My little brother.... and me....

Feather-brained Challenges

It's supposed to be a normal day at UA—well, as normal as anything can be when your little brother sneaks in, roasts everyone alive, and still somehow walks away unscathed.

I finally get Tsuki out of the classroom, hoping the madness is over. Spoiler: it isn't.

We're in the middle of lunch when Tsuki hits me with the worst challenge of my life.

Tsuki leans across the cafeteria table with a devilish glint in his eye.
"Tokoyami," he says. "I dare you to chirp."

I blink at him. "...What?"

"You know. Chirp! Like a bird." He flaps his hands for emphasis, like a little gremlin with wings.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"You scared?" He raises an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smug grin. "You're all edgy and 'shadow this, darkness that,' but you can't even chirp? Weak."

"I'm not a songbird," I hiss through gritted teeth. "And I don't respond to childish dares."

"You won't respond," Tsuki says. "Because you can't. Admit it—you're just a chicken." He leans closer, eyes gleaming with evil intent.
"Bawk bawk, big brother."

Mina, Kaminari, and Sero—who were listening like the nosy gremlins they are—instantly latch onto the challenge.

"Oh my god," Mina gasps, beaming. "YES! Do it, Tokoyami! You have to chirp now!"

"You gotta!" Kaminari adds, barely holding it together. "This is too good!"

"No, I don't," I say flatly. "I refuse to—"

"I double-dog dare you," Tsuki interrupts, grinning ear to ear.

The whole table freezes.

Kaminari gasps. "He... He said double-dog dare."

Sero nods solemnly. "You have to do it now. You know the rules."

"Rules are rules," Mina says, crossing her arms like this is an official court proceeding. "If you refuse, you forfeit your dignity. Forever."

This is madness.

Dark Shadow, the traitor, stirs beside me. "You know, a little chirp wouldn't hurt..."

"You stay out of this," I snap.

But it's too late. The whole table is watching me expectantly, their grins widening with every second of hesitation. I can feel my dignity slipping through my claws.

I close my eyes.
"Fine."

The table erupts in cheers. Mina drums on the table. Kaminari looks like he's about to record the whole thing on his phone. Even Todoroki's giving me a rare, curious glance, as if wondering what kind of idiot would agree to this.

I take a deep breath.
For honor. For peace. For the love of shadows everywhere...

I open my mouth.

And out comes the single most pathetic, high-pitched chirp the world has ever heard.
"Chirp."

The table goes completely silent for a beat—before absolutely detonating with laughter.

Mina is howling, clutching her stomach as tears roll down her face.
"Oh my god—HAHA—he actually did it!" she wheezes.

Kaminari is pounding on the table like a judge delivering a death sentence. "BEST. DAY. EVER."

Even Todoroki looks vaguely amused, which is practically the equivalent of him rolling on the floor.

Dark Shadow has collapsed, shrieking with uncontrollable laughter.
"BIRD BOY! YOU REALLY DID IT! I CAN'T—"

"Silence, you traitor!" I hiss, my feathers bristling with shame.

And then, as if things couldn't get worse—Tsuki, the little demon himself, holds up one finger.
"Wait. One more time."

"Absolutely not."

"One more!" he insists, cackling. "I need to make sure it wasn't a fluke."

The rest of the table picks up the chant like a pack of gremlins.
"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

I bury my face in my hands.
This is my life now. This is my fate. Chirping on command like a trained parakeet for the entertainment of fools.

Dark Shadow, completely unrepentant, nudges me with a feathery wing.
"You know you wanna."

I sigh heavily.
"Chirp."

This time, it's louder, clearer—and somehow even more humiliating. Mina falls out of her seat. Kaminari is on the floor, gasping for breath. Even Aizawa, passing through the cafeteria at that moment, pauses just long enough to witness my shame. He says nothing—just stares, blinking slowly like a cat that's given up on life.

I hear him mutter under his breath, "This school was a mistake," before walking away.

Tsuki leans back in his chair, arms behind his head, grinning with the satisfaction of a villain who's just pulled off the perfect heist.
"Best. Day. Ever."

I glare at him.
"I'm disowning you."

"You love me."

"I regret everything."

"Do you regret chirping?" he asks, a wicked gleam in his eye.

"Yes," I reply. "With every fiber of my being."

"You sounded really cute, though."

I can feel my soul slowly leaving my body.

As the lunch period comes to an end, I slump over the table, defeated. My reputation? Ruined. My dignity? Gone. My little brother? More powerful than ever.

"Today was amazing," Tsuki says with a satisfied sigh, as if he's just finished a five-star meal.

Dark Shadow chuckles beside me. "Admit it, Tokoyami. You're gonna miss him when he's gone."

I scowl. "I'd miss him more if he was gone right now."

But as Tsuki skips away, whistling cheerfully to himself, I know the truth.

He'll never be gone. Not really.

And somehow, deep down... I don't mind.