The Class B Girls
"May I please have some more Golden Tits Imperial Tea, Momo-san?" the rather cute voice of Pony Tsunotori asked.
Beside Momo, Kyouka Jirou had to stifle her laughter.
"Of course, you may, Tsunotori-san," Momo smiled politely as she poured her another cup.
"It's Golden Tips, Pony," Itsuka Kendou whispered into the exchange student's ear.
It was the spring break prior to the start of their second year at UA and the girls of both Hero Course classes were gathered at the Yaoyorozu mansion for a sleepover. Whilst there was the oft present rivalry between their groups, Momo found that it was primarily the males that partook in the more idiotic (as Kyouka would put it) squabbles. The girls had a much more amicable relationship and Momo would even consider Kendou a good friend.
The Yaoyorozu household was the ideal place to hold their gathering as it came complete with a guest wing. Momo had offered the girls rooms if they wished to sleep with privacy but that was quickly shot down by Mina, Tooru and Setsuna Tokage who instead asked to move a bunch of mattresses into one of the living rooms. It was a group activity so therefore they should do things as a group. Momo supposed that did make sense and she did wish to form closer bonds with some of the other girls.
"So, now that we're all comfy," Mina began and Momo could sense something ominous nearing. "Let's get down to business!"
Tooru quickly joined in and the other Class A girls knew where this was heading.
"What business will we be getting down to?" Ibara Shiozaki innocently asked.
"Ah well my dear Jesus-chan, that would be the topic of…" Mina paused for dramatic effect. "Boys!"
"Not again…" Kyouka facepalmed whilst Shiozaki mouthed a confused "Jesus-chan?"
"So tell me, Kendou-san!" Mina singled out the Class B Representative. "What is going on between you and Metal Boy?"
"Metal Boy? You mean Tetsutetsu?" Kendou asked. "Uh nothing really? We're friends and we train often because our quirks work well together."
"Pfft lame," Mina huffed much to Kendou's confusion.
"What about you, Kodai-san?" Tooru asked.
Yui Kodai who had been sitting next to Tsuyu froze as she had been attempting to reach for the nearby popcorn bucket.
"M-me?!" she squeaked and Momo thinks that's the most emotion she's seen from the girl they've affectionately labelled a "kuudere".
"Oh what's this?" Tokage smirks quickly joined by the two matchmaking obsessed girls of Class A.
"Nothing! It's just…"
"Hasn't Yoarashi from Shiketsu come to visit you at least three times this semester?" Kinoko Komori suddenly asked.
Momo pondered for a moment as Kodai looked down bashfully, unsure of how to proceed.
"Hey YaoMomo, isn't Yoarashi friends with your boyfriend?" Tokage asked.
Momo shyly nodded, a little nervous that the attention had been pushed towards her somehow. While her close friends knew full well about her relationship with Shouto Todoroki, it hadn't really come up in her conversations with the other class. Kendou didn't really find a need to bring it up to which Momo was grateful.
"Yes, he is," she admitted.
"So, has Todoroki mentioned Yoarashi talking about Yui-san?" Tooru asked.
"I'm a little curious too, I'll admit," Kendou muttered to herself.
"Oh err well… Shou-," she stopped herself, "Todoroki-san hasn't really brought him up too often though…" she ponders for a moment before remembering a particular conversation. "He did mention Yoarashi-san asking for dating spot recommendations."
"Aw that's kind of sweet," Ochaco smiled as she bit into a chocolate bar.
Momo noticed the tiny way Yui Kodai's lips curled and figured what Shouto had told his friend ended well. She turned her attention back to find Tokage looking at her intently.
"So… what would you recommend for a dating spot?" the fellow recommended student asked.
"Me?!" Momo squeaked. "Why me?"
"Well you have been in a relationship longer than anybody here," Mina answered.
"That and you and Todoroki-kun always seem to go out every weekend," Tsuyu of all people mentioned.
"You also seem happier," Kendou added trying to cheer her friend up.
"I've noticed that too," Shiozaki added. "It is wonderful to see you so blessed."
Momo managed a weak smile before turning to Kyouka and mouthing a 'help'.
"You're on your own, YaoMomo," her so called best friend snickered as she took a handful of crisps from Reiko Yanagi's lap who had been silent the whole time.
"Oh um well… I suppose cafes are a good starting spot, since you can study and take it at your own pace," Momo began. "Aquariums and amusement parks are good too," she added eliciting a muffled squeal from Ochaco that startled Komori beside her.
"Don't forget your room, YaoMomo!" Mina winked causing Momo's face to flush red instantly.
"Th-that! Tho-those," she stuttered. "Those weren't really dates!"
"Neito says the reason Momo-san lost was because she was too busy porking Todoroki," Pony suddenly added before adopting a confused look. "What does porking mean?"
"Nothing you need to know!" Kendou quickly said. "I'm going to need another word with Monoma."
"W-would a museum be okay too?" Tokage bashfully asked, a far cry from her usual confident and bubbly self.
"I don't see why not?" Momo smiled causing Tokage to breathe a sigh of relief. "As long as it's interesting for the both of you."
"Awesome!" the other girl grinned as she quickly pulled out her phone and started texting someone.
"You have a museum date?" Kyouka asked as she continued munching on her crisps.
"Oh um, yes," Tokage looked up and smiled shyly. "It's nothing established like YaoMomo and Todoroki-san but…"
"Aw that's nice! I'm happy for you, Setsuna," Kendou said, clasping her friend on the back.
"So who's the lucky guy?" Tsuyu questioned.
"Ooh ooh! I bet he's some dreamy hunk from another school!"Tooru exclaimed with stars in her eyes.
"Or maybe he's an up and coming Pro Hero and she caught his eye when he was scouting interns!" Mina added.
"That… doesn't really sound plausible, Mina-san," Momo said.
"Actually…" Tokage hesitated before answering truthfully. "It's Sero-kun."
"SERO?!" all the Class A girls shouted.
"You're the girl he refuses to tell me about?!" Mina cried.
"I admit, I did not see that coming," Kodai commented.
"I think it's kind of cute though," Tsuyu said.
Momo stifled a giggle as the other girls began to bombard Tokage and laughed even more when her fellow recommended student tried to turn it onto Ochaco by asking about Midoriya who in turn brought up Tooru and Ojiro's newfound relationship. As the free for all continued, a buzz in her pocket alerted her to a message. She fished her phone out to find a message from her boyfriend with a photo attached. In it was Shouto with his usual deadpan face, posing in front of one Katsuki Bakugou that had uncharacteristically fallen asleep in the dorms couch as Kaminari and Sero hovered above him, permanent markers in hand.
'I can't wait to see him explode,' the message read before being followed by an 'I hope you're having fun.'
Momo smiled and replied that she was. As she watched her friends all chatting amongst each other she hoped that they all too would find happiness and love like she had with Shouto Todoroki.
Mr and Mrs Yaoyorozu
Despite belonging to the upper echelons of society, Momo Yaoyorozu's parents were not the stuck up nobles that rich people were often painted to be. How could they be when they raised such a welcoming and energetic daughter like Momo? Her Father came from much humbler beginnings and in fact married into the Yaoyorozu clan that her mother belonged to. They had always been very supportive of her and were only strict when they needed to be, her mother mainly. Still, she found herself to be extremely nervous at her current predicament.
She was finally introducing them to her boyfriend.
This was not the first time they had met the youngest Todoroki child as their paths had occasionally crossed at parties that Endeavour forced him to attend. Those meetings were very short however and didn't have the fact that he was now her boyfriend cast over it.
"It'll be fine, Momo," she told herself as she waited in the mansion foyer.
She was unable to sit in the parlour with her parents who were currently enjoying some afternoon tea and instead paced around the open hall. Shouto wasn't due to arrive for another half an hour and yet, it felt like both too far and too soon for her to prepare herself.
Then the doorbell rang and she silently cursed the fact her boyfriend was always early to their get togethers. Momo practically flew towards the front door, almost pushing aside one of the maids that had moved to answer it.
"Sorry, Noriko-san!" she apologized before turning the golden plated handle and opening it wide.
She could never get over the times her boyfriend would dress nicely for her as she drank in his figure.
"Uh, I'm early again, aren't I?" Shouto admitted, scratching his head.
"I've gotten used to it," she giggled as some of the tension in her body defused. "I notified Mother and Father that you might arrive before the designated time."
"Sorry," he apologized as she led him inside.
Shouto almost moved to kiss her as he often did in greeting when he noticed several maids and a butler with their complete attention on him. He recognized one of them from the last time he visited the Yaoyorozu abode and quickly pushed that embarrassing moment to the back of his mind.
"Welcome, Todoroki-sama," they bowed in unison.
He awkwardly bowed back and moved to say something to his girlfriend before his hand was quickly taken by Momo.
"Come, Shouto," she said, pulling him along. "Mother and Father are in the parlour."
They walked through hallways of dark oak adorned with several classical style paintings. Along the way, Shouto managed to clear his throat.
"Momo, slow down," he said and her steps gradually stopped.
"I apologize, Shouto," she breathed. "I'm a little nervous and kind of eager to get this over with."
"I'm not going to embarrass you in front of your parents, if that's what you're worried about," her boyfriend stated.
She turned and looked him in the eyes, quickly waving her hands around.
"Oh no, I don't believe you will!" she quickly said before her voice died down. "I'm more worried about them embarrassing me."
"What was that, Momo?"
"Nothing!" Momo said as she put on her most convincing smile. "Come on, they're in here."
She let go of his hand (albeit through much internal struggle because she loved holding his hands) and knocked gently on the wooden panel.
"Mother, Father?" she called out. "He's here."
After a few seconds that seemed painstakingly longer than it was, an elegant "Come in" was heard. Before opening the door, Momo turned to Shouto and smiled at him. He smiled back and they had a silent understanding between them that whatever happened, they would still do their best together.
As the door opened, Shouto drank in the view of the parlour. On the far wall was a fireplace made of stone brick, with soft flames flickering on wooden logs. Several bookshelves lined the adjacent walls, a trademark of the Yaoyorozu family with each shelf filled to the brim. Two large sofas were sat in the middle of the room, a cedar coffee table in between them. Two sets of cups and saucers lay on top, its contents partially drunk and an ornate teapot was set between them.
Mr Yaoyorozu was sat on a separate chair, reclining into its leather body as he perused through the day's newspaper. He was a rather large man, somewhere between the physiques of a powered up All Might and Rikidou Satou albeit possessing a more apparent gut. He wore half rimmed glasses and had a trimmed beard that reminded Shouto of looked incredibly relaxed yet at the same time exuded a rather playful aura.
Saying "I can see where your daughter gets her good looks from" when meeting your girlfriend's Mother was quite possibly one of the cheesiest and overused lines Shouto had heard of (why did it remind him of Kaminari for some reason?) yet that was exactly what he thought when Mrs Yaoyorozu came into view. She looked very much like his girlfriend albeit with more mature features and her light brown hair was tied up in an immaculate bun as opposed to Momo's trademark black ponytail.
They both kept their eyes on him as Momo lead him in. Shouto swallowed the saliva that had been building in his throat and bowed respectfully.
"Good afternoon," he greeted nervously.
Twenty Minutes Prior
"Dear, stop it," Chihiro chided, eyes narrowing at her husband who had fished out several photo albums from beneath the coffee table and was currently browsing through the pages.
"But honey! Momo's finally introducing him to us!" Morimoto whined. "I've been waiting years to show her boyfriend these childhood photos."
"Years? They've only been dating for twelve months."
"Like I said, years!"
Chihiro shook her head playfully at her husband's antics. She had half expected him to be one of those "stay away from my daughter!" type fathers and yet here he was, excited to embarrass their only child. She was nervous, loved their daughter, truly they did and Chihiro Yaoyorozu always wondered if they were good parents to her. Sure, they afforded her any luxury she desired. They got her the best tutors and put her in the best schools they could. They were strict when they needed to be, but never overbearing and let her freely express herself within reason.
But she was still nervous. It had been a few weeks since Momo had informed them of her romantic relationship with Shouto Todoroki. He was the youngest of Endeavour's children, the only one said to have inherited both parent's quirks.
She remembered the first time they met him when Momo was eight. He was quiet, almost eerily silent and she could sense a rift between him and his Father. Sure, they as parents had dragged Momo along to the parties they attended but she had always tried to make the best of the situation, even if she was incredibly bored. She could recall Endeavour attempting to introduce "his future" to the Yaoyorozu family. Momo had attempted to say hello but the boy her age merely gave her a subtle nod before finding somewhere quiet to pass the time. Momo had asked her mother in confusion if she had done something wrong but was reassured that the Todoroki boy was simply not a social person.
How things had changed almost a decade later.
Here Chihiro and her husband sat, patiently waiting as they were about to be formally introduced to their beloved daughter's boyfriend. She was equal parts nervous and equal parts excited. Was Momo too young to be in a relationship? She was only seventeen after all. Would it be a distraction to her studies and future career as a hero? Possibly but then again, Shouto was a highly touted prospect as well as the other recommended student of her class. She reached down towards the coffee table and took a sip of earl grey tea to calm her nerves.
A sudden knock on the door almost caused her to spill her beverage as she heard her daughter call out from behind its wooden body.
"They're here!" her husband exclaimed in the quietest voice he could muster.
Chihiro watched as he set down the photo albums beside the arm rest and took a nearby newspaper from the table before opening it to read whatever page he had opened up. Her eyes zeroed in on the date on the front page.
"Isn't that last Friday's paper?" she asked.
"Shh! I have to look like a busy looking father," Morimoto replied.
Shaking her head once again at his antics she set her tea back down and called for Momo to come in. The door open to reveal the two teenagers, their hands intertwined as Momo led her man through the threshold.
"Good afternoon," he bowed respectfully.
"Good afternoon, young man!" her husband replied.
"It's nice to meet you, Todoroki-san," Chihiro smiled before motioning the two towards the adjacent sofa. "Please, take a seat."
Tentatively, they followed suit and sat across from her.
For a few minutes, nothing was spoken and Chihiro felt that things were already starting off awkwardly. Momo had taken to fiddling with the hem of her skirt, a habit she often did whenever she was nervous.
"Would you care for some tea?" Chihiro asked.
Shouto nodded and Chihiro saluted a maid that had been waiting in the hallway, already ready with some extra cups and more boiling water. The maid poured two servings for the teenagers before bowing and exiting. Quietly, they took small sips and the Yaoyorozu matriarch noticed her daughter's shoulders ease a little once she had some tea.
"Now then-" Chihiro began before she was interrupted by her husband suddenly folding the newspaper into his lap rather loudly.
"What are your intentions with my daughter?" he abruptly asked.
Chihiro almost spilled her tea again. Sure, she desired to know what the boy wanted to do in life with Momo but that was way too straight forward!
"Dear…" she began to chide Morimoto.
"Hopefully marriage, a few years down the line," Shouto honestly answered.
Momo instantly flushed red as both parents stared at what could be their future son in law. Shouto Todoroki would no doubt be one of the most sought after bachelors once he was of age. Rather handsome, a powerful quirk and descended from the highest of hero pedigrees. But he was here was, holding Momo's hand, already talking about marrying her. He was already that serious about her?
"S-Shouto!" Momo hissed under her breath and Chihiro noticed her squeezing the hand that was situated between them.
"I see!" her husband said with the straightest of faces before breaking out into a huge smile. "It's good to see that you see a future with my little girl."
Chihiro felt the tension in her body deflate too. Her husband just had a way of easing the atmosphere. Perhaps it was how he won over her parents too when she first introduced him to them all those years ago.
"I don't mean to be so forward, Father," Momo started talking. "But I too also see a future with Shouto. I know we're both still very young and this whole relationship is a new thing for us but I already know that I would be very happy with him."
Her eyes met her mother's and both smiled warmly at each other.
"That's all we want for you, Momo," Chihiro said, wiping a tear.
There was nothing Chihiro wanted more than her child to be both happy and safe. At times she felt that maybe she had been too strict on her daughter. She often prevented her from experiencing some of things that the common populace enjoyed. Momo had always been rather innocent and naïve growing up. Still, there was something about this young man, her boyfriend. Something in the way that he looked at Momo, as if she was the only thing he wanted in this world. As if she was the only thing worth loving.
As Momo's mother, she resonated with that, at least.
"Mother…" Momo breathed, her eyes beginning to water a little.
"I know we don't have to ask if he can protect you or not. You're both training to be heroes after all and we know how strong you are, even if we worry," Chihiro said. "We trust you, both of you now. I can already tell that Todoroki-san cares deeply for you and how happy you are."
Emotion came over Momo as she lurched around the table and wrapped her Mother in a giant embrace.
"Thank you so much!" she whispered, her voice wavering as she attempted to fight her tears of joy.
The two Yaoyorozu women held the hug for a good while when Chihiro noticed her husband approach the Todoroki boy.
"I'm glad my little Momo's met someone like you, Shouto, my boy!" he said with a smile before Chihiro's sweat dropped when he pulled out a photo album. "Now! Would you like to see some pictures of Momo when she was young?"
Immediately Momo detached from her and vaulted across the table.
"Father no!"
Chihiro giggled to herself as she watched Momo attempting to pry the photo albums from her Father's hands while Shouto was browsing intently through one that had fallen to the ground.
The Pro Hero Uwabami
She knew that she would never really rise in the Hero Rankings. After all, those were for the more powerful heroes that surpassed expectations with their deeds. Uwabami knew that her quirk wasn't as flashy or strong as others but she still enjoyed being a hero. Even if her hero work consisted more of "celebrity" things. But even then, she was starting to get fewer endorsements. Sadly, her popularity had been declining as she aged.
She knew that it was inevitable and very few heroes outside of the likes of All Might stayed truly popular for decades. It hurt initially but Uwabami soon found a new calling.
Being a veteran and regularly working with interns, she found herself being consulted quite frequently. Young heroes would often come to her for advice and Uwabami discovered a new niche in her Hero work. Advising and teaching new, up and coming with the more media oriented side of the Hero world.
She sat back in her favourite recliner, sipping a warm cup of tea as one such Hero sat across from her, nervously playing with the hem of her skirt.
"So, how can I help you, Creati-san?" Uwabami asked.
The newly debuted Pro Hero Creati took a sip of tea to calm her nerves. Uwabami knew Momo Yaoyorozu from her days studying at UA. The young woman had interned with her a few times and had gained some fans following her cameo in an Uwabami commercial. She was beautiful and her rather revealing (but practical) costume was certain to gain her more popularity, especially amongst male fans. Creati cleared her throat and moved to speak.
"Well, as you know I've recently graduated UA and have just made my hero debut," she began.
"I recall your first official mission was a success," Uwabami commented. "You and your fellow hero Shouto managed to stop an armed robbery. Impressive, really."
"Thank you, Uwabami-san," Creati smiled. "But that actually brings me to my predicament."
"Oh?"
"Yes, it involves Shouto."
Uwabami brought the tea back to her lips and took another sip.
"He's your boyfriend, isn't he?" she asked.
Creati's cheeks flushed red and she meekly nodded.
"That, that is correct," she replied. "I… understand that may affect some of the public's opinions on us…"
Uwabami nodded, placing her tea down on the coffee table before bringing her hands together.
"So you're asking me on advice on whether or not to be open about your relationship," the older woman guessed. "And whether or not it will impact your popularity."
The younger Hero nodded again.
"I know I probably shouldn't be fussing over something like that but…" Creati sighed. "I don't want to alienate someone that I could be helping."
Uwabami pondered the information before nodding.
"Let me tell you a story, Creati-san," she began. "About ten years ago when I was just gaining popularity I was involved in a mission with the Hero Rock Lock. We managed to stop a gang attack with the help of some others however he and I happened to work closely during that night. He even saved me from an incoming attack that I had missed." She crossed her legs and continued. "Naturally, the media went into a frenzy, touting us as the next big Hero couple. Of course, Rock Lock had already been in a committed relationship at that point and not long after, announced that he was actually marrying his long term girlfriend."
"She's a civilian, if I can recall," Creati commented. "Deku-san told me once."
"Yes, which might not be the safest thing to do considering it could make her a potential target," Uwabami replied. "He had always been rather confident in his abilities, especially to protect his family but the fact was, he cared a hell of a lot about her and wanted everyone to know that. The stories about us soon fizzled out and they were soon glossed over for another news story."
"So you're saying I shouldn't be worrying about it too much?" Creati asked.
"Well, yes and no," the older woman said. "It helps that you're both powerful Pro Heroes. Shouto's already been projected to make the top 20 is he not? Impressive for his age," Uwabami mentioned, causing Creati to blush lightly. "There may be some times when your die-hard fans might argue with one another but that's honestly inevitable. It's just the nature of our work, really."
Uwabami took the tea from the table once again, finishing the remaining contents before speaking once more.
"I'm not saying you shouldn't care but if your relationship with him is that important… maybe just… I don't know…" she pondered to find the right words. "Fuck it?"
"What?" Creati blanked.
"I mean, you don't have to be entirely open with it if you don't want," Uwabami explained. "But talk to him and see how you both feel and what you're comfortable with the world knowing."
Creati nodded and respectfully finished her tea.
"I-Thank you, Uwabami-san," she smiled. "I was actually already considering what you've just advised me but… I suppose I just needed another voice to push me towards it."
"You're welcome, Creati-san!" Uwabami returned. "I'm always happy to help my juniors and if anything, I kind of see you as like a little sister now."
Creati blushed though pushed through and smiled once again.
"Besides, I think the public's perception on the two of you might not be as negative as you think," the Snake Hero said.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I caught one of my interns reading what appeared to be a Shouto and Creati fan-fiction during their lunch break."
"Wha- Fan-fiction?" Creati asked, confused. "What is that?"
Uwabami laughed before calling for another intern to bring them more tea.
"It seems I have a little bit more to explain to you," she chuckled.
Natsuo Todoroki
"Will you stop fidgeting?" someone whispered beside Natsuo.
Natsuo watched as Tenya Iida chastised Shouto who couldn't seem to stay still in one spot. There was a large contrast between how his younger brother normally was. Stoic and calm were two of the first characteristics that came to mind. But Natsuo couldn't blame him, in all honesty. Today was a big day after all. It seemed others had similar thoughts.
"It'll be fine!" Izuku Midoriya tried to encourage his friend. "It'll be fine, Todoroki-kun!"
Natsuo peered over to the other side from where they were standing. It seemed others were nervous too. Natsuo had to stifle a laugh as he watched Fuyumi nervously playing with her dress. The women beside her seemed equally as anxious. Kyouka Jirou and Ochaco Uraraka were their names, if Natsuo could remember.
He had to admit, the three of them looked really pretty in their dresses. They donned shades of pink, adorned with gold accessories that seemed to shimmer in the light. He could only imagine what the bride would look like. A quick glance at his younger brother betrayed the look of anticipation in his face. A look of anticipation that soon transformed into a look of awe and excitement as the procession music played.
All eyes turned to the front as the bride entered, being led in by her father. Natsuo had to admit, his brother's bride was very, very beautiful. Momo Yaoyorozu had a certain eye catching quality to her, especially now in her flowing white wedding gown. While her attractiveness was very apparent, there was another thing that caught Natsuo's eye about the woman he called Momo-chan. He looked back towards his brother.
Shouto had the softest smile on his face that Natsuo had ever seen.
He turned his attention back to Momo-chan. Despite being hidden by a veil, her eyes were currently locked with Shouto and it seemed like there were tears threatening to spill and ruin her make up. Towards the front of the seating, his mother Rei and Momo's mother stood beside each other, their cheeks wet from their cries of happiness. Nearby his father Enji stood proudly, a rather surprising look of appreciation on his face. Though, Natsuo could recall Endeavour's little outburst when his younger brother opted for a Western style wedding as opposed to the more traditional Japanese style.
His attention was soon brought back to the altar as Momo reached Shouto and Natsuo almost laughed at how quickly the groom lifted Momo's veil. Still, his younger brother was happy and had found a great partner in life.
Though Natsuo had to wonder, did Shouto really have to beat him and get married first?
Ren Nomiya (A Civilian)
"Nomiya-san!" Ren's manager called. "Could you please restock these boxes onto the shelves of aisle 9 of the Hero section?"
"Again?" she sighed. "Didn't we just fill that up yesterday?"
"Someone's cleared it out again."
Ren shook her head in disbelief before pushing the trolley towards the aisle. A trolley full of Creati Merchandise that seemed to fly off the shelves and at an alarming rate. Ren knew that Creati was one of the more popular heroes. Maybe not on the same levels as Deku, Kacchan and Shouto but she was definitely one of the top female heroes. That and she was incredibly beautiful which helped with her popularity.
Half an hour later the Creati shelf was fully stocked. Ren wiped her brow of sweat and flattened the empty boxes on the trolley before beginning to push it out of the aisle. As she made her exit, a customer made their way into the area, accidentally bumping Ren on the shoulder.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, sir!" she apologized, giving a deep respectful bow.
"It's fine," a rather calm voice returned.
She quickly roved her eyes over the customer. She couldn't see his face too well as he wore sunglasses and a hat as well as a rather long coat. From what she could see, the man seemed rather well built, neither bulky nor skinny. Noticing her eyes inspecting him, the man gave her a nod before pushing his own trolley further into the aisle.
Ren attempted to pay him no attention and was about to leave when she heard rummaging behind her. She turned around to find the man stacking the boxes of Creati merchandise neatly into his trolley. Was this… this was the person responsible for all their Creati stock selling out? It wasn't a group of fans but one single fan? It was just one overly zealous single fan?!
She blinked her eyes and properly noticed the hat he was wearing. It was a Creati hat! How did she miss that? Ren contemplated telling him off as she had just restocked that shelf but was the man really doing anything wrong? It wasn't like he was hogging items that were necessary in someone's daily life. That and extra sales were always good for their department.
The man moved swiftly between his trolley and the shelf, making the motion seem almost natural. The way he grabbed a box and fitted it into the free spaces of his growing collection was incredibly fluid and Ren watched in awe as Creati item after Creati item disappeared off the shelves. The man even bent down to fit the smaller products in the small gaps at the bottom.
Suddenly the man's sunglasses slid off his face, dropping to the ground causing Ren to gasp. Then their eyes met and the store employee was met with grey and turquoise.
'Those eyes look familiar…' she thought.
The man stumbled trying to hide his face, knocking his hat on the edge of the trolley and clean onto the floor. Ren's eyes blinked as a head of hair half white and half red appeared. She would recognize that head anywhere.
The Creati fan that had been clearing their stock out was the Pro Hero Shouto!
"Sh-Shou…" she stuttered in disbelief.
Her mind went into overdrive trying to process what had transpired. Being a top hero, plenty of Shouto's information was nearly common knowledge to the populace. He wasn't just the Number Three top Hero but was also one half of the Number One Hero Duo. A team that comprised of himself and… Creati.
Then Ren remembered the news that broke out the year before. How could she forget when it caused the Hero media to explode.
The Number One Hero Duo Shouto and Creati married each other.
Her heart burst into fireworks of red and white and she felt like she could vomit sugar. Was this proof that Creati's number one fan… was her husband?!
"How cute…" she muttered.
Shouto stumbled back and Ren had never seen him so nervous. He had always seemed to be calm and collected in interviews. But then again, she supposed the majority of his media appearances had Creati by his side.
The Half and Half Hero quickly attempted to pick his hat and glasses back up, putting them on haphazardly before moving to make his escape. But then he doubled back, placed both hands on the trolley and pushed it out, leaving with an abundance of Creati merchandise.
Ren stood there, eyes glazing over the shelf, completely empty once again.
"What did I just witness?"
Enji Todoroki
'Have I grown soft in my old age?' Enji mused as he glanced around at his surroundings.
Things had definitely changed since his days as the Number One hero. Now in his early sixties, the man known as Endeavour was now happily retired. He wondered though of he was truly happy. His family around him seemed to be.
They had all gathered for their monthly family lunch, an idea his wife Rei, daughter Fuyumi and daughter in law Momo had come up with. If he could recall, his wife's exact words were "we never did anything as a family in the past. With everything past us, it's a good time to do so now".
Enji had to admit that it was a good idea and he could remember Fuyumi's face light up when he approved of the idea. His daughter had always been the glue that held the broken pieces of the Todoroki family together. Now however, she was no longer alone in that regard. Enji watched as Fuyumi and Momo were in the kitchen, preparing the side dishes for their lunch.
Momo Yaoyorozu, now Momo Todoroki was, to his admittance, a delightful woman. Not only was she one of the top Pro Heroes of this age, she was a great influence to her husband and his son, Shouto. Though he was only the Number Three ranked hero (behind Deku and Kacchan), he was content with his lot in life. That and Shouto no longer held resentment towards his father. They weren't on the same level as All Might and his protégé but their relationship was a lot more amicable compared to before.
And Enji had a feeling Momo had something to do with it. She was quickly accepted into the Todoroki family by Fuyumi and Rei, and his son Natsuo had even taken to calling her Momo-chan, even though they were grown adults now. His turquoise eyes watched as Momo whispered something to her husband, causing Shouto to chuckle lightly as he helped her carry several plates. The Shouto of old would never have been like that.
The younger woman always seemed to radiate an air of positivity; something Enji noticed would influence Shouto. He was a lot happier and lighter in his adult life. Enji wondered if he would have experienced the same if he had allowed Rei more freedom in their marriage.
The thoughts made him remember something that happened years ago. While quirk marriages were illegal and his own one was the result of skimming the boundaries, Enji had come up with a short list of potential wives for Shouto when he reached his teen years. It just so happened that a Momo Yaoyorozu was on that list.
She not only came from a prestigious family (whose lineage Enji actually respected) but also possessed a rather versatile and powerful quirk, a good contingency plan should Shouto fail to live up to his expectations, his offspring could continue the Todoroki legacy. From all accounts Enji had heard, she was incredibly intelligent and it also helped that she was generally found to be attractive. He remembered thinking that she would have been a perfect match for Shouto on that alone.
Little did he know how perfect it would be.
While Enji eventually gave up on arranging a marriage for Shouto, he was surprised to learn that his rather stoic son found himself a girlfriend; a girlfriend that eventually became his wife and partner in life. Watching them grow over time added onto his contemplations of own marriage. He had wanted to change and liked to think that he somehow did for the longest time, however Shouto was the hardest to win over. It took the reasoning of his now daughter in law to give Enji a chance, one that he would eternally be grateful for.
Two small voices broke the man out of his recollections.
"Hey grandpa?" one said.
"Are you busy right now?"
Enji looked down to see Shouto and Momo's twin daughters staring up at him, their wide eyes dripping in anticipation.
"No, I am not," he answered. "What is it, Reina, Izumi?"
"Can you play with us?" Izumi bashfully asked.
"Miu-onee-chan forgot to do her homework so her Papa is helping her right now," Reina explained
"Hmph, that's what happens when her Father is too relaxed," Enji muttered, sneaking a look at the large pair of wings hovering over Fuyumi's daughter.
"So will you play with us?" Reina asked again.
Enji quickly scanned the room. Rei, Fuyumi and Momo were still preparing all the dishes while Shouto set the table. Natsuo and his wife had still yet to arrive. There was a bit of time left til lunch.
"Fine," he relented. "But none of that console stuff. Goodness knows I'm not cut out for it."
The brightest of smiles appeared on his granddaughters faces and he couldn't help but notice the similarities with their mother; a smile that certainly had an effect on the Todoroki household.
The Shouto of old might have never allowed Enji direct contact with his granddaughters and he had an inkling that Momo might have had something to do with that. That would have been especially true for Reina whose fire related quirk had manifested several months ago. The Enji of the past would have started training her immediately. But now, that wasn't his priority.
Now, Enji was grateful that he could have such a relationship with his granddaughters.
'Perhaps I'm getting soft in my old age,' he mused again as he walked towards the gardens, his large hands being pulled along by two smaller ones.
He may not have been the perfect father nor what the Number One hero should have truly been. But he damn well hoped he would be the best grandfather he could be for his grandchildren.
He'd definitely trump All Might in that regard.
That brings us to the likely end of the Witnessing TodoMomo trilogy. I'm not too sure I have any other characters I could truly write something about without it seeming too far fetched. I always knew I wanted to end it with Enji Todoroki and hoped that while he hasn't been the best Father or person, his segment was fitting for his arc.
In regards to YaoMama and YaoPapa, I wanted to portray them less as the super strict typical rich snobs you sometimes see and more like say, the parents from the Wild Thornberries minus the whole animals and traveling dealio. I always thought that Momo's personality would not have been so bright, energetic and innocent if she was constantly being suffocated by her parents. Sure it can work in some stories but I felt it didn't suit this series.
With all the OCs related to TodoMomo, I actually chose names with Kanji related to either their relatives, quirks or character backgrounds with Reina and Izumi being the ones I slaved over the most. So yea, if you were wondering, there was a reason why I chose certain names.
Thanks to Rennomiya once again for brainstorming with me and giving this work a light beta job. Shout out to her!
As always, leave a kudos and comment if you'd like.
It definitely makes a writer's day!
Follow me on twitter if you want: MadmanJrs
Til next time!