What Is Free? (Kiribaku Midevil Au)

part 11

Kirishima found out quickly that Denki was his second favorite person. After Bakugo of course. Denki was funny and loud, something that Kirishima could relate to. But unlike Kirishima, denki had been all around the world. He traveled everywhere and has seen almost everything with his many adventures. He had Kirishima's attention the whole night, telling his tales and adventures with his usual dramatic flare and bit of embellishment. Usually this would earn the ire of Kirishima's favorite person, but he had spent the night doing his own learning. This new magic Kirishima had given him was extremely dangerous and destructive. It could hurt someone way more than any sword. Bakugo recognized this and acknowledged it. He needed to get it under control. So as everyone else sat around the campfire talking or listening to Denki, Bakugo was on the next hill. He let his determination, his passion fuel him. He could feel the heat in his blood running through his arms. The sweat that accumulated in his palms being the physical proof of that heat. This wasn't like any other magic Bakugo had seen before. Most magic never came from the person's body, rather it manifested around them and fed off their emotional auras. This was different. This came from him, from his body. This magic felt like it threaded it's way through his very core, reinforcing his skin, electrifying his blood, breaking and reforming his muscles, strengthening every inch of him. This magic wasn't like normal mage magic. This was something more primal, wild and Katsuki. It felt at home within him. It was his magic, his power. Even if Eijiro gave it to him, there was no way he could ever give it up or give it back. So over and over again, he willed himself to create and control explosion after explosion. He found out that although his magic still reacted stronger with his emotions, he didn't need them to perform magic. His most powerful explosions weren't from anger, but from sheer will and determination to meet his goals. He needed to know his limits, control them and push them onward.

"You're not gonna master your magic over night." A yawning kirishima walked up Bakugo's hill. By now everyone was asleep under the stary sky. Everyone except the two of them.

"I still need to control it. I don't need to nearly blast everyone I meet." Bakugo huffed. Kirishima placed his chin on Bakugo's shoulder from behind, causing the blonde to jump.

"You can control it, the same way you can control your breathing or your running." Kirishima yawned once again. "and you're not gonna be able to do that if you stay up all night."

"I'll stop when I decide to." Bakugo lifted his hands and sent more explosions into the air.

"I'm not moving from this spot until you sleep." He wrapped his hands around Bakugo's waist. "even if I have to drag you down with me." Bakugo's explosions went off involuntarily now. He was never a touchy person. Even with his parents he would rarely ever hug them willingly. He saw it as a trap, as baggage he didn't need. So why was he not feeling that right now? Kirishima practically had trapped him in a warm embrace. One he didn't want to shrug off. The warmth the dragon emitted sunk down to Bakugo's bones, weighing them down. He felt his muscles relax and his tension melt. And he let it. Why did he let it? Why did he feel safer like this? Instead of feeling like he was being weighed down he felt like he was supported. He wasn't trapped rather was being comforted.

"Fine you damn heater." Bakugo huffed and lowered his hands. The power in his blood sizzled a bit. It was still present and there but it had calmed. It was like a slumber.

"Great!" Kirishima's cherry voice quietly filled the air. But his presence didn't falter. Instead his arms tightened around Bakugo and lifted him up off the ground. He doing bakugo over his shoulder before the poor blonde could comprehend it.

"Oi! Put me down shitty hair!" Bakugo's voice echoed around the plains. He squirmed and hit Kirishima's back in a effort to get out of the dragons hold. His fists were met with hardened scales that hurt his hands more than he hurt kirishima's back.

"Nope. Since you're my rider your health and safety is my top priority. And that means I need to make sure you sleep." Kirishima explained as he walked down the hill towards the one with their camp.

"I thought getting that stupid collar off you was your most important thing." Bakugo huffed as he gave up on his attempt to get out of Kirishima's grasp.

"You were always my number one priority Katsuki." Kirishima admitted. His words seeped with an amount of sincerity and truthfulness that shocked the blonde. "Even with the collar, your safety was always my priority. Sure I want this collar off but you were the one who wanted to search for the league to get it off." Kirishima arrived at the camp and it's abandoned fire. Everyone else already taken away by the sweet mistress of slumber. He sat Bakugo down by the fire to make sure his explosions didn't leave any marks on the blonde. The golden light highlighted Bakugo's features, especially his already golden hair. The light made his ruby eyes glow with swirls of orange reflections. His skin joined in the mirage, glowing palely in the fire light. He looked beautiful, and Kirishima knew this. He bent down and memorized every detail of his face, every freckle and hair. He wanted to know it all.

"You don't care if we get that collar off? Even if that means you can never access your true dragon magic and heritage?" Bakugo asked. His eyes were locked on the red heads own. The fire surrounding kirishima like a halo glow.

"Katsuki, as long as you're by my side I couldn't care less." Kirishima's facial features relaxed. Bakugo could really get a good look at Kirishima's face now. He'd never really been this close. He could see every detail. Like the miniscule crease lines that lay right between his brows. Or the faded scar that laid on his right eyelid. Or how his hair was darker at the roots than it was at the tips. Or the occasional freckle from the time he had recently spent with Bakugo outside. Ethereal. Kirishima was ethereal.

"But I made you a promise." Kirishima's facial features returned to their determined state. "A promise I intend on keeping. To help you defeat the league and make our ancestors proud." Bakugo felt the corners of his mouth turn up involuntarily.

"You're damn right you did. And I'm going to hold you to that promise." Kirishima's shape teeth peered out a bit behind Kirishima's smile.

"I wouldn't expect anything different from you Katsuki."

"You better not, Eijiro."