Chapter VII: What is this?

Izuku promised Bakugo and Recovery Girl that he would remain in the village for two weeks. A messenger got the message to All Might and to his mother to ensure that they weren't worried. The letter he received back from his mother was partially soaked in tears, so some of the worry couldn't be avoided.

Izuku and Bakugo also became glued to one another. Though their companionship was partially forced due to the King's promise to the village elders, he was beginning to not mind. One morning he woke up and Izuku was outside on the roof.

"What are you doing Deku?" He called as he climbed up there with him

"Drawing." Izuku said, never breaking his focus on what he was doing.

Bakugo looked over to where he was looking at. One of the large, golden dragons was perched on a large bolder. The dragons head was held high as it surveyed the area, its gold scales glittering in the sunlight. At first, Bakugo thought it may be looking for food, but at they sat there, he began to notice the beast would occasionally look over at them before turning it's head this way and that.

Bakugo chuckled, "Deku I think she is posing for you."

Izuku giggled slightly, "You think so?"

"Absolutely, if you want I can get you closer to a nest."

Izuku paused his drawing and looked at Bakugo, "W-wait really?!"

"Of course, just follow my lead and I can get in one."

"T-that would be phenomenal!"

"We will go this afternoon then."

X

After Izuku finished up helping Recovery Girl for the day, he met Bakugo on the western edge of the village. Bakugo smiled as Izuku approached.

"You ready?" Bakugo asked and Izuku nodded. He led Izuku out of the village and up one of the smaller peaks. Soon the distant figures of the dragons became large shadows flying overhead the canopy of forest around them. The proximity made Izuku both scared and excited for their adventure. Bakugo seemed unphased by the massive creatures around them.

As they reached the summit of the peak, Bakugo held out his arm to stop Izuku. They had reached the forest. Izuku looked over at him, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Now I need you to listen to me." Bakugo whispered, his face hard and focused. Izuku nodded, "Do not act skittish around the mother, she will take you for a snack. Don't try to act tough and challenge her. She will think that your trying to hurt her young. Remain calm and follow my lead. Then watch what happens."

Izuku swallowed slightly and nodded once more, trying to calm his nerves. Bakugo walked forward, slowly and calmly with Izuku following behind. The nest that lay in front of them was massive, imitating the foundation for a large house. Crawling around it were three infant dragons. No larger than a medium sized dog, the golden, glittering dragons nipped and pounced at one another. They didn't even notice the two approach, to focused on their play.

Izuku's breath was taken away. He had never seen such beautiful creatures in such an innocent act. He leaned down next to the nest, content with watching the children play. Until he felt warm breath run down his back.

He looked up to see the large golden nose of their mother, whose face alone was the same height he was about three inches from his own. Her wings out stretched behind her blocked the sun, casting them both in shadow. One of her paws landed next to him as her lips curled back into a snarl. He tried to remember Bakugo's words, but worry and fear bubbled up deep inside him.

Bakugo stepped forward, putting himself between Izuku and the mother as he felt the wizard begin to lose his cool. Izuku's eyes darted between Bakugo and the mother.

The mother snarled and roared at Bakugo. His hair moved with her roar, but he stood strong. He slowly walked up to her. As he got closer he held out his hand, palm up.

"I mean you nor your children any harm. My friend here has never seen a nest. Yours being as beautifully crafted as it is made me want to show him what true craftsmanship was." Bakugo whispered. The mother's face calmed and she leaned towards his palmed hand.

"Deku! Your notebook!" Bakugo called, and Izuku quickly nodded. Digging through he bag, he quickly found his notebook and threw it towards Bakugo, who caught it one swift motion.

Bakugo opened it at the page of the large, golden dragon from this morning, "He is also an artist. Could he draw your nest?"

The mother slowly backed up and sat down. Bakugo walked back to Izuku and handed him his notebook before sitting down next to him.

"Draw." Bakugo commanded.

Izuku's face went blank with confusion before he realized what had just happened. He quickly pulled out a pencil and began to draw the large nest, along with the children playing inside. Once that sketch was done, he turned the page and drew the mother, dutifully watching over her children. Once he was done, Bakugo yanked the notebook from his hands and showed the mother the pictures. She nodded in approval. He handed the notebook to Izuku and stood. Izuku quickly stood up as well.

"Let's get going" Bakugo said, and Izuku nodded before standing and bowing to the mother and walked ahead of Bakugo.

Once under the cover of the trees, Izuku's legs finally gave out. He fell back against Bakugo, sending them both back and sitting on the ground.

"Deku what the hell?!" Bakugo yelled. Izuku leaned against him and wrapped his arm around Bakugo's neck in a soft hug.

"T-that was incredible." He whispered, squeezing Bakugo's neck slightly as a large, goofy grin spread across his face, "Thank you Kacchan…"

Bakugo swallowed slightly. His mind and his body were at odds with one another. The feeling of Izuku's touch sent chills down his spine. His mind was racing with images and scenarios of the thousands of different ways this interaction could go. His stomach twisted and jumped inside him.

'How does he do this to me?' He thought.

"Keh" He said, his scowl attempting to cover his embarrassment, "You're the one who almost ruined it. I told you to stay calm, didn't I?"

"You did, I guess I am just a bad listener." Izuku said, a playful tone to his voice that nearly sent Bakugo over the edge.

"Damn it Deku! Get off! We have to get back before it gets dark!" Bakugo yelled, steam coming off of his face as he pushed Izuku off.

Izuku laughed, "O-one problem." He said

"Yeah and what is that?" Bakugo growled

"I really don't think I can walk…"

"DAMN IT DEKU!"

X

A thin, silver-haired man walked down a darkened hallway. The stone walls surround him cold and still. Feeling as if the walls were closing in on him, he began to itch his neck mercilessly. Scrapes and scabs littered his neck from his itching.

At the end of the hall, he approached a large wooden door. Before he could knock, the heavy door opened with the command of "Come in" following from a deep voice that lay within.

The silver-haired man stopped itching and stepped in, "M-Master, I have just learned that the Dragon King survived our attack." He said, his voice breathy and shrill.

A large man sat in front of him on a wooden thrown, leaning to the side on his hand. The upper half of his face concealed by a red and white fox mask, and his body cast in shadow by his dark robes.

"Not only that, but All Might's brat is hanging out in the village!" The silver-haired man yelled, beginning to scratch his neck once more.

"Calm yourself Shigaraki." The large man spoke, his voice deep as thunder, "Everything is beginning to fall into place."

Shigaraki slowly began to stop scratching and bowed, "Y-yes master."

X

After Bakugo reluctantly carried Izuku back to the village. They made dinner and headed upstairs. Izuku was exhausted and fell asleep fairly quickly. Bakugo stayed up and pulled out Izuku's notebook and looked through it. The candle he had lit provided a soft and warm light in the shadowy darkness of the room.

The pictures of the dragons and of the village were precise and immaculate. Izuku was able to capture even the slightest of details, even within a simple sketch. In some of the drawings, Izuku had turned them into diagrams. He broke down the dragons estimated wing span, the differences in their colors and even the slight differences in their feet. As Bakugo flipped through them, he was amazed at how much the young wizard was beginning to understand the dragons.

The last drawings he wasn't fully prepared for. The drawing on the left side of the page was a full portrait of himself; standing straight with his cape frozen in time behind him. The drawing to the right of the page was a portrait of just his face. His features preserved in a face of indifference. Instead of facts, these images had questions.

Where did he get the wolf fur? It stated, an arrow pointing towards the collar of his cape.

What does this symbol mean? Pointing towards one of the tattoos on his chest.

Are his earrings a symbol of status? Pointing towards the earrings he had worn at the feast.

Only one thing was written next to the face portrait.

He should smile more.

A blush crept up his cheeks. He turned the page, only to see a portrait of him leaning back and smiling. He slammed the notebook shut. Quickly looking up to ensure he didn't wake his roommate. Izuku stirred slightly, but did not wake. His heart raced, his stomach doing cartwheels inside him. He quickly put the notebook away and began making his way over to his bed, but he couldn't help but look behind him.

Without thinking, his legs moved towards the green-haired wizard sleeping soundly on his side on the other bed. Sitting down next to his bed and laying on his side. His hand ran lightly through the mossy hair on Izuku's head and he played with the ends. Izuku turned over in his sleep, laying on his back. His lips slightly parted and Bakugo swallowed slightly. He carefully got up and moved on top of Izuku. A small smile graced Izuku's lips as he slept.

Bakugo's eyes darted between Izuku's sleeping eyes and his lips. It would be so simple to taste his lips. Izuku was such a heavy sleeper anyway, he probably wouldn't even react.

'Though if he did react, would that be such a bad thing?' He thought, slowly leaning down.

An inch before their lips touched, he lost his nerve. Leaning up on his knees, he ran his hands through his hair and over his face.

'What the hell am I thinking?!' He thought, looking at the wizard one more.

'Damn it Deku, what sort of spell have you placed on my heart?' He thought before standing, going over to his bed and blowing out the candle, 'I need sleep'

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