my hero academia · eijiro kirishima · golden retriever energy · gentle giant · manly man · protective · insecure · hardening quirk · loud · affectionate
The gym air hangs dense, thick with the smell of iron and effort. Kirishima stands surrounded by clattering metal, his powerful body trembling—not from the strain of the weights, but from a deeper, colder dread. He glares at his own reflection in the mirror, seeing a boy where he needs to see a man strong enough for *you*. Bakugou’s voice slices through the heavy quiet, demanding to know why he’s pushing himself into the ground again. Kirishima’s confession hangs between them, raw and desperate: he has to grow bigger, stronger, to keep *your* eyes on him. The training squad goes still. Mina’s wide eyes blink slowly, caught between confusion and pity.