Worth Any Price

By: Marle

Chapter 6: Such Selfish Prayers

The rush of the ascent into the heavens made Uraraka's eyes dance with wonder as the clouds went from distant puffs to appearing like soft waves upon the seas. The air transitioned from heated and humid to cool and crisp in a matter of seconds as Kirishima climbed higher into the sky. Bakugo wrapped his arms around Uraraka, who giggled as she grasped at his warm cloak.

"This is amazing!" she exclaimed, looking around.

"You want amazing?" Bakugo asked, grasping Uraraka's hand, then guiding it to Kirishima's scales. She felt a warmth emit from his hand and radiate into her own. When she looked ahead, her vision changed to radiate color and energy that she had never seen before. It was like she could see the magic of the world flowing through the air.

"What is this?" Uraraka asked.

"It's an ability that only the Beast King has. It's called 'Dragon Sight'."

"'Dragon Sight'? Kirishima is this what you see?!" Kirishima roared in confirmation. She smiled, "I can't believe it. It's like I'm seeing all the mana of the world flowing through the air."

As they drifted through the sky, Uraraka glanced down at the earth below. The Scorched Valley had deep red and orange canyons with foliage and flora unique to it. She had heard of the inhospitable terrain, but from above it was beautiful, even more so with Kirishima's eyes.

"Is this power how you talk to Kirishima as a dragon?"

"Any beast, be it animal or a shapeshifter" he replied, "Griffons, wolves, horses, dragons, and even smaller beasts like dogs and cats. It's been a complete shit learning process to master. I can't just look at a beast and it starts doing what I want it to do. It requires a hell of a lot of concentration and focus. In contrast, I can't control a shapeshifter when they're in their normal form. For example, I can't impose my will on Kirishima when he's a human, nor can I hear his thoughts or give him directions."

"You seemed to be able to summon Kirishima. Can you call other beasts to you?" Uraraka asked. Bakugo smirked and turned his focus to the horizon. She felt the strange magic aura begin to emanate from him again before he moved away from her, removing his cloak and wrapping it around her. The Dragon Sight faded as soon as his body left from her and it became clear the ability to utilize it had something to do with his proximity. To her dismay, he walked out onto the crown of Kirishima's head and turned back to look at her. As an amused smirk played his lips, Bakugo held out his arms to the side and fell backward into the abyss. Uraraka cried out, crawling over to the edge of Kirishima's neck and peering over nervously.

To her relief, Bakugo shot up on the back of a Griffon, who climbed into the air above them. She watched in awe as he maneuvered the animal through the sky, doing barrel rolls, and diving. The acrobats made Ochaco's heart skip a beat both in amazement and in concern. Observing her reaction, Bakugo couldn't help but laugh. It was not out of amusement at her concern, but out of joy, which was a foreign feeling for him. Ochaco started laughing as well, more so in relief that Katsuki didn't just dive off a dragon to his death. Kirishima descended slightly, allowing for other magical beasts to fly beside him. She had never seen anything like it. A smaller dragon flew up just under Bakugo, who jumped down onto the beast's back. He balanced carefully across its wingspan before floating in the updraft over to another griffon before flying back over to Kirishima and joining her again, "You summoned all of them?"

"The ones that were close, anyway." Katsuki chuckled, pulling her back to sit down with him again. This time she settled against him with no surprise or struggle and, to his pleasure, she leaned back so her head rested in the crook of his neck. As the beasts dispersed into separate directions, the white noise of their growls and calls dissipated into the distance from whence they came.

"It's so quiet up here," she commented, "Did you want your cloak back?"

"Keep yourself wrapped in it, I don't feel the cold when I'm up here," he replied, "It's the only time I get to be alone."

"It must be hard to be king."

"Honestly," Bakugo admitted, "If I had to go back and do it all over again, I wouldn't have done this shit, that's for sure."

"But I thought it was all you ever wanted?" she asked.

Thoughtlessly, he sighed heavily "So did I."

"You've done a lot of good things, Katsuki, and you should be proud of that."

"I know damn well I'm a good king. I wouldn't settle for anything less than the best." he boasted.

Uraraka shook her head, patting his cheek lightly, "That's not what I meant. I mean your subjects love you - genuinely. Despite what you would say, you are a good person. You didn't have to take care of my parents or be so kind to me. You could've been a tyrant about it all."

Bakugo sneered, "I told you I have no intention of having an unhappy wife."

Her smile disarmed his gruff exterior, "And I'm grateful to that."

He shook his head to dismiss the thoughts that crept in and placed his hand on Kirishima again, "I have one other thing I want to show you."

The dragon took a sharp turn, flying lower as he did. Before them, Uraraka recognized the area as the Volcano Corridor. The sky above the area was black with smoke from the oozing volcanoes and the air drastically changed from cool to hot. Hastily, she pulled off his cloak and began fanning herself, "It's stifling here. How do you stand it?"

"You get used to it," he stated. As they approached a clearing, Uraraka saw they were approaching a large mountain in front of them. Below, rivers of lava made ground travel impossible, flowing in and around pools of the earth's molten core. Though she trusted Bakugo, Uraraka couldn't help but feel uneasy. This environment was a stark contrast to the cool air and blue skies they Kirishima took them to the summit, landing on a cliff that jutted from the mountainside. Bakugo picked up his cloak, hopped off Kirishima, then turned back lifting his arms to help Uraraka slide down. Noticing he was not changing, she looked back at Kirishima, who laid down and looked at her.

"Kirishima? You're not coming?" she asked.

"This way, Ochaco," Bakugo called, entering into the mouth of the cave. Uraraka reluctantly followed, glancing once more back at the focused Kirishima. When she walked into the cave she was astounded to find the walls were made of obsidian, lined with golden runes around the entrance. Noticing it was a protection spell, Uraraka opened her senses and felt a wave of magic energy hit her, turning back to see Bakugo, who was deeper into the cave.

"Katsuki, where is this?" She called, hurrying to his side. Bakugo opened his palm to create a torch in the dark tunnel. Swallowing her nerves, she felt the energy increasing the farther in they ventured. The tunnel opened up into a large cavern. On the opposite wall was a set of giant golden doors, embellished with precious stones, sculptures of beasts, another protection spell, as well as ancient writing, "It's incredible…"

"Wait here," he ordered. Uraraka was taken aback by his tone, folding her arms as she watched him move to the door. Bakugo placed his hand on the door, then began mumbling an incantation she couldn't hear. Moments later, the gems on the door began to glow and a loud bang reverberated within the cavern's walls. Uraraka held her ears as a series of mechanisms began to clatter and clink, the vibrations moving through her body and shaking her limbs. Bakugo backed up slowly as the doors opened, leading into a luminant white chamber with an altar. Bewildered, Uraraka felt the magic energy flowed from the room, no longer feeling heavy and menacing, but cooling and invigorating.

"What is this place?"

Bakugo didn't look back at her or respond but proceeded into the luminous room. Uraraka followed after him, feeling the air changing yet again as she stepped into the room. Her husband-to-be turned back towards her, lifting himself upon the altar and sitting cross-legged while staring at her. His gaze was dark and hazy, making Uraraka feel her body become hot and flustered. She shifted uncomfortably as she felt the strange sensation creep into her core again.

"Now then," he began, outstretching his arms, "Come here, angel-face."

Despite the hesitation in her head, Ochaco's feet seemed to move on their own towards him, moving close and allowing his hands to fall upon her sides, "You brought me all the way here just to be affectionate?"

"Not quite," He murmured, his thumbs gently stroking the curve of her hip, "I wanted somewhere private where we could talk and damn prying eyes or ears to listen."

"So you took me to the middle of nowhere into this place to do that?" she asked, unable to hide the playful smile gracing her lips, "You certainly have a flair for the dramatic."

"Don't fucking tease me, my darling," despite his words being sharp, his tone was endearing, "So talk."

"I wanted to thank you for your kindness to my family. It takes a lot off of my mind to know they'll be provided for moving forward. Even if my life is not my own anymore, it gives me a lot of peace to know they don't struggle."

"And?"

Uraraka's face furrowed in confusion, "And what?"

"I know that's not all," his voice dropped low, "I want to know what your planning on doing with the Sigils of the Gods and why you are gathering them?"

Her face became sober as she clasped his hands, "Why does it matter now? Deku and the others will be gone after our wedding."

"Deku has no magic, so how the hell has he been charged with such a task? And by whom?"

"Obviously being away from your village made you miss the fact that Deku does have magic. I've seen him use it! And it was All Might who charged him, Iida and I met up with him as he headed to Endorea - Ouch! Katsuki!" she jerked out of his tightened grip, "What's wrong with you?"

Bakugo's eyes were scathing with rage and disbelief, "How?"

"What do you mean 'how'?"

"How did that low-life, magicless, shithead of a peon get magic and was charged with a mission by the Great Sage?" Bakugo snarled.

Uraraka narrowed her gaze, her own eyes challenging his fury, "Maybe sitting on a throne for the past four years has made you ignorant of the world outside of your kingdom, King Bakugo. But there's evil stirring and something dark and sinister is threatening to wake up. You know about the Rite of the Seven Sigils? The ritual to seal away the darkness?"

"I'm a king who holds one of the damn Sigils, of course I know, but why now? Why that fucking nerd?"

"I don't know! I just trust All Might and if All Might charged him, then I trust Deku!" she hissed, "And you're missing the point of what I'm saying! Why are you so hung up on Deku? Are you saying he didn't have magic before?"

"If he did, he never fucking showed it! That bastard! All this time he was holding out on me?! How fucking dare he?! Condescending piece of shit!"

"This isn't about Deku! This isn't about you!" Uraraka screamed, shaking her head furiously. His stubbornness was infuriating and the fact he was more concerned with Deku's abilities than the rest of the world's wellness angered her, "And it doesn't even matter if he has magic! He's nothing compared to yours! He can't even use it without hurting himself!"

Bakugo's temper stilled for a moment, "What the hell do you mean?"

"His magic is strong," she cried, "It's so strong that his body can't even handle it! He saved me when we first met, but after his arms and his legs were so badly injured that I almost passed out healing him! So don't go sounding off about him 'holding out' on you! He probably never could control it and, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't go showing off my magic so boldly if it meant I was rendered helpless after casting!" She took a step towards him, her face close to his, "Don't tell me that you're scared of someone like that? You, the great King Katsuki Bakugo, the infamous Beast King, afraid of a boyhood friend that can't even cast at will?"

"Watch your tongue, Ochaco-"

"Or what?" She challenged, "There's an evil that will cover our world in darkness, bring about death and destruction, and not even your fortified kingdom and people will be spared! So keep me as your prize, if you're so inclined, but help stop this evil before it all falls to ruin."

His gaze cooled to the point it almost chilled her, but her anger was too ignited to be intimidated. Unbeknownst to Uraraka, Bakugo's temper had already begun to subside and was replaced with a curiosity of her. Aside from his mother, there was no one who wouldn't back down from him when his rage got the better of him. He wasn't nearly as bad as he was when he was a boy, but the King was still quick of tongue and temper. Ochaco did not shrink away from him, she did not cower, nor did she beg him to calm. Instead, she stood fast in her beliefs and convictions, matching his fury with her own and in her own way. While he would rage in outburst, her voice would remain collect and stern. As Katsuki met her heated gaze, he once again saw the burning fire within her rich hickory eyes that had drawn him to her in the first place. Had he not been the wiser, he would've sworn her a witch for he felt his iron will be struck and tempered to bend to hers, "You have no fear of me, do you?"

Her eyebrow raised as she straightened her posture, defiant, "You told me that I never should and swore you'd never harm me. So unless there has been a great shift in your character, Katsuki, I don't think you'd break your word to me."

Biting his bottom lip as his eyes trailed down her body, all the way to her feet, he couldn't mask his delight at her spirit. It infuriated and enraptured him all at once, "You're going to keep me on my fucking toes, aren't you, my darling?"

The way he said those words made the strange feeling stir once more within her. Grasping her hands behind her back and swaying playfully, she took a deep breath and shook her head slowly, "It's why you made the bet you chose, isn't it? If you wanted a dull 'yes dear' wife, then you would've had one already. Which brings me to the next thing I wanted to talk about."

"Which is?"

"Why did you tell everyone that I matched you in battle? You clearly defeated me."

Bakugo folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head to the side, "Because I wasn't about to have any question your worthiness to be my wife. If I had said that I defeated you in battle then some other woman may have come along and wanted the right to be my wife based on her ability to overpower you."

"That can be done?"

"I would imagine there's a way, but I wasn't willing to chance on that shit that's why I said what I said. Of the people who know the truth from my kingdom are my King's Guards, who would never say a damn thing to contradict something I've declared. The only others are Deku, the Icy-Hot Prince, and the Tin-Man but no citizen of Pyre or any of the other tribes will believe an outsider's word over the word of their king," Bakugo explained, "Besides, it wasn't a lie - you did match me - you just didn't defeat me.

Regardless of her feelings towards him, Ochaco was pleased that he held such esteem for her that Bakugo was willing to make such a declaration.

"Which reminds me, angel-face," he began, rising to stand in front of her, "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"W-what's that?" Uraraka stammered.

"You had several opportunities to disclose how you happened to cross my path and our bet, but you did not," his fingers lightly traced her jawline, "You could've easily told my mother and she probably would have not relented until I let you go."

Without her conscious realization, she turned her head towards his touch. At that moment, Ochaco realized that the thought of speaking up about their duel and the conditions she lost never crossed her mind while with Mitsuki or her ladies, "I agreed to the terms, didn't I?"

"You did," Katsuki agreed, "But you could've yelled and screamed your fucking head off about it and I'm sure I would've been given hell for it."

She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, her eyes glancing away, "Perhaps, but then my word wouldn't be worth anything anymore. Do you have regrets?"

A gruff sound escaped his lips, "None, my darling, but I knew what I wanted. Now then," Gently, Bakugo took her shoulders and moved her back a few steps, "You haven't figured out where we are yet."

"What do you mean?" Uraraka asked.

Facing the altar, Bakugo held out his hand and began chanting once more. The altar began to glow with a light so brilliant that Ochaco turned her head away. As the light faded, she turned back to see before her Bakugo, with his hand extended above the altar and floating above it was a small golden object. Her voice caught in her throat as she realized it was Bakugo's King Sigil.

"That's-" Doing her best to keep her composure, she felt her lip tremble and eyes water as he turned back to her, with a lopsided grin on his face.

"This is the altar at the summit of Mount Woe. This is where the Beast King's Sigil rests." Taking a few steps forward before dropping to a knee, Katsuki raised his hand up to her.

Uraraka took a step back, clasping her hands together in a praying fashion, "What are you doing?"

"What does it fucking look like?" he chuckled, "Didn't you say a proposal would make you happy?"

"Are you-?"

"Ochaco Uraraka of Kajar," Bakugo's voice rolled like deep thunder, "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Originally, she was upset by the whole thing. Losing the battle to Bakugo, her freedom, and her mission, she had not had the will to be crafty enough to convince him to hand over the Sigil so Deku could continue on their quest. Uraraka felt guilty now, as he offered it to her freely in lieu of the ring she had wanted.

He looked down and quietly muttered, "You can say no if you want, but I'm giving you the damn thing either way."

Her heart beat so loud she heard it in her ears as it became harder to breathe. She felt her eyes brim with hot tears, realizing he was giving her a choice in proceeding with their marriage or leaving. Where Mitsuki and others had offered her an out in partial jest, Bakugo now offered her a sincere choice. This is your chance, Ochaco. You can keep going and choose what your life will be. She thought to herself, But if you do, you'll be going back on your word. Would you ever have faith in yourself again? What about your parents being provided for? He wouldn't have any obligations to continue to support them. The weight of her family sank heavy into her being, causing a greater distress within her. It's just the rest of your life. Ochaco took a moment to evaluate the situation. Despite his arrogance, pride, and brash nature, Bakugo showed her patience and respect, with a kindness he seemed only to bestow upon her. His sense of confidence in her and her abilities made her feel empowered and driven in a way she had never felt before. While everyone she knew, including Deku, wrote her off as weak and in need of protection, Bakugo had faith that she was strong and able. If she could not be free to roam as she pleased, at least her family could live a good life and she could do her best to become stronger. It seemed like a small price to pay to ensure the world was saved and her parents well off.

Her extended silence made an unfamiliar feeling well within Bakugo's chest. He had not felt anxiety in years and it felt like forever waiting for her answer. While he had done his best to mask his indifference, Katsuki didn't want Ochaco to leave. Regardless of their bet, he wanted to know her true desire. He knew he could likely twist her to his will using her own words against her, but he didn't want to. There was another feeling that he couldn't put a name to. This dull ache that welled in his chest when she wasn't near, but would warm and smolder when she was close. It made his breath grow short and his heart pound. It was uncomfortable, but Bakugo wanted to feel it again and test its sensation.

When she finally spoke, she replied in a quiet and calm voice, "Yes."

Immediately, his garnet eyes rose to meet hers, straining to hide his relief and excitement, "You're serious?"

"Yes," Ochaco laughed, taking the Sigil in hand and admiring it, "But you know, Katsuki, it takes longer than three days to fall in love with someone."

When Ochaco looked up again, she was taken aback by him standing over her, his expression dark and smoldering. Almost needing, Bakugo wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him. Gasping as he cradled the back of her head and leaned towards her, Uraraka thought her heart might explode from her chest. Breathless, she waited before a smirk played at his lips, "May I kiss you, Ochaco?" He asked in a voice barely above a whisper. It took more effort than she was prepared to give a consenting nod and it was all Bakugo needed.

His lips were warm and soft, planting a gentle kiss on Ochaco's with a tenderness she hadn't expected from Bakugo. Unconsciously, she moved into him, pressing her soft body against his stern frame as he held her close. To her surprise, when he kissed her again it was much deeper and needier. Uraraka had been kissed before, but not like this. He took her mouth in an ardent kiss, searching for her tongue. Greedily absorbing the delicious taste of her, an urging growl emitted from the depths of his throat. The strange sensation she had felt when his fingers first brushed her lips magnified in intensity, creating an ache in her that only his touch seemed to ease. She had never felt this way before - not with any of her previous crushes or even Deku. Bakugo wanted her and had given her power over him.

When he broke from her, she moved towards him again without thinking. Bakugo started into her shadowed umber eyes, always so alive with passion and challenge. Now the dark caramel depths were vulnerable, molten, utterly alluring. The excitement caused his heart to pound riotously, the mad pulse awakening a desire within him he had never felt before, "We should head back and get ready for the evening festivities." he grumbled reluctantly.

"We have something to do tonight?" she asked, her voice sounding more disappointed than she had intended.

"Yes," he replied, releasing her reluctantly, "Why? Did you want to spend it alone with me now?"

Her entire body flushed hotly at what he was alluding to, "That's not what I meant!"

"Relax, angel-face," Katsuki's hand gently caressed Ochaco's cheek, "It's just formalities. I have no intention of pushing your boundaries," a sultry smirk curled from his lips, "Not yet, anyway."