded him. "Please, don't make everything hard for all of us. The world is in darkness as it is; we need to find happiness wherever we can. You can continue your studious life, visit with Hisashi, and be a part of his life. We don't have to arrest anyone or expose any secrets."
Shoto gave Izuku a little smile. "You're right, Izuku. I'm sorry I put you through any unneeded stress."
"It's alright. I'm just glad you changed your mind."
"Are you two done in here yet?" Bakugo called over to them from the doorway.
Shoto and Izuku returned to the front door where Bakugo was still standing, looking bored and aggravated.
"Officers, you're dismissed," Shoto told them. "You're no longer needed. Thank you for your help."
Bakugo raised a brow. "Just like that?"
"We came to an agreement," Izuku said. "I'll stay here with you, Kacchan, and Shoto can come and visit. No one's lives have to be ruined."
"It's a shame that I stepped out on a good thing," Shoto said to Izuku. "But it's too late now."
Izuku nodded. "I love Kacchan."
"Wait, what?" Bakugo looked at Deku, confused.
Izuku smiled happily and said, "I'm in love with you, Katsuki Bakugo!"
Bakugo's entire face from the ears down turned red.
"You idiot! Don't go saying things like that!"
"I'm sorry if I caused any stress,"
"Well, it's a bit late for that," Bakugo grumbled, looking everywhere but at Deku.
"Come back and visit soon," Izuku told Shoto, giving him another kiss on the cheek. "And thank you for being so understanding, Shoto."
Shoto nodded, then extended his hand to Bakugo. Bakugo refused to take it and only growled instead. But Shoto wasn't offended.
"I'll be back to visit soon," Shoto said, and couldn't get anything else in because Bakugo had already slammed the door on him.
Now that they were alone, they could talk. Bakugo went into the living room to pour himself some wine, with Izuku following behind him. Izuku was the first one to speak.
"You don't have to return my feelings right away," Izuku said to Bakugo, watching the other drink the wine. "But I know you felt something when we mounted last. My feelings for you are true."
"I hate mushy stuff," Bakugo said. "But you will become my mate," he turned to look at Deku. "You need a place to live, and I need to stay off of Blackmore Street. As a mated alpha, I get to choose what streets I patrol, and that will keep me off Blackmore Street. Then I shouldn't hear anything from the blackmailer anymore."
"Everything has worked out," Izuku said. "Why don't we go finish breakfast?"
They ate breakfast in mostly silence until there came the sound of more bombing. Izuku got up quickly and rushed to bring Bakugo his headphones. Bakugo was already covering his ears and trembling. Izuku gently moved Bakugo's hands from his ears and put the headphones on. Bakugo relaxed immediately. Izuku smiled at him and kissed the alpha's cheek, then took his seat to finish his breakfast.
The bombing went on for quite a while, and it sounded like it was coming closer. Izuku went to the window and peered out at the city. In the distance, he could see the smoke from the bombs. Only this time, the smoke seemed closer, and then there was another sound- the sound of airplanes. The sky was too cloudy to see, but Izuku knew planes were coming, and they likely had bombs to drop. Izuku gathered up Hisashi and went to Bakugo, urging him to come with him.
"What's going on?" Bakugo asked, lifting one side of his headphones to hear.
"The bombs are very close, and I hear planes!" Izuku told him. "We need to get to the cellar!"
Bakugo shot up from his chair and went with Izuku to the cellar door. They hurried down the dark steps, and Bakugo told Izuku to stay there until he could light one of the lanterns. It took Bakugo a few minutes to find it, but he did and got it lit. The lantern didn't allow for much light, but it was more than enough for hiding. Hisashi started to cry and Izuku rocked him, trying to soothe the boy. Bakugo lifted his headphones and heard the humming sound of planes.
"They're coming," Bakugo said, trying to sound serious, but he was starting to panic.
He remembered hearing all the landmines blowing up and the bodies of his troop scattered all around. He pictured the same thing happening here, with Deku laying dead, but still protecting his baby. Bakugo saw himself as once again the only survivor. The idea of losing Deku to the war upset him, and he felt dizzy and his heart started to beat rapidly. He was having another panic attack. Deku must have realized it, because the omega took his arm and led him to an area of the cellar. He sat down behind Deku and hid his face in the omega's neck. Hisashi was between them, and his little fist gripped Bakugo's shirt. He felt Deku's arm wrap around him, as well as the kiss on the top of his head. Deku's omega scent and aura was so strong that Bakugo felt himself calming down.
Izuku held Bakugo close to him, ready to ride out the bombing while protecting the alpha. He felt the vibrations from the bombs, and knew the bombs were very close. He hoped the bombs went past this house, for all their sakes. Of course, he didn't want other people to lose their homes, but there was nothing he could do about that. He knew that Bakugo had to be feeling the vibrations too, and the alpha's body was still shaking. Izuku held them both against him as the bombing continued. He had two precious people to protect. He would endure the fear for their sake.
The bombing grew louder and louder. Izuku wasn't sure if Bakugo's headphones could cancel out so much noise. Hisashi was still whining from all the noise, too. Izuku hummed softly, trying to get Hisashi to settle down while still cradling Bakugo's trembling body. He knew one of the bombs hit somewhere very close to them because the whole cellar shook. Items fell off of shelves and the lantern wobbled.
'Please pass over us…please pass over us…please pass over us…!' Izuku closed his eyes and kept silently chanting. Bakugo's fingers were digging into his thighs. 'For all our sakes, please pass over us!'
They remained in the same spot, surrounded by rumbling and explosions. But the sounds soon became distant, meaning the bombing planes were moving away. There was less vibration in the cellar now. Once the sounds were far enough away, Izuku took off Bakugo's earphones and smiled at the alpha.
"Everything's okay now. They're gone, and I don't think we got hit."
Bakugo sat very still and listened, hearing nothing. He let out a deep sigh, pushing his sweaty brows away from his forehead.
"That was close…"
"How are you feeling now?" Izuku asked him.
Bakugo looked at his hands, which were still shaking. He was surprised when Deku took his right hand and kissed his palm. Deku even nuzzled it with his nose and cheek. A wave of calm and relief washed over him, and shockingly, his trembling stopped! Bakugo was so surprised and relieved that he actually smiled. He leaned in and gave Deku a deep, passionate kiss. Hisashi must have gotten jealous because the boy used his little fist to pinch at Bakugo.
"Ouch! You little brat!"
Izuku just chuckled and kissed Hisashi's head. "He didn't mean it,"
"The hell he didn't! I swear I saw him smirk at me!"
"He's just a baby, Kacchan. You look like you want to fight him," he said with a chuckle.
"Bring it on, kid!"
Izuku smiled and laughed as Hisashi and Bakugo went at it, with Bakugo doing nothing (of course) but glaring and growling. But then, Hisashi moved his arms and slapped both of his little hands to Bakugo's cheek. The boy patted them with a giggle and then kissed the tip of Bakugo's nose with a toothless chomp.
Bakugo just remained there, frozen on the spot.
"That means he likes you," Izuku told him.
"Ick! I got baby spit on me!"
Izuku was just glad to see Bakugo feeling so much better, and he recovered quickly!
"We should go and see the damage, see if anyone needs help."
Bakugo nodded. "Yeah, good idea."
Bakugo couldn't believe how relieved he felt and how quickly his fears subsided. It was all thanks to Deku, but he wouldn't come right out and say it. He still had a reputation to maintain. He would have told Deku to remain behind with Hisashi, but he might need the omega to help calm him if he is triggered by the war scenes. He didn't want to tell Deku that, though.
Luckily their street had barely been hit, but the smoke was coming from the next street over, so they went there. Some houses were crushed and in shambles with clouds of smoke filling the air. There were more people standing and hurrying around than their were dead. There were some dead bodies littering the sidewalk and road, but not as many as they would have guessed.
Izuku kept a careful eye on Bakugo, watching for any signs of an episode. He didn't like seeing dead bodies, but he wasn't a stranger to the sight. Some people at the factory died from machine malfunctions or complete exhaustions. But Bakugo's torment was so much greater than his. Bakugo seemed to be doing well, even joining up with some of the officers. Izuku couldn't do much, since he had Hisashi to hold, but he was able to find injured people and alert the police and medical personnel.
When the street was mostly taken care of it was getting dark, Bakugo and Izuku decided to head back home, content with the help they gave to the people. Izuku balanced Hisashi on his hip and took Bakugo's hand in his own.
"What are you doing?" Bakugo asked, looking down at the green dyed hand.
"Holding your hand," Izuku answered. "You did great today! Nothing triggered you."
"Yeah, that is weird, but I'll take it," he said, knowing it really came from Deku.
"It was quite an interesting day, huh?" Izuku asked as they arrived back home, closing and locking the door behind them.
"You were almost arrested, but I bailed you out."
"I know," Izuku did 90% and Bakugo only did 10%. It was Izuku who really changed Shoto's mind, but he let Bakugo think it was all him.
They cleaned up and sat in front of the roaring fire, enjoying the silence of night. Izuku wrapped a blanket around his and Bakugo's shoulders, so they could cuddle. Bakugo actually pulled Izuku into his lap. Izuku sat Hisashi on his lap, and they sat perfectly aligned. Hisashi was starting to fall asleep.
"I need to put him to bed," Izuku said.
"Nah, he can stay here."
Izuku smiled and leaned into Bakugo. They were really like a little family, and Izuku couldn't be any happier.
A few days have passed, and Shoto came to visit Hisashi. Bakugo was reluctant to let Shoto in, but Izuku talked him into allowing it. At first, they were going to meet Shoto at a location outside the house; that was Bakugo's idea. But Izuku talked Bakugo out of it. Bakugo just went into a different room while Shoto was visiting Hisashi.
"Is Bakugo going to officially adopt Hisashi?" Shoto asked softly, so Bakugo wouldn't hear. He had Hisashi sitting on his lap.
"He hasn't said anything," Izuku answered. "But I'm hoping he will soon,"
Shoto noticed that Izuku had a different smell than before. "You smell different…"
Izuku smiled and said, "I haven't told Kacchan yet…but I'm pregnant again."
Shoto's eyes widened slightly. "Really? I guess that's why you have a glow about you. How is Bakugo going to handle it?"
"I'm not sure," Izuku said. "I don't think he'll be angry,"
"Hopefully, it works out," Shoto said. "By the way, I meant to tell you that I'll be going abroad in a few days. I'll likely be gone for a couple of months."
"That's a long time for you not to see Hisashi," Izuku said, a little disappointed. He liked getting to see Shoto and watching the alpha interact with their child.
"I know, but it has to be done."
"Alright, time's up," Bakugo said, coming into the kitchen. "Scram, you extra."
"Kacchan! That's not nice," Izuku said.
"I should get going anyway," Shoto said, looking at his watch, then handed Hisashi over to Izuku. "Oh, before I go, have either of you had a chance to read the paper today?"
"No, why?" Izuku asked.
"The war is likely to be over very soon," He said. "We can finally see the end of gunfire and bombs,"
Izuku looked at Bakugo with a huge grin. "Do you hear that, Bakugo? The war is going to end!"
Bakugo crossed his arms and huffed. "About damn time,"
"Well, I'll be heading out now," Shoto said. "I'll send money for Hisashi,"
"We don't need your money," Bakugo told him.
"That's alright, Shoto," Izuku said. "Just come by and visit as soon as you get back. That's more than enough."
After Shoto left, Bakugo took a seat in the kitchen to read the newspaper when he noticed Deku staring at him and smiling. It was a big smile, but not a grin. Deku had something to tell him.
"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary," Bakugo said.
"I have something to tell you," Izuku said, keeping that same smile. "I'm pregnant."
Bakugo just stared at him.
"It's true! I know for a fact. Are you happy?"
"...I don't know. I'm not unhappy," Bakugo said. "It feels…weird."
"How so?"
"I never thought of myself as a father,"
"Well, there's a first time for everything,"
"I won't be like Shoto and leave you alone," Bakugo said.
"I know you won't," Izuku said. "This is going to be silly, but," he placed Hisashi in the basket bed and got on one knee in front of Bakugo.
"What the hell is this?" Bakugo asked, utterly confused.
"Katsuki Bakugo, Kacchan, will you be my alpha?"
Bakugo just stared at him, dumbfounded, then turned dark red. "Are you nuts!? What the hell do you think you're doing! That's so weird!" He used his foot to shove Deku away. "You don't ask an alpha something like that!"
Izuku wasn't offended or hurt by the shove, but he did find it funny. It was the first time he's laughed like this in a long while.
"I guess I should give you some time to think about it?"
Bakugo, still blushing hard, crossed his arms and huffed. "I'm nobody's alpha! I'm my own alpha!"
"Now who's being weird?" Izuku chuckled.
"Stop laughing, nerd!" He didn't move or shove Deku away when the omega came up and embraced him. Bakugo immediately became calm, and the blush faded to a soft pink. He always wondered, in the back of his mind, if anyone would actually want to be with him, considering all his flaws. Deku wanted him despite his weaknesses.
"Are you going to give me a 'yes'?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah, whatever. Yeah."
"That's a yes coming from you," Izuku said and he brought Bakugo into a kiss.
With the war coming to an end, Bakugo didn't have to worry about being triggered by the past. He will now have the time to get better, to get stronger. And he knew he could do that with Deku by his side (not that he would reveal that to Deku). Deku was his omega regardless, and he was carrying their child, too. He got lucky to find a person who wears their heart on a green sleeve.
The End