CHAPTER 10: MIRRORS

The head of a red phosphorus match was violently lit against the pillar of the entrance to the dorms. He took a hit as if the smoke entering his lungs could ease down his mind. The pale puff of gray air elegantly danced in front of his face, as if mocking his inside jitters with its graceful moves. And yet, he absented himself from the present moment to contemplate the contrast his puff of smoke made with the darkness of the night. It was as if something had changed these days ever so slightly that the movement of the Earth could be more noticeable than whatever this was; as if his senses were heightened all of a sudden. And not being able to pinpoint something was one of the few things he couldn't tolerate.

"Evening", the unmistakable educated tone of Momo took him by surprise and out of his pondering mind. The tall man in deep oxford grey robes stood straight from where he was leaning and looked around, searching for the owner of that voice.

From the dark and poorly lit entrance to the A-Dorms, the slender pearly vision appeared. The silky robe in the color of cherry blossom combined with the low, sleek ponytail made the vice president of his homeroom class look almost royal-like. "Quite an improvement, right?"

"Yeah," his mouth unconsciously moved too fast before noticing he had no idea what she was talking about. "Wait, what?"

"My stealth," she answered. "It's improving since you didn't notice me, right?"

"Right," he answered back, putting away his cigarette. "Eri must 've already woken up from her nap, I'll go get her." and saying this, he entered the shadows Momo had just appeared from.

She crossed her arms, attempting to ease the cold. After a few minutes, Eri was walking towards her, trying to brush off the lethargic expression of her face with excitement.

"Momo-Chan how pretty!" the little one said. Eri was wearing a pale orange robe, along with the traditional Japanese footwear.

"You look lovely as well, Eri," Momo replied, caressing the child's face. Even though the Festival was some blocks away, they decided to walk and enjoy the sight of other people well dressed or even in costumes that were also walking there.

"Is this the Festival already?" Eri asked a few blocks away from the Dorms when a group of people with a huge paper dragon passed them by. It clearly wasn't, but the fact that mundane things were being confused with things as festivals made Shota look at Eri with so much tenderness in his eyes that Momo couldn't help but stare. For some reason, it seemed Eri's question moved Mr. Aizawa as much as it pained him.

"Well, here we are," Aizawa said when they had climbed the stairs at the entrance, which offered a full view of every light and every attraction from the event. Eri let out an excited screech.

"Isn't it just so…so…" Eri started. Shota took her in his arms so she could take a better view. It was as if her eyes wanted to devour the scene.

"Breathtaking." He looked over. Momo had the exact same look.

They took Eri to one of the attractions where a bunch of kids was trying to catch tiny fishes out of a fake pond. It was fascinating how other people, no matter the gender, took one look at the young lady beside him and they couldn't help but stare for just a few seconds more. What was that even? Not that she wasn't attractive, but attractive people don't quite leave others in a state of contemplation. Attractive people, as the word implies, "attract" others because they desire to possess them or their beauty. But the effect Momo was completely obliterated of (or at least it seemed so) was of other nature Shota couldn't quite figure out. And he wasn't one to starve his own curiosity.

Meanwhile, Momo was genuinely cheering for Eri as the child tried to catch a fish before the other kid beside her. Both child and students' eyes gleamed with naïveness and excitement.

"So it was true", he said, putting one hand on his pocket robe.

"What was true?" Momo replied without taking her eyes out of Eri.

"That you've never been to one of these before."

She looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. "Why would I lie about it?"

"To guilt trip me into inviting you."

"Last time I checked this was a favor I was doing you, for Eri." She answered, taking a bite of her cotton candy. "Why would I want you to invite me?" something in the way he had looked away so quickly pleased her. He pinched the pink cotton snack she was eating to steal a piece.

"For candy."

"I CAUGHT ONE!" Eri came back with a bag. "Look! It's green!"

He knelt down to admire her first catch. A questionable trembling, almost fluorescent-green tiny fish was frantically swimming around inside the transparent plastic bag. "What kind of fish is it?"

"It's a Deku fish!" she said proudly lifting the bag. Momo almost choked on the piece of cotton candy she was chewing. "I caught it for him!"

"He doesn't deserve it" was the taciturn response from Aizawa.

"There's a Denki fish and a Shota fish too! I want to catch them all for you and my friends!" Momo's giggles had turned into full laughter now.

"We should let other kids catch some fish too. C'mon, let's keep going," he said, taking the fish and Eri's hand.

"I wonder what is so funny," Shota asked while glancing around, trying to find something fun for Eri. "Besides the fact of carrying around a fish for Midoriya, that is."

"Oh it's nothing. Just…wondering how a Shota fish looks like," she said trying to hide her giggles.

"Ha-ha very funny. There was probably a Momo fish around too so don't laugh too hard, Barbie." a masculine scoff and a smile followed his response.

"Right, because a perpetually annoyed, taciturn fish with an old scarf around it's unexisting neck isn't funny," Momo said chuckling.

The discrete smile he was casually wearing disappeared as he looked back at her.

"That's not how you see me, is it?"

It took Yaoyorozu a good minute to realize her tongue had been way too sharp.

"What's a Mirror House? I want to go there! Let's go! Let's go!" Eri yelled, pulling Aizawa's dark robe.

"Slowdown Eri! We're going already," he said, rushing his steps to keep pace with the child. Momo speeded up as well.

It was the classic house full of mirrors attraction, in which the objective was to get out. Their reflection reproduced itself in every corner from different angles.

"Stay close, Eri!" Momo heard Mr. Aizawa's voice called out. Eri's giggles sounded far away.

His voice lacked the slightly playful tone he was using before.

"Mr. Aizawa…about what happened out there…" Momo started, trying not to bump into her own reflections.

"What? About the fish? It's ok." he replied. "Good to know you have me all figured out. Eri don't run you're going to crash against yourself." three of his reflections appeared behind her, but she could only see him from the back, looking for Eri. "You on the other hand. Well, I wouldn't even be able to describe a Momo fish, anyway."

She felt her ears become hot. "What is that supposed to mean?"

His reflection disappeared, Eri's tiny body danced around a couple of mirrors to her right.

"I mean you can't tell if a fish is like someone when that person is too afraid to even show who they are." an invisible dagger pierced through her chest. "Maybe an uptight fish will do." a second dagger followed.

Eri's laughter echoed in the distance.

"I rather be an uptight fish than the kind of fish who thinks that 'taciturn and distant' is an attractive personality." Momo scoffed out. Trying not to bump into the mirrors. Mr. Aizawa's reflection surrounded her.

"Who said anything about attractive?" one of his powerful black eyebrows raised.

"Well there must be some good reason for you to think that playing cold shoulder works" once again, her tongue was sharpened and out of control, but this time, she was not about to tame it.

"Hold on…"

"Maybe a passive-aggressive fish will do for you," Momo interrupted. She was planning on lashing out more, her eyes tearing up in anger, when Aizawa lifted a hand and hushed her.

"Why can't I hear Eri?" seven Aizawas looked alarmed. "Eri!" he started calling out, his reflections disappeared.

Momo started wandering around, looking for the way out. "Eri!" she called repeatedly. Mr. Aizawa's calls for the child seemed to be weakened by the distance. Each pace, each turn made her feel even more lost.

"Where are you!?" Momo called in desperation when she realized she was back at the same spot. Seven reflections slowly appeared around her.

Seven pairs of pale violet eyes were looking at her. Cold sweat crawled down the back of her neck. She covered her mouth in horror. She tried to speak, but her lungs seemed to have run out of air even though she was agitated. Momo slowly shook her head terrified in denial.

"I'm right here."

I apologize for the long hiatus. I was in a hard place, but I hope you guys still come around and read it up. I appreciate all the support and reviews from the bottom of my heart! Always know your words are treasures to me.

I hope you enjoy,

Love, LB.