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Chapter Text

It only takes a single look at his meager savings to realize he's fucked. Katsuki scowls at the small leather bag in his hands, holding it open to reveal three measly silver coins. He's been unable to find a good paying bounty in a while, stuck with doing simple fetch-quests and labour jobs only to recieve barely enough money for food that night. He needs something more substantial, immediately.

Meaning he needs to find whatever village is closest to here and move on, preferably before the overeager woman who keeps eyeing him musters up the courage to ask him out. Or whatever the fuck she's planning, Katsuki never has any clue what's going through people's minds when they talk to him. What he does know is he doesn't like the way she continues to look him up and down like a piece of meat. So, next village it is. He just needs to find a map, one that's been kept somewhat up to date.

Which will be harder than it sounds.

He first makes his way to the local inn, being sure to avoid the blacksmith nearby that keeps trying to scam him. The old asshole nearly convinced him to buy a pair of wrist guards shittily stitched together. He scowls at the memory, sliding past it when he's sure the old man isn't looking.

The inn is, thankfully, out of view from the blacksmith, so once he's a good distance away he can walk in without worries. The door opens with a familiar squeak, the front entrance quiet—the way it typically is. There's one other patron tucked away in a corner, sitting at a rickety old table and nursing what looks to be a glass of cider.

"Hey, you." The woman who owns the inn greets him, barely glancing up as she mops the floor. Katsuki can't remember her name. "Come for another night? You don't usually turn in this early."

"No, I need a map. Preferably a newer one, if you can." She sets the mop down, wiping her hands off on the front of her apron, looking him up and down with faux offense.

"You're leaving already?" She scoffs, making her way behind the counter. "It wasn't my husband's cooking, was it?"

Katsuki huffs out a laugh through his nose. He doesn't usually grow close with peoeple during his travels, but she'd been a nice enough person to talk to during his stay. It helped that she could give as good as she took, matching Katsuki word for word. "You need to beat some sense into him. My last chicken was raw. Raw."

She grimaces. "Got a destination in mind?"

"Whatever's closest."

"Alright, I think there's a new settlement just a day's walk away." She mutters under her breath, rumaging around under the counter. He got a glance at the storage under there a few nights ago, and based on the mess he saw, Katsuki imagines he might be here all day. "You'll have to come visit again, yeah?"

Katsuki shrugs. "I go where the money is. And there's no fucking money here."

"Oh," She huffs, shooting him a glare. "You better come back, boy."

He doesn't complain at the nickname. Last time he'd told her he's nowhere near young, she'd said some shit about everyone looking young at her age. He doesn't think she's old enough to say that, though.

Eventually, she manages to find a somewhat recent map, holding it out to him with a smile.

"Here," She says, pointing to a dot just south of where they are now. "They're developing. I bet you could make some good silver doing labour there."

He grunts, turning to look out the window to gage the time. At her pace, it'd be a day's walk, but he could probably make it before sundown if he leaves now.

"Thanks," He says simply, tossing the woman a single silver coin. He'll likely be able to get a room at the next village over for another one, which will leave him with one more to buy food for the night.

He can make it up again in the morning. He turns to leave, intending to hit the road immediately.

"Wait!" She grabs his wrist before he can turn away, holding him there. "I have something for you, wait here."

"I don't need your—" Katsuki tries to call after her, but she disappears around the corner hastily, moving before he can refuse. The man in the corner glances up curiously at him while he waits. Katsuki glares until he looks away, before shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against the wall, watching the side door the inn keeper had gone through.

She returns quick enough, fortunately for her. Katsuki was planning on leaving anyway had she taken too long.

He kicks off the wall and takes a step towards her, then freezes when he sees what's in her hands. It's a single shoulder guard, slim and simple. When she pushes it into his hands, he can feel it's made from good leather, well made and long lasting. It'll probably hold up against a few good blows, but wouldn't protect against well against anything bladed for long. Still, he turns it over in his hands gingerly, wondering why the hell she's giving this to him.

"I know what you're thinking." She admonishes him, shoving it—and his hands—against his chest. "We don't need it. My husband and I settled down here a long time ago. Just take it, boy."

He sighs and slides it under his shirt. Putting it on is awkward, considering it should probably go over the worn cotton. But he doesn't want a target on his back, lest anyone considers his armour a sign he's got something of value to protect. "You're trying to bribe me." He says, eyes narrowing as he fiddles with the straps. "Trying to convince me to come back, huh?"

"Is it working?" She smiles. Then shooes him away with her hands, expression suddenly hardening. "Go on, get. You're losing sunlight."

"Gods, woman, I'm going!" He turns on his heel and walks out without another word, rolling his eyes. He only makes it a few steps down the road—opposite the blacksmith—when he hears the wood door slam open behind him.

"It's Shuzenji!" She shouts after him, and he has to supress a laugh. How that tiny woman has such a loud voice, he'll never know.

His estimate is a little off. He arrives at the next village a little after sundown, to his chagrin. He'd hoped to arrive before it got dark, but now he'll just have to keep a careful eye on his surroundings while he looks for this village's inn. Or whatever they have that'll pass for an inn.

Still under development, there really isn't much to see. He walks cautiously down the main road—still soft dirt, not yet worn from years of foot traffic—and decides right then and there he's not going to stay for long. There may be some labour like the inn keeper, Shuzenji, mentioned, but from the looks of it, they're slowly building, over the course of years as people move in rather than all at once. Still, Katsuki muses as he finally makes it to the inn, there must be something or other for him to work on.

When he opens the door, it doesn't creak like the one at the last few villages; the metal on the hinges is still new, unrusted with time.

"Welcome, welcome," A voice reaches him from somewhere off to his side. When he looks, it's an unassuming man, tall and thin with a short moustache under his nose. He's wearing a vest and slacks, a popular way of dressing in the capital. Katsuki already doesn't like him.

"I need a room." He says simply, nodding in greeting.

The man looks him up and down, eyes narrowing as he takes in his appearance. No doubt Katsuki looks a mess, his clothes torn and patched up over and over again in a weak attempt to avoid buying more, hair a mess from weeks of quick baths in between jobs. Not to mention he's sweaty and sunburnt from walking here all day, and he's probably got a smear of dirt on his face somwhere from when he'd tripped over a root.

It snuck up on him.

He jolts back to awareness when the man clears his throat and adjusts his tie, stepping closer to Katsuki. He's practically radiating superiority, and Katsuki watches him with an unimpressed glare, mentally preparing for whatever shit he's about to hear.

"I'm afraid we have no open rooms, sir." He practically spits out the sir, averting his eyes like just looking at Katsuki is an affront.

"Bullshit."

The man blinks, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

"Bull. Shit. This tiny village isn't going to get enough foot traffic to fill half this inn, much less the whole thing." Katsuki's jaw tics, teeth clenching together to prevent saying more. He's trying to get a room, not get kicked out.

Though, seeing how red the man's face gets, Katsuki might end up sleeping in the woods tonight anyway. He sniffs hautily, slicking back his hair in a clear attempt to calm down. "Well, we don't serve your kind here, sir."

"My kind?! What the fuck are you—"

"You're cursed, tainted." He says, face twisting. "We don't house magic creatures like you, barbarian."

Katsuki nearly laughs at the irony. Though if the inn keeper here knew the truth, he still wouldn't let Katsuki stay. He remembers when he'd first gone for the capital, years ago. He assumed a bustling centre like that would have plenty of opportunity for jobs, lots of choice for Katsuki to make the silver he needs.

He learned quickly that any opportunity there isn't meant for him, especially not under the rule of Enji Todoroki, the fucking hypocrite.

"I wouldn't spend money on a shithole like this, anyway." Katsuki snarls bitterly, before turning on his heel and walking out the door. The dirt road is still as empty as before, houses on either side locked and curtains drawn. He has no clue if it'll even be worth it to look for a job in this town if they let capital scum turn away whomever they feel like, but it won't hurt to try. Katsuki will just have to sleep in the woods tonight and hope to gods he can make enough silver to move on quick.

The next morning, Katsuki wakes with a stiff neck, held at an odd angle during the night. He stretches it out as best he can as he stumbles out of the tree he'd climbed last night, new bruises decorating his arms. He'd slipped while climbing up the thick bark, and then nearly fell again when he'd been struggling to tie himself down for the night. All in all, he's pissed, and he can't wait to get some mind-numbing, back-breaking labour in for a town of shitty bigots. (Not.)

Though, until he's interacting with them, he'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Because otherwise he's going to turn around and head right on down the road again, until he reaches whatever town is next. If he convinces himself it'll be fine, maybe it will be.

Turning onto the main dirt road once more, he notices it looks more lively during the day. There's people bustling about; kids weaving between the legs of labourors as they work hard on a new building, market people taking advantage of the new traffic to encourage people to sell, he even sees some livestock wandering about. A particularly large cow walks right in front of him, turning to look at Katsuki for a moment as it chews before continuing her business. The presumed owner of the cow shouts out an apology, quickly scrambling forward to grab onto her harness.

"She slipped right out of my grasp!" He laughs, speaking in an unfamiliar accent. He turns to walk toward an unfinished house on one side of the road, turning to glance at Katsuki over his shoulder. "Sorry again."

"Hold on." Katsuki follows after him. "You need labour?"

He tries to pause, and nearly gets knocked off his feet when the cow continues to pull at her rope. "You're looking for a job, eh? I could use some help getting the roof up."

Katsuki grunts, nodding. "Whatever will get me silver."

"I like the energy! C'mon, I've got one other lad helping me already." The man grins, wide, before attempting to make his way around the back of the house. The cow impedes his every step, until Katsuki gets frustrated and yanks the lead from him and wraps the rope around his hand. He just laughs, gesturing to a ladder propped haphazardly against the back wall.

Just as he says, there's another man up on the roof. He's balanced on two support beams and hammering away at something Katsuki can't see, though he can hear the distinct sound of metal on metal with each swing of his large arms. Before he can hoist himself onto the rooftop and begin working away, the homeowner yanks him back, eyes narrowed.

"Listen, between you and me, this kid wasn't here, got it?"

Katsuki takes a step back, wrenching his arm from the man's grasp with a scowl. "What're you talking about?"

"See, some folks here aren't too interested in magical creatures helping me out, so I need you to keep this a secret."

"Ah." Realization quickly dawns and, with a quick glance up to check, there's definitely some sort of aura around the man on the roof. "That won't be a problem. Inn keeper wouldn't let me rent a room, either."

The man looks him up and down, confusion crossing his face. Katsuki takes his silence as a sign to climb up and get to work. No doubt he's from across the sea, some far land without rumours of barbarians and their aggression with magics. Katsuki looks normal enough to him, but the pale hair and red eyes are a dead giveaway for anyone else.

"Oh, hey!" The other man startles when Katsuki scrambles up next to him, though he's quick to shoot him a smile and hand him a spare hammer. Katsuki nods in thanks and surveys the area before getting to work. The support beams are all up, as well as most of the base for the shingles, so he'll just need to help with getting that set up before they can move on.

While working, he glances at the other worker, silently taking in the little details that don't quite add up. At first glance, he passes as anyone else. Though his hair colour is a little odd, Katsuki would just assume it's been dyed. Then he notices the shimmer on the man's cheeks and shoulders, his skin reflecting light in a way that isn't quite normal for skin to do. Not to mention the way his pupils contract oddly, taking a cat-like shape when he looks up at the bright sky. Katsuki doesn't know quite what he is—he's not a mythozoologist, and he's never planning on being one—but he knows the innkeeper definitely wouldn't like him.

He lets his mind drift after that, mulling over whatever comes to mind as he hammers rthymically at the roof. It's easy to keep a good pace, easy to let himself wander in his mind. It's not easy when he suddenly recalls why he's here.

Katsuki forces that memory shut and returns his focus to working.

"I'm Kirishima." The man next to him says, glancing up from his work.

Katsuki startles, looks up, grunts, and continues hammering away. "Bakugou."

He hears the other worker—Kirishima—hum quietly before he continues working as well. They don't speak again for a long time.

After a few hours, once the sun is high in the sky, it grows too hot to continue working the way he is. Katsuki wipes away the sweat beading at his forehead and looks up, squinting. It's clearer than he assumed it would be, less clouds than last night at the very least.

"Hot, yeah?" Kirishima says, grinning. Katsuki eyes him distastefully for a moment before shucking off his shirt. Kirishima just laughs like he's being funny, eyes crinkling at the corners.

Katsuki figures he just finds him funny because he's human. Fae and the like—at least the few he's interacted with—seem to be absolutely enraptured with humans and their actions. They don't always understand why they do things or what they're thinking, finding amusement with 'silly mortal squables' and whatnot. Though, Katsuki supposes humans do the same with other humans all the time.

He sighs to himself at the thought, thinking once more of the inn keeper and the shitty city he came from.

The homeowner gives them each twenty silver as thanks. It's way more than is necessary for the job, but he insists, saying some shit about the two of them working harder than any of the capital folk would. Katsuki leaves before he can doubt his decision, pocketing all twenty coins with satisfaction. He recieves a few odd looks from the other townsfolk on the way out, families and single men watching him go with narrowed eyes and hands on their weapons. Kirishima made the right decision leaving out a side road, where he can escape unseen.

He ignores the little voice in his head that tells him he'll never make it, not if everyone at the capital sees him as a curse.

He just focuses on the new weight at his side, silver tucked nicely away where no one can see it. It's not much, not compared to what he needs, but with the new savings, he'll be able to last longer in between jobs at least.

Fuck, he might even be able to afford a legitimate weapon.

Chapter Text

The next town is already much better. The houses look older, street well worn and paved along the busiest areas. No doubt this is a well established population, here long before the capital decided it was time to start expanding. Katsuki is quickly proven right when the first people he stumbles upon greet him with bows and polite smiles before they go about their business. Katsuki returns the bow—he's an asshole, sure, but at least he's polite—and continues on down the road.

The inn is easy to find, especially with the noise Katsuki can hear from inside. No doubt there's a bar attached to the front, an extra way to make money when travellers aren't passing through. He's seen it in a few towns now, it seems to be a trend that's quickly growing popular.

Hopefully this town's ale isn't complete shit.

When Katsuki walks in, the first thing he notices is how much louder it is on the inside. Late as it is, most everyone's either gone to bed or wound up here, drinking the night away. It's a good sign that it looks like most of the town is sitting around the cramped tables, more empty mugs than people. Either the drinks are good, or they're strong.

There's a posh woman sitting at the counter, Katsuki's eyes going right to her. She sticks out like a sore thumb, hair tied up high on her head and clothes perfectly pressed. Fuck, she's even got a necklace hanging down to her collarbones, twinkling in the soft light of the bar.

Capital, no doubt. Katsuki decides he's going to sit far from her.

He has to dodge drunkards on his way to the bar, even stepping over a lad who's passed out right on the floor. He considers picking the kid up and moving him somewhere safer, but his friends quickly haul him out of Katsuki's way, apologizing the whole while. He huffs out a laugh, recalling when he'd first grown old enough to drink. He'd blacked out quickly, waking up the next morning with a headache so bad he wished he was dead.

Of course, that was a few years before he ended up in this mess.

Sighing at the thought, he sits on the opposite side of the counter as the capital woman, tapping his fingers on the worn wood. The barkeep nods in awknowledgment as he serves another customer. When he finally slides over to Katsuki, he flashes him a wide smile, looking him up and down for a moment.

"What can I get for you?" He asks, smiling. It's weirdly straight, which goes well with his awkward haircut.

"Where's the innkeeper?" Katsuki nods toward a side door, presumably where the inn connects to the bar. "I need a room for the night."

The barkeep nods, picking up a glass to wipe clean. "Jirou is in the back now, she'll be out soon." He holds out the empty mug, now sparkling. "Drink while you wait?"

"No." Katsuki waves him away. He could use a drink, especially after the shitshow of the last village, but he's committed to saving his silver now that he's made a good amount. He'll probably have to find a place to store it, if he continues to make coin like he has. Though it's unlikely. The barkeep shrugs, turning to talk to the woman sitting at the counter.

She's soft spoken, and their coversation is hard to catch. The door behind the bar opens before Katsuki can get too curious, revealing a smaller woman with short hair and stretched ears. It catches Katsuki off guard, his hand coming up to trace his own earlobes—a typically barbarian practice. It pisses him off a little, to see a part of him used so casually, as if the last town hadn't given him dirty looks for the unique piercings. Then, the woman—Jirou, he assumes—turns around, and some of the tightness in his chest abates. There's some sort of large claw threaded through one of her lobes, a sign of a good hunt.

"Hey," He calls out, catching her attention. "You the innkeeper?"

She nods, picking a berry off the counter and popping it in her mouth. "You need a room, then?" Her eyes track across his face as he nods, pausing at his hair and eyes before finally resting at his ears, where he has his own tooth hanging. It's stained red with blood, remnant of a fight. "Werewolf?"

He shakes his head. "Sharkhound." She whistles, low and impressed. They're a good kill, large wolves that sport rows upon rows of deadly teeth. Hence the name. "Yours a werewolf?"

Jirou nods, absentmindetly chewing on another berry. "Yup. One silver per night."

He tosses her two coins. "Anyone need an extra pair of hands? Or a bounty to be hunted?"

"Not that I know of here, though I heard the woman over there talking about a possible job." She nods toward the woman on the other side of the bar, who's currently sipping politely on a small glass of water. Katsuki nearly scoffs, until he notices the hefty bag at her side, practically bulging with coins.

Shit.

Something like that could buy him into the capital, help him settle down and make a name for himself while he saves for—

for…

Katsuki grunts in thanks, sending a nod Jirou's way before sliding over a couple stools. The woman glances his way at the action, eyes widening when she catches sight of him. He might regret this, but he figures he's dealt with worse. It won't hurt to ask.

"Heard you're looking to hire?" He asks, flagging down the barkeep for a drink.

She blinks, like she's still trying to comprehend that someone like Katsuki would even think about talking to her. Actually, she stares at him for a while, head tilted slightly and eyes wide. Just when he's about to slide away and call the whole thing off, she startles, gasping. "Oh! Yes! Are you interested?"

"Depends," Katsuki says, picking up the mug he's handed. "What's the job?"

"Well, I need help tracking a beast that's been spotted around here," She says, growing excited. Katsuki's eyes fall to the book bag slung over her shoulder, revealed when she brings her hands up to gesture. She waves her hand somewhere toward the back of the bar, where the outside is nothing but trees and forest.

He tilts his head, eyes narrowing. The last time someone from the capital was asking about beasts, it was to hunt them down and sell the parts, a shitty scheme that Katsuki was glad to put a stop to. But she doesn't look like a hunter. "What for?" Katsuki asks lowly, taking a sip from his drink. If she is a hunter, somehow, he'll be sure to stop her too.

She bites at her lip for a long moment, long eyelashes fanning across her cheeks as she glances down at her bookbag. "You may call me naive, but I want to be the first to document this species." She says, quietly. "All current research is surface-level, at best."

It's commendable, Katsuki can admit. But he can't think of a species that hasn't already been researched to hell and back; nearly all animals—magic or not—having been hunted for as long as he can remember. "What's the beast, then?"

She looks him in the eye, rolling her shoulders back. "A dragon."

It feels like the whole bar grows silent at the words, a strange heaviness making itself known. Someone in the back of the room glances up, suddenly interested. Katsuki nearly spits his drink out. Instead, it rolls down the wrong pipe, making his lungs sieze and forcing him to cough, loudly. "You're fucking joking," Katsuki wheezes, pounding on his chest. "Dragons have been extinct for decades!"

He's heard stories of them, sure, from back when they used to roam the lands. His dad had seen one long before they'd disappeared, long before Katsuki had been born. Whenever he spoke about it, he said the beast had an intelligence that Masaru felt vastly outweighed his own.

"Hold on," The barkeep leans on the counter, clearly having been eavesdropping on their conversation. "I heard some rumours about that. Huge creature with red scales, right?"

The woman nods enthusiastically, bringing one hand up to fiddle with her necklace as she spoke. "Yes! Yes, it must be a dragon!" Her eyebrows furrow together, expression tightening. "It is, I just know it."

"You're both fucking crazy." Katsuki snarls, standing. He points to the woman, his other hand clenching into a frustrated fist at his side. "You can chase rumours and ghosts all you'd like, but I'm not getting dragged into it." The stool scrapes against the floor as he stands up, making his way toward the inn with a scowl. No amount of money would be worth going on a wild goose chase for a prissy capital woman.

He manages to find a relatively well paying job the next day. It's a simple bounty, some thieves that'd run through the town a few nights ago and were camping in the woods, causing mischeif. Being such an old town, apparently the king doesn't see worth in sending guards to deal with them, so Katsuki will gladly take care of it. He needs something to take his anger out on, anyway, especially after the shitshow he had to deal with last night.

It has to have been a scam, he figures, because there's no fucking way people are actually stupid enough to believe rumours about dragons. They've been around forever. Myths and gossip about dragons secretly hiding among people, or forming an ancient conspiracy that can be found in the deepest forests of the land. It's all bullcrap.

He's still mulling it over while he tracks the bandits, carefully following the footsteps left by their last visit to town. They're a group of bumbling idiots from the looks of it, grown confident that no one will stop them and therefore don't bother to hide the mess they leave behind. There's the odd coin or two—which Katsuki pockets in a seperate bag from his own to return to the town—as well as bones and muck from their meals. It's like they had a whole feast on their way back to their camp, eating whatever the hell they can get their hands on. Katsuki scoffs under his breath, flicking his eyes up to the trees when the sound of conversation reaches his ears.

He's close, then. In one fluid movement, he bends his knees, crouching to reduce his impact on the dirt. However he may be lacking in other skills, he's certainly not lacking anything here, with hunting. Katsuki sneaks forward, paying special attention to where he's placing his foot to avoid any sound, watching the slight glow in the trees carefully as he grows ever closer. Even if he did accidentally step on a dry leaf or a branch, he doubts he'd be noticed.

The bandits are talking loudly, laughing and bumping against each other as they stumble around in a way that can only mean they're drunk. A quick glance around their campsite confirms this, as Katsuki spots multiple large ale barrels scattered around the campfire, which is still smouldering from whatever they'd cooked in the morning. No doubt they'd gone right down to the village as soon as they'd eaten, stumbling around and somehow managing to steal the ale from the inn while everyone was asleep. Katsuki nearly grumbles at the thought, cursing his inability to sleep as light as he'd like. They could've broken into his room and he'd have been none the wiser, sleeping away like a damn golem.

No matter, he'll just prevent any further thievery now.

With a sharp grin, he palms the dagger tucked away by his side, pulling it out of its sheath with a satisfying shink. He doesn't bother sneaking forward anymore, eyeing the small group in front of him. There's only three, and they're so inebriated they won't put up much of a fight.

Katsuki lunges out of the bush, catching the first man off guard with a pommel to the back of his skull. He drops instantly, collapsing to the ground with an awkward grunt and a flail. The other two scramble to their feet, hands fumbling at the weapons on their hips as they struggle to react in time. Too slow. Katsuki jumps over the first man—unconcious, now—and swings at the one on his right, nicking his arm before he drops to the ground and sweeps his legs out from under him. He doesn't even have to go after the last man because by the time the one in front of him drops, dazed, the last one trips over his own feet and smacks his head, knocking himself out.

Katsuki clicks his tongue. "Bastards." He wipes the dagger off with his shirt, twice, like he always does after a fight, and sheathes it with a quiet sigh. He knew it'd be an easy win, but he was still hoping for more of a fight.

No matter. He kneels and gets to work tying them all together, ankles to ankles and wrists to wrists. It's probably not the most efficient way to transport them, but he's learned they tend to wiggle less, when there's the risk of bumping their heads against each other and ending up with concusions.

Just when he's about to hoist them up and drag them off, a stick breaks somewhere off to the side. In a flash, Katsuki is on his feet with his knife out in front of him, surveying the woods with narrowed eyes. It's likely a woodland animal, but he hasn't survived this long by being a tad bit paranoid. What little sun breaks through the trees reflects off his blade as he turns in a circle, casting a patch of light into the shadows of the forest. Even with the extra visibility, he doesn't see anything. Not even a rabbit or a squirrel.

It's then he realizes that the forest is completely silent.

A shiver runs up his spine, and he jumps out of the way just in time for something to burst through the trees, sending rocks and coals flying through the makeshift campsite. Whatever it is, it's huge, and Katsuki doesn't bother to give himself a glimpse. He throws himself to his feet and sets off in a sprint, leaving the tied bandits behind despite the one screaming bloody murder. A loud roar drowns out the cries of the bandit, and instinctively Katsuki flinches, hands coming up to protect his ears from the sheer volume of it. In his haste, he trips over an exposed root, sending himself sprawling on the ground.

He's instantly covered in dirt and mud, but the worst part is the view he gets of the creature when he tries to scramble back, hands and feet slipping against the ground uselessly.

It's…

Holy shit.

It's a fucking dragon. Huge and covered in bright red scales, horns spouting from the top of its head to curl around past its chin. Giant fangs glint in the sunlight, stained with blood and gods know what else as it opens its mouth to roar again, the sound reverberating in Katsuki's whole body. The beast tries to stretch its wings out, its wingspan incomprehensible. The membranes get caught in the trees, unable to open to their full extent, and the dragon has to fight with the forest to get free. Katsuki takes that chance to run.

His legs burn, but he forces himself to keep going, well aware it was pure fucking luck that leaves his heart beating in his chest. The forest passes in a rush, and he somehow manages to make it back to the village, caked in mud and clothes torn. He nearly knocks someone over in his rush to escape, and it's what has him realizing he stopped hearing footsteps a while ago.

"Woah, were the bandits that bad?" It's the town's mayor, the one who offered him the bounty that morning. He watches Katsuki with a worried expression, glancing between him and the treeline as he wheezes, resting his hands on his knees.

"Left them tied up back there." Katsuki struggles to get out in between panting, pushing the mayor back with wide eyes. "Dragon. Dragon."

He feels like he's been dunked underwater, a sense of surrealism coating his limbs with strange fatigue. Katsuki stumbles, barely catching himself. Was he seeing things? That was an actual, honest to gods, dragon that he just saw. Probably the last one left, if Katsuki wasn't going batshit insane.

The mayor rests a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. "What are you talking about, boy? Let's get you to the doctor, we can try to get the capital to help with the bandits, don't you worry." Katsuki slaps his hand away, pointing to the trees.

"It's a fucking—!" A roar sounds, distant and barely audible. Katsuki whips around just in time to see the dragon burst from the tops of the trees, spitting fire into the air with a ferocious sound. He hears the mayor curse, loudly, but he can't look away. It's gorgeous.

His dad had told him years ago that the second thing he noticed when he saw a dragon, were the way its scales shimmered and sparkled in the light, like each individal scale was a precious gem. Katsuki understands what he meant now, seeing the full body of the beast in sunlight for the first time. Even from this distance, it looks like fire, muscles rippling in a hypnotizing pattern and emphasizing the way the scales reflect light all the way down to this little village. He can't help but watch in awe, even as the mayor drags him away from the treeline.

"Gods," The mayor mutters, eyes wide under his bushy eyebrows. "A dragon."

"Yeah," Katsuki breathes, before he remembers something. "Excuse me."

The mayor sputters as he turns on his heel and sets off down the road.

Chapter Text

Luckily for Katsuki, the capital girl is still in the bar when he stomps inside, no doubt looking like an idiot the way he's rushing around covered in mud. He has to scan the building to find her, but once he does he's stomping her way, quickly catching the attention of her and the man sitting next to her. He honestly gives Katsuki the creeps with the way his dark hair hangs over his eyes, which are a shockingly bright blue. He's also covered in burn scars. Dark, damaged tissue covers most of his face and neck before disappearing into the neckline of his shirt. Katsuki can only imagine how far it stretches, but that's not why he walked up to their group.

"Alright," He says casually, sitting down on the chair next to her. The mud on his ass squelches loudly, which is made more apparent by the stunned silence at the table. "You mentioned something about a dragon?"

Her eyes harden into a glare, which honestly isn't all that effective coming from her. "You said I was 'fucking crazy'" She crosses her arms, turning her nose up at him with a huff. The way she quotes Katsuki's earlier words makes it clear she isn't used to cursing, which just emphasizes her capital upbringing. He may regret this, but a glance down at her bulging coin purse has him continuing.

"That's not important right now." Katsuki waves his hand dismissively. "I saw it."

"Saw what?"

"The fucking—!" He slams the table. "The dragon! I saw it."

Both the man and the woman perk up, the man with a more subtle quirk of his eyebrow, and the woman with a loud, excited gasp. "Really? Oh! What did it look like?"

He shrugs, scowling at the memory. "I don't know. Red. I didn't see much while it was trying to eat me."

She doesn't seem to care that he'd nearly died, leaning forward with wide, sparkling eyes and a small gasp. "You were that close to it?" Then, she sits up straighter and begins packing up the books sprawled across the table, throwing them into her fancy book bag. There's a familiar logo on the front, which Katsuki only notices because she props it up on the table to get a better reach. Before he can ask about it, she's opening her mouth again. "Which way did it go? We'll have to track it!"

"Slow down, Yaoyorozu." The other man at the table drawls, laying a firm hand on her shoulder. Katsuki eyes the way his fingers dig into her shirt, unsettled by the sight. He turns to Katsuki and looks him up and down, slowly, like he's a rat under foot. "You're a barbarian, yeah? You can use magic to track the thing." He wiggles his fingers condensingly, blue eyes narrowing with a smirk.

Katsuki scoffs as Yaoyorozu shrugs off his hand, standing up. "It doesn't work like that, asshole." He says, very nearly being shoved out of his chair with how the capital woman paws at him. "Fuck off, where do you think you're going?"

Yaoyorozu huffs like it's obvious, and fidgets with the buckle on her book bag before responding. Her fingers are trembling with pent up energy. "We have to follow the dragon!" She says, shoving at his shoulder again. "Who knows how far it could've flown already?"

"That's true, we'll want to go after it quickly." The man drawls, though he picks at a loose piece of wood on the table, flicking it aside casually. Clearly, he's not in any rush.

Katsuki glances between the two of them, fisting the fabric of his muddy pants before his lips twist into a scowl. "No fucking way am I setting off like this." He growls deep in his throat, pulling the wet fabric of his pants away from his leg with a wince, the feeling of it slowly peeling off him making his skin feel gross.

"Just magic it off." The man across the table smirks, at the same time Yaoyorozu blinks down at his legs like she's just noticing he's completely filthy.

Katsuki stands up so fast his chair clatters backward, one fist slamming down onto the table and nearly sending it upside down. "It doesn't fucking work like that!"

"Dabi!" Yaoyorozu admonishes, gasping in that high-pitched, airy way that Katsuki is used to hearing from actors when they're trying to be dramatic. Dabi—he assumes that's the bastard's name—shrugs, waving his hand dismissively.

Just when Katsuki is about to lunge over the table and break the dick's jaw, the innkeeper is rushing over along with the barkeep, both of them with serious expressions. While they're still running over, Katsuki realizes they've caught the attention of everyone else in the bar, even if it isn't that many people.

"What's going on?" Jirou asks, quickly standing in between Dabi and Katsuki, acting as a physical barrier as she holds her hands out over the table. "You can't be fighting here, got me? Sero can and will physically throw you out."

Sero must be the bartender, because he makes a step toward Dabi, acting in response to a wordless signal from Jirou. Katsuki sends a grateful glance her way, and she nods in understanding, one hand coming up to fiddle with her piercing. Dabi sucks on his teeth, a loud noise that cuts through the tension. When he stands up, he looks Katsuki up and down, eyes growing cold while the air around the table seems to heat up dangerously.

"Whatever." He says lowly, turning to head toward the back of the bar. "We can leave once you're a little more… presentable, then."

The words are understandable enough, obviously referring to the muddy mess Katsuki is leaving on the chair, but the way he says it makes his hair stand on end, anger simmering deep in his stomach. Jirou seems to agree, if the way her eyebrows furrow together with clear frustration is any indication.

"What was that about?" She asks, pushing Sero back toward the bar. He gratefully leaves, and the energy in the bar seems to pick back up again once he's serving drinks.

Yaoyorozu speaks up before Katsuki can, working to soothe his anger with hollow platitudes. "Just a small spat, is all." She says, smiling robotically. Her hands have ceased all movement, staying still at her sides instead of her usual fidgeting or fixing the straps of her bag. "A little disagreement. It won't happen again."

Jirou nods, then turns to Katsuki.

Ignoring Yaoyorozu's offended scoff, he tilts his head. "He was being an ass." Katsuki says simply, tracing his fimgers along his piercing contemplatively. Despite what he said earlier, he really does have no clue how anything regarding magic actually works. He just knows it requires years of dedication and focus, even to those who it comes naturally.

Like it should've for him.

As angry as he is at Dabi

He's snapped out of his thoughts when Jirou shakes her head, huffing in frustration. "So he's just a dick, then. Why were you talking with him, anyway?" She rests her hands against the table, glancing between him and the capital woman—currently pretending like she doesn't care she's being left out of the conversation—and raises one eyebrow, silently gesturing to her as well.

"Got a job." He explains, looking to Yaoyorozu to do what she does best.

Which, in this case, is freaking out over a dragon. Katsuki smirks when she immediately perks up, previous offense gone. "The dragon! Yes, Dabi said he would help as well."

That immediately sours Katsuki's mood once more. "Wait, that bastard is tagging along as well?" He spits, pointing a thumb toward the back of the bar, where he'd disappeared in the inn. "No fucking way."

"No need to worry! Both of you will recive your payment for helping." She smiles, clearly misunderstanding. Her hands fold politely over her dress, a perfect picture of poise and politeness. Katsuki scowls.

Jirou clears her throat. "…Dragon?"

"How did no one hear it?" Katsuki throws his hands into the air.

"Did you say dragon?"

Yaoyorozu and Jirou both ignore Katsuki's frustrated growl. "Yes! Would you like to help me track it as well?"

Jirou looks at Katsuki—who's still fuming—then to Yaoyorozu, then toward the bar, where Sero is watching them with an unreadable expression. "Yeah," She says, faintly. "I would."

Katsuki meets everyone at the front of the bar and immediately decides he's going to hate everything about this. Jirou isn't bad. Yaoyorozu is annoying at worst. Dabi is… completely and utterly infuriating, and he sends a shiver down Katsuki's spine every time they make eye contact.

There's something wrong with him, like whatever gave him those scars was supposed to kill him, and he's just been shambling around as a walking corpse since then. He reminds Katsuki of the first time he'd been hunting, of the way the deer fell to the snow and stained it red with blood and gore. But most of all, Dabi reminds Katsuki of the way death smells, like iron and decay.

Jirou seems to pick up on it as well, standing as far away from Dabi as she can while they wait for Yaoyorozu to make sure she has all her supplies. "You're up late." Jirou greets, looking him up and down.

Katsuki grunts, making sure to stand with Yaoyorozu between him and Dabi. "There was still mud caked on my clothes. I had to wash my shirt three times over."

Dabi snickers, but doesn't otherwise comment. Katsuki secretly hopes he'll trip on a root and die within the first day, otherwise he may try to kill the man himself.

"Okay!" Yaoyorozu catches everyone's attention, standing straight as a board. Her shoulders are carefully pulled back, shirt and pants freshly pressed and cleaned, and even the iron buttons on her jacket are shining, having been recently polished. "Are we all ready?"

"Yup." Jirou nods, flipping open her shoulder bag to double check her supplies. "Sero is going to watch the inn while I'm gone."

Dabi waves his hand dismissively and turns to Katsuki. "Which way did the beast go?" His eyes shine with an unnerving excitement.

He frowns, not quite liking the expression on Dabi's face, but he turns toward the treeline he'd run out of the previous day and points, roughly north-west. "That way. Though it could've changed directions at any point." Truthfully, Katsuki didn't think they'd be able to track the thing with how far it'd likely gone, but maybe Yaoyorozu would be generous enough to offer their payment early. He could just call it off after a few days, maybe a week or so, and set off toward the capital once more.

Then again, it was huge. Katsuki doesn't doubt that it will garner a lot of attention if it flies close to any villages along whatever path it's taking.

"There's a village roughly two days walk in that direction. We can stop there and keep an ear out for any rumours." Jirou informs them. She tightens the strap of her bag and nods, once, before setting off. Yaoyorozu and Katsuki follow shortly behind, while Dabi takes up the rear with long, slow strides.

They get roughly one hour of cool weather before the sun warms the breeze and beats down on their backs, making sweat form along everyone's foreheads. Except for Dabi, who seems to be completely unaffected by the heat. Katsuki is quick to take shelter in the shade of the treeline, wiping sweat from his face and glaring down at the worn path below his feet.

He's lost in thought, mind running around in useless little circles in a weak attempt to distract himself from the scorching air, so he doesn't notice Jirou coming up beside him until she speaks.

"Jirou." She says simply, keeping her voice quiet. Clearly, she means for this to be a conversation between her and Katsuki only, and he makes an effort to hush his own voice as well.

Katsuki nods. "I know. The barkeep told me." He's silent for a while, and only speaks up again when Jirou narrows her eyes at him. "Bakugou."

"Yaoyorozu said you actually saw the dragon."

"Yeah," He glares harder at the road, recalling the sheer magnitude of the creature as it chased him through the trees. "It tried to eat me."

Oddly, she grins at this, sighing wistfully. "It must've been so exciting."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You know…" She gestures vaguely, her bangs casting long shadows on her face as she tilts her head. "Those myths about dragons and barbarians?"

Katsuki's chest feels tight. "No, I don't know."

"What? They would tell them every year at the dragon festival!"

"Right." He says, suddenly bitter, before stomping forward and settling beside Yaoyorozu for the remainder of their walk.

He's heard stories of the festival every summer solstice, when his parents would return from their travels and his dad would tell him about the dancing and the celebration. The memory makes a weight settle in his chest, a strangle feeling of loss that he can't quite place. Katsuki shouldn't feel loss. He shouldn't be mourning a life he threw away because he was too useless. He glances down at his hand and flexes his fingers, a familiar motion that he'd given up shortly after going off on his own because there was no use to it. Still, he tries one more time, wills for something to happen.

Nothing does.

Don't fucking come back until you have something to show for it, brat.

Katsuki huffs through his nose, sharp and frustrated. It doesn't matter. Once this job is done, he can take his money to the capital and finally get what he needs, and then he won't have to worry about it ever again. The people there are shitty, but there's a reason Yuei university is so highly acclaimed. The professors there must be able to teach him something to help.

Plan further cemented in his mind, he brings his gaze back up to the road, squinting against the harsh light. Judging by the placement of the sun, it's roughly midday, meaning they've been walking for four or five hours already. Just as he thinks it, he hears someone's stomach growling next to him, and a quick glance reveals a red-faced Yaoyorozu, who's covering her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, excuse me." She says, averting her eyes. "I suppose I'm quite hungry."

Dabi brushes past them, bumping his shoulder against Katsuki's before he throws himself down into the grass. Jirou scoffs loudly at this as she makes her way next to Katsuki. She eyes him warily, but doesn't comment on his earlier outburst. "I have some smoked salmon and dried fruits." She offers, digging in her bag.

Yaoyorozu accepts some dried fruit, taking a small bite of one. "I have nuts, cheese, and sausage."

Katsuki starts a mental stock of their food, checking the pouch at his ribs. "I've got some fruits and bread. Enough to last me a week, though with all of us… a few days."

Dabi snorts when they all turn to him. "Don't worry about me. I'll handle my own food."

Katsuki glowers at him, grinding his teeth together for a long moment.

Jirou shrugs and turns toward their little group once more, tapping the dagger strapped in to her side. "Katsuki and I can hunt once we run out of meats. We can restock everything else at the next town."

Dabi mumbles under his breath, something about animals, but Katsuki decides to keep his sanity intact and ignores him.

"Eat quick and we'll set off again." He instructs them, passing bread out to everyone except for Dabi. If the bastard wants to handle his own food, that's fine by him. Yaoyorozu glances at him for a moment, holding a handful of nuts and cheese, but Jirou places a hand on her shoulder and herds her to a patch of grass away from the asshole.

They're all quick to exchange food, creating a surprisingly well rounded meal. Katsuki doesn't typically eat so well, surviving off what little silver he can gather from town to town. He supposes that's the plus side of travelling with a rich capital woman, who hands him a small block of cheese that practically melts in his mouth when he bites into it. It's rich and decadent, undoubtedly expensive, and Katsuki savours it as long as he can. Fuck, it's good.

It reminds him once again of home, of the smell of garlic and onion when his mom would cook up their hunt for the day. He sighs, relishing in the one good reminder he's had all day.

Soon, He reminds himself, taking a slow bite from a dried date.

Chapter Text

They arrive at the next town shortly before sunset, right when the local market is packing up for the day. Temporary tents are scattered across a nearby hill, slowly being taken down and folded up, meats and leathers and supplies placed away for another day. Katsuki mutters angrily, hoping he'd be able to stock up before they found an inn for the night.

No matter, he'll just have to set out early morning and attempt to beat the rush. Based on what extra supplies he sees being put away, he should have a wide selection to choose from. There's even a good looking set of boots that catches his eyes, well-made and perfect for their long trek. Katsuki palms his coin sack in contemplation as they find their way into the town, suddenly aware of the way his current pair of ratty boots allow mud to seep into his socks, staining every pair with a distinct spot.

At the very least, it means he always knows which sock to put on his left foot.

"Oh dear," Yaoyorozu catches everyone's attention, covering her mouth with her hand. "This town doesn't look to have an inn." She spins dramatically in one spot, surveying what little of the town she can see from their spot on the main path, hand over her mouth the whole while.

Dabi snickers, scrunching his nose up in her direction. "Did you think every stop we made would have a nice place to sleep? We're tracking a fucking beast, it's not going to stick to the main roadways, doll."

Katsuki hates to agree with that asshole, especially with the condesention practically dripping from his words, so he just wordlessly rolls his eyes and stalks forward, glancing between buildings. What they need is a place to track rumours, where everyone will be more loose-lipped than they may normally be. Katsuki finds exactly what he's looking for after only a minute. One of the only bars—maybe even the only one—in this small town sits along the main road, closer to the edge of the settlement than the center. Katsuki assumes it was set up due to visitors rather than those living here, newcomers adding onto the village layout after the initial few families settled down.

"Don't tell me you're drinking already," Dabi scoffs the second he realizes where Katsuki is headed, lips turning up into a twisted smirk. "You barbarians and your alcohol. We'll be broke by the third town."

Katsuki keeps his gaze carefully leveled toward the skyline, shoulders stiffening under the strap of his guard. The way it digs into his skin helps clear his head, releasing his thoughts before he can snap at the man. "You're a fucking idiot, if you think that's what I'm doing." Is all he says, forcing himself to keep moving toward the bar, leaving the rest of the group behind him.

The bar is loud, even from the distance he's currently at, and he's starting to rethink his original plan. Already on edge from Dabi's comment, he doubts he'd be able to stomach the stench of alcohol and the rambling of drunkards for long, but it's the best bet they have to track the dragon at this point, considering it's somehow managed to leave barely a trail to follow. Normally, Katsuki would be able to find beasts by the damage they leave to the land, but it seems the dragon has been more thoughtful, avoiding attracting too much attention to itself.

It's for that reason that Katsuki considers someone may want to keep a dragon sighting a secret, to avoid the inevitable teasing over believing in fairy tails and folklore.

The sound of footsteps following after him snaps him out of his musings, and he glances over his shoulder prepared to snap at whoever it is to fuck off. Instead of Dabi, like he'd been expecting, he's met with Jirou, who strolls behind him with a lazy smirk on her face.

"You're looking for rumours," She says simply, phrased like a question but said in that knowing tone. Katsuki tilts her head toward him, a wordless indication that he's listening. "Drunk men hold no secrets."

Slowly, he bares his teeth in a crooked grin, limbs relaxing. She's perceptive, and Katsuki is starting to realize more and more that she may be the only person to keep him sane while they're on this damn goosechase. Katsuki nods, once, readjusting his shoulder guard in preparation for a fight. Not uncommon when dealing with a late night bar. "You're coming too, then?" He asks, pausing in front of the door. "Might need a knuckle wrap."

Jirou just glances his way as she brushes past him, her earrings glinting in the low evening light. "Maybe you do." Her smirk widens for just a moment before she's slipping into the bar, nearly immediately disappearing into the throng of people singing and shouting. He follows after her, waiting a moment or two before splitting off in the opposite direction as her.

There's a large group of men clustered around three or four tables, making up the bulk of tonight's crowd. Coming of age, Katsuki thinks, eyeing the half-eaten pudding that sits on the middle table, where the crowd is thickest. They're singing some sort of song as Katsuki slides around them, jumping about in celebration and nearly knocking him right off his feet when a particularly tipsy man stumbles backward.

"Oops." He says lamely, before leaning back into the circle. Katsuki scoffs, rolls his eyes, and sets his sights on a table in the corner of the bar that's been mostly left alone. There's a familiar man slumped over in a nearby seat, but with his hood on Katsuki can't tell who he is, so he just slides around him and settles down with his back to the wall.

For now, he'll just survey the area and cool down some more, forcing himself to take deep, even breaths as he glances around the bar. The man sitting nearby has started to snore, further adding to the onslaught of noises. Katsuki eyes him with distaste.

Before he can poke at the idiot and wake him, he catches the tail end of a conversation that piques his interest.

"… telling you! It ate my livestock!" Katsuki glances over, casually stretching his arm over the back of his chair. There are two women sitting at a nearby table, one gesturing wildly with her hands as she explains something to her friend, voice growing hushed again after her outburst. They could be talking about any beast in the woods, not necessarily a dragon, but it could be worth it to look into just in case. Not to mention, they might pay some amount to deal with the trouble. Mind made up, he scans the crowd for Jirou, eventually finding her sitting at the counter talking to the barkeep. He catches her eye just long enough to nod towards the two, signalling his intention to her. She nods, fiddling with her earring absentmindedly before turning back to the counter, laughing at something the barkeep said.

Katsuki taps the table with his fingers for a moment, considering the two women before he stands up, jostling the napping man as he makes his way toward their table. "Oi," He catches their attention once he's closer, tilting his head in greeting. "Y'gotta beast that needs hunting?"

The woman on the left—the one that was telling her friend about her troubles—looks him up and down, eyes lighting up with recognition. Her gaze settles on the claw hanging by his ear as she shakes her friend, nodding rapidly. "Yes, yes! You can hunt it?"

Katsuki weclomes himself to the free chair across from them, resting his weight on his elbows as he leans forward, glancing at the woman's large horns sticking upright from her temples. "Yeah," He nods, checking absentmindedly for the short knife strapped to his side. "But I need more information. What exactly is it you need hunting?"

Her friend rolls her eyes, catching their attention. "Don't bother, she's being dramatic. I mean—" She turns to the first woman, frowning. "—A dragon? Really? You must've been more drunk than you thought last night."

Katsuki glances toward Jirou again, happening to catch her eye just long enough to nod, once. Her eyebrows raise, shoulders jolting as she chokes on the mug she'd just been drinking from, liquid spattering over the ground and counter. Tearfully, coughing into her arm, she sends him a thumbs-up. "That's fine," He tells the two women, forcing his expression to stay flat. "Just describe it and where it went."

"You're not going to believe me," The one woman whines, leaning on her friend. Just as Katsuki is about to insist that yes, he fucking will, she suddenly perks up, grabbing at her friend with one hand and tapping the table excitedly with the other. "Oh! I'll show you! That'll prove it!"

Katsuki paused. "… Show us what?"

The woman's farm—Tsunotori, Katsuki reminds himself—is a good size. There's a humble house sitting next to a small pond, along with sheep, chickens, and a distinct smoking hole in the ground where there used to be cows. The large stone fence around the perimeter of her property also has a gaping hole, stones thrown from the wall and littered along the ground. The animals themselves don't seem all that bothered, though Katsuki figures that may be because it's been a day now since the cows were taken.

"Holy shit," Katsuki mumbles, standing with his hands on his hips. It's not as much damage as he'd originally assumed, but it's still a lot of damage. After a moment of chewing thoughtfully on the inside of his cheek, he turns to Tsunotori again. "Did you see where it went?"

She nods, ignoring her speechless friend to point at the hole in the stone wall. "It escaped through there, probably west."

Katsuki hums. They've been travelling in the same direction for a few days now in search of the dragon, and it seems to be continuing that same route. Wherever it's headed, it's far away from the capital, off toward the mountains Katsuki knows from experience are sitting a month's trip away from here. They'll need to catch up with it quick, because past a week or so of travelling, villages become far and few between, civilization not quite reaching toward the rocky landscape. "It won't come back, at least. We've been tracking it for a few days now."

"There's already a group going after it then?" Tsunotori sighs, resting a hand on her chest. "Good. Best to stop it before it causes any more damage."

Her tone makes Katsuki pause, a heavy feeling settling in his limbs as he turns to face her again, forcing his eyes away from the destruction. "Has anyone else had troubles?"

"Livestock have been going missing since the other day," The other woman says, finally shaking herself out of her shock. "I assumed it was just poor timing. A coincidence. It's normal to lose some animals out here."

"But not this many. Not all at once." Katsuki finished for her, frowning. She shakes her head in agreement, gnawing on her lip as she continues to survey the land. The new information makes him pause, concern weighing his abdomen down. He'd known a dragon would be fast, especially one of that size, but for it to visit two towns within the same night—if Katsuki is doing his math correctly—and bring destruction with it to this extent? It was something he hadn't considered until now, and he's realizing this quest of theirs may end up being more than a simple research mission.

Katsuki thinks back to the local market they'd seen a few hours previous, recalling the well-made battleaxe that'd caught his eye when they first entered the village. First things first, he needs a place to sleep, and to provide an update to the rest of the group.

Jirou is standing outside the bar when he returns back to the village center, the light flush on her cheeks clear despite the low light from the moon. He's about to tease her, mouth falling open to comment about her getting drunk so quickly—Katsuki'd been gone for ten minutes, at most—when he spots the dark marks on her neck, stark against her pale skin.

He barks out a laugh. "I see you've been busy."

She shrugs, completely unashamed. "Dabi got us some guest rooms nearby. Three beds, someone will have to share."

"I'm guessing he saved us the shittiest beds." Katsuki growls, shoving his hands into his pockets to hide the way they curl into fists. "And I'm guessing neither of them want to share."

"No doubt at all about that."

Katsuki snorts, an ugly sound that for some reason, has Jirou turning to him and smiling, soft and genuine. He scowls just as fast, though that doesn't stop her from sighing wistfully and bumping their shoulders together. "What?" He asks, narrowing his eyes at her. "You're not my type, y'know."

She sputters, shaking her head and laughing loud enough that the sound echoes in the empty streets for a moment. "Wh- No! You're definitely not my type." She giggles again when Katsuki's head whips around to face her, eyebrows furrowed together with offence. "I like women, but that's not what I was going to say, anyway!"

"Then what?"

She pauses, leaning back against the front porch of a relatively large house—which Katsuki assumes is the one they're staying at for the night. He doesn't walk in, turning to lean against the wood right next to Jirou, shivering when a chilly breeze brushes against his arms, urging goosebumps to form on his arms. Neither of them speak for a long while, Jirou tilting her head back to look up at the stars, wrapping her arms around herself.

Just when Katsuki thinks his question will go unanswered, she sighs, taking a short breath in. "You've never been to a dragon festival, have you?" She asks quietly, and Katsuki can tell she's circumventing around something big, easing him into the topic rather than pulling his legs out from underneath him.

His shoulders stiffen, quickly rising in defence. Though he forces himself to not immediately respond, choking back the immediate dismissal that rises in his throat and thinks for a moment. "No," He finally says, vaguely. It may be a risk telling her, may reveal more than he'd like about his circumstance, but he's curious where she's going with this. There's lots of reasons to not attend, he figures, and she's not going to assume any reason in particular. "I haven't."

She hums, contemplative. Katsuki doesn't like the sound of it. "I'd assumed so a while ago." Jirou says quietly, breath subtly fogging up in the night air. "There's a pretty distinct couple that comes every year. You look a lot like her, y'know?"

Katsuki forces his gaze to stay up, away from the buildings around him, away from the way his hands have curled into fists into his pockets—for a completely different reason this time—and away from the way Jirou is watching him. He opens his mouth to say something, but no words form, his brain running in loops and completely frozen at the same time. The only thing he's sure of right now is it feels like his body's gone completely cold, muscles stiffening with shock. "Yeah," He says, instead of anything else he could probably say.

Jirou doesn't respond for a long moment. When Katsuki finally risks glancing down to assess her expression, she's just watching him, contemplative.

"I'll tell you the story, one day." She smiles, small and sad, before wordlessly turning and walking inside the house, leaving Katsuki alone with his thoughts.

He should probably follow her, more than aware they'll need to wake early and leave, especially with the news he's learned of today. But for some reason, his legs won't move. Shuddering out a slow breath, he returns his attention to the stars, searching for the constellation he memorized a long time ago.

Even with the late night he had last night, he still wakes up way too early, new animal instincts clawing at the inside of his head and forcing him out of bed before he's had his first dream of the night. Eijirou's head throbs, the alcohol from last night completely flushed from his system, leaving him without the buzz he'd been craving and with a major hangover. He's not typically one to drink the night away, recalling the days when his Mama would lecture him regarding the dangers of being without sense, especially with their family line.

Eijirou vaguely remembers falling asleep right there in the bar, dozing off with his hood slung low on his head and mug still clutched in his hand. Then, someone woke him up, knocked him from his chair and left him falling to the ground with a yelp.

He could've sworn in the moment that the man looked familiar, but in the early morning hours with a headache pulsing at the base of his skull, he has no clue who it could've been. He groans as his struggling thoughts just makes his head hurt more, rubbing at his temples for a moment before he glances around the tree he'd slept in last night, searching for an easy way to climb down. Thankfully, the sun has yet to rise too far above the horizon, meaning it isn't too bright or hot right now.

Before he can celebrate that thought, his nose flares, catching the subtle scent of fire and ash. His limbs lock into place, fear coursing through him at the recognizable scent.

He needs to keep moving, needs to get away before they can find him.

With a low growl, he launches himself from the branch, scales sliding into place over his limbs and bones cracking as he changes, growing bigger and bigger and bigger. Finally, he breaches the treeline as a full-grown dragon, smoke curling from the edges of his mouth as he turns towards home and starts to fly.

He has the craziest story to tell his Mom.