Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 12: The End of Term Test

The classroom buzzes with anxiety as Class 1-A faces the upcoming final exams. While Momo offers her calm and methodical tutoring, Kirishima jokes to Bakugou about their differing approaches. Bakugou snaps, declaring he’ll tutor Kirishima until he bleeds. Kirishima, ever eager, accepts without hesitation, knowing this is Bakugou's way of helping.

Kirishima’s hands fidget nervously as he waits at the small diner booth. The last few days have been packed with intense studying, and while Momo’s methodical approach helped some of their classmates, Bakugou’s intense and no-nonsense attitude worked best for him. It was different, maybe even harsh, but it felt...personal, in a way.

“Oi, dumbass!” Bakugou’s gruff voice snaps Kirishima out of his thoughts as he slides into the booth across from him, dropping a pile of textbooks with a heavy thud. His casual black shirt and jeans contrast sharply with his usual school attire, making Kirishima blush ever so slightly.

Kirishima chuckles nervously, “Hey, man! I’ve been waiting for you.” He scratches the back of his head, feeling a little out of his depth. They had studied together before, but this felt a little more intimate, especially outside the classroom.

Bakugou glances up, scowling but with a hint of something else in his eyes. “Don’t get too comfortable, shitty hair. I’m not here to have fun. I’m here to make sure you pass.”

Bakugou slams open one of the notebooks, flipping through pages with precision. “So, where did you last completely suck at understanding?” He jabs a finger at a page.

Kirishima scratches the back of his neck sheepishly. “Uh, chemistry mostly...and a bit of math.”

Bakugou groans, pressing his hand to his forehead in frustration. “How are you this dumb? You’ve got rocks for brains!” But there’s no real malice behind the words. Kirishima grins at the insult, used to Bakugou’s tough love. He’s learned to read between the lines and sees the care in Bakugou’s actions, even when the blond tries to hide it.

As they dive into the material, Bakugou starts quizzing him with rapid-fire questions. Kirishima tries to keep up, but after the third wrong answer, Bakugou smacks him on the head with a rolled-up newspaper. “Focus, damn it!”

“I am, I swear!” Kirishima laughs, rubbing his head. “It’s just hard when you’re yelling like that.”

Bakugou scowls again, but there’s the faintest trace of a smirk playing at his lips. “You’re hopeless.” But despite his words, he shifts his seat slightly, leaning closer to explain a particularly tricky equation. Kirishima watches him with admiration, half-listening to the explanation, half-focused on how serious Bakugou looks when he's focused.

As the evening wears on, the tension melts away, and the tutoring session begins to feel less like a chore and more like hanging out. Bakugou, for all his bluster, doesn’t seem to mind the way their knees bump under the table or how Kirishima leans in a little too close when he’s confused.

By the time they’re done, Kirishima’s head is spinning with formulas and facts, but his heart feels light. “Thanks for this, man. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Bakugou shrugs, looking away, but Kirishima doesn’t miss the slight blush creeping onto his cheeks. “Tch. Don’t mention it. Just don’t fail or I’ll kill you.”

Kirishima laughs, standing up to stretch. “With you as my tutor, I don’t think I’ll fail.”

Bakugou rolls his eyes, grabbing his stuff. “You better not.”

As they leave the diner, there’s a comfortable silence between them. Kirishima glances at Bakugou out of the corner of his eye, feeling a warmth in his chest. It may have been just a study session, but it felt like something more. Maybe it wasn’t a date date, but spending time with Bakugou like this made Kirishima feel special.

In class, as Bakugou has another outburst after arguing with Midoriya, Kirishima notices. It’s been a while since Bakugou’s anger flared up like this, and the concern in Kirishima’s eyes reflects how deeply he knows Bakugou. Their bond grows stronger with each study session, even as Bakugou’s intensity spikes.

When test day arrives, Kirishima feels more prepared than ever. He’s not just ready for the written exam but ready to face whatever comes next alongside Bakugou. There’s an unspoken understanding between them, a connection that’s built on trust and mutual support, even when it’s disguised by Bakugou’s usual ferocity.

With the written exams behind them, Class 1-A is standing outside, anticipating their practical exams. Kirishima feels confident, especially after the grueling study sessions with Bakugou, though the unknown nature of the practical test looms large. Mina and Denki, visibly relieved that the written portion is over, eagerly await the familiar combat against robots. However, Nezu’s sudden announcement sends shockwaves through the group.

They won’t be battling robots. Instead, they will be facing U.A.'s teachers in real-life battle simulations.

Kirishima's heart races as he hears that he’ll be paired with Rikido Sato to face Cementoss. The test feels more intense than he anticipated, but Kirishima knows his strengths lie in pushing through any obstacles. He shares a determined nod with Sato as they prepare for the test.

As the exercise begins, Kirishima and Sato charge at Cementoss, smashing through his cement walls. Every hit drains their stamina, but more walls appear in front of them. Cementoss’ quirk seems endless. Sweat drips down Kirishima’s face as his muscles scream in protest, but he keeps going, driven by his unwavering determination. Cementoss’ calm voice echoes through the battlefield, pointing out that their weakness lies in drawn-out battles, but that only drives Kirishima harder.

Every time he smashes through a wall, another one appears. The ground trembles under the weight of his determination, but the more they push, the more Kirishima realizes this isn’t just about brute strength. They need to outthink their opponent.

When the exercise ends, Kirishima and Sato are exhausted, their bodies pushed to the limit. Cementoss praises their resilience, but they didn’t win.

Back in the classroom, Kirishima sits with his head down. Along with Kaminari, Mina, and Sato, he’s crestfallen, knowing they’ve failed the practical exam. The weight of defeat presses down on him like a lead blanket, and despite his efforts, it wasn’t enough.

Just when he feels the sting of failure deepening, Aizawa-sensei enters and delivers a surprise: the failure was a ruse. Every student in Class 1-A will still go to the forest lodge, but those who failed will receive harsher training. Relief washes over Kirishima, and while the thought of more intense training doesn’t scare him, he vows to push himself even harder next time.

The class starts talking about the upcoming trip, excitement slowly building. Toru suggests a group shopping trip to gather supplies, and Kirishima, ever the team player, grins and agrees. Even though the test was grueling, they still have a long road ahead, and he knows that, with friends like Bakugou at his side, he can face anything.