Author's note: I'm so sorry for the wait! I underestimated my workload for late November and December, and with me catching a nasty cold, it really didnt't help having some time for myself to write.

To be honest, I was afraid of having another writer block, because of how I was writing, little bit by little bit, but it was just because I couldn't do it otherwise. I just hope it doesn't affect the flow of this way longer chapter (I nearly splitted it in two, but there is a common thread for me so I've decided to not touch it).

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy, it, and I'll probably come back in two weeks with the tale of the rest of their summer... Kyoka's birthday is around the corner after all...


« And here it goes... »

He adjusted his aim, closing one of his eyes. And focused his sight on his target : an Umbreon plush that rested on the top shelf of the small stand.

He inhaled sharply and pulled the trigger as he exhaled slowly, the fake ammunition landing just an inch to the left of the plush.

« Awwww, man, it was so close ! »

Kyoka laughed at the overreacting electric cell next to her, and took another bit of her taiyaki. She patted his shoulder in consolation, grinning.

« It's okay Denki, I don't need another Pokemon since I have you... »

The blonde haired-boy was pouting in frustration and shook his head frantically.

"My pride as a man and a boyfriend is at stake here, Kyo!"

She smiled at his stubbornness, knowing perfectly well why he was dead-set on getting the prize, so she would have a memory of this evening they spent together.

So far, they only had shared some snacks with Bakugou and Eijirou, who were counting their scores and bumped into Mina, Sero and Mineta who were watching the traditional dances at the temple, drool evident around Mineta's mouth as he scrutinized the priestesses in their ceremonial outfits.

And to be honest, she was just simply happy to be near him, and didn't really needed a reminder. But since it was important for him, she decided to indulge him in his so call manly pride.

"Ok, ok, I get it. We just have a time limit, since the fireworks are in half an hour. Do your best, Pikachu!"

Denki grinned and motioned to the stall owner that he wanted to go another round, dropping some coins on the counter. There was no way his target would escape him, not with all the training he had put on his sharpshooting.

It was with a brand new plush in her arms that Kyoka reached the viewing point Denki had decided on to watch the fireworks among the spots Furukada-san had recommended. They had taken a small road that departed from the temple to reach the top of the hill, where a full view of the town greeted them, both the lake and the sea bathed by the moonlight.

They weren't alone, but it was way less crowded than he had expected, and the amazed look in Kyoka's dark gaze was definitely worth the small trek up there. He lightly squeezed her hand, leading her silently near the fence to have a better view.

The city neon lights cohabited with the faint glow of the lanterns and moonlight, making a puzzle of different light shades.

The whole landscape took another visage as the sky suddenly came ablaze with various colors, the usual summer sounds replaced by the sizzling and blast of the fireworks. Kyoka's head leaned against Denki's torso, as he sneaked an arm affectionately around her back, resting his hand on her waist.

They spent several minutes in a comfortable silence, eyes riveted on the sky, when Denki turned slightly his head to kiss the crown of her hair.

"I'm glad we could make it in time… I really wanted show you this place."

She hummed in response, enjoying the weight of his body against hers, sharing their warmth.

"You know, you weren't obliged to win this plush… What we are experiencing now is really what I'll remember the most of this evening, with all the fun we had."

He sighed, his head resting a little bit more on hers.

"I know, I know… I kinda always dreamed of doing something like that, you know. Strolling the stalls, winning something for my girlfriend and boasting about it… In the end, it wasn't that much about a man's pride, rather doing something every couple do."

She turned her head slightly, and crept up on her tiptoes, landing her lips on his cheek softly.

"This date was all I could wish for...", Kyoka whispered in his ear, feeling a light heat emanating from his skin as he turned slightly red.

She chuckled as she redirected her eyes on the firework display, his flustered look vivd in her mind, only to turn bright red at her turn when he breathed in her ear "You are all I could wish for", his voice dropping an octave lower while he whispered the "you".

His soft laugh rang in the air, contagious, his arms guiding her against his chest to hide her scarlet tainted face, shielding her from prying eyes.

She gripped the lapel of his yukata, mumbling an "idiot" with a voice that couldn't hide her own giddiness.

...

A familiar sight caught Ochaco's eyes, as her group of friends was heading to the nearby lake to admire the fireworks display. She slowed down her pace and came to a halt in front of a small stall held by an old lady who displayed several type of mochi.

She bowed and greeted the owner and scanned the sweets, looking for her favorite flavor.

"Uraraka-san?"

She turned around suddenly at the familiar voice.

"Deku-kun? Everything's all right?"

"Iida-kun and Tsu wondered where you were, so I went back to see if something had caught your attention."

She sheepishly scratched her cheek, a light blush on her face as his eyes landed on the goods she had been eyeing.

A small smile crept on his lips as he nodded in recognition.

"I see… It would have been a shame to miss this, for sure!"

The old lady asked her in a shaking voice if she had made her choice, and she timidly answered by pointing the sakura flavored mochi, asking for two of them.

Deku's smile widened as her eyes sparkled with joy as she received the treats, her rosy cheeks taking a shade darker with the orange glow of the lanterns. The mochi were the perfect color to match with her white and light pink yukata, dotted with embroidered sakura petals of different shades of pink.

Everything in her evoked softness, but he knew how strong she truly was, physically and mentally. And she never ceased to amaze him every day.

He struggled every day with this new feelings that arose since his return: he had always been aware that she had a special place in his life since his first day in UA, but he knew that something had changed since April. The level of trust was higher, the need to protect her and to understand her too, the desire of spending more time next to her growing more each day.

It was unsettling, disturbing, how it made him feel scared and giddy at the same time. He stayed several weeks with this on his mind, not knowing exactly what to do… Until that sleepless night where he found himself sprawled in a sort of pillow fort with Kaminari, sharing their pasts. After spilling the bean, he decided to confess all the way to his classmate, the new feelings, his struggle to deal with it, to make a decision about what to do about them.

In this matter, Denki's experience with Kyoka had helped Deku to put things in perspective, to allow himself to feel attracted to someone else, to care that deeply for someone. But the cryptic "You'll know what to do when the time will be right" left him hanging and doubtful, for he had yet to decide to tell her or not, and the daily brainstorm didn't lead him to any solid conclusion.

Her voice thanking the old lady brought him back to the present, and he bowed politely alongside her before taking their leave.

She handed him one of the mochi with her smile.

"You're sure about that? They're your absolute favorite…"

"Great food is meant to be shared!"

That's so you, he almost blurted as he seized the mochi and thanked her, his cheeks reddening a little. He brought the sweet to his lips, his eyes occasionally glancing sideways to look at her as they walked slowly toward the lake.

His phone buzzed with a call from Tsu.

"Midoriya-chan? Have you found Ochaco-chan?"

"Yes, I just ran on her as she was buying some sweets. We are on our way to meet with you all."

"That's a relief, but I'm afraid you won't make it in time. We picked up the pace when we saw how crowded it was, and we had to go a bit far to have a good spot, ribbit."

"We must still have the time after all, it is only…"

"Five before ten, ribbit."

He gasped and looked at Uraraka, panic seizing his chest. A part of him had wished for this, to watch the firework display just by themselves, but he wasn't prepared for it at all.

"Don't worry, Midoriya-chan, we'll met up later, just try to find a good spot to enjoy the show."

She hang up on this, not letting him utter a single word.

Ochaco turned a questioning gaze on him as she was finishing her mochi.

"Tsu just told me that they had to walk a lot farther than they had anticipated, and the fireworks are beginning in 5 minutes…"

Her mouth formed a thoughtful "o", redness creeping up slowly as realization etched in her slowly widening eyes. It lasted just a few seconds before she regained a normal composure, but Izuku didn't miss every single one of them, his own flustered state somehow calming down since he obviously wasn't the only one feeling this way.

"Maybe we should try to find a good place to watch them in the short time we have… If it's okay with you, of course!", she said with a soft voice.

"Let's go then, we can go near the temple to have a better view."

They managed to run among the crowd who was moving against them, the green-eyed boy grasping Uraraka's wrist gently in fear of losing her again in the process.

As they made it to the small plaza in front of the temple, the crackle of the pyrotechnics echoed in the sky, lighting it with shades of yellow and red. They both raised their head in awe, as their breaths evened slowly, the rush of adrenaline from their run fading slowly.

Another salve of blue and green lights brightened the night, Deku's hand still circling Ochaco's wrist. He could hear his neurons going back and forth with fears and possibilities, the what ifs running rampant in his mind.

She didn't seem to mind his gesture, her round and bright eyes focused on the display, lips stretched in a small and genuine smile.

In one glance, in one gulp, he finally made his mind, his hand gliding down hers and linking their fingers together.

She stilled silently, her face showing no sign of the inner turmoil she was experiencing.

She had promised herself to put her feelings aside, for the sake of their mutual goal. She really, really did her best to let them rest for an undetermined time. But his disappearance had made everything crumble, and ever since his return, she knew that something was different.

But she had deliberately chosen to ignore it, to put his attempt to get closer to her on gratitude or guilt, to suppress any sign of awakening hope for her feelings to be returned.

These past two months, she felt like she was gradually splitting in two, the usual gentle but fierce facade on as she battled against herself more each day.

She was stubborn like that, despite her friend's advice and common sense. She was above all terrified of ruining everything, but she couldn't admit that to herself until she felt his warm and calloused hand claiming hers, until she felt his green eyes focused on her face, the fondness of his gaze practically tangible.

All the built-up tension seemed to vanish by this simple touch, and she instinctively held his hand a little tighter, her head stopping her usual struggle by itself as his grip got a little firmer, the rough texture of his skin sending tingles all over her nerves.

Their shared silence turned from awkward to comfortable, their restless thoughts slowly hushing to simply enjoy each other presence as they watched the continuous stream of colors and lights above them.

They had all the time in the world to sort this out, after all.

...

"Winner: Dynamight!"

All Might's voice boomed in the prairie the students were occupying, the morning sun getting high in the sky. They had resumed their summer training for the rest of their stay in Hamamatsu, and this was their last day, after a trek around the mountains the day prior, and patrols every evening.

But for this last training session, they were holding a series of mock duels, far from the city to avoid any damage.

Bakugou stood up, panting and sweating. His eyes landed on his opponent, sprawled on the grass, his face stained with bruises and his jacket full of small burns, breathing heavily.

He went with a more controlled input of explosions, attacking from a distance from multiple angles. It wasn't what he had envisioned to do, but his paralyzed state forced him to adapt his strategy. And he couldn't take the risk to be rooted without doing anything, not when his opponent could fry him. So he had kept him busy, blasting here and there relentlessly, until he could break free from the paralysis effect

Katsuki stretched, checking for injuries, and headed to his classmate, propping a hand down for him to take.

"Wheeeeee... Got... to... catch my breath..."

"Oï, I thought you were going in your idiot mode..."

A small grin appeared on the blonde lips, his eyes still sheltered form the blaring sun by his arm.

"I'm not even close from it... I...I'm just wheezing the fuck out...Got to work on my stamina..."

Kaminari propped himself up in a sitting position and took the extended hand.

"That was not bad Dunce face. I actually had to think of another plan," Bakugou said as he pulled him up forcefully, "and you managed to put your damn pointer on me too. That fucking paralysis thing is neat, but you're too easily undermined when shit isn't going as planned."

Denki wobbled slightly on his legs, wiping the sweat out of his face. He nodded slowly, focusing on the advice he was receiving with a serious face.

Months ago, he would have been terrified to go against Bakugou in actual training, even if they were friends and hanging out together often, the gap in skills and confidence abyssal in his eyes. He would have been afraid of being ridiculous, of losing face.

But when he ended against him after the draw, the only thing he could feel was excitement. Their fight was bound to bring something positive, either pointers on where he was currently standing, or what he was still lacking and needed to focus on.

"Thanks, Bakubro. I'll do my best to work on this. I had fun fighting with you!"

Katsuki let go of Denki's hand, and averted his eyes, his hands resting casually in his pockets.

"Yeah, guess it was fine. But you're nowhere near my level yet, so don't slack off."

"Next up: Red Riot against Deku!"

The two teens got out of the battlefield, high-fiving their classmates that were waiting for their turn to come in, their bodies clearly brimming with energy and tension.

"Catch!"

Denki's head turned abruptly, seeing a bottler of water flying from the same direction as Kyoka's voice. His hand reached out for the fresh bottle, and he wiped it on his forehead and cheeks in an attempt to cool down a bit.

"Thanks Kyo!", he replied after taking a little sip.

She was sitting under some trees, along with the rest of the class, everyone looking for some shelter form the blaring summer sun. The match would probably go on for a few hours, and even if they clearly enjoyed the challenge and seeing how their friends had improved, a single thought was running across everyone: the beach.

They had the afternoon off and decided to enjoy the sea, since they hardly had the occasion to take advantage of staying in a sea resort. Even if the girls were a bit wary at first, mostly because of Mineta, they all agreed that it would be a shame to come back to UA without at least eating shaved-ice on the beach and playing around in the water.

Denki let himself fall down on the grass near his classmates and joined the cheers after taking another sip of water, receiving a volley of congratulations on his match here and there, along with random fist-bumps and pats in the back from the boys.

Tokoyami sat down next to him, in the most shaded place possible.

"You did a great job on your match, Kaminari-kun."

"Thanks! If you had told me a year ago that I would try to hold my ground against Bakugou, I wouldn't have believed you..."

The wielder of Dark Shadow hummed in response. "That shows how much you have grown, to be able to acknowledge that."

A genuine grin appeared slowly on the blonde lips, as he encouraged Eijirou who took straight away a St Louis Smash without bulging.

So that what was growing up felt like... He could really become addicted to this feeling in the long run, the sense of accomplishment being one of the most comforting and motivating thing he had experienced, alongside love.

"I guess you're right. You're not the first telling me to gain confidence in myself, so I'll do my best to go forward!"

"This is what friends are for, it seems. I'll support you the best I can from now on."

"Thank you... You can count on me too, we all have each other back... And there's no way I'm letting one of my fellow band mate down!"

"Don't worry, I know that quite well... I guess I'll have to prepare for the next fight."

"You're up against a tough opponent..."

His eyes glanced toward Todoroki, who seemed to excuse himself from Momo, Tsu and Iida to stand up too, stretching his muscles.

Tokoyami shrugged, his eyes focused on the unfolding match. It was difficult to see who had the advantage yet since they were sparring only for a few minutes, Kirishima's quirk allowing him to mitigate the sheer force of Deku's attacks. But the newfound versatility of his Quirk clearly gave the upper hand to Midoriya, who seemed to wait for the right moment to use it.

"I'll never be on par with them, but I have my own path to follow, and any hardship will lead to a better version of myself... So tough or not, I'll take on any opponent with all the might I can muster."

Denki's grin widened, one of the corner of his lips tilting up in a smirk.

"Has anybody told you how cool you sound every time you talk? I swear, you are like our older brother showering us with his wisdom."

Tokoyami turned away to began his own stretching session without a word, but Kaminari saw nonetheless the ghost of a blush on his friend's cheeks.

...

"Yahoooooooooooooooooo!"

A loud splashing noise covered the enthusiastic screams of Mina, Eijirou, Ochaco and Denki as they jumped in the clear water, shaking their wet hair with a loud gasp when they resurfaced, laughing like crazy.

The rest of the class was eyeing them with various expression, from amused to jaded. Tsu soon joined them, along with Bakugou who was launching a swimming competition among the boys.

Momo was seated with Kyoka under a parasol, who was observing with a smile the chaos occurring in the sea, her boyfriend swimming like crazy in his race against Eijirou while the girls splashed each other frantically.

She was perfectly fine with staying dry and just sitting on the sand, but something about their antics was appealing. But for now, she had a friend to take care of, Momo being overly conscious of her swimsuit-clad body.

She couldn't relate as much as she wanted to, her body type not the most attractive one regarding the standards. She didn't really care, the only persons she wanted to impress being Denki and herself. But she knew that behind her tough and dignified shell, Momo had her fragile moments, who often had one thing in common: the way people were looking at her.

Momo was laughing as Iida was admonishing a clearly uncaring Bakugou, who was trying to lure Deku and Shoto in his swimming battle by yelling at them.

Kyoka smiled as the way her friend's dark eyes softened and a timid smile crept up on her lips when she waved back at Todoroki, whose gaze showed a bit of concern.

Momo's smile morphed in a firmer one, a silent reassurance meant only for him to understand.

"You're both tooth-rotting cute, I hope you're aware of that...", said Kyoka with a smirk.

Momo's gaze landed on her friend, confusion written on her features.

"You're just having the most adorable silent and telepathic conversation ever, in case you hadn't noticed."

"I'm just waving back at him, I don't see anything more than that."

Kyoka sighed: she could understand Momo's reticence to engage any kind of relationship despite her feelings, and she truly wanted to respect her friend's choice, but seeing the two of them dancing around each other was more and more painful to watch, especially since the summer festival.

"Please, Momo. He is obviously worrying about you, like he always does, and you were just trying to reassure him and telling him that you'll be okay."

"I don't know where you're finding all that, Kyoka."

"I just got eyes, you know. And it's not like you've spent the whole evening with him during the festival."

Momo blushed at the recollection, and tightened her light cotton shirt a bit more around herself.

Ever since he proposed to stay with her that night, her worries and insecurities had vanished, her discomfort about being watched fading slowly away as they fell in a comfortable conversation. They had discussed hero work, studies, expectations for the next cultural festival, a bit about their families too. She had tentatively breached the subject, asking about his family's health, and he had responded that they were all fine, everyone working on rebuilding communication among them... Nearly.

They had managed to find a relatively quiet place for watching the fireworks, breaking the silence only to comment on the display.

They had shared some soba on the way back, and spent the rest of the evening with Tsuyu and Iida who happened to cross their roads, soon joined by the rest of their classmates as the festival went on.

Since that night, she could feel her resolve sometimes waver, and she had deflected every sign of kindness from him as a simple sign of camaraderie, because it was way simpler like this. She had made her mind months ago, and she would not go back on her decision.

But was it the right thing to do? Was it really what she wanted?

"You're overthinking it, Momo. Who was the one telling me to not act out of fear?"

"I'm not afraid of being rejected," replied Momo in a more acidic tone than her usual composed one.

"No, you're terrified that he might love you too. Because it is a whole new territory you never imagined possible, since you have decided to ignore it from the start."

The echoes of their classmates laughs and the soothing sound of the wave was blaring in Momo's ears, Kyoka's words seeming so true and having no sense at all.

"And like you told me a few months ago, you're not the only one concerned by all this... So you can't control everything and have to let go to move forward, wherever it leads you."

Momo let out a deep breath she wasn't even aware to holding in. She let her crossed arms rest on her pulled-up knees, her head falling on them.

"Using my own advice against me? It is very Kyoka-like..."

"What can I say? For once I'm the one giving life lessons."

Momo smiled at the cheeky grin on her friend's face.

"Well, you're not wrong anyway... But I don't feel confident about letting go that quickly."

"Don't, then. No need to rush. Giving you time is part of letting go, you control freak."

Their soft laughs were covered by a loud and angry scream, Bakugou having lost his race against Midoriya under the roar of laughter of their classmates.

A silent glance at each other led them to stand up, joining the unruly crowd engaging in a splashing battle under the warm sun.

...

"It's time fooooooooooor... Ice cream !"

Mina's enthusiastic scream was soon joined by cheers, the whole class heading toward the small wooden parlor.

"Shaved ice is the best summer thing ever...", said Tooru, jumping excitedly as she walked alongside her classmates.

"I prefer soba..." objected Todoroki.

"Why not a soba flavord shaved-ice?" asked Izuku enthusiastically.

"Don't be ridiculous!," interjected Bakugou, "some things don't go well together, and that's all."

"Like shrimp and chocolate?" pondered Tsu with a pensive look. "Though I kinda found it enjoyable last time I tried, kero..."

The look of disgust on everyone soon turned in an eruption of snickers as they finally reached their destination, browsing the different syrup flavors.

They placed their orders and waited patiently, Izuku, Iida and Uraraka chatting amicably with the owner of the stall as Sero and Eijirou tried to stop Bakugou from arguing with Tsu about her weird food associations and love for jelly, by pointing that his love for spicy food was just as weird too. Mina was enjoying her multicolored popsicle, laughing at something with Tooru who she was eating her vanilla sundae.

Momo and Kyoka were sitting on a bench a bit further away, the former trying to ler her long hair dry. They really didn't regret joining the fun, accompanying Tsu in her exploration of the sea floor, battling each other perched on the boy's shoulders, slacking off on gigantic buoys...

"In the end, this summer camp has been full of great memories..."

"You didn't expected it to be like this?" asked Momo as she fixed her damp ponytail, the weight of her wet hair making the hair band slide. She sighed in defeat, and let her hair down, wincing at the humid sensation spreading on her shirt.

"I was expecting a lot more of training and maybe some field work... It is as if the teachers purposely cut us some slack."

"I think that they took in consideration how exhausting our life has been for the last year."

Kyoka hummed in approbation, and fetched her phone in her beach bag, holding it in the air.

"Anyway, let's immortalize this with some pictures!" the short-haired girl exclaimed as a shutter sound echoed, taking Momo by surprise, a wide grin on her friend's face.

Momo whined and reached for the phone to see the extent of the disaster, but Kyoka playfully jumped on her feet and began to jog out of her friend's reach, sticking her tongue out.

Momo followed her, sticking her own tongue out, running toward Kyoka and pleading for her to show her the picture. After a few minutes of running around, Kyoka gave in and Momo laughed at the image, her mouth forming a strange "o" of surprise, her brows crinkled in a confused frown.

Their lively chatter was soon interrupted by three deep and unknown voices.

"Hey there! What brings two lovely flowers like you around here?"

Kyoka cringed inwardly at the cheesy pick-up line, but sensed the tension in Momo's body language. She was about to retort one of her usual snarky remark, something along how flowers don't bloom well near rotting weeds, but she had a hunch that it could backfire one way or another.

She threw a reassuring look at her friend, silently signaling her that she'd handle it.

"We're on a summer camp with our class."

That was the safest choice, clearly stating that they weren't alone in here, thus less vulnerable.

A second boy got closer to Momo, who unconsciously joined her hands defensively in front of her.

"That's cool! And what's your name?" said the third one in a cheerful voice, bringing his face closer to Kyoka. She decided to play it cool, a perfect excuse in mind as she invented fake names on a whim.

"I'm Tohka, and this is Ruri."

"It is really, really, really nice to meet both of you", said the boy who stood next Momo, his eyes clearly not on her face.

A cold shiver run through her: that was what she dreaded during the festival, and she had let her guard down because she was in the protective cocoon of her class, surrounded by people she trusted with her life.

And here she was, muted, unable to move an inch, feeling her cheeks heating from shame and embarassment. She was aware that the source of her distress could find another meaning in her reddening face, and she hated herself for that. She was a hero, dammit!

"Can we treat you to an ice-cream or something? We could get to know each other better." asked the one who was still watching Kyoka's face with a clear interest. The first boy who had talked to them was now blocking the view toward the stall where their classmates stood, unaware of what was unfolding.

Kyoka thought of calling Kaminari using her speed dial, her phone still in her hand. But Momo's state was really worrying her: she was confident in their abilities to fight and incapacitate them in a work context, but right now, the disturbance was too strong to take risks or make a move that could lead their opponent to snap.

"We have to regroup with our classmates and teachers very soon, so maybe another time!" sheepishly said Kyoka as she took Momo's hand.

"We will escort you to your rendez-vous point in that case, it would be a shame if something happened to you."

The sweet and cheerful tone didn't quite covered the intent: they wouldn't take no as an answer.

Momo's grip on her hand tightened slightly.

"Well, that's... kind of you. Let us fetch our bags in that case...Let's go Ruri!"

The fake smile and timid tone was hurting her pride, when she just wanted to make a run for it. But they were surrounding them now, entering their personal space slowly but surely.

They began to walk back to the bench, and she cursed herself for not having at least put her short back on: she could have hidden her phone in one of the pocket to discreetly call Denki or anybody.

Momo was following her silently, still holding her friend's hand, doing her best to maintain a neutral expression and a safe distance with her admirer who was trying to start a conversation. She had managed to simply reply by "Yes" when he asked her if she enjoyed her stay, hoping that her curt answer would dissuade him to pursuer further.

Suddenly, she felt something foreign touching her back, and she froze, letting go of Kyoka's hand. The man was smiling innocently, while letting his hand rest lower and lower on her back slowly, her cheeks turning crimson, anger and shame blasting in her mind.

Kyoka turned around as soon as she felt the lack of Momo's hand in her own, and she began to panic. Worst case scenario had just occurred, and she had to be aware of the two others as well. Her finger touched the speed dial button by instinct, and her mind was racing to try and de-escalate the tension.

"Is there a problem Ruri? Did you forget something?"

Momo exhaled very slowly, and shook her head. "No, I felt like something was stuck on my hair, but it was nothing. We'll be late if we don't hurry Tohka-chan." She hated how her voice sounded hollow and trembling.

The cheerful boy took the opportunity to grab Kyoka's attention, and she reluctantly told him about their imaginary school, retelling their story wih a bit more details, praying that Denki could take the hint and come soon.

"Ruri-chan, I really want to spend more time with you... I'm sure you'll be okay if we escape from them for a bit."

The feeling of his breath near her ear and of his hand on her skin made her skin crawl with disgut, her cheeks still burning.

Think of it as an undercover mission, it is an undercover mission. You can do it, you can do it...

She chanted to herself, trying to tame her anger, her shame in every way possible. She needed to act, as Momo, not as Creati.

"I... I don't want to..."

"You're playing the timid act, but I can see that you're not indifferent...," he whispered again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "look at how you're blushing... You're so cute..."

She was ready to punch him, to beat him to a pulp. But her hand didn't react to her brain command, and she could only avert her gaze and her face, nibbling her lower lip in anger, a muffled "please stop..." erupting from her mouth.

A rush of cold suddenly hit her skin, and she heard a familiar cheerful voice screaming "Here you are, you two! We've been looking forever for you!"

Denki was next to Kyoka, his arm casually resting on her right shoulder. He had a wide smile on his face, but the angry light in his eyes didn't match his open and friendly act.

"Thanks for escorting them back, guys!", he said while bowing his head to the boy who was talking to Kyoka a few seconds before. "Look, I've brought you some ice-cream!"

He gave her a lemon-flavored shaved ice, his hand now clearly resting on her hip, his aura radiating possessiveness.

Kyoka exhaled in relief, her eyes immediately searching for Momo, ready to call her and snatch her way from the leecherous boy.

The icy atmosphere came from Shoto, who was holding firmly Momo's hand, his demeanor clearly not as friendly as Denki.

"Would you mind letting go of her? She doesn't seem comfortable with the way your left hand is resting on her lower back."

The guy immediately retreated his hand, mumbling incoherent words.

"Hum... I wasn't... She was the one..."

Shoto threw him a piercing glare, stopping the man in his thought process. He then silently dragged a stunned Momo by the hand, ignoring anything else and walking toward a near picninc area with some wooden tables and bench.

"Well, we're taking our leave, we don't want to break the curfew. See ya around...," Kaminari said with a mischevious smirk, his face dropping the smiling persona for a few seconds before adding, "or maybe not..."

The three boys nodded silently and began to walk hurriedly back toward the city without looking behind them.

Kyoka watched them retreat with a small smile on her face, bringing a spoonful of her ice to her mouth.

Two warm arms made their way around her, making her back fall against Denki's chest as he encased her gently in a hug.

"Thank god, you're fine...", he murmured against her hair, as she quietly ate her shaved-ice, the feeling of safety she was experiencing since his arrival easing her nerves.

"I was more worried for Momo than anything. That's why I didn't go all out with sarcasm and wits...But I'm still glad you came. We couldn't have made it without using violence otherwise."

"Trust me, it was hard to control our anger... But I'm amazed that you've planned that far ahead."

"I dialed you by reflex when Momo let go of my hand, because I knew shit was gonna hit the fan sooner or later. She wouldn't forgive herself if she had used violence against civilians, no matter how shitty their behaviour had been."

She turned her head up to catch a glimpse of his face, and the pure look of adoration in his eyes as he looked down made her blood rush in her veins at full speed, the memory of his possessive touch still vivid in her mind.

"I'm sorry I got you worried."

"To be honest, we were wondering where you both were right before your call, and when we saw the empty bench with your bags, it didn't take long to know that something happened. We figured it was best to avoid confronting them with the whole class, so Todoroki and I went ahead while the others gathered your stuff, and you know everything else."

She hummed in response, taking another spoonful of lemon-flavored ice.

"And thank you for bringing my shaved-ice..."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly.

"Anything for you, my warrior princess."

She paused, her spoon hanging in the air, mumbling a "Dork!" as she welcomed another kiss with laughter.

...

Shoto came to a stop in front of a wooden bench, and gently made Momo sat down, kneeling in front of her.

Both of them hadn't let a word out, her silently following his lead, the event of the last minutes turning endlessly in her head.

He did his best to quell his desire to chase after the low-lifes who dared to made his friends feel fear and discomfort as they walked, fully aware of Momo's need for support.

He knew better than anyone how timid and innocent she was around men in her everyday life, their evening at the festival the most recent occurrence. It was a striking contrast with how little care she had when she was in her hero costume, but he had come to understand her reasoning with time, efficiency being the priority.

He wasn't blind to the lingering admirative or lust-filled looks she usually received, but it had been more difficult to deal with how angry it made him lately: he was always trying to protect his friends in any kind of circumstances, but this will was fiercier when it came to Yaoyorozu.

She was still silent, her hand still in his, her eyes still downcast.

He did his best to soften his expression, and he gently whispered a "Are you hurt?", waiting patiently for her answer.

He heard her gulp, and saw her shaking her head from side to side. After another minute of silence, she took a deep breath.

"I'm not physically hurt."

"I know. But you're hurt nonetheless."

She sighed and held back a sob, her hand clenching his with a sudden force.

"I... I tried... but... I was frozen... I left Kyoka alone... I wanted to hurt him..."

He stood on his knees, his grip on her hand firm and gentle, signbaling her that he was listening by a soft hum or a whispered "I know".

"I am so angry and frustrated with myself... And and... In the end he didn't really do anything, and I'm just overreacting... And I can't be a proper hero if I'm unable to stand up for myself!"

The sob and tears that she was holding back suddenly broke out, and she let go of his hand, hiding her crying face in her hands.

Shoto took few seconds to react, her words renewing his surge of anger at how her self-esteem had been damaged, to the point that she was doubting her ability to become what she wanted.

So, when she retreated her hand from his, he gently reached for her head and brought it against his chest, his arms holding her close, one of his hand stroking her raven locks in a soft and comforting gesture.

Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do regarding how wary she was of physical contact with the opposite gender, but he couldn't let her drift away and going along with these kind of thoughts.

"I want you to try and listen to me, Yaoyorozu. They did something wrong. He did something wrong. You told him that you wanted him to stop, right?"

She nodded between her cries. "Judging by what I saw, It was clear that you didn't appreciate his attention, and yet, he disregarded it. And that's not right. That's all there is to it."

Her sobs became less frantic, his words calming her down little by little. He let go of her slowly, reaching for her hands to keep them away from her face. His gaze found her onyx eyes, and never left her face as he went on, desperate to convince her.

"You did your best, regarding your own fears and circumstances. You tried to stood up for yourself, like Kyoka did, and you stayed true to yourself by not using your quirk or violence against them. That's what heroes do: going beyong their limits to protect people, even if they don't always deserve it."

She was trying to lower her head again, but he grabbed his chin and pulled her eyes at the same level as his.

"So don't give up on making your dream come true because of what happened. Learn from it, and move forward, without any guilt. They don't deserve the power you are giving them."

Her eyes widened, the tears still silently rolling down: he was right, and she knew it. Her main complex was her lack of self-confidence, something that she was working on since she enrolled in UA with her friend's help. She had a sense of pride, but it could be too easily shaken, and somehow, she had been afraid of being too prideful. After all, she was from a wealthy and famous family, and she has seen people changed with power and money... She swore to never fall in this trap, to always treat people kindly and respectfully, regardless of their background.

But it didn't mean to forget her own self, to let people trample over her feelings.

She wiped away some lingering tears off the corner of her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Thank you Todoroki-kun. I'm sorry for letting my emotions get the better of me. I'll do my best to overcome this and become who I want to be."

Her smile brightened her tear-stained face, chasing the dark cloud of guilt in her eyes.

Shoto felt himself warm up, not really understanding why. He only knew he wanted the memory of this moment to stay in a corner of his brain forever. He suddenly let go of her chin and hand, overly conscious of how close their faces were.

"You're welcome," he managed to say in a relative neutral voice that sounded strange in his own ears, "and there's nothing wrong with expressing your emotions in that case, so if you ever feel the need to talk, I'm here for you, Yaoyorozu."

She got up from her sitting position, and nodded.

"Thank you. And I'll gladly listen to you in time of need too, Todoroki-san."

"We should head back to the ice-cream parlor, it is getting late."

"Right. Let's go!"

She walk ahead of him, her head held high in the late afternoon sun, her body filled with a newfound energy. His mind still a bit confused, he began to walk in his turn when she suddenly spun around, her face slightly red.

"Todoroki-san... Can you... Can you call me less formally from now on? I mean, I consider you as an important person, who is really supporting me, and it sounds a bit strange to hear you call me too formally. If it is a problem, don't mind me, but..."

"It is not a problem, if you stop calling me that formally too, Yaomomo."

She stood still, her expression a mix of embarassement and giddiness for a few seconds before she regained her composure.

"In that case, I'll do so, Todoroki-kun!"

He let a tiny smile appear on his lips as they walked back to their classmates, a small voice in his head wondering how it would feel to hear her call him Shoto.