Katsuki Bakugou

Izuku had hit Denki.

Punched him square in the jaw.

Driving home, I could barely wrap my head around what had happened. My first reaction when it happened was to get him away from Denki because he was my friend. I had no clue why Izuku snapped like that. It was almost like he wasn't himself and he was acting on instinct -- an all too familiar look in his eyes that brought back unwanted memories.

It was only when Kirishima smacked Denki and put him in his place that the situation became clear. Izuku was jealous, I knew this. Hell, I even teased him about it at the lake. I worked him up and flirted with him before going back to ignoring him.

Was this my fault for messing with him? Surely my teasing didn't set him off like that. Izuku had almost cried when I went to check on Denki, screaming at me and saying that Denki had been messing with him for the past few days. I hadn't noticed Denki being rude to Izuku until he called him a tramp and a slut.

When I had dropped off the guys at their houses and it was just Izuku and in left in the car, he seemed to relax some. I wanted to talk to him, but I knew that going back into the house with my parents when we both were upset would only cause problems.

When we arrived home, I shut the car off and activated the child lock on his door so he couldn't get out. His whole body tensed up at the click of the lock and he hung his head. He has been staring at his lap for almost an hour now.

Sighing, I unbuckle and lean back in the seat, running my hand down my face and taking a deep breath.

"What happened back there?" I asked, not bothering to look at him. I could practically feel that he hasn't looked up from his lap. The seconds ticked on and I slammed my hands to the steering wheel in frustration. Why the hell was everything so fuckin' complicated.

Izuku jumped and looked over at me, making me meet his gaze. His eyes were wide as distress pheromones filled the area around us.

"Fuck, just tell me what that was all about. You hit my friend, Midoriya." I growled lowly and watched as anger build behind his eyes. Anger that he was desperately trying to keep bottled up. "I'm not letting you out of the car unless you talk to me," I said seriously and watch his eyes fade back to that blank stare as he looked at his lap again, not saying a word.

"For fuck's sake..." I groaned quietly and looked at him. He is being ridiculous, but he looked upset about something, almost lifeless with his blank expression and sad eyes. "Talk to me," I said a bit louder and when he doesn't answer I reach over and grab his chin stiffly and turn his head towards me.

His eyes widen and he flinches, making a sharp pain fill my chest that I brush off quickly.

Izuku stares at me with those big eyes that are swimming with worry, his cheeks are painted a perfect shade of pink as his gaze lands anywhere other than my face. I can feel the worry, shame, and embarrassment rolling off him in waves, confusing me even more. My body warms at the contact with my mate, even Izuku seems to lean into my grip that's tight on his chin.

I relax my hand but don't pull away. Instead, I slid my hand over his jaw and cupped the side of his face, making his eyes flutter shut for a moment before he quickly pulled his face away and looked down at his lap -- hiding from me again.

Clearing my throat, I tried to ignore the way my heart was beating and how the need to touch him again bothers me with our proximity.

"Come on..." I spoke gently this time. "I'm not mad at you; I just want to understand." I sighed and shake my head. I wasn't mad at him, not anymore. I know he must have had a reason to lash out like that. I couldn't pretend that Izuku was some monster anymore, not when I knew the facts from that night.

Izuku wasn't a monster who did those things to me on purpose. Instincts are a cruel mistress that, because of our biology, forces us to act ways that we don't always want to act. I had to accept that Izuku was controlled by instincts when he touched me like that.

"I'm sorry..." His voice was soft and broken as fear emits from his every pore. "I didn't mean to..." He sighs and shakes his head, still never lifting it from its bowed form.

"What made you lash out like that?" I asked, trying to keep my tone calm and soft. The Omega in him was stressed and had me stressed as well as I hear Izuku whimper making me watch him as he shakes his head again.

"I... didn't like it..." He whispers, his fists balling up in his lap as he struggles for words.

Reaching over, I tap my finger under his chin, startling him slightly and making him lift his head and looked at me. His eyes were dark with worry, his cheeks still stained pink. I let my finger trace over his jaw before moving away, I just couldn't help myself.

"Didn't like what?" I asked settling my hands in my lap so I don't touch him anymore. Izuku blinked, a bit dazed from my touch it seemed, and nibbled on his lip.

"The way he was... touching you..." His voice was barely a whisper and for a moment I don't think I heard him right.

"What?" I asked lowly, unsure if I heard him correctly as it settles in. Izuku groans softly and puts his head in his hands, embarrassment rolling off him.

"Don't make me say it again..." He whimpered making me smirk slightly before wiping it off my face.

"Were you -- and don't hit me or anything -- but were you -- jealous?" I asked carefully, trying not to tease him after I already messed with him over his jealousy earlier today. Izuku shakes his head but glanced up and shot me a glare.

"Yes! I was jealous and I couldn't help it. My emotions were going crazy and after the past few days with Denki shooting me smirks every time he touched you, I lost it, okay?" He said, getting louder as the rant continues.

"And then earlier, you knew I was jealous, and you teased me for it! You got me worked up and then I had to watch Denki be all over you. My instincts were driving me crazy and then he called me a slut! I've never even kissed anyone! He's the one hanging all over my mate!" Izuku pants when he finally finishes his rant. His eyes were wide as he sits there trembling slightly, his face flushed as he tries to calm down.

I had never heard him speak so fast in my life, his whole body seemed to shake with energy, and I could hear his heart hammering in his chest.

"Go ahead and laugh." He hisses and turned away, trying to hide his face, but I find myself smiling although his words don't amuse me. I feel bad if I made anything worse for him today; I let my hormones get the best of me when I had teased him like that over being jealous. I didn't realize it was so serious.

"I'm not laughing," I said softly but Izuku only huffs and looked out the window. "Hey, I'm not," I spoke firmly while gently grabbing his face and making him looked at me again.

"He's been doing it on purpose, Katsuki." Izuku whimpered and leaned his face into my hand, shutting his eyes as his eyebrows furrow in frustration. Why am I touching him like this right now? Why had I been touching him so damn much today in general?

"I didn't know, honestly," I said softly, trying to calm him down and push away my stray thoughts about how fuckin' soft I am being over the one damn person I had been pissed at for years.

I was being honest with him, though. I didn't know Denki had been taunting him like that and I wouldn't have let that continue if I had known he was instigating that type of thing with Izuku.

"You don't stop him from being all over you though." Izuku sighs and pushes my hand away from his face gently. "Look, I know you're not happy with this, I get it, but I couldn't help the way my... biology reacts to you. I don't like feeling jealous over something that isn't mine!" Izuku snaps although his eyes shine with unshed tears. He takes a deep breath.

"So," He sighs out heavily. "If you're not going to stop him from being all over you, then just don't do it around me. I hate how high strung you seem to make me." Izuku breathed seriously, his face falling as his eyes lower back to his lap.

Had how close Denki has been with me been bothering him that much? I guess how he snapped like that proved it that he was worked up, Izuku rarely snapped and lost control like that.

"Is the mate pull bothering you that much?" I asked before I can stop myself. This seems to take him off guard as he slowly turns to face me, his face holding a serious expression that has me sucking in a deep breath without realizing it.

"Katsuki..." He sighs, his face relaxing some as his hand timidly reaches out and strokes my jaw, sending shivers down my spine before he quickly pulls back and his eyes focus again. I couldn't even move away from his touch; my body froze at the contact.

"I had known you to be my mate for four years now." He whispers and gives a sad chuckle. "At first, I didn't accept it, but as the years went by, I began to welcome it." Izuku sighs again and shakes his head, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth.

"The mate pull has been bothering me since day one," Izuku admits quietly and I let his words sink in. Izuku has been struggling with the mate pull for years, I had only been feeling it for a few weeks since I turned 18. How was Izuku so calm around me right now? Well, I guess he isn't that calm considering he punched Denki in the face today over jealousy.

"I'm sorry," I sighed softly. "I forget you've been struggling for so long with all this mating shit." I sighed and unlock the doors so he could leave if he wanted to.

It's quiet for a while and I see Izuku shiver from the corner of my eyes. He's been cold lately, and today was the first time I had seen him without a shirt. His body was so thin that I could see his ribs pressed against his flesh. He had been eating more since I was around and even sleeping better, so why was he still so unhealthy looking?

"Are you sick?" I asked suddenly, remembering that I asked the same question a few weeks ago and he snapped at me for it. Maybe now was not the best time to ask that again, but Izuku's and Mina's conversation before we left Izuku's apartment has been playing in my mind for days.

They had been talking about withdrawals and symptoms, saying something about Izuku taking something for a while and just now stopping. Did Izuku have some sickness or was it drugs he had been taking? Of course, I wasn't supposed to hear that conversation, but for some reason, it was worrying me greatly.

Izuku hesitated, looking caught off guard by the question before shaking his head.

"No, I'm not sick." The sound of his voice made it near impossible not to read further into it. He may not be sick, but something was wrong. Izuku was lying, his ears always go red when he lies, it's been that way since we met as children.

"Bullshit," I stated quietly, not wanting to upset him but also not wanting him to lie to me. We had to get along for the next few weeks, he was supposed to be winning me over, right?

"It's not bullshit..." Izuku mumbled and plays with his fingers, obviously uncomfortable by the conversation. Not wanting to push him too far, I sighed and lifted my hand in surrender.

"Okay, I won't pry. Just know you can talk to me." I've never been one for reassuring others or comforting people, but Izuku was different. I don't know if it's because we are mate, or if I am just missing the way things used to be between us, but I don't want him to be sick or hurting. I want him to talk to me. I want to take care of him, even if it's just temporary.

It will be temporary; it has to be.

"Thank you," Izuku whispers and picks at his fingers. I reach over and take his smaller hands into mine, stopping his nervous picking, and making his breath hitch as he blushes deeply. Izuku smiles at our hands and for some reason, I don't pull away, his hands feel nice inside of mine.

"I will try and have Denki tone it down with his clinginess, okay? He is used to being the center of attention, but I don't want you to be uncomfortable." I was still peaking softly and watching as he bit down on his lip and nodded.

Izuku was silent for a moment before his brows knit together and he opens his mouth, snapping it shut once or twice as if to speak. He groans in frustration before squeezing my hand absentmindedly.

"Have you... been with him... before?" Izuku said in a hushed tone, his voice cracking at the end as his cheeks redden, his hands breaking out in a nervous sweat.

I knew it was Izuku's jealously talking, or maybe his insecurities? I don't know, it's not like we are together, but he was my mate. I guess he couldn't help but worry about those things, after all, he said he has never even kissed someone before. Part of me warmed when he had said that during his little rant, but I pushed it aside.

"Like romantically?" I ask, wanting to clarify. I had kissed Denki quite a few times over the past few months, but after that first make-out session in my car, we had never taken it that far again. I only kissed him when we were particularly close while scenting. It was never anything serious, we both just needed or wanted the physical contact whenever Denki and I kissed.

Denki said he didn't have feelings for me, and I told him I didn't have feelings for him as well. However, now that Izuku was here, I feel guilty for all those kisses, and although Izuku and I are not an item, the feeling of having a mate has my body ridden with guilt for touching Denki like that.

The blushing Omega in the seat next to me seeming all the better; his lips looking sweeter, fuller, and more inviting than Denki's ever had.

My silence must have been taken the wrong way as Izuku's body tensed up, his eyes screwing shut as waves of chocked-back pain emits from his body and before Izuku could reach for the door handle, I reached out, grabbing his arms and pulling him back to me sharply.

I never had feelings for Denki -- not like that, at least.

I wanted to tell Izuku that there, tell him that there may have been times where I lusted after Denki, just because he was an attractive Omega showing me attention, but I never wanted to be with him. I had always wanted my mate, but I couldn't make myself speak for some reason.

A small whimper leaves his lips as I realize I had pulled too him hard and he was now pressed to my chest, his hands placed on my shoulders to keep himself propped up. His eyes are clenched shut as the sadness radiate off him. Just how bad has this mate pull been messing with him?

My eyes zone in on Izuku's perfectly plump lips, swollen from his constant nervous nibbling and his face and body clearly show his misunderstanding. Izuku's whole body trembles as I hold him close, his lower half bent over the middle console that was resting between our bodies in the confined space.

Sliding my hands up his arms, I cup his face, my hands holding tightly along the pale yet flushed skin of his cheeks, my breath hitching in my throat and before I can think twice, I am leaning forward, closing the gap between us and pressing my lips to his mouth quickly and with a passion that I am unfamiliar with.

His body jolts in surprise as my heart stutters in my chest as those lovely sparks tingle down my spine, the shivers and sparks that only Izuku's touch provides, no matter how much I hate it.

The atmosphere around us goes oddly quiet and still, like the moment between lightning and thunder, waiting for the loud crash of the storm that will surely pull us apart and make us realize the mistake we are making right now.

However, it doesn't come.

The thunder doesn't crack the shell we've wrapped ourselves in, and I find myself pressing closer to him. The only thing breaking the stillness in the air was when Izuku's hands slide down from my shoulders and ball into fists in the front of my shirt as his lips part open with a tiny gasp of surprise that has heat boiling in my core and my fingers curling along his jaw, my fingernails scraping, digging lightly along the soft flesh there as my body practically buzzes.

My lips begin to move, tasting him and forgetting for just a moment the whole world around us as Izuku pushes closer and molds his chest against mine. His lips are inexperienced and hungry as they keep searching mine frantically as if I would disappear. It hits me that Izuku might really feel that way, he probably fears that I could snap back to reality and push him away any moment. I should, but I didn't.

I couldn't.

Izuku brings his fingers up from my shirt and into my hair, our lips slotting together perfectly as he tangles his thin fingers into the strand at the back of my head forcing a low groan passing my lips before I could begin to reel it back in. My groan followed by a small whine from Izuku that seems to break the spell he was under.

Izuku suddenly gasps and pulls his lips from mine with a pop, my eyes snapping open to see his flushed and fearful face.

He jumps back, slamming into the car door right after his fingers unwound from my hair and flew to his mouth, where both hands covered his lips, eyes blown wide with pupils dilated.

My heart pounds behind my ribs, as does his. I can hear it beating frantically and I find myself licking my lips, I can still taste him there. He tastes sweet like honey that blends so well with his natural pheromones of strawberries and cream. The scent was thick -- mixed with the smell of his arousal and -- fear. It was clouding my mind and confusing me. What the fuck did I just do?

However, before I can blink back to the reality of what I just did, Izuku's hand grabs at the door handle and he yanks the car door open, stumbling out of drunkenly as I call out to him in surprise. I jumped out of the car, my own shock keeping me in a heavy fog of confusion.

"Izuku!" I shouted as he stumbled back with wide eyes before turning around and taking off running down the road, past the other houses of my neighborhood.

"Where are you going?" I shouted after him, but he didn't reply or turn around. The heavy scent of his distress leaving a trail behind him as he sprints off, but no matter how much I want to, I couldn't seem to make myself follow him, or even move.

My feet are planted to the ground as I watch him disappear down the road, my own fingers mindlessly moving up and running along my lips. I had never felt something like that before, the warmth and emotion behind the frantic moving of our lips had me dazed and in a state of bliss.

During the kiss, for a moment, I had forgotten why I was ever mad at Izuku. The only thing on my mind while we were inside that car was Izuku, wanting him, needing him, wanting to pull him closer, needing to hear his breathy whines one more time.

I didn't want it to stop.

The fact that I didn't stop, or want to stop, had me squeezing my eyes shut in frustration as the taste of Izuku's lips lingered on my mouth. Why didn't I stop that from happening? Why did I kiss him to begin with? Kissing Denki never felt like that, and as the intensity of the heated moment began to finally fade away, the reality set in and I groaned in frustration.

"What the fuck..." I sighed heavily, rubbing my hands down my face as if that would wipe away the lingering feel of Izuku's lips.

Fun fact -- it didn't work.