Welcome back everyone! Sorry for the slightly late chapter, I've been busy with the TodoMomo Mini Bang, but I got this wonderful picture from Rennomiya to say thank you! You can view it on my twitter at twitter TPlease1717 /status/1272737679361351680

Also, if you haven't heard of it, the Mini Bang is a collaboration between incredibly talented writers and artists to produce new TodoMomo content and the posting dates are from June 14th to July 13th! Works are tagged to the TodoMomo Mini Bang 2020 collection on Archive of Our Own, if you want to look up the amazing works. Also, if you care to get involved, feel free to pledge to become a Book Club member. Basically, you'd agree to like, reblog and/or comment on a couple of our wonderful teams' creations. :)

Thank you so much to my wonderful reviewers! Seriously, your feedback gives me life!

Fencer29 - Thank you for another review! I really love hearing your thoughts. Haha, yep, the gods just do what they want, but when haven't they?

You're right, but since I don't know how they would have spoken either and, since I've already broken enough with tradition (ie given everyone surnames and not made slaves walk around naked), I thought it would be forgiven. But I justify it also because they probably had some words that had a similar meaning to our colloquial terms. When hasn't their been a derogatory term for a woman?

As for the description of Kota and Tamashiro at the end of the chapter, that was copy and pasted from their character bios on Wikipedia so probably should have referenced that.

Mihairu7 – Sorry this is long! Your review made me so incredibly happy! I mean it, thank you! You're totally right, anime dreams can be super haunting, but I figure Momo has been through enough trauma in her life, some of it is bound to leak into her subconscious.

You hit the nail on the head. I'm really glad that you picked up on Momo's fear of losing the people she loves and being abandoned because it affects all her interactions with the other characters. Starting from chapter 2, where Momo so desperately protected Tokoyami I was dropping hints of her fear of being alone. At the time, its easy to overlook and assume she is just a really good friend, but now that we have more characters being added into the story, its clearer that her fears are driving her interactions with others. Part of the reason she has a hard time trusting others and getting close to people, even Asui, is because of those fears. She is afraid that if she lets people into her heart they are just going to leave her. And the fact that she was bullied so cruelly by the petty priestesses (because when haven't women been cruel to each other?) makes her always feel she is walking on egg shells and leads her to doubts herself when she tries to make friends.

I know, poor Eri. But I wanted to show Momo's relation to the children. And Momo and Eri's shared fears adds necessary details for later. I'm really glad that you liked the addition of the children though. I can't have an orphanage and never mention them.

Kind of going back to the earlier statement that Momo has a hard time trusting others because of her fears, Momo is still wary of Todoroki. But Asui's outsider view of their relationship and her own interactions with him are starting to warm her heart. Slowly, she is beginning to realize that he isn't just a Spartan. And I promise they will have more interactions soon! This arc just focuses so much on Momo that it can't all be about TodoMomo getting googly eyed over each other.

Yeah, slavery in ancient Greece was brutal. From all my research, women captured in war were pushed into brothels were they were chained up so they couldn't escape. And if they were a house slave they'd normally be walking around naked and could be raped anytime by their master so Tokoyami has enough reasons to fear for Momo's safety. He also sees her slowly growing fond of Todoroki and wants to remind her to keep her distance otherwise she will be hurt.

Hahahah! I originally wanted him to confront Momo as soon as she left Eri's room, but then changed up the scene so they talked on their patrol. But, partly because of the curse, Todoroki is really conscious of Momo at all times. So he probably heard her get up but didn't know how to approach her. Todoroki also seems like the type, even in canon, that would think about things for a long time before he brings them up. So he was thinking about her throughout their patrol, just trying to find the words and the right time to bring it up.

Boa-Avadara – Ahh! Omg, you are too sweet! It makes me so happy that you like this fic so much! I'm trying to update every three weeks, but not going to be as hard on myself as when I first started writing this. Next update should be the weekend of the 4th.

KeroKeroNyao - Ahh thank you for reading and taking the time to comment again! TodoMomo will open up to each other more, eventually. They just need some external forces to motivate them. You're so sweet! Thank you. I try so hard with world building and writing these stories kind comments like this just make me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Oli – Thank you! I'm really happy that you can feel Momo's growing fondness for Todoroki but also her trepidation.

Jenchen.H - That's a great theory! I'm not going to confirm or deny at this moment, because I'm the worst with spoilers so know if I write more than that I'd be giving some plot details up (however, you'll probably figure it out in this chapter) But thank you so much for reading and taking the time to review. I hope you stick around for the rest of the story.

MadJay29 - Ahhh! I'm so glad I rekindled your love for Greek mythology, its seriously so much fun to learn about. I keep finding new stories and details while I write Ashes of Love and War, and seriously the Greeks came up with some pretty crazy stories. Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! Next update should be out this weekend if all goes as planned.

Guest – Hehe. I'm glad even though you don't usually like straight couples that you decided to give this a try! Really appreciate that and I'm so glad you are enjoying this.

Also, once again thank you to my amazing betas: C's Melody, FlourChildWrites and 666-HyuugaNeji-999. Now, onto the show!

Chapter 9: We Can (Not) Comfort

29 days post the fall of Troy

Fucking Kaminari.

Shouto leaned back in the tub and ran his hand through his hair, pushing back the red strands. He had tried not to dwell on it, but Yaoyorozu's words from the night prior wouldn't leave him.

In truth, it wasn't surprising that Yaoyorozu's friend had been on the receiving end of a god's unwanted affections, but the fact that he had taken her was.

Gods were only allowed to bring mortals back to Mount Olympus if they intended to keep them as consorts. Which meant that the god had fallen in love with Yaoyorozu's friend, enough to marry her.

He tried to recall if he had heard of any of the gods taking a mortal as a wife but couldn't remember. After all, it seemed that besides starting wars, fucking humans was all they ever did.

Shouto's jaw twitched at the thought. He closed his eyes.

Yaoyorozu had never confirmed it was Kaminari who had stolen her friend, but regardless, it was clear that Kaminari had been sent to protect her. Shouto was sure of it. But then — why use him? Was he simply a convenient bodyguard? Or was there another motive behind the curse? It couldn't be that straightforward, could it?

He ground his teeth and opened his eyes to glare down at the water. The bath had become cold.

There had to be a reason Kaminari hadn't simply whisked Yaoyorozu away from the battle.

His stomach twisted faintly at the idea of the Erotes even thinking of touching her, but he pushed the feeling aside. He glanced at his weapon, Endeavor, leaning against the wall. Even without his godly powers, the Erotes was a decent enough fighter by himself. His sword, Chargebolt, had been given to him by Zeus and could release lightning-based attacks. He could have easily defeated the Athenians, but he hadn't.

Was he being controlled? Kaminari wasn't the smartest of gods, but even he wouldn't have done something so foolish as to curse Shouto on a whim. Would he?

Shouto sighed to himself. He had always considered himself intelligent enough, but the mystery surrounding this was making his head hurt. If only someone was here that he could talk to — that he trusted. Midoriya or even Bakugo might have been able to dissect what was going on.

He flexed his fingers and stood up.

Not that it mattered. None of this mattered. He was still cursed for the time being.

Shouto scowled at the knowledge as he dried off. Pulling on his perizoma, he picked up Endeavor's sheath and grabbed his clean chiton, throwing it over his shoulder before walking out of the bathroom.

It was almost dark outside. The fiery reds and oranges of the setting sun shimmered off of the tiled floors and bathed the marble pillars of the house in golden hues. The day's oppressive heat had lifted somewhat, and a cool breeze flowed off the ocean.

The children laughed as they continued playing in the courtyard, getting their last bit of energy out before bed. A boy threw a pebble-sized bone into the air and proceeded to scoop up as many of the other bones as possible before catching the tossed one in a game of knucklebones.

Shouto watched the boys for a moment before a shift in the wind caught his attention. He raised his head and sniffed the air; his eyes narrowed. There were faint traces of magic in the wind. It wasn't as heavy and oppressing as the stymphalian's. So a god's.

A shiver ran down his spine. It felt like claws raking down his back. Shouto swallowed over the sour taste in his mouth and looked down at his hand. Ever since his fight with Dabi, he'd been crippled.

His vision in his left eye had been impaired. It was healing slowly, but if it was too bright or dark, he had a hard time making out his surroundings. However, the deepest cuts were the ones no one could see; he still couldn't use his magic. It was as if it had dried up. He had the memory of it, could still feel the sensation in his fingers, but anytime Shouto reached within himself to pull on his power, he felt hollow. It made him feel bare. Vulnerable.

His fingers spasmed, and his hand drifted to Endeavor's hilt. For the time being, all he could rely upon were his instincts and sword skills. His hand tightened on the hilt until his knuckles turned white.

It would have to do.

He was strong.

"Hey, mister!" A high-pitched voice interrupted his thoughts.

Shouto started and looked down. A young boy with dark marks around his eyes and sharp teeth shrunk back. The other children stopped their game of knucklebones to watch.

Shouto rolled his jaw and forced himself to relax. He hadn't meant to scare the kid. "What is it?"

The boy shifted. Tamashiro, if he remembered correctly. He was half tempted to ask the child to save his question for later, but this was the first time any of the children had addressed him unprompted.

The kid looked at his sword, then up at him and straightened. "You can fight, right?" the kid asked, lifting his chin. "Are you any good?"

A small boy with short black hair and gold horns scowled next to him. "Obviously not if he ended up here," he said, scoffing.

"I ain't asking you, Kota," Tamashiro snapped. Then he turned back to Shouto, and a small grin pulled at his mouth as he took a step forward. "Teach me! I want to learn to fight."

There was an audible pause, and then Kota stood up. "If you're learning, I want to too!"

It was like a flood gate had opened, as all the other boys began standing up and yelling over each other.

"Teach me!"

"Teach me too!"

"I want to kill a cyclops!"

Shouto stared at them in surprise as the boys surrounded him.

He didn't know what to say. He had never dealt with children before. But he couldn't think of a reason not to teach them. They'd eventually have to fight one day, whether they wanted to or not; the life of a half-breed was dangerous. They'd never be fully accepted by the gods or humans. The only way they'd survive was by relying on their own strength.

The smell of the god's magic hardened his resolve. Shouto curled his hand into a fist.

The strong live, the weak die.

Shouto nodded faintly. "Okay."

The children shouted in triumph and began shooting off questions at him. He shifted awkwardly under the sudden attention. He really wasn't good at this.

There was the click of sandals on tile.

"Everyone!" The familiar voice pulled at him. "It's time to get ready for bed."

The boys had vanished before the speaker had even finished her sentence. Shouto turned to look down the hallway and tried to suppress the feeling of his stomach flipping as Yaoyorozu drew closer.

It was the curse, he reminded himself for the hundredth time, even as he felt the tension in his neck and shoulders begin to relax.

"Oh, Todoroki?" Yaoyorozu said, then paused; her eyes grew wide. She dropped her gaze, then looked back up at his face and away again. Her face appeared flushed, and something inside of him reveled in the tinge of red that was spreading across her cheeks.

He straightened, smothering the urge to smirk, as Yaoyorozu shifted.

"Are - Are you done bathing," she asked, her voice slightly higher. The curse pulsed in his veins. She pushed her bangs behind her ear without looking at him. "Aizawa said to come meet him when you are."

"Hmm," Shouto said. He could feel his heartbeat quicken as he watched Yaoyorozu nervously bite her bottom lip. He stepped toward her unconsciously.

Her eyes seemed to grow impossibly wide; her pupils were dark. She stepped back slightly, and he followed her. Her hand curled in front of her mouth. She still wouldn't look him in the eyes, and he couldn't suppress the part of him that wanted to see what she'd do if he cornered her. Would she look at him then?

He wanted her to look at him.

Movement behind her snapped Shouto back to awareness as Tokoyami appeared out of one of the side rooms. He looked at Shouto, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion, then glanced back at Yaoyorozu. She jerked and abruptly dropped her gaze to the ground, her hands twisting together in front of her.

Tokoyami turned back to Shouto; his stare was hard. And if he could read Tokoyami's bird-like features, he'd say he looked furious.

Shouto felt the urge to scowl. His fingers twitched and tightened unconsciously on his sword's hilt as he looked back at Tokoyami and met his cold glare.

There was a long silence.

"Oh good, Todoroki," Asui's croaking voice suddenly interrupted, cutting through the tension as she stepped out from behind Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami. "Aizawa was looking for you, kero."

Shouto breathed deeply to calm himself before schooling his face into what he hoped was a neutral expression. "What is it? Did something happen?" he asked Asui.

She shook her head. "Good news, actually," she said. Her tongue stuck out slightly from the side of her mouth. "There's an aurai here if you wanted to send your message, kero."

That explained the smell from earlier.

"Send a message?" Yaoyorozu asked, her eyebrows drawing together as she looked up at him. Her face was still slightly red, but her eyes didn't flicker from his face as they had earlier. "To whom?"

Shouto glanced at her. "I'm sending a message back home. To Sparta."

"And you're using an aurai to do so?"

"Out here, the only way to contact anyone is to ask a favor from a minor god or one of the nymphs of the sky to carry it for you, kero," Asui explained.

"Oh, I see," Yaoyorozu said slowly.

Shouto stared at her for a moment before turning back to the nereid. "And you're sure this aurai can be trusted?" Shouto asked skeptically.

"Kero." Asui pressed her finger to her chin. "Hado Nejire has helped Aizawa with small tasks before. It shouldn't be a problem for her to bring your message back to Sparta."

In truth, he hated dealing with aurai — they were airheaded and generally unreliable, not to mention taxing to deal with. Out of all the nymphs, the aurai were the most energetic and nosy. Two characteristics Shouto hated. But, he didn't have much of a choice if he wanted to contact Midoriya.

He sighed to himself. "Where can I find her?"

"She's out front right now." Asui paused and looked him up and down. "And you should put on your chiton, kero," she added, her slightly croaking voice teasing.

Shouto raised a brow questioningly, but Asui just smiled up at him, pressing her index finger to her lips as if she was letting him in on some sort of secret that he wasn't understanding. Shouto didn't dwell on it as he slipped on his clothes before going to find Aizawa and the aurai. As he passed, he glanced back at Yaoyorozu, but Tokoyami stepped in front of her. His eyes were narrowed in disdain.

Shouto's hands curled into fists at his sides, but he forced himself to keep moving. He couldn't miss this chance.

He stepped out into the fading sunlight. The smell of magic abruptly intensified. It smelled sweet and fresh, like myrtle, and he looked up. Aizawa was standing by the statue of Hephaestus, talking to a woman who was floating in the air. She had long flowing hair that fell past her knees and gleamed lilac in the fading sunlight.

Shouto moved closer.

"They said they're on their way," the woman said with a giggle.

He could see Aizawa nod. "Good."

The woman looked up, spotting him. Her eyes went wide, and she hurried closer until her face was centimeters from his. "Oh! Who are you? You're so handsome. But that scar!" she said, circling him with child-like curiosity.

Shouto scowled and threw her a sharp look that she ignored.

"Todoroki," Aizawa said, turning. "This is Hado Nejire."

"Hello! Hello!"

Shouto nodded stiffly in greeting.

"Nejire can take the message for you," Aizawa said, his voice dull.

The woman twirled in the air, unperturbed. "Of course! Leave it to me," she said, giving him a mock salute.

Shouto sighed to himself, the sound barely audible. He hated dealing with aurais. He rolled his jaw and looked back at the sky nymph. "I need you to deliver a message to Midoriya, one of the princes of Sparta."

Nejire nodded eagerly.

Shouto paused. The aurai had poor memories, so it wasn't likely that she'd remember anything complicated. "Tell him that I'm okay and heading home. If everything goes as expected, I should be home before winter."

He paused, his eyes sliding to the side to look discreetly at Aizawa. Shouto didn't want to let the old man know more than he needed to, but the sinking feeling in his stomach said that Aizawa already knew.

The older man was far too smart for Shouto's liking.

He brought his hand to rest upon Endeavor's hilt as his gaze flickered back to the aurai. "And ask him how much he knows about Kaminari and his powers."

"Kaminari?" Nejire asked, blinking in surprise. "Hmm. I don't get it." She tapped her lip with her pointer finger. Then she smiled at him.

"But okay!" she said gleefully, almost bouncing. "Anything else?"

"No." His tone was clipped.

"Okay! I'll be off then!" She spun and gave Aizawa another mock salute. "Bye bye!" she half-sang as her body shimmered and then disappeared with a soft pop.

Shouto watched the space where the nymph had been for a moment longer before turning towards Aizawa.

The older man was staring at him, his expression closed but eyes calculating. Shouto stiffened. It felt like a lump of dread had formed in his throat. If it wasn't clear how much Aizawa knew before, it was now. He swallowed hard.

"I'm taking Asui and Tokoyami for the first watch. You and Yaoyorozu have the second shift," Aizawa said, abruptly changing the topic.

Shouto felt his shoulders relax slightly, and he nodded. "Something has changed." There was an unspoken question in his tone.

Aizawa looked out towards the ocean. "Nothing for now," he said at length. "But, I have a bad feeling. Ever since you all arrived, the stymphalian have been acting strangely. They've only been sending the omegas and gammas of their flock to attack. It doesn't make sense. It's almost like they are waiting for something, but I don't know what."

"Do you think they are testing us?"

"Possibly." Aizawa tilted his head back, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "They could be wary and trying to determine how strong you three are."

"Perhaps," Shouto agreed as he turned to look fully at him. "It hasn't always been like this, has it?"

Aizawa didn't look at him, and Shouto's eyes narrowed. "What's changed?"

Aizawa didn't say anything.

Shouto studied him silently. He debated pushing Aizawa for more information. The older man was entirely too secretive for his liking, but Shouto knew he wouldn't say anything unless he wanted to.

He scowled. Shouto hated people like Aizawa. He couldn't read the older man at all. He was better with straightforward people like Bakugo. At least he always knew where he stood and what Bakugo wanted.

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention as Asui and Tokoyami emerged from the house.

"We're heading out." Aizawa looked back at him, breaking the silence. "Do a full sweep of the grounds. We need to be extra vigilant until we figure out what is going on."

Shouto nodded and watched the three disappear over the ridge before he turned to go check the perimeter of the house.

It was getting late, and the moon was shining brightly by the time Shouto finished checking the grounds. There had been faint traces of something in the bushes surrounding the house.

Someone had been watching them.

Yet, it was too dark for him to be able to track down whatever it was until morning. He'd have to bring it up to Aizawa when he returned.

Shouto's jaw twitched as he returned to the house. The place was silent. Yaoyorozu must have retired after putting the children to bed.

It would be another four or five hours until Aizawa and the others returned. He might as well try to sleep as well. The night prior, he had only slept for two hours before he became restless. And the night before that, Shouto slept even less.

He made his way towards the courtyard and paused.

Yaoyorozu was standing under the veranda. The moonlight caught in her dark hair and cast her profile in silver. She was staring up at the cloudless night sky.

She looked ethereal, and Shouto could feel his heartbeat stutter as he gazed at her silently for several seconds before stepping out of the house. "Yaoyorozu."

She jerked and whirled around to look at him. "Todoroki!" she gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "You scared me."

Shouto's steps faltered, and he brought his hand up to rub the back of his neck. "Sorry."

Yaoyorozu shook her head, her posture relaxing. "It's okay." She gave him a small, forced smile. "I was just startled. I didn't hear you approach. Were you able to send your message?"

"Mhm," Shouto hummed as he moved closer. His fingertips ran over Endeavor absently, before resting his hand fully on the sword's hilt. "I asked her to deliver a message to Prince Midoriya. To let him know we're alive, and we'll be coming home soon."

The corners of her mouth twitched. "I see." She looked down and grew quiet.

His eyes narrowed as he studied her profile. There was something off about her tonight. Shouto hadn't noticed it earlier, so whatever had happened must have occurred while he had been out. He wondered if she'd tell him if he asked.

Probably not.

He sighed to himself. "Go get some sleep. You didn't sleep well last night."

She shook her head faintly. "I'm fine, but I could say the same for you." She looked up and met his eyes. "You and Aizawa get the least amount of sleep out of all of us. You should be careful and watch your health."

He scoffed silently. "I'm fine. There were worse nights during the war."

It was a half-truth.

Yaoyorozu didn't say anything. He looked away as they lapsed into silence for several moments before he glanced back at her. Yaoyorozu was staring blankly out at the courtyard. He watched as her lips thinned, and she wrapped her arms over her stomach. His fingers twitched. "What are you thinking about?"

She was silent for several seconds. "Many things," she finally said.

His hand tightened on Endeavor's hilt when she didn't say anything else. It had been a long time since he'd dealt with a woman's feelings, but he vividly remembered that anytime Fuyumi refused to tell him what she was thinking, it meant something was wrong.

"Todoroki." He looked up. "Would you tell me what Sparta's like?" she abruptly asked.

Shouto's mouth went dry, and he stood still trying to remember. "I don't know," he said hesitantly. He looked away. His voice was stiff. "I haven't been there in over ten years — probably looks like any other city. Nothing special."

"I see."

Shouto glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She looked almost sad as she continued to stare out across the courtyard. Her onyx eyes flat.

Was she grieving? Remembering Troy and all those she had lost? Shouto swallowed hard. He had his own memories of the war. Of the people he had killed, those who had died honorable deaths of a warrior and those who had been too young to deserve to meet Thanatos.

He rolled his jaw. He didn't know how telling her about Sparta would help, but Shouto didn't like seeing Yaoyorozu like this. He didn't want her to suffer. The war wasn't hers to bear.

He searched his mind for something to give her.

"It's pretty," he began slowly. "The city is made of marble and limestone. And the pastures are rich, and the forests are filled with game, so we never go hungry. It… has its problems, but Midoriya and Bakugo, the princes, are trying to change things to make life better."

Yaoyorozu looked at him. Her eyes studied his face as if searching for something. "And your family?"

"I've lived with my sister ever since Ares took me away from my mother when I was around six or seven."

Her expression grew pained, and she dropped her gaze back to the floor. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," he said gruffly. "I'm used to it being just her and me."

Yaoyorozu swallowed. Her hands tightened around her stomach. "And your slaves? How many other slaves do you have?"

"Just you."

"And Tokoyami."

"No, just you."

Yaoyorozu's head snapped up, and her eyes widened as she stared at him.

"Why? What's wrong?" He lifted his hand off his sword as if he were reaching to touch her. His chest tightened.

She glanced away, and he let his hand drop. "It's nothing."

Shouto frowned. "Did I say something?"

She shook her head faintly. "No. I just - I just don't know where I fit in anymore."

"What do you mean?" he asked, studying her.

"I…" Yaoyorozu dipped her head so that her bangs fell in front of her face, obscuring her expression. "Nevermind," she said quietly.

Shouto's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?"

She shook her head again. "It's not like that...I'm just...I'm thinking too much." She curled a piece of black hair around her fingertip. "I'm just not used to this..."

Yaoyorozu swallowed and took a shaky breath before continuing. "Back at the temple, I'd always be working. I had my job, and I knew what was expected of me, but these days...I...I just don't know where I fit in anymore. I have too many thoughts, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do..." she choked, and her voice trailed off.

Shouto swallowed hard as Yaoyorozu's words hung in the silence. It felt like his heart was beating in his throat. He had never expected to feel as though he could relate to another so well, least of all, to Yaoyorozu. But, she was voicing the sickening feeling that had been swirling in the pit of his stomach for weeks. The war had stolen his youth. And now it was over, leaving him a warrior, a soldier, but without a purpose besides returning home.

His fingers twitched. He had never considered that Yaoyorozu could feel the same sense of helplessness as he did. Shouto's fingers curled into tight fists. "You were a healer, right? Back at the temple."

She nodded.

"Why don't you ask Aizawa if you can help him then?"

She looked up. "Are you really okay with that?" she asked suspiciously.

Shouto tilted his head. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She dropped the piece of hair and looked away, folding her hands in front of her. "Is it really okay for a slave to learn those types of things?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Shouto felt his stomach twist. He turned to fully face her and took a step closer. "I'm not the best with words. I've always felt that actions are what matter." Her eyes darted up to his face, and Shouto swallowed. "So, I know my words probably won't make you feel better, but, even so, I'll just say that I don't want you to feel like you have to suffer by yourself. If - if there is anything I can do to help, I want you to let me know."

Yaoyorozu's eyes widened as he brought his right hand up. His fingers, unfurling and half-hesitant, wavered for a moment before he brushed her loose hair behind her ear. "I don't want you to feel like you have to forget who you want to become just because you're with me."

She gasped softly. His fingers lingered on her face for a moment, and then his hand slipped under her chin to cup her jaw, lifting her head up.

"Yaoyorozu." Her name rolled off his tongue. He felt her pulse jump underneath his thumb. It sent a rush of excitement through him. "I want you to be able to rely on me. I want to take care of you."

She sucked in a breath but didn't say anything. Her eyes were dark, almost pitch black. He could feel her warm breath on his face. Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips, and he felt his heartbeat speed up.

Slowly, Shouto leaned down. Yaoyorozu was still underneath him, and his lips skimmed over hers.

"You're mine. Let me care of you," he whispered as he kissed her.

Ahh! So they finally kissed again! I was really thinking of making us all suffer longer, but I was itching for a little romance. And since the chapter is a little slow otherwise, I hope you all liked it. :P

Notes:

Aurai - nymphs of cool breezes.

Erotes - The Erotes are a collective of winged gods associated with love and sexual intercourse in Greek mythology. Kaminari is one of the Erotes.

Hephaestus - was the god of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of sculpture. He was also the patron of cripples and outcasts.

Knucklebones - a game similar to jacks or fivestones, but played with the ankle-bones of goats or sheep.

Perizoma - A loincloth

Thanatos - Thanatos, in ancient Greek religion and mythology, the personification of death.