PART 5 - FRESH

ABO TodoBaku A!Shoto O!Katsuki College/Frat Party AU (Featuring Stalker Ex!Izuku)

For anyone who missed it, Part 1 can be found on Ao3 (link in profile) or here: https://twitter.com/j_sorrie/status/1218622377854001152

“I didn't come out here to kick your ass.” Shoto rolled his eyes as he cracked open a beer. “I mean, we can go there, but I don't think that would make things easier for Katsuki.”

After taking a sip of his drink, Shoto held out the other the tallboy for the man to take. “Here.”

The gesture seemed to throw off the other man. Subconsciously, he dropped his aggressive stance. Face twisted in confusion, it was apparent that the alpha expected Shoto to meet him with hostility. By subverting those expectations, he was left at a loss for action.

Yeah, Shoto's method was a bit unconventional. What else could he do? Clearly whatever means Katsuki had used to ward off the man were ineffective.

Truthfully Shoto would have taken great pleasure in leaving the alpha busted up and bloody. After everything he had put Katsuki through, the man deserved far worse.

However, such actions seemed a bit demeaning to Katsuki. This wasn’t some some battle for dominance. His intention wasn’t to lay claim over an omega.

Shoto saw the company Katsuki kept. If the omega wanted his ex-boyfriend in a stretcher, he had a couple friends that he could turn to, no problem.

Ultimately, Shoto’s goal in confronting the man was changed behavior. If he wanted the alpha to stop harassing Katsuki, Shoto’s best option was to talk it out.

“Sit with me.” Shoto pressed, gesturing towards the bench behind him.

Eyes shifting from the left to the right, the alpha likely questioned if it was a set up. However, in time the man approached and took the beer from Shoto’s hand. Still suspicious of his intentions, the alpha sat on the opposite end of the park bench.

The loud crack and sizzle of the beer can resonated in their silence. Apparently Bud Light wasn’t his thing. Right after a quick sip, the alpha grimaced and pulled away to examine the container.

Once they were settled, Shoto’s thoughts centered around his delivery. Although he had given some thought to what he would say if the opportunity presented itself, Shoto had not expected the day to come so soon.

He had to tread lightly. If he pushed the guy too far, their talk could easily devolve into an altercation.

Soon Shoto addressed the man. “Look. I know there isn't much I can say to sway you one way or the other. I figured I had to try.”

“You’ve got to know that what you’re doing isn’t right. I mean, can’t you see that he’s miserable?”

For a moment Shoto paused: not only to take another drink of his beer, but to gauge the other man’s mood. While the alpha was strung higher than a pair of shoes over a telephone line, seeing as his aggression was subdued, Shoto made the decision to continue.

“You know, if you walked away now, it would still count towards something.” The alpha spoke on. “Spare the guy some grief. If you care at all about Katsuki’s wellbeing, give him a chance to live his life.”

“He can’t even go out on his own.” Unable to conceal his disgust, Shoto shook his head. “What kind of shit is that?”

“Shut up!” In an abrupt spout of anger, the other alpha slammed his can onto the bench. Liquid spilled from its container, splattering every which way. Jumping to his feet, the man screamed, “I know, alright?!”

“I know Kacchan better than you ever could!”

The alpha’s hands tightened into fists by his side. Scent pungent with fury, he continued to shout. “I don’t need you or anyone else telling me shit!”

Unphased, Shoto placed his beer on the bench. “Back down, dude.”

With a subtle flash of his canines, Shoto set his hands on his knees in preparation to rise. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Rage had taken over reason. Vibrating with emotion, the alpha’s glare bore into Shoto as the man took a challenging step towards him. At that point, violence was the only outcome. Shoto wasn’t all that disappointed.

It had been a long while since Shoto had come across someone so deserving of an ass whooping. That screwed up, indignant face was so punchable. Fortunately, if the cops showed up he could claim self defense in earnest.

As the alpha’s shaking increased in intensity, his face dropped towards the ground. Soon he was heaving, body undulating as he took a series of deep breaths. Was he trying to bring himself down? Shoto had no clue.

“I know the ends don’t justify the means but... but…"

As the man slowly raised his head, Shoto saw tears streaming down his face. Completely flabbergasted, Shoto’s jaw dropped. What the actual fuck?

The alpha’s voice came out stained and weak. "I-I can’t stop.”

After the initial shock wore off, Shoto’s face scrunched up in disgust. It had to be one of the most uncomfortable moments of his life, watching the whack job ball like a baby.

“You could never understand what we had." the man bit out as he aggressively wiped the tears away. “Kacchan and I are a perfect fit. He is the first thing I think about when I wake up. Kacchan is my spark, my inspiration… He’s everything to me.”

Tears slowing to a trickle, the alpha rattled on, "Yes, we had our share of issues. What couple doesn't hit a rough patch every now and then? If you want something bad enough, sometimes you've just got to put your feet to the pavement and make it work."

"I know I did my part.” The man spoke with absolute conviction, “I put everything I had into being the best alpha. Kacchan didn’t want for anything. I protected, provided… everything I was supposed to do.”

“I just don’t get it.” Staring out into the periphery, the alpha took a deep breath. “How could he just walk away?"

Then, following a high pitched squeal the second wave of hysterics came.

“Why?”

“Why wasn't it enough?” Eyes screwed closed, the man was trembling once more. “Was he ever happy with me?”

“I’m not so sure anymore.”

As a stream of endless tears dripped from the man’s chin, Shoto’s rolled his head back and stared at the darkening sky. For the life of him, he couldn’t understand what Katsuki had ever saw in the guy.

It was difficult to believe he was actually speaking to a grown man. Droning on as if he were entitled to Katsuki’s affection, it was enough to make Shoto want to put his head in a blender.

For a while the man’s ramblings were indiscernible. Between the sobbing and muttering, Shoto had a tough time piecing together entire sentences.

Most of what Shoto was able to process was redundant. There was no remorse for what he had done, only frustration that his efforts had not been received well by Katsuki.

As he neared the end of his beer, Shoto questioned the value of their discussion. In spite of his intentions, it appeared as if their interaction had been pointless.

Shoto could only appeal to the man’s better judgement. Unfortunately, whatever decency the man had once possessed was shrouded in darkness.

Eventually the alpha regained composure. As his speech slowed to a normal pace, his tone shifted from self pity to malice. Face red and blotchy, the man scowled at Shoto. “I still don’t understand why he likes you.”

“You can’t do anything for him.” Rage returning to his eyes, the man growled out, “I’ve been watching you, Shoto Todoroki. You’re a terrible alpha.”

“So what?” Without any concern, Shoto quickly shot back. “From what I've seen Katsuki is just fine taking care of himself.”

At that point Shoto had enough of the the alpha’s shit. Exasperated, he gestured towards the other man. “I mean, look. He’s done a decent job keeping your crazy ass away.”

“Just think about it, alright?” Rubbing his temples, Shoto let out a sigh. “I can tell you’re a smart guy. You know this kind of shit isn’t going to end well.”

After a final sip, Shoto crushed his beer can against the bench. He then tossed it into the nearby recycling bin.

“Alright then.” Shoto stood upright. “No offense, but I hope I never see you again.”

It was difficult for Shoto to walk away. He could see it in the man’s eyes: the situation was far from resolved.

Stubborn and delusional, the alpha would carry on until the bitter end. All Shoto could do was hope for the best. He already made his case. There was nothing more to say.

Shoto’s summer went about as well as he expected.

When he returned to his family home, his father offered him an internship. Typically the alpha would outright reject any connection to his father or the family company.

The two had a difficult history. Although Shoto no longer harbored ill will towards the other man, their relationship was strained at best.

Even so, an opportunity from an asshole was still an opportunity. Set on bettering himself, Shoto accepted the position.

His internship was a sample of what would be expected of him when he finally graduated. And to his surprise, Shoto didn't hate it. The alpha did not shy away from hard work. He took direction well and maintained a pleasant air of professionalism throughout his workdays.

Such actions were not taken to impress others or even to silence whispers of nepotism. Shoto was doing it for himself. Similar to his experience with school work, the alpha found that his days went by more quickly when he was productive.

It was easier to go with the flow and more often than not, Shoto found his efforts rewarding.

During this time Shoto made an important revelation. Up to that point, he had believed becoming a contributing member of society meant losing a part of himself. Modeled after his no nonsense, workaholic father, his image of adulthood was oppressive and dull.

The truth was Shoto did not have to give up anything major to become a functional adult. Well, that was not entirely true. He definitely had to cut back on the day drinking.

Still, the point remained. The alpha was determined to find his own way in life. So long as he was committed and willing to put in the work, in time Shoto would achieve his own version success.

In his spare moments, Shoto often thought of Katsuki.

Shoto wondered about how the omega was doing and if he was living well. From what he had seen of Katsuki, Shoto knew he was not the type to lounge about.

Had Katsuki taken an internship? Had he signed up for extra classes? Perhaps Katsuki had taken some time off to explore his hobbies.

Regardless, Shoto hoped the omega was enjoying his summer. And most of all, Shoto hoped Katsuki’s stalker issue was well behind him.

At times Shoto regretted leaving Katsuki to deal with his ex on his own. It felt as if he had done something wrong, like he had turned is back on someone in need.

Katsuki’s ex boyfriend had already demonstrated that he would go above and beyond to get what he wanted. It didn’t matter if the guy was a sniveling coward. Even cowards were capable of sinister acts.

In his times of uncertainty, Shoto often revisited his parting words with the deranged freak. Katsuki was no damsel in distress. The omega was smart, motivated, and more than capable of handling his own business.

The following school year Shoto hit the ground running. To start, he actually registered for his classes on time. All of his books were purchased in advance and he even bought a planner.

It was a pain in the ass being waitlisted for three classes, but if things worked out he would be on track to graduate by the end of the year.

At the end of the first week, Shoto found himself lounging in the backyard with his fraternity brothers trying to finish his assigned reading.

It was a typical frat house Friday. Everyone was drunk. Denki and Yoarashi were chatting away, cracking lame jokes. Mezo had the grill going while Hanta was filling up their inflatable swimming pool. No one was listening to music, but it was left blaring out of habit.

Studying while everyone was partying proved to be pointless. With so many distractions Shoto found himself having to start from the beginning of the page every minute or so.

Even if he went up to his room, Shoto would have still had to deal with the music and Yoarashi’s booming voice.

In the midst of all the chaos, Shoto got to thinking. It didn’t seem like his current lifestyle fit in well with his new goals. Was it time to move out?

He couldn’t live in the library. It also didn’t seem fair to ask his room mates to change their habits. Shoto planned on calling his father the following morning. He was sure the old man would be over the moon with his decision more than willing to foot the bill.

Shoto was about ready to collect his belongings and head over to a nearby cafe when he felt his phone vibrate. The notification didn’t give away much, only that it was a text message from Katsuki.

In his excitement, Shoto screwed up his combination a few times and locked his phone. He spent the entire five minute window staring at the screen, anxious to access his messages.

Of all things, the omega sent him a picture of a plated steak. Beside it were potatoes and a variety of grilled vegetables. The photo was captioned:

/Hey dipshit. Come get some./

In a flash, Shoto was on his feet and off the property.

---

The instant he hit send, Katsuki collapsed onto the couch. Covering his face with his hands, the omega let out a groan.

/Hey dipshit. Come get some./

“Fuck!”

The secondary meaning behind his message only dawned on him after the fact. Heat rising to the surface of his skin, Katsuki’s thoughts were a jumbled mess. ‘Come get some?’ Really? Could he sound more desperate?

The omega wanted to sink into his seat and disappear. The word embarrassment did not cover half of what Katsuki felt in that moment.

The decision to invite Shoto over was made on impulse.

By accident the omega had purchased two servings of meat. Since he had already planned his meals out for the rest of the week, Katsuki thought little of preparing an extra meal on the fly.

No food would go to waste. His friends were typical college students: opportunistic and ravenous.

The text was intended for Shitty Hair. However, as Katsuki typed in his his friend’s number, he got to thinking that he would have rather spent his evening with someone else.

A person who was never far from his thoughts. Someone just as stupid as Eijiro, but much more handsome. Before he knew it, Katsuki had deleted Eijiro’s number from the message and replaced it with ‘Fuck Face #2.’

In the aftermath of his hasty decision, Katsuki was left flustered and uncertain. Would Shoto even respond? It had been nearly three months since he had seen the alpha. For all he knew Shoto had forgotten all about him.

Katsuki’s summer had been difficult.

That final night before he planned on leaving for his parent’s house, several hours after Shoto had walked him home, Deku paid him a visit.

Usually at night the alpha would hide in the bushes on the opposite end of his apartment complex. Deku wouldn’t do much other than come up to scent his front door. Every now and then Katsuki would hear him crying, but it was something the omega learned to tune out.

That night was different. The fucker spent the entire night pounding on the door, calling out to Katsuki, begging to talk.

Most of the time Deku was nothing more than a pathetic crybaby. A few harsh words and the alpha would run off with his tail between his legs.

From the start Katsuki could tell this was no ordinary fit. The scent drizzling in from the gap under the door was too chaotic, too desperate. Katsuki's instincts were screaming at him, compelling him to flee.

Late into the night, as Deku continued to tantrum, Katsuki wondered if his neighbors would call the cops. Perhaps if someone else complained, they would actually do something about the harassment Katsuki had been experiencing.

Katsuki often questioned if Deku had abandoned his own life in order to become the omega’s shadow. It seemed outrageous, but then again, no part of what he had experienced seemed reasonable.

Mentally, Katsuki was pushed to the brink. Living in a constant state of unease was nothing short of exhausting. The alpha’s scent, the heat of his gaze, the sound of his footsteps: Deku’s presence was blatant and insufferable.

Every trip outside of his apartment was questioned. The omega’s sense of security had been shaken.

And worst of all, there was no concealing the situation from his friends. As if dealing with Deku’s harassment wasn’t enough, Katsuki was expected to do so under the scrutiny of others.

Without so much as a discussion, his friends had taken upon themselves to insulate Katsuki from Deku’s antics. It was like Katsuki was a child all over again. At school, their schedules were coordinated so that Katsuki was never left alone.

They were constantly checking in with him via text, asking if he wanted company or needed a ride.

While the words were left unspoken, the omega could tell by their pitying looks and relentless coddling that his friends felt sorry for him.

The feeling of being looked down on ate Katsuki up inside. As the semester wore on, it felt less like they were friends and more like Katsuki was their charity case.

Although the semester had been full of lows, that particular night represented Katsuki’s rock bottom. As the omega laid in bed awake listening to Deku's hysterics, he couldn’t help but feel hopeless.

After months of bashing his head against the wall, the omega was out of steam. What else could be done? Katsuki had beaten Deku's ass on multiple occasions and even called him out in public. Nothing seemed to phase the alpha.

The omega had even gone through the motions of attaining a restraining order. That turned out to be a waste of time. For someone who was always around, Deku was awfully illusive when it came to being served.

Something had to change. Katsuki had been strong up until that point, but it was only a matter of time before he crashed and burned.

When daylight finally broke, the alpha sat in front of the door, insisting that he would not leave until Katsuki had spoken to him.

Backed into a corner, Katsuki was at a loss for how to proceed. All of his friends were out of town. On the phone, the property manager had advised him to call the police. Knowing good and well that the police wouldn’t do shit, Katsuki tried anyway.

At least he wasn’t disappointed.

Katsuki’s mother called that afternoon, concerned when he had missed his bus back home.

The omega had a few excuses lined up that would have stuck. Katsuki could have told her that he had gotten a late start or that he went out to breakfast with the idiots. Hell, he could have evaded the question altogether.

Katsuki could have lied, but he didn't. Everyone else knew. What was the point of concealing the truth from his parents?

Exhausted and desperate, the omega confided in his mother. A distanced description of events quickly devolved into an emotional plea. Before then, Katsuki had been stubborn and unwilling to admit the truth to anyone, not even himself.

And yet, in his heightened state of distress, there was no fighting the momentum. The words the came freely. Tears streaming down his face, curled into a ball on his bedroom floor, Katsuki confessed to his mother that he was afraid for his life.

His mother's response was brief. She instructed Katsuki to stay put and and assured him that everything would be handled.

In an hour’s time, Katsuki’s parents brought fire and brimstone to his doorstep.

Through the window blinds Katsuki watched Deku feign normalcy, greeting the omega’s parents with a strained smile. Thankfully, the charade didn’t last too long. The instant they were within speaking distance, his parents were on him like white on rice.

Katsuki hated for other people to fight his battles, but god damn. It was oddly satisfying watching his mild mannered father punch Deku square in the jaw.

The alpha yelped as his ass hit the pavement. After a scathing verbal assault from his mother, Deku scrambled to his feet and ran off like the coward he was.

Afterward his parents pulled out all the stops, starting with hiring a lawyer.

No one took the complaints of an ill tempered young omega seriously. But with a lawyer at his side? Within 24 hours Katsuki had received multiple emails from university officials, promising to dispatch campus security if at any time he felt threatened by Deku’s presence.

The omega didn’t have to step foot in court. Having good representation, his personal statement as well as the statements from his friends were sufficient.

With a restraining order in place, Katsuki’s lawyer assured him that things would be different. Moving forward, there were serious legal consequences for Deku’s misdeeds.

Shortly after the hearing, Deku’s mother called Katsuki to apologize for her son’s behavior. Taking accountability for the situation, she swore to everything in her power to prevent Katsuki from being victimized further.

Katsuki felt conflicted about the woman’s messaging.

While he understood the woman’s intentions, it irritated him to hear someone else take responsibility for the alpha’s actions. Regardless, Katsuki was relieved to know that Deku had been transferred to another university on the other side of the state.

For the remainder of summer, Katsuki’s parents were breathing down his neck, doing the most.

When the omega returned to school in the fall, his parents wanted him safe and secure. They took a weekend trip to Katsuki’s college town in order to install cameras outside of his apartment door and upgrade his locks.

Back in his hometown, his mother insisted he take self defense classes. There was even discussion of purchasing a gun.

Although it was annoying to be treated like a vulnerable child, Katsuki kept his griping to a minimum. For too long, he had allowed his pride to get in the way of his safety. If he were to depend on anyone, it should have been his parents.

Foolishly, Katsuki assumed life would be easier on the other side. With Deku out of the picture, the omega thought it would be as simple as picking up where he left off. Sadly, Katsuki’s expectations turned out to be far off from reality.

Most nights Katsuki had stress dreams. If they did not directly pertain to Deku, they carried a similar air or paranoia and distress.

Every time he stepped outside there was a pit in his stomach. He was hyper vigilant, constantly looking over his shoulders, attempting to pick out Deku’s scent in the background.

There was a part of him that believed his peace was only temporary. When he least expected it, the alpha would return.

Fortunately, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Each day there was no sign of Deku, Katsuki found himself breathing a little easier.

In time, Katsuki felt more inclined to accept invitations to hang out with friends. On good days, he even found the courage to venture out on his own.