Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 23: Restless Instincts

The walk back to Heights Alliance is quieter than Kirishima likes, but he can't tear his eyes away from Bakugou’s back as they move through the darkened streets. Midoriya limps slightly beside Bakugou, still shaken from their fight, but Kirishima’s attention is consumed by the blond ahead of him. His inner dragon claws at his insides, restless and seething. The instinct to protect and care for Bakugou burns inside him like fire, urging him to act.

He’s hurt. Your omega is hurt. The dragon's voice is a low, insistent growl, making it impossible for Kirishima to think straight. He has to fight every primal urge to rush forward, to take Bakugou into his arms, and lick his wounds clean like his instincts demand. That’s what dragons do for their mates—protect, heal, and guard.

But Bakugou isn’t just some injured dragon. He’s Bakugou. The very thought of explaining why he’s hovering so anxiously would get him a face full of explosions and probably a harsh lecture. Kirishima forces himself to stay a few paces back, fists clenched tightly by his sides as they reach the dorms.

Inside, Aizawa pulls out the first aid kit, gesturing for Midoriya and Bakugou to sit down. Kirishima lingers near the doorway, his heart pounding in his chest. Every inch of him is tense, barely able to keep himself from rushing forward. His dragon is louder now, more demanding. Clean. Protect. Stay close.

As Aizawa starts bandaging Bakugou’s arm, Kirishima moves instinctively, taking a step closer before stopping himself. His dragon howls in frustration. The need to care for his mate is overwhelming, almost painful in its intensity. But he can’t—he won’t. Bakugou would never understand.

“Oi, shitty hair.” Bakugou’s voice cuts through Kirishima’s haze, sharp and irritated. “What the hell are you staring at?”

Kirishima stammers, his face flushing as Bakugou’s piercing red eyes lock onto him. He opens his mouth, but no words come out. What can I even say? That I’m worried because my dragon sees you as its mate? He swallows hard, pushing the thought away.

“N-Nothing,” Kirishima manages, forcing a grin. “Just… just making sure you’re okay, man.”

Bakugou narrows his eyes but doesn’t push the issue. Instead, he turns away, grumbling under his breath as Aizawa wraps the bandages tighter. Kirishima exhales shakily, trying to calm the rapid beating of his heart. He hates feeling so helpless, so useless. His dragon is raging inside him, wanting to heal, to touch, to be near. But he stays where he is, rooted to the spot, fists clenched tight enough to hurt.

Aizawa finishes the bandaging and starts scolding the two for their reckless fight. But Kirishima barely registers the words. His eyes are glued to Bakugou, watching the way his muscles tense and his fingers curl in frustration. He’s hurt. The thought repeats in his mind over and over again, fueling the burning need to act.

But he can’t. Not like this.

---

The next morning starts with Kirishima still restless. His inner dragon gnaws at him, frustrated with the distance between him and Bakugou. After a fitful night, he’s up early, hovering anxiously as he catches wind of the house arrest imposed on both Bakugou and Midoriya. His dragon is far from appeased by the knowledge that Bakugou is close, but the fact that he can’t see him or ensure his safety feels like an impossible weight on his chest.

Throughout the day, Kirishima finds himself drifting toward the dorm’s common spaces, his mind elsewhere as Class 1-A prepares to attend the opening ceremony. His focus keeps shifting back to Bakugou, still cleaning and serving his punishment under Aizawa’s watchful eye. Kirishima’s instincts roar, protect him, be near him, and the distance makes it unbearable.

The rest of Class 1-A, unaware of Kirishima’s inner struggle, begins preparing for the new semester. However, Kirishima’s worry deepens as the house arrest keeps Bakugou confined, separated from the others. He knows Bakugou can take care of himself, but his instincts—the dragon part of him—refuse to settle.

Outside, as the rest of the class assembles, Iida keeps the group in check, but Kirishima’s heart isn’t fully in it. His dragon wants to break the house arrest just to check on Bakugou, but rationality keeps him in line. When Monoma arrives, taunting Class 1-A for having two students fail the Provisional License Exam, Kirishima bites back a growl. Normally, he’d laugh it off or push it aside, but the tension gnawing at him makes it harder to shrug off Monoma’s provocations.

Todoroki tries to apologize, feeling the weight of their failure, but Kirishima steps in to assure him it’s not a big deal. “Don’t worry about it, man,” Kirishima says, trying to mask his growing frustration. But his dragon still thrashes inside, hating the separation between him and Bakugou.

As the class walks to Ground Beta for Nezu’s speech, Kirishima lingers toward the back of the group, barely registering Monoma’s taunts or Pony’s exchanges. He keeps his eyes forward, but his mind is on Bakugou, cleaning alone in the dorms with Midoriya.