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Izuku Midoriya works tirelessly as an ER nurse—a job most avoid, but he loves it because he enjoys the rush that comes with each new case, and it makes him feel like a hero by the end of the day…when he’s not cleaning vomit or feces, that is.
Days like today left him a bit wired. A villain had struck nearby, and there were so many stab wounds. He’d been assisting in surgeries, helping set patients up, switching out bandages–On days like this, he is wherever he’s needed. And as an enigma, he was needed everywhere. However, after a ten-hour shift with only protein bars, water, and cafeteria apple juice as sustenance, he was more than ready to clock out, get his pup, and pass out.
XXX
After a thorough shower and layer of scent neutralizers, he went and picked up his 3-year-old toddler, Hayate. His hands shook as he signed out, and he knew he needed to eat at least a sandwich to make it to the train station. Stupid post-rut glucose levels.
The caretaker, Itsuka, frowned at him. “Izuku, you can’t keep pushing yourself like this.”
“I’ll be okay,” he said with a weary smile. “Thanks for worrying, but there’s really no need.”
“I do worry, and I will continue to worry. Keep in mind you’re all Hayate’s got.”
Izuku sighed. “I know. I’m trying to save up so we can move to a better place, and then I’ll go back to my regular hours.”
“But you said that—”
Not wanting to linger and get scolded again, Izuku hoisted Hayate’s bag over his shoulder and waved the beta goodbye.
It might be tiring to raise a toddler by himself, but he’d rather do it on his own than to have a selfish person like Hayate’s dam by his side. If her career was more important and his support wasn’t enough for her to stay in their lives, then he would make sure to give Hayate the best life he could in his own way. He still couldn’t believe her audacity when she suggested leaving him at an orphanage. He was so furious that day, especially after she took their savings, he almost lost control! Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he saw the bright sign he was looking for.
Luckily, on the way to the station there was a magnificent tea and coffee shop, owned by the omegan hero, Creati, that made the most wonderful blends and pastries Izuku had ever tasted. One of his favorite post-shift teas was Ms. Yaoyoruzu’s chamomile blend. It gave him the feeling of being wrapped up in a dam’s embrace and wearily sinking into that comfort.
The one problem with the shop? It was always full, which meant they had to share tables. With his large frame, it sometimes posed a challenge. Izuku was lucky that one freed up just as he was handed his cup, so he was able to lean back against the wall in one of the booths and let out a sigh of relief. Hayate was already asleep on his chest, and Izuku was not willing to move if it meant the little boy could rest. He hoped everyone left on the line would take their orders to go or that they’d be too intimidated to approach. Just another 5 minutes without human interaction would have been amazing.
However, about two minutes in, he heard a cheerful, masculine voice say, “Hi! Do you mind if I sit here?”
And when Izuku looked up, he regretted his decision to wear his comfort clothes after work. Even though the man had a face mask on, it was clear he was handsome—and those biceps? The curves, the height, and his demeanor all pointed to omega (his enigma readily agreed), but the muscular structure was more alpha leaning. How curious. If he could get a whiff of his scent, he was sure—
Chastising himself for even thinking about that, he nodded and gestured for the man to sit.
“Thank you! I’m dead after my shift, so I figured I’d come for one of Momo’s brews to charge me up again.”
Izuku chuckled. “Yeah, I can relate.” He looked at the man, comically cradling his mug like a child, and decided to be bold for once. He held Hayate with his left hand and extended his right. “My name’s Izuku, Izuku Midoriya.”
“Oh, nice to meet you, man! My name’s Ei—Well, you can just call me Ei. Everyone does, really,” the omega—Izuku was sure of it now—said, shaking his hand. A stand of red hair fell from his cap, and Ei quickly retreated his hand and brushed the strand aside.
Surely the man didn’t introduce himself like this all the time, but Izuku figured this “Ei” must have a good reason to keep the rest of his name from him, so he nodded. If his figure was anything to go by, he must be someone important.
“And who’s this cutie?” Ei asked, trying to peek around the blanket that hid Hayate’s face.
“This is Hayate,” he replied, pulling the blanket back to show his face. “The reason for my sleep deprivation and my happiness in equal measure.”
Ei gave out a startled, boisterous laugh that recharged Izuku’s mood in an instant.
’Make him laugh again,’ his enigma purred.
Izuku could’ve sworn the man’s gaze had gone softer for a moment before their conversation resumed. If it was any other interaction, maybe Izuku could’ve gotten his hopes up, but this omega was way out of his league, and he was clearly tired too, so the nurse just attributed it to that.
Izuku found it strange how the man didn’t seem to mind his mental lag, happy to fill the silence with his own topics; the roles were reversed and Izuku was the listener, responding to the man’s inquiries. Most of the people in his life always expected him to be the chatty one, because according to them, enigmas were more cultured. It placed a lot of pressure on interactions. It was refreshing to speak with Ei, and Izuku found himself thinking that he could use a friend like this.
Although Ei finished his coffee first, he stayed with them until Izuku finished eating, and even paid their bill, despite the enigma’s many protests, obliterating the errant thought that had suggested the man expected it to be the other way around. When all was said and done, they wished each other a pleasant week, not knowing it would be the first of many encounters.
XXX
It turned out that Ei was also a regular. Izuku was used to being alone, to stay quiet in order to avoid annoying people with his rambling or getting any unnecessary attention, but Ei was so nice, that Izuku eventually started being more like himself. It helped that Ei’s presence kept other omegas away, and his scent felt like hiking in the mountains, invigorating and peaceful all at once. Hayate was awake for the second, third, and fourth time they met. He liked Ei too, and began asking for him when they didn’t meet.
This made Izuku hesitant to continue going to Momo’s. What if Hayate got too attached? What if Ei got courted or simply stopped going, and he was left to pick up the pieces?
For three days, he avoided Momo’s…until he had been called in at 5:00 pm, which meant he got out at 2:00 am. The only place open was Momo’s due to them catering to hero hours too.
In a way, it was nice to go late at night. The place was empty, the streets quiet. He was glad the neighbors were willing to watch Hayate; he rarely got a moment alone. Wanting to savor the peace, he took out the book in his satchel and began reading. Ten minutes in, the door opened, but Izuku paid no mind to it.
It wasn’t until he heard a familiar voice say, “Is this seat taken?” that he startled and looked up.
“Oh, hi!” Izuku said, smiling brightly. “How have you been?”
“I’m okay. I should ask you the same thing, Midoriya; haven’t seen you around as often,” the man said, the tips of his ears pinkening.
Cute. Izuku bit his lip and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been testing other routes, other cafes, but I’m okay.”
“And Hayate?”
Izuku’s breath stuttered. Most people didn’t even care to ask about his little boy. “He’s okay. I think he misses you; talks about you almost every day.”
The omega smiled under his mask. Izuku wished he could know what he looked like. “You can let him know I’ve missed him too. He promised to show me his favorite heroes next time we saw each other.”
“I will.”
It was something about the aromatic scents in the air, the tranquility of night, and the fact that they were alone— Izuku was sure of it—but nonetheless, he felt his heart skip a beat. He hated himself for it.
Wanting to get the conversation going again, he asked, “So what brings you here at two in the morning?”
Ei chuckled. “Might not believe it, but I just got out of work. Hours are a bit erratic most weeks.”
“Me too.What do you work in?” Izuku asked curiously. His enigma begged to know more about this omega, threatening to take over if he didn’t at least scent him this time.
“I’m a…public servant, but I’ll leave you to guess what kind. You?”
It was as if the man knew Izuku enjoyed a challenge, but in this case, he loved the mystery more. “I’m a public servant too, in the medical industry…but I’ll leave you to guess what kind,” he said with a smirk.
Izuku enjoyed the playfulness in Ei’s eyes. A friend was all he could be, but it didn’t mean they had to be boring about it.
The common ground opened the floor to discussing the current system and all its flaws, something they both seem to be passionate about.
The conversation veered off track when all of the sudden, Ei asked,“Wait, if you’re an enigma, why didn’t you become a hero?”
“Quirkless and poor,” Izuku said with a shrug. “No one wanted that kind of kid in the hero course.”
Ei frowned. “Well that wasn’t manly of them. I’m sorry they didn’t give you a chance.”
The enigma smiled. “Thanks, Ei.” He sighed. “I think they made the right call, though. I was a late bloomer, so I was scrawny and reckless. I would’ve just gotten myself killed.”
“Well, I sure hope you see yourself differently now.”
Izuku chuckled. “A little.”
The omega slapped both hands on the table, voice unwavering as he said, “Izuku, you’re a badass nurse that saves lives every day. You do just as much or even more than heroes.”
The young father gulped, strong feelings crawling under his skin. “How’d you know I was a nurse?”
“I saw your badge last time.” Ei smirked under his mask, he was sure of it, and it stirred something in Izuku.
The minutes ticked by in playful conversation, slowly gravitating closer, captivated by the other, knees touching, until Ei’s phone vibrated and Izuku saw the hour on the screen.
“Shit!” It was already 4:00 am; he never picked Hayate up. “Sorry, but I have to go.”
“Wait,” Ei said, reaching out. “I know this might be super forward of me, and it might put you off, but can I have your number?”
Izuku stared at him, unsure if he heard right. “You…want my number?”
The man rubbed at the back of his neck bashfully. “Yeah, I mean, if you’re okay with that, of course. You’re super cool to talk to, and it might be nice to do it intentionally, instead.”
Bold. He liked that.
“Y-yeah, sounds good.” Still in disbelief, Izuku accepted the man’s phone and typed in the digits. Had they not met all those times before, he would’ve thought it a prank. He never imagined he’d meet an omega like this, much less have their number.
“Awesome! Thank you,” the redhead said, grinning once more.
Following his instinct for once, Izuku called after him.“Wait! Can I, um, scent you? It’s late, and I don’t want you to be bothered by any drunk alphas on the way back.”
Ei seemed taken aback at the request, but still, he nodded eagerly. “Sure, I’d appreciate that.”
Carefully, Izuku took out a wipe and cleaned his wrist free of neutralizing gel. He swiped his wrist over the omega’s jacket, especially near the wrists and shoulders. The enigma refused to cross any boundaries, but his instinct was pleased with this. When he was done, Ei took a deep breath, all stress visibly seeping from his muscles.
Before he could announce he was done, the omega stiffened and turned around, walking away mumbling, “Thanks! Have a good night, Midoriya,” as he quickened his pace.
Izuku’s confusion was soon clarified by a lingering sweet scent. Ei had slicked himself, and it was divine. Mahogany and coconut with a hint of lavender invaded Izuku’s senses, and he couldn’t bring himself to move. He always fell too quickly, but the hope that bubbled in his chest this time felt too nice to reject. And after that reaction, he knew it would be the best night. Smiling to himself, he replied, “You too, Ei,” even if it was all too late.
From that day on, the two met regularly throughout the week. Sometimes it was at the cafe; other times, they made plans to meet at the park so Hayate could play. The omega seemed more comfortable around him, even holding his hand or picking up Hayate without asking. His enigma didn’t protest. That hadn’t been the case with Yui. Ei had also become the only person to bring Hayate down from his tantrum in under ten minutes—an amazing feat, really. Overall, it started to feel like the universe was on their side, like it wanted them to be together.
After their first hike, Izuku decided he might just try courting Ei; although, maybe he should ask for his full name first.
XXX
They say the best things in life are unexpected. For months he’d thought this of Ei. The omega had become a source of happiness and peace in their lives; a source of inspiration and motivation to do their best. But after the events at the ER that night, he questioned every moment they’d spent together, and whether the best thing in his life might turn into the worst.
Their call centers had been going off like crazy. A big villain had taken down an entire block before the heroes arrived at the scene, and the injured were pouring into their waiting room in a steady stream. Izuku began going from one patient to the next without paying much attention to the world around him—until code gold was called. Code gold meant a top 10 hero was critically injured and higher ranked personnel were to go receive them immediately.
Finishing up the IV treatment for his last patient, Izuku jogged to the ambulance entrance. The moment the doors opened, he saw a flash of red and his second nature wailed within.
'Omega’s hurt. Save him, save him!’
How could have Izuku been so blind? He’d know those scars anywhere.
The hero was unconscious, barely breathing. His confusion could wait. Going through the all too familiar motions, he began his task. They would operate, and much like with other high profile emergencies, Izuku would be in the room to assist. Being an enigma granted them more acute senses that had prevented tragedies more often than not.
“Hero Red Riot, civilian name Eijirou Kirishima, arrived with…”
Red Riot, probably after Crimson Riot, if the omega’s use of the words “manly” and “chivalrous” were anything to go by.
Izuku wasn’t always so disconnected from the news. He was old enough now, and he’d thought more than once that maybe he should stop being a coward, but too many instances in life had him disheartened with hero society.
First, it had been All Might. All Might had seen him in the clutches of the sludge villain, and when he heard Izuku was quirkless, he barely spared the effort. After the villain had been caught, the man ran away. However, when it was Kacchan who was attacked, All Might ran to save him without hesitation, and accompanied him through the experience, even visiting him at the hospital.
Then, there was his ex-best friend. Izuku could handle the rumors, the taunting, the manipulation…but when the alpha had told him to jump off the roof? Izuku still remembered the heartbreak he felt. Of course, Kacchan grew, and so did he. The blond found him after they graduated high school; he’d apologized for his cruelty and immaturity, and Izuku forgave him, but he could never forget. The sour taste and apprehension lingered, so he chose not to reach out to the man again.
Finally, Hayate’s mother. Izuku cared for her, but he didn’t love her. That part, he was clear on. In truth, they had been an arranged couple and Izuku only agreed for his mother’s benefit. For a long time, they were friends, and were at least somewhat compatible. It was the fact that she could leave their son in favor of the fame that came with being a hero; the way she treated them like a stain in her life; the way she took advantage of every sacrifice Izuku had made for them…
That rejection was the final straw. From that day, Izuku only used his news app for very specific topics, like the weather.
As they entered the surgery, Izuku gave himself a shot of suppressants. He would not risk having his enigma freak out on him—his own emotions were enough. The procedure went on for hours, well past Izuku’s shift, but despite various offers to switch him out, he refused. Even though he felt betrayed, he didn’t have it in himself to leave Ei’s life in anyone else’s hands, especially after two life-threatening close calls. Only when the operating room lights went off, and the omega was declared stable, did Izuku leave.
On the way home, he felt adrift. Was Ei using him? He knew Izuku was quirkless and never said anything hurtful about it. On the contrary, he encouraged him. But he was also Kacchan’s best friend, if the talk in the OR was anything to go by. Apparently, Dynamight had been waiting outside the whole time, ignoring his own injuries.
Izuku clenched his fists, and ducked to a nearby alley to cry for a moment. He crouched on the ground and quietly sobbed into his hands.
Why had Eijirou kept this from him? Were all the signs he’d seen a ruse? Was this some kind of cruel prank?
His chest hurt so much, it felt like it might burst. The pain was much worse than when Yui had left, and that killed him. Part of him regretted taking the suppressants. It was moments like these where his second nature would give him some perspective, but it was quiet. His mind was too quiet and he felt extremely lonely. There was no one he could share this with; no one to ask.
Warm rivulets trailed down his cheeks, dripping down to the alley floor. He felt some curious glances, but as expected, no one dared to approach. Izuku isn’t sure how much time passed, but he knew there was an almost four-year old waiting for him at daycare, and the place would close soon.
The revelation kept turning round and round in his mind. Kendo had looked at him with concern but didn’t comment anything. He was grateful for it. Above all, he needed time to process this. Once they were back home, as he watched his baby boy sleep, he decided he should keep his distance, for Hayate’s sake. Before the sun rose the next morning, Izuku had requested a transfer.
XXX
His transfer was denied.
No valid reason, they said.
Izuku scoffed at them, but knew he would’ve done the same. Secondary gender control was no longer a valid reason. The surgery had been delicate, but Kirishima wouldn’t be there for a whole month. A single suppressant cycle.
Knowing the omega would be sleeping until the next day, Izuku quickly completed the sponge bath and checked vitals. He didn’t linger and kept his mind on the task, not wanting his enigma to awaken. Once he was done, he moved on to his next patient. Still, even if his inner nature was dormant, his mind would wander to the redhead in room 208.
After catching up on sleep, he thought of the whole situation, but the more he thought about it, the more confused he became about it all.
That night, Hayate kept him awake, plagued with nightmares. He kept calling for Ei, but Ei couldn’t come.
When morning broke, he left Hayate at daycare, screaming his little lungs out. It broke his heart, but no job meant no food, so he forced himself to keep going, ignoring the cries of, “daddy,” as his son shouted for him.
By 9:00 am, Kirishima stirred awake.
Izuku could feel the look of hurt and confusion coming from the man.
“C-can you scent me?” the omega asked when Izuku went for his mid-morning vitals check.
For a moment, Izuku was frozen in place. Stiffly, he nodded. He was still a caretaker, and soothing his patients is something he absolutely could not refuse. Silently, he lifted his wrist and swiped it over Kirishima’s shoulders and wrists.
“You don’t smell like yourself,” the patient whispered. “What happened?”
“I wish you a fast recovery,” Izuku muttered, ignoring the absolute look of concern on the man’s face and walking speedily out of the room. He stood for a few seconds out in the empty hallway to catch his breath. He didn’t want to hurt him, but he couldn’t do this to himself either if this was all a ruse. A drop would make him unfit to care for Hayate, would make him lose his job—and yes, he’d cared enough for Ei to warrant that!
“Nurse Midoriya to room 223, Nurse Midoriya to room 223,” the voice from the loud speaker called.
Izuku sighed. He could do this. Once visitation hours started, he would get lost in routine checks. He only had to return to Kirishisma’s room every two hours. Another nurse would take over the rest of the checks.
Every time Izuku entered, Kirishima would try to get his attention, and he was very much glad that he’d taken the suppressants.
The only time he’d replied was when the omega had asked, “Please, Izuku, why won’t you talk to me?”
He looked at the man as coldly as he could, knowing he’d achieved it by the jerky flinch and look of dejection on the other’s face. He hated it. “I told you almost everything about myself, and you kept such a vital part a secret!” Izuku shook his head. “I can’t trust you right now, but I have to do my job, so please, just let me do it in peace.”
The room fell silent after that.
Izuku couldn’t help his cold replies. His mother had raised him to be better, but it was the gnawing feeling that he’d been taken advantage of again that made him a bit cynical regarding the situation.
Luckily, Izuku didn’t have the last rotation, so he went, got Hayate, and the two had a movie marathon and cuddling session. Even though Hayate ignored half of the movie to bang his wooden blocks around and slept the other half, it was still nice. In the deep recesses of his mind, he thought they were missing a scent, but he closed the door on that thought. He would not indulge it.
XXX
Izuku imagined meeting Katsuki Bakugou again many times, but never like this. When he woke up that morning, he did not expect Kacchan to speak to his supervisor in order to grant him an extra hour before work. He knew nothing would get him out of it, so despite his protests, he followed the blond to the cafeteria’s patio and ordered a mocha with toast.
“Why are you doing this?” Izuku asked after the server had left, wanting to cut to the chase.
“Ouch, not even a, ‘How are you, Kacchan?’ from you? I apologized, I said I wanted to reconnect, and you just ghosted me.”
“I don’t owe you anything. I forgave you, but in case you forgot, I have a pup now, and I need to prioritize him.”
“That was way after—” Kacchan rubbed his face roughly and took a deep breath. “Listen, even though I’d work around your schedule, whatever. You don’t wanna talk with me? Fine. But Ei told me you’ve been shutting him out after you’d been so close to courting his ass, and that’s fucked up.”
Izuku looked at him incredulously. “Fucked up? I’m fucked up? You’re right, I did fall, and I fell hard. I even let my kid near him. Yet, despite all my confidence, he never even told me his real name!”
Izuku felt frustrated tears form in his eyes, he heard his voice break, but he continued. “Kacchan, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and was going to ask him directly the next time we met, but that time never came. That aside, I told him about my past, told him about you, and he still hid the fact that he was a hero from me, knowing how big a deal they are to me.”
Kacchan tensed his jaw and sipped at the water the server left on the table. “He didn’t want to lie…”
Izuku rolled his eyes and wiped his lashline to prevent tears from falling. “But he did.”
There was a beat while the server put their orders on the table. She asked if they needed anything else, and Izuku wished she would’ve taken the hint and left faster.
“He’s a good guy, Deku…at least listen to him one more time, okay? He’s real broken up over this, and it’s not completely his fault. I fucked up when he told me he’d been seeing an enigma. I didn’t know it was you.”
Part of Izuku wanted to bear his fangs, but he slumped his shoulders, instead. He felt so tired of being vigilant. He wanted someone he could trust and let his guard down with. Emerald eyes bore into the blond’s form, and he could tell he was speaking the truth. For his peace of mind, he decided to ask, “So this isn’t some weird prank? You two are not together either?”
Kacchan gave out a startled laugh. “No, you idiot! Ei’s too much of a romantic for that shit. He’d never mess with anyone like that. And for the second part, he’s like a brother to me, so you better not hurt ‘im.”
The pressure that had been tightly coiled around his heart, released just a smidge. “Okay.”
The blond only grunted in return, but Izuku knew he could tell that would be the end of their conversation.
“I’ll go say goodbye to him, but you should eat your breakfast first. I know you still skip meals for junk food when stressed.”
Izuku gave him a lopsided smile. “Will do, Great Murder God.”
“Ridiculous,” Kacchan muttered as he walked away, but the enigma could still see his crimson-tipped ears. “Just talk to that annoying dumbass, will ya?”
Izuku stared at the table while he munched on his toast. Maybe Katsuki was right, maybe he should hear Kirishima out.
But he didn’t, at least not for his first two rounds. In the first, Kirishima had been in physical therapy for his arm. In the second, the pain killers had to be administered, so the redhead would be out for another few hours. Even if they talked, the omega was bound to forget everything, so it wouldn’t be worth it.
After he clocked out and visiting hours ended, Izuku snuck back into Kirishima’s room. The man’s eyes were red-rimmed and his face still glistened from the tears.
“Are you in pain? What’s wrong?”
The omega quickly got tissues and wiped his face clean. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you…Or hear you out, at least.”
Kirishima pouted. “Why? You’ve been ignoring me so far, so why?”
Izuku kicked at the floor, suddenly feeling very ashamed. “I was hurt…I needed time to process. Surprisingly, it was Kacchan, who helped me gain some clarity.”
There was some rustling on the bed before Kirishima spoke again. “It hurt me too…but I understand now, why you reacted that way. Bakugou talked to me too.”
He paused, and Izuku could see him wringing his hands in his periphery.
“Can you please come closer and sit?”
Izuku nodded and made his way to the chair beside the bed, still not meeting those ruby-red eyes he’d cherished so much.
“Can you look at me? I can’t really apologize if you don’t.”
Izuku bit his lip but looked up at the beautiful man in front of him. Despite the chapped lips and tear-stained cheeks, he was still Ei. It took a conscious effort to keep his breathing steady.
“Izuku,” Kirishima started, bowing his head, “I’m sorry for keeping my job a secret. I only wanted to keep you and Hayate safe. Even if I didn’t know who was involved in your trauma, I still should’ve told you.” His voice cracked, but he continued, nonetheless. “I’ve wanted to tell you for the longest time, but it became so hard. It was just nice to be ‘Ei’. No appearances, no expectations, just us .”
The enigma felt a knot in his throat as he watched the redhead bare his thoughts. His tears returned, dripping warmly down his cheeks.
Kirishima looked up again, eyes blurred with his own tears. “I grew to love you both, and I just wanted a chance at a normal family. Once you told me you didn’t believe in heroes, I couldn’t get the words out; I didn’t want you to hate me, Izuku.”
Izuku let out a choked sob and shook his head. “I couldn’t. I couldn’t.”
“But you left me alone! I screwed up anyway!”
Shaking his head vehemently, Izuku said, “I thought you were playing a cruel joke on me, Kirishima…that you were making fun of me, and it hurt—” He felt a strong wave of emotion, so he rode it out. He couldn’t speak past the gasped sobs.
A warm hand fell on his, and Izuku held it like a lifeline. Like it would disappear if he let it go.
“Call me Ei. Please, call me Ei again.”
“E-Ei, it hurt because I…” Izuku took a deep breath, using his free hand to grab a tissue from the bedside table. “I love you too. We love you too. Hayate’s been asking nonstop for you; won’t even sleep well without your scent.”
The omega looked at him with such hope and fondness that all doubt was dispelled from Izuku’s mind. Ignoring the fact that they were both covered in snot and tears, Izuku stood, and put a hand to Eijirou’s cheek, caressing it with his thumb.
“Wha—”
Eijirou didn’t get to finish his thought, because unwilling to wait a moment longer, Izuku pressed their lips together. It was clumsy and a little desperate, but the two conveyed everything else through it. When they parted, Izuku bumped their foreheads together.
“I’m sorry; I’ve been a terrible person.”
Ei shook his head. “We both made mistakes, but now we can start making up for it.” Leaning up, he gave Izuku a quick peck on the lips. “Thank you for talking to me.”
“Thank you for giving me another chance.” Izuku giggled, feeling too relieved to mask it, and kissed him again. However, when he pulled back, Eijirou tangled his fingers in Izuku’s hair and kept him in place.
Warmth blossomed in his chest at the omega’s action. He relished in the happy, sweet scent of mahogany and coconut that filled the room and invaded his senses. He couldn’t help the groan that left his lips when Ei tightened the grip at his nape, but it was quickly followed by the omega’s whimper, when Izuku dug his fingers into the man’s thighs.
The sounds that followed were a little louder, and they grounded Izuku in place and time. Before it could get too heated, Izuku held Ei’s hand, and forced them to part. Had his enigma been awake, he wasn’t too sure he would’ve been able to. Eijirou was addicting, entrancing.
“Sorry,” Eijirou said with a lax smile through panting breaths. “Got a little carried away there.”
Izuku chuckled. “I did too.”
“Kissing you is better than I thought it would be. But, I do need to ask, what happened to your scent? It’s been dulled for a while now.”
“I had to take suppressants to be in your surgery. It’ll be a while until they’re out of my system.”
Ei pouted. “Not fair.”
Izuku looked at him fondly. “I’ll make sure you get a month’s worth of scenting after this.”
“You better,” Ei replied. “Before that, though, do you mind if I see Hayate again? I’ve missed the little guy too.”
“Yeah,” Izuku nodded. “I’ll bring him tomorrow.”
After looking at the time, Izuku realized he should get going. Placing a chaste kiss on Eijirou’s forehead, he said his goodbyes for the night.
From that day forward, Izuku would bring Hayate over with his new Red Riot hoodie to spend time with the omega either before or after his shift. The enigma wasted no time to begin his courting, so Hayate would hand him a gift almost every day. The three fit so well together, even Kacchan had said they looked like a family already. Izuku would court Ei the right way, but that was still nice to hear.
The day Ei was discharged, the world was thrown for a loop. All day, he received calls about his “secret mate and pup”. On the cover of every tabloid and newspaper, the Hero Red Riot was seen, walking out of the hospital, with a tall, muscular nurse and a dark-headed child. Much to Izuku’s delight, Ei didn’t deny a single one of those claims, instead boasting about how great the pictures came out. He really hoped that one day, that dream would become a reality.