"Why not?" Bakugou shot Kirishima an intimidating glare. And then towards the blackboard where Bakugou's name had been strikethrough. "Why can't I be the barbarian?"

"Because the barbarian is the dragon's love interest?" Kirishima muses, a pen balances itself on top of his pout.

"And?" Bakugou repeats, his foot taps the floor impatiently.

"I'm the dragon?"

"And?!" Bakugou hated repeating himself, but Kirishima wasn't getting to the point.

"I don't think Kacchan minds being your love interest, Kirishima-kun." Midoriya interjects, cautious of the smoke seeping from Bakugou's fists.

"What?!" Bakugou scowls, then points an accusing finger towards the board. "This isn't about some stupid love interest. The barbarian is the guy with the coolest backstory. I don't want to play anyone else in this stupid play."

"Ahh!" The class resounds, simultaneously nodding in understanding.

"We thought you were mad because Todoroki was going to be paired up with Kirishima!" Sero says.

"Really?" Kaminari exclaims. "I thought he was fussing over the kiss the half-dragon and the barbarian was going to share. Like," Kaminari presses his index fingers together, lips wound in a pout. "Bakugou wants it to be him, and not pretty boy-roki over there."

"That's not it, you bumbling idiot!" Bakugou exclaims, slamming a smoking palm on his table. "The barbarian is obviously the hero in this play, and if anyone is playing hero, it's going to be me!"

"How manly, Bakugou!" Kirishima cheers for him a few seats behind.

"Tch!"

"Alright." Iida calls from the front, adjusting his glasses. "We can make Todoroki-kun the prince instead?"

"Will you be okay with that, Todoroki-san?" Momo asks.

"Yes." Todoroki flips through the playbook. A dog-ear fold made on the page of where his character, the Prince, would meet with Midoriya, the traveler. "I think I prefer this role."

"Are you okay with being the dragon, Kirishima?" Kaminari asks, stealing an egg roll from his tray. "It doesn't even appear all the time."

"Yeah!" Kirishima replies enthusiastically, stealing his egg roll back from the blonde. "And could you imagine how cool it would be traveling with a barbarian as manly as Bakugou?" He elbows the boy's side, wincing as it's reciprocated back rougher than his.

Kaminari snickers and steals the egg roll back, stuffing it in his mouth before Kirishima could protest. "I guess I see the dynamic." He separates his chopsticks and sets them roles. "You two are like chopsticks; okay separated but much better together."

"What a lame analogy." Sero guffaws.

"I think it makes sense." Kirishima chuckles, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Right, Bakugou?"

Kirishima turns to Bakugou, surprised to find a calculating look directed at the chopsticks Kaminari held in his fists. Bakugou glances at Kirishima quickly, caught off guard as his eyes met his, and turns away.

"It's lame."

"Aw, boo!" Kaminari jeers. "You're no fun, Bakugou." He juts his thumb at him and looks at Kirishima. "You'd really wanna travel a fantasy world with this guy?"

"I mean, yeah!" Kirishima grins. "I'd want to go where Bakugou would go."

"Loser." Sero remarks, and Kaminari snaps his fingers. "I was just about to say that."

"You're all so damn noisy." Bakugou mumbles, standing from his place and storming out the cafeteria, the tips of his ears flushed red.

"What's up with him?" Kirishima pouts. "Noisy? Kaminari didn't even screech this time."

"Another surprise." Sero nods, patting Kaminari's head. "Are you okay? You were also out of it during training."

"Maybe if you'd say goodnight back next time." Kaminari huffs, waving his phone in the air. "Are we dating or not?!"

Kirishima laughs at Sero's panicked look, taking it as a signal to leave the table and chase after Bakugou. "I'll see you back in class."

The barbarian was cool; It was the brute strength hero, and to be frank, the role was made for Bakugou.

The staged kiss was just a scene; a scene he'd share with the dragon; the dragon that Kirishima's playing.

Bakugou squints at the space in front of him, trying to calm the stupid way his heart was beating.

Why was this making him nervous? It wasn't something new for Kirishima to butter him up by calling him manly and all that.

"I'd want to go where Bakugou would go." Kirishima voice echoes in his head.

Bakugou turns red at the image his brain concocted; Kirishima at his side at all times—his hands intertwined with his. It was just a stupid play where the dragon and barbarian couldn't be separated, and yet it made him feel like there were butterflies in his stomach.

"Bakugou!"

Speak of the devil.

"What?" Bakugou says, glaring at the shadow Kirishima made, towering his hunched one; the spike of his hair poking at the silhouette's side made the shadow look like it had wings—a dragon.

In an instant, Bakugou straightens his back and looks at Kirishima; staring at his red, brighter, rounder pupils—almost like the rubies of a dragon's hoard.

"Dude?" Kirishima presses the back of his palm on the blonde's forehead. "You look red! Are you okay?" Kirishima bites his lower lip in worry. "Do we need to see Recovery Girl?"

Kirishima's hand was noticeably rough compared to his smooth skin. Bakugou is reminded of how the ripple of his quirk reminds him of a dragon's scales.

"We?"

"Yeah!" Kirishima says as he rests his hand on his hip. "I'm coming with you, of course."

Bakugou knew that he was one who preferred to do things alone. He's always liked it that way, and yet, Kirishima being there next to him didn't seem so bad.

Not on just some short trip to the infirmary.

No.

He finds himself wanting Kirishima by his side through everything else.

"Do you wanna go to-" Kirishima is interrupted as Bakugou shimmies his warm hands in Kirishima's. "Huh?! B-Bakugou?!"

"Just..." Bakugou mumbles, pulling himself up, the grip on Kirishima's hands even tighter. "Just come with me, alright? You're my dragon, aren't you?"

"Is this what they call method acting?!" Kirishima yelps, cheeks just as flushed as Bakugou's.

"No." Bakugou bites his lower lip. "Just come with me to Recovery Girl." He walks a few steps forward and looks back at Kirishima. "You offered didn't you?"

"Ah! Yeah, of course!" Baugou fights the grin on his face as Kirishima ends by his side.

He'd tell Kirishima his realizations some other time, but he'd be lying to himself if he didn't like the feel of their hands intertwined like this.

"I'm your dragon, huh?" Kirishima grins almost cockily, his pace of walking matching Bakugou's.

"Shut up."

—end!