The lost continent

Chapter 4

Later comes after a few days on the sea, when Kirishima is eyeing the rigging in the faint moonlight as most of the crew either drink or sleep, and Mina and Bakugou are holed away in the navigational room. He touches the dried blood on his neck. It’s not as deep a wound as he thought it was, and it doesn’t need stitching, but it’ll leave a scar. He wasn’t as lucky as Eiko, whose cuts and bruises healed fast and quick. He had his mother’s skin, for sure.

Bakugou comes onto deck suddenly with a bang, startling Kirishima who is trying to find the line of the horizon in the darkness. He stomps over to him, and crosses his arms, staring down hard.

“You took my sword, the other day.” he says.

“Well, I didn’t want to die.” Kirishima says.

“Don’t do it again.” Bakugou says. He leans his arms on the railing, next to Kirishima. “Listen…”

Kirishima watches him run his hand over his face. He looks tired.

“The treasure we’re looking for-”

“Why are you telling me?” Kirishima asks, quickly. He can’t help the words from coming out of his mouth. Bakugou clicks his tongue at his interruption, sending a hard look his way.

“What, you could be a spy?” Bakugou snorts. “Not likely. Listen, love. We can use you, and you’re easy to kill if we need to.”

Kirishima frowns. He supposes that’s true- his abilities are textbook. A pirate’s life is everything but.

“Now, as I was saying .”

Kirishima presses his lips together and nods.

“We can...use you.”

Kirishima tilts his head, and Bakugou growls.

“With your…” Bakugou waves his hand, then slams it onto the rail of the boat. “Dammit. Fucking… your words and shit… the letters…”

“Oh! You want me to teach you how to read!” Kirishima says, understanding, and Bakugou grumbles out towards the sea. Kirishima recognizes that reaction, and his heart gives a tender pang. He’d managed so far to push thoughts of his family to the back of his mind, settling them away while he sorted out his place in the life that has whisked him away so suddenly.

Bakugou’s hatred for asking for help reminds him of his younger sister’s stubbornness to do everything herself.

Kirishima frowns. He could at least send her a letter- he should have thought of it when they docked. While Kirishima had a fascination with pirates, his awe over them not approved of by his parents, Eiko was indifferent. As the younger child, she wasn’t expected to go into the family business, either- she and Kirishima got along well. Letting her know he was alright would be harmless, and it'd put his heart at ease.

“Oi.” Bakugou says, waving his hand in front of his face, as though he’s brushing away all his thoughts. “Let’s go.”

Kirishima blinks, clearing his head. “Now?”

“Yes, ‘now’ , I need to know how to decipher scripts immediately.” Bakugou says, already on his way back to his cabin.

“You can't learn overnight.” Kirishima says.

Even though there’s a few feet between them, Kirishima can hear him click his tongue. He could already tell this wasn't going to be easy. All the same, though, he follows Bakugou into his chambers.

“Shouldn't we start this in the morning?” Kirishima says, sitting on a wooden stool next to Bakugou’s grandiose chair. Bakugou has parchment and ink set before him, an impressively feathered quill poised in his hand. Kirishima can't help but think about the last time he was leaning on this desk, splayed out sweaty and out of breath, Bakugou deep inside him. He shifts a little where he sits.