Chapter Text
Shouto is soaked to the bone, which isn’t good considering it’s freezing outside, but he can’t afford an umbrella. That would be an unnecessary expense. He needs all the money he has managed to gather to pay for this.
With the hood on, he keeps moving, praying that it’s not too late, that the man he’s looking for is still in his office, working. But maybe he’s not, Shouto wouldn’t be too surprised about that, since it’s late, really late.
He sneezes, and it echoes in the dark, empty street. Burrowing himself further into his drenched hoodie, he tries to stop shivering, even though he knows it’s useless. At last, he reaches the building’s door. He stares at it, at the little button beside the sign that promises him a meeting with the man he has admired for the past six years, the alpha he couldn’t forget since that fateful day when their paths crossed, his hero if he manages to help him.
He presses the button and waits, eyes still fixed on the little text: Bakugou PI
He gets buzzed in, and his knees almost give out in relief. He definitely wipes away a couple of stray tears as he can’t believe the man is still here, working; that after ten years, he’s finally one step closer to finding him, too.
“Please, Bakugou-san, please help me,” he whispers in the empty lobby.
Climbing the stairs takes everything he has. He’s hungry and tired. He hasn’t eaten anything or slept for who knows how long. It’s been an extremely long and exhausting journey, since he had to mislead his father to make sure he couldn’t follow, and drag him back into his clutches. Shouto might finally be 18, but no one escapes Todoroki Enji. That’s why he hates the fact that he’s wasted a huge part of his budget on fake bus tickets, a fake ID, and cheap dye to make sure his dad wouldn’t find him.
He finally reaches the door of the little office. He’s wheezing as he had to climb five floors. He could have used the elevator, but he would rather not. Shouto hates elevators, especially after—
Shaking his head, he knocks on the door and waits. His stomach is in knots. At last the door opens, and Shouto freezes.
This isn’t the first time he’s seen Bakugou Katsuki, but he was twelve years old when he did. He was a kid and didn’t pay attention to what the man looked like. Shouto knew he was an alpha, knew he was big and tall, not as big as his father, but big like all alphas are. But he almost forgot something: Bakugou is handsome, extremely hot, and smells divine.
Blinking, Shouto gapes for a beat, while Bakugou furrows his brows and studies him. He’s slightly taller than Shouto, only 5 centimeters taller, but his arms, chest, and shoulders could easily be two Shoutos. Shouto knows he’s an abnormally tall omega, but he also knows he’s too thin, thanks to his lack of proper nutrition at the hands of his father. Denying food was one of Enji’s favorite punishments, probably right behind screaming and verbal humiliation.
“Yes?” Bakugou says. “I assume you’re the one who rang—”
“Help me,” he whispers at last. “Please, Bakugou-san, I need your help. I-I have some money. I can get even more, but I need your help.”
Bakugou’s face turns blank as his intense red eyes study Shouto from head to toe. Taking a step back, he tilts his head.
“C’mon, come in. Tsk, why are you soaked? Rain stopped like hours ago.”
Bowing, Shouto hurries in. “Thank you so much. Yes, yes, but the bus dropped me on the other side of the city.”
“…you mean you’ve walked?”
“Yes, I couldn’t afford a taxi, or another bus, or the train.”
Bakugou’s scent spikes at that, eyes narrowing as he studies him better. “Stay here,” he says after he closes the door, leaving Shouto in the small lobby of his office. Shouto nods and halts, standing right where he is as his curious eyes observe it all.
The walls have several frames, and Shouto sees that some are newspaper clippings while others seem to be photos of multiple people. He gasps when he sees several trophies, golden medals, and even a couple of stars. He awes, as he knows what they are. Bakugou is an absolute hero. Shouto has investigated him a bit and knows Bakugou is 34. He graduated at the top of his class and worked as a regular cop for several years before he was promoted and rose through the ranks until he became an inspector at only 25. He had been awarded several times for his amazing work until six years ago, when he retired at 28 to become a private investigator. That was a bit after they met, when Shouto was left awed by Bakugou’s nerve in doing what no one had dared to do until then. Shouto knows he’s a good detective, the reviews on the internet say so.
The alpha returns with a towel and some clothes.
“Here. Bathroom is down the hall. I left the door open. You can change there.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’m wearing a shirt beneath the hoodie—”
“No offense, but I bet that’s also drenched. Go get changed. I’ve also left a box of patches if you want to change yours. I always have some for omegas just in case.”
Shouto clutches the towel and clothes as he stares, starstruck at Bakugou. Bowing once more, he thanks him with a little smile. He knew it. He knew that beyond his grumpy attitude and slightly intimidating facial expressions, there was a kind, nice man. Shouto knew because Bakugou once patted his head, ruffled his hair, and gave him a piece of candy. Shouto hasn’t forgotten, and he doubts he’ll ever do so.
Beelining to the bathroom, he quickly takes off the hoodie and the shirt, as Bakugou was right: everything is soaked. The clothes the alpha has given him are slightly larger and smell like detergent, with no trace of his scent whatsoever. It’s a little bit of a letdown, as Shouto has been charmed by that strong caramel scent of his, but he likes this, it’s only further proof that Bakugou is the one.
Drying his hair, he grimaces a little as he sees the towel stained with the cheap black dye.
“Oh no. Mmh, will I have enough money to pay him and cover laundry? I hope so.”
Combing his hair a little, he tilts his head and removes his scent blockers, replacing them with the new ones Bakugou has left for him on the counter. Shouto smiles when he sees they’re the expensive ones, not the cheap ones that last only a couple of hours at most and feel rough and scratchy. Smiling, he heads outside with his drenched clothes and the stained towel.
“Bakugou-san?”
“Just Bakugou!”
Following the reply, he enters a little kitchen, where he sees Bakugou making a sandwich.
“Uhm, Bakugou? I apologize. It seems I’ve stained your towel with my dye.”
Bakugou frowns and stares at him. Shouto swallows nervously as the man eyes him, particularly his hair.
“Knew that looked weird,” he mumbles. “Whatever. Just leave it all in the bathroom, on top of the toilet. Hang the clothes there, too.”
“Oh, okay.”
Doing so, he goes back to the kitchen, where Bakugou simply thrusts a dish with the sandwich and a glass of water into his hands.
“Eat and drink. Take the meds I left on the dish and follow me.”
“The meds?”
“Regular ones. The box is right there if you want to make sure I’m not drugging you—”
“I know you would never!”
His outburst makes Bakugou stop and stare at him with narrowed eyes.
“Why?”
Biting his lip, Shouto squirms a little. “I— I know who you are. I’ve admired you for years, Bakugou-san. I’ve dreamed of meeting you for so long… When I found out you were now a private investigator, I thought it was just my luck, because that meant I could just hire your services to help me.”
Bakugou doesn’t say anything, but his expression softens before he whispers, “C’mon, follow me. My office has nice chairs where you can sit and tell me what you need me for… Although I think I might have an idea.”
Oh, Shouto doubts it, but he still follows the man to his office. It’s the first door in the hall, and it seems to be the largest room in the small apartment the man is renting.
“You don’t live here, do you?” he asks him with curiosity.
“No. I live nearby, but if I’ve learned anything over all my years working in the field, it’s to never bring work to one’s home. Too soul-consuming. Eat, then we can talk.”
Shouto eagerly does. The sandwich is good, and it fills his empty stomach. Swallowing the two pills that he easily recognizes as ibuprofen and a cold remedy, he smiles at the alpha. Wow, Bakugou is incredible.
“Your omega must be so lucky to have you,” he observes.
Bakugou coughs, spluttering. “Huh?”
Tilting his head, Shouto repeats himself and adds, “You’re kind and attentive. I bet your omega must be over the moon about you. Not all alphas are this gentle with omegas.”
Bakugou sets his jaw, body squaring as he stares at him intently. “I’m single, no omega whatsoever, and I’m gonna guess you’re only saying that because you’ve only known shitty alphas your entire life.”
Shouto blinks, perplexed, and after some hesitation, nods. “Yes, you’re absolutely right. But don’t undermine yourself, Bakugou-san—”
“Just Bakugou,” the alpha grunts, running a hand through his hair.
“Sorry, force of habit. I’ve been thinking of you like that for years.”
Bakugou’s face scrunches again. “How old are you?”
“Eighteen. My birthday was just two days ago. I was out of my home the second it happened.”
The detective’s face hardens at that. He leans over his desk, eyes burning with fury, but Shouto knows it’s not addressed at him.
“Is that why you’re here? You want me to help you with that scumbag? Want me to find evidence for the court? It won’t be easy, but I can do it.”
“No. No, and even if I don’t doubt how good you are, I’m afraid my father is off limits even for you, Bakugou-sss—” He bites his tongue just in time. Seeing that the man is going to protest, he quickly places the picture he has managed to keep all these years. “My brother. Please, I need you to find my brother. His name is Touya. He was sixteen when he ran away, and it’s been ten years ever since. Please, please, please. Can you find him? Touya-nii promised we would meet again, but he never contacted me. He promised he’d after a month but never did. He also promised that the second he turned 18, he’d come back. He swore it to me. I know how it looks, but I know Touya, and he’d have at least sneaked in to visit me. I just… I just want to know that he’s okay. Please.”
Bakugou’s expression has gone blank again. He stares at Shouto’s trembling hand before delicately picking up the picture and studying it, brows furrowed.
“Touya,” he mumbles. “What did you say your name was?”
“Shouto.”
“Shouto… Shouto, what else?”
Shouto freezes. His fake ID burns in his pocket, but if he’s going to hire Bakugou’s services to find Touya, he needs to be clear, doesn’t he?
Swallowing, he squirms in place.
“Please, Bakugou-san, I know— You must not remember me, but you once told my father he could go fuck himself. From that moment on, I thought of you as my hero.”
Bakugou pales, and it’s now he whose hands shake.
“No… don’t fucking tell me you’re—”
“Todoroki. My name is Todoroki Shouto, and my brother is Todoroki Touya.”
“Get out.”
Shouto stills and observes Bakugou. The alpha now smells and looks angry.
“What? Why? I-I can pay you! I mean, I don’t have much money, but I’m willing to find a job or something, but please, please, please, I know I can only trust you with this.”
“Get. Out,” Bakugou hisses, slamming the picture back on the desk and sliding it toward him.
Shouto gasps and hurries to catch it, cradling it against his chest as he stares at the alpha with betrayal.
“I don’t understand… why are you acting like this now?! I know my father is intimidating, but you stood your ground against him!”
“Yeah?! And look what it cost me. Get lost.”
“Cost you?” he whispers. “No, please, no. I’m willing to do anything, but please, you have to help me. Touya-nii is somewhere out there, and no one will help me because they’re all too afraid of pissing off my father. You must know it, don’t you? It’s true, the rumors are true. All of them. He’s trash. You called him out correctly. He drove my mother insane. He drove Touya to run away. He has driven my sister and my other brother away, and now me. Please, Bakugou-san… Please,” he whimpers.
The alpha sighs and mumbles something under his breath before he looks at him. He stares at Shouto with a frown for almost a minute before he snaps, “The second the investigation leads me to your father, I’m out. Deal?”
Shouto nods eagerly. “Yes, yes, no problem. I know my father didn’t have anything to do with Touya-nii, I mean, beyond making him run away.”
Bakugou snorts at that and leans back on his desk chair, spinning it softly.
“Say, Todo— Ugh, I hate that name.”
“Shouto is fine,” he offers with a little smile. “I understand, I hate it too. That’s why I asked for Himura on my fake ID.”
Bakugou curses and pinches his nose. “Kid, you shouldn’t be telling me that. Fake IDs are illegal. I might be a private detective, but I was once a cop. My friends are all cops.”
Squirming in his chair, Shouto bites his lip. “Oh, well… Don’t rat me out? But what else was I supposed to do? I needed out, Bakugou-san, sorry, Bakugou. You must know how my father is, but trust me, you really don’t. I needed out. He was going to—” He presses his lips into a line and shivers, scent souring as he begins to play with Touya’s picture, caressing its frayed edges. “I needed to leave. If he finds me, he’ll try to drag me back. I was his special ace for a new deal.”
Bakugou smashes his hand on the table, eyes narrowed. “Explain.”
Shouto shakes his head, dismissing it. “It doesn't matter. But I need your help with Touya-nii. I just— I only want to know where he is and that he’s okay. I know that Father tried, but not too much. He and Touya…” He winces as he recalls the fights. “They weren’t eye to eye. Father wanted to do to him the same as me, but Touya refused, sending him to hell and back. He escaped several times, too. Ever since he was twelve, it was normal for him to disappear for several days, sometimes even a couple of weeks, but he always returned.”
Bakugou grits his teeth. He smells awful, truly pissed off.
“Fucking bastard. Your father is scum. Fucking hell, I hate him. What was it? What did he try to do to your brother and you? Don’t,” he hurries. “If you don’t give me the details, I won’t be able to help.”
Biting his nails, Shouto considers it. With a sigh, he whispers, “A marriage of convenience, an arranged one. My brother is an omega like me. If we got married to another family, the business—”
Bakugou growls, smelling now beyond angry. Shouto’s omega shivers, not out of fear, but out of sadness. Without thinking, Shouto mewls and releases soothing hormones, trying to appease the alpha. The effect is immediate. The fire in Bakugou’s eyes fades, and for a second, Shouto swears the alpha rumbles back.
It all happens too quickly, and the second they both realize, they freeze and mumble an apology. Shouto fidgets with the zipper of the jacket Bakugou has lent him, and Bakugou presses his hands against his face.
“Fuck me,” he grunts at last. “This is gonna bite me in the ass, but I simply can’t just kick you out. I assume you chose me because I’m the only one willing to investigate what I assume your father doesn’t want anyone to find out.”
Shouto blinks. “No… I mean, yes, but not really.”
Now it’s Bakugou’s turn to look confused. “Huh? Then why—”
“You were nice. To me, I mean. When you came to investigate and ask my father some questions, I was there. Father had just—” He shakes his head and says, “You saw me hiding behind the couch in his office, lured me out with a piece of candy, ruffled my hair, and told me to go before my father came back. I’ve never forgotten it. Then I heard you calling out my father and his friends, telling my father that he and his money could go fuck—”
“Yeah, yeah,” Bakugou cuts him off. “Fuck, you’re telling me that’s why?”
“Bakugou-sa— Bakugou, no one else has ever been that nice to me. And then you stood up to my father, and I’ve looked you up. I know about all your work and the reviews say you’re one incredible detective, and—”
“Okay, okay, kid.”
“I’m not a kid, I’m—”
“You’re a kid. Yeah, legally you’re eighteen, but you’re still a kid. Fine, I’ll try not to get angry again. I apologize for my lack of—”
“Please don’t.” He offers him a smile. “This only proves I chose you correctly. I knew you were a good alpha who wouldn’t turn me away for being an omega or for who my father is. Thank you so much, Bakugou-san.”
The alpha sighs deeply. “Please, stop. You don’t have to thank me for doing the bare minimum.”
“But you don’t do that,” Shouto mumbles. “I know that most of your clients are omegas. All the reviews say you help omegas. Help them with their cheating and abusive partners. You’re a hero, Bakugou-san.”
Bakugou grimaces and utters something under his breath before he stares at Shouto intently.
“Well, tell me what else you know about your brother. He used to run away, and he and your father had a disagreement regarding… a forced mating,” he hisses, spitting it with hatred, “and then he left and didn’t come back. Do you know the alpha he was going to be sold to?”
Shouto nods. “I do, but it wasn’t him. My father got really angry because when Touya ran away, he married another omega from a rival family. My father cursed Touya, waiting for him to come back home like usual to—” He bites his tongue and glances at the table.
“To beat him, I assume,” Bakugou deadpans.
Shouto hesitates before nodding. The alpha growls again, and Shouto can feel his eyes studying him. Daring to look up, he sees Bakugou eyeing his body, not his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you hurt?”
“What?”
“I have a first-aid kit. If you’re injured, you can use it. Or I can assist. I swear I won’t touch you more than you need.”
“N-no… my Father doesn’t hit me. I mean, he only yells and sometimes smacks me, but not that much, I promise. He preferred other methods to torture me, like denying me food or locking me up somewhere.”
Once more, Bakugou snaps, and Shouto has to rip his blocker a little to release more soothing hormones. It takes a moment before the alpha glares at the table, calmer.
“So you’ll help me? I managed to gather some money. Loose cash here and there. It’s not much, but I think I can cover some of your expenses. I’ll find a job or something to pay you the rest.” Glancing around, he bites his lip. “Unless… I can pay you some other way.”
Bakugou chokes and begins to cough before he roars, “Are you insane? Fuck no!”
“Why? Do you have a secretary?”
Shouto asks at the same time that Bakugou says, “I won’t accept sexual favors— Huh? Secretary?”
“Sexual favors?”
Both men look at each other. Bakugou curses, looking done, while Shouto blushes and squirms as he can’t help but admire Bakugou’s physique. He wouldn’t be opposed, if he’s being honest. Bakugou is attractive, like, really attractive, and Shouto is sure he’s an attentive lover, or at least one who doesn’t see omegas only as holes ready to be used. Heating up, Shouto has to press his legs together as he feels himself slickening a little.
Ashamed, he clears his throat and repeats himself. “If you want, I could be your assistant. I could clean, help you with whatever you might need. If not, I’ll find another job. Don’t worry, I’ll pay you, Bakugou. I know a case like this is going to be costly, but if you’re willing to give me a chance, I’ll eventually pay you everything I owe you.”
Bakugou frowns and curses again.
“And how exactly are you going to do that? How much money do you have?”
When Shouto whispers the amount and shows him the crumpled bills he managed to snatch and save in all the hiding spots he knew neither his father nor the maids would look, he knows it’s not enough.
“It’s not enough, is it?” Bakugou keeps his expression blank, but Shouto knows the truth. He can see it in his eyes. Shoulders sagging, he sighs. “It’s fine. I can wait a bit more… I’ll find a job and save. My brother has been gone for ten years. I can wait a bit more for him. Thank you for your time.”
“Wait. You’re an omega, and this city is a dangerous place. If that’s all the money you have, where are you staying? And how are you going to find a job? Do you even have something? Like, a qualification or a certificate.”
Hesitating, Shouto mumbles. “I… I was in my last high school year.”
“It’s January,” Bakugou points. “Which means you still have three months of class. So your plan is to find a job that hires omegas without a diploma? Fuck’s sake, the only one I can think of is being a whore.”
Shouto grimaces and bites his lip. “Maybe a waiter somewhere? I could do that.”
Bakugou frowns and shakes his head. “Omegas aren’t wanted for that, not in respectable places that would pay you a decent amount of money… Fuck.” Cursing once more, he turns the chair around as he stares through the window. “Where are you staying?” he asks him softly.
Looking at the back of the black chair, Shouto drums his fingers on his knees.
“Oh, uh… the bus station? I mean, that’s where I slept yesterday. But I’m sure I can find a cheap hotel.”
Swearing even louder, Bakugou spins the chair around and grabs his phone, smashing several buttons violently. He clicks his tongue before he lifts it to his ear and barks, “Shittyhair, I need you to look something up for me. I’ve an omega here… The shelter for omegas. Do you know if there’s any with an empty— Fuck, really? Since when?!” Shouto watches everything, gaping a little as he tries to say that it’s okay, but Bakugou keeps cursing and hissing darkly at whoever is on the other end. “So that’s it? Yeah, I know you hate it too, but fuck!” Running a hand through his hair, he glances at Shouto and sighs. “No, it’s fine. I’ll… I’ll think of something.”
“Uh, Bakugou, I can’t go there. Those places register you, and my father will look there. The ID works for bus tickets but not for—”
“It doesn't matter,” Bakugou cuts him. “The secondary shelter is closed, and the main one is full with a waiting list. Shittyhair says there’s been a budget cut and they’ve decided to get rid of it because it’s not profitable. Fucking hell, I hate this city.”
“Oh.”
“Do you have your real ID?”
“I do, along with the fake one.”
Rolling his eyes, Bakugou grunts, “Stop saying that. As I said, I don’t wanna know anything about that illegal shit. Fine. For tonight, you can come with me. I’ll sleep on the couch, you take my room. Tomorrow, we’ll talk more about this. It’s almost midnight, and I’m drained. I’d offer you to stay here, but this isn’t the best place, and the couch here is too small for me.”
“Oh, please don’t bother, I can find somewhere else.”
“Yeah? Like a bench in the park?” Bakugou sneers. “Don’t be an idiot. C’mon, let’s go. You can also take a shower. Bet you haven’t been able to if you’ve been running around since your birthday.”
Almost moaning at the idea of taking a warm shower, he follows Bakugou all the way out of the office. It’s all good until they reach the elevator.
“Uh… I’ll take the stairs,” he whispers, nervously playing with the cuffs of his borrowed clothes.
“Why? You afraid of elevators or something?”
“Or something,” Shouto whispers, glancing away.
He can feel the alpha’s eyes on him for a beat too long before Bakugou gently tugs him toward the staircase. Feeling his heart in his mouth, Shouto’s eyes sting, and a lump appears as he follows Bakugou.
“Thank you.”
The other doesn’t say anything, not until they reach the street. Taking off his leather jacket, he drapes it over Shouto’s shoulders and, with zero intonation, says, “This way. C’mon, my place is not that far away.”
Unable to thank him again, Shouto follows the alpha, a couple of silent tears falling down his face. He wipes them away, and he’s sure Bakugou sees it, but doesn’t say anything. Putting on the jacket properly, he zips it up and gets drowned by Bakugou’s marvelous scent. His omega purrs, delighted as the alpha is not only perfect: kind, gentle, caring, and protective… he also smells heavenly.
Cheeks heating up, Shouto steals a glance, and his stomach churns as he knows he’s in trouble. Bakugou is totally his type as he’s everything Shouto has ever dreamed of. He never expected to meet an alpha who was so good with omegas. Alphas who look like Bakugou tend to ignore omegas or treat them as lesser beings, but not him. Shouto had read it in the reviews he checked while looking him up. He read about all those omegas raving about him, sharing how, even if he looks intimidating, he’s fair and treats omegas as normal people, and how he helped them with all their needs. Police officers tend to ignore omegas, some help or try their best to, but most end up bending to the will of betas and alphas over the word of an omega. Not Bakugou.
When they reach Bakugou’s building, the alpha ignores the elevator, heading once more to the stairs.
“I live on the second floor.”
“Oh, okay. Sorry.”
“Don’t.”
When Bakugou unlocks his door, he allows Shouto to go in first before locking the door. Shouto takes off his battered Converse and waits. Bakugou offers him a pair of white slippers and extends his hand.
“The jacket,” he says after a beat, seeing that Shouto is simply staring at his hand.
“Oh, sorry,” he mumbles as he unzips and gives it to him.
“Cut that off.”
“What?”
“Apologizing for everything,” Bakugou grunts. “I’m not your father. You don’t have to walk on your tiptoes or fear everything, or apologize for even existing. I should have punched him when I had the chance. Fucking bastard. C’mon, I’ll show you where the bathroom is. Take a bath while I tidy my room up.”
“Oh, please no, I can take your couch.”
“Bullshit. Don’t worry, I’ll purify the air for you. I bet you don’t want to be breathing an alpha’s scent all night long.”
“I like yours. I don’t mind.” Tucking his hair behind his ear, he smiles at him. “You smell really good, Bakugou-san.”
Gaping, the alpha frowns and stares at him. “You— You can’t just say that!”
“Why not?” he asks him, puzzled. Tilting his head, he considers it. “It’s not rude, right? I mean, it’s a compliment. I usually get sick with alpha’s scents, but not yours.”
Looking shocked, Bakugou huffs. He grumbles something under his breath before stalking down the hall. Opening a door and pointing at it, he snaps, “Just get in here! I’ll give you more clothes to change into, something comfortable for you to sleep in. Fuck’s sake… that means that if I take my patches off, you won’t mind?”
“Oh, no, no. Please, this is your home, get comfortable.”
Still grumbling, Bakugou curses some more before he rubs a hand over his face. Staring at him, he hisses through clenched teeth, “You too. If you’re comfortable with it, you can take those patches off. I swear I won’t do or try anything.”
“I know. I trust you, Bakugou-san.”
“Drop the san already!”
Pushing Shouto into the bathroom, he closes the door behind him with a slam, startling the omega a little. Shouto has to bite back a smile. Ah, he can totally see why Bakugou might be considered slightly intimidating, but it’s obvious he’s a kind alpha.
Purring softly, Shouto scents the air and blushes as it smells a lot like burnt caramel. Taking off his clothes, he takes a quick shower that tastes like glory. At one point, Bakugou enters after knocking.
“I’m leaving a towel and your clothes here. I just realized we left yours at my office. Tomorrow I’ll pick them up and wash them, okay? Take your time, I’m also making something quick for dinner.”
“Thank you.”
Bakugou just growls back and closes the door once more.
When Shouto is done, he observes his reflection in the mirror and is shocked. It’s not because his hair looks weird with the black dye, or because the clothes he’s wearing are also all in shades of black and oversized, but because he’s smiling. Touching his face, he blinks, perplexed. When was the last time he smiled?
“Must be because I’m getting closer to Touya,” he whispers. Even if deep down, he knows that's not it.
Following the scent of food and the sounds of someone cooking, he finds Bakugou’s kitchen. The apartment doesn’t seem to be very big. It has a small genkan, a living room connected to the kitchen, a balcony, and then the bathroom and another room that he assumes is Bakugou’s bedroom.
“Thank you for the food and the shower. Oh, and the clothes.”
“Whatever. Sit down. Eat.”
The second Bakugou says so, Shouto’s stomach growls loudly. Pressing his hands against it, Shouto blushes. Bakugou simply turns around, grabs a spoon, and begins filling a bowl with rice until it overflows, then presses it down and adds a bit more.
“Eat it all.”
“Oh, what about—”
“I made plenty. Eat. You’re still growing.”
Swallowing, he whispers another thanks but doesn’t start eating, not until Bakugou sits. Clasping his hands together, he thanks him for the food once more, then dives in.
The rice is perfect, fluffy and warm, with enough flavor to make him moan and purr contentedly. Bakugou doesn’t say anything, just eats his bowl, and when Shouto is half done, he taps the dish with some meat.
“Eat this too. You need protein. If you want more, there’s still some left. For dessert, I have some fruit, and uh, I think I might have some ice cream? I think one of the idiots left some after they came over uninvited last time.”
“The idiots?” he asks him
“Don’t talk with your mouth full!” Bakugou scolds him with a sneer. “Tsk. My friends. They’re a pest.”
“Oh. Must be nice to have friends,” he comments offhandedly.
Bakugou’s brows furrow further. “You said you were studying. I mean, I knew Todo-jerk kept you schooled, but does he keep you homeschooled, or what?”
“Todo-jerk?” he repeats with a smile. “No, you’re correct. I went to a private high school. Father tried homeschooling, but after Touya, he was advised that socializing would be good for the rest of us.”
“Riiiight… that must have worked wonderfully,” Bakugou deadpans.
Shouto laughs. “Oh, absolutely. I hated it. I was surrounded by two kinds of kids: those who hated me for being an omega and for who my father was, and those who only saw me for my surname and denomination. I received many courting petitions, followed by ‘Can I meet with your father? Mine wants this business proposal’ blah, blah, blah.”
Bakugou looks disgusted. “There must have been at least one that wanted you for your looks.”
“What do you mean?” he asks, lost. “My looks?”
Nodding, Bakugou points at him and quirks a brow. “Fishing for compliments is not nice, princess.”
“Princess? Fishing for compliments? I don’t understand.”
Narrowing his eyes, Bakugou studies him before he looks shocked. “You aren’t pretending, are you? Holy shit, you’re telling me those idiots had a beauty like you right there, and no one ever told you?”
“Beauty,” he deadpans. Placing his chopsticks down, Shouto stands up. “If you excuse me, I think it’s better if I go to sleep.”
“Oi, what the? Fuck. Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Shit, I’m sorry.”
“Hard to accept that, when you’re making fun of me.”
“Fun?” Standing up, too, Bakugou shakes his head. “I wasn’t making fun of you. Wait… you’re telling me you think you’re like ugly or something? Are you dumb? I mean, even with that shitty hair job, I can tell you’re an absolute babe. Shit. Uuuh, please, I didn’t mean it in a flirty way, I swear.”
Shouto gapes and then blushes. He can tell Bakugou means it. Sitting, he hides his face in his hands, making Bakugou panic.
“Oi, oi, don’t cry or something. Fuck’s sake, what kind of place do you come from? Uh… Shouto?”
Shouto’s breath gets knocked out of his lungs as Bakugou does it again: he pats his head and ruffles his hair softly, just like he did six years ago. Glancing up, he looks at the man, all marveled, and it’s even worse, now it’s his heart that stops working properly. Bakugou looks astonishingly handsome, with his spiked ash-blond hair and intense ruby eyes. The scars only seem to enhance his beauty, making Shouto’s omega purr with delight as this strong, kind alpha is willingly touching him.
“Shit. I think I remember you now… Your hair is split in half, isn't it? White and red. Yeah, I remember you now. You looked at me like this, too.”
He combusts. Bakugou remembers him.
“Y-yes.”
Patting his head one last time, Bakugou nods and hands him the chopsticks back.
“Eat. C’mon, we’ll talk tomorrow. Want that ice cream, then?”
“Yes, please.”
With another nod, Bakugou heads to the freezer and pulls the treat out, letting it unfreeze a little before resuming eating his dinner.
While Shouto is licking spoonfuls of the strawberry-vanilla-flavored ice cream, the alpha tidies the kitchen.
“Bakugou, thank you so much for everything.”
“It’s whatever. What was I supposed to do? Kick you out onto the street?”
“Others would have,” he whispers.
Bakugou growls at that. “Well, I’m not like others. I might be a private detective these days, but I once made an oath to protect and serve all citizens, and that includes omegas or runaway kids.”
Smiling, he takes another spoonful of ice cream while Bakugou begins cleaning the kitchen counters with a wet cloth that smells like cleaning products. Glancing around, Shouto sees everything is spotless, just like the office.
“I can bring you coffee.”
“Huh?”
“If you hire me as your secretary, I could bring you coffee. That’s what secretaries do, right? And I read that you intimidate most of your clients at first. I bet that if the first thing they see is me, they won’t even mention it in the reviews. Not anymore.”
Bakugou growls. “I can’t do that, kid. If I hire you, your father will know.”
“Don’t do it legally, with a contract and stuff. I mean, you won’t even be paying me with money. I only want you to look for Touya.”
“That’s illegal! I can’t have you in my office like that.”
“Oh. Well, then I guess I’ll look around for a job.”
“You ain’t gonna prostitute yourself!” Throwing the cloth against the counter, Bakugou huffs and glares at him. “Knew you’d be troublesome the second you looked at me with those doe eyes of yours. Tsk. Let me make some calls tomorrow. I’ll figure something out.”
“But—”
“Go to sleep. And you better make some mean coffee for me, or what a shitty secretary you will be.”
Elated, Shouto purrs and beams at the alpha. “Thank you so much, Bakugou-san, I mean, Bakugou. You won’t regret it, I swear.”
“Go to sleep already.”
Nodding, Shouto licks the spoon one last time and hands it to the alpha so he can wash it.
He pretty much skips his way to the alpha’s bedroom. He’s happy, because for the first time in a long, long time, he’s going to sleep with hope and without fear.
“Soon, Touya-nii. I’ll see you soon enough, I know I’ll.”
