"You're not Deku… who the fuck are you?"

The man-demon's robes dragged behind him as he crowded Kirishima further against the wall. His hands were raised and sharp claws glinted in the dim light. His smile was manic, revealing white canines.

Blood rushed loudly in his ears, flushing everything out. Kirishima was absolutely certain he was about to be sliced to ribbons.

The demon reached for him and he shut his eyes, raising his arms in a last attempt of defence.

"Shitty Hair! Are you fucking deaf?"

Kirishima yelped as his arms were swatted away and taloned fingers clenched the front of his shirt. He was roughly dragged forward until he could only see the demon's eyes. They flickered as if on fire.

He found himself barely able to breathe let alone reply.

"Master Bakugou! Unhand Master Izuku at once!"

Warm light swept through the room as two small fires erupted in midair. With a sharp pop the flames abruptly vanished in a puff of smoke and in their place two figures no bigger than children floated in place. Apart from the floating, their appearance was no less startling.

They were both clad in matching robes, lined with a shimmering fiery pattern. One was staring at him with golden eyes, the irises as black as coal. Tiny horns sprouted from the top of unruly hair, but the strangest part of it all was that the rest of her was a shocking pink. The other one was much more plain looking with his odd smile and dark shoulder length hair except for his bizarre cylinder-shaped elbows.

Tiny goblins? Kirishima thought, mind racing.

"Are you blind pinky? This isn't that shithead." Bakugou snarled, shaking Kirishima like a bag of potatoes. With a disgusted click of his tongue, Bakugou unceremoniously discarded Kirishima back to the ground.

The pink one stamped her leg despite hovering in the air. "How rude Master Bakugou! How long have you lived in our shrine? Call me Mina!"

"It must be Master Izuku." The other little goblin said and flew into Kirishima's face. He sharply knocked on his forehead. It tingled warmly. "See? He even carries the mark of the land god."

"Sero, that's rude!" Mina chided.

"What about my forehead? What mark?" Kirishima rubbed his forehead, affronted. Then the recent memory of the strange man touching his forehead came back to him. Is that what they were talking about?

Mina floated around him curiously. "But he's right… I sense some of Master Izuku's spirit within this boy. He also dropped this outside the gate." Kirishima recognized the small note he'd been carrying as Mina pulled it from her robe and handed it to Bakugou.

Bakugou snatched it and glanced it over with gritted teeth. Mina and Sero both hovered around him, catching a peek.

"This is definitely that good-for-nothing's dumb handwriting." Bakugou muttered. "Oi, Shitty Hair!"

Shitty hair? Kirishima suppressed a squeak as Bakugou slammed a hand over him, finding himself once again subjected to a livid glare.

"You best start talking before I fucking burn your ass to kingdom come."

~.~.~.~.~

Kirishima was a little afraid that Izuku's note would burst into flames if Bakugou continued staring at it any longer. It seemed as if he only had one expression as it seemed to be fixed into a glare. It barely flickered as Kirishima explained how he'd ended up here.

All Kirishima had really been able to garner so far was that this person's name was Bakugou and he lived in the shrine along with the two sprites Mina and Sero who were, in fact, not goblins. He'd earned another forehead bop from Mina for that one. After his goblin comment, the word 'dog' had been nearly out of his mouth to Bakugou when Mina and Sero both managed to stuff their hands over his mouth, shaking their heads in alarm and laughing shrilly.

Now that he'd found himself in a moment where he didn't feel like his life was in immediate danger anymore, he found himself thoroughly examining the demon Bakugou. A long billowing tail twitched across the ground, soft-looking ears flicking atop a head of sandy hair. An intricate yukata hung loosely around his frame, with fire-like patterns licking up the sides. Without his fangs bared, he was… ethereal.

Kirishima felt his breath hitch when red eyes flickered up to meet his once again.

In the light of the flames, he could have been an angel from hell.

"So you're saying that Deku told you to come here after he gave his house to you?" Bakugou said.

"Er, yes. After I told him that I couldn't go home…" Kirishima said.

Nothing that had happened to him in the last hour seemed like it could be real. Before, he hadn't even been sure demons and spirits were real but here they were right before his eyes. And surprisingly foul-mouthed. Or at least Bakugou was.

He had already tried pinching himself. Multiple times. So many times, that his skin was starting to turn pink and ache.

This was really happening.

Bakugou crumpled the paper. "Obviously what your puny brain doesn't seem to realize, is that that piece of shit you met was the god of this shrine."

Kirishima snorted.

"Are you sure?" Kirishima said, crossing his arms and thinking back. "But that guy was so weird! Just...are you really sure?" The image of the man's continuous crying kept popping into his head.

Bakugou tapped his foot in increasing irritation. "Of fucking course I'm fucking sure. And this is the shrine where he lives." He stabbed a finger into his face. "To have named you master of this house… is the same thing as being given the status as the land god."

"What?" Kirishima said, face blanking.

Excited clapping and cheering filled the air as Mina and Sero materialized in a burst of confetti by his head that seemed to shoot from Sero's strange cylinder elbows.

"Yes, it's true. At long last, the land god has returned!" Mina squealed excitedly, nuzzling Kirishima affectionately. "What a happy day!"

"We need to hurry and prepare a feast in celebration of Master Kirishima!" Sero said, his elbows bursting out more flurries of colored paper in his excitement.

"Hang on," Kirishima said, "Master? I-"

"Please take this, Master Kirishima!" A platter of fish had appeared out of thin air and the sprites were hastily pressing it into his hands. Despite the circumstances, Kirishima's stomach growled loudly after one look. His last proper meal had been this morning and it actually looked really good. Maybe one bite…

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

The sprites were shoved out of the way with a cry of protest. Kirishima's chin was abruptly grabbed and pulled forward, forcing him to look up. The fires of hell seemed to stare back.

"This pathetic mortal boy, the land god? What the fuck can he even do? Count the offerings? Clean the shrine, maybe? Don't make me laugh. Throw this shit out already!"

"But Kacchan!" Mina began to whine and skillfully dodged a fiery projectile. "He's the one who was chosen by Master Izuku!"

"Don't fucking call me that!" Bakugou said.

"Hey! Hands off already!" Kirishima shoved the offending hand away. He was getting tired of getting handled like some piece of trash by this guy. "Who do you think you are to throw me out? And what offerings? This shrine is completely run-down and abandoned! If anything, I should be the one to say I don't want to stay here!"

For a moment, Kirishima was sure he was about to become nothing but a smoldering pile of ash when he remembered who exactly he was yelling at but it was as if Bakugou had frozen over. He just stared. The moment stretched long enough for Kirishima to become unsteady in his sudden proclamation when something fleeting flashed in the demon's eyes. It was so quick that Kirishima couldn't quite identify what it had been.

"Master Kirishima, please don't say something like that!" Sero said, clinging to his sleeve.

"Yes, it's been so long since there has been a god here. We're very happy to have you here!" Mina said.

"Then in that case…" Kirishima's blood chilled at the guttural tone of Bakugou's voice. A thick blackness seeped up through the floorboards and smoke began to waft around, slowly curling around his figure. "If you're going to keep this fucker around, then I'm out of here."

The sprites gasped in horror and tried to barrel forward, but were swept away with a single swipe of Bakugou's claws.

"I'm that useless Deku's familiar." Bakugou said bitingly. "I refuse to serve this Shitty Hair. Go find some stray dogs or something instead. They'd be more suitable." The black fog had almost swallowed him whole now. Kirishima leapt up in alarm, realizing what was happening too late.

"Hey, what- wait a second!" Kirishima lunged forward, reaching but his fingers curled around nothing but air as both Bakugou and the black fog vanished, the last thing Kirishima seeing was him flicking him off.

~.~.~.~.~

Kirishima woke up serenely, the gentle rays of sun falling on his face. He sat up, stretching out the kinks in his back.

"What a strange dream…" He muttered mid-yawn.

His slice of peace was shattered with a crash as Mina and Sero threw open the sliding door.

"Good morning Master Kirishima!" Mina said.

"We've prepared your breakfast." Sero said, presenting a platter.

Kirishima nearly somersaulted backwards in his panic, heart jumping into his mouth, but the sprites didn't seem to notice.

"Then after breakfast, it's time for work!"

"Work?" Kirishima echoed and in a flash, he found himself sweeping the yard half an hour later.

He was finally able to shake from his daze. He'd ended up staying the night since he had had nowhere else to go and without that Bakugou guy, it had been quaint enough despite the damp floor and creaking walls. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

Mina and Sero directed him across the grounds.

"First we shall purify the yard to keep away evil spirits! We can clean the leaves and then-"

"Hold on," Kirishima said weakly. "You know, this is all still kind of hard to believe. I'm not seriously the land god, right? I haven't agreed to it or anything."

"Huh?" Sero said. "What do you mean? You can't leave!"

"Since Master Bakugou left, you're the only one to protect the shrine now!" Mina said.

The sprites simultaneously wailed and threw themselves at his feet, sniffling wetly.

"Alright, alright! I get it." Kirishima said in alarm. They instantly perked up.

"Excellent! We're the loyal sprites of this shrine, so please tell us to do anything you want!"

He would have liked if they'd help him clean, but as he continued sweeping the yard something continued to bother him.

"So... who exactly was that demon guy yesterday? You called him Bakugou, but also Kacchan?" Izuku had mentioned the name yesterday and he remembered thinking how he thought Kacchan was some wife. As if that hostile guy could be liked that way by anyone. Only knowing him within the space of hours and he had already threatened to kill him multiple times.

"Oh, Master Bakugou?" Mina said. "Kacchan is just a nickname he's been called for a long time, though it annoys him. He used to be a wild fox but was taken in as Master Izuku's familiar a long time ago rather than the typical stone guardian lion-dogs. He has served him ever since."

"Master Izuku really dislikes dogs you see." Sero said.

That explained a lot, Kirishima thought.

"Then twenty years ago, Master Izuku disappeared and hasn't returned since. Master Bakugou was livid. He's always been rude and grouchy, but the last twenty years has only worsened his moods." Sero sighed.

"But now the land god has returned and it's time to perform your duties! We must continue to clean." The sprites clapped their hands. "Next we will clean the main hall."

Kirishima groaned, sagging. It was hard to believe that this was seriously a god's job. But he couldn't complain. If this is all they were asking him to do, he could do this much for them for letting him stay the night and feeding him.

"Then at least for today, I'll do my best!" Kirishima resolved, rolling up his sleeves. That was the manliest thing to do after all. An hour later, the hall was sparkling and he was directed outside again to pluck the grass.

It wasn't even noon and he could tell he was going to be quite sore tomorrow. His fingers were even getting cramped from the scrubbing and now the repetitive plucking. Bakugou had said something about being unable to even clean the shrine and at the moment, Kirishima had been determined to prove him wrong. But doing it was a different story. It was surprisingly intense labor.

Taking a break, Kirishima rested on his haunches, wiping sweat from his brow and taking a moment to admire the day. Despite what he'd said, the shrine really didn't look that bad. It had seemed creepier and worse at night without any lights. It may have been empty and seemed forgotten, but it was fairly nice in the daylight despite it being without a god for the last twenty years.

"What the hell? You're actually trying to perform godly duties, Shitty Hair?" A warm wave of heat rolled across the grounds when the fox demon appeared in a burst of flames. Another set of intricate robing flowed around him. He smirked rudely.

"What do you want?" Kirishima grimaced, not in the mood for whatever this jerk was about to say.

"Oi, Shitty Hair, you missed a spot." Bakugou pointed at a large patch of grass he hadn't reached yet. "It's noon and you haven't even finished the grass yet? You really are useless."

"I just haven't got there yet!" Kirishima said, ears burning. "And stop calling me Shitty Hair. My hair's cool. And I have a name, so use it!"

Bakugou barked a laugh. "You're obviously not fit to be a god. So just give up and call it quits already. Go back home before you have to be humiliated anymore."

"It's not like I wouldn't if I could." Facing away, Kirishima was unable to see Bakugou's smirk drop.

He pulled another blade of grass. "My house got confiscated. I have nowhere to go back to."

Bakugou watched Kirishima pluck the blades for a few moments longer before shoving him over with his foot.

"Hey what's your problem?" Kirishima snapped, whirling around, but Bakugou had already disappeared again. That guy had seriously come back just to mock him? Then a dissonant voice seemed to float on the wind.

If you fucking touch my stuff, I'll kill you.

Kirishima threw a fistful of grass in the air. That guy was actually the worst.

A couple of hours later, Kirishima flopped on his belly, unable to lift another finger. He must have been really out of shape. All he'd done were chores! How could he be this exhausted?

God…

Kirishima sat up. There was a voice just now, he was sure. His head swiveled until he spotted a woman kneeling through the screen doors. He watched as she clapped her hands, smiling softly with closed eyes.

God please bless my family and their good health.

That had definitely been the woman's voice. Kirishima leaned against the door, watching her hobble away.

"Mina, Sero… I didn't just make that up now right? I was listening to that woman's thoughts."

Mina appeared beside him, smiling. "You weren't making it up. That was the voice of that woman's heart. Listening to the prayers of people who offer money to shrine is also your job."

So this temple actually got money after all? Kirishima didn't notice Sero had appeared over him until an enormous stack of notebooks was dumped over him. He fell over under the sudden weight, gasping as he shoved them away.

"Master Kirishima, these are twenty years worth of prayers from people who have offered money."

Kirishima flew up, gaping at the stack. "Twenty years?"

The sprites nodded. "Yes. Master Bakugou left these. We would have had Master Izuku look these over, but since he wasn't here the number of people who visit the shrine has decreased..." They wilted. "But Master Bakugou has faithfully been tending to the shrine all this time so sometimes people still come. Truthfully, all the work you've done today has been done by Master Bakugou until now."

Kirishima was stunned. All that work alone… for twenty years?

Curious, he gently flipped through one of the prayer books. The script was beautiful and as he scoured over the entries even the prayers were written carefully. They were so detailed and must have taken a long time to write down. It was hard to picture, but Kirishima could suddenly see Bakugou in his mind, probably glaring then too, but endlessly pouring over the worshipper's prayers with such care.

It felt like his heart had started to pump oil. It flowed slow and heavily from his heart. He'd called the shrine abandoned and run down so heartlessly. To take care of this place so diligently for twenty years, Bakugou must have truly treasured this place only for him, a complete nobody and stranger, to come and kick him out.

"Now that it's clear, you see why actually need Master Bakugou as your familiar?" Mina said.

"Yes, let's go get him now!" Sero said.

"Mina, Sero… if it's okay, can I stay for one more night?" Kirishima clutched the book of prayers tightly to his chest. "I can't be the god of this shrine. Because really, I'm just a normal guy without any power. I'm really sorry."

He left the room before the sprites could recover from their shock.

In his eagerness to have a home, he'd accidentally chased out another who called it home.

He'd called Bakugou the worst earlier, but he had been the awful one after all.

Bakugou may not have been… the most hospitable, but after tonight, he would seek him out and properly apologize and explain that he'd be leaving. Kirishima would make do somehow after that.

Only, the question now was where had he gone off to?

~.~.~.~.~

"Ah Bakugou! We finally found you."

"Who the fuck's asking?" Bakugou said, slamming down his empty glass on the bar. The bartender didn't flinch and continued to polish the glasses behind the counter, each of his six arms handling a different task as he coolly served Bakugou another refill. He was far used to Bakugou's antics. Today, Bakugou had been a little too indulgent, but he didn't feel like getting into it.

Two demons had come into the bar, some lowly scum that Bakugou didn't recognize. He was infamous in the underworld so being called out by some no-names wasn't anything new, but he was everything but in the mood to indulge in whatever the fuck they wanted. One of the two, a green leathery goblin blinked a huge eye at him.

"For a god's familiar to be here… the news must be true. Isn't there a new land god at your shrine?"

Bakugou knocked back his drink. "Fuck off."

"The air has turned sweet around the shrine. There's a human, isn't there? Young, fresh." The one-eyed goblin was beginning to drool. "We can eat it, right?"

Bakugou paused, side-eyeing the demons. His stool scraped noisily across the wood floor as he shoved himself up, putting down his glass. The bartender sighed, sweeping up the scattered glasses on the bar and backing away.

"I don't give a fuck of what happens to that Shitty Hair." Bakugou said.

The goblin began to grin, but in a flash a hand had darted out and grabbed his face. The goblin wasn't able to scream as he pawed at the hand furtively. Bakugou's foul look darkened, claws digging into the demon's flesh.

"But I seem to recall telling you to fuck. Off." In a blast of light and smoke, the goblin crashed to the ground, face charred beyond recognition. His friend squealed and bolted before Bakugou could even look at him. He didn't care.

The bartender sighed, extending one his arms. A mouth split open and spoke. "I would really appreciate it if you'd stop exploding demons in my bar."

"Shut the hell up, octopus." Bakugou said.

"It's Shoji."

Bakugou flipped him off over his shoulder, directing the corpse out the bar with several well aimed kicks.

Tucked into shadows at the end of the bar, a long figure sipped at a drink thoughtfully. "Bakugou's serving a new human land god, huh? Interesting…"