Okay, I lied. This is a four part story now, instead of three. Thank you all for supporting! Chapter 4 will be out in a couple of days.

Fencer29 – Thank you always for your thoughtful comments! Haha, Jirou most certainly did not tell Momo about the fourth group of girls. Nor the fifth. :P

Jennyshampu – Thank you! Hope you like this chapter.

Lilsketcher617 - Thank you so much! I'm glad you are enjoying.

Thank you to my awesome betas: Flourchildwrites, Crazyelf2018, C's Melody, and Emberstork.

Also, decided to change some minor details from previous chapters.

And please go check out super cute art Mardimari made for this fic. Twitter: Mardimari3 / status / 1329581071608942592

"SHOUTOOOOOO!"

Shit.

Shouto spun around, his gaze landing on his father's six-foot-four frame marching across the crowded square. Hawks trailed behind him; they were both dressed in their hero uniforms.

People on the street parted to let them pass through.

Shouto tsked under his breath. It was just his luck to run into his old man when he was in a hurry.

Their relationship had gotten marginally better over the past year. His father wasn't the overbearing and cruel tyrant Shouto remembered from his childhood. But there was still a sharp tension between them, an invisible wall that Shouto wasn't ready or willing to tear down. No matter what Midoriya's theories were about Shouto waiting for the right moment to forgive his father — that hypothetical day still felt like it was a long way off.

He didn't trust that man, Todoroki Enji.

Shouto kept waiting, watching, preparing for the day that the old Endeavor would emerge and burn everything down. And he felt more viscerally aware of that fact as he thought of Yaoyorozu being locked away by her own controlling parents.

It made him angry just thinking about it, and Shouto glowered up at his father. "I don't have time for you, old man," he snapped, debating if he should just make a break for it. The anxious churning in his stomach, urging him to get to Yaoyorozu in time, seemed to only be adding to Shouto's foul mood.

He took a step around his father. "If you don't have anything important to say, I need to get going."

"Shouto."

A large hand clasped on his shoulder, stopping him. Shouto looked up sharply. His father's bright turquoise eyes narrowed as he studied him.

"What's gotten into you?"

Shouto's chest tightened in irritation and he glared, but his father's hand didn't loosen on his shoulder.

People on the street were stopping to stare. If he took any longer then he would never get to Yaoyorozu in time.

Shouto swallowed his building anger. "I need to get to Aoyama," he said finally, in a tense voice, hoping his father would take a hint and drop the conversation.

"What's in Aoyama?" Hawks asked suddenly, staring at him curiously.

Meddling bird.

Shouto gritted his teeth. It wasn't as if he really had anything against him.

Hawks was a good hero and more importantly, got under his father's skin — a trait Shouto genuinely appreciated — but not today. He needed to get going. The ride to Aoyama and back would take the full two hours. And that was only if everything went right, which, so far, didn't look like it was going to be the case.

"A friend," he bit out, avoiding Hawks' gaze. "I need to get to her before the fireworks start." He reached up and brushed his father's hand off. "That's why I don't have time for this."

He pushed past his father. The interruption had cost him precious time. Shouto still needed to get to the train station and get a ticket. He hoped he wasn't too late.

"Shouto, wait!" Hawks called after him.

Shouto paused, his hands curling into fists at his side. "Wha—"

His voice broke as his body jerked backwards. He twisted his head quickly to look behind him, and his eyes widened. Dark red feathers darted through the air, lacing together on his back, and forming auburn wings.

"You have someone important you want to meet, right?" Hawks asked. Shouto's gaze darted back towards him in shock. The number two heroes' yellow eyes glittered in the fading summer light. "At this hour, it'll be hard to get anywhere in this crowd. This way will be much faster." He gave a thumbs-up, and a strange tingling sensation filled Shouto's stomach.

He swallowed.

Someone important.

Was Yaoyorozu someone important to him?

He had never given it much thought. Certainly, he admired and looked up to her. She was a good friend and fellow classmate, an outstanding hero in training. But, did that make someone important?

His stomach clenched. Midoriya and Iida were his friends too, but would he call them important? Probably. Yet, this felt different. Shouto didn't know if he would race across Tokyo to see fireworks with them.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shouto knew he wouldn't. He felt like he was on the verge of grasping some vital concept that had been eluding him. Emotions he wasn't used to felt stuck in his throat like hot glue. They were the same feelings he got whenever his mother asked him about Yaoyorozu.

His heart pounded in his chest. The answer was right at the tip of his fingertips, but Shouto couldn't grasp it.

"Hawks," his father snapped, glaring down at the shorter man, his mouth opening and closing several times as if he couldn't find the words. "What's the meaning of this?"

Hawks turned towards Shouto's old man and smiled innocently. "Relax, papa, I've done this before. It's perfectly safe."

His father's face turned bright red. "Pa-papa?" he sputtered.

If it had been any other time, Shouto would have gained immense satisfaction at seeing his old man's face turn different shades of crimson.

But he needed to get going.

"Yaoyorozu residence," Shouto said quickly, his chest constricting. "In Aoyama. Near the shopping district,"

Hawks looked back at Shouto, and grinned, his expression turning playful. "Don't worry, I'll get you to your important princess."

Shouto almost choked, but pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He didn't have time to think about Hawks' strange responses. His heart pounded in his chest.

Suddenly, Hawks snapped his fingers and the wings stretched out behind Shouto. They beat against the air as Shouto's body rose off the ground. Dust puffed into small clouds off the street as the wings pulled him upward. He felt multiple pairs of eyes on him as people stopped to gasp and stare.

His heart rose in his chest; a flicker of hope rushed through him. He could make it; with Hawks' help, there was still a chance he could get to Yaoyorozu in time. Shouto raised his head and met Hawks' eyes. "Thanks."

Hawks smiled, and for once, it looked genuine. Then the dark red wings beat once, then twice. Then he was airborne and racing across the sky.

Enji rolled his jaw as he watched his youngest son fly up into the fading summer light.

"Hawks," he ground out. His voice wavered with barely contained fury as he turned back towards the shorter hero. The flames on his beard intensified in anger. "I want an explanation."

Hawks hummed in the back of his throat. "Relax." He tilted his head back to look up at Enji from the corner of his yellow eyes and grinned mischievously. "I just want to score a couple of points with my future brother and sister-in-law."

Enji choked. "Br-brother-in-law?" he sputtered, shock dousing his anger. It felt like the shorter hero had flown up and slapped him in the face.

Hawks laughed. "They're going to owe me big for this!"

Enji stared at him, stunned.

Brother-in-law?

Sister-in-law?

Hawks couldn't – he didn't mean Shouto? Did he?

Wait! And what did he mean by 'in-law.' Enji only had two other children: Fuyumi and Natsuo. Hawks wasn't implying... Was he interested in one of them?

Natsuo, he thought, had a girlfriend, so Fuyumi…?

No.

He couldn't get distracted. Fuyumi and Natsuo were both smart. And they were old enough to make their own decisions. It was Shouto he had to worry about.

This had to be one of Hawks' jokes, but if it wasn't…Was his youngest son really interested in someone?

Enji felt his internal body temperature shoot up as his parenting mode activated.

No!

No dating! Girls were off-limits, at least until after high school. They were a distraction. He needed to focus on his career and strive to be — Enji caught himself.

No.

He couldn't be like this. Enji had promised to change. He swallowed his temper and curled his hands into tight fists at his side.

It was Shouto's life. If...if he wanted to see someone — even though he was still too young — Enji would do his best to support him. He wouldn't say anything to him about having a girl — girl...he gritted his teeth. He couldn't even get the word to form in his mind.

"Endeavor-san, we better get going," Hawks said, cutting through his thoughts.

Enji started and turned towards the number two hero. His eyebrows furrowed. "Where are you going?" he growled as he watched the other hero walk towards the crowd of people. The usual expansive auburn wings on his back had been reduced to tiny stubs.

Hawks looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "To grab a taxi, of course. My feathers can't carry two people all the way from Aoyama when I'm this far away. We need to go meet them."

Go meet them…

He might meet the girl, his future daughter-in-law. Enji's blood pressure spiked. No. He didn't know that. He needed to stay calm.

Enji drew in a deep breath and willed himself not to combust into flames as he slowly followed after the infuriating, meddling bird-hero.

It was almost eight. The fireworks would be starting soon.

Momo's hands tightened around her knees as she sat perched on the window ledge and stared despairingly out over the busy Aoyama streets. Outside, the sky had become an inky midnight blue accentuated by the blinking, multi-colored lights of the city.

Down below, ant-sized people and cars were packed along the roads and sidewalks. The designer store, Hermes, across the street was open, and she could see carefree shoppers browsing about through the floor-length windows.

It seemed everyone in Tokyo was out tonight — except her.

Momo leaned her head against the glass of the window. She needed to stop feeling sorry for herself. Her mother had a valid point. Ever since starting high school, Momo hadn't had a chance to visit her father abroad like she'd done regularly back in middle school.

And to be honest, Momo couldn't even remember the last time she had seen him… Christmas? That was over six months ago.

Was she really so selfish that she'd prefer to spend time with her friends over her family? Hadn't her mother taught her better? Blood was thicker than water. Family was the most important.

Her toes curled. Honestly, she should be excited to get to see her father. Momo wanted to be excited to see him. But all she felt was a resounding hollowness in her chest.

What a spoiled child.

Momo sighed and stood up and went to lay on her bed. Her hair fanned out around her on the silken sheets. She had taken it out of the intricate bun her maid had helped her with earlier. There was no point in keeping it up if she wasn't going to see her friends. And part of her argued she should summon the energy to get up and change out of her crimson yukata. But she couldn't quite bring herself to take it off yet. He had chosen it for her.

Her phone buzzed on her nightstand.

Momo sighed and closed her eyes but didn't move. It was probably the group chat, everyone posting pictures, forming new bonds, and making memories while she was locked up like some princess in a tower.

She frowned. Even for her, that thought was a bit dramatic. It wasn't like her parents had actually locked her door or even forbade her from going. It was only a request to spend time together as a family.

Besides, even if that were the case, and she were locked away, this wasn't the kind of situation a hero could save her from. If Momo wanted to be saved, she would have to–

Her eyes snapped open, and Momo sat up as realization struck her. She wasn't a princess; she was a knight, a hero in training. If she wanted to be saved, she'd have to stand up for herself.

But would her mother hate her if she didn't go to dinner with her family?

Momo's stomach clenched, and she felt her nerves start to aggrandize. She shook her head and brought a hand up to clench over her heart.

Even if this made her a bad daughter, Momo had done everything to make her parents proud; surely she could make one selfish request? They couldn't hate her for asking, could they?

And it wasn't as if she was going to spend time with people she wasn't close to. These were her comrades, her precious classmates. They weren't related by blood, but in a way, they were just as much her family as her parents were.

Momo cut off her thoughts as she slid to the edge of her bed. She drew in a deep breath and stood. Nothing was gained in life without taking a chance. Surely, Momo could summon enough courage to at least try.

She was the 'Everything Hero.' Which meant she could make anything possible. Besides, Momo had fought the League of Villains, helped rescue Bakugo, stood her ground against engineered Nomus. How scary could it be to summon the courage to ask her mother if she could go see fireworks instead of having a family dinner?

She licked her lips and swallowed over a dry throat. If it were Todoroki, he would do it.

Todoroki…

Her hands curled into fists at her side. She had planned the whole night to ensure her classmates had the best time possible, but Momo couldn't deny that she had wanted to see him. The boy she looked up to and admired the most, she had wanted to be with him tonight and see the fireworks again.

'I'd like to escort you again.'

That's right, if it were Todoroki, he wouldn't give up this easily. If it were him, he'd find a way to meet everyone. And if it were a reverse situation, she'd be the one telling him or any of her other classmates to find the courage to come meet everyone. So she couldn't be a hypocrite now and not try.

It may be scary, but Todoroki would tell her to believe in herself, as he had during their midterm against Aizawa. He may not be here physically to say those words, but that didn't mean she was suddenly weak.

This was her battle. Momo wasn't a frail princess; she was a knight, a warrior about to fight her own battles.

Her hands trembled slightly as she opened her door and stepped out into the hallway. Their dinner reservation was for eight-thirty. Her mother would still be in her room getting ready.

Momo swallowed and then straightened as she began down the hallway towards her parent's room.

She could do this. She couldn't let herself give up this easily.

All she had to do was explain to her mother, clearly and consciously, that she had planned the whole festival event with her classmates, had made promises to her friends, and then ask her parents for permission to attend.

It was simple, and yet her legs felt like jelly as she stopped in front of her parent's door and knocked. Her mother's silvery voice responded from inside.

Taking a deep breath, Momo opened the door.

Her parent's room was a mirror of her own but larger. A king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room, two white Italian nightstands standing guard on either side. White, engraved dressers adorned each wall. And, in front of her, her mother was seated at a beautiful ivory vanity, lipstick in hand. She caught Momo's eyes in the mirror as she entered and smiled.

"Oh good, I'm glad you're ready." Her mother turned her attention back to the mirror and uncapped the lipstick. "You look adorable in your yukata, dear. I'm glad you didn't change."

Momo's throat felt tight, and she swallowed, straightening up. She could do this. "Mother, I-I would like to request your permission to not attend dinner."

Her mother's hand paused as she pressed the lipstick to her mouth; her dark eyes met Momo's in the mirror, and her expression flickered with confusion. "Momo? Is something the matter? Do you not want French?" she asked, capping the lipstick again.

It could have been her imagination, but Momo thought she could feel her mother's disappointment already radiating through the room. Her hands and the back of her neck felt cold. And part of Momo wanted nothing more than to turn around and run away. She hated disappointing her parents. She'd gladly fight a Nomu over having this conversation.

But she couldn't give up; she had to be brave and stand her ground.

Momo shifted on her feet and took a deep breath to calm her rapidly beating heart. "I'd like–I'd like to see the fireworks with my friends…please."

Her mother frowned. It was a graceful pout on her lips, and Momo's stomach instantly twisted with guilt.

Her mother put the lipstick back down on the counter and turned to face her. "I thought we discussed this. Next winter, we'll go see the New Year's fireworks in Paris."

Momo swallowed. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. "I know."

Her vision was turning blurry, and she sniffed, willing herself not to cry. If she cried. everything would fall apart. Her parents would think her spoiled; they wouldn't take her seriously. "I know–I know you wanted to have dinner as a family, mother. But, seeing my comrades and classmates is important to me. I would like your permission to go meet them."

"What's wrong, dear?" A deep voice suddenly sounded from the bathroom, and Momo's chest tightened. Her father stepped into the room, looking between the two women as he fastened the monogrammed cufflinks on his shirt.

Her mother stood up from her vanity. "Momo doesn't want to go with us," she said, her expression hurt.

"Momo?" Her father's eyes flickered to her. "Is that true, dear?"

Momo bit her lip and met her father's stare. The need to cry was growing stronger. She curled her hand over her heart. "Father, I–I know I haven't seen you in such a long time, but I planned tonight with my friends. I wanted to make sure everything went perfectly, and everyone had a good time and…and-" She hiccoughed, and the tears she had been trying to hold back began to leak down her cheeks.

She had ruined it. Momo was supposed to be strong and lay out her points clearly and concisely, but she had failed. Her parents would never let her go now. Her mother would purse her lips and tell Momo how unladylike she was being—how selfish and petulant she was acting.

For all her efforts, she'd still miss the fireworks, and she'd miss seeing Todoroki…

But then, her mother did something she wasn't expecting.

As the tears ran down Momo's face, the older woman cried in alarm and rushed to her side. Wrapping her arms around her gently, she held Momo to her chest. "Momo, dear, I didn't realize you felt this way. You should have told me it would make you this upset."

Momo stood pressed to her mother's chest in a mixture of shock and fear. She could feel her tears staining her mother's blouse but didn't know what to do. It had been a long time since her mother had last held her like this.

Momo hiccoughed again as the shock subsided, and the worry and fear settled in. "I'm sorry, mother. I'm sorry. I just-I just really wanted to go. I was looking forward to it all summer. I know that makes me a horrible daughter, I'm sorry —"

"Hush, don't apologize." Her mother smoothed back her hair. "I didn't realize how much this meant to you. This isn't anything to cry over. Maybe we can make it up to you?"

"When does the firework show start?" Her father asked.

Momo sniffed. "In an hour."

Heavy footfalls grew closer. "Then, you can't be stalling."

Momo pulled away from her mother and looked up, eyes wide.

Her father stopped in front of her and reached up and laid his large hand on the top of Momo's head. His expression was softer than Momo could ever remember. "Go have fun. I'll ask my secretary to reschedule my flight, and maybe we can have breakfast as a family tomorrow morning? How does that sound?" he asked softly as he removed his hand and stepped back.

"Dear? Are you sure?" Her mother asked quickly.

Her father nodded. "Momo doesn't want to hang out with two old people." He winked at her.

Momo's lips twitched. "Thank you, father." She let go of her mother and pressed up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

He smiled and patted her shoulder. "I'll call a car to take you. You better hurry though, the roads are packed."

"Come here, Momo, dear." Momo smiled shakily as her mother led her to the vanity and sat her down. "Let me at least do your hair. I won't have time for anything fancy, but we should at least put it up."

Momo's lips trembled as she watched her mother pick up a brush. She had done it. She had fought for herself and created her own miracle.

She would get to see the fireworks with everyone.

She would get to see Todoroki.

Shouto's body jerked as his feet hit the pavement, and he stumbled slightly, catching his balance.

People looked over curiously, but Shouto ignored them as he studied his surroundings. Tall, modern buildings made of steel and glass rose up all around him; their windows full of luxurious brands Shouto had never heard of before. He hoped he was in the right place.

A sign on the street corner read 'Aoyama', and Shouto felt his heart stutter with relief. He had made it.

There was an abrupt prick along his shoulder blades. Shouto glanced back as the red feathers began to dissemble, darting away into the night, presumably back to Hawks.

Shouto felt his stomach drop in disappointment as he watched the feathers disappear. He couldn't deny a small part of him had imagined Yaoyorozu's expression when she saw the wings. It was a silly thought. Shouto shook his head, clearing the image from his mind. He sent another silent thanks up to Hawks and then pulled out his cellphone.

According to Jirou's text, Yaoyorozu's building was across the street. He felt his stomach clench slightly as he stared up at the glass skyscraper with gold detailing. The building was tall with at least thirty floors.

He knew Yaoyorozu was rich, but it was hard to wrap his head around the fact that her family had a penthouse in Aoyama, the richest area of Tokyo. He'd just have to do his best. He curled his hands into fists at his side and headed towards the door.

A security guard sat at the front desk, reading a newspaper. He looked up as Shouto entered.

"How can I help you?" he asked slowly, looking Shouto over.

"I'd like to go to the Yaoyorozu's."

"And you are?"

"I'm a friend of their daughter."

"Do you have an appointment?"

Shouto's shoulders stiffened, but he tried to keep his face impassive. "No, but it's important," he bit out.

The security guard frowned. "I can't let you up if they aren't expecting you," he said dismissively, turning back to his paper.

Hot anger curled in Shouto's chest. He was tempted to snap at the security guard but bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself. It wasn't the security guard's fault; he should have planned better. Shouto thought if he just showed up, everything would work out.

But... he was so close; he needed to think of something.

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open, and a tall, beautiful woman and man walked out. Shouto did a double-take. The woman almost looked like an exact replica of Yaoyorozu, except with blond hair instead of black. Could it be…?

"Yaoyorozu-san." The guard said, getting up and bowing formally.

"Yaoyorozu…" Shouto repeated, and then his eyes narrowed as he looked behind the couple. "Where's Momo?"

The woman blinked, clearly taken aback by his brisk attitude. "Momo-chan?"

"You're Yaoyorozu Momo's parents, right?"

The man — presumably Yaoyorozu's father — frowned. "Yes…"

"I'm Todoroki Shouto, her classmate," Shouto said hurriedly, then as an afterthought, bowed slightly. If they were anything like the Yaoyorozu he knew, it would be difficult to get them to help without trying to be at least a little polite.

"Oh," her mother stared at him, "I've heard of you. Endeavor-san's son?"

The security guard made a slight strangled noise behind him, but Shouto ignored him. "Yes," he forced himself to say as calmly as he could.

Something in the woman's expression flickered. She folded her hands in front of herself. "I'm sorry, Todoroki-kun. Thank you for your effort, but our daughter is not here."

"What?"

"You just missed her," the man said. "She went out. Was there something you needed from her?"

Shouto blinked then dropped his head and smiled softly to himself. He should have known Yaoyorozu would get away on her own. She was always stronger than she seemed.

"No. There's nothing."

"If you hurry, you should be able to get back in time and meet her." Shouto looked back up at Yaoyorozu's father. There was a softness in his expression that Shouto wasn't used to. And Shouto suddenly felt guilty for jumping to conclusions. He had been so worried for Yaoyorozu and assumed her father was like his, but it seemed her parents weren't anything like Todoroki Enji.

Thank goodness.

"I wish we could give you a car, but we only have two in Tokyo."

Shouto shook his head.

"It's okay, thank you." He bowed, before hurrying back into the street, his hand already pulling out his cellphone to text Jirou and Kaminari that he was on his way back.

He had to hurry.

Yaoyorozu was trying her best to reach everyone.

He couldn't keep her waiting.

The car was stalled in bumper to bumper traffic.

Momo's eyes darted towards the clock on the driver's dashboard. Eight-fifty. Ten minutes until the fireworks.

Her fingers twisted together anxiously in her lap, and Momo drew in an unsteady breath, willing her heartbeat to stay calm. She was almost there. There was no need to panic.

Outside, pedestrians dressed in yukatas and cute summer outfits packed along the sidewalks as if it were rush hour on the Tokyo subway. All that was missing was the train master pushing people into place.

Momo swallowed and turned her attention away. It was only making her nervous.

She ran her hands over her thighs, smoothing out invisible creases in her yukata. In the back of her mind, Momo wondered if this was how Cinderella felt on the way to the ball. Had she been excited, having escaped her evil stepmother's house, or nervous and scared that it would all fall apart before the twelfth chime?

Momo forced herself to lean back against the plush leather seat. If only she hadn't forgotten her phone on her nightstand, she wouldn't be so anxious. At least then she would have been able to text Jirou that she was on her way. She sighed. It had been so incredibly unlike her to forget anything — most of all her phone. But, then again, the whole night had been unusual and so unlike her.

Momo's hands tightened in her lap. She still couldn't believe she had stood up to her parents. And more than that, it still felt surreal that they had let her go. They always were so proper and expected so much from her. Sometimes she forgot that they loved her as well.

The thought warmed her, chasing away some of the anxiety clawing through her chest.

Momo bit her lip. She couldn't let herself get down. She had conquered her first hurdle. She had done everything in her power to make it out tonight; she just needed her luck to hold out a little while longer.

In the distance, a loud boom sounded. Momo looked up sharply, her breath catching in her chest, but the tall buildings surrounding either side of her family's car blocked her view.

Her chest tightened. No, they were almost there! She couldn't give up. She had come so far–

"Young miss." Momo glanced to the front and caught the driver's eyes in the rearview mirror. "The traffic is bad. I don't think you'll make it in time if we wait..."

Momo nodded stiffly. "Thank you for your help," she said hurriedly, opening the car door.

A loud whine went off as she stepped out onto the street, followed by another echoing boom that shook the air and reverberated through her chest like a shockwave. She didn't remember it being this loud last year, but it also meant that she was close.

Momo curled her hands into fists and began squeezing through the crowd. Her heart pounded in time with the crackling explosions.

Oh, how she wished for the hundredth time that she had her phone. Now all she could do was pray to Kami-sama that everyone was at the viewing spot she had chosen for them on the bridge. If she could just get there and meet up with everyone, then everything would be okay.

Her geta sandals clicked on the pavement as Momo hurried through the crowd, apologizing as she pushed past families and young couples. The air was thick with the tang of gunpowder and the heavy heat of summer.

On either side of the street, stalls had been constructed in perfectly even rows for the festival. Momo didn't stop to look at what each booth contained as she ran towards the bridge.

The back of her neck was hot. And Momo could feel her yukata begin to stick to her as beads of sweat ran down her neck. Her side ached slightly, but she ignored it as best she could.

Almost there.

The booming continued in thundering sounds that made her heart race. The sky was dark gray with smoke. Between the buildings and tents, she could see flashes of color as multiple explosions went off.

If it were possible, the crowd seemed to grow denser. She apologized and pushed her way through. Her heart pounded frantically against her ribcage.

Almost there.

Almost there.

If she could just get to the bridge, everything would work out.

She turned around a corner and froze, her chest clenching almost painfully as she stared down the street.

The lights had flickered back on. There was no other sound besides people laughing and chatting happily as they walked towards her.

No.

Momo's knees buckled.

The fireworks were over. She had missed them.

A sob caught in her throat, and Momo swallowed it back heavily as she tucked into a side alley. She walked down the narrow street and slid behind a metal exit stairway, where no one could see her. Then she stood there, feeling empty.

All her efforts. All her planning and praying was for nothing. Kami-sama hadn't been on her side.

She curled her hand over her chest as she drew in deep breaths. The sound of people's shoes and laughter filtered through the narrow alley as the crowd started back towards the stalls and the rest of the festival.

Her chest tightened painfully. Momo drew in a sharp breath and dropped her head to hide her face as her eyes started to burn.

It was from the smoke and running in the heat, not because she was going to cry, she told herself. Ladies didn't cry, especially not in public.

Momo had done her best. She had defied her own expectations and stood up for herself. She had gotten all the way out here, and surely—if she searched—she'd be able to find her friends. They were probably still on the other side of the bridge, just minutes away, still excitedly talking about the fireworks.

Momo blinked as her vision blurred. She wasn't upset. Disappointed, yes. But she was going to swallow her feelings and then go meet her friends. She couldn't let them see her acting like this. She'd only ruin everyone's evening if she did that. Intruding on everyone's happy memories with her selfishness.

Momo's breath hitched. Besides, she couldn't be upset over something this small, it wouldn't make sense.

She didn't need to see the fireworks.

She didn't need to see them with Todoroki Shouto.

She didn't—

"I wanted to see them." She choked over a sob. "I wanted to see the fireworks."

"Then, I'll show them to you," a deep, familiar voice said.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed. I don't think I'm all that great at fluff, but I'm really proud of this piece. All comments and feedback are welcome!

P.S. For anyone wondering, I'm still working on Ashes of Love and War. I'm trying to finish up this arc before posting again, but it is not abandoned. :)