Set Me Free

Chapter 27. Release

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"It's ok to fall apart; just be sure to remember to get back up."

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It turns out that all this time Kirishima had been amassing a dragon-scale ocean in some random ass cave. Fucking what?

In other news, he was thoroughly pissed off that he wasn't involved. He would have loved every second of tearing those asses apart, and he should have been there.

"My hair took longer than my skin to grow back; I didn't even know if it would!"

Oh yeah, and she dropped that little tidbit in his lap too—this was just getting better and better. She sounded so nonchalant about dying, and the only thing stopping him from threatening to kill her himself if she even got close again was-

"Oh, and you should have seen this one guy with these stupid red feathers in his helmet," Kirishima grinned. "I took his armour and left him to climb down a mountain in his breaches!"

That was why, because of that stupid grin, it kept stopping him, and he refused to think about why. Listening to her go on and on about her solo adventure should have annoyed him, but he found himself amused and wanting to hear every detail.

Towards the end of her story, Kirishima piled up some wood, planted her hands on her hips, and grinned up at him expectantly. Bakugou rolled his eyes and blasted it to pieces. Really, what was she expecting?

She just kept grinning—seriously, he grinned once or twice and his cheeks hurt for a week. How did she do it? Well, it was to be expected; that was just what she was like, and it was what he wanted to get back.

It became late quickly, and the two ate some dried meat Bakugou had brought with him. "I'm glad you're here," Kirishima sat beside him on a log he had rolled in front of the fire. "I had a feeling you would catch up to me sooner or later."

"Then why did you go off on your own?" Bakugou glared at her, "And you better have a good reason."

"Those were my scales they were wearing; they used my scales to hurt you guys." Kirishima clenched her fists. "It's the same as if it had been me who had them."

"And that's not even the worst of it," The redhead reached out and ran her fingers along the deep red scarring that ran from his fingertips to his shoulder with sorrow. "I couldn't remember at first, but it came back to me, and I-" He was scarred forever, and she couldn't imagine what she would have done if he had lost his arm.

"I lost control and I tried to kill you; I did that to you," she fought back tears of frustration. "I was meant to protect you, damn it!"

"I don't need fucking protection." He couldn't believe what he was hearing: "I can protect myself and kick everyone else's ass while I'm at it."

He knew she felt for him; he wasn't an idiot after all, but even so, it didn't matter what they were to one another; he would have no one think he needed protection. He would settle that with her later, but for now, he had to do something about that stupid guilt she was carrying around.

Kirishima didn't know what she had been expecting, but a punch to the stomach wasn't it. Hunching over, she probably would have fallen into the fire if he hadn't caught her around the waist.

"There, are you happy now, you fucking sadist!?" Bakugou guided her to lean onto his shoulder, holding her there. "We're even!"

"No!" She struggled but he didn't let her go "-I just, you-!" Why was he like this? How did he know what she needed? It wasn't fair that he was always rescuing her; just once she wanted to be his rock, not the other way around.

She wanted to see his face, but his gaze was cast to the night sky. He looked so soft like this, with the fire's glow caressing his face and the wind gently rustling his hair.

"Just cry, you moron; it's over." It was as if he had kicked the dam because it all came crashing down.

She couldn't remember the last time she had cried like that, and in turn, Bakugou was sure he had never heard such a harrowing sound. It took some time before it was quiet again, and that was okay.

Kirishima thought of many things during that time—everything she had been avoiding, everything she had been feeling, and everything she feared.

It was freeing—though she decided she wanted to spar with him first thing tomorrow, she couldn't have him think she had gone soft while she was gone.

After some time had passed, Kirishima tore his cape off, tucked her knees up under her chin, and rolled behind him. Before he could turn around, an expanse of leathery red dragon wings enveloped him.

"You shitty lizard," A tail plopping across his lap winded him momentarily: "Tch, do what you want."

Bakugou slumped back against her, and she curled around him tighter, though he hadn't missed the low rumbling she made; he chose to believe it was indigestion and not laughter.

Kirishima weighed the pros and cons of licking him, but all the while Bakugou drifted away, and she decided not to disturb his slumber. There was always tomorrow, after all.

Tomorrow, what a wonderful word!

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A/N: All caught up- I can start writing again~