Chapter 5
All the pretty little horses
Izuku took a shaky breath, the tiniest hint of honey and milk filled his nose as Eri wrapped another blanket around him. Her pup pheromones were saturated into the blankets, helping to soothe his anxiety. Eri’s scent was so comforting, it always helped bring focus to his surroundings. In times like this he wanted the young girl to heal his nose just so he could smell freely.
Eri was gentle with every touch, tucking the blankets around him to apply more weighted pressure to secure his omega. She began humming gently to keep herself busy. The tune was the same one he would sing to her when she’d wake with nightmares years ago; that same soft melody that his dam used to sing to him at night. The soft tune filled his ears and brought a peaceful warmth to his heart.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry
Go to sleep you little baby
When you wake, you will have cake
And all the pretty little horses
He had loved this song so much when he was a pup. His mother would hold him close as she sang it to him as he settled down at night. Her arms would cradle him close while she rocked slowly, one of her hands gently caressing his face as she traced his features. Occasionally she would place small kisses on his cheek, nose or forehead. Izuku could almost smell her warm scent of plum as it swept away all his worries.
Blacks and bays, dapples and greys
A coach and six white horses
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry
Go to sleep you little baby
Eri’s gentle hum was comforting, his omega content with her actions of care. She continued on despite already having him tightly wrapped like a burrito, the multiple blankets heavy around him. Her fingers drifted up and down his exposed forearm in a consistent pattern.
Izuku knew that she was worried, her behavior a drastic difference from before his match. He was aware of how Eri had become possessive over him the moment Chisaki carried him into his room.
Izuku hoped that their master didn’t do anything to the pup for her natural reaction at his state. He knew how aggressive Eri could become for his sake when pushed to it, but he didn’t know if she could set aside her fear of Chisaki to act that way around him. With how the young girl was acting and moving around, he couldn’t make out any injury. So hopefully she didn’t lash out, hopeful she held herself at bay until the alpha left.
From the moment he woke up though, he could sense the tension in the air. The spiked pheromones from Chisaki that were still clinging to his body made him itch. Even after Eri had helped him change and washed away all the blood, he could still feel the sticky pheremones permiate his skin. No matter how many times the young girl soaked his blankets or his clothes in her scent, it was like Chisaki was still there hovering over him. His cold eyes watching his every move.
Even after laying in his nest for this long, his omega had yet to calm down in the slightest. Distressed pheromones were falling off him in thick waves, his body too weak to take more than a few steps or sit himself up. Eri had been by his side since that night. Trying everything she could to ease his omega back into a rational state of mind, but nothing has worked. His nest was the only place that brought any relief from the dull stress that coursed through him.
Way down yonder, down in the meadow
There's a poor little lamby
Bees and butterflies flitting 'round his eyes
He's crying out for his mammy
It had already been a few days since the match, the majority of that time Izuku was unconscious with Eri slowly healing what she could without causing too much strain on his body. Even with her care, Izuku spent all of his waking moments in his nest trying to rest his aching body and clear his clouded mind.
Every attempt he made to move himself only resulted in draining him further since his master only allowed Eri to rewind his body to a certain point. This was his punishment for losing control over his omega. A harsh punishment when Izuku only had two options during that moment; life or death. Of course he would be punished for choosing to live. Yet, he knew without a doubt that if he died, Eri would be put back into the life she had before Izuku took her under his wing. It was a lose lose situation, but at least he was one taking the punishment.
Izuku tried to lift his hand, yearning to hold Eri’s as a thank you for her attentive nature, but let it fall back into the nest after a few seconds when he felt that Eri understood the meaning behind his touch. His body felt like it had been thrown down a cliff and his head was so muddled that it felt like he was wading through jello. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t seem to get out of this dark aura that held him bound. He was so tired, but sleep was never restful.
He was drained in every definition of the word. He shifted once more, forcing himself to grab one of the stray pillows and shoving it between his legs. The need to cualla hug the body pillow out weighed the cost of the effort. Anything to bring the slightest bit of comfort, even if it was only curling himself tighter into a fetal position.
Izuku honestly didn’t know how long he would have to continue like this, but from the light that was shining through the window, another day was drawing to a close. Another day spent being weighed down by these suffocating feelings.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry
Go to sleep you little baby
When you wake, you will have cake
And all the pretty little horses
Eri kissed Izuku’s cheek, her hair falling forward and tickling his forehead before she pulled back to look at him. Her eyes gauged him for any negative response since she didn’t ask to hover over his territory. Izuku gave a small nod before closing his eyes.
Eri had been trying to stay clear of his nest with the state he was in, but at this point it had become nothing but a pile of ragged blankets. The whole thing was now in a state of chaotic disarray from his constant shifting and adjusting to ease the pain in his body. It all reflected how his nest looked; how fragile he felt in turn. The edges were broken and falling off the mattress, gaps and holes now abundant in the walls of the fabric nest. No sense of organization or any balance with the pheromones, it was all a mess but Izuku couldn’t spare a second to care.
He wanted to fix it, cloak more of his scent over every inch of the nest. Make his pheromone mark on his territory more potent but he was too depleted. It had been a long time since Izuku had ever felt this way. So out of control with no hint of being able to stabilize himself.
The overwhelming fear of his omega once again taking physical control of him consumed all his thoughts. He wasn’t sure if he was dealing with depression or if this was a manic episode. He had read some things in the few books he had. It was mentioned that this kind of thing could happen to an omega when put into life or death situations. They described it like a drop; a deep depression mixed with the need to find an alpha for comfort.
Yet, what he was feeling didn’t seem to really fit that description. Either way he couldn’t seem to stay in control. He kept seeing Chisaki, his hands reaching out to him as he laid on the dirt floor. The edges of his vision became fuzzy as he slowly slipped out of consciousness. The look in his master’s eyes was confusing at first. They seemed concerned, but the longer they looked at each other, they shifted into a stone cold glare. It made the phantom ache in his throat more intense, enhancing the horrendous taste that was in his mouth, it all made it hard not to vomit into his nest.
Yet, none of that shook him as much as when Chisaki’s scent hit his nose. It was so strong, so thick and powerful. Nothing like Izuku was used to, but that realization was what scared him most. His master never walked into the ring, never entered into view of the patrons. So Izuku must have really fucked up big time for the alpha to be by his side, kneeling next to him and using soothing pheremones. He even used a gloved hand to caress Izuku’s scent gland to sooth his raging omega. It was those same pheromones that had surrounded him, pooling over him and threatening to drown him then and there. Izuku had the strange feeling that it was an indication just how deep of shit he was in.
All of this, everything that replayed in Izuku’s head, confirmed a bad conclusion. Izuku wasn’t sure what part was the most gut wrenching. The fact that he had gone feral, thus disqualifying him from winning the match; despite his opponents death. Or the look in Chisaki’s eyes as he carried him to his room. Those gold irises were a swarm of emotion, but the most prominent had been the glint of anger. Chisaki didn’t say a word to him before leaving, his scent turning into a molten flare of demise as his anger became more prevalent. The smell was like a toxic gas, suffocating and painful as it swept through the room and forced Izuku into unconsciousness.
Eri had stayed by his side since then, informing him of what had happened when he went feral and also what their master had done once Izuku was locked inside his room. Izuku had lost so much money. He had recieve a substantial bet from two patrons, both pleasing Chisaki immensely, but Izuku had fucked that up. This was the first match he had lost in months, thus dropping his fight rank down immensely. With that, his value and worth in this god forsaken world followed that trend.
Blacks and bays, dapples and greys
A coach and six white horses
Blacks and bays, dapples and greys
All the pretty little horses
Izuku watched the small pup for a moment, analyzing her face as she sat outside of his nest. He knew that her stress was increasing the longer he stayed in his nest. The crease between her eyebrows had become more prominent. Dark rings sunk under her eyes and her hair fell in a mess of tangles as she attempted to care for him. It was obvious that she was neglecting herself for the omega’s sake. Izuku had a sudden ping of guilt. Has she gotten any sleep? When was the last time she shower or ate a full meal?
Despite Izuku’s previous stances about Eri stressing over him, how much he reiterated that he didn’t need protecting; the pup had obviously thrown all that out the window. She hadn’t left his side unless it was to get them food or to help Izuku to the bathroom. She ignored what Izuku had told her and did what she felt was best, and that didn’t help the pain that swarmed over the omega.
The omega just wanted to pull her into his chest and pretend that she was little again. Before everything had escalated and turned so fowl. He wished that he could relive those days where Eri would cling to him. He was so in control of everything back then, knew how to twist and turn situations for their benefit. Now, everything seems to have turned for the worst. Izuku was losing steam, things were slipping through the cracks.
He knew that it wasn’t either of the two’s fault. Eri was no longer a pup, despite how much Izuku saw her to still be. She was becoming a young adult, making space for herself and becoming confident in her opinions. Though she still acted submissive compared to other kids that Izuku remembered when they were her age. Those swirling emotions and pull to discover truths were propelling her out of his reach. She was determined to be more and do more, willing to snip at the omega if she felt he was out of line.
So much had changed in the past few months. So much for the good, no matter how much it hurt Izuku’s heart. Yet, just like tonight there were times where things seemed to at hit’s tipping point. It was the young girl that was holding everything together, taking the weight upon her shoulders even though it was too heavy. Izuku didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to help. He just wanted her to lay by him and pretend everything hadn't happened.
Though, Eri had refused to stay in his nest. Her instincts had matured to a point that she now had new awareness of the implications of such a request. Izuku wasn’t her dam, even if the omega had taken that role. Izuku wasn’t kin, nor was a potential mate. Even if he was unmated her instincts were already becoming more persuasive than what he could ever say. Thus any ideas of entering into his nest was trespassing. She could feel that deep inside, this omegan nest wasn’t a place she was allowed to stay in.
So to help ease them both, a small bed sat on the floor by the bedroom door. It wasn’t anything grand, most of Eri’s pillows and blankets had been donated to the omega to add more comfort. Each now integrated into the nest or wrapped around the omega himself. There were still a few blankets for her though, laying on a stolen cushion from one of the couches in the lounge. Eri had placed it between Izuku’s nest and situated it against the wall to provide some kind of protection from the door. Her blankets and stolen pillows formed a half circle against the wall.
The sad looking heap didn’t seem very comfortable, far smaller than what would be reasonably appropriate for the growing pup. Yet, as Izuku had analyzed the makeshift bed over the past few days, it started to look more and more like the beginnings of a *kip. There weren't many tell-tale signs that would indicate that this was one, but even without animal stuffies, parental clothing or random nick nacks; it was definitely an attempt at one. The thought brought a smile to Izuku every time he looked at it.
He remembered when his dam helped build his own kip when he got old enough to move to the room across the hallway from her. The memory refreshed all the emotions he felt back then; excitement, happiness, nervousness and even fear. Sure he was 12 when his mother finally put her foot down for him to make it his retreat, but it had taken him a few months to get used to sleeping on his own. At night his dam welcomed him with open arms when he would stumble through the darkness and into her nest on more than one occasion. Her fruity plum scent soothing him as he buried himself deeper into her embrace, the light purring in her chest would inevitably lull him to sleep.
Izuku missed those days, before all of this, when he was naive about the horrors of the world. He always felt so safe and protected in his dam’s arms. How he wished he could relive those moments one more time, soak them up and never let go.
When he first met Eri, she reminded him so much of his younger self. Timid, scared and overly concerned about her surroundings. She kept herself withdrawn to not draw attention to herself, her small body already so skinny and fragile. It took some time to build up her trust towards him, but not as long as he originally expected. It might have been his omegan scent, or maybe but most likely, he was the only person to treat her with any kindness.
He took her under his protection despite his young age, bartering with their master for her to stay with him since she was still a pup that needed a parentage for her to develop appropriately. Surprisingly the alpha agreed, stating that he didn’t have use for her at the moment since Izuku’s success in the fight ring brought more profit and trade deals for his underground drug business.
So she stayed with him, slept in his nest and curled into his awaiting arms like he had once done with his own dam on so many nights. He used to wonder if that was how his dam felt as she held him, the overpowering feeling to protect and love the small pup. If she ever laid there with him like he did with Eri; playing with her hair, scenting her when she stirred with a nightmare and purred as the smell of milk and honey filled his senses. Pulling her closer and falling asleep just as quickly.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry
Go to sleep you little baby
Go to sleep you little baby
All the pretty little horses
The final verse of the song bled through Izuku’s mind, bringing him back to the present. The haze in his brain was still just as dense as it had been before, but not as overbearing.
“Zuku,” Eri called out. “I’m not sure what’s wrong.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. Her hand carding through his hair, gently untangling any knots.
“Can you tell me what I can do to help? I don’t want to lose you.” Her eyes began to gloss over before she closed them in an attempt to simmer the emotions trying to push their way forward. Her head slowly fell forward, coming to rest on the rim of the nest that she kneeled next to. Her shoulders began to shake as her walls slowly broke down.
“I’m scared.” She whimpered. Sniffles continuously followed with every breath she took.
Izuku laid there in shock at her vulnerability. He hadn’t seen her like this in so long, but how could she not be right now? Of course this would be hard for her, she was still a pup in some ways, even if she acted older and more independent. She still relied on him. She must feel so uncertain about everything, her only imitation parental figure not leaving his nest for days on end must be so confusing. Her instincts must be screaming at her, setting off every alarm that Izuku was in a state that he could die from.
Izuku wasn’t sick, and he knew she could smell that, but he probably looked like he was. The fear that something was truly wrong with him probably was a constant reminder just how alone she was in this hell of a building. Her only purpose in her life if Izuku was gone was to serve their evil master with whatever he saw fit. Those hideous experiments that she would have to go back to if she lost him.
“Eri, I will be okay. I’m just… In a drop?” Izuku soothed despite his uncertainty. He rested his hand on the crown of her head in an attempt to comfort the pup. “I’ve never experienced one like this, but I’m sure it’s just residual from my feral state. I’ll be back on my feet in no time, no need to worry.” Izuku smiled as Eri lifted her head, her eyelashes wet as they clumped together. Her sniffles were the only sound she made as she nodded her head
“Can I enter your nest?” She asked after a moment of watching the omega. Her voice wobbled slightly as she quickly lowered her gaze in respect.
Izuku felt his eyes well with tears. “Of course,” Izuku couldn’t help the warmth that spread through his chest. It was like she had read his mind and was finally giving in to her child-like needs. It had been so long since she had asked to enter. She had been growing so much, maturing in so many ways that he was sure that these moments were gone. Yet, as she carefully climbed into the nest he could feel the purr of happiness grow louder in his chest.
She buried her face into his neck, her nose resting on his scent gland. He released soothing pheromones, the effort already tiring him out but he continued nonetheless. He pulled her close, tucking her under the blankets with him and cradled her like he was accustomed to do.
“I’m here, Eri.” He whispered in her hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”
————————
It was late into the night when Izuku heard his bedroom door open. His tired eyes slowly blinked open despite the demand for them to close again. Each blink was dry and it took a few flutters before his vision cleared. The room was dark besides the dim light that drifted through the window from the street light that sat on the other side of the road.
The small, slow breaths of the pup that was still wrapped in the omega’s arms came to a stop as she too became hyper aware of the intruder. Izuku instinctively released soothing pheromones, his omega on full alert despite his drained state. A small growl rumbled in his chest, a warning to whoever dared to walk in without permission.
The intruder took a step in, the amber light from the hall casted over the dark figure and caused shadow to shift through the room. Even with the little light, Izuku could make out the golden glow from the intruder’s eyes and the black mask that covered the lower half of his face clearly identifying who they were.
Chisaki glared down at Izuku from the doorway, his face an open display of displeasure from the omega’s reaction toward him. The alpha rumbled out a sharp growl, a warning of some sorts for the omega to get back in line. Izuku averted his eyes as he realized what he had just done, immediately submitting and exposing his neck to his master before he made the situation worse.
Izuku frowned, hating how he always had to submit to the alpha before him. The small whine that he released was embarrassing and made him feel weak. This was his room, his territory; the alpha should be the one submitting to him for entering without permission. Though this wasn’t normal circumstances, being owned never was. Izuku knew very well that his status was the lowest in society, but he wished that in this building it could be different somehow.
“Leave pup.” Chizaki demanded, his tone harsh as his golden eyes reflected the light in the room.
Izuku tried to console the pup that lay with him, her body beginning to shake slightly as she tried to bury herself further into Izuku’s chest. Their master was the only person that still held so much power over her. Over the years she had become confident and bold when around any of the workers or Chisaki’s two goons.
Yet, despite her progress, she still cowered and hid behind Izuku when their master would look at her. Izuku never blamed her for it. He too was scared of the alpha. Chisaki was violent and unpredictable, the mix of the two traits rarely leaving room for comfort. Izuku, even after all these years, rarely knew how to read him. Their ‘relationship’ was very strange and confusing.
Izuku tried to console her, but he knew that if she didn’t leave now then Chisaki would give her a harsh punishment as compensation for wasting his time.
“Hey, babes.” Izuku whispered into her ear, purposefully turning his body to hover over Eri to add some kind of protection from the angry alpha. “Why don’t you go to your room for the rest of the night? I will be okay.” He insisted.
Eri looked up at the omega, irritation and guilt prominent as she furrowed her eyebrows. “I’m not leaving you.”
“But you will.” Chisaki interrupted. He had taken another few steps into the room, actively ignoring any respect for Izuku’s territory. His patience was running thin as he glared down at them. “Or the omega will receive your punishment instead.”
Eri froze at his threat, her red eyes growing wide and beginning to gloss over. The alpha’s dull, scratchy voice was enough to scare anyone on the receiving end of his threats. Eri looked one more time at the omega, a deep frown showcasing her emotions before she slowly sat up.
Izuku noticed the increase in honey that was beginning to soak into the blankets. He smiled lightly at the pup’s attempt to comfort him, her intent to show him that he wasn’t alone.
As the pup left the nest, the alpha’s eyes never left Izuku’s. Eri hesitantly walked to the door, holding her breath when her back became exposed. Izuku ignored the alpha’s stare. His attention on Eri as she left the room, giving a reassuring nod before the door closed behind her.
Chisaki waited until Izuku turned his attention to him before approaching his nest. His hands slowly moved together to remove one of the black gloves. Izuku felt a chill fall upon the room, his eyes growing wide as he watched in fear.
His instincts were screaming at him to run, reminding him that his master’s most dangerous quality was his unpredictable nature; but his body didn’t move, still too tired to even protect itself.
Izuku could barely keep his head up as he watched the alpha kneel in front of his nest. His only response was his omega’s growl of warning toward the alpha for getting so close to his territory, a quick snap of his jaw to prove he wasn’t messing around.
Izuku felt a small amount of relief when the alpha didn’t touch his nest, but that relief faded just as quickly as it came. The alpha pulled his mask now to bared his fangs, drool forming a drop before falling to the ground with a trailing strand. The angry rumble resonated through the small space between them, vibrating the omega’s core in fear. Izuku bared his neck in regret, not wanting to take any more risks.
Chisaki’s scent wasn’t as strong as it was the other day. Part of Izuku wondered if it was a weird consideration because of the omega’s state. Though he could smell the underlying smell of sulfur on the alpha clear as day, so that didn’t make much sense. The alpha’s breath came out husky and gravilly, almost like he had been smoking for most of his life. Izuku always wondered if it was somehow a symptom of his quirk.
Izuku shifted slightly, trying to sit up as the alpha looked down at him with an intense gaze. With every small movement Izuku knew that the alpha was making calculations, not letting the omega have any freedom around him tonight.
“Have you fallen into a drop?” He asked, the alpha’s tone hiding any evidence for Izuku to try and assume his mood. Izuku hadn’t seen Chisaki this ‘calm’ in years. Yes, he was always angry and took off his gloves as a threat many times. But usually the alpha would let his scent fill the room or yell as much as he growled with every word.
Izuku only remembered one time that the alpha had behaved this way, and it was when he took Eri for one of his experiments. A lump formed in Izuku’s throat. Was this what the alpha was here for? To dominate any emotional attachment between the pup and omega to ensure that Izuku remembered his place in the ‘pack’. Was this the alpha’s way to make sure he wouldn’t interfere?
Anxiety began to claim Izuku’s body, fear that the next time he saw Eri would be with bandages covering her arms and legs. “What do you mean?” Izuku whimpered, his attention fully on the alpha’s body language. He quickly continued when the alpha didn't make any move to answer. “I think that this state is because I went feral… I haven’t had this happen before. I do wonder if the stress from the match might have put my body into a shock of some kind.”
Izuku tried to explain without his voice quivering, but it was hard to do so. He paused for a moment, watching the alpha before allowing himself to lay back down into his nest. Chisaki didn’t move, his golden eyes still trained on him as they swept over his body from head to toe.
“You need to be fully recovered before the next match. You lost me a lot of money because you were disqualified.” Chizaki stated, his tone going hard as he looked Izuku in the eye.
“You need to increase your bets if you think that I am going to keep giving you all these luggeries. You have it cushy here, so much potential at the tips of your fingers. Don’t disappoint me.” The alpha reminded him with a harsh tone.
Izuku nodded, a soft whimper left his lips when the hot scent of the alpha’s hit his nose. Those golden eyes narrowed as he leaned in closer, his body not touching the nest in any way as he closed the space between them until his face was inches from Izuku’s.
“Don’t forget our agreement, omega.” he growled with a low chuckle. “You belong to me. Through whatever means you decide. Your body is not yours, your life is not yours, you are mine.”
Izuku shuttered as the alpha hovered above him, fear encapsulating over his senses as he bared his neck. His pheromones slowly leaked out a sour and desperate scent in hopes the alpha would let him be. Chisaki didn’t move, his dominant scent only getting stronger as Izuku tried to breath through his mouth.
Being this close to his master was overwhelming. Even with his damaged nose, the pungent and sickly scent burned and bleed into his senses. Izuku hadn’t allowed an alpha to be this dominating over him in a long time. The reminder of what he went through everyday back with his last master flooding his mind with desperation.
“Yes, master.” Izuku whimpered out, his voice high pitched as he conceded to his unhinged alpha. “I am yours, all of me is yours.”
Chisaki huffed out a satisfied breath, finally backing away and repositioning his mask. His gloved hand came to rest against Izuku’s cheek, the fingers dragging gently in an attempt to comfort the omega. Izuku wanted to growl, nip at the hand that touched him without consent, for invading his nest like he didn’t own it. But his omega held him back, whimpering and keeping their neck exposed to appease the alpha.
“Good.” Chisaki said, his voice becoming soft again and his eyes turning gentle. Izuku furrows his eyebrows in confusion. What was with Chisaki’s sudden change in emotions?
“You may not want it now, but one day you will be my omega.” he stated. A shiver pulseed down Izuku’s spine as he tried his hardest to not expose his true feelings toward the alpha. “I have been very patient considering where you came from, but don’t expect this to continue. I am an alpha after all, and deserve so much more than what you are giving.”
Izuku nodded, his omega all but rolling over to expose his belly to the powerful man. He felt sick, his stomach churning as his omega submitted to this horrendous man. He deserved nothing, he has caused so much damage to him and Eri, he would never roll over and allow this man to become his alpha. No, no alpha was worth it. Izuku won’t allow any alpha to push him lower than he had already fallen.
*** FYI “a ‘Kip’ is an old Dutch word kippe that came from the Middle Ages meaning a hut. Where people would live and sleep. In early centuries the Danish word kippe, meaning 'a little hut' drifted into English and retained the Danish meaning for some time.” Just wanted to let everyone know. There are different meanings behind the word, so this is the one I am meaning. Because fanfiction usually uses nests for omegas and Dens for alphas, I want to add a word for a child’s area for comfort. I thought this word sounded cute. So just to make things clear… We aren’t influencing a child to sleep in a trash dump or become a barmaid/ brothel owner. Lol
Fuck you Chisaki!!
Word count: 5393
That was a loaded chapter. Hopefully it wasn’t too heavy, but we needed to get some more backstory and inner relationship dynamics set between our two stars. I honestly love Izuku and Eri’s relationship. Gives me big brother protective vibes :) I mean how could it not with the way the manga set them up.
I would love to hear any feedback, if anything is confusing let me know.
