14
Looking glass
"Is it difficult?"
"I... I don't know. I mean most days I can handle it. I even like working on everyone's suits to support you guys... But then, there are days when this feeling of, I don't know, it's heavy and scary, but it comes out smothering me, a-and... and it just gets so hard."
"I see."
"Hey, Yui?"
"Hm?"
"Thanks for, um, thanks for listening."
"I can't close my ears."
"Haha, I guess that makes sense. Yui, if you want you can also... I mean I know you're not the talkative type, but if you ever need it, er, like you said, I can't close my ears."
"No, thank you. I prefer hearing you ramble. Your chest vibrates and it's comfortable for resting my head."
"Haha, I guess that makes sense too... You're more talkative when we're alone, you know."
"Am I?"
"Yeah."
"Izuku?"
"Yeah?"
"Everyday?"
...
"Everyday."
Izuku had wide eyes of shock. "How? How is this possible?"
He was currently sitting up on the air mattress he slept on. Uraraka had stayed the night because the rain was too heavy. She slept on his bed and he slept on the floor.
Uraraka was rubbing her eye, trying to get up. "H-Huh? Wha- Deku, what's wrong?"
Izuku was staring hard at his own hand, staring at himself. He slowly lifted his eyes to Uraraka.
"Uraraka, I-, I actually got a full night of sleep!"
Uraraka fell on her side, back on the bed. "Oh really, that's good to hear..." She breathed out the last words dozing back off. Until it dawned on her. She floated back upright. "That's great, Deku!"
"Y-Yeah." He went back to staring at his hand. 'I haven't been able to sleep since I lost All-Might and One-for-All...' His eyes lingered back to the energetic airhead floating inches above his bed. 'Did she... Did she have something to do with it?' His eyes began to widened and his heartbeat began to rise. 'No... No, no, no. I-It doesn't mean anything. It doesn't...' He calmed himself staring at her hard. 'I won't let myself.' Not after how much it hurt and how hard it was to get over her.
He gulped. 'I just hope nothing happened with Momo and Todoroki.'
They all said their goodbyes with Todoroki and Yaoyorozu walking side by side. He made the initial move, trying to hold the umbrella over her.
"Oh, don't mind me." She easily dismissed, stepping aside to create her own umbrella. She refused to share an umbrella with him. 'That belongs to I-Izuku..!' With her enamored mental sigh. She coughed and calmed herself.
"Yaoyorozu, if I can say something?"
"Hm, of course, Todoroki, you're one of my best friends."
He hesitated for a moment. "I've actually been hearing that a lot lately." Noticing that both Yaoyorozu and Midoriya said it in the same way.
She gave a pretend giggle that she always played in school along with that fake smile. "That makes sense. You're one of the big three, of course, people trust you."
"Hm, that sounds right." He didn't care for that title but if it meant being a positive influence that was good at least.
"So, what were you going to say?" She kept the friendly atmosphere.
"Hm, oh yes." He lost his confidence staring at her eyes. He glanced back down and ahead. "Are you ready for the next mission?"
She covered her giggle with her free hand. "Well of course I am, why ask such a silly question?" She lowered her hand to grip both hands on her umbrella handle. "Don't worry, Midoriya modified my suit again, he wanted to add a more defensive approach, while keeping mobility." 'He really puts the thoughts and considerations of everyone's quirk and their abilities when he's working on our suits. He still keeps that notebook full of heroes and quirks for that simple sake... and probably for nostalgia. Oh, Izuku...' Her heart swelled. More and more he was occupying her thoughts, and more and more she found herself hiding it.
"Yeah, Midoriya tries to think of everything. Still makes me wonder how far he would have gone..."
"Yes but I think he's doing his best, even if he isn't always up to it."
"That's true."
Both thinking of his always baggy purple eyes.
They had a proper, natural conversation reaching her home.
As the gates were opening, "I'm so sorry, Todoroki, this must be such a hassle for you."
"No, think nothing of it, we're comrades, we have to be there for each other." Something Midoriya taught him, during the U.A. Festival as they fought, Midoriya was purely doing it for his sake to use his father's-, no, his own quirk. He clutched his fist, that's right he had to be resolved like Midoriya.
"Exactly. If you want, I can have our personal driver take you home."
He shook his head. "I appreciate it but it's not a problem... Actually you were right, it was a silly question." He had to do this before they separated.
She thought back a bit confused until recalling. "Oh no Todoroki, I meant nothing by it, playful banter between friends." Feeling slightly bad. Todoroki was always dense at heart in a good-natured way.
"No, I know that. I was just mad at myself because I didn't say what I wanted."
Momo was taken aback, for him to correct himself was rare yet always earnest. "Really, then what did you want to say?"
He reaffirmed himself with a cool glare. "I wanted to apologize for how I acted the last time you invited me over to study... And I was hoping to make it up to you this weekend, you want to go to karaoke."
She kept that smile hiding a sweatdrop behind her ponytail. 'Why would he suddenly apologize for-' Her eyes narrowed but it went unnoticed by him. 'This must have been what he talked about with Izuku. Oh no, how he must be feeling..! It's not like that... anymore.' She recomposed, replying, plastering that smile. "Todoroki, I'm sorry for making you carry that guilt, I never meant to, I'm sorry for showing you my weak side." He was about to interrupt, she caught it and stopped him, raising her hand. "Don't worry, I promise you won't see that side of me anymore." She softened her stiff shoulders. "But, karaoke sounds lovely." She placed her hand back on her umbrella. "We should invite everyone, ne? It's been a while since we have all relaxed together." Her lips rose. She deflected his attempts.
"That's a good idea." He simply added.
'It had no effect!' She was caught off guard at his nonchalant response. "Ehehe, it is, right?" Going along with it.
"This is a good opportunity to help Midoriya."
That quirked her interest. "Pardon but Midoriya?" Casually asking for an explanation.
Todoroki's eyes widened slightly. He accidentally let something slip. He knew there was a certain etiquette for this but wasn't fluent in it. He weighed his options, shrug it off as a way to help cheer up his friend, lying or being honest. She could help with setting up the two. He heard they were somewhat friends given their appreciation for matryoshka dolls. He nodded his head deciding to be honest.
"Yaoyorozu do you think you can invite Kodai?"
"Yui? She's not really one for words, I don't believe singing would be her idea of fun but I can ask." She was calculating all the possibilities for Todoroki mentioning her. 'Uraraka mentioned last summer, Izuku being with someone, and... Rain!' The coincidence that Yui loved the rain was too precise. 'Last summer... Izuku was with Yui during the rainy season! N-No, don't suddenly just jump to conclusions. I can simply ask Izuku tonight.'
"Please do. Yaoyorozu, I hope I can trust you with this."
She kept her demeanor. "Of course Todoroki but as I have already inquired, why?"
"I suppose it's only fair if you're aware. The thing is, Midoriya confided in me, that he may have feelings towards her. I want to help."
That confirmed it for Momo.
"Oh, if that's the case, it should be no problem roping her in, then." She played that laugh.
Todoroki ended it with a resounding sigh. "Sounds like a plan, let's invite everyone tomorrow. Goodbye, Yaoyorozu."
"Yes, goodbye Todoroki, please by safe and text me when you get home so I'm not worried."
"Yeah, I will." And he went on his way.
Momo was still standing in front of the gates after Todoroki had left from view, staring at the rain hitting the street pavement. "Izuku... and Yui?"
Deku was staring, stupefied. "Mom and Uraraka are getting along like family..." He let out with melancholic defeat. 'But how!? We literally slept in the same room together! How is Mom completely comfortable with this!?'
The two females were currently talking about where to find the best deals. He tuned it out, thinking of how today was going to go down. 'I never got a chance to reply.' He shrugged it off for now. He stood up from the table. "Uraraka, we should get going. "
She sheepishly rubbed the back of her hair. "I guess so, huh? It was a pleasure Mrs. Midoriya."
"As well for me, please be safe you two."
"Don't worry, bye Mom." Saying goodbye as he opened the door for Uraraka, following her out.
They were walking down the same path Izuku used last summer to guide Yui out. Uraraka had a toothy smile, jumping over the puddles. He didn't know why but that bothered him. He rubbed his bandaged elbow. 'Last night she helped me change them.' He was repeatedly analyzing the sudden shift with Uraraka.
It terrified him.
"Hey Deku?" She interrupted with a joyful skip.
He did a stuttered take back. "H-Huh? Yeah, Uraraka?"
"Um, remember how you were talking about your air trek... I was wondering if you, you know, wanted to try them? I m-mean I can use my quirk to be practically weightless, so if anything I'll just be going along for the ride." She started off excited but slowly deterred to shy explanations, lowering her head more and more, attempting to hide her blush.
His eyes widened with extreme joy in an instant. "That sounds-" His eyes fell with remembrance in an instant.
"It was fun. Let's do it again sometime."
"Sounds like a date."
"Y-Yeah, that sounds good but Hatsume j-just made these for me. I haven't had any practice and would only be putting you in harm's way. Sorry, Uraraka." Denying her. He had to resist the urge of using his new gear, 'that I still haven't used!'
"Oh... Okay, no that makes sense, you're always preoccupied with everyone before yourself," she then pouted, "but that doesn't mean you get to put yourself in dangerous situations just because you're alone, alright?"
He chuckled. "Of course not."
They both shared a playful smile before facing away, both staring with dejected eyes.
'Still... nothing changes between us.'
Momo let out a small breath from fatigue. It was difficult but she had set everything up.
She ignored the thoughts running through the back of her head. Yui and Izuku, not only that, Todoroki must have told him about when she asked to study with him. She took another breath to calm herself and try to ignore it again.
She had decorated her room. Candles, all of them with a delicate light, rose petals scattered on the bed in the shape of a heart and she was playing songs from a band they both liked in the background.
She glanced around the room. It was perfect until her eyes landed on her vanity mirror. "Oh no, I forgot about myself!" She was still a mess from the rain. She was just too excited about her plans that she forgot.
She scurried to properly clean herself up. After, she rummaged through her clothes for what to wear. It had to be special. She bit her lip being unsure. Should she go for cute and endearing, simply wearing the first shirt he left with her, or sexy, wearing lingerie that Mina and Toru bought for her on her birthday as a "gag." 'To think I am even considering it...' She continued to bite her lip, undecided. She eventually reached out for the shirt, making her choice.
She sighed in relief, checking the mirror again. She placed her hand over chest, closing her eyes. "Tonight I'll be honest with him, not just about Todoroki but everything!" She opened her eyes staring at the confidence reflecting on the mirror.
She glanced out the window, seeing a flash, then heard a boom. "The weather is severe." She reached for her phone, deciding to text him.
Momo: Hope you can still make it!
She added two kiss emojis, then placed her phone back on her desk. She slowly walked to a window She quietly rose her lips. "It's fine, it's most probably like the last time, he was simply caught up by the rain." Her lips rose just slightly more. She decided to open the window. She could just relight the candles if they went out.
And she waited by the window.
She shivered out with condensed breaths. She was hugging herself, trying to protect herself from the cold, refusing to shut the window.
All the candles were out.
Her phone laid beside her, still hoping for that text chime, staring at it intently.
Waiting.
Momo fell asleep, curled up, alone, inside of the rose petal heart meant for him.