Work Text:
It was a slow day, a Tuesday just after lunch hour. Katsuki was going over the numbers for the restaurant, getting all the new orders out when he heard a loud clatter outside. He rubbed at his temples.
“These idiots better not have broken anything.”
He sighed and opened up the last spreadsheet. Kirishima was the one in charge during the day; he’d take care of it. Being the owner meant delegating people management, he reminded himself, so that he could handle the administrative part and cook whenever he wanted to.
“Boss!” Mina shouted, slamming his door open.
“For fuck’s sake, Pinky!”
The omega was always so loud! His anger dissipated, however, when his pack member’s distressed scent made its way to him.
“What the hell happened?” he asked, going to her.
“I-It’s not me. Izuku–the cute greenette that started last month–was clearing a table when we noticed he stumbled. I-I asked him if everything was okay–”
“Get on with it.”
What did the waiter’s cuteness have anything to do with this?
She dragged a hand over her face and huffed. “He passed out and he has a fever. We took him to the break room.”
Closing his laptop with a grumble, he followed her out to see what was going on. His employees always got free food, so it shouldn’t be his blood sugar, and the place wasn’t so packed that he would be overwhelmed or have high blood pressure. Mina usually kept calm about situations like these. Hell! She was even joking around when Denki went into heat. The guy’s fever must really be high.
As they opened the door, he could hear a mumbled, “I’m fine, Kiri, I promise.”
“People that are fine, don’t just pass out, man.”
When Katsuki saw the employee for the first time, he could admit he understood why Mina referred to him as cute. Startled at his own thoughts, he cleared his throat and asked, “What happened here, Kirishima?”
“Midoriya has a fever; I’m trying to convince him to let one of us take him home.”
The omega was about to protest again but was cut short by the sensation of Katsuki’s hand on his forehead.
“You’re burning up.” Then, he stepped back. “Get up, and try to walk to the door.”
Mina and Kirishima looked at him like he was crazy but watched on expectantly.
The stubborn omega stood up, a hand braced on the couch and the other clenched at his side. Then, he took a wobbly step forward before he swayed to the side.
“You can’t work for shit. You have to go home.”
Mina stepped forward, placing a hand on Katsuki’s forearm and whispered, “He doesn’t have a car. Wouldn’t it be dangerous to send him on a train?”
Katsuki rolled his eyes and grunted. “I’ll take him home. With how stubborn he seems to be, he’ll probably avoid asking for help even if he needs it.”
The female omega looked at him cautiously, and it wasn’t until Kirishima whispered something into her ear that she nodded and smiled. “We’ll keep things running smoothly here. Don’t worry about a thing, boss! Gimme your phone.”
“Mina, no,” Izuku pleaded with glossy emerald green eyes, but Mina tutted and placed a weighted blanket with the pack’s scent on it. The omega was so out of it, that with the addition of familiar scents, his eyes struggled to stay open. Katsuki would be surprised if he retained absolutely anything from this encounter.
“Why’d you need–?”
Thin, manicured hands took Katsuki’s device from him and tapped away. He really needed to set a password.
“There! You have the location to his apartment,” she said and then waved goodbye.
“Forty minutes?!”
“Yup!”
Katsuki scooped up the omega, blankets and all, ignoring the weak protests, and made his way to his car. During the whole drive, the alpha couldn't help but wonder why Midoriya would work so far away. With how things were for omegas, why would he risk the long commute?
Not even halfway through the drive, Midoriya fell asleep. The only indication that Katuski had to confirm he was alive was the light snoring and the thuds of whenever he had to brake or fell into a pothole.
When they arrive at the apartment, the fever seems to be worse. As much as Katsuki tried, the omega would not wake up. So, much like he did earlier, he scooped the omega up and bounded up the stairs to the number Mina had texted him. It was then that he realized that he had no keys; however, he heard a squeal from within the apartment, so he knocked.
“Who is it?” A voice sang from the inside.
“The name’s Bakugou. Midoriya’s sick, so I brought him home from work.”
The door swung open to reveal a young omega with large blue eyes. “My, my! I’m Nejire, little Ryo’s babysitter, what happened to Izu?”
“Has a fever that won’t let up. He passed out in the car.”
The girl led him inside. The place was small; a compact area for a kitchen, with an island that served as an eating area with stools, a sofa with a coffee table in front of it, and a TV. The space between the TV and the sofa was presently filled with an assortment of hero and cooking toys.
Nejire pouted. “I’m worried about them… Who’s coming by to take care of Ryo? I would stay, but today was my last available day this week. I have finals coming up, and–”
“‘s fine. I’ll take care of it.”
The girl smiled and nodded. “I’m glad Izuku found a kind alpha. He deserves some good in his life.”
Katsuki was too focused on the man in his arms to correct her. “Where’s the–”
Something heavy and warm latched onto his leg. Carefully, he maneuvered the omega so that he could look at what it was. The pup must have been around four years old, and he had wavy blond hair that stuck out every which way almost comically.
Curious green eyes stared at Katsuki, studying his features before the pup asked, “Are you Daddy’s friend?”
Reluctantly, he answered, “Yeah, kid.”
“What’s your name?”
“Bakugou. Where’s his room?” As much as his alpha loved showing off his strength, his arms felt like they’d either fall asleep or fall off if he didn’t put the omega down.
“I’m Ryo! It means ‘defy’ ‘cause I defied the stars to be with Daddy,” the kid said with a grin. “Come, I’ll show you where his room is!”
The babysitter had gathered her things and cleared her throat. “Well, um, I’ll leave Izuku in your capable hands, Bakugou.” Then she bent down to receive a hug from the pup. “And you, be good for Mr. Bakugou, ok? Don’t want Daddy losing a friend.”
Ryo hummed and hugged her tightly, then stepped back to wave goodbye until the door closed. When he was sure the girl was gone, Ryo’s face morphed to pure determination, leading Katsuki to the omega’s room.
The room’s scent was thick but pleasant. Katsuki felt a purr rise in his throat at the first whiff of spiced apples enveloping them in a blanket of safety.
“Daddy’s room is my favorite,” the boy told him as he climbed on the bed to sit next to Izuku’s spot.
Gently, Katsuki lowered the omega and allowed himself to take a good look at the man. They didn’t often work together and now it was clear why. Between the distance and the pup, it would be irrational to leave late. He could also understand why the guy had chosen to live away from the city; the prices were much lower.
Ryo clambered over to the foot of the bed and began to remove the laces on Izuku’s shoes. “Daddy says no shoes on the bed,” he explained.
Katsuki chuckled. “He’s right, my bad. No shoes should be on the bed.”
With Ryo’s help, Katsuki took off the omega’s coat and shoes. His mind swiftly took in the wide hips and thick thighs and he gulped. He was the man’s boss; he shouldn’t allow his mind to go there. However, when he got to the sleeves, he also noticed the scars and winced.
“What happened to your dad, kid?”
The pup shrugged. “Daddy gets those at work sometimes. He says they don’t hurt, but I know they do, so I always use All Might Band-Aids and kiss them better.”
Katsuki fumbled around the bathroom until he found a small cloth and ran it under cold water. He wondered if Izuku had another job because he doubted scars that big came from the restaurant. With some hesitance, he brushed Izuku’s hair back and set the cloth on his forehead. The signs of exhaustion were clear: dehydration, dark circles under his eyes, and even in his sleep, he muttered away concerns. Nonetheless, when Katsuki looked past those, he could see that the omega was undoubtedly beautiful. It was hard not to get drawn in. Despite the sass at the restaurant and the toned muscles, Izuku looked soft with his freckled cheeks and wild, wavy hair. The emerald eyes were alluring; it was a miracle the others got work done so well because he knew he’d be distracted every time they looked his way.
He felt his heart flip, and his alpha awakened. One word was enough to snap Katsuki out of his reverie: Mate.
Fuck. What was he thinking? Feeling the pup’s eyes on him, he left the room, heading toward the kitchen to prepare a broth. He’d stay that day until Izuku woke up or the omega’s husband came home so as to not leave the pup alone.
“Is Daddy okay? Why’s he sleeping?” the pup asked, his brow furrowed.
“Your daddy’s feeling sick, pup.”
The pup’s distressed scent began to filter through and his eyes began to shimmer. “No! Sire was sick, and he went away! Will Daddy go away, too?”
Oh .
Katsuki ruffled his hair. “No, kid. Your daddy will be okay in no time. How about you make him a get well card, and I’ll cook something up. That sound good?”
The fire was back in the pup's eyes and he nodded. “I’ll do my best!”
While Izuku slept, the pup prepared the card and helped Katsuki prepare their meal. Ryo made sure to keep Katsuki entertained as the noodles and chicken cooked.
“Mr. Bakugou, do you like All Might?”
With a scoff and a cocky grin, Katsuki replied, “He– Yeah! I’m his biggest fan, pup.”
However, the kid puffed out his cheeks, clearly upset at the declaration, and proclaimed, “Nuh-uh! Daddy and I are!”
And though Katsuki continued to taunt the kid, a warm feeling spread through his chest.
His alpha was overjoyed. T hey’re perfect for us. Court omega! Our omega, our pup.
The man looked down at Ryo and saw the blond hair again–like his own–and green eyes–like Izuku’s–and though he knew he was not the boy’s sire, something in him just…felt like he was, or at the very least, like he should be.
After turning off the stove, they sat down to watch the All Might Returns series together. Ryo curled up to Katsuki’s side, and soon fell asleep. It’s then that Katsuki noticed that the kid’s spicy caramel apple scent was safe, calm.
Pup is safe with us, his alpha reminded him.
With a small smile, he cradled the pup and set him next to Izuku on the bed.
The clock read six pm already. How had time gone by so quickly?
Carefully, trying not to jostle Ryo, Katsuki woke Izuku up. The omega chirped, leaning into Katsuki’s hands and melting into his scent before gaining awareness of his surroundings. The blond tried not to be offended when the man recoiled, scooching back against the headboard with a startled expression.
“Mr. Bakugou, what–?” he asked in a bleary daze
“Calm down, Midoriya. You’re home. I wasn’t sure who to call, and your baby sitter had to leave, so I stayed.”
“Oh,” Izuku blinked sluggishly, “I’m sorry for the incon…vencience…I-it’s okay. We’ll manage, please…go home.”
Katsuki shook his head and pushed medicine onto the omega’s hands with a glass of apple juice to down it.
“Thanks,” Izuku said with a blush and yawned. “I feel so bad…that you missed work for me. I’ll make sure to…cook for you…” and just like that, the freckled man had fallen asleep again.
With a quiet chuckle, Katsuki put the glass aside, and scented Izuku’s pillow, curious to see if the omega would lean toward his scent again. “I’ll hold you to that, then.”
He stood there a minute watching dam and pup cuddle on the bed before he shook his head and began walking out, barely missing how both of them shifted to be near the alpha’s scent.
No thoughts could form. His phone started buzzing loudly, and he all but sprinted out of the room.
- PINKY-
“Hey, Kats, just calling to check up on Mido. We noticed you didn’t come back, so I called Momo in to cover the evening shift.” There was a hint of teasing in her voice, but Katsuki chose to ignore it.
“His fever’s a bit better. I gave him some meds just now, and he fell back asleep. Got any idea who I can call to stay with them?”
There was some shuffling and voices in the background as Mina moved to one of the offices or maybe the break room.
“Listen, Kats, I’m sure you must’ve noticed by now that Izuku’s alpha…”
He looked down and kicked at the floor. “Yeah, I know.”
“Well, his dam died last year and his sire…well, he’s not around either. Izu does his best on his own, and most of his coworkers do help, but…he’s alone, Kats.”
Katsuki began realizing why the omega was so panicked to keep working. He sighed.
“How many jobs does he have? I know it’s more than one because we don’t run our people ragged, and waiters don’t get scars like the ones he has.” Katsuki looked at the door to make sure the two were still sleeping while he listened to Mina on the other side of the line.
She whispered, “ He has three.” There was a small moment of silence before she continued. “He runs himself to the ground to ensure they live comfortably. One of his jobs is online but the other one is at a club, and you know how those can be.”
Katsuki grunted his assent, and Mina took it as a sign to keep talking.
“He arrived fine today with a big smile like he always does. We noticed he was a bit slower than usual, but we thought it was just tiredness. With everything he does…”
“I get it.” He huffed. Then, curiosity got the best of him, and he asked, “How long ago did the pup’s father die?”
Mina hummed. “Three years ago, I think. The pup was just over a year old.”
Katsui growled. “Why did no one tell me this?”
“I don’t see why we needed to, Blasty,” she replied, confused.
And he shouldn’t feel angry at her tone that said he was being weird, but he was. Without any remorse, he hung up and went to clean the kitchen.
XXX
When Izuku woke up again, it was around eight in the evening. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Katsuki encouraged him to take a bath while he served him food. The omega seemed wary of him but complied.
Slightly more energized after bathing, Izuku took a look around the kitchen and asked, “What is all this?” motioning to the containers around the area.
Katsuki pulled out a chair and motioned for Izuku to sit in front of a large plate with an aromatic soup. He was rewarded with a bloom of sweet apples in the omega’s scent.
“This looks amazing!”
The alpha felt his face flush from the praise, but he waved it away and replied, “I made some food ahead and restocked your kitchen; you were missing a shit ton.”
Between bites, the omega mumbled, “Sorry, I didn’t have the time to buy.”
“I didn’t say it so you would apologize.” Katsuki sighed. “I just wanted to help–providing is in my nature or whatever.”
Izuku smiled to himself but then furrowed his brow. Katsuki took a large slurp of his soup to avoid blurting out how cute that looked.
“Not to be rude…but why are you here, Mr. Bakugou?”
“Just call me Katsuki. I’m here because you needed me to be here.”
The omega looked at him with such surprise, probably skeptical about his reasons, but he slowly went back to enjoying his soup, making small noises of approval as he did. Honestly, that’s all the encouragement Katsuki’s alpha needed. They ate in a comfortable silence after that.
That night, Katsuki slept over on the couch, asking Kirishima to bring him a change of clothes in the morning.
Izuku doubted Katuski’s intentions. It was clear in the way that he flinched whenever Katsuki neared or when he questioned his actions, but soon, he accepted the blond’s presence. Ryo had taken a liking to the alpha and stuck by his side, behaving like a perfect pup the whole time. In the two days that Katsuki stayed, he caught Izuku looking at him and the pup with a fond smile on his face. When Izuku noticed he was being obvious, he would turn a deep shade of red and run away. Katsuki’s confidence surged with the small hope that he might have a chance with the young dam.
By the third day, Izuku was better, and Katsuki knew he had to leave. The restaurant needed him, and the omega probably wanted some alone time with the pup before having to work again.
He awkwardly stood by the door with his bag and said, “Take the time to rest; you can come back tomorrow.”
“I definitely will,” Izuku said with an honest grin. “Thank you so much for helping out; I don’t know what I would have done without you these past few days.”
“Just don’t overwork yourself as much, and ask for help when you need it.”
Looking up through his lashes, the omega playfully replied, “I’ll try to keep that in mind, Katsuki.”
He was so cute, Katsuki wanted to scent him and kiss him, but how could he when he hadn’t even asked him out? Katsuki felt pathetic.
“Kacchan!” Ryo called. He’d taken to calling him that during one of their games. Apparently, Katsuki is too difficult for a four year old. The boy’s emerald eyes shone with tears. Katsuki lowered himself to the pup’s level, wiping away the moisture, and asked, “What’s wrong pup?”
“Will you be back?” Ryo whimpered.
Answer him! Yes, we want to.
Ruffling the boy’s hair, he said, “Well, that really depends on your daddy, pup.” Then he looked up at Izuku and bit his lip. Fuck it. “I’ll come by anytime he wants me to.”
Izuku’s eyes widened, and for a moment, Katsuki thought he’d be rejected. The pup looked at his dam expectantly, and with the biggest puppy dog eyes he’d ever seen. The rush of adrenaline from expectation alone was dizzying. Nonetheless, when the omega smiled, it was as if all the deities above had smiled down at him and given him a precious blessing.
“Yeah, Kacchan will come back, Ryo. He’ll be with us soon.”