Chapter Text
Beta Mina suspects that Ochako's upset when she first sees her knitting in the common room. Ochako is known to knit a lot, a skill she picked up from her mother that she enjoys. She once explained that it helps her calm down and reminds her of home. It's not unusual for someone to catch her watching a movie while knitting or making conversation while she works.
However the class learns that if Ochako's got a pinched look on her face while her fingers work at absurd speeds, she's distressed.
And just like Mina suspected, the day after, Ochako comes to class in a mood. She's quiet and mopey and it affects everyone too. Their entire class picks up the distress like an infection and Mina is having none of it.
So as a self appointed Chako bestie she tries to cheer her up and find out what's going on.
There's not much time to do anything during classes but after school Mina tries to lift Ochako's moos. But nothing she does seems to work and Ochako stays tight-lipped about what's bothering her.
She just sits in the common room, either robotically doing homework or making sad whimpers as she knits at alarming speeds. It's worrying and ruining the vibe. It seems Mina's mission failed and she goes to bed dejected.
The next day is the same and Mina's displeased. She's not the only one who has tried helping Ochako but it's like everyone's at a loss as to what's going on.
While doing a face mask to soothe herself, Mina expresses her woes to alphas Kirishima and Shinsou who happen to be the closest at the time, the two working on some homework.
"—she usually lights up anytime someone gives her food. But when I gave her the mochi she just sighed. She sighed. All depressing like too. Who died that has her depressed at the sight of mochi?!" Mina ends her rant by dramatically flopping her entire body across the couch.
Kirishima, cross legged at the coffee table, him and Shinsous work spread out before then, nods emphatically.
"Tell me about it. I'm worried for her. Bakugou knocked her down in sparring and she just laid there for like a minute with the saddest expression on her face. It freaked him out so bad he swapped partners with me." All three of them cringe at the thought. It's worse than Mina imagined. "I've never seen him avoid fighting Uraraka. I think it made him want to let her win or something."
"Ugh, it's throwing off the vibes of our class. I haven't heard Sero make a single pun all day. And don't even get me started on the puppy dog eyes Midoriya keeps giving Chako. I think it physically pains him that he can't just Detroit Smash whatever's wrong."
Shinsou hums, his eyes have been fixed on his worksheet but he hasn't written anything in the past few minutes so Mina knows he's listening.
"Maybe she's just tired."
"I dunno man. She's more cranky without rest than anything."
"Maybe, but I don't think she's sleeping well. I saw her sleeping in the common room last night. I woke her up to go to bed but I didn't actually see her leave the room. Maybe she fell back asleep." His brow furrows as he looks up to the ceiling as though it'll help him remember. "Dang, I probably should have checked."
Mina props her head up with one hand. "...she was sleeping in the common room?"
"Those couches aren't exactly great to spend a full night on." Kirishima frowns.
"Yeah that's what I thought too. She was using a lot of pillows but I doubt it helped"
That's… weird . Really weird. Weird enough that Mina keeps thinking about it long after she washes off her face mask and rushes through her own homework.
It's such an odd detail but if it's the cause of Ochako's bad mood, Minas is determined to find a solution.
Mina decides that that night will be the night she confronts Ochako. She finds a nice hidden spot in the common room and waits. And sure enough, even as everyone trickles off to their rooms, Ochako stays put. Deliberately.
And then Mina watches Ochako do the strangest thing.
Ochako starts rhythmically placing pillows and blankets around herself. Tucking them in and forming a little fort around herself before settling in like she completely means to just sleep on the couch for the night. That's when it hits Mina.
"Oh my god! You're nesting!"
Ochako, who had no idea anyone was there, screams. Never a great thing to do in a dorm of heroes in training. She has all of 10 seconds to kick down her nest into something that looks less suspicious before Deku shows up in full cowling.
Way too many people show up in the common room as Ochako has to explain that Mina just startled her awake and she wasn't expecting it. Alpha Iida eventually has to order everyone back to bed because of the false alarm and in the midst of chaos Ochako shuffles off to her room.
Obviously Mina follows.
"So…" She says, closing the door behind her as Ochako twists her sleep shirt in her hands.
"...you can't tell anyone!"
"So you're… you're really an omega?"
Which promptly causes the brunette to brush into tears. She explains her story while Mina tries to comfort her.
She finally calms down enough that her tears stop and she leans fully into Mina's arms. Mina takes a moment to gather her thoughts as she rubs Ochako's back soothingly, letting out a comforting scent.
"Is that why you've been off these past few days? Because of this secret?"
"No… it's because… I'm…well… it's um… it's my heat."
"Oh?" Mina's cheeks flush, this isn't exactly what she had in mind when she was seeking to cheer Ochako up. "Do uh— um— do you… need help?"
"What? No!" The bet— omega jerks out of her hold, huffing. "Heats are just like alpha ruts, instincts are harder to ignore but that doesn't mean we're mindlessly horny until someone puts a baby in us. That's just a stereotype meant to make it seem like omegas can't function through our heats!"
"Right, sorry. I— um. If it's not that then what is it?"
"I just… I can't sleep right. I get clingy during my heats and my omega always wants someone from my pack around." Even as she speaks, Ochako leans back into Mina's arms and the beta wonders if she notices how she nuzzles against her.
"But… at night we all sleep in separate rooms. It would help if I had something scented to nest with but if I asked someone then they would know… I'm sorry if I've been ruining the mood lately, it's just the hormones. I'll feel better in a few more days."
"...what if I sleep with you?"
"Huh?"
"Yeah, it'll be just like a sleepover!" Mina pulls back slightly to beam at her, giving the omega her best smile.
"But... I like to cuddle."
"Me too."
"...and I move a lot in sleep."
"I don't mind."
"You… you want to be in my nest? With… with me?"
Ochako twists her shirt in her hands, eyes averted, voice almost a whisper. Mina's heart melts at the shy question and the little whine that follows it.
"I would love nothing more~" She purrs, "And by the way, I think you have a beautiful nest. It looks very cozy. I'd be honored to cuddle with you in it."
For the first time in the past few days, Ochako smiles. It makes Mina soft to see the omega brighten at the compliment. It's criminally adorable the way she perks up and her scent blooms into the familiar roses and peaches that Ochako's known for.
Ochako scent has always been hard to catch and is only noticeable when she's happy or excited. Now it makes sense as to why.
The cutie bounces on her heels, pulling Mina over to her pretty nest as she explains how she made it. "Thank you! I actually made most of the blankets and pillows myself. I can't really get items from our pack so I've been modeling the colors after everyone's hero costumes! This one took me forever but I—"
So Mina spends the night cuddling in Ochako's nest. And yeah, Ochako does move in her sleep. It takes some work-shopping but eventually Mina figures out that laying her head on the omega's stomach keeps her from shifting around too much and it works out.
The next morning Ochako seems good as new. The class immediately notices and is a bit confused but glad that she's back. Mina's so proud of herself and how the omega blesses them all again with her sweet smiles and infectious joy.
The beta's still beaming about it later when Kirishima slides up next to her as she's getting lunch.
"How'd you do it? You guys talked last night right? Did you ever figure out what happened?"
"Yup!" Mina hums happily in response, adding a peach to her tray as she moves along.
"And? What was it?"
"Shinsou was right, she wasn't sleeping well. We did some self care and it helped."
"Nightmares huh? That's weird, I could have sworn she usually went to Bakugou when that happened."
"Hmm, something like that."
Kirishima furrows his brow at her answer but Mina leaves it at that. The beta's eyes sweep over the cafeteria until they spot the omega nibbling of Todoroki's lunch while Yaomomo says something that makes Midoriya laugh. She looks at ease, bright and happy, the sparkle back in her eyes. The effect of her presence is clear in the way her table blooms again full of life.
Mina knows that Ochako's there illegally, she didn't forget that part of the story. But she also knows that Ochako is one of the best damn students at that school. She'll be an amazing hero and she deserves to be there like the rest of them, omega or not.
It's unfair of the omega to have to suffer through her heats without any help or understanding from her peers. Especially since nobody bats an eyelash when an Alpha goes into rut and wants to take up class time to scent their pack members. If Mina can help even just a little bit, she will.
Not just because Mina's a hero and it's in her nature. But because Ochako's special and she deserves to be cherished and pampered. Mina knew this to be true even before hearing about Ochako's designation.
So if Ochako wants to graduate from a school that doesn't teach omegas? Mina was going to make sure she did just that. People who say Mina doesn't keep secrets don't know her well. She's a fantastic actor when she wants to be and she's already decided she'll hold onto Ochako's secret for as long as the girl needed her to.