Author's note: Guys, I'm so sorry for the long wait. The lack of time really did quite a number on me. Thank you for patiently waiting for slow me!

The number of people that supported me definitely motivated me to do my all! I'm extremely thankful for that. Not going to say any more but... Thanks for reading!

--

Shoji woke up with his arm on his head. He was unusually late, well you can't blame him.

After what he had experienced yesterday, it's a wonder that he could get any sleep.

He rubbed the sleepiness off his eyes and stared at the ceiling, hoping to make sense of the situation he had experienced.

He must be feeling like crap...

No. I don't understand his feelings, no one could. What Tokoyami had experienced was something unimaginable for our naive minds.

But what could I do?

Tokoyami probably... No, definitely isn't OK.

Shoji continued to ponder on his bed, addressing the elephant in the room.

What exactly happened to Dark shadow? Did he die? Can a quirk die? It makes no sense, isn't quirks a part of us?

Shoji got distracted by a door closing in the next door. He glanced at the clock.

6:31 am

He forgot that he was already running late and brushed his thoughts away, filling it with a more comfortable worry.

He prepared and rushed out of his room in record time.

He entered the lift...

Still, he couldn't rid off Tokoyami's face from his mind. Well, probably because...

Ding!

Deep in thought, he proceeded to walk out, only to find someone else walking in.

"Good morning Shoji, the lift is still at level 2."

Speak of the devil.

He didn't reply back, staring at the pair of ruby red eyes that shimmered in the light of the lift.

Tokoyami was smirking slightly at Shoji's mistake.

It was a rare sight, a rare sight indeed.

The broken state he was yesterday contradicts his form so much it made him want to console him with all his arms. He want to help him, even if it was impossible.

Tokoyami, why are you hiding this? All of this?

Tokoyami stood in front of him, his small figure exaggerated due to Shoji's ginormous size.

It's OK, you're safe with me.

He imagined himself whispering to him that.

He imagined having Tokoyami in his arms, giving him warmth.

He closed his eyes, wanting to see Tokoyami's relaxed sleeping face again.

It felt so real as if he was dreaming. He could feel Tokoyami's feathers brushing on his face as he hugged him dearly. It made him feel relaxed, and strangely conformable,

He almost wanted it to be real.

In fact...

Hmm?

He wriggled his fingers, finding his fingers to be in a different position.

The vision of hugging Tokoyami became more and more realistic, but Shoji was too dazed to notice. His sleep-deprived state finally caught back to him.

Huh?

He thought groggily.

He imagined tightening his hug, trying to feel if Tokoyami was really there.

"EEK!"

Shoji's eyes popped open, a furiously blushing Tokoyami was cuddled in his arms, facing away from him.

Shoji gasped sharply and released the red bird.

"Oh my god! I.. I'm so sorry! I didn't know what I was doing! Shoji stuttered.

Tokoyami just stood in front, not facing him, becoming redder and redder by the second.

" Why d..didn't you say anything?" Shoji stammered.

"W.. Well, it's understandable because you missed me, b..but..." Tokoyami stammered back.

"But?"

"It's just that it reminded me of something in the past, and I'm not fond of contact, BUT! I accept this as an exception. I forgive you, Shoji."

They both stood in the lift awkwardly.

It was strangely quiet.

Shoji wondered why the lift is taking so long...

Oh what a nincompoop he was. He haven't pressed the 1st floor. Shoji sheepishly pressed the button the mechanism of the lift started running.

Strange, it also reminded me of something from my past too...

"Hey Tokoyami, may I know what you were reminded of?"

Tokoyami tensed. Since he was facing away from Shoji, he could not see his face but he saw the back of his plumage ruffle a little.

It was kind of cute seeing such a rare sight from Tokoyami. It took Shoji a second to understand what was actually going on.

Wait, why is he so embarrassed? Is it because...

He remembered a past scene of him hugging a bolster, it made a very similar sound to Tokoyami.

Shoji's face visibly flushed deep red, peeking through his mask. He turned his eyes away.

It didn't help, recalling what he had done just made the details clearer and clearer.

He closed his eyes, which, unfortunately, boosted his other senses.

He envisioned himself hugging the "bolster", bringing it closer to his body.

Cringing strongly, his blush deepens.

He nuzzled the bolster, cradling it with his giant form.

As if Tokoyami had envisioned the same thing, he covered his eyes with his hands.

Shoji couldn't stand it anymore.

Why is the lift taking so long!

His leg slowly rises, slowly wrapping around the "bolster", squeezing it on contact.

"EE-"

Both of them jumped at the sound.

The lift opened.

Shoji wanted to walk away, believing that this never happened...

But walking away felt like he was being a d**k, especially what he had done.

He at least had to apologize.

Tokoyami seem to have the same thought, he didn't move as well.

The lift doors closed once again, awaiting its next signal.

"Tokoyami..." He managed with difficulty, he knelt down to Tokoyami's height. Tokoyami didn't face him, too embarrassed to face him.

"... I'm sorry for... whatever I did that day."

He stared at the back of the bird teen's ruffled plumage. It suddenly moved and Tokoyami was now facing him, about an inch away from his face.

Tokoyami's red eyes widened as he started to back away...

*Vrooom*

The lift chimed to life, received its next signal.

Before they could react, the lift door opened.

A pink silhouette appeared at the entrance.

Pink, alien-like eyes widened in surprise.

While Tokoyami and Shoji are innocently just trying to talk to each other, it does not appear so from Mina's angle.

In Mina Ashido's dirtied mind, she saw two males kissing...

...

And Tokoyami turning his head to face Mina whilst still blushing definitely doesn't help.

"Oh, I didn't know you two were into each other!"

Now... Normally, they both could react and counter that statement. Not right now after everything that had happened.

Shoji rushed past the both of them before both of them could react and hurriedly got out of the scene.

" Hey, wait! " Mina exclaimed, in deep curiosity.

Tokoyami did the same too, but this time, Mina followed him, unfortunately.

--

"Stop following me, Mina, I'm not in the mood to answer your immature questions."

"Oh, I'm not going to ask that many questions!"

Yeah sure, but your questions are probably going to kill me.

"How long has this been a thing between you two"

"Never did."

" How far have you gone in your relationship with Shoji?"

"Playing cards together."

"Do you guys cuddle each other?"

*cough* *cough* *hack*

Tokoyami choked in his spit.

The last thing he wanted to remember was the contact between him and Shoji.

"Ahh, jackpot!"

"Hey *cough* Mina, please shut *cough* up," Tokoyami said while trying to clear saliva out of his windpipe.

"Did it feel good?"

"N-... Never happened before, never wanted to know!"

That was close, I almost said ''. I almost doomed myself.

"When was your first kiss? Don't tell me... In that elevator just now?"

Tokoyami cleared his mind when he heard that. Initially, he thought Mina had saw them 'cuddling'. Now he knew it was all a misunderstanding.

"Mina, it isn't our fault that you have a dirty mind. We were just talking"

"Then why were you blushing?"

"I wasn't, I have black feathers so that is impossible. Blame your imagination."

"But..."

"Mina, I just escaped days, weeks, months of endless torture. I definitely am not in the mood for love after that. My mind is still weak, don't take advantage of it."

With that, Mina stopped, looking dejected.

She remembered something she had to do and ran back to the lift.

(She was trying to go in the lift when she spotted them)

Tokoyami stopped too, as he reached his classroom.

He entered the classroom, seeing mostly everyone in their seats. He was quite late due to the accident in the lift. Thankfully, the teacher wasn't here yet. He hurriedly sat in his seat, avoiding all eye contact that was placed on him.

He almost forgotten that he just escaped from torture. What a blessing in disguise to forget suffering.

Then he remembered something. No one told the teacher yet that he returned...

Momo said she was going to tell the teacher, didn't she?

He glanced around the room. Momo wasn't in sight.

She seems to have gone to tell the teacher I suppose.

--

Momo stopped in front of the door to the staff room.

She carefully recalibrated her options but something prevented her from doing so...

It was awfully quiet...

She was very disturbed by the fact, making her open the door without knocking.

What awaited her was someone at the mercy of...

Himself.