Author Note: Since I've decided to take a break from my main BNHA fic (The Third One Between, featuring Todoroki/Midoriya/Bakugo) while the anime catches up more to the manga (in order to avoid spoilers for people)… I'll be posting this fic instead – and maybe some other stuff later.

Be warned – it DOES include some spoilers for the plot that the anime hasn't reached yet. (I am writing this as of 17 Aug 2018, for reference.) But the main focus is on humor and a situation I've made up, not Big Important Plot Events. Use your own judgment, I guess?

I'll aim to post a chapter of this per week. Since most of it is already written, I shouldn't fall too behind.

The first time Tokoyami clapped eyes on her, Dark Shadow poked his beak out unbidden and whistled suggestively. The act left Tokoyami in an awkward position indeed.

Of course Dark Shadow retreated afterward to hide, making it look like Tokoyami had been the person whistling. Tokoyami halted short on the street — which probably just ended up making him look twice as guilty.

But the most noteworthy thing was what proceeded in the moment after the whistle. The beautiful girl with the marble-black eyes, dainty beak, and yellow canary feathers whistled a song back at him.

A sweet, melodious string of sounds.

If Tokoyami could have blushed — like the people who didn't have animal-head Quirks — he would have. Instead, he continued to stand there while the canary girl let out another cheep like a giggle. Then she continued on her way, the pleats in her skirt bouncing and swaying to the beat of her bubbly stroll.

When she disappeared around the corner, Tokoyami's heartbeat didn't slow. Even so, he spoke under his breath to his eternal companion of the dark. "Did you have to do that? How dare you."

He heard and felt the rumble in his midriff that meant Dark Shadow was laughing. Dark Shadow exposed his head, looking up from Tokoyami's midriff. "But you were thinking she was pretty also."

"That hardly gives you the right to catcall her out on the street."

"She tweeted back." Dark Shadow paused. "It was a bird call. We aren't cats."

"It wasn't a Tweet," Tokoyami replied. He wanted to be difficult — by misinterpreting his sentient Quirk's meaning, and proving that no matter what, he'd keep flipping the tables back.

He sensed Dark Shadow scowl. It always bothered Dark Shadow that he couldn't Tweet, or text, or send email like Tokoyami could. Dark Shadow could do many things, but his power was not designed for the human frivolity of social media — a point upon which Dark Shadow complained whenever the chance came to him. Without an online profile, Dark Shadow insisted, how was anyone supposed to take him seriously as a sentient being?

That was when Tokoyami usually banished Dark Shadow back inside himself. He did so now as well, vindictively — by choosing the route home that involved the most rays and beams of morning sunlight. As they neared the UA campus, Dark Shadow whimpered inside him.

"Serves you right," Tokoyami whispered. But his heart wasn't quite in it.

He resolved to treat Dark Shadow to a jaunt in the forest blackness that evening. They would forgive each other, certainly. They needed each other, after all. And it wasn't like Dark Shadow acted out in ways that shocked or inconvenienced Tokoyami often. Or at all.

In fact, Dark Shadow rarely did. And when he did, it was usually an accident. Which was probably why the incident with the pretty canary girl startled Tokoyami. Put simply, Tokoyami had experienced an anomaly in his Quirk's behavior... and he had no explanation for it.

He entered the doors of the main building. The shopping bag of items he'd procured bumped persistently against his leg. Because of the longer route he'd chosen back to school, he wouldn't get to drop off his purchase in his dorm room until later, now.

After the door to his homeroom slid open, Tokoyami made his way in amongst the general chatter. He slid into his seat unnoticed. He put down his book bag, his shopping bag, and frowned as he began thinking.

Why had Dark Shadow acted out?

"Tokoyami," said a low, soft voice from the seat behind him.

Tokoyami tensed at the level of care and inquiry evident in the tone. It wasn't the sound of the usual acknowledgement shared between himself and Todoroki Shoto. Did Todoroki notice that Tokoyami had arrived later than usual?

"Todoroki," was all Tokoyami replied, nodding his head without turning around.

He returned his mind to the girl with the golden-yellow feathers he had seen. That was when he felt a tingle somewhere around his middle... and Kaminari Denki stopped the storytelling he'd been doing mid-sentence. A grunt of surprise sounded from someone else as well... and Tokoyami turned to find Dark Shadow had come out again.

Again, without his permission.

Dark Shadow leaned across Todoroki's desk.

Tokoyami watched, astonished. Todoroki sat back as far as his chair allowed, appearing pinned and wary. "Yes?"

"Ask him," Dark Shadow insisted to Todoroki, "what he's preoccupied about. He is very preoccupied... and I'm hardly able to stand it. Somebody has to do something."

Tokoyami's temper flared — but he also felt a stab of fear. He knew that his negative emotions were what resulted in his inability to control his Quirk... but he hadn't thought he'd been feeling anything negative this morning.

So... what? If this didn't feel like the usual struggle over his dark feelings when they crept up on him, then this was an anomaly, still. This was Dark Shadow acting out, not Tokoyami losing his control. Had his Quirk gained strength or morphed somehow, and begun to exhibit more autonomy?

"Dark Shadow," Tokoyami growled.

The sound of the scolding cut like a knife. The 1-A class quieted completely. Even the students farthest away from Tokoyami turned, caught sight of his Quirk — how it hovered just in front of Todoroki — and froze, as if anticipating what on earth would happen next.

Tokoyami closed his eyes, seeking a hold of his temper. If he did start feeling negatively right now, it would only exacerbate the situation.

Honestly. Had seeing a pretty girl with a Quirk similar to his own really prompted behavior like this in Dark Shadow? What on earth?

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed Todoroki's gaze flickering toward him. It felt like Todoroki wished to check in before he answered Dark Shadow.

Calmly, Tokoyami said, "Light up the flames on your left hand."

Dark Shadow let out a wail. Tears appeared at the corners of his glowing eyes. "Don't! That really isn't fair! I'm just trying to problem-solve."

"Then have some manners," Tokoyami replied, while Todoroki looked at Dark Shadow, looked at him, looked at Dark Shadow again, and then said succinctly, "I can't."

Todoroki couldn't light his left hand?

A barking laugh sounded from toward the classroom's front. Bakugo Katsuki interrupted them. "That half-and-half bastard still isn't good enough with his flames to oblige you, Crow Face! If you need light to put that thing away—" both Tokoyami and Dark Shadow glared at Bakugo sharply. "—then just let me EXPLODE shit, hah?!"

Before Tokoyami could answer, a cry came from behind Bakugo. "K-Kacchan!"

Midoriya Izuku squirmed. Then he attempted to whisper behind his hand. "Dark Shadow isn't a 'thing!'" he impressed. "C-calling him that is— well, it's—"

"AaAAH?"

Tokoyami blinked. They were at it again? Soon Bakugo would begin slinging more insults.

Somewhere in the background of the argument between the childhood friends, Tokoyami heard Todoroki mutter underneath his breath. "It's not because I can't do it... it's that I won't. I like and respect Tokoyami's Quirk and don't really want to hurt it. He doesn't seem out of control right now..."

Dark Shadow wailed, which made everybody fall silent again. "Right, right, yes! What he is muttering is true! He's on my side. He understands!" But then, still in apparent turmoil, Dark Shadow reared up, expanded, and filled the classroom with shadow-dark to the ceiling, blotting out the lights.

As the room became cloaked in dimness, Iida Tenya seemed to recall his duty to keep class order. He stood up from his seat at once.

"Tokoyami-kun," Iida said, shoving his glasses up his nose, working his arms like robot limbs, "I will have to ask you to put your Quirk away while we're in the classroom! However, if you are having a problem doing so for some reason, then of course—"

"Of course we'll help you. Won't we?" Yaoyorozu Momo spoke from her seat next to Todoroki. She eyed the class president, who nodded back dramatically.

Todoroki passed a glance over Yaoyorozu too, and then seemed to sit, reflecting — never mind that Dark Shadow still overtook most of his desk.

It was too much. The whole class focused on Tokoyami's problem controlling Dark Shadow. Tokoyami sat in his chair, stiff-backed, glaring at his sentient Quirk. Dark Shadow simply cowered back at him, looking somewhat hurt, and unaware of why Tokoyami felt so angry and embarrassed. Then Todoroki's gaze caught his again.

As if Todoroki could read his discomfort, Todoroki's mismatched eyes softened. He uttered bluntly, "Sorry."

Tokoyami sighed — and as he did, Dark Shadow relaxed also. The Quirk shrank back to a manageable size, hovered beside Tokoyami, sniffed, and whimpered.

Tokoyami reached up and patted his Quirk on the beak. Dark Shadow sniffed one more time and nuzzled into the comforting touch.

"Does he normally show affection to his Quirk like that?" asked Kirishima Eijiro, in a voice that clearly wasn't meant to carry.

Tokoyami rolled his eyes and murmured soft nothings to Dark Shadow. It was possible his Quirk needed understanding right now — regardless of Tokoyami's embarrassment — if he was ever to calm down. Tokoyami had to do what he could; Dark Shadow was his responsibility... even if this situation rankled.

"It's kinda manly that he isn't afraid to do that," Kirishima said, louder. "So boss, Tokoyami, so boss!" The statement came with an emotional sob and an emphatic, clenching fist.

But Tokoyami was too busy remaining acutely aware of Yaoyorozu to reply to Kirishima's words.

Yaoyorozu had extended her hand. Dark Shadow contemplated it, edging a little toward it and away from Tokoyami's pets.

"What's the matter, Dark Shadow?" Yaoyorozu asked. "Can we help you? Was there something bothering you or Tokoyami-san that you wanted to talk about?"

Todoroki cast her another glance, something approving and grateful. He nodded, then said to Dark Shadow as well, "We want to try to help you."

Slowly, Dark Shadow floated over to Yaoyorozu's open palm. He laid his beak into her hand — and let her start stroking his head.

"That is precious, Momo-chan— kero." Asui Tsuyu scooted her chair closer, then tilted her face to get a better look at the spectacle. Her tongue hung from between her lips.

Tokoyami couldn't take this. He fidgeted and felt like he blushed again. But it did seem that somehow, Yaoyorozu was calming his Quirk.

Dark Shadow sighed a contented sigh while Yaoyorozu kept on petting him. "There was a girl," he stated mournfully.

Todoroki's eyes shot wide. "A girl?"

Tokoyami groaned softly. Was making it public knowledge really the only way to calm down Dark Shadow? What did it say about him, that his sentient Quirk couldn't focus after catching a glimpse of a pretty female?

But she had tweeted so prettily at them, Tokoyami reminded himself. Maybe he couldn't quite blame Dark Shadow.

He heated up and shook his head in his attempt to clear his thoughts. Since when was his mind so one-track? Was Dark Shadow affecting him?

Bright, beady eyes that glistened. Groomed feathers as yellow as the golden sun.

"What kind of a girl?" Yaoyorozu asked, at the same time Bakugo could be heard grumbling, "For fuck's sake, it's this kind of shit?"

"A pretty girl," Dark Shadow said. "The prettiest girl we've ever seen. And Fumikage just let her walk away. After she chirped at him so nicely, too!"

Tokoyami did not want anyone to get the wrong idea. "You're leaving out the part," he gritted, "where you inappropriately dared to whistle-catcall her first, to get her attention. And the part where we'd never even seen her before. She was a complete stranger, Dark Shadow!" Of course Tokoyami wasn't going to attempt to engage her!

Yaoyorozu blinked, exchanging a glance with Todoroki. Todoroki only shrugged. But both of them looked some mixture of astonished... and uncomfortable.

If the two who had gotten into UA on recommendations weren't sure how to react, however, Ashido Mina was different.

Ashido shot up and out of her chair, wriggling and sing-songing her reply. "Oooooh," she called out, "Ooh, Tokoyami-kun is in LOVE! I would say it's about time!"

Tokoyami stood as well. The movement startled Dark Shadow. "Enough," he said. His voice rumbled. There was no reason the whole classroom needed to voice their opinions. They misunderstood, anyway. "I don't—"

The classroom door banged open.

Aizawa slowly shuffled in, causing another long stretch of silence. Then the teacher stopped, seeing the state of the classroom, his hand poised where it had been about to brush the bangs from his vision. He said, "Class 1-A continues to have unexpected behavioral issues. I should get Midnight to make you all sleep until homeroom time is over."

Iida bowed frantically, multiple times. "I am so sorry! So sorry! I take responsibility!"

For a moment, Tokoyami wondered if he would have his Quirk erased as Aizawa restored order. He and Dark Shadow exchanged worried looks, their frustration with each other moving to a temporary hold.

Getting erased made Dark Shadow incredibly uncomfortable. So far Aizawa — Eraser Head —had done it to him twice, while looking at multiple students at once and catching Dark Shadow in the crossfire as discipline got doled out. Tokoyami's fingers twitched. Whenever Dark Shadow came back after Eraser Head stopped erasing him, Dark Shadow said it felt like he had died.

Like he had ceased existing, Dark Shadow said. And then was born again when he came back, always disoriented at first. He couldn't remember his time spent erased, as if he'd had no consciousness. He said it felt terrifying.

Dark Shadow was sentient, but he was a only a Quirk, after all — and had no body other than shifting shadow. It made sense that when he was temporarily erased, nothing of him would be left until Tokoyami's Quirk got returned.

That was why Tokoyami worried now. For as uncomfortable as Dark Shadow was making him at present, Tokoyami didn't think his Quirk deserved erasure again — even if Dark Shadow would of course come back eventually. So, feeling defeated, and unaccustomed to being the source of discord in the classroom, Tokoyami plopped back into his seat. He hoped the move would be enough to prove he didn't mean to cause a disturbance.

Luckily, all Aizawa did was shuffle toward the podium. "Who wants to enlighten me about what's going on this time?"

Ashido cleared her throat. Her voice strengthened the more she spoke. "Dark... Dark Shadow told us that Tokoyami-kun has met a girl! And that she was pretty. It's a love story developing, a love story, I tell you! And we have to help him — to make sure it has a happy ending."

"I don't need help," Tokoyami protested. His teeth clenched hard in his beak.

A perverted mutter came from the direction of Mineta Minoru. "But don't you want a happy ending? Aah — what kind of man are you? If it were me... if it were me—"

"What was she like?" Ashido asked loudly — while Sero Hanta slapped a piece of tape over Mineta's mouth when Aizawa couldn't see.

Their teacher was sighing now, scratching the back of his head with one hand. Although it seemed nobody was listening, Tokoyami heard the man's response. "What do I have to threaten this time to make all of you settle down? Tokoyami. Put Dark Shadow away and stop distracting everyone, or you're going to be expelled."

Dark Shadow let out a yelp. He shrank to the size of a pixie and hovered at Tokoyami's shoulder. But he didn't retreat back to where he belonged. He appeared to be as determined as he was cowed by the teacher's threat.

Yaoyorozu spoke again — hurriedly, in Tokoyami's defense. Had she seen Tokoyami twitch? "Sensei — it seems that Tokoyami-san won't be able to resolve Dark Shadow's interference until we address his distress. Possibly..." A sound began to leak into her explanation, and she faltered. "Possibly, he..." The sound increased.

At the far side of the classroom, Midoriya's muttering made itself further known, traveling the distance of the room like a chill breeze. The sound made Tokoyami stare.

Uraraka Ochako laughed nervously. "D-Deku-kun? You're—"

"Shut up, shitty Deku," Bakugo snarled. He turned around and landed Midoriya's desk a violent kick.

"Bakugo," Aizawa said wearily.

Midoriya barely reacted. With his face incredibly close to a notebook he'd pulled out, he announced to everyone, "I think Yaoyorozu-san is right. Based on my previous observations about Dark Shadow and his personality, and how he affects Tokoyami-kun due to their symbiotic, emotional connection... W-well." Tokoyami bristled when Midoriya shot him a shy look of apology. "I also think Dark Shadow will persist in remaining out until we address his concerns, and solve the problem about the pretty girl. Wh-whatever the problem is. Do you not like pretty girls, Tokoyami-kun?"

A beat passed, in which every stare in the classroom turned onto Midoriya instead of Tokoyami.

"Oh, man," said Ojiro Mashirao, hiding his face in the fluff of his tail.

"Dude," Kirishima said, looking aghast.

"What?" cried Midoriya. He waved both hands in front of his face. "That wouldn't be so wrong, would it? Tokoyami-kun can like whoever he wants! S-so can any of us... A-and if the problem is that he saw a girl, and Dark Shadow liked her, but Tokoyami-kun didn't...? I mean, isn't that, couldn't that be conflict? Couldn't that be as good a guess as any other—?"

Tokoyami thunked his elbows on his desk, tuning out the rest of the explanation. He buried his face feathers in his hands.

How could it devolve like this? Was that what All Might's favorite thought of him? That he didn't like women? Did he give off that kind of vibe?

A sonorous voice cut into the horror and despair in Tokoyami's head. "Either way, you probably shouldn't say things that risk 'outing' your classmate like that..."

It was Aoyama Yuga. Tokoyami looked up... and thought he saw Aoyama twinkle as a wink got delivered in his direction.

Tokoyami merely stared. Did he... put off a vibe like that?

Midoriya flushed. "I-I didn't—"

"Sensei," Bakugo growled. The muscles in his back flexed dangerously as he leaned forward and clutched his desk like he'd break it into matchsticks. "I wanna kill him — so for once, let me, aaAhH?" The size and manner of Bakugo's grin and the tilt of his narrowed eyes appeared lethal.

"Down, boy," Kirishima whispered — although Bakugo probably couldn't hear him. Kirishima's fingers tightened on his desk.

Tokoyami had never felt this embarrassed in his life. Imagine causing his whole class to dissolve into such conflict.

His shoulders must have tensed again, because behind him, Todoroki murmured in that comforting, sympathetic voice, "Tokoyami... hang in there."

Tokoyami tried to calm himself enough that the feathers atop the crown of his head wouldn't bristle and stick up. Then he said, as quietly as he could manage, "Dark Shadow, can't we address this later?"

"No. No, we really cannot."

Tokoyami twitched again.

Babyish, unrelenting, selfish, embarrassing sentient Quirk. Damn him.

And yet his heart ached for Dark Shadow. Something was very clearly wrong. It felt wrong inside of him, having Dark Shadow riled up. It felt like Tokoyami's stomach churned and buzzed. And Tokoyami suspected it wouldn't stop until Dark Shadow got whatever he needed.

But Tokoyami sincerely hoped it wasn't that Dark Shadow needed or wanted the canary girl in... in an inappropriate sense. Did his Quirk even have the ability to feel that kind of desire? If he did... that might be bad. Tokoyami strove endlessly to keep Dark Shadow manageable, in check in terms of his violence levels... but never once had Tokoyami considered he might have to control Dark Shadow's sexual or romantic desires. Was Tokoyami weak for overlooking it?

And if Dark Shadow liked the girl... what did that mean Tokoyami felt? Midoriya wasn't wrong that he and his Quirk were emotionally connected.

Dark Shadow raised himself tall, as if wanting to look righteous. Did Dark Shadow think he was putting up this fuss for Tokoyami's sake, somehow?

"So it's a disturbance about a girl causing Dark Shadow to assert his presence?" Aizawa's sharp eyes bounced between Yaoyorozu, Midoriya, and Tokoyami in his assessment of the theories that had been presented. He yawned afterward, and then shrugged and ruffled his hair. "Well, I didn't have anything planned for this homeroom, besides another lecture to push you all in your training..." The rustle of fabric sounded. A familiar yellow sleeping bag rose out from behind the podium, and Aizawa stepped into it. "You can all resolve this on your own. I wouldn't be very useful talking about romantic teenage urges. Wake me when the bell rings if I don't just get up on my own."

Tokoyami blinked rapidly. No. No, this could not be happening. What was this irresponsible escape? Wasn't the teacher supposed to call order to the class and take the pressure off his tortured student?

But the sleeping bag zipper zipped, Aizawa lied down like a caterpillar, and the free-for-all explosion of excitement in the room began.

Tokoyami wished he could disappear. Or grow the wings his head suggested he should have, and just fly himself out of here. To the torrent of questions that followed, he again buried his ruffled feathers in his arms, trying to take solace in the darkness there.

When the questions and suggestions didn't stop, he bellowed, "I am not going to talk about it! Leave Dark Shadow and me alone!"

Class 1-A trained through a hard day. But although Tokoyami's body wasn't as tired as he could remember feeling during incidents with Villains... he felt more mentally dogged than ever.

Maybe it was from the stares. And the whispers. And the teasing.

Dark Shadow whimpered over his shoulder as they trekked back to the dorms — alone.

"It's your own fault if you're tired too," Tokoyami said to him. Then he walked even more slowly, despite that he'd already delayed and let everyone go ahead a quarter hour ago.

He didn't have the energy to talk to people any more if he were to run into them. Even speaking to Dark Shadow seemed difficult.

He carried his book bag and his shopping bag like they were emotional bricks. Even though it was evening now, and the light had started to fade into the darkness he and Dark Shadow enjoyed, they both were exhausted from their feelings.

And all because of one girl.

"I couldn't help but be distressed," Dark Shadow whined, oblivious to Tokoyami's mood and his desire not to talk. "And I'm very sorry I won't go away. But I really want to find that girl again."

'Find,' Dark Shadow said, as in, 'seek out.' Would this turn into a goose chase of some kind?

Tokoyami grunted. "Why?"

"I want us to talk to her. And if I stay out, then maybe I'll see her. You want to see her too, don't you? And two sets of eyes are better than one when it comes to looking for a person."

Tokoyami walked into the dorm building, his heart heavy in his chest. Dark Shadow had a way of cutting to the chase, of saying clearly whatever Tokoyami tried to keep locked inside him. He considered responding curtly, telling Dark Shadow he wasn't correct.

But that would have been a lie. As simple as it was, as ludicrous under the circumstances, Dark Shadow wasn't wrong at all. Although it had been a chance meeting, lasting only a few moments... Tokoyami had felt caught by the instant of fate he had experienced. He had never seen a girl like that before — not in person, anyway. Someone with a bird head like him. And with such wonderful feathers of gold.

He didn't know a single thing about her. And yet he wanted, very terribly, to be able to see her again.

He felt he ought to ask himself the question he had asked Dark Shadow, then. Why?

Did Tokoyami hope to relate to her? Suppose that he could ask her name? Her age? Suppose they could be friends? Suppose they could be more than that? Suppose they could talk about what it was like to be... to be...

To be different.

Tokoyami was considered different — even in a society where eighty percent of the population was 'different' compared to the humans of generations before, because of the existence now of Quirks. Tokoyami didn't look quite human, because of a bodily change that gifted him with animal traits. He was extra different, even in their world of wild abilities.

Being extra different, however, had never ended up in extra trouble for Tokoyami. He had never been bullied for having feathers where other people possessed skin. Perhaps other students and peers had been too afraid of Tokoyami's Quirk to harass him. Or maybe they didn't care about his looks. Maybe people were jaded and unfazed by now, accustomed to a society full of odd sights thanks to Quirk powers. No one had ever suggested that Tokoyami's beak and feathers kept him from being appealing.

But.

No one had ever wanted to get closer to Tokoyami than 'classmates' or 'acquaintances.' That was a simple, undeniable fact. Never mind intimacy; Tokoyami couldn't even say he'd had someone that counted as a friend — unless maybe he counted Dark Shadow. What could he do, except read into that? Had Tokoyami been doing something wrong, or was it really his bird's head?

He even read into his family's habits. His mother had never once asked Tokoyami for a goodnight kiss. Not even when he was young and had the softer, fluffier features of a baby bird. Was that because she knew he had a beak, and couldn't pucker up his lips? Had she not wanted to draw attention to that fact, in case Tokoyami was already self-conscious about it? His mother had lips... but his father didn't. His father also possessed a bird's head. Clearly his mother loved his father, but...

He'd always been afraid to ask, but Tokoyami often wondered. Did the reality of having a beak ever cause discourse between his parents? How was somebody with a beak supposed to return, say, a kiss? For that matter, how were two people both with beaks supposed to become intimate?

Holding hands might work, or other methods. But everybody else could kiss. It seemed so unfair to be robbed of that.

"Depressing, so depressing. Stop," Dark Shadow pleaded with him.

"Then stop trying to read my thoughts."

"I'm not. You're emanating them."

The dorm common room was empty. The others were probably changing out of their uniforms in their rooms, showering, doing homework, and preparing for dinner hour. Tokoyami looked at the empty space, wondering how much was empty in him, too.

Dark Shadow often accused him of keeping people at a distance on purpose. But why would Tokoyami do that? Was it because he simply wanted to focus foremost on improving his Quirk and becoming a pro Hero? Or was it because, even if no one else ever said a word to him about it... he felt insecure and shy about appearing extra different? Did Tokoyami think if he cut people off, it would help him resent his feathers and his beak less? If Tokoyami stayed alone, he wouldn't have to confront, again and again, the normalcy he was lacking by comparing himself to other people.

Was he stuck on the canary girl because if he got close to her, they could be different together, and he also would never have to address his differences, or feel insecure about himself?

Even if he did admit he wanted to see the canary girl again, Tokoyami didn't know how he could. He didn't know what school she attended. He hadn't been able to identify the pattern on her skirt — which meant that she probably didn't attend any of the local schools, never mind a Hero school he would have known by its uniform at once. It was unlikely he'd find her again, even if he and Dark Shadow both searched.

Even if he did find her, what on earth would she think of him? Tokoyami didn't only have a crow's head. He had a sentient creature with a unique personality living in him. That personality loved darkness. Tokoyami loved the night and darkness, too. He was the prince of darkness, the Jet-Black Hero, Tsukuyomi. The golden canary girl was light itself.

"I'm too tarnished for her; my soul is too black..." Tokoyami put his face in his hand, frozen in the middle of the common room.

Dark Shadow only snorted.

Every now and then, Tokoyami resented Dark Shadow for being part of him as much as he resented his bird's head. But since Dark Shadow was, in the end, his protection and his closest companion, he never let Dark Shadow know.

There was no sense in making Dark Shadow feel bad about something he couldn't control. Dark Shadow had never asked to manifest when Tokoyami had turned four.

But Tokoyami worried sometimes that Dark Shadow could feel it. Feel Tokoyami wondering what it would be like not to have to share himself with a second consciousness that did things like whistle at total strangers.

"We're lonely and angry, aren't we," Dark Shadow asked. His forlorn tone suggested he already knew the answer for himself. "Lonely and very different. That makes it hard to land a date, I guess. Do you think we're going to be alone forever?"

"We don't need companionship," Tokoyami said.

Maybe if he said it enough times, soon he would start to believe it. Maybe it wasn't even such a stretch. In the end, they had the companionship found at what Tokoyami referred to as the mad banquet of darkness. They had the crypts, the caves, the bats, the rats, whatever beings lurked where the light didn't go. Many, many guests of the night and darkness. When Dark Shadow behaved himself, tremendous Quirk power was their companion, too. They had the rush that came from it.

"Do you really think we don't need it?"

It wasn't often Tokoyami spoke to Dark Shadow about the topic of their non-existent social life so bluntly. Usually they talked tactics and Quirk powers. But if he left the matter of the canary girl and his feelings unaddressed... Well, then it would be likely he'd prove Yaoyorozu and Midoriya correct. Dark Shadow wouldn't retreat until the issue was solved. Then classes and training would get difficult, because Dark Shadow's extended time outside would wear both of their strengths away. Having Dark Shadow out this long, and privy to his every action as well as his innermost thoughts... Tokoyami was reaching his limits.

He didn't know how to solve his problem. But he had to try something, anything — to assuage Dark Shadow's distress.

"Try not to get hung up on it."

Tokoyami passed the elevators and prepared to take the stairs up to the second floor. Once in his room, he knew he would feel better. His room teemed with soothing black lights and darkness.

"We don't need anyone. We don't need pretty girls." Tokoyami thought about what Midoriya had said.. and what Midoriya had implied about him. He considered. "Or boys," he added. "All we need is—"

"Revelry in the dark?" Dark Shadow asked. He sighed it out as if bored. As if he were sick of hearing it.

"Yes. That," Tokoyami said.

Dark Shadow understood. Somewhat.

The sentient Quirk sighed again.

Apparently Dark Shadow didn't understand Tokoyami's desire to distance himself from this topic now that he had said a couple words, and end the conversation at this time... at least until after dinner. Being privy to most of Tokoyami's thoughts and emotions didn't necessarily mean Dark Shadow always understood everything in Tokoyami's heart.

That bare minimum privacy was probably what kept Tokoyami sane.

Upon opening the stairwell door, Tokoyami encountered resistance. For a moment, it felt as if he'd grabbed the knob and tried to turn it at the same time somebody tried to do so from the opposite side. But when the door opened, nobody was there.

Dark Shadow quirked his head, but Tokoyami attempted to pass through and mount the stairs. As he passed, however, a gasp sounded.

And then he felt his shoulder brush against two... two softish mounds that seemed to bounce.

He didn't realize he had come against Hakagure Toru — very naked — until her scream echoed up the stairwell and probably beyond, to outer space.

"K-k-kyaaaaaaAAAAHHH!"

They sat in the empty common room — Tokoyami and Hakagure. Hakagure wore Tokoyami's uniform jacket. She squirmed on the couch, seeming incredibly uncomfortable.

Dark Shadow kept blinking and staring. He didn't know how to react.

Tokoyami did. He cleared his throat. For the third time, he uttered, "I'm sorry."

"Aaah, gosh!" Hakagure yelped. "And I was just trying to sneak to dinner a little early!"

The sight of animated clothing with no human body visible beneath it was something Tokoyami still did not feel used to. He had no idea what sort of posture Hakagure sat in on the couch. He wondered if staring was rude... considering that there was nothing to see. Or why she'd felt the need to demand his jacket from him in recompense at all.

This was the first time he had ever talked much with Hakagure.

"I suppose," he said, "that even if the cafeteria isn't open yet, you could take some food out from under Lunch Rush's nose. That was your plan?"

"That's right! Then I get extra servings. Because I'm Invisible Girl!" Tokoyami's jacket wriggled again.

He wondered if he should make his excuse now. Say that he didn't want dinner until the official time... and perhaps warn Hakagure that it wasn't good to steal food. All he wanted was to go to his room and steep in the dark, while everyone else worked on their homework.

But Hakagure broached a conversation. "Tokoyami-kun — have you made any headway yet on your struggles with Dark Shadow and the pretty girl you saw today? Do you think you might let some of us help you?" The sleeves of Tokoyami's jacket rose into the air as she gestured.

"Help? How?" Tokoyami scowled. Hadn't he decided that he wanted to be left alone?

"We could help you find the girl! We could set up a date for you!"

"I really don't think that would—"

"We could give you a makeover."

Tokoyami clicked his beak closed. Dark Shadow quirked his head again, but since he still sagged from being tired, he didn't reply anything. That left Tokoyami there to flounder out his own response. He hoped that he could make it eloquent, polite, and then end their conversation.

He stared at where Hakugure's head must be. "What?"

Hakagure giggled. "A makeover! Have you ever tried one? I could do it, and get the others to help. If we give you a new image and make you irresistible, then it might become easier to find the pretty girl you ran into. Maybe she would come flying right toward you, like a magical magnet to your new appeal!"

Many thoughts whirled in Tokoyami's head. So there was something wrong with how he looked that needed to be compensated for or otherwise dealt with. Unless he had a makeover, Hakagure didn't think that he was appealing enough to win a girl over. But was it his beak or his feathers? His clothes? Maybe everything. What exactly would her makeover consist of? And how on earth did an invisible girl know anything about what to wear, especially face or hair products?

He shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "Hakagure-san," he said. "Since you yourself don't have an image, I'm not sure I'm comfortable letting you become an expert on mine."

"Nonsense!" Tokoyami's jacket sprung up, with one arm launched into the air. Tokoyami only stared. "I may be an invisible girl, but because I am, I understand how important it is to convey personality and expression through clothing and cosmetics! Those things... they have serious meaning!"

"C-cosmetics?"

Hakagure made Tokoyami nervous. He didn't see how someone without skin on his face could possibly wear cosmetics.

"Mm, mm!" Hakagure gave off the sense that she vigorously nodded. Her arms were pulled tight to her sides like she lined up in a row of soldiers and prepared for battle, now. "I could do it, I'm telling you. One time, I even put make-up on myself and lots of temporary dye in my hair — to see if I could see myself. And it was really, really fun! Until it started to rub off, I started to get an idea of what I actually looked like. Although, what I want to know most sometimes is what my eye color and hair color is like... My mother says that when I was a baby, my eyes and hair were light colored, but a lot of babies are supposed to have pale eyes at first especially, right? And then sometimes they change? Since I turned invisible really young, I don't have a clue what I look like as an older student! But at least I can highlight the shape of my cheekbones and my jawline. So yes — I can help you!"

Her delivery remained energetic. But as she finished her explanation, Tokoyami felt his vision of Hakagure Toru change.

Hakagure hadn't seen herself since she was just a tiny tot — before her Quirk had manifested. She probably couldn't remember what she'd seen of herself in the mirror so young. Were there any pictures? If she saw them, would it feel like she looked at a stranger instead of herself? She could touch her face and limbs to feel herself, measure, and make guesses, but she would never know things like how many freckles she might have, or where, or if her eyes turned bloodshot when she got tired, or if her blushing face looked like a sakura petal or more like a red maraschino cherry.

Tokoyami sat here so absorbed by what he looked like... and so did a lot of other teenagers. After all, that was the age they were at. So much of relationships were based on visual appeal, and looks mattered... and yet Hakagure had none of that.

Also, to be a pro Hero and use her invisibility to its utmost, it served no purpose to hint at or enhance her shape or features too much with makeup or hair dye that couldn't wipe off quickly in a fight with Villains. In short, Hakagure lacked important knowledge of her own body, but didn't have the luxury to spend time discovering it or otherwise combating the Quirk that made her so different if she wanted to succeed as a Hero.

But all that... all that didn't change her cheery, gung-ho attitude.

Tokoyami had it much better than her — at least he was visible — yet here he was, a ball of doom and gloom because of his feathers.

Dark Shadow seemed to realize the same thing. He whispered to Tokoyami, "I think that we could learn how to accept ourselves better from her."

Did that mean Tokoyami should agree to have a makeover?

"So? So?" Hakagure asked, oblivious to his realizations. "What do you think? Is it a plan?"

Tokoyami looked down at the shopping bag he'd set beside his feet. That morning, he'd stopped at the corner store to pick up more feather shampoo, and a small pair of scissors that had blades a little sharper than the pair that he used currently — for trimming the tougher, overgrown feathers. It wasn't like taking care of his looks was a foreign idea to him. Even though he often disliked his bird head, he didn't fall so far as to let his self-care get out of hand.

But what was extra self care like — especially if it came from someone like Hakagure?

And if he did end up looking better, and then came across the canary girl...?

The door to the stairwell opened. Out came Uraraka Ochako and Asui Tsuyu, side by side.

"Tokoyami-kun!" Uraraka smiled, cutting off her conversation to greet him. "Are you on your way to dinner? I'm so glad that you came down! Class was hard for you today, huh? But what are you doing alone?"

Asui peered around the back of the couch toward Tokoyami's floating jacket. "Kero — Toru-chan is here with him right now, Ochako-chan. Look."

Uraraka scratched the back of her head. "Aah, sorry about that, Hakagure-san! Say, do you all want to get dinner together?"

Tokoyami hardly listened to them talk. He kept his hands fisted atop his knees and stared at them, contemplating.

To have a makeover, or not?

"Yes, dinner together!" Hakagure said gleefully. "But then, but then, guess what? Guess what? We're all going to give Tokoyami-kun a makeover!"

Dark Shadow looked back and forth uncertainty between the trio of girls and his master.

Asui brought a finger to her mouth. "Has Tokoyami-kun agreed to it, though? I know how you are sometimes, Toru-chan... It wouldn't be good to pressure anyone."

"He's feeling conflicted," Dark Shadow said. "But it would seem he hasn't yet refused."

The door to the stairwell popped open again. This time, Jiro Kyoka and Ashido Mina wandered out.

"Oh," said Jiro, stopping in her tracks. "Everybody is here right now." She took a moment to assess the expressions on everybody's faces... except for Hakagure's invisible one. "What exactly is going on? Why is everyone still not at dinner?"

Uraraka laughed nervously. "We were... um. I guess we've been getting recruited to help give Tokoyami-kun a makeover.

"So that he can impress his pretty girl!"

Ashido gaped at Hakagure a moment, then whooped at the top of her lungs. "YAAAASS!"

Tokoyami's hands tightened.

"Fumikage-chan," Asui said to him, ignoring the excitement all around her. "Is that going to be okay? You know, kero... you don't have to."

Dark Shadow hunched just over his shoulder. Tokoyami took a breath.

Then he looked up. "No, it's okay. I'm not opposed to trying once. Please do your best, all of you, to change my image into something better."