A/N: Not that it's TOO important to the story but this takes place before the Yakuza arc. It also takes place after Perception, but if you read this on it's own you won't be missing anything.
There was no time like the present.
A thousand unforeseen circumstances could interrupt at a future time. A lull in the looming chaos was be the best time to proceed. It would be foolish not to take the opportunity while he still had the ability to do so.
Tokoyami stood alone in front of his classmate's door. The hallway was quiet and empty. The set of windows across the atrium revealed no figures as well. Everyone had finished their baths: Those who wished to socialize returned to the ground floor. Those who had other business to take care of remained in their rooms. It was a small stretch of time that would allow him to complete his task undisturbed. And the serenity allowed him to steel himself for what was to come.
He and Aoyama needed to talk.
The matter was not urgent – in fact, it concerned an event unlikely to ever pass for the remainder of the school year. Barring certain bunkers, prisons, and government facilities, U.A. was one of the most secure locations in all of Japan; which meant nothing short of every unlucky star aligning at once would trigger an accident to cause it.
But while time was not of the essence, sooner was always better than later. And with how the rest of this school year had fared, it would be prudent not to risk it.
There was no particular reason to choose this day over any other. He merely decided it was time following a string of weeks where he did nothing but stew on potential directions this discussion could potentially take. The two of them were not particularly close, so he could only infer: Ideally, Aoyama would be perfectly understanding, and would agree with his line of reasoning. Reluctance followed by some kind of compromise would also be favorable. But there was the possibility of trepidation at the potential worst-case scenario. And the possibility of anger, or even disgust at the thought of being asked to do that. And even worse would be the assumption that Tokoyami was disturbed and a danger to himself and others; and then telling a teacher or other member of the school staff that he needed professional help; all while ignoring that there were much more important things at risk here than Tokoyami's mental state.
But whatever Aoyama's reaction might be, Tokoyami could not in good conscience give him this kind of proffer while around others with whom it did not concern.
The most obvious reason was that very few of them could do anything should his worst fears become realized. He did not wish to throw anyone into a fit of anxiety. He did not wish to make them feel as if they had to walk on eggshells. Imprudent concern and sympathetic folderol would do little to alter that which had already been preordained. Terrible consequences often came with the best of intentions, and he desired not to burn the bridges he had endeavored to build over the course of the school year for something he could have easily prevented.
But it wasn't until Tokoyami looked for a time for the two of them to speak alone that he realized Aoyama rarely spent any time at all in the company of their peers. He would instead sequester himself in his room, to the point that he seemed to outright vanish outside of class-wide gatherings. Obviously he left for the day with the rest of their male peers after they finished the last of their classes; but then he would separate from the others the moment the entered their dormitory and head straight for the elevators – never accompanying any of the others.
That in itself was not odd – many of their peers would make a beeline for their rooms following their return. It was the fact that he never seemed to leave that was troubling.
There were a myriad of possible explanations for such behavior, but none Tokoyami could assume with with any kind of certainty. The two of them rarely exchanged words even in team exercises and he had no family members in the public eye (that he knew of, at least), so Tokoyami had no vantage point from which to draw his own conclusions with any reasonable amount of accuracy.
The initial impression that Tokoyami garnered during their first few months of the school year was that Aoyama was an eagerly social teenager with a predilection for adding to the conversations around him. And yet for the (admittedly brief) amount of time Tokoyami had passively observed him, Aoyama's interactions with the rest of the class never seemed to advance beyond superficial quips; which was a concerning contrast to his debonair demeanor. If their peers were making comments, he would slip in one of his own without drawing too much attention to himself (save for the times he played the part of the fool). If he was having trouble solving a problem, he would wait until someone else had one similar and join them, rather than seek assistance of his own accord. And though Tokoyami had seen him leave the room when it was time for lunch, he could not remember the last time he had seen Aoyama in the cafeteria with sitting with anyone else.
It was doubtful Aoyama would turn truculent at the mere mention of offering assistance (unlike some he knew), but Tokoyami knew it would behoove the both of them to save such a talk for later times, if at all.
And whatever the root of Aoyama's actions were, they had nothing to do with what Tokoyami wished to discuss. And continuing to tarry would accomplish nothing. It would only increases the chances of being seen – likely by Midoriya or Mineta as they returned to their respective rooms. Perhaps they would pay no heed to their classmate waiting outside another's door, but there would always be the chance that they would impose on a conversation meant for only two. Which would bring up its own set of complications.
It would be a lie for Tokoyami to say he felt no apprehension towards meeting in person, but a text message was not the medium to make a request so dire. There would be no incentive to make a response should he feel nervous. And a lack of closure could impede their future interactions, in class or otherwise. And there were no students he knew who held a close-enough relationship with Aoyama that he could request a message be passed along.
Therefore, he would have to do it himself.
And he would.
In 3...
2...
He released a long-held breath, and knocked on the door.
...
A moment passed in silence.
Then two.
Then a dozen more.
Odd, but it could take Aoyama time to finish whatever he was doing. It was unlikely he would be expecting visitors.
Tokoyami could wait.
...
...
Perhaps he should return at a later time. If Aoyama did not wish to speak, it would be incredibly ill-mannered to force him. Tokoyami could come back tomorrow and try again.
But he did not desire Aoyama to feel shunned, which was certainly possible should Aoyama find no one at the door when he opened it. One time would be easy to dismiss; but should this happen again, he could come to the conclusion that he was being mocked, which would further isolate him from the rest of the class. Tokoyami did not desire any ill will to fall towards him, imagined or otherwise.
So he would stay, for a little while longer at least.
And he was about to try knocking once more when the door finally creaked open, stopping halfway.
Aoyama stood in the open space. He wore a hesitant stare with his usual pyjamas. The expression lingered for a moment before breaking into his trademark smirk.
"Ah-! Good evening, Monsieur Tokoyami."
The tone of his voice carried its usual pep. No other sounds came from inside the room. It seemed he was not preoccupied at the moment. Which was good. That meant he could continue.
Tokoyami returned the greeting.
"Good evening, Aoyama."
Aoyama tilted his head and pressed a finger to his chin, previously apparent anxiety vestigial.
"What brings you to my door this fine evening?"
Tokoyami folded his arms.
"I'd like to have a word with you."
Aoyama's smile wavered.
"Is... everything all right?"
...That was a rather ominous way of saying it, wasn't it. Alarming Aoyama was not his intent. It would be best to clarify what he meant in order to rectify the situation before it got out of hand.
"It is," Tokoyami said, keeping his voice level. "I merely wish to ask a favor and discuss its conditions."
Which seemed to be all it took. Aoyama paused, then swung the door fully open.
"Then please, entrez!" He stood to the side and flicked his wrist to usher Tokoyami in.
The coruscation had diminished significantly since their dorm room showcase. The disco ball on his table had been removed, instead replaced by a tray with an electric kettle, a sugar bowl, a batch of spoons, and a small stack of tawdry teacups with matching saucers next to it. Only a few of the many lamps were lit. The room more closely resembled that of an average teenager, disregarding certain items that would look out of place in almost any setting. (He still pondered the origin of that suit of armor. And also wondered where he could acquire one of his own.)
Aoyama shut the door behind them after he entered, then trotted over to the back portion of his room and pulled out the rolling chair from underthe vanity – it's plain black simplicity stood out far more than any of the much more ornate decorations. He sent it to Tokoyami with a small push. Tokoyami caught it, and took the implicit invitation to sit down. Aoyama moved to sit across from him on the bed.
Then he grabbed the kettle and the top teacup off its stack.
"Would you like some tea?"
Tokoyami shook his head.
"It's quite alright. I would prefer not to overstay my welcome."
He immediately realized his sentence could be construed as him wanting to leave as soon as possible. Though it certainly would be the most economical choice to make his request and excuse himself, he was not in any particular hurry to do so. Rather, he came to Aoyama's door unannounced; hospitality was the last thing expected (or deserved, for that matter).
Thankfully, Aoyama seemed to interpret Tokoyami's words in a much more positive light.
"Oh, non non non! It would be my pleasure!"
Well then, he had no reason to refuse.
"I would then, thank you."
Aoyama poured a cup of tea and handed it on a saucer to Tokoyami, then took another for himself. A soothing, flowery aroma wafted around the room. It was quite pleasant.
He lifted the cup to his mouth, careful not to spill. He had long since become accustomed to normal mugs and glasses designed for the mouths of primates (though he still preferred straws), but the tapered lip of the teacup provided a small extra challenge: Not only was there a larger potential area for the liquid to leak, the porcelain rim was thin-enough to break on the hard keratin of his beak should he lose focus.
He took a small sip. The tea slid smooth down his throat.
Hm. Tasty.
Tokoyami was not well-versed when it came to particular types of tea, but he was pretty sure this was chamomile. There was a hint of lemon and honey, and it was sweet – just shy of cloying. Though he didn't mind that taste; he just knew he would have to brush his teeth once more when he returned to his room.
Aoyama nudged sugar bowl towards him.
"Cream or sugar?"
"No thank you. I'm fine." He chose not to mention the absence of the former item, and instead chose to take another sip.
Aoyama retracted the bowl and poured a few spoonfuls of sugar into his own cup. Tokoyami wondered if he should be concerned.
They spent a few moments quiet, the only sound being from the clinking of Aoyama's spoon against porcelain. Aoyama took a sip, then brought the cup down to his knees.
"Now, I believe you have some business with moi?" The tone in Aoyama's voice was cordial, but he made no effort to establish eye contact; instead choosing to direct his gaze somewhere a few centimeters below Tokoyami's beak.
"Indeed." Tokoyami nodded. "Though I would first like to discuss the nature of our quirks, if that would be alright."
Aoyama tensed, but his smile didn't falter.
"Certainly. What about them?"
Tokoyami summoned Dark Shadow. The creature emerged from the portion of his shadow on the floor. He gestured towards it.
"I believe you are familiar with mine."
"Monsieur Shadow." Aoyama gave a small-but-unnecessarily-exaggerated bow, despite still being seated. Miraculously, none of his tea spilled with the motion.
"Good evening!" Dark Shadow chirped and returned the gesture. Others acknowledging its presence as a semi-sentient being was not common, much less speaking directly to it. As of that point in the school year, Kouda and Tsuyu were the only other ones to do so. Though he had a feeling that a few more of their classmates were beginning to catch on.
Aoyama brought a curved finger to his chin and his gaze turned up. It seemed as if remembered something.
"Oh! Actually- before we continue, may I ask something? I've been meaning to for quite some time now."
There was nothing wrong with asking questions. Tokoyami was more than willing to clarify any uncertainties his classmate might have.
"Certainly. What is it?"
Aoyama pointed at Dark Shadow with his free hand.
"Can I pet him?"
…
…
What?
"Um..." That... was not a request he'd heard since his early years of elementary school. A fair number of children thought it akin to a dog when they first met it (often referring to it with person pronouns, like Aoyama just did), but most became frightened after seeing how powerful it was. By middle school, no one asked to see it at all.
The idea of possibly hurting someone else also didn't sit well with him, so he refrained letting it engage in physical contact that served no purpose.
That didn't mean it hadn't happened at all in recent times, of course. A few of the girls in their class had taken to patting it for a job well done without his permission. But that was also during broad daylight and Dark Shadow reveled in the praise. Now it was twilight, and he couldn't predict how his quirk would react without the sun to keep it at bay; even in a well-lit room such as this one.
Surely Aoyama would understand a polite refusal-
"Sure!"
Dark Shadow slithered under Aoyama's hand before Tokoyami could respond.
"Ah, merci!"
Dark Shadow why.
For his quirk to be touched like one would a docile animal was... an odd feeling, to say the least. Tokoyami was aware of the touch, but the sensation wasn't felt on his own physical form. And yet the fact that the pat was on its head (the part of its form that most consistently held its shape, regardless of the actions performed) made the sensation associate with his own. It wasn't unpleasant,per se. Just... strange.
But alright. Tokoyami wasn't going to scold him for it. It seemed unlikely now that Dark Shadow's behavior would turn inimical. He probably got the idea in the first place from observing their classmates. And regardless of Aoyama's reasons for feeling the urge in the first place, he was getting it out of his system. He would soon see that there was no point in continuing because Dark Shadow was not an animal and didn't respond like one (for better or worse).
Aoyama moved from petting the top of its head to giving it scritches under its beak.
Dark Shadow cooed.
Tokoyami mentally facepalmed.
"Anyway." Tokoyami added a slight edge to his voice. It seemed to catch Aoyama's attention well-enough. "I do not wish to belabor the point, so I shall be frank:"
He continued, gesturing towards his quirk. "Dark Shadow is capable of freeing itself from my control given certain conditions, such as stress under low light. I would like to have a contingency plan ready should that ever happen in the future."
Aoyama's hand fell to his lap. Dark Shadow shrank back. The convivial air around the room dampened immediately.
Aoyama looked back at Tokoyami.
"Ah. Is that what happened during our summer vacation?" His tone was unvarnished, lacking its usual lilt; yet it was pleasantly calm in a way that held no other implications.
"...So you're aware of it."
Tokoyami remembered Aoyama approaching Midoriya following Bakugou's kidnapping, though he could not remember seeing him following the start of their test of courage. In his rampage he attacked Shouji, chasing him and Midoriya to Todoroki and Bakugou's location. Then Dark Shadow removed the threat to the latter two, and their light combined allowed him to regain control over it.
Aoyama was not part of that. Tokoyami could only hope that Dark Shadow didn't strike him without realizing it.
"Oui. Though I cannot say I witnessed the entire incident."
Which was for the best. None of those who had seemed to think of him any differently since then, but he knew that wouldn't be the case for everyone.
"But you've seen how dangerous it can be."
Aoyama glanced at Dark Shadow.
"...I have."
Dark Shadow gave a small whine and lowered its head, pressing its claws together. A favorable response, since that meant it would likely continue to sulk instead of exhibiting more bellicose behavior. Though he would prefer that they not test its limits in a place most on campus would consider a haven from violence, rather than a cauldron for it.
"My request is simple:" Tokoyami placed his cup and saucer on the table, and brought his hands together, fingers loosely interlocking. "If you or another find yourselves in mortal peril due to a lapse in my control, please do not hesitate to strike me down."
He tacked on after, if only to soften his words:
"I hope you understand."
Aoyama paused for a moment. His brow became a touch furrowed.
But then his near perpetually pursed lips broke into a weary smile.
"I do." His eyes fell downcast. "Though I hope I should never have to fulfill it."
That was... quite a bit easier than Tokoyami had expected.
He had not expected Aoyama to assent so easily. He had presumed instead that it would at least take some degree of convincing. The countless potential conversations played out within his mindscape almost always ended in some form of debate; and the most positive of them ended with a begrudging acceptance. Any scenarios that played out better he dismissed as wishful thinking – so much so that it seemed wrong that he received the answer he was most hoping for.
He forced relief to override his other sentiments. He wasn't going to look a gift horse in the the mouth.
But he had to clear that last remaining speck of doubt.
"Your consideration is most appreciated. Shall I take it as acceptance?"
There was always the possibility that he had misheard it, or that he was not interpreting it correctly. He had to make sure they were both on the same page.
"...Oui." Aoyama nodded. "I shall."
And that was all he needed.
"You have my thanks."
Which was scarcely enough to convey Tokoyami's gratitude. He had just avowed his intent to perish when circumstances called for it, and had not received the unsought pity he feared was inevitable. Nor had he received any misguided ire or undue concern. Rather, he received a better response than he had ever thought possible.
And should there ever arise a time where Tokoyami-
"Though may I ask a favor of my own?"
Ah. He thought too soon.
"Of course. I would not expect you to bear such a burden without due compensation."
If and an spoiled many a good charter, but it would not be fair to expect Aoyama to follow their arrangement through without receiving anything in return. Even when committed at the behest of the patient, ending the life of another would affect anyone with a conscience for years to come. It was an unfortunate inevitability for anyone with even an iota of empathy.
So if there was any way Tokoyami could requite such a task, he would not hesitate to do so.
Aoyama nodded, but stared down into his cup.
"Well... You see..." He bit his lower lip. "I guess... if it ever comes down to having to choose between saving myself and saving anyone else – or even just capturing a villain, please don't hesitate to leave me behind."
...
That... was nowhere near what he had expected. He couldn't help but wonder:
"Whatever for?"
An eye for an eye was a reasonable request, but Tokoyami could not fathom why Aoyama would wish for it. Tokoyami held a dangerous quirk that could slay an untold number of people should the stars align at the worst possible moment. In contrast, Aoyama's quirk was one that required precision to utilize effectively. It certainly could be deadly as well, but it could never free itself from his control and act of its own accord.
And yet salient apprehension dripped from Aoyama. His occupied hand clenched around the teacup's handle.
"To put it simply, it's not hard to see the gap between myself and the rest of our class." He grimaced. There was an audible strain to hold his voice steady. "It's also not hard to see that it's widening."
And he continued before Tokoyami could interject.
"I know I'll just get in the way one of these days." He gulped. "And if worst comes to worse, I'd rather not hold anyone back if I can help it."
Aoyama paused to take another sip tea, then set the cup on the table with its saucer. A silence permeated the air as he grabbed the teapot and poured himself a refill.
Tokoyami didn't know how to respond to that.
"That being said," Aoyama resumed, apparently sensing Tokoyami's loss for words, "wouldn't Monsieur Todoroki or Monsieur Bakugou be more suited to your task?"
He continued.
"I mean- I'm delighted that you think I'm capable of performing such a task. But the two of them are much more powerful than I."
It was true that Bakugou and Todoroki stood at top of the class.
But if his theory on how the teachers decided their room assignments was correct, there was a reason it neither of them he was placed next to.
"Bakugou's and Todoroki's quirks emit light as well, but only as a byproduct of what they produce. It took the two of them together to help me reign in my own that night." And things would had likely gone much different had they not drawn the lots that put them together. "As concentrated light, your laser should be able to cut through Dark Shadow with little trouble; and I as well, should the need arise."
"That sounds scary. Please don't do that." Dark Shadow shivered. Aoyama reached over and patted it.
Tokoyami sighed.
"It is to only be a last resort, Dark Shadow."
Aoyama nodded.
"Oui. I do not wish to harm either of you, mon ami."
Which Dark Shadow seemed to take as permission to rest its head on Aoyama's leg and exhale. Which it most certainly was not. Quirks were not supposed to act of their own accord. And this one in particular possessed enough of its own intelligence to know better. And it was doing so right after Tokoyami explained why that was a bad thing, as if to prove a point. Stop that.
But Aoyama only encouraged it with another pat on the head. Then two. Then a few more.
Oh for the love of...
Sigh.
Anyway.
Aoyama brought a finger to his chin. Tokoyami sent Dark Shadow back into the shaded area near his feet with a flick of the wrist. Aoyama's eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
"Although... What if my quirk-"
Aoyama stopped mid-sentence. It seemed he wished to ask a question. Instead he shook his head and murmured:
"...Nevermind, it's nothing." He chose instead to change the subject. Peculiar, but Tokoyami would not pry. "Anyway – quirk aside, the rest of my body is weak. I'm not sure how well I would fare against you in the event that we do have to battle."
His poor performance in close quarters combat could certainly be adduced to explain his hesitation. His quirk was quite powerful, and able to take out training robots with ease. And as such, it would be quite easy to rely on as a crutch. Such problems were quite common among students and heroes alike – Tokoyami being a glaring example.
"We are similar in the former regard, I'm afraid." Tokoyami too oft neglected to hone his skills sans quirk, though he had been working to change that. "Dark Shadow currently bears the brunt of my ability in battle, though I hope our education will change that."
"I see..."
Aoyama bit his lip. He paused another moment before speaking again.
"Well um-"
Then looked up.
"Maybe..."
Then met Tokoyami's gaze.
"We could train together?"
There was an idea.
"I mean- we don't have to if you don't want to!" Aoyama looked to the side, and fidgeted with his fingers. "I just thought since we could both use improvement in hand-to-hand combat..."
It was good that they were both cognizant of their own weaknesses, and that they both wished to mitigate them. A problem shared was a problem halved. To ply their skills in combat would only benefit them, especially when they both lacked in prowess when it came to fighting without their quirks.
It was too good an opportunity to refuse.
"On the contrary: It's an excellent proposition. I accept."
There were certain members of their class who would exercise on occasion during their free time. Kirishima or Midoriya would have been Tokoyami's choices had the question of whom he would like to accompany presented itself an hour ago. However, the two of them both focused on their strength to begin with; Tokoyami would have struggled to catch up, which in turn would have held them back for as long as it took to do so.
Aoyama's physical capabilities sans quirk more closely resembled his own, which meant the growth they would reap would be much more mutually beneficial.
"Really?" Aoyama clapped his hands together. "Oh merci, mon ami!"
Though doing so immediately would be foolish as the night was fully upon them. Certainly, they were not the only members of their class still awake, but it still no time to leave their dormitory. Even if they were to use the centre courtyard (thus, strictly speaking, not an aberration of their curfew), tomorrow was not a holiday nor any other they had off. Fatigue would impair their ability to function during their classes, and even more so during their training exercises.
Aoyama seemed to have the same thought, however; as he continued with a question of his own:
"Though it is a tad late. Would you like to meet tomorrow?"
"I would prefer Friday, if that's all right with you. We will not be weary from exercises then." Though it would be incredibly unlikely, he would prefer to avoid another incident where he fell asleep before he could return to the dorms – especially given the place in had in mind. "And as for a location, what do you think of using the rooftop of our school?"
The main building's four rooves were still rarely utilized by anyone other than himself. Even in the unlikely event that there were others atop his usual spot that day, there were three more the two of them could use. Come to think of it, the one with the helicopter landing pad could make an excellent arena if it was just the two of them. He couldn't remember it ever being used for as long as he attended U.A.. Perhaps he would suggest that when the time came.
"Je l'aime!" Tokoyami had no idea what that meant, but he would take it to be an expression of approval. "And thus the date is set! I will see you then, Monsieur Tokoyami!"
A beaming smile stretched across Aoyama's face; one that Tokoyami had never seen upon him before.
Tokoyami nodded, allowing the edges of his beak to curve.
"You as well, Aoyama."
And thus that conversation was over. They conversed for a few more minutes before exchanging goodbyes. Tokoyami gave a small wave as his made his exit. Dark Shadow sprung out to do the same, though it was much more exaggerated. Aoyama returned the favor, still beatific, then grabbed his phone – perhaps to make a reminder for himself. Tokoyami would do well to make one of his own when he went back in his room.
Tokoyami shut the door behind him. No one was in the hall.
He headed towards his room. Dark Shadow seemed to be in good spirits. It did not return to Tokoyami's shadow of its own accord, instead choosing to sway merrily and follow him back to his room (still tethered to him, obviously).
"I think that went well~!"
Quite the understatement. Not only were he and Aoyama able to negotiate without it devolving into any sort of vitriol, they came to an agreement that would benefit them both. And in addition, they made arrangements to continue their training outside of their normal classroom hours. Which would only help them in the classroom as well.
He nodded.
"I must agree."
It was quite fortunate that they had come upon the topic of training. Tokoyami had been meaning to strengthen his own physical capabilities. He already had the Black Ankh and its associated techniques, but he still had much to learn when it came to actual combat. Certainly, there were opponents he could overwhelm with the sheer force of his quirk; but that alone would be of little use against those who could evade and counter his techniques. And he would do well to iron out those shortcomings before he encountered an opponent who could make use of them when he was an actual hero.
There were robots for certain gym facilities that could simulate, but nothing could replace sparring with an actual human. The androids were capable of analyzing a student's patterns and acting accordingly, but they couldn't plan ahead or set traps that weren't already programmed in. And then there was the matter of how restraint was not a necessity against an opponent that could be repaired in a matter of hours with no lasting consequences.
And now he had one.
And they had a set time to practice.
Though he never did ask Aoyama to refrain from telling their peers. Not about the training, of course – he was sure anyone else who found out and wanted to join in their spars would be well welcomed.; but instead Tokoyami's main reason for visiting in the first place. The pact they had made would likely end in death for at least one of them should it have to be followed through. So there was a clearly tacit secondary agreement that should one of them reveal it, that the other would be required to as well. And Tokoyami had already ruminated over those worst-case scenarios much more than any student, studying heroics or not, should have to in the middle of peacetime.
But those would be thoughts best left for another time. They had a plan of action. They were set to carry it out. There was little more that could be done in the meantime. The week would go by the same as any other while he waited.
He was okay with that.
A/N: Just a headcanon, but I think Aoyama's the type to really like fussing over guests.