Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 31: Kill 'Em With Sound

The day at U.A. starts like any other, but Bakugou is already in a foul mood. As Class 1-A prepares for the School Festival, Bakugou overhears students from other departments criticizing the Hero Course.

"Hero Course students think they’re so damn special," one sneers.

"They cause problems and then expect everyone to praise them for cleaning up their own mess," another adds, bitterness laced in their voice.

Bakugou's blood boils instantly, his fists clenching as he grinds his teeth. Every word feels like a punch to the gut, as if they don’t understand the weight Class 1-A carries on their shoulders. It infuriates him that they can judge so easily from the sidelines.

Just as he's about to storm over and give them a piece of his mind, Kirishima’s calm, steady voice cuts through his anger.

"Katsuki, don't," Kirishima says, placing a hand on Bakugou’s shoulder.

Bakugou freezes for a moment. There it is again—that casual way Kirishima uses his first name. No one else could get away with that, not even Deku. But somehow, with Kirishima, it doesn’t piss him off. It just... feels natural. Like he doesn’t need to keep his guard up around him. It annoys Bakugou that he notices these things, but he can’t help it.

Bakugou scowls, but his anger cools slightly. "You hear what they’re saying? They think they know what it’s like."

Kirishima meets his gaze, calm but firm. "Yeah, I heard. But don’t let it get to you. We know the truth. They don’t matter."

Bakugou’s fists remain clenched, but the urge to blow something up simmers down. "They think we’re cocky and arrogant. Like we asked for all this shit to happen."

"They don’t know what we’ve been through," Kirishima says softly, stepping closer. "But we do. We’ve been through it together."

Bakugou doesn’t respond right away, his gaze shifting away as his thoughts churn. It isn’t fair. None of this is. But, as much as he hates to admit it, Kirishima has a way of grounding him, pulling him back when his anger is ready to spiral out of control. With a sharp exhale, he shoves his hands into his pockets.

"Whatever," Bakugou mutters, turning his back to the other students. "They’re not worth my time."

Kirishima grins, clapping a hand on Bakugou’s shoulder. "That’s the spirit. Let’s show ‘em what we’re made of at the festival."

---

Later, at Heights Alliance, Class 1-A is buzzing with excitement as they toss around ideas for the School Festival. Kyoka suggests Bakugou play drums, but he’s still in a bad mood from earlier.

“Play drums?” Bakugou scoffs, arms crossed. “Why the hell would I wanna do that? The other departments already think we’re showing off. You really wanna give them more to talk about?”

Kyoka frowns but stands her ground. “You’re good at it, Bakugou. And it’s not about what they think. It’s about having fun and doing something together.”

Bakugou growls, his temper flaring again. “Fun? You think we’re here to play around and make friends with a bunch of extras?”

Kirishima, who’s been watching from the sidelines, steps in. "Come on, man. We’re doing this because we want to. Not to prove anything to anyone."

Bakugou looks up at him, his scowl deepening. "What’s the point if they’re just gonna keep talking shit?"

Kirishima leans against the back of Bakugou’s chair, grinning. "Then we blow them away. Kill 'em with sound."

Something flickers in Bakugou’s eyes—something soft that only Kirishima can see. He huffs, leaning forward with his arms crossed. "Fine. But if we’re gonna do this, we’re going all out. No half-assing it just to make some losers happy. We’ll blow them away."

The room buzzes with excitement as Bakugou’s classmates exchange surprised glances, not expecting him to agree. Kyoka smiles, relieved. "Great! Let’s get started then."

---

As the night wears on, the atmosphere lightens. Class 1-A’s roles for the festival are finally falling into place. Kyoka will lead the band, Momo on keyboards, and Denki and Tokoyami on guitars. Kirishima will help with staging, while Mina leads the dance team. The entire class is fired up, their energy infectious.

But Kirishima can’t shake a small sense of worry. He knows how hard Bakugou pushes himself when he feels like he has something to prove. Sure, Bakugou’s the best at almost everything he does, but Kirishima worries that this time, Bakugou will push himself too far.

During a break, Kirishima finds himself next to Bakugou again.

"You really got everyone riled up with that speech," Kirishima says with a grin, nudging Bakugou’s arm.

Bakugou huffs, his arms crossed as he leans back in his chair. "I didn’t say it to make them feel better. I said it ‘cause I meant it."

Kirishima chuckles, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. But still, you got us all fired up. Even me."

Bakugou glances at him, his expression softening for a brief second. "Just don’t get in my way, shitty hair."

Kirishima laughs, his voice light. "Wouldn’t dream of it, Katsuki."

---

Later that night, the dorms quiet down as everyone settles into their rooms. Kirishima sits on his bed, his phone in hand, though he isn’t really focused on anything. His mind keeps drifting back to Bakugou, to the way he looked earlier—tense, angry, but also vulnerable in a way only Kirishima could see.

The pull he feels toward Bakugou isn’t just about their friendship anymore. It’s something deeper, something he can’t quite put into words. His dragon quirk stirs restlessly inside him, reminding him of the bond they share, a bond that feels stronger with each passing day.

A knock at the door pulls him from his thoughts. When he opens it, Bakugou stands there, arms crossed, scowl still in place but without its usual fire.

"What are you doing?" Bakugou demands, stepping inside without waiting for an answer.

Kirishima blinks, surprised but not entirely thrown off. "Uh, just… thinking."

Bakugou huffs, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Don’t think too hard. We’ve got practice tomorrow, and I don’t need you screwing up ‘cause you didn’t sleep."

Kirishima chuckles, closing the door behind him. "Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry about me."

They don’t talk about it directly—about the unspoken pull that seems to draw them closer, about how they’ve somehow started sharing a bed like it’s the most natural thing in the world. But the bond between them is undeniable, even if neither of them is ready to admit it.

As they settle into the quiet of the night, Kirishima can’t help but think about how easy it’s become to fall into this routine. Bakugou, for all his rough edges and explosive temper, is the one person who calms the restless energy inside Kirishima. And for Bakugou, Kirishima is the only one who brings him down from the edge, who can reach through his walls without getting burned.

"Night, Katsuki," Kirishima murmurs as they lie there, bodies unconsciously drifting closer.

Bakugou grunts in response, his voice softening just enough for Kirishima to catch the hint of warmth in it. "Yeah. Night."

They both drift off to sleep, knowing that no matter what challenges they face, they’ll face them together.