DRAGON'S BROOD (Kirishima x Bakugou)

Chapter 14: The Healing Dragon Tribe

Kirishima's PoV

Bakugou's face brightened as he heard my words and my grin involuntarily widened. He looked so damn good if he didn't make a face.

The dragonslayer stood up and grabbed his cape. He stroked his fingers through the fur stuck together by the salt water and sighed: "I need a new cape", he grabbed his empty sword sheath, "and a new sword. Damn it."

"Why a new sword?" I asked, frowning. I had decided to trust him, but admittedly I'd trust the dragonslayer without the sword a little more.

Bakugou looked down at me, an amused expression in his eyes. "Don't worry, we are companions now. But without a sword I feel so ... naked".

I laughed. "And that couldn't be by any chance because you're not wearing a shirt?"

He frowned and looked down at his naked chest. "Yeah, you're right. Without a cape it's a bit cold. Especially when we're heading north," he grumbled and laid the cape over his shoulder, despite the sticky fur. My gaze rested further on his trained upper body.

"Okay, where can you get those things?" I finally asked him. I detached my gaze from his distinct abs and looked up at him. Bakugou grinned at me and I turned bright red. He had caught me staring again.

"Well, I'd like to know that too," he sighed. "But for that I would have to know where we are. We are still on the coast, aren't we? I hear the sound of the sea. You flew north?"

I nodded.

"How long for?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I have no idea. I was exhausted and you had to be taken care of. Probably not too long," I said embarrassedly.

He looked at me gently and his gaze rested on my discoloured skin. "It was probably better that way. You'll need a while to heal yourself." Then he frowned and closed his eyes briefly as he thought. "Since we've left the woods, we should be near Ariko. If you had flown past, you would have seen it. Ariko isn't one of the three big cities, but it isn't small and would be illuminated during the night." He sighed and went through his blond hair, "Thank God I've been travelling around in the country a lot and have a rough orientation. Because unfortunately my map disappeared in the sea."

"Sorry." I said ruefully.

"Stop apologizing. You saved my fucking life," he grumbled.

I shook my head with a smile. Even though he was very quick-tempered, I couldn't help but like him. Since I was still sitting on the ground and Bakugou looked as if he was about to leave, I started to get up.

I hadn't really noticed my injuries before. Last night I had been too busy rescuing Bakugou to pay attention to my own injuries. But as I tried to get up now, the movement stretched every fibre of my body and the pain that ran through my ribs took my breath away. I pinched my eyes together and reached blindly for the rock face next to me to hold on.

But instead of rough rock, my fingertips touched soft skin. "Hey Red, everything okay?" I heard Bakugou's worried voice right next to my ear as he carefully grabbed my arm to support me. I blinked in surprise and got goose bumps as I felt his breath on my skin. Carefully I looked to the side and saw directly into Bakugou's red worried eyes.

"Can you stand?" he asked quietly and looked at me.

Carefully I nodded. "Yes, the pain just surprised me. As long as I sat there without moving, I hardly noticed it," I said embarrassedly and he let me go carefully.

"Idiot. Anyone can see how badly you're hurt. It will take a while for it to heal. It's hard to believe that you managed to fly so far yesterday. Do you think you can walk?"

I laughed, but I stopped immediately because my ribs hurt. "Yes I can. But don't worry, I'll heal quite quickly," I said. "I broke my leg once and after a week I was fit again.

"Oh right, you're a Kirishima, I almost forgot," said Bakugou as he casually examined my body before he turned around and started walking straight north.

I frowned confused and limped after him. "What do you mean?"

"You're descended from the healing dragon tribe," he said briefly, as if that explains everything.

"What? How do you know that?" I asked, stunned.

"Remember that I am a trained dragonslayer. I know every dragon tribe and its abilities. The Kirishima have special healing powers that are mainly used for self-healing. However, it is also said that especially powerful dragons were able to apply these powers to others," Bakugou calmly explained.

I listened in amazement. I had always attributed my quick healing to the fact that I was a half dragon. I had no idea that it had something special to do with my family. I frowned when something occurred to me. "Tell me, how many people know that? I'd better not introduce myself with my surname. I didn't even know that I have my father's name. Wouldn't that betray me?"

"This knowledge is known only to the dragonslayers and mighty men of the royal military. They would always be able to expose someone with such a name. So yes, you better use another one."

I nodded. "But then why doesn't everyone know? Couldn't the half dragons be identified much more quickly?"

"Tch. No, of course not. If everyone knew, the half dragons would also know and they could hide much more easily. Like that it's safer, because it ensures that no half dragon ever makes it into powerful positions. Idiot," Bakugou grumbled and looked at me shaking his head.

Subconsciously, I stopped to think about it. It seemed obvious to me that there were such precautions. I realized that it would be useful for me to have Bakugou with me. Apart from the fact that I wanted him with me.

Deep in thought, I hadn't even noticed that Bakugou had stopped as well. Only when he reached for my hand and interlaced his fingers with mine did I look up again.

"Come on, Red," he said with a smile. "We shouldn't waste any time."