A Dragon Called Halfie

part 36/ on the road again

Bakugou forgot just how much he hated traveling with the three idiots.

Denki and Mina had been keeping up a constant stream of chatter for at least the last two hours, and if that wasn't bad enough, Sero had found Denki's lyre and was determined to teach himself to play as he walked.

Kaminari had offered to help, but Sero had insisted that he figure it out himself, saying that it was part of the experience. And then he did fucking jazz hands.

Kirishima, however, just seemed to be enjoying himself. Quietly walking alongside the group and observing everything that they passed.

And as always, Bakugou pulled the cart. Every year, someone else wanted to pull it and 'prove their strength.' At least that's what Denki had said this morning. But two hours later, it was back to Bakugou.

Mina liked to say that he had an unfair advantage because of the callouses on his palms that he had built up as a result of his quirk. Bakugou called bull because her quirk was acid, and if that didn't build up callouses, nothing would.

As they finally got to the edge of the first town and walked through the gates, Kirishima froze in front of a billboard.

"Uh, guys? What's this?" He asked, pointing at the wanted posters of Bakugou Katsuki,
Ashido Mina,
Sero Hanta,
and Kaminari Denki proudly displayed across the billboard.

Kaminari paused what he was saying when he noticed the posters and cursed under his breath.

"Nothing to fret over, and quite a long story, although it does look like we won't be going that way, guess we're going around!"

Kaminari draped his arm over Kirishima's shoulder and led him away from the offending billboard.

Sero gave Kaminari a strange look as he turned Kirishima and walked back the way they came. Kaminari tilted his head towards the billboard and told Sero.

"This town knows us." When Sero still looked confused, he added

"Let's just say this is where I got my lyre from last year."

"Oh, you theiving little electric eel!" Sero grinned at him.

"What, like you wouldn't do this same thing! I was broke and we're from another country. So long as they didn't catch me in the act , there's nothing they can do!" Kaminari stated proudly.

"What? Hey Bakugou, is that true?"

Bakugou mumbled something under his breath.

"What did you say?" Kaminari asked.

"I said," Bakugou growled much more loudly. " How the hell do you not know how to tie your own goddamn shoes, but you can remember the foreign theft policy for another kingdom?!"

"So what I'm hearing," Kaminari countered, " Is that l'm right."

"Keep. Moving."

"Awww, are you sure? But I wanted new daggers so baddd, " Sero pleaded.

"The last thing I need is for one of you idiots to get caught. Now, keep. Moving."

Kaminari laughed and siddled up to Kirishima.

"See that right there?
That's how you can tell that he cares. Don't tell anyone, but he's actually just a big softy."

"I can hear you, Dunce face."

That night, they slept under the stars. When it started to get dark, they set up camp on the side of the road.

And with the sun no longer shining, it got colder and colder.

Bakugou shivered

"Fire. Now." He demanded.

"Huh? But Todoroki isn't here -" Bakugou swatted the back of Kaminari's head.

"Then start it yourself, dumbass."

Twenty minutes later and they had a nice strong fire with half set up tents on either side of it.

Bakugou sat at the edge of the fire, feeding it slowly and keeping the rest of his 'companions' from setting the tents on fire.

He glanced up as Mina sat down beside him.

"Ya know, when we first met, I never thought I would see the day that you got all twitterpated with someone."

"Well, hello to you too, raccoon eyes." She rolled her eyes and ignored him.

"My only question now is what you are going to do with it."

"I have no fucking idea what you are talking about, Alien. Go help the idiots, and leave me alone."

"Oh do not act all dense with me 'King explosion murder'. I'm talking about Kirishima." Bakugou snorted.

"I ain't fuckin in love with shitty hair. He's just easier to deal with than you heathens." Mina seemed to think for a second before she added.

"Call it what you will, but I'm never going to forget how panicked you were when you found me because he had collapsed and you didn't know how to help."

"That's because I'm not a monster. Jesus Christ. I'm allowed to be worried."

"Yeah. Yeah. That's true. But I'll just leave it with, I dont think those mushy gushy feelings that you are trying to hide are all that one-sided."

"You're insane pinky."

"Thank you! It takes tallent."
The tent in front of them collapsed for the third time that night, and Mina stood up.

"I'm going to help them set that up correctly before one of them gets hurt." And she walked over to a sheepish looking Kirishima and Sero who was laughing so hard he was trying not to fall down.

Bakugou halfheartedly watched them try to set up the tent as his mind began to wander.

Maybe Mina wasn't too far off. There was a definite difference it the way he felt about his friends and how he felt about Kirishima...

He had just known his other friends longer. That was all.

But he had been so warm and happy when he had woken up to Kirishima holding him in his sleep.

But that had just been because it was cold outside, and the weather was getting gross.

There had also been that time when his assignment had gone wrong, and that bandit Whatever His Name Was had almost gotten the better of Bakugou. Kirishima had stepped in at just the right moment and saved him. But instead of being angry that someone had saved him, he was... happy.

Oh God.

Fuckin raccoon eyes was right.

He looked up to see the tent now proudly standing and not collapsed on the ground.

"Bakubro! Look! The tents are up! You wouldn't believe how hard that is!"

Bakugou's heart skipped a mother fucking beat.

Traitor.

Words: 1051