Vulnerability and Second Chances (Barbarian King!Bakugou x Omega!Reader)

Chapter 8: Dynamics

Blissfully ignorant of the Barbarian King's inner turmoil, you strolled the grounds with Kirishima by your side to the center of the camp, passing by all the other dens that were arranged in a circle. Some were carved into the earth, like yours was, but for Hagakure, hers was completely underground, as was Kaminari's.

It was interesting how spot on Bakugou managed to get each of their habitats just right. You were honestly amazed and a little starstruck.

To pay that much attention to his people and care enough to carry out what he knew was going to be best for them, you were extremely impressed. This place was nothing like the League where everything was so dirty that there was always a corpse rotting in some place, the vile smell as it was left to decompose out in the open tainting your senses and making you dry heave.

Muscular was partly to blame for that. That boar never knew when to hold back and didn't know the definition of restraint. Shigaraki had a bad habit of leaving a trail of bodies wherever he went and didn't get what he was looking for, his goons cleaning up most of the scene but some of them he left the way it was on purpose, as a warning for people not to mess with him.

At least Bakugou wasn't one of the ones who was scared of him.

You bounded across the camp as you got more and more comfortable, even going as far as to sniff a pup who was brave enough to approach you when it was time to feed from the pile of freshly-killed meat sitting in the center.

"Hi." The little one greeted you quietly, her soft voice trickling out as she regarded you curiously through bright red eyes. She blinked up at you in wonder. "You smell like me."

"Yup!!" You fell on all fours to bring yourself down to her level and pranced around in circles around the little girl who had a horn sticking out from her forehead, a telltale sign that she was a hybrid of two species. She spun around, following you until she got too dizzy.

You nuzzled her shoulder gently and she fell over, giggling.

Not too far away, Kirishima's gaze softened as you played with Eri. She had been rescued a few months ago by a joint operation formed between him, Uraraka from Midoriya's clan, Asui from Shoji's and Midoriya himself, but the little pup was shy and hadn't come out much.

Because she was a mix between a wolf and a unicorn, a product of a successful cross pairing, it was hard to get her to engage with others since she only had experienced social interactions with those that had malicious intent from people who wanted to sell her.

He was glad to see you hit it off with her.

She ventured out with Kirishima but only with him and never anyone else. She quite liked Uraraka, a guinea pig girl, and Asui, the frog hybrid, but since neither one of them was in Bakugou's clan, she hadn't been around them too often after the rescue since they could only visit so many times as their clans were pretty far apart from each other.

Even now, though it was months later, the only person Eri had openly interacted with was the dragon and that was just because he had been there when they saved her from an illegal buyer high up in what used to be North America's government.

Bakugou had put a stop to it immediately and the man ended up begging for his life as the Barbarian King threatened to put an end to his schemes permanently if he didn't cooperate with them.

Eri's life had been filled with darkness, much like yours. But to see her being playful with you warmed Kirishima's heart.

His red eyes snapped back up as two identical squeals of excitement bubbled out of the two of you and he started forward when you tripped on your feet, racing towards him after you righted yourself with Eri perched on your back.