#aiyo!

I have a real love for Tokoyami, so this was great to write. His little “Aiyo” squawk is so needlessly cute. How dare. Hope you enjoy! - Mod Rig

Tokoyami Fumikage/Tsukuyomi

Lunch.

A mad banquet, according to your colleague. You’d heard him muttering it to himself yesterday when you stood behind him in the line at the deli. He’d been buying a small bento box and a couple of apples, apparently unaware of your presence, and you’d heard the little murmur. 

Classic Tokoyami.

Today he’d left Hawk’s office later than you, so you were already sprawled in the shade of a tree in the park when he turned up, carrying his lunch. You paused with a morsel of food halfway to your mouth and squinted up at him.

‘Tsukuyomi-san?’

‘I usually eat here.’

You blinked. His voice was toneless, so you couldn’t tell if he was explaining himself, or telling you to leave. 

‘Well, you should join me for lunch then,’ you said, making an expansive gesture at the uneven circle of shade. ‘It’s a good spot if we’ve both picked it out.’ 

‘I like the shade,’ said Tokoyami as he folded himself to the ground, setting his lunch in front of him. He braced one forearm on his knee - a deliberately casual gesture. ‘Hawks is on the roof, sunbathing.’

‘Again?’ You glanced up at the tall building visible beyond the edge of the park. ‘He’s gonna fry his feathers at this rate.’

‘The folly of Icarus,’ Tokoyami said, opening his bento box. ‘…do you know that legend?’

‘Mm? Yeah, guy makes wings of wax, flies too close to the sun, the obvious happens. Can birds get sunburn?’

‘No, but the rest of him can,’ Tokoyami said dryly. ‘Unless he’s got a fan up there to rub in the sunscreen for him.’

You snickered. Suddenly a black shape manifested itself in the gloom under the tree’s branches. It took the vague form of a bird’s head and wings, eyes glowing like eerie yellow lamps. You paused, blinking at it. Tokoyami didn’t normally let Dark Shadow out in public unless he was on duty.

‘Hey, there,’ you said, reaching out uncertainly to the shadow creature, like one would reach out to pet a cat. ‘What’re you doing out?’

Tokoyami turned his face sharply away, the feathers at the crown of his head puffing up. You thought it might mean he was embarrassed. 

‘He…it seems he’s fond of your presence.’

‘Aww, really?’ You gave in to curiosity and patted Dark Shadow on the head. His eyes turned into happy little crescent moons and he butted into your palm. 

‘He doesn’t normally manifest without my permission unless it’s dark.’

‘So he’s sneaking out to see me?’ you teased. 

Tokoyami shrugged a shoulder, taking a bite of his apple -it still took some getting used to, seeing that. He brushed a leaf off the edge of his dark jeans, carefully not looking at you. 

‘Are you enjoying yourself?’ he asked, then paused. ‘At the agency, I mean.’

Oh, man. He was pretty cute when he was trying to be all cool and dignified and Dark Shadow was nuzzling into your fingers like a cat scenting bacon. You wondered which was the true manifestation of his feelings, and decided somewhere in the happy middle.

‘It’s fun,’ you said. ‘Hawks is a good boss, despite the constant rambling and he’s the #2 Hero, so it’s a pretty solid career move.’

You paused, then took a swig of your drink. Heh. You smoothed your palm over Dark Shadow’s head, brushing over his feathers, and gazed off into the distance.

‘And I get to have lunch with Tokoyami-kun and Dark Shadow, so~’

You felt, rather than saw, Tokoyami’s head whip toward you. You pretended not to notice. His red eyes flicked toward Dark Shadow, shamelessly lapping up your attention, and his feathers puffed up again. His beak made a small clicking sound as he open and shut it. You wondered if this was the Tokoyami-equivalent to blushing. 

‘There’s a concert in the park tonight,’ you said, casually. ‘Live rock with an orchestra. It starts at eight, so I’m going to bring a picnic to watch it. What time shall I meet you, Tokoyami-kun?’

Tokoyami cleared his throat. ‘Seven?’

‘Seven it is.’ A grin spread across your face; you turned to wink at him. ‘Should be some real revelry in the dark.’