Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 16: Desperation and Determination

The sterile hospital air feels heavy as Kirishima steps into Midoriya’s room. The soft hum of machines, the low chatter from the others—none of it registers as he stands near the door, fists clenching at his sides. His heart is pounding, but it’s not from nerves. It’s from something deeper—something primal, pulling at him, tearing at him.

Bakugou is gone.

The words repeat over and over in his mind, each one like a knife to his gut. His dragon roars within, enraged and wounded, furious that it wasn’t there to protect its mate. His mate. Kirishima bites the inside of his cheek hard enough to taste blood, trying to smother the word, but it echoes relentlessly in his head.

As he watches his classmates gather around Midoriya’s hospital bed, murmuring words of comfort, Kirishima feels detached—like he’s standing on the edge of a cliff, looking in on something far away. Midoriya is talking, guilt-ridden and full of regret, apologizing for not saving Bakugou, but the words are just a blur. Kirishima’s dragon stirs violently, the raw, animalistic need to do something clawing at him from the inside out.

“I couldn’t save him,” Midoriya’s voice cracks, and it’s enough to jolt Kirishima out of his haze.

The room falls silent. Midoriya’s eyes are downcast, his fists clutching the bed sheets as if they’re the only things anchoring him to reality. Kirishima’s blood boils at the sight. He should’ve been there. He should’ve been by Bakugou’s side. His dragon thrashes in fury, pushing against his control, desperate to break free and hunt down the villains who dared to take his Bakugou.

Kirishima opens his mouth before he even realizes what he’s doing.

“This time, we can save him.”

All eyes in the room snap to him, but Kirishima barely notices. His heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst, his blood running hot in his veins as the dragon howls in his mind. It demands action, vengeance. Find him. Save him. Protect your mate.

“We overheard a conversation,” Kirishima continues, his voice strained, barely holding back the storm inside him. Todoroki, standing beside him, nods in agreement. “All Might, the police—they’ve got a way to find them. Momo planted a transmitter on one of the villains. We can track them.”

His dragon surges with hope, the thought of finding Bakugou rekindling a fire that had been smothered by the weight of helplessness. But that hope is shattered almost immediately by Iidas stern voice cutting through the room.

“You’re suggesting we go after them ourselves? That’s reckless. We need to leave this to the Pro Heroes.”

Kirishima’s entire body tenses, and for a split second, he feels his skin heat up unnaturally. He can feel the dragon’s rage simmering just beneath the surface, scales prickling under his skin, his muscles twitching with barely controlled energy. Iidas words sting, feeding the helplessness that has been gnawing at him ever since the attack. His dragon snarls, smoke curling at the back of Kirishima’s throat, the need to act overwhelming.

“We know that!” Kirishima snaps, his voice shaking. He takes a step forward, fists clenched so tight his knuckles are white. “But I couldn’t do anything. After I heard that my—” The word slips out, raw and honest. “My mate was being targeted. I couldn’t do anything! I didn’t do anything! If I don’t act now, I won’t be a hero, or a man anymore!”

The word mate hangs in the air like a slap to the face, but Kirishima barely registers it. His dragon, though, roars in approval, the truth finally spoken aloud. Bakugou wasn’t just his friend—he was more. He was his. The dragon inside him has known it all along, and now the fragile barrier between Kirishima and that realization has crumbled.

There’s a stunned silence in the room, everyone too shocked by Kirishima’s outburst to respond. He can feel his heart hammering in his chest, the dragon’s energy coursing through him like wildfire. His breath comes in ragged gasps, and for a brief moment, he feels his control slipping. Smoke billows out of his nostrils, his vision blurring as heat surges through his veins. His wings threaten to tear through his back, his horns aching to emerge, but he forces himself to stay grounded.

Kaminari and Tsuyu quickly step in, calming the tension in the room, but Kirishima’s thoughts are racing too fast to care. He turns to Izuku, desperation etched into every line of his face.

“We can save him,” Kirishima says, quieter this time but no less urgent. “You know we can.”

Midoriya looks conflicted, his eyes flickering between Kirishima and Iida. The rest of the class shifts uncomfortably, unsure of what to do, but Kirishima doesn’t care. He only cares about Bakugou—about getting him back, about protecting him like he should have from the start.

Iida steps forward, his voice firm but understanding. “Kirishima… I know how you feel, but this isn’t just about what we want. The consequences—”

“I don’t care about the consequences!” Kirishima snaps, his voice raw with emotion. “If we don’t do something, if we just sit back and let them—” His voice breaks, the thought of Bakugou in the hands of the League of Villains too much to bear.

Midoriya gives Iida a pleading look, his green eyes filled with determination. “We have to try,” Izuku says, his voice quiet but firm. “We can’t just leave him.”

There’s a long pause, the weight of their decision hanging heavily in the air. Finally, Iida sighs, his posture relaxing ever so slightly. “Fine,” he says, though his tone is still laced with worry. “But if we do this, we need a plan.”

The tension in the room eases, but Kirishima’s dragon still simmers beneath the surface, waiting for its chance to unleash its fury. For now, though, Kirishima breathes a small sigh of relief. He won’t be sitting on the sidelines this time. He’ll fight for Bakugou—for his mate.

As the others start to leave the room, Kirishima stays behind with Midoriya, determination burning in his chest. They need to act quickly. Time is running out, and Kirishima knows one thing for certain: he won’t stop until Bakugou is back where he belongs.