Tokoyami stared at Robinn as she enthusiastically slurped up noodles, the sound echoing off the wooden walls of the tiny ramen shop. The place itself was narrow but warm, paper lanterns and old posters, the air thick with the savory scent of broth. Steam drifted lazily upward from their bowls, mixing with the faint chatter of a couple other late-night customers.

  Robinn had taken the lead bringing him here, some small, out-of-the-way place not far from the agency. Cozy, traditional, the kind of shop you wouldn’t find unless you were looking for it. She’d ordered quickly, recommending one specific ramen with such blunt certainty that Tokoyami, unwilling to make it complicated, simply followed her lead.

  Now, she devoured it with the same focus she brought to combat drills. Chopsticks flashing, broth vanishing. Tokoyami hadn’t said much, and Robinn had only spoken enough to explain the food and the choice of venue. Still, her casualness hung in the air... even the way she’d invited him out earlier had been startlingly simple, no hesitation or buildup.

  He realized he hadn’t said anything in several minutes. Clearing his throat, he tried to fill the silence.

  "So, um… is this the place you’ve been going every night? I’ve noticed you don’t eat with the sidekicks."

  Robinn looked up mid-slurp, a terrible wet sound escaping before she answered.

  "Yeah. I scouted places on our first day here, and this one has healthy ramen. It’s got almost everything you’d need."

  She didn’t even mention the taste.

  Tokoyami went back to eating slowly, stealing glances at her while she demolished her bowl and then flagged down another. Somewhere between bites, he noticed something unusual. Her hair. It was striking, not just in color, but in texture. Smooth, straight, carefully tied. Not what he expected from someone so blunt and unconcerned with appearances. He pictured her using two-in-one shampoo, drying with a towel, and moving on. The thought led naturally to another. Robinn wasn’t particularly 'woman-like.' No nail polish, no makeup, no effort at elegance. She ate with unfiltered enthusiasm and seemed entirely unbothered by what anyone thought of it.

  And then... his mind betrayed him, he remembered her covered in trash during their earlier mission. The image hit hard enough to make him gag slightly.

  Robinn noticed immediately. Eyebrows lifted, pointing an accusing chopstick across the table.

  "Do you not like the ramen? You do know it’s very good for you, don’t you?"

  He grimaced.

  "Yes, I’m aware. You don’t have to say it again."

  She eyed him a moment longer, suspicious, but let it go, turning back to her food until the second bowl was empty. Setting her chopsticks down with a satisfied sigh, she glanced at him.

  "Hey, so we’re here to talk, right? Why aren’t you talking? That’s the normal thing to do, right?"

  Tokoyami dabbed his beak with a napkin.

  "I guess I just didn’t know what to talk about."

  "You wanted to get to know me, right?"

  She leaned forward suddenly, elbows on the table, chin propped on her hands. The sudden closeness made him lean back, but he stumbled out a question.

  "So, uhh… what do you like doing in your free time?"

  "I train, or I study materials for my Quirk" she said without hesitation.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "That doesn’t sound very fu-"

  "Next question."

  He faltered again but pushed on.

  "Why do you want to be a hero?"

  "To be the next Symbol of Peace. Next question?"

  He sighed, muttering into his napkin. "This isn’t conversation…"

  But her sharp look urged him on.

  "Do you, um, have any siblings?"

  "Nuh uh."

  That was it. Tokoyami slumped lower. His interest in both food and conversation dwindled to nothing.

  "You out of questions or what?" Robinn teased, leaning forward again. "Want me to ask questions then?"

  He shook his head in defeat.

  "No… no, just stop talking, please."

  She obeyed without complaint, leaning back and flagging down the waiter. Before Tokoyami could even reach for his wallet, she paid and rose smoothly to her feet, waiting with expectant patience until he stood and apologized for not finishing. Together, they left the warmth of the shop for the cool street outside.

  Robinn walked ahead, her stride as confident as ever, ponytail swaying like a pendulum in the lamplight. Tokoyami trailed behind, already lost in thought. The whole night had felt strange... her unshakable confidence clashing violently with her terrible conversational habits. Was she messing with him on purpose?

  One fact was certain. Robinn was weird. She trained relentlessly, exercised obsessively, and seemed detached whenever she did spend time with the others.

  "Weird," he muttered under his breath.

  Robinn stopped mid-stride and looked back.

  "Weird? Who, me?"

  He waved his hands quickly.

  "No, no, I didn’t mean that. I just muttered a thought out loud."

  She smiled lopsidedly.

  "I guess I must be weird, then. That’s the second time someone’s told me that."

  Tokoyami blinked, hesitantly asking.

  "Who else told you that…?"

  Robinn turned back around and resumed walking.

  "It was Kirishima. I don’t really remember the conversation, but he did say that."

  "Kirishima, huh? You two get along well, don’t you? I see you hang out with him a lot."

  Her voice flattened slightly.

  "Get along? Nah, not really. We just live close to each other. Share the same running path."

  That surprised him. From the outside, they looked inseparable.

  "So you’re not friends?"

  She glanced back over her shoulder, smiling faintly.

  "Look who’s back in a question-asking mood. But no... I don’t think so. I don’t really have any friends."

  She said it casually, almost carelessly. The words hit Tokoyami harder than he expected. He stopped in his tracks, staring at her as she walked on unfazed. She had to be joking. Right?

  Hawks didn’t even call.

  Bluejay sighed deeply as his phone buzzed with nothing more than a short message. Whatever Hawks was doing, it was going to take another day. No explanation or courtesy. Just a delay.

  He slumped back into the paperwork scattered across his desk. It wasn’t rare for Hawks to vanish on missions, but the constant disruptions were getting under his skin.

  The clock on the wall ticked quietly, the second hand dragging his patience along with it. Late. Later than he’d realized. Bluejay rubbed the back of his neck, stretched until his shoulders popped, then shoved the stack of forms aside. Enough for tonight.

  He gathered his things in a practiced sweep, badge and keys into one pocket, phone into the other. The routine was as numbing as the fluorescent glow above him. He clocked out, the faint beep echoing through the otherwise empty office, and made his way to the elevator. The ride down was silent but for the hum of cables and his own half-hearted whistling, a tune he didn’t even recognize but let fill the air out of habit.

  The doors slid open with a soft chime.

  Standing there, waiting, were Robinn and Tokoyami, almost shoulder to shoulder, neither saying a word. Both carried the kind of stiffness that only came from shared silence too heavy to break.

  Bluejay raised an eyebrow. He brushed past them without comment at first, but paused just enough to clap Tokoyami’s shoulder in passing.

  "Good night you two. Sleep well, because Hawks isn’t gonna be here tomorrow either.”

  He didn’t wait for a reply, and he doubted one would come. The tension between them practically followed him into the lobby, that awkward silence sticking to his back. Even he could feel it, palpable, thick, almost comical.

  "Ahh… to be young. Such luxury," he murmured with a smile, tucking his hands into his pockets. His pace slowed as he turned down the quiet street toward his apartment, the night air cool against his face. Whatever mess those two were stewing in, it wasn’t his problem. Still, the thought left him oddly amused.

  The city lights blinked like lazy stars, and Bluejay’s soft chuckle trailed off into the dark.