Forever & Always

CHAPTER SEVEN

Shoto didn't know how long has he been sitting there, basking in the silence that covered him and Inko as the green-haired beta fixed him up something to drink. In reality, it had only been five minutes since Izuku went back to his room after Inko asked him to, but with the intense aura he was feeling, Shoto felt like it had been hours already.

"I hope you enjoy tea," Inko said with a weak smile as she handed Shoto a cup of the tea she made.

"Yes," Shoto answered before taking a nervous sip, the warm drink instantly calming his nerves and he hummed in satisfaction.

Inko smiled before taking a sip from her own cup. "I'm glad you liked it," she said. "Izuku isn't really a fan of tea,"

"He looks like he enjoys milk more than tea as a drink in the morning," Shoto said and Inko smiled.

"He does, actually," Inko said before silence covered them once more until Inko decided to get to the point. "Todoroki-kun... are you aware that Izuku had just experienced his first heat period a few weeks ago?"

"Y-yes..." Shoto answered, his eyes glued down on his tea.

"So you were aware that... he was distraught when he arrived home and overdosed himself with heat suppressant?" Inko asked, reading Shoto's expression.

"Yes..." the alpha answered quietly, unconsciously gripping his cup.

"According to Katsuki-kun... he caught a whiff on an alpha's scent when he saw Izuku," Inko said, "For a moment, I thought someone had forced themselves on my son, but... I don't think that's what happened... is it, Todoroki-kun?"

Shoto bit his lip before he nodded. "I... I was looking for him because our friends said she went to the infirmary since he wasn't feeling well... I got worried about what might've happened to him and... I found him at the school storage room, suffering from his heat..." he explained, "I... I didn't mean to do it... but when I came to my senses I..."

Inko took her time to speak. "It must've been hard for the both of you,"

Shoto looked up Inko frantically. "I swear I pulled out even before I had my release so there was no way I could've gotten him pregnant, I--"

"That's not what I meant," Inko said before she sighed silently. "You rejected Izuku after that..."

Shoto looked at her in shock before he looked away, guilt eating him up. "Yes... I did,"

"I won't ask why... I'm sure you had your valid reasons, but..." Inko said before she gently reached for Shoto and held his hand. "Saying that you want to date my son weeks after rejecting him... isn't that a bit too sudden?"

"I don't understand,"

"What if I say yes and give you permission to claim him as your mate, but then... you wake up and suddenly change your mind as fast as you did in deciding to date him? What would happen to Izuku, then?"

"I-I..."

"I know you'd say that it won't happen, but let's just say it did..." Inko said before she sighed. "I'm not sure if Izuku has told you yet, but... his father and I never had a smooth relationship, to begin with, you know... Hisashi was not happy at all when we found out that Izuku was an omega. He was one of those people who look down on omegas just because they were labeled as sex objects before because of their heat... and every day, all I could think of was how to protect my little boy against someone he calls his father,"

Shoto stayed silent, unable to give out a proper response or a proper emotion to what Inko had just told him.

"He never showed it, but... I know that Izuku blames himself from what happened," Inko said, "One hurtful memory of it was when he saw me tending to my wounds after I had a bad fight with his father and with tears in his eyes, he apologized to me... a seven-year-old boy apologizing to his mother because he was born an omega... that was when I promised to myself that I don't want to see my boy cry like that or live miserably just because he was born an omega... that's why I want to make sure... that you dating my son isn't just a random thought that popped out of your teenage imagination. Izuku has gone through enough pain already for you to add more to his scars... as his mother, I want to see him be happy with an alpha that would take care of him even in the most difficult times,"