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It’s the middle of August, the cicadas are screaming from the trees, the air is heavy with humidity, and tonight the moon is full.
With the arrival of the full moon comes tradition. A meal that every pack member is required to attend, there’s music, dancing, barbeque, and maybe a few beers here and there. Laughter from old inside jokes, and from new ones. Soft giggles paired with flirting touches and whispered secrets. There's dessert and yeah maybe there's cake smashed into a face or two. Hair may be caked with whipped cream making painful knots, but there's joy. Laughter and safety. After getting cleaned up from the fiasco of dessert, the sun says its final goodbyes, welcoming Luna's full face. She shines, she smiles, she pulls and they, well, they run.
They run, as a pack, under the light of the moon and over the humming of the earth. They run to expel the energy that has been built over the passing phases. All this time building up energy, magic, strength, for it to overflow and purge with the help of Luna. The release soothes their aching gums and itchy skin, bringing them numbing relief. They run, they howl, they hunt, and they play until the buzz in their skin settles and all that’s left to do is sleep.
“I wanna shift,” Kaminari whines, rolling on the grass in his t-shirt and shorts, “can I shift? I wanna shift.” He stares at Bakugo, the pack leader, Alpha, with pleading eyes and a pouting lip.
“Calm your tits and wait,” he hisses, Kaminari whines but obeys.
As always, Bakugo checks on his pack before leaving for the night. He makes sure that Ochako has everything she needs and he’s a little overbearing about it. He can’t help it since she’s four months pregnant.
“Bakugo lay off I’ll be fine!” She huffs with crossed arms resting on her bump.
Bakugo tsks as his Alpha chants PregnantPackSafe.
Aoyama swings his arm across Ochako’s shoulders, “don’t worry Bakubabe! I’ll keep her comfortable and safe. We’re gonna watch a movie, paint our nails, and gossip about all of you while you’re gone!” He smiles, winking with his mascara-coated lashes.
Bakugo stares at the humans, not liking the feeling of leaving them behind, but the ache in his gums can’t be ignored, and neither can the rest of his pack. He grumbles, glaring at the both of them, “you stay here, understand? If I find out you-”
“Relax, Bakugo,” Jirou says as she passes by, “quit being such a Dad. They’re grown adults, they can take care of themselves.” He sticks out his tongue at her, she mirrors him as she walks away.
From the steps of the back porch, Tokoyami, the pack's witch, grumbles, “if you worry too much I’m going to feel a little insulted, Alpha.”
Bakugo huffs, pushing out a calming scent to both of his human pack mates and an apologetic one to his witch. He's strong, he knows this, he can trust them to keep her and her baby safe. They smile at him and it's genuine even though they’re rolling their eyes at their overprotective leader.
“Iida, give your mate a proper goodbye or I’ll end you.” Bakugo hisses as he makes his rounds to the rest of the pack, only vaguely hearing Iida say something along the lines of ‘I already scented--fine--again I guess. Come here my love’.
He checks Tsuyu, it’s her first run with the pack. She’s nervous, Bakugo can smell it so he pushes out more calming scent. He understands her nerves even though they aren’t necessary. Being an omega must be hard, being on the edge of feral as her wolf threatens to take over all her human rationality. Usually, omegas aren’t welcomed in packs since they have a hard time controlling their wolf, but Bakugo was never one to back down from a challenge. She's pack, no matter what. It's difficult, sure, but they manage. She’s still here, still present and loving, he gets to protect her and she gets a chance to be happy and that’s all that matters.
She smiles warmly as he sends out CalmSisterPackLove and tries not to feel too proud as he watches her shoulders relax. Mina stays close to her, ensuring that she’ll stay by her side the whole time. He can’t hold back the smug grin that forms. If they were to mate, there was a chance Tsuyu could turn Beta and she wouldn’t have to battle with her wolf anymore. She would be able to relax and that excited Bakugo, almost just as much as the thought of having a full pack of mated pairs. Almost a full pack.
He then moves on to his brother Deku and his mate Todoroki. They've only recently mated so this would be their first run as a pair.
“No fucking while we’re out, understand?” Bakugo grumbles with glaring eyes while pointing at both of them.
Deku blushes before stuttering, “Ka-Kacchan! We weren’t even think--”
“That’s actually a good idea. I think we should try it since our Alpha is suspicious already, might as well give him a reason to be pissy. Should I top--”
Deku slaps his hand over Todoroki’s mouth as his ears burn a fiery red, “Shoto, stop it!” He gulps, staring at Bakugo who is seconds away from ripping the half-n-half’s head off, “he’s kidding! He’s kidding Kacchan!”
Todoroki just shrugs with his mouth covered as Deku continues to mutter apologies before Bakugo rolls his eyes and walks away. He has things to do, a pack to check on and he tells himself if he does find them fucking it would give him a justifiable excuse to rip Todoroki to pieces.
Hanta is trying to calm a fidgeting Kaminari down as Bakugo checks on them. He tries to push out his calming scent but Kaminari is unable to receive it since he’s full of electric energy and needs to dispel it, “Soon.” Bakugo reassures as the blond whines, “soon.”
He leaves the dunce face to Hanta, his soon-to-be mate, Bakugo predicts. He can’t ignore the way they look at each other and the way they try to hide when they scent each other. It’s annoying and Bakugo wishes they would get it over with already.
Almost a full pack of mated pairs, his Alpha preens.
Shouji, Jirou, and Momo are calm as always. Patiently waiting for the greenlight from their Alpha leader. Bakugo is grateful for them since the rest of the pack is so unhinged, he lets them know by pushing out a scent that’s filled with PridePackLoveThankYou. He watches their smiles form, not missing Jirou's minor eye-roll, and moves on before it gets too mushy for him.
Satisfied with his rounds he makes it to the last and most important piece of his pack.
MateLove
He watches as Kirishima stares up at the moon like they're the only ones who exist-like they're having a conversation he can't fathom. He’s always staring at the moon, saying she’s a guardian watching over them. Bakugo knows this to be true, being a werewolf means having a divine connection to the moon. She pulls at them when she’s full, calling for them to run while she feeds them strength, energy and in return they howl for her, singing their song of love and gratitude. So yes, Bakugo knows all there is to know about his connection to Luna and what she does for creatures like them, but somehow, it feels so different when it comes out of his mate's mouth. Like he can believe it more-like he can feel exactly what he means in his bones.
“Ready, Ei?” He asks, softly approaching his mate, careful not to startle him.
Kirishima faces him, his red hair drapes across his shoulders in beautiful waves and whisps, his eyes have already shifted into slitted reds. He smiles and it's full of light in the growing dark, his canines already dropped, “I am, you must be done then?”
Bakugo nods and then his nose is invaded with the scent of PrideMateLovePack. He can't help the way his body moves like there's a string of fate pulling him towards Kirishima. He embraces his mate, meeting him with the same scent, sighing with relief as long arms wrap around him. Making him feel safe, loved, home.
They nuzzle their necks against each other, Bakugo starts purring as he feels the ridges of his mating mark on Kirishima’s neck. He nuzzles harder, making sure their glands press against each other to intertwine their scents before connecting their lips. It’s soft and gentle, but passionate and vibrating with sharp teeth under Luna’s light. It’s easy to get lost in the touch, the taste, the mantra of LoveMatePackMine.
A cough interrupts them, “I thought you said no to the fucking.”
Bakugo pulls back as Kirishima’s cheeks color pink. He snaps his fallen teeth at Todoroki, “you think that’s fucking? You must be confused then, allow me to demonstrate--”
“Kats,” Kirishima laughs as Bakugo nearly climbs him, “come on, focus Alpha, we need to go.” He glances up at the moon and Bakugo sighs in defeat, pecking his mate's cheek before facing his more than ready pack.
“Alright, since you’re not that stupid I don’t need to go over everything but it’s going to be a little different tonight since Deku and peppermint candy are now mated-”
“-hey-”
“-keep close to them as you normally would but not too close. I’m going to be fucking pissed if a fight breaks out and I have to snap one of your legs to break it apart, got it?” He waits, everyone nods in unison, “good. Now, stoner slender man and Zeus’ reject bolt are in the same boat. Don’t look at me like that, you aren’t slick and I’m not stupid.” He can’t help but smile proudly as Hanta and Kaminari try to hide their blushes, “otherwise, same shit. We stay together, don’t wander off, and do not hunt on your own. Clear?”
“Crystal.” The pack chants in unison.
He inhales deeply before grabbing his mate's hand to plant a quick kiss on the top, he pushes out a message of LovePackBrotherSisterMateLove before he begins to shift.
It burns, only for a second, the muscles tighten, the bones crack and pop as they move and extend. The skin itches and tingles as hair sprouts from the pores, gums ache but only for a moment until all canines drop. Fingernails sting as claws pierce through. Visions blur as the world around them speaks through the dirt, the bark, the leaves, the buzzing of fireflies, the flow of creek water, the chirps of the birds, and the light of the moon.
Bakugo’s coat is golden brown with patches of deep orange and jet black, the fur around his eyes creates a black mask while his paws are a mixture of the same white and orange golden brown. He stands at about 6’7 in height, above average for a werewolf. He’s incredibly strong and fast, nimble for a wolf of his size. No prey has been able to escape from his sights nor any predator that dares to try to hunt him. He always wins his battles whether it be to his speed, the strength of his jaw or the piercing of his claws-he always wins.
While the rest of his pack is much smaller, average about 5’6 to 6’0 in height, his mate manages to make all of them look stunted and small. Kirishima stands at 7’0 with dark red fur that almost looks like he rolled in cherries while his belly, paws, and the tips of his ears are black. He’s massive, heavy with muscle and when he walks Bakugo swears he feels the ground underneath them shake. He’s like a giant boulder, unyielding and scary strong. Bakugo remembers the first time they sparred seriously, how he managed to get himself stuck underneath Kirishima’s weight-it nearly made him panic. Thankfully Bakugo is more flexible than Kirishima and faster, so he was able to escape but he still never forgets that feeling of being completely out of control, being dominated and almost forced into submission.
At the same time he feels a little fear, he can’t help the feeling of pride that swells in his chest as he rubs against his mate, his strong Alpha mate.
StrongLoveMatePackBestAlphaMine he chants and he knows Kirishima can hear as he returns the gesture with a low purr.
The side of his torso is being bumped by a wet nose, he turns his attention to find Deku with his dark green coat and bright orange eyes. Bakugo huffs, nudging him back, acknowledging his brother before red and white fur comes into his vision. He growls, somewhat playfully and Todoroki responds by sneezing in his face. Bakugo wants to snap, to bite and claw at his face but the pull of the moon and the anticipation from his pack muddles his motivation.
He has a job to do, a pack to lead.
He bumps his snout against Kirishima's before letting out a loud howl and the song LovePackMateBrotherSistersLunaRunTogether is sung amongst his pack. They howl in tune with their noses pointed towards Luna, matching their leader's call. She bathes them in her light and pulls and Bakugo has no other choice but to extend his claws and press his legs forward, breaking out into a sprint. Bakugo howls again, his territory humming in return with hues of blue and green.
Mine
Territory
Pack
Protect
Safe
The pack follows, their paws hitting the dirt, the roots, the broken twigs, and fallen leaves. They run through the trees of their home, their tongues hanging happily out of the side of their mouths while the passing breeze cools their fur.
Kaminari bolts past Bakugo, his fur a yellow blond with a black stripe down his spine. He’s small and straggly but since he doesn’t weigh much it allows him to run much faster than the rest of the pack. Almost faster than Bakugo, almost. When Bakugo really tries he’s faster than Kaminari, but right now he has no desire to. He wants to keep his pace, by his mate, with his pack.
Kaminari makes zigzag patterns as he runs. Creating lightning bolts, Hanta calls it. Bakugo thinks he looks like he’s cracked out on catnip, but keeps that to himself. For now. He can feel Kaminari’s relief, his joy, his song of happiness. He leaves him to his state of bliss.
Hanta stays near the front, not surpassing Bakugo, just trailing behind so he can keep Kaminari in his sight. His fur is all black with only his paws being white. Kirishima always teases that he looks like he’s wearing socks.
Mina’s coat is a soft pink and a little curly, just like her human hair. She stays near Tsuyu off to the side behind Kirishima. Tsuyu’s eyes are purple, revealing her omega status, her coat a light green with a darker shade on her paws that look like shoes-nearly identical to Hanta’s coat. Mina says she looks like a frog and has nicknamed her Froppy.
Towards the back, there’s Iida who stays near Jirou, Momo, and Shouji. His coat is a dark navy blue while one of his eyes has a white patch. Momo’s fur is dark brown, her tummy a light blonde while Shouji’s coat is pure white, with no other pattern on his tummy or paws. Jirou's is dark purple, her coat is short except around her ears, Momo likes to braid the long pieces and thinks it's cute when they look like pigtails. Jirou usually complains out of embarrassment but there's barely any bite to it.
They make a colorful pack. Full of green, pinks, reds, blues, purples, whites, and oranges. Headed by two strong alphas, their body full of impenetrable betas, one protective, loving omega, two stubborn humans, and one vicious witch. They’re a pack of oddballs, clashing personalities, unique quirks, and misunderstood by many other packs, but they’re pack, all the same, and oh, how proud Bakugo is to have them. To protect them. To love them. Even if he doesn't show it, they know. They can feel it, his love, his desire to protect them. He doesn't need words for them to know.
They run, and their furry bodies graze each other as they bounce through the forest trees. It's release, it’s freedom, it’s a togetherness that can’t be described in words only touch, smell, being.
It takes the whole night for them to become tired, to feel the pull of the moon simmer down. It takes Deku, Todoroki, and Shouji hunting rabbits, Bakugo and Kirishima wrestling, Mina, Tsuyu, and Jirou playing ‘tag’ with Kaminari, Hanta, Iida, and Momo for them to finally start to settle down. In an open field with the forest creating a protective circle, they begin the ending ceremony of the full moon-grooming.
They pair off, laying lazily near one another, tending to each other's fur. Mates pair off as do platonic friends, their job is to make sure their pack is taken care of and that's exactly what they'll do. So when Jirou begins grooming Momo, it's not weird even though Momo can feel the way Jirou's heart rate picks up. Bakugo feels it as well but remains quiet.
A pack full of mated pairs, his wolf sings.
Instead of teasing Jirou, he tends to Kirishima. He always grooms his mate first, even if Kirishima tries to fight him on it. He has to, it’s in his instincts, in his responsibility as the pack leader and even though he wants Kirishima to sometimes have the upper hand, he’s too stubborn to allow it when it comes to grooming. At least, right now. He has a job to do. He can rest when his pack is taken care of.
He’s diligent, it’s his mates coat after all. He takes his time making sure to get behind his ears, the back of his neck where he can’t reach, between his paws, tries to get as much of the debris out of his thick coat, and double, triple, checks his work.
Kirishima eventually grows impatient, even if he is purring with content. As an Alpha, he feels the same sense of urgency to take care of his mate. To groom, to protect, to love. He takes less time since Bakugo is smaller and his tongue is bigger, making it easier to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. When he feels satisfied with his work he playfully nips under Bakugo’s snout before pushing the Alpha onto his back. Bakugo growls without much bite as Kirishima rubs and nuzzles against him.
Just cleaned.
Stupid.
Kirishima whines, clearly wanting to be as close to Bakugo as possible and not really caring about the consequences. Bakugo huffs, nuzzling against Kirishima as he comes to his feet. Fatigue has begun to settle in his bones and he feels the need to shift out of his wolf form. He wants to pile in the safety of his home, to sleep and from what he gathers from the rest of the pack, they want to as well.
He howls, softly, careful not to scare their foggy and tired minds.
Home he calls with his song and they respond with tired howls before trudging back with heads that have become too heavy to hold up. Their steps are soft and dragging, barely having enough energy to lift them. Luna has softened her pull, satisfied with their offerings and her gifts in return, she bids them a temporary goodbye.
Til next time, she says.
Their movements are clumsy as they pull themselves out of their shift. Their limbs heavy, bodies naked, muscles aching but satisfied. They’re no longer antsy, needy, fully of wired energy-they’re content, and grateful for the gift of their pack and Luna's love.
They rush putting on clothes, some only shorts or boxers, barely managing a shirt before they pile on the heap of pillows in the middle of their shared living room-their nest. Bakugo and Kirishima take up the center, curling around each other as the rest of the pack settles around them. Deku presses his back to Bakugo while spooning Todoroki. Kaminari squishes himself against Kirishima, pulling Hanta as close to his body as possible, who has Iida on his back and Shouji pressed next to him. Mina makes herself comfortable next to Todoroki, pulling Tsuyu into her chest while Momo crowds her from behind with Jirou spooning her back.
They're all limbs and hugs and sighs of relief. Creating warmth and safety as they get comfortable amongst the pillows, not needing blankets due to their natural body heat.
Before Bakugo allows himself to fall into the rhythm of his mate’s heavy breathing he checks Ochako’s scent, finding her in one of the bedrooms upstairs. He senses a calm heartbeat and a faint, smaller one. He smiles at the sound of his newest pack member. He notices Aoyama is in the bedroom with her while Tokoyami resides in the bedroom that shares a wall with hers. He's proud of them, protecting their pack, protecting the most vulnerable member while he's away.
Feeling satisfied and lathered in protection, he starts to allow himself to relax. He adjusts before pressing soft, tired lips against Kirishima’s forehead, pulling his face close to his chest. He catches the faint smile tug at his mate's lips and quickly presses a kiss at the corner before finally settling for the night. He slips into a comatose state with his pack at his side, the love in his bones and the fading light of Luna casting over them.
Until next time.