Chapter 10!
Batch update! Little quick things I mentioned on the other updated fics but I had a health break and am still taking things slowly, nothing serious though! I also updated Sheer Cold, Time, and The First Steps Upwards so give those a check if you'd like. Thanks as always for the support!
User/Reviewer yomunot: Thanks as always for your reviews! Well the item will be shown this chapter and I think it's a pretty fun idea and of course just being able to also focus on relationships between the characters is always an enjoyable write for me.
User/Reviewer EndlessChains: Just taking the time to let the characters do back and forth dialogue and learn about one another in the how and why sense is something I really love doing in having them grow closer. Observations about one another is good but direct communication is always tops in finding ways to bond with one another. Thanks as always for the reviews!
User/Reviewer RoGuE1989: Yeah I thought it'd be really cute for the whole 'way to their heart is through their stomach' to be applied to Momo considering her quirk and because of the versatility of it then I figured why not give Momo a bunch of ideas for items through games so she can both have fun with something new and study.
User/Reviewer Justaregularever: Well I'm glad you're enjoying it and thanks for always supporting me!
To everyone who faved, followed, or reviewed thank you so much!
Disclaimer: I don't own BNHA or the referenced power
Enjoy, more notes at the end!
Chapter 10: Warmth and Affection
*Tooru POV*
"Whatcha studying there Yaomomo?" Mina asked curiously, leaning onto the creation girl's desk as Yaoyorozu intently stared at her phone.
"How to use a rice cooker," the focused black haired girl stated matter of factly and without hesitation while the class grew quiet at the serious but slightly odd answer. "Is something wrong?" the creation girl wondered curiously as she looked up to see the rest of the students' confused faces.
"Uh, not really," Jirou pitched in through the silence, "just kind of unexpected," the music girl voiced for everyone else and Mina hopped back in.
"Yeah it didn't really seem your style honestly," the pink student admitted with a lightening laugh and a few of the others nodded or vocalized their agreement.
"Isn't it fine?" Yaoyorozu questioned innocently, not offended in the slightest.
"Certainly nothing wrong with it," Tsu spoke up from beside Uraraka.
The creation girl smiled a bit softly and her eyes went down to her hands, "I never would have thought of learning something like this before and I especially wouldn't have believed that I'd have as much fun as I am so I want to keep trying different things," she explained with a content tone and everyone nodded along.
Tooru figured that it was part of Midoriya's influence so she peeked over to the greenette to see what kind of expression she was making. The invisible girl had an idea about how the creation girl felt about the greenette but she was curious on if she could find any reciprocated feelings in the light girl. The greenette retained her usual pleased face, her eyes softly on Yaoyorozu, and the invisible girl felt a little bad for observing her friend so meticulously. Were they just her normal gaze or were they slightly more gentle? Tooru really, really, wanted to know but Midoriya was making it impossible.
For as good-natured and polite as she was, the light girl was also an impenetrable wall that you never had a read on. Things she said felt wishy-washy or were ambiguous and open ended, thus requiring self thought, so it was hard to figure out if she meant something. You couldn't even take her up on the words that left her mouth regardless if she seemed genuine or definitive and the greenette presented herself in a way for her to always have an out if she wasn't going to answer.
Romance? No romance? Tooru was dying to know what was or wasn't budding between the two girls and maybe she'd need to secretly give Yaoyorozu a push into that line of thinking. The invisible girl wouldn't be surprised if Midoriya already knew and that the black haired girl was the only one out of the loop but it was so obvious to Tooru that she needed some kind of resolution. Not everyone in class cared or knew but Tooru at least saw a few students who were curious about if anything was going on between the creation and light girl so it wasn't like she was the only one trying to see this unfold. Yaoyorozu was trying to learn all sorts of things right?
Well then Tooru would introduce her to romance for the sake of everyone!
After the invisible girl's self declaration she tuned back into the conversation where Yaoyorozu was excitedly sharing what she learned.
"You can even cook sweet potato in the rice cooker alongside the rice!" the black haired girl explained enthusiastically, her eyes gleaming and a big smile on her face. "It makes sense since it's essentially a steamer but you can also mix in other vegetables, sauces, and even meats!" Yaoyorozu revealed, no one saying that they already knew that and instead nodding along, "Isn't that too innovative?!" the creation girl marveled.
Then again, romance could wait a little cause the class also seemed to be fine with this pure cuteness.
-break-
*Momo POV*
Momo was studying at the desk in her bedroom during the morning of their off day and she peered over to her ringing phone before answering it.
"So where are you today Izumi?" the creation girl asked as she leaned back and stretched.
She had tried calling the light girl earlier but surprisingly there was no answer and Izumi was now calling back a couple hours later instead. While it was a bit unusual, Momo theorized that the greenette had gone somewhere a little farther out or was simply distracted or busy but it was nice to finally hear back from her.
"I hope I haven't gotten back to you too late," the light girl played and Momo hummed pleasantly in response, "I have to say, Hokkaido is very charming," she relayed, a smile undoubtedly on her lips.
"Mmm," the creation girl agreed, "I've heard that this time of year is interesting in H-Hokkaido?!" Momo near yelled in shock, almost jumping up from her chair.
Izumi would have had to take a plane if she wanted to make it there from Aichi within an actual reasonable amount of time! Momo's phone pinged and she went to her messages with the light girl and Izumi did indeed send her a picture from just now of herself, without a doubt, in Hokkaido.
"It's quite a nice place," the greenette continued on with a tone of self amusement at the creation girl's reaction.
"How..." she began but just gave up with a sigh, it would be better if she didn't know, "never mind, I won't even ask how you got there."
"Mm," the ridiculous light girl hummed into the line and Momo laid her head down onto her desk while closing her eyes.
"Send me more pictures later please," she requested politely, wanting to still be a part of Izumi's adventures even if she wasn't there in person and the greenette laughed lightly.
"I'll do my best," she assured kindly, Momo knowing that she wasn't kidding, "I'll even get a souvenir or two," Izumi added playfully and the creation girl smiled quietly.
"I'll look forward to it," she agreed, knowing that Izumi would do whatever she was inclined to do regardless, "what are your plans?" she asked, wondering what the greenette wanted to do in such a far place.
"Photography," Izumi stated simply over the line but Momo could hear the minutely joking tone and poked back.
"Your initial plans or current one?" she offered so she'd get a clear answer and Izumi chuckled, knowing exactly what Momo was doing.
"Current," she answered directly and the creation girl sat back up and tapped her pencil in her notebook.
"And initial?" Momo questioned further, simply wanting to extend the conversation.
"I heard they have nice flower parks," Izumi shared and Momo made sure to remember that in the future.
"I'll look forward to seeing the pictures then," the black haired girl noted, "what will you do after getting back?" she wondered, thinking if they could meet up later for something.
"Catching sweetfish would be nice," the light girl said, her mind likely drifting off to fishing completely right now and Momo giggled as she imagined the greenette's expression.
"How do you cook them?" she threw in, hoping to bring the green haired girl back to thinking actively.
"Salted and grilled whole is quite good," Izumi replied, sure of it but presenting it in a way in which Momo could make a suggestion too.
"Will you call me when you're going to make them?" the black haired girl requested, knowing it would be delicious as long as the greenette made them, and Izumi hummed happily.
"I'll leave the rice to you then," the light girl offered and Momo flushed a bit, always happy to be relied on even in small ways now. "Also," Izumi interjected, seeming to remember something unrelated, "we can test your new support item soon," she revealed and the creation girl perked up a bit.
"I suppose I'll hear about it over dinner later today," Momo suggested and Izumi hummed positively.
"Later today then," the greenette confirmed and the two said their goodbyes before hanging up.
Momo was excited by the news, especially because she was kind of looking forward to the item since Izumi first suggested it. It would be a good addition to her arsenal and more so, on a personal note, it was somewhat matching with Izumi. Of course however, she was still going to be careful with it and was a bit worried. Either way, being able to finally test it was most certainly a good thing.
First though, she needed to look up mixed rice recipes and what went well with sweetfish.
-break-
"I'm not so sure about this Izumi," Momo admitted honestly, slightly on the fence about this new gadget still.
The creation girl had listened to the details over their dinner from the other night and today was the day for Momo to finally get her hands on the support item. The pair was situated in one of the practice gyms and the greenette had set up numerous targets for the creation girl to hit. They varied in size and material so that the two of them could get an idea about what the item was capable of and Izumi peered over from the side and then over to a training dummy.
"Hmm," the light girl wondered aloud, tilting her head this way and that before pointing a finger. A blip of light fired and knocked the target over without much noticeable damage and Izumi looked back over to her with a smile, "as long as it's weaker than that it will be fine," she reasoned but the black haired girl could only sigh at her nonchalance.
Momo still wasn't convinced but that was why they were testing the new support item so she just needed to do what they had set out for.
It was a glove exclusively for Momo that replicated a much, much, weaker version of Izumi's light beam attack as well as her blinding flash. It was still just a prototype that they were working on and testing but it was functioning quite well already.
"How did you get permission for this again?" the creation girl wondered to the greenette who was sipping tea off to the side.
"Oh? I just asked and let them see my quirk for a bit," the light wielder explained offhandedly as if it was as simple as she said but Momo wasn't buying it.
"There's no way it was that easy," the black haired girl argued lightly, not seeing how an item meant to replicate Izumi's quirk to an extent was passed so easily.
"It's true," the gently smiling greenette assured as she put a hand to her own cheek, "If you don't ask you might never know," the light girl commented and as true as that was, the creation girl was still skeptical.
"And there was no issue with the kind of gadget it was?" Momo tried again and Izumi seemed to relent a little to appease her worries.
"As long as it does what we said we wanted it to," she stated with another sip of her tea, "and that you're the only one who can use it," Izumi added on, reminding Momo of the other condition they came up with before the creation of the support item.
The black haired girl did know that Izumi went through the proper enough methods of gaining approval so for now she'd just be grateful. It was going to be quite the useful item for Momo to have on hand, literally, and it saved her having to use her quirk if she wanted to open up from a range.
"Are you sure you didn't trick them?" Momo joked as she aimed at her own target and shot it done before writing down any observations and results while Izumi shrugged.
"They were just happy to have a new project," the light girl offered in her nigh sarcastic manner of speech as usual, something about the slow speaking being weirdly calming to the creation girl, and she simply accepted it.
"Well hopefully we can get it fully approved before the internships," Momo announced hopefully, as long as it was ready to go then the black haired girl wanted to get used to using it in the field immediately.
"Hmm," the greenette inquired with the noise, "did you finally decide on your choice?" she asked in mock surprise and Momo nodded.
"I was thinking of Fatgum both as a specialist in capture and food," the creation girl revealed, not embarrassed at all about her intention to learn about food since it was Izumi.
"Perhaps I should go to Osaka to," the light girl wondered aloud and Momo chuckled to herself since it most certainly wasn't about the internships or heroics at all.
"What about for your internship?" she questioned back, another target knocked down by the recreated light beam, and Izumi stared up blankly like she was lost in thought.
"I suppose I'll pick Endeavor," the greenette decided in her open ended way and the black haired girl raised and eyebrow.
"Really? I didn't think you would take the offer to be honest," she admitted with a hint of surprise. "He is the number two hero though," she noted, understanding why it was an appealing choice.
Izumi only seemed neutral about the matter and just kept sipping her tea from the sidelines before she gave a hum, "Well he has a lot of sidekicks," the light girl commented and the outwardly strange reason maybe only made sense to the creation girl.
"I should have realized," Momo sighed with a shake of her head and Izumi just gave her usual placating smile.
Since Izumi wasn't the leading or solo type, though she'd do it if absolutely needed, then she'd prefer a group environment that had designated leadership. Other people could see the light girl however they wanted but the greenette wasn't going to change on that front. It was true that personality wise, the greenette didn't seem to be hero material, but she had, and used, all the necessary skills to stop any real argument on that point but Momo did wonder what Izumi herself thought about that. The light girl wasn't a grand person, didn't have a grand goal, but then again she never really openly shared her deeper thoughts.
You could learn things about Izumi by spending time with and studying her but they only seemed to be on a mostly surface level. It was almost like the greenette just existed within whatever she was doing. She was impressive when she used her quirk but give it some time and she'd fade right back away from the forefront of someone's mind. It was a weird thing but Momo almost found that fact to be comforting, knowing a perfectly reliable person that was also completely content with themself and their circumstances. The simple existence of that was somewhat satisfying in itself.
Honestly, Momo wanted to ask Izumi about some of these topics out of curiosity but she held herself back. Not because she was afraid, but instead because part of her didn't want the answers. Although deep down the creation girl also figured it was because the light girl's reason was likely very simple yet kind and by never confirming it, it could remain unknown and open. Perhaps it was childish but it was akin to the charm of a mystery.
"What's taking up so much of your mind?" Izumi teased, the tone of her voice making the creation girl flush warmly.
"How you're so happy," Momo blurted out but she didn't feel flustered or as if she said something insulting and Izumi locked gazes with her, and the creation girl realized that those green eyes were content and affectionate.
"Because it's a good day."
Notes and Stuff
Pacifistas anyone? The replicated quirk idea through a support item is both a fun idea and a reference back to One Piece.
This was a dialogue heavy chapter but it was still really fun to write and imagine even if it was a tad on the shorter end. I've recently been using my rice cooker to make takikomi gohan, mixed rice, as opposed to solely making plain white rice. I'm a bit obsessed with it at the moment haha.
There's a few different ways from Aichi to Hokkaido that include some kind of mix of car, ferry, train, and plane and they range from around 2 hours to 20+ depending on which method is chosen. How Izumi got there? Well she got there. The flower park she was talking about is called Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park.
Remember, I updated Sheer Cold, Time, and The First Steps Upwards so give those a look! I'll likely be posting a few new things that I worked a little extra on and wanted to receive feedback on outside of the idea fic.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and look forward to more updates from me!