Another session of silence graced the pair. But rather than one of tension or embarrassment, it was a welcome change of pace that supplied each of them with a chance to reflect upon their exchange together. Although they'd initially encountered some complications due to a lack of understanding and communication, they'd each emerged with answers they'd both been yearning for. After spending several days dreading the prospects of what the other might've thought of them, it felt so relieving to discover neither of them harboured any resentment. Momo was more than prepared to thank Katsuki as many times needed for agreeing to talk with her, and feeling indebted to her, Katsuki was prepared to do something for her in return.
With seemingly nothing else outstanding for them to discuss, Katsuki cleared his throat before motioning to the door. "If that's everything then…"
A wave of disappointment came over Momo when she realised their discussion had more or less concluded. Although she very much wished he could stay, it would be unreasonable to ask him. They'd finished. Nothing more needed to be said. Now that everything had been resolved, they could resume being classmates; nothing more and nothing less.
But Momo couldn't accept this. Although he'd already done everything she'd asked of him and more, Momo didn't believe their discussion had truly concluded. They'd essentially addressed everything concerning her, but there did remain one little query. It was a burning question she hadn't ever considered until she'd been offered insight on his perspective: what should be done now that they both know they each embraced the kiss, and if anything should be done at all?
Momo wanted to ignore these impulses and finally leave him in peace, but the persistent little voice in the back of head compelled to pursue him. And so she urged for him to stop after watching him rise to his feet.
"Wait…"
Katsuki returned to the mattress, watching as she traced her fingers through her long, black hair. Katsuki immediately arrived at the most likely explanation for what else she wanted to talk about.
"There is something else I'd hoped we'd be able to discuss…"
Rather than dance around the subject, Momo elected to just consult him about it. She'd come to acknowledge he preferred more direct approaches.
Momo hesitantly began. "…I would be dishonest if I said that I haven't been admittedly a little curious why you engaged in the kiss considering you never intended to."
Just as Katsuki predicted. There'd been a reason why he'd been so eager to leave, and not just because his presence was still expected downstairs, but because he'd very much hoped to escape discussing his motive. She wouldn't understand, because not even he entirely understood what had possessed him.
Momo raised her hands desperately. "If you don't feel comfortable explaining, you don't have to. I'm not trying to pressure you. I'm just… So long as we're being completely honest with one another and no longer withholding anything else…"
For somebody who already experienced intense difficulty being honest with others, the prospect of sharing his feelings made Katsuki uncomfortable. He shook his head absentmindedly. "I don't even know why I did it. I can't honestly tell you what motivated me 'cause I didn't even know what I was doing at the time. It honestly feels like some sick dream that I had. Even now as I think back on it I still can't believe we did something like that."
With each subsequent word, Momo's hope and anticipation slowly diminished.
Katsuki sighed with exhaustion. "Just thinking about all this does my f*cking head in. All I can tell you is…that I never meant to kiss you."
And that final piece of insight was the final nail in the coffin; a piercing instrument that penetrated Momo's heart. It was only after allowing herself to breathe was Momo able to properly digest everything he'd shared, and she couldn't deny that she was disappointed.
He was being dishonest. Well, not entirely. He hadn't intended to actually act upon his instincts at the time, but that did not mean he hadn't originally considered kissing her at all or ultimately enjoyed it. Katsuki elected to refrain from elaborating any further, disappointed in himself that he couldn't be honest with her. But he'd offered an explanation, and one that did very much reflect how he felt about the situation; just not completely.
"So it was just an unexpected spur of the moment?" Asked Momo, dispiritedly. "There was…never any affection?"
Katsuki soon found his own heart racing anxiously. He stared at the young woman threateningly, desperate to denounce the possibility. "N-no, never! It was just a stupid kiss. It didn't mean anything."
It hadn't been some insignificant kiss, though, but Katsuki would've rather died before she uncovered the pathetic and humiliating truth, and so he was more than prepared to lie and exaggerate.
Momo had prepared herself for the worst; she'd acknowledged there'd always been a very, very slim chance that her hopes would be true. But that one percent chance that he might've actually felt something had been more than enough for her to hold on to and pray for. But as she solemnly discovered, she'd been holding her breath for nothing – and she couldn't say that she didn't expect this outcome.
Acknowledging his explanation with a weak nod, Momo sighed deeply. "I see."
Her unexpectedly despondent reaction provoked concern from Katsuki. "What? You don't believe me?"
"No, I believe you" she reassured with a weak smile, "I know you're being sincere."
"You don't sound too convinced."
"….I believe you. It's just-"
She hesitated, falling silent.
Katsuki furrowed his eyebrows. "You're disappointed, aren't you?"
"I am, admittedly" she whispered reluctantly.
What had brought upon this? He'd done everything she'd asked of him; he'd delivered the explanation she required. Shouldn't that have been enough? It mightn't've been entirely accurate, but it had been partially true, regardless. Did she desire something more? Or maybe she recognised that he was being dishonest. Katsuki didn't doubt that a perceptive individual like her would be able to identify fallacies and falsehoods.
"Why?" He asked irritably. "You know the truth now."
That she did, but that didn't mean she was inclined to accept it. "That…wasn't the answer I was hoping to hear" confessed Momo.
"The f*ck!? What do you mean? What were you hoping to hear from me?"
Momo averted her gaze, gripping her hands together tightly in her lap as she allowed her thoughts to escape her lips. "…That you might've been motivated by something else when you decided to kiss me."
Momo's cheeks burned intensely from humiliation. Had she really just confessed that? She must've sounded like an obsessive little school girl, and not at all like the mature and dignified young woman she aspired to be when in his presence. Momo didn't want to imagine what he might've thought of her now after revealing that embarrassing confession. As if he didn't already find her undesirable.
Such a simple confession was enough to make Katsuki's heartbeat accelerate in a panic. "Y-yeah, well, I wasn't" he protested, further expanding upon his ruse. "I told you I wasn't in control. It just f*cking happened and I didn't mean for it to. You said it yourself: 'it was just a spur of the moment'. I wasn't…" He abruptly hesitated, struggling to find the appropriate words. "There was nothing there" he whispered stubbornly. "It was nothing."
"…It wasn't 'nothing' to me. It didn't feel like just a harmless spur of the moment. It was…"
Not even the conflicting emotions she was experiencing were enough to prevent a small smile from developing on her lips as she reflected upon the experience. Momo sighed breathlessly. "…It was one of the most incredible moments of my life."
Katsuki's eyes widened in disbelief. He needed to repeat the statement several times before it was finally able to properly register. Displeased and unimpressed with her attempts at humour, Katsuki glared, shaking his head in disapproval. "That's not funny. Don't f*cking say sh*t like that."
"I'm being serious" she replied urgently. "I wouldn't jest about something so sensitive and personal."
The sincerity in her voice and the desperation in her eyes should've been enough to convince Katsuki that she was being honest, but he refused to believe it. Seriously, what the hell was she on about? What did she mean it was 'incredible'? She couldn't have actually…enjoyed kissing him, could she have? The very thought made Katsuki admittedly quite anxious but he immediately abolished that possibility as soon as it crossed his mind. She was so obviously trying to disorientate him. That was the only sensible conclusion.
He was becoming agitated again - that much Momo could infer by his verbal and body language. Momo completely understood his scepticism, but she hadn't been exaggerating. She'd meant every word. Their impromptu kiss really had been that meaningful and impactful.
Closing her eyes, Momo spoke in a calm tone. "I'm not sure if you felt that, but I did."
"…Felt what?"
Momo brought a hand to her chest. "A connection between us. A spark, if you will."
Her humiliating ruse had persisted for far too long. How dare she joke about something like this? He'd expected better from somebody like her. Katsuki did not appreciate having his emotions be toyed with whatsoever.
"You're full of sh*t. It wasn't anything like that."
"…It was – for me" she whispered solemnly, averting her eyes.
She really was speaking sincerely. But this revelation only made Katsuki even more distressed and confused. She didn't actually…admire him to a degree, did she? Katsuki's mind became consumed by the myriad of questions her explanation had raised as he tried to come up with logical and rational conclusion for each.
His continued denial only made Momo's heart ache even more severely as the lingering fibres of hope and optimism drained completely from her being. She really had developed these unnecessarily high expectations. How could she have been so blind and ignorant? What had possessed her to believe that he could've possibly reciprocated her sentiments?
Momo accepted there wasn't anything she could possibly say that could have any effect on him. After all, he'd already made himself clear that their kiss hadn't meant anything. But this knowledge wasn't enough to convince Momo to stop what she intended to do, and that was to offer one final conclusive explanation on how much their kiss had meant to her. Even if her words were to inevitably fall upon deaf ears, she was still determined to inform him about how she really felt. He deserved to know the truth, even if he really didn't care.
"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable" she began hesitantly, "and I'm sorry if this all very difficult for you to understand. But you deserve to know how I truly feel."
The ambiguity was admittedly quite intriguing. Needless to say, she had his complete and undivided attention. Katsuki desperately wished for a more elaborate explanation on what she was implying in the hopes of possibly understanding if he was wrong to be holding on to a fragment of hope.
Before proceeding, Momo allowed herself to evaluate what she was going to say. After all, proper communication was going to be essential. She needed to be honest.
Momo remembered that day vividly well. She remembered her initial feelings of doubt, apprehension and underlying anticipation after being invited to a personal sparring session with him after he expressed concern about her concern for her lack of combat prowess. Those fears were abolished once she attended and engaged in their mock battle, replaced with adrenaline and excitement over the privilege to be able to be able to train with one of, if not, the most proficient combatant in their class. He'd won, unsurprisingly, but Momo hadn't been disappointed. In fact, she relished the experience, so honoured that he'd demonstrated the very same respect and attention he'd usually reserve for far more important profiles.
Their post-match evaluation and discussion only served to reinforce how unfairly Momo had misjudged him. Rather than chastise, belittle or humiliate her like how he once might've, Katsuki demanded that she refrain from punishing herself for losing and instead focus on the areas to improve and refine. In spite of the gap in skill and power, he was adamant she was still a combatant worthy of praise and respect. Momo couldn't believe everything she'd heard. To be praised by such a talented and gifted individual – somebody she aspired to be like – was profoundly inspiring and encouraging. Momo appreciated feedback from all sources, but she doubted anybody else's insight would've been a fraction as meaningful as his. She would absolutely apply his advice.
If it hadn't been for her extensive endurance training, Momo was certain she would've collapsed from either exhaustion or the overwhelming joy and contentment she'd been experiencing. Katsuki had provided her with one of the most informative, insightful and downright exciting experiences of her career yet, and one she would cherish dearly. Momo remember gazing at the young man in wonderment and awe. She'd found herself starting at him in reverence on occasion, but in that moment - after everything they'd done and discussed – he'd never appeared more astonishing. And Momo hadn't realised she'd been yearning to embrace him until their lips suddenly connected. It had been a shock first, but she didn't hesitate to return it with equal passion.
"When your lips connected with mine, in that short, fleeting moment, it was as if the world around us came to a complete halt. I'd… I'd never felt anything like that before. It was as if a thousand fires had been ignited inside me. I felt…warm…and comforted...and so disappointed when it inevitably ended."
With every word shared, Katsuki felt his face become increasingly hotter as he stared at the young woman in total shock and disbelief. How could she have derived anything from that unconsented attack rather than embarrassment or humiliation? How could she have possibly enjoyed such an intimate embrace with somebody like him? Had their kiss really been that special? This wasn't at all what he'd expected to hear.
"This moment…. These feelings… They're all I've been able to think about for the past few days. You are all I've been able to think about. That kiss mightn't've meant anything to you, but it meant so much to me. It made me feel really special to think that somebody like you – someone so passionate and confident– could actually admire somebody like me… so much so that you wanted to express your affection in such a way." But it was only after concluding was Momo reminded that that was never the case.
With an unceremonious nod of acceptance, Momo presented a sombre smile. "But I know now that my sentiments are not reciprocated. I've been anticipating something that had never been there to begin with."
Discovering that she hadn't just approved of their kiss but consciously embraced and cherished it evoked many different conflicting emotions in Katsuki, still totally incapable of comprehending everything. He kept trying to rationalise with himself that she was exaggerating; that her declaration of care and affection had been a ruse at his expense. But the pain she was exhibiting confirmed that she'd been speaking truthfully. Joy was an uncommon symptom to Katsuki; somebody who operated in almost a perpetual state of agitation. Demolishing his opposition and claiming an indisputable victory were some of the only situations that made him feel anything remotely positive. But discovering that she too had cherished their encounter inspired so many new and unfamiliar feelings. His initial discomfort and restlessness had been abolished, replaced by relief, reassurance and, dare he admit, excitement.
This revelation, however, only served to reinforce how deceitful Katsuki was being for lying about his motives. Katsuki very much hated seeing her in such a miserable state; it hurt even more when he remembered he'd been the one to incite it.
"When you say it like that you make it sound like I was trying to deceive you…"
"I know you weren't. You wouldn't do something like that. You were right; I have been making a big deal out of nothing. I can't say I'm entirely surprised or disappointed. I think I knew deep down that your intention hadn't been the one I'd hoped for." She laughed half-heartedly. "After all, what could you have felt from kissing somebody like me?"
"That's not what I'm trying to get at-"
"I understood what you meant" interjected Momo, smiling weakly. "My feelings have just been misplaced this entire time."
"That isn't…!" Katsuki hesitated to readjust his tone. He wanted to avoid inciting another argument between them. "What I've been trying to say is-"
Momo shook her head. "You don't need to say anything else. You've already done more than enough for me. I asked for an explanation and you delivered it. So…thank you." She brought her hands together in gratitude. "Thank you for your honesty and your patience. You've done everything I-"
Having grown intolerant of the constant interruptions, Katsuki exhaled with exasperation. "Can you just shut your mouth for one second and listen to me? Stop f*cking jumping to these conclusions."
It was only after being instructed to be silent did Momo finally realise how unintentionally impolite she'd just been. She hadn't been meaning to interrupt him; she'd only intended to inform him that that an apology wasn't necessary. But his hostility signified that there was something of great importance and urgency he wished to discuss, and so Momo refrained from speaking any further.
"I'm…sorry" she whispered before motioning for him to continue. "Please."
Rather than speculate about what could go wrong with every possible procedure to pursue, Katsuki instead decided to employ the same strategy that she had, and that was to just be honest. Like her, Katsuki too was an occasional compulsive over-thinker, and their shared habit was something they'd discussed on several instances. If there's one thing he'd come to better understand from her, it's that sometimes the simplest method is the most effective, and he couldn't think of a better example than the situation he found himself in.
"…Since when did you start making decisions about how I feel?"
"…Sorry?"
After witnessing her fear and confusion, Katsuki accepted that insisting on being ambiguous to protect sabotaging his reputation and credibility wasn't sensible. In spite of his discomfort, he knew that his honesty was long overdue. He wasn't going to speak truthfully to relieve himself rather her. Katsuki knew he would be doing her a great disservice if he didn't tell her the truth after receiving it himself. She too deserved to know how he really felt.
Crossing his arms, Katsuki began reluctantly. "Do you really think I would've done something like that if I didn't have a reason to? I did, but I never meant to actually act upon those feelings. It just…"
He grinded his teeth in frustration. "I lost control. It was like another force or something pressured me into going through with it…and kiss you. I really f*cking hate myself for letting something like that happen. Trying to kiss you like that without your consent was totally f*cking uncalled for and out-of-line. What the f*ck was I thinking?" He sighed with disappointment. "I know really shouldn't have, but in that moment, with everything that had been going on up until that point, it seemed like the right thing to do. But now I realise that it had never been."
"I disagree" she corrected with a warm smile. "If you hadn't, I might not have ever discovered that I could feel that way about somebody."
Her confession provoked concern. "So what? You've just become infatuated with me all of a sudden? Is that it?" He asked, fearful that her sudden interest might've just been temporary. It was admittedly a dispiriting thought to consider.
He had every right to be suspicious given the spontaneity of the situation. Momo too had been asking herself the very same question.
Momo and appreciated all her male classmates for many different reasons, but Katsuki Bakugo was very much an embodiment of all their individual qualities. She had the highest respect and admiration for him, but did that necessarily mean she 'liked' him, as people her age would use to describe romantic affection. Even though he'd been the very first boy she'd ever shared a kiss with, did that inherently mean she was attracted to him by extension? Momo had tried to rationalise that it had simply been the intensity and exhilaration of the situation or the overproduction of endorphin following the exercise. But the more Momo pondered it, the less likely those possibilities seemed. It hadn't been a simple spur of the moment rather the culmination of everything she felt about him. It wasn't just his insightful and strategic mind, unrivalled combat prowess and Quirk manipulation, subtle compassion and thoughtfulness (and admittedly attractive appearance and physique) that she admired dearly; it was his drive and passion.
Katsuki was seemingly without fear or apprehension; he wasn't crippled by doubt or threat of failure. Even after being beaten, bested and brutalised - and even abducted by a terrorist organisation - he hadn't ever been discouraged or dispirited. No amount of danger or failure could ever seemingly affect him. He aspired to be the very best, and Momo had every bit of confidence that he would be one day. to somebody like her who suffered with confidence and willpower, he really was a tremendous source of inspiration. Momo felt truly honoured to be able to call such an incredible person her classmate and contemporary. Whether they were engaging in work cooperatively or competitively, in the classroom or on the battlefield, Momo had routinely found herself becoming anxious and excited when in his presence, her heart occasionally pounding as fiercely as he had been on the drums during their musical performance. No other student – much less a male – had this effect on her. And after sharing an intimate embrace with him, Momo finally realised what had brought about those feelings and symptoms. Momo felt like such a fool for not being able to realise she'd had a crush on him earlier.
That evening really had been one of the most magical moments of her life, and although the circumstances of her very first kiss hadn't been ones she'd ever envisioned, after finally connecting with a boy like that, Momo wasn't disappointed at all. In fact, she seriously wouldn't have wanted her first kiss to have gone any other way. And she was positive that no other boy would've evoked the same intense feelings. She was ever so delighted he'd was her first crush and kiss.
"I think my affection and adoration for you has always been here" answered Momo, folding her hands over her heart. "It was through your touch that I was finally able to embrace these feelings, though."
This hadn't been the first time a female classmate had professed their feelings for him before; there'd been several accounts of girls approaching him during his youth to declare their admiration. Katsuki turned them all down without a second thought, deriving amusement from their pathetic displays of compassion. Their interest in him was irrelevant because they were irrelevant; not one of them had ever warranted his attention or concern much less his affection. But this situation was completely different. It was one thing to have some obscure and unimportant girl confess they admire him; the discovery that the top student in the class – the same young woman he cherished and respected - had secretly admired him for some time now was something else entirely. Katsuki was finding it very difficult to make sense of everything he was being told. He wasn't at all familiar with these emotions and symptoms he was experiencing, but they weren't at all unpleasant or unwelcome.
"Do you perhaps feel the same?" Asked Momo hopefully.
Katsuki averted his gaze, not just to avoid appearing like a fool before her, but to also properly evaluate her question.
There'd been a time when Katsuki disregarded Momo Yaoyorozu as just another 'irrelevant extra' he was obligated to interact with. But during their enrolment together, her true merit and worth had become clear to him. In fact, Katsuki despised himself for initially discrediting her as just a spoiled, stuck-up, know-it-all rich girl when she was far and away one of the most exceptional people he'd ever encountered, and somebody more than deserving of every piece of praise and acclaim she received. Katsuki admired power and authority above everything else, and she possessed both and so much more. Unlike a very good percentage of classmates in his life, she was one of the first to actually surpass him in grades and education; a title she'd held on to for over a year. He and that speedy, four-eyed kiss-arse were always competing for second place, but in spite of his efforts, he'd never once managed to surpass her and reclaim his title as the top student. It irritated Katsuki beyond belief to know that somebody was better than him in a department, but this knowledge only served to intensify his fascination for her.
Unlike so many students of her heritage and background, Momo Yaoyorozu hadn't been simply awarded the position; she'd earned it. She wasn't overconfident or complacent – not at all like how he'd once been – she was studious and hard-working student who always endeavoured to do her absolute best. Katsuki respected that immensely. She possessed a profoundly resourceful and eclectic mind befitting of the top student and an incredibly versatile Quirk. And although it wasn't terribly relevant, it didn't hurt that she was admittedly very beautiful, too, and easily the most attractive girl on campus to him. She really was the embodiment of everything he admired and then some, in possession of so many incredible qualities he only wished he could have, too. It was for these reasons and many more that Katsuki always strived to surpass her. He'd become quite desperate to impress her; to hopefully remind her of his worth as well. Katsuki had long since thought his urgency to demonstrate his own abilities and capture her attention had been out of jealousy or envy, but it was clear to him now that he'd been motivated by something else entirely. So this is what having a crush on somebody was like…
Katsuki couldn't deny that he was admittedly a little disappointed and frustrated that even he had succumbed to the temptations of female attraction. He'd thought himself above such trivial adolescent conventions. But if it were any other person that had attracted his care and attention, he probably wouldn't have thought very much of it. After all, Katsuki never settled for anything less than absolute perfection, and Momo Yaoyorozu was exactly that.
"Yeah, maybe…" he answered sheepishly, rubbing his arm uncomfortably.
His reluctant confession alone was enough to make Momo's cheeks warm and her stomach become infested with a family of butterflies flapping their wings anxiously. "How was it…for you?" Asked Momo politely, curios to know what effect their kiss might've really had on him. "I don't believe you ever mentioned how it felt…"
"It was…fine, I guess…"
"Just 'fine'?" A teasing smile spread across her lips. "Adequate? Serviceable?"
Katsuki released a sigh of irritation, eliciting a giggle from her. "Alright, it was pretty f*cking special" he relented. And he wasn't lying. Just like her, their encounter that evening would be remembered as one of most impactful moments in his life.
"I've never felt something like that before with another person – probably 'cause I've never really cared this much about anybody apart from myself." Katsuki thought he might've started feeling ill after experiencing a sudden, restless and agitated stomach, but then he was reminded that it was only anticipation he was feeling after reflecting upon their kiss. "For those few seconds, it was like… nothing else mattered to me. It was…just you and I, and that was all I cared about. You became the only thing important to me in the world that night. I didn't want it to end." If any of the students he found himself associating with her present, they definitely would've teased him relentlessly for such a humiliating confession.
But Momo wasn't one to tease and harass another individual for expressing themselves. Instead, Momo really had to restrain herself from squealing in delight, and instead channelled her joy by fidgeting with her fingers restlessly in her lap.
"I know I denied it earlier" continued Katsuki reluctantly, "but the truth is I've really wanted to consult you about this and sort everything out. It's just…"
He exhaled with frustration, disappointed in himself for struggling to express himself coherently, but his disconnect was still largely because of his dishonesty and deceitfulness.
"…After something like that, what the hell could I say to you? How could I even think to confront you again after I just kissed you out of nowhere? I suppose this is why I've distanced myself – 'cause I just don't know what to make of all this. I was seriously so f*cking disappointed in myself for letting my emotions control me, and I still am – a lot. I know now that you never felt attacked, but that doesn't excuse what I did..."
He combed his fingers through his forcefully, trying to find some method to channel his aggression. "This sh*t's been driving me f*cking mad. I've seriously lost the ability to concentrate. Everywhere I go, everything I do… Every time I see you… I just get reminded of that night. It's all I can think about and it's really been f*cking sh*tting me off because I've been f*cking desperate to know how you felt about it…and if it changed the way you see me."
His self-depreciating remarks were incredibly difficult to listen to for Momo. Katsuki was notorious for being quite unforgiving towards people, but it was becoming increasingly clear that there mightn't've been anybody else he was more punishing on than himself. But at no point had she ever been disappointed or displeased with him. In fact, it was the exact the opposite.
Momo presented a reassuring smile. "It did – and for the better, I say. I'm actually really grateful for your initiative. I never realised I yearned for intimacy with you until I experienced it."
Her compassion and understanding meant more to him than she probably realised. Katsuki couldn't honestly object to her declaration for he felt exactly the same. It was only through her touch had he too been able to experience what true passion was like.
"I seriously thought you were gonna f*cking smack me for it" mused Katsuki. "I swear you were gonna crack me across the face, like, the second our lips touched."
Momo giggled softly. "I dread to imagine what you might've done in retaliation if I had."
Her amusing comment was enough to produce a weak smirk from Katsuki. "Yeah… It's probably best that you hadn't, actually."
After such intense emotional turmoil, it felt so liberating to finally be able to laugh and smile again. Momo really needed it, to alleviate her of the lingering remorse and regret. He wasn't one who typically derived amusement when in the company of others, but even Katsuki couldn't deny that he too welcomed the return of solace and contentment.
Inspired by his initiative, Momo decided to employ one last strategy to put their tension to rest for good, as well as express her newfound care and adoration for him, and so she gingerly offered her hand for him to hold, hoping she wasn't overstepping a boundary by proposing another physical embrace so soon again. Katsuki studied her hand as if it were a foreign object, but soon realised what she was intending to do, and the realisation made his heart accelerate in anticipation. Not even he could resist the offer to experience her touch again, and so he accepted her hand reluctantly. It didn't take long before their fingers were intertwined with another, and the simple gesture was enough to elicit the same excitement from both as an electrifying thrill raced down their spines. His rough, bruised hands nestled with her comparatively softer and more delicate ones… It felt really nice. It felt…right.
After witnessing her inch herself closer towards him, beaming at him with a radiating smile that made his face hot, Katsuki averted his gaze, cursing himself for his immaturity. He'd once been able to engage in battle with her without interference from his emotions, and now he couldn't even so much as hold her hand without feeling flustered and overwhelmed. God, he was pathetic. The smile on Momo's only widened in delight. She could empathise with his embarrassment and anxiety; all of this was overwhelming for her as well.
To hopefully offer him reassurance and support, Momo gently squeezed his hand. And after a moment of inactivity, Katsuki gently squeezed hers.