DRAGON'S BROOD II (Kirishima x Bakugou)

Chapter 23: Nightly Conversations

Bakugou's PoV

Already the presence of the nerd irritated me enormously. But his stuttering almost made me livid. But I should have known better. Already in my time on the courtDeku had been constant in my proximity.

"What are you doing here, huh?" I repeated annoyed because he was still staring at me with big eyes. Gradually my eyes got used to the darkness of the room.

"Th-that I could ask you! I thought you were dead," he stammered, and a smile fell on his lips.

"Tch. Obviously not," I growled and wanted to walk past him.

"Kacchan, you can't just go out there like that!"

"I hadn't intended to, but now that you're here I don't want to stay," I replied rolling my eyes and pushed him aside.

"It's too dangerous!"

I stopped and clenched my teeth. I knew he was right, but that only irritated me more. "So, what do you suggest, Deku?' I growled, while I had still turned my back towards him. The only answer I received was an incomprehensible murmur. "Express yourself, fucking squire,' I hissed, at the end of my patience.

"I've long since ceased to be a squire. I'm a dragonslayer," he said quietly with a touch of pride in his voice.

Now I turned around. "Hah? You weakling? Don't make me laugh!"

"Kacchan. We haven't seen each other for over three years! A lot has happened in that time. All Might took me under his wing and two weeks ago I graduated," he said calmly and scratched his back of his head in embarrassment.

I felt my blood start to boil in my veins. My jaw hurt, so hard I bit my teeth together in the meantime. My fingers twitched to my sword as I stared at him. The fact that All Might had picked him out of all people to succeed him made me furious. I had been the one he had picked out! I had been a little orphan when I had taken his exams! I had fought for it! And now he copied me?

My breathing was heavy, and I had to hold myself back not to go for his throat. But then something remembered. It made no difference. No matter how important it had been to me back then, I had a mission to make sure it never needed a dragonslayer again.

"However, you will never practice anyway. I'll make sure of that," I finally growled between clenched teeth. Since I decided that it really wasn't a good idea to walk through the castle at night, I sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall.

"What do you mean?" Deku asked perplexed.

I glared at him, but in the darkness the effect failed. "I'm not here without a reason, idiot. I have a mission. A mission of peace and I need the damn prince for it."

"Shouto?" he asked in a strangely high voice.

I frowned, but I didn't answer him. It wasn't like I owed him an explanation. I closed my eyes and supported my head against the wall. It was the middle of the night and I was tired. Then I heard him walk back and forth restlessly and mumble to himself. Annoyed I opened my eyes again. "What? Spit it!" I growled.

"Oh! I didn't mean to disturb you. But should I let Ochako know? She'll be happy to hear that you're still alive."

"Whatever... if you go away then sure."

I closed my eyes again and heard Deku leave the room. Relieved, I breathed out and relaxed a little. This room felt so familiar and yet I felt that the palace and the court were no longer my home. Too much had changed since then. Both on my part and here.

Finally, I heard that the handle was quietly pushed down again. Instinctively my right hand grasped the sword handle.

"Why is it so dark in here?" I heard Ochako ask, lively as ever, although it was in the middle of the night. Shortly thereafter I saw her dark shadow turning towards the candleholder on the wall and finally the glow of a match. Then the room was bathed in faint candlelight. Deku had also come back into the room but said nothing and leaned against the wall.

"Since when have you been back in the palace?" I asked and looked at Ochako.

But the witch didn't answer. Instead she ran towards me, squatted next to me and threw herself into my arms. I endured it with a roll of my eyes for a moment before I pushed her aside. "Katsuki! I thought I would never see you again!" she exclaimed with a grin.

"I still haven't allowed you to call me by my first name," I muttered.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I've been back here for almost two years. I mean, actually that all was just a misunderstanding and Izuku settled it. Besides, there wasn't much that kept me in Nirakawa anymore."

I frowned. "Was there anything before, apart from the fact that it wasn't the palace?"

She hesitated. "I'm not sure I can to tell you that, so maybe you'll tell me how you've been first."

I gave Deku a quick look. I didn't really feel like telling that in front of this nerd, but as close as he was to the prince, he would find out sooner or later anyway. Then I looked at Ochako again. I knew she couldn't be too hostile to the half dragons. After all, she had lied to me to protect Red and had given him this magic ring he always wore on his finger. And to accomplish my mission, I had to tell them the truth anyway.

"I now live with Red, so Kirishima, in the mountains. We've built a home there," I said stiffly.

Ochako slapped her hands over her mouth. "You and Kirishima are a couple?" she asked with glowing eyes.

"Yes."

"Okay, then I'll tell you what kept me in Nirakawa." She winked at me briefly. "Some time ago, before I was expelled from the court, I met Miss Crownway. At that time I had studied magic intensively and found a very powerful witch in my research. Here the name was Soriha." She looked at me meaningfully.

I briefly had to think about where I had heard that name before. But then I remembered it. Soriha was the witch who fell in love with a dragon many centuries ago and cast a mighty spell to create the half dragons.

"That means you know the Order," I said quietly.

"Of course. Miss Crownway helped me with the research and I became the witch that I am today. I will always be in her debt for that. As you can imagine, I recognized Kirishima immediately when he suddenly stood on my doorstep one day. And the only reason I made this ring was because I wanted to support the half dragon that Miss Crownway was raising."

I swallowed. "You've known it all along!" I accused her. "How the war started and that the half dragons didn't endanger us!"

She hesitated for a moment. "Yes, I did," she finally said. "But would you have listened to me if I had told you?"

I bit my teeth together and didn't answer. She was right. I had been so obsessed with my revenge that I wouldn't have listened to her.

Suddenly Deku piped up. "I don't quite understand what you're talking about. Soriha? An order? And what about the half dragons?"

Ochako turned to him and began to explain everything in detail. I was glad she did. It would have cost me my last nerve. I closed my eyes again as I listened to her explanations.

When Deku finally asked some questions, I stopped listening their conversation and looked out the window. This discussion could take a long time and I didn't have the slightest interest in participating. Instead I looked at the moonlit sky.

I wondered where Red was at the moment. Was he all right? I unconsciously felt for Red's mark on my neck and bit my lips when I noticed it was almost impossible to feel. It was certainly still clearly visible, but it was no longer scabby. I sighed softly. I wanted to see him again so badly.