On an early Tuesday morning, Izuku Midoriya woke up.

As he sat up, his mind slowly forgot a dream of the night sky. The sleep had...actually been decent, which made getting out of bed a hassle.

Izuku looked around the room as he changed. It was a mess, but it didn't take long to realise why.

The study session...I completely forgot to tidy up. Ah! Aren't those Tokoyami-kun's notes? I should get those back to him...

They were well worn, no doubt from the effort made last night. Tokoyami had been a good listener; and was certainly improving with practice. Math had been a difficult subject for him, that had been obvious, but it wasn't anything a study session couldn't fix.

Izuku gathered the notes and textbooks into a neat pile before putting them in his school bag. Tokoyami was going to need them for class today.

I hope he feels better...Something definitely bothered him last night, but what?

I don't think it was the math…Unless I didn't teach it well? I'm still getting used to tutoring, if I can even call it that...

No, it wasn't the study. Even after we took a break he seemed...off. No, not just off, he looked...really upset.

Izuku had never seen his classmate in such a state. Tokoyami was the kind of guy not let his composure slip, but last night was a shocking contrast.

What happened at the training camp really got to him. I… I'm glad he opened up to me, but...why do I feel like something else was bothering him?

Izuku began tying his shoes, the cogs in his head quietly turning.

Tokoyami-kun looked fine before dinner, so I don't think he was sick…

Oh no, was it because I said he was cliché? Why did I have to say that? He was being so nice! I didn't mean to make fun of him or anything…God, I suckat talking. But no, that happened beforeI said that, right?

No, I won't overthink this. What matters is whether he feels fine now. I thinkhe feels fine now...

Maybe I should check if he's okay? No, that's too much! But it'd be nice to know…

Oh what am I thinking? I'll see him in class anyway! Just gotta make sure I give him his books…

But...I'll definitely ask him. I have to!

Throwing the bag over his shoulder with a bit too much determination, Izuku left the room into the start of a new day.

On an early Tuesday morning, Fumikage Tokoyami woke up.

After a minute of his phone going off, Fumikage silenced the wretched thing and reluctantly sat up. His head assaulted him with soreness, balanced only by an unfathomable nausea.

OH COME ON, WHY DID YA HAVE TO SET AN ALARM? I WAS RELAXING!

Fumikage barely had the energy to groan. If the alarm hadn't worsened his headache, his quirk's screeching certainly did.

I didn't want to oversleep this time. It's a necessary precaution, after yesterday's events. Leave me alone.

OH COME ON, ARE YOU STILLMAD ABOUT LAST NIGHT? SURE, I SAID SOME MEAN THINGS, BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT! HONEST, I COULDN'T!

...I don't want to talk about it.

Dark Shadow's presence lessened for a second, flinching. He didn't seriously feel bad, did he?

HEY LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, YOU AND MIDORIYA GOT TO TALK! YOU GOT TO BOND! THAT'S SOMETHING, RIGHT?

Fumikage's heart warmed at the memory, but his mind went cold.

I'm fortunate that Midoriya is a patient man. If it weren't for him, everything would have been-! No...best not think about it. But...

GETTING ANGSTED UP WON'T HELP, YOU KNOW! I'M JUST SAYING, TRY TO CHILL OUT. RELAX A LITTLE!

I don't need a lesson in relaxing from you. And 'angsted' isn't a word.

FINE! BE THAT WAY!

With the weight of his quirk sulking, Fumikage got changed and packed his bags. It didn't take long to notice that he was missing some things.

"My books. I must have left them last night…" Fumikage muttered. "I will have to ask Midoriya about it when we see each other."

OH GOODY!

Fumikage sighed.

I shouldn't bother asking after yesterday but...Could you possibly-

LEMME GUESS; KEEP QUIET? BE 'WELL BEHAVED'? FINE! I CAN DO THAT! BUT ONLY BECAUSE OF IZU- I MEAN, YOU-KNOW-WHO. BUT THE SECOND THINGS GET BORING, I'LL RIOT!

Brilliant…

Surprisingly, Fumikage's head wasn't as muddled as it was yesterday. However, he knew more often how quickly his mood, his entire world, could turn for the worse.

I must be vigilant. Today will be better. It has to be...

With nothing else, Fumikage left his room at a speed. This time he'd come to class early. This time, he'd look proper. This time, he'd start the day right.

That was when he narrowly avoided a collision with ( of all people, why did it have to be-? ) Izuku Midoriya.

In the span of a second, the two of them found themselves in an awkward dance; a flurry of panicked side steps carried by rushed neither of them had fallen over; but Fumikage knew he needed to work on his reflexes.

"A-Ah! Good morning Tokoyami-kun!" Midoriya caught his balance with grace and laughed a little. "Sorry about that! I didn't even look where I was going and.."

"No, the fault is mine." Fumikage steadied himself and tried to keep the shock out of his voice. "I suppose we were both eager to get to class..."

Midoriya laughed a second time, and Fumikage's chest lightened. The dry sarcasm wasn't even a joke, let alone a funny one, but he felt a sense of accomplishment.

"Yeah, guess so!" Midoriya smiled, before his face turned to concern. "Oh by the way, did you sleep alright? After last night, I mean..."

It had actually been the best sleep in Fumikage's life. His head still pounded, but his thoughts had been clear. Nothing stopped him from falling asleep, not even Dark Shadow's usual tirade of nonsense. The sleep itself was indescribable. It was the first time in a while he could remember dreaming instead of thinking.

So why did it still feel so incomplete?

Fumikage couldn't place any reason in particular, but something about that sleep-that dream -bothered him. He had felt pure content, but little joy. Satisfaction, but no happiness. Already he had forgotten most of the dream, but that empty space felt important. Simple and small, yet incomprehensible by nature.

But this wasn't the time for poetry.

"I had a fair rest indeed." Fumikage replied stoically. He paused before quietly adding "Thank you for...well…".

Midoriya spared him the fate of explaining any further. "Hey, it's okay! As long as you're feeling better. I mean you look better…"

Fumikage nodded. "I feel much better, thank you."

He wanted to kick himself; those words didn't do his gratitude justice. Fumikage didn't know how else to show it. He wanted to know how. He needed to.

They made their way down to the mess hall for breakfast, as usual. Fumikage didn't enjoy large crowds, but it was difficult to dislike the ambiance of his classmates bantering. It almost felt like home, sometimes.

...I completely skipped breakfast yesterday, didn't I? I was in a rush, so I missed a meal...That probably didn't help my mood...I must not be so careless. I must show vigilance!

Fumikage made himself a whole grain sandwich with ham and lettuce, much to Dark Shadow's despair, while Midoriya grabbed a bowl of porridge.

They sat opposite one another, by themselves, and ate in silence.

This is the first time I've had breakfast alone with Midoriya… Heavens, why does thatmatter?

I MIGHT HAVE AN IDEA!

I'd rather not hear it-

-YOU'RE MAKING YOUR WAY UP THE FRIENDSHIP LADDER!

That can't have been what you were implying…

OH? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING THEN? WERE YOU THINKING OF SOMETHING ELSE? SOMETHING … MORE?

...I trapped myself in that snare, didn't I?

SOMETIMES IT'S TOO EASY!

"Oh, I almost forgot; your notes!" Midoriya hastily rummaged through his bag before producing the stack of books. "Here, I'm pretty sure that's everything..."

"Ah, right." Fumikage took the pile from his classmate. "Again, I must thank you for taking the time to help me..."

"Hey, no problem!" Midoriya smiled, leaning a little closer to Fumikage. "Did it help? I mean, I enjoyed it but I don't know if my notes were good enough or if I explained it well-"

"The notes were very informative, as were your explanations." Fumikage replied. "It is as one might expect from a student of your caliber."

A humble laugh rose from his classmate. "Well, I'm glad. Would you..wanna do it again sometime? I don't mean today , necessarily, but...you know…"

DUDE! HIS CHEEKS ARE RED! HE'S FLUSTERED!

"It would be a pleasure." Fumikage finished his last bite of bread. "Light knows I'll need it…"

"Hey, don't say that! You did fine yesterday…"

"You do not have to lie, Midoriya. It was calculus . Helpful as you were, it was a wonder I had any sanity left…"

Midoriya grinned, then shook his head ever so slightly. "Still...it'll come to you with more time. All it takes is practice. I know you can do it!"

Fumikage conceded the point with a nod. He couldn't argue against such charming encouragement.

Hopeless indeed…

"Ah, the time! We should get going, shouldn't we?" Midoriya shovelled the rest of his breakfast down in seconds. "Everyone else's already left, come on!"

Fumikage followed closely behind his classmate as they left the dorm building.

Torrential rain greeted them before they could take another step outside.

"Oh no…" Midoriya made a quick search of his bag, then turned to Fumikage. "I must have left my umbrella in my locker! Do you have yours? We uh, might have to share..."

OH MAN! THIS IS PERFECT! A CHANCE TO BE CLOSE TO IZUKU! SO INTIMATE! A CHANCE TO BOND AND MAYBE EVEN-

"I don't have an umbrella." Fumikage replied. "Forgive me, I suppose I should get around to buying one…"

NOOOOOOOOOOO! ANOTHER FAILURE!

Is it too much to ask for silence? Even for a minute?

YEAH, LIKE THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN! BUT NEVERMIND THAT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?

"Oh? Well that's alright, this isn't really the season for it, huh?" Midoriya stared towards the classrooms, barely visible in the unrelenting weather. "Class is about to start, guess there's nothing for it…"

"What are you suggesting…?"

"Come on!"

"Wait, are you going to-?"

Without a second of reconsideration, Midoriya sprinted into the rain. Fumikage gaped after him.

The complete madman!

AHAHAHAHA! YES! FLY MIDORIYA, FLY!

Heavens help me….

Before he could reconsider anything, Fumikage ran after his classmate into the storm.

Getting drenched was a less than ideal way to start the morning, but Fumikage didn't think about that in the slightest. Not even Dark Shadow's cackling in the back of his mind affected him.

No, all that rang through Fumikage's mind was how much he enjoyed the pure madness of running with reckless abandon through the storm. The madness of doing something reckless, but not alone. The madness of Izuku Midoriya.

Izuku enjoyed staring at the rainy weather outside of the classroom.

Walking into class dripping wet had been embarrassing, but as soon as they were inside the thundering storm felt comforting, in a strange way.

After homeroom, classes began with English. It wasn't Izuku's best subject, admittedly, but a new motivation drove him to focus.

Okay, so if we're learning about grammar here, and we covered Gatsby last week...I should make some notes around those subjects. Oh, but what about the reading comprehension? How can I make notes with that? Maybe some phonetic graphs? But that's way too complicated…

"YO, MIDORIYA!" Present Mic startled Izuku with his loud, yet (somehow) relaxed voice. "IF YOU'RE GONNA MUMBLE MAYBE, YOU GOTTA SPEAK ENGLISH HUMBLE, BABY!"

"Ah, I'm sorry!"

I know he was trying to rhyme, but...that didn't sound grammatically correct…

"I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!"

"Ah, I'm sorry again!"

"DON'T BE SO HIGH STRUNG, MAN! I WAS JOKING, DUDE!"

The zealous English teacher didn't sound offended at all, but that didn't lessen the embarrassment. Izuku covered his mouth with one hand, and stared down at his desk.

What is wrong with me? I didn't even realise I was muttering that time! This has to stop! Maybe I should see a therapist...or some kind of linguistic doctor, if someone like that exists...No, surely there's someone like that...like for speech impediments, right? God, I don't know….

He would have to shelve the issue for later. Shaking his head, Izuku persevered with his note taking.

By lunchtime, Izuku desperately needed a break. He managed to stay on top of the schoolwork, but making the notes for Tokoyami left little time to relax.

Not that Tokoyami was inconveniencing him, of course. Izuku was more than happy to-

"Pardon me, Midoriya."

"Wah?!"

Izuku looked up from his cafeteria table. Speak of the devil. "Ah, Tokoyami-kun! Long time no see, huh?"

"Indeed." The raven headed boy gave a neutral nod, but his eyes held a glint of...something. "Forgive me, but could I have a moment of your time?"

So formal...

"Sure thing! What is it?"

"Well...I had some difficulty applying an equation last period, I believed you showed it to me last night…"

"Oh yeah?"

The pair found themselves at the cafeteria not a moment sooner, deep in debate and even deeper in their meals.

"Confounded arithmetic! Do they expect us to remember such an application in every scenario?"

"Well, it is math. If you know the equation you can apply it anywhere, right?"

"That is certainly easy to say , but whenever I attempt to do so it just...fails somewhere!"

Izuku took a patient breath, watching his classmate grip his pencil tighter and tighter. Tokoyami didn't seem the type to lose his patience; to be completely honest it was kind of amusing.

I shouldn't laugh at him for not getting it. And I'm not! It's just that...he looks cute. No, that's not what I mean! There has to be another word for it, like...like...Dammit, there's no other word for it! It's just cute! WHY AM I LIKE THIS?

Izuku shook the thought off. "Like I said, you'll get it with enough practice. I know it! It's tedious, but it'll click eventually."

"Eventually, indeed…" Tokoyami shook his head, returning the notes into his bag. "I haven't even begun to approach the other topics...But that is no excuse."

This time, Tokoyami's frustration looked...admirable. Izuku gave the most supportive smile he could. "You'll get there. I'll help make sure of it! If you want, that is..."

Tokoyami took a second before looking up at Izuku. "You really mustn't feel obliged. I'm sure you have your own commitments-"

"Like I said, it's fine!" Izuku cut him off. "This is gonna sound weird, but...I'm kind of enjoying it? Helping you study, I mean."

"Even with calculus?"

"Well, no-one likes calculus." Izuku laughed. "But...at least it gives me an excuse to talk non-stop for a little while, huh?"

Tokoyami eyes flashed with concern. "As I said before, you shouldn't worry about-"

"I know, I know. It's just...I guess I like explaining things in detail? Is that weird?"

"I wouldn't think so." Tokoyami paused for a second before speaking again. "You'd make for an excellent teacher."

Izuku found himself taken off guard from the compliment. "A t-teacher? Really? Not that it's a bad profession, or something that doesn't interest me; it's a very noble and respectable job, and they are starting to get better pay I think; or at least I hope so-"

"It would suit you, I think." Tokoyami interjected, calmly as ever. "After you become a professional Hero, of course. I don't mean to say you wouldn't do well in that field either..."

Izuku flushed internally. "A-Ah well…I guess we've still got some time to think about what kind of hero we want to be, huh? Do you have any plans, Tokoyami-kun?"

"Me?" Tokoyami blinked, turning his head away in ponderment. "What kind of hero indeed...Perhaps-? No, never mind..."

"What? What is it?"

"...It's nothing."

"C'mon, it can't be that bad, can it?"

"No, but…" Tokoyami sighed after a moment. "I...have entertained the idea of becoming a night-time Hero."

Izuku let out a smile. "Hey, that's a great idea! You mean like a hero that specialises in night activity, patrols, covert ops, that kind of thing? That's so cool!"

"Yes, but-"

"They don't typically get as much attention as heroes that operate in the day, but they handle all kinds of problems; and since your quirk involves Dark Shadow, you'd be especially useful-"

"If I could control it- control him …." Tokoyami interrupted the ramble with a softer tone. "As I am now, I cannot hope to control Dark Shadow at night...I'd be a liability."

Izuku shook his head. "That's what training is for, right? There's still heaps of time before we graduate, you'll get it!"

"I suppose, but..." Tokoyami still kept his glance to the side. "I've been trying for years . Somehow, it has only gotten more difficult..."

"Tokoyami-kun…"

The bell rang before Izuku could come up with anything to say.

Tokoyami was already standing up. The uncertain expression had faded from his face. "Well then, it's already next period. I believe it's...P.E, isn't it?"

He's changing the subject. Well, it's not something you can just talk about on the way to class, huh? I hope I didn't make him feel uncomfortable...

"Uh...yeah." Izuku replied. "It's still raining, so I guess we'll be in the gym today, huh?"

Tokoyami nodded. "Most likely. One must hope we won't be doing any laps around the building..."

"Yeah, let's hope not. I'm still drying off after this morning..."

"If I may remind you, running in the rain was your idea."

"Hey, it was either that or being late for class!"

"Iida-san, is that you?"

"Hey, that's…" Izuku laughed internally, failing to hide a grin. "God...he would say something like that huh? It sounds just like him."

"Indeed. A spitting image. Haunting."

"I mean, that's not a bad thing, right?"

"Of course not."

"..."

"..."

"Okay, this sounds bad, but...We are running late, so..."

"Truely a doppelganger..."

"Hey!" Izuku smiled, and despite the embarrassment he picked up his pace. "C'mon!"

As they headed for the changing rooms, Izuku ignored the smirk that briefly crossed Tokoyami's face. He ignored how warm his face felt at that.

By the strike of the hour, everyone had finished changing. Following warm ups the class was made to form pairs.

"Hey, Deku-kun!" A bubbly voice came up from behind him. "Wanna pair up today?"

"Uraraka-san…" Izuku turned, and after a second he met her smile. It was hard to say no to such a cheerful demeanor. "S-Sure thing!"

"Sweet!" Uraraka somehow looked even more bright. "Maybe we could do some close-range stuff when we spar? I think I'm getting rusty…"

...I keep forgetting that she's trained in martial arts now.

"Sounds good." Izuku nodded. "Maybe you could show me a thing or two?"

"Mmm!"

Off to the side, Izuku's eye caught Tokoyami; the raven-headed boy was talking with Tsu-chan.

Ah, well...they have worked together a lot before, huh?

Ignoring the lump in his chest, Izuku turned back to Uraraka. "So, where should we train?"

They found a reasonably secluded corner of the gym. It wasn't like they needed much space; they weren't allowed to excessively use their quirks for mere sparring.

"Alright, you gotta try and surprise me..." Uraraka gripped her fists, readying herself into a defensive position. "Come at me, Deku-kun!"

"Right!" With no further ceremony Izuku charged forward, dialing back his force but keeping his speed.

Uraraka, light on her feet, held her own despite the gap in physical strength and speed. Izuku realised that he didn't know nearly as much about close range counters or grappling as he should have. Gunhead had taught her well.

Uraraka straightened her shoulders. "So Deku-kun, how're things?"

"It's been okay." Izuku replied, casually blocking a quick blow sent by his partner. "I'm starting to sleep better, I think."

"I can tell!" Uraraka replied with a kick at Izuku's side. "You're, uh, looking better, I mean..."

Izuku felt his cheeks warm a few degrees. Shaking his head, he grabbed Uraraka's leg and lifted in a quick motion. "You guys didn't have to worry about me. I'm fine, really..."

Uraraka landed with a backflip as quickly as she had been launched. "Of course we had to! You looked way less...less..."

"Fervent?"Uraraka tilted her head a little. "Not the word I was thinking of, but sure!"

"...Wait, what were you thinking?"

"Uh...enthusiastic?"

"That's just as embarrassing..."

"Hey! It's a good thing!"

Izuku laughed, despite the sudden rush of punches that came at him. "Well, I feel a lot better now, so no worries there…"

"Good!" Uraraka smiled, but it looked terrifying with her aggressive focus.

They continued to spar; time moved slowly due to concentration, yet the movements were quick.

After a moment, maybe it had been ten minutes, Uraraka spoke. "So...how's Tokoyami-kun?"

Izuku faltered a step, forcing him to recover with a roll. "T-Tokoyami-kun?"

Uraraka gave him a second to get his bearings. She smiled. "Yeah. Saw you guys talking a lot at dinner last night so I wondered…"

"Ah, right." Izuku tried to focus on his movements more. "Yeah, I've been studying with him a little. You know, with exams and all..."

"Oh, that's great!" Uraraka hopped from side to side. "...I should probably get around to doing that too, huh?"

She laughed at that, and Izuku had to smile back. "Well, I'm currently working on some notes. So if you want, I can make some copies…"

"Really?! Ahhhh, you're a lifesaver!"

They continued sparring some more. Izuku blocked Uraraka's attack well, but when it was his turn his hits proved difficult to land. She was fast, light and agile.

I always imagined her as a rescue-oriented hero, but crap! Her quirk has so many applications...Well, I guess that's the case for everyone, but-

"So...Tokoyami-kun's a pretty cool guy, huh?" Uraraka's voice sounded more tired now, but Izuku could hear her interrupt his thoughts.

Misstepping again, Izuku took a moment to breathe. Formulate his thoughts. "Y-yeah?"

"Yeah." Uraraka stopped her assault, adjusting her clothes. "I mean, you guys are getting along pretty well. I don't think I've seen him talk that much since the festival!"

"Oh...really?" Izuku took a moment to adjust his collar. "I mean, he's probably doing that to keep up with how much I talk, so…"

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself!" Uraraka charged forward to grab Izuku. Her supportive tone strained as she grappled with him. She flicked a smile. "I think he just likes you."

…

Huh?

That was all it took for Izuku to weaken the hold on his classmate. Within a second she had flipped him onto the ground.

The landing had been hard, but Izuku had his attention elsewhere. He scrambled to his feet. "Wait, what? What do you mean? Y-Y-You know the word 'like' can mean a lot of things, so, uh, like, which one are you trying to say?"

Uraraka blinked. "Uh… the platonic one?"

Izuku blinked back. I'm an idiot . Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! "Oh. Okay. Right. Yeah, you're probably right about that..."

A pause came before the girl blinked again, much faster. "W-Wait, did you think I meant-?"

"No, no no no! Of course not! Why would I think that? What do you mean? What do I mean? What does anything mean?! Ahahahahahahaha!"

What am I doing? What the HELL am I saying? I look crazy don't I? She can see how weird I'm acting. Everyone can probably see it too. I need to stop beinglike this-! Calm down. CALM. DOWN.

The bell rang before anything more could be said.

Izuku snapped back into reality. He needed to get the hell out of there, and the bell was the perfect window. "Well anyway, that was a good spar! I better get going; things to do, places to see, people to...ahhhh whatever! I'll see you around-!"

"Hey, Deku-kun?" Uraraka grabbed Izuku softly by his arm. She was...smiling? Her eyes had a searching look. "If you wanna talk about anything...even if you think I'll think it's strange; you can talk to me, alright?"

"Uh...okay. Sure! I'll...I'll do that!"

Will I really? Should I? What would I even say? I don't know what's wrong with me... Is there something wrong with me? Maybe-

"Hey, I mean it! I won't...judge you or anything if you...you know…" The young girl's face cherried, blushing a fierce red. "You know what I mean…"

What does she mean? Does she know? She can't know. How could she? I don't even know! What are we talking about again?

"Uh, yeah…I'll...I'll keep that in mind! Thanks!" Izuku smiled, but he couldn't hold it steady for long. "Sorry, I...I gotta get changed…"

Izuku practically ran out of the gym.

What the hell was that?

I...I gotta apologise to Uraraka-san later...I was totally rude back there...

But…

No. Calm down. Deep breaths…

I gotta get changed. Change my clothes, change my mind, change...everything.

The locker rooms were surprisingly clean today, though Izuku knew that wouldn't last long. Inevitably, there was a race to the showers; though Izuku never tried to win that battle. The last time Izuku tried he had almost been trampled.

Once he did get a turn, Izuku kept his shower quick. All he needed was a few minutes of hot water; it did wonders in erasing the tension from his muscles.

He carefully went back to his thoughts.

Uraraka-san really did a number on me, huh? I didn't think she could be so...ruthless!

I should've asked her more about Gunhead! Not that I'm completely familiar with his career; not yet, at least.

Then again, it's not like I HAVE to know everything about every Hero...That'd be weird, right?

...Or maybe I'm weird already. God, I certainly feel weird.

I definitely weirded out Uraraka-san too. She did say "strange"...I mean she's not exactly wrong... Does she think I'm strange? Why? I mean, I know I'm not exactly normal, but...No, she's just looking out for me! What am I thinking?

Shoving the thoughts to the back of his mind, Izuku shut the water off.

Going straight to his locker, Izuku found his clothes and began drying off.

"Hey Tokoyami, you paired up with Asui again, huh?"

Izuku turned his head. The voice came from Kaminari, who stood next to the raven-headed classmate.

"I did." Tokoyami replied in a neutral tone. "It made sense, considering our synergy from working together before…"

"'Synergy', huh?" Kaminari flashed a grin. "I wonder, I wonder…"

Tokoyami stopped buttoning his shirt. "Have I said something strange?"

"Nah, man…" Kaminari shrugged, maintaining a smile. "Just seems like you fit well together, know what I mean?"

"I...don't believe I do."

"Oh, you guys talking about Tokoyami and Asui?" Kirishima perked up, joining the conversation. "You two get along well, so I guess it makes sense..."

"What are you-"

"I think you're getting a little ahead of yourselves." Ojiro diligently dried his tail as he spoke. "Not that it's any of our business..."

"C'mon, we're talking about Asui-san here…" Mineta piped up, appearing out of nowhere. "She may look like a frog, but her figure is still-"

Shoji immediately grabbed Mineta into a choke-hold. "I agree with Ojiro. No need to interrogate Tokoyami if he doesn't feel like discussing it."

"Especially without any evidence!" Iida added. "Such baseless claims create unnecessary scandal and defamation!"

"What in dark heavens are you-?" Tokoyami stopped, a look of realisation crossed his eyes. "You don't mean…"

"Hey man, it's cool!" Kaminari laid a hand on Tokoyami's shoulder casually. "If you're not into her, I totally get it. Wasn't even sure if you had a type, to be honest..."

Izuku felt the urge to speak up, until he realised he had no idea what to say. The locker room talk was typical for his classmates, but this was the first time he saw Tokoyami under fire.

I know it's none of our business, but... doeshe have a type? No wait, I don't care. Well, I shouldn'tcare, but I guess it's interesting. Interesting?! No! What am I thinking?!

Tokoyami sighed. "I appreciate your...concern. But I doubt I've captured the attention of anyone, much less romantically..."

It's not interesting. It's not interesting. It's not interesting. It's not-

"Hey, don't sell yourself short, dude!" Kirishima clapped Tokoyami on the other shoulder. "A pro hero in training, who wouldn't wanna date ya?"

Tokoyami froze for a second at the contact, but quickly continued changing. He could be heard muttering. "Kind words…."

Kaminari wasn't letting go of the topic that easily, however. "Still, there's gotta be someone you like, right?"

The avian simply closed his eyes, making his trademark-mysterious expression; his face impossible to read. "In the grand scheme of the abyss, do such trivial things even matter?"

"Uh...I think so?" After a pause, Kaminari let out a light laugh. "Man, you're a strange guy sometimes...If you do want some advice, you can talk to me, 'kay?"

Tokoyami slowly nodded, but said nothing. His face still gave away nothing.

Izuku turned away to continue changing, and nothing else. No thoughts about anything, just changing. Changing, changing, changing.

He couldn't have left the changing room faster.

The last period, science, was just what Izuku needed to distract himself. Today's lesson discussed the passing down of quirks in genetics; more specifically, the passing down of physical genes and the difficulty of predicting a child's quirk pattern, even while knowing the parent's quirks.

How am I going to cue card this?

About halfway through the class, they reached the topic of quirklessness in children. Izuku ignored the lump in his stomach. Nobody in the class reacted to it, not even Kacchan, but Izuku felt himself holding a deep breath. He let it out quietly. The teacher had moved on already.

I'm not like that anymore. I know that, but...I used to be. I used to be part of that small percentage, barely mentioned…But even now I'm still...different, aren't I?

Izuku kept taking notes, counting the last few minutes before the final bell rang.

Fumikage strained his head once more as he considered the practice problems Midoriya gave him. This time it was english grammar; while not as tedious as math, it wasn't any less confusing.

A glance at the clock told him it was already approaching evening.

I've been at this for too long...Light, I haven't even touched the readings for tomorrow. Is this correct? Likely not…

LOOKS FINE TO ME!

"Not much of an endorsement…" Fumikage muttered, rubbing the smudging pencil lead from the notepad. "I'll just have to ask Midoriya next time I-"

There was a knock at the door.

OH MY GOD! SPEAK OF THE ANGEL!

Fumikage felt his hope spike but immediately pushed it down, mortified at himself.

Calm down. It could be anyone.

"Hey, Tokoyami-kun!" The slightly nervous tenor on the other side of the door could have only belonged to Midoriya. "If you're not busy, can I...can I come in?"

Fumikage looked at the shevelled mess of books on his desk. "Just...a second, please..."

"Sure!"

Fumikage got to work quickly, piling up the study materials in a desperate heap. They would have to go under the bed for now.

WELL WELL WELL, LOOK AT YOU, TIDYING UP YOUR ROOM TO IMPRESS HIM! NO, WAIT...OH! YOU DON'T WANT HIM TO SEE YOU STUDY, DO YOU?

I...I don't have to explain myself to you.

BUT WHY? HE WANTS TO HELP YOU! HE'D BE PROUD!

We're not discussing this.

In truth, Fumikage didn't know why the mess embarrassed him. Perhaps it was his own foolish pride. Perhaps he didn't want Midoriya to see him struggle. Perhaps he didn't want him to see his weakness. Dwelling on that thought didn't do any good, so Fumikage shoved it down.

Sighing, he put the mess of books back on the desk. He called to the door. "Come in!"

As Midoriya came in, Fumikage adopted a relaxed pose on his bed, hopefully looking casual. "Midoriya, for what do I owe the pleasure?"

OOOOOH NICELY SAID! SUAVE!

"Ah, well…" Midoriya shuffled a little. "I was gonna head out for something to eat. I was wondering if maybe...you wanted to tag along?"

Fumikage blinked, ignoring Dark Shadow's excited crowing. "I...I would like that. Did you have somewhere in mind?"

Midoriya nodded with a smile. "I know this great rice bowl place in town. It's not anything special but I like to go there a lot, and since you showed me that cafe I thought I'd-...Well, you get the point."

Fumikage checked the clock again.

It is getting a bit late...Some food would be nice.

He nodded. "Very well, let me just find my jacket and we can be off, posthaste..."

Midoriya chuckled a little. When Fumikage regarded that, his classmate shook his head. "Sorry, I just don't hear that word too often; posthaste'. But I like it. Sounds formal…"

Fumikage wasn't sure whether to feel ridiculous or glad. The former prevailed only slightly. "I...didn't mean to make it so. It's a bad habit, forgive me."

Darkness take me, even that sounded too formal.

"It's alright, that's how you talk. Nothing wrong with it!" For some reason, Midoriya sounded embarrassed. "I think it's cool, honestly."

That's...has anyone said that before?

Fumikage gave a grateful smile, but words failed him. They started to do so more often.

I...I don't think so.

It had gotten cold outside by the time they left the dormitory, but the weather was clear, at least.

HEY FUMI, DON'T COCK THIS ONE UP, OKAY? NO PRESSURE! BUT THIS DATE HAS TO GO WELL!

This is not a-! No, I'm done playing this game with you. Think whatever you like, it doesn't concern me.

OH BOOOO! YOU'RE AS LOVESICK AS A...AS A CHOCOLATE OVERDOSE ON VALENTINES!

As if I'd take stock in your poorly made similes. This is serious.

I AMSERIOUS! MIDORIYA MATTERS TO ME! HE MATTERS TO YOU TOO, RIGHT?

I...

"Hey, Tokoyami-kun?"

Fumikage snapped out of the argument to eye his classmate. Calm down. "Hmm?"

"It's nothing, but...well…" Midoriya hesitated, just briefly. "Do you think I'm too intense with my obsession with heroes?"

Fumikage looked at him, properly. "What do you mean?"

"It's just…Ah, how do I say it?" Midoriya fidgeted slightly. "Before coming here, I was really into quirks and heroes. Like seriously obsessed…"

"I...may have guessed." Fumikage kept his tone neutral. "But that isn't what I'd call 'intense'. It's hardly unusual…"

"No, but…" Midoriya shook his head. His smile was distant. "I guess I'm still obsessed with them, you know? So I'm worried that...I might cross personal boundaries with people sometimes…"

"You should know by now that those questions don't bother me, Midoriya. I-"

"I know, and I'm really glad for it. But...I just hope it doesn't make anyone uncomfortable, you know?"

Fumikage took a moment to consider what to say. "I think, of all places, U.A would be the most appropriate place to take an interest in quirks, would it not?"

"Ah I guess that's true…" Midoriya didn't seem convinced, but he smiled anyway. "Well, either way, sorry if it's a bit much…"

"It isn't." Fumikage said firmly. "I'm...glad you like Dark Shadow. I know he's glad too."

OOOH! CAN I COME OUT NOW? C'MON, I'VE BEEN GOOD!

Save it for when we get back. Do I need to remind you of the law-

THE LAW THAT RESTRICTS MY FREEDOM TO REIGN FREE WITHOUT A LICENSE? THAT'S DISCRIMINATION!

Only against reckless amateurs like ourselves...

"If you say so…" Midoriya suddenly perked up again. "Okay, we're here!"

When they entered the diner, Fumikage was greeted with the unfamiliar, but homely smell: grease, steam, meat, and a hint of beer from some of the patrons.

They sat down. Midoriya, already with the menu in hand, smiled as he looked around. "I come here a lot, mainly when I want some comfort food. Though...it's not exactly fancy, huh?"

"It's...modest." Fumikage replied, cringing at himself. Why did he have to be so blunt? "But certainly not gaudy, by any means.."

SMOOOOOOOTH!

Quiet!

"That's true, " Midoriya nodded. "Have you had much of this food before?"

Fumikage peered at the menu. "In all honesty, I haven't. What would you recommend?"

Five minutes later, rice bowls topped with meat arrived at their table. Midoriya had chosen a pork cutlet bowl -his favourite- so Fumikage assigned himself the same fate.

"That smells great…" Midoriya beamed. "I know I should try the other bowls, but they just do the pork so well here!"

Fumikage smiled at that, taking a bite. The crunch was satisfying, and gave way to a succulent juice of salt and oil.

"So, what do you think?"

Fumikage nodded. "A pleasant surprise. Thank you for choosing it."

YOU DON'T LIKE IT. I CAN TELL.

It's...not exciting, but I could get used to it….maybe. I'd rather not admit that out loud…

YOU BETTER NOT!

Fumikage continued the meal. It really wasn't bad, he kept telling himself, but the flavour left something to be desired. Guilt creeped up on him.

How arrogant am I, acting like a food critic. I could stand to be less...picky.

MEH, DIFFERENT STROKES, DIFFERENT FOLKS, RIGHT?

Perhaps…

It didn't take long for their bowls to be emptied-through Fumikage took longer to finish. Midoriya either didn't notice, or didn't mind.

"That hit the spot." Midoriya sighed pleasantly. "I kinda needed that, after the day we had..."

Fumikage raised a brow. "Are you referring to the classes, or the fact that we spent half of it soaked in rainwater?"

"Hey! You didn't have to run in the rain with me!" Midoriya grinned. "I didn't force you, did I?"

"That's...true." Fumikage admitted. "To be perfectly candid, I didn't want to be late again, for the second day in a row…I suppose there's a bit of Iida in all of us."

This time Midoriya genuinely laughed. A wonderful sound. "Probably, huh? Well don't worry about it, I don't think anyone will judge you for it, even Aizawa-sensei..."

"Hmm…" Fumikage could feel the conversation dying down, so he fished for something to say. "How are you...finding classes?"

"Ah well, you know…" Midoriya shrugged. "It's a lot of content, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. Oh! I managed to take some notes for today as well! Maybe you wanna go over them tonight?"

Tonight?

HELL YEAH! CAN'T SAY NO TO THAT!

"I...I would like that. I can't say I followed English that well..."

Or anything, for that matter...

"Great!" Midoriya nodded. His determined look quickly relaxed. "But we don't have to jump straight into it now or anything...We can just...hang out, or something?"

Fumikage nodded without thinking. "A grand idea. Did you have something in mind?"

"Ah….not really?" Midoriya let out a nervous laugh. "We could go back to the dorms or...just walk around?"

A stroll would be nice. The moon is bright tonight, the stars…

HEY ROMEO! SAY SOMETHING FOR THE LOVE OF ALL MIGHT!

"I...wouldn't mind a bit of walking." Fumikage answered, snapping his focus. "I'm ready to go when you are."

There were no clouds outside tonight, a reprieve from the daytime storm. A slight chill breezed the air, but it was pleasantly occasional. The two classmates walked down well lit streets, a cover of blackness hanging above.

"I'm glad I can stretch my legs a bit more." Midoriya had his hands in his pockets. "I'm still recovering from the drills Uraraka-san put me through…"

Fumikage looked aside to his classmate. "I take it the sparring went well, then?"

"Yeah, it went alright! Uraraka-san's gotten pretty good at her hand to hand, so it wasn't easy…" Midoriya let out a laugh. "She's surprisingly brutal, though…."

"I see..." Fumikage kept his face neutral, but nodded. "The two of you pair well together, from what I've seen..."

Surprisingly, Midoriya cracked an uncharacteristically wry grin. "I guess so. But I hear we're not the only ones that get along well, huh? How was your sparring with Tsu?"

"I-I...For your information, we're not...I'm not…" Fumikage sighed. "Where in heavens did Kaminari get that idea?"

"Ah, well…" Midoriya's grin quickly lost its vigour. "Sorry, that must have been awkward, huh?"

Very.

"Not...particularly." Fumikage shrugged. "Strange certainly, but I suppose that's par for the course, with such classmates..."

"Tell me about it." Izuku smirked a little. "I still haven't gotten used to Kaminari pestering me about-uh..."

OH?

What's this?

AN OPPORTUNITY TO GRILL IZU-KUN? YES PLEASE!

"Ah, yes." Fumikage adopted an amused smile of his own. "Another good team indeed...Tell me, how is Uraraka?"

Midoriya flushed, embarrassment clear on his face. "She's...doing well, I guess. I mean, I don't know! How should I know!"

"Well...you two are close, are you not?"

"It's...it's…it's just like you and Tsu, okay? Nothing is happening between us! She's just a nice person to be friends with, okay?"

"If you say so." Fumikage held the smile for a little longer, before dropping it slowly. "Forgive me. Only now do I realise how mortifying it is to be the subject of gossip. Not to mention I'm...not used to the subject matter."

"To be honest...neither am I." Midoriya let out a breath. "But I guess...We're at that age where everyone's obsessed with...you know…"

Romance? Attraction?

SEX?!

"I..suppose so." Fumikage absently admired the stonework of the pavement. "I am...certainly not an expert on the subject."

"Is anyone?" Midoriya huffed a laugh.

They continued their walk in silence for a while. The quiet was almost nice, but something in the air weighed on Fumikage.

"Hey…" Midoriya gradually slowed his pace and came to a stop. "Tokoyami-kun?"

Fumikage turned his head. The air felt heavier now; instead of words Fumikage raised a brow in question, waiting.

"I was wondering…" Midoriya finally started. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but...Have you ever liked anyone before?"

A beat of nothing followed.

WHAAAAAAAT?

I...what….should I say….

OOOOOH WAIT A SECOND! THIS IS MY TIME TO SHINE! FINALLY!

Don't you dare!

"Hmm?" Fumikage slowly blinked. It was a miracle that he hadn't given any image of surprise away. "Have I...liked anyone before?"

NICE STALLING, LOVEBIRD!

What else am I supposed to do?

ANSWER THE QUESTION, MAYBE?

And I suppose you think that such a thing is easy?

IT'S A SIMPLE ANSWER, ISN'T IT?

...That is not the issue here!

I SWEAR TO GOD, I'LL TELL HIM IF YOU WON'T...

Don't.

"Uh, yeah..." Midoriya immediately shook his head after a second. "No wait, nevermind! What am I saying? It's none of my business and I shouldn't pry! I was just curious even though you never seemed to be interested in that sort of thing before I just thought it'd be an interesting conversation because of what happened earlier-"

"Midoriya, calm down." Fumikage intervened, trying to keep his voice steady. "I understand your curiosity...Truth be told, nobody's really asked me that kind of thing before."

"That's okay! You really don't have to tell me if you're not comfortable!"

"No, it's fine…" Fumikage closed his eyes. "I don't mind the subject, it's just…"

How much should I say?

WELL, YOU GOTTA SAY SOMETHING.

Does he realise...No, he can't have.

WHO CARES ABOUT THAT? THIS ISN'T THE TWENTIETH CENTURY!

...I must be careful, regardless.

WHY?

I don't know. Shut up.

Fumikage sighed, and took a leap. "The short answer is; yes, I have had feelings for another before, long ago. They… didn't reciprocate."

A close friend, or at least someone who had been kind to him. Distant memories of laughter, but also longing. They were young, but something changed in him then. Then, everything had changed.

"O-Oh…" Midoriya glanced to the side before looking at him. "I'm sorry...that's rough."

"It was a while ago, in junior high." Fumikage shrugged. "I don't dwell on it...much."

Another silence followed, but Fumikage was compelled, by his madness, to break it. "If I may ask...Have you experienced something similar?"

"Ah, well...Yeah, I guess you could say it's happened to me." Midoriya bashfully nodded. "But it was a long time ago, in elementary school for sure. I remember liking this girl- god, I've forgotten her name- but she was nice to me. She hung out with me even though I was...uh, different. B-B-But, anyway...It wasn't anything serious, we were too young for any of that. It wasn't like... love, you know?"

"I see…"

"Yeah…" Midoriya stared ahead. "But I guess we're different people to who we were then...More mature, I guess? The girl you had feelings for...she's missing out, for sure."

Fumikage's heart dropped.

She…

I...

Fumikage closed his eyes. He didn't want to look at anything, he didn't want to hear the deafening silence around him.

What should I say? What should I tell him?

Dark Shadow had nothing, and said nothing.

Do I lie? No, that's the last thing he deserves.

But the truth…How do I…? What do I say?

Hopeless…

Cowardly…

Pathetic…

...

No. Stop.

Just.

Say.

Something.

"I wouldn't know…" Fumikage dragged the words out before he could take them back. "I haven't talked to him since."

For a painful second, no-one said anything.

"Him…" Midoriya repeated quietly. Immediately his eyes opened like spotlights. "OH!"

At that moment, Fumikage decided to pursue a new hobby; staring at the pavement and counting the cracks. While unexciting, it provided a convenient escapism from a hellishly awkward situation.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to assume anything!" Midoriya was probably looking at him with earnest eyes, but Fumikage wouldn't know; he counted nine cracks so far. "I mean...I guess I did assume, but I've never talked to anyone who said they liked...ah I'm really sorry!"

"It's fine… " Fumikage felt a croak in his throat. "Nobody...needed to ask and I...never needed to tell anyone..."

"That's fair enough! Totally fair!" Midoriya's words sped up. "It's...I don't mind at all! It's fine, really! You're my friend, and something like that...who you like doesn't change anything, you know?"

After the twentieth crack in the ground, Fumikage finally looked up at his classmate. Midoriya wore embarrassment clearly on his face, but his eyes felt... real .

"I...I'm glad." Fumikage looked to the side this time. He couldn't say anything else, every word made him want to curl up and die.

But the returning silence was worse.

Why…

WHY? WHY DID YOU SAY THAT?

I...Curse you, you wanted me to be honest about my feelings! Nowyou caution me?

I DIDN'T THINK YOU'D REALLY WITH THE "I'M GAY" LINE! NOW HE KNOWS TOO MUCH! WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HERE! SEVER ALL TIES, START A NEW LIFE! MOVE TO CUBA, OR SOMETHING!

Don't tempt me…

Fumikage suddenly felt something inside of him. Was that...a smirk, conveyed by a feeling of smugness?

...You're making fun of me. You're...seriously making light of this?

OH COME ON! YOU TOLD HIM, ALBEIT INDIRECTLY, THAT YOU LIKED DUDES, AND HE DIDN'T HATE YOU! THAT'S LIKE, AWESOME, RIGHT?

That...I don't know what to think…

I'D SAY I'M PROUD, BUT THIS IS LIKE, SOME REALLY BASIC SHIT, YOU KNOW?

One day, I might get brain surgery, I swear.

Fumikage shook himself. Deep breaths...think of the void, the moon, the soothing dark. Oxygen fueled his calm, and everything stopped spinning.

I'm...relieved, but…What was I thinking?

WELL IT'S OUTTA THE BAG NOW, SO...WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

How in Satan's hell should I know?

"So…" Midoriya started suddenly. "When we get back, what subject did you wanna go over?"

Fumikage blinked, turned to stare at his classmate, and blinked again.

"We could go over the calculus problems again," Midoriya continued. "Or review something we covered today?"

"I…" Fumikage then realised what Midoriya was doing.

He wants me to know that...that nothing has changed.

For the smallest of moments, Fumikage wanted to cry.

Instead, he shook his head. "I will..but on one condition."

"Oh yeah?"

"For the love of light, let it not be calculus. Heaven help me if I see another number…"

"Okay okay!" Midoriya laughed, genuinely. "I think I'm getting sick of it too, so fair enough!"

"I find that hard to believe."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing at all."

"Oh come on…"

Fumikage smiled, relief dominated his emotions. He kept walking, and relished the sounds of insects accompanying the background. The silence was no longer a weight, but a blanket.

The night had gotten darker, but the moon, Fumikage found, was all the brighter.