Hi you've reached Momo Yaoyorozu. I can't come to the phone right now, so please leave a message.

Hello, Momo. It's Todoroki. I know there's something that's troubling you, and I'm here to help you out. Visit the hospital, and we can talk about it.

By all accounts Fuyumi Todoroki is a gentle person. She's a teacher well renowned for her patience and compassion. She is an all around kind being. So why is it that when her brother came to her for help, the first thing she did was yell at him?

"What the hell did you do!?"

"You know why I'm here."

"How could you treat Momo like that? I told you just to talk to her. Tell me why is that so hard to do?" Shouto faces the ground, unable to look his sister straight in his eyes.

"Look, our damned old man is the way he is because he's a hero. I'm not one at the moment, but I can feel it. The stress. The urgency. The uncertainty. What if something happens to me and Momo and we drift away? Worse...what if I start being like the old man? I would never want Momo to go through what Mom did."

"Shouto…" Fuyumi approaches her little brother closer.

SLAP!

Shouto held his right cheek, his skin red from Fuyumi's impact. "Oi, nee-san! What are you do-"

SLAP!

This time Shouto is on the ground. His face is a cross between disbelief and confusion. His sister is fuming mad. "HOW DARE YOU ASK THOSE QUESTIONS!?" Shouto still looks stunned. Fuyumi grabs him by his collar, and repeatedly slaps him. Not as hard as before, but enough to sting him. "DON'T EVER COMPARE YOURSELF TO HIM! YOU NOTHING LIKE HIM! WHAT WILL MOM SAY IF SHE HEARD THIS!?" She drops him on the floor.

"Remember this, Shouto. My sweet, little brother will never become someone like our old man! Ever! You're better than that!" She kneels down in front of Shouto, who is still touching his numb cheeks. "I'm sorry, but if I have to slap some sense into you." She hugs him. "I know it's hard, and I know you still love her. What can I do to clear all these worries that bother you?"

"I don't really know." Shouto quietly gets up and takes to the balcony.

He stays outside by himself for about an hour before someone else joins him. "Tensei?

"Hey."

Shouto looks quite annoyed. My sister couldn't help me so she send her fiance instead? That's pretty cliché. "Did nee-san tell you to come here?"

"No. She told me what happened, and I thought that maybe I could give you more insight. From one hero to another. Well, one budding one, and one retired one." Shouto rolls his eyes at the corny joke, but Tensei remains smiling, unfazed by the young man's sassy attitude.

Luckily for Tensei the apartment he and Fuyumi share is wheelchair accessible so their balcony is spacious, albeit a little too spacious for your average young adult couple. But when you're an Iida and a Todoroki, expense is a thought you hardly concern yourself over.

"Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, being a hero is hard. There will be times where you're in a mission, and you wonder if you're coming home once it's over. If anything, I am the most perfect example of that," Tensei jokingly flails his arms like noodles to try to cushion the impact of his words. Shouto looks at Tensei's wheelchair. He feels terrible that Tensei had to use his accident as an example. Tensei understands this and smiles at him. Much like how he does with Tenya. Shouto isn't quite sure what it is, but Tensei's smile gives him an overwhelming sense of security. "There's nothing to be worried about?" is what his smile is telling him. Maybe this is why nee-san fell for him.

"You shouldn't be thinking how things can go south once you go pro. That's not why we become heroes. Danger will always present itself, so why not focus your attention on protecting those that are precious to you?"

"You're right."

"As far Momo goes, I think you should heed Fuyumi's advice. Go talk to her."

"But what if she thinks that I really don't love her anymore?"

"She won't. You're a terrible liar."

"Thank you."

By all accounts Fuyumi Todoroki is a gentle woman, but when it comes to her stubborn, naive little brother, a little tough love goes a long way.

"Thank you for straightening him out."

"Of course, my love."

"But I think there's someone else that can help these two out." Fuyumi reaches for her phone.

"Hello, I'm here to see Mrs. Todoroki."

The nurse immediately takes notice when she recognizes Momo's signature ponytail. "Oh, I remember you. You always come here with Shouto and Fuyumi." Momo nods. "You know, you two seem to spend a lot of time together. If I didn't know any better I'd say you two were dating." Momo frowns a little bit. She didn't want to lie to the nurse, but at this point her relationship with Shouto is uncertain. She smiles. "Oh, that an awfully nice thing to say, but we're just friends." The nurse gives her a frown. "Oh that's too bad. For a second there I thought I was onto something. You know that boy has been coming here for two years, and the only times I see him smiling brightly is whenever he's with his mother and sister. Then I was struck wrong when you started coming here. Guess I can't be right all the time." The nurse swivels her chair and hands Momo a name tag.

"It's strange seeing you here by yourself. Did something happen to Shouto?"

"Nothing happened. His mother just wanted to see me."

As Momo knocks on the door, her mind is spinning. As she waits by the door, worry plagues her mind more and more. Constant thoughts buzz around her. She left utterly confused. Among the numerous questions ringing in her head, one bothered her the most: What going to happen to me and Shouto?

"Come in!"

Momo was expecting this to be a meeting between two people, but she suddenly finds herself being smothered by a hug.

"Momo it's so nice to see you again!"

"Oh Natsuo! I didn't know you were visiting too!"

"I usually drop in unexpectedly. Tell me, what brings you here? Where's Shouto?"

"That exactly why she's here." Natsuo looks confused. Since he's hardly home, he's only met Momo several times, but she seems gloomier than than past meetings. "Did something happen between you and Shouto?"

"Stop bombarding her with questions." Rei orders her son coldly.

Momo takes out her phone. "I don't know how you found out what happened to Shouto, but I'm sorry for involving you in it."

"I asked you to come here, didn't I? Here have a seat." Natsuo takes out a chair for Momo to sit on, while Rei hands her a cup of tea and a rice cracker. "I know I shouldn't meddle in young love, but my son is a special case. I thought maybe I can help ease your troubled mind.

"I…"

"Take your time dear."

Momo sips some tea and takes a deep breath.

It took a lot in Momo to tell Rei and Natsuo everything. Thankfully, they tended to her everytime she needed to pause and cry. By the time she was through the tissue box Rei had was half empty. Mostly from Momo, some from Natsuo.

"So you were planning on spending break with him like any normal couple, but he was ignoring your texts?" Natsuo asks as he dabs his eyes with a tissue. Momo nods. "And you thought that he was upset over something so you we're going to visit his room and surprise him with something you made?"

"Yes, Matryoshka dolls were the very first thing I created. It's something special to me. So I thought that if I gave it to him, it would make him forget whatever is troubling him." A pair of dolls pop out of Momo shoulders as she is speaking. Rei catches one and Natsuo the other. As Rei listens on, Natsuo is distracted by the doll in his hand. He's rather impressed by how detailed the doll is, stunned at how closely it resembles his little brother. "This is adorable."

"Then you overheard his friend asking why he's been acting cold to you lately, and he didn't say anything?" Rei asks.

"Well, when Iida-san asked if he still loved me he remained quiet. By then it was too much for me to bear, and a I left."

"Letters, huh? So much for being dramatic. Dammit Shouto. I told you to stop using letters to communicate." He takes his jacket and makes his way towards the door. "Maybe I should go and talk to him."

"Natsuo, stop."

"He's probably at nee-san's or something."

Rei shushes him. She knows how hotheaded Natsuo can get sometimes–a trait he curses because he knows who he got it from–and that he's acting very rashly. She tells him to sit back down. Embarrassed, Natsuo laughs to relieve the tension. "Sorry Momo. I couldn't help but get heated. Big brother problems, you know." He grabs a rice cracker and gulps down some tea, but not without burning his tongue a little bit. "I just don't see why he didn't talk it out with you in the first place?" he says with his tongue sticking out.

"Natsuo, that's impolite to do!"

"Mom, my tongue got burned," Natsuo says as he uses his quirk to spread frost at the tip of his tongue.

"It's quite alright. Opening up is quite hard for him still." Once again she breaks down crying. "I'm so stupid. How could I have thought that this was gonna turn into something? For god's sake why did we even start dating? It's so stupid! It's all because of some stupid chicken noodle soup!" Natsuo felt bad for her. He knew exactly why his little brother was acting like this, but he didn't know if it was the right time to tell her.

"Chicken soup?" Rei asks. "Is that why you think Shouto ask you out?" Momo nods. "Oh dear, you two have a lot to talk about."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not about chicken soup, dear. He's admired you way before you that incident. He sees you as an intelligent, strong, and elegant young woman."

"Am I?"

"Yes you are. But above all that, you're caring. Kindness is something Shouto is rarely given, but you did so unquestionably. It's the one thing he keeps telling me whenever he talks about you."

She gets up from her bed and gives Momo a hug. "Look, my son is quite difficult. All of them are," Rei stares at her second third eldest. Natsuo holds his hands up in defense.

"What did I do?"

"Your grades are subpar and I have yet to meet your girlfriend." Natsuo froze at the sight of his mother's glare. Rei again turns her attention to Momo. "But don't hold it against him. His father was cruel to him, and I wasn't there for him. Love isn't exactly his strongest suite."

"I understand."

"I'm not finished."

"I've known you for two years now, and every time I see you with him he always has this bright smile on his face. Whenever I see that, I can't help but smile for him. He's been through a lot, but seeing him have fun with his friends, and being with you? It puts my heart at ease."

"Thank you."

"Listen. I know it seems rough right now, but talk it out with him. He's quite stubborn, but if he's leaving you these notes it means that he wants to talk to you eventually. When you two do, let him hear everything, okay?"

"Okay."

Momo came in with a burdened heart full or worry. Luckily, Rei and Natsuo set her mind at ease. Feeling lighter and wiser, she thanks them both for their time and makes her exit. She has a lot to think about, but at least she has an idea of what to do.

"Oh, those two have a lot to learn."

"Wow, mom. I didn't know you cared so much about Momo."

"Of course I do. You don't find a girl like that so easily. I only want what's best for my babies." Again Rei gives her son a nasty look. Natsuo freezes once again. He knew exactly what she meant.

"Your motherly instincts can be really scary sometimes you know that?"