Dragon's Heart, Hero's Will

Chapter 56: Reckoning and Redemption

The return to UA was anything but quiet.

The moment Kirishima and Bakugo stepped onto campus, they were met with an overwhelming crowd of reporters, civilians, and fellow students. The news of the battle had spread fast—faster than anyone expected—and the reactions were just as chaotic.

Some hailed Kirishima as a hero, a savior who had thrown himself into danger to protect others. But just as many whispered in hushed voices, fear lacing their words.

“Did you see what he became?”

“He was practically a villain—he lost control.”

“How can someone like that be trusted?”

Kirishima clenched his fists, his throat tightening. He had expected this. Knew it was coming. But knowing didn’t make it any easier.

Aizawa and the UA staff were already prepared for the media storm, setting up a press conference before things could spiral further. The moment Kirishima and Bakugo were inside the building, they were ushered into a room where Principal Nezu, Aizawa, All Might, and several other pro heroes were waiting.

“Sit,” Aizawa said simply, his voice tired but firm. “We need to discuss how to handle this.”

Kirishima hesitated before sinking into the chair beside Bakugo, whose scowl had only deepened since they arrived. He could feel the barely restrained anger radiating off of him, his shoulders stiff as if ready for a fight.

Nezu folded his paws together, his expression unreadable. “You did something incredible, Kirishima. But you also did something the public will struggle to understand. We need to decide how to address it.”

Kirishima swallowed. “You mean the fact that I lost control?”

Aizawa sighed. “You didn’t lose control—you saved lives. But the public sees what they want to see.”

Bakugo scoffed, leaning forward. “So what, you want him to get up there and apologize for saving their sorry asses?”

“No,” All Might interjected, his voice calm yet powerful. “We want him to tell his story before anyone else can twist it into something it wasn’t.”

Kirishima exhaled slowly. He could do that. He had to do that.

The press conference was held later that day in UA’s main hall, where the media had already set up cameras and microphones. Kirishima stood at the podium, flanked by Bakugo and Aizawa, the weight of a thousand gazes pressing down on him.

He took a deep breath. Then he spoke.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk about what happened during the fight. Some of you think I lost control. That I became something dangerous.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “And you’re not wrong to be afraid. Power like that… it’s terrifying. Even for me.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd, but Kirishima continued, his voice steady.
“But being a hero isn’t about having power—it’s about what you do with it. I made a choice. I used every part of myself to protect the people who couldn’t protect themselves. If that makes me a monster in your eyes, so be it. I won’t apologize for saving lives.”

Silence stretched across the room before one reporter hesitantly raised a hand. “Was the fight broadcasted? Did the public see everything?”

Aizawa answered, “Only fragments. Enough to cause fear, but not enough to show the whole truth.”

Another reporter stood. “Kirishima, do you believe you have control over… whatever you became?”

Kirishima met their gaze. “I’m working on it. And I won’t stop until I do.”

That was the truth. He wouldn’t let this define him as a villain. He’d define himself.

The next step was something no one prepared them for—therapy.

Kirishima and Bakugo sat in the office of UA’s assigned trauma specialist, Dr. Tanaka, a woman with kind eyes and a gaze that saw straight through them.

“Hero society expects a lot from you,” she said, flipping through her notes. “But pretending you’re fine when you’re not isn’t heroism. It’s self-destruction.”

Bakugo crossed his arms, jaw clenched. “We don’t need—”

“You do,” she interrupted, leveling him with a look. “Both of you.”

Kirishima exhaled. “I… I don’t know how to stop feeling like I’m slipping.”

Dr. Tanaka nodded. “That’s why we’re here.”

The sessions weren’t easy. They forced them to confront everything—the nightmares, the guilt, the fear of losing themselves. But step by step, they worked through it.

Kirishima learned to embrace the dragon inside him without fear. Bakugo learned that he didn’t have to hold everything together alone.

They learned that healing wasn’t about erasing what happened—it was about moving forward despite it.

Weeks later, after the dust had settled, Kirishima and Bakugo found themselves back in the cave where everything had started.

The fire crackled between them, its glow casting flickering shadows on the walls. They sat close, shoulders brushing, wrapped in warmth.

Kirishima exhaled, staring at the flames. “I think… I think I finally get it.”

Bakugo turned to him. “Get what?”

“That I’m not fighting the dragon inside me. I am the dragon. And that’s okay.”
Bakugo snorted. “Took you long enough, dumbass.”

Kirishima chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah. Guess so.”

Silence stretched between them before Bakugo spoke again, voice quieter. “You scared me, you know.”

Kirishima looked at him, surprised by the admission.

Bakugo wasn’t looking at him, his gaze locked on the fire. “Not ‘cause I thought you’d hurt me. But ‘cause I thought you wouldn’t come back.”

A lump formed in Kirishima’s throat. He reached over, intertwining their fingers, squeezing tightly. “I’ll always come back to you.”

Bakugo’s grip tightened. “Damn right, you will.”

They sat there, side by side, firelight warming their skin, knowing that no matter what came next, they had each other.
And that was enough.