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One of the greatest modern mysteries is how Izuku managed to acquire three different college degrees while having one operating brain cell. It was usually manageable when he actually remembered to take the medication prescribed to keep all his neurons in working order. Mental illness is a bitch like that, ya know?
And normally he did very well tackling his memory problems and brain fog, with much credit to the help of his aggressively supportive mate Katsuki. It’s just that things had gotten so much worse when he had to stop taking it at the advice of his general doctor and obgyn.
It had taken him and Kacchan this long to get their little miracle in the first place, Izuku would do anything to reduce the risk of losing them. Even if it meant he suffered from pregnancy induced “dumb” on the the daily.
So, Izuku fell back into the habits that he’d used to keep his scatterbrain in check: note taking! The apartment he shares with Kacchan is nearly covered top to bottom in sticky notes, index cards, receipts, envelopes, all fair game for writing down anything Izuku needs to remember. Including but not limited to: doctor’s appointments, reminders to get groceries, and sometimes just little notes of the nice things Kacchan says. Like, “Comb your hair. Sit up straight. Your belly looks huge, good job growing our pup.”
The omega’s never been more in love.
Izuku is sure any other alpha would grumble about their omega creating such an untidy space, but not his Kacchan. The fiery blond would just huff a laugh and be sure to not disturb any of Izuku’s work.
“It’s not a big deal, just a few more weeks,” He’d reassure when Izuku would become anxious over it. “What kind of alpha would I be if I couldn't handle you by now? Plus pups are way messier.”
God Izuku is so lucky.
And that’s why he can’t believe his brain betrayed him and almost made him forget his mate’s birthday! Like come on, It’s been the same day since they were children. Izuku even took care to write it on the bright orange sticky notes and post it on the bathroom mirror so he would see it when he got up to piss five times an hour.
It wasn’t even the weird feeling he got when he woke up that morning that jogged the memory. His instincts had practically been begging him to just remember something very important. It wasn’t the way Katsuki lingered at the door after Izuku kissed him goodbye. It wasn’t even from his mom texting and asking what their dinner plans were going to be that night. As if she didn’t know they were having taco Tuesday.
No, it took a stupid 4/20 BLAZE IT meme in their group chat about for Izuku “worst omega in the whole wide world” Midoriya to remember today was his mate’s birthday.
After cursing up a storm that would make a demon blush, Izuku appropriately cried for twenty minutes as he recalled Kacchan’s pouty face that morning. What kind of mate was he to send his alpha out with a boring oatmeal breakfast instead of their “year closer to death” birthday pancakes?
God dammit he’d even bought the sprinkles at the store yesterday!
He had to fix this.
Izuku immediately calls Kirishima and makes him promise to get Kacchan to leave work early that night. Once the redhead finishes ragging on him, sure to mention that Katsuki did smell a little gloomy, he all but guarantees that Izuku’s mate will be home no later than five.
After he hangs up, Izuku settles down into this growing nest on their large sofa. He has to make the most of this time alone to think of how to make this up to his mate. In this short amount of time, and while fighting off a wiggly pup in his tummy on top of trying not to have a panic attack, Izuku decides the easiest route is to make a cake. But not just any cake like basic bitch vanilla or even common man chocolate. Oh no, his amazing Kacchan deserves only the best, so that’s what Izuku wants to give him!
It shouldn’t be too hard right? Izuku had managed to somehow get through college (three fucking times!), win the heart of Katsuki Bakugo to the point he knocked him up on purpose , and even then just getting through this bitch of a world on a daily basis could be a whole battle.
But Izuku had done them all with a smile on his face. He would not be defeated by a cake that really did seem to have a lot of steps...wait what the hell does temper chocolate mean...no! It’s fine! He’s mated to a world class chef. He’s watched Chopped. This will be fine.
He can do this, and even if he can’t do this, he will!
---
Operation: Best Birthday Cake for the Best Alpha in the World had started six hours ago and all Izuku has to show for it is a destroyed kitchen, a sore back, and an oven he isn’t 100% sure is functioning anymore. He really hopes Kacchan takes pity on him and kills him swiftly.
After four failed attempts, Izuku reached the point of full on despair and did what anyone in his shoes would do. Call his bestie and cry.
“Okay so this isn’t like the biggest mistake you’ve made. It’s probably like...the third worst.” Ochako tried to soothe the crying omega over facetime but Izuku wasn’t having it. He’d fucked up and he fucked up bad .
“He’s going to leave me,” Izuku hiccups, rubbing his flour covered hands down the swollen front of his apron. “I forgot his birthday, I wasted all the eggs in the house, and who would want a mate so useless they can’t make a simple fucking cake!”
Kacchan doesn’t like overly sweet desserts, that’s the whole reason the omega had tried creating a copycat of the cinnamon nutmeg one his mate likes from the cat cafe. They hadn’t been in eight months and while Kacchan would never admit it, Izuku knows he misses it.
Kacchan would never complain though. Always citing that Izuku’s giving up his body and wellness, so the least he can do is suffer along with him until their pup is born.
“Nuh-uh, Izuku, that cake sounded hard as hell to make, like even Tsu was overwhelmed reading the directions,” Ochako soothes to her friend. Which did make Izuku feel a tiny bit better since her wife, Tsu, was a trained pastry chef. If it was tricky for her then no wonder it felt like Izuku got walked like a fucking dog all day. “Plus Bakugo is way to obsessed with you and being a good alpha to even consider leaving his pregnant mate over something that stupid. But if he does, I’ll beat his ass and raise Izuku Jr. with you so don’t worry.”
The omega whimpers but still smiles softly at Ochako's seriousness. That’s the ride or die energy he needs right now as he picks up the batter covered utensils once more. They clatter loudly into the white marble bin. Izuku was long past caring that these are Kacchan’s fancy tools.
He's getting real sick of washing dishes.
“I feel horrible, what am I supposed to do now?” Izuku doesn’t have a cake. The whole house is a mess. On top of that, his belly is too big for him to drive comfortably to even try and settle for a store bought cake. No, his alpha is just going to come home after slaving over hot ovens all day to his own broken one. “I just wanted to do something special.”
"Well you are flying by the seat of your pants last minute..."
"C'mon 'Chako!" Izuku whines, he’s not in the mood for sensible answers at the moment.
“Sorry! Do you still have all that morning sickness? You could probably still get away with sucking his dick or something.”
“That’s not special enough!”
The two bicker about whether birthday blow jobs count as a gift until the sound of the front door slamming open so hard it’s probably splintered and off the hinges echoes through the apartment.
“IZUKU!”
Katsuki’s bellow teeters on the edge of a roar loud enough to shake the picture frames on the walls and will likely earn them at least three noise complaints. God dammit Izuku had been banking on those for after their baby came.
But back to more pressing matters. If Kacchan ain’t calling him Deku, Nerd, or the ever elusive Baby , then Izuku knows he’s extra fucked now. The omega has already pressed the end call button before Ochako can finish asking “what the hell is going on” when he hears another loud:
“Izuku! Where the fuck are you?”
“K-k-” Oh god now he’s stuttering. Why is he scared? Kacchan would rather throw himself from their balcony than willingly harm him ever again. Izuku knows this.
So why is he trembling?
"Deku! Are you in the kitchen?!" Heavy footsteps bounce off the walls and Izuku can feel his chest tightening, placing one hand on his soft chest to steady his thrumming heart while the other rests against a spot where the baby has decided to kick in reaction to their sire’s voice.
“Izuku!”
Did Kiri betray him? Does Kacchan know he’d forgotten his birthday and is a failure and he should probably get a new mate and and and
“Izuku!”
He jumps at his name being shouted right in front of his face. “Wuh?”
“Jesus, you’re mumbling a mile a minute in here, are you okay?” Rough hands gently cup freckled cheeks as Kacchan’s eyes are wide with...fright? He moves Izuku’s head around searching for something before leaning down to the scent glands on his neck. “God you smell fucking terrified. Are you okay? Is this—is all this normal?”
Izuku tries to tilt his head in Kacchan’s hold. “Normal?”
Kacchan’s brow raises in confusion. "Yes normal! I know your water is supposed to break but what the fuck is all this?” The alpha gestures to the hot mess express that is the result of Izuku’s four failed attempts at making Katsuki’s cake.
And really, Izuku knows mental illness isn’t exactly called “normal” but even for Kacchan who knows that his tics manifest differently that’s still kind of a fucked up thing to say and...wait.
Wait.
Izuku looks up again at his mate, he hopes their child gets Kacchan’s eyes. “My water?”
Katsuki gives up, not before rubbing a hand down his face in frustration and then kissing the top of Izuku’s green curls. He had to make sure Izuku knew he wasn't frustrated with him. Reassurance is the foundation of their relationship.
“Never mind, it’s okay you’re probably still in shock! I’ll handle it, you just stay here.” Izuku turns slowly watching his mate disappear into their bedroom. “Just hold the baby in until I get all your shit!” The omega stands in the middle of their busted kitchen, more confused than he’s ever been in his life.
Might as well follow the white rabbit.
Izuku waddles into their bedroom behind Katsuki, who's practically a blond blur of activity. The alpha hadn’t even taken off his work apron. Izuku's fingers twitch at the memory of hand sewing the matching embroidered set for him and their pack of friends.
The omega watches as his mate grabs their overnight hospital bags, Izuku’s maternity journal, and the baby book they’d been writing letters to their child in before Katsuki finally catches him standing in the doorway.
“I literally just said don’t move! Walking around is gonna make them fall out!”
“What are you doing?” Izuku questions and Kacchan has the nerve to look at Izuku like he’s the one who broke the front door yelling about premature labor.
“What am I doing?! I’m getting our shit ready to go! Kiri said you called and told him to tell me you were having the baby!” Katsuki barks while stuffing his swim trunks into the bag. “Which, kind of a dick move you didn’t call me first but it’s fine!”
Izuku knows that tone means it’s not fine and he’ll be hearing about this the rest of his life. But now things are all starting to make sense. Kind of.
“Kacchan, I’m not in labor," the omega groans into his hands. "Kiri you absolute himbo.” Although technically he did do his part in getting his workaholic mate home by five. Just with too much enthusiasm it seemed. Katsuki finally stops moving to really take in Izuku’s appearance.
His freckled mate is messy, that's for sure. But there's no visible signs of distress, or the sour apple smell Izuku gets when he's really losing his shit or in pain.
“What do you mean you're not—what is…” The blond releases the last bit of stress from his body and sinks down onto the mountain of pillow and blankets that is their bed.
“Oh.”
Izuku smiles and goes to stand between Katsuki’s legs. His large stomach takes up most of the space, but Kacchan’s arms encircle him anyway and with his mate within hugging distance the blond instantly relaxes. Of course, an alpha as amazing as Katsuki would know just where to rub his tense lower back to help release Izuku’s tension too. After a while, once they’re both scented and calmed, Katsuki is the first to speak up.
“So you wanna talk about it?” His tone is neutral, more curious than angry or upset. Izuku lets out a sigh, but keeps his eyes and focus on tracing the geometric patterns tattooed on Kacchan’s skin.
“I had called Kiri to try and get you back home in time. All that mess out there was me trying to surprise you,” Izuku tightens his hold around his mate’s broad shoulders, nuzzling into the warm scent of cherry blossom. “I’m really sorry.”
Katsuki leans back to get a look at his mate, trembling like a little leaf in his hold. The alpha lets out soothing pheromones before Izuku stresses himself into labor for real this time. Katsuki doesn’t like to, but he can admit he isn't the best at comforting omegas with flowery words and shit. That’s why he was so grateful that Deku is the type of person who appreciates his bluntness since the omega tends to overthink words.
And again, while Katsuki isn't the best, he strives to always be his best for Izuku. Right now he can tell Deku is really torn up about the whole thing so he can at least offer to help.
“Hey, don’t cry. It’s okay, I’ll help you clean everything up. I know you can’t really bend over anymore—ow! Why’d you bite me?!” Not like Deku’s tiny little omega fangs really hurt but still!
“It’s not because I can’t bend, which I can, ” Deku’s face is red and puffy and Katsuki really wants to call him strawberry and nibble his cheek but he’s gotten better at learning to read the room. Izuku pauses to take a deep breath before letting out a sad whine.
“It’s because I forgot your birthday! Because I’m stupid and can’t get things right and—god I just hate my brain sometimes. I don’t know why you put up with me.”
In the past, this would’ve caused an argument between the two of them. Deku making even worse comments about himself, things not even Katsuki would’ve said at the lowest point in their history. And Katsuki fighting a losing battle against Deku’s cruel, intrusive thoughts.
But through time and countless hours of researching how to love someone with anxiety and depression, he’s learned his Deku’s needs inside and out. So he holds his omega tight, releases some more soothing pheromones, and rumbles deep from his chest so that Deku can feel the hum of it wherever they share contact. Katsuki barely has to lean up to kiss the exposed skin of Izuku’s forehead. He gives him three for good measure.
“Kacchan?”
“Y’know I love your brain, because even if it’s a little wonky sometimes, it always saves my ass at the end of the day.” Katsuki’s soothing rumble makes Izuku melt even closer to him. “It holds all that good nerdy shit in there too. So be nice to it, if not for yourself then because you love me and the things I care about. Right?”
"Ugh, I guess." the omega tries to pout but ends up grinning instead. Katsuki almost got him where he wanted him.
"Have I ever lied to you before Deku?" Katsuki growls, but there's no aggression behind it.
"No Kacchan, I just still feel really bad. Birthdays come once a year and I can't believe I really forgot." Katsuki hides his eye roll from his mate. Seriously 28 isn't even exciting. He needs to distract Deku before he falls into a self loathing cycle.
Kacchan already rubbed his back, so now his best bet is to appeal to his mate's bottomless pit of a stomach. “Let me take you out tonight.”
That causes Izuku to straighten back up. “But Kacchan it’s your birthday, I have to make up for it, ah! ” The omega shivers when Katsuki places his lips right on their bondmark and mouths it gently. He can feel the pressure resonate through his own matching bite.
“If you managed to do that much damage in the kitchen then I know your ass was doing work. You tried your best and that’s enough for me.”
"But-" Izuku's complaint is choked off when he feels Katsuki's much sharper fangs lightly scrape against his skin.
"What if all I want is to spoil my mate so he makes that happy scent I like?" Katsuki purrs louder. "C'mon Deku, don't be selfish."
Well shit maybe Ochako was right about birthday BJs.
Green eyes line with unshed tears once more and the two share a sweet kiss before Izuku moves back.
"Fine, I'll let you feed me for your big day. But you get to pick the place." The omega barters.
"Sounds good to me."
"And you're getting a dessert and letting them sing to you-Kacchan!" Katsuki gives Izuku’s bottom a quick little squeeze, causing the little omega to blush and squeak.
"Easy now, I like you bossy but a man has limits." The blond moves out the way so Izuku can get into the nest, then starts putting all the stuff he’d stress packed back into their proper homes. It's quiet apart from Izuku's contented purrs, a symphony to Kacchan's ears, until Deku chirps to get his attention.
“I love you Kacchan.”
“Love you too Deku,” Katsuki snorts a laugh. “I was pretty fast getting here though, right? And I packed these bags like a pro, right?”
“Of course, Kacchan is the best alpha.” Izuku cheerfully supplies. He’s always happy to add fuel to the raging inferno that is Katsuki’s desire to be praised.
Katsuki hums, looking at the onesie that feels like doll's clothes in his big hands. He glances once more at his beautiful mate, round and full and covered in cake batter. The scent of nutmeg and cinnamon mix in with Izuku’s natural apple and peach scent. He must have tried to make that kitty cafe cake.
God dammit his mate is so fucking cute.
He holds the pale yellow onesie up one more time and can hear Izuku stifle a giggle at his obvious disappointment. “So, you’re really not in labor? It would’ve been kinda cool to have the same birthday as our first kid.”
“Sorry Papa, no baby just yet.”
“Well, that’s fine,” Katsuki smirks when he catches Deku’s eyes. “Wouldn’t want you to try and remember two birthdays then.”
“Kachaaaaan~”