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#she has a cane to help her torso stay upright
pippins-place · 2 years
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i totally forgot that mermay is a thing so have a ‘mermaid’ from @jayrockin ‘s runaway to the stars setting i like to think that her genetic group was made for shoreline and shallow-water algae/biofuel farming back when gmhs were still commissioned for companies. now they’re allowed to go where they please, but she stays in her hometown and runs a store on the boardwalk.
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kerosene-insomniac · 3 years
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To Be So Lonely
Pairing: Bakugou Katsuki x Midoriya Izuku
Warnings: Violence, mature language, homosexual behavior, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, major character death (not bakudeku)
Word Count for Chapter: 1,701 words
Summary: Midoriya Izuku has always wanted to be a musician. Something about the lyric working with a melody to convey his feeling just made his heart race. After his father died when he was three, Izuku has always relied on his mother. She worked two jobs to care for him and always supported his dreams. But when his mother is diagnosed with breast cancer just after he graduated high school, Izuku has to shift his focus. 
Now he’s working two jobs and takes care of his mother with the help of his gay neighbors. In an attempt to learn self-defense, Izuku takes a few classes at a local gym. It’s there that he meets Toshinori Yagi, an older beta who used to be a professional heavyweight boxer. Yagi notices Izuku’s potential and encourages the small omega to eventually go pro. So, in order to make more money, Izuku eventually agrees.
Bakugou Katsuki has only ever wanted to fight. Orphaned as the young age of four, Katsuki has been fighting to live for his entire life. Fighting is all he’s ever known. After fighting underground for a couple years, Katsuki is noticed by Todoroki Enji. The older alpha takes him in at 19 and names him the official successor of his legacy (especially since all of his actual kids hate him). 
Now, Katsuki is 25-years-old and the professional heavyweight champion.
In a whirlwind of events, Katsuki meets Izuku in the unlikeliest of places. He watches the small omega perform and can’t help it feel extremely protective and absolutely enamored with him. The older alpha gets to meet him and say goodbye without even learning the omega’s name. Katsuki isn’t sure that they’ll ever meet again. 
That is, until Katsuki officially meets Izuku at a professional lunch with his manager’s rival.
{OR}
The one where Katsuki is a professional alpha boxer with arrogance issues and Izuku is a stubborn omega that’s way little too reckless with his well-being. 
With a wacky cast of characters (including three idiots, a manly best friend, a traumatized bastard with daddy-issues, and many more) absolutely hell-bent on getting them together, neither men can seem to catch a break
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{0.3} Special
“There was something beautiful about his scars, something lovely about his fallibility.”
― Grace Curley
K A T S U K I
“Square your shoulders.”
Katsuki ignored the monotonous voice and delivered three jabs to the blue punching bag in front of him. Honestly, he’s imagining the bag as Todoroki’s stupid face.
Stupid.
Fucking.
“You look tense. Maybe you would like some soba-“
Katsuki growled and dropped his stance, whirling around to face the other alpha. “Shut the fuck up, Icy Hot! Focus on your own bullshit!!”
Todoroki blinked, sipping his tea. “It’s not as entertaining.”
It’s been two days since Katsuki’s adventure at the bar. For some odd fucking reason, he can’t stop thinking about a certain freckled nerd and the bandages on his hands. To make things much worse, Shinsou has been ignoring his attempts at contact.
Now Katsuki’s training at his manager’s professional gym. He’s been with this manager for six years and wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon.
However, his manager’s son definitely makes Katsuki consider leaving.
“Stop pissing me off.” Katsuki grumbled, turning to face the punching bag again.
Todoroki chuckled, but the tone was still indifferent. “You’re the one getting mad, Bakugou. You should control your emotions better.”
Katsuki scoffed, using his forearm to wipe sweat from his brow. “Shut the fuck up. At least I don��t have a meltdown every time someone boils water.”
“You should come up with better comebacks.”
That was enough to make Katsuki freeze.
“I have enough survival instincts not to tell you. Stick to the shitty nicknames.”
Katsuki swallowed thickly, blinking multiple times in an attempt to snap out of his daze. Now, thanks to Icy Hot, his mind was preoccupied by freckles, green eyes, and the smell of chocolate cherries.
His mind had been a muddled mess since that night.
“Bakubro! You good?”
Katsuki snapped out of his daze again and locked eyes with a worried Kirishima. The other alpha was watching him with obvious concern.
He nodded. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound so sure.” Kirishima murmured, glancing at Todoroki. “You have a tournament tonight, so we can’t afford you overworking yourself.”
Katsuki immediately bristled at the alpha’s tone, his eyes flashing angrily. “Stop looking down on me, Shitty Hair! I don’t need your fucking pity and I don’t need your concern!”
Kirishima didn’t even flinch. “There’s no need to be so defensive…”
“Fuck you, I’m not defensive!”
“You’re just proving my point!”
“Fuck your shitty point!”
Todoroki, who simply watched the interaction with bored eyes, finally cleared his throat and made both alphas freeze. “Perhaps this is about the potential celebrity that’s supposed to be at the tournament?”
Katsuki’s eyebrows furrowed. “Hah?!”
“All Might is supposed to be involved in the tournament.” Todoroki murmured, pursing his lips.
That was enough to make Katsuki’s nerves much worse.
Todoroki ignored Katsuki’s gobsmacked expression and focused his gaze on the laptop in front of him. “Father had been raging about it for days. Apparently Toshinori has chosen a successor.”
“No way!”
Kaminari’ s voice echoed throughout the gym as he raced towards them with Mina and Sero hot on his heels. If Katsuki wasn’t so shocked, he would’ve yelled at the lot of them for running inside.
Yagi Toshinori, or All Might, had been a famous boxer back in the day. He was best known as the beta who took on an alpha heavyweight champion and won.
He was easily Katsuki’s favorite boxer.
Toshinori had retired years ago and disappeared from the public eye. He didn’t come to tournaments and definitely wasn't associated with the community. So the idea that he had chosen a successor was mind-blowing.
If anything, Katsuki felt jealous.
“Bakugou? You look pale.”
Katsuki snapped out of his daze and glared in Todoroki’s direction. “Do you know who his successor is? What’s his weight class?”
Todoroki hummed, looking at his laptop again. “According to the website, his name is Izuku Midoriya. Light Heavyweight.”
“He must be a beta.” Kirishima murmured thoughtfully.
“Actually, it doesn’t say.”
Katsuki stood up a bit straighter at Todoroki’s words, his heart thudding in his ears. “It doesn’t say? Everyone is required to list they’re secondary gender when applying.”
Todoroki shrugged. “It only lists his name, weight class, and type of fight. There’s no picture or mention of his gender. Apparently this is his debut tournament, but he’s been underground for the past year.”
“Is he boxing?” Mina asked, obviously invested.
The alpha sighed indifferently. “Kick-boxing. Honestly, I’m more excited to meet the beta who kicked my father’s ass.”
Katsuki huffed to himself and focused on the punching bag again. He wouldn’t be fighting All Might’s mysterious successor, but he had the urge to show him who’s boss.
What could be so fucking special about Izuku Midoriya?
********
I Z U K U
“Parry or guard, Deku!”
Izuku huffed and guarded his face with his forearms. He was sweating wildly as Uraraka directed high kicks towards his face. The green mouth-guard between his teeth was clenched tightly as he concentrated.
Uraraka had been doing this much longer than him, so her skills were a little more precise and powerful.
But she also takes a second to get her bearings after kicks or jabs.
Izuku waited a split second after her last kick to pull his left leg back and swing it to hit Uraraka’s torso head-on.
Uraraka gasped on impact, caught off-guard.
That’s all Izuku needed.
In quick succession, Izuku delivered three jabs and ultimately finished with a right hook to take down his opponent.
Sure enough, Uraraka collapsed on the mat.
Izuku straightened his stance, panting wildly as he used his wrists to maneuver the head gear off of his curls. He was sweating like a pig, dressed in a form-fitting tank and spandex shorts.
Uraraka was panting as well, spread eagle on the mat. “That was good, Deku. Wasn’t expecting a roundhouse kick.”
“I can’t let you win every time, Uraraka.” Izuku huffed, chuckling lightly.
Before the female omega could respond or even think of a witty response, a gruff and familiar voice spoke first.
“Excellent job, my boy.”
Izuku glanced to the side, where two betas had been watching the sparring match. Shinsou was one of them, sipping on what looked like iced coffee. The other, however, was Izuku’s teacher and close friend.
Izuku bowed, his face hot. “Thank you, Toshinori-sensei.”
“Your reflexes have improved quite a bit.”
Uraraka sat upright, humming in agreement. “Compared to yesterday, Deku managed to study my reflexes and react accordingly.”
Toshinori grinned, leaning on his cane as he walked over. “I noticed that as well. He’ll need that skill, especially since all the alphas tonight will try to crowd him and get a solid hit.”
“They'll have to catch me first.” Izuku muttered, wiping his brow.
The blond beta chuckled at his response. “That’s correct, my boy. If you stay light on your feet, then it should be fairly easy.”
Izuku nodded, still slightly out of breath.
“However, we do need to discuss something.”
This doesn’t sound good.
Izuku’s eyebrows furrowed in obvious confusion, his stomach already churning with anxiety. Toshinori looked serious and stressed, which was a tell-tale sign that something was wrong.
“Endeavor reached out to me today.”
Endeavor?
Izuku shared a glance with Shinsou and Uraraka. “What did he want? I thought he only reached out to try and challenge you to a rematch?”
Toshinori’ s mouth twitched slightly. “He’s very intrigued with the fact that I’ve been training a successor. He’s offered us a chance to train at his gym and spar with his successor.”
“Why would he do that?”
The elder beta shrugged, smiling lightly. “I think it might be his way of sizing up the competition. Personally, I think it’s a good idea.”
Izuku cringed. “Endeavor’s gym is full of raging alphas with pride issues. I really don’t want to put up with courting requests or the assumptions that I need extra assistance from them.”
“But he has access to better training gear.”
The green-eyed omega sighed, his boxing gloves feeling heavy on his hands. “I’ve heard of his successor, sensei. From what Shinsou has told me, he’s loud and aggressive in or out of the ring.”
Uraraka, who was watching the conversation, rolled her eyes. “Just give him an attitude adjustment, Deku.”
“It’s not that-“
Shinsou, who had been listening silently, effectively cut him off. “You’ve already met him, Izuku.”
What?
“No, I haven’t.” Izuku murmured, hopelessly confused.
The purple-haired beta chuckled, placing his iced coffee on a table before approaching them. “He’s the alpha who insisted on walking you home after kicking Dabi’s ass.”
And just like that, Izuku couldn’t breathe.
Hell, he couldn’t even process the information.
Blondie, who Izuku had pushed to the back of his mind, was nothing like Shinsou’s description of Endeavor’s successor. He was rough and loud, but he did make any move to attack him.
However, Blondie did assume that Izuku was helpless.
This can’t be the same-
“Deku, you’re mumbling again.”
Izuku froze, his skin immediately reddening as he glanced around the room. “Oh. I didn’t realize that I was….”
Shinsou raised an eyebrow at Izuku, grabbing a gloved hand and beginning to unlace the wrist. “I guess he made an impact on you, too. He won’t stop harassing me about your wellbeing, you know.”
“What?” Uraraka screeched, making everyone else wince.
Izuku sighed, ignoring the nervous flutter in his chest. “He probably thinks I need protecting. How does he know that you’re friends with me?”
The beta shrugged. “I was out with Denki and his friends that night. We went to the bar you perform at and Bakugou basically started drooling.”
“He’s sounds proper infatuated, Midoriya.”
Izuku groaned at Toshinori’s teasing tone, using his newly freed hand to rub his face. His bandages felt rough on his skin, but it was nice. “Not you too, sensei. I’m sure that this Bakugou person is just looking for a boost to his ego.”
Toshinori chuckled, obviously amused. “Be that as it may, I already accepted Endeavor’s request. We’re having lunch with them before the tournament.”
“I don’t remember agreeing to that.”
His teacher grinned. “I didn’t give you a choice, my boy.”
*********
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thechurchofv · 5 years
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Binding with Briars Chapter 1
Slow burn, flirting, Canon Divergence, V is only V, NSFW will be included.
“Hey! Rise and shine there, sleeping beauty!”
You made a weak attempt to shield yourself from the blinding sun as Nico yanked open the van's small curtains, and gave a groan. You buried your face in your pillow.
“Nico, didn't Nero say something about how I'm supposed to be 'recovering’?” Your voice was muffled as you made a bolder attempt to reclaim sleep.
Your head abruptly smacked against the bench you had been sleeping on as Nico yanked your pillow out from under you. You bolted upright.
“What the fuck--” Your pillow came back at you, hitting you square in the face. You tossed it aside to see the mechanic already dressed, her dark hair pulled back into a pony tail, a hand on her hip and brows knitted together.
“Nah ah, don't you give me none of this 'recovering’ nonsense, you've been layin’ about for the better part of three days.” Nico handed you jeans and a plain shirt, and as you struggled to move your arms above your head to put the shirt on her stern expression softened.
As you finally stood you heard, “Look, girlie, we're all real sorry about what's happened to ya and all, what with being stuck in that hellhole for a few days, losin’ your family to that damned houseplant”.
You winced at both the pain in your arms and at the mention of Redgrave City. You didn't want to think too hard about what you had seen and the people you loved and lost when the Qliphoth emerged. You tugged on your jeans and stood, tiny jolts of pain running up your arms from where the injuries to your joints were still on the mend. You tried to remind yourself you were lucky just to be alive, but somehow it still wasn't very cheering.
Nico sighed, moving back to the makeshift kitchen to pull together a cup of coffee. She turned back to you, setting her mug down on the counter with a thump.
“But cha gotta get up at some point, gotta get back at it! That bastard demon tree that caused all this ain't gonna kill itself, and you got a stake in this here fight now too”. She gave you a firm nod and waved her coffee cup at you. “The sooner ya start back at it, the better.”
“How can I even help? I didn't do much of anything while I was in Redgrave but run and scream.” You were more than a little embarrassed that you hadn't risen to the occasion as a hero, and instead scrambled wildly for survival. You grabbed a cup of coffee from the pot, savoring the first hot thing you've had to drink since you were rescued.
Nico shrugged. “Well shit, those buildings you were hidin’ out in were basically mazes, and even without a whole lotta fightin’ you made it out alive. I'd say that makes you our resident strategist.” Nico nodded to herself, proud of her own leap in logic.
You sputtered as you choked on your coffee, gasping as it scalded your tongue and splashed down your shirt. “A strategist? Nico, just because I found an escape route for me doesn't mean I can find one for 3 or more people.” You shook your head as you attempted to wipe your shirt clean “it's just too much for one person.” Your head spun at the overload of information.
Nico rolled her eyes, shook her head, and moved past you toward the front of the RV. “Quit your whinin’, it's already been decided, Nero and I talked it all over ‘fore you even woke up. We all earn our keep round here, fightin' demons, and since we did the hard part-- saving your ass, mind you--, and you got nowhere else to go, you'll stay and help us out.” She smiled and rested her hand on the headrest of the passenger seat. “ 'Sides, you won't be strategizing for all of them boys, just one of them”.
You pulled off your now coffee soaked shirt and went digging through the nearby laundry hamper for a new one, pulling it half on as you called out “Well, I guess that's more manageable, then. All depends, who am I paired with?”
A smooth voice split the silence. “You'll be joining me”.
You gave a little cry as you frantically pulled your shirt on the rest of the way, scrambling to cover yourself as a dark haired man rose from sitting in the passenger seat. His carefully neutral expression didn't give away whether or not he had seen anything.
“How long has he been--”
Nico waved her hand and cut you off. “This is V, y'all might've met before, but I don't think anyone would blame ya for not remembering. You were pretty banged up for a while”.
One hand gripped a cane, and V's other hand gave a polite half wave. A subtle smile played at his lips. “It's good to see you that you've recovered”. Your cheeks burned as you tried to focus on something other than the intricate tattoos that spanned his torso and arms, left visible by the long black vest and low slung jeans he wore.
V cleared his throat loud enough to get your attention, and the blush you were fighting crept up your face as you looked down at the floor.
You took a breath to refocus. “Thank you, I'm fine.”
V's tongue caught the edge of his canine tooth bringing his lips into a smirk; he arched an eyebrow. “So it would seem you are.” By the time your eyes had reached his face it was once again carefully neutral. You shook your head slightly, you had to have been hearing things.
V stumbled as Nico clapped a hand to his shoulder.  “Well the way I see it, V ain't too great with fighting neither, 'cept with them fancy shadow demons of his, so he'll need all the help he can get”. V leaned on his cane and stood upright, moving more toward the door.
“And we've got a mission this morning, you and I”. V pushed open the door, letting in blinding sunlight in large streams. Your stomach dipped at the mention of you both as a team.
“Just keep an eye on me, watch my back, and everything should go smoothly” V lead the way out of the RV as the door shut behind you. As you hurriedly yanked on your shoes leaning against the van, you looked up to find V already a few steps ahead of you.
V looked over his shoulder, a smirk on his face. “Though it doesn't seem you're able to watch much of anything else, hm?”
The blush on your face might as well be permanent it's so frequent. Your reply came out as a stammer.
“I don't know what you mean. I'm just nervous for the mission, it's not like I've ever been one before anyways.” You ran to catch up to him, struggling with the uneven pavement.
V chuckled, giving a quiet “hmm” of consideration. “How good it is to be a lady's first”.
You opened your mouth to reply when V's hand wrapped around your waist, abruptly yanking you closer to him as the ground beneath you gave away. A shriek of surprise left your lips as you both fell to the pavement away from the gap in the street.
When you sat up V was flat on his back, and to your mortification you realized you were essentially straddling him, one knee on either side of his hips. He arched a brow at you.
“For someone who is supposed to excel at strategy, you seem to be a little... distracted.” He gestured with a free hand to your position and his other hand grabbed his cane.
You hurriedly stood up, blindly moving forward down the path where the road collapsed down to meet the earth. You jumped as V crept up from behind, his voice low and smooth in your ear, “Perhaps we'll save that for some other time”. You tripped over the uneven pavement, your focus lost as your cheeks burned. You gave a groan as V forged the path ahead once again.
“Can you stop for one second?” You snapped. V scaled down into the sewer system extending a hand to you.
“And what exactly do you want me to stop doing?” V's face betrayed nothing of his thoughts.
“All of that... talking! Or whatever it is you're doing. Stop trying to throw me off.” You looked away from him as he took your hand and helped you down into the sewer tunnel.
V looked irrationally calm. “I'm afraid I fail to see what you mean. It's no matter” he waved a hand, cutting off your dissent. “Now the real mission begins”.
“What are we hunting down, exactly?” You had forgotten to even ask, and you cursed yourself for following blindly.
Any hint of humor that had been there prior was gone from V's expression and replaced with a serious face that sent a chill down your spine.
“We're going to kill the Elder Geryon Knight and his steed.” V's voice lowered conspiratorially. “What they don't know is you're also going to help me find the Devil Sword Sparda, to end this war with the Qliphoth and it's king, Urizen.”
As you both headed into the sewer system and away from the light of day, V whipped around to be face to face you, walking backward just to keep ahead of you. The tunnel grew darker and darker. “And they don't need to know. It shall be our little secret.”
Your eyes narrowed. “Is this whole fight some kind of game to you? I lost family you know, friends, and I'm not here to--”
You stopped as V pressed a finger to your lips. His voice had gained a new edge, something dangerous lurked beneath his words. “A horse misused upon the road calls to Heaven for human blood.”
You blinked, more confused than anything. You thrashed your head, freeing yourself from his grip. “I don't know what that means, and I'm going to need some answers if we're supposed to be a team.” You spat the last word as if sarcasm could be a curse.
“It means don't test my resolve, little wanderer. I want this war to end more than you could possibly ever understand.” His hand encircled your wrist, yanking you forward into the dark, his pace much quicker now even with his cane.
“Punishments await those who those who fail me. You have yet to prove yourself as a capable strategist.” You shivered as you followed hurriedly through the dark. V chuckled, though it sounded humorless.  
“Here's a good chance for you to prove yourself now. Unless you'd rather see the punishment, that is.” Light leapt forth from V as a large panther sprung into existence, a smile that was all teeth on V's face. In the glow he seemed almost predatory. You gave a cry as the light revealed a horde Empusa demon, shrieks rising up as they squirmed under the magic glow.
V looked over his shoulder and smirked. “Now's a chance to put your staring to good use, little wanderer.” He gestured with his cane to a higher ledge. “If you please, watch over me.”
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