healing takes time (none of it is linear)

Chapter 12

In all honesty, Izuku hadn't thought of what he would do when his heat rolled around. He knew it was bound to happen soon, but he wasn't sure exactly when.

He had talked briefly with his boyfriends that he didn't want to do anything during his heat, but there was also the matter of figuring out if he'd even be okay being around them when he was in heat.

Heats usually cause omega to lose much of their rationality; for Izuku, that could mean he forgets his boyfriends are okay and safe to be around.

They could probably figure something out, but how? He could stay locked up in his room; maybe they could slip his food and water through the door when needed. Or he could bite the bullet and ask his boyfriends to spend it with him, just not sexually. Just cuddle and stuff. He knew himself well enough that even in heat, when his body is calling for a deeper form of intimacy, his mind wouldn't allow it.

"What's got you so deep in thought?" Shoto asked, sitting beside Izuku on the couch. They were getting ready for a movie night. Eijiro and Katsuki were in charge of snacks while Shoto and Izuku found a movie.

"Oh-" Izuku was glad to be at the point where he wouldn't jump at sudden questions. "I was just thinking... my umm... my heat should be coming soon."

Shoto hummed, his arm snaking around Izuku's middle and pulling the omega closer. Perks of being the first one to the couch after Izuku, he got to sit right beside him. "I see. You said you didn't want us to spend it with you, correct?" Shoto double-checked, making sure he had his information correct.

Izuku nodded. "I don't know how I'm going to act, just that mentally I won't want to be physical." He pushed away the nagging voice that said he was depriving his alpha's of the reason he was there. "Even if my heat forces my body to want it...."

"That's okay," Shoto told him, pressing a kiss to Izuku's head. "Take all the time you need."

"It could mean I don't want to be around any of you for the week," Izuku told him carefully. He didn't want to make Shoto mad, but he wanted to make sure he understood that.

Shoto nodded. "I'm aware."

"And you're okay with that?"

The alpha's brows furrowed as he looked down at Izuku. "Love, we've told you we won't do anything you're uncomfortable with. If that means we can't come near you for the week, that's okay. We'll figure something out. Another way to take care of you."

Right, Shoto wouldn't get mad over something as trivial as this. None of them would.

Izuku nodded, snuggling against his boyfriend.

Eijiro and Katsuki entered the living room and placed all the snacks they had brought onto the coffee table. Then it was a race to see who could sit beside Izuku first, and Izuku couldn't help but laugh softly.

Izuku couldn't help the small giggle that he let out when Katsuki was able to claim the seat beside him and pulled him from Shoto's side into his own.

"Hey," Shoto tried to argue. "I was cuddling with him."

Katsuki wasn't too threatening when he was looking up at Shoto with a grin through Izuku's green curls. "Too bad."

Eijiro chuckled. "Be nice, you two," he said with a hum. "We're supposed to be watching a movie. What did you guys pick?"

"Hadn't gotten there yet," Shoto admitted.

"Then what were you two talking about?"

Izuku's cheeks were heating up. "Oh- um, my heat will be coming up," he said softly, embarrassed to be talking about it still. "I don't know when, though."