"Danchou should wear something like this!" Momo suggested brightly, and Kido didn't even need to look in her direction to reply.

"No."

Even if it weren't for Momo's peculiar sense of taste and contestable idea of what colors matched, everything she chose was just too flashy. Kido's idea of a wardrobe was the same hoodie every day, varying shades of greyish baggy pants, and a collection of tshirts that were just as much hand me downs and thefts from her brothers as shirts she'd bought herself.

"But you don't have anything fun!" Momo half-whined, and Kido glanced over to see her pouting and re-shelving an orange and green checkered monstrosity that made her breathe a sigh in relief. She'd dodged a bullet for sure. Where did Momo even find clothes that ugly in a perfectly respectable store like this? "What if you get invited to a party or something. O-or, if the next mission is going undercover with high society?"

Momo sounded so proud of herself for finding a reason that would appeal to Kido, that Kido didn't have the heart to tell her that their 'missions' were mostly secretive operations to run errands and fetch milk when they ran out. She couldn't believe Momo hadn't figured it out yet, but… if it made her think they were cool in some way…

Shaking her head, Kido poked through some hanging dresses, hoping the flicker of doubt hadn't shown on her face. "Wouldn't happen. And if it did I'd send you or Kano. You both look better in dresses than I do anyway."

The last sentence was half-muttered under her breath, partially a joke but mostly a jab at herself, and it took Kido a second to realize Momo wasn't replying. Then something hit her from the side with the force of a thousand waterfalls, and she almost toppled over, clinging to the clothing rack and almost taking it with her.

"What the hell—"

"But Danchou! You're beautiful!" Apparently the sudden hurricane had been Momo launching herself towards her, and she was now latched onto Kido's side, both arms locked around her midsection and her head shoved into Kido's shoulder. "You'd look super hot in a dress! I can picture it really well!"

"Gh…Stop that, Kisaragi…" Kido tried to extricate herself from Momo's grasp, glancing around at the people who were beginning to stare, attracted by Momo's proclamations.

"No, it's true! I know you don't believe it but anyone can see it, your legs are really great and your face is beautiful when you're not glaring holes in someone and—"

"Okay, okay, but people are staring, someone's gonna recognize you," Kido pointed out, gritting her teeth, and it was so sensible that Momo fell silent and peeked over her shoulder at the people who were looking their direction, finally noticing the muttering noise that ran through the gathering crowd. No one had put a name to Momo's face yet, but it was only a matter of time.

"C'mon," Kido mumbled, shouldering through the crowd and trusting she'd follow— and sure enough, Momo clung to her arm, matching her steps as they wove a roundabout path through the shelves and displays. Kido seemed intent on getting out of sight so she could use her ability to shield them, but with every corner they turned, there were more people clogging up the aisles, and it seemed impossible.

Somehow they'd gotten a bit turned around as well, and when Kido thought they were almost to the door, she edged around a tall rack of sweaters to find them confronted instead with the changing room doors.

"Crap," she hissed, turning on the spot, but just then, one of the people eyeing them raised their cellphone to snap a picture, saying something to their friend, and Kido clearly saw his mouth form the syllables of 'Momo'.

She spun, throwing an arm around Momo's shoulders and hauling her forward and into the only open dressing room.

The door slammed shut.

"Danchou…?" Momo's voice asked, sounding curious and a little bit worried. She must think Kido was losing her mind.

"Sorry about that. Someone out there definitely noticed you. We'll just have to hide in here for a bit." She unwound her arm from Momo's shoulders, pressing herself against the crack in the door to see.

Technically, with Kido's ability, they could become invisible and walk out whenever they wanted. But because of how crowded the store was, Kido would rather wait until the people who knew who Momo was moved on, just in case they bumped into someone.

A rattling noise attracted Kido's attention, and she turned to find Momo flicking through some hangers with various dresses and shirts on them, apparently abandoned in the dressing room. Kido was glad they were here— she'd be fine waiting, but somehow she got the feeling that a bored Momo would be a little frightening to be stuck with.

Not that being stuck with Momo was an unpleasant experience, of course. Kido liked her, and she couldn't deny that the other girl was cute; her upturned nose and round cheeks only made her bright smiles all the more blinding. And when Momo fixed her eyes on her— well, it was probably Momo's ability that sent a shock down Kido's spine, but she didn't dwell on it too long at all.

Even just stuck in a small room with her, the area was starting to smell a little like her shampoo, although that was possibly exacerbated by the fact that Momo was standing close now, holding a short dark dress against Kido's chest.

"With this, you'd look like a super spy!" she exclaimed, striking a pose with one hand, although it caused the hanger to list and the dress to slide off and onto the floor.

"Don't make a mess," Kido replied, though with no real irritation, and bent to pick up the dress. It was soft, and seemed like more strap than actual dress— maybe that was just because of the multitude of straps that seemed designed to cross up her back.

Momo pouted. "I'll put it back, promise. As long as you try it on first."

When Kido glanced at her in surprise, for a second Momo looked almost sly, eyeing her and the dress in her hands. "Why don't you try it?" Kido suggested, a little flustered, but Momo was already shaking her head.

"I don't think it'd fit me," she replied with a laugh, looking down at her chest and stomach, and Kido's eyes traveled down with her gaze before she yanked them back up again, her cheeks suddenly going red and hot in embarrassment.

Normally she'd argue more, but Momo was giving her a Look again, and it seemed like she was curious about Kido's sudden blushing, and Kido really didn't want to explain that right now.

"Fine."

Momo jumped up and down in glee, clapping her hands, and Kido had to turn away from the adorable sight to pull her jacket over her head.

They were both girls, so there was no reason for Kido to be as flustered as she was as she unzipped the red undershirt, leaving it lying on the little bench. She felt embarrassed and exposed, shivering a little even though the dressing room wasn't cold at all.

As she struggled with the clasp on her pants, Momo's admiring voice made her jump. "Kido's got a great back. I bet you'll look really amazing in that dress."

Trying to play it off as a joke, Kido dropped her pants to the ground, kicking her sneakers off when they tangled, and replied, "What, are you flirting with me?"

Sudden silence.

Kido snuck a glance over her shoulder. Momo's face was red, and she was fiddling with her fingers like she always did when she'd been caught in a lie.

"Err… well…"

"...a-ah."

This wasn't a conversation Kido wanted to have in her underwear, so she turned around again, her face gone boiling hot as she struggled with the dress. She got it up and over her shoulders, and then Momo's hands were there, helping her lace the back up.

"Sorry if it's weird," Momo said quietly, a self deprecating chuckle punctuating the words. "I thought you'd notice by now."

And of course, now that Momo acknowledged it, all of her past actions made sense. The constant hugging and weird compliments and the way she'd never let go of Kido's hand— and of course Kido had just brushed those things away, because she hadn't wanted to be the one being creepy towards their new member.

This was such a mess.

The straps on her dress drew together as Momo finished tying the back, patting the knot when she was done and stepping back. Kido took a big breath, turning to face her.

"Kisaragi." She had something to say, but she stopped there, unable to get the words out.

"Danchou?" Momo replied helpfully, almost hope in her voice.

"Kisaragi. I haven't been flirting with you. But—" she worried over the words a little, lips pressed together, until she couldn't take the expression on Momo's face anymore, how it wavered between anticipation and embarrassment and worry. "Maybe I should've been."

Momo threw her arms around her in a hug, taking her off guard. "Yay! I think yay. That means you love me too, right?"

"What? Love?" Kido spluttered— surely that was skipping a step or five! But Momo was snuggling against her shoulder, which was an entirely different experience while Kido was dressed like this, and Kido sighed and hugged her back. "Well, I don't hate you. We'll figure something out. Help me out of this thing."

"Yes ma'am!" Momo cheered, flashing her a thumbs up, and then going on tiptoe to kiss Kido on the cheek. Kido's face burned as Momo went to fumble with the knot behind her.

"I was right, by the way," Momo added, and when Kido glanced back at her, her forehead was crinkled with concentration as she picked at the knot. "You do look amazing in this."

Kido rolled her eyes, and Momo just laughed, and the sound was a beautiful sound to be stuck with. Kido found she didn't mind it at all.