Chapter 17

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It was another quiet afternoon at UA, the intensity of the USJ battle still lingering in everyone's minds. But for Niko, her thoughts were mostly occupied by Tokoyami. Their connection had been growing steadily, and though they hadn't spoken about the kiss, there was an unspoken understanding between them that was hard to ignore.

Aizawa had assigned more one-on-one training sessions to help the students regain their focus and control after the chaos at USJ. Niko found herself paired with Tokoyami again, their quirks complimenting each other well in battle.

As they stepped into the training room together, Niko couldn't help but feel the flutter of anticipation. She glanced over at Tokoyami, who was as calm and composed as ever, though his eyes softened slightly when they met hers.

"Ready?" he asked, his deep voice steady but with a faint warmth that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Yeah," Niko replied, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness. She hadn't been this jittery since her first day at UA. Training with Tokoyami always felt different-more intense, more personal.

They began their exercises, focusing on control and precision. Tokoyami unleashed Dark Shadow with practiced ease, guiding the creature as Niko used her telekinesis to maneuver around its attacks. Their movements were synchronized, like a silent dance, and Niko couldn't help but be impressed by how in tune they had become.

But as the session went on, Niko felt her concentration slipping. Her mind kept drifting back to the moment at USJ-the way she had held Tokoyami in her arms, the soft kiss she had given him when she thought he wouldn't notice. Her cheeks flushed just thinking about it.

Suddenly, she felt Dark Shadow lunge toward her, catching her off guard. She stumbled back, her focus breaking entirely. Before she could recover, Tokoyami was at her side, his hand reaching out to steady her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.

Niko's breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him, their faces inches apart. His hand lingered on her arm, and for a moment, the world seemed to fall away, leaving just the two of them standing there, the air between them charged with something unspoken.

"I... yeah, I'm fine," she managed to say, though her voice came out softer than she intended. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks again, her heart racing at his closeness.

Tokoyami's sharp eyes studied her for a moment, as if he could sense the shift in the atmosphere. He didn't pull away, and Niko found herself leaning into his touch, her pulse quickening.

"You seem distracted," he said quietly, his voice lower now, almost a whisper.

Niko swallowed hard, her mind spinning. She wanted to say something-anything-to break the tension, but all she could think about was how close he was, how steady and reassuring his presence felt.

"I guess I've... just been thinking," she finally admitted, her eyes flicking to his, hoping he understood what she couldn't say.

For a second, Tokoyami's expression softened, and Niko thought she saw the faintest hint of a smile on his face. His hand moved slightly, brushing against her skin as if testing the waters, seeing if she would pull away.

She didn't.

Instead, Niko found herself leaning even closer, her breath catching as her heart thudded in her chest. She wasn't sure what was happening-if it was the adrenaline from training or something else-but she felt drawn to him, as if the distance between them had suddenly become unbearable.

"Niko-chan..." Tokoyami's voice was barely above a whisper now, and she could hear the uncertainty in it, as if he was waiting for her to make the next move.

Without thinking, Niko tilted her head slightly, her lips hovering just over his beak. Her heart raced, the moment hanging in the air between them, electric and fragile.

But just as she was about to close the distance, the door to the training room creaked open, and the sound of footsteps echoed through the space.

Niko jolted back, her face flushing as she quickly turned away. Tokoyami straightened, his expression neutral once again, though there was a flicker of something in his eyes-something she knew he wasn't going to acknowledge out loud.

Kirishima poked his head into the room, oblivious to the tension he had just interrupted. "Hey, you two! Aizawa-sensei wants us all to regroup outside. Some kind of team exercise."

Niko nodded, her heart still racing as she avoided looking at Tokoyami. "We'll be right there," she said, her voice slightly higher than usual.

As Kirishima disappeared, Niko risked a glance at Tokoyami. He was already looking at her, his expression calm but his eyes giving away more than he probably realized. There was something there-something between them that neither of them could deny.

But for now, they'd keep it to themselves, waiting for the right moment

~𝔏𝔬𝔳𝔢 ℌ𝔞𝔰 𝔑𝔬 𝔅𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰~ (Tokoyami Fumikage X Reader)Where stories live. Discover now