Thank you everyone who reads and supports this story, seriously it means the world to me. And special thanks to my betas!

Now here comes the fluff (do, do, do).

Chapter 19: We Are (Not) Starting New

82 Days post the fall of Troy

Waves lapped against the ship's haul, rocking the trireme as the ship skated across the open ocean.

The air had cooled down. And there was a faint nip in the air as the scorching heat of summer relented to the more temperate weather of autumn.

A gull's shrill cry echoed in the distance.

Momo looked up. Her hair whipped around her, and she pushed the black strands behind her ear.

Wispy white clouds stretched across the clear afternoon sky speckled by the gray and silver silhouettes of sea birds. To the west, the green mountain ranges of the Rhodopes could be seen peeking over grassy hills that sloped down to create a natural harbor. And at the base sat a small port city.

A gust of wind blew across the ship. Momo breathed in deeply, and the strong smell of salt and freshly caught fish filled her lungs. Her smile widened, eyes shining in a mixture of anticipation and exhilaration as the trireme drew closer to the Greek city.

"Careful. Don't get too excited and fall overboard," Fukukado said with a deep laugh as she slid up next to Momo. She took the position as the kybernete, steering the trireme towards the dock. "I don't want to lose my first passengers after only two days. You'll hurt my reputation."

Momo grinned. "We wouldn't want that now," she said in a light voice. Then, as if thinking, she tapped her chin and added. "However, I have been a bit bored lately. I may need to test your rescue procedures to keep myself entertained."

Fukukado huffed as if offended. "Who do you think I am?" Fukukado's voice lowered, but her eyes were warm with mirth.

Momo's smile widened. "Don't worry." She turned back to stare across the harbor. The wind tugged at her chiton. "I'll be careful and not cause any trouble. I wouldn't want to make my debut in society soaking wet anyways."

The city was coming into view. Against the shoreline, Momo could see small boats nestled up against a wooden dock. Amongst them, local fishermen hurried about, letting down sails or pulling nets full of fish out of the ocean. Beyond the seaport, rows of white houses and the distant arches of a limestone temple could be seen. Momo's heart rose in her chest.

She glances back at Fukukado. "Where are we?"

"Dicaea," Fukukado said without looking at her.

The men on the oars grunted as they rowed. Fukukado angled the trireme to slide around a much smaller fishing boat. The three men within waved as they passed.

"It's about halfway between Sparta and Troy on the edge of Thrace," continued Fukukado. "It started off as a fishing village but has grown a lot over the last ten years and is doing well now with all the trade from the Greek armadas going home."

A dull weight formed in Momo's chest, but she forced herself to ignore the slight throb at the memory of her home. The war was over. It was time to move on. Instead, she smiled at the dots of men and women scurrying between buildings, like worker ants.

"It seems lovely."

Fukukado snorted. "It's not that impressive. It's small, especially compared to Athens or Sparta. You'll see."

Momo nodded but didn't respond. In truth, she didn't care how big or small the city was. It was the first time in her memory of seeing an actual city. A flourishing city not plagued by famine or war.

Her hand tightened around the wooden railing. Momo's smile faded as a thought dawned on her, and she glanced back at Fukukado. "Won't we get in trouble docking right in port? From what I have heard, pirates aren't usually welcomed in Greek cities."

"Nah. This is a pirate's haven." Fukukado winked. Then she jutted out her jaw towards the city. "Dicaea is mostly fisherman, mercenaries, and slavers. We'll fit right in."

After that, Fukukado needed to concentrate. Momo moved towards the back of the ship.

The trireme was almost in port. On land, the dots of people had become more visible. And Momo could clearly make out the men and women walking along the streets as they conducted their daily lives.

She leaned against the wooden railing, smiling as seawater misted her face. It had been a long time since Momo had seen such activity. When the Greeks had invaded Troy, daily life had halted as all provisions were directed towards the troops. Any food left had been hoarded or sold at exurbanite prices. The market had all but shut down as the economy collapsed and, with it, time had seemed to pause as days blended together.

That feeling of being stuck had continued on Aretias. Even with Aizawa and Asui and the orphanage to keep her busy, she had felt caught in a spider's web, unable to move backwards or forward. And Momo had wondered if that was all life had to offer. But seeing Dicaea so full of vibrancy, it felt like (for the first time) she was taking the initial steps into a new life.

The boat bumped against a dock, cutting off her thoughts as Momo jolted forward with a gasp.

A firm hand suddenly wrapped around her upper arm, catching her. Momo turned her head, pushing her hair back to look up and met the heterochromatic eyes of Todoroki.

"Are you okay?" he asked. His grey and turquoise eyes looked her over slowly as if checking for any wounds.

There was a catching sensation in Momo's chest, and she looked away, straightening. "Yes, I am fine. Thank you for your help," she said, pulling away a little too quickly.

Her legs wobbled. Todoroki's fingers tightened upon her forearm, steadying her. His hand was warm. Carefully, Momo peeked up at him from under her lashes. Todoroki hadn't looked away. His grey and turquoise eyes were warm as they stared down at Momo. Her heart stuttered.

This was another development.

After defeating Overhaul, their relationship had changed. It wasn't outwardly noticeable. Todoroki didn't treat her any differently; if anything, he left her alone more often than not, but Momo had realized something within her had shifted. An invisible weight upon her heart had disappeared ever since he had come to rescue her from Overhaul. She wasn't exactly sure what that meant. All she knew was that when she looked at him, her chest felt warm in a way different than with anyone else.

"We're here, land lovers!"

Fukukado's sudden voice announced loudly from the back deck. Momo tore her gaze away from Todoroki's eyes.

"Tie us down, and let's go get a drink!"

A cheer rose up in unison at that. And suddenly, the trireme was filled with a flurry of activity as the men stood up and stretched.

Momo pulled out of Todoroki's grasp. She stepped back along the wooden siding to get out of the way. The boat rocked as the men shifted and readied to disembark.

"Here, I'll help you," Todoroki said in a low voice.

Momo glanced over as he jumped onto the dock. Todoroki turned back around and held out his hand towards her. Momo wet her lips. Her mouth was dry.

In his armor, hand outstretched, Todoroki looked beautiful, like a sculpture. A god walking among humans.

Momo swallowed back a sudden urge to touch him. Instead, she gave him a small smile as she slipped her hand into his and allowed him to help her onto the dock.

"Todoroki!" A woman's low voice shouted from the boat.

Momo looked back to see Fukukado jump onto the wooden dock.

"What about you two? Will you join us for a drink?"

"No." Momo's heart seemed to falter at Todoroki's words. His expression didn't shift as he met Fukukado's gaze. "We'll be heading out. There are a lot of things we'll need to do before starting the journey to Sparta."

Fukukado scratched her head, her mouth twisting in disappointment. "I see. You can't even spare one drink?"

Momo bit her lip and looked up at Todoroki.

"One drink wouldn't hurt, would it?" Momo asked in a gentle voice, trying to persuade him.

As much as Momo was eager to continue on and explore the city, they had traveled with the pirates for the past two days and had lived together for over a month. Although they were rough around the edges, Momo had grown fond of them and found herself sad at the thought of leaving Fukukado and the men so soon.

Todoroki stared at her for a moment and then looked away. "If that's what you want. We'll stay for lunch."

Fukukado and Momo both smiled.

Momo's head buzzed. The tavern was stuffy. Long rectangular tables with wooden benches had been squeezed into the hall at every angle. And the smell of stale alcohol hung in the air so strongly. It was as if it had seeped into the wooden fibers of the chipped furniture.

The rest of the hall was little better than the furnishings it was decorated with. The walls were threadbare. And there was a poorly patched-up hole by the doorway, as if a patron had gotten too rowdy on their way out and the tavern keeper had given up on trying to fix it.

On the far side of the hall, a wooden staircase led up to — what Momo presumed were — cheap rooms on the second floor. But it was doubtful that anyone would have been able to rest with the noise coming from the hall at the moment, as Fukukado's men packed along the seats.

Momo slid her hands around her empty cup and determinedly swallowed back a hiccup. Her cheeks were hot, and Momo found that her vision swayed if she turned too quickly.

The wine was stronger than anything Aizawa was able to brew back on Aretias. And after years of hardly drinking in Troy, Momo's alcohol tolerance was zero.

A pirate threw back his head with a throaty laugh. "This is the real stuff!"

"You should try this!" Another of the pirates said, reaching across the wooden table to push a small cup towards her. "It's ouzo. The best stuff."

Momo shook her head, smiling. "I think I'm good for now. If I drink anymore, Todoroki will have to carry me to Sparta."

The men around her laughed. Momo's chest warmed.

"I'm sure he'd love that," someone said smugly in the crowd.

A skinny tavern boy about thirteen was walking through the tables collecting empty mugs. The boy reached past Momo for a cup and she looked up. He had a distinct sweet and citrusy smell, like poppy flowers. Momo smiled at him and the boy blushed and ducked his head, hurrying away.

She giggled and turned her attention back to the pirates, rolling her eyes. "I doubt that. I've gained weight," she said, patting her stomach.

Todoroki slid into the seat next to her. Their arms touched as he placed a bowl of lamb stew in front of her. It was a huge portion; enough food to feed two people.

"Really? I don't think so."

Momo looked over at Todoroki. The bowl he had kept for himself was significantly smaller. Momo frowned. "Well, if you keep feeding me like this, I really will gain weight."

"Don't be too hard on Todoroki," one of Fukukado's pirates — Hiryu Rin — said, sliding into a seat between two of his crewmates on the opposite bench with his own food.

"Yeah," Koichi Haimawari took a spot next to Todoroki, nudging him. "Women are meant to be spoiled, right Todoroki?" Haimawari asked. He turned to her and winked.

Momo had the urge to stick out her tongue but held herself back. She glanced at Todoroki and lifted her chin. "If I fall asleep after this, it will be your fault."

A smirk tugged at the corner of Todoroki's mouth. "Then I'll just have to carry you back to Sparta."

The wine made her face warm. Momo pouted. "You shouldn't tell me that. I may take you up on that offer."

"That's fine."

Momo blinked at his blunt answer. She stared at him for a moment. Todoroki's gaze didn't waver. He was serious. Momo opened and closed her mouth. Then her eyebrows furrowed together. "But then how will I protect you?"

Todoroki snorted and took a drink of his alcohol to hide a small smile curling at the edge of his mouth. "I'm sure you'll think of something, God Slayer."

Momo looked down at her food.

"Look at her blush!" Haimawari hollered.

Momo quickly picked up her fork and dug into the food as she pretended not to hear the men around her roar with laughter. Her face was hot, and this time, it didn't have anything to do with the alcohol.

"Out of the way, boy." The tavern owner growled at the boy cleaning tables. The boy hopped out of the way as the tavern keeper dropped more cups of alcohol onto the table. The liquid sloshed out of the cups, wetting the table.

"Here's the round you ordered," he said. The tavern keeper was a big, burly man in his late 40s with a giant pot belly and beady black eyes. "Anything else?"

Todoroki looked up. "We were wondering about rooms?" The tavern keeper's eyes narrowed.

"I can pay." He added.

The man let out a big sigh, his shoulders slumping. "Sorry." He shook his head. "No can do."

"Sold out?"

He snorted. "I wish."

"What happened?"

"Some bastard slave traders came in a few days ago and totally wrecked everything. I had to kick them out." He held out his hand towards the hole in the wall. "It's even worse upstairs. So even if I wanted to, I can't offer you anything. You'll have to look elsewhere."

Momo bit the inside of her mouth. "Is there somewhere else in this town we can stay?"

The innkeeper's eyes widened as they shot towards her. He obviously hadn't expected to see a woman, besides Fukukado, among the men. He glanced her over slowly, and then, after a moment, his lips twisted up. "Try the inn near the market. My brother owns it."

The sun was high in the sky when they said goodbye to Fukukado and her men and left the tavern. Momo followed Todoroki towards the city center.

Despite her earlier giddiness to start a new adventure, there was now a dull pang in her chest as they walked down the street. And she found herself glancing back towards the tavern and the pirates still inside.

Momo knew they needed to go their separate ways. Even if the city was more tolerant of those who sought profits in unsavory ways, it would have made their trip more difficult to be associated with Fukukado. Merchants would be more willing to do business with travelers than they would ever be with pirates. Still, it was a bit sad to say goodbye.

"Are you okay?"

Momo looked up at the question. Todoroki's expression was masked as he stared down at her. She gave him a thin smile and reached up to push her bangs behind her ear. "Yes. I was just thinking how strange it is to say goodbye. I was finally getting used to all the noise, and now it's just us." She looked back at the tavern, and her expression turned wistful. "I'm going to miss them."

Todoroki's lips thinned. He followed her gaze for a moment, then turned, and continued down the street without saying anything. Momo followed after him automatically as he led them towards the inn described by the tavern keeper.

The streets were becoming busier as they drew away from the docks. Children played games in the streets like hoops and knucklebones. And women walked with baskets of produce. There was still the smell of fish and the ocean in the air, but now it was mixed with the scent of home-cooked meals. The idyllic vignette that surrounded her stirred memories within Momo of a daily life she had heard about but never experienced.

"Do you regret leaving Aretias?" Todoroki suddenly asked, stopping to stare down at her.

Momo jerked her gaze away from a group of children playing ball to meet Todoroki's eyes. His expression was guarded as he studied her.

Her chest tightened; she hesitated, considering the question. Then she pursed her lips, and she shook her head.

"No. I don't," she said firmly. "I made the best decision for myself. But... that doesn't mean that I can't miss my friends or the people that we meet and the memories we shared together." She pressed a hand to her chest. "Won't you?"

Todoroki's jaw twitched. "They were... okay," he said slowly. His tone was dry. He turned quickly and continued down the street.

Momo bit back a smile at Todoroki's hesitant admittance. And a word that she would never have imagined associated with the great Spartan rose in her mind.

Cute.

He was like a stubborn child trying to deny that they liked something. Momo laughed at the ridiculousness of the image. Todoroki's eyes narrowed slightly as she caught up to him. But before he could question her, Momo paused. Her eyes widened and mouth fell open as they came upon the open market.

Tents and stalls had been set up with all kinds of merchandise. Aisles were packed with the usual produce as well as woolen fabrics, jewelry, weapons and a variety of other types of goods that Momo had never seen before. Her skin tingled. A buoyant feeling bubbled in her chest.

"Todoroki. Todoroki! Look at all of this!" Momo grabbed his hand, pulling him after her.

It was like a festival. Momo had never been to one, but this was what she imagined it would be like. People packed the square, bargaining or admiring the goods sold.

A few stalls down, a group of women crowded around a small tent 'oohing' and 'ahhing.' Momo made her way over, curious. And her heart jumped.

It was a shop full of hair ribbons and ornaments in every color and pattern. Reds and blues and soft lilacs. Finely woven linen or soft wool. Momo's eyes gleamed as she gazed at the elegant pieces of ribbon longingly.

They were certainly beautiful.

She reached out, and her fingers caught the ends of the fabric nearest her. Her eyes widened. It was so soft, as if she were touching clouds.

Momo had never owned anything luxurious. In Troy, the temple of Apollo provided the priestesses with all their necessities: food, clothing, and any other goods. It was all well made, suitable for a priestess, but nothing lavish.

Nothing like this.

An avaricious desire welled up within her.

"Do you want one?" Todoroki's low voice asked from behind her.

Her fingers twitched. Momo wet her lips. Her words seemed to have caught in her throat. She swallowed hard.

"I don't need it," Momo finally said. "We shouldn't be spending frivolously." She set her jaw and forced herself to turn away from the stall of expensive hair ribbons. "Anyways, we should look for the inn."

"I saw it earlier."

Momo looked up at his statement. Her expression showed her confusion as she met his heterochromatic eyes. "Oh really? I didn't know. Why didn't you say anything?" she asked, tilting her head in question.

He shrugged. "You looked like you were having fun."

Momo felt her face grow warm. An awkward smile curved on her lips, and she laughed sheepishly. "I guess I did get a little carried away, didn't I?"

Todoroki raised an eyebrow. "A little?"

A smile played at the corner of his mouth. He rested his hand on Endeavor as he stared down at her. His eyes twinkled in an annoying way that made Momo want to hit him.

She tucked her chin in defensively. "Maybe a tiny bit more than 'a little.' But it was all for a good purpose," she added hurriedly, straightening. "We need to scout out the stalls to determine the best prices. We only have a set amount of funds to get us to Sparta. We can't be frivolous with our spending."

Todoroki snorted. He glanced down the street. His index finger tapped against the hilt of his sword as he seemed to be considering something for a moment before glancing back at her. "Well, I'll let you continue to scout then while I check out if the inn has room."

She paused at his sudden proposition. "Are you sure? I can come with you..."

"It's fine. It won't take long." His eyes were warm as he stared down at her. "Besides, we don't want to be swindled, right?"

Momo blinked then straightened. Her lips curved into a bright smile. "Right! Leave it to me."

"I know I can count on you."

Momo watched Todoroki's back disappear amongst the crowd before continuing down the aisle of stalls.

As she walked, the merchandise offered changed. Shop owners selling vases and fresh produce were replaced with gleaming armor and various weapons. Bulky men with scared and soot stained faces stood around stalls ogling at the newest swords. Momo paused to admire a stall selling daggers.

Maybe she could convince Todoroki that she should get one. Since leaving Aretias she didn't have a weapon anymore, and if they were going to be traveling by foot, then it would certainly come in handy.

A booming voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"What's this?!"

There was a loud crashing sound as if metal had fallen over. Momo jerked and spun towards the noise. A crowd was gathering around the last tent.

"Slave traders…" The old shopkeeper of the stall tsked under his breath. "Always causing a ruckus."

Momo's lips thinned.

"Best just to ignore them. That woman had trouble waiting for her," he mumbled. "What kind of woman sells weapons anyways? That's a man's job."

Indignation rose in Momo's chest, but she swallowed back her retort. The old man wouldn't change even if she chastised him. She grit her teeth and placed the dagger back down before excusing herself and slowly walking towards the commotion.

A group of four men were surrounding a woman with dark red hair pulled into a side ponytail. A stall of armor and various weapons were set up behind her and on the floor was a toppled rack of spears.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize there were spears there!" The leader of the group sneered tauntingly. He bent down and picked up one of the weapons.

He was a large, bulky man with wide set shoulders and short, spiky blond hair. Holding the spear out, he squinted at it as if he were examining the quality then let out a barking laugh.

"Hah. No wonder I didn't see it. They're so small and fragile. Not a real spear. It's a shame. You must not have a man around to show you what a real spear is." He glanced back at the merchant. His dark eyes glittered cruelly. "I'll tell you what. Why don't you come here? I'll be generous and let you see my spear."

Behind the leader, the other men snickered at the thinly-veiled innuendo.

The merchant was silent. Her smile strained as she attempted to keep her composure as she glared up at the men who were two to three heads taller than her.

Momo's hands tightened into fists at her side as she watched them. What was wrong with them? There was nothing wrong with a woman doing business. Couldn't they mind their own business?

"I think I'll pass. Low level slavers wouldn't have a weapon worth handling."

The men's sneers turned menacing. "Say that again, little lady?" The leader took an aggressive step forward.

A surge of protectiveness twisted in Momo's chest.

"Hey!" Momo used her foot to kick one of the spears off the ground. Catching it as it bounced up, Momo's fingers curled firmly around the hilt as she stepped forward. The hot feeling of courage spread across her chest, and she reminded herself that she was, indeed, a god slayer. "Leave her alone. Your conduct is disgraceful."

"Look at this cunt!" One of the men behind the leader whistled. His eyes glittered as he scanned her. It made Momo's skin crawl. "Why don't you put that skinny stick down, and I'll give you and your friend here something that you'll enjoy a lot more." He smirked suggestively.

Hot anger bubbled in Momo's stomach. "No, thank you," she bit out. "I don't play with trash."

The man's face turned red. "Bitch!" He lunged at her. Momo sidestepped and slammed the hilt of the spear into the man's stomach.

"Fuck!"

"Get her!"

The other men rushed at her, but they weren't experienced. Momo spun the spear in her hands and blocked one of the men's attacks. Another lunged at her from behind. Flipping the weapon, Momo pivoted and slammed the hilt into his stomach. The man groaned as he collapsed onto the ground.

The leader snarled and charged at her, swinging his fists. Momo dodged his punch. Dropping low, Momo spun, knocking both of his feet out from under him. He hit the dirt with hissed curses.

Momo pivoted. She twisted the spear and pointed the sharp tip at the leader. A thin line of blood blossomed across the man's neck.

Momo glared down at him. "It's disgraceful for grown men to be harassing a woman for making a living. Now leave," she demanded, stepping back and relaxing her grip on the spear.

The men stumbled to their feet. For a moment, Momo thought the leader would attack her again, but having been humiliated in the middle of the market, he seemed to decide better of it.

He spat at her feet and turned. "You're lucky that you're a woman; otherwise, I wouldn't have gone easy on you," he snarled over his shoulder.

With the show over, the crowd finally started thinning out. Momo let out a slow breath and straightened.

"Oi! That was awesome!" A deep voice bellowed behind her.

Momo flinched and spun around. Her eyes landed on a muscular man before a head of red and white hair caught her attention. Caught off guard, Momo's gaze darted to the man standing next to him. She froze as her eyes met the heterochromatic stare of Todoroki.

Todoroki's lips pulled up. "As expected of Yaoyorozu."

Momo felt the apples of her cheek flush at the hint of approval in his expression. Her hands tightened around the spear in her hands. Her palms unexpectedly felt sweaty. "To-Todoroki! How long have you been here for?"

Todoroki hummed and tilted his head slightly. "Just for the ending. I arrived when you were already fighting."

The man standing next to Todoroki stepped forward. His fierce silver eyes matched a full head of spiky silver hair. When he smiled, sharp teeth poked out of his mouth. They looked as if they had been filed into points. Momo got the impression that if a shark could transform into a human, it would look like this man.

"Yeah, that was really cool!" The man barked. "You're like a real Amazonian woman, though not as good as my Kendo," he gestured towards the red-haired merchant. "but still pretty cool."

Todoroki's lips twitched. He turned towards the silver haired man. "You should see Yaoyorozu fight properly. She took down twenty to thirty Athenians all by herself," Todoroki said. There was a hint of irritation, if not even offense, in his tone.

Momo pressed her lips together. He was exaggerating, of course. Todoroki had defeated the majority of the Athenians back in Troy. But she didn't get a chance to correct his misstatement as the vendor — whom the silver-haired man had called Kendo — gave her a sheepish smile.

Rolling her eyes at the men, she stepped around them. "Men... Can't live with them, can't live without them," the woman said, huffing under her breath at the two who were still comparing Momo and the vendor's fighting abilities. But there was no true annoyance in her tone. The red haired woman stepped towards Momo and held out her hand. "Itsuka Kendo and that's my husband, Tetsu-Tetsu. We're armor and weaponsmiths."

Momo blinked and then scrambled to switch hands, holding the spear as she accepted Kendo's outstretched palm. "Momo Yaoyorozu and my companion is Shouto Todoroki."

Kendo smiled; her expression was gentle and relaxed. Her green eyes were clear. And Momo was somehow reminded of her old friend, Kyouka Jirou. They didn't look anything alike, but the atmosphere around them was the same. Momo felt like she could trust Kendo.

"Anyways…" Kendo's lips twisted up into a teasing grin. "I know the men are beating me to all the praise, but I got to say that your fight was impressive. I was this close to stabbing them myself." She held up her thumb and index fingers about a millimeter apart, laughing. "Thank you for stepping in. You handled that a lot better than I was about to. Not sure I could have let them leave with their spears intact."

Momo smiled. "It's fine. I'm glad you are alright. Their behavior was shameful."

"I'm used to it," the merchant said with a shrug. "There's always these old school goonies that think they can harass you just because you're a woman." Her smile widened, and a delicate red eyebrow arched. "I wasn't expecting to find any other women fighters in this little town. You from around here?"

"No." Momo shook her head. "We just arrived today and don't plan to stay for long. We're on our way to Sparta."

Kendo's eyes widened. "That's quite the journey. By foot?"

Momo nodded.

"That will be dangerous. You'll definitely need weapons," Kendo's husband, Tetsu-Tetsu, interjected, walking up behind Kendo. "There's been a lot more monster activity recently. Some of the gods are spiteful from the war."

"Thank you for the notice. We'll have to be careful," Momo said. Her hand tightened around the spear, and then she blinked as she remembered that she was holding the weapon. "Oh! And here is your spear back."

She held out the weapon. But before Kendo could take it, a large hand abruptly covered hers. Momo jerked her head up and blinked as Todoroki pushed the spear back into her hands.

"We'll get this." Todoroki said, looking at Kendo. "And a chiton and a chalyms, if you have it."

Momo felt herself go red. "Todoroki, you don't have to -"

Todoroki stared down at her, and his lips twitched up into a faint smile. "I can't have a god slayer walking around weaponless. Who is going to protect me?"

Momo's mouth opened and closed a few times at the playfulness in his voice. Then a smile spread across her face. "In that case, I'll take it."

Kendo's eyes glittered. "I have the perfect items."

"You can come in now," Momo called, straightening and smoothing the creases of her new clothes.

The inn had been easy to find. Made of wood and mud stones, the two-story building was situated at the square's edge, just as the tavern owner had instructed.

Todoroki had secured the last available room. Small, with few amenities such as a locked chest for storing personal belongings and two single beds, it was the last room in the hallway. A window on the far wall faced south. The wooden blinds had been pulled up, and in the distance, the sea, which had become a dark blue, reflected the waning afternoon sun.

There was a low creak. Behind her, the door opened.

Turning, Momo spread her arms out to display her new outfit as Todoroki entered. She had changed out of her long chiton into the clothes bought from Kendo and Tetsu-Tetsu's shop.

Her new chiton was lightweight, made for infantrymen, and fell a little above Momo's knees. A red chalyms was secured around her shoulders with a silver brooch.

"It's the first time I've worn something so short," she said, twisting to look down at her bare legs. "It will take some time getting used to it."

Todoroki didn't say anything. Momo looked up and paused. He was staring at her, his expression masked, and Momo felt a nervous energy twist in her stomach.

"What? What is it?" Momo asked hesitantly. A gust of wind blew through the open window from the sea. Momo pushed her hair out of her face.

Todoroki's eyebrows drew together. Then he took a step forward. Momo's heart jumped as Todoroki reached out. His fingers caught the end of her hair.

"Long," he murmured, rubbing the inky black strands between his fingertips.

Momo felt her face heat up. "Todoroki…" She licked her lips. She felt like she could hear her heartbeat reverberate in her ears.

Without lifting his head, Todoroki's eyes flickered up to meet hers. His gaze was hot, like a kindling fire and warmth curled in Momo's stomach. She swallowed and wet her lips. For a moment, Momo was positive he would kiss her again.

Her eyes fluttered closed. She waited, but the press of his lips never materialized.

She heard the rustle of fabric as Todoroki pulled away. Momo opened her eyes and stared confused at Todoroki, but he wasn't looking at her.

"Is it okay this long?" Todoroki asked. His tenor was deeper than usual, but otherwise, he appeared normal as he stared down at the ends of her hair. "Doesn't it get in your way when you fight?"

Momo swallowed hard and looked away, embarrassed at having misread the atmosphere. A sliver of disappointment gnawed in her chest. " I'm used to it," she muttered.

"I see." Todoroki released her hair and straightened. Stepping back, he glanced towards the window. "The market will close soon. I want to send a message to Midoriya before it does."

He reached into his chiton and pulled out the purse with their trip funds. "Feel free to get anything: food, bath, whatever you want - while I'm gone."

Momo rolled her jaw, forcing away her shame. She looked back towards Todoroki. "Should I come with you?"

Todoroki shook his head. "It shouldn't take long. You can stay here and rest. I'll be back soon," he said, placing the pouch of coins on the bed and turning towards the door.

Momo waited until his footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Then she walked over to her bed and sank down onto the straw filled mattress next to the coin pouch.

Todoroki was acting strangely.

Her eyebrows drew together as she laid down and threw her arm over her eyes.

What was going on? Ever since they arrived in Dicaea, Todoroki had been acting differently. He had become particularly attentive and kind, more so than usual. Even using a large portion of their traveling funds to purchase her new clothes. It left her with a tingling sensation in her stomach that was wholly different from any of her interactions with him before.

Then, when he had touched her hair, Momo thought he was going to kiss her. But all her expectations had fallen flat as nothing had transpired. He made no further moves, and Momo was reluctant to admit that it had left her embarrassed and slightly frustrated to have miscalculated.

Did he not like her?

Her lips thinned. She removed her arm from over her eyes to stare up at the wooden ceiling. Had she been overthinking everything that he had done for her, or was he planning something?

From Momo's observations, Todoroki wasn't a planner per se. He was a warrior. Act first, question later. He was kind and caring and blunt with his words. So following that logic, did his actions earlier not have any alternative meaning? Could it have all been her imagination? Was there nothing more between them than companionship?

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her hair fell into her face again, and Momo's throat bobbed. Tentatively, she reached up and ran her fingers through the ends. The warmth of Todoroki's hand was already gone.

Momo sighed. She must have been overthinking his kindness in the tavern and at the market. But, Momo couldn't shake the feeling that the way he had touched her hair had felt intimate in a way that not even his kisses were.

She fell back onto the bed. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

This was bad. She needed to stop thinking and trying to decipher Todoroki's actions.

It was bad for her heart.

Thanks everyone for your patience! This chapter unexpectedly got long. I tried to pack it with fluff and may have gone a tiny bit overboard. Hopefully, it wasn't too cringe. w

Also….WHAT AM I DOING? WHY IS THIS STORY GETTING LONGER?! A few weeks ago, I had outlined the rest of the plot and it looked like I'd wrap this baby up in 5-6 chapters. But then I had to go and have an epiphany and ended up rewriting this chapter, breaking it up into 3 parts so obviously I have no idea how long this story will be now. I'm really trying to finish this though! I want to start my next story. Rawr!

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this! Thank you always for your kind and encouraging comments.

Appendix:

1. Dicaea - a historical port city in the territory of Thrace. Today it would be on the edge of Greece by the Bulgaria border.

2. Kybernete - Steering was achieved through two steering oars at each side of the stern and controlled by a single helmsman (kybernetes)

3. Trireme – was the devastating warship of the ancient Mediterranean with three banks of oars. Fast, manoeuvrable, and with a bronze-sheathed ram on the prow to sink an enemy ship, the trireme permitted Athens to build its maritime empire and dominate the Aegean in the 5th century BCE.

4. Koichi Haimawari "Crawler" - is from the spin-off Vigilante series of Boku no Hero. In this he's a pirate. I've actually never read Vigilantes so sorry if his personality is completely off.

5. Hiryu Rin - is from class 1-B. In this he's a pirate.

6. Ouzo – a Greek alcoholic drink that tastes slightly like black licorice.

7. Chlamys – an outer garment used as a short cape or cloak, worn primarily by men

8. Itsuka Kendo - She is a student in U.A. High School and the representative of Class 1-B, often referred as "The Big Sister of Class 1B". She is the friendly rival of Momo Yaoyorozu. In this story she is a merchant, specializing in selling weaponry.

9. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu - Also known as Tetsu-Tetsu. He is a student in U.A High School and part of Class 1-B. His quirk is steel and is like another Kirishima. In this story he is married to Kendo and I decided to have taken the creative liberty to just make his name in this Tetsu-Tetsu.