21

To give me comfort

"E-Escort?" Blink, blink. Izuku was growing a blush as big as Momo's after she stuttered to the end. "L-Like, as in a bodyguard," And the reason he was blushing was because he was recalling a dream he had similar to this.

"W-Well, yes something like that as we would be going together and I w-would be your primary focus." Unlike a looking glass that is always used to be seen through, instead, she would be the center of attention, his attention.

"Th-That s-sounds great M-Momo," Izuku was a stuttering mess as the dream he had was becoming more vivid as he remembered it, imagining his girlfriend becoming glamorized as a model with him escorting her as she clung to his arm.

All of Momo's nerves seemed to diminish with him agreeing to the date and she became giddy, clasping her hot chocolate with both hands before lifting it up to her face and taking a sip, after she let out a content sigh. Then she noticed that Izuku had also been a blushing mess like her and was curious about it.

"Excuse me Darling but is something the matter?" She asked with innocent kitten blinks.

He stiffened a bit before letting out a nervous chuckle as he did that thing of looking to the side and scratching his cheek. It was one of those cute little things Momo was noticing more about him.

"Eheh, promise not to laugh." He returned his eyes to her and then continued to talk after she nodded also taking another sip of her hot chocolate. "W-Well you see, I've kinda been having these weird dreams about you..." He let out slowly, gauging her response.

"About me?" Momo's eyes grew wide with her eyelashes having a taken aback flutter.

"Yeah, even daydreams," But Izuku blurted that out without thinking and quickly tried to make it seem not weird, waving his hands in front of her, "B-But it's only been happening since we started to become close. I just mean, y-you've been on my mind a lot, honestly, lately, you're all I think about..." Izuku felt his cheeks heat up even more as he confessed.

"Oh, Sweety, how can I laugh at something that sounds so endearing?" Momo, just as how Izuku would scratch his cheek and look to the side, did her own version of it, but instead, it was how she would tuck her always loose strand of hair behind her ear with a tilt of her head. "And if I were to confess, my thoughts parallel yours as well, if not more."

This time it was Izuku who was taken aback with wide eyes. "R-Really?"

And then they both started to go into detail about their respective dreams. Izuku explained how he had a dream of her being famous while he was her personal bodyguard and that he was reminded of it because of her invite to be her escort. He ruffled his hair as she let out a giddy smile because she thought it was an exciting dream and confessed about her own exciting dream which involved him being a gladiator.

"A-And then I just so happened to sneak into your cell and you know..." She didn't finish explaining but the flushed naughty giggle she was trying to suppress let him come to a conclusion.

But as they continued to enjoy each other's company and their date, there was the sound of hopping steps heading up to the second floor where they were at and Izuku couldn't help but to notice it, turning in her direction as she came into view.

"Yeah, she usually likes to visit it before a patrol because of how close it is to our agency."

It was Camie Utsushimi.

Izuku quickly shifted his focus back to Momo but it was too late.

"Yo, Izu is that you? Hey, Izuuu." Camie had spotted her partner at a table by the window and was trying to get his attention but instead got the attention of the raven-haired beauty that was with him.

'Izu?' Momo turned to the voice, seeing some dumb blonde waving at her boyfriend. 'Who is this bimbo?' But as always Momo's actions hid her thoughts. She cleared her throat speaking to Izuku. "Ehm, pardon Dear but it seems someone is talking to you."

Izuku was doing his best to pretend not to notice Camie but once his girlfriend acknowledged it he had to as well, "H-Huh, there is?" He kept acting like he hadn't noticed until he fully turned to Camie who was walking to them. "O-Oh, hey Camie, what's up? 'Bout to start your shift?"

"You know it fam!" Camie was standing in front of their table acting as her usually ditzy self, "Sooo, like who's this?" She blatantly asked as she stared at Momo unabashedly, while she slurped on the straw of her salted frappe.

Momo didn't know why but she felt uncomfortable at the way Camie was observing her, as if it was the complete opposite of Izuku's.

'In that moment, I don't know why, but I truly felt like a looking glass to her, as if she could see through me, all of me and all my faults...'

"Oh, this is Momo, m-my girlfriend. Ugh, Momo this is er, Camie, she works at the agency with me and Mirko."

"Girlfriend? Is that so..." But her voice had a certain nonchalant tone in it but then it quickly vanished as she introduced herself to Izuku's choice of replacement. "Hi! I'm Camie, don't worry about my last name, and it's like totes awesome to meet you. I can't believe Izu never mentioned you, I mean we are partners after all. He just works the day shift while I catwalk the nights, you know the pillar of society needs to shine bright while I stay in his shadow, always by his side." And she kept going on and on, but instead of the adorable mumblings of Izuku it was just noise and hot air berating Momo.

"Camie, oi Camie!" Izuku had to wave his hands to get her to stop rambling.

"Oop. My bad did I start to overload on you?" Camie asked Momo.

Momo waved her off completely confused by the current interaction with this woman. "No, no, it's quite alright. It's just a lot at once, mind you."

Izuku was in a weird state of mind as he looked on at the dichotomy of Momo, the elegant and innocent maiden, and to Camie, the sultry espionage femme fatale.

"Welp I need to bounce before that lunar bunny goes apeshit," Camie turned around and was making her leave but before she left Izuku called out to her.

"Call me if anything-," But he was caught off because Camie had heard him say it too many times.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll call if there's a crisis or if I'm in trouble," But then she tilted her head and tucked a golden lock of hair behind her ear as she looked at him over her shoulder. "Because you'll always be there for me... ne, I-zu-ku."

And she left, leaving Izuku and Momo more alone than ever.

Momo didn't know why but there was a lump in her throat, there was something about what just transpired but she couldn't put her finger on it, it was as if Camie had just showed up and imposed her presence on them, and even though she was gone her essence remained with a bitter taste.

She glanced across at Izuku and didn't know what to think because his eyes were shadowed.

"Uhm, c'mon Momo, I'll take you home." But his voice didn't have the uplifting tone it usually held and it completely disheartened her.

"Oh, okay." Momo agreed with neither of them mentioning what just happened with Camie and how it signaled the end of their date.

It was a quiet train ride home, Izuku had tried to hide his gloomy mood but it wasn't earnest and she could tell but she played along, despite it being a facade because at least it was something. Although in the back of her mind she kept thinking about Camie and whatever that was that happened at the cafe. But more than anything Momo didn't want their first date to be ruined.

Momo didn't know why her boyfriend became vulnerable, but she knew he was, and in need of something, and the more she thought of her idea, the more her heart rate increased. 'Am I really going to ask him?!'

They were walking to her home, having already passed the gates and we're reaching her door.

They were holding hands, always holding hands. But eventually, he let go once they reached her home.

"We're here. It was fun," 'Until Camie...' He thought but didn't mention it.

"Yes, yes it was," But there was a linger in her voice, "S-Say, Izuku?"

And he knew it was important because of how she said his name, in that beloved sigh.

"Yeah, Momo, what is it?"

He was vulnerable and she knew it but still asked, "Do... Do you want to come inside?"

'In that moment I don't know why but Todoroki's warning of Momo's manipulation flashed through my mind, and yet,'

"Y-Yeah, Momo, I'd like that..."