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

Chapter 16

The aftermath of the battle at USJ left Class 1-A weary, but the fight wasn't over yet. Villains still lurked, waiting for their chance to strike again. As the students regrouped, nerves were high, but so was their determination to protect one another.

Niko stayed close to Tokoyami, though she tried to keep her distance after the earlier kiss. Her thoughts kept drifting back to it, but she pushed them aside. There was too much at stake now to lose focus.

They joined the rest of their classmates as Aizawa regrouped them. Bakugo, Kirishima, and Kaminari were nearby, bruised but standing tall. Uraraka and Asui came up behind Niko, checking in on her.

"You good, Niko?" Uraraka asked, her voice still breathless but filled with concern.

Niko nodded, giving her a tired smile. "Yeah, just a little shaken up."

"You fought really well," Asui added, her eyes flicking between Niko and Tokoyami, as if sensing the unspoken tension between them. "But you should take it easy."

Niko appreciated their concern. As the girls hovered around her, it was easy to forget the weight of the earlier moment with Tokoyami. She was starting to feel more at home with her classmates, the bonds growing stronger with each passing day. Even if things were complicated with Tokoyami, at least she had friends like Uraraka and Asui to lean on.

Across the room, Bakugo was grumbling, clearly frustrated with how the fight had gone. "Damn villains. I should've blown them all to pieces," he muttered, punching the air in irritation.

Kirishima, ever the optimist, clapped a hand on Bakugo's shoulder. "Hey, man, we all did our best. And besides, we'll get stronger after this!"

Bakugo glared but didn't push Kirishima away. Kaminari, standing beside them, gave Niko a quick thumbs up, as if to say everything would be alright.

As Aizawa wrapped up his assessment of the situation, he gave the students a rare look of approval. "You all did well today. But don't get too comfortable—there's more training ahead."

Niko exchanged a glance with Tokoyami, who nodded silently. The tension between them was still there, but it was overshadowed by their shared commitment to becoming stronger.

The class returned to the safety of UA High, the relief palpable as they filed into the cafeteria. It was lunchtime, and the students took the chance to unwind after such an intense day.

Niko found herself sitting with Uraraka, Deku, and Asui, her usual companions during lunch. Tokoyami sat at a nearby table, his quiet presence still drawing her attention even when they weren't side by side.

"So, Niko," Uraraka began, leaning across the table with a playful smile, "you've been spending a lot of time with Tokoyami lately. What's going on there?"

Niko's face heated immediately, her mind flashing back to the earlier kiss. "Oh, um, we've just been working together a lot in training. You know, like partners."

Deku, always eager to analyze every detail, chimed in. "Tokoyami's quirk is really powerful. You two must work well together."

Niko nodded, grateful for Deku's focus on the tactical side of things, even though Uraraka's grin told her she wasn't buying the 'just partners' explanation. Asui, ever observant, gave a small ribbit but didn't press further.

Before Niko could change the subject, the cafeteria doors burst open, and Kirishima, Kaminari, and Ashido bounded over to their table, laughing and clearly energized after the morning's events.

"Man, what a day!" Kaminari exclaimed, plopping down next to Deku. "I thought we were goners for sure, but we totally kicked villain butt!"

Kirishima, always full of enthusiasm, nodded vigorously. "That was so manly, everyone working together! Even when things got tough, we didn't back down!"

As they all chatted and laughed, the lightness of their friendship washed over Niko, easing the tension from earlier. She found herself smiling, even laughing along with their antics. For the first time in a while, she felt like she was truly part of the group, part of this class that was quickly becoming her second family.

But, in the back of her mind, Tokoyami lingered. Every now and then, she'd catch him glancing in her direction, his sharp eyes unreadable. They hadn't spoken about the kiss, and she wasn't sure if they ever would. Yet, despite the awkwardness, there was a sense of comfort between them. Maybe they didn't need to talk about it—maybe it was enough just to be there for each other, in battle and beyond.