1

Elegant Embrace

The piano was playing a gentle rendition of Für Elise throughout the ballroom halls. The haunting acoustics echoed as the keys intertwined among the voices of conversations. The melody was grazing over the atmosphere. Pairs were dancing in the center while everyone else mingled on the side. Midoriya and Todoroki were two of these people, chatting together.

"Thanks again for coming Midoriya, it's the first time I come to one of my father's sponsored parties. I don't know what to do with my hands." Shoto was as stoic and as dense as ever.

"Yeah, no problem, it's also my way of saying thanks to your dad for training me." Izuku was his always modest self. He rubbed the hair behind his head, sensing his friend's nerve. "Actually, don't overthink it, hand crusher." He chuckled, trying to ease him up.

"That's right, my curse." Taking it seriously, not wanting to injure any more hands.

"T-Todoroki, it was a joke."

"Shoto, come, there are some people I want you to meet. Hello, Midoriya, enjoy yourself while I borrow my son for a minute." Endeavor up and came Shoto like it was no problem even though both of them attempted to protest, it was ignored.

"Ah, my safety net!"

Izuku panicked a little. Todoroki was the only one he knew at the high-class ball he was attending. They had invited Kacchan but he outright refused, Tokoyami and Iida couldn't make it, while Kaminari and Mineta weren't the type for these things. Izuku then thought about Todoroki's question. "What do I do with my hands?" Staring at his palms like an idiot.

He shook his head and glanced around to find something to occupy him before his eyes caught her from across the ballroom. His lips parted in a gasp as his orbs reflected her vividly in the center.

'I don't know why, but she reminded me of a maiden embedded in a stainless glass portrait...'

She had white formal gloves covering her slender fingers up to her elbows. Her ebony gown had patterns of ivory that radiated under the light of the halls. Her spiral ponytail had a buoyant grace, with her always loose strand of hair tamed, tucked behind her ear. She had a regal smile adorned on her face but he could see the disheartened truth in it.

Momo Yaoyorozu only came to these events for her father. She was always polite and respectful, but never bothered to intermingle with the possible suitors that were always present. Her goal was to be a hero and this was just a formality for her. She was never interested in a relationship anyways.

"Y-Yaoyorozu, do you want to have this dance?" He offered his hand, slightly bowing to her. He didn't know why but he was drawn to her appearance, it was different from school and heroing.

Her ears perked to the familiar voice. She raised and turned to him, having not been not able to see him properly from her sitting position. He was in a black suit with a white tie that was as short as ever. Her eyes grew seeing his freckled smile, causing her to grow an earnest surprised grin in return, taking his hand and standing up.

"Oh, Midoriya. What are you doing here?"

"Todoroki invited me, I'm actually surprised to see you here too."

"Oh that's right Endeavor is one of the heroes my father sponsors. Todoroki never comes to these anyways so it tends to slip my mind." It was a casual conversation as she slowly walked ahead to go dance with him. She stopped and turned to him with a tilt of her head, wondering why he wasn't following.

"Um, I kind of said that just to get your attention you know? Hahaha." He tried to laugh off, scratching his slightly tinted cheek with his free hand. That was when they both looked at their still interlocked hands. She smiled sagging her shoulders, soothing the mood.

"Well no matter, you still offered." She held his hand a little tighter before dragging him along playfully.

"W-Wait, Yaoyorozu." He tried to protest to no avail.

"Relax Midoriya, didn't Ashido give you some dance lessons?"

"Yeah, but not classic ballroom."

"You'll be fine just follow my lead. Here just put your hands..."

She trailed off as she guided him, putting his free hand over her waist, she then placed her own hand over his shoulder, their interlocked hands were placed to their side. She slowly led them in a twirling one-two-three step, circling around with the other pairs. Izuku and Momo seemed to be tranced as they moved to the tempo of the music as if unaware of the others. Their bodies had relaxed and grown comfortable in their embrace, intertwined by their locked eyes and harmonic breathing. They didn't talk, almost as if speaking would have interrupted the moment. A moment that they couldn't distinguish how long lasted.

They didn't stop dancing until the music stopped and when it did was when they realized how close they were, as if in an intimate embrace. He didn't know why he was compelled to linger closer and tempt her lips but he resisted and pulled away. Momo was just as perplexed as she had her eyes closed waiting for something, it wasn't until Izuku pulled away that she opened her eyes and realized what that something was. They shared eye contact one more time before finally breaking apart as the party came to an end.

They both said goodbye, knowing they were going to see each other the next day at school.

It was their third year, the dorm policy had come to an end, each of them going to their respective homes. Momo was taken home by her personal driver and Izuku was dropped off by Shoto and his dad.

All Izuku could do was loosen his tie and take off his suit jacket before flopping on his bed, staring at the ceiling thinking about her. He placed his forearm over his eyes. "Wow... I always knew she had that high-class aura but this time it felt, like I was dancing with a ballerina."

Izuku fell asleep having a dream of Momo as a dancer twirling by herself...

Momo was tossing and turning on her bed. She couldn't sleep, she was thinking of what she shared with Midoriya. "It was like a forever in its self."

She didn't know why she had the sudden urge to activate her quirk, but it slowly crafted itself in a sparkling glow. She smiled to herself content with her creation. She placed it on her nightstand and was able to peacefully go to sleep.

On the nightstand was a music box of a miniature Izuku and Momo that continued to dance as it played throughout the night.