You know what sucks? Being born with a villain quirk.
You know what else sucks? Being abandoned as a child and living in a group house.
You know what else majorly sucks? Being an unpresented kid in the second grade of high school.

But hey, at least he got into the Hero Course, that had to count for something. This might have also completely discharged his battery of luck in life because oh boi was there a lot of luck involved.
Also a lot of hard work, no one could deny him that.

He had only one issue, Aizawa could have mentioned that he should be catching up on the classes he didn't have in General Education. A month ago he hasn't even known the readings for literature class were different, or that the Hero Course started on math from a different chapter because of some dumb shortenings of material in the third grade. And Hero Ethics? God fucking dammit, he understood why the curriculum wasn't public, but a little warning would have been nice.

So now he was prepared to scramble with learning for the whole summer break because he was not getting kicked out of the Hero Course just because he failed math.

Thank fucking god he managed to (somehow, he didn't know how and wouldn't spend time wondering) befriend Midoriya. Or rather he let himself be befriended by Midoriya. It was hard to really call it anything else because, well, having a social expectation of staying silent for most of his life placed on him made him a little socially inept. Midoriya didn't seem to care though. And this absolute angel on Earth, there was no other way to explain this otherwise didn't mind helping him study for most of the break.

"Don't be sorry," he said while scanning him a pile of notebooks, "It's alright!" he claimed sending him recordings of some classes, "It's really no problem!" and here Hitoshi was, in his house, with a glass of lemonade and Midoriya leaning on him slightly as he explained some mathematical problem Hitoshi faced for the first time.

And… that was a problem, wasn't it? Because Hitoshi was entirely too comfortable with Midoriya pulling him into half-hugs or resting his hand on his thigh… And maybe he had a little crush on the broccoli too… But it was wrong. Hitoshi was unpresented, or a very repressed Beta. But most probably unpresented. And Midoriya was an established strong Alpha with like a million of possible Omegan partners. Hell, as much as Hitoshi didn't quite understand the dynamics because of lack of scent recognition, he was pretty much sure Bakugou and Kaminari were trying their luck with getting his interest.

The moment they were back in school Midoriya would be swayed by Mr. Explosion—strong Omega Prime (and how to compete with that?) or more delicate living Pikachu. It kinda made Hitoshi's blood boil. Just a little. That just because of their biology he had less chance than them to—

FUCK.
Not AGAIN.

He would have slapped himself in the face if not for Midoriya blocking his hand from any movement. Stupid fucking hormones. He was getting more distracted lately, his brain more focused on pack dynamics of his new class, and personal relationships than studying. According to the internet, it could be a sign he was going to present soonish.

But it was fucking annoying.

He tried to focus on the equations again, but his mind began to wander on its own. If he was going to present soon what would he be? Most probably a Beta, maybe an Alpha, but that was honestly a low chance… The social status would be nice though. He would stop being at the bottom of the foodchain and maybe his caretakers would stop bragging about other, less problematic children too…

There was always a chance he would present as an Omega, but… with his height, voice and testosterone levels he couldn't really see it happening. There was a chance, as his doctor mentioned after several tests, but Beta option was the most likely one.

Being Omega would screw him over majorly, his caretakers routinely sold any kids that presented as Omegas. They had no obligations to not do that so… More money and less responsibilities for them. Yay.
And everyone knows what happens once you're sold. Some rich, most probably old Alpha just makes you into a babymaker and a housewife. Fucking disgusting.

Honestly, it broke so many human laws, and almost half a millennium after solidifying those only like 20 countries in the entire world banned this practice completely, 7 partially, not allowing to sell Omegas younger than 15—

"Shinsō-kun? Are you alright?" Midoriya was looking at him with worry clearly written all over his face. Ah shit.

"Ah, yeah, just— Just got lost in my thoughts a little…" He trailed off as his mind drew blank at possible excuses. Mmmmmmmm fuck. And then he yelped because Midoriya nearly climbed on his lap and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Wha—"

"You have a fever," he muttered, touching his lower lip with his knuckles. "And you're getting red, that's not good." WELL MAYBE THAT'S A BLUSH YOU IDIOT YOU DON'T JUST CLIMB ON PEOPLE'S LAPS!

But… now that Midoriya mentioned this he was feeling a little hot. Gah, another flu? It was summer for fuck's sake. But his luck battery was running out...

"Ah, I hope I'm not sick… Would suck if I got you an illness as a thank you for your help, huh?" That got the Alpha to laugh and slide from his lap, getting up.

"I'm gonna go grab a thermometer, okay?" He was already halfway out of the door but turned around to talk some more. "Do you have an allergy for any meds? I should have something for flu—"

"Ah, it's alright, you don't need to—"

"Shin-chan, let me take care of you." And ah, ah ah ah this was a dangerous thing, letting an Alpha care for you. Because then they thing you owe them something. But this light smile, this twinkle in his puppy eyes…

"Fine… I don't have any allergies I think…" he finally admitted and the broccoli disappeared in the holl with a slight smile. Eh, Alphas and their protective instincts… But that would also mean that Midoriya considered him pack and that, oh that made his heart beat a little faster. Gah, stupid emotions, stupid hormones, stupid pubery, stupid presenting.

His life would be so much easier if he didn't have to deal with it all now.

His gaze rested on the abandoned textbook and Midoriya's notes. Quadratic function, technically easy but some details were escaping Hitoshi's brain no matter how hard he tried to focus. Fucking fantastic.

"I'm back with stuff!" Midoriya appeared nursing a whole box of medications and Hitoshi couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I'm not dying!" he whined lowly, schooching closer to the bed, so Midoriya could put those things there. "That's an overkill Midoriya, that's seriously an overkill and I'm so embarrassed, oh god, why are you doing this to me." He purposely kept his tone monotone and soon enough Midoriya was giggling lightly, amused by the deadpan. At some point he learnt some surefire ways to make Midoriya laugh and this was the easiest one. Always works.

"But Shin-chan, what if it's serious?" despite his words he continued giggling and grinning like a little happy idiot. A beautiful little happy idiot. A fun-sized beautiful happy laughing idiot.

Hitoshi kinda hoped he could call him his idiot at some point too.

AGH. BAD EMOTIONS. BAD. BAD HORMONES. STOP.

"You alright? You kinda got even redder…" Hitoshi had to use every ounce of will in his whole being to not give Midoriya a long suffering sigh as an answer.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he did not stop his instinct to smear his hand over his face as if it could put away his blush. "Just a little hot. It's just the heat, have you seen what's happening outside?" It was no exaggeration, outside was like a living hell. The air hot and stuffy… Maybe he wasn't having a flu but he just overheated? That was an option. Would also explain his blushes. Because it totally wasn't because of embarrassment, no Sir, nothing like that.

"Yeah, it's horrible…" Midoriya drawled it out as if he wanted to say something else, but decided not to. He looked ashamed of something, huh.

"What is it?"

"What? Nothing, nothing, just…" The boy wouldn't look him in the eye. Huh.

"Come on, just tell me. What is it?" Instead of answering the Alpha took the thermometer and pointed it at Hitoshi's forehead to make a read. The machine beeped quickly a few times and Midoriya hissed lightly.

"Uh-oh… Are you sure you're feeling alright?" The look of open concern and a little panic was disarming, but Hitoshi schooled his features and reached out for the thermometer.

"How bad is it?" Midoriya gave him the machine without a word and oh. Oh yeah that's bad.

Hitoshi had no idea how he missed burning up to 39,2 degrees Celsius. That was ridiculous. What the fuck?

"I— have no idea what's happening," he said, staring at the blinking numbers that seemed as if they were mocking him. He felt fine, a little flushed but fine. His head didn't hurt, his stomach wasn't churning… Nothing. He felt good. He was on the verge of death from overheating and he felt alright.

"I'm gonna… call an ambulance and get you a bath." Wait what—

"There's no need—"

"40 deegrees is a lethal number, I don't know why you feel fine while almost dying but I am not letting that happen." Midoriya ran out of the door yelling something indistinguishable and Hitoshi just stayed sat on the floor, unmoving, still staring at the blinking screen.

Maybe… Maybe the read was wrong? He pressed a button and directed the thermometer to his forehead again. It beeped just like the last time and he read the result… 39,3 degrees.

Oh.

Oh it was rising.

Well shit, that was bad. He absentmindedly reached for his lemonade and drank it whole, before pressing the cool glass against his forehead. He almost hissed from the difference in the temperature. Okay! Okay! He somehow didn't notice he was fucking dying! Okay!

The door creaked and he rose his head expecting to see Midoriya… and well, he saw a Midoriya, just not the one he expected.

"Ah, Midoriya-san…" he suddenly felt very very awkward. He hasn't really spoken with the woman much, just a few pleasantries, and now he was giving her problems. Great. "I'm sorry…" It was a little lame, he could admit it, but he really didn't know what else to say.

"Don't worry about it, it happens," the woman knelt in front of him and took the thermometer from his hand, before pointing it at his chest, right over the top of his shirt. He sent her a questioning glance that she thankfully noticed. He would hate to try and voice that question. "That's to get a better read. Sometimes the head result is a little screwed…" The machine beeped and she frowned. "But it wasn't screwed this time," the words were more of a murmur, as she put the thermometer down and looked closer at his face. "You don't look delirious, but the lack of other symptoms you could feel is worrying… Izuku is running a lukewarm bath, it will help you cool down. 119 isn't picking up though. You know how it is…" she sounded remotely annoyed, and extremely worried. She shouldn't be worried, he was just a random kid that also knew her son.

"It's…" too much. Why do you care? What. "...alright. Thank you."

"May I ask what gender you are..? Of course if it's not invasive. It's not really obvious and—" Ah, so she was a nervous chatterbox just like her son, huh?

"I'm unpresented."

"Oh…" She made a little 'o' with her mouth and shot him a weird look. Here it is. And now time for a reaction roulette! Will it be a lying accusation, ridiculing or an order to get out of her house? "Well then… Have you considered you might be presenting?"

It was his time to say "Oh…" and shoot her a weird look.

Oh fuck.

He was about to have his first rut or heat wasn't he? In the house of his crush. Probably needing medical attention at the top of it too.

Fuck.