Chapter Text
Katsuki is in the family den, grooming himself.
To his right is his older brother, Kazumi, watching him as he does every evening, wagging his tail from side to side, visibly happy to see him again.
To his left, his older sister, Akina, approaches him slowly, step by step, like a wolf walking on its toes.
She leans in to sniff him, just as she does several times a day. Katsuki is used to the feel of his sister's nose brushing against his blond fur.
A few meters away, their parents, the leaders of the pack, are gathered with the elders and hunters.
They whisper amongst themselves about something Katsuki cannot hear from where he is.
Not far from the leaders, other pack members stand guard.
They scan their surroundings, ready to respond to any threat. They act as protectors, watching over the King, the Queen, and their offspring against the lurking dangers.
Since the arrival of winter, the pack has been tense.
Game is migrating farther and farther from their territory, which means they will soon have to follow suit, pursuing prey into other lands.
A risky migration, as those lands are inhabited by other packs willing to defend their territory fiercely, even to the death.
Suddenly, wolf howls echo in the distance, immediately drawing the attention of the entire pack.
Some begin to growl, while others respond with howls to announce their presence and signal to a potential rival pack that they are ready to intervene if necessary.
Katsuki’s ears perk up, alerted.
He pauses his grooming, both fascinated and troubled by the howls. He thinks he recognizes a familiar sound.
Instinctively, he growls as he feels his brother and sister rubbing against him, dirtying his freshly groomed fur.
Katsuki hates it when his carefully maintained fur gets soiled.
Frustrated, he growls, baring his fangs in warning.
Understanding the message, Akina and Kazumi immediately stop, though their intent was merely to express affection.
Relieved, Katsuki sighs. Still, he no longer feels like continuing his grooming.
Irritated, he heads toward the den's entrance, seeking to escape the family cocoon that exasperates him.
But as his warm paws touch the icy snow, a shiver runs through him.
The frigid winter air, however, gives him a sense of freedom he cherishes.
Other pack members cast meaningful glances his way, silently advising him not to linger outside for too long.
But Katsuki doesn’t care.
Why should they tell him what to do?
He lives his life as he sees fit, and their opinions mean nothing to him.
He ventures out alone, ignoring their warnings.
But as he walks, a distant murmur catches his attention.
The sound is familiar.
“Kacchan.”
He stops abruptly.
That nickname—he knows exactly who uses it.
An imperceptible smile stretches across his muzzle as he murmurs in response:
“Deku.”
These unique murmurs, invented by the two of them, allow them to communicate without other wolves understanding.
Guided by the familiar scent of apples that fills the air, Katsuki quietly walks in its direction.
He ensures he isn’t being followed, taking advantage of the fact that the other wolves are distracted by the leaders' discussions.
However, crossing the forest means venturing into lands that do not belong to him.
This risk doesn’t scare him, even though he knows Deku’s pack fiercely defends its territory.
As he leaps over a rotting log, a sudden crack freezes him in place.
Alerted, he pricks his ears, ready to flee.
Suddenly, a wolf leaps at him, knocking him over violently.
“Kacchan, did I hurt you?”
Shaken, Katsuki slowly opens his eyes to see Deku, looking worried.
The alpha sniffs him from head to paw, making sure he’s unhurt.
Katsuki growls softly.
“I’m fine.”
Izuku, reassured, sits next to him, his tail happily thumping against the ground.
Katsuki, irritated, stands up and shakes out his fur.
But his companion, too impatient, begins rubbing against him, prompting another growl.
Unfazed, Deku reacts by tenderly licking the fur of his omega.
Katsuki growls in annoyance, but Izuku, undeterred, continues grooming him, savoring every moment spent by his side.
Eventually, the omega loses patience.
With a swift motion, he bites Deku’s left cheek hard enough to make the alpha yelp in pain.
“Ow, Kacchan!” protests Izuku, rubbing his sore cheek with a paw.
Katsuki ignores him entirely and starts walking away, preferring to explore the surroundings rather than endure any more of his companion’s affectionate assaults.
As he sniffs a bush, a strong scent captures his attention.
His twitching nose detects the smell of urine—a territorial mark.
The omega instinct kicks in immediately.
Katsuki crouches and urinates nearby, reclaiming the spot despite the clear presence of a previous mark.
Once done, he moves away slightly and lies down, watching Izuku out of the corner of his eye.
The alpha, curious, approaches to sniff the mark Katsuki left behind.
Satisfied, he turns toward the omega, his eyes sparkling.
Katsuki, understanding Deku’s intentions, lies on his side, lifting one paw slightly to allow the alpha to inspect him.
Izuku doesn’t hesitate.
He eagerly sniffs, savoring the sweet and familiar pheromones of his mate.
A soft scent of caramel mixed with sweeter notes fills the air.
However, another scent catches his attention—the unmistakable scent of pregnancy hormones emanating from Katsuki.
A broad smile lights up Deku’s face as he gently licks Katsuki’s rounded belly, causing the omega to squirm slightly under his companion’s attentions.
Irritated, Katsuki gets up and starts circling Deku, observing him from head to toe.
It’s been a while since he’s had the chance to take in the sight of his dark green fur, unruly curls, and deep green eyes.
Despite the constant annoyance Deku causes him, Katsuki can’t deny that he’s impressive.
With his strong build and powerful frame, Izuku is every bit the formidable alpha.
Yet, what Katsuki loves most are the small freckles on Deku’s cheeks.
They give him an innocent, irresistibly endearing look.
Caught in the act of staring, Katsuki quickly looks away, his cheeks flushing red.
Deku, proud of the effect he has on his companion, flashes a wide grin that reveals his brilliant fangs.
Amused, the alpha approaches slowly and places a tender kiss on Katsuki’s cheek.
“I love you, Kacchan,” Deku murmurs.
Katsuki growls softly but doesn’t push away the paw Izuku gently places on his own.
Encouraged, the alpha tilts his head and rests it delicately against Katsuki’s.
The latter, finally at ease, snuggles into Izuku’s warm chest, basking in the comforting heat he radiates.
Winter may be harsh, but against Deku, Katsuki feels invincible.
Their hearts beat in unison, warming the cold air around them.
Katsuki, his eyes half-closed, murmurs softly:
“Deku…”
“Yes, Kacchan?”
“I love you, you stupid furball.”
Those barely audible words are enough to make Deku smile.
He tightens his embrace around his companion, fulfilled by this sincere confession.
“I love you too, Kacchan.”
Silence settles around them, broken only by the soft rustling of the trees in the wind.
This moment of intimacy is precious.
Katsuki closes his eyes, lulled by the warmth and reassuring presence of his alpha.
Their hearts, now perfectly in sync, beat as one in this cold but peaceful forest.
Nothing and no one could break the love they share.