Forever & Always

CHAPTER NINETEEN

"Look at this one," Izuku said with a smile as he showed a bunny onesie to Shoto.

"That looks cute," Shoto said with a smile and he watched in amusement as his mate waddled around the baby store, checking out every item-- squealing at the ones he found adorable.

Izuku was now in his second trimester and the baby bump was starting to show along with other signs of pregnancy. The cravings were starting but the mood swings and nausea lessened to Shoto's relief.

The alpha could still remember how Izuku woke up from an afternoon nap and saw Shoto cooking fried shrimp in the kitchen and had completely ignored him-- even going far as locking Shoto out of their bedroom and forcing him to sleep on the couch for the night. The next morning, Shoto found out that he had upset Izuku because he was "killing" the baby shrimps.

"Eh? Is that a male omega?" A voice said in a distant and he saw a woman in he mid-30's who was walking to what looked like her friend.

"Yeah, I didn't know there still are ones in our world,"

"Poor guy, though. Got knocked up at such a young age,"

"What do you think will his baby call him when it grows up? Mom or dad?"

"Who knows?"

As the ladies walked away giggling at the conversation, Shoto couldn't help but feel irritated at them. It was true that equality had been raised to protect and defend omegas, but despite it happening years ago there still are some people who can't accept or see omegas as equal human beings and it saddened Shoto to know that his child was going to grow up in a world where it would hear insults directed to Izuku.

***

Izuku gave out a contented sigh as he finally got to lie down on their bed as soon as they arrived back to their place while Shoto hung both their coats by the racks.

"Would want me to make you some tea?" Shoto asked as he sat down on the edge of their bed and caressed Izuku's hair.

"No, I think I'll just go and take a shower then take a nap," Izuku said then sighed. "All that walking was fun and all but it's actually very tiring if you're carrying a 9-ounce baby inside of you,"

Shoto chuckled. "Okay, just take a quick shower and make sure you dry your hair properly before you go to sleep, okay?"

"Yes, dad," Izuku teased before he went to the bathroom and took a quick shower.

Shoto lied back on the bed, thinking about what had happened earlier at the baby store and he was once again wrapped up in his own sadness. Deep down, he knew and he understood why Izuku was so hesitant to carry their child-- despite the world evolving, the racism on omegas was still as active as ever that they are still looked down upon most alphas and betas and only a few really accept them.

Then... be with me every step of the way... as we welcome our child into the family.

"Nothing really beats a refreshing shower after an exhausting walk," Izuku sighed with content as he got back inside their room and sat on the bed while he dried his hair.

Shoto smiled at him before he reached over and helped Izuku dry his hair-- the omega letting him.

"Hey, Sho..."

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay? You seem... distracted earlier,"

Shoto's sudden stop of movement confirmed Izuku's guess and the omega looked back at his alpha in worry.

"What's wrong, Sho?"

"N-nothing, it's just... I heard some women talking back at the baby store about you and... w-well..." Shoto looked away.