Chapter Text
Izuku Midoriya knew it was a bad idea, but Shouto's expression grew more and more grim as they continued toward the town east of the Forest of Fire. The road should have been faster, but they had lost a few days' march to cross the ford of the great river, as the nearby bridge of Grand Pass was too dangerous to attempt that crossing.
They had therefore decided to deviate from their route, both to regain some lost time and also because they were running out of herb supplies earlier than expected. They were sure to find more in the woods, and they all knew that this was a shortcut.
A dangerous shortcut.
Midoriya looked around anxiously, wincing at every suspicious crunch. Rumors were circulating in her village about the people of the Forest of Fire: barbarians kidnapping and raping the omega.
Their two horses proceeded unhurriedly over the uneven terrain; as much as that place gave Izuku the creeps, he couldn't risk the steeds spraining a leg or worse in their haste. At least he had time to look around and identify the flora there. If he had not been so afraid to linger in those territories, he would have stopped to catalog every single plant, mushroom or flower he saw.
Shouto, beside him, had his heterochromatic and grim gaze fixed on his own hands that held the reins. He was lost in deep reflections and how bad luck continued to haunt him. Rather than end up grooming the alpha his father had chosen for him, he would rather have been swallowed whole by a dragon.
"Shouto. Hey, psss... Shouto."
Midoriya's voice brought him back to reality. He turned around, and only then did he realize that the omega who was leading him had brought his own horse to a halt.
"What's wrong, Midoriya?" he asked, his gaze surprised at the other boy.
Izuku dismounted from his horse and with a light step approached the base of a beech tree. He knelt on the ground, not caring that he might thus soil his dark green pants. "I found some of your herbs," he whispered with a smile, immediately beginning to gather them. They would be enough for him for a few more doses.
On a rock next to them, he recognized a moss useful for lung infections and took some of that too, scraping it off with his pocket knife. Since he had stopped, he might as well lose a few minutes.
Shouto sighed. The lump in his stomach was finally giving him pause. Now that they had replenished the supply, he had the luxury of taking a generous handful of herbs from the small bag tied around his waist and then starting to chew them slowly. They were bitter, but very effective.
"Are you okay with yours?" asked Todoroki softly of the other.
"The training I'm undergoing for All Might don't allow me to take too strong of them, and I certainly wouldn't eat yours. They're too bitter!" Midoriya winced at the memory of when he had tasted those herbs for the first, only, and last time. He climbed back on his horse and in a few steps returned to stand beside his friend. "We're halfway there, let's keep going and hope for the best."
He had no intention of spending the night there.
Shouto nodded, and the two continued on their unbeaten path.
Their luck ran out a few hours later, a few miles past the river that cut the Forest of Fire in half.
The horses stumbled through the roots of the ancient trees that even tangled on the surface, making their journey even slower and more unstable.
"It is better to carry them by hand," Izuku dismounted from his horse, then grabbing the reins.
Shouto imitated him soon after. They had a chance to take only a few steps, that the steeds bolted at the sight of a large shadow that darkened the sky above them.
The horses fell among the roots; the boys approached each other, back to back, and drew their swords.
"Oh, fuck...," whispered Izuku.
Neither of them had ever had a fight like this before.
Shouto's temper remained crushed by that presence; Izuku, on the other hand, opened his eyes and mouth wide, incredulous and fascinated.
Eyes as bright as molten gold set in scales as red as living fire.
It was the first time they had been in the presence of a dragon.
The horses were terrified by the creature. They bolted up and dispersed into the woods, choosing the easiest and shortest way to spin, heedless of injuring their legs.
Shouto and Izuku remained still and silent, hoping that the dragon would prefer juicy horse steaks than skeletal humans like them.
The dragon, however, did not shift his gaze from the two boys.
Humble as he was, Izuku's sword had served him well in many of his adventures. The boy tightened his grip on its worn hilt.
A voice surprised them both. To Shouto it sounded like nothing more than a growl, but Midoriya distinguished words in between.
"Todoroki...don't move." Her voice cracked and tears stung the corner of her eyes. The dragon's terrifying presence was nothing compared to that of the newcomer.
It had sprung up on the lizard's back, and the green trees allowed only its silhouette, wrapped in a cloak, to be distinguished.
The grip of fear gripped Izuku at the sight. Not only was that a barbarian, but a Dragon Rider to boot! They were the fiercest and bloodiest.
"Who the fuck is dumb enough to enter my territory!" thundered the barbarian's voice.
Izuku knew their language only through books, and his dictionary was not very polished, but he hoped it was enough. "Sorry, we didn't mean to disturb you. We were just leaving."
His words seemed to have some effect, because the barbarian remained silent.
"Do you speak his language?" whispered Shouto in surprise, and the barbarian seemed equally surprised, for he leapt down from the dragon to get a closer look at them, while remaining among the bush.
"How do you know my language, foreigner?"
Izuku swallowed idly. "I have studied it... Please let us pass. We will not create a nuisance." Despite his trembling pulse, Izuku sheathed his own sword, raising both hands in a sign of peace.
The barbarian crossed his arms over his chest and sniffed hard at the air. The mongrel of two colors smelled like alpha, while the other smelled more interesting. To an untrained nose it might have looked like a beta, but he clearly smelled its inviting scent.
"Are you an omega," he said, and it was not a question.
"Yes." Izuku held his head high, even though his knees were barely shaking. "Todoroki, sheath your sword," he whispered to his traveling companion.
It would not serve against either a barbarian or his dragon.
That "yes" Izuku had said in barbarian language made the dragon rider sneer, who gave a low whistle, and three more barbarians sprang up and surrounded them.
"Now you will come with me."
They were arranged against the wind, and neither Izuku nor Shouto had sniffed them out.
Those barbarians were certainly not naive city people, but hunters.
Shouto's heart leapt to see what a sea of guano they had fallen into because of his stupid idea to cut through the woods. Protectively, he stood in front of Izuku, between him and the dragon rider.
The latter did not appreciate the look he saw on Todoroki's face. Was he then the alpha of that omega?
Midoriya grabbed his friend by the arm. "Todoroki, don't do anything rash. They didn't understand that you are part omega too," he murmured softly in his ear.
"So they understood that you are?" asked Shouto through clenched teeth, who understood nothing of the conversation.
Midoriya only squeezed his arm tighter. "If you fight back, they will kill you."
"I would still die knowing you were in their hands." Shouto growled low at the barbarian.
One of the newly arrived alphas whistled his appreciation at that sound.
The barbarian dragon knight sneered and stared at Izuku. "Hey, Nerdeku. Tell your little friend to stop, or I'll have my dragon burn the other side of his face too, understand?"
"W-what did you call me?" stammered Midoriya.
"Nerdeku. You didn't study well, then. Maybe better just Deku?"
The boy frowned, not knowing how to translate that word. It was not written in the book he had studied.
He turned to Shouto. "Todoroki, if you instigate him that barbarian with the dragon will flambé you.... Please....."
Shouto at that umpteenth prayer finally put away his sword. They could do nothing, outnumbered and with a dragon against them.
"Tie them up. Let's go back to the village," ordered the dragon rider.
Izuku took an uncertain step toward him. "Please let us go... We will give you all our possessions as a toll."
"The village chief will decide your fate," said only the alpha in front of him, leaving the cover of the trees. Izuku could finally see him. He had blond hair and sturdy build dressed in skins and loose clothing. The abundance of tattoos and piercings boasted a certain social status in his tribe.
Izuku nodded. "Thank you," he murmured to the barbarian. "We will follow you without needing to bind ourselves."
He hoped his kindness would somehow be rewarded and not seen as submission.
The alpha's red eyes remained fixed in the omega's green ones. "You will come with me on my dragon," he imparted. "It's a short trip anyway."
Izuku felt his knees turn to mush. Shit. He wanted to cry and scream and run off into the woods, but it would only serve to piss them off even more. He couldn't allow Todoroki's nature to be discovered: he didn't want him too....
"It's okay...." Izuku offered a smile to Shouto. "Please follow them to their village, I won a flight on the dragon-I am a good diplomat."
Shouto wanted to remonstrate, but was pushed away as the dragon rider motioned Izuku to move.
"Kiri has to smell you first."
Izuku stared at Shouto and nodded affirmatively at him. So he turned back to the dragon rider. "My smell... Hmm... It will still be mild for a few hours. Who is Kiri?"
The dragon produced a low rumble at that question.
"Him." The alpha pointed at the dragon and grinned, then stared at Midoriya's neck. "May I sniff?"
Midoriya brought a hand to the omega gland at the base of his own neck. It was pulsing like the heart of a frightened little bird, close to a heart attack. He did not want to expose himself so much in front of that barbarian, but the thought that he could still make use of force to get what he wanted but still had not done so gave Izuku the strength to expose his neck for him, at least on the glandless side.
It was a gesture of inviting submission that the other immediately accepted, bringing his face closer to him.
Two tears furrowed Izuku's cheeks at the tickling of the tips of the barbarian's hair against his skin.
The alpha pulled away, surprised. The omega in front of him was trembling.
"It feels enough. My dragon will not harm you, do not fear."
Kiri, meanwhile, descended from the tree branches, among the tangle of roots.
When his paws touched the ground they became clawed feet and hands.
"Bakubro, you have found a docile and cute omega. Usually those ones squeal and try to run away." The new vibrant, warm voice made Midoriya open his eyes. The grin of sharp pointed teeth could not be misunderstood. That was still the dragon.
"This one looks smart, " said only the alpha.
The dragon in human form scratched his mop of red hair. "The other one, on the other hand, looks like a guy with balls."
"What the fuck are you saying, the other one smells like alpha," huffed Bakugou.
"He also smells like moon grass on him, though, " remonstrated the dragon.
"That one is mine," Izuku hastened to say. "We both keep it because I once lost it...."
The dragon made a strange expression and moved closer to Midoriya so that he could smell his albeit faint scent.
The boy did not resist and searched his eyes for Todoroki, but he was already too far away to see him.
"I like you! You can come up." Kiri smiled.
Izuku did not want to know what would happen if the dragon did not like him.
The alpha smiled in satisfaction and grabbed Izuku by the arm. Kiri had already transformed back and the barbarian pushed him on top of it, then climbing up behind him.
The omega's face turned as red as dragon skin upon feeling the barbarian's pelvis adhere to his own backside.
"Hold on tight, Deku."
"To what?"
But the dragon was already in the air, and the omega let out a small, terrified yelp. The barbarian's toned legs proved to be an excellent and firm anchor point throughout the short flight. He clung to the fabric of his pants spasmodically and was even grateful for the arm that encircled his waist.
"I see you like it," grinned the alpha amusedly.
Izuku did not respond, fearing that only another cry would come out of his mouth.
Fortunately, the flight was short just as the alpha had said. They landed in a matter of minutes in a clearing near the lake in the heart of the forest. Amid the trees that hid them from above, there were several tents and huts.
No map marked that encampment, a sign that no one must have ever returned from there.
"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!", Izuku's thoughts were a flood of apprehension. "Where is my friend?" he could not see Shouto anywhere.
His body adhered to the barbarian's to perfection, but the trauma of flight had not made him notice it until the other moved away from him and with a leap got off Kiri's back.
"If he hasn't fucked up, he'll be here shortly. Don't worry."
Izuku also came down from the dragon's back, but his legs were still unsteady and he found himself falling among the grass under his own weight.
"If you're going to vomit, do it now, then you'll be better," huffed the alpha. He had not moved an inch to touch him, even if it had been to help him.
"N-not nauseous," muttered Izuku, getting to his feet wobbly.
Behind him, Kiri had turned human again. "Hey, hey, there's no shame in that. It was your first flight, wasn't it? You squealed like a peacock, it was fun! Bakugou did it the first time, too." The dragon laughed loudly, making the barbarian indignant.
"Not true, lizard breath!" he growled, but was ignored.
"By the way, my name is Kirishima Eijirou, but you can call me Kiri if that's too difficult," the dragon smiled at him. "What is your name?"
"Izuku... Midoriya Izuku," he introduced himself.
"Deku is easier." The barbarian brought his fist to his heart. "I am Katsuki Bakugou, descendant of the Bakugou, the chieftains of this tribe."
That revelation made Izuku turn pale. Now he felt the need to vomit. He brought a hand to his mouth, but could do nothing. He turned his back to the barbarian and crouched on the ground, clearing his stomach of the lunch ration.
Kiri patted him twice on the back. "There, there. You'll feel better now," he smiled festively at him.
No, Izuku was certain he would feel worse and worse.
"Oi, here," the alpha called to him, handing him a leather pouch.
With a dragon beside him, Izuku blindly obeyed the barbarian's order. He opened it and found dried leaves inside. He took one and sniffed it, recognizing its smell. "Street grass.
"It will help with your nausea," Bakugou said gruffly.
Izuku just nodded. He knew. He put one in his mouth, chewing it slowly. It was sweet, like a slab of honey.
"Thank you, Kacchan...," he whispered softly.
The alpha barely gasped and turned his gaze away, even gruffer than before, as Kirishima grinned even more and made a victory sign toward his friend.
"I... Did I say something that was not... unwelcome?" Izuku only worried later that Kacchan meant something he did not know in the barbarian language and had thus insulted him. Or could he not shorten the name of a chieftain? But the name Katsuki was hard to pronounce with that hard "ts" in the middle, quite different from the sweet "z" in his own.
"Call me whatever you like. Let's go!" growled the alpha, walking toward the larger hut.
Kirishima helped Izuku up. "Can you manage?"
Izuku nodded and followed them.
The people they passed smiled at everyone, and no one seemed to be afraid of Kirishima. Izuku's panoramic view was narrowed by anxiety, but not enough to appease his curious instincts: he recognized a few people with exotic features there, albeit with piercings and tattoos typical of barbarians: they must have been foreigners, and all of them had bare necks, with their alpha's mark well in view.
Some alphas and betas also had bite marks, but these were just barbarians. From what little he had seen, the omegas were not barbarians.... So it was true that they were kidnapping and raping omegas from other villages until they got them pregnant.
If it hadn't been for the street grass, Izuku would have thrown up again.
Todoroki had not yet arrived, and only having to watch over him gave him the strength to keep walking, despite his heavy legs. He was the only one of the two who could communicate; he absolutely had to make sure they released them-or at least his friend.
They arrived in front of the entrance to the largest hut in the village.
Katsuki moved the curtains that covered its entrance and Deku crossed the threshold. There was the same scent as that alpha, mixed with similar smells.
From the outside, Midoriya had glimpsed it was made up of three structures: that must have been the main one, to accommodate those who asked for an audience. There were skins piled on the floor on carpets and three chairs in the part farthest from the entrance. To the right and left of the thrones were two entrances covered with furs. From one of them came soft moans that made Izuku's stomach flush and flip.
Katsuki sighed. "Wait for me outside, Kiri. I'll see you later."
"Have fun, Bakubro!"
The alpha entered right after the omega. "Hey! You old hag! Can't you smell a guest?" she shouted loudly, standing next to Izuku.
The moans were interrupted.
"Witch?" hissed Midoriya intimidated.
This is how they did it: they drugged the omegas and forced the heat with concoctions to secure offspring.
Why had he not listened to his friend Mineta and had not had a wholesome time with some alphas before going off on an adventure!
He took a step back and found himself squashed against Bakugou's broad chest. He lifted his fearful gaze to the alpha.
"Take it easy, Deku. Everything will be fine."
Of course, classic false sentence to say before everything plunged even further into m-.
"Katsuki. Is that an omega?" The skin stretched to the right was moved to the side and an alpha female appeared who looked like the older twin sister of the dragon knight, with the same grim look and porcupine blond hair, but she had more piercings and tattoos on her, including two very extensive ones on her arms depicting dragons. Long necklaces partly covered her breasts and she was tying a cloth around her waist.
"I found him wandering in our territory with an alpha," Katsuki said calmly.
The woman looked at Izuku with a curious frown.
"He's not tied up."
"There was no need to. He came here spontaneously."
The woman approached with a heavy step and stood in front of him. "What about his alpha, Katsuki! It is not normal for an omega to follow us people of the Fire Forest! Under what threat is he here with you!"
"What would you be implying, old witch! His companion is coming with the others and then he is not his companion, he is not even marked!"
"Oh! Did you ask him, perhaps?!" she asked saccharinely.
"They shouldn't have trespassed if it was his mate," Bakugou said simply.
"What the fuck are you talking about! Look how scared he is, away from his alpha!"
"You're the one who scares him, old woman! He was perfectly calm until just now!"
"Sure, I can imagine that. Go get the translator so we can ask him!"
"He speaks our language," said the knight with a grin in his voice.
"Huh?" The village leader lowered her gaze to the omega.
The boy was sweating, red in the face, and he was squeezed between Katsuki's pecs to stay as far away as possible from the other alpha's breasts, inches from him.
"Sit down!" she ordered both of them and then walked toward the door she had come out of. Her tone changed completely, becoming as sweet as honey: "Darling, join us. I think the presence of another omega may benefit the mood of our guest."
"Coming!" The submissive voice of the other omega did not benefit Izuku's mood at all. She imagined a battered omega, naked and in chains, under the orders of the alpha.
The woman smiled and went to sit on the center pew.
Kacchan moved away from Izuku and he too took a seat on his own throne, to the left, leaving Midoriya alone in the center of the room. He sat on his knees, a polite omega position ready to rise at the slightest command-or to flee on the spot, but that was not to be known.
Within minutes, the omega called before reached them.
The man who emerged could not have been anything further from the sex slave Izuku had imagined: he was foreign, thin but healthy, and above all, he was bejeweled and fairly clothed, with a few light tattoos on his skin and a giant one of a dragon on his belly. Izuku was genuinely surprised, especially since they were indoors in a familiar tent and a naked omega around would not create jealousy; her surprise continued when he sat on the vacant seat next to the village leader. He seemed on par with her, except for the head held recessed in his shoulders.
She leaned over to kiss him, caressing his face. "Our son brought home an omega who speaks our language."
The man nodded to the omega, then turned to the dragon knight. "Katsuki, where did you find him?"
He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just north of the river. He was riding with a sophisticated alpha," he said with a grimace. "He wants to talk to you to pay the toll and cross our lands," he summed up.
Izuku looked at Katsuki with a lot of eyes. He did not believe she was interceding for him. "Thank you," he mimicked with his lips.
"Oh, very mature of you," smiled the omega of the village leader, though it was unclear whether she was referring to her son or her guest.
"I say we keep him," Katsuki intervened, keen to make his opinion known on the matter. "He's smart, he recognized herbs right away, and he knows what they're for."
Izuku bit his tongue in thanks.
The woman crossed her legs and swung one foot, her anklets jingled . "Your name, omega?"
"Izuku Midoriya, ma'am," she squeaked.
"Izuku, is it true that you followed my son of your own free will?"
"Yes. He told me that I could talk to v-you. I know we entered your lands without permission, but it was for an emergency."
The woman smiled toward the larger omega. A warm, gentle smile. "Does that remind you of anything, Masaru?" She slid a hand into his.
The man chuckled, "Sounds like our first meeting."
The woman widened her own smile-Katsuki rolled her eyes. "You see, Izuku, our people cannot have omega children. It is an ancient magic that runs through our veins and keeps us at peace with the dragon people. That means we have to go outside the village to find our spouses. If an omega ventures into our lands alone we cannot simply let it go. You were meant to come here and for our son to find you."
Izuku swallowed hard. His fate was called Shouto Todoroki and his damn haste....
"Unless...," the woman's voice stopped an unkind thought from Izuku toward his friend. "That alpha who was with you was not your betrothed."
Izuku had to lie. He knew that was the only way he could get away with it.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Katsuki laughed loudly. "Mother, Deku is not marked anyway; it's not like he'll be able to leave without the partnerless alphas having their chance with him first." She leaned forward slightly toward Izuku. "If that half-assed bastard put you in this situation, he's not the right alpha for you anyway."
"What about him?" Izuku prayed within himself that he would first be given an answer to that question.
"He will remain a prisoner until you choose one of our alphas. If no one is able to win you, you will be free to leave together," the village leader explained.
Izuku lost color again and brought a trembling hand to his gland. "What do you mean by winning you?"
"Wooing you, showing off, and fighting for you. If no one is able to win you you will be free to go."
As long as he didn't have to try every bed in that tribe, it didn't seem so bad a proposition to Izuku. "So I have to choose it?"
"That's right! And the Firewood people boast the strongest and most beautiful alphas in the southern lands," smiled the omega consort.
Izuku looked up at Bakugou. Now that he was calmer, he could notice the alpha's handsome features. "All right."
The young alpha smiled with a maniacal grin, standing up. "Perfect! Let's go!"
At that moment, a loud voice was heard from outside the tent. "Village leader! We've brought the foreign alpha!"
"Todoroki," sighed Midoriya, springing to his feet to get out of the hut, but it was not necessary because one of the large alphas they had encountered in the woods pushed Shouto inside. The boy's lip was split, he was tied with his hands clasped behind his back, his white pants stained with dirt and grass, and part of the top fasteners of his blue gambeson had popped off, exposing the lace collar of his shirt.
Izuku approached his friend, gently taking his face in his hands. "What have you done to him!" he growled angrily. He wiped the blood from his face with a flap of his own shirt.
The alpha barbarian had a trickle of blood running from his nose down to his chin and dripping onto his chest. Despite this, a glorious smile lit up his face. "I love this alpha's passion for his own omega! He tried to fight us! Three against one! Can I keep him?" the giant alpha asked.
The village leader slapped a hand on her face. "Inasa! He is a prisoner, he will stay in the designated tent. You can take care of him, though."
"Can I medicate him?" asked Izuku, turning to Katsuki.
The dragon knight stared at him coldly. "Is he your alpha?" she asked him back. He had not yet answered.
Izuku hesitated, before admitting. "No."
"Inasa will take care of him; you'll see him again later." Katsuki sneered. "Tell him he has all his gods to thank if he still walks after attacking my people. May it never happen again."
Izuku tightened his lips, before turning and speaking softly to Shouto, explaining the situation quickly.
"Be patient Todoroki, I'll get us out of here," he finally said.
"Midoriya, if anything happens to you, I will never forgive myself. Please be careful," whispered Todoroki. "I don't trust alphas."
"I know, but I can take care of myself, " the boy smiled at him. "I will come to see you tonight."
"I'll be waiting for you. They took everything off of me except my clothes." Todoroki hoped Izuku would understand.
He saw the understanding in her green eyes and nodded. He no longer had that moon grass. Fortunately Izuku had picked some before crossing the river.
The giant alpha put a hand on Shouto's shoulder. "Come on, the sooner I put you in jail, the sooner I can cure you."
Todoroki understood nothing of what he said and looked at Izuku, who promptly translated for him.
Todoroki nodded. "This alpha did nothing but talk the whole trip, I didn't understand anything. He gets on my nerves."
"I'm sorry, I'll try to teach you a few words."
"It's not my interest to make conversation." Todoroki was pulled a little by Inasa, who was holding the rope to which he was tied.
Izuku addressed him in barbaric language, "Please be kind to him. He does not speak your language and . And he is very proud."
The alpha pounded his fist on his chest, swearing on his honor that he would take care of him.
Shouto let himself be led away, staring at Izuku as much as he could.
"He will be fine, Inasa is very reliable." Katsuki grabbed him by the arm. "Rather-that half-assed bastard is courting you, perhaps?"
"No, he asked for my help to be escorted to a kingdom after yours to meet his future spouse," Midoriya explained. "We are friends."
"Friends or fuck buddies?"
"What?" he asked puzzled.
"Fuck buddies. That's when an alpha and omega both without partners are friends, but they fuck as if they were a couple."
Midoriya turned every physiologically possible shade of red and began to stutter. "No!" she finally managed to say.
Katsuki gave a low purr. "All right, follow me."
*
Once outside, the two were joined by Kiri, who had been waiting for them sitting on a tree branch.
"How did it go? Your alpha friend will treat himself a bit, I see," he asked addressing Izuku.
"Apparently so am I," muttered the omega, opening a button on his own vest, from which he pulled out a notebook.
Kiri looked at it curiously. "What is it?"
"My notebook. Since I have already encountered a lot of false information I had about your people, I decided to make some notes since I cannot continue my journey."
"May I see it?" The dragon in human form came close, but Bakugou put a hand to his face.
"Kiri, I have to show Deku to the others in the village! You understand what I mean, don't you?"
"Um... oh! Of course! Then I'll see you at dinner!"
Bakugou waited for the dragon to smamm and leaned over to see the notebook himself. There were drawings of many plants and some very thick writing nearby. He pointed to a plant with spiral leaves. "Did you draw these?"
"Yes, I found them on my trip," Izuku explained.
Katsuki stared at them; he had never seen them.
"I even put a leaf of them between the pages." The omega flipped through the notebook to show her. It was dry, but still had its characteristic smell.
"I will show you the things of my village if you show me what you know," Katsuki said.
Izuku nodded, "That seems fair. So...you don't kidnap omegas?" he asked, as they began walking.
"If they enter our territory, yes. You are one of the few who have chosen a more diplomatic path."
"Otherwise, what happens to them?"
"We bring them here, without much chance to leave."
"You force them to choose an alpha?" asked Izuku in a hushed voice.
"Yes, and in the end no one left anyway," he explained. "At first they are afraid, thinking that they will be treated badly, but that is not the case: omegas are important to our people, they are more revered than dragons. Being here you will see that." Katsuki took Izuku around the village. She showed him the various workshops, including those that made weapons, clothes or jewelry, but there were also huts where food was stored or huge barrels were kept.
The blacksmith's hut struck Izuku in a peculiar way: the big man was beating his hammer on an anvil, and next to him was a dragon, with metal-colored scales, warbling its flames in the side hole of a clay-brick furnace.
An old barbarian with a long beard approached him. "Tetsutetsu, would you come later and light my fire for the glass? Mina is still together with Chiyo."
The metallic dragon nodded with a hoarse cry, and the elder thanked him.
Izuku watched the scene raptly. "Dragons also help you with these daily things," he said.
"Of course, and we help them."
Izuku was about to ask how, that the alpha stopped in front of a hut with clothes made of furs and colorful cloth.
"Pick the one you like, Deku."
"I...." Izuku ran a hand over those furs. They were warm and soft, very different from his own cloak. "You use barter, right?"
"Yes, but that's not important now. You can't know our culture if you don't fully immerse yourself in it. I will take care of the exchange for you."
Izuku, however, denied with his head. "I cannot accept. I wouldn't know what to return for you...." Izuku actually feared that payment in kind was contemplated.
"You said you will teach me the things you know, that's enough for me."
Izuku was too polite to insist further and did not want to seem rude to Katsuki of all people. He nodded and picked up a light gray fur coat. "I really like this one."
Seeing that he had finally relented, Katsuki also began to get cloths and garments to change Deku for that evening. She had to make a good impression if she wanted him to stay.
Izuku waited in the background, clutching his fur coat to his chest. Sunset time was approaching and the air was getting cooler. He felt that Katsuki had promised the artisan the half-deer he would hunt the next day. Even though he was the chieftain's son, he did not want any discounts.
Finished agreeing, the alpha returned to the host. "Come. You will change in my tent."
Izuku followed him until he stood next to him. "Will I have to stay in your tent for the duration of my stay here?"
"Only if you want to. You can sleep in another alpha's if you're interested," Katsuki said.
"So I can sleep with Todoroki?" he asked hopefully.
"You're not sleeping with a prisoner! I told you you're a guest!" growled Katsuki.
Izuku lowered his gaze. "All right...."
"I will sleep outside with Kiri if you don't want to stay with me in the tent."
Izuku was increasingly surprised by that behavior on the part of a barbarian. His people did not know them at all; in fact, it seemed that civilization was covered in lies about them.
Perhaps he could begin to let his guard down with Katsuki.
"I could never allow you to sleep outside."
"It's not a problem, in dragon form Kiri is warm, I wouldn't be cold," she explained to him as if it was a normal thing she didn't give much thought to. "Besides, we alphas are much warmer than you omegas. Here we are. This is my tent. If you need help call me."
Bakugo had brought him in front of a tent very similar to everyone else's; they were distinguished by the designs painted on them: there was a dragon on this one.
"Why do only you have a dragon?" Izuku asked him curiously.
"Because I'm the best! What a fucking question!"
Izuku looked at him blankly and peeled back a flap of the hanging fur that served as a door.
The interior had wide rugs on the floor and scattered furs. In addition there were several "hunting trophies," composed of animal parts, and various trunks. The smell of alpha was strong and permeated every surface of the tent, but it was not unpleasant. It was a sweet scent.
"I'll wait outside," Bakugo warned him, before leaving him alone.
Izuku laid his clothes on skins and began to undress.
He was uncomfortable, as if he could find himself surrounded by barbarians at any time, just when he was most vulnerable. However, no one in that village had reached out to him or put him on the spot in that way. They had merely watched him as he walked around with Bakugou.
He had suffered more advances and pressure in taverns and diners during his travels. He had already had unwelcome foreign hands on him, although he had always managed to escape in time or defend himself.
He exposed his body sprinkled with freckles and marked by the scars he had gotten during training. The alphas did not like omegas with such visible marks on their bodies.
He exchanged the dark green pants for the same color of barbaric fashions that Kacchan had chosen for him. They fit him like a glove and he felt a little ashamed. How much had she stared at his ass without him noticing!
He tied the laces on the flap to close them, and looked for the part to wear on top.
Katsuki had only a cloak covering his torso, but for Izuku he had taken a long-sleeved shirt, even though they were detached from his torso and had elaborate and harmonious embroidery along the edges.
He put the garment on by tucking in first his arms and then his head and pulled it down, discovering to his surprise that the fabric ended just below the line of his pecs, leaving his belly exposed. He blushed, running a hand over it. Now that he thought about it, he had seen other clothes like this. That they were a type specifically for omega?
He was not happy about having so much skin on display. He felt exposed and did not understand the practicality of it.
He ran a hand over the scar on his hip. No one had to like him anyway: those marks would help him keep his distance.
He put on only his own belt with its scarselle, to which his own old sword was attached. He put his gray cloak over his shoulders and lastly took a deep breath, finally exiting the tent.
Kacchan's eyes opened wide at the sight of him and he opened his mouth slightly
Izuku barely blushed. "Thank you for the clothes. They are comfortable, but I would like to be more covered."
The alpha did not answer him, staring at the omega's exposed skin, more specifically at his scars. "Have you been hurt?" he asked flatly.
"It's inevitable when you travel to distant lands," he replied, raising his right arm and showing the extensive scarring on it. "Many of the smaller scars I got from training with my master."
The alpha's eyes lit up. "So you also know how to fight?"
Izuku did not know how to intend Bakugou's joy. "Yes, of course... No adventurer would leave without knowing how to wield a weapon."
"We'll fight tomorrow, then!" sneered Bakugo.
"You and me?" What was the point of that!
"Yeah! I want to see how strong you are!" The alpha smiled and then looked critically at Deku's appearance. Something was missing. She took off one of her necklaces and put it around his neck. "Perfect."
Midoriya did not even try to dissuade him from fighting. He was just going to pretend to lose so he wouldn't be a nuisance . "Why the short shirt for the omegas?" he asked Bakugou again.
"Well, omegas suckle, so the chest has to stay protected, while the belly lets you know if you are free or already someone's," she explained to him, pointing to an omega walking next to an alpha. His belly was tattooed with the same marks that the alpha had on his arms.
Izuku stared at them as if he had had a cosmic electrocution. In no book had he found any reference to couple tattoos.
He picked up his own notebook and began to write furiously in it.
"So if you don't have tattoos all the alphas know you're free?" he asked to confirm.
"You can have tattoos regardless, but the belly is only for your alpha."
"Why?" asked Deku surprised. Katsuki approached him and placed both hands on his flat belly.
"Because in the belly the omega creates life. It is an unbreakable bond with one's mate. The tattoos protect the child with the love of both parents."
Izuku thought this was very romantic.
"Besides, it is not a one-way tattoo: the omega inherits those of the alpha, but he himself can also choose twin tattoos to do with his partner."
Izuku sat on the ground in front of the tent, continuing to take notes as Bakugo told him about his culture. "How come?"
"Because the alphas leave the mark of their teeth on the omega: it is only right that the omega should also leave a mark on its mate."
"Oh... it's a much more equal relationship than I thought," Izuku murmured, scratching his mop of curly hair.
"Of course it's equal! What the fuck were you thinking?" snorted the barbarian.
"Well, so sorry. That's not what I know about your people!"
"That's why you need to get to know us better, Deku." Bakugou grabbed him by the arm . "Come, let's go get ready for dinner!"
"Already? But I wanted to see other things, and besides, it's not even sunset!"
"We barbarians go to bed early! You'll see them better tomorrow with the sunlight."
"But there is still lightee~."
Bakugou had decided that this stranger talked too much for his taste, and if he hadn't needed to drag him all the way to camp before, he would drag him to dinner now.
There were far too many alphas of mate age to compete with. He needed to mark his territory with Deku right away. Already being seen around with him had been important.
Bakugou marched at a heavy pace toward the family hut, but a blond fury was upon him, leaping from behind the emporium.
"Bakugou! We've been looking for you!"
Her arms laced around his neck and her body pressed against his.
Izuku's eyes went wide at that sight. From the clothing and the smell, that was without a shadow of a doubt an omega, and his belly was tattooed with lightning bolts and tangled ribbons.
"Kaminari! Go back to your alpha and leave me alone! I'm busy," he growled.
"But I found so many blackberries and raspberries today! Will you come over and cook? Please! We love the berry rabbit you prepare!"
Bakugo gritted his teeth and shifted his gaze to the side. He could not resist that praying look. "Tsk. Tell Sero to light the fire for the spit. I'll cook the boar I hunted from you today."
"And the rabbit I asked for?" asked the omega.
"You also have a cauldron if I'm not mistaken," huffed the alpha, and Midoriya found himself chuckling.
Only then did the omega seem to notice him. "Oh! Bakugou, who is he? A new friend? He's cute!" He hoisted himself a little higher on Katsuki and extended a clenched and fisted hand toward the omega. "Welcome! What tribe are you from?"
Izuku rested his own fist uncertainly on that of the other omega.
"T-tribe?" he asked puzzled.
"Well, you weren't here until this morning, and I don't recall omega being born from dragon poop. Where did you come from?"
Meanwhile, a pulsing vein was sprouting on Katsuki's temple. "Kaminari, get down or I'll throw you down."
"Oh, um... I'm from the Yuuei lands, from a small village called Ofa," Midoriya explained, as Denki descended from Bakugou's arms.
"Oh... Aren't you a barbarian? Yet our clothes fit you well...." Kaminari looked at Bakugou furtively and snickered. "You found him? And is he already so comfortable with us?"
"What's that supposed to mean, huh? I'm capable of making people comfortable, too!" growled Katsuki.
Midoriya gasped, worried, but the other omega laughed.
"No, I didn't mean exactly that." Kaminari turned to Izuku and brought his fist to his heart. "My name is Denki Kaminari. If you need anything from omega you can come and ask me!"
"Where are you from?" asked Izuku curiously.
"The idiot doesn't remember him," Bakugou intervened. "He got lost in the forest as a child and my parents took him in. My guess is his parents left him there on purpose." A big grin painted itself on his face.
Kaminari shrugged. "I would still thank them; I would never have met my partner otherwise."
Midoriya cleared his throat. "At what age were you branded?"
Denki brought a finger up to caress the crescent-shaped scar on her gland. "Two years ago."
"So soon?"
"Soon?" Denki laughed. "I even got spanked by Mitsuki for trying earlier. I was lucky because I already knew that Sero was my partner. Otherwise I would have had to wait until I was seventeen to be wooed."
Katsuki snorted. "Thank that old hag. You were about to get Sero into trouble that time."
"What happens to the alpha if it marks an omega before its time?" asked Midoriya surprised.
Denki made a sign to cut something with the scissors, and Bakugou made a pained grimace.
"Oh." Izuku's heart pounded. There was a warm feeling inside him. If everything he had been told was true, the barbarians really did care about the omegas. He didn't know anything about them at all. "Kacchan?" Izuku took a step closer to the alpha. "Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be able to be here with you."
Denki's eyes went wide. "Kac-Kacchan?" Sneering, he elbowed Bakugou. "Wow."
The alpha blushed, but looked smug.
At that point, Denki realized that he was really in the way. He greeted them by shaking his hand. "I'll wait for you at our tent, then. Izuku, you'd better be hungry for tonight-Bakugou is really a god in the kitchen, blessed is he who gets him as an alpha!" She winked at him and disappeared as suddenly as she had come.
Izuku blushed and followed Bakugou toward his parents' hut.
It almost seemed as if Denki was giving good publicity to the alpha....
Bakugou shrugged his head. "Forget about him. He and Sero eat whatever they find in the woods, even magic mushrooms.... They're weird most of the time."
Izuku smiled. "I wish all "weirdos" were like that! He's a nice guy. Are you friends?"
Bakugou nodded briefly. "He's like my little brother, after all, you can't pick and choose your relatives. You will get to know him and my other friends better tonight."
"I can't wait!" Izuku was really looking forward to the experience. "Um...can I go to my friend's before dinner?" he asked shyly.
Katsuki looked at him blankly, as whenever they ended up talking about him.
"Pe-please... He will be frightened by you. They tell us horrible lies about your people.... I would be infinitely grateful, Kacchan," Izuku begged him, joining his hands in front of his face and looking at him with puppy-dog eyes. He had already found Katsuki's weakness.
"Essia. Go on now: Kiri will take you there, he hasn't got shit to do anyway," and with that said he gave a low whistle. The dragon's shadow loomed over them.
The barbarians nearby did not flinch, not even moving to allow Kirishima to land more easily.
Izuku, on the other hand, stepped closer to Katsuki instinctively.
As Kirishima touched the ground, his paws turned into clawed feet and his whole body became humanoid again. "Hey, Bakubro! Did you call?"
"Escort Deku back to the prisoner. Bring him back to Sero's tent, I'll be there to cook, understand?" Katsuki was brief and concise, then disappeared over the threshold of his parents' hut.
Kiri cupped her clawed hands in front of her mouth. "Please, huh!" Despite Bakugou's temper, she sighed smilingly. "Come on, Deku."
Katsuki's head popped out of the hut and glared at Kirishima. "Hey! Shitty hair! Don't you dare, you hear?"
The dragon flicked its forked tongue at him between its sharp teeth, then turned to the omega. "Midoriya, right?" he corrected himself, putting both arms behind his head in a relaxed pose. "Are you worried about your friend?"
"I'm not worried." Midoriya smiled. "I'm sad to think of him there alone, in a place he doesn't know and about which we know distorted news. He cannot communicate."
"Quite a problem. It would take a translation spell, but I doubt it would work on your friend. He has the smell of a curse on him," the dragon mused thoughtfully.
Izuku winced. "It's a personal curse, it won't cause trouble," he said hurriedly.
Apparently dragon hearing and sniffing were highly developed. He had to remember to write it down in his own notebook.
"What did he do to get a curse?" Kirishima walked toward the prison tent, followed by Izuku.
"He's had it since birth. He was cursed to punish his parents," he explained. Shouto had told him that story in confidence, but it was not his place to share it fully with anyone else.
"Um... And what does it entail?"
"I don't know," he lied. "He never wanted to tell me specifically about it."
Kirishima smiled, his face to the sky. "You are a good friend, Midoriya." He brought a fist to his chest. "You're a super manly omega! I bet Bakugou likes you a lot. He doesn't call you Deku for nothing."
"What does that mean?" asked Midoriya curiously.
The dragon chuckled. "It's the peppercorn, probably reminds him of your freckles," he mused thoughtfully. "Or because you are small! Although you're all small to me when I'm in my full form."
"Alright...." Midoriya did not understand why among barbarians calling someone a "speck of pepper" should be a way to show affection.
She was going to investigate.