Chapter Text
The Midoriya Izuku of five years ago would've turned around and fled in shame, painful sobs wracking his chest and sleeve wet from wiping away tears of anguish.
He would've crumbled at the thought of being left alone while heavily pregnant, on lands so far away from his own, his Alpha not yet returned from sea.
20 year old Izuku who was hopeful and wide eyed as he inched closer to 25, elated that Kacchan was going to be his.
The Midoriya Izuku of now, 25 years of age, 9 months pregnant, stares longingly at the horizon. He sat underneath a blossoming tree so dear, deep burgundy and fire orange petals dancing by his feet.
The wind carried the damp air of the ocean, and Izuku took a deep inhale and exhaled twice as slowly, not wanting to cry for the 5th time today over his Alpha who left him for dead. He had his eyes closed and he feared that if his eyes were open, he wouldn't be able to control the tears that would bring along hollers of agony and loneliness.
He moves to stand near the edge of the cliff, attention focused on the jagged rock formations that ran down the side of it.
“Are you ready to go, Midoriya?”
Izuku turns, suddenly very aware of his surroundings. A strong gust of wind caught him off guard, his body swaying. Izuku felt his foot slip, but before he could even steady himself, strong arms wrapped around his waist, a solid back pressed against his.
"Please, Your Highness, be careful. I do not want Bakugou on my case,"
Izuku laughs and mutters an apology, chalking it up to his hormone addled brain.
"Let's go, Eijirou. I have places to be and it seems like the little one is excited too."
Eijirou was a very good flyer but it didn't change the fact that Izuku got queasy easily. Izuku knew that he should not be subjecting himself to such high adrenaline activities, but he needed to leave as soon as he could. He did not want to give birth at the Bakugou castle.
Izuku knew from memory that the flight to the Midoriya Lands will take 3 hours by Dragon-flight, so he tugged the makeshift harness Eijirou begged him to wear that is strapped to Eijirou's dragon back, tighter, pulled his winter coat over himself and tucked himself into Eijirou's warmth, not wanting to expose himself to the cold any longer.
This was a very dangerous move on his very pregnant self. And Izuku knew some of his anxiety rubbed off on Eijirou. He could feel a sense of urgency in the way Eijirou cut through the air, narrowly avoiding some other dragons that were mid-flight as well.
Izuku could feel himself shivering, and he wrapped his arms around himself tighter. Not knowing what was causing his body to react that way, Izuku closed his eyes, hoping a bit of rest would help him calm down.
A phantom feeling of someone prodding their fingers into his palm made Izuku open his eyes. They were still in the air, but the skies were completely different to what they were just five minutes ago. Izuku remembered rain clouds and black skies.
The sky was now a sunset orange, clear with few clouds and zero sign of rain.
"His Highness is fine. The baby is unharmed and Prince Izuku fainted from exhaustion. It is best that we continue to monitor his condition and it is important that he remains on bedrest."
"Oh thank the gods above!"
Mother? Izuku looks down at his hands that were vice around two straps attached to Ejirou's harness. He looks around him, seeing nothing but orange skies and the horizon.
He felt more phantom prodding at his feet, wiggling his feet inside his boots, trying to get rid of the phantom feeling.
A gasp from right beside his head startled him, and he whips his head around once more, freaked out by the proximity of the exclamation.
"Izuku?!"
"Mother?" He calls out, head whipping around. Izuku pulled his fingers away from the harness to swipe at the air around him, wanting to know exactly where his mother's voice was coming from.
"Prince Izuku!"
Izuku realised that the voice that woke up belonged to Doctor Chiyo. He concluded that he was having hallucinations.
"Call Prince Bakugou now! Izuku needs to be with his Alpha. His heart rate is picking up and his breathing is erratic. I sense he needs his Alpha."
He heard Doctor Chiyo bark at the room. Izuku still didn't see anything except for clear skies but the name Bakugou had him turning his head around so fast Izuku momentarily lost his vision.
Izuku opened his eyes to his mother's worried face, eyes red and eyebrows furrowed. The loud inhale his mother took was startling enough for Izuku that he had to raise his palm to his mother's cheek. He couldn't bear to look at his mother in that state.
"Wha-,"
He managed to croak out half a word before his voice breaks. Although his lips obeyed his command, his throat couldn't keep with the rapid fire questioning he wanted to do, scratchy and dry.
Inko motions for a cup of water for Izuku as he stares helplessly at his mother's face. He tried to sit up but a sharp pinch in his abdomen had him screaming. The pain didn't subside, then morphing into a cramping he'd only feel during his menstrual cycle.
Izuku shot up from his back, palm cradling the underside of his belly. This was his first time experiencing cramping this severe that brought tears to his eyes and he could do nothing but pray that the pup in his womb laid unharmed and this was all just a bad dream.
Doctor Chiyo held Inko back as she wails, all the doulas and nurses scampered around with pails of herb water and little vials of magicked concoctions.
An understudy of Doctor Chiyo laid his hand on Izuku's abdomen, wanting to help alleviate the pain. Izuku was familiar with this sweet boy who wasn't that much younger than him, but the understudy chose the wrong time to lay good on his practice.
"PLEASE!" Izuku pauses, shifting himself to prop his hands palm down behind him,
"GET," He breathes again, eyes shut tight, "Your hands away from me,"
Izuku hears more than sees the understudy whimper and step away, and slowly all motions around his bed fade.
The two nurses that remained sponging his legs continued their work, and he was grateful to feel the wisps of the cool air from the open window. As the cramping reduced to a manageable pain, Izuku opened his eyes and called for his mother, coughs that had him retching reminded him of the state of his throat, and he sobbed into the cup his mother proffered him.
After calming down and regulating his breathing, Izuku could feel himself lulling to sleep. He knew from the mini contractions he has been powering through that the pup would be here soon, but Katsuki still hasn't shown his face.
"Doctor Chiyo," Izuku calls out. Eyes still scrunched tight, he turned his head, opening his eyes to meet the hardened gaze of a veteran doctor, his teacher.
"The contractions are now spaced at 3 minute intervals,” Izuku lets out a pained grunt at the deep ache in the side of his head, “and- I have every right to believe that I am almost ten centimetres dilated. If Prince Bakugou doesn't reach here in thirty minutes, he will not be allowed to witness the birth of his daughter."
Izuku was an alchemist, sure, but he has spent enough time with the nurses in the clinic when he was learning healing potions and has seen enough births to understand what he is going through.
As Izuku ended his monologue, he closed his eyes once again. The realisation that he probably would have to give birth without his mate present made the contractions even more excruciating.
There was nothing more he wanted to do then turn away from the chaos that erupted right as those words left his mouth.
Katsuki's mother, Auntie Mitsuki had taken to calming Inko down and the visible frown on her face signified something she knew about Katsuki's whereabouts that Izuku didn't. He watched as Auntie Mitsuki brought his mother to an empty bed and sat her down. As attendants ambush Inko, Mitsuki turned her sights to Izuku.
Izuku turned his head to the window, seeking refuge in the intermittent gusts of wind that felt so cool against his heated cheeks.
"Izu-kun,"
Izuku wraps the arm he has around his belly tighter, trying to ground himself as all the back to back contractions slowly nip away at his consciousness.
"Yes, My Queen?" Izuku manages to reply, only after letting out a strangled grunt.
"I just got word from Eijirou my dear. They will be reaching soon."
Izuku could feel a warm hand card through his hair, something so familiar in the way the fingers part and comb through.
His omega settled at the confirmation that his alpha would be present at the birth, no longer rattling at his ribcage like a berserk animal. Izuku smiled up at his mother-in-law, wanting to appease her with what he could manage.
"Thank you, Auntie."
Izuku inhaled a big breath of salty air and he didn't miss the spicy cocoa that lay thick in the air. He passes out just as the door to his stately room bursts open.
"Deku!"