30 Things I Didn't Know

by Zero Unit RGB

Tokoyami and Shouji move in together after their relationship gets exposed to the entirety of the nation. They learn what it's like to be public, how to deal with the aftermath, and the realities of domestic life. But most importantly, they get to learn a little more about one another as time goes on. I'm on Ao3 and Tumblr under ZeroUnitRGB.

1. I didn't know you could rid yourself of all doubt about me.

Tokoyami completely forgot how to do a tie. It felt like he didn't even put the rest of the suit on properly. The jacket felt inside out, the pants probably had a tear somewhere, and the belt didn't feel tight enough. It was only of little assurance that Shouji told him he looked fine.

"Here," said Shouji, crouching down to help, "Let me."

"Thanks."

The Jet Black Hero checked his watch, seeing that they still had five minutes until the press conference would start. He could hear the reporters beyond the curtain, chatting loudly with one another. Their questions were in their hands to be asked and the news cameras were ready to capture every moment, hoping to get an embarrassing or scandalous or heartwarming shot. Something to make a clip go viral and by extension, their network.

It was more nerve-wracking than taking the entrance exam for U.A. Back then, Tokoyami just had to worry about himself. In this case, he was representing an entire group of people that had long since been invisible and oppressed. At the very least, he wasn't alone.

His intern, the silver-haired Artemis, gave him a thumbs-up. "You got this, Tsukuyomi-san!"

Present Mic and Midnight were there as well to take part in the conference. They had come out as bisexual at the peak of their fame so they didn't face any major repercussions to their career. Rather, they might've gotten more publicity because of it. But because they kept their same-sex flings and relationships under the covers, people could still feign ignorance.

"You guys will be fine," Midnight promised them

Present Mic smiled brilliantly at them. "If you get stumped, let me answer!"

The majority of Mic's fans cared more about his radio show. Midnight's fans were all men that were into the idea of women-on-women love, like it was a concept rather than a part of her identity. But both heroes were able to maintain their popularity. Especially since they only went out on dates in their civilian forms.

In contrast, Tokoyami and Shouji had a lot of young boys looking up to them. So if the parents decide that their kids shouldn't have gay role models, then their popularity could potentially plummet. Being a hero in this day and age was not easy if you couldn't pay the bills. And doing that required selling merchandise and booking interviews which meant needing a decent fan following.

Finally, the conference began. Flashes went off the instant the four heroes took the stage and bowed to the rows of people.

When they sat down, Tokoyami felt Shouji take his hand, intertwining their fingers. Looking down, he saw a morphed mouth that whispered, "You'll be fine."

"I am," Tokoyami said under his breath, "now that you're here."

"We will now start the questions."

As expected, most were directed towards the couple at the table. The interviewers wanted to know about their thoughts on various queer issues. Shouji, having spent some time in America, was able to answer based on what he learned there from openly homosexual heroes. Tokoyami mostly responded to specific queries about their relationship for the more gossipy networks. They couldn't depend on Shouji for that as he might bluntly say something he shouldn't on TV.

"You two are still young," said one reporter, "do you really think your relationship will last?"

He sounded genuinely curious about it. And Tokoyami didn't know how to answer.

Shouji tightened his hold on his boyfriend's hand under the table and leaned towards the microphone. "I sincerely do. I love Fumikage… with all my heart."

"Likewise," Tokoyami smiled, no longer thinking about the cameras and eyes on him. "I love Mezo. I can't imagine anything ever changing that."

"Now this is the passion of youth that I love so much!" Midnight cracked a whip, produced from thin air, in the direction of a cameraman. "You better send me your footage of this moment later!" It seemed they were worrying about the wrong person as she started breathing heavily and her cheeks were flushed red.

"Midnight," said Mic. "You should probably leave the panel for now."

2. I didn't know you could be so indecisive.

Since Shouji moved in, they had to figure out their sleeping arrangements. At first, there was nothing wrong with sleeping in Tokoyami's bed together. But they soon discovered after the first week that it was much too small. Either Tokoyami got crushed underneath his giant boyfriend or he would be pushed off the bed because Shouji liked to fan out his arms.

They decided to go to a local mattress store to get a bigger bed. It was rare for them to go out in public in their civilian clothes. Ever since their relationship was exposed onto the internet, everyone wanted to know everything about the pro hero couple. So they were constantly being stopped, asked invasive questions, and requested for autographs and photographs.

"Welcome," a salesman smiled when they entered. "Is there anything in particular you were looking for today, sirs?"

"A bigger bed," said Shouji.

"You have to be more specific than that," Tokoyami sighed.

It wasn't like Shouji would know though. Before moving in, he always slept in a futon on the floor which was a one size fits all. For one person, that is. So Tokoyami had to take his boyfriend by the hand and lead him over to a chart explaining the sizes. It was like teaching the alphabet to a toddler.

Shouji noticed that Tokoyami had been getting more irritable as of late. He supposed it was his own fault. The bird-man couldn't exactly sleep when every night, some different issue came up as a result of sharing their miniscule bed. The couch was too uncomfortable and Shouji had offered to sleep on the floor but then he would keep Tokoyami up, saying that he missed holding the smaller man at night.

"A queen mattress sounds big enough," said Shouji.

Tokoyami rubbed at his tired eyes before turning to the salesman. "Can we see your queen mattresses?"

"Certainly, good sirs," he nodded.

Shouji expected it to be easy from that point on. But it only became more complicated as they now had to select their preferred level of firmness. It was clear that Tokoyami wanted him to choose since he was too tired to really think with his back slouched and eyelids drooping.

"Hm… Maybe this one?" Shouji muttered to himself.

He wandered around the mattresses, pressing down on them to see if they had the same amount of bounce as their bed back home. But he couldn't seem to tell the difference between any of them. The salesman and Tokoyami watched as he meandered through the rows of mattresses, getting attention from other customers as he even laid down on some for testing. Finally, he went back to Tokoyami.

"I don't know which one to choose," he said.

Tokoyami let out a sigh before saying, in a serious and sort of threatening tone, "Mezo, for once, I'm going to be the blunt one in this relationship. If you don't choose a bed in the next five seconds, I will make the decision to never sleep with you again."

Dark Shadow appeared and stated, "And yes, he means it in both ways."

Anyone nearby who could hear was in shock. The husband of a newlywed couple just patted Shouji's shoulder in solidarity like he understood the feeling. The salesman was as red as his uniform from hearing such a bold claim. And there was a woman at the far end of the store with her hands over her son's ears even though it was clear he hadn't been paying attention. She just had a Lip-Reading Quirk.

"That one," said Shouji immediately, pointing at a random mattress.

"Excellent choice, sirs," the salesman smiled awkwardly.

They paid, signed an autograph for the boy from earlier with the disapproving head shake from his mother, and then went on their way. Shouji had to carry the mattress all the way to the house on his back while Tokoyami was trying to fall asleep in his arms in front. It was a lot of hard labor being Tokoyami's boyfriend when he's angry. But it was worth it.

"Your sleeping face is too cute," Shouji gushed.

"Just walk," Tokoyami grumbled. "Jeez, we spent thirty minutes in there because of you."

3. I didn't know you could be so timid.

Ever since they moved in together, they would try to make as many dates to the gym as possible. It wasn't like Tokoyami didn't like doing physical exercise. But he would often try to keep up with Shouji's strict training regiment which he soon discovered was a mistake. However, neither of them wanted to slack and they knew that being together would make it harder to exercise regularly.

They made plans to convert the guest room into a home gym. But for the time being, they would have to stick to a public gym which always got them to be stared at by the other patrons. It was always difficult to discern who was malicious, curious, or fanatics.

"Do you think you can spot me?" asked Shouji.

"What, while you bench press five hundred kilograms?" Tokoyami scoffed. "Dark Shadow can spot you."

Even without the public knowing that they were dating, they always attracted attention anyway. What with Shouji piling on the weights and lifting them with relative ease. Then there was the hanging shadow beast, patiently making sure that the hero wouldn't get crushed. Tokoyami would keep himself occupied with the eagle press nearby although he would frequently stop to stare at Shouji's glistening, rippling muscles.

"You're so obvious," Dark Shadow snickered.

Tokoyami sent a glare at his Quirk. "Shut it."

Once they were done, they hesitated in using the showers as they always did. The first time they did it after the sudden exposure of their relationship, they knew they were getting glanced at or people were trying to cover up more. It just made the whole thing even more awkward.

"Let's go home," said Shouji. "We can shower there."

"I kind of want to go to a bathhouse," Tokoyami suddenly remarked.

"A bathhouse?"

Tokoyami shrugged. "I don't know, I just… feel like it. Want to go? I know a great one nearby."

"Mm… I guess."

Shouji was resistant to the idea but he couldn't say no when his boyfriend seemed so excited about the prospect. So he was led all the way to a rustic looking bathhouse run by a plump elderly woman who gleefully took their payment. Once they got their baskets, soaps, and towels and entered the changing room, Shouji became even more reluctant.

"What's wrong?" asked Tokoyami, peeling off his sweat-covered shirt. "You've never been shy about taking off your clothes in front of me before."

The bright red could be seen through the mask. "F—Fumikage!"

There was no one else in the room with them at the moment. The window that showed into the actual baths was fogged up so they couldn't tell if there was someone beyond the door. But Shouji didn't seem to want to go into the sexual talk there.

"You have no problem with touching me inappropriately in public either," Tokoyami remarked, "what makes here so different?"

"We had our clothes on those times," said Shouji.

"That doesn't make you less perverted, you know." Tokoyami was fully bare at this point but he went up to Shouji and pulled him down so that he could whisper in his ear. "You know, I asked you to come here because it's usually empty. In this bathhouse, on the male side, it's just the two… of… us…"

Shouji's clothes were off in two seconds flat as he picked up his boyfriend and practically dove for the baths. However, as soon as he threw open the door, he saw at least three pairs of eyes turning to look. All of a sudden, Shouji returned to hiding near the cubby holes while Tokoyami was tightening the towel around his waist.

"Fumikage," Shouji muttered. "How could you lie to me like that?"

Tokoyami patted Shouji's shoulder. "I swear, I didn't think tonight would be one of the few times there would be other people here."

"I got excited for nothing…"

"I can't believe you."

4. I didn't know you could be so insensitive.

For the weekend, Tokoyami and Shouji decided to visit their friends in Tokyo. They were going to be staying with Ojiro and Hagakure who opened up a joint office. They protected the metropolis with their martial arts skills and much to all of class A's surprise, they ended up dating each other not long after graduating.

"And this is where you guys will stay," said Hagakure, leading them to the guest room. "Remember the walls are thin so don't do anything too loud."

Tokoyami crossed his arms. "Do you think we do it every night?"

"Do you and Ojiro?" asked Shouji.

They couldn't see it but it was obvious that their invisible friend had cupped her face with her hands and was most likely blushing like mad. She pivoted around and ran out of there, calling for Ojiro. "Shouji-kun, you pervert!"

Shouji was clearly surprised by this reaction. "Did I say something wrong?"

Tokoyami let out a sigh, shaking his head and covering his face with his hand. Sometimes he wondered if he felt embarrassment in Shouji's place.

After they dropped off their things in the room, they went out to explore. They'd been to Hosu City to see Iida and Ikebukuro to visit Sero but this would be their first time in Shibuya. Supposedly, there were some great shops so they wanted to check them out. Less people recognized them there since Tokyo had so many heroes to keep track of to begin with. There wasn't much of a point in getting to know those outside of the prefecture.

"Fumikage," said Shouji.

Tokoyami turned away from the beckoning call of the black hoodies. "Hm?"

"I think you would look good in this," Shouji grinned, pointing up at a mannequin wearing, quite clearly, booty shorts. "It even has your body."

Any person with working eyes could tell that the mannequin was modeling women's clothing. The fact that Shouji said what he did meant he must've thought that Tokoyami had a feminine body. Very slowly, Tokoyami took a step towards his boyfriend. Then, with as much strength as he could muster, he pushed Shouji into the display, toppling the mannequin and sending clothes everywhere.

"Mezo, you idiot!" Tokoyami cried out as he fled the store.

"Eh?" Shouji blinked. "Fumikage! H—Hold on!"

Unfortunately, the Tentacle Hero had to stay behind to fix and pay for the damage. It took him less than twenty minutes thanks to the help of his Quirk but he had no idea where Tokoyami could've gone in that time. He tried calling but there wasn't any response. What should he do?

[Shouji]: I'm sorry for what I said back there. Please just tell me where you are.

[Tokoyami]: …I'm at the park.

Tokoyami was sitting on a wooden bench underneath the shade of a tree that rustled in the wind. The vibrant cherry blossoms were a clear sign that spring was upon them. Without looking up, he could tell that Shouji had sat down beside him. There was the sound a plastic being shifted around then a box of chocolate Pocky was held out towards him.

"I'm sorry," said Shouji. "I didn't realize you would be that upset by it."

Tokoyami slowly took the peace offering. "You know, ever since our relationship got exposed, I've been doing research on LGBT stuff. Apparently, before the dawn of heroes, there was a notation in Japan that being gay was associated with transgenderism, especially for me. Almost all depictions of gay characters in mainstream media were effeminate. It made me think… that I don't want to fall under a stereotype…"

Shouji glanced around the park, noticing that not a lot of people were paying much attention to two men sitting on a bench. So he scooted closer to Tokoyami. Then, without warning, he placed his hands on Tokoyami's waist, chest, and arms, a set on each. The sudden sensation of being touched in all those places at once sent shivers running through the smaller man as he kept himself from yelping.

"Wh—What are you doing?" Tokoyami hissed.

"I think you're very manly," Shouji whispered. "You worked hard to sculpt the muscles here… and here… and here…"

Tokoyami could feel the fingers sliding over his torso. Even through a layer of clothes between his bare skin and Shouji's hands, it still felt like an incredibly sensual experience. The way they traced the lines of his abdomen, massaged his shoulders, and caressed his chest made his head spin.

"Will you stop that," Tokoyami chided. "We're in public, you idiot."

Shouji paused before pulling Tokoyami into his embrace. "I know. But I just wanted you to know that regardless of body type, I'd love you all the same. Who cares what anyone else thinks if you put on makeup, skirts, or dresses? You're still a man."

Tokoyami buried his beak in his boyfriend's inner elbow. "You're hopeless."

"I know." Shouji's breath could be felt through his mask, tickling Tokoyami's ear. "But I hope you know that I do see you as a man. A beautiful, wonderful man."

"…I know."

5. I didn't know that you could cheer me up so easily.

"There you are."

Tokoyami was laying on the roof in the cool spring night, staring up at the night sky. Shouji had come home to find his partner missing. So he listened carefully, heard the slight breathing coming from above, and morphed a hand into an eye to look at Tokoyami.

Tokoyami sat up and gave a small smile. "You found me."

"What are you," Shouji let out a grunt as he climbed up, "doing up here?"

Evers since he was little, Tokoyami liked to try and count the stars in the sky. To make it an easier task, he changed it to counting constellations. Thankfully, they were in a part of the city where there wasn't as much light pollution so they could see the artworks that the sky gifted them at dusk.

"Stargazing," Tokoyami answered.

"You only do that when you're anxious or can't sleep," Shouji remarked, positioning himself beside him. "What's going on?"

Their neighborhood was quiet. Not many people passed by on the street since they were already settled in their rooms, getting ready for bed. The only sound came from one of the lamp posts that lined the sidewalk. It flickered and buzzed, waiting to be fixed as it blinked repeatedly, trying to keep its one glowing eye open.

"Not sure," Tokoyami shrugged.

Shouji placed his hand over Tokoyami's. "You're a terrible liar."

Earlier that day, while out on patrol with Artemis, they passed by a group of middle school kids, in the uniform of Tokoyami's alma mater. They recognized the hero and the intern but instead of saying hello, they started whispering to each other. Since Artemis was busy talking about an oden cart she wanted to check out, she didn't hear. But Tokoyami did.

"Dad says we should stay away from Tsukuyomi."

"Why? He seems like a cool hero."

"Something about him taking advantage of us."

The hero cut their patrol short that day and went home. But Tokoyami didn't really do anything inside the house except watch the flowers on the terrace, pace around the living room, and eat apples. Once the sun set, he made his way onto the roof and stayed there until his lover came home.

"I wasn't even mad or upset," said Tokoyami, eyes trained on the half moon. "Just… scared."

Shouji had begun to notice minor things like that as well. There was often someone staring at him like there was something unusual about him that had nothing to do with his appearance. It was clear why when one of them asked, "Are you sure you're gay?" one day. It was then followed up with, "Because you don't look gay" which confused Shouji. Was he supposed to look a certain way?

"Scared of what?" asked Shouji.

"That I'll meet someone who'll say something worse to my face," Tokoyami confessed.

For Shouji, these types of things didn't really bother him much. But he never even considered how Tokoyami was feeling about it.

Instead of lingering on the topic, Shouji looked up to the sky. "Which one's Cygnus again?"

Tokoyami let out a chuckle as he raised an arm to point. "Right there. The main body is in a cross shape."

"There are a lot of bird ones," Shouji remarked. "Columba, Aquila, Pavo…"

"Tucana."

"Right, I can't believe there's a toucan."

"There's a lot of weird ones," Tokoyami smiled. He knew that Shouji was doing this to get his mind off of things. It was sweet. And more importantly, it worked. It was easy not to worry about others when being with Shouji. "Unfortunately, no octopus."

"Well there should be one," said Shouji, taking personal offense to that.

Tokoyami covered his mouth, trying his hardest not to laugh. Once he had calmed down, Shouji lifted up his boyfriend, placing him down on his lap and wrapped his arms around the smaller man. It felt warm and cozy as they turned their heads back to the sky, naming off the paintings that they could identify and making up new ones. As always, Shouji had to include an octopus somewhere.

"Right next to Corvus," Tokoyami smiled.

Shouji's chin gently brushed over the top of Tokoyami's feathers. "Your favorite one, right?"

Tokoyami leaned into Shouji's chest. "Right."

6. I didn't know that you had such a dirty mind.

They'd begun to call it Sin Vision. Tokoyami could be absentmindedly doing something completely innocent and for some reason, Shouji would be forced to excuse himself. The most recent case was when Tokoyami overslept that morning. He was laying in bed, hands to either side of his head, just peacefully sleeping through the morning.

"Fumikage," Shouji called, entering the room with a little knock. "You need to get up for work."

Tokoyami shifted and then murmured, "Me… zo…"

Just innocently sleeping. But all Shouji could see was Tokoyami, bare-chested, respiring and perspiring heavily, clinging onto the sheets, and breathlessly moaning Shouji's name. For the rest of that morning, he avoided making eye contact with his boyfriend.

"Mezo," said Tokoyami, brushing his teeth while staring at his balled-up, red-faced lover. "What the hell did you imagine this morning?"

That night, they were going on a double date with Todoroki and Yaoyorozu at a fancy restaurant. It came as no surprise to anyone in class that the pair got together although it was infuriating waiting for it to happen. Ashido actually threw a celebration, complete with confetti and balloons, when the oblivious Todoroki discovered that the feelings he had for the Everything Hero were reciprocated.

It was going to be their first actual date since they became public. Going out with the most popular young hero couple eased their anxieties a little. The restaurant was also extremely expensive and Shouji and Tokoyami almost passed out when they saw the prices. But they were promised by their rich friends that everything would be paid for. This was just so Shouji and Tokoyami could have fun outside again.

"What if Sin Vision activates while we're there?" Shouji muttered as he fixed his tie.

"It better not," Tokoyami hissed. "We're talking about a fine-dining experience so behave yourself!"

It wasn't like Shouji wanted to embarrass them in front of a bunch of rich people. "I'll try my best."

The four young heroes got to dine in a private area away from onlookers. Although it was clear that they had the attention of the entire staff and all the patrons when they entered. Even though the same-sex couple garnered some whispers, it was Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, two of the hero world's top rising stars, that had the room's undivided attention. They were like supermodels in a sea of blobfish.

For the most part, they talked about how things were going. Both in their professional and personal lives. They put the discussion on hold once the food came.

Tokoyami carefully cut into his steak and started chewing on a piece. Todoroki pointed at a part of his upper lip, indicating that something was on the other man's face. So Tokoyami licked that area, catching some mashed potatoes onto his tongue. "Delicious!"

"I knew you would love it," Yaoyorozu smiled, being the one who recommend the dish. "Shouji-kun, do you…? Shouji-kun?"

They turned over to their massive friend and saw that he was shaking, staring straight down, hands clenched and in his lap like he was trying to hide something. Unbeknownst to them, a vision passed through his head. It was of Tokoyami slowly rising out from between his thighs, licking the lip of his beak seductively from the aftermath, and saying, "Delicious."

"Mezo," said Tokoyami, dropping his fork onto the plate. "What did you see?"

He shook his head, his bangs flying all over the place. "Nothing."

"Then pull your hands away from your lap."

"No thanks, I'm good."

Todoroki cocked his head to the side, as oblivious as ever. "You can't eat with your hands there. Is something wrong? Are you sick?" He raised his right hand and a cool mist started appearing from his palm. "Do you need ice?"

"Mezo," said Tokoyami, looking back to the food. "I told you not to embarrass us tonight… so I'll pretend I don't see it and you just eat."

Shouji slowly and reluctantly placed his hands onto the table. "Yes, Fumikage."

"Are you sure—?" Todoroki tried to repeat.

"They're fine, Shoto," said Yaoyorozu, as red as her gorgeous dress. "Let's just continue eating."

When they returned home that night, Tokoyami rolled up one of their magazines and started whacking Shouji on the head while he sat on his knees, obediently taking the punishment. The Sin Vision activated about seven different times during dinner. Then, when they got home, Shouji had the audacity to ask if Tokoyami wanted to go to the bedroom so that he could 'get it out of his system.'

Tokoyami let out a heavy sigh. "Can we ever go out in public again?"

"I'm sorry, Fumikage..."

7. I didn't know you could get so panicked.

Shouji was running all around the house trying to make sure everything was spick and span. Putting any left behind jackets on hangers haphazardly and hooking them in the closet. Picking up their horror movie collection from off the living room floor and sliding them into the shelves without alphabetizing them or making sure they were right side up. Scrubbing at the dishes and pots and pans until they were in the dishwasher.

"Why can't you do the chores this fast when I ask you to?" Tokoyami groaned.

It was noon when he woke up, trying to bend his spine back to make it crack. They had slept in since neither wanted to work that day. But when Shouji woke up, he saw a missed text from his mother stating that she was planning on visiting that day.

"Put some clothes on," Shouji urged. "I can't have Sin Vision activating while Mom's here."

Tokoyami scratched at an itch just above his butt as he walked back into their room. "You might want to put on some pants yourself."

Shouji looked down, realizing that he wasn't exactly decent. He jogged back towards the room when the doorbell rang. He sprinted into the room, crashing into his boyfriend who tumbled into the bed, sprayed half a can of Febreze to get rid of any sex smells, and grabbed a pair of jeans. As he was trying to throw them on, he hopped back out to get the door.

"C—Coming!" Shouji called.

Tokoyami tried to blink the grogginess away. "Now my Sin Vision's acting up."

It wasn't like Shouji Mimi was unaware of their relationship. She'd also met Tokoyami on multiple occasions when he was still Morning Crow's sidekick in Kyushu. She seemed to like him well enough although it might've been part of playing the amiable host. This was, however, the first time they were meeting in Tokoyami's house which had the lights on for once.

Mimi was a broad-shouldered, strong-armed woman that stood exactly at the height between the couple's, twenty centimeters taller than Tokoyami and shorter than her son. She was also the person who passed on her Quirk although she only had four arms as opposed to Shouji's six. She was a foreman for a construction company, working harder than any man there that had once mocked her.

"It's so nice to see you again Ms. Shouji," Tokoyami smiled as he brought them tea. "I hope the train ride wasn't too tough for you."

"Oh, it was fine," she smiled, raising one of the cups. "It was rather long though. I don't know how you could take it whenever you came to visit." She then used a lower arm to slap Shouji's knee with a laugh. "I suppose you thought it was worth it to visit my handsome boy."

"Mom," Shouji blushed.

Tokoyami figured he was right for not freaking out as much about this surprise visit. Mimi was the same as she always was, teasing her son and being extra friendly with Tokoyami. He was glad to have gotten on her good side from the start of their relationship.

"So when's the wedding?"

Tokoyami spit out the tea he was drinking and started coughing. Shouji was patting his back to make sure he was okay.

"Wedding?!" Shouji blurted out. "M—Mom, where did you get that idea?"

Mimi rolled her eyes as Dark Shadow went to get water from the kitchen for its host. "Look, you two have been together for ten whole years now. You're even living together and your relationship is public! Don't you think it's time to settle down?"

"I would love to!" said Shouji, causing Tokoyami to spit out the water he was drinking. "But you know we can't."

Dark Shadow decided to chime in while its host was still choking. "Not legally, anyway."

"You boys haven't heard?" It seemed Mimi was prepared for this outcome as she rifled through her purse before pulling out a newspaper article that she had cut out the night before. It stated that the Japanese government was considering legalizing same-sex marriage which they had put on hold for years now. "They're going to take the decision to court in a few months."

Tokoyami was finally able to breathe as he turned on his phone. He noticed several messages from their friends. It was clear that they had all heard.

"We were really busy yesterday," said Tokoyami. "We had no idea."

"But this is incredible," Shouji bounced, unable to contain his joy. "Fumikage, we need to pick out a dress."

Tokoyami sent his lover a glare, causing him to shrink. "I'll be sure to get one in your size."

"I'm sorry… I just got excited…"

Tokoyami turned his attention over to Mimi. "The courts can still vote no in the end but thank you for showing this to us." He took Shouji's hand in his. "But… if they do say yes… then I want us to do it properly. One of us will ask the other when the time is right."

Shouji nodded in agreement, bumping his forehead against Tokoyami's. "Definitely."

"Okay," Mimi chuckled. "Just be sure to give me a front row seat so I can record the whole thing."

"M—Mom."

8. I didn't know that you could be so forgetful.

After one particularly adventurous night, Tokoyami and Shouji were getting ready for the day. They liked to leave together before separating to their individual hero duties. Usually, Shouji was on top of the ball, awake first, face washed, teeth brushed, and a fresh pot of coffee brewing. But for once, Tokoyami had breakfast done before his lover was even out of the room.

"Is everything alright?" Tokoyami called from the kitchen.

"Uh, Fumikage?" There was the sound of fabrics being tossed around coming from inside. "Do you know where my mask is?"

Tokoyami walked over to the doorway, peeking inside to see the blankets and pillows on the floor. The mattress was completely bare. Anything else that had been on it found a home atop the nightdesk or the black-cushioned victorian chair in the corner. Shouji was standing at the closet with the sliding door in his hands. As in, he accidentally broke it off in his search.

"Not sure," Tokoyami replied as Dark Shadow attempted to fix the door. "Were you wearing it when we started having sex?"

Shouji scratched the back of his head. "I remember you taking it off for me…"

"If I did," Tokoyami mused, trying to recall the events of the previous night minus the salacious details, "then I might've stuffed it underneath the pillow. Or maybe I tossed it onto the floor. Have you checked under the bed?"

"No, I haven't," said Shouji.

They both got onto the floor to look underneath. As Shouji reached for his phone to use the flashlight, he discovered that it was missing. He paused before opening up each of the shelves in their dresser to see if he could find his mobile device but it was nowhere.

"Well," said Tokoyami, rising up from looking under, "no mask."

"No phone either," Shouji muttered.

It didn't happen often but Shouji would lose something around the house from time to time. He claims it's because he never had so many possessions before living together. It made sense. Before that, Shouji's room was almost completely barren so it was easier to find what he was looking for. Tokoyami, on the other hand, was constantly making impulse purchases off of Amazon in the middle of the night.

"Did we have that before?" asked Shouji, pointing at the replica of Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' hanging above the bed.

There was an odd glint in Tokoyami's eyes. "It came yesterday morning."

"You need to stop buying so much stuff," Shouji sighed. "It's starting to clutter up the place."

Tokoyami didn't reply, he was staring at Shouji's chest. Not in a perverted sense, it just felt like there was something missing around his collarbone.

"Mezo?" said the Jet Black Hero, slowly getting up. "Where's the necklace I got you for your birthday?"

Shouji touched the base of his neck and his eyes widened when he realized the dog tags were missing. He never took them off except when he had to bathe so he quickly bounded into the bathroom across the hall. They weren't hanging on any of the hooks, they weren't in the sink, and they weren't in their cups or the toilet or the bathtub.

"Uh-oh," Shouji mumbled to himself.

Tokoyami let out a groan. "You're unbelievable."

In the end, they were able to find all three missing items tucked away inside one of the pillowcases. All it took was for Tokoyami to dress the bed once more and as he lifted a pillow, he noticed that it felt a little heavier than usual. Staring Shouji directly in the face, he removed the case, held it up by the corners, and let the items drop out one by one.

"Right," Shouji murmured. "I remember leaving them in there now."

"Why?"

"I… don't remember that."

They didn't really dwell on it since they were already late for work. So they quickly got ready, ate, and walked out of the house. But once they had gotten one block away, Shouji began frantically patting down his pockets.

Tokoyami crossed his arms and let out a sigh. "You don't have your keys, do you?"

"I'll be right back."

9. I didn't know we used to be so different in the past.

The U.A. sports festival was one of the few days a year that everyone from the notorious class A got to see each other again. They sat together in the stands to watch the new first-years work their asses off in order to get scouted by pro heroes. This year, most of them had established themselves as pretty decent heroes in the public eye so they were able to do some scouting themselves.

"This takes me back," Jirou chuckled. "To think we were all down there once."

Kaminari nodded from beside her. "Unfortunately, only a few of us really got to stand out."

"You were beaten so quickly by Ibara," Jirou snorted, trying to stifle her laughter.

"It's kind of amazing," Midoriya remarked. He looked over each of them, having grown up quite a lot in the decade they first met each other. They had all matured into new costumes, hairdos, and capabilities. Even as sidekicks, some of them were soaring in popularity because of how well-known they were back in their school days. They had all left quite the mark before graduating and becoming their own heroes. "We've all changed a lot since then."

"Some of us, more than others," said Satou, glancing over to Tokoyami and Shouji.

Tokoyami was in the middle of biting into a candied apple. "What do you mean?"

"The two of you used to be really stoic, ribbit," Tsuyu explained. "Now you're all mushy with each other and Shouji even makes jokes at your expense, ribbit."

Hagakure nodded from next to her, seeing the collar of her shirt bounce up and down. "He never made jokes in the past! Not on purpose anyway."

"It's annoying," Bakugou scoffed. He didn't usually join in their group discussions but ten years could really mellow a person out. But of course, his way of being nice towards his former classmates was still veiled behind aggressive language and violent behavior. "And it's gotten harder to avoid your stupidly smiling asses after your relationship got public!"

"Aw, you're happy they're happy," Ashido teased.

"The hell do you know about me?!"

Tokoyami and Shouji looked at each other, trying to remember how they used to be back in high school. Neither of them could really remember as they could only see one another as they were in the present. Perhaps it was because they practically grew up right beside each other that they didn't notice the little changes that occurred as they matured. Or in their cases, the reverse.

Uraraka clapped her hands together, jolting them out of their thoughts. "Ooh, it's starting!"

"I wonder what Aizawa-sensei's class looks like this year," Kirishima grinned.

"Isn't he teaching the second-years this time around?" Yaoyorozu remarked.

Tokoyami was able to confirm this for them. "Artemis is currently a second-year and Aizawa-sensei is her teacher."

It was funny, Aizawa actually told them to drop the sensei since he was no longer their teacher. But they couldn't help it. To the group, he would always be their precious sensei who taught them everything they needed to know in order to become true heroes during their three years at U.A.

"That's All Might's class," said Midoriya when class A came out. "It's his first year as a homeroom teacher."

Bakugou set off an explosion in his hands. "Those brats don't know how lucky they are."

Todoroki's eyes widened when he saw the students walked out. "Bakugou, aren't some of those kids from that one supplementary lesson with Gang Orca? Remember? When we were with Inasa and Camie taking care of those kindergarteners."

"I've buried those memories, you bastard!"

"Seriously," said Sero, "just what exactly were those lessons about?!"

As Present Mic announced the first event, Tokoyami and Shouji thought about what changed and what hadn't. It was true that each of them had matured in their own ways, growing as people and as heroes. But the one thing that hadn't changed was their bonds with one another. They were still as close to one another as they were when they all lived under the same roof.

10. I didn't know that you could be so caring.

"This is why I told you not to wear your costume today," Shouji scolded.

Tokoyami had ended up overheating earlier that day, passing out while on patrol. Artemis got really scared because she didn't know what to do in such a situation. Thankfully, Midoriya was passing by and she called out to him. It was the hottest summer day on record in Japan and Tokoyami was already suffering from the symptoms of a flu so it wasn't a surprise that he ended up worsening his fever.

Midoriya had called Shouji and carried his fellow hero all the way back to the house in no time using One for All. He then placed Tokoyami onto the couch and opened the door to the terrace to let some air in. In the meantime, he got to work on making some soup for Tokoyami when Shouji returned. After thanking Midoriya for doing so much, he went to Tokoyami's side.

"It's so people can recognize Tsukuyomi," Tokoyami coughed. "I have to wear my cloak."

Midoriya took sip from the broth. "I think people know you as Tsukuyomi even without it."

After a few more words of gratitude, Shouji saw his former classmate off. The soup was ready and it was a good thing too since Shouji was a rather subpar chef even after being under his lover's tutelage for the last couple of months. So he got a bowl ready and placed it down on the coffee table beside Tokoyami.

"Here," he said, "let me help you sit up."

Tokoyami was having trouble breathing properly as he was lifted upright. "I can… feed myself."

Shouji watched as his boyfriend shakily tried to reach for the spoon. "You're trembling." He raised the bowl, slipped off his mask, and blew on it himself. "Just let me do it. You really have to work on not being so stubborn."

"I'm not," Tokoyami grumbled. But he didn't stop Shouji from feeding him like a little kid.

After gulping down two whole bowls of soup, Tokoyami was made to lie down again. Shouji then went to the bathroom to fill a small tub with water and dumped all of their trays of ice into it. He grabbed a clean towel from the cabinet and dipped it into the tub, twisting and wringing it out. He then carried everything back into the living room, gently wiping the sweat from Tokoyami's feathers with the towel.

"Is your back sweaty?" asked Shouji.

Tokoyami tried to get back up, his shirt sticking onto the leather couch. "Drenched."

Once again, Shouji helped his boyfriend up, stripping the shirt off and folding it neatly onto the table. He washed the towel once more, wringing it out, and softly cleaned the grime from Tokoyami's back and arms, raising them to get the underarms as well. Every movement that Shouji made was careful, thoughtful, and tender as he covered every section of skin on Tokoyami's torso.

"I'll get you another shirt," said Shouji when he finished. "Which one do you want?"

"The black one," Tokoyami muttered.

Shouji didn't move. "I repeat, which one do you want?"

Tokoyami shrugged, trying to keep himself from falling over. "It doesn't matter so long as it's comfortable, I guess."

Shouji pushed Tokoyami back a little so that he at least had the back of the couch to keep him from falling. He then went to get a shirt from their shared closet, loose enough so that Tokoyami could breathe without trouble. Tokoyami felt like a toddler as he was helped into the shirt and placed back onto the couch with a new pillow that wasn't soaked.

"Thanks," said Tokoyami as Shouji placed the wet towel on his forehead.

"Tell me if you need anything," Shouji smiled, still unmasked so that he could show off a genuine one. "I'll be right here."

From time to time, Tokoyami woke up to find a new glass of water nearby, sometimes unaware that he even drank before. Shouji was always close, sometimes reading a book or looking through his phone. But every twenty minutes or so, he would change the towel and refill the glass and ask if there was anything Tokoyami needed. Even when it was obvious that he was asleep and couldn't answer. He wanted to make sure.

"Your fever's gone down," said Shouji, pulling his hand away from Tokoyami's face, feeling relieved.

Tokoyami nodded as he sipped his cup of white tea. "Thanks to you."

"Do you feel okay enough to take a shower?" asked Shouji. "Or do you need me to help with that too?"

"Is that for my benefit or yours?" Tokoyami chuckled. He placed the cup back down onto the coaster. "But, Mezo, thank you… really."

"Of course… anytime."

11. I didn't know that you could get so jealous.

Kirishima invited everyone to the beach on his day off. A lot of their classmates were busy but at least half of them were able to come. As well as Bakugou who was dragged there while he was asleep. At the moment, he was chasing after Kirishima and Kaminari with miniature explosions going off from his fingertips.

"Mashirao, be sure to get every part of my back," said Hagakure. "I don't want to get all red from the sun."

Shouji stripped off his t-shirt. "I don't think anyone will notice."

"Would it kill you to be a little less honest?" Ojiro sighed.

Ashido stretched out, laying back into her beach chair. "I'm so jealous. You guys are all such adorable couples."

Tokoyami wanted to stay in the shade of the umbrella, reading his collection of Junji Ito comics. He watched from afar as Shouji went for a swim with Tsuyu. Ashido was sunbathing, Midoriya and Uraraka were eating ice cream, Ojiro and Hagakure were sharing a smoothie, and Bakugou was getting spicy ramen on the boardwalk after burying Kirishima and Kaminari neck deep in sand.

A sudden gasp pulled Tokoyami's beak out of the book. A girl he didn't recognize got super close to him and he wondered for a moment if it was because she recognized him and was a fan. But then he noticed that her attention had been on the book first.

"Junji Ito? I love his work!" she cried out. "All my friends say it's too creepy."

Tokoyami blinked a few times before nodding, a smile on his beak since it was rare for him to find other fans of the work. Even Shouji didn't like to read the material with him. "Yeah, it's truly amazing. Ito-sensei's mind is like a passionate wonderland of darkness."

"I think the same thing!" said the girl.

Ashido raised her sunglasses. "Could this be the entrance of a love rival?"

"Stop it," Uraraka hissed. "He's just making a new friend."

Ashido raised a brow before discreetly pointing at the pair. "You sure about that?"

At first, Tokoyami and the girl were avidly discussing their favorite comics by Junji Ito. Ever so slowly and subtly, she inched closer to him. Everyone's eyes practically bugged out of their heads when she pressed her breasts right up on Tokoyami's arm and batted her eyes flirtatiously although the actual object of her attempts didn't seem to notice whatsoever.

"Shouji's lucky that Toko-chan's a true gay," Ashido grinned.

Midoriya glanced towards the ocean and noticed an octopus rising out of the sea with a frog watching closely behind. The muscular cephalopod made his way across the sand towards them, hunched over, wet bangs in his face, and an indiscernible expression. But a threatening aura was clearly rising from him.

"Fumikage," said Shouji.

Tokoyami paused mid-sentence, looking up. The girl clearly intimidated by the sight of this enormous man looming over them. "Is something wrong, Mezo?"

"Not particularly," Shouji then reached down and grabbed his boyfriend by the wrist, pulling him up, but careful not to hurt him. He then directed himself to the girl, stating, "I need to borrow him for a bit." Then, just to make sure she got the message, walked off while holding Tokoyami in his arms, bridal style.

"I love the ShouToko show," Ashido grinned.

"The what?" Midoriya blinked.

Shouji brought Tokoyami all the way to the ramen house where Bakugou had just made it to his tenth bowl. Kirishima was trying to match up but he was tearing up and sweating like crazy after a few bites. Kaminari was just trying to get sand out of his ears and trunks.

"What is it?" asked Tokoyami. "You seem upset."

Shouji avoided eye contact. "Sorry… it's just, you shouldn't let strangers get so close to you like that."

"Why not?"

"You never know what their intentions could be," Shouji gave as an explanation. "I don't… want you to get hurt or something…"

Tokoyami was able to put two and two together rather easily. He stood up on his toes, reached up, took Shouji by the cheeks and turned him so that they had to look at each other. "There's no need to be so jealous. I can take care of myself if someone makes unwanted advances towards me."

"I know," said Shouji. "But… it's not a nice feeling to have."

"You know you're the only one for me," Tokoyami smiled. He pulled down Shouji's mask and brought their faces close so that he could kiss him on the mouth. It was the first time they shared one in public, where anyone could see. The ones that mattered, their friends, watched the scene with happy smiles. "I love you too much to be taken by anyone else."

"I feel the same," Shouji chuckled.

Bakugou threw a pair of chopsticks at them. "Get a damn room!"

12. I didn't know you could actually cook something well.

The Ennichi Festival rolled around and the excitement could be felt in the air. People were putting on their yukatas and kimonos and heading out with their friends and families for greasy food and festive dancing. It was a big event in Shizuoka. Even would-be villains refrained from doing anything nefarious on this day because they wanted to enjoy it as well.

Tokoyami was dressed in a black kimono decorated in scarlet roses with a red obi and told over and over again how cute he looked. Shouji also kept trying to make the outfit low cut in the front to show off the line in between his pecs, claiming that it was to keep him cool. But it was obvious that Shouji just thought it would look sexier that way.

Shouji had a simple, sky blue yukata. He rolled the sleeves up to his shoulders so that it could be fair.

"You can't lie and tell me you don't like seeing my muscles," Shouji teased.

They were headed towards the festival, Tokoyami was pretending not to stare. "Shut up…"

"Tokoyami, Shouji, over here!" Iida waved to the pair enthusiastically when they arrived. "I hope you're both doing well!"

"Iida, you came all the way from Hosu City for this?" Tokoyami asked.

"I always go with Midoriya and Uraraka," Iida grinned. "I'm supposed to meet them at the takoyaki stand, care to join me?"

Tokoyami noticed a wet spot forming on Shouji's mask. "You're drooling."

The three of them took a stroll through the festival, waving back to the people that recognized them. It was no surprise that Iida had so many fans as Ingenium had bounced off the popularity of his predecessor after graduation. They all knew that he was going to get far. He had already overtaken Bakugou in the most recent popularity poll.

They made it to the stand where their fellow pro heroes were waiting. They stood close together to eat the takoyaki.

"It's not as good as obaa-san's," Shouji remarked, referring to the lady at the local park where he and Tokoyami went on their first date.

"Like you can do better," Tokoyami scoffed before looking at their friends. "Did you know this guy tried to poison me?"

Uraraka couldn't help giggling. "Just how badly can you cook?"

They noticed that Shouji had somehow vanished when they looked at him. They glanced around and noticed that he had gone behind the stand and was speaking to the chef. All of a sudden, he started making the octopus balls, pouring the batter into the specially made trays and using toothpicks to form them. The others started to panic when he sold his first batch.

"You're going to poison the poor child!" Iida chided.

"Have you turned to villainy?" Midoriya snapped.

"We're sorry for making fun of your cooking!" Uraraka cried out.

Shouji let out a disappointed sigh. "You guys are overreacting." How could they have no faith in him? "Fumikage, want to try?"

Tokoyami hesitated but seeing as the child was still conscious after eating one and seemed to enjoy it, he figured it couldn't hurt to try. The other three were some of the more hyperactive members in their class so it was no surprise that they were panicking with each passing second. They watched with bated breath as Tokoyami stabbed one with a toothpick, very slowly brought it up to his mouth, blew on it, and cautiously took a bite.

"It's good!" Tokoyami gasped, the other three mimicking his shock.

"Don't sound so surprised," said Shouji.

Dark Shadow appeared with a saddened expression. "Now I want to try it."

"You can't eat," Tokoyami reminded it, stuffing his beak. "Mezo, tomorrow, we're going shopping for takoyaki stuff."

Everyone gathered around the stand to try the snacks for themselves. They ended up attracting quite a crowd with five pro heroes hovering over the stand. Shouji ended up getting stuck handing out boxes to everyone that heard the joyous reactions. Thankfully, they all helped out. The original owner was nowhere in sight, probably went off to enjoy the festival himself.

Iida raised his arms up high to try and get everyone's attention. "Could you all please get into two straight lines?"

"We're going to miss the fireworks like this," Uraraka whined.

"Don't worry," said Midoriya, "Everyone will disperse once the fireworks start, I'm sure."

The couple was doing the actual cooking for the most part. For the first time, Tokoyami was actually being instructed on what to do when it came to making food instead of the other way around. But it wasn't a particularly bad experience and they got to be close together. They smiled at each other through the heat as they worked hard for the amassed customers.

"You've got a surprising talent for this," Tokoyami chuckled.

"I'll make as much takoyaki for you as you'd like," Shouji smiled.

"I look forward to it."

13. I didn't know you could be so protective.

Tokoyami and Artemis heard the news right after they had taken down a villain and sent him off in handcuffs to the police. In a stunning ten to four vote in the supreme court, it was decided that same-sex marriage would be legalized in their nation. Sero sent Tokoyami a video from Shinjuku Ni-Chome, Tokyo's bustling gay neighborhood, where a parade was thrown in celebration.

On screen, Sero flashed them a huge smile. "Can't wait to see you guys at your wedding!"

"This is amazing!" Artemis squealed. "We should go out for drinks to celebrate!"

Tokoyami let out a chuckle. "Nice try, Miss Underaged."

"It was worth a shot."

At that moment, they heard something barreling down the street. Thinking it was another rampaging criminal, the pair got into fighting stances. But then Shouji rounded the corner and scooped up his boyfriend into his loving arms, spinning them around in the middle of the city for all to stare.

"Tentacole-san!" Artemis gasped.

"Put me down," Tokoyami laughed. "You're making me dizzy."

Shouji dropped the other man with cheerful laughter of his own. "Sorry, I just got so excited when I saw Sero's video. I wanted to see you right away."

"I know how you feel," Tokoyami smiled.

"Disgusting."

Tokoyami's body seized up, the blood in his veins had run cold and the feathers on the end of his head stood absolutely still. Shouji and Artemis had heard the remark as well and they turned to look at the owner of the voice. It looked to be a man in his fifties, crumpling up a newspaper into a tight wad and tossed it at Tokoyami's head. It bounced off and landed at the hero's feet.

"Hey!" Artemis snapped.

Shouji looked about ready to crush some bones as he sent a chilling glare at the old man. "What do you think you're—?!"

"Tentacole, don't," Tokoyami hissed.

Dark Shadow appeared, going down to pick up the litter and tossing it into a nearby trash receptacle. "I think you missed the can."

The man let out a curt, one-syllable response like a scoff. "Really, cuz' I think I hit the trash on the mark."

Shouji wanted to throw a punch but Tokoyami tightened his hold on Shouji's hand, preventing him from doing so. They were starting to attract attention from nearby onlookers. People were unsure of what to do and a couple were even taking out their phones to record the situation.

"Let's just go," said Tokoyami quietly. "People are staring."

"What's that geezer's problem?" Artemis grumbled.

There were always going to be people like that stranger. People with outdated ideas of what marriage should be about and take it upon themselves to preach to the masses about what they think is right. It's not like anyone can change their minds overnight. Sometimes it was just best to leave them to their own embittered selves. But while Shouji didn't care what this man said on his own time, what he said to his lover, he would not stand for.

"What's wrong ladies?" the man called after them in a mocking tone. "Late to dress shopping?"

"Mezo, no," said Tokoyami a little too late.

Shouji marched right back up to the man and it was clear that he was starting to regret his words because the six-armed man was absolutely gigantic. The fist came fast and was capable of breaking noses, crushing skulls, and basically destroying a face beyond recognition. But it stopped just short of the man's quaking face, morphed into a mouth, and kissed the end of his nose.

"We're actually getting manicures," said the mouth with a big smile. "But thanks for the suggestion."

Shouji then spun around and briskly returned to Tokoyami and Artemis, the latter of whom was trying not to burst into fits of laughter. They watched as the stranger, whose pants were soaked around the pelvis, collapsed to his knees. He jerked his head left and right, realized no one was going was on his side as they were all snickering and whispering, and crawled away into whatever hole he came out from.

"You scared me," said Tokoyami. "I thought you were going to get arrested for assault."

Shouji shrugged. "I figured for a guy like him, it would be worse to be kissed by a man."

"You are amazing, Tentacole-san!" Artemis cheered. "By the way, are we really getting manicures?"

"Sure, it'll be my treat."

"Yay! Tsukuyomi-san, your boyfriend is the coolest!"

Tokoyami couldn't help feeling pride as he linked arms with Shouji. "I know he is."

14. I didn't know you could get so scared.

"Ready to go home?"

Tokoyami looked up from the computer screen just as Shouji entered the office. Artemis had to focus on her schoolwork because her grades were slipping. Aizawa actually showed up personally to scold the pro hero for keeping her out all the time. But when Tokoyami revealed a forged report card with decent grades. Likewise, Aizawa had a pile of forged permission slips allowing Artemis to miss class.

The adults turned their attention to Artemis who had already fled. But Dark Shadow and Eraserhead's capture weapon caught her easily.

So it was just Tokoyami and Shouji in the office for the time being.

The couple liked to walk home together. Tokoyami had much better control of Dark Shadow at this point in his life but there were times when he simply didn't trust himself. So to keep him at ease, Shouji would take his hand as they navigated the darkened streets.

"Sure," said Tokoyami. "Just let me finish typing up this case report."

"You're usually done when I get here," Shouji chuckled.

"I know," Tokoyami sighed. "But Kirishima sent me this comic and I got derailed."

Whenever anyone in their class sent Tokoyami anything, it was always horror-related. For some reason, Shouji was reminded of the beach incident. It wasn't like he wasn't interested in Junji Ito or Stephen King but whenever he had free time, he preferred physical activity over reading. It was so much easier to watch a horror movie or series because he could do it with Tokoyami.

"Can I see it?" asked Shouji.

Tokoyami continued typing as he replied. "You sure? It actually spooked me a little."

That was a standard that class A worked by. If it can scare Tokoyami, then it was probably downright mortifying.

They realized that it was a horrible standard when he walked out of a theater saying that a film was a masterpiece only for everyone else to be too scared to get out of bed the next day. Aizawa felt a migraine coming on when only Tokoyami, Bakugou, Todoroki, and Iida (who forced himself) showed up to class. Koda, Jirou, Uraraka, and Midoriya did show up late but only because they quit the movie a quarter of the ways through so they were generally okay. The others toughed it out because of how much they paid to see it.

"I've gotten tougher since then," Shouji chuckled, knowing that that incident was what the other hero was thinking about. "I can watch all your favorites now."

Tokoyami nodded. "True, and Kirishima was okay enough to send it to me."

"So what's it called?"

"The Dong Chong Bong Ghost."

Shouji sat himself down in the swivel chair, scrolling down the page and reading. About two minutes passed before the screen let out an awful noise and Shouji leapt backwards, falling out of the chair. He tried desperately to scroll back up only to find that every previous page had been replaced with the face of a bloody woman.

"Get away! Get away! Get away!"

Tokoyami turned off the screen. Somehow, Shouji was able to squeeze his enormous body underneath the desk, shaking uncontrollably, eyes huge.

"Are you okay?" Tokoyami inquired softly. "I should've given you a warning about it."

Shouji didn't dare look up, too afraid that he might see the gorey expression if he did. "I—I'm fine… just need to… take a moment."

"I'll get you some juice," said Tokoyami. He summoned Dark Shadow and got it to turn on the lights and open the curtains. In the meantime, he quickly went over to the mini-fridge in the corner and got some apple juice. "Everything's okay, Mezo, I'm right here."

Shouji morphed a hand into a mouth, taking the glass with a free hand and sipped from it. "Thank you…"

"I'll protect you," Tokoyami promised. "We'll stay here for tonight and go back home in the morning."

They sat together and filled the silence with as much dialogue as possible. Tokoyami knew that when he was little, whenever he was scared, it would help to listen to his father talk about mundane things. What happened throughout the day, the people he met, the stories he heard, things like that. Eventually, he was able to coax Shouji out from under the table and onto the couch on the other side of the room so he could lie down.

"Please stay by me," Shouji murmured, like a child after a nightmare.

"I will," said Tokoyami, softly brushing his fingers over Shouji's cheek. "I'll stay with you all night long."

15. I didn't know how good you could be with words.

They agreed to go out drinking with Koda one night which was rare. The three of them were fairly close even after graduating as they were able to take walks with only two of them filling the silence. But what was even rarer was the fact that Koda was the one who instigated it. He asked them to go to a bar with him while he was in town.

"Something's up," said Tokoyami as he parked the car.

"What do you mean?" asked Shouji. "Maybe he just wants to celebrate moving up from being a sidekick."

"Then he would've said so," Tokoyami replied. "Either that or one of us would've suggested the idea."

Shouji could see their friend waving to them from the entrance. "Well, we'll find out soon enough."

It was hard, as always, to not get the attention of the entire room. But they seated themselves in the corner booth and got a few bottles of sake. Of course, neither Tokoyami nor Shouji wanted to ask why they were there as it might come off as rude. So they waited patiently for Koda to start. It might seem strange but the pair had secretly been referring to Koda as if he was their son.

"I wanted to ask you guys something," said Koda, looking down into his drink. "How do you… ask out the person you like?"

Tokoyami and Shouji traded glances with each other. It was clear what they were silently trying to communicate with each other. Their 'son' was growing up. But more importantly, who was this person that Koda said he liked? They thought about everyone in class, methodically ruling out people that just didn't sound right like Bakugou and Aoyama and Mineta and those in relationships.

"Who could it be?" Tokoyami whispered.

"You don't think it's one of us, do you?" Shouji asked back.

"I hope not," Tokoyami muttered. "That would make things awkward."

Koda looked up, jerking forward when he realized that he was being whispered about, causing the ice in his glass to clink around. One of his worst fears was to be talked about behind his back. But these two were actually bold enough to do in front of him. "W—What? Is it weird for me to have a crush?"

"Well, no," Tokoyami replied. "We were just wondering… who it was."

"Jirou?" Shouji suddenly asked.

Koda turned bright red and it was clear that they had hit the mark. They knew he had a crush on their musical classmate back during their school days but who would've thought that he would still have it after so long. Jirou was single and nice and would definitely treat Koda well so she was someone they could approve of. The only problem was the fact that the entire class was still betting on either she or Kaminari to ask out one another. They'd danced around it for ten years already.

"I know she has feelings for Kaminari," Koda muttered. "And he likes her. But if they keep waiting…" He closed his hands around the glass. "Why can't I…?"

This was exactly the type of drama Tokoyami liked to stay out of. They were all friends. So for the longest time, some people refused to ask out on another for fear that someone else liked them. But they were adults now. They couldn't just wait for something to happen.

"What made you like her all over again?" asked Shouji.

"She called to congratulate me," said Koda, "on my decision to open up my own agency. And hearing her voice… all happy like that, brought it all back."

Tokoyami knew how that felt. After months of not being allowed to contact Shouji, just hearing one word was enough to fill him with the love he'd been missing.

"I think you should try," said Shouji, surprising the other two. "You should… be honest about how you feel. I don't know how Jirou will react or if she will accept your feelings but I do think it's wrong for you to bottle it up the way she or Kaminari does."

Koda looked up from the reflection in the cup at his friends. "And if she rejects me?"

"We're alumni from U.A.," Shouji stated. "If we fall, then we just get back up again. The important thing is that you don't fear failure."

For someone who needed help in Japanese from Tokoyami of all people, Shouji was surprisingly good with his words. The smile on Koda's face was proof of that. The pair also silently told one another that they would be there for Koda no matter what Jirou would do.

"I just hope we can continue to be friends even if she rejects me," Koda chuckled.

"Knowing Jirou," Tokoyami grinned, "I'm sure things will be fine."

16. I didn't know it could be so easy to get you to do something.

For the first time since they started living together, Shouji was not awake before Tokoyami. The Jet Black Hero opened his eyes to see his boyfriend still fast asleep. That was the assumption in any case. But he came to the quick realization that Shouji was most likely awake because he felt a large hand on his right ass cheek. And then it squeezed.

Tokoyami elbowed Shouji in the side, causing him to retreat into himself. "Are you really horny this early in the morning?"

"Kind of," Shouji mumbled in reply.

"Jeez," Tokoyami groaned, "you've gotten bolder ever since you moved in."

As Tokoyami sat up, trying to straighten out the feathers that got squashed against the pillow, Shouji grabbed him by the forearm. With a sudden yank, Tokoyami fell back onto the bed and was pulled into six enveloping arms. The hands rested on his backside, leaving no openings as they slipped inside his shirt.

"Mezo, we have work," said Tokoyami, although he didn't do much to resist.

Shouji buried his face in the plume. "I want to stay… here with you…"

The hands stopped trying to find their way into Tokoyami's pants and no longer slid around his back. He felt a soft and warm breath tickling the top of his head. The steady rise and fall of a thick, tough, and toned chest pressed up against his own body.

"Mezo…," Tokoyami sighed. "Did you really just fall back to sleep?!"

With Dark Shadow's help, Tokoyami was able to pry himself away. Then he picked up Shouji's phone and unlocked it with the satisfying knowledge that the passcode was his own birthday. He set up an alarm with the loudest sound, bell tower, to go off in five minutes. Then he left it right next to Shouji's head before going to get breakfast ready.

Shouji liked to eat a bowl of white rice with two raw eggs and natto. It was a disgusting concoction to Tokoyami but it was supposedly extremely nutritious. As he put on a sick mask to try and nullify the smell of the fermented soybeans, he heard the alarm go off in the bedroom. Everything was put into a bowl and mixed but the alarm was still going. And going. And going.

"Is he ever going to get up?" Tokoyami grumbled.

A whine traveled into the kitchen. "Fumikage… turn it off…"

Tokoyami pulled the mask down and yelled, "It's right next to your head!"

There was a clatter as a phone flew out the door and landed in the hallway between the bedroom and bathroom. The case was rather sturdy so there shouldn't have been any worry about the screen cracking or anything. But Tokoyami was about ready to throw it back at his lover's head.

"Shouji," Tokoyami stated, his voice completely devoid of emotion.

Without having to form any kind of sentence, Shouji scrambled out of the bed, the blanket flying right off. He crawled out of the room on all fours as fast as he could with a panicked expression, the sheets dragging behind him because they got entangled in his legs. He landed on his stomach as he grabbed his phone and turned off the alarm.

Shouji sat there in the hall on his knees, eyes down. "I'm sorry… please don't call me by my surname like that again."

"Had I known that's all it took for you to do something, I'd have done it more," Tokoyami smirked. "Come on, it's time to eat."

"Can you feed me?"

"Shouji."

"I'm sorry!"

17. I didn't know you could be such a mess.

The former class A and B decided to work together to throw a huge party for Kirishima and Tetsutetsu for their birthday. They were always reminded of their first October sixteenth, when they discovered the two were born on the same day. They both cried out, "How redundant!" and it echoed all through the campus. The kids from other departments actually popped their heads out to tell them to shut up.

They decided together to reserve an entire Korean barbecue place just for the festivities. With all four students that had gotten in through recommendations, they were able to afford it. Of course, the others insisted on paying for the food at the very least.

"You guys didn't go all out for my birthday a week ago," Mineta slurred.

Sero looked over at the one glass of beer in front of the tiny hero. "How did you get drunk so fast?"

Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were having an eating contest, gobbling down on as much meat as they possibly could. The most excitable members of their classes were cheering them on with all their might. Others like Iida and Kendo were trying to silence their rambunctious behavior. Then there was Midoriya and Ibara, apologizing to the wait staff for their shenanigans.

"You better not lose, Shitty Hair!" Bakugou shouted.

"Tetsutetsu's got two meats ahead already," Monoma grinned, "Isn't class A supposed to be better?"

Satou sighed as he raised a glass to his mouth. "You're still on that?"

Tokoyami and Shouji stayed in the corner of the restaurant, away from the craziness. They preferred the quiet anyway. But they were watching Koda carefully as he spoke to Jirou from afar. They thought it was bad timing to do it on one of their friend's birthdays but Koda felt that if he didn't do it right away then no other chance would present itself.

"Can you hear them?" Tokoyami whispered.

Shouji raised a morphed ear, trying to bring it closer. "Everyone else is too loud."

"Then we just have to count on their reactions," said Tokoyami.

All of a sudden, the worst person for this situation appeared from the mass of cheering adults. "What are you guys doing?" Kaminari followed their line of sight, seeing a flustered Koda trying to find the right words. "Hm? I wonder what those two are talking about."

As he was about to go over to the pair, Shouji stood up. "Kaminari! Do you want to have a drinking contest?"

"Eh?" Tokoyami blinked.

"Eh?" Kaminari repeated.

Shouji grabbed Kaminari by the elbow and started pulling him away in the opposite direction. "Come on, I'll show you just how much I can take!"

"Hold on," said Kaminari, struggling in the stronger man's grasp. "Are you already drunk, man?"

Tokoyami silently thanked his boyfriend before returning his attention to the scene in front. That's when he saw Jirou's cheeks flushed, the confession must've already happened. If only he could read lips well or had a Quirk that allowed him to hear them at a normal volume. Before long, Jirou went off to the girls while Koda joined Tokoyami in the corner.

"Celebratory or consolatory drink?" Tokoyami mumbled to himself as Koda sat down. "What did she say?"

Koda twiddled his thumbs, refusing to look up. "Jirou-san said she'd be willing to give it a try because it's me." Upon closer inspection, Tokoyami could an uncontrollable smile on the other man's adorable face. "Because it's me…"

"You already said that," Tokoyami chuckled. "I'm happy for you."

"Hm?" Koda glanced around. "Where'd Shouji-san go?"

At that moment, they saw Kaminari dragging someone to them by the ankles. They saw that Shouji was blubbering some nonsense while flailing all of his arms about. Everytime they passed too close to the chairs or tables, his arms would get caught, scraping the legs across the floor. Before long, the entire room was staring at a completely smashed Shouji.

"How much did he drink in just three minutes?!" Tokoyami asked.

"Depends," Kaminari grunted. "How many shots is an entire handle of vodka?"

Tokoyami squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed at the spot in between his eyes. He stood up, excused himself, and grabbed their jackets. "I think I'll take him home." He looked over to the birthday guys with their mouths stuffed with beef and pork and chicken. "Happy birthday, Kirishima, Tetsutetsu. Sorry for… him…"

Dark Shadow appeared and lifted Shouji up with ease. "Goodnight everybody!"

"God, how can you be so embarrassing?" Tokoyami groaned once they were out into the brisk autumn night. "You're lucky you're cute."

"I… dink yer cute too…" Shouji laughed, trying to reach down and hug Tokoyami. "I lub yoo… so muj…"

Tokoyami knew that his smile couldn't be seen. "I love you too."

18. I didn't know your definition of Plus Ultra was so extreme.

When Tokoyami got home from work, he saw a trail of black and red rose petals leading towards the terrace. The curtains were drawn for the first time in forever so he couldn't see beyond the glass doors. But he knew that Shouji was likely waiting for him there.

"If you're going to be out there naked like last time," said Tokoyami as he slid open the door, "you better not have caught a cold…"

Standing out on the terrace was Shouji in a blue suit, maskless, and holding a bouquet of carnations. Jirou stood in the corner in a tuxedo and holding a violin. Along the railing was all the potted flowers that Shouji had ever given his boyfriend in the long decade they'd been together as they always were. There was also a table set up with a lit candelabra, a bottle of red wine, and a silver platter of assorted cheeses, obviously made by Aoyama.

Shouji looked down at the bouquet and then back up. "I think I finally get why you scold me for saying too much."

"Yeah," Jirou nodded. "That was way too much information."

Aoyama suddenly appeared from the darkness inside the house in a suit, clearly playing the role of a waiter. "Should we postpone?"

Once the initial awkwardness died down, the couple sat down across from each other to have dinner. Aoyama was not only their server but their chef along with Satou who had been hiding in the kitchen. As for Jirou, she had been asked to be their live entertainment as she started playing their favorite love songs. It became clear that since they were only one hour away from midnight that this was a birthday dinner date.

"You didn't have to do all this," Tokoyami chuckled.

Shouji showed off one of his real smiles, dinosaur-like teeth and all. "No, but I wanted to."

"I was talking to Jirou," Tokoyami grinned. "Aoyama and Satou too."

"Oh don't worry, I made Shouji sign a contract to pay us," said Jirou. "You know he has a bunch of money in his bank account?"

Tokoyami shook his head as he turned back to his food. "I know, he won't spend his salary on anything."

"You spend your money on too many things," Shouji countered.

The couple bantered like that all night long, talking about how their days were, how long Shouji had been planning this, and what they wanted to do for Halloween the following day. Dessert was apple pie that Shouji actually worked on all day with Satou's help. This put a pause in their conversation as Tokoyami became to distracted with eating.

About five minutes before midnight, Jirou gestured at her watch.

Shouji cleaned off the crumbs from his mouth. "Fumikage… I want to ask you something important."

Tokoyami wiped at his beak before looking up. "Sure, what is it?"

"Well," Shouji took a deep breath, "Tokoyami Fumikage… we got together almost exactly ten years ago now. Since then, a lot has changed. We grew up, became heroes, smiled more, cried more, and we even started living together." Shouji stood up, holding a small black box in his hands. "I know things will continue to change. But I want to experience those changes with you for the rest of my life."

Tokoyami's heart was trying to break out of his chest. He knew something was up from the moment his full name was used. But as Shouji got down on one knee, he felt like something in him was going to burst open. "Mezo…"

"Fumikage," said Shouji, opening up the box to reveal a black diamond ring inside, "Will you marry me?"

Tokoyami felt stupid for crying because it was supposed to be a happy occasion. But the tears just fell down faster than he could wipe them away with one hand. "Yes, of course!" He flew off the chair and threw his arms around Shouji's neck. They held each other while Jirou could no longer play because she was tearing up too.

From inside the house, Satou hissed into a cellphone, "He said yes!"

As Shouji put the ring on Tokoyami's finger, somewhere far away, a group of heroes were preparing another surprise. Yaoyorozu had created a bunch of specially made fireworks that were lit by Todoroki, made weightless by Uraraka, and then thrown into the sky by Midoriya. The newly engaged couple could see from their spot on the terrace as the night sky was alight with colorful explosions.

"Did you blow all your savings on this?" Tokoyami laughed.

Shouji placed an arm around his fiancé's waist, pulling him closer so that they were side to side. "Not all, but I would've. If it's for you, I'll do anything."

"God…" Tokoyami wiped at his face again. "You're so cheesy."

"Aoyama did give us a rather large platter of it," Shouji smiled.

"Oh shut up." Tokoyami grabbed Shouji by the collar, pulled him down, and kissed him, not quite caring how it looked or the fact that Jirou was snapping pictures on her phone. All he cared about was being with this over-the-top man forever.

19. I didn't know how much you already planned out.

Ashido and Hagakure elected themselves a long time ago to be the class A's official wedding planners. Usually, upon seeing Ashido at the entrance, Tokoyami would slam the door in her face because she was always there to tease him. But since she called ahead for once, he decided to be courteous. The girls waltzed in and slammed down a binder on the coffee table while Shouji was getting tea for their guests.

"So let's start with a guest list," Ashido stated.

"Obviously, classmates and family," Hagakure jotted down. "Who do you want to be your grooms… people?"

Tokoyami hadn't really thought about it. Whenever he tried to picture a wedding, it was always small. He didn't exactly have a lot of friends before going to U.A. having always kept people at arm's length. So he could only imagine class A, some hero friends, and his father.

"Artemis will be the flower girl," Shouji stated. "Jirou will be Tokoyami's best woman and Koda will be my best man."

Ashido and Hagakure immediately started writing that down. Tokoyami just watched with huge eyes as his fiancé began listing off other people to add onto the guest list. It ranged from teachers to heroes they interned for to police officers they were on good terms with. Before long, they had about eighty people written down.

"Shouji-kun, you're talking too fast!" Hagakure huffed. "My hand is cramping up."

Ashido let out a groan as she massaged her wrist. "Yeah, mine too."

"Sorry," Shouji muttered.

Tokoyami picked up the binder to see what they had so far. For both of them, there were only going to be three grooms-people. Jirou, Midoriya, and Todoroki were the ones for Tokoyami which he couldn't really argue with. Koda, Uraraka, and Yaoyorozu for Shouji which was most likely to pair up with the ones on Tokoyami's side. It made sense.

They even already had a music selection picked out for the dances. Various business cards had been laid out, emerging from within Shouji's wallet, of florists, caterers, and photographers. They even came along with printed out reviews of real-life clients stating how well they each did. It was clear that a ton of research had gone into this but seeing as Shouji was always doing hero work, when could he have the time?

"How long have you planned out our wedding?" asked Tokoyami.

"...Since we started dating," Shouji admitted quietly.

"Awww," Hagakure cooed.

Ashido looked up one of the florists on her phone, noticing that they went out of business about five years ago. "Hm… You know, I would find it cute too but let's be honest here, had we known about this from the beginning then we'd be calling you obsessive, Shouji."

Tokoyami had to agree that it did seem a bit much. But mostly, he had wondered how Shouji could be so sure since the start that they would even make it this far. It was rare for couples in their very first relationship to actually stay together for this long. But there they were, sitting next to each other, discussing their marriage.

"I need to get some fresh air," said Tokoyami, getting up and walking towards the terrace.

"See," said Ashido, "even he thinks it's creepy."

Shouji told the girls to keep talking about their plans while he went to check on Tokoyami, closing the door behind him so that they could have some privacy. "Hey… is something wrong? Did I… do something I shouldn't have?"

Tokoyami sat on his heels, looking at the flowers on the railing. "No, you didn't. To be honest, I feel… guilty."

"Guilty?" Shouji crouched down to be closer to his level. "About what?"

Tokoyami reached over, delicately touching the petals, like they might crumple if he used too much force. "Remember that press conference? How you answered so confidently that we would last a long time?" He didn't wait for a response. "I… hesitated. I think a part of me thought that we'd eventually lose our feelings for each other. So to hear that you've loved me so deeply for this long…"

"Everyone experiences love differently," Shouji interjected. "You don't need to feel guilty about that."

"Still…"

Shouji pulled Tokoyami to him, turning his face towards him, and then pulling down his mask so that they could kiss one another. The girls took pictures through the glass. They zipped back onto the couch once the guys pulled away.

"The important thing isn't how long you've loved, just that the love is real," Shouji said, his voice soft. "And I know your love for me is real."

Tokoyami nodded before kissing Shouji again, resulting in another impromptu photo shoot. "It is, it absolutely is."

20. I didn't know you would do so much for me.

Shouji awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of crunching, like someone eating dry cereal except it sounded harder and denser. But when he turned on the lamp, it abruptly stopped. Rubbing the tiredness from his eyes, Shouji looked over to find his fiancé sitting up with an opened box of pasta in his lap and eating the uncooked noodles.

"I'm not having a really weird dream am I?" Shouji asked after a minute of silence.

Tokoyami swallowed the bits, scratching up his throat a bit. "Sorry… I didn't wake you did I?"

"Not sure," said Shouji, sitting up. "Um, why are you eating raw pasta?"

"Stress eating."

"Raw pasta?"

They weren't sure if there would be any negative effects to the body but Shouji didn't think it could be healthy either. So he snatched the box away though when he rattled it, he realized it was already half empty. He gave Tokoyami a look as he dropped the package down to the floor.

"What's going on?" Shouji inquired. "You know you can talk to me."

Tokoyami ran his hands over his feathers, trying to straighten them out the best he could without a mirror. He refused to look at his lover. "I've been having bad dreams. I think they're anxiety-induced because of the upcoming wedding and all the preparation."

"What are they about?"

"Something, anything, everything going wrong."

In the dream, the couple would be standing at the altar, everyone watching them. Someone would stand up and shout an objection that for some reason, was reasonable enough to make them call off the marriage. Or something would spontaneously burst into flames. Or the cake would topple over and smush a guest, suffocating them to death. Or worst of all, Shouji decided to say no. Usually, it was all of the above or some combination thereof.

Shouji knew that Tokoyami worried too much when it came to their relationship. But he never imagined that his insecurities could be so pervasive that those thoughts would intrude on his dreams. Now he was starting to understand why Tokoyami slept with a night light all throughout his high school years.

"Where is it?" Shouji asked. "I doubt you threw it away."

Tokoyami frowned. "Where's what?"

"Your old night light, the one shaped like a phoenix."

"I thought I was getting too old for one so…"

Shouji climbed out of bed, opened up their closet, and got dressed. It was three AM so there wouldn't be many stories open and the nearest twenty-four hour pharmacy was a quite a ways away. It was also probably really cold outside during this time of year. But Shouji didn't listen to any of those objections and told Tokoyami to stay up until he came back.

"I'm going to borrow your bike," said Shouji before leaving.

In the past, Tokoyami's sleep would often be plagued by nightmares of Dark Shadow losing control and hurting his loved ones. He always slept with a night light and, during the times when they were really bad, a couple of candles in order to ward them off. When he started sharing a bed with Shouji, they disappeared. But new dreams replaced them soon enough.

"It feels like your life revolves around Mezo now," Dark Shadow commented.

"I know," Tokoyami replied before smiling to himself. "I never thought I'd love someone so much."

Shouji returned soon enough and he plugged in the simple light into the nearest available outlet on Tokoyami's side. He then changed back into his pajamas which consisted of an undershirt and shorts. As he climbed back into bed, Tokoyami pecked him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" Shouji chuckled. "Not that I didn't like it."

"Just a thank you," said Tokoyami, "for everything."

21. I didn't know how dangerous your bluntness could be.

Their managers booked the couple on a variety show that specializes in doing interviews on hero teams, friendships, and romances. It would be the first time they would have a same-sex couple on the show so it was going to be exciting but it would also set a new precedent. The main reason for this show was to talk about their recent engagement which would likely be all over social media while they were on air. It would mean huge ratings regardless of whether it was good or bad.

The host turned to the camera with a huge smile as she always does. "And we're back with special hero guests, Tsukuyomi and Tentacole!"

They had talked to the producers about what they can and cannot do. In order to make sure there wouldn't be any or too much backlash for the network, the pro heroes were asked not to do anything more affectionate than holding hands. That was fine by them. They didn't exactly want to kiss or nuzzle in front of a live audience.

"It's an honor to be here," Tokoyami smiled.

Shouji refrained from using his morphed hands to speak. "This is a first for us."

The live audience was clearly filled with their fans. They cheered loudly when the heroes came out on stage and when they were introduced.

The host asked the same questions as she always did with couples. How did you meet? When did you start dating? They were all basic questions that anyone could answer. There was also some banter and jokes tossed around which the producers prepared them for as well. Then…

"Do you guys have pet names for each other?"

Tokoyami had to think about it. "We mostly just refer to each other by our given names."

"I do call him My King during ro—." Shouji was cut off by a hand slapping over his mask.

If that sentence was finished then Shouji would've revealed their king and servant role play to the entire nation. To the whole world if the clip was uploaded onto the internet. Tokoyami had to think of a reason fast for shutting Shouji up.

"Stop, that's embarrassing," said Tokoyami, pretending to be flustered.

"Aw, but I think it's adorable," the host gushed. "I'd love for someone to call me their queen."

"It's a bit of a private thing," Tokoyami chuckled.

Shouji got the message. "Right, I forget, he gets really shy when I call him that in public. I think it's really adorable though."

The audience let out a collective aw. It was an effective recovery so Tokoyami was able to relax. The only thing he worried about was his friends watching and the more perceptive ones figuring out the truth. So long as Ashido wasn't one of them.

The host gestured towards Tokoyami's hand. "I'm sorry, it completely slipped my mind, can we see your ring?" As Tokoyami raised his hand, they got the camera crew to zoom in on it as they talked about how exciting the engagement must be. "So when is the wedding anyway?"

"It's next April," said Tokoyami. "We wanted it to be the day we first met."

"Speaking of which," Shouji broached, "during the grip strength test, were you staring—?"

Tokoyami raised his voice. Thankfully, since no one could see Shouji's mouth, it would be easy to act as if he hadn't spoken. "Isn't the ring beautiful?"

"Yes, very much so," the host agreed. "Okay, we have time for one more question. Where do you guys see yourselves in ten years?"

Shouji answered before anyone could stop him. "Happily married with ten kids."

"Ten?" the host and Tokoyami repeated.

"I can barely take care of you and your hormones," said Tokoyami before shutting his eyes. "Did I just say that out loud?"

The host was unsure of how to reply to all of this as the heroes gave her an apologetic look. So she did what every professional in show business did and flashed her brightest smile towards the camera. "And we'll be right back! Don't change the channel now!"

"For once it's not my fault," said Shouji once they knew it was commercial.

"Since when was your bluntness contagious?" Tokoyami groaned.

22. I didn't know you could be so supportive.

The first snow arrived before winter did, falling gently from above. A thin layer coated the sidewalks though it was nothing more than that. The couple was watching the outside with hot cocoa in their hands from inside Tsukuyomi's offices. That's when a call came in from their fellow hero and former classmate, Chargebolt. It was rather unexpected. It was rare for them to interact.

"What's going on, guys?" Kaminari grinned when he entered.

"You seem awfully cheery this morning," Tokoyami remarked. "Did something good happen?"

Kaminari shrugged as he plopped down onto the couch, declining Shouji's offer for drinks. "Something good happens all the time."

The couple glanced at each other, not sure how to interpret such a vague statement as it seemed rather out of character for their flashy friend. It sounded almost philosophical. Then they noticed what seemed to be a tinge of sadness in his eyes from the way he dreamily stared out the window, watching the white flakes fall.

"Are you okay?" asked Shouji, sitting down beside him. "You seem… different."

Kaminari rubbed his hands together, wondering about how he should respond. He gave them a big smile at first but seeing their concerned expressions made him drop it almost instantly. He then put a hand in his hair, grabbing onto a few strands like he was holding onto his head to keep it from falling off.

"I wanted to hang out with Jirou today," Kaminari told them. "But she told me she was on a date."

The couple shared another glance, this time, out of guilt. They should've known that this would come up sooner or later, they were just surprised that Kaminari would go talk to them. Bakugou had been recruited to take on some big-time villains in Europe, dragging Kirishima along, so they were out of the country. Todoroki wouldn't be the best emotional support and Midoriya was always out and about so it was hard to get a hold of him.

"I have a question," Shouji broached.

"Hm?"

"You like Jirou and she likes you," Shouji stated. "How come you never asked her out?"

Kaminari let out a short, one-syllable laugh before covering his face with his hands. "It might sound stupid but I had thought… if we never go out then we'll never break up. I didn't want to screw up what we have… but I forgot that meant she could date other people. God, I'm such an idiot."

"Academically, yes," said Tokoyami. "But I don't think you're stupid for that."

Shouji nodded in agreement, to both statements. "Your sentiments for Jirou are genuine. I think you should tell her how you feel."

"Well, I'm not sure about that," Tokoyami muttered.

Neither was Kaminari apparently. "I don't want to complicate things. Besides, Koda's my friend too, I don't want to get in the way of his happiness."

The silence that followed this statement was palpable. Tokoyami wished that for all the poetry he read and the overdramatics he got involved with, he could find the right words to comfort people. He could only imagine how painful it would be to see the person he loved, Shouji in this case, going out with someone else. To make the mental image worse, someone he wouldn't want to ruin the joy for.

"Tell her that too, then," said Shouji. "Be upfront that you don't want to complicate things but that you need to get it off your chest."

Kaminari was still unsure but he thanked the other man for the advice. They waved him off at the entrance of the office building, watching the snowflakes get caught on his black costume, melting before they could stick around. Before long, he was just a speck in the distance.

"I don't think it's that easy for things to be uncomplicated," said Tokoyami. "Relationships are always like that."

Shouji couldn't exactly deny the claim. "Fumikage… what do you fear most about us?"

It wasn't hard to come up with an answer. "I fear," said Tokoyami, "you'll wake up one day and decide you don't want me anymore."

For the Jet Black Hero, this was once a reality for him. He didn't even know who his biological parents were because they couldn't handle a baby with a Quirk that went berserk at night for more than a week. So they dropped him off at an orphanage with a note that tried to justify their actions by calling the child cursed. It was hard knowing that the people that gave birth to you wanted nothing to do with you.

"I can't imagine myself ever not wanting you," Shouji replied, knowing all this.

"You say that now," Tokoyami chuckled. "But you don't know what tomorrow may bring."

Before Tokoyami could leave the conversation at that, Shouji pulled the smaller man into his arms, holding him close. "What I fear most… is that you'll continue to think you're not worth being loved and push me away. I love you, Fumikage… so much that it actually hurts to think about a reality in which I don't. So please stop treating yourself like you don't deserve me."

Lukewarm teardrops slid down Tokoyami's beak and found a new home on Shouji's forearms. He couldn't think of a response so they just stayed that way for the longest time. The cocoa they left on the coffee table upstairs had become cold by now.

23. I didn't know you could be so good with kids.

Every year around Christmas, Tokoyami would visit as many orphanages around Shizuoka as possible to celebrate with the kids. The first one always being Birthright where he spent the first three to four years of his own life. Sister Ella, his main caretaker during that time and the only one that was not afraid to be near him, always welcomed him with open arms.

"Fumikage-kun!" Elle smiled, giving the hero a hug. "It's so good to see you again!"

Tokoyami returned the gesture warmly. "Likewise, I'm glad you're looking well."

Elle noticed another visitor behind him. "Oh, and you brought your husband too!"

"Not husband yet," Shouji chuckled. "Soon though."

The children were absolutely thrilled to have two pro heroes visiting this year as they ambushed the pair as soon as they got into the playroom. Ella, using her Elastic Quirk, stretched out her arms to corral them before they could pester the guests too much. They laughed giddily as they were being told to be more respectful but once they had calmed down, they cheerfully greeted the new faces.

Shouji got down on his knees to play with the children. He allowed them to climb and swing on his arms while building castles with the little wooden blocks. In the meantime, Tokoyami wanted to talk to Ella in private. He knew from the moment they arrived that Ella seemed more fatigued than previous years and the other Sisters didn't seem present.

"They quit?" Tokoyami repeated.

"Not all," Ella sighed. "Just some."

Tokoyami had an idea of why. He'd gotten a call from another orphanage he'd often visited earlier in the week asking that Tsukuyomi not come that year. When asked why, he was given a vague response about not needing him.

But looking up Google searches, typing in his hero name, would offer suggestions only related to his sexuality and relationship with Shouji. One common search was, "Should I let my child look up to gay heroes?" It made Tokoyami's breath hitch in his throat and he shut his laptop off. There were those that genuinely worried that the youth would end up homosexual just by looking at gay people.

"This is my fault," Tokoyami huffed.

Ella shook her head. "No, no, no. Who or what you are has nothing to do with it. It's the ignorant people that are to blame here." She grabbed Tokoyami by the shoulders, they were about the same height, and turned him around to look at Shouji. "If they saw your fiancé like that, I'm sure they'd understand how wrong they were."

The Tentacle Hero was telling them stories about his work. The villains he arrested and the citizens he saved. The children were completely enthralled.

"Did you die?" asked one child.

"Almost," said Shouji, getting a collective gasp. "But a hero never gives up."

Tokoyami relaxed, smiling at the sight. "Right… Thank you, Sister Ella."

Shouji stood up, holding almost every single squealing child in his arms. He looked up at his fiancé with hopeful eyes. "Fumikage, let's adopt them."

"At least wait until we're married!"

The heroes spent the rest of the day entertaining the children. Tokoyami even played some Christmas songs on the guitar for them to sing along to. When night fell, the heroes tucked in the kids one by one and then they were asked to read bedtime stories. Shouji stopped his lover from reading Grimms' Fairy Tales.

"Do you want to scar them?" Shouji hissed. "They're going to be our babies."

"First of all, you don't know that," said Tokoyami. "Second of all, these were my favorite stories as a kid and I turned out fine."

Shouji thought about the gorey comics and horror flicks stacked in their stuffed bookshelf back home. Just reading through the titles of each was enough to render someone unable to sleep at night. "No, I think you're just a special case."

"And what's that supposed to mean?!" Tokoyami whisper-yelled, smacking Shouji's shoulder with the book.

The boy in the bed they were hovering over let out a little giggle. "Tsukuyomi, Tentacole, you guys are funny and super cool. I hope I get adopted… by people like you." He let out a yawn. "And if I don't, then I hope you guys can come here every year."

Shouji placed a hand to his chest. "Fumikage…"

"After marriage," Tokoyami stated. But at the same time, he felt excited too. The thought of raising a child together was one that made him smile.

24. I didn't know you could be so nervous.

For New Year's, the young heroes of Shizuoka decided to do a shrine visit together. Of course, Bakugou couldn't come but he sent them cards that shockingly, didn't have swear words on them. But Todoroki invited Yaoyorozu and Midoriya brought along Uraraka. Jirou was there but seemed a little out of it.

Tokoyami tightened his scarf and stuffed his hands into his black down jacket. "You okay?"

"Hm?" Jirou blinked and looked over. "Oh yeah, I'm fine."

Yaoyorozu placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "If you're feeling troubled, you can always talk to us, you know."

Jirou nodded, grateful to have them there. She linked arms with the two of them and started up the long climb up the stairs to the temple. The pair walked without hesitation, keeping pace with her. In the back, the actual boyfriends of the other two watched, feeling abandoned.

Shouji spoke softly, but with feeling. "Fumikage…"

The others followed along, attracting attention from other shrine-goers. Recently, Deku was gaining a ton of fame as people drew similarities to All Might in the way he fought villains. There was a large slime monster attacking the city with a truck filled with gasoline inside, making it difficult for Todoroki and Bakugou to get close. But as soon as Midoriya arrived, going at one hundred percent, the matter was settled in a second.

When they made it to the top, they were surprised to see that the trio that had gone ahead were talking to an older man that looked like a humanoid crow. They recognized him from the few times they encountered him visiting his son at the hospital after a bad villain attack. Tokoyami Karasuma, the adoptive father of Tokoyami Fumikage.

"How did you know we would be here?" asked Tokoyami.

"I asked your friend in advance," Karasuma chuckled, nodding towards Midoriya. "I wanted to surprise you."

Karasuma was a pilot so he was often out of the country. But he tried to visit his son as much as possible when he was in Japan. The others joined them, respectfully greeting the parent who returned the kindness in turn. Although Karasuma didn't seem as happy to see Shouji.

In pairs, they went up to pray to the gods to bless them with a prosperous year. Each of them with their own wishes in mind.

"Did I do something wrong?" Shouji whispered while they had their hands together.

Tokoyami rang the bell before looking over. "What do you mean?"

"Your father seems angry at me," Shouji replied. "Does he not want us to get married?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Tokoyami chuckled. "He's approved of you since day one."

Even so, Shouji wanted to hear verbal approval from his future father-in-law. Once the pair was done praying, they went to get fortunes to see if their wishes would be granted. Tokoyami got good luck but Shouji somehow managed to get one that said Extremely Bad Luck.

"It's just superstition," Uraraka said.

Midoriya stared at the slip of paper. "I didn't even know they had fortunes that bad."

Shouji tried to tell himself that it was a baseless superstition but he was starting to feel his chest tighten up. The wedding was in four months. He never even asked Karasuma's blessings for the marriage. Could that be the problem? Was it because he hadn't been traditional?

"Karasuma-san," Shouji called out.

The father and son had been conversing so to be interrupted, the former glared in response. "What."

Shouji froze up, finding that the words were lost now. "Um… that is… I wanted to ask… your son's mine!"

A cold breeze passed through the temple area as everyone stared at the man. The statement had yet to register but everyone else was in a state of disbelief. Some were trying to hold back laughter while others were trying to snap Shouji out of his dazed stupor. It soon became mortified when he realized exactly what he said.

"Excuse me?" both Tokoyami and Karasuma stated.

Shouji fell to his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that!"

The couple and parent were left alone on a freezing bench so that they could have a proper discussion with one another. Tokoyami sat in between them, prepared to facilitate. But he first had to reassure his boyfriend that it was alright, just a slip of a tongue, no one was going to hold it against him.

"Karasuma-san," said Shouji. "What I meant to ask was… would you be willing to give us your blessing?"

A few seconds passed before Karasuma burst into laughter. "My blessing? Shouji-kun, I gave it to you the moment I met you." He placed a weathered hand on his son's knee, giving it a squeeze. "I can see how happy you make Fumikage. The smile on his face is brightest when he's with you."

"Then why do you frown when you look at me?" Shouji asked.

Karasuma looked at his son, always so small even as an adult. "It's always hard to let go of someone you love to someone else. There is no one in my life more important to me than Fumikage. So I want to be sure… that you will love him even more than I do."

"I don't know," Shouji replied, "but I can promise you that I will never stop loving your son. He is my moon, shining beautiful light on the darkest of nights."

"Will you two stop it?" Tokoyami suddenly bemoaned. He stood up and marched towards his friends. "You're both so cheesy!"

"We love you too!" Shouji called after him.

"He's always so shy," Karasuma chuckled.

25. I didn't know you could be so clumsy.

Aoyama landed a triple axel with incredible grace and continued to sparkle as he glided across the ice, showing off to all the spectators. Tokoyami watched as Shouji turned into a newborn fawn, hanging onto the metal bar as tight as he could. He ended up bending the handrail with his tremendous grip strength so he spent the next five minutes apologizing to the employees.

"Here," Tokoyami offered, holding out his mitten-covered hand. "Hold on to me."

Shouji took hold before stepping back onto the ice. "But if I fall…"

Dark Shadow popped out, giving the larger man a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, I'll catch you guys."

The pair moved across the ice slowly. Shouji kept sliding this way and that but Dark Shadow helped keep him balanced. They'd gone skating before in the past with their classmates but Shouji preferred to stay on the outside and watch, always with the excuse that he was still recovering from a previous fight. But Tokoyami checked him over this time so there was no hiding it. He couldn't skate.

"They're blades on your feet," Shouji muttered. "What if I cut someone?"

Tokoyami chuckled lightly. "You'll be fine, just look at Aoyama."

Their blond friend was clearly showing off at this point. He could probably represent the country in the next winter Olympics and take all three medals. He even showed up at the rink in a glittery costume although he did that on a normal day as well.

"Monsieur Shouji," Aoyama winked. "You must let go of your inhibitions and let your inner twinkle loose!"

"Easy for you to say," Shouji retorted.

Tokoyami tried to lead the way. In no way was he an expert but he could skate backwards. So he turned around, took his fiancé by the hands, and helped him make his way. When Shouji found his balance, Tokoyami let go so that he could try by himself.

"See? You've got this," Tokoyami smiled. "You're a U.A. alum, right?"

Shouji returned the expression with a smile of his own. "Right."

But then he started accelerating towards the barricades along the perimeter. As he got closer, he started to panic, trying to change directions but ended up getting faster. Tokoyami's eyes widened in alarm as Shouji flailed his arms about, trying to figure out how to stop.

"Mezo!"

Tokoyami called out Dark Shadow quickly. The shadow beast lunged forward but then a little boy got in the way, excited to see the sentient Quirk, clearly a huge fan. Dark Shadow got distracted by the flattery but looked up when a loud crash resounded throughout the indoor rink. Tokoyami rushed past the Quirk and stopped beside his fiancé.

"Mezo, are you okay?" the bird-man asked. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Shouji was trying to get his eyes to focus. "Uh… crocodile?"

"That's not a number," Tokoyami sighed.

Just then, a familiar little old lady in a white coat and a special visor slid up to them, screeching to a halt beside the young heroes. She shook her head and clicked her tongue in agitation. "You're a pro hero now and you get taken down by a rail? How disgraceful."

"Recovery Girl," Tokoyami blinked. "You're here skating today too?"

"It's my day off but I guess heroes never rest," the nurse chuckled.

The couple sat on the bench while Shouji was being examined. It didn't look like he had broken anything at the very least. But his wrist and ankle might've been sprained so Recovery Girl quickly administered first-aid to those places before returning to enjoy her day.

"Are you okay?" asked Tokoyami.

Dark Shadow bowed his head in disappointment. "Sorry, I should've prioritized helping you."

"I'm fine," Shouji chuckled, dismissing the Quirk before looking over at his lover. "I'm fine, now that you're here."

26. I didn't know you could be so childish.

"You can play guitar?!"

Jirou showed up at the office with the string instrument as a late Christmas gift for her fellow hero. It came as a shock when Artemis heard about her boss's musical talent. It was an even bigger surprise when Jirou showed her a video from their first culture festival in which Tokoyami was in a band along with the Hearing Hero, Bakugou, Kaminari, and Yaoyorozu.

"Why don't you play something for your intern?" Jirou suggested. "I'm sure she wants to hear."

Shouji nodded, always one to hear his lover play. "Can you sing too? I haven't heard you sing in a long time."

Tokoyami sat at his office desk, trying to tune them all out. But when three pairs of expectant eyes looked upon him, he knew he couldn't ignore them forever. So he took the instrument by the neck and held it up. "Any suggestions or do I just go with whatever?"

"Yonezu Kenshi," said Jirou.

Shouji nodded enthusiastically, his bangs flying up and down. "Your favorite song is Orion, right?"

"I was going to suggest Peace Sign," said Jirou. "But that works too."

The steady strumming made a peaceful sound ring through the room. The audience of three closed their eyes to listen to the song though it was Jirou that sang. When they finished, Shouji and Artemis applauded for their friends.

"Encore! Encore!" Artemis cheered.

"This time you have to sing though," Shouji urged.

Tokoyami set aside the instrument. "Mezo…"

"I really want to hear you sing though," Shouji whined.

Artemis bounced up and down in her seat on the wooden chair. "Me too, me too!"

"Mezo, you're supposed to be the adult here," Tokoyami chided. He then looked over at his protégé. "And I know you've caught up with your supplementary lessons but don't you think you should be studying back in your dorm right now?"

Shouji morphed four of his hands into mouths with their bottom lips jutted out and quivering. Then his top two hands turned into eyes, watery and wide, trying to do the puppy-dog look. To Jirou and Artemis, he looked like some sort of Eldritch abomination or the pitifully pleading pet of one such creature.

Tokoyami, on the other hand, couldn't say no to such a face. "Fine… I'll sing uh… Boku ni Totte (To Me)."

"Hooray!"

"That worked?" Jirou muttered.

Tokoyami had never admitted it out loud but he personally enjoyed the song because it felt like an appropriate description of his relationship with Shouji. But Shouji knew this without having to hear it be confirmed. They waited patiently for him to start performing though he felt a little self-conscious with everyone staring.

Shouji reached over and took his lover's hand. "You'll be fine. You sound just like Hosoya Yoshimasa when you sing it."

"Does he really?" Artemis gasped. "Now I doubly want to—!"

Shouji covered her mouth without looking away. "Just play. No one here will judge."

"Okay," Tokoyami nodded.

The three of them got more comfortable on the couch as Tokoyami dragged a chair over in front of them. He hesitated on the strings again but when he started playing, everyone listened in closely. Like Shouji said, he sounded exactly like the original singer. It was as if Tokoyami and Hosoya has the same voice.

Artemis gave him a standing ovation. "Were you thinking about Tentacole-san—?"

"That was wonderful," Shouji interjected, silencing her again.

"If you could sing so well," said Jirou, "why was I the only one doing it back then?"

Shouji preferred it that way though. He liked getting to hear Tokoyami's singing a tune on rare occasions like when he was tending to the flowers or folding laundry. It was like getting his lover's music all to himself.

"You're thinking something selfish, I can feel it," Tokoyami remarked.

"A little," Shouji admitted.

27. I didn't know you could be so desperate.

Tokoyami cleared his schedule on Valentine's and the day after to spend with his fiancé. But on the morning the thirteenth, he stepped out of a clinic with a heavy-hearted sigh and feeling dead inside. It would be suspicious if he stuck around outside for too long though. The paparazzi might snap a photo and spread false rumors about him having a disease that he didn't have.

The next day, Tokoyami prepared stir-fried octopus for breakfast. On the terrace, he saw a new bunch of flowers added to their ongoing miniature garden. From the bedroom, Shouji awoke with his hair in a disheveled mess. But he brightened up significantly upon seeing his lover in a pink apron and… cotton short shorts?

"Sin Vision," said Shouji.

"Good morning to you too," Tokoyami chuckled, removing the apron. "Hurry up and eat. I have a lot planned for us today."

Shouji went over and wrapped his arms around the smaller man, a lower hand caressing the back of his thigh. "Oh? And what exactly do you have planned?"

Tokoyami twitched, taking hold of his lover's wrist and pulling it up, away from his leg. "It's a secret."

The original plan involved being provocative and teasing Shouji but Tokoyami was starting to wonder if that was a bad idea. So he would have to cut out all of that. Their first stop at the aquarium. Shouji had a really weird connection with octopus there, it was like they could actually communicate. They tested out the theory by bringing Koda along a few years back.

"She's hungry," said Shouji.

Koda nodded. "She did say that."

"I'm dating a weirdo," Tokoyami had muttered.

But while they were walking through the hall of creatures in the dark, Shouji started groping his boyfriend. There were kids running around, especially near the tube filled with jellyfish which was where they were standing. But it would only draw more attention if Tokoyami hit him.

"When we get home," Shouji whispered, "then?"

Tokoyami forcefully pulled his hand away. "We still have more for today."

While they were in a restaurant, Shouji kicked off one of his shoes and let his toes brush up between Tokoyami's legs. With the tablecloth to cover them, no one could see the foot press up on his crotch. There was a smirk playing underneath his mask while Tokoyami was trying hard not to change colors in the middle of the lunch rush.

"When we get home?"

Tokoyami backed away, the legs of the chairs screeching against the floor. It caused Shouji's foot to drop to the floor. "You're so impatient. Just eat."

There were several more inappropriate attempts throughout the day although he got bolder once they were in the privacy of their house. Somehow, Tokoyami managed to divert each one. He even skipped a shower because Shouji kept insisting of going in together. When it was time for bed, he pretended to fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"Fumikage…," said Shouji, looming over him the next morning, his birthday. "Did I… do something to make you mad?"

From what Tokoyami could tell, he could absolutely not strip naked that day either. "No…"

Shouji got down onto his knees, chin on the edge of the bed. "Then how come you don't want to do it?"

"Just not in the mood," Tokoyami mumbled.

"I feel like there's more to it than that though."

Honesty was the best policy in any relationship. So with a sigh, Tokoyami sat up. "I have a rash…" Before he was asked, he continued. "It's on my butt… it both feels and looks absolutely awful. I'm fine but… I don't want you to see it."

Shouji was relieved that he didn't do anything wrong. "You're embarrassed over something like that?"

"However," Tokoyami continued, "even without it, I still wouldn't want to do it."

"What? Why?"

Tokoyami summoned Dark Shadow hold Shouji super close to the ceiling. "Because you kept touching me inappropriately in public, you jerk! That's far more embarrassing than some stupid rash! Do you think I want to go out in public when you do that kind of thing?!"

"I'm sorry…," Shouji murmured. "Please… Dark Shadow, put me down."

Dark Shadow dropped him and he landed with a thud. "You didn't say slowly."

"Fumikage… forgive me."

28. I didn't know you could get so angry at me.

Artemis sat on the side of the hospital bed, peeling and cutting up an apple for her boss. They could hear heavy footsteps out in the hallway and then the door slid open to show Shouji standing there. He made eye contact with Tokoyami, sitting up in the bed, covered in bandages. The Tentacle Hero had obviously rushed there when he heard as given by the way he was sweating and breathing.

Once Shouji caught his breath, the first thing he did was yell. "What were you thinking?!"

"Sir," a nurse called. "Please don't shout, we have patients trying to sleep."

Shouji gave her a curt apology before marching over to his lover. "You were up against an enemy who could create light… you should've waited for someone else to show up! Had Todoroki not arrived when he did… you could've…" He was starting to choke up but he refused to do anything other than glare at Tokoyami.

"Those people were in trouble," Tokoyami argued quietly. "I couldn't just leave them."

"How's a hero supposed to protect anyone if he can't protect himself?" Shouji asked.

Artemis didn't want to see them fight. Now that she thought about it, she didn't even know that was something they were capable of doing. "Tentacole-san, it was my fault. I hesitated because I doubted my aim and I… I could've prevented this."

"No, I asked too much of you," said Tokoyami.

Shouji didn't listen to the rest of the conversation, he just pivoted around and marched out. Things became deathly silent in the sanitized room after that. The pro hero and intern weren't sure what to do. They'd never seen Shouji express rage before. Well, there was the one time Tokoyami was avoiding him and Shouji got upset about it.

"You know," said Tokoyami, "there was a time when we weren't like this."

Artemis returned to slicing the apple. "Like what?"

Their current relationship felt like Tokoyami held so much power. He could say or do something and Shouji would follow. But back in high school, Tokoyami was the first to develop a crush on the other hero. And Shouji was the one with the controls. It was like, as the years went on, Shouji surrendered those controls but for what?

"Tsukuyomi-san, you're crying!" Artemis gasped.

Tokoyami didn't do anything about it. "I don't know why but I'm really glad he got mad at me."

Later, Artemis had to go when visiting hours were up. But Shouji came back and got special permission to see Tokoyami. The other man entered the room without saying a word, just carrying a plastic bag filled with convenience store snacks like rice balls, Pocky, Yan Yan, and shrimp chips. There was a box with fresh takoyaki, made at home.

"I don't know if you ate yet," said Shouji, sitting down on the recently vacated stool. "But I know you don't like hospital food."

Tokoyami felt like crying all over again. "I'm sorry… I should've been careful."

Shouji poked through the box of octopus balls with a toothpick, not looking up. "You better be. You're not the only hero in Shizuoka."

"I know," he sniffed, "I'm sorry."

"Here… eat."

"Thank you."

They didn't talk much, just let the crunching of their snacks be the only noise for a while. After a while, Shouji pulled out a letter from his pocket. It was addressed to Tsukuyomi from one of the hostages that had been saved. In it, the civilian expressed gratitude towards the hero for acting when he did and hoped he got better.

"You were reckless," said Shouji. "But you did a good job."

"A hero's job isn't one without risks," Tokoyami stated.

"I know." Shouji laced his fingers together. "I'm just afraid… that one day, you'll go out to fight and you… don't return." He finally looked directly at Tokoyami and there was this fervent pleading behind his irises. "I can't bear to be without you Fumikage. I moved here so that we could be together… but that won't matter if… if…"

Tokoyami took Shouji's hand in his. "I know. I know…"

"Why do you have to be so stubborn all the time?"

29. I didn't know you could be so sure of me.

"I can't do this."

Tokoyami awoke with a jolt, beads of sweat clinging to his face and arms and chest as he tried to calm his breathing. Shouji got up soon afterwards, asking if everything was okay, if it was another nightmare about a disaster wedding. Tokoyami pulled his knees up to his chest and started sobbing softly as the sentence from his dream repeated over and over again.

"Hey, hey, look at me," Shouji said. "Everything's fine now."

"Because you're here." Tokoyami said those words in one quick, shaky breath.

On their calendar on the far wall, April first was circled as the date of the wedding. The day they entered U.A. and first met even though they didn't formally know each other yet. It was also, as Tokoyami had discovered, was the day in which the Shibuya ward started granting same-sex civil union certificates, the first to do so back in the past before the dawn of heroes.

But it was also April fool's day.

Was it some sort of long con? A convoluted prank that would blow up in Tokoyami's face once the day arrived? Was everyone in class A in on it? That was another one of his recurring dreams and it was by far the worst one. As the date loomed closer, the more frequent they became.

Shouji went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. "What can I do to prove to you that my love is real?"

"I don't know," Tokoyami said. "I know it is in the day but when I think about it too much at night before sleeping…"

Shouji got an idea upon hearing that. "Fumikage, I want you to look at me before you go to sleep from now on. I want you to look at me and every time you begin to doubt, ask me to affirm my feelings. I'll do it. Every single time. Even if you have to wake me from slumber."

Tokoyami wiped away any remaining tears, gulped down the rest of the water, and let out a weak laugh. "I must've done something really good in my past life because I don't know how I deserve someone like you, Mezo. I may be your moon, but you are sun. My light can't exist without you."

"You're so dramatic," Shouji smiled.

"You're so cheesy," Tokoyami countered.

For the next couple of nights, they did exactly what Shouji suggested. The nightmares went away because Tokoyami was able to rest with the reassurance that he was wanted. Fueled by his anxiety, abandonment issues, low self-esteem, and childhood traumas, it was hard for Tokoyami to live without worry. But being held up in his father's arms, fighting together with his classmates, and kissing the one he loved so much, it was hard to call his life unlucky.

Shouji woke up one morning to find his lover still asleep, peaceful and silent. "I don't think you realize how lucky I was to find you."

There was a time when Shouji worried that he was incapable of loving others. He looked to each of his classmates and teachers like obligatory relationships. But meeting class A slowly changed that in him. He began to realize what friendship was supposed to be like.

Everyone was independent. No one asked him for help because he was big and strong.

Everyone was supportive. They helped each other when they were in trouble.

Everyone was kind. Each of them had seen Shouji's face, but no one drew comparisons to cruel villains with similar complexions.

Tokoyami was a little different. He acted cool all the time, pretending nothing could phase him. But as the facade cracked and his dorky side began to show, Shouji found himself drawn to it. The little instances of melodrama, the random knick-knacks in his room, and the way he'd get all flustered in Shouji's presence.

From the stoic presence that Shouji once presented himself, evolved a new form. One that could laugh at the words 'mad banquet of darkness,' get scared at horror movies, and think someone was cute for turning red. Those feelings only appeared because of Tokoyami.

"What is it?" Tokoyami muttered, waking up. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just thinking… how cute your sleeping face is," Shouji smiled.

30. I didn't know there was so much I didn't know about you.

Everyone was in their tuxedos and dresses, tearing up as Tokoyami read his vows out loud. A compiled list of things he hadn't known before falling in love with his groom. Present Mic, ordained on the internet, was practically wailing. The grooms-people were having trouble not crying in front of the cameras. Even the photographers and caterers and musicians had to stop doing their jobs.

"We're never going to top that vow," Uraraka sniffed.

Midoriya nodded from the other side. "We shouldn't have agreed as a class to wait for gay marriage to be legalized before any of us got married."

"Anyone else need me to create a handkerchief?" asked Yaoyorozu.

Jirou held up a hand. "Yeah, can I have like… seven more?"

Iida had to remove his glasses so that he could wipe at his eyes with the entirety of his forearm. "This is such a beautiful procession! What a glorious day!"

"Bakugou, you're shedding manly tears too!" Kirishima exclaimed.

"I can't help it!" Bakugou snapped. "It's dry in here and… damn it, they're so happy it hurts not to cry."

"You're such a softy," Sero laughed before blowing his nose into his tape. "I need a napkin."

"You know, the first thing I didn't know was that anyone could want me as much as you," Tokoyami continued. "And I know there are going to be a myriad of things that I will continue to learn about you, me, us… after today. And I'm excited to accept all of those things. Because no matter what, the sad moments, the frustrating, the silly… they're all happy memories for me."

Shouji was probably in the worst state of all. He was supposed to be experiencing the happiest day of his life but there he was, standing at the altar, blubbering like an infant. Their parents, friends, former teachers, and other loved ones were smiling through the tears the best they could. Tokoyami was surprised that his speech was able to garner this kind of reaction. He thought it was too long at first.

"You're so... cheesy," Shouji finally blurted out. "But I love you for it."

"Likewise," Tokoyami smiled.

Present Mic was unable to do anything more so he had to sit down. All Might then took his place, not exactly having the authority to officiate but they got the legalities out of the way already. So the number one hero really only had one last thing to say once the couple put their rings on one another.

"You may now kiss your true love," All Might smiled.

Tokoyami and Shouji threw their arms around each other pressed with mouths together, kissing each other with a heated passion. Their guests stood up and applauded the pair until their palms were sore. The couple soon pulled away even though they didn't really want to and smiled, ready to embark on their new lives together as husbands.