Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 10: Bound by Fate

Kirishima remains curled up, rocking back and forth in a tight ball, the weight of his guilt pressing down like a mountain. His wings are pulled tightly around him, shielding him from the world as his body trembles. He can't face anyone—not after what he's done. He feels like a monster. His breath comes in sharp, shallow bursts, his thoughts spiraling deeper into shame.

Aizawa approaches carefully, his voice low and coaxing. "Kirishima, it’s okay. You’re safe now. No one is hurt." He kneels beside the boy, his gaze soft, trying to get through to him. But Kirishima doesn’t move, doesn’t even acknowledge Aizawa's words. His whole body is locked in the endless cycle of his thoughts, repeating over and over again: I lost control. I hurt him. I’m dangerous.

Aizawa reaches out, his hand hovering over Kirishima’s shoulder, unsure if contact would help or make things worse. But before he can make a decision, Midnight steps forward, her face set with grim determination.

“We can’t let this continue,” she says, voice cold. “He’s a danger to everyone. He’s already proven that.”

Aizawa looks up sharply. “Midnight, wait—”

But Midnight acts quickly, activating her Quirk, and before Aizawa can protest further, she releases it, enveloping Kirishima in its fumes. His body, already exhausted from the transformation, slumps to the ground as he’s knocked unconscious.

“No!” Bakugou’s hoarse voice cuts through the chaos. Despite his exhaustion, his panic, he forces himself to stand, stumbling toward them. His heart pounds, but it’s not just from the aftereffects of his panic attack. It’s something deeper, something he doesn’t understand yet. “Get the hell off him!”

Bakugou’s body shakes, his legs weak, but his voice is firm. "He's not dangerous! Don’t—" He doesn’t know why he’s so desperate to stop them, why it feels like something inside him is tearing apart just watching Kirishima being subdued. His skin prickles with an unknown need to protect him, but it doesn’t make sense. His mind is still reeling from the panic, the terror of being bound and muzzled, but something else is gnawing at him now, something tied to Kirishima.

Aizawa’s eyes flicker with concern as other pro-heroes move in to bind Kirishima, chains clicking as they wrap around his limp body. Bakugou’s hands twitch, small sparks of explosions flickering from his palms as anger and confusion swirl inside him. He doesn’t understand the overwhelming pull he feels toward Kirishima—the need to keep him safe, to pull him close, and to make sure no one hurts him.

“Kirishima... why do I feel like this?” Bakugou whispers to himself, his mind foggy. He knows something has changed, but he doesn’t know how or why. Secretly, Kirishima’s dragon pheromones have been subtly affecting him, reworking Bakugou’s very instincts. The dragon within Kirishima has already chosen Bakugou as its mate, an omega in need of protection.

The crowd watches in stunned silence as Bakugou stands there, trembling with exhaustion but refusing to back down. His protests fall on deaf ears as Midnight turns to Aizawa. “He’ll need to be expelled. We can’t risk another incident.”

Bakugou’s eyes widen, and something inside him snaps. "You can’t do that!" His voice cracks with desperation, surprising even himself.

Aizawa, clearly torn, glances between Midnight and Bakugou, the conflict evident in his face. But the decision feels out of his hands as Kirishima’s unconscious form is carried away, bound and subdued, leaving Bakugou standing alone in the aftermath, his heart heavy with an unfamiliar ache.

---

After the Sports Festival, the students are given two days off. Kirishima spends them in a heavy guilt spiral, isolated at home, feeling like he can’t face anyone after losing control of his dragon during the festival. He fears the consequences, wondering if he’s too dangerous to be around, especially with how close he came to hurting Bakugou.

Meanwhile, Bakugou, still physically and mentally exhausted from the festival and his panic attack, finds himself constantly thinking about Kirishima. The feeling that keeps gnawing at him is unfamiliar and unsettling. It’s not the pain from being restrained, but something deeper—something tied to Kirishima’s sudden and overwhelming need to protect him. Bakugou feels unsettled, unable to push away the memory of Kirishima’s protective form.

On the second day, Kirishima decides he can’t avoid Bakugou any longer. He gathers the courage to walk to Bakugou’s house, standing outside, fists clenched, his heart pounding. He knows he needs to explain, to apologize for losing control, for failing to keep the dragon in check.

When Bakugou opens the door, his gaze pierces through Kirishima’s guilt.

“Why the hell are you acting like this?” Bakugou growls, though there’s no true malice behind the words. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Kirishima’s voice wavers. “I almost... I could’ve hurt you, Bakugou. I almost lost control.”

“You didn’t.” Bakugou’s tone is firm, his crimson eyes glaring up at him. “You protected me. Now get in here and stop being a dumbass.”

Kirishima hesitates for a brief moment but finally steps inside. There’s a tension between them that neither fully understands yet, but Bakugou feels it deeply. Something about Kirishima’s dragon form, and how he reacted, has left a mark on Bakugou. As much as he wants to brush it off, it lingers.

What neither of them realizes yet is that Kirishima’s dragon pheromones have already begun influencing Bakugou, working to bond them further as mates, even though Bakugou is still unaware of the full extent of what’s happening.