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Katsuki is four years old and already knows he’ll be the best pack alpha the world has ever seen. The number one of alphas, just like he’ll be the number one hero. He doesn’t even need to be presented yet to know he’ll be the best. Heck, he’s already the greatest ever! With a quirk like his, he’ll be unstoppable. Omegas will fall to their knees at his radiating dominance and confidence. Betas and even alphas will hardly be able to contain their awe upon his strong scent. Whatever that’ll be…
Katsuki is five years old and okay maybe stupid Deku won’t be in his pack, but that’s whatever. He’ll be the best head alpha whether or not quirkless Deku is there to see it.
Katsuki is thirteen years old and of course he’s a fucking alpha. He never had a doubt in his mind that he would be anything lesser. (Not even when his stupidly sweet caramel scent started to come in underneath the lingering milky pup scent.) It’s no matter, because he’s a fucking alpha, the best alpha. And no shitty extra is going to bring him down. There’s no way he’ll ever find a worthy packmate, no one could be as strong as him. No one could be as amazing as him, going from shitty little Aldera to fucking UA of all places. No, he can’t be a pack alpha, but he’ll be even better. Independent. Not needing anyone else to bring him down, just like All Might.
Katsuki is fourteen years old and so what if some stupid villain attacked him, he still fought him off. He’s still a strong independent alpha whether or not shitty Deku got in the way. That’s what all the heroes said, after all.
Katsuki is fifteen and fuck how could anyone ever want him when he’s the monster who ended All Might? How could anyone want someone so weak that they get kidnapped by some shitty extras? How could anyone even dare look at him when he smells more like burnt sugar than caramel? How could anyone ever come near him let alone want him when all he does is ruin everything? How could anyone want him when fucking Deku of all people is the strong one now, the successor, the chosen one? When he spent his entire life looking ahead just to not realize he was being passed up?
Kirishima may wrap an arm around around his shoulders and scent him lightly, but that’s because his head is as hard as his quirk. He just can’t see how horrible weak useless Katsuki really is. Dunce Face may follow him around like a lost pup, but obviously that’s because he’s fried too many brain cells to know the difference between a good alpha (fucking Deku) and him.
Katsuki is fifteen years old and knows he’ll never be worthy of a pack, let alone worthy to lead one.
Katsuki is fifteen and he could only hold back tears as he tried to give One For All back to Midoriya. Because he can’t just be quirkless again, he can’t lose his chance to be a hero. Katsuki won’t let him. Who gives a fuck about the shitty villain, they deserve to die anyway, when Midoriya is willing to just give up his life dream like that. The fucking nerd didn’t even hesitate, reaching out his bloody hand not knowing whether or not this is his last fight.
Katsuki won’t let it be. He won’t keep the stupid quirk (bring down All Might’s successor just like he did the original number one). Ignoring the screaming pain, he clutches Midoriya’s trembling hand again, trying to make the quirk transfer back. “How’d this fucking work the first time?” He demanded more than questioned, still feeling the foreign power running through his veins.
“Oh, uh-” Midoriya started oh so eloquently, “you have to share your DNA, and since we were both bleeding before that worked. But I guess the wounds aren’t open anymore? And I mean that’s not how All Might gave me it, he made me eat-” Katsuki didn’t wait for his childhood friend to finish his rambling, cutting him off mid thought. Doing the first thing to come to mind, he smashed his lips to Midoriya’s, licking into the other alpha’s mouth as a sure way to exchange DNA.
Though Midoriya gasped at the initial press of the lips, though whether it was out of pain or surprise was a curiosity, he melted into the kiss just as quickly. His tongue immediately fighting for dominance even as One For All surged through both bodies. The lingering traces of power still thrumming under his skin even as he loses the lead of the kiss to Midoriya. Once he feels more than sees Midoriya gaining his quirk back, he finally pulls away. Licking his own lips he could still taste the alpha.
“Kacchan,” Midoriya whimpered as if he wasn’t the one stealing Katsuki’s breathe away. He didn’t say anything else, just staring at the other alpha with his eyes so wide.
Instead of addressing either of their kiss swelled lips or their reddening faces, Katsuki asked, “wait what did All Might make you eat?” He wasn’t sure which of the wild possibilities his brain was coming up with that he was fearing the most.
At fifteen Katsuki is scented daily by both Eijirou and Denki, them staking their claim on the alpha for everyone around to see. (And if Katsuki scents them back just as thoroughly no one mentions it.) Though they do have their work cut out for them with Izuku always sneaking in a quick scenting. And god does it make his alpha preen that the beta, omega, and alpha trust him like that.
Katsuki is sixteen years old and Izuku finally gains the courage to ask, “why did you really kiss me?” Even after all this time Katsuki has never thought up a good enough lie.
“Why do you care?” He deflected even as he sat down on Izuku’s bed, knowing by now he has permission to be in the den. (If he didn’t they both know Izuku would not hesitate to pin him to the ground, teeth bared past a warning growl)
Izuku huffs out a sigh, though his scent did not bitter, “we both know there were other ways to give me back my quirk.” That is something neither could deny.
“It was just my first thought,” he grumbled, not meeting the greenete’s gaze. Not because he was embarrassed, of course not. He’s just judging the All Might merch littering the room, obviously.
He didn’t have to look to know there was a smirk on the bastard’s face, “your first thought after we both almost died was to kiss me?” Katsuki would have had to have been completely deaf already to not hear the smirk in his voice.
“Oi! Don’t think too deep into it!” Though his quickly reddening face gave too much away. Not that he could hide much from the practically professional analyst sitting beside him anyway.
A fond roll of the eyes, a fondness Katsuki knows he doesn’t deserve, “that’s why I’m bringing it up. Because we both know that was more than just giving back my quirk,” Katsuki bit down the ‘shut up’ lingering on the tip of his tongue. “We’ve spent too much time dancing around each other to keep ignoring this,” his voice softened, yet kept the deepness to it. The damn alpha.
He gritted out, “What do you want me to say?” Though there was no bite to his words.
For once, Izuku didn’t stumble or stammer over his words, “I want to know what that kiss meant to you. What I mean to you.” The only inclination of his nervousness being his pink tinted cheeks, not that Katsuki could call attention to it though.
And how is Katsuki supposed to tell the truth? How is he supposed to acknowledge how much he wants the other alpha? How after years of ruthless bullying he realized he loves the nerd more than he ever hated him? (Did he ever really hate him?) How can he pretend like anything could be okay when Katsuki has always been the villain of Izuku’s story? When he’s always been the bully, the obstacle to overcome? How can he just pretend like he hasn’t hurt the boy he likes more than he’s helped him? How can-
Even with instincts as fast as his, he’s no match for the ungodly speed One For All gives Izuku, allowing him to pin Katsuki to the bed. “You’re overthinking,” the bastard isn’t even out of breath as he easily holds him down. Not even bothered by Katsuki’s squirming, doing everything in his power to not be lying vulnerable under the other alpha… well everything in his power short of an explosion. (He won’t do that to Izuku again, he won’t turn his quirk against him, not now, not ever again) “C’mon alpha,” and god if the way the title falls from his lips doesn't do something to Katsuki.
(He can’t help but think of how he held Izuku down like this back at Ground Beta. No, no it wasn’t like this. That was cruel and painful and it did nothing to ease the tension in him. This, this is still unbudgeable, yet caring in a way. Settling, if he dare put a word to it. Wrong for an alpha. He shouldn’t feel so safe under the hold of another, he should be snarling and biting and scratching. He should be fighting to win, and yet he lies there. Not quite pliant, but stilling.)
Helpless, he can do nothing but stare up at those big eyes, deep as the forest themselves. “I can’t,” he breathed out. Already anticipating the ‘can’t what?’ that came after. “I can’t do this.” Not when Izuku is Izuku and Katsuki is just… Katsuki. Yet the alpha made no move to release the blond. Blinking away from the heavy stare into his own eyes, he breaks. “I can’t just pretend like nothing happened! Not with the kiss,” he clarified, “that was a mistake.” He refused to acknowledge the falter in Izuku’s hold, missing the brief opportunity to flee before the grasp once again tightened. Because somehow Izuku has always been five steps ahead of him. “I had no right to do it, okay?!” Voice raw and trembling, “not after everything, we can’t just pretend we can be happy together. I’m an awful person and an even worse alpha.”
Not even the hero in training himself saw the nip coming before the pain made itself known. A quick snap of the teeth right over Katsuki’s scent gland in the neck, a reprimand in the most intimate of ways. “Kacchan shouldn’t talk about himself like that,” and of course he sounds more steady and sure of himself than ever. “It’s not Kacchan’s decision whether or not I forgive you, and I forgave you years ago.”
“You shouldn’t have,” it came out in a pathetic whimper of sounds. But no laughter came, no jokes, no belittlement. Because Izuku is just that much better than him.
His teeth shone in the lamp light, a warning, “That’s also not Kacchan’s decision,” he left no room for argument. That bastard. “What is Kacchan’s decision is whether or not to forgive himself. And whether or not he wants to pursue something with me.”
“Pursue what?” Voice barely a whisper, keeping the little bubble of safety Izuku ensured with every pump of protect safe mine mine mine into the air.
He met his volume gracefully, “that’s something we can discuss. I know you’re already forming a pack with Kirishima and Kaminari but-”
“We aren’t a pack.”
The stare he was met with was enough to even shut up the explosion murder lord. “I’m not blind and neither are you, we both know how you act with those two is not just purely platonic,” his patience somehow never dwindled, “I don’t want to interfere with a pack in the making.”
This can’t be real. Izuku can’t really want this after everything, this can’t be possible. Not for someone like Katsuki. (A bully, a burden, a weakling, a villain) “Don’t you already have a pack? With glasses, round face, frog, and icy hot?”
A shake of the head, “Iida isn’t ready for a pack, Uraraka and Tsu claimed each other already. Todoroki though,” he took a breath, inhaling their mingling scents, “that’s complicated and not my place to share.” As much as Katsuki wanted to demand to know why the beta is suddenly so ‘complicated’ when he’s the master of trauma dumping, he knew better than to press Izuku on the matter. He’s not one to reveal secrets. On purpose at least…
“We can’t be a pack,” is what he says instead of the million other thoughts racing through his head.
The smile he was met with was so soft and genuine Katsuki would have closed his eyes if he wasn’t so selfish, “if you’re not ready for it, that’s okay. But if you’re just saying that because you don’t think you deserve a pack, then I won’t accept it,” his voice deepened in that unmistakably alpha way. Deep, close to a command yet not quite. Breathtaking even if an actual command would not have as much effect on Katsuki as it would on other dynamics.
Izuku has grown into the alpha Katsuki dreamed to be and they aren’t even done growing.
Katsuki wasn’t exactly sure when the transition happened from Izuku spending more time with his own trio turned into Todoroki and Izuku spending fine with them, but suddenly it seemed the five of them were never separate. The beta fit into the group as well as he could, in all his awkwardness and lack of dynamic education. Eijirou couldn’t be happier to teach Shouto everything there is about being the best beta. Denki couldn’t be happier to have another body to snuggle, his perpetually cold self clinging to Shouto like a koala.
At seventeen years old somehow Denki finally convinced the rest of the pack that eyebags of all people will be the perfect addition. Katsuki relented once Izuku was convinced. Definitely not because of Denki’s small whines and whimpers at the idea of his best non-pack friend not being allowed a chance in. Nope. Bakugou Katsuki is not weak to Denki of all people. Not at all. (Katsuki is only a liar some of the time)
And with Denki finally stringing the mind fucker along with them, Katsuki finally felt like he could breathe in a way he hadn’t felt in years. It eased his lungs to be surrounded by the six scents of his pack mates friends even more relieving than his first gulps of air after the sludge monster attacked. The choking gasping stutters of breath turning to open mouthed lungfuls of air. All sweetness covering his tongue in their concoction of scents.
When the group finally graduated, they’re inseparable. There’s no Katsuki without Izuku. No Ejirou without Shouto. And no Hitoshi without Denki. It’s just them and it works so well. It’s when graduation is near that they decide to all live together, move into an apartment definitely too cramped for six people and have it all to themselves. But it’s after they’re officially Pro Heroes that one too many arguments in their too small room leads to a full on fight. All teeth and claws, primal in the bloodiest ways. A fight for dominance, in a way that makes their inner dynamics preen at the challenge.
As much as Katsuki’s alphan instincts snarl to fight to the death to be at the top of the food chain, he himself knows he shouldn’t be the leader. The beginning of the fight is quick, Denki dropping out before it even starts, insisting he’s happy at the bottom of the hierarchy. That leaves the other omega, the betas, and the alphas to fight. Hitoshi looks around at all his soon to be mates, sees their darkening gazes and knows he can’t win this. Not if it’s a primal fight, no quirks, no support gear. The omega wasn’t built for a fight like this and they all know it’s not fair it’s not fair but he still stands down.
Giving Denki a nip, showing his dominance over the only other omega before baring his neck to the rest of the pack. With a sealing nip from the other four, along with a scenting from Izuku upon seeing those glassy purple eyes, the bottom of the hierarchy is settled.
(The tightness in their chests, that they didn’t even realize was there, lessens with each solidifying nip. Their inner dynamics settling at the boundaries ingrained with fangs)
And Katsuki watches, he sees how Izuku settles Hitoshi when he’s upset at the unfairness, how he comforts his almost mate. He sees how he takes care of them, and he knows he’s not the leader they need. But it’s not in his nature to give up.
Ejirou outright states he doesn’t want to be the leader, but he’s not giving up either. Shouto agrees with the sentiment, he still not feeling ready enough to lead when he’s still figuring out his own dynamic. But neither can just give in . And so they fight. It’s bloody and filled with growls and snarls and they’re both panting too hard to properly get air in.
Their skin is drip drip dripping and Denki can’t stop keening at the sight and so Hitoshi has to hold him, cover his eyes even when he’s letting out his own involuntary whine. Because they know this is necessary, too many fights have broken out over the unstable hierarchy, the unclear lines between ranks. They need to solidify the roles, find comfort in settling in. But that doesn’t make it any easier to watch those they love hurt.
It ends with Shouto pinning Ejirou to the ground, Ei already baring his neck before he’s properly defeated. And Katsuki knows what that is, because he knows his fight will end the same. He recognizes that look, that relief, that need to be shown you don’t have to be the strongest in the room, someone can and will take care of you. And he hopes they don’t see it on him, because he’s won every other fight against Izuku and what if this is no different? He can’t pull his punches, he could very well be the pack leader and he needs to ready himself. He can’t show weakness.
With Denki licking Ejirous wounds clean and Hitoshi wrapping Shouto up in as many bandages as hugs, Izuku and Katsuki begin. It starts fast, neither hesitating for even a moment. Before this, they would have said their most vital fight was at Ground Beta, but this is the changing point. This decides the future of their pack. And with every hit Katsuki gets on Izuku his mind is a clash between growls of triumph and whines of anxiety.
With each scratch and jap Izuku gets on him he’s a mess of wanting to bite his throat and bare his own, wanting to end it either way.
It’s longer than Shouto and Ejirou’s fight, but so much bloodier. It would be a miracle if neither broke a bone, but given Izuku’s track record that’s a fool's dream. They only pause at the keens and whines of their lovers, wanting with everything in them for the battle to stop, but doing nothing to end it. When Izuku finally manages to pin Katsuki down, it’s a mirror image to that day on his bed. And when Katsuki struggles and bucks up, trying to shake the alpha off, and Izuku doesn’t budge. He never does. Katsuki’s scent finally goes from bitter fear and burning distress to relief and calm. Baring his neck, even his inner alpha calmed at the claiming nip he received.
(For the first time in his life he was relieved to have lost.)
Izuku is the pack leader and he’ll take care of them.
Katsuki is second in command in his pack, a top pro hero, and happier than he ever dreamed. He’s taken care of just as much as he takes care of the others. They’re equals even if they’re not in the same roles. But Katsuki can’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had won that fight against Izuku. If he had pinned the alpha to the floor and nipped his neck instead. Yes, all six of them share the same bond marks now, but would they be as tight knit? If Katsuki had won would Shouto would have realized he likes being in equal footing in the hierarchy to Eijirou rather than above? Would Hitoshi have grown as comfortable in his own body and dynamic? Would Izuku feel as cared for and loved as Katsuki does?
(No, no, no, no. And he hates himself for it.)
Maybe Katsuki was right all those years ago in thinking he wouldn’t make a proper pack alpha, but what about now? What about the present Katsuki who carries Izuku out of the shower when he’s crying? The Katsuki who stands in front of Eijirou so he’s not always on the front lines, because even if he can go unbreakable doesn’t mean he needs to be the shield? The Katsuki who spends hours researching with Shouto because he’s still not convinced he’s a good beta and he needs someone to prove to him how perfect he is? The Katsuki who keeps everyone away from the living room when Hitoshi has a sensory overload but still needs the comfort of the pack nest? The Katsuki who always has a non electric timer ready in case Denki’s next seizure hits without warning?
Would the alpha he is now be enough of a pack alpha? Or will he always be five steps behind Izuku? It’s not like he wants a repeat of the fight for dominance, it’s not like he’s out to steal the role. But sometimes he can’t help but wonder what if.
Maybe winning back then would have made him a more humbled leader, a cooler headed alpha. Or maybe he would have just grown his ego, made a monarchy of the pack. He can’t just become the leader now, but if he was, maybe they would all go back to how they were in the beginning.
Hitoshi smothering his scent, hiding himself away, dissembling his nest any time he lets someone in his den. Izuku pacing, waiting for a purpose, something to do to be useful. Denki trying so hard to hold on when all he wants to do is let go and be taken care of. Eijirou sacrificing everything just to get even a single smile from his mates. Shouto masking and biting down his questions.
He knows he’ll never get the answer, he knows he’ll never get to experience what it’s like to be the top of the hierarchy, to have everyone look to him for guidance. He knows. He knows. But he just can’t help but wonder, he can’t help but wish he got a chance to be certain.
Part of him knows he’ll always be scared that no matter how much he grows he’ll never be a good enough alpha. He’ll never be worthy.
Running his fingers through Hitoshi’s hair, untangling the strands as painlessly as possible, he couldn’t help but ask, “do you ever think about the Pack Fight?” As Eijirou oh so creatively named it.
Hitoshi gave a sleepy hum, nuzzling his face into Katsuki’s bare chest. “Mhm,” he hummed out, as if it requires no further explanation. Though he knows both Izuku and Denki have profusely ensured the omega is content in his spot second to the bottom, the alpha just needs to know. Know he’s not the only one who reflects back, who regrets, who wonders. Only after sucking a faint mark into the caramel smelling skin, did he continue, “d’you?” Katsuki just couldn’t help but kiss the crown of his head, and the side, and the other, and every inch he could reach.
Rubbing his wrist over all of Hitoshi’s skin he could reach, not so subtly marking the purplette, he answered, “yeah.” A deep breath of caramel macchiato, “do you ever wish it turned out differently?”
Shifting so he could finally make eye contact, violet meeting scarlet, “I’m content.” Leaning forward, Katsuki licked a stripe up Hitoshi’s neck, and he couldn’t taste any sour lie. “Did you want it to end differently?”
“No,” and it’s not a lie but his caramel isn’t so sweet either. Like this, all skinship and cuddling in the safety of the nest, there’s no way to hide that from his mate. “I just think about where we’d be now if the ranks were different.” He just thinks about it, not fretting, not hurting over it. Just thinking.
Hitoshi was silent for a moment, contemplating. “The ranks have changed since then though.” Before Katsuki could reply to the obvious, that with the tearful confessions of Shouto and Eijirou how could anyone forget that. But Hitoshi continued before he could voice the thought. “You and Izuku are more equal than anything now. And I don’t mean how we are all equals to each other,” he again refuted before Katsuki could even speak up. The damn omega knows him too well, not that he minds. “Yeah, Zuku is technically the pack leader but he still turns to you for help. If he wanted to hold sole spot at the top he wouldn’t submit to you like he does.”
“Hah? Izuku does not submit to me,” just the thought of it made Katsuki feel off. That’s not how it’s supposed to be, after years of Izuku being his alpha, his leader, the thought of him being a full rank lower is just unsettling to say the least.
Hitoshi rolled his eyes, earning him a nip so gentle it could hardly be called a chide. “You’re thinking too formally. He’s not your submissive, but Zu still treats you more like a co-head than most pack leaders do. He actually lets you take care of him.”
A nuzzle much more gentle than his sharp, “oi! He lets you take care of him.” No omega of his is going to feel like he can not properly look after his pack mates, not on his watch.
Only after a kiss to Katsuki’s nose, one cheek, the other, his lips, his nose again, did the brainwasher reply. “I don’t mean it like that. I cuddle him and feed him and stuff, but he still tries not to cry around the rest of us.” And that… he can’t find a rebuttal for. “He’s Izuku so obviously he cries, but I dunno,” he took a breath, “he doesn’t let go around us, not fully. We’re always going to be his priority, even when he’s falling apart. But with you, he lets himself be vulnerable.”
Instead of trying to form words around the lump in his throat, he just pulled his omega impossibly closer. Scenting and kissing every bit of skin he could. “You’re a good alpha,” of course Hitoshi just has to have his cherry on top of the sundae.
“And you’re a good omega,” because he can’t help but make sure his mate knows how good good good he is. A good boy who definitely brought up a brilliant topic to discuss with Izuku later.
Katsuki is so much older now and maybe it’s okay to just be.