Burning Bright | Keigo Takami x Male Reader

Chapter 5

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It was nearly dark by the time Katsuki and Izuku made it back to camp. By the way Ochaco was going after a cord of firewood, Izuku could tell she wasn't pleased. Katsuki loudly crunched through another cookie, announcing their arrival.

"Took you long enough," Ochaco grumbled. She picked up another piece of wood to cut down to size.

"Ohh. There you are!" Mina jumped off the stumps she was sitting on and bounded over to the two boys. At least someone's glad to see us, Izuku thought.

"Don't sweat it, Roundface," Katsuki tossed the bag of oranges onto the picnic table. "I brought oranges and cookies." He looked into the bag again and brought out the last uneaten cookie. "I mean, I brought oranges and one cookie.

Katsuki broke it in two, giving half to Mina and keeping the other for himself.

"There ya go Pinky, don't say I didn't share," he said.

MIna just looked at him with a blank expression while Ochaco groaned.

"Hey aren't we supposed to set stuff on fire?" Katsuki asked, eating his piece of the cookie.

"You mean a campfire," Izuku deadpanned.

"Yeah, one of those." Katsuki put out his hand, letting off small, sparkly explosions that sounded like firecrackers.

"No," Izuku shook his head. "No powers."

"Whatever," Katsuki rolled his eyes. Ochaco laughed between wood chops.

Shoto crouched over the campfire ring with a lit match and a bundle of dry pine needles. After a few seconds, the needles caught fire. A thin waft of smoke rose and Shoto blew gently, coaxing a bigger stick in the middle to ignite. He tucked the flaming bunch into a teepee of wood in the centre of the ring and gave Katsuki a satisfied look.

"Don't get so full of yourself half-and-half, I could easily do it better." Katsuki dropped the empty cookie bag on the table. "Did we bring marshmallows?"

Ochaco set the neatly chopped logs in a pile next to Shoto. "Aren't marshmallows all you bought?"

"Oh yeah," Katsuki said, remembering. He found his bag and pulled out a bag of marshmallows, threading four on a long, thin stick. "I brought a towel too."

Izuku settled onto a stump near Shoto. He seemed better than before.

"You alright?" Izuku asked him. He nodded.

"Just needed some fresh air."

Izuku gestured to all the trees around them and smiled. "Well, I guess we came to the right place."

Shoto nodded in agreement, but without Izuku's enthusiasm. Before Izuku could ask further, Mina dusted the cookie crumbs off her hands and sat next to Shoto.

"Tell us a story, Shoto," she said, leaning her chin on the palm of her hand.

"I don't really know any stories, Mina."

"Bullshit," Katsuki added. "You're old. You know plenty of stories."

Shoto just stared blankly at Katsuki. Katsuki arched his brow. "Am I wrong?"

"Please?" Mina pleaded.

Shoto sighed. "Alright." He took a moment to think of something, before speaking. "Once upon a time, there was a lonely light that stood against darkness."

"Was it the First Star?" Mina asked.

Shoto nodded.

"Yes. In the beginning the First Star was all alone. After a while it didn't want to be alone anymore so it took all of its starlight and spread it across the night," he said. "Everyone carries a little bit of that light. It's very powerful stuff and the First Star knew it needed to be protected from the darkness. The first Star Guardians that were chosen were said to be very strong and full of light." Shoto's voice dropped slightly. "But, those that burn bright, burn quickly."