Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 9: The Dragon Awakens

Bakugou’s world spiraled into chaos the moment he woke up. He couldn’t move—his arms bound, his body pressed against a pillar. Muzzled. That realization hit him like a punch to the gut, and the panic followed instantly, choking him. His chest tightened, and memories flooded in, memories of being trapped, of darkness suffocating him. Not again. Not like this!

He thrashed against the chains, screaming, but only muffled roars escaped through the muzzle, his voice barely audible against the roar of the crowd. His explosions were too weak to free him, too feeble against the restraints that bit into his skin. His heart pounded in his ears, panic flooding him as his world narrowed into a tunnel of terror.

Kirishima.

He didn’t even realize his thoughts had reached out for him until the flash of red in the stands caught his eye. Kirishima. A spark of warmth bloomed in his chest at the sight, but even that quickly faded as the chains dug deeper, the memory of the sludge villain attack dragging him further into panic. I can't breathe!

Kirishima stood frozen in the stands, his eyes wide as he watched Bakugou thrash and scream. He had seen Bakugou furious before, seen him angry enough to tear down walls, but this? This wasn’t anger. It was raw, suffocating terror. Bakugou wasn’t fighting. He was drowning.

And Kirishima couldn’t move. His heart pounded in his chest, his pulse deafening in his ears as his body trembled. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think past the single, overwhelming thought pounding through his head: My omega is in danger.

Something inside him snapped. The dragon surged within him, claws scraping at his insides, scales rippling just beneath the surface of his skin. The beast roared, demanding to be let out, to protect, to shield. Kirishima's entire body tensed, his muscles twitching as he fought it down. Not here. Not now. Please, not again.

But then Bakugou screamed.

“LET ME OUT!” Bakugou’s voice, raw and broken, ripped through the stadium, and Kirishima’s last shred of control crumbled.

With a roar that echoed through the arena, Kirishima’s body erupted in flames and scales, his transformation surging forward with a terrifying, unstoppable force. His wings tore through his back, flames licking at the edges of his mouth as his claws gouged into the earth beneath him.

The stadium fell silent. All eyes were on him—on the massive, red dragon that now dominated the arena.

The other students froze in shock, their faces pale. The heroes in the stands were rooted in place, even Aizawa and All Might staring in disbelief.

Kirishima barely noticed. His red eyes locked onto Bakugou, his omega, who was still thrashing, still trapped in his panic. The sight of Bakugou’s terror made Kirishima's heart lurch painfully in his chest. Must protect.

Bakugou’s muffled cries cut through Kirishima like a knife. He was fighting, trying to free himself, but the chains were too tight, the panic too overwhelming. He’s scared. He’s so scared. The thought crashed into Kirishima with a force that nearly knocked him over.

With a deep growl, Kirishima's wings wrapped protectively around Bakugou, shielding him from the crowd. The massive dragon curled itself around him, creating a cocoon of warmth and safety. The dragon’s growls echoed through the arena, a clear warning to anyone who dared approach: Stay away.

“Kirishima!” Aizawa’s voice cut through the air, commanding and sharp. But Kirishima’s dragon barely acknowledged him. The only thing that mattered was Bakugou. Keep him safe.

“All Might!” Kirishima's dragon growled as All Might stepped closer. Flames flickered dangerously from his mouth, the heat radiating off his massive form.

“Kirishima, you have to stop!” All Might called out, his voice firm but filled with concern. “Young Bakugou is safe! You need to stand down!”

But Kirishima’s mind was lost to the dragon’s instinct. Protect. Keep him safe.

Bakugou’s fists weakly pounded against the dragon’s chest. “K-Kirishima...you idiot, get off me!” His explosions were nothing but weak sparks, barely flickering against the dragon’s scales. “Let me go, you dumbass!”

The dragon growled, tightening its protective hold.

No! He’s not weak! He doesn’t need this! Kirishima's human thoughts fought through the haze of the dragon’s instincts, his body trembling as he struggled to regain control. I’m not supposed to hurt him like this...

“Get off me, Kiri! I don’t need protecting!” Bakugou’s voice cracked, desperation flooding every word.

Those words—Kirishima grabbed onto them like a lifeline. Bakugou wasn’t weak. He didn’t need protecting like this.

Slowly, agonizingly, Kirishima’s form began to shrink. His wings folded back, his scales receded, and his dragon slowly yielded to his human side. Kirishima collapsed to the ground, his body trembling with exhaustion. He had pushed the dragon down, but just barely. I lost control again.

Kirishima sat there, half-transformed, his wings still curled protectively around Bakugou, but his mind was fractured. The guilt hit him like a tidal wave. He had let the dragon out. He had almost hurt Bakugou. He had almost...

Kirishima’s entire body shook as he curled in on himself, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his wings around him like a shield. “I can’t control it,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. Tears burned at the corners of his eyes, but he squeezed them shut, hiding his face behind his knees.

“I’m dangerous,” he whispered to himself. “I’m a danger to him.”

The crowd watched in stunned silence, but Kirishima barely noticed. All he could feel was the crushing weight of his failure, the terror of what he had almost done. I can’t protect him. I’m just...a monster.