Story where alpha!Katsuki and omega!Izuku are childhood sweethearts who marry right out of high school because of an unplanned pregnancy.

After the birth of their daughter, Katsuki and Izuku are happier than they've ever been. It seems like they have a wonderful life ahead of them when tragedy strikes.

Because of a freak accident the unimaginable happens and Katsuki dies, leaving Izuku a widow and their daughter without her father.

The loss of his mate--the man who Izuku could never imagine living without--leaves Izuku a husk of who he used to be and he struggles to keep living.

The harsh truth is that omegas who lose their mates never last long, most succumbing to the gnawing despair and loneliness that a broken bond leaves.

And while his mother and Katsuki's parents help get him through that first year, they all know, deep down, that Izuku is just another statistic waiting to happen.

Worried for her friend, Ochako reaches out to one of her coworkers, an alpha by the name of Mirio. Being that he's unmated, he seems like a good-enough candidate for her grieving best friend. So, she introduces them.

It's awkward at first, hard not to be when Izuku's still not 100% ready to date again (forgetting the fact that he never //actually// dated before. Kacchan was the only one for him, after all) but it's hard not to be drawn to the warmth that Mirio radiates. The joy of his smile.

Against all odds, the pair hit it off and decide to go on a few dates. For their first outing they keep it simple, choosing a small ramen stall (Mirio's favorite) over a fancy restaurant.

They spend the whole night getting to know eachother, smiling and laughing over delicious bowls of noodles and sweet sake. It's the best night Izuku's had in a long time.

There's just something about the older alpha that makes it easier for Izuku to breathe, to have the strength to push through the tightness that lingers in his lungs and take that next breath.

Maybe it's due to Mirio's sunny disposition. Or maybe it's because even when his joke's fall flat, they still make Izuku's lips twitch up into a smile.

Whatever it is, being with Mirio helps Izuku forget, for a blissful moment, about what he's lost and it gives him hope that he can find happiness again in someone that isn't Katsuki.

With things finally looking up, Izuku decides to try spending his next heat with the alpha to see how compatible they are. After all, simply being an alpha and omega doesn't mean that they'll be suitable partners.

But tucked away in the collection of blankets, pillows, and stray clothing that Mirio offers for Izuku's nest, Izuku can't find relief. The only name he calls out for--begs for--is Kacchan's.

And as far as Izuku's heat-raddled mind is concerned, Mirio's sunny scent is all wrong. It's neither sharp nor sweet enough to ease his senses. It's not the burnt caramel scent that he's been longing for.

The final nail in the proverbial coffin is when a more coherent Izuku awakes the morning after and sees blond hair on the pillow beside his head--a shade too yellow than the ashen blond that he adores. It leaves Izuku devastated all over again.

Mirio and Izuku go their separate ways after that. And as far as breakups go, Izuku's thinks it's an amicable one. Why else promise to remain friends? Either way, Izuku knows it's for the best.

Of course, it doesn't change the fact that Izuku still needs a new alpha. So, he keeps trying, keeps going out on fruitless dates, hoping to find someone to fill the space that Katsuki--//Kacchan//--left behind. It goes about as well as a person might suspect.

The sad fact is that most of the alphas Izuku meets aren't jumping at the chance to raise another alpha's kid. And while Izuku can't necessarily fault them for that, it makes finding a new mate ten times harder.

None of this is helped by the fact that when Izuku //finally// manages to find an alpha who doesn't immediately bolt at the idea of becoming a step-father to an energetic five-year-old, Izuku's daughter terrorizes the alpha until they turn tail and run.

More often now when Izuku sees their hastily retreating backs and the sharp curl of his daughter's smile, he imagines that Katsuki's looking down at them, //laughing//.

No doubt Katsuki's equally parts proud and smug knowing that, despite being gone from their lives, Sayako is still his //ferocious// mini-me (right down to the messy, ashen strands of hair and sharply curved eyes). The thought hurts more than it should.

So, for a time, Izuku gives up on trying to find another mate. No one seems like the right fit and Izuku isn't about to go lowering his standards just to bag a new alpha. If they can't make Izuku and his little spitfire happy then they aren't worth it.

But before Izuku can completely call it quits, he has a literal run-in with an alpha by the name of Tenya Iida. (To be continued)

(Continued) He's tall, towering over Izuku in a way that Kacchan hadn't even managed to do, and he's muscled in a way that Izuku cannot help but take a second glance. It has been a long time since Izuku has met someone as handsome as Tenya.

His navy-blue windswept undercut is such a stark contrast to Katsuki's sharp blond tresses, and his strong jaw is far more square than Katsuki's more delicate features.

The only thing that even remotely reminds Izuku of Katsuki is Tenya's eyes. They're a deep, molten red that Izuku has to fight to look away from, but it's such a futile struggle--like trying to fight against gravity. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot stop the fall.

With such beautiful features and a charming smile to boot, Izuku cannot help but dissolve into a blushing, stuttering mess as he and Tenya both apologize for bumping into the other.

The apologies soon take on a passive-aggressive turn as they each stubbornly insist that it's //their// fault for bumping into the other and that it is only right they buy the other a drink to make up for any inconvenience.

They probably would have stood there on the sidewalk, debating this for hours, if not for Tenya offering the perfect solution. "Well, why don't I buy you a drink and you can buy mine?"

It's such a sensible idea that Izuku quickly finds himself agreeing. Together, he and Tenya make their way across the street towards a small cafe. After finding a cozy little table in the far corner, they get to know each other over delicious cups of steaming tea.

From this pleasant discussion, Izuku learns that Tenya works for the Iida Group, a world-renowned health and fitness company known for its physical rehabilitation and therapy programs.

Izuku actually knows a fair amount about the prestigious group. They were instrumental in helping Izuku's mentor, Toshnori, through a near-fatal injuring that would have otherwise crippled him if not for the Iida Group's talented medical staff.

Compared to such a respectable job, Izuku is embarrassed to admit his "occupation." But it would have been rude not to tell Tenya, especially when he seems so genuinely interested.

"Well, I actually have a blog that I write, but I mainly post about my life and thoughts about my favorite show, //Hero Academy."// This catches Tenya's interest. Apparently, he's a huge fan of the show too!

With that information, it doesn't take long before they're both exchanging their elaborate theories on how the show will end. It's honestly the most fun Izuku has had since Katsuki's passing.

Izuku's not sure what it is, the fact that they're both gigantic nerds or something else, but they click in a way that Izuku hasn't dreamed possible since losing his mate.

Tenya radiates this comforting, steady energy that makes Izuku feel like he could depend on him for anything. Izuku feels so at ease talking with him that eventually, without meaning to, he finds himself talking about Katsuki.

"I used to be a journalist, but after I lost my mate about a year and a half ago, I haven't felt ready to go back to work," Izuku admits quietly, staring down at his cup of chamomile tea.

"He was a firefighter, one of the best, and he was always fighting to save everyone he could." Izuku's throat tightens up and he can't find the strength to push through the next words, //"but in the end, he wasn't able to save himself."//

Instead of words, Tenya reaches out and slowly takes Izuku's trembling hand in his own. His warm and gentle grip steadies Izuku and helps keep the majority of his tears away. Izuku's more grateful than he could possibly say for the silent act of comfort.

He's honestly sick of hearing the typical condolences people always offer upon hearing of Katsuki's passing. Compared to that, this simple touch is the best thing Izuku could have asked for.

Of course, once the wave of grief settles back down to a bearable, familiar weight, Izuku is overcome with guilt at ruining the pleasant conversation they've been having.

Izuku immediately offers up apologies but Tenya simply brushes them away. With far more skill than Izuku has ever managed, Tenya seamlessly changes the conversation to simpler things, like favorite foods.

It's different enough that Izuku's mind is able to slip away from images of fire and concrete to thoughts of delicious bowls of katsudon. The topic of food somehow ends up with Tenya offering to take Izuku out to dinner.

Tenya stresses that this doesn't have to be seen as a date, but instead a simple friendly get-together. Izuku finds himself smiling at Tenya's insistence and doesn't have to think twice about it--"A date it is then."

And just like that, Izuku and Tenya find themselves spending nearly every spare moment together. Izuku loves being with Tenya. Loves the way he walks, short measured strides that can seamlessly turn into a fast-paced run.

Loves his sense of responsibility, his deep sense of charity, and the kindness he shows to those around him. Izuku also adores how Tenya will sometimes break or bend the rules if it means helping out those he cares for, a category Izuku immediately finds himself included in.

There's just so much about this man that Izuku steadily finds he doesn't want to live without. The only two potential holdups are whether they'll click sexually and, of course, whether Tenya can hold his own against Izuku's daughter.

So far, no other alpha has been able to walk away unscathed after meeting Izuku’s five-year-old. Considering that, Izuku tries not to feel like too much like a coward for not introducing Tenya to Sayako.

At the very least he //has// told Tenya about his daughter, sparing no details as he described her impeccable fashion sense to the way she eviscerates bullies on the playground with ease.

Honestly, Sayako is a good kid. She just doesn’t think anyone is good enough for her daddy, and Izuku can’t blame her. He didn’t think he could ever find another potential mate either, but then Tenya stumbled into Izuku’s life.

That alone seemed like a miracle and Izuku wasn’t brave enough to test it. However, matters are taken out of Izuku’s hands after taking his daughter to the park and running into Tenya who’d been there during his lunch break.

Izuku fears the worst, is half-expecting to watch Tenya run away at a speed he cannot ever hope to match, but surprisingly another miracle happens. Tenya stays.

He parks himself down next to Sayako, laughing in good humor as she tosses piles of sand onto his nice clothes. He doesn’t even retaliate when Izuku’s little blonde menace swipes his glasses.

Instead, Tenya congratulates her for her skills and pulls out a second pair of glasses from his breast pocket. For a dizzying moment, Izuku believes that he has dreamed the whole thing up. But when Tenya eventually hugs Izuku goodbye, his strong arms around Izuku's body feel real

Unable to do much more than hug Tenya back, Izuku stands there, unblinking, as he watches Tenya walk back in the direction of his work. With their impromptu playdate over, Izuku returns home, holding Sayako’s tiny hand in his, feeling only a little untethered.

When they arrive back home, Izuku works up the courage to ask his daughter about what she thinks of Tenya. To his utmost surprise, she respends almost grudgingly, seemingly unwilling to admit that she enjoyed spending time with the alpha.

The truth remains, however, that she did, and it is at this point that Izuku truly believes he imagined the whole encounter. He gives it a full day before he seeks out the other man to confirm that Izuku really hadn’t dreamed up Tenya meeting Sayako and it going well.

Tenya surprisingly confirms that it really //had// happened, but Izuku still doesn’t trust it. For all he knows, he could be in a coma right now and all of this is a figment of his imagination.

It takes Sayako confirming for the tenth time, rather angrily over breakfast, before it finally clicks. If Izuku wants to pursue this relationship with Tenya, he has his daughter’s approval. But, ever the Deku, Izuku puts it off.

While he is still terrified that they won’t be physically compatible, he’s even more worried that they //will// be.

Despite the fact that the goal has always been to find a new alpha to keep Izuku from losing his mind, a part of him still doesn’t want to replace the bond he had with Katsuki.

His lost mate had been everything to him, ever since they’d been children. How could he possibly hope to replace a bond like that?

Deep down, while he knows that Tenya would never replace that bond, (would never even try to) Izuku can’t shake the fear and it doesn’t ease the sense of betrayal that eats away at him for even //thinking// that he could move on and live a life without Katsuki by his side.

Most nights Izuku wakes up sobbing, clutching the blanket that no longer smells like caramelized sugar as his thoughts and emotions overwhelm him. He tries to muffle the sounds but his daughter hears them anyway.

She must know that he doesn’t want a gentle approach because instead of knocking, she simply kicks in his door with her tiny pale foot and marches up to his bed like it’s her god-given right. Izuku supposes it is.

Sayako shoves a wad of tissues into his tear-streaked face and commands him to blow (a laughable imitation of what he used to do with her when she was younger).

After the worst of the tears and snot is wiped away, she demands that he pull on some suitable clothes and then tugs him out of their apartment and into the wee hours of the morning.

They walk hand-in-hand until the weight that has been suffocating Izuku dissipates and his tears finally dry.

Eventually, they stop at the familiar beach they used to go to as a family (the same place Katsuki had proposed) and plop down into the cool sand. Together, they watch as the sun slowly rises along the horizon, coloring the dark waves in a shimmering orange hue.

It’s so beautiful that Izuku nearly finds himself crying all over again. He only manages to push the tears away because of what his daughter says next.

“Grandma Inko is gonna come over and visit me,” she says, looking up at Izuku with green eyes that are a perfect match to his own, “and you’re gonna go visit the tall robot man.” She says it so matter-of-factly that Izuku finds that he is unable to refuse.

He doesn’t even question how (or when) Sayako got on the phone with his mom to set this whole thing up. So, after breakfast, Izuku isn’t all that surprised when his mom knocks on his apartment door.

He just gives her and his daughter a hug and kiss goodbye, smiles at the adorably firm look his little spitfire sends him, and steps outside before heading towards the city.

He shows up at Tenya’s place unannounced and knocks on the door, not allowing himself time to think so that he can’t back out. Tenya answers the door, his pointed eyebrows arched in surprise, but he doesn’t seem angry at Izuku’s impromptu visit. In fact, he only seems concerned.

Izuku cannot stop his tears if he tried. He cries because he //likes// Tenya and wants to have a relationship with him. Fuck, he even has his daughter’s //blessing//, this shouldn’t be so goddamn difficult.

Despite how rude and crazy Izuku is for showing up unannounced early in the morning, Tenya merely ushers him inside and takes care of him. He sits Izuku down at his kitchen table and listens to Izuku’s wild stream of consciousness.

He even seems to be actively trying to grasp what Izuku’s trying to say underneath his teary breakdown. When Izuku eventually calms down, Tenya still continues to listen and patiently waits until Izuku’s tears finally stop before he takes Izuku’s hand in his.

It’s such a close image to the day they first met and Izuku almost mentions as such when Tenya beats him to it (it seems he’ll always be faster than Izuku).

“From the moment we first met, I knew that I wanted a place in your life,” he says, gently lacing his long fingers with Izuku’s, “and while I would love to have more, if this is all we ever are, I’m okay with that.”

Then, Tenya smiles, his breathtaking red eyes bearing into Izuku with such blatant love and affection that Izuku cannot bear the sight of it.

Unable to find the words, he takes a note from his beloved Kacchan and lets his actions speak for him. Slowly, Izuku bends across the table and hesitantly presses his lips against Tenya’s.

As cliche and sappy as it sounds, it really does feel like he’s finally found home again. One kiss turns to two and they fall seamlessly together. With desperate hands, they greedily pull at the other’s close, seeking the warmth and contact that only physical touch can offer.

Despite not having a heat to erase any sort of anxiety Izuku would normally expect to feel, he feels calm, like this is where he’s meant to be.

By the time they’ve finished, Izuku finally has his last question answered, as obvious by the way he and Tenya are both flushed and still panting from their shared climax (and what a climax it was). Honestly, Izuku is surprised that sex outside of heat could feel so invigorating.

Together, they cuddle underneath Tenya’s rumpled, dark blue sheets and wait for Tenya’s knot to go down. Luckily, the alpha had the foresight to put on a condom before they stumbled into bed. Izuku’s grateful for it.

He doesn’t think he could handle another pregnancy right now, especially when he and Tenya only //just// officially started dating (sort of, Izuku hopes his actions were clear enough). Either way, there’s no denying how stupidly happy Izuku feels.

For once since losing Katsuki, Izuku feels like he can finally take the next step now that he has Tenya by his side. So, even though Izuku knows he’ll probably never get over his lost mate, he is finally starting to believe that he can find happiness again. (end)