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Midoriya Izuku was a boy who knew a lot about sorrow. Orphaned at six, he kept working as a slave for a cruel king, suffering from tedious labor and minimal rest for as long as he could remember, subdued even further when he presented as an omega, the bottom of the food chain. He was malnourished, tired, dirty, and hurt, although, most of all, he was the carcass of a person who was hopeless and lost.
That’s why he wasn’t surprised when he received the order to take care of the Prince of Dragons, prime alpha Bakugou Katsuki, apprehended as a prisoner not long ago to extort the Dragon Kingdom, so they’d ally with Shigaraki, also known as the King of Sorrows.
“See to his every need. Clean his cell, bring him food and water, and change his linens when you see fit. Make sure that no pest resides in his proximity, lest he falls ill and becomes useless to us”. That’s what the king had told him, wearing a cruel smile and a sinister aura, for one of his favorite hobbies was to torment the green-haired omega.
Izuku took his orders in stride, bowing before the king and retreating to finish his workload for the day. He knew that this addition to his routine was a death sentence, for barbarians were notorious for their fleeting temper and merciless slaughter, and the green-haired boy was well-known for his ability to irritate even his companions, gaining himself punishments and beatings almost daily.
And yet, as a person who kept on living by force of habit, there was nothing left to lose, even if he was mistreated by this mysterious prisoner. Izuku lived waiting for his death, and it didn’t matter how it came to happen so long as it happened. If his life ended at the hands of Bakugou Katsuki, it would still mean freedom in a way that nobody could take away from the hopeless slave.
The prince remained silent each time Izuku entered his cell. He kept his distance and only responded to the boy's requests through grunts and gestures. It was unclear if he understood Izuku's language or not, but he seemed to comprehend it enough to communicate the bare minimum.
At first, Izuku was scared to even look in the prince’s direction, limiting himself to bringing food and doing his chores as fast as feasible to bother the alpha as little as possible. But, as the days passed, and it seemed clear that Katsuki didn’t hold any particular interest in the slave, Izuku allowed himself to watch the prince with a little more pause.
Bakugou Katsuki was a handsome man, for starters. He had a defined jaw, muscular frame, beautiful and wild, short blonde hair, some tattoos on his arms that seemed to be related to his culture, pendants, and collars made from what Izuku guessed were dragon teeth, and, most beautiful of all, a pair of deep, gorgeous red eyes that seemed to analyze you until there was nothing left unbarred for the prince to discover.
Izuku could barely suppress a shiver every time those eyes watched him for a little too long for it to be called casual. That, mixed with his scent -a mix of warmth, bravery and protection- made the little omega a little too enchanted with the chained prince.
One day, as the omega was cleaning the prince’s cell, a guard came and removed him by force, grabbing him by the hair and dragging him against the dirty floor of the dungeons, giving Izuku friction burns in almost every part of his body. The servant had been too slow in his cleaning, the man said, and was now running late in his schedule, which meant the guard had to bring him to the kitchen to receive further directions (and an appropriate punishment).
Izuku had been awake all night long cleaning the castle from top to bottom as punishment for hiding in the dungeons to avoid his responsibilities. By that point, the boy knew there was no use in correcting such a claim, so he obeyed in silence and kept working until it was time to bring the prince food and water.
Upon entering the cell, he felt something had changed. It wasn’t palpable, more of a feeling in the air than anything else, but it was still there. The Dragon Prince, who hadn’t approached Izuku once in the two weeks that had passed, waited for the guard to go away and, after the boy had left the food on the little table by the bed, extended a hand and took Izuku’s arm for inspection.
After so many years of punishment, Izuku couldn't help but be startled as he did upon contact with the prince, a little bit of his distress getting out through his scent. The other man, who hadn't expected such a reaction, responded like he had been scorched and retreated his touch immediately.
“I-I’m very sorry, sire. I g-got startled. P-Please forgive m-me”. Muttered Izuku, who had suffered from stammering from a very young age and felt the shame that always came from speaking engulf him.
The prince looked him in the eyes, huffed, and tried to project his movements before taking Izuku’s arm in his hold once again. Upon seeing the burn marks from the previous day, he scowled and growled lowly, sounding more like a kicked puppy than an angry beast.
Izuku wondered if the rumors of barbarians being related to dragons in more than just alliance could perhaps hold some truth.
“I-It d-doesn’t hurt anymore, s-sire. I-It’s just a s-scratch. P-Please don’t dirty y-your hands w-with me.”
The prince didn’t answer, instead, he surprised Izuku by carefully stroking the burn one last time, letting out just a bit of sweet, relaxing pheromones, before retreating his arm and focusing on his meal.
Izuku, who had not experienced a gentle touch in sixteen years, was left speechless. Unbeknownst to him, a small flame ignited in his heart.
A little more than two months had passed, and in that time, Izuku gained a little bit more confidence while in the prince’s presence. Now, he sometimes dared to share short one-man conversations with the barbarian, telling him of the weather outside, or wondering what kind of meal he would like for dinner. He never got much response from his companion, but that was alright, because the prince didn't tell him to stop talking either, and that was more than what anyone had done for the omega before.
In one such instance, Izuku, unknowing it, lost his only treasure while cleaning the cell: a tiny piece of mahogany obsidian. As a slave, he didn’t know of gemstones or their monetary value, but that gem was a precious treasure of happier times in Izuku’s life, the last reminder that, once upon a time, he had a hopeful future and dreams he wished to achieve.
The stone was a gift from a person that held great importance in his heart, and yet, he couldn’t remember his face or his name, only that it had been a boy that shared his same four springs of age, and that, upon finding him crying for a forgotten reason, had kindly given him his favorite stone out of a personal collection.
The only reason Izuku had kept the stone was because it was in his pocket when Shigaraki's troops invaded his kingdom. Since then, he always kept it hidden in one of the nooks in the rags he wore.
After being ushered from the cell in a hurry, his tiny stone fell from his clothes, falling in the prince’s line of vision, who took it with reverence and contemplative silence. Somehow, the stone reminded him of a certain moment in time that his memory had blurred until he couldn’t grasp it anymore.
Izuku cried once he noticed the stone missing, trying to cease his tears lest his masters find him in such a vulnerable state, but that seemed like an impossible goal, for his only belonging was gone and, with it, the boy felt that his last hope had vanished too.
When he entered the cell to bring the prince his final meal of the day, he kept quiet and avoided eye contact. He didn’t want the man to ridicule him for his swollen eyes like the rest of the castle had done all day.
While changing the linens, he felt the barbarian come closer, until a voice, hard and raspy from disuse, asked for his attention.
“This yours?” it asked, making the boy jump in place and lock viridian eyes with carmine ones. A callous hand took one of his own and deposited something cold and small, and there, before Izuku’s eyes, was his tiny treasure, brought back when he thought he had lost it for good.
Incapable of suppressing them, fresh tears cascaded from his tired eyes, followed by relieved sobs that he tried to make as noiseless as possible. In the middle of such an emotional outburst, he forgot of the other man in the room, so the slave was startled when a pair of warm hands took his cheeks among them, making him move his head until he was looking upwards, right into a pair of panicked eyes.
“Okay?” asked the same brusque voice from before, whose owner looked in the middle of a debate between feeling anxious and getting irritated.
Izuku, for the first time in a long while, let himself give a tiny laugh, his shy smile widening when calloused fingers caressed his face to clean his tears.
“Y-Yes, s-sire. T-This s-stone is very p-precious t-to me, t-thank you f-for s-saving it.”
The other man grunted but didn’t retreat his hands. They were surrounded by what could be described as the smell of safety, like a warm crook in the corner of a quiet room, with a nest filled to the brim with soft blankets and fluffy pillows.
They kept the same position until a guard’s footsteps could be heard, and Izuku had to finish his tasks in a hurry.
From that moment onwards, the blonde man asked Izuku to call him Katsuki, and something too incredible and impossible to come to reality started blooming between prince and slave. Izuku, hungry for touch as he had been most of his life, couldn’t resist the other’s hugs, caresses, and scenting, for his heart wasn’t strong enough to let go of something it would never experience again once the prince was set free.
One day, the prince had left his cell so the guards could interrogate him, Shigaraki trying a different tactic after bargaining with the Dragon Kingdom proved fruitless. Before it was time for Izuku to visit him, he entered a dilemma: he shouldn't involve himself, but he guessed the prince was injured in the interrogatory and needed medical attention. Swallowing his fear of repercussions, the omega took what little amount of gauze and disinfectant he dared from the infirmary without anyone spotting him and made his way to the dungeons as fast as possible when it was time to deliver the next meal to the barbarian.
Laying in the bed was the same man Izuku had tended to for a month and a half, but his face sported a swollen eye, his arms had cuts and burns, and his chest seemed to bleed from lashing.
Gasping, he approached the bed in a hurry, careful not to jostle his charge, and began cleaning and dressing as many wounds as he could with what little implements he had stolen. A tiny part of him felt guilty for his immoral act but, on the other side, he was glad that at least this punishment would be for a good cause. He couldn’t let the prince get sick on his watch, not when many of his people were looking for a way to retrieve him safely.
Suddenly, his movements were halted by a kind but firm hand, and when he looked up, a pair of questioning eyes met his own.
“Where get?” asked the alpha, still unused to common speech, but gesturing toward the medical implements Izuku had been using to help him.
The slave gave him a kind smile, trying to look reassuring, and kept working while answering with “d-don’t worry about i-it, si-K-Katsuki. I-It’s the l-least I c-can do until y-you c-can get away from h-here”.
Such a response didn’t satisfy the prince, but he kept quiet until Izuku finished his ministrations. Knowing the guard would rat him out to his master about what he had done since it was clear the omega had stolen to take care of the prisoner, the boy decided to let himself enjoy what could be his last day with the prince, maybe even his last day on earth.
Somewhere among the treatment, the prince shifted positions until he was cradling Izuku in his lap. The boy, now used to the other’s physical contact, tried to pry himself away to avoid dirtying Katsuki’s precious clothing and the recently applied bandages, but the blonde man didn’t relent and just seemed to hug him tighter, so Izuku accepted the alpha’s hold, enveloping the prince in an embrace of his own, letting their scents intermingle as much as he dared.
He spoke to the prince about his childhood, of the father he didn’t know, of the wonderful mother who had given him all the love she could until she had passed away from an illness that a slave couldn’t pay to cure. He told him of his life while in Endeavor’s reign, which had been pacific and happy until, a little after he turned four years old, the kingdom was taken by Shigaraki’s cruel reign. Two years after that, he faced life as an orphan, alone and scared, and he was kept as a slave because Shigaraki’s son, Tomura, found glee in making him suffer, ridiculing Izuku and taking out his frustrations in the meek boy.
He even spoke of the tender memory related to the mahogany obsidian, of a boy who had been brash but kind, as a lot of kids were, and how that gesture of compassion had given him hope when nothing else could.
Katsuki grunted, whined, and growled while listening to Izuku’s life, his hold tightening around the small man and his eyes gaining a sad glow when looking at the hurt, weak, kind omega who had taken care of him to his best capacity for days on end. He felt the need to share his own history with the green-haired man, wishing to repay his sincerity with the same coin, so he mentioned as many adventures and mishaps as he could remember to the one in his embrace.
He told Izuku of his life as a prince, of the responsibilities it implied, of the burden he sometimes felt was too much to bear, and how his friends had helped him realize that Katsuki didn’t have to shoulder them alone, that he could trust his people to help him rule.
The alpha spoke of his kind father, who had always tried to lend him support and guidance to control his temper, and of his fiery mother, whom he often argued with but who he loved dearly anyway, and how they were the best leaders he had ever seen, making their kingdom flourish and thrive in peace and prosperity. He told Izuku of his hopes to become a leader as great as them when the time for that came.
He even spoke of the dragons, how some of them could shapeshift at will, his companion being one of those that could pose both as a dragon and as a man.
“His name Eijirou. Little stupid, but good guy”, he said to describe the man, and Izuku couldn’t help giggling at such a rash, honest description. Katsuki felt his chest expand at the cute sound, allowing a cocky smirk to show on his face.
It felt like a long while passed, like time had stopped so they could share a conversation that lasted more than a few phrases.
It was Katsuki who interrupted the silence, taking Izuku’s chin so he would look him in the eye before saying:
“Come with me”.
Izuku gasped, his brain taking a moment to process the petition and deliver an answer. “M-Me? W-Why, K-Katsuki?” Traitorous tears filled green eyes, making their owner sob in anguish. “W-What could y-you possibly w-want me f-for?” So many years of being labeled as stupid by his peers, as useless by his master, as an anomaly that couldn’t even form a sentence without stammering, as a disgrace that wasn’t good for anything more than cleaning and washing, since his weak physique wouldn’t resist were he in the position to bear a child. Plain and weak, graceless, and illiterate, Izuku had no place becoming friends with a prince, much less the type of sentiment his heart longed for from the closeness that he felt toward Katsuki.
“Stop!” Shouted the alpha upon hearing what the other was thinking out loud, vicious eyes radiating fury like Izuku hadn’t known before, a strong smell of fury permeating the air, making him bare his neck, trembling in fear. Seeing this, Katsuki tried to reign in his wrath, taking deep breaths until he could speak without scowling. He wanted to say so much to the crying boy, to tell him how he was gorgeous and kind and beautiful, how Katsuki could stay for hours looking at his lovely eyes and listening to his gentle voice get excited when speaking about something he found interesting. He wanted to show him the real world, to let him learn about anything he wanted, to feed him and clothe him so he could be healthy and stay by his side for as long as life permitted.
After months of getting to know the green-haired omega, Katsuki was certain:
“I love you”.
Izuku felt like his lungs couldn’t get enough hair, his big eyes looking with incredulity and yet with so much hope into the sincere gaze of a man who was kinder as a barbarian than any other person he had met without such a title.
He wanted to ask if the prince knew what such a statement meant in Izuku’s language but, somehow, he felt that Katsuki was being honest, that his declaration came from deep within his heart and not from a wish to ridicule the slave most cruelly.
Shaking from the number of emotions he was feeling, Izuku gave a tiny smile toward Katsuki, and uttered the same words he had been blessed to hear directed at him:
“I l-love y-you too, Katsuki”.
The prince roared in glee, squeezing Izuku even while injured, and the other boy, just as happy, laughed with him before resting his forehead against the other man’s, blonde locks tickling his unkempt curls.
Sharing a glance, so many words left unsaid and yet heard by green meeting red, both boys smiled, and sealed their proclamations by sharing a kiss.
“Who would have thought that you had it in you.” Sneered Shigaraki, grabbing a handful of green curls and forcing Izuku up until they were eye-level. “A pest like you, breaking the rules for what? Love?” Mocked the older man, spitting in the slave’s face from the sheer venom his words carried. “Are you so stupid to believe that a thing as disgusting as yourself could gain the heart of the future King of Dragons? Or are you just naïve? Don’t you realize that you would only bring shame to him, unable to even speak like normal people as you are?” Each statement brought a new round of tears to Izuku’s eyes, his heart unable to bear such cruelness after having felt what caring was only a few minutes earlier before he left the prince’s cell, a guard having heard the final sentences to their conversation and bringing master Tomura to administer an appropriate punishment himself.
“And now you add another title to the list by becoming a thief,” Shigaraki said while tearing Izuku’s rags until the boy stood in mere undergarments, shivering like a leaf in the middle of the snow-covered yard. “You should know that we punish thievery with death, now don’t you, Deku? Maybe you forgot, and that’s why you did it, huh?” While speaking, the successor to the throne ordered the guards to bring him cubes of water and a whip. Izuku couldn’t stop his trembling, not for fear, since he knew what would happen, but from sorrow, because he had known what happiness felt like only moments beforehand.
And yet, he felt grateful for having met Katsuki, and for experiencing love at least once before it was time to go.
Tomura took a bucket of water and stood before the slave, who had been kneeling all the while, and smiled to himself while forcing the other to look him in the eyes. “But you are stupid Deku, and as a stupid Deku, you will die, but not yet. We’re going to use you before that, see if our esteemed guest changes his mind and starts talking now that we have something he holds dear.”
The slave felt his veins freeze, fear crawling up his throat until he couldn’t breathe. To use Izuku against Katsuki? He felt sick just at the thought, wanting his life to end at that moment just so he could protect the prince, to avoid the alpha getting ideas, and trying to save a simple slave when his people were waiting for him.
Invigorated by his need to protect the prince, he fought against the hands holding him down, small omegan fangs and elongated claws searching for a target to hurt, but a weak and malnourished slave could only do so much against brute force from people who were at their maximum capacity, and so, the green-haired boy was soon restrained, and the first bucket of freezing water went over his head.
Katsuki had been pacing his cell for a while now, his injuries long forgotten in the middle of his worrying. He couldn’t protect Izuku when the hoard of guards entered the cell, for his ability was suppressed by magic-repressing bracelets and, when he had tried to use it as a first instinct, he gave the guards a second too many to drag his mate away.
Because yes, Izuku was becoming Katsuki’s mate, and as such he was going to find a way to reach the omega before it was too late.
Looking at his fist, he admired the tiny stone that had ended up in his cell again. He had been playing with it to deal with his nerves, but he knew that something so precious shouldn’t be lost, so he pocketed it and resumed his worrying.
While he was trying to find a way to separate some cell bars, hurried footsteps and loud laughter resonated in the dungeons, the guards bringing what looked like a sack of potatoes with them. One of the men took a ring of keys from his pants pocket and, with a sneer, approached Katsuki’s cell.
“We got a gift for ya, Your Highness”. Mocked the guard, letting the other men throw the sack in the cell, hitting Katsuki with it while doing it, and closing the door immediately after.
Huffing, the prince pushed off the sack and decided to peer inside it, wondering what kind of game these stupid people were playing.
And then his heart fell to his feet.
“IZUKU!” Shouted the blonde man, hurriedly taking the boy from the sack and cradling him carefully, taking in his undressed state, his wet skin, and his cold body. Scared beyond himself, he barely noticed the note attached to the boy’s neck, resolving to read it later to take care of the omega first.
Once he had the boy as dry as he could and sharing the same bed as him to warm up his body, Katsuki extracted one arm from the firm embrace he had his mate in and took the note to read.
Hope you like this gift, Your Majesty. Since you seemed to like this pet so much, we decided to give it to you as a full-time companion. Sadly, he has quite a weak constitution and got wrenched while playing around in the yard, and the only way to avoid its death is your cooperation. Tell us where the Secret Kingdom is, mark it on a map for us when we come for you, and maybe we will see to it that your new pet doesn’t die.
Hoping we’ll come to an agreement soon,
Shigaraki T.
“Motherfucking bastards!” Katsuki couldn’t believe how low these play-pretend royals could go to get what they wanted. Clenching his teeth, he knew it was time for him to act and stop wasting time; he had given his people enough time to prepare, and now they had to fulfill their part.
Concentrating his energy, one that didn’t come from magic but from his bond with his dragon companion, Eijirou, he emitted the signal to put into motion their plan.
Now it was a matter of waiting.
“Zuku, come closer.” Murmured Katsuki, an eternal scowl present on his face for the past two days, when Izuku was brought to him hypothermic and hurt. His health was only getting worse, a nasty cough leaving him breathless and gasping for air, with a fever that wouldn’t let up no matter what Katsuki tried to do, with his limited possibilities being wetting a piece of cloth and cleaning Izuku with it, lest his injuries get infected too.
The green-haired omega shivered softly before searching for refuge in the barbarian’s embrace, a soft gasp leaving his lips at the warmth surrounding him. Katsuki let a pained smile come to his face, quickly erased by the mocking and sneering that came from the guards who found joy in visiting the cell, making bets on when the “pet” was going to die and if the prince would reveal the location of the dragon lands before that.
Growling like a beast, the blonde-haired man hugged Izuku closer and shielded his body from view, trying to avoid the temptation of biting and killing the bastards by reminding himself that his mate needed his body heat to survive. He resorted to let out soft croons and a steady rumbling, relishing in the tiny chirps the omega gave as an answer.
Eventually, the guards grew bored and left the couple alone, a small mercy Katsuki didn’t take for granted. Another coughing attack left Izuku wheezing. Small, calloused hands fisted the red cape Katsuki had tucked him with, small tears escaping from feverish eyes and an unseeing gaze searching for a well-known red stare in pursuit of comfort.
“K-Kackn” muttered the boy, his delirious mind wanting to hear the soothing voice of the one who had shown him what kindness felt like.
“Shh, I’m here, Zuku. It’s going to be okay. Help is coming”.
Suddenly alert, the boy in Katsuki’s arms put one trembling hand on the prince’s cheek, caressing it with a reverence the blonde-haired man had only seen between his parents on counted occasions when they needed the comfort of their mate to stay strong and keep on moving forward.
“K-Kacchan will b-be saved?” Wondered the sick boy, hope making his eyes shine with a fervor that didn’t come from the fever.
Scoffing at the cutesy name, but accepting it nonetheless, Katsuki nodded, taking Izuku’s hand and kissing it in the palm. “We both will be saved”.
Smiling, Izuku kept his hold on Katsuki’s hand and brought it toward his chest, hugging it until sleep claimed him once more.
Katsuki sighed, fond and worried, and petted mated curls until Tomura decided to visit the cell. He had been coming thrice a day to convince him to confess, but Katsuki had stood his ground, unwilling to leave Izuku alone where they could hurt him furtherly, and resolute in his decision to keep quiet about the information the enemy wanted.
He was going to win this waiting game.
“Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay, let it out, it’s okay.”
“K-Kacchan”
“I’m here, I’m here, I’m here Zuku.” Murmured the tired prince, who had been watching Izuku wake up from night terrors hour after hour, crying until his throat was sore, making himself sick from anguish, searching desperately for Katsuki with eyes incapable of seeing anything but his nightmares.
“It’s okay to cry if you need to. I’m here.” Honestly, the barbarian didn’t know what to do anymore. In a couple of hours, it would be three days since he sent the signal to his people, and he didn’t know if Izuku would resist for much longer. Katsuki had always been a man of power, courageous, and a natural leader. There was not one subject where he didn’t excel, not one ability that he couldn’t master, not one beast the prince couldn’t tame, but here, with Izuku slipping by his fingers without him having proper resources to help him, Katsuki felt utterly useless, and he hated the feeling with vehemence.
He had considered giving in to Shigaraki's demands many times. Every time Izuku coughed until his throat bled, when he gasped like his heart was giving up, when his fever had him sweating all the water he barely drank. But Katsuki was sure that the moment he went away, they were going to kill the omega. They would have no use for him anymore, and being this sick, it would be a waste of resources to try and save a body that had so little fuel to battle against any disease.
So deep in thought was the alpha that he was unable to hear the screams now plaguing the kingdom, the utter terror and disbelief enveloping the whole village in chaos. It wasn’t until a massive amount of shaking rattled the castle, and the sound of hurried footsteps resounded in the dungeon, that the prince came out of his head and allowed hope to grow in his heart once more. He could feel his bond growing stronger with every passing second, and he could smell the presence of his people nearby.
Gathering Izuku with as much care as possible, the prince tucked him tightly in his red cape and got up with his mate in a bridal carry, trying to soothe his pained whimpers when his injuries were jostled, encouraging the omega to tuck his face in the nook between his neck and shoulder. Getting closer to the gate, his eyes found a matching red pair looking at him directly, and soon, he had his brother in all but blood screaming his name and running with the ring of keys in hand, the guard that had kept them, long gone.
“Katsuki! I’m so happy to see you’re okay, we were so worried” said Eijirou, tears of relief coming to his eyes while he searched for the right key to the cell.
“Good to see you too, scale-for-brains. Took your sweet time to come, though”.
Eijirou grimaced, opening the door and looking at the bundle in Katsuki’s arms with curiosity that he knew was best saved for a later time. “We were ambushed in our lands, monsters never seen before and almost undefeatable made us fight for weeks without reprieve.”
The prince started moving with his dragon by his side, running through dark corridors to reach the exit as soon as their legs allowed, the blonde-haired man wanting to leave that hellish place as fast as possible.
“Were there casualties?” Wondered Katsuki, worried for his people and the dragons that might have aided them in battle.
“A few of our own, but no dragons, and we didn’t let the enemy know the location of the secret land”.
Katsuki nodded, grief coming in small waves that he pushed to the back of his head until he could do something about it, for their focus had to be on getting away from that godforsaken kingdom.
At the exit they find allies waiting for their arrival, many familiar faces smiling at the sight of their prince and his imposing figure, awaiting further instructions with anticipation.
“Anyone with connections to the palace, we take for interrogation, or we kill, no other option. The rest of the people we’ll leave here, for they have enough resources and should be able to find a way to overcome this trial. Anyone in rags that wishes to, may come with us to try for a better life. Am I understood?”
A chorus of affirmations came, and soon, the barbarians were doing as their leader commanded, leaving the prince and his dragon companion alone so they could fly back home, for they knew their leader-to-be had done more than enough by stalling the enemy until they were ready to achieve victory.
“Ready to go home?” Wondered Eijirou, taking off his clothes to save them from ripping during his transformation.
“Make it as quick as you can, Ei. I have your future queen in my arms, and he needs medical attention right now.”
Eijirou, now a gigantic beast of red scales and a vigorous figure, let out a mighty roar and lowered his neck so his prince could take his rightful place between his shoulders. After taking flight, Katsuki hugged Izuku closer and, like a prayer, promised him a brighter future and a happy life from then on forward.
When Izuku woke up, the first thing he felt was the pain that had taken residence in his body. It wasn’t intense, more like fatigue and weakness combined in a debilitating mix that left him tired and dizzy.
Curious green eyes looked around, taking in the spacious room filled with fur blankets and armory, vases bursting with fresh flowers, and the soothing scent of the one that owned his heart impregnated in the sheets. Looking to his right, the boy could see the most beautiful man sleeping by his bedside, his eyelashes caressing soft cheeks, eyebags that didn’t belong in such a handsome face, denoting how much effort the prince had made to stay by the slave’s side.
Afraid of being in a dream, Izuku extended a trembling hand and caressed soft blonde locks, relishing the feeling under his fingertips, a tiny smile adorning his pale face. He wished the moment to last forever, warm and happy as he was. Such a delicate instance was unknown to the servant, who had always known harsh sheets and a cold floor as his safe place, and just lying in such a comfortable bed made him feel inadequate and insecure.
He didn’t have much time to ponder such thoughts, for a sudden crash had Izuku startling and cowering in fear, making his slumbering companion wake up from such noise.
“Green awake!” Yelled the intruder, who Izuku remembered from somewhere he couldn’t pinpoint. Bright red hair that matched his eyes, sharp teeth, and a big grin, the visitor took long strides toward the bed until Katsuki stopped him with a growl.
Pouting, the intruder sighed and changed tactics, directing his attention toward the green-haired boy. “Hi! I’m Eijirou, happy to meet you!”
If he had a tail, Izuku was sure it would wag uncontrollably, for he wore a huge grin while saluting with his hand. Under Katsuki’s curious gaze, Izuku mimicked the newcomer, muttering a small “h-hello” under his breath.
Eyes full of tenderness, Katsuki petted wild curls and spoke to the visitor in a language Izuku couldn’t discern, that consisted of grunts and growls more than what seemed like actual words.
Whatever he told the redhead, it seemed to mute his energy a little, saying something more to his prince before retreating from the room in a frenzy.
“He good, just excited.” Explained Katsuki, coming closer to Izuku until they were sharing an embrace. Sighing in bliss, Izuku let himself feel happy. He was safe, he was warm, and Katsuki was with him. What else could he ask for?
Suddenly remembering himself, Izuku jumped back from the hug, making Katsuki grunt in annoyance at the sudden movement.
“K-Kacchan! I-I’m d-dirty, don’t h-hug m-me.” Worried about the state of the expensive blankets around him, Izuku tried to leave the bed, only to be stopped by a vehement Katsuki, who appeared to be speaking in his tongue while taking Izuku in his arms and carrying him somewhere.
“Stupid, don’t care. But here, bath.” Said Katsuki before taking the omega to a beautiful bathroom with a large tub filled with warm water, many soaps, and aromatic oils around it. Soft, immaculate towels were placed on shelves on the other side of the room, and a showerhead was beside the tub, a small bench right under it.
Ashamed of himself, Izuku took refuge in Katsuki’s chest, bare as it always was, and admitted not knowing what to do with so many options for bathing. He could only use the hose to clean himself, and only when his master allowed it.
Katsuki seated the servant on the bench and brought a different one to place it beside him, taking a seat himself.
“I help you. You follow.”
Nodding, Izuku fought his sudden prudeness and let himself get undressed by the alpha, big, careful hands trying to avoid jostling his injuries, which the boy appreciated. After taking off his garments, Katsuki turned on the shower and, once the water was warm enough, proceeded to wet their bodies. Then, he pointed Izuku to the variety of soaps and told him to pick one with the scent he liked the most, so the boy selected a caramel one, which reminded him of Kacchan’s unique scent. Saying this to his prince, he found joy in the red ears and ashamed blush that came to the barbarian’s face, laughing softly when he was called a menace while gentle hands started working the soap in mated curls.
After washing themselves until squeaky clean, Kacchan carried Izuku to the tub and let them soak in warm water for a while. The feeling of being clean and safe almost made Izuku fall asleep, but soft ministrations against his hair brought him back to the present and made him let out a rumbling sound that was unknown to him.
Giving a small smile, Katsuki asked if he would like to cut his hair to rid it of mats. Not caring about it, Izuku said yes and dozed off to the sound of scissors cutting green locks. A little while later, the prince took him out of the water and dried him with soft towels, now telling him to pick an oil he found pleasant. Izuku chose a lavender one for its soothing smell.
Katsuki treated him like a precious creature, massaging the sore muscles of a mistreated body until it relaxed completely. Izuku, unable to process so many feelings at once, started crying softly, overwhelmed by the kind care he was being so selflessly given, not knowing how he’d be able to repay such compassion.
“W-Whatever y-you wish of m-me, K-Kacchan, a-ask for it, and I’ll d-do i-it.” Said the servant, trying to convey how much he wanted to stay at the prince’s side, be it as a slave, as a friend, maybe even to warm his bed. Izuku didn’t care; he just wanted to be close to this astounding man for as long as the other allowed.
Katsuki didn’t answer immediately. He took his time dressing the other boy, and then himself, and carried him back to a bed with soft sheets and fur blankets that were clean. Only then, while combing now shorter curls, did he respond:
“Marry me, Zuku.”
When Izuku searched for amber eyes, he found nothing but sincerity and eagerness looking back at him. It was such a deep feeling that he couldn’t help but feel scared at first, the weight of such expectations terrifying him.
And yet, when he sought his honest answer to such a question, nothing but excitement and hope came back, happy tears filling his eyes and a big smile adorning his face, for he had never experienced such a level of gratefulness beforehand.
Taking Katsuki’s hands in his own, he kissed them, muttered his thanks, and answered with most honesty:
“Y-Yes, K-Kacchan.”
Life in the castle was a constant trial for Izuku. After Katsuki announced him as his soon-to-be bride, many eyes fell on the green-haired man, who tried to be as invisible as possible whenever Kacchan was away.
He found strength in new friends, though, ones he had met on his first week of living in the Draconic Kingdom. Some of them were servants like he once was, but here they were treated fairly, and theirs was just another job like many others, not a degrading thing to be ashamed of. He soon learned that slaves didn’t exist under Bakugou’s rule, for it was a shameful practice, which made Izuku breathe easier even if he knew that Katsuki didn’t want him in such a role.
Izuku made friends with the guards too, and even the cooking staff and royal advisors were kind to him. He was assigned professors and instructors so he could learn as much as he desired, yet he wasn't pressured into perfection or rapidness, something he was grateful for.
He was worried about Katsuki’s parents disapproving of him since he feared his body wouldn’t be able to bring descendants to the throne or help in a way that mattered, but Mitsuki just laughed, and Masaru patted his shoulder kindly, looking at his embarrassed son with a smile.
“There are many things you don’t know about our culture yet, son. Don’t worry, descendants will come when the time is right, you’ll see.”
Somehow, Izuku believed them and so stopped worrying about the matter, letting out what he learned was a purr when Katsuki brought him close to envelop him in a hug, deciding to worry about more pressing subjects for now.
Not everything was perfect, though. Some people disapproved of Izuku as the prince’s bride, claiming him unworthy and incapable of bearing such a weight. He was used to mean comments, so they didn’t surprise him, but they made him doubt. Some servants whispered when he crossed paths with them in the hallway, his dedication to learning draconian allowing him to understand what they thought were undiscernible words to the stupid boy.
“Such an ugly creature, full of scars and with marked skin, what could His Highness possibly see in such an abomination?”
“And that’s without mentioning how dumb he is. It took him a month to learn what my toddler mastered at four! What use could he possibly be to our kingdom?”
“And don’t make me talk about his stutter. Tsk, so much shame, that thing will bring. Prince Katsuki better not let him speak when in society, or his embarrassment might be too much to bear.”
“I feel sorry for him. The prince must be feeding him so many lies, just to get himself a bedmate. Poor thing, so alone in this world, how could he know he’s been played with?”
“And he’s all bones! He looks sick, he won’t even last until the prince needs an heir, I’m sure. If His Highness had taken Camie for a bride, another story we’d be telling.”
“Ha! That’s only if he survives the mating ritual, and I would bet all my money on him dying at the very start of it”.
“Shush, imprudent women, we must take our leave before the prince arrives. Lucky thing his pet doesn’t understand us, but let’s not tempt fate anymore, these walls have ears.”
Izuku, who was sitting in the corner until the maidens finished cleaning the room, could only swallow to stop his shame from being known. It was incredible how they could speak such garbage of him and then smile in his direction before leaving the room.
Once he was alone, he allowed himself a single minute of hurt, letting his tears come unbidden, his sobs rattling his frame. The omega was frustrated with his inadequacy and the shame he was bringing his fiancé for not being at the level he was supposed to be.
After his breakdown, he went to the connected bathroom and cleaned his face, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. Izuku would be better, he promised himself; he would become worthy of carrying the title of Queen so Katsuki could be proud of him.
Later that night, while lying under soft pelts, Katsuki inquired after Izuku’s quietness, used to his soon-to-be mate’s ramblings before sleep, where he asked after the prince’s day and shared his shenanigans afterward.
“Just thinking, is all. How was your day?” Wondered the small boy, his bright eyes making Katsuki smile and lay a kiss on the other’s forehead.
“Tiring, but we’re ready to take revenge against Shigaraki’s reign. We have Shiketsu’s support, and our dragons will lend us a hand. In a week or so, we’ll overthrow the bastard and his minions once and for all”.
Even though he tried to make it sound casual, Katsuki was nervous about telling Izuku the news. His green-haired omega had only been in Draconia for little less than a month, and he knew how anxious it would be for the boy to be left alone.
But Shigaraki had to be stopped before he became uncontrollable.
Fear like no other rooted itself in Izuku’s heart, afraid of war and its consequences, unable to picture a future where Katsuki was gone. But he couldn’t ask the prince to send his troops without him leading them, it was against the barbarians’ beliefs to make others fight his wars, and Izuku respected that completely.
Still, he couldn’t help but ask:
“Will you come back to me?”
Strong, sturdy arms hugged him close until all Izuku could smell was cinnamon and caramel, scents born from Katsuki’s magic, as he had come to learn.
“Not even death itself will keep me from marrying you, Zuku. I’ll come back to you no matter what, don’t doubt my ode to make you the happiest man alive.”
Swallowing back tears, Izuku smiled. It was such a Kacchan thing to do, to swear something he couldn’t control but make it sound like his promise was the only possible outcome.
He was going to believe in his future husband’s word, now and always, so he nodded and claimed the other’s lips in a desperate attempt to make his return come as fast as possible.
“Mina, please take care of him. He gets scared easily and has been pushing himself a lot lately, and I fear for his health. Please make sure he takes care of himself for me.”
Mina, another shapeshifter who had willingly accepted Katsuki’s petition to become Izuku’s bodyguard, smiled kindly and barely resisted the temptation to pick on his prince, for his lovestruck state was too cute for the world, in her honest opinion.
“Of course, Baku-babe! I’ll defend his life with mine, just make sure to come back and marry him before someone else wins his heart!”
A little teasing was inevitable if it was Mina speaking. Growling and grumbling, Katsuki muttered something like “Let them try, I’ll kill them” before leaving her side and coming to the castle’s entrance, where his troops awaited his command and where his mate was ready to give Katsuki his farewells.
Watching from afar, Mina could only see Izuku’s valiant effort to stop his tears, and Katsuki’s pained face when they had to separate from their embrace. Muttering words meant only for each other, they sealed their goodbye with a fervent kiss, and soon after the prince was leading his warriors toward what could only be victory.
“My lord, you should turn in for the night. You have barely slept this week, and that book will still be there by morning.” Said an exasperated Mina, who by now knew that Izuku could understand her completely, just liked to pick what he made of her advice.
“J-Just one c-chapter more, M-Mina, please?” And how could she say no to such expressive eyes? No wonder Katsuki was so weak for this boy. She could barely resist herself, and Mina was just his guard.
Sighing, she relented, but not without bargaining.
“Fine, but I’m bringing you food, and you better finish it all.”
Nodding in gratitude, the omega continued reading, and she left him be while going to the kitchen, asking Uraraka, a maid in the hall who was friends with the boy, to keep an eye on him while she was gone.
It had been two weeks since their warrior’s departure, and while things were going great at that end, in the castle there had been some complications. Mainly Izuku-related complications.
Mina had been watching him like a hawk, so it was no wonder she noticed how little sleep he got while trying to make up for sixteen years of zero education. Nobody was rushing him, but the twenty-year-old boy seemed intent on proving himself capable, and it was starting to affect his health, which was poor for starters.
Too many times, Mina carried him to the prince’s chambers after having him faint in front of a book. She had scolded him each time, but Izuku was as stubborn as her future king, so her efforts seemed useless.
Sighing, she asked one of the cooks to make a single serving of porridge for Izuku, something that he wouldn’t try to wolf down only to get sick after. She wondered where he got the idea that he had to gain weight as fast as possible, but forcing himself to eat food stronger and spicier than he could stomach had granted him a stern talk from Chiyo, their head nurse. At least she was able to guilt-trip him into obeying.
Small victories.
Once she had the food, Mina returned to the room and thanked Uraraka for her help, watching her charge eat slowly, stopping when his body told him to. Happy for such an improvement, Mina escorted him to his chambers and took her stance at the door, her dragon blood letting her stay awake for long periods without suffering consequences.
That’s why, a couple of hours later, she could hear her charge’s distress coming from the room and, never one to doubt her instincts, rushed inside the room, only to find Izuku heaving in the toilet. What made her pause wasn’t this, though, it was the blood that the boy was throwing up.
“He was poisoned.” Muttered Chiyo, placing a healing kiss against green-haired curls. “It isn’t the work of a professional, but the intent is clear anyway. Our prince’s mate is at risk. Someone tried to kill our future Queen.”
Mitsuki, who had been quiet until that moment, squeezed Izuku’s hand before focusing on Mina, who had been crying in the corner until that moment.
“If you want to make up for this mishap stop crying, girl, and tell me everything that happened today. Spare no details: we have a head to claim.”
While Izuku recovered from the poisoning, Masaru, Chiyo, and an assortment of guards favored by the prince protected him while staying by his bedside. Meanwhile, Mitsuki, Mina, Aizawa, and a group of royal advisors investigated the culprit behind such an act of treason. Uraraka was the first suspect, but she was soon deemed innocent, her sincere like for Izuku no act of deception. An investigation in the kitchen showed that the one to cook Izuku his meal that day was a maid associated with the Utsushimi princess - an omega that had never been able to let go of her love for Katsuki - who had acted upon her instructions.
After vanishing the maid from her territory, Mitsuki started an investigation to find all the people with ill intentions toward her future son-in-law. Not one person was spared, all of them vanished under the promise of execution should they try to return. It had been many years since the Queen was so angry, and it instilled fear like no other in the kingdom, guaranteeing that Izuku would be safe until Katsuki came back and could protect the boy himself.
Meanwhile, Izuku was left brooding in his room, sad for his uselessness, tired of his weakness. He wanted to matter, to gain a role that made him necessary. More than anything, though, he wanted Kacchan.
It was in one of his bouts of crying that Mina found him and, after apologizing for her negligence, offered him a change of pace.
“We have injured dragons that need healing, and we could use another nurse in the castle. What do you say: do you want to help me take care of the dragons and become Chiyo’s apprentice?”
Izuku doubted his abilities in such an important role but wanted to help more than anything else. If he could be useful as a nurse apprentice, Izuku would become the best healer he could be.
It was difficult work, but Izuku was a fast learner, and soon, he could manage almost everything Chiyo did without supervision from the old lady. She praised his soft touch and careful work and encouraged his search for new remedies and techniques when he wished to study from books.
The dragons, on the other hand, seemed enchanted by the lithe boy. He cared for their injuries, dressed their wounds, groomed their scales and nails, and played and helped feed the young ones. Soon, Izuku was recognized by the dragons as part of their own and, more often than not, could be found reading a book in the yard, many baby dragons using him as a playground or napping against his body.
A month later Katsuki returned, and with him the victorious warriors. Shigaraki and his legacy were no more, their lives buried in their destroyed castle, their allies following the same destiny as their leaders. No longer would they threaten peace with their hunger for power, which called for a celebratory banquet.
The whole town ensured that every street was decorated with red and gold garlands, food and games, dancing and drinking, and the crown made sure that there were activities for everyone to enjoy.
Izuku was nervous, excited, and a little afraid that Kacchan would change his mind when he saw how little difference there was between the Izuku he met and the one he was now, the poisoning taking a toll on his body. He looked at himself in the mirror one last time, admiring the beautiful dress that Beast Jeanist tailored for him. Squeezing his cheeks so they’d look a little pinker, he took a final breath and went outside to welcome his future husband home.
Katsuki was tired and hungry, and he wanted a bath badly. New scars adorned his body, and some injuries were tender still, but victory was so sweet that he didn’t feel pain at all.
Then his eyes landed on the staircase outside the palace, and there, looking back at him, was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Dressed in green and golden, with a small dragon resting on his shoulders, Izuku was running toward him, his eyes overflowing like the crybaby he was, but his smile was so big, Katsuki couldn’t help but mirror it in his own face.
“I want to show you something. I think you’ll like it.” Said Katsuki one evening, taking Izuku by the arm to guide him.
“How m-mysterious of you, Kacchan. I’m i-intrigued.” Answered Izuku, giggling when the prince playfully bit his cheek for his sassiness, only to rest a kiss against it later.
Bantering, both males walked toward a room near their chambers, which Katsuki opened with a hidden key. Inside, hundreds of gems shone under the bright lights, beautiful colors adorning every corner of the space.
Mesmerized, Izuku went to reach for his gem, suddenly recalling that he had lost it long ago. Saddened by the reminder, he tried to cheer up by looking at Katsuki’s collection, admiring the effort the alpha put into placing every gem in a place that would let it shine on its own.
Katsuki let him go at his pace, proud of his work, until suddenly, he called for Izuku’s attention again:
“This is my collection, and I’m very proud of it. Maybe it’s a thing of dragon culture, but I consider this to be my treasure. And I think that you should be the one to put the missing piece where it should be.”
Izuku gasped, looking at the tiny stone in Katsuki’s hands. There, as pretty as he remembered, was his mahogany obsidian, its beautiful colors highlighted by Katsuki’s fair skin.
“H-How?”
“You dropped it back in the cell, again, and I kept it with me all this time, as a good luck charm. Sorry for taking it without asking, but, in my defense, I gave it to you in the first place.”
Katsuki was smiling, that cocky smirk Izuku loved so much making him look more handsome than should be legal.
Taking the stone between his hands, Izuku remembered that day, many moons ago, recalling the rude kid who had insulted him for being a crybaby, and then given the stone to him to make him shut up. He was a brat and he called him mean names, but his kindness had given Izuku hope all his life, and he was very grateful to that brash kid for it.
“Y-You were t-that boy. The m-mean one.” Although it was a harsh declaration, Izuku had stars dancing in his eyes while saying it, looking at Katsuki like he was the one who hung the stars in the sky.
“S-Shut up, stupid Deku. Not my fault you were such a crybaby. Although, that helped my hag remember you were the boy I gave my stone to, so, something good came out of it.” Said the prince, red coloring his cheeks, a scowl coming to his face. It only went away when a pair of hands pulled at his neck so Izuku could kiss him silly, their emotions overflowing until they were left a panting mess, their foreheads resting against the others.
“Y-You saved m-me again. I l-love you s-so much, Kacchan. T-Thank you.”
Katsuki didn’t respond, just gave his nerd one more kiss of the many that would follow.
Beautiful. Their wedding was beautiful. Kacchan wore his red cape with fur linens, his pendants and collars, his tribe’s colors in beads on his hair, and Izuku wore a beautiful red dress that was soon complimented with the collar his now husband put on his neck, one special stone at the very center of it, as the main symbol of their love.
Their necks now sported their new bond for the world to see, and the new mates let themselves enjoy their day, friends and family celebrating with them until day became night and it was time to rest.
“So” wondered Izuku, tracing invisible patterns in his husband’s chest. “Now that we’re b-bonded, I’ll gain d-dragon traits?”.
“Yes” answered the blonde, taking his mate's hand and kissing its palm. “Our magic is powerful, and we find immense joy once we share it with our bonded mate. It’ll help us in our path to parenthood one day but, for now, let us enjoy our bond and our time together.” Giving a tender kiss to the green-haired boy, Katsuki smiled, tracing his own patterns against freckled cheeks.
Later would come a time for revenge against those who tried to hurt Izuku, for their ascend to the throne, for their family to grow, but in that moment, as two people sharing their love with the other, it only mattered to be Katsuki and Izuku, and the beautiful life that awaited them forever.