Archive of Our Own

When Katsuki presented, it was during the last month of eighth grade, which was almost perfect for the egotistical kid. It meant that he wasn’t too late in the race, but also that he had an entire four weeks to boast and be mean about his coveted second-gender.

A Prime Alpha, he was. One of the rarest species aside from Enigmas. Not to mention, he was the only one in his entire school, which did wonders getting to his head.

He needed nothing but to enter through the school gates to let everyone around him become aware of the change. Everyone within fifteen feet of him could smell the smoky scent of burnt caramel emitting from his glands, rich and deep and overwhelming to be around for too long.

“Wow, Kacchan! I didn’t know you could get any cooler!” Izuku gushed, standing next to the desk Katsuki was currently seated at like it was his throne. He was one of many that surrounded the Alpha, all wooed by Katsuki’s natural gifts. Katsuki was amazing in every aspect: he aced exams without effort, became the captain of the school’s basketball team in just his second year, was insanely loaded, and had the greatest odds of making it big one day as a pro-hero. Now, add his new status to the mix and the boy was completely unstoppable.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He suddenly snapped, head whipping round to glare daggers at the freckled boy, startling him. “Did you think I’d be anything less?!”

“N-no! I didn’t mean it like t-that! I-I j-just meant—”

Izuku was cut off by another student, who just needed to let the Alpha know that he was now another step closer to getting into U.A High. Katsuki merely grunted in acknowledgment as if the fact wasn’t already obvious, while Izuku bit his lip, trying to push away the hurt of being ignored and misunderstood— again.

But it was okay. Katsuki always treated him like that, ever since they’d met each other at preschool and bonded over their All Might obsession. He liked to believe that if the blonde really hated him, he wouldn’t let Izuku hang around him so often. Lunch, for instance. Izuku still sometimes sat at Katsuki’s table when allowed.

So, all was alright. He hoped.

By the next day, the high that came with Katsuki’s presenting finally settled down into something manageable. He was still being awed at — even by teachers, who had never seen such potential in such a common middle school like Aldera Junior High — but at least he wasn’t being swarmed by students like bees to honeycomb. It meant that Katsuki finally recognised Izuku’s presence, the kid having never left his side since the school day started.

“What’re you looking at, nerd? Admiring? You damn-well better be!”

Izuku laughed lightly but that only made Katsuki angry.

“What’s so funny, Deku?” Izuku faltered, smile fracturing minutely. “Laughing at a Prime Alpha?! Just wait ‘til you present, I bet you’ll be an Omega. So not only would you be quirkless, but you’d be at the bottom of the ranking! Then you’ll be an even bigger loser!” Katsuki cracked up to himself, pleased to hear a few snickers following after him from those eavesdropping on the pair. Izuku let out a mildly frustrated huff.

“I-I won’t be an Omega! Both my parents are Betas, so it’s nearly impossible, anyway,” he tried to explain but Katsuki’s smirk said he wasn’t going to hear it.

“Both your parents also have quirks, and look how you turned out. Quirk-less.” The last part was hissed like a slur, as if Izuku was suddenly some sub-species for being a part of the unfortunate twenty-percent without a genetic abnormality.

It should’ve hit worse than it did, Izuku silently knew that. But he’d heard it so much — from everyone, not just Katsuki — that the term had begun to lose its meaning. A good thing, wasn’t it?

“I’m not going to be an Omega…” the freckled boy mumbled at last, his final and only attempt at salvaging whatever pride he still had left. Katsuki had stopped listening to him seconds ago and turned to butt into whatever hot topic he’d overheard.

What made Izuku and Katsuki’s relationship so unique was a certain boy’s inability to hold a grudge for longer than five minutes. Sure, Izuku felt the hurt of being constantly ridiculed for days at a time, but that never really stopped him from bouncing back to Katsuki’s side at every given opportunity. There was something magnetic about the fiery blonde, Izuku would think to himself, but it all just came down to how much he admired Katsuki. He wanted to be just like him and better. He wanted to be fearless, powerful, and determined to a fault.

So, he would keep watching Katsuki, no matter how much he was pushed away. The boy was sure to open up to him one day, he hoped.

***

Spring break soon followed and, with it, the end of the school year. In the past, Izuku spent many of these breaks with Katsuki, going out every other day to mess around in the playground or have “adventures” through a small forest adjoined to the park. However, the older they got, the less frequent these became. Katsuki explained — well, yelled, really — that Izuku was boring and bothersome, unable to keep up with them without a quirk; he was useless, essentially.

The break passed exactly like that. Izuku spent most days in his room, replaying All Might videos, including — but not limited to — his Top 10 moments, his bestest fights with villains, and “100 Facts You Didn’t Know About All Might” (even though he knew all of them off by heart). It was around this time that his body began to change. Being so subtle, the boy didn’t notice anything until his mother was sniffing the air with surprising vigour at breakfast.

“What’s wrong?” Izuku asked, looking up from his rice omelette and tilting his head.

“Your scent, honey, it’s different…” Inko murmured, inhaling through her nose once again, pausing, before her face split into the widest grin Izuku had ever seen. He was even more confused, now. In less than a moment, she got out of her chair and pulled him to her chest, exclaiming excitedly, “You’re presenting, dear! Oh, finally! Finally!”

Izuku didn’t have time to process much while he was practically being manhandled by his mother, who was now uncontrollably rambling about how happy she was, how proud she was, and how she always knew he was going to be a Beta. Unsurprisingly, she was reduced to tears in mere seconds.

Almost like it was a placebo, Izuku also smelled the difference in the air. His naturally forest-y scent had turned a little sharper, now also mixed with the subtle hints of mud and pine. It was nothing overpowering, but it was pleasant.

Even more pleasing was the knowledge that he had been right. He was a Beta, not an Omega. Would Katsuki be happy? Y’know, since he wouldn’t be as useless as he would’ve been if he were an Omega?

A private smile crept up on Izuku’s face as he thought about finally being potentially accepted a little. At the same time, he mindlessly nodded along to whatever “celebration” his mother was insistent on having.

“Uh-huh, we’ll have a cake… sure…” he hummed along, thoughts elsewhere with a blonde boy with a bad temper.

***

When the new school year began, Izuku was nervous like he always was. But this time it was even more suffocating with the surprise he was currently holding as he walked into his homeroom class, perfectly early as usual. He didn’t need to scan the room to find Katsuki sitting on top of his desk, legs spread in a display of asserting dominance, which Izuku found laughable because his childhood best friend was always finding new ways to act like an adult. He was accompanied by his two lackeys, Goro, the one with long fingers, and Kariage, the one with raven hair.

But something was different today. Izuku felt it immediately, a cutting stare aimed right at his head like the red laser of a sniper. Katsuki was looking at him too intensely that for a moment Izuku thought he’d done something wrong, until he realised that was nearly impossible because he literally hadn’t done anything. So he forced the barest smile on his lips and approached him.

“Good morning, Kacchan! I hope you rested well over the break!”

He waited for a response, anything from an eye-roll to the rare normal response, however, nothing came. Instead, Katsuki continued to stare at him, almost as if lost in a trance. Even his two “friends” looked at him in confusion, waiting for him to give one of his snarky replies. The fragile smile on Izuku’s lips fell slowly, replaced by a frown of confusion.

He tilted his head slightly and asked slowly, “Uh… Kacchan…?”

Only then did Katsuki blink back into reality, acutely startled by his own actions. The scowl on his face rivalled that of an agitated beast.

“You’re a Beta,” he snarled like it was a personal offence, surprising even Izuku, who could only respond with a stammered excuse for an explanation.

“Y-yeah! I-I am! S-see, not an omega! A-aren’t you— y-you’re not— happy…?” Only as the words left the freckled boy’s lips did he understand how silly he sounded. Katsuki, “happy” for a lowly Beta? Who had Izuku been kidding? Being a Beta only saved him from the ridicule he would’ve faced had been the lowest tier, omega; it didn’t mean anything about praise or delight.

Katsuki scoffed so loudly the sound made Izuku wince.

“Did you hit your fucking head during Spring break or something, Deku? But yeah, I guess I am happy to see you’re still worthless.” Goro and Kariage laughed maniacally while he continued to look at Izuku like a stain on a new pair of white shoes. Katsuki couldn’t believe the quirkless freak thought his secondary gender was some sight to marvel at, like it would suddenly make him think better of him.

Pathetic.

“Y-you can’t say that…” Izuku whispered, eyes focused on the floor because he couldn’t bring himself to see whatever cruel emotion Katsuki was looking at him with. His body suddenly felt colder. Maybe the temperature in the room had dropped.

Katsuki also felt it. He smelled it as well, the subtle shift coming from Izuku, like wet earth and geosmin, almost sour. Wrinkling his nose, Katsuki realised he had upset the quirkless kid, which was shocking in and of itself. He had never been so attuned to someone else’s emotions, especially a Beta’s, since they barely gave off a noticeable scent.

The astoundment of it was enough to make him look away. He didn’t feel like picking on Izuku anymore.

Just then, the bell rang. Izuku was grateful and quickly left to find his seat, somewhere close to Katsuki— because, despite everything, he could never find it in himself to stay too far away.

Katsuki Bakugo was disconcerted and it felt worse than any of the leg cramps he got after training in his garden for several hours straight. He kept tapping his pen against his desk in an effort to stay focused on whatever the Math teacher was rambling about, factorisation or something he already knew. His senses were on high alert, specifically for a certain green-haired nobody. Izuku’s scent had gone back to normal — thank god — and his breathing didn’t sound uneven, but he was whispering nonsense under his breath, incomplete words that meant Katsuki couldn’t decipher what they were.

That muttering usually pissed him off but, in some way, now it didn’t. It signified that the Beta was alright. However, even that was infuriating. Why did Katsuki even care if quirkless Deku was okay?! What was so special about him today that he couldn’t seem to get his mind off him, that his senses were about to go into overdrive at how confusing this all was?

Eventually, he blamed it on the Spring pollen. He didn’t have hay fever, though.

When lunchtime finally came, Katsuki was famished and hurriedly made his way to the cafeteria, pushing past everyone to make it to the front of the line. Almost no one dared to question him and the ones that did received a sharp-toothed snarl low enough to vibrate through their bodies, leaving them whimpering and on the verge of wetting their pants. Served that day was typical, white steamed rice, soup, meat dumplings, a mix of tofu and pork and vegetables, and finally a carton of milk.

Katsuki greedily took his meal and sat at his table, the one he’d chosen in first year and the one everyone knew to avoid. Halfway through, he was joined by Goro and Kariage. As much as he didn’t like talking to people who were below him, those two were the only boys he could stand, mostly because they basically worshipped him, which he’d never say no to.

A while later, though, he caught the scent of something he shouldn’t, something that should have been indistinct in such a crowded space, something that should have disgusted him rather than make him feel all weird inside. He caught Izuku’s eyes as the boy was heading towards his table, all bright smiles and soft cheeks.

“Uh— can I join you guys?” He asked, his eyes wide and expectant like a puppy’s. It made Katsuki clench his chopsticks tighter. Why did he have to look like— like— that?!

For a moment, he had all the mind to refuse, leave Izuku dejected and feeling worthless like he always did. But that just didn’t seem satisfying. Just then, he caught Goro as he was about to open his mouth — probably to say something nasty, he knew that long-fingered fucker — and it filled him with deep-seated anger. No one else got to tell Deku what to do, no one except Katsuki. Insulting him, making him feel inferior, being the reason he stayed small, that all belonged to Katsuki.

“Do whatever, nerd.” He kissed his teeth and tried not to be affected by Izuku beaming and joining the table at the seat right across from him.

Barely a few minutes passed before Katsuki was regretting having ever let his Beta near him. He was being tormented. That’s the right word. Because the only thing he could sense, see, hear, and smell was one green-haired, dopey kid with a severe muttering issue.

“Oh! And did you see how All Might saved that lady from the evil demon villain? Yikes! Its horns were crazy huge!” Izuku spouted happily, eyes going glassy with awe every other moment. He was completely oblivious to what he was doing to Katsuki, which was what the blonde found even more infuriating. He grit his teeth hard, jaw clenching.

“Of course, I saw it. I see everything All Might does because I’m his number one fan,” he snapped back, but with no other snide remark. Izuku was unfazed and merely resumed his fanboying.

As lunchtime came to an end, Katsuki stood up to put his empty tray away and get the hell away from the infuriating nuisance that Izuku was. He barely made it a few steps before the need to see what the Beta was doing grew too strong. To his — horrifying — relief, Izuku was gulping down the remnants of his rice and scrambling to get up and follow after him.

Good, he thought.

***

The final bell couldn’t have rung any later. Izuku was one of the first to pack up and begin walking out of class, a habit he had picked up over the years for no reason other than there being no point wasting time taking long. He didn’t forget to say bye to Katsuki as he left. He never did. Meanwhile, Katsuki wondered why the hell the nerd was racing to get home so quickly and tried to convince himself that he wasn’t speeding up to keep Izuku within scent-range.

Izuku both felt and smelled the Alpha as he changed his shoes at the getabako. And to say Katsuki wasn’t mortified at being caught when the freckled boy finally turned around would be an understatement. The two of them locked eyes and he visibly shivered. Izuku’s eyes were unfairly pretty, big and saturated like emeralds— Katsuki wondered why he hadn’t noticed them before.

“Oh, Kacchan, you’re still here!”

“Where else am I supposed to be, idiot?” Katsuki snapped, turning to pull on his own shoes so that he could have an excuse to look anywhere that wasn’t Izuku.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that!” Izuku explained, huffing quietly— why did Kacchan always have to take what he said the wrong way? “I just meant you usually stay with Goro and Kariage at this time, to mess around and stuff. And…”

He paused, biting his lip. Katsuki watched him for a moment as his mouth worked to form words, but still nothing came out, and Katsuki hated not knowing what he was about to say.

“And what? Spill, Deku!”

“I-it’s nothing—”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I was going to say you usually hate walking home with me!” Izuku finally confessed, slightly frazzled by his own honesty. He never admitted stuff like that, especially to Katsuki— who probably didn’t even care now that he thought about it. He just embarrassed himself again. Great. He should’ve just kept his mouth shut and left when he could. But he couldn’t help thinking back to their first year of middle school, when he had tried for months to find excuses to walk home with Katsuki — their houses were close — just to be shunned away every time because he “talked too much”, or “was quirkless”, or was going to make Katsuki look bad if he kept letting a loser hang out with him. So, by their second year, Izuku had mostly stopped being where he wasn’t welcome and instead learned to find joy in the prospect of listening to music on his way home or simply letting himself get lost in thoughts about heroes.

There was a moment of silence between them, like a pause in time, when in reality other students were beginning to flood the genkan.

“Yeah, I hate it.” Katsuki started, voice flat and indifferent.

Izuku internally winced. The words stung. He should’ve expected it.

“But we’re here anyway, aren’t we? Might as well get going,” Katsuki added as he began walking to the exit, looking back at Izuku with an almost expectant look. The freckled boy had never seen such a look, like Katsuki might actually want him around. Why? What had changed? For a moment, he thought it might be too good to be true, like there was a catch, but the Alpha looked like he was getting more irritated by the second standing there without a response. “Well?”

At that, Izuku’s feet started moving on their own until he and Katsuki were leaving through the school gates, heading towards home.

It was awkward at first, mostly because Izuku was silent. He didn’t know what to say, after all. Katsuki had just admitted — again — he hated the constant chatter.

“Suddenly gone mute, have you, Deku?”

Izuku startled, again.

“W-well, n-no, I just don’t know what to s-say—”

“Bullshit. There’s probably some new pro-hero you’ve written about in that stupid little book of yours.”

Izuku couldn’t help but be slightly offended.

“I-it’s not stupid— b-but you’re right… there is that new water-wielding hero at Endeavour’s agency. I suppose it’s because he finally realised how much collateral damage his flames can create sometimes, especially after that building caught fire the other week and so, not only did he have to fight the villain, he had to simultaneously save those people—”

And there he goes at it again, Katsuki thought as he listened wordlessly to the new topic of Izuku’s rambling. Yeah, it was still annoying, but not as much as he thought it would be. Maybe it was Izuku’s scent, that calming smell of geosmin, like sun rays shining through foliage after a period of rain. He didn’t know what it was, but something inside him was very aware of what it wanted, which was to be as close to this green-haired boy as possible.

When the fork in the path came where the two were to separate, Katsuki felt an inexplicable reluctance tug inside him. He suddenly felt like a child whose favourite toy was being taken away. Nevertheless, he crushed all of those feelings before they could have a chance to make him do something stupid. Izuku wasn’t his, didn’t belong to him, and nor did he particularly like him, so all of this — this impulsive, heightened reaction to the unchanged stimuli that was Izuku — was absurd and unnecessary.

“Well, I’ll be heading this way, Kacchan! It was nice talking to you! Maybe we can do this again? See you tomorrow!” Izuku bounced away as the last of his words echoed in Katsuki’s head and he was hit with an aroma akin to blooming flowers in early Spring. He felt the sudden urge to blast anyone who also smelled it in the face.

***

The next day arrived unwantedly. Katsuki had basically had a whole night to reflect on his actions in the day and came to the vulgar realisation that he had been uncharacteristically nice— to Deku of all people. That plain-looking, good-for-nothing, quirkless Beta. The mere thought was enough to have him stomping into school in a foul mood that even Kariage and Goro were wary of.

“You good, bro?” Kariage asked, glancing towards Goro as if to ask “what’s up with him?” Goro simply shrugged and they both turned to look at the friend they admired so much. Katsuki was known to have a bad attitude but even this was a bit much.

“Fucking great,” he eventually ground out, thanking everything that Izuku wasn’t here already or else things might’ve escalated in ways he wasn’t ready to think about. His friends decided not to push further and instead switched subjects in hopes of making the atmosphere less tense.

It was to their utter displeasure that a certain green-haired someone chose that exact moment to walk into the room. But Katsuki didn’t need a voice to signal that, it was the mere intoxicating scent of forests that had his head snapping around, crimson eyes latching onto his target like they refused to ever leave after this. God, why did he look so— so edible? Those round cheeks, still carrying unshed baby fat, that wacky hair that had managed to grow on him in a matter of a day, those freckles like kisses of sunlight, that smile.

Katsuki wanted it. He wanted it all.

He needed it.

He was going to crush it.

“Kacchan! Good morning—!” Izuku began as he slid up beside Katsuki, all cheer and charm. Since yesterday, he couldn’t stop thinking about how different Katsuki had been, going as far as to not tell him to shut up even once on their walk home. Even the boy’s scent had been pleasant, albeit slightly overpowering. Izuku had always had a sweet tooth, so the smell of caramel had naturally attracted him to Katsuki even when they were kids and their scents weren’t so defined yet.

“Shut up, Deku! It’s eight in the fucking morning! Could you be any more of a headache?!” Katsuki bellowed, eyes flashing cold with warning. Izuku faltered so fast it made something twist in the blonde’s chest.

“W-wha… I-I just… I was just…” Izuku grasped for words but he had no response to this unexpected attitude. What about yesterday…? What had that all been about? He couldn’t figure it out and he knew he probably never would. The resentment in Katsuki’s eyes wasn’t false, after all. It was as real as the sharp, pungent smell of caramel going off. Here, in this world where biology dictated almost everything, emotions couldn’t be faked. Katsuki didn’t like him— he didn’t know what he’d done between yesterday and today, but that fact was clear.

“And stop doing that!” Katsuki growled, so completely vexed that it freaked out other students in the class. Izuku’s scent had gone bitter, like biting down on leaves, leaving a bad taste in the blonde’s mouth. He didn’t want that. He didn’t want Izuku to be sad because it made him feel like a horrible Alpha, like he was defying natural law. Was he going crazy? Why was he the only person in the damn room who seemed to be affected?’

Izuku almost whimpered, eyes squeezed shut as his senses were affronted by a malodorous smell. Other classmates were also beginning to mutter and complain quietly.

Their homeroom teacher walked in at that moment, a beta male whose scowl gave away that he was seriously cross.

“Bakugo! Either you sort out your emotions or you take yourself down to the nurse’s office for scent blockers! Your classmates cannot work in such an environment!” He had to cover his nose, which Katsuki only scoffed at, giving Izuku one last aggravated look before turning around and storming out of the classroom. He wasn’t stupid. He knew that so long as that green-haired boy was within scent-range, smelling all disheartened and small, that he was not going to “calm down”— better to just get the scent blockers and be done with it.

Izuku watched him go with a heavy heart, feeling like it was somehow all his fault. It was only the second day of the new school year and so much had already happened. Once Katsuki was out of sight, the eyes in the room shifted to him, as if they, too, blamed him. It made him feel worse than he already did. Maybe he should just stop, like Katsuki had said, even if he didn’t know what he meant by that exactly. He should stop being such a nuisance, following Katsuki everywhere, making him so angry. That was… doable. Instead, he could just watch the Alpha from the sidelines, admire him in silence, root for him without making his encouragement known. It would be hard, and it would suck, but it was the only compromise he could make that would keep the two childhood friends fulfilled.

He liked Katsuki. Always would.

Maybe this was for the best.

So, how did Katsuki react when Izuku didn’t approach his table at lunchtime, rather, choosing to sit alone somewhere far, head down, expression neutral, his notebook on heroes opened next to him? He felt horrible. Everything inside him screamed to pick the Beta up by the scruff of his collar and drag him to sit across from him— next to him— on top of him— fuck! Sit anywhere that wasn’t so far away. As a Prime Alpha, his sense of smell was strong, but it still wasn’t precise enough to catch the scent of forests and mud over the layers of so many other students’ more potent ones.

Katsuki mulled over it for the next half hour, his lackeys sharing looks of concern every few minutes, watching how their once unfazed classmate was now staring daggers at the quirkless Beta on the other side of the room. They made no comment. Couldn’t, even if they wanted to. Despite his scent blockers — that should’ve really been called scent dampers since they didn’t work all that great — they smelled the ire burning off him in fumes.

When Izuku finally got up to put his tray away and leave, Katsuki shot up as well, timing himself so that he stayed several metres away, but close enough to catch his green scent. Goro and Kariage followed after in silence.

Katsuki never actually knew what Izuku did when he wasn’t around him, so to watch the boy walk through the hallway and out of the building, round a corner towards a bench tucked against the wall was a bit surprising. Izuku pulled out his hero analysis notebook and turned to the page he was working on, a bug hero. Katsuki peered around the corner, simply staring, breathing a little too heavily for someone that hadn’t physically exerted himself. From here, Izuku’s profile view was most visible, eyes slightly shadowed by those unruly curls that Katsuki suddenly felt the urge to push away. They’d probably feel soft. Like his cheeks. Katsuki knew those had to be soft, otherwise his whole life would be a lie.

And so, he just stayed there. When Goro and Kariage tried to talk, he shot them a look so fierce they stumbled back a few steps. And when Izuku looked up and around, confused, believing he’d heard something, Katsuki pulled his head back so quickly he almost sprained his neck.

God, that way too close. But that didn’t stop him from peeking around again and resuming his staring session.

From the perspective of an outsider, the scene was comical and creepy as fuck. A small unknowing beta boy being stared at by crimson eyes belonging to a fierce Prime Alpha whose instincts were screaming to do insane things.

Goro and Kariage could only be concerned in silence. Whatever was happening to their group leader… they could only hope it was some sort of phase, some biological bullshit that would end soon.

Stalker Katsuki… the name didn’t have a particular ring to it.

As the lunch hour came to a finish, Katsuki finally seemed to snap back to his senses, largely because Izuku was getting up and he realised he could not be caught in this compromising — not to mention humiliating — position. So, he stormed away in a typical Katsuki fashion, shoes hitting the ground with such force that the impacts vibrated through him.

But the same thing happened after school. Izuku left as quickly as usual, trying to shove down the yearning for the chance to walk and talk with Katsuki again. It was enough to create a lump in his throat. It was fine, though. He’d done this a thousand times before, a few hundred more wouldn’t hurt.

Katsuki didn’t pay heed to his lackeys calling after him as he rushed out of class, using the scent-trail Izuku was leaving behind to stay in pursuit of him. Even if that meat shoving innocent bystanders out of the way, all of whom couldn’t stay irritated for too long because Katsuki’s senseless behaviour — that of an animal searching for oxygen in the ocean — left them beyond belief.

Once out of the school, the crowds of students had dispersed significantly and Katsuki could catch sight of viridian curls. Only then did he attempt to appear disinterested and normal — well, as much as a seemingly wild Alpha could — by slowing down and keeping a conscious ten or so feet behind Izuku, close enough to satisfy his own craving to be near, but far enough that the beta boy’s weak sense of smell couldn’t catch onto him. It helped that Katsuki still wore his scent blockers.

For a few minutes, that was enough. But his urges grew with every step he took forward because he couldn’t be nearer despite how much it felt like he was chasing Izuku. His body buzzed with the desire to reach out and grab him and never let go— and he almost did so, fingers outstretched, heart banging against his ribs, until he forced sense into himself and retracted the traitorous hand.

And the same thing happened the next day. Goro and Kariage watched the Prime Alpha like he was someone entirely unknown the moment Izuku would walk into the classroom during homeroom. Katsuki would be laughing about some video game he absolutely smashed the night before until Izuku’s scent invaded his nostrils and he was suddenly gripping the table to prevent himself from turning around and making an even bigger fool of himself.

He needed the distance. The distance provided the space to (albeit futilely) analyse his feelings for the quirkless boy and understand what hormonal atrocity was occurring to make him crave rolling around in a spring forest. Who knew what would happen if that distance suddenly vanished.

***

That distance became near-void in the boys’ changing room at the start of period three. The space was suffocating, packed full of hormonal teenagers, half of whom had already presented and were in no rush to learn to control their emotions, so pheromones swirled in abundance in the air. Izuku had tucked himself into a corner, stripping efficiently and keeping his eyes on the floor.

Another person, however, probably could have benefited from doing the same. Katsuki paid less attention to his shirt buttons than to the way Izuku’s shirt was slipping off his shoulders, exposing pale skin and leaving behind a small, lanky frame. Izuku pulled on his sports shirt after, and Katsuki watched as the tempting skin was hidden once again.

“Dude, you’ve been looking at him since we got here…” Kariage whispered, snapping Katsuki out of his trance.

And Katsuki could have been embarrassed at being caught, but that was the least of his issues in that moment. Because if Kariage knew where Katsuki was looking then that meant his eyes had also gone there. And why the fuck was Kariage staring? At Deku?

A deep growl rumbled low in his throat and his instincts warred with him at whether he should grab Kariage by the throat or pull Izuku against him so that no other fucker could sneak a glance at him again. Ever since he’d come to the unfortunate realisation that the quirkless kid wasn’t half-bad looking — not that he was going to ever admit that Izuku was, in reality, ethereal beyond description — he’d wanted to covet that beauty with biblical levels of greed. So, to know that fantasy had been disturbed set the Alpha within him raging.

With cautious speed, Katsuki turned to face Kariage, pinning him with fire and ire hot enough to make him jump back in fright.

“W-what— w-why’re you looking at me l-like that—?!” Kariage stuttered, hands raised in defence.

“Look at him again and I’ll blast your eyes from their sockets.” Sparks flickered in Katsuki’s palms and Kariage almost yelped, stepping back a step and flapping his arms. At this point, those scent blockers might as well have not been there since they were utterly useless at dimming the sour scent of smoke and caramel.

“I-I won’t— I-I swear— he’s yours—!”

Those words— Izuku being his— Kariage couldn’t have picked better ones. It was like feeding a pound of meat to a famished beast, calming it momentarily. Katsuki felt his Alpha quieten but not before throwing one final glare at Kariage that promised every word of his threat.

Turning away, he was partially glad to see that Izuku had fully dressed into the school’s obnoxiously bright blue sports kit. He looked like a loser, which meant the people’s indifference. And Katsuki wanted to be the only person who gave a single thought about Izuku; no one else could have him, not even in their minds.

“Right, welcome back, boys! I hope you’re all ready for what physical ed has in store this year! To go over the rules once again, no quirk use. We train your bodies here, not your quirks! Next, remember all games and competitions we’ll do are friendly, so keep your emotions at bay— we don’t need a pheromone fest every lesson.” Outside on the school yard, the gym teacher started with his usual start-of-year speech, earning a few snickers from students, who found his austerity absolutely hilarious. Izuku appreciated the rules, despite very few heeding. It was the thought that counted.

Katsuki barely heard anything. He was more occupied by Izuku’s side profile, that faint smile on pink-ish lips. Of course those rules make him happy, he thought, a quirkless Beta only benefits. But as much as it pissed him off, he didn’t make a snarky comment— a noticeable difference that Goro and Kariage caught onto like flies to a web. They could not fathom what the great Prime Alpha Katsuki Bakugo was turning into and, as much as they wanted to fight for his old self back, they knew to keep their mouths zipped and eyes averted if they wanted their bodies or reputations to remain as they were.

The gym coach then began explaining the lesson’s structure, a light lesson since it was their first. “Your first task will be a warm-up task to get your blood pumping until the main task. Mirror warm-ups! In pairs, you’ll go back and forth completing a set of exercises, mirroring your partner. The types of movements will be up to you—” Friends smirked at each other, clearly excited for an activity they could exploit. “—The pairs, I’ll be choosing!” A collective groan sounded from thirty or so boys, followed by an explosion of acidic scents.

Izuku felt — again — very fortunate. It sucked always being the last to get a partner (usually another alienated kid) so having Coach pick put the pressure off his shoulders. As the pairing began, he secretly hoped he’d be placed with Katsuki— because why not? He admired him too much to not cling to every chance that they may get to interact, even if it was reluctantly.

“Goro and Izuku. You two will be a pair.”

Izuku tried not to deflate so visibly but it failed. He didn’t want to possibly upset his partner by looking so uneager to be with him, since he knew full-well how it felt to be unwanted. Walking to Goro, he spotted a look of sheer terror on his face, followed by the faint scent of something burning badly— familiar.

“Goro? What’s wrong?” Izuku asked, completely oblivious to the vicious and vexed Prime Alpha standing behind him, whose demeanour bordered between that of a spoiled child and a wild beast. Goro shook his head furiously and backed up.

“I-I don’t wanna be your partner!” He hissed, quiet enough so Coach couldn’t hear and wonder what the fuss was about. Izuku frowned. To be honest, the words wounded him. He knew he was unfavourable in many aspects but he didn’t expect such a ferocious reaction.

“B-but then who will be?” Izuku asked quietly, forcing the hurt out of his voice in case he was mocked for it. Katsuki caught it instantly and it tugged at his chest hard enough to be uncomfortable. He stepped forward.

“Me.”

Izuku whirled around, eyes wide, lips parted as if he wanted to say something. Katsuki scoffed but didn’t look away, which was his usual reflex in times of overwhelming nervousness. Why does Deku look so cute?

“Kacchan…”

“Don’t go getting any ideas,” he made sure to add, “No one wants your ass so I’ve decided to partake in charity.” As much as the words were supposed to sting, they instead bounced off Izuku like rubber arrows, who was quickly realising what this all meant— that his hope for Katsuki to be his partner actually came true! His excitement exploded out of him like a public announcement, like a forest in full bloom, hints of berries seeping through.

It was intoxicating. Katsuki felt breathless, pupils dilating, pulse throbbing in a hectic rhythm until his body felt like it was on fire. He took a step forward, unable to stop himself.

Big mistake.

The closer he got, the more potent Izuku’s pheromones became, the clearer his features became, the stronger the desire got to— to take, to own— to cherish, to just have so no one else could.

He couldn’t stop the distance from closing, nor the trance-like way his crimson eyes locked onto Izuku like he was salvation in a room of sin. Izuku noticed, sobering slightly. By the time Katsuki was within arms’ length, curiosity had given way to apprehension. There was something unforgiving written in Katsuki’s eyes, like, if he got what he wanted, he’d never let go under any circumstances. If only he knew what it was and why he felt as if Katsuki must not get his hands on whatever it was he so ardently desired.

“Kacchan…?” He murmured. They were now only inches apart. Katsuki’s breathing had gone ragged and it was evident by the way his hands shook ever-so-slightly that he was hanging on by a sliver of control. Izuku feared what would happen if said control snapped.

“You smell… so… so mine…” Katsuki rasped, leaning down, breath hot against the shell of Izuku’s ear. The Beta shivered hard. Katsuki’s body responded like it had been set alight, as if his quirk had been lit up inside him in miniature bursts. He inhaled deeply, feeling the concentrated mixture of mud and woodland settle low in his chest and soothe the Alpha within.

It wasn’t enough, though. When would it ever be?

Following his exhale — eliciting a hushed yelp from Izuku, who wasn’t used to the intimate warmth — Katsuki’s hand rose from his side, grazing the back of Izuku’s neck. The touch was eclectic, a spark bright enough to almost blind him. And he would have been— he would have put all rational thought aside and ravished this beta boy in all the ways only a Prime Alpha could do to their mate— but Coach’s voice sliced through his mind like a sharp ache. His hand dropped and he pulled away fast, staggering back, reclaiming the distance that was the only thing keeping him sane.

“Bakugo! I said find your spaces!”

The voice rang like it was coming from a foreign land. Meanwhile, Katsuki was still breathing like he had swam a mile, emerging unsuccessful in the race he hadn’t even known he was a part of, chest rising and falling too noticeably. He stared at Izuku like he was to blame for whatever the hell just happened. Disbelief and outrage painted his face, spotting his cheeks in a pale shade of red. He looked like he wanted to say a slur.

Izuku stared back in equal parts shock and wonderment. Why had Katsuki done that? Been so close? Said that? Why was his heart beating like crazy?! He couldn’t understand any of it and it was starting to perturb him greatly.

However, the universe wasn’t in favour of the two boys dissecting the tension between them. Instead, their teacher then personally approached them to talk their ear off about their refusal to listen to instructions on their first lesson back.

By the time he was finished, Katsuki had regained his composure, mostly thanks to the distance he put between himself and Izuku. His heart was still beating a little too fast and Izuku’s scent still clung to his nostrils like pollen, but at least it wasn’t driving him over the edge like it had minutes ago.

“Now, like I said, stand about seven or so metres apart and begin the warm up,” Coach shouted. Katsuki obeyed, taking his space in an open area of the yard, watching Izuku follow through his peripheral vision.

It was awkward, to say the least. Katsuki wouldn’t look at him. Izuku wanted him to. Kind of. Sorta. Truthfully, he didn’t know what he wanted.

So, they spent the rest of the P.E lesson like that, eyes perpetually dancing around in hopes of catching glimpses of the other without being caught— though, caught, they were… multiple times.

At one point, after meeting Izuku’s eye for the fifth time, Katsuki bared his teeth at him, scaring him enough to make him flinch and look away. Whatever had transpired couldn’t happen again, even if he wanted it to. He had a fucking reputation, after all! Imagine the humiliation if he had done something irreversible like scent Izuku or mark him! Everyone would know. They’d talk. They’d use that quirkless loser in the same sentence as him— possibly think Katsuki must be as big of a loser to be involved with him.

The thought made bile rise into his throat.

He would never let himself stoop so low, not for someone like Deku, and especially not because of some hormonal shit that would probably clear up in a few weeks once his body adjusted to Deku as a newly presented Beta. He needed to repeat the mantra in head: stay away, maintain distance.

That, he did. In the worst ways possible.

P.E soon concluded and the boys were ushered back into the changing rooms. To Katsuki, that only meant one thing, that Deku would be half-naked and other extras would be looking at him. All those reservations he’d made during the lesson vanished in a puff of smoke and he spent ten minutes scanning the room, growling at anyone who so much as dared to look in Izuku’s direction. The message spread like an electrical current, immediate, receiving shocked reactions.

Everyone listened, of course. No one wanted to be at the receiving end of Katsuki’s wrath, that quirk that was only awesome when not used to blow them up. They shuffled away from Izuku, trading looking at Katsuki or Izuku for whispering amongst each other.

The occasional snicker erupted amongst them and Katsuki felt the sound like a dagger to the gut. What the fuck was he doing?! But he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t. If he did, his Alpha would howl as if wounded and the gnawing, gaping feeling in his chest would cease to subside.

He felt sick. People were staring again now at him. He wanted to pulverise them.

To his relief, Izuku left the room in quiet obliviousness, eyes cast on the floor, deep in thought it seemed.

Izuku was glad he and Katsuki got to be partners, even if it was only for a fifteen minute activity. Currently, he was walking to English class, desperately reciting the names of all of All Might’s attacks in a dire attempt to stop his mind drifting back to that moment at the start of P.E. Katsuki had been so close, so warm. He’d smelled so good, though Izuku knew he’d been spared from the full fury of his pheromones thanks to those blockers— though he also wondered how someone as proud as Kacchan would let himself need intervention to “control” himself.

As he shuffled through conglomerations of kids, he was blindsided to the knowledge that a Pomeranian-like Prime Alpha was following in his wake, eyes locked onto the back of his skull as if trying to break through. He was unaware of the same eyes that stayed behind him during the days’ classes, the ones that followed him between them, the ones that only looked away to make sure others weren’t doing the same, or to snap a retort at any and all teachers and students.

To think this was all transpiring in the first week of their final year in middle school. By Friday, rumours had spread like wildfire, born from the heat exchanged between two people and the fact that the most indifferent kid in the entire school just found something else as worthy of obsession as heroism.

“He follows him everywhere,” someone whispered.

A few chuckled in response.

“Not even, he’s always growling. You’d think they were mates.”

Katsuki wasn’t stupid. He knew what people were saying. He sat in his Biology class, hyperaware of this and of Izuku, who was one space ahead of him and to the left.

It didn’t help that it was their period five lesson on Friday, which only meant one thing to Katsuki: he wouldn’t see Izuku during the weekend. Two whole days. Without him. In only five days, this school had become his playground and Izuku his most desired equipment.

It was unfair. Why couldn’t he have Izuku at all times? Not like he was asking for too much, right?

Huffing quietly beneath his breath, Katsuki breathed in another cloud of Izuku’s pheromones, allowing it to calm him down a little.

Once their teacher wrapped up the last few notes they needed and reminded them of homework, it was finally home-time. Katsuki stood up the same moment Izuku did, shoving books and pens into his bag (he would tidy it up later) until his teacher caught his ear.

“And Bakugo, a word with you?” Ms Yuzuki was an Alpha with a kind yet knowing complexion, downturned hazel eyes and a small smile. It aided that she was in her mid-forties and had a knack for helping her students outside of academia.

Katsuki ignored all of this and couldn’t be more frustrated by her horrible timing. He didn’t bother waiting for the other kids to leave before stomping up to her desk and glaring up at her.

“What?”

Ms Yuzuki simply smiled at his ferocity, her response quiet so that others couldn’t eavesdrop.

“It seems the rumours are true, then.”

Katsuki was visibly stunned, head reeling back, eyes blinking rapidly.

“W-what?!”

“You haven’t been very subtle about it, kid. It takes a lot for student shenanigans to reach us staff. Normally, we don’t try to pry, however your recent behaviour this week has garnered the need for intervention.” Ms Yuzuki spoke solemnly and Katsuki would have just pushed past the humiliation in hopes of getting this conversation over quickly, but he was astounded by the smirk playing on his teacher’s lips. As if she found this funny.

If only he could blast her in the face. But then he could kiss his dream of becoming a hero goodbye.

Just then, she laughed, and he knew exactly why. It was due to his increasingly reddening face, the heat flaring most at the tips of his ears.

“Look, Bakugo. Just tone it down a bit, otherwise you’ll scare Midoriya. The boy always looks like he’ll shatter at the wrong look.” The teacher shook her head and sighed before adding, as if slightly concerned, “Don’t you know Prime Alphas are supposed to take care of their mates?”

But Katsuki didn’t take that well. He exploded!

“Mate?! You think that quirkless, good-for-nothing, beta nerd is my mate?!” The indignation in his voice rang clear throughout the now empty classroom, though everyone in the hallways probably heard, so the number of occupants in the room didn’t matter all that much. Ms Yuzuki frowned hard; disrespect like that wouldn’t go unpenalised.

“Raise your voice at me again and it’ll be a detention!”

Katsuki clamped his mouth shut immediately. Not because he actually cared about staying behind for twenty or so minutes, but because his mind had done the speedy mental maths and all calculations pointed to one outcome: no stalking Izuku during that time. Though ‘stalking’ wasn’t the word he preferred, but rather ‘analyse’.

Ms Yuzuki stared at him for a moment and then continued. “You say Midoriya is not your mate and yet your actions scream otherwise. Listen to your body, Bakugo.” She spoke like a mother hen, which ticked Katsuki off some more. “You can go now, that’s all.”

He left without another word. He was furious, after all. These precious moments after school were supposed to be spent keeping watch over Izuku. Y’know… to make sure no one else bullied him except the great Bakugo. Yeah, that was the excuse he told himself, while a voice floated from his chest, whispering that the reality was in fact merely that it calmed his nerves to know Izuku was safe.

At home, his foul mood was immediately sniffed out by his mother. Mitsuki was an Alpha and had been overjoyed at her son’s presentation as a Prime Alpha but had also grown cautious ever since in that maternal way only a mother could be.

“Finally home, brat? What’s got you stinking up the place?” She paused in the middle of chopping up onions, placing a hand at her hip and staring directly at her son. Katsuki made a dismissive sound, which, of course, made Mitsuki just try harder. “C’mon, you’ve been coming home cranky this whole week, you can’t expect me not to ask.”

But Katsuki didn’t need another adult on his case, so he just growled out something that only a mother would understand after having raised him for nearly fourteen years.

“Mind your business, hag.”

Without batting an eye, Mitsuki yelled, “Honey, our brat’s going through hormonal stuff! What d’you suppose we do?”

Katsuki froze, gritting his teeth hard to stop the blush of embarrassment from creeping up his neck again. His father was heading down the stairs, a small towel perched on the back of his neck to catch the drips of water falling off his still-damp hair, having just emerged from a post-work shower. He was smiling, definitely amused.

“Hormones, hm? We need to understand what’s causing them first.”

“No, you don’t! You both need to keep your noses out of my business.” Katsuki demanded. Escape to his room was currently impossible since his father was unconsciously blocking the staircase. Fucking great!

Mitsuki walked out of the kitchen to stand next to Masaru, exchanging words silently through a conversation between their eyes. She then grinned like she’d reached the answer.

“Someone caught your eye?”

After being exposed by his teacher, Katsuki thought he would be prepared for any more scares but he was clearly wrong. It was only one look, a guilty flicker of his eyes to the side, but his parents latched onto it like moths to a flame. How many explosions would it take to dig his own grave right there on the entryway floor? Masaru looked warmly pleased whilst Mitsuki looked as if she’d just found the next thing she would tease her son for for years to come.

“It is! Ha! Our son thinks he can hide stuff from us! I wouldn’t be the awesome mother I am if I couldn’t even see when my son had a crush, now, would I?” Mitsuki beamed. Masaru clapped his hands, eyes glued to his wife as if he still couldn’t believe she chose to stay by him all this time.

“I’m not hiding anything! I’d never let something as superficial as a mate distract me from becoming the number one hero!” Steam was practically jetting out of Katsuki’s ears and nose as he tried earnestly defending himself from the allegations. It was in moments like these where he looked so tragically child-like, foot stomping on the floor once, arms crossed over his chest as an extra shield in case the verbal one was insufficient.

And it was.

Mitsuki cackled at his display of defiance, stepping forward to clamp a firm hand on his shoulder and shake him a little.

“Who said anything about a mate? Clearly, you’ve given more thought to this special person than I gave you credit for!”

Masaru laughed softly in the background, which was how Katsuki knew things were bad. His old man usually wasn’t one to participate in his wife’s teasing — often the one to tell her to take it easy on him — but it seemed this moment was too gold to pass up. Their fiery, explosive son who had only ever shown interest in heroes had found something else and it seemed he couldn’t accept it, especially since the feelings were almost non-autonomous, an instinct as opposed to something of his choosing.

Because it was true— if Katsuki had it his way, Deku wouldn’t even be on the list of people to have so completely consumed his entire being, mind, body, and soul.

“Y-you— I-I didn’t— ARGH— I don’t have a mate so stop looking into things that aren’t there!” He shrieked, shooting forward and squeezing through his parents to stumble up the stairs and seek refuge in his room. The door slammed with enough force to rattle the picture frames Mitsuki had so lovingly placed along the hallway.

The Bakugo parents looked at each other, blinking a few times before erupting into a fit of quiet chuckles. Their son was absolutely going through it now, but the comforting part — the part that allowed them to smile and Mitsuki to nuzzle into Masaru’s neck and inhale — was that he would eventually come around. He was a smart kid, after all. Soon enough, he would give into his instincts and embrace the beauty of the gene-deep attraction their world had to offer. And maybe he’d ask for some advice along the way, which the adults in his life would be content to give.

***

Katsuki entered school the next Monday with a new outlook. He’d spent the last two days researching how Prime Alpha instincts were prone to going haywire, especially during puberty due to the sheer influx of hormones flooding through the body. Often, it led to reactions that would otherwise seem uncharacteristic— too many emotions meant discerning between them would also be troublesome.

He walked to school, determined to go back to his old ways. Today was definitely going to be the day. He knew himself, his stinky personality was the only way he was going to become a hero. Because — like All Might had shown time and time again — one needed only to believe in themselves and have a flashy quirk. With both at his disposal, he would surely be successful.

He had stripped off his scent blockers, refusing to lay victim to their connotations. If anyone was going to suffocate due to his overpowering pheromones, it would be because he was exuding exhilaration, something so disgustingly sweet it would send people knocking over.

Izuku noticed Katsuki walking into homeroom with a disgruntled expression and a sour scent. But Katsuki was almost always like that so it wasn’t his fault when he decided to wave brightly at the alpha — y’know… because Katsuki clearly had a little bit of interest in him, even if he still wasn’t sure what kind exactly — just to be met with a look that could chill fire. Izuku’s hand froze mid-motion in the air, smile dropping theatrically.

Kacchan must’ve had a rough morning… yeah, that explains it, he thought, watching Katsuki stalk all the way to his desk and flop down on the chair gracelessly. He was joined quickly by Goro and Kariage. Although Katsuki seemed uninterested at first, Izuku was gleeful to see the smile creeping on Katsuki’s lips— though many would argue the better term was ‘smirk’. So forgive him if he couldn’t help feel uneasy after seeing it…

The first two periods whizzed by but only because Izuku was too focused on his empty stomach that felt like it was eating itself out of sheer hunger— and all because he’d been unable to eat breakfast in his urgency to get out the door and make it to school on time. Fortunely, his mother put a rice ball and snack into his bag while he’d been fumbling with his laces at the door, giving him clear instructions to eat them. Izuku was a total foody so that wasn’t an issue at all!

Alongside the other students running outside to stretch their legs, Izuku made his way into the courtyard with his rice ball and chocolate-covered sticks, seating himself on a far bench, hopefully inconspicuous since eating alone was humiliating enough, save people also noticing you’re a loner. Izuku didn’t like thinking that way, though, so he tried to cheer himself up by replaying the latest news of All Might’s victories in his head, humming happily in between mouthfuls of rice.

The scent arrived before the shadow that loomed over him like an omen of death, a deep scent of smoke and putrid caramel. Eyes snapping up, Izuku caught the eyes of a hungry man, one who needed to wreak havoc before his stomach could be satisfied. And that smirk— the one he’d convinced himself was just Katsuki’s usual, unnatural display of pleasure— was still there, suddenly making much more sense. He was accompanied by his lackeys, the boys looking like novelty side-kicks— stinky attitudes and forgettable faces — which is largely why Izuku mostly ignored them in favour of narrowing his attention on the biggest threat.

“Look here, it’s the loner, Deku.”

Izuku’s grip tightened on his half-finished rice ball. Katsuki sounded mean, entirely different to the way he’d been the previous week. The resemblance held more to the Alpha’s self back in the first two years of middle school.

“W-what do you want, Kacchan?” Izuku voiced timidly, though his eyes were sharper now, tracking Katsuki’s movements because something inside him told him he must.

“Just making sure if you’re worth anything. Guess I was right, though. You’re fucking worthless!” Katsuki barked out a crude laugh, joined by Goro and Kariage, who managed to crack up louder than him.

Izuku had never understood what was so funny about Katsuki’s mocking words and he still didn’t. He looked away, attempting to shove aside the dull pain in his chest, spoken ad nauseum. Instead, he searched for confusion, for frustration, anything that would push his mind and body into necessitating a reaction out of him, something he could throw at Katsuki.

“H-how could I possibly forget with you reminding me every minute?”

Even as the words left his mouth, Izuku knew he had spelled his death. He gasped, eyes stretching wider, all senses on high alert now that his fight-or-flight hormones had been released. But what was done was done and now he could only face the consequences.

Katsuki stood frozen for all of two seconds, wide eyes mimicking Izuku’s as he looked down. Then he scowled, deep and ugly, a low growl spilling through clenched teeth as he slapped the rice ball out of Izuku’s hand and gripped the front of his shirt with enough force to pull the Beta onto his feet.

Izuku yelped, hand stinging, brain slightly frazzled by the abruptness of it all.

“Grown some balls, have you? You quirkless nobody!” Katsuki shook him roughly. Izuku’s hands clamped down on top of Katsuki’s in a desperate attempt to free himself but the grip on his shirt was vice-like.

He struggled for a few more seconds, mostly feeling the hot air of Katsuki exhaling through his nose in short, furious puffs on his face. On his face. It was only then that Izuku realised just how close the two of them were, faces literally inches apart.

It did something inexplicable to him because, in one moment, all his previous panic seemed to dissolve into something less potent and more so puzzled. Because what was Katsuki actually trying to achieve here? Why did this scenario — although so familiar on the outside — feel so different?

Why did Katsuki’s grip feel like it was loosening? What did it mean when the colour of his eyes turned a deeper shade of bloody crimson?

Izuku didn’t know. In fact, he never got to find out.

His lips parted on a breath.

One moment, he was staring deeply into ruby caves, the next Katsuki had his face buried into his neck, inhaling so deeply that Izuku felt a fluid sensation roll throughout his body. A strangled cry left him but Katsuki showed no signs of letting up, moving to feverishly rubbing his scent glands against Izuku’s. Pheromones exploded in the air around them— grassy tones mixing with smokey caramel, morphing into deep, rich honey and sandalwood.

Izuku’s body felt hot and tight, his scent glands were oversensitive what with Katsuki basically torturing them in— in what?! What is this?! Izuku thought. Scenting? Why would Katsuki Bakugo — his freaking bully — be scenting him?!

His eyes were half-lidded, lips cracked apart, neck cocked to one side, and head supported by Katsuki’s large hand. If history could vanish and let this moment exist alone then maybe Katsuki scenting him wouldn’t have been so bad— in fact, he might’ve enjoyed it, what with the way his body felt tingly in places.

But voices broke him out of the deep desire for that to be true. Izuku could now hear Goro and Seiji again, the two boys looking bewildered and honestly terrified for a reason unbeknownst to Izuku.

“Bakugo! What the fuck are you doing?!” Goro shrieked, long fingers flailing in the air as if they would capture Katsuki’s attention.

“Get a hold of yourself, man! This wasn’t a part of the plan!” Kariage added, voice pitched several octaves higher since they were still in their early puberty years and could reach those notes.

But those words had better success landing on deaf ears. Katsuki did not yield. Izuku’s body was torn between submitting to this odd yet comforting sensation and trying to extricate himself from Katsuki’s torment.

Katsuki didn’t know which direction was up, all he knew was that Izuku smelled intoxicating and that he physically couldn’t let go this time. He was completely lost in the being that was Izuku, in his warmth, his scent — honey and sandalwood had never felt so right — the press of their bodies together. For the first time since he’d caught a whiff of Izuku, his alpha felt like it was finally getting the head-pats and pruning it needed.

It didn’t feel like taking but rather gaining back what belonged to him all along.

Katsuki exhaled a shaky breath. His eyes rolled back.

Chaos erupted. Goro and Kariage weren’t the only ones screaming now— other curious and worried students had come over to see what the commotion was about and were left speechless for the most part. Fortunately, they found their tongues again soon enough to use them appropriately.

Because Katsuki and Izuku were both on the floor now, the Alpha relentless in his biological fervour to scent his soul’s other half. Izuku could only partially feel the crushing weight of Katsuki’s body on top of his, the rest of him fighting not to be pulled under the haze of desire that their mixed pheromones had created. His hands clutched and pushed at Katsuki’s chest but his arms felt like jelly, which was somewhat due to the fact that his body still hadn’t left the shock stage from when Katsuki had first pounced on him.

That’s when Izuku felt it. Two warm points skimming the skin right above the scent gland on his neck. Hot, alpha breath. Then the teeth began to sink down, pressing into the elastic skin, not yet breaking through.

“Someone pull him off!” A girl cried, realising how dangerous things would get if Katsuki was left in this feral state.

Kariage and two other kids stepped forward, each grabbing a part of Katsuki’s torso, and began pulling with all their might but it was as if Katsuki had melted himself against Izuku, inseparable. The P.E coach managed to cut through the swarm of students at last and get to Katsuki.

Finally, something felt like it was giving way. Katsuki’s body was slowly but surely lifting. Izuku heard him howl with rage but at least his neck was safe again. He didn’t even realise he was breathing so hard until Katsuki’s weight was alleviating off him.

Run! I need to run!

The moment there was enough space to slip out from under the Alpha, Izuku bolted. Heart hammering in his chest, head pounding, nerves alight and still sensitive, he made for any clear path in the distance— anywhere to escape Katsuki.

Scenting was something sacred between loved ones, a conversation on tranquility without words, the exploitation of the goodness that came from their biology. It was not something that occurred between two teenagers, whose relationship had always been rocky, sharp and jagged at times and formed under the pressure of a thousand things unspoken. Izuku hadn’t been ready for it, therefore, which was why he was sprinting away, overwhelmed and — frankly — a little perturbed.

He had reached the end of the courtyard when he heard footsteps slapping behind him. Upon looking back, he was petrified at the sight of a blonde ball of fire and pheromones racing after him. Izuku didn’t know he could possibly run faster than he already was but the human body was full of surprises, especially when ‘survive’ was the only signal firing through his body.

“W-what’s gotten into you?! Kacchan, stop it!” He shrieked behind him, knowing Katsuki would eventually catch up to him— y’know since he was taller with longer legs and was naturally more athletic. So, that left him one viable option, to hide or lose him.

Katsuki wouldn’t respond. He communicated in grunts and heavy panting, sight so set on Izuku that his world had narrowed down to just that green-haired Beta. He would get him no matter what. His Alpha had gotten a lick of heaven and refused to part with it.

There was shouting in the distance but he couldn’t make it out. It was as if every voice screaming at him to “stop” was accelerating him further forward until he too had burst into the doors leading into the school building seconds after Izuku had. The breaktime meant no one was in the hallways, leaving Izuku visible. Though Katsuki would’ve liked to rely on just his sense of smell, darned weak beta scents meant the longer this lasted for and the further Izuku got, it would become harder and harder to do so.

Izuku was still crying out telling him to get a grip. However, his only interpretation of that was how much he liked Izuku’s voice, its sweet timidness even when raised so high.

He was absolutely nonsensical, unable to see that his actions were out of hand and only making the boy he wanted less inclined to be near him. But that’s what instincts did in this world. They amplified feelings when reason would’ve been the better alternative. They made the world feel scorching until instincts were fed and able to cool everything down. They made claustrophobia the norm when all one’s second gender wanted to do was escape its confines and seek the one soulmate that would soothe it through scenting and marking.

The two boys still had a lot to learn about their bodies and much more about their repressed feelings. The change wouldn’t occur overnight nor over the next year. Maybe when they got to high school, though. Maybe then…

For now, Izuku was starting to run out of breath. He had turned several corners, gone up and down flights of stairs, panicking harder when he could still hear those monstrous steps echoing far behind him— though they seemed to be getting quieter. Was he actually losing Katsuki? The relief pricked at his eyes, making them water.

Making another sharp left, he noticed the cleaning supplies closet on the right and understood that the smell of bleach and other chemicals might just be enough to conceal his own. After all, he was reaching his limit, legs already becoming wobbly with each step. He got to it, opening the door and shutting himself inside as quietly as possible. And he was right, it reeked here.

Izuku couldn’t help making a face before clasping a hand over his mouth to hush his gasping breaths. He couldn’t make out any noise in the distance but still feared for his life— his neck, really, since that was what Katsuki, the vampire, seemed to be after. Waiting several minutes, Izuku heard only some ruckus a hallway away, then the high-pitched voice of a lady, though he didn’t know what she was saying. She was definitely shouting since he could hear it from his hiding space. And then… silence. For a long while, he didn’t let himself believe it was alright to leave, but he only did so once the bell rang, signalling the end of breaktime, and students were instructed to head to their next lessons.

Izuku poked his head out cautiously but there were only innocent students. He joined them, keeping his head down, and navigating his way back to class. The stares he received didn’t go undetected. In fact, Izuku felt every single one of them and his cheeks were bright red by the time he entered his classroom for English.

Katsuki was not there. Izuku let out an exhale so grand it felt like he was Sisyphus having finally rolled that boulder to the top of the hill.

He sluggishly scraped his legs over to his desk and fell into his seat, leaning back in his chair, head tilted up and eyes closed while weariness etched lines between his brows and around his eyes. A quiet groan escaped him before he fell forward, planting his face into the desk, hands dangling down at his sides, and just sitting like that while trying to process all that had gone down in the last twenty or so minutes.

All he knew was that Katsuki had lost the plot, scented him, and tried to mark him— of all the fricking things in the world he could’ve done! Argh! He liked it better when Katsuki was insulting him.

Or did he?

Hm, who knows?

Meanwhile, Katsuki was sat in the P.E coach’s office, hair damp and sitting in his white shirt that was clinging uncomfortably to his body. His black gakuran was placed on the back of a chair to — hopefully, though once could argue how much hope there really was here — dry.

Why? Well, because Katsuki had been halted by a teacher while chasing after Izuku, who blocked his path and began shouting at him for his unruliness and for running in the hallways. Still under the dominion of the hormones inside him screeching “find him! Find Izuku!”, he had tried ignoring her and even pushing past her. But then Ms Yukuzi had come out of nowhere and splashed her ice-cold bottle of water on his head, not stopping until it was empty and he was soaked silent.

Katsuki hadn’t known what to say after that. He was firstly stunned by his teacher’s audacity to drench him, and then — after the water really had cooled him off — his own actions.

Because, really and truly, what the fuck had he just done?

Attacked Izuku like an animal, scented him, almost marked him, then ran after him, all the while half-blind to the consequences.

Was this what those videos had meant? Was this the brash behaviour that befell an early Prime Alpha? What he was warned about when they said he might exhibit deep, dangerous urges he may or may not entirely mean?

And now he was getting an earful from the coach. He didn’t speak a word.

Eventually, he was given a detention and told it would be put down as ‘misbehaviour’ and that those who couldn’t control their urges would not be accepted easily in UA and that — to not hinder his chances of getting in — they wouldn’t write it down so long as this incident didn’t repeat itself. After all, if the mother of “the boy” — as the coach put it — were to find out and file a complaint, the school would get into trouble for not issuing the necessary sanctions and for possibly putting students at risk if one student is able to go wild like that.

For some reason, Katsuki knew Inko would never find out, but he didn’t say that aloud.

***

That night, dreams were abundant in the air.

Izuku dreamed about a familiar caramel and smoke scent and a mouth that only had nice things to say about him. He felt a warm weight against his chest and an even hotter breath against his neck. It was pure bliss because it was everything he wanted. He had let that scent invade his space and let that body touch him. He felt safe knowing the scent would not sour at any minor inconvenience, the body wouldn’t squish and suffocate him, the breath would forever remain gentle and needy and not ragged and overbearing.

Katsuki dreamt that Izuku stopped running. That the cold water had splashed over him and he was finally able to face the boy he knew so much yet so little about. He didn’t apologise— no, even in his dreams he was too proud for that. But he did stop to consider how Izuku might’ve felt. He paused enough to let Izuku catch his breath and process everything and then calm down a bit. Then realise he’d wanted it too. Katsuki saw the look of realisation cross over his face like a shooting star then nodded, asking permission. Izuku nodded back— slowly at first because he was still hesitant, and then a little more firmly once he saw Katsuki was yet to move without complete consent. He then approached Izuku like one would a stray cat and finally let himself have his fill, all the while knowing the boy in his arms would not run away and would not leave his Alpha feeling wounded and unsatisfied.

But dreams are dreams.

Their entire point is to exist in a fantastical world.

The same was for Izuku and Katsuki— since, the next day they saw each other, they ignored one another. They took their seats, Izuku behind and Katsuki forward.

Classmates still whispered about the previous day’s incident. They would continue to do so for several days, even weeks if nothing else interesting happened to break their attention.

Izuku had liked being Katsuki’s friend and still wished to be one. For this reason, he still tried to smile to himself. He had already privately forgiven Katsuki for creeping him out a little, so maybe they could try afresh when the weight of yesterday and its implications didn’t lay so heavy.

Katsuki had liked when Izuku wasn’t the only thing spinning in his mind but he knew reminiscing was ultimately wishful thinking. His instincts burned. How long until they made him do it again?