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Izuku reverently traced the words on this wrist with a finger, following the swirling script and muttering the quote under his breath. Or well, half a quote. His soul mark had been there for as long as he could remember and Izuku always wondered what kind of person his soulmate would be, whether he would even get to meet them. His thoughts wandered to the past and he welcomed the distraction.
During middle school he fervently wished that he could find them so he wouldn’t be alone, and wouldn't have to suffer the heartache of losing his only friend by himself. Every time Katsuki had sneered at him, pushed him away, thrown insults at him, it felt like his heart was slowly breaking to pieces and Izuku felt only his soulmate could soothe the ache. Now with the knowledge of just who his soulmate was, it sure was ironic.
When he presented as an omega the bullying got even worse and sometimes Izuku wished that he could just vanish, but looking at his soul mark helped. It gave him hope that maybe he could still become a hero somehow, even as a quirkless omega. Heats were grueling and the taunts were always so much worse when he came back to school afterwards, but he couldn’t give up. More than anything he wanted to proudly save people with a smile, just like All Might.
Receiving One for All and making it into UA was a big turning point for him, because his dreams were so much closer now. For a while Izuku even forgot about the quote, too focused on his studies and mastering his quirk. When he looked at it again, he wondered if his soulmate would also be a pro hero. Maybe even one of his classmates?
He’d always wanted friends, and having Iida, Uraraka and Todoroki to support him was one of the greatest gifts. Secretly Izuku hoped that maybe one of them would be his other half, but one by one they found their soulmates and of course it was never him. He was happy for them, yet there was always the niggling jealousy at the back of his mind.
A lot of things happened to their class and it nearly broke his heart when Katsuki was kidnapped. He’d felt so useless, like a Deku, because he couldn’t help him in time, couldn’t move when it mattered the most. Even though they managed to rescue him in the end, it left a bitter taste in his mouth to see Katsuki grab Kirishima’s hand with a fierce grin. Izuku wanted to be the one to reach out, to be close to him, but Katsuki would never accept him.
Things seemed to go back to normal afterwards and he got his provisional license, could finally do something to make All Might proud. Surprisingly Katsuki didn’t manage to get his and Izuku felt uncomfortable when he was met with a stare full of loathing. And then Katsuki had asked to meet him outside. It made dread curl inside of Izuku’s stomach and yet he went. Nothing could have prepared him for what was about to unfold.
He was shocked when Katsuki revealed his speculations about All Might and his quirk, but there was no point in denying it. They’d fought and screamed at each other, but somehow Izuku felt that they understood each other better. Anxiety settled in his stomach when All Might had interrupted them and talked some sense into Katsuki, but all of that was washed away as soon as the words left his lips.
Save to win - win to save.
Izuku felt something click into place as he met Katsuki’s gaze, he just knew. It was Katsuki, his childhood friend that was the other half of his soul. The feeling of loss and heartbreak suddenly made so much more sense. They stared at each other and he could see emotions he’d never seen before swirl in Katsuki’s eyes. A hand roughly grabbed him and bared his wrist to see the words, ripping off the bracelet he used to hide them. Izuku’s shoulders sagged and he expected a violent outburst, but Katsuki just wordlessly showed him his own soul mark. Of course it matched.
“Fuck, you of all people…” His voice sounded rough and Izuku flinched when Katsuki reached out for him again. A stricken look was visible in the other boy’s eyes for a split second, then he was completely closed off again and took a step back.
“I’m sorry, Kacchan. I’m sorry it’s me...” He’d been elated, wonderfully happy that Katsuki was the other half of his soul, but that didn’t last long. Izuku wanted to cry, to run and hide from the world and its unfairness. Why would fate be so cruel to match him up with someone that hated his guts?
“Don’t fucking apologize for that, nerd!” he said gruffly, but Izuku just heard the anger in his voice, couldn't stand it anymore. So he ran, completely ignoring both Katsuki and All Might in his distress. He had to get away.
Back in his room, he threw himself onto his bed and let himself go, let the tears flow in unhindered streams down his face. Izuku knew he should patch up his wounds and get changed, but he didn’t have the strength. He cried and cried and when a hand gently touched his shoulder, he flinched violently, nearly knocking the person aside with One for All activated.
“Shh, easy my boy.” Izuku relaxed slightly when he realized it was All Might and sank back onto his bed.
“I came to check on you, since you ran away earlier. Are you alright?” He softly shook his head and heard All Might sigh, before he carefully sat down at the edge of Izuku’s bed.
“I know it must be a shock for you, young Midoriya, but I’m sure everything will be fine. Young Bakugou was very distraught when you ran away, I think it hurt him a lot when you wouldn’t listen to what he had to say.” His eyes widened at the words and Izuku felt more tears run down his cheeks.
“I didn’t know what to do, All Might. Kacchan doesn’t want me…” He hiccupped and buried his face in his hands, feeling so small and powerless. Just like he used to when he was still quirkless.
“I don’t think that’s true, my boy. You should hear him out, at the very least. Do you think you can do that?” Izuku nodded.
“You’ll have plenty of time for that, because unfortunately you and young Bakugou are under house arrest for the next few days. I’m sorry, I couldn’t change Aizawa’s mind. Not about the cleaning duty either.” Again a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder and lightly, reassuringly squeezed the tense muscles there.
“Get some sleep, my boy,” he whispered softly, then left him alone again, silently closing the door. Izuku struggled out of bed and changed into his pajamas, then crawled under the covers. He’d certainly try, even though there was little hope for sleep with his mind in such disarray.
---
They were due to fulfill their punishment and clean the dorms, but Izuku was hiding in his room, still thinking about the night before. He was a little scared to face Katsuki, who probably wasn’t happy that a useless omega was his soulmate, not another alpha who was just as strong as he was. Try as he might, Izuku still couldn’t entirely shake some of the things he’d heard in middle school. Katsuki himself had never bullied Izuku for his secondary gender, but his friends had more than made up for that.
A knock at the door pulled him out of his thoughts and he went rigid, because there was only one other person still in the dorms. After running away the previous night he didn’t really know what to expect.
“Open up, nerd.” Katsuki’s voice was surprisingly quiet and that calmed Izuku down quite a bit. He got up to open the door, no idea what to say or do when he was face to face with… his soulmate. After a moment he stepped aside to let Katsuki in.
The blond alpha looked at him intently, then pushed a neatly folded bundle into Izuku’s arms. It was so soft and his omega took over, making him rub his cheek against the fabric with a sigh. He blushed fiercely when he realized what he was doing and didn’t dare look at Katsuki. Why would he randomly give Izuku a hoodie though? One in All Might colors even?
“Are you okay?” he finally broke the silence and Izuku gulped. His thoughts were reeling and he didn’t know how to react. A gift from Kacchan was something he hadn’t received since he was four years old and now that he knew they were soulmates… Was it a courting gift?
“Y-Yes, why?” As much as he tried to stay calm, his answer came out as a shaky stutter. Did Katsuki really want him as a proper mate, not just as his platonic soulmate?
“You were late, so I came to check on you,” he simply said and Izuku sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
“Ah, sorry about that Kacchan. I didn’t realize…” They were standing close to each other and Izuku could smell Katsuki’s smoke and caramel scent clearly, as it intermingled with his own of pine and petrichor. His hands were shaking and he still couldn’t look at the other boy.
“‘s fine. Can I…” he hesitated and it was so weird and unusual to see him at a loss for words, “Can I scent you?” Izuku’s eyes widened, but he nodded frantically.
Katsuki stepped closer and put one hand on his shoulder, then slowly leaned forward to gently rub the scent glands on his neck against Izuku’s. His eyes automatically closed and the feeling of utter bliss made him purr. The alpha stiffened for a moment, but then Katsuki’s hand wandered from Izuku’s shoulder to his cheek, gently caressing it.
“Izuku.” A shiver ran down his spine at the sound of his given name and Izuku could barely suppress a whine. He wanted to touch Katsuki too, but he didn’t dare reach for him, his raised hands slowly falling limp next to his body again.
“You can,” the alpha whispered and intertwined their fingers with each other. Izuku tentatively put his other hand on Katsuki’s chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath.
“W-Why are you doing this? Why now?” he inquired softly and Katsuki sighed. Izuku almost keened at the loss when the alpha stopped scenting him, but the hand that was still cradling his cheek calmed him a little.
“Because you’re my fucking soulmate, Izuku. And because I’m done with lying to myself.” Izuku didn’t understand and it was probably easy to read on his face, because Katsuki scoffed, then squeezed his hand.
“I’ve had a lot of shitty feelings for a long time and I didn’t want to accept them, that’s why I was an asshole to you. You didn’t deserve any of it and I won’t run from this anymore.” He flinched at the words, even though Katsuki probably didn’t mean it that way. Izuku felt horrible for just running away the night before, and hated himself for panicking like he had.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered and tried to stare at his feet, but Katsuki wouldn’t let him.
“I get it, nerd. ‘s fine, yeah? I can’t really blame you for running.” Katsuki let go of his hand and face, but pulled him into a hug instead. Izuku whimpered when he was pressed close to the other boy’s chest because it felt so right, like he belonged in Katsuki’s arms.
“So you don’t hate me?” he asked tentatively, peering up at the blond alpha through his lashes. Katsuki tensed for a moment, then sighed.
“Course not. I never did, even if that’s probably hard to believe. I like you, Izuku. I’m sorry for treating you like shit and I know I don’t fucking deserve you, but if you’ll let me I want to court you, properly.” Izuku’s breath hitched and he could feel tears well up in his eyes. He felt so overwhelmed, but also happy, and didn’t know how to deal with it. As much as he wanted to answer Katsuki, no words came out of his mouth. The silence between them stretched and eventually the alpha seemed to give up and removed his arms.
Just as he was about to walk away, Izuku finally managed to press out a barely audible “Kacchan” that stopped Katsuki in his tracks. He turned back around, waiting for Izuku to say more. His crimson eyes looked so vulnerable and before he could even really realize what he was doing, Izuku pretty much jumped into Katsuki’s arms and buried his face in the blond alpha’s neck.
“Kacchan, I like you so much. I’ve always liked you, please don’t leave, not again…” His words were frantic and Izuku only calmed down when arms and soothing pheromones wrapped around him like a blanket.
“Sssh, I’m not leaving, I promise. I’m… yours.” They looked at each other and as if a magnet was pulling them together, their lips met in a first chaste kiss. Butterflies erupted in Izuku’s stomach and he could barely believe that this was really happening. Everything he’d always dreamed of was becoming a reality. Katsuki was here, was his soulmate and wanted him.
“And I’m yours,” Izuku whispered when they separated, a warm smile lighting up his entire face.