Bakugo Katsuki was determined to be the greatest warrior his village had ever had. Since he was young, he devoted all his time to training and improving his body. As a teenager, he challenged the Great Fire Dragon multiple times, before eventually defeating him and absorbing his explosive fire powers for himself. When he became an adult, the tribe's chieftain, his father, declared him their strongest fighter, placing him in charge of protecting the tribe's land.
His tribe wasn't big, but they had some farmlands and Bakugo made it his mission to frequently patrol their land, fighting off any invaders and protecting his people. He was a prideful Berserker and had never lost a fight in his life. Until that group entered his territory. The infuriating Hero, the righteous Knight, the sad Prince, and the clumsy Magician claimed to be on a quest to defeat some great evil that was threatening to overtake their land.
Initially, Bakugo didn't believe them, because in his mind there was nothing more powerful than him, and he wasn't interested in taking over the world. He fought them and was defeated. It was the first loss he had ever suffered at the hands of another human, and Bakugo was enraged. To recover his honor, he followed them, constantly challenging the Hero for another fight. He didn't dare to return to his tribe after suffering that level of defeat.
He begrudgingly guided them through his tribe's territory, making sure they never actually passed near the village. The group came out on the western edge of the tribe lands, entering the Holy Western Empire. Tired and hungry, they were welcomed by one of the farmers. It was a small family, with one daughter. The daughter smiled all the time and was friendly with everyone. She was Asui Tsuyu. Bakugo rejected her friendliness, he was a Berserker and he wasn't about to become buddies with some farmer girl.
She also joined their party, claiming she could take care of herself in a fight. Bakugo doubted her but knew it would be nice to have someone take care of the camp and their gear. They walked across the land, and if he usually lagged behind the group, it wasn't that he was keeping an eye out for the farmer girl, it was just that he didn't like hanging out with the insufferable Hero.
Their group grew considerably larger and larger as they accumulated more fighters and friends, culminating in one large fight against the Dark Dragon. It was a terrible nightmare of a battle, challenging Bakugo to his very limits. The farmer maiden had been right, and she had managed to handle herself well in the fight. Ultimately, with everyone's combined strengths, they powered the Hero's Sword and he delivered the final blow.
Evil defeated, everyone went their separate ways, returning to their old lives. Bakugo decided that he might have not defeated the Hero, but he defeated the Dark Dragon, and that was good enough for his honor. His tribe needed him to protect them, and he returned home. It was just a coincidence that he waited to travel with Tsuyu. It wasn't that he liked her, they were simply heading the same way, Bakugo reasoned.
The two of them returned to their homes and he promised himself he'd never see her again.
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Bakugo yawned. He was sitting on top of one of the village's watchtowers, keeping an eye out for any different movement on the fields. It was just the standard stuff, villagers and kids moving about their daily activities. Bored, he decided to patrol the perimeter.
He started north, walking clockwise around their tribe's borders. There was nothing out of the usual. He gruffly nodded and waved to his people as he walked around. His fame for being one of the continent's strongest warriors had spread far due to his adventures and now nobody was foolish enough to enter his turf.
Subconsciously, his feet led him to the western edge. There was a river that served as the border between his land and the Holy Western Empire, which belonged to Princess Momo. He could see her in the distance, working on the fields. The wind played with her long green hair and ruffled her dress. He noticed some smoke in the distance and told himself that was the reason he was crossing the river.
He walked through the fields, the tall leaves ticking his exposed skin. His tribe was located in the warmest area of the continent, and they purposely kept their outfits different from the rest. His people preferred animal skins, feathers, and markings over the standard cloth and leather the other humans preferred. She hadn't noticed him yet, and he mentally chastised her for being so careless with her surroundings.
He watched her fumble with her long hair in the wind. He walked around her, positioning himself in such a way as to block the strong breeze with his back. She looked up at him with her big droopy eyes and he frowned at her. Despite her self-proclaimed fighting skills, she allowed him to get way too close before properly confirming his identity.
"Bakugo-chan?" She asked, sounding confused. He could understand her confusion, after all, there was no reason for him to leave his land, but he had seen the tall smoke pillar in the distance and if a fire was going to threaten his tribe's territory, it was his duty to handle it.
"Where is that smoke coming from?" He pointed to the northwest, in the direction of the swirling grey.
"That? The village is holding a festival, to celebrate the coming of spring." She smiled. He frowned, wondering why they would make a fire to celebrate the season of growth. His tribe would gather by the lake and dance underneath the stars and moon. "Do you want to come? To the festival?" She asked him.
"No. I go to my tribe's festival." He thought her question was stupid. Why would he go to some random village's party? He'd probably scare everyone there. He noticed that her eyes fell to the floor and her usual smile faltered a bit. Whenever he saw her do that he felt irrationally annoyed.
"I'm sorry. I just thought it'd be fun to have you around." Her big hands reached out to her hair again, holding on to a strand. He narrowed his eyes at her. She wasn't looking at him straight like she usually did and he wondered if she was hiding something from him.
Bakugo prided himself in being very perceptive of people, and in the past Tsuyu had always been an open book to him. She had been a naturally straightforward girl, who had never tried to hide her thoughts or feelings. The fact that she now wouldn't meet his eyes angered him.
Bakugo turned away from her, storming off in his anger. He didn't know why he was mad, but he didn't want to see her anymore, and he knew the cause for the smoke, so it was time to return to his turf.
"Bakugo-chan!" She yelled out after him. He stopped and turned around. The wind picked up again around them, and he noticed her waving at him. This time there was a small smile on her face, and although her eyes didn't look as honest as they had once been, at least they met his. "Thanks for stopping by!"
Bakugo didn't understand why she was thanking him. He hadn't done anything for her. She was a strange creature he decided. Sighing some smoke of his own, he turned around again. He took a moment to raise his hand, before breaking off into a run.
He didn't know why he was running, only that his heartfelt fast and his muscles had been tense. As soon as he cleared the river, he jumped up, using the Fire Dragon's power to fly through the sky.
That night he joined the rest of his tribe at the lake, watching them dance in the water, fireflies glowing around them, challenging the brilliance of the stars. Bakugo never participated in the dancing, he didn't see the point of it. He sat in a corner, drinking wine and eating meat. He felt bored again and looked up at the sky.
Bakugo wondered if Tsuyu was having fun at her village's festival. He considered what it would be like if she was here with him. Bakugo remembered that sometimes they'd sit together around the fire when they were traveling with the Hero, and she usually talked about anything and everything in soft tones. He hadn't hated it then, and he guessed he wouldn't have hated it now.
"Katsuki, you should go out there and dance with some girls." His mother stopped by his place, arms crossed at him. He shot her a dirty look. "You'll need to find a woman and have kids one day. Especially if you want to be the next chieftain."
Bakugo rolled his eyes at his mother. He didn't need kids to be the next chief. He was completely fine with the Bakugo line ending with him. He thought the rule that the next chief must have children was dumb anyway. He looked at the women dancing in the water. None of them interested him. In his opinion, they were all ugly, slow, and weak.
He closed his eyes and laid back, happy to just listen to the music and the sounds of happy people. Before he fell asleep, he replayed the image he saw this afternoon in his head. Long green hair in the wind, a small smile, and large eyes.
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Bakugo didn't know why he was standing there again. She was helping her father load things into a wagon. Despite her small frame, she was strong, carrying heavy-looking objects by herself. He wondered if he should help but immediately chastised himself for thinking about it.
They weren't his tribesmen, he owed them nothing. He barely helped his people with that kind of menial work. The only reason he was even there was that his patrol had to bring him here. It just happened to be one of the easier places to cross the river that served as the border between the two territories.
He watched the wagon move away. Bakugo thought she'd go back to the house, but instead, she began walking towards the river, almost coming straight at him. He instinctively climbed a tree, hiding among the branches. She stopped by the river, looking around.
Don't cross it, he thought. The rules said nobody could enter without permission from him or the chieftain. If she stepped on the tribal land, she would have to die. She didn't cross the river, instead, she took a seat on a particularly large rock. He released a breath he wasn't taking. Why was she sitting there, he asked himself. A traitorous voice inside his head told him she was waiting for some boy she might have met at the festival she went to.
He didn't like that idea. Angry, he dropped down, startling her. "Were you waiting for someone?!" He growled at her. Still shocked, she nodded. "Who?" He yelled.
"You…" She muttered.
His anger dissipated immediately. All the steam he had built up blew away, smoke slowly dissipating from his hands.
"Oh."
"Were you on the tree all this time? I thought I saw you when I was helping papa load the cart, but when I came over you were gone." She tilted her head, looking at him curiously.
"I was scouting. High ground advantage." This time he couldn't meet her eyes. After a second, he dated to sneak a look, and she was smiling softly at him. Cautiously, he crossed the river and sat on the edge, allowing the water to run over his feet and legs.
"Did you enjoy your tribe's festival?" She asked. He looked at her, but she was looking at a fat frog that was snoozing on a rock by the riverbank.
"Not really. I ate and then I slept. Did you have fun in your village?" Bakugo kept his eyes on her. She peeked at him, but when she noticed he was looking at her, she returned her attention to the frog.
"I didn't go."
Bakugo suddenly felt much happier. Looking to the lazy clouds in the sky, he fought the urge to smile. He felt like an idiot for being happy over something inconsequential. It was then that a thought occurred to him.
"I give you permission to cross the border." Bakugo knew that he'd never want to hurt her or see her be hurt, so he would give her permission now so that he'd never have to worry about it. Maybe it was the bond they developed when they fought the Dark Dragon, but he could safely claim he would never lift a finger to harm Asui Tsuyu.
"Okay. That sounds like something important."
He looked at her and held her gaze. Her eyes still weren't as honest as they used to, but a part of him trusted that she wasn't ever going to betray him.
"It is."
She smiled at him and he felt his heart jump. He directed his gaze away from her, feeling oddly warm, despite the cool water running over his feet.
"Does this mean that if I want to see you, I can visit?" She asked him and he felt another heart palpitation. Why did she want to see him? Why did she want to visit? Unsure of what to think or do, Bakugo did the only thing he knew, he ignored the confusing feelings.
"If you can find my tribe's center, sure." He scoffed. The tribe's village was well hidden in the center of their land. Nobody had ever naturally found it. Outsiders always had to be guided to it.
She giggled and his ears perked up. He didn't remember ever hearing that sound come from her before. Usually, whenever she laughed it was a deeper tone. He shot an inquisitive look towards her, but she had covered her mouth with her hands. He thought he saw some red bloom on her cheeks.
The two of them sat together for longer, with Bakugo listening to Tsuyu tell him about her family's farm, and how they were counting on her father selling well. She told him their yield hadn't been great, and they needed to buy new seeds and tools for the upcoming planting season. Bakugo didn't understand much of farming, but he knew his tribe was also getting ready to replant the fields soon.
The moment the sky began to tinge orange he told her to go home. He watched her cross the farmland and disappear into the small house in the distance. Satisfied, he returned to his tribe's village. He was greeted warmly by his tribesmen, as the Head Warrior and son of the Chief, he was a popular figure.
However, Bakugo didn't bother giving any of them too much attention. He collected his food and returned to the watchtower, sitting there until the moon was high. He felt a little sad and a little happy, but most importantly he felt like there was a warmth he was missing.
Another man took over the night watch duty and Bakugo went to his tent and laid down on his cot. Maybe his mother was right. He wondered if having a woman would help chase away the sudden chill he felt in his gut. He thought about all the available women in the village, but none of them felt right. This cold is just the river. I spent too much time with my feet in the water earlier, he told himself.
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The next day, Bakugo had some action. A small group of thieves had entered his land, and he enjoyed hunting them down and punishing them for trying to take what wasn't theirs. He had their blood on his skin and felt dirty. He didn't want Tsuyu to see him like this because she might think he was the one injured.
Bakugo returned to the village, avoiding the western side of his tribe's land. Once he stepped into the outer rim of buildings, he noticed two of his tribesmen, holding a young woman, dragging her towards the village center. Bakugo recognized the green hair and saw red.
He roared just as the Fire Dragon once had, spitting fire. His eyes glowed red and his blood began to boil. Without thinking, he jumped towards the two men, his hands glowing red with explosive power. Around him, people screamed as his red markings began to glow a reddish-orange.
His punches left angry red burn marks on their skins, and he set their wooden weapons on fire. The rage inside him wouldn't be satisfied until they were dead, and despite their broken and bloodied forms, he could sense they still lived and would continue his attack.
His mind had been completely consumed by the Dragon's flame and rage, and all those who dared step too close became new targets for him to attack. Other men ran at him with spears, swords, and shields, but they were all blasted away with a wave of fire. His mother and father called to him, but their only answer was a loud dragon-like roar. Bakugo the Berserker had lost all control he had over his mind.
A soft croak echoed in the fiery rage that was his mind, and a cold hand wrapped itself around his ankle. He had been holding his ground, unmoving from the spot, and for the first time, he turned around. She was on the ground, still looking hurt, but she was smiling, and he could sense the life inside her was still strong.
Bakugo slowly recovered his senses, taking deep breaths and exhaling smoke until the fire inside him died out. He leaned down to pick her up, afraid to see any further harm come to her. Bakugo picked her up and shot his mother a look. Without caring for the other villagers, he walked towards his hut, knowing that only his mother would follow him. He gently set her down on his cot. His mom was waiting outside for permission to enter, and he allowed her to with a nod.
Knowing that Tsuyu would be safe and cared for by his mother, he approached the other tribe's folk. He was still angry, but he wasn't being consumed by it. The two guards that had brought her in were still on the floor since everyone else had been too afraid to go near them.
"That woman has my permission to enter. If she is ever harmed again, I will kill whoever touches her." For good measure, he allowed his eyes to burn a bright red once again, to remind them who the Fire Dragon was. When he had defeated the dragon and consumed its essence, he had inherited the dragon's power, and he wouldn't let them forget that.
His father sighed. In his position as chief, he directed everyone to start repairing the buildings and helping the ones who were harmed. Bakugo didn't care about them, crouching by the two guards that had harmed Tsuyu. They groaned and moaned in pain, and Bakugo thought he had gone too easy on them.
"Did she tell you that she had my permission?" He asked them. He knew Tsuyu, she would have been smart, she would have tried to talk to them.
"Yes… We didn't know…" One of them answered. Bakugo's eyes glowed red again as he reached for a sword, ready to execute them.
"You should have believed her."
Before he could cut off their heads, his father took hold of his arm, stopping him.
"My son, please. The girl didn't die, asking for their lives is too high a price."
Bakugo growled, but let the sword go. He stood up, and turning his back on all of them, he returned to his tent, standing guard in front of it. He could hear his mother talking to Tsuyu in soft tones, and he breathed fire whenever he heard her soft gasps of pain. His father stopped by, but Bakugo sent him away with one incensed look.
His mother finally left, giving him a nod and a knowing smirk he didn't appreciate. Now she would likely pester him to take Tsuyu as his woman. Turning to enter his cot, he was suddenly struck with the fact that he didn't find the notion repulsive. Every other woman in the tribe made him sick to the stomach, but when he thought of her as his woman, he almost felt excited.
Shaking his head, he entered his home, finding her laying down on his cot. He kneeled next to her, and bent forwards, touching his forehead to the ground.
"I'm sorry."
Bakugo knew it was his fault. He should have warned all the guards about her, if he hadn't played cat and mouse with those thieves he would have found out sooner, he could have prevented everything from happening. She was hurt because of his carelessness.
"It's not your fault. Please stand up."
He disagreed with her over who was at fault, but he straightened his back, looking at her properly. She was snugly covered in the furs of his cot, and he found his heart speeding up suddenly. Heat pooled in his stomach, but it wasn't the same as before. He had just experienced the fires of rage. This was something completely different.
"They all know better now, so…" Feeling awkward, he scratched the back of his neck, keeping his eyes away from her.
"That fire thing you did, was that new? You didn't do that with Deku." She sat up a bit, and he noticed she was wearing some of the furs and leathers of his tribe. It distracted him further, as he had never seen her show that much skin.
"Oh no, not new." Bakugo shifted himself to face the entrance of his tent. He didn't know what was coming over him. He blamed the Fire Dragon's power. That was surely the reason why he was suddenly feeling like a stupid teenager that was seeing boobs for the first time.
"Well, can you help me up? If I'm not home by sunset my parents will worry." She tossed away the furs that covered her, showing that she still wore her usual skirt. It was simply the top that had been replaced.
Bakugo eyed her critically. She was hurt, but he didn't want her to get in trouble. Sighing, he approached her.
"I'll take you home." He gently picked her up, carefully cradling her in his arms. Compared to his tall, muscular frame she was small and fragile. He walked outside of his tent, crossing the entire village with her in his arms. He knew what it meant to his people. In their eyes, this was essentially a declaration that this woman was his.
He carried her to the western edge, past the river and across the farm, all the way to her home. The sky was already dark, and when he used his foot to knock on the door, her mother looked like she had been crying.
"Tsuyu! Oh, you're alive!"
He set her down and her mother helped her to her room. He watched them from his position at the door as her father thanked him profusely.
"You're that kid, who was with the Hero. Thank you so much for saving her. There have been so many bandit attacks around, I worried she was lost."
Bakugo's attention snapped back to the man after hearing his words.
"You guys are having a bandit problem?" He asked.
"Oh yeah, it's terrible."
That night he didn't return to the village. He was full of pent-up anger and frustrations and he knew just how to get rid of them. Sure, the bandits hadn't entered his territory yet, but surely it was a matter of time, he reasoned. He was just culling the problem before it affected him. The fact that he could mercilessly take out his anger on the idiots was just a plus.
He found their hiding spot easily, and by the time he was done, there were only burnt bodies. His hands smoked from the fight and the fire. Looking around, he spotted a lit torch and threw it to the floor. Let the peasants think a random fire solved their problems. Bakugo wasn't a Hero. He was certain Deku would have solved it properly. He was a Berserker, and he had a lot of rages to burn. His victims were simply unlucky.
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He didn't see Tsuyu for days, purposely staying away from her. He still couldn't get rid of the ugly guilt festering in his heart. To make matters worse, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Bakugo felt trapped in an endless cycle of longing and self-hatred. He spent all his time on the different watchtowers, keeping his eyes fixed on the horizon.
The moon completed its cycle, turning full, and yet he still hadn't seen her. I'll go when the moon starts to wane, he promised himself feebly. However, Tsuyu had other plans, and the day after the moon was at its apex, she appeared in the village. He spotted her from afar, and she had been following his mother. He narrowed his eyes, blaming his mother's meddling for her appearance there.
Bakugo stayed at the watchtower, hiding from them. He observed as Tsuyu entered the gates, and smiled at everyone. Some people approached her, and she talked with all of them. Bakugo stubbornly remained in his post, until he noticed the two idiots who had treated her poorly approached her.
He jumped out from the watchtower, not afraid of the height. Using his powers, he shot himself towards them, landing between her and the guards. He glared menacingly at them. They were still recovering from their injuries, and upon seeing them, they threw themselves to the floor, kneeling and touching their foreheads to the floor.
She stepped out from behind him slowly, approaching the two men. Around them the usual noises of the tribe died down, as everyone held their breath, watching the exchange.
"I forgive you both. Next time, please be nicer to your prisoners."
Her capacity for kindness baffled Bakugo. Those two idiots didn't deserve any forgiveness, and in his opinion, they should have died. He made his opinion clear, by keeping his aggressive stance. The two men understood that their military leader still hadn't forgiven them, and kept their heads to the floor.
"Katsuki, show her around the village." His mother intervened once again. Still angry, Bakugo took Tsuyu's hand, pulling her away from the two offenders. Once they were sufficiently far away, he let her go. He frowned at her, wondering why she was here.
"Why did you come here?" He scowled, crossing his arms.
"You said I could." She challenged him, crossing her arms. She was right, but Bakugo didn't have to like it. She walked away from him, heading towards a group of women who were making jewelry.
Bakugo followed her around moodily as she explored the village, talking to people and befriending them. Some women gave her trinkets, men gave her fruits and the children played around her long skirt. With each laugh, Bakugo's temper cooled a little, and by the time she was leaving, he was mollified.
"I'll walk you home." He wasn't offering, he was telling her it would happen. She simply nodded, and he began guiding her through the tribe's roads. Some of the people who were farmers looked at them curiously as they walked past. Tsuyu talked about how impressed she was with everything.
"Everyone was nice too! Even those young women. They gave me such pretty gifts!" She ran her fingers on the green necklace they had given her. Bakugo looked at the necklace, the bracelets, and the flower crown. He wondered what she would look like if she became fully tribal. They'd probably give her soft green markings and she'd wear beads and feathers in her long hair.
"Of course they're nice to you. They're not idiots." He scoffed. Everyone in the tribe lands already knew of the incident. They all probably considered her to be his woman already. With a woman at his side, his position as the next chief was essentially guaranteed. Nobody would want to anger the future chief or his woman.
"What do you mean by that? Is it because I'm an outsider? Do they want me to spread good words about them?" She asked, bringing a finger to her lips. He narrowed his eyes at her, she was smart, surely she must know, right?
"They don't care about outsiders. It's because they believe you're my woman. And I'm the next chief." Bakugo crossed his arms and glared at a rock. The whole concept that a chief needed a woman was ridiculous to him.
"Oh." He could feel her looking at him, but he kept his own eyes away from her. "Does that make you upset? That they think that we're together?" She asked in a small voice. He frowned. He was upset with the situation, but he wasn't upset that they thought she was his woman.
I'm upset that you're not.
The thought hit him harder than the Fire Dragon's tail had. He stopped moving completely, as he realized the root of his latest streak of perpetual anger. She stopped too, watching him curiously. His heart raced and he gulped. Suddenly, looking at her felt difficult. He was afraid of showing too much of his thoughts and feelings.
"I'm not upset." He said in a voice that sounded too meek to come from him.
"Yes, you are. Lying doesn't become you, Bakugo-chan. It's definitely about this woman business." She was completely right and he hated it. He did the only thing he could do to protect his image.
"Fine! Yes! I'm angry about it. Those idiots have no business making decisions for me!" He hid his sudden insecurity behind his aggressive behavior. Bakugo resumed walking, stalking ahead of her.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault, I won't ever come by again, so I won't ruin your chances with whoever you like."
Her voice had been so small he barely heard it. His heart stopped once he heard how upset she sounded and he immediately turned around. She bumped into him, as she had been walking with her eyes downcast.
"You're wrong again! I… You being my woman… I don't hate it!" He frowned as he angrily chewed through the awkward sentence. He hated himself for not being more genuine. He hated his fear of being rejected. At that moment he wished he had fought some kind of psychic dragon so he could read her mind.
However, as she raised her head and looked at him, he realized he didn't need psychic dragon powers. Her eyes were finally completely honest again and he realized what she had been hiding from him. There was warmth, kindness, longing, and adoration in them, and Bakugo felt her unspoken feelings coil around him, warming him up inside. She smiled and his lips did as well, mirroring hers.
"I like you too, Bakugo-chan." She whispered.
"Ugh, just… You're…" Bakugo could feel his face heating up. Feeling too embarrassed to be so forthcoming with his feelings, he just grabbed her hand and continued walking, but this time, he didn't let go.
"Can I call you Katsuki-chan?"
"Drop the chan, that's some outsider shit." He mumbled.
"Ooh, Katsuki. That's even more intimate."
Bakugo could hear the mirth in her voice and he hated how it resonated in him, making him just as happy.
"We're here. Go home." They reached the river that marked the border.
"Are you going to watch me until I get home?"
"No." It was a lie of course. He was going to stand there until he couldn't see her. She knew it too, considering the way she chuckled and squeezed his hand before letting it go.
He watched her cross the river and walk through the farmland, a happy skip in her step. He found himself smiling softly as he watched the tips of her hair sway back and forth. However, when she opened the door to the house, instead of walking inside, she screamed.
Filled with fear, Bakugo took off running towards her. She was still standing there and as he crossed the distance between them, he prayed she remained unharmed. When he reached her, he quickly realized why she had screamed. Her parents were on the floor, both of them dead.
He stepped into the room cautiously, leaning down to look at the bodies. Behind him, she began crying. He wanted to comfort her, but before he could do so, he had to make sure the area was safe. The bodies were growing cold, and they died to clear weapon marks, impaled with spears.
"Tsuyu, come with me." He pulled her away from the scene and towards her village. In her shock and grief, she followed him catatonically.
When they reached the village, there were more bodies everywhere and Tsuyu's sobbing grew louder. Leaving her by the fountain, Bakugo climbed atop the houses, reaching the highest point. He saw the flags and tents in the distance. Bakugo didn't know his politics well, but he knew those colors didn't belong to either Todoroki or Momo. They were certainly foreign invaders.
He stepped down, finding Tsuyu sitting on her floor.
"W-What happened? When I left…" She was growing hysterical and Bakugo put his hand on her mouth, silencing her.
"Men did this. Men I don't know. There might still be soldiers in the village, we need to go. Silently." He would comfort and coddle her later. For now, his warrior instincts were telling him to leave. She nodded and he crouched in front of her. "Get on my back."
She climbed on his large back and he locked his arms around her legs, securing her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he took off running. He could feel her tears slowly running down his neck and torso, but he didn't mind them. As they crossed the village gates, he heard shouts and footsteps behind him.
Bakugo didn't need to look back. He could hear the heavy steps of armored footsoldiers trying to follow him. However, he was stronger and faster than them, and he quickly outran them. Bakugo made sure to run towards the south and not the east. That way they'd think he headed towards the capital, and not the tribe lands. As soon as he was confident he was far enough away, he changed his direction.
Bakugo was panting when he reached the village. He set Tsuyu down gently. She was still sniffling. His people crowded around them, worried that she was hurt once again.
"Mom, take her to my home. Dad, we need to talk." Bakugo entrusted Tsuyu to his mother and walked to his father. He gathered as many soldiers as he could too, so they could all listen to his story. If strangers were attacking their neighbors, they could be attacked too, and he had to make sure they were ready.
Bakugo warned them as best as he could and assigned more strict patrols for both day and night. He told them to warn the other tribespeople as well, to maintain themselves alert and hidden. He was certain Princess Momo and Prince Todoroki could handle the invaders. All he had to do was make sure his people were safe and away from the fight.
Duty complete, Bakugo returned to his tent. His mother was nowhere to be seen, and Tsuyu was already in his cot. He sighed, feeling bad for her. He hadn't even allowed her to properly say goodbye to her parents.
"Tomorrow, I'll take you to your home, and we can try and bury the bodies." He whispered, unsure if she was asleep or not.
"You can just burn them. The village too. They deserve proper rites too." She whispered back.
His mother returned with furs, food, and water. She left them with Bakugo, who thanked her.
"You can stay here with us, or leave if that's what you want to." Bakugo wanted her to stay by his side, where he could protect her and love her forever, but if she wanted to join the army to try and get revenge for her parents, he wouldn't stop her.
She turned around in his cot, facing him. Her eyes were red from the crying, and it made his heart hurt for her.
"Katsuki, you won't leave me, right?" She looked so small and scared. He rested a warm hand on her head, and softly caressed her hair.
"I'll never leave you. You're my woman." He tried for a cocky smirk to cheer her up. She tended to always find his overconfidence funny. His reward was a teary smile.
The next day he went with her to the western edge of the tribe lands. He helped her climb a tall tree and told her to wait. He was going to create the largest fire the continent had ever seen. Bakugo allowed the Fire Dragon's power to coarse through him, as he flew through the farmlands, explosions, and fires following in his wake. For once there were no screams, as everyone was already dead.
The flames were tall and he used his power to keep them strong and constant. He could see the invaders trying to contain it, but he didn't allow them. He wouldn't let them pillage the village or the lands. He'd burn it all down before they got a chance. It was quite the spectacle and by the time he returned to Tsuyu, he was covered in ash and dirt.
Despite his state, she still hugged him, whispering a thank you in his ear.
"If you ever need a fire dragon again, I'm your guy." He smirked. She smiled and together they returned to his tribe's village.
It took her some time to process her grief, and Bakugo patiently helped and waited for her. It took half a moon cycle, but eventually, she began smiling more, eating more, talking more, and spending time with the other villagers.
He watched as she slowly but surely carved a place for herself among his people, adopting their customs. She began wearing furs and feathers, got several swirly green markings, and pierced her ears. By a full moon cycle, she was indistinguishable from the other tribespeople. She also embraced her position as his woman, not denying it when people asked and accepting the responsibility of being the future chief's woman.
"Kara asked if it would be possible to try and get some trading system set up. She thinks we could get different seeds, leathers, and metals if we did." Tsuyu occasionally brought up ideas and complaints from his people, and he had to remind her he wasn't the chief yet.
They were eating in his tent, and Bakugo noticed the furs he had been using as a temporary cot were gone.
"Where did my bed go?" He asked her. She pretended to look surprised but he could read her too well.
"I don't know what happened. Well, it looks like we'll have to share the cot for the night." She spoke, twirling a lock of hair around a finger. He raised an eyebrow at her. Sure, the women of the tribe were very open with their bodies and affection, but from his experience traveling with the Hero, outsiders were much more demure.
"You don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with." Bakugo knew they had the rest of their lives ahead of them. He wasn't in any rush, despite the frequent visits to the cold pond he started doing after she began living with him.
Instead, she slid closer to him. She rested her hand on his arm, and closed the distance between them further, kissing him softly. They'd kissed plenty of times before, but this one felt different.
"Who said I'm uncomfortable?" She whispered, her lips running across the corner of his mouth.
Bakugo didn't need to be told twice. That night, neither of them got any rest. He found out that there were several additional advantages to his Dragon's Power. Besides, he was a perfectionist, and he made sure to spoil her such that she'd never consider sharing her body with anyone but him.
.
.
.
Bakugo crossed his arms as he watched the people milling about their lives. The village was now twice the size it used to be, growing with sturdy homes made of wood and terracotta. There was a group of women crowding in a corner crafting, a pack of men carried two boars and in the distance, he could see their farmlands. He stood in the tallest home of the village, overlooking everything proudly. Among the crowd, he spotted a brown-haired kid run through the market stalls, chased by an older woman who was yelling at him.
Bakugo contemplated throwing himself into the wind to catch the kid himself, but he chose to watch. The kid ducked into a corner, climbed the wall of a house, and made it to the roof. He stood there, taunting the angered woman and Bakugo smiled.
"What are you so happy about?"
Bakugo turned around slightly to see his woman enter the room. She held a baby in her arms, her long green hair tied upwards. He held out an arm for her and she joined his side, snuggling into his embrace.
"Ryuji's escaped again." He chuckled softly.
The couple watched the brown-haired kid jump across the rooftops, enjoying his freedom. Although his mother worried about his safety, Bakugo knew from experience that a few falls here and there built character. When he died, the dragon within him would be set loose, and he knew his children would want to challenge it, to inherit their father's power.
Bakugo Katsuki was a Berserker, but he hadn't raged in years. The Fire Dragon's power still rested within him, but he hadn't used it against anyone for many seasons. His tribe was at peace, his family was safe and he was a happy man.
Inspired by the second ending of season 2, I wanted to write a fantasy AU about a Berserker Bakugo falling in love with the farm girl Tsuyu. I believed it would be fun to write something from his point of view, for a change.