Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 15: Into the Beast's Forest

The morning sun rises high as Class 1-A boards the bus, the excitement of the forest lodge trip buzzing through the air. Kirishima can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and anticipation. Beside him, Bakugou sits with his arms crossed, already scowling as if daring someone to make the trip difficult.

Kirishima leans closer to Bakugou, a grin stretching across his face. “You ready for this, man?”

Bakugou grunts. “I’m ready to crush whatever the hell they throw at us. I didn’t come here to play around.”

Kirishima chuckles, knowing exactly what he meant. There’s never an off switch for Bakugou—it’s one of the things Kirishima has come to admire most about him. But behind his lighthearted exterior, Kirishima is still battling his inner dragon, which seems to sense the closeness of Bakugou and reacts, growing more restless. He tries to keep his instincts in check, focusing on the task ahead.

When they reach their first stop, Class 1-A is surprised to see that Class 1-B isn’t there. Before anyone can react, they’re met by the Pussycats—professional heroes who waste no time in sending the students plummeting into the Beast’s Forest. As dirt rises into towering creatures, Class 1-A is thrown into chaos.

Bakugou immediately leaps into action, his explosions tearing through the beast-like constructs. Kirishima can’t help but follow, always a step behind, both as his partner and as his shield. The dragon inside him pushes forward, whispering to stay close—to protect Bakugou at all costs.

As they fight through the forest, the hours stretch on, and exhaustion begins to creep into their bones. Kirishima finds himself staring at Bakugou more than he should, caught in the way he never seems to falter, always charging ahead, refusing to be beaten. It’s during these moments that Kirishima’s internal struggle becomes harder to ignore.

It’s not just admiration anymore.

When they finally reach the base of the mountain, battered and covered in dirt, Bakugou wipes sweat from his brow, his usual determined fire burning in his eyes. He catches Kirishima staring, and for a moment, there’s a flicker of something unspoken between them—something Kirishima isn’t ready to name yet.

“Tch. What’re you lookin’ at?” Bakugou snaps, but without his usual venom.

Kirishima grins, hoping his flustered feelings don’t show. “Nothing, man. Just impressed, as always.”

The next day, the serious training begins, and Kirishima throws himself into it with everything he has, using the brutal sessions as a way to distract himself from his thoughts about Bakugou. Their training is intense, with Bakugou exploding water in the boiling pits while Kirishima smashes through solid rock until his hands are raw.

But even amidst the exhaustion and pain, Kirishima can’t shake the dragon’s instincts, constantly pushing him to protect Bakugou at all costs. Every time Bakugou struggles, Kirishima finds himself stepping in, his body moving almost involuntarily toward him.

Bakugou, of course, doesn’t notice. His focus remains on getting stronger—on proving to himself and the world that he’s the best. But Kirishima notices, and it’s beginning to wear on him.

That night, after the day’s grueling training session, the class gathers to cook dinner together. While the others focus on making curry, Kirishima sits a little further away, lost in thought. He watches as Bakugou works, grumbling about the slow progress while begrudgingly helping some of the others.

Kirishima’s heart beats a little faster as he watches Bakugou, feeling the pull of his dragon quirk more strongly than ever. He clenches his fists, trying to steady his thoughts, but the feeling is undeniable.