~𝔏𝔬𝔳𝔢 ℌ𝔞𝔰 𝔑𝔬 𝔅𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰~ (Tokoyami Fumikage X Reader)

Chapter 8

Niko's POV:

Tokoyami-kun struggled trying to explain that how the shadows seemed to grow stronger. So we thought to give the incident a rest for a while.

After a long first day of school me Uraraka, Deku-kun and Lida-kun decided to head to the train station. We kept talking about random things that came to our mind. Later we separated our ways. The sun was just beginning to set as I stepped off the train and into the familiar streets of her neighborhood. The breeze was light, carrying with it the scent of the city, but there was something soothing about being back here after such an intense day at U.A. Dark Shadow's outburst still echoed in her mind, but now, as I made my way home, a different thought took over: seeing Hawks.

~End Of Niko's POV~

She smiled a little at the thought of him waiting for her, probably lounging around the apartment with that laid-back grin of his. As much as he teased her, Hawks had always been there—her mentor, her protector, and, more than anything, her big brother in all but blood.

When Niko finally reached the apartment, she barely had time to pull out her keys before the door swung open on its own. Hawks was leaning against the doorframe, his signature smirk plastered across his face. "Took you long enough, kid. I thought maybe you got lost on the way back from U.A."

Niko rolled her eyes, stepping past him into the apartment. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe if someone didn't have so much paperwork, you'd know what it's like."

Hawks chuckled, closing the door behind her. "Paperwork, missions, saving the world... it's all part of the job. Speaking of, how's the life of a budding hero going? Anything exciting happen today?"

Niko dropped her bag by the couch and stretched, groaning slightly as the tension from the day released from her muscles. "You could say that...a classmate's quirk kind of went berserk."

Hawks straightened up slightly, his smirk fading into concern. "Berserk?"

Niko nodded, walking into the kitchen to grab a drink. "Yeah, My classmate Tokoyami who's quirk is Dark Shadow. A shadowy creature lives inside him that went out of control. Tokoyami-kun has been really stressed about it since then."

Hawks watched her closely, his golden eyes sharp despite the casual air he usually carried. "And what about you? You doing okay? That sounds like a pretty intense situation."

Niko gave a small shrug. "I'm fine. I just want to help him figure it out, you know? I talked to Todoroki-kun about it—he had some good points about emotional balance affecting quirks. It's like there's more to it than just physical training."

"Smart kid, that Todoroki," Hawks said, leaning against the kitchen counter, his wings folding behind him. "But you're not just talking about Tokoyami, are you?"

Niko paused, sipping her drink. Hawks always had this way of seeing through her, even when she wasn't sure how she was feeling. "It's just... weird. Being at U.A., dealing with all this hero stuff. I knew it was going to be tough, but sometimes it feels like there's so much more going on beneath the surface. I'm still figuring it all out."

Hawks gave a knowing nod, then pushed off the counter and ruffled her hair with one of his feathers. "You're doing better than you think, kid. Figuring things out is part of the process, and you've already got a sharp mind for this stuff. Plus, you've got me—so you're obviously in good hands. Plus it was just your first day"

Niko swatted at the feather with a playful glare. "Yeah, yeah, you're a real hero."

"Damn right," Hawks replied, grinning again. He walked over to the living room and collapsed dramatically onto the couch, spreading his wings wide. "So, how about we relax for a bit, huh? You've had a long day, and I've been running around the city dealing with way too many villains. I think it's time for a well-deserved break."

Niko joined him on the couch, kicking off her shoes and sinking into the cushions. "You're not wrong. A break sounds good."

Hawks reached over and grabbed the TV remote with one of his feathers, flicking through the channels lazily. "Let's see... what do we have here? Hero news? Boring. Drama shows? Even more boring. Ah, here we go—Wings of Glory. My favorite."

Niko snorted. "You just like it because it's a documentary about yourself."

"Hey, can you blame me?" Hawks said with a wink. "They really captured my good side."

They both settled into a comfortable silence as the documentary played, Hawks throwing occasional playful comments her way, while Niko found herself finally able to relax. It wasn't long before the conversation drifted back to the serious topics of the day, though.

"You know," Hawks said after a while, "helping Tokoyami is good, but don't forget to take care of yourself too, Niko. Being a hero's tough, and I know you've got a good heart, but you can't save everyone if you're not okay."

Niko glanced at him, her expression softening. "I know, Aniki. Thanks. I guess... it just feels like there's a lot I need to prove. To myself, mostly."

"Trust me, I get that," Hawks said, his tone turning more serious. "But you've got nothing to prove to anyone, not even to yourself. You've already made it into U.A., you're working hard, and you've got people who've got your back. Including me."

Niko smiled at that, feeling the warmth in his words. Keigo always had a way of making things seem easier, even when they weren't. He didn't push her too hard, didn't give lectures—just the right words when she needed them.

After a few moments, Hawks stretched, letting his wings flap slightly. "Alright, enough of the heavy talk. Let's get some takeout. What do you say? Niko's pick tonight."

Niko grinned. "Deal."

As Hawks picked up the phone to order dinner, Niko leaned back, her thoughts quieting for the first time that day. No matter how tough things got at U.A., she knew one thing for sure: she had her Aniki, and as long as he was around, she could handle anything that came her way.