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A light summer’s night breeze drifted from the tree tops of Mustafu forest and down onto a hilltop, ruffling the Dragon clan leader’s blond hair.
The nights were growing warmer and the Dragon clan leader liked to take walks to clear his head from the duties to his village and his people.
He sat on a grassy knoll and stared out over a dark valley, lit only by a half moon. His shirtless torso was covered in black symbols, markings that indicated he was the leader of the Dragon clan. His leather pants fit him nicely, his boots sported furs from last winter. He was large and strong, he easily towered over most of the other warriors in his village.
Nights were always the hardest on Dragon clan leader Katsuki Bakugo. Memories from long ago plagued him all the time, but during the silence of night the voices of those long lost grew louder in his mind.
“Kacchan, will you love me forever?” a quiet high pitched voice would whisper in his ear.
Bakugo shook his head trying to shake off the despair that voice drowned him in. The voice that used to be his only happiness was now his greatest sadness and fear.
Memories of green hair that curled around small ears and hung in front of emerald eyes. Sunkissed cheeks covered in precious freckles. A smile that could warm the coldest heart. A small but strong body, arms that could lift boulders and legs that could outrun any competitor or foe. Hands that were scarred from many hard fought battles, but that could also comfort and love.
A tear dropped down Bakugo’s right cheek. He huffed and wiped it away gruffly. He was frustrated. He didn’t want to be weak. He couldn’t be weak in front of his village, his warriors, rival tribes, not anyone.
The one person he could drop his guarded walls and trust to pick him back up had been gone for over 500 years, and with him went his heart and soul.
Only in the solace of solitude atop this hilltop outside his village would he allow himself to grieve and mourn.
When it got to be too much and overwhelming he would leave the village to the capable hands of his good friend and fellow warrior Kirishima, and sit here to let his mind wander to those haunting green eyes.
Living an immortal life as one of the dragon clan had never felt like more of a burden than it had these past 500 years.
When you are dragon born and you find a mate your heart attaches itself to that mate forever. Usually if a mate dies or falls out of love the other will die from sadness.
But not Katsuki Bakugo. He would live for his people and lead them to prosperity, even if it meant living a life that was gray and where happiness was just a memory of the past. Some thought that his true mate was still alive since Katsuki had not died, but it had been over 500 years and he had still not found him.
Katsuki gave up major search parties for him after 200 years of heartache and toil. He could not do this to his village anymore. He would sweep his heart and emotions under the earth and focus his people.
When he sat alone at night he silently prayed for Izuku to return to him. He would do anything to have his mate back in his arms. Silent wishes and prayers were sent into the night sky hoping that Izuku, wherever he was, knew that he was loved and wanted.
Another tear slipped down Katsuki’s cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his hand and choked back a sob in his throat.
“Enough!” he growled to himself. Katsuki promptly stood, the ground softly squishing under his feet.
He gave one last look over the dimly lit valley with its winding rivers and lush green lands, before turning to walk into Mustafu forest back to his village.
******
“You’re getting slow old man!” Denki teased getting a punch in on Katsuki during their sparring session.
“Die!” Bakugo said, guarding his next punch and twisting to knock Deni’s legs out from under him.
“Ooof! Bakugo why??” Denki grossed rubbing his back end.
“You deserved it man, don’t tease our leader.” Kirishima laughed.
“Clan leader Bakugo!” one of his top warriors, Sero ran to him shouting.
“What do you want?” Bakugo asked annoyed.
“Come quick! An intruder has been apprehended in the forest!” Sero huffed out of breath.
“It better not be from anyone from the Shiketsu tribe. I’ll send them back to Insana in pieces.”
“It’s not…he looks just like…well…” Sero started and stopped. “What?” Katsuki asked curiously.
“You need to go see for yourself.” Sero pleaded.
“Fine. Take me there.” Bakugo ordered and Sero led him to the council tent.
******
Sero lifted the large tent flap for Bakugo to enter. The council was assembled and sitting in their standard circle and in the middle was a body lying on the floor with a brown sac covering the top half of the body.
“Clan leader” an ethereal voice called to him.
“Yaoyorozu” Bakugo nodded in respect to the head woman of the clan as he walked to his seat in the circle.
“Clan leader Bakugo, an intruder was found on the border of Muftafu forest. Warriors Tokyami and Jiro tried to question them but they ran. After a lengthy chase the trespasser was knocked unconscious and bright back here for questioning.” Council member Ilda explained.
“Do we know where he came from?” Bakugo asked, studying the unmoving body in the middle of the circle.
“We have some thoughts, we are afraid that it might be an imposter or a trick from some ancient magic.” Yaoyorozu warned.
“An imposter?” Katsuki looked at her curiously.
“Sero, please remove the sac from the intruder.” Iilda ordered.
Sero moved to the center of the circle and lifted the dead weight of the body to pull and remove the sac from the body. The sac was pulled and green curls spilled around a sun kissed freckle face. All of the emotions Katsuki had been holding back for 500 years spilled out and Bakugo felt like he had been pushed off a cliff and into freezing cold water. A shiver rushed through his whole body. He felt tears streak down his face.
“Izuku!” Bakugo stood and rushed to the body, but Iilda got to him first and held him back.
“We don’t know if it’s really him. We need to approach it with caution.” Iilda held him tightly.
“WHAT?! It’s him! Are you blind?!” Bakugo howled his body moving and about ready to break Ilda’s arms.
“Clan leader.” Yaoyorozu stepped in front of him and moved to hold his cheeks emitting a calming magic through her hands to calm his overloaded emotions.
“We need to approach carefully. We have been searching for Izuku for hundreds of years. It is suspicious that he appears out of nowhere and then runs away from Tokoyami and Jiro.” She rubbed the tears from his eyes with her thumbs.
“I’ve been waiting for so long.” Bakugo whispered painfully.
“I know, but we need to be careful and cautious. Once he wakes up we will find out the details of where he has been and then figure out how to move forward.” she said comfortingly.
Bakugo sniffed and nodded silently in agreement.
******
The council decided to move Izuku to a holding encampment, a tent that had minimal comforts but did at least have a bed and water jug.
Bakugo paced back and forth in the tent while Izuku lay still, quietly unconscious. He paced and would stop to admire his lover from years ago.
Questions raced through his mind “Where have you been?” “Why didn’t you come back to me?” “Do you still love me like I love you?”
Bakugo did not sleep or eat for days, waiting for Izuku to reenter the waking world.
Finally, one morning as Bakugo was fixing the fire in the tent, Izuku woke up.
Bakugo heard a rustling and turned to see green eyes staring at him. Bakugo’s breath caught in his throat.
His love awakened his cold heart and melts feelings and emotions that he thought was long since dead.
“Where am I?” Izuku asked, his voice gravely from being unconscious for days.
“You are in Mustafu forest, in the care of the Dragon clan.” Bakugo answered as calmly as he could with his heart racing.
“Dragon clan? How did I get here?” Izuku asked, looking around the tent, clearly not recognizing Bakugo.
“You were found knocked unconscious on the outskirts of our land. My warriors brought you to the village. Do you remember anything?” Bakugo asked hopefully.
Izuku thought for a moment and then shook his head no. “No I don’t.”
Suddenly Izuku looked at Bakugo as if something was drawing his gaze to him.
“I feel like…you’re familiar. Do I know you?” Izuku tilted his head curiously.
Bakugos heart clenched with excitement. He had to approach this carefully. Trusting his gut he answered.
“Yes, you do.” Bakugo moved from the fire to kneel in front of Izuku.
“How do I know you?” Izuku examined him.
Moving his hand as if not aware of what he was doing, he caressed Bakugo’s face. Bakugo couldn’t help himself and tears started flowing from his eyes. Emotions overflowing inside him. Pain, hope, love, hurt.
“Why are you crying?” Izuku crooned softly.
“Because…you have come back to me.” Bakugo sniffed.
“I left you?” Izuku’s eyes wide.
“I don’t think it was by choice. You were taken from me. I searched for so long and now finally you're back with me.” Bakugo nuzzled into Izuku’s hand.
Acting on instinct Izuku sat up and took Bakugo’s face in his hands, wiping his tears away with his thumbs. “I don’t know how, but it’s as if my heart and soul recognize you. I’m drawn to you.” Izuku whispered.
Bakugo looked up into his emerald green eyes, shining from the firelight, and fell in love all over again. He turned to kiss Izuku’s palm.
“Yes, our heart and soul is one my Izuku. I’ve needed my other half so badly.” Bakugo whimpered.
Izuku smiled down at him, taking in his frightened and relieved red eyes, shining like embers.
“I am sorry I do not know you, but I will trust my heart that it knows and loves you.” Izuku said confidently.
Bakugo moved without hesitation and wrapped Izuku in a tight embrace. Izuku gasped the air knocked out of him from the quick hug. He held Bakugo and patted his hair to comfort him.
Bakugo held him trying to ground himself in the reality that Izuku was real and here in his arms.
Moving again as if on instinct Bakugo pulled back to look at Izuku, taking in the face he only dreamed about for so long. He leaned in and kissed him softly.
Izuku tensed and than as if his heart told him this was ok, he relaxed and kissed back. They kissed tenderly holding each other close, wrapping their arms around each other knotting in a tight embrace.
Pulling back slightly for air Bakugo smiled against Izuku’s lips “Izuku.” He whispered softly.
Izuku smiled back against his lip. “I think I remember Kacchan.” Izuku cried.
Bakugo held him tight as he cried from years of heartbreak, of being separated from his one true love.
“It’s ok love, we are back together now. We will live as we were meant to. I waited for you, and now that I have you back I will never let you go. I will love you twice as much to make up for our lost time Izuku. Please.” Bakugo held him tight as he felt Izuku’s breathing even out.
“Yes Kacchan. I’ll never leave you again. I promise.” Izuku pulled Bakugo down into a passionate kiss, spilling all his love into it.
They were reunited and whole once again. The fire grew large and the winder roared outside the tent, as if the gods were pleased by this blessed reunion. Heart and soul pieced back together.