help me / bakudeku omegaverse /

Part 16

Katsuki didn't announce the third date. He simply handed Izuku a coat one morning and said, "Wear this. We're going out."

Izuku blinked up at him, confused. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," Katsuki said, smirking slightly. "And bring your cloak."Izuku did as he was told, heart fluttering with curiosity and a bit of nerves. It wasn't like he didn't trust Katsuki—he did. More than he trusted anyone. But the unknown always stirred something anxious inside him, especially after a lifetime spent in shadows.

By midmorning, they were in a carriage, traveling beyond the palace gates. Katsuki explained casually that it was a diplomatic visit to a small village near the southern border, officially to check on trade routes and merchant flow.

But as the trip continued, it became clear this wasn't just a formality.The village wasn't expecting a royal inspection. Instead of banners and guards, they were greeted by a few curious glances and normal bustle—children playing, merchants calling out from carts, the smell of fresh bread and spices in the air.

Izuku sat wide-eyed, peering out at the world he'd never really gotten to see.

"This is all for me?" he whispered.

Katsuki didn't answer at first. He just looked at him, then nodded.

"You should've had this a long time ago."The village was vibrant and alive. Every few feet, something new caught Izuku's attention—flowers dyed strange colors, artisans working with molten glass, a bakery with treats he couldn't name.

Katsuki watched him quietly, content to follow behind as Izuku explored. The guards hung back discreetly, letting them blend into the crowd as much as two possibly could.

Izuku was smiling. 

Until it all shattered.

They were walking past a linen stall when someone shouted, "Is that—? No way...!"A hunched man with crooked teeth and a loud voice pointed directly at Izuku. His grin stretched too wide.

"Well I'll be damned! I know you! You're that omega brat—what did they call you? Green-Bliss? You were on the western ring circuit! Didn't think you'd survive long enough to get sold proper!"

The words slammed into Izuku like a punch. His body froze, throat closing.Around them, a few villagers stopped to look. Then more. A murmur passed through the crowd.

"Omega?" someone whispered. "Male?"

"Is he the one the king picked?"

"A male omega—aren't those extinct?"

"Apparently not—did that man say he was a pet before?"

Izuku couldn't breathe.

The sounds blurred together. Their eyes were everywhere—on his scent, on his too-thin frame, on the mark at his neck barely hidden by the collar. The air felt heavy, too sweet with perfume, too sharp with smoke. His knees buckled.Then came a voice, low and dangerous:

"You've got five seconds to shut your mouth."

Katsuki.

The merchant laughed nervously. "Relax, Your Highness. Just saying hello. You got yourself a rare catch, huh?"

Katsuki moved so fast, no one saw it coming. One moment he was beside Izuku—then he had the merchant pinned against a stone wall with one hand. The man's feet didn't even touch the ground.

"You call him a catch again, and I'll break every tooth in your skull," Katsuki growled. "That's my soulmate you're talking about. Address him like a prince, or don't speak at all."