Boku No Hero Academia One Shots [Book 2]

Fumikage Tokoyami

Requested by: tixuc_toad

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"They were right." You sighed, despairingly. "I am just a disappointment. How did I ever manage to get on the hero course, anyway?"

A power unbefitting of your physiology, practically useless in most emergency situations. After the villain attack on the training camp, this notion was only reinforced. It gradually began tearing down the foundations you had built up from the charred ground, splintering your heart from the inside out. You could have been considered dramatic, believing yourself to be the personification of everything wrong and embarrassing in the world. Despite being involved in Bakugou's protection squad, you let him slip through your fingers. You allowed the villains, those dastardly tyrants, to spirit away the one person you were trying so desperately to protect. What was even worse, however, was the second individual, who escaped by a hair's breadth: Fumikage Tokoyami. The resemblance between your mannerisms and speech patterns was uncanny, and you got along like two peas in a pod. You shared an understanding of one another's overly-dramatized outlooks. The aforementioned incident was now little more than a painful memory, but it smothered you like the fumes of a wildfire.

There was a major drawback to your quirk, and in no way could it be beneficial during an assault situation. Due to your absolute incompetence, Bakugou was plucked from the very earth on which he stood, in the shade of a wealth of watchful eyes. They almost detained the one boy you felt understood you more than anyone, the person you loved more dearly than life itself. If they were to attempt such an outrageous act again, you would be powerless to defend him or your friends. Illuminating your surroundings was as easy as lighting a candle, yet your physical skills were severely lacking. 

You were a human torch (not to be confused with Johnny Storm), not a bodybuilder. Your skeleton was thankfully unfamiliar to the concept of bone-breaking, but when it was a matter of life and death, freedom and captivation, a few fractured bones didn't sound half as bad. As things stood currently, you couldn't even hold a piece of kindling to Tokoyami, let alone the greatest heroes of all time. There was no minute possibility that he would ever reciprocate the amorous feelings of someone so weak. You had always wanted a power-up type ability, like All Might and Midoriya. Mother Nature certainly was a bitch.

Tokoyami acknowledged your dilemma. In fact, he managed to overhear the entirety of your lengthy, dejected monologue, and he was far from impressed. Why would he be? You were in the midst of blaming yourself for something that was quite obviously out of your control. Now, the theatrically-dark bird-man wasn't amazing at providing sufficient comfort, by any stretch of the imagination, but he felt the need to try.

Clearing his throat, he stepped into the light. "(L/n)...what were you talking about?"

His voice sliced through the silence, like a knife through butter. It startled you so badly, that you subconsciously activated your quirk. Your darksome companion had to refrain from glowering - Dark Shadow wasn't exactly loving the sudden surge of light. When you glanced at the slight-irritated, slightly-conflicted expression on his face, you realised your mistake. You deactivated your quirk and sighed, knowing that you now wouldn't be of use to anyone for a while.

With enormous disappointment and a lowered head, you responded.

 "Eh, nothing...how much did you hear?"

He stared you down. "Quite a lot, I presume, although I doubt I was there for the beginning."

"Please don't...please don't tell anyone." You begged. "I don't want them to worry."

He nodded. "I won't, but on one condition: you tell me everything now. I'll help you as much as I can."

[Word Count: 623]