Chapter Text
Our story begins on a sunny summers morning. The setting: an evergreen forest of ancient trees, their branches raised in exhaltation to the Sun. Wildflowers grow in abundance, uncaring of the dirt path's boundaries-
"You're dead meat, Deku!"
- And the screams of one (1) barbarian.
"It's not that much further, Kaa-chan," Midoriya hummed, leading his horse along. Perched on said horse like a ruffled gargoyle, Bakugo growled, biting at his restraints.
"You're gonna regret this! I'll tear your flesh from your bones and feed it to the dragons!"
"Yes, Kaa-chan."
"I'll use your bones as kindling!"
"Of course, Kaa-chan."
"STOP AGREEING WITH ME!"
Bakugo was many things- inconsistent was not one of them. The moment he laid eyes on the healer, he didn't hesitate to snarl and spit.
"Uraraka!" Midoriya grinned, ignoring the rabid growling behind him. "Sorry to show up unannounced!"
"Don't be silly!" The healer waved, cheery and bright. Oh God, another Deku. "You're welcome any time, Midoriya!"
"Stop flirting and untie me, you idiot!" The barbarian hissed, still gnawing at his ties. The healer's gaze flicked to him, dark eyes narrowed in thought. A strange glint shimmered in those eyes, disappearing before Bakugo could react.
"Friend of yours, Midoriya?"
"Childhood friend. He's sustained a nasty injury to his leg and ribs. He's pain tolerance is pretty high, but still..."
The healer nodded, tugging at her hood with a smile.
"Say no more. Bring him in, I'll take a look."
The clinic's interior was warm and soothing, the floor covered with blankets of moss. Dried herbs and flowers hung from the ceiling, swaying in the wind of the doorway.
Bolting the door against the wind, the healer fussed them over to a far corner of the room, hands guiding the barbarian towards a hay-stuffed mattress. He shook off the contact, biting his lip as he slid down to the bed. He wasn't an invalid, for Goddess' sake.
Midoriya chewed his lip, eyebrows furrowed as he regarded the wound.
"It's started bleeding again. Kaa-chan, you should have told me."
"You should mind your own damn business." He huffed, eyes trained on the floor. "It's not a big deal, idiot."
The healer frowned, fingers light against his side. He winced, flinching at the contact despite himself. "Back off."
"Midoriya, I need you to apply pressure to the wound," she murmured, unperturbed, pulling a rag from her pocket. "Use this. I'll grab some things."
With great reluctance, Bakugo sat still- held his breath as his skin crawled and burned under the pressure.
The healer wasn't gone long, rushing back with a box full or bottles and jars. "OK, I'm going to apply some powdered yarrow to the wound, then we'll wrap it up with some moss and bandages. You should start chewing on this," she added, handing him a piece of strange root, "It'll help with the pain."
Bakugo sniffed the root, crinkling his nose.
"The hell is this?"
"Ginger."
"I don't need it."
Midoriya looked ready to argue, but the healer just shrugged.
"Suit yourself. If you want to be here longer than you have to."
That glint was back again, bright in the darkness of her eyes. Looking away, the barbarian huffed.
"Fine by me."
It was a short affair, the powder stinging against his damaged skin. The healer pressed the moss against his side, cool and soft, and some of the pain began to subside. "I want you on bedrest for three weeks- two at the least." She called, flitting around like some deranged pixie. "After that, you're free to go."
"Wait-" Bakugo began.
"Do you want me to stay, Uraraka?" Midoriya interrupted, saintly as ever. "I don't mind sleeping in the garden..."
"Thank you, Midoriya, but I couldn't ask that." The healer- Uraraka- smiled, returning the box to its cupboard. "I know you're busy at the moment, three weeks is far too long a distraction."
"Who said I agreed to any of this?" Bakugo growled, forcing himself further upright. He winced, side burning once again. "I'm not sitting around because of some stupid cut!"
"It's not a cut, Kaa-chan, it's a stab wound!"
"It's a bloody cut, Deku! What about Kiri-" He cut himself off, face etched with frustration. "I can't sit around."
Seemingly unconcerned by their shouting, the healer cocked her head.
"... How about this?" She proposed, "You have three weeks to heal. If you can prove to me before then that you're fit to travel, I won't stop you from leaving.
But," Her voice lowered, "If you do anything to endanger yourself or my patients, I won't hesitate to charm you senseless till the three weeks pass."
That light hadn't left her eyes. With her grass-stained robes and dirt-smudged face, she struck a startlingly strong figure. "Got it?"
Maybe she isn't a complete idiot.
Bakugo scowled, but met her gaze.
"... Got it."
"I'll be back, Kaa-chan! Heal quickly!"
"DON'T COME BACK, STUPID DEKU!"
Uraraka mostly left him alone, busying herself in the garden out the back. She'd come back in, smelling of sunlight and mulch and herbs, only to retreat to a desk at the corner of the room. Bakugo wasn't sure what she did over there- she refused to let him walk around.
Not just yet.
You need to rest.
Stand up again and, I swear to the Goddess, I'll jinx your legs limp.
It was humiliating. Infuriating. But the barbarian couldn't argue.
"Hey, how are you going?" She smiled, as though she weren't some wicked hag. "Can I take a look at your side?"
It had been three days, and the pain had eased somewhat. Enough for Bakugo to only bite his tongue when gentle fingers hovered over the wound. "It's looking better!" She murmured, eyes soft. "The antiseptic is working well. Does it hurt a lot?"
Bakugo grunted. "Wonderful," the healer smirked, reaching into a robe pocket. "Then I'll just apply some salve and change the bandages. I can cast a numbing spell if you like?"
"I don't need some stupid spell. What sort of weakling do you take me for?"
"No one's calling you weak, you cranky pants."
The salve stung like all hell, but the barbarian gritted his teeth. Whether she sensed this or not, Uraraka's fingers ran soft against the skin- gentle, weightless. "It looks much better than before." She hums. "The wound's nearly healed over."
Bakugo grunted, glaring at the ceiling. She smelt earthy and warm, laced with something spicy and oddly familiar...
"... Why do you smell like cinnamon?"
The healer stiffened.
"... Do I? You must be mistaken, maybe its the nutmeg-"
"Shut up, its definitely cinnamon." The barbarian muttered, eyes narrowed. "Cinnamon's so expensive, how the hell do you have it?"
Uraraka leant back, fists clenched, chewing on her lip.
"How would you know how it smells?"
"Fine, don't tell me!"
"Fine!" The healer stood up, face scrunched up in some facsimile of a scowl. "... I'll go get the bandages."
Bakugo scowled at her retreating figure. Why did he care? Who cares if she smells like cinnamon, of dirt, or... Or God damn roses, it doesn't matter!
Shoulders tense, he gave in to the deafening silence.
'... Bakugo... BAKUGO!'
The barbarian woke in a cold sweat, eyes wild and darting. 'Bakugo,' the voice in his head whispered, 'Bakugooooo...'
'The hell are you doing, scales for brains?'
'Displaying a sense of humour,' the voice drawled, 'what's the point of a mind link if you don't whisper the person's name in a-'
'OK, OK, shut up already...' Bakugo pushed himself upright, gaze drifting to Uraraka's room. The healer had retired to bed a good few hours ago- surely she wasn't still awake? '... Kirishima... Are you alright?'
Kirishima gave a soft chuckle.
'Yeah, I'm good. Took a day or two, but they eventually gave up...'
He trailed off. Bakugo narrowed his eyes.
'What happened.'
'... Nothing serious-'
'KIRISHIMA.'
Silence. Then:
'...Took a chunk out of my leg.'
Bakugo barely hushed his curses. It's fine, its not that bad, I'll just find some of that green stuff-'
'The green stuff. The stuff you can't pick up with your stupid dragon claws.'
'Yeah, that stuff.' He grumbled. 'It'll be fine. So where'd Midoriya take you, anyway?'
... Oh God.
But... No. He had to. She had to.
Listen to me very carefully...
Morning came, and he made his move.
A green-haired girl knocked on the door, a large wooden grate at her feet; Uraraka had welcomed her with open arms, all cutesy and gross, leading her into the other room. With a deliberate look over her shoulder, the healer closed the door behind her.
"Don't. Move."
Heartbeats later, Bakugo moved.
"Goddess damn it," He hissed, muscles screaming in response. Not unexpected, being bed-bound for five days, but annoying nonetheless. Bakugo propped himself against the wall and began his measured journey towards the door.
The sky still glowed with the remnants of dawn, soft with pinks and blues. The barbarian leant against the clinic's wall, eyes fixed on the sky... And focused.
The girls didn't waste time, rushing outside to greet the sudden whirlwind. Great crimson wings stirred the air above the clinic, strong enough to shake the trees.
"What on earth...?" Uraraka gasped, eyes flashing to the barbarian. "Get back inside! I'll deal with this!"
"Like hell!" Bakugo hissed, limping towards the pair. "You're gonna help my friend, or I'll have him set the place alight!"
"Ochako..." The green-haired girl muttered, wide eyes still trained on the descending dragon.
"How dare you!" The healer hissed, threatening the boy with the hilt of her staff. "After all I've-"
"Ochako! He's badly hurt!"
"I know, Tsuyu, I've been healing-"
"No!" Tsuyu protested, hands clutching at her skirts. "The dragon!"
Bakugo watched as Uraraka's gaze fell back on the dragon, the fire leaving her eyes.
"... Tsuyu, can you grab my spell book please?"
Kirishima had been downplaying his injury. Even with his claws wrapped around the wound, there was no missing the dark flakes of dried blood.
"Let us look at it, scales for brains!" Bakugo growled, trying not to lean against the dragon's side. "Stop being a baby!"
'Excuse you,' Kirishima retorted, yellow eyes narrowed, 'But are you really one to talk? How'd Midoriya convince you, huh?'
"Eh? You wanna fight, coal-breath?"
"Calm down, the both of you!" Uraraka cried, flicking through her spell book. "Bakugo, shut your mouth for a minute."
Bakugo gritted his teeth, but did as he was told. Kirishima was the priority right now... He could fight the both of them later. "OK then, Mr Dragon..."
'Mr Dragon was my father, actually.'
Tsuyu snorted. Bakugo blinked, rounding on the girl.
"The hell you laughing at?"
"Your friend. He's funny." Tsuyu smirked at his stunned expression. "I'm part Druid. I speak lizard."
"He's not a lizard, idiot, he's a dragon!"
"Big lizard."
Kirishima gave a low grumble and Bakugo bit his tongue. Repositioning himself against the dragon's side, he rested a tentative hand against his hide.
'You can say if it hurts, you know. I'll make her stop.'
Yellow eyes soft, Kirishima bobbed his head.
'It's fine. Just... Tingly.'
Bakugo frowned, turning his gaze to the healer. Concentration locked in some sort of spell, her hair fluttered around her face as though she were underwater. A soft rosy aura surrounded her, fingers pressed gently to the wound.
It was easy, with her bumbling and chattering, that the girl was a powerful sorceress. Bakugo had encountered combative magic, magicians working as mercenaries and soldiers; the stronger ones had undeniable power and skill...
... But Uraraka's magic was different. Natural as breathing. 'You're staring dude.'
"Am not!" Bakugo growled, face flushing hot as Tsuyu giggled in the background.
'OK then, OK... That wasn't very manly, you know...'