WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

64. BHA todomomo 1

The Moments In-between

mspotterlovegood

Summary:

It's inevitable.

Sitting next to the same people every day, one is bound to eventually become friends or enemies with them.

For Momo Yaoyorozu and Shouto Todoroki, it's... a bit more complicated than that.

Or, the moments in-between everything that show Momo and Shouto's slow development to acquaintances, to friends, to more.

- ' ' -

A/N: This story focuses primarily on the relationship of these two characters. Other ships will likely not be added. Each chapter is positioned to take place in-between, before, or after, the anime episode "events" and follows the current timeline (with some flexibility). There will be NO manga spoilers in this fic.

**2022 Update** - This fic is NOT dropped, but will only be updated maybe 1-2x a year. Please keep in mind!

Chapter 1: Momo I

Summary:

I do not own My Hero Academia, or any of its characters / story lines / worlds.

Notes:

Hello friends! Mspotterlovegood here. Since this fic has progressed quite a bit, I've decided to spend some time cleaning up the beginning chapters. As with any writer writing fanfic for characters they've never written before, the first chapters are often the weakest ones. That being said, as of 9/9/2018 the first 4 chapters will be undergoing some clean-up. For those of you re-reading, please know that this does not mean anything story or dialogue related will change.The clean-up will include additional descriptions if needed, canon-corrections, culture corrections, paragraph editing and grammatical corrections. The characters development, and their relationship development, will not be touched or changed in any way.

If you are a new reader to this fic-I hope you enjoy my story. The first chapter kicks off on Day 1 of U.A. and switches between Momo / Shouto P.O.V's in following chapters. We are starting from the bottom here and making our way up the TodoMomo ladder as we go. Thank you for reading. 3

Chapter Text

The day he walked into class, Momo Yaoyorozu recognized him immediately.

Shouto Todoroki, son of Endeavor—a Pro-Hero second only to All Might himself—entered quietly with a muted expression. If not for the large scarring on his left eye, he might have effortlessly disappeared into the group of ordinary looking students pouring into the classroom behind him.

Instead, the wound, in addition to his white and red hair, had warranted his inclusion in the Not So Ordinary category, guaranteeing him quite a few side looks—hers included.

Momo shifted her gaze away, admonishing herself. It is not polite to stare.

Still, it was slightly thrilling—the son of a Pro-Hero like Endeavor, in her class! They had never met properly before, but she'd seem him from afar during business get-together's and parties thrown between Pro-Heroes that her parents regularly attended. Momo would often tag along at these events, her parents using the opportunity to educate her at a young age the importance of networking. While she thrived in such social environments, Todoroki had been a silent observer with Endeavor constantly keeping him within arms reach, the Number Two Hero negating any open invitation for Momo to introduce herself. Despite the two barely scratching the definition of acquaintances, she had no doubt that with such strong hero's blood running through him, Todoroki would make an excellent comrade and a serious contender in class.

A competitive fire went alit inside of her as she smiled to herself, taking in the rest of her unique classmates as they settled in. Each one clearly had something to bring to the table if they managed to get into Japan's elite school for heroes all while nabbing a spot in one of the only two classes focused solely on that goal. This is wonderful, she thought, stomach fluttering with excitement and kicking her desire to learn all that she could here into high gear. This first semester would truly be a treasure trove of new experiences, new friends, competitions, and—oh—?

Momo's elation was abated when a small student with violet shaded balls of hair decorating his head strutted across the room and noisily plopped himself in the desk infront of her. With reckless abandonment, he turned to her and, without a word, stared straight at her chest.

Taken aback by the suddenness of the situation, Momo glanced around the room nervously. Was she—was anyone else seeing this? She stared at the student in confusion. He seemed conscious enough, but acted as if he were paralyzed. Perhaps he has an odd Quirk that put him in some sort of stupor? She reasoned, though her gut instinct told her otherwise. Attempting to greet him, she waved a small hand.

"Um, hello. My name is Momo Yaoyorozu. And you are…?"

The unknown boy offered her nothing but silence. Instinctively, her sight dropped down to where the boys gaze was glued to. Her stomach clenched, looking back up to the boy who was—oh, goodness.

Was that drool coming out of the sides of his mouth?

"E-excuse me!" Momo fumbled, quick to fold her arms over her chest in embarrassment, cheeks flushed. "Can I help you with something?"

The students eyes snapped onto hers, irate. "Why did you do that?"

Momo shuffled uneasily in her seat. "Do what?"

"This!" The boy whined, mimicking her folded arms, a sorrowful expression on his face. "If you do that, I can't see them!"

"I—what!? That is—!"

Before she could finish her sentence, a strange, flesh-covered wire came abruptly into the picture, whacking the perverted student hard enough that it nearly knocked him out of his seat.

"Ow!"

As the wire retracted, Momo trailed it back to its origin: a female student with equally purple hair leaning against her desk, a look of contempt upon her face. Hands stuffed in her pockets and a pink bubble inflating from her lips, the girl gave the boy a death glare that chilled even Momo, the cord of flesh coming to hang loosely from her earlobe.

The bubblegum popped loudly, some of it sticking to her lips as she spoke. "Eyes to the front, Mineta, unless you want them to make friends with the floor."

"J-J-Jiroooou!" The student named Mineta whimpered.

"Eyes to the front." The girl, supposedly Jirou, repeated—the hanging cord raising abruptly in a threatening manner.

Mineta, grimacing, retracted back into his chair in defeat. Momo watched as Jirou visibly relaxed, then turned to look at Momo, offering her an apologetic frown.

"Sorry about him," She said, nodding her head towards Mineta. "If he bothers you again, let me know. I'll take care of it."

"Th-thank you," Momo smiled a little, relieved. She was about to introduce herself, but the girl had already turned her back, settling into her own seat with a loud plop, another bubble beginning to form from her mouth.

So much for making new friends, Momo sighed, slouching slightly before snapping back up and correcting her posture. No, she told herself, this is no time to feel down on yourself. You're a Yaoyorozu! You know better than to get discouraged over this! Pushing her reluctant self-confidence forward against its will, she rose her face and scanned the room to look for the nearest student—who wasn't Mineta—to interact with. Unfortunately most of them, if not all of them, had already broken into small conversational groups. Two students, a spiky blond-haired boy and a tall, broad shouldered boy with square glasses, had begun bickering loudly near the front of class.

Momo bit her lip to distract from the ever-growing sensation of exclusion, trying to figure out the best person to speak to first among her options.

Of course! A light went off in her brain. The desk next to mine! I wonder who is—?

Her eyes widened as she turned her head to look. The person who would be sitting next to her this semester was none other than Shouto Todoroki.

Wait… when had he? Surely, she would have noticed him walking over here, unless…

Her attention veered towards Mineta, who had left his seat and found a different, pink-skinned girl to harass, Jirou watching closely in annoyance.

Oh, damnit.

Cringing, she covered her face with one hand, feeling hot. He must have walked up when all that was happening, and I didn't even realize…

Peering through the cracks of her fingers, she stole a look at her neighbor. Todoroki sat straight, hands set upon his thighs and eyes downcast at the empty desk in front of him. From this side, she could perfectly see his scar—most definitely a burn scar—surrounding his turquoise colored eye. The red tendrils of his hair fell around his face, and his listless expression practically screamed don't bother me.

Momo battled against her nerves on this one, ultimately refusing to be thwarted in her determination to make at least one friend today. Logically, she concluded there was no better candidate than the person she'd be sitting next to every day. Setting aside her anxiousness, she stood from her desk and took a deep breath, conjuring up some measure of inner strength. Perhaps, she thought, he might recognize me as well.

However, when she approached Todoroki, he paid her presence no mind. Momo felt her spirited nature quickly begin to wilt away.

"Uhm," She exhaled, trying not to be dissuaded. "Hello."

Silence. The boy didn't even blink, much less respond to her.

Her feet shifted. The room is rather noisy with all the students speaking over each other, she mused. Maybe he didn't hear her?

"He-Hello!" She repeated, this time louder and with more enthusiasm, hoping to hook into his atmosphere.

But nothing happened. Todoroki remained as he was, as if Momo's greetings were being thrown into an invisible black hole between them.

She stared, mouth agape. Was he… Did he truly not hear her? Surely, he—well, she would just have to—

Momo inhaled sharply.

"H-HELLO!"

Her voice cracked under the near-shout that left her, and the few students that were closest to the two turned to stare at what was going on, including, finally, Todoroki. Under their collective bewildered gaze—Todoroki's most of all—Momo's face burned.

"Apologies! I—I—" She stuttered, then quickly bowed her head. Compose yourself, she demanded internally, and straightened out to conduct herself properly. With feint boldness, she offered her hand forward to Todoroki, putting on her best Yaoyorozu smile—the one her parents had taught her to give for so many years.

"Sorry about that… I'm a bit nervous, as you can see! Uhm, my name is Momo Yaoyorozu. It looks like we will be desk mates in this class. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Shoto Todoroki stared up at her with heterochromatic eyes, eyebrows creased slightly and mouth tightly closed. His sights dropped to her outstretched hand momentarily before returning back to her. In that moment, she had fully expected him to speak. To shake her hand, introduce himself, and hopefully accept her poor apology for needlessly shouting at him.

Instead, the boy hummed nonchalantly, turned his attention back to his desk, and promptly ignored her.

Ah…

Ah—hmm.

Well. That was…

"Unexpected," Momo muttered, crumbling.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Look at that—seems we got a real tsundere badass over here!" laughed a male student that sat behind Jiro, his triangular features making the jaw of his face appear sharp as a knife. The boy sitting on the other side of Todoroki appeared mortified on her behalf, his large lips set in a perfect 'o'. Todoroki, on the other hand, remained quietly unphased.

Momo did not get a chance to recover or say anything else, for a bustle of commotion came to the front of the class when a large, yellow create made itself known at the entrance. Hastily, she stole the chance to retreat back to her desk, thankful for the distraction that stole the attention of the students. Well enough for her, as the yellow cocoon unzipped itself to reveal their homeroom teacher, Shota Aizawa, underneath.

There was hardly any time to get her heart rate down prior to the teachers immediate instructions for all of them to get into their new P.E. outfits for their first official task.

Momo sighed to herself as the students stood, each filing steadily to leave the classroom. Purposefully, she waited until Todoroki was a good few positions away from her before she got up to join them.

I feel like an idiot, she thought to herself. Perhaps she should wait until lunch to try speaking with anyone again…

As the class collectively walked out, Jirou, the girl who had saved her earlier, came from behind Momo and patted her on the back.

"Jeez, you're like, what? A mess, huh?" She teased, her tone good-natured. "Why can I totally already see you being Miss Class President?"

Momo stared at the girl, surprised.

"Kyouka Jirou," Jirou smirked, holding out her hand.

Momo blinked, a whirlwind of hopefulness kicking up inside her heart.

"…Momo Yaoyorozu," she replied, shaking it tenderly.

"And I'm Mina Ashido!" exclaimed the girl with pink-tinted skin that Momo saw earlier, bursting in-between the two and swinging her arm over each of them. "That was so funny what you did earlier, Yaomomo!"

Yaomomo? Momo's ears perked at the nickname. Her lips stretched into a bashful smile.

"Yes… It was kinda silly," she admitted.

"It was, it was!" Ashido nodded, laughing loudly. The noise was contagious, and Momo soon found herself giggling along with her, allowing the earlier incident to slip from her mind.

Maybe she was going to make some new friends after all.

Chapter 2: Shouto I

Summary:

I do not own My Hero Academia, or any of its characters / story lines / worlds.

Notes:

This chapter was edited on 9/15/2018 for minor corrections and paragraph fixes.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The day after the Quirk Assessment Test, the students of Class 1-A were given a short break of normalcy—well, as normal as a school for Superheroes could be, thought Shouto Todoroki. Then again, it was only third period. From what he experienced of U.A. so far, it was best to be ready for anything. Yesterday's sudden test under (false) threaten of expulsion proved that.

Not that he had been worried. At the time, he didn't fully understand why such a test was necessary, but as he watched many of his classmates struggle or, at times, fail, to hone the power of their Quirks, it started to make sense. It was important for the pupils to begin measuring themselves on a professional scale. As his father had taught him early on, pride caused foolish men to build without foundation. The test had been fundamental in procuring a clean slate of humility in the students, as well as himself.

Despite most of the test running smoothly in his favor, there had been one near the end in which he had faltered on, leaving him with the unfortunate fate of getting to witness his name written next to a sharp 2nd Place rank. When they were given paper pamphlets containing that same information along with critical commentary from Aizawa-sensei, Shouto made sure to keep it tucked within the pages of whatever textbook he was studying. Like some sort of twisted inspirational bookmark, it reminded him to push himself harder next time.

Even now, while Present Mic loudly taught their English class, Shouto mulled over the "loss", the pamphlet placed atop his English study book.

2nd Place… Shouto thought. His father's least favorite number that represented only one thing: failure.

He won't be happy about this.

There was no use in trying to hide it—his father had a way of finding these things out with all his connections in U.A. If the Todoroki heir was lucky, Endeavor might be too busy with his work tonight to have time to come home and show his… displeasure, towards Shouto.

Frustrated, he let out a sigh, tapping his pen irritably on his open English textbook.

"Everything okay?" A whisper inquired from the desk next to him. Narrowing his eyes, he found a raven-haired girl—what was her name again?—staring at him with knitted eyebrows in concern.

Unsure of why she was asking, she took his hesitance to respond as an invitation to continue.

"Do you need help with something? If it's that last part of the chapter, I can translate—"

"No, thank you," Shouto said under his breath, cutting her off, gaze returning back to the front of the class.

"O-oh—" He heard her stammer quietly, "Alright then…"

A tinge of guilt probed him, but he ignored it. His classmates had already proved to be a rambunctious bunch fully capable of distraction. Shouto had no intention of making friends with those distractions, nor did he need any type of assistance from them.

Still, the girl—who was she again? Looking downward, he wracked his brain to remember. It wasn't until his sights returned to the disgraceful 2nd place written near his name did he recall—for her name was mere inches above his own.

1st Place – Momo Yaoyorozu.

Shouto frowned. Yaoyorozu.

The one who not only bested him in the test, but for some reason decided to yell at him yesterday. How could he forget? Someone with such a prominent name and ties to the Pro-Hero community as well… Undoubtedly, their family's knew eachother, and he had likely seen her at some point with Endeavor carting him around like a show-dog. Had he been so immersed in his failure he hadn't bothered to investigate who it was he lost against?

If his father was here, he would tell him to get his head out of his ass and pay closer attention.

Running a hand through the light side of his hair, he stealthily shifted his gaze to Yaoyorazu beside him. Her attention had revolved back to her own studies, listening intently to Present Mic's lesson and taking notes. Even from this far, he could make out her neat, precise handwriting, so distinctly different from his own chicken scratch that had often been criticized by his special tutors growing up.

Yaoyorozu. The name felt like rocks in his stomach.

No wonder she tried to introduce herself to him so aggressively. Likely she thought there was some connection between the two based on the Pro-Hero's in their family. The Todoroki and Yaoyorozu name came with similar connections, wealth, and fame. If he had to bet, he'd easily guess that she, like him, had gotten in on recommendations alone. Likewise, if her ranking in first place was any indication, she had started her hero training and education early on, possibly even before her quirk manifestation; an advantage that gave them both an edge against their classmates.

However, education, wealth, endless opportunities—that was where their kinship ended.

Yaoyorozu appeared to be a fine member of society, with parents that loved each other and from that love, came her.

As for him…

You're everything I desired in an heir, Shouto. My greatest achievement. The culmination of all my hard work.

The echo of his father's words put a bitter taste in his mouth.

Gazing at Yaoyorozu, he recalled her outstretched hand and the formal smile he had seen so many times before from kids like him who were taught to be proper and controlled. It turned him off. He did feel a bit rude for denying her hand-shake but, well, he wasn't here to play pretend. Ultimately, he refrained from speaking to her—or anyone else—to deter any sort of friendships from forming.

They don't matter, Shouto reminded himself, tightening his jaw. At the end of the day, everyone here was just another block in the road to reach his goal: To be a hero—while denying his father everything.

With renewed conviction, he returned back to his book. As best he could, he tried to pay attention to Present Mic's ramblings without fixating on the pamphlet where the 2nd place rank would continue to mock him until he proved them all otherwise.

By the near end of the day, most of the students were mentally worn out. There was some free time before the next period, Foundational Hero Studies, that allowed them all to take a breather. But rest was the last thing on any of their minds.

If the rumors were true, and Shouto had it on good word that they were, All Might himself would be teaching this class.

"I can't believe it. All Might is going to be instructing us!" The student named Denki Kaminari exclaimed, electricity crackling around him. "This is gonna be great!"

"I knowww—and we get to see those muscles," Mina Ashido sighed dreamily, fanning herself.

"Aww yeah! Can't wait for the day I get to take him on in a fight!" Eijiro Kirishima touted, which caused a nearby student with spiky blond hair to rise from his seat, vocal chords erupting in a yell that hurt Shouto's ears.

"Don't be a damn idiot! The only person who would be able to take on All Might is me, dipshit."

"Oh yeah!?" Kirishima stood up as well, raising a hardened arm, "Want to test that out?! You got me fired up now!"

"K-Kacchan, calm down—" Izuku Midoriya implored his desk neighbor nervously. Shouto remembered him as the boy that, despite an oddly powerful Quirk, managed to rank last on the previous days test.

'Kacchan'—Bakugou Katsuki—snapped around and glowered at him with bared teeth.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND DIE, DEKU."

"Bakugou! Kirishima! That is quite enough!" ordered Tenya Iida firmly, using quick hand motions to emphasize his words. "I must implore you both to sit back down and use respectful language when on school grounds!"

"Respectful language my ass, pfft!" Katsuki Bakugou spat. "Who the hell died and made you the boss, four-eyes!?"

Iida's face reddened before he opened his mouth, perpetuating the argument between the two, with failed attempts at interjections from other students mixing into the drama.

Shouto decided to tune it out after that.

The student sitting infront of him that sported a bird's head, Fumikage Tokoyami, turned around slightly and caught Shouto's gaze.

"It appears that our peers are going to be quite a handful," Tokoyami noted, voice deeper than expected.

"Mm," Shouto nodded.

"I did not get an opportunity to say it yesterday, but congratulations on your ranking in the assessment test. You performed well with and without your Quirk," Tokoyami said, and Shouto felt strangely uncomfortable at the compliment.

"Second place is nothing to be proud of," He replied flatly, averting his gaze.

"That's nonsense," came a huffy voice to the side of him, followed by a small squeak. Shouto and Tokoyami both twisted left to see where the interrupting noise had come from.

Momo Yaoyorozu held a hand up to her mouth guiltily, cheeks pink.

"M-my apologies," She said, words muffled behind her palm. "It's just… you're wrong."

Shouto raised an eyebrow at the girl. What does she mean by that?

Lowering her fingers from her lips, she cleared her throat and straightened her face, collecting herself. "Second place is nothing to scoff at," she resumed, "The power of your Quirk and your control over it, as well as your physical strength, is both impressive and commendable."

Tilting her head to the side a bit, the end of her spiky ponytail falling off her shoulder, Yaoyorozu offered him a small, gentle smile.

It was not anything like the one she had shown him yesterday.

"I think you should give yourself more credit, Todoroki. After all, we're all here to better ourselves so we can become Pro-Heroes, aren't we?"

Shouto's body tensed awkwardly at her words. It was strange. He felt pinned, similar to how his body would slow or stop if he exerted his right side too much causing frostbite. It did not last, for in a moment, the definite words of his father combated hers.

Failure is failure, it said, and the flames that prickled in that man's tone in the past still heated Shouto's ears in the present. He had heard the phrase often as a young child, constantly coming up short with every brutal task and trial his father put him through in order to strengthen him—make him better.

Before Shouto could stop himself, he repeated them aloud to her.

"Failure is failure."

An odd feeling—Regret? Embarrassment? He didn't know—submerged his stomach underwater when Yaoyorozu visibly deflated, disconcert written all of her face as the smile vanished. Before either of the two could speak another word on the subject, a sudden uproar following a student blurting, "All Might! I think I hear All Might coming!" allowed them both a safe exit out of the uncomfortable conversation.

As they all turned to greet the famous, Number One Hero bursting into the room, his monstrous figure barely squeezing through the wide door, Shouto felt an odd warmness at the back of his neck that had nothing to do with that side of him. Even as All Might announced their next task and Shouto's name was called to come up and receive his new hero outfit, he could not quite shake the girls kind smile…

Nor the way he so quickly and effectively managed to ruin it.

Notes:

ah, shouto, my angsty son. little do you know. little. do. you. know.

it's fun going back and watching season 1 in order to help polish these off.

honestly i've already finished the next two chapters so i'll update again tomorrow. these chapters will likely remain under 2,000 words each. if there are any glaring errors, let me know.

Chapter 3: Momo II

Summary:

I do not own My Hero Academia, or any of its characters / stories / worlds.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Momo Yaoyorozu finished the cold cola in her hands with a large gulp, wiping the sweat beads at the base of her hairline with the back of her palm as she carefully crushed the can before depositing it in a nearby recycling bin.

What a day this had been. The energy around All Might's exercise combined with having to deal with Mineta had, quite frankly, worn her out.

Behind her, Ashido, Jirou, Asui and a pair of floating gloves signifying Hagakure's presence, talked animatedly with eachother, recounting the earlier events of All Might's exercise.

"Man, Bakugou was way into it. I can't believe that Izuku slammed him into the ground like that!" Ashido said, dramatically mimicking the earlier battle they had witnessed by throwing down an invisible object. "I mean, dang!"

"Tch," Jirou rolled her eyes, arms folded. "Bakugou is nothing but loud and obnoxious."

"But you like loud, kero," noted Asui.

"Yeah, musically. Bakugou's voice is like listening to someone's poor audition for a metalcore band."

Asui hummed, considering. "I can see that, kero."

"What do you think Yaomomo?" asked Hagakure, her hand gesturing towards Momo. Her mouth opened to respond, but Jirou answered for her.

"We already know what she thinks, Ms. Momo-Know-It-All."

The jest was accompanied with a playful smirk, so Momo took no offense. Rather, she shook her head and offered more serious feedback.

"From a tactical standpoint, the fight between the two boys was beyond foolish. However, it does appear that Izuku has done his research on Bakugou. Unsurprising, as it's obvious that they have some sort of history with one another. Their battle was far too emotionally charged, ultimately blinding them to the logic of their actions."

Ashido looked at Momo in awe. "Wow, wow, wow! You really know your stuff, huh, Yaomomo?"

Momo smiled sheepishly at the praise. "Uhm—well, I've always been interested in battle strategies, so—"

"You damn nerd," Jirou said in her best Katsuki impression which had them all bursting into laughter with how surprisingly good it was. Motioning to wipe a tear from her eye, Hagakure continued the conversation forward as they all began to trek towards the school exit.

"Jeez, this is making me realize how much I have to learn! Between Shoto and Shoji, Ojiro and I didn't have a chance. My toes are still cold!"

Ashido grinned from ear to ear. "Right?! Todoroki's ice power was super cool—" Her eyebrows wiggled, "—get it? Get it?"

Now it was Momo's turn to roll her eyes. Jiro snickered at her side.

"It was quite amazing to watch," Momo agreed. "Too flashy though, in my opinion. Such a display wasn't required for their overall success."

"That's cold, Momo," joked Ashido, soliciting another round of giggles from the girls, except Momo, whose smile faltered a bit. She did not mean to sound bitter, but if she was being honest, Todoroki had left her feeling burned when after not once—but twice—he had put up an impenetrable wall between them for reasons unknown to her. Out of all the students, Todoroki held the most mystery to her. It was unfortunate, and it bothered her, but she respected his need for space. It was a silly dream to expect everyone to like her, anyway.

Still… Todoroki's inscrutable face showed clear in her mind. I wonder if he even knows how to smile?

Her thoughts were cut off once they reached the exit of the school, each one of the girls saying their good-byes and parting ways with promises to meet back there tomorrow before first period. Momo stayed behind at the gate, waiting for her family's town car that would drive her back to the Yaoyorozu estate uptown. Leaning against the towering wall that surrounded U.A's building, she took her phone out of her pocket and absentmindedly flipped through the latest Hero news to pass the time. Just as she began reading about recent muggings happening around Musutafu, a voice at her side startled her.

"Yaoyorozu."

Peering up from her phone, she froze when she saw Shouto Todoroki standing next to her, stone-faced with lips set in a straight line.

"Oh! Todoroki!" She exclaimed, quickly putting her phone away. "What—can I help you with something?"

"No," He said, diverting his gaze. Feeling an aura of uncertainness from him, Momo hesitated to speak. She did not have the best track record when it came to communicating with the boy, after all. Once a beat of silence passed, Todoroki looked back at her before rummaging in the pocket of his pants. Perplexed, Momo watched as he pulled out a white and red handkerchief that looked oddly familiar and handed it to her.

"This fell from your bag earlier when you were walking out," he stated.

Oh! It was hers! The initials of her name could be seen stitched in the corner that was tucked into his palm. Gingerly she accepted it from him, twisting her body around and letting her bag fall to the front, discovering that the pocket it had been in was not zipped closed. Upon a further hasty inspection, she was relieved to find the handkerchief was the only thing missing from the other knick-knacks inside.

Swinging her bag back behind her, she smiled in gratitude with a small bow of her head.

"Thank you, Todoroki. I didn't realize… Guess I'm more tired than I thought."

At this point, Momo had predicted from her previous interactions with him that he would end the conversation abruptly there, his mission completed. However, he did not move from his position, his now empty hands flexing oddly at his sides. The winds soft breeze shook the large trees on the school grounds behind them, filling in the awkward silence. She stared at him stiffly, not sure if she should attempt to continue this—whatever this was—or not. But, well, "Third time lucky", as the English idiom claimed.

"Are you waiting for a ride?"

Todoroki nodded curtly, turning to face the road.

"Me, too," Momo said, "they are usually not this late. Hopefully everything is—"

"Today's exercise," Todoroki interjected, giving her pause, "Your observation of Team A and Team D's performance was perceptive."

A strange squeezing sensation pinched Momo's stomach. Was he… complimenting her? She opened her mouth to thank him again, but it snapped closed when he added, "Not entirely accurate, but perceptive."

The squeezing turned to churning. Not entirely accurate? She repeated mentally.

"I believe my analysis of their work was correct on multiple accounts," she replied, straining politeness.

For the first time she had seen it, Todoroki's face portrayed a sense of emotion— irritation.

"You said that Midoriya's plan was poorly thought out. However, he was dealing with a volatile Quirk attached to an even more volatile owner. It was clear that Midoriya understood Bakugou's very real unhinged rage, and did what was crucial at the time to stop him from doing further damage in the here and now, rather than in the hypothetical."

"You're saying that Midoriya incapacitating himself was smart?" Momo asked incredulously.

Todoroki narrowed his eyes at her. "I am saying that if I were in his position, I would have likely acted similarly based on the multiple facets of the situation."

Despite the cool wind passing through them, Momo felt hot—stifling so. It wasn't that she did not see the logic behind his insight, rather, why was it that he kept acting so… so uppity with her?!

"Well, that's not surprising coming from someone who felt that it was tactfully necessary to flaunt his powers by freezing an entire building."

Todoroki turned his face to gaze at her head-on now. The words sounded far more venomous than she had intended, but there they were, and she could not take them back now.

Ugh—that was—I should apologize, she thought, worried that she had just made matters worse, but it left her when she saw—and nearly missed—a small uptick at the corners of Todoroki's mouth, and a ghost of amusement pass over his face. For a brief second, time felt as though it had stopped, and she swore he was about to laugh.

Then, in an instant, it was gone as he looked away to the opposite side, hiding himself from her. Underneath the strands of his stark white hair, Momo did not fail to notice that the edges of his ears were flushed a gentle pink.

"You are… not wrong about that," he answered quietly.

The blare of a car horn filled the sky, and Momo realized that at some point during their talking, twin black cars had pulled up to the gate. One bore her family insignia at the front, while the other, she assumed, was Todoroki's. Without a goodbye, he walked away from her, a butler exiting the car to open the passenger door for him. Frowning, Momo downcast her eyes, her own driver getting out of her car to offer the same service. What the heck had just happened? She felt foolish for acting so stubborn, but—was she making his lighthearted reaction to her terseness up in her mind?

"Yaoyorozu."

Her gaze snapped up to Todoroki, who paused on the way into the car and was looking at her directly, the usual unreadable expression back on his face.

"Remember to zip up your pockets tomorrow."

Momo blinked.

"See you in class," he added swiftly, disappearing into the vehicle, the dark tinted windows encompassing him completely once inside. In minutes, the car had pulled away, leaving her alone with her driver who wordlessly and patiently waited for her to follow suit.

…Honestly, she thought, pinching her nose with her fingers.

Todoroki truly was a mystery.

Notes:

I feel like Momo is kind of the hermione granger of class 1-A. everyone knows she's a genius so they are always like 'whoa yeah you're smart!' when she says stuff, but todoroki is the only one who calls her out on things she might not notice / see and it drives Mom s.

also the U.A girls are all cinnamon buns. I hope I can do their little inclusions justice.

thanks for the comments + kudos so far. this is fun to write and a much needed break from my grim dark novel project. I think I'll update tomorrow as well. I had the next chapter written, but i've changed it a lot so we'll see.

Chapter 4: Shouto II

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

If there was one thing Shouto Todoroki enjoyed, it was sleep. Beautiful, glorious, sleep. As such, when Aizawa announced that they'd be taking a 45 minute bus ride to a remote location for their rescue mission task, Shouto knew it was a perfect opportunity for a quick nap. To conserve my energy, he thought to himself as Iida, the new Class President, instructed them to line up according to their student I.D. numbers outside the bus. That was, of course, his practical excuse, should anyone teased him about it later.

Thankfully, his seat mate had been Hagakure, the girl with the invisible Quirk. A good match up for him, since not seeing her was basically the same as sitting alone. Plus, she didn't seem too interested in speaking to him outside of their initial hello, deciding instead to chat with Sero who sat on the opposite side of their disconnected row of seats. Shouto, a professional at tuning people out, closed his eyes and drifted off before the bus even left the station.

He did not open them again until Iida's loud voice carried through the bus announcing their arrival. When he rubbed the blurriness from his sight, he noticed that most of the students had corralled to the other side of the bus, pressing their hands and faces against the glass windows.

"Dude, this place is HUGE!" exclaimed Kaminari.

"This is going to be so cool!" said Ashido next to him, and the two shared a spirited high-five.

"Fucking idiots, you're blocking the fucking exit!" Bakugou growled, attempting to push people out of the way to leave the still moving bus.

Iida, attempting to get their attention, shouted, "Bakugou! Everyone! Please sit down, we are not ready to disembark—"

"—Shut your face, four-eyes—"

A nearby sigh perked Shouto's ears. Momo Yaoyorozu was standing next to a seated Jirou infront of him, her arms crossed in disapproval.

"What childish behavior," She muttered.

"You're standing, too," Jirou pointed out, causing Momo's face to flush.

"I—I am the Deputy Class President! I need to be ready in case someone gets hurt—"

"Totally lame excuse," Jirou said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Just admit that you're as excited as everyone else, Ms. Prim and Proper."

Yaoyorozu shifted her eyes and said nothing, letting out another exaggerated exhale, her face significantly redder.

Deputy Class President, Shouto mused, gazing at her. In all honesty, he had been surprised that Midoriya, soon replaced by Iida, had beaten her out. From what he saw from Midoriya, the boy was a bit of a nervous wreck. Driven and strangely powerful, yes, but not someone Shouto could see as a leader—at least not from what he saw so far. On the other hand Yaoyorozu, in what little time he knew her, had a calm strength. She had proven herself in two short days to be far more academically experienced than the rest of them, frequently answering most of the questions in class with confidence and providing well-thought out insight when asked to elaborate.

Her intelligence, combined with her responsible attitude, had been the reason he wrote down her name over anyone else's—or is own. He could easily envision her as a competent leader for them.

Furthermore, she certainly wasn't afraid to share her honest thoughts with anyone if their discussion yesterday was any indication. His stomach felt light thinking about it. He had only meant to give her back her handkerchief, but looking at her caused him to recall his unwarranted coldness towards her. Shouto could admit he sometimes lacked certain social skills, but even he recognized the hurt on her expression. He had decided, rather suddenly, to try and make up for it by offering a compliment to her in return for her kindness the day before.

That… had quickly backfired. Although…

Heh.

She didn't spare any feelings, calling him out like that. It's true, he was showing off, but not to impress—to dominate. He knew he was a cut above his fellow students, and he made sure to make that painfully evident. Her bluntness about it nearly caused him to laugh, a sensation so foreign to him he had to stop himself. Watching her now, he wondered if she noticed.

"Hey, half-and-half bastard, wipe that fucking look off your face, you're freaking me the fuck out."

Shouto blinked as Bakugou glowered down at him, teeth grit together.

My… face? He touched his cheek in confusion.

"Creepy-ass smiling motherfu—"

"Bakugou," Yaoyorozu chided sharply, "that is extremely inappropriate language."

Bakugou's harsh stare deviated to her now, eyebrows dipping low in intensifying anger. "Like I give a sh—FUCK!"

Shouto and Yaoyorozu were both surprised when two of Jirou's earjacks came up and gentle rubbed Bakugou's face. A frustrated growl left the back of his throat as he swung wildly at them, shouting. "THE HELL? Get that weird shit out of my face you fucking freak!"

Jirou raised an eyebrow in mild interest. "Oh? This bothers you? Stop being so annoying and I'll stop," she said, dodging his swings to hit him repeatedly. Smoke billowed from the devices on his hands the more heated he became, but it was diffused when the bus came to an abrupt halt, causing all of the standing students to fumble a bit.

"Everyone! It is now time to disembark! Please exit in an orderly fashion as you did earlier!" Iida ordered, not missing a beat.

"Hey, hey, Bakugou, let's go," Kirishima said, the red-haired student appearing behind Bakugou and patting him on the back with a wide grin on his face.

Bakugou smacked his hand away. "Don't touch me, asshole. I'm coming."

Shooting one last final glare at Yaoyorozu, Shouto and Jirou, Bakugou followed Kirishima and the rest of the students as they lined up to leave the bus.

"What a headache," Yaoyorozu muttered. Jirou, standing up next to her, stuffed her hands in her pockets and shrugged.

"Don't worry about it, Yaomomo. Let's get out of here."

Shouto, who was still trying to figure out what was wrong with his face, noticed Yaoyorozu looking at him. Quickly, she shifted her attention back to Jirou.

"You go on ahead. I'd rather not get squished."

"Sure, whatever."

Rising from his own seat, Shouto observed as Jirou joined the students filtering out of the bus, most of them bouncing with excitement. He, too, decided to wait, in no rush to get caught in the crowd.

Yaoyorozu, standing near him, shifted her weight to one side, a hand rubbing her arm.

"Hello," she greeted. "Did you enjoy your nap?"

The unexpected question disarmed him. Thankfully, he already had his practical excuse ready for this.

"I was conserving energy," he said seriously, and immediately realized it didn't come off as believable out loud as it did in his head. To his surprise, Yaoyorozu covered her mouth, bursting into a fit of giggles.

It made his chest feel warm.

"Sorry, sorry, it's just… your face and the way you said that—you sounded kinda like a robot," Yaoyorozu confessed, a guilty glint in her eyes.

Again with the face, Shouto thought, remembering Katsuki's comment earlier.

"Is… something wrong with my face, Yaoyorozu?"

"What? No—" She was laughing harder now, open palms raised and shaking in denial, "Nothing is wrong with it. Why would you think that?"

"Bakugou mentioned I looked creepy." Shouto had no idea why he was telling her this. It was stupid, and didn't matter, but after speaking to her yesterday he found that Yaoyorozu was unusually easy to talk to, an impression he did not get from her when she had yelled at him on their first day of school.

"Ignore that guy," Yaoyorozu told him, "You're not creepy at all. A little stoic maybe, but not creepy."

A small part of him felt grateful that she didn't think he looked creepy. Stoic, though...That was a word he was far more familiar with being described as. His father had taught him early on not to express more than necessary—to stay unreadable in order to keep his enemies from knowing what to expect. Emotions can be a burden, he had told Shoto. Free yourself from them when they stop you from moving forward.

He did. He had, after—

"Oh, we should get going. The bus is practically empty now," Yaoyorozu observed, looking around. She was right, only a few students were left lingering around the exit. She smiled warmly at him. "You don't like being around a lot of other people either, huh?"

"I'm not a fan of crowds," said Shouto.

Yaoyorozu nodded. "Me, either. People tend to accidentally touch—well—" She stopped mid-sentence, nervously scratching the side of her face. He was about to ask her what she meant, when his eyes inadvertently drifted down towards her very much open cleavage.

Immediately, he shot them back up, jaw tightening to keep a neutral face.

She means—

Ah.

"I see."

He regretted the words as soon as he said them.

Yaoyorozu's cheekbones tinted pink, clearly embarrassed. Likewise, Shouto felt completely at a loss of what to say or do, a heat reaching up his neck to the edges of his ears.

So much for being stoic.

"We should—we should probably go," She suggested, thankfully changing the subject.

"Yes," he agreed, a little too eagerly.

The two of them exited the bus together, avoiding eye contact as they stepped outside and joined the rest of the class for their next task.

Notes:

booooyyyyyyy.

it's too much fun writing about these dorks.

also, I did WAY too much investigating on who was sitting next to who on the bus to the rescue mission for this chapter-like, I was combing wikipedias and watching the scene in the anime + reading the manga. it took me a long time to figure out that shouto was VERY likely sitting next to tooru hagakure (you notice that he's the only person with seemingly "nothing" sitting next to him on the bus). AND he looks like he's sleeping the entire ride.

anyway, not sure when I'll update next, I got real life errands to complete ya'll, but I'm enjoying this so I'm sure it'll be soon. :)

Chapter 5: Momo III

Summary:

sorry, this chapter is longer than usual.

I own nothing of the My Hero Academia world, story, or characters. I just like TodoMomo.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Deep inhale. Deep exhale. Count down from five. Five… four… three… two…

"One," muttered Momo Yaoyorozu. Then, she inhaled again.

The desk infront of her was filled to the brim with books—a few open, the rest closed and stacked haphazardly on top of eachother. Where there were no books, there was more paper and pens than any one person could need, but Momo had a bad habit of accidentally spawning things subconsciously when she was stressed.

Or, in this case, having a minor panic attack.

Breathe, Momo, she told herself mentally, eyes closed. In her hands was a porcupine shaped stress ball so bright pink it rivaled Ochako's naturally rosy cheeks, the cute, smiling face at the end of it expanding comically when she squeezed it in her palm. Momo tried her best to focus on her breathing and slowing the rate of the heart thrumming wildly in her chest. Eventually, between the stress ball and the meditating, her body began to relax, allowing her forehead to droop unceremoniously into the open book directly below her.

This sucks.

Momo was no stranger to anxiety, or how its hands would come to clench her throat when her train of thoughts started to spiral into fatalism or a never-ending barrage of 'what-ifs'. It had tormented her since she was a child, and though now she had better control over it, the demon still threatened to overtake her when she least expected it. This time, it was in the small library in the middle of town while she was in the process of digging through every book on historic battles, detailed weaponry, chemistry and molecular science she could get her hands on.

It was all Momo could do to distract herself from the reality of what happened.

Yesterday, she, and her entire class, had been put in a situation no students before had. They had met face to face with very real (albeit low class) villains, and they had no choice but to fight them back—like heroes.

Except they weren't heroes. They were kids. And they could have died.

Deep inhale. Deep exhale.

"Everything alright here, Ms. Yaoyorozu?" asked a gentle, peaceful voice from behind her. Momo raised her head up to see Mrs. Chu, the Head Librarian, smiling sympathetically down at her.

Mrs. Chu was a much older woman, her hair an ashen grey pulled tight into a perfectly round bun upon her head, with calm brown eyes and creases in crevices that told silent stories of smiles and laughters that caused them to be. Momo knew the woman quite well, and Mrs. Chu knew her and her family. Momo was a regular at this library before she started her courses at U.A., and while she started going to the library on campus provided by the school, classes were canceled for today while the it was locked down for a necessary security system revamp.

It made sense, and Momo was not mad about it.

She just needed to not be home.

"Yes, I'm sorry, was I—?" But Momo did not finish her sentence, as Mrs. Chu's eyes flickered downward and then widened.

"Oh my," The woman covered her mouth and chuckled. "It appears you've conjured up quite a collection of critters, here…"

Momo cringed.

Oh no.

She did not have to follow the woman's gaze to know what she was talking about. There, at Momo's feet, assorted stress balls representing different animals with a variety of fluorescent colors had begun to form a pile. She had not meant to, but Momo had a habit of creating things in surplus when her anxiety bristled like this. Rightfully embarrassed, she pulled from the back of her leg a long, wide-mouthed jar, and hastily stuffed the creatures inside of it, apologizing profusely for the mess.

Mrs. Chu waved her hand, shrugging her shoulders. "It's quite alright, dear. They are very cute. If you'd like, why don't you leave them at my desk before you leave today? We can pass them onto students when they come in to study for exams."

"S-sure…" Pull it together, Momo, she scolded herself as she pushed the the last stress ball into the jar—an orange cat with white whiskers disappearing under a lid she manifested from her forearm. Carefully, she placed the now filled container onto one of her paper stacks, releasing an exhausted sigh.

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Chu," She apologized again with a bow her head, "I promise I will be more mindful of what I'm doing."

Mrs. Chu gently shook her head. "No need, child. After what you and your classmates experienced, I can hardly blame you."

Momo frowned. It was no surprise that Mrs. Chu knew about the incident. By now, word of the villains attack likely spread out of Japan and into the rest of the world. It reminded her how very real everything had been, and her heart sank.

A small, tender hand came to rest on Momo's shoulder.

"If you need anything, dear, don't hesitate to ask," Mrs. Chu offered. The touch was a comforting reassurance. She wished she could express just how grateful she was for it right now, but her mind felt too full to think of any poetic words of appreciation.

"Thank you, I will."

"Good. Ah—" Her face perked up when the bell at the front of the library jingled, signaling the entrance of a visitor. "I must return to my desk. Please do not push yourself too hard, Momo. You look very tired."

With a light squeeze and one last compassionate look, the Librarian retracted her hand and departed.

Momo sighed, exhausted. She was tired—emotionally, physically and mentally. As soon as she had been released from school yesterday, both of her parents rushed to pick her up in sheer panic. Her mother had been incorrigible, sobbing to the point of dry heaving. Her father, equally relieved but not as expressive, hugged her tighter than he had in years. Neither of them let her be, and by the time she finally found solace in the emptiness of her bedroom, she could not sleep, her mind playing the events over and over again in her head.

When the sun came up, she'd practically sprung out of bed, desperate to leave the house and occupy her brain with anything but what happened yesterday. Mrs. Chu, whose Quirk allowed her to read any text once and remember it perfectly, helped her gather all these materials when she burst into the library in a frenzied state earlier that afternoon.

It was juvenile to avoid dealing with reality. She knew that. But was it really avoiding it when she was using her day off school to study on how to become a better hero? At best, it fell into a grey area—and she could live with grey areas.

Sleep, though… that's what she truly needed right now. It had eluded her last night, but… well…

Peering at her surroundings, a plan frothed in her hazy brain.

There was hardly anyone here since it was still technically a school day. Plus, she was tucked into a corner of sorts by the window on the far end of the room, half-shadowed by a bookcase. The desk had none adjacent to it, either—not that anyone would want to voluntarily sit next to this mess.

Maybe…

Checking again to make sure there wasn't anyone near her, Momo slowly created and pulled a plush, white pillow from her arm, concentrating on the chemistry of the soft material she desired as she did. Once fully released, she plopped it down atop the book she had been reading, and let her head drop down into it.

I'm… just gonna close my eyes… for a minute… that's all…

It didn't take long before Momo began to meander between sleep and wake, time slipping away as the quiet of the library and the smell of paper soothed her mind into silence as she rested. In the background, the jingle of a bell could be heard, indicating a customer had entered.

No worries... she thought, I'm all the way back here… no one will see me…

"Good afternoon!" Momo heard Mrs. Chu politely greet the newcomer, but the response was too small for her to make out. While a conversation struck up between her and the stranger, Momo allowed herself to continue in her wafting slumber.

"… Ah, that book? Well, we do have it but it's currently in use by another student…" Mrs. Chu's soft voice fluttered in the background. Somewhere, another voice answered, both becoming disconnected in her conscious.

"...I see…"

"Although she seems a bit… with material right... I'm sure if she's not actively… she would be fine with you..."

"…And who is that?"

That other voice… sounds familiar… she thought in the darkness of her mind.

"…In the… there… I'm sure if you just ask…"

"…Thank you…"

The two finished their conversation, and somewhere in the mess of her brain, footsteps could be heard, getting louder by the second.

Then, it hit her. She knew that voice.

"Excuse me—ah… Yaoyorozu?"

Momo's head snapped up in a rush, eyes rapidly blinking away the sleepiness.

Shouto Todoroki stood over her, and her brain had a hard time registering his presence. It didn't help that he was dressed casually, wearing a simple short-sleeved white button down shirt with jeans and a black belt. Shuffling her seat back, she fumbled to connect words into sentences, mouth parched from her impromptu napping.

"Good—ehm—good morning—I mean, afternoon—good afternoon, Todoroki."

Despite his impassive expression, she knew the moment his eyes lapsed over her, the makeshift pillow and the disarrayed body of books surrounding her that he knew she'd been sleeping. Self-consciously, she smoothed her hair down with a hand, attempting to look as normal and collected and not sleepy as she could.

To her immense relief, Todoroki made no comment on it.

"I'm looking for a book," he deadpanned.

Jeez, right to the chase, huh? Momo thought. Did he not understand that it was impolite not to greet people when you approached them? For a rich kid of high caliber upbringing, he failed to carry himself the way she had known other people in similar standings to, nor did he appear to care.

"Did you ask the Librarian?" she asked, trying not to sound as annoyed as she felt.

"She told me that you had it, along with the rest of the library, it seems," he surveyed humorlessly. She had no idea if that was an attempt at sarcasm or not, but upon looking at the chaos that encompassed her, she could not help but let out an exasperated laugh.

"Yeah," she exhaled, giving him a guilty smile, "It does look like that, doesn't it? Sorry! I'm guessing I have your book somewhere around here, then. What were you looking for?"

"Japan Rising: Vol. 12," answered Shoto.

"Oh? Interesting choice. A continuation of Kume Kunitake's original publication passed down for generations. It's one of the best works of its day to showcase the raw impact of Quirk's on Japan's government and militia, in my opinion," she rambled, standing from her seat to begin pillaging through where she had last seen the book. Todoroki didn't respond, instead opting to help her look for it among the wreckage of papers, texts and far, far too many pens. As they looked together for it, Todoroki would pause to inspect each hardback he picked up. After the third one, he spoke again.

"You like chemistry." He stated.

Momo released a faint chuckle. "I don't really have a choice in the matter, but, yes, I do enjoy it quite a bit."

"Why do you not have a choice?"

Momo wavered in her search, narrowing her eyes at him. He sounded genuinely curious, opening a book titled "Seventy Years in Organic Chemistry" and flipping through its pages with mild interest.

"I need it for my Quirk," she explained. "I can't create things unless I understand the chemistry make-up and molecular profile of the materials required to produce the item. I guess you could say that knowledge of such subjects is essential for my Quirk to be of any use, thus," she waved her hand over the desk, "I spend a lot of my time researching and learning. Lucky for me, I find it fascinating."

The book in Todoroki's hand snapped closed as he put it down and investigated another front to back. "You're studying battle tactics, as well," he mused, then peered up at her with his heterochromatic grey and blue eyes and added, dully, "because of what happened yesterday."

A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed thickly, the memories of the villain's overtaking them rushing back to the forefront of her mind.

"Yes," she murmured quietly, and the red and white haired boy did not say anything further.

Just how straight forward was this guy? Or… was she really that obvious? Probably an unfortunate combination of both. She never did well when it came to concealing her feelings, often wearing them blazingly on her shoulder for the world to see. If her mouth didn't betray her first, her face certainly would. It was a part of her she didn't like, and tried painstakingly hard to change it, but being neutral just wasn't in her nature.

For Todoroki, it looked as easy as breathing.

It both irked her and intrigued her at the same time, and she could not help but wonder—was he scared yesterday, too? Was he losing sleep over it last night, wracking his brain for ways he could've done better? At any point, did he think, I could die here?

Probably not, her instinct told her. In her text messages with the other girls when they were all sent home, Hagakure had claimed to be next to Todoroki in the battle and said that it barely took a second before all the enemies were frozen in place. For a person with as powerful a Quirk as Todoroki, it must have been child's play dealing with such low-class vagabonds.

Not like her. She had tried her best to protect Jirou and Kaminari from the villains, to lead them into victory and safety, but one of them had caught them all off-guard with his electric Quirk. Had the teachers not come to the rescue, there was a strong possibility that they could've died.

They could have died, her friends, and she would not have been able to do a damn thing to stop it.

Momo's heart began to beat quickly, and she inhaled shakily. Don't go down that path again, she warned herself, trying to lock up those criminal thoughts in jail and throw away the key.

"Yaoyorozu," Shoto called her name, breaking her out of her reverie. She expected him to question her on her behavior, but his attention was elsewhere, finger pointing towards a royal purple book at the bottom of one of the stacks. "Is that it?"

She didn't have to check the title on the side to know, recognizing the binding and color. Nodding, she pulled it out carefully to keep the books on top from toppling, checked the front just in case, and then handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said, taking it from her. Well, at least he has some manners, she thought.

"You're welcome."

Task completed, Momo sat back down in her chair, tucking her black pleated skirt underneath as she did. She figured Todoroki would leave without a goodbye, as was his custom, but he stood near her, staring out at the window across from them where one could watch as people passed by, their conversations a whisper drifting in the background of the library.

His usually expressionless face looked contemplative, eyebrows just barely curved inward. The way the warm afternoon light came through the shop and cascaded over his face, the vibrancy of his mismatched eyes, the thin, wrinkled skin that made up his scar, the dust particles lingering around his body, tall and muscular, it all made Momo feel… Nervous? She laced her fingers together on her lap but her palms—they were—sweaty? And why did her mouth feel so dry? Turning away from him, she let out a slow breath. Was this her anxiety again? But—no—it wasn't—wait, her heart was beating a little faster—it must be that then, she surmised, unable to come up with any other logical explanation. But why?

"Yaoyorozu," Todoroki said, and she jumped at her name. Once again, his voice had brought her back down to earth.

He sure does like to do that a lot, she sighed.

"Yes?"

Todoroki gave a tiny nod to the disorganized mess of texts. "You're intelligent, but not everything can be found in books." He paused, as though he were picking his words carefully before he continued. "You should find a hero with actual combat experience and practice with them, if you can. That's what I would do, if I needed to be better at defending myself."

Momo stared at him, her mouth slightly agape.

What—was he…?

"See you later," he said, turning on his heel and departing from her. He walked straight towards the Librarian's main desk, no doubt to check out the book now in his possession. Momo shut her lips together, frowning.

How am I even supposed to react to that? She thought, conflicted. On one hand, he had called her intelligent—which many people had done, but it felt different coming from him—on the other, he had just read her like a freaking book and then left!

Holding back the desire to create several stress balls for the sole purpose of throwing them at the back of his head, Momo buried her face in her hands. Seriously… am I THAT bad at hiding things?

Yet… Todoroki's words echoed in her mind. 'That's what I would do, if I needed to be better at defending myself'. He knew without her having to specify her fears. More than that, he could have easily said nothing about it. He had said nothing to her, and many others, on numerous occasions thus far. The fact that he offered advice at all to her went against what she knew of his persona, proving once more that she really didn't know anything about the half cold, half hot student.

Lifting her head and craning it to watch Todoroki leave the shop, the bell at the door ringing at his exit, Momo concluded that there was much she had left to learn—both about being a hero, and about Shouto Todoroki.

Notes:

I changed my mind. I'm writing it as "Shouto".

I'll go back and change the rest of the wording for the earlier chapters later. For now, I'll only say this:

Writing a slow burn between two teenagers with no concept of budding attraction is a beautiful thing.

As always, thanks for all the kudos + comments. Look for an update later this week, before the weekend, possibly.

Chapter 6: Shouto III

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"Mom asked about you."

Shouto Todoroki paused mid-closing the door to the front of his home. His sister, Fuyumi Todoroki, greeted him from school with those four words while standing on the landing above the entryway. In the center of her speckled red mess of snow-white hair, his sibling's expression twisted between remorse, apprehension, and hopefulness, never fully resting on one as Shouto stared at her blankly. Gently, he resumed shutting the door behind him, the click echoing in the empty house. Her hands wrung together nervously as she awaited his response.

When none came and his focus shifted from her to the floor as he kicked off his shoes, he heard an exasperated exhale leave her lips.

"Shouto—"

"I'm hungry. Is there any food from last night left over?" He asked in an attempt to change the subject, avoiding eye contact with her as he passed her by, headed towards the kitchen. The light taps of her feet followed closely behind him.

"Yes, but, Mom—"

"Do you mind if I have it then, or do you—?"

His words were cut off when a hand clasped around his wrist, tugging him backwards and forcing him to turn. When he did and his mismatched eyes met with his sister's dark grey ones, she let go at once, imprinted nail marks lingering where the pads of her fingers were on his skin.

"I'm—I'm sorry," Fuyumi stuttered. Shouto watched her adjust her square glasses restlessly, clearly hesitant to continue but doing so anyway. "It's just, Mom asked about you today when I went to visit her. She asked about school and the Sports Festival coming up… She wanted to know how you were doing."

Shouto's hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.

He cared for Fuyumi. He really did, but he hated when she did this.

"…And?" He muttered, hearing the chill in his own voice despite trying his best to sound even-toned.

Her shoulders sagged, frowning at him. Her chagrin only made him feel worse for acting like this, but what else did she expect? He didn't want to discuss this, especially not when his empty stomach felt like it was gnawing on his insides in rabid hunger.

She needed to just leave it alone.

"I… I just thought you should know."

"Well, now I know," he told his sister with finality, showing her his back once more to affirm that this conversation is over, I don't want to talk about this anymore. He was not surprised when she refused to let it end there.

"Shouto!" Her shrill voice pierced his mind leaving a budding pressure. "You can atleast show some emotion! I barely ever get to see Mom, and you haven't once gone to visit her yet she still asks about you whenever she can."

Shouto's eyes fixated on the wood floors beneath them, the right side of his body feeling significantly colder as he silently worked to suppress his Quirk from manifesting. Then, sharply, she asked,

"Do you really not care at all?"

He grit his teeth together to keep them from chattering, gripping his right arm with his left hand to regulate the temperature, but the vexed sigh that left his mouth still blew condensation into the air. He knew that Fuyumi saw it because he heard her take two steps away from him, afraid.

He had hurt her once with this Quirk. They were kids, and Endeavor was training him when Fuyumi interrupted, accidentally running into Shouto and causing him to nearly encase her in ice. It hadn't been intentional, but if Fuyumi's similar ice Quirk had not protected her and Endeavor's flames had not released her quickly, she could have been seriously injured. Since then, Fuyumi had a healthy fear of his powers—no matter how controlled either of them thought Shouto to be.

It was best for her to keep her distance.

"…Shouto," her voice was softer now, traced with regret, but it didn't make a difference.

He wasn't able to give her what she wanted from him. Not meeting expectations was a pattern when it came to his family, it seemed.

Taking a moment to calm himself down, he met her apologetic gaze and shook his head.

"It's fine. Don't feel bad. I don't really have much of an appetite anyway, so I'll just head to my room."

"But—" Her hands outstretched towards him as he moved past her, but she refrained from touching him.

"It's fine," he repeated firmly, the ice unconsciously forming on his skin crackling. This time, when he walked away, Fuyumi did not follow him.

Shouto pursued his bedroom across the large estate quietly, and the reticence of it when he entered welcomed him with open arms. Tossing his school bag near his empty desk, he fell belly first onto his bed, face plunged deep into the one, plain flat pillow that he owned. His left arm fell loosely over the side, the back of his palm resting on the carpeted floor. He closed his eyes, trying to shut down the mental doors that his sister had opened.

With a violent growl, his stomach offered a painful reminder that despite telling Fuyumi he had no appetite, that had only been a pitiful lie to try to escape from her; he was starving. Since Aizawa announced the upcoming Sports Festival, Shouto had spent the past week staying extra late on campus to train, which left his body desperate for sustenance. Despite that, he had no desire to go back out there and deal with his sister guilting him or worse, having some run in with dear old Dad. No, he would wait until later when he knew she had gone to bed to raid the kitchen for food.

Maybe he would just sleep until then.

Not gonna happen, his stomach rumbled, causing him to grimace. Rolling over to his back, Shouto stared up at the ceiling and sighed.

He really didn't understand what Fuyumi's goal was. Out of all the Todoroki children, she was the only one that visited their hospitalized mother, practically getting on her knees to beg Endeavor to allow it. Ever since he let her do so, Fuyumi would make it a point to tell Shouto whenever their Mom would mention him or ask about him, like it would change how he felt about her. Like it would change how she felt about him.

Subconsciously his fingers came up to touch the scar surrounding his eye, feeling the burnt skin underneath. The last words his mother said to him fluttered through his mind, the sound of the whistling tea kettle full of boiling water echoing behind her.

...I... I can't take care of him anymore...

Shouto tightly shut his eyes, trying to force the memory out. The way his mother looked at him—that broken, wild iciness in her eyes, her hand reaching for the kettle, the terrifying realization that she was going to—

Stop.

I don't want to think about this right now.

Dragging a cold hand over his face, Shouto sat up from his bed and swung his legs over the edge, resting each elbow on a thigh. His fingers folded into eachother as he examined his bedroom for a distraction. His gaze rested on his book bag.

Well, if I can't sleep, I might as well study.

Rising from his bed, he went to his school bag and unzipped it. As he searched through his textbooks and mused over which one to spend time on, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, a muffled chiming noise alerting him that he received a text message. Confused, Shouto stopped, wondering who would be texting him. Out of the total of five contacts he had in his phone, four of them were family members, and one was the number to the school. None of his siblings outside of his sister had ever texted him, his father and brothers preferring to call, and he highly doubted it was the school. Curiously he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Unlocking it, he watched as the notification popped up that read: Text from Unknown Number [7:03 pm]. A quick right swipe of his thumb maximized the messaging window to fill his screen.

Unknown [7:03 PM]
Good evening, Todoroki. This is Momo Yaoyorozu from class.

Shouto raised both of his eyebrows, taken aback.

Momo Yaoyorozu was texting him?

How did she get this number? Hastily he filtering through his mind but was unable to recall a moment where he'd given it to her on the few occasions that they'd interacted. Unsurprising, as he didn't give this information out to anyone, least of all his classmates who he barely knew. The only way she could have gotten it is from the school. Moreover, why was she texting him? Had something happened there? Everything was fine when he left campus earlier. Biting at his lower lip subconsciously, he decided it was best to just ask her upfront.

Shouto Todoroki [7:05 PM]
How did you get my number?

He expected her to take a moment, but her response came in seconds.

Unknown [7:05 PM]
I'm the class representative. The school gave Iida and I every students personal phone number in case of emergency or for future class events.

I thought you were aware of that?

That… makes sense, he thought. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, the knowledge that Iida also had his number tucked away somewhere on his phone was a little alarming, but Shouto supposed he didn't really have a choice. Yaoyorozu, though... she didn't seem like the person to use that privilege just to strike up casual conversation.

Shouto Todoroki [7:06 PM]
Did something happen at the school?

Again, her reply were near instantaneous.

Unknown [7:06 PM]
Why would you think something is wrong with the school?

Shouto barely finished reading the sentence before several additions followed.

Unknown [7:06 PM]

Oh

Wait

I'm sorry, your concerns make sense to me now.

It is weird for me to be texting you when you didn't voluntarily give me your number, isn't it?

Unknown [7:07 PM]
And you probably didn't know about Iida and I having your number either

Ugh. I apologize.

Shouto rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to respond at this point. If there was nothing wrong at school, then she must be contacting him for some other important purpose.

Shouto Todoroki [7:08 PM]
Do you need me for something, then?

This time, she did not respond so hastily. Shouto watched as the grey ellipses bubbles appeared, expressing that a text was in the process being written, then disappeared. This happened for long enough that he ended up making his way back to his bed, deserting his study books entirely, finding this to be puzzling enough. Laying down on his side, he continued to watch his phone for a few more minutes. His eyes began to flutter closed when the familiar chime and vibrant light on his screen let him know Yaoyorozu had finally followed up.

Unknown [7:12 PM]
How are you liking Japan Rising?

Shouto let out a huff. Now he was getting annoyed. He highly doubted all of this was just so she could ask him how the book was, or that it would take her that long to ask it. With both thumbs flying over the keys, he answered her back swiftly.

Shouto Todoroki [7:12 PM]
Haven't had the time to read it

what do you need me for, Yaoyorozu?

I really don't think you texted me just to ask me that

A long pause. More ellipses bubbles came and went.

Unknown [7:14 PM]
I would like to request your help with something

Finally, thought Shouto.

Shouto Todoroki [7:14 PM]
What is it?

This time, he knew her lack of immediate response was due to a larger message, and he was prepared for when it came and filled his small phone screen.

Unknown [7:15 PM]
When we last met in the library, you gave me some advice. I decided to take your words to heart, with the Sports Festival being in a weeks time. However, I am unable to practice with any professional heroes, so I have been settling for some of our fellow class mates. It's been going well, but, well, I was wondering if

Perhaps

You could help me train just once?

Shouto stared at her request unblinkingly. His first instinct had been to tell her no. He had no intention to rub elbows with his fellow classmates, certainly not with the girl who had bested their entire class on the first day. Yet when he began to type out that very decision, his fingers hesitated over the send button.

Yaoyorozu's face in the library came to his mind. Her onyx eyes had been heavy and blurred, circles underneath them signalling sleep deprivation. She had tried her best to hide it, to wipe it from her expression, but he knew. There was a look in them that he understood—fear. Fear of what she had seen, what she had been through. It was the same fear he carried when he was a child, trembling at his father's feet underneath the man's raw power over Shouto's helplessness. When he saw the books she surrounded herself with, he knew she was doing exactly what he had done: making sure she would never felt that way again in the face of senseless evil.

I'm not here to make friends, he reminded himself, mentally waving the image of her away, and I'm not here to help anybody to the top. He knew both of those things and wasn't about to change his mind on either, so why couldn't he just say no?

Logically, he estimated that such a challenge between the two would not last long. His Quirk was too brutal, too powerful for what he saw of her own. On the other side of it, he had very little idea of what to expect in the Sports Festival, and going against such a unique Quirk would assist him in the area of quick decision making. Or, at least, give him a broader perspective of what he was up against.

Anything that would give him the upper-hand to reject his Father was at the very least something to consider.

Yaoyorozu was also a good resource of information on the other students. If she'd been training with others, she'd have a better understanding of their powers, too. So far, he wasn't concerned with most of them, but if she had gotten help from that Midoriya kid…

He sighed, erasing his original answer and rewriting a response.

Shouto Todoroki [7:17 PM]
Tomorrow after school

Building 3 in Training Room 5

Does that work for you?

Yaoyorozu replied so fast he wondered if she'd even read it.

Unknown [7:17 PM]

Yes.

I'll let the teachers know right away that we will be using that room.

Thank you, Todoroki.

He squinted at her digital words, almost able to hear her diplomatic voice saying them. Rolling over to his other side, he considered for a moment to add her name to his contacts list, but decided against it.

It was only one time. Nothing more.

No need to make it personal.

Notes:

the next chapter will be interesting, I think.

in the mean time, thank you again for all your kudos + comments. 3

Chapter 7: Shouto IV

Notes:

guys, lmao, this chapter is literally 5,000+ words. it's basically 2 chapters, and it's kind of self-indulgent because i've been itching to write a "battle" type scene for awhile now. I was going to split them up but whatever. enjoy momo vs. shouto. ;)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The day after their text discussion, Shouto arrived at Training Room 5 before Momo Yaoyorozu, already changed into his P.E. uniform. The room was large and spacious, the ceiling covered in windows that allowed for bright, natural lighting to fill each crevice. It smelled recently cleaned—a sterile scent that reminded him vaguely of bleach and aseptic. He wasn't a fan, but he supposed he'd rather that than the putrid sweatiness of the boys locker-room he had visited prior to coming here.

In the middle was a elevated rectangular floor that took up most of the capacity, similar to an arena. At each wall, rows upon rows of seats, descending high to low. Christmas red medical stations were set up in each corner, a green light blinking above them to signal that they were stocked. Though his class had scarcely used these types of rooms for physical activities at school, he heard they were popular for private—or public—spar matches. He figured one like this would best since they weren't allowed to practice outside as a first year without a teacher present. Rightfully so, as he doubted the academy wanted kids like Katsuki throwing around their Quirks recklessly and damaging the property.

At least here, there was a limit to what they could possibly break. Not that he had intended to, but his Quirk was powerful. He wasn't going to try and hide that fact.

Shouto went to first row of seats on his right and disposed of his gym bag underneath it. Sitting down, he cradled his head in one hand and took his phone out from his pocket with the other, unlocking the screen and re-reading the text message that was already opened from earlier.

Unknown [ 3:45 PM ]
I'm running about five minutes late. Iida and I had to stay after class to do something for Aizawa.
See you soon.

Exhaling deeply through his nose, he scrolled up to look at the past messages between them yesterday.

Now that he was here, he wasn't really sure why he agreed to this to begin with. It'd been in the back of his mind all day during school, but now it was happening and he sincerely wished he had declined when he had a chance. It wasn't that he had anything against Yaoyorozu, but getting involved with students outside of class activities…

Maybe I'm just nervous.

He never spent time with kids his age, constantly under Endeavor's thumb. That life isn't meant for you, he would say whenever Shouto gazed longingly at his brothers and sister playing, or at the kids outside at the park. You're meant for greater things, not these frivolous activities. He'd fought it at first—whined, complained, even begged, but it only made his father train him harder, as if the man could beat the childhood out of Shouto. In many ways, Endeavor did just that. As a result, he'd spent most of his life in isolation.

Shouto locked the screen and set his phone to the side next to him, closing his eyes, the hard look on his father's face burned into his mind.

He would reject that man. He would reject him everything; become the number one hero without once giving way to that side of him. He had to—he had to.

The loud echoing of the training room door creaking open made his head turn. Yaoyorozu entered in, dressed in her P.E. uniform as well, a gym bag and her book bag both hanging from her shoulder. Her chest was contracting quickly. Did she run here? Shouto wondered. When she caught sight of him, she smiled widely and approached.

"Hello! Sorry I'm so late, did you get my text?" She asked, short-winded, setting her bags down on the floor next to him and leaning over to unzip the U.A. gym one.

"Yeah," he replied, watching as she rummaged through her belongings and then took out two water bottles. Standing straight, she offered one to him, still trying to catch her breath.

"I'm dying of thirst right now. I basically jogged to get here quicker, I feel guilty that you waited this long already. I got you one, as well. It's good to hydrate yourself before training. Oh! Have you eaten? Are you hungry? Do you want a snack? I have those in here, too—" She spoke quickly and went to go back into her bag, but Shouto put a hand up to stop her, hardly able to keep up.

"I'm fine," he assured, taking the bottle from her hands. "Thank you for the water."

She paused, a light blush on her cheeks.

"…Of course."

As he unscrewed the top of the bottle, Yaoyorozu surveyed the training room while opening and taking a swig of her own water. It appeared that she had finally calmed down a bit, now that she was stationary.

"This is a good space. Much larger than the one I've been using."

More room is better for my Quirk, Shouto thought to himself, raising the bottle to his lips. Then, Yaoyorozu turned to him, a serious expression on her face.

"Do you mind if I take these clothes off?"

Shouto choked on his drink.

What.

As he sputtered, water spilling down his chin and chest, Yaoyorozu's eyes went wide, realizing her own words and bringing both hands up defensively, face turning crimson.

"I—I'm sorry! I meant—I just meant my P.E. uniform!"

Coughing to get out the liquid sitting in the back of his throat, he shook his head while trying to communicate that it was fine, but his words never made it out.

"No, don't talk—here, let me—"

Yaoyorozu rolled her jacket sleeve up to her elbow, and from her forearm Shouto watched as she pulled out a small, white towel from her skin and offered it to him, guilt displayed all over her worried features. He could have just heated himself and evaporated the water, but, not wanting to be rude, he silently took it, still trying to clear his lungs. The cloth was soft—softer than he'd expected it to be. Dabbing himself dry with it, he could not help but notice that it carried a faint smell.

Flowers, maybe? He couldn't put his finger on it.

When he was finally able to breathe again and Yaoyorozu's cheeks simmered down to a calm blush, she made it a point to apologize once more.

"I'm so, so sorry."

"It's nothing," Shouto said. His face felt oddly warm and he could not quite meet her eye when he extended the now damp towel back to her. "Thanks."

"No, no, please, keep it. I've got about a thousand of those things lying around already," she insisted.

Shouto looked at the cloth for a moment, the floral scent tingling his nose.

"Alright."

It wasn't really worth arguing over. He'd just leave it for her at school on her desk when she wasn't there to decline. Plus, he was certain he'd coughed in it at least once, so it was probably best he cleaned it before returning it to her anyway.

"Thank you," Yaoyorozu murmured as he pocketed it into his gym bag below his seat.

An awkward silence filled their space as she shifted uneasily next to him, neither of them quite looking at the other. Clearing her throat, Yaoyorozu was the first to break it.

"So, um—what I meant earlier… For my Quirk, I work best with as little clothing as possible," she explained, and Shouto could tell she was straining to keep her tone conciliatory. "I have an outfit underneath this that I usually train with, since we're not allowed to wear our hero outfits without permission. I've… only trained with girls so far, so I… haven't really had to ask…"

Her concerns were rational, but Shouto was confused as to why she was asking him if he was okay with it, considering it would be her that was displaying most of her skin to a boy she barely knew. Not that he would make a big deal out of it—of course—this was just training and he wasn't the kind of person to take advantage like that. It wouldn't be worth it if she wasn't using her Quirk to the best of her ability.

"Your skin is your strength and your defense," he stated dully, "it wouldn't make sense for you to keep it covered up. Use it with me how you would with anyone else, as long as you're comfortable doing so. We're here to train, so don't worry about me."

"Ah—r-really?" Yaoyorozu smiled nervously. "Thank you, Todoroki. I… Well, to be honest, I thought of asking Jirou to come, but I feel comfortable around you. I think that you are a trustworthy person."

Shouto blinked, and a small flutter in his stomach made his breath hitch. It was… odd. His skin felt unusually warm. Am I coming down with something? He wondered, considering if he should visit Recovery Girl before he left campus to make sure he wasn't getting sick prior to the Sports Festival.

Hearing Yaoyorozu's jacket shuffle as she began to unbutton the top of her P.E. uniform, he let out a exhale he didn't know he was keeping in. Yaoyorozu turned to him, eyebrows somewhat knit together in concern.

"Uhm… Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry, water from earlier, I think."

It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth because he didn't really know what that was. He chose to avert his eyes for the remainder of her undressing, trying to ignore how tepid the room was beginning to feel.

"Alright then. All set!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed with a clap of her hands, a signal that she was finished. When Shouto looked back at her, her attire changed to what appeared to be a sports bra and work-out shorts, her midriff vastly more exposed this way than her actual hero costume. His body felt rigid thinking back on her words, I think you're a trustworthy person. He decided to fixate his eyes on her face, afraid that he might make her uncomfortable by staring elsewhere—or that he might be tempted to notice things he shouldn't.

This was training. It wasn't personal.

"So, let's set up some ground rules, shall we?" said Yaoyorozu, both hands coming to her hips. Her authoritative tone reminded him of class, demanding his attention.

"First," She gestured towards the elevated landing, "Let's do our best to stay in the arena. We both have Quirk's that can cause property damage, so we need to be careful. If one of us gets knocked past the boundary lines, the other is required to stop to let that person back on before we resume. Being hero's means that sometime we will have to deal with close-quarters combat, so this method is beneficial for us to improve our ability to keep possible property damage to a minimum."

Raven eyes narrowed at him. "In other words, let's not freeze the building."

Shouto covered his mouth to hide the tiniest smirk threatening to surface, feinting impassiveness. She sure did feel strongly about that. Yaoyorozu turned her gaze back to the arena, lifting herself up onto it.

"Secondly," she continued, "we need to do our best to prevent any major injuries. This should be a no-brainer, but non-lethal offensive actions only. I don't think either of us wants to miss out on the Sport's Festival because of reckless behavior."

Shouto nodded. He had enough control over his Quirk to know what went too far, and he could assume she knew the same.

"I think that's all. If we abide by those two rules, we should be good."

"Are we just fighting eachother, then?" Shouto asked, rising from his seat and following her onto the arena.

"Yes and no," Yaoyorozu closed her hand into a fist, concentrating. He watched curiously as she formed a rock pendant necklace from the skin of her palm, holding it out to him by its cord. "We'll be training using this. Basically, one of us will wear this around their neck, and the other has to get it off. Think of it as you or I holding something hostage—the other person needs to figure out a way to safely save the person in trouble."

She's trying to simulate Kaminari being taken by one of the villians during the attack, Shouto surmised, recalling hearing the details surrounding that incident by Kaminari and Jirou talking about it in class. He had came to the same conclusion in the library. The black-haired girl wasn't difficult to read, wearing her emotions on her sleeves like that.

Still, I can just freeze her in place and take it from her. Not much of a challenge for me.

"Uhm, sorry. Maybe that's a stupid idea…" Yaoyorozu said, recoiling the necklace back to herself. She had taken his silence for disapproval.

Shouto studied her for a moment.

It wasn't much of a challenge, but…

"No," He held out his hand for the necklace, "We'll do it. You go first and try to get it from me."

Yaoyorozu blinked at him before her eyes lit up, the confidence returning to her evident as she smiled brightly.

"Okay then! Let's… Let's do it! Are you sure you're okay with going first?" She asked, giving him the item and watching as he placed it over his head.

"Yes."

Truthfully his intentions were twofold. This way he would be able to work on his own defense, as well as get insight to the extent of Yaoyorozu's Quirk, which he knew little about. He may not want to get close to his classmates, but they were his competition to get to the top. If Yaoyorozu was truly as intelligent as he thought her to be, then her Quirk being used against him offensively would be a learning experience.

With the rules and challenge in place, Yaoyorozu and Shouto went on opposite sides of the arena. From her forearm, Yaoyorozu morphed a small, timer like device that was in the shape of a rooster. She showed it to Shouto from afar.

"We'll start with this. I'll throw it into the air and once it explodes, that indicates that the match has started. Good?"

"Yes."

He downcast his eyes to his right hand, flexing it, the cold already bristling at his fingertips.

I have to be careful, he thought to himself. I have no desire to hurt her, but I'm not going to go easy on her either.

"Ready?" asked Yaoyorozu.

Shouto looked up and nodded, settling into a battle stance. She, too, got into position.

A few moments of silence.

Yaoyorozu flung the device above them. After two long seconds, it went off with a small, sparked explosion.

Boom!

Begin battle.

Shouto's first move was made without hesitation.

Ice shot from underneath his right foot directly towards her and Shouto watched as something grey—a shield?—materialized from her arm and she ducked, disappearing under the crystals of frost that shot up and around her form. He knew immediately from the way the ice ran up where she was that she had blocked it, likely protected by whatever she created. He let out a cold breath, eyes searching for movement.

She's using my ice as a fortress of defense while she creates, he deduced. Clever.

He'd have to do something about that.

Cutting off her possible exits, Shouto allowed his Ice Quirk to flow from underneath his shoe and split into two different directions, creating borders of sleet, when a flash of raven black hair appeared to dash around it. Instinctively, he shot ice out from his hand towards where she was going, but his gaze caught sight of an object flying high into the atmosphere.

Instinctively he changed course to summon pillars of ice as a safeguard, but a sharp projectile fired after it, setting the item off mid-air before he was fully sheltered. In a hot flash of white, his eyes burned and his eardrums exploded with ringing.

A stun grenade.

Disoriented and unable to see or hear, Shouto was rendered vulnerable but not powerless. With a flick of his wrist he brought up glaciers that twisted around the arena in a circular maze, trying his best to envision the parameters in his blindness. When his sight returned, hazy but manageable, an explosion nearly knocked him backwards as the ice pillars infront of him shattered. Faltering in his reaction time, a blur in the form of Momo Yaoyorozu came towards him at high speed, casting wielding goggles and earmuffs off her face with one hand and creating a long steel bo staff in the other.

He conjured a glacier towards and underneath her feet to stop her. She leaped, stave held above her head in attack.

No good.

Yaoyorozu wasn't fast enough to escape the ice that came for her. It attached to the back of her legs and spread half-way up her body, up her back and down her arms to her elbows, immobilizing her in the air right above Shouto.

She yelled out in surprise, dropping the staff on the ground with a clang.

"N-n-no!" Yaoyorozu whined through shivering teeth, hands shaking.

Looking up, he surveyed her. He was honestly impressed she'd gotten this far. Not that he didn't think her capable, but his Quirk was both too powerful and too quick against hers.

"Sorry," he muttered, monotone. He did feel bad.

"W-w-why are you a-a-apologizing?" She stuttered. Then, Shouto noticed a determined glint in her onyx eyes, a tick at corners of her mouth betraying her.

"I-i-I'm not giving u-u-up!"

What? He tensed, not understanding until he witnessed cracks forming in the ice encasing her, breaking off at the weakest points. In his hesitance, she broke free and toppled straight into him from above.

Whatever their battle was previously, it changed drastically the moment her body was on his.

His mind went into a full frenzy as her whole form went against him, her hands trying to pin him down, fingers grappling for the pendant at his neck. Swiftly he pushed and held her back, their legs tangling together. Both sides of him began to flare up in defense, ice and heat prickling over his nerves, heart racing in a panic. He needed to get her away, right now. Without thinking, he roughly pushed her off of him to the side, causing her form to go rolling and slipping across the iced ground beneath them.

She caught herself, creating a pick in her hand that she slammed into the foundation to keep her from going any further. Adrenaline pumping, he stumbled to stand up, blinking away the frost forming on his eyelashes, trying to focus on regaining control of his Quirk which was bubbling at the surface, about to erupt, before Yaoyorozu was coming at him again, dropping into a slide and sweeping her feet underneath his already unstable ones.

Fuck.

Using his right hand to conjure a wall of ice behind him to break his fall, she pulled out another staff from her arm and attacked him head on; one hand on her weapon, the other, inches away from stealing the pendant around his neck, fingers nearly brushing it but—

I won't lose.

Shouto let his back hit the wall of ice hard. Both his hands flew up to grip the staff that Yaoyorozu pressed horizontally against his chest. Their arms trembled as their physical strength collided in a gridlock. Shouto let ice flow from his right palm, extending to the length of the staff so that her hands were frozen to it. She would not be able to reach out and grab the pendant now.

Yet Yaoyorozu was pressing into him with everything she had, her face contorted and scrunched in, black brows drawn together with absolute concentration, teeth grit to keep from chattering as cries left the back of her throat—raw, unfiltered. They filled his eardrums to the point where he could hear nothing else, and it became painfully apparent to him just how close she had been—she was. At this proximity, he could see each sweat bead rolling down her temple, her cheek—underneath her chin and down her neck to the supple skin stretched over her neck bone, the muscles of her arms and shoulders tightening as they worked against him, getting closer.

He tore his gaze from it up to her eyes and almost lost his form completely. The usually calm and collected charcoal iris's were now flitted with embers that made his insides swelter with heat. As he began to push her farther away, he watched as they ignited—She wanted to win. She wanted to win.

Shouto thrust back harder. He was not going to let her win.

Her eyes shot up to meet his. Something wild, something desperate, passed over her features.

She lunged.

The last logical thing he thought was: She is going to rip it off me.

And then, when she dug her face forward into the crevice of his neck and Shouto felt her mouth on his skin, everything went blank.

The blood that rushed to his head felt like a suppressed explosion. The feeling of soft lips dragging down against his throat, her teeth scraping his clavicle as she bit down on the string but caught his skin as well, sending heat through his nerves into his chest—he couldn't—the sensation of it—his body was scorching—burning—

Hot.

Fire.

A cry.

Her cry.

"Ouch! Ah—T-Todoroki! You're—!"

It happened before he could stop it.

Yaoyorozu's panicked yell was drowned out by the flash of fire and heat bursting between them, separating the two with force as the air filled thick with vapor and smoke. Shouto slid back down the wall of ice, dropping into a puddle of cold water. He felt a sharp pain go up his spine when he brought a hand up to his eyes, pinching them closed as if it could bring balance to his dazed state.

What the hell had just happened?

Shouto stumbled when he tried to stand, his heart pounding against his chest.

"Yaoyorozu?" He called out, not seeing her right away. When nothing but silence answered him, he felt panic stir inside of his stomach. Had he—did he—?

"I'm—I'm okay—…!"

Shouto nearly fell back down in relief at the sound of her voice, ragged but there. The outline of her form appeared in the midst of the smoke, and he made his way towards it until she was fully visible. She was sitting, legs sprawled out on the ground, a hand covering her mouth while she coughed profusely. Though she was covered in some suet, she showed no signs of any major injuries. However, when Shouto reached out a hand to help her up—careful to use the right one instead of his left—the moment their palms touched, Yaoyorozu retracted back with a yelp of pain.

Shouto's eyes went wide, afraid that he had accidentally done something to her as she looked down to investigate the source of the pain.

"Did I—?"

"N-no," She shook her head, hair now almost completely free from the ever-loosening hairband. "It's—it's burned, my palms are both burned. It's not bad, first degree, maybe, but—" She stared up at him, confusion on her face as she tried to discern what happened. "The rod got so hot all of the sudden, and then your hair—it caught fire after I—"

She stopped, mouth agape, and then, her bewilderment transitioned into a mortified expression when she caught sight of the small bite mark she left on his skin.

"—I—I'm—Todoroki, I—I'm so sorry! That was—what I did was completely uncalled for! I wasn't thinking right, I was—"

But Shouto wasn't listening, mind whirling. He had lost control and done something he had decided long ago never to do: use his left side in a battle. She had caught him off-guard and it triggered his fire Quirk to react. Even now, the spot on his neck that she had touched felt like it was somehow burning through his flame-proof skin, deep enough to cause a shudder running up his back.

He didn't know what to do with feeling this right now, so he shifted his focus on her injuries instead.

Crouching down next to Yaoyorozu, he took one of her hands, which was gesturing wildly with her rambling apologies. Gently, he closed his right palm over hers, and her mouth closed shut. Avoiding her eyes, he let the coolness of his Quirk act like a soothing balm over her burn, despite the unnatural heat that was flushing over him everywhere else—both right side and left side. He repeated it with her other hand, never once looking up to meet her gaze.

The softness of her skin was not lost on him, but he pushed it as far away from his mind as he could.

It was his fault it had been scorched to begin with.

What an idiotic thing he'd done.

"You still need bandages, and burn cream. I can get them from the medical station. Here," Shouto stood back up, offering his arm to her. Understanding, she looped her own around his and allowed him to help her up to her feet. As they both headed over to the nearest corner with a medical supply box, Shouto instructed Yaoyorozu to sit on the edge and let him get it for her. She obliged, resting with her feet hanging over the landing. As Shouto made his way to the station and opened the glass class, he took what he needed from it and returned to her.

When he got back, her eyes fluttered nervously up at him.

"Could you—uhm—help me put them on? My hands still feel kind of—"

"I will," Shouto said before she could finish.

It's my fault any way.

She offered her right palm to him and he began applying the cream to it, frowning as he coated the burn liberally.

"Why is it always the hands…?" He muttered under his breath, mostly to himself. "Am I cursed…?"

"Um… Cursed?" Yaoyorozu mimicked words in his head with uncertainty, causing him to look up at her in confusion.

"What?"

"You whispered something about being cursed just now."

"Ah…" He focused back on aiding her, securing the bandage before moving onto the next hand, "…When people are around me, their hands always get injured in some way… Like I'm some sort of hand destroyer… or crusher…"

A choking noise brought his awareness back to her. Yaoyorozu stared at him, cheeks puffed and lips pursed as though she were holding in a huge breath.

"…What?" He asked flatly, which was apparently all she could stand, bursting out into full-belly laughter, her bandaged hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"Todoroki—are you—are you joking!?"

"I'm not joking." He was very serious, but his words only added to her amusement.

"Oh my gosh," Yaoyorozu smiled widely, "You're really not kidding, are you? That's—Todoroki, it was just an accident. You're not cursed, we were training. It's okay."

He narrowed his eyes. None of this is okay.

"Hey," She moved her face into his point of view to get his attention, "It really is okay."

Her voice was calm, dark eyes sympathetically looking into his own. He stared into them, a fluttering inside of his ribcage, finding it hard to breathe for a moment. He swallowed a thick lump forming in his throat, broke the gaze between them and hastily finished patching her up. What is going on with me? A fever? Nausea? He thought, Am I really getting sick?

"Thank you," Yaoyorozu said once he was done.

He mutely nodded.

"We should clean up," She stared over the arena which was still covered in ice in some places and cracked in others. "Guess neither of us kept that second rule, huh? I can probably fix the damage I did…"

Shouto remained quiet, but didn't object. Yaoyorozu took it as him conceding, and didn't wait to see if he'd follow her lead when she stood up and turned to the arena, which was still covered in circular walls of ice. He did do so, however, and once they were both present, he used his Fire Quirk to melt the remaining frost that was already beginning to disintegrate from the mediate temperature of the room. Yaoyorozu on the other hand went and gathered the things that she had created, breaking out a hazard material bag from her arm that she placed them all in. In a few moments time, they'd cleared mostly everything. When Shouto saw her put a small device that looked similar to the stun grenade but not quite the same, he spoke again.

"What is that?" He asked, pointing.

"This?" Yaoyorozu stopped from disposing it, holding it up for him to see. "It's a special type of thing I created. I am not really sure what you would call it… but it helped me to weaken your ice when you encased me. I figured you'd do that at some point, so I thought of what chemicals I knew that could melt or break ice without any kind of explosion, since that would've ended up hurting me as well."

She gave him a small smile. "It's kind of like a smoke bomb, but instead of smoke or gas, it released a form of calcium chloride. It hardly worked as I wanted it to, though. The idea was that it would break down the entire casing and 'implode' inside your ice, but it go as planned. It did however set off enough that it caused the ice to crack near the weaker points, so I took advantage and used my Quirk to push small spikes out of my skin in order to break off enough to free myself."

I didn't catch any of that, Shouto mused. He thought of himself as fairly observant, but in his pride he had not considered the different avenues her Quirk had to overcome him. It was… impressive. Clearly, she was more resourceful than he'd given her credit for.

"Yeah…" She sighed, throwing it into the bag, "I had a lot of ideas before we started, but when the battle began I kind of just lost myself in a panic. I…" Her eyes shifted towards him, "Sorry again for the… you know…"

"It's fine," He told her, the faint mark on his neck burning each time she reminded him. "It's not deep, so I'm sure it'll fade."

He made a mental note of avoiding his sister at all costs until it did.

"Okay…"

An awkward silence fell between them as they did their best to return the training space to the way it was before. Yaoyorozu was able to conjure up some kind of paste to fill in any cracks, promising that she would let the teacher know regardless and that she would cover any costs if necessary. At the end, they both decided to call it quits there, not wanting to do any further damage. As they both walked back to their belongings, Shouto grabbed his gym bag and swung it over his shoulder, lost in thought.

This had not gone at all how he thought it would.

"Hey, uhm, Todoroki…"

He turned to Yaoyorozu, who was putting her P.E. clothes back on as she spoke.

"Your Fire Quirk… You haven't used it in battle at all so far. You did today, but… that was only a reaction, wasn't it? You don't like to use it at all, do you?"

The observation and question pinned him still.

There was no point in lying to her. His classmates would find out sooner or later, anyway.

"No, I don't."

"…I see."

Quiet made its home amid them again when she did not press him for any further explanation. For that, he was grateful. He had no desire to open up about his familial issues, especially when his father was so idolized by most of the hero community. Yaoyorozu was likely included in that fan base because—like many—they did not understand who his father really was.

I need to go home, Shouto thought, checking the clock that was set in the wall across from them. Since they made no plans to leave together and he already gathered his things, he approached her and said his goodbyes.

"I'm heading out. See you later, Yaoyorozu."

Onyx eyes blinked up at him as she had just finished buttoning the top half of her P.E. uniform.

"Oh—You're not going to wait?" She shook her head, "I mean, sorry, of course. You don't have to wait for me. It is getting late. Please get home safely and… thank you for training with me today."

"Sure. If your hands don't feel better by tomorrow, you should visit Recovery Girl." I might go see her as well, too, he mused.

Yaoyorozu nodded. "I will, thank you."

Turning on his heel, he went to leave, but as his hand grabbed the handle to push open the exit door, Yaoyorozu's voice stopped him.

"Wait! Shouto!"

"Hm?" He looked over his shoulder at her.

"I…" She took a breath, fingers brushing a stray hair out of her face, "I don't know why you don't use your Fire Quirk, and you have no obligation to explain it to me, but… If you want to become a hero, you shouldn't purposely hold yourself back. You should use whatever abilities you have. As long as it helps people, that's all that matters, right? That's… what I think, anyway."

Shouto digested her words slowly, frowning. There was a lot he could say to that, but he was tired, and he did not feel like it was worth the effort right now. He appreciated her concern, but there was so much she didn't know—didn't understand. His Fire Quirk—his fathers Quirk—he wanted nothing to do with it.

It was too late to go back now, anyway.

"See you, Yaoyorozu."

It wasn't the response she wanted, he knew, but it was all he had to give.

"…Bye," She replied, forcing a small smile that dissipated as quickly as it came.

He didn't like it when she looked at him like that, but what could he do?

Departing through the door, he closed it behind him, leaving her alone in the room. As he walked down the hall, he scowled.

You can't lose your footing now, Shouto, he scolded himself. Stay focused. His right hand came up to the spot on his neck where she had left her mark, using his ice quirk to cool it, hoping it would disappear completely before he arrived home so that he did not have to bother explaining himself to Fuyumi or worse, his father.

Yet no matter what he did, he could not rid himself of the burning sensation around it, or the heavy weight in his stomach every time he thought back on Yaoyorozu's words.

Notes:

welp, here we are.

as you can imagine, this chapter was a pain in the butt to write for multiple reasons, but I wanted to challenge myself. It's hard when you're a noob who knows nothing about chemistry or atoms or anything. I am definitely not as smart as Momo so this was hard. I rewrote it three times (once through Momo's p.o.v.) and liked this rendition the best out of all of them. Sorry if it's a bit rushed near the end, I really just wanted to finish it lmao.

Sorry that this update came much later than my other ones. I had a huge project deadline this week for work (#corporateslave) and barely had time for any writing inbetween that and my personal life. On the upside, I've already written and finished the next chapter so... yay? I'll post it sometime early next week (Tuesday maybe?) cause I just want to look over it quick and adjust where needed.

For those that care, the slow burn will be heating up a bit quicker from next chapter on, since Shouto will be getting slapped in the face with our cinnamon roll Deku's friendship sticker soon in this "timeline" we're following.

Thanks as always for the kudos + comments. ya'll are great people, glad we're all on this ship together.

Chapter 8: Shouto & Momo I

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

When they arrive at the Sports Festival, Momo Yaoyorozu, along with the rest of the students from class 1-A, are ushered in by the teachers towards their respective locker rooms prior to its beginning in order to get properly dressed. During this chaotic venture, Momo's eyes inexplicably fall to Shouto Todoroki by what she believed to be some abnormal gravitational pull that has had a hold on her since their training session. It didn't make any sense. They hadn't really spoken since that day, outside of general greetings and goodbyes—which was still rare, considering both of them had shifted their focuses onto studying in the time leading up to the Sports Festival. Regardless, Momo had no explanation for why her gaze repeatedly rested on him despite there being plenty of other people to stare at.

It really wasn't doing her any favors. Each time he looked her way, her brain reminded her not only of that stupid, ill-thought out bite mark but also the fact that she had somehow managed to casually drop his first name in conversation. These memories had her defiantly avoiding any direct eye contact. At this point, she wasn't sure which one of those mishaps was worse, but thankfully he had not chastised her over the latter—she honestly wondered if Todoroki even noticed, but she wasn't about to go and ask him.

As such, this constant, unnerving habit she developed gave her fairly good insight on the many faces of the red-and-white haired student, which could be accurately titled as Shouto Todoroki: Fifty Shades of Detached. Outside of the occasional furred brow or annoyed frown, he didn't appear to show more of himself emotionally than he absolutely had to.

But not today.

Today, Todoroki is tense—tenser than usual. Shoulders squared, back straight, mismatched eyes like daggers piercing through the fog of chatter between the kids. His usual aloof expression is gone, replaced with one of concentration, fiercer than any he had during their fight a week prior.

It reminded Momo of fire.

In a moment of elusive bravery as Todoroki drew nearer to her with all the students squeezing together down the hall, Momo considered waving at him in passing; to tell him, good luck, or do your best as she often did with the other classmates, but a hand tugging on her sleeve stopped her. It was Tsuyu Asui, the frog girls large-set eyes staring up at her with concern.

"Momo, you alright? You look nervous, kero."

"Ah, no," Momo shook her head, "I'm fine. Just lost in thought."

Asui tilted her head to the side. "Daydreaming? At this time?"

A guilty smile spread across Momo's lips. Sure, she'd take that excuse. "You caught me."

"Hmm... You must be feeling pretty confident."

Not at all, Momo thought quietly to herself. Asui's interruption served as a cold reminder that they less than forty-five minutes away from the start of the Sports Festival and honestly, she was nervous.

Momo bit back a sigh. What was she thinking? This wasn't the time or place to let her mind be clouded with silly distractions. Pushing down the urge to peer back up at the male students walking past, she set her focus instead on the girls locker room that was much closer than the boys, which was farther down the hall.

"We should go in," Asui suggested, gesturing towards the room the rest of girls were filing into. Momo nodded stiffly.

"Yes."

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest when they crossed the threshold, previous thoughts of Todoroki disappearing as her anxiety shook her very bones. In the walls, they could already hear the rumbling feet and loud babbling of the crowd above them, leagues of Pro-Heroes and hero-fans alike—all ready to judge them.

Her hands balled into fists. She exhaled.

It's time... It's time to show them that I can be a hero.

"—THE ONE WHO MADE IT BACK TO THE STADIUM FIRST IS—"

Present Mic's screams punctured through Shouto Todoroki's eardrums, past his heaving breathes and into the ground below his feet.

It doesn't matter, he thought as crystals of ice prickled over the right side of his face.

He already knew the answer, the shadowed frame of the boy ahead of him revealed as he passed into the sun-lit stadium.

"—NONE OTHER THAN IZUKU MIDORIYA!"

He already knew the answer, but it still pissed him off just the same.

Shit.

Shouto was at Izuku's heels, speedily coming in second place. Katsuki Bakugou, too enraged by the green-haired students win to care any longer about getting infront of Todoroki, claimed a close third.

"RACERS CROSS THE FINISH LINE ONE AFTER THE OTHER! WE'LL GO OVER THE STANDINGS LATER SO CATCH YOUR BREATH FOR NOW!"

Straightening himself, Shouto controlled his rapid breathes to slow, regulating his body temperature to help him recover quicker. The coolness of his Quirk against the warmness of his muscles acted like a balm, the puffs of cold air emitting from his warm lips evaporating like smoke around his scowling face. To his side, Bakugou was damn near losing his mind, pulling at his hair and yelling curses into oblivion.

"FUCKING DEKU—!"

Idiot, Shouto thought to himself. He understood the frustration—he felt it, too, especially being beaten by such a ridiculous act, but he wasn't going to have a temper tantrum about it like a child. Peering up at the stadium of people cheering above him, his frown grew deeper. Among the unintelligible noises from the crowd, he could practically hear that bastard of a father criticizing him. Shouto would be shocked if he wasn't.

Behind him, students began to cross the finish line. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Momo Yaoyorozu trudging in, sweat rolling down her exhausted, flushed face. Then, he saw her twist her body around to reveal Mineta, who seemingly attached himself to her P.E. jacket at some point in the race and decided to hang on for a free ride.

"Two birds, one stone, I'm a freaking genius!" Mineta exclaimed, prompting a look of horrified embarrassment from Yaoyorozu.

Shouto's jaw tightened at the boys words, the left side of him abruptly flaring up, blistering over his skin with a rush of heat. The sensation surprised him enough that he instinctively put his right hand on his left arm to halt any flames from coming out of him. "Stop," he growled under his breath, as though his Quirk were a kid acting as volatile as Bakugou. He had no idea what had spurred on such a reaction, but he knew damn well he couldn't lose control like that. Not today. Not with Endeavors eyes on him.

Regaining composure, Shouto distanced himself from the rest of the students pouring in. The image of Mineta was still grating on his mind though he couldn't understand why. With his gaze settling on the back of Izuku Midoriya's head, Shouto's own declaration of war on the boy from earlier chimed through his mind, granting him a clarity that grounded him back to his mission—his goal.

He had to be better-smarter.

It doesn't matter if you win now, he thought, glowering. I will beat you, Midoriya.

The Calvary Battle announcement, along with the double-edged sword of a points reveal, had Momo Yaoyorozu analyzing her fellow classmates like pawns in a game of chess. Her stare flew from one person to the next, cross-referencing everything she knew about their Quirks, current point status, and compatibility with her own abilities.

She had not performed to her own standards in the first challenge, making rookie mistakes in the later obstacles that cost her precious time and, unfortunately, some of her dignity, thanks to Mineta. She could not—would not—allow herself to fall behind again. This was a chance at redemption, and she was not going to waste it.

The moment Midnight freed them to begin making teams, Momo had hardly began settling on her first choice for a team mate when a voice rang clear through her rattling brain.

It was Shouto Todoroki, approaching her with an intent look in his mismatched eyes.

"Yaoyorozu. I need you on my team."

Momo gazed at him apprehensively, taking a step back.

"… What?"

Todoroki sighed, impatience in his features. "I need you on my team. Can you do it?"

"Ehm—" It was so—so sudden! Out of all the people, Todoroki was the last she'd expect—but then again, why would she think that? They had trained together, so they had some understanding of eachothers Quirk, and an offer from Todoroki at this point was nothing to snuff at, but—

"Can you do it or not?" Todoroki pressed, sounding annoyed at her lack of response, his gaze already looking for others in the crowd. She might have been irritated by his shortness, if she didn't understand the very real time crunch all of the students were in to create stable teams. The party of more desirable members would inevitably be picked clean first.

"Yes," Momo answered quickly. "Sorry, I'm just… surprised."

He cast her an incredulous look. "Why?"

Momo's mouth opened to retort, to give him several reasons why, but they all dissipated on her tongue when she realized how utterly nonsensical they all were.

This battle required strong strategy, and a keen understanding of Quirk compatibility. Todoroki was not only powerful, but smart. It was in her best interest to combine her own strengths with his if she wanted to win.

And she wanted to win.

"Nevermind," Momo crossed her arms over her chest, straightening. She didn't have time to let her mind run rampant like this. "It's nothing. I'll join your team. Who else are you looking for?"

"Someone who can cover my left side with long-range attacks," said Todoroki.

He doesn't use his left side in battle. She recalled that information from after their fight. If that was the case, then he was searching for a Quirk that could do something similar to his ice attacks—but then, the only person she could think of that could do that was—

"Kaminari," said Momo, an idea rapidly forming in her head as she remembered the fight at USJ. "His Quirk is electricity, and its attack can extend quite far when he powers it up. Normally it would impact us as well, but I can create a sheet that absorbs the shock and protects our team. I've done it before."

Todoroki gave her an affirmative nod. "That's good. I'll go find him then. In the mean time, grab Iida. We'll need him, too."

"Iida?" Momo raised an eyebrow, dropping her hands to her sides, "Are sure he isn't already teamed up with Midoriya?"

The red-and-white haired boy narrowed his eyes at her, lips set in a thin line. It was a cold, calculated expression that made a chill go up her spine.

"If Iida wants to hold himself back on account of friendship, that's his own business. But if he gives a damn at all about proving himself as a hero, he'll make the right choice."

Momo stared at him, flabbergasted by the boldness of his words. Turning on his heel, Todoroki departed, likely to go look for Kaminari, leaving Momo standing alone midst the hyperactive crowd of students. Biting her lip, she felt the flames of determination billow inside of her. He was right—this wasn't about friendships. This was a competition, and she wanted to come out on top just as much as he did.

Damnit, Todoroki, she mentally cursed the boy, blowing her bangs out of her face with a breath. I have no idea what to think of you, but I'm not going to back down, either.

Momo made sure to hold those words true, giving it her best all the way to the moment Midnight officially declared Todoroki, Iida, Kaminari and her as the victors.

Shouto Todoroki sat crouched outside of the stadium, back set against its walls, his mind anywhere but a place of relaxation. Despite his resolve to concentrate, Izuku Midoriya's words were playing over and over in his head, their conversation earlier like a fresh wound on his skin.

"Let me return your declaration of war with one of my own. I'm… I'm gonna beat you!"

Shouto looked down at his hands, flexing them open and closed, pockets of fire and ice appearing and disappearing inside of them.

He'd told the boy nearly everything. Spilled his insides out not because he was trying to open up about his feelings, but because he needed Midoriya to know, to understand. Shouto was not going to go easy. This wasn't a game to him. The cost of being "the boy who had everything" was high, and he'd already lost so much. Being a hero—coming out on top—denying that son of a bitch Endeavor the means of using him as nothing more than a tool—he'd do it on his own, his own way. All Might's favoritism of Midoriya, for whatever reasons it existed, wasn't going to hold him back from beating the green-haired boy.

He exhaled a cold breath that chilled the warm air, melting away in the breeze. Staring up at the clear sky above him, Shouto thought back on the tournament line-ups. Once he beat Sero (and he had no doubt that overcoming that obstacle would be child's play), Midoriya was next. Some would call it fate, being matched up following the conversation between the two, but Shouto didn't believe in such things. Life had not been kind to him thus far, so if there was some universal power pitting the two together, it certainly wasn't on his side. Either way, it was the ideal opportunity to back up all of his big words.

And Shouto would back them up. He'd show Endeavor that he wasn't backing down from him, either. He'd rectify that mistake from earlier in the Calvary Battle where his Fire Quirk had reacted outside of his control by showing the full extent of his Ice power, proving that this left side of him wasn't necessary—that his father wasn't necessary.

It wasn't an option to do it any other way.

"Ah—Todoroki! There you are."

Shouto's gaze lowered from the clouds. Iida, their class representative, was barreling through grass field towards him. It was strange; for a guys whose Quirk allowed him to essentially have flawless super speed, he was incredibly stiff even when walking. Trailing behind him at a much slower pace was Momo Yaoyorozu, an irked expression on her face. It appeared that she'd changed back into her P.E. uniform from the cheer leading clothes he noticed she and the other girls from their class were wearing earlier.

"We were searching for you," said Iida, crossing his arms as he came to a halt infront of Shouto, who was still in his crouched position.

"For?" asked Shouto, suspicious. He couldn't imagine a reason why either of them would need him for something. He hoped it wasn't for one of those requests he constantly got from classmates like Kirishima who would ask, Hey, Todoroki, can you chill this bottle of water for me? He really didn't need that kind of pestering.

Yaoyorozu answered his question before Iida did.

"The tournament will be starting soon. I know it's a tad early, but we've been asked to notify all students to begin gathering."

"We have found most, but some, like yourself, traversed the stadium grounds. Commendable!" Iida shook his head up and down repeatedly with frightening vigor, "Fresh air does the body and mind good! I, too, was nourishing myself in the intermittent break!"

Really? Shouto thought, surveying Iida. The boy was shaking all over as though he'd consumed several sugary drinks. Even his tones pitch was higher than normal. Pushing his feet into the ground to help him stand up, he gave them both a nod of understanding.

"Alright, I'll head back, then."

"Excellent!" Iida rose a flat palm high into the air before swiftly dropping it down in the direction of a nearby backway entrance into the stadium. "Please go immediately!"

Didn't I just say I was going to? Shouto questioned mentally, raising an eyebrow but saying nothing aloud. Iida then turned abruptly to Yaoyorozu.

"Yaoyorozu, allow me to finish sweeping the outdoor area. Please go back with Todoroki and recount the students that have returned!"

"Sure," Yaoyoruzu obliged, appearing as equally off-put as Shouto was when it came to their class representatives elevated energy levels. Iida bowed his head.

"Thank you very much!"

Without another word, Iida set off to complete his mission with the same, rigid motions he had earlier. At his side, he heard Yaoyorozu release a sigh.

"Goodness, that guy… Normally I appreciate his diplomatic nature, but after drinking all those colas, he's a bit more, well…"

"Hyper?" Shouto offered, garnering a chuckle from Yaoyorozu.

"Yeah," She smiled. His gaze faltered on it, looking away without really knowing why.

It suit her much more than the annoyed expression she had prior.

"Anyway, let's get going."

Shouto followed her lead as they made their way back into the stadium. Besides a few passing staff members and some wandering Pro-heroes that he did not recognize, the halls were mostly empty. He figured most people had already gone back to their seats at this point. Soon, he'd be back in their sights, his fight against Sero and eventually, Midoriya, not far from now.

"Yaoyorozu, do you know who is up first?" asked Todoroki, realizing that though he knew his battle was second, he had not checked to see who was going up before that.

"It's Midoriya versus Hitoshi Shinso from the General Studies class," Yaoyorozu told him as they rounded a corner.

"General studies?" He'd seen the name on the board, but he had assumed the boy was from Class 1-B.

"Yes… No one is really sure how, but Shinso managed to make his way up against students from the hero course. An unlikely feat, but from what I hear he has a uniquely powerful Quirk."

Yaoyorozu's gaze dropped to the ground, and Shouto noticed she was biting her lip. After a moment of silence, she paused in her step, causing him to stop as well.

"Todoroki, you… I heard about your declaration against Midoriya," Yaoyorozu said, her voice quiet. She was not meeting his eyes.

"What about it?" Shouto asked, stuffing both hands in his pants pocket. It seemed odd for her to care about something like that. Yaoyorozu didn't strike him as one for gossip. Was she going to reprimand him, then? Say that he was being juvenile or a bad sport?

"Well… I…" He watched the muscles at her jaw tighten, then release, until she finally looked up at him. "I just wanted to wish you good luck, is all."

He blinked.

Out of all the things he thought she might say, that was not one of them.

"You look surprised," Yaoyorozu said, a tiny, guilty smile forming on her lips.

He tapped the front of his shoe on the ground absently, deciding to be honest. "I was expecting a lecture on camaraderie."

"Jeez…" She pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head, "Am I really that predictable? Well, I thought about it, but…" She brought both hands down, intertwining her fingers infront of her. "…I guess I was thinking of what you said earlier, about this competition not being about friendship. As much as I want our class to stick together and help eachother become heroes, there is some merit to that way of thinking. The Calvary Battle proved that. Yet, I also believe that kind of philosophy might also prove as a hindrance to you in this instance."

"So you are lecturing me," he deadpanned. She laughed aloud, and the sound of it settled warmly in his ears, releasing tension in muscles he hadn't been aware he had.

"For all the times you call me out on things, I think I'm allowed," Yaoyorozu winked, and a heat rose up the back of his neck. He rubbed it instinctively with his right hand.

He supposed she wasn't entirely wrong on that, though he wasn't sure if he agreed with her advice. He didn't see how the way he was going right now would do anything but make him stronger.

"I'm just saying, the relationships we make with people can be positive powerful motivators, too. That's... all I wanted to say." She moved her hands behind her back, clasping them together. "I'll stop talking your ear off now, so let's continue."

Shouto remained silent as Yaoyorozu began walking forward again. The relationships we make with people… Her way of thinking about these things was... innocent. Different. She'd shared her outlook a few times now, and there was something about each one that tugged at something deep inside of him. The only relationships he'd had in his life were ones that ultimately ended in ruin. If he were to make friends, they'd only make him vulnerable, something he couldn't afford to be if he was going to continue on this path.

Once the two joined the rest of their student body at the base of the stairs leading up to the students sitting area, Yaoyorozu turned to tell him goodbye. However, before she stepped away to her group of friends, she gave him one last small smile.

"Again, good luck, Todoroki. I look forward to seeing you fight," she said with a slight bow of her head.

"Mm…" He nodded, "… You, too."

The girls raven black eyes glimmered at his words, and the corners of her mouth extended up into rounded, flushed cheeks.

"Thank you."

Shifting her attention to a separate group of classmates headed up the stairs, Shouto felt suddenly calmer than he had all day. For that moment, however brief, her encouragement was louder than all of the thoughts of Midoriya, his father, and everything else, that had been plaguing him since the festival began.

Notes:

hello there, general kenobi.

so I am back. I'm sorry this update was so ridiculously late (2 weeks, whatttt). however, I was forced to put all my writing projects on the back burner to meet a work project deadline, which then lead to me traveling out of state, which THEN led to me coming home with a wonderful minor case of the flu.

basically, the past two weeks have sucked. but i'm back, with this sickness finally being on its last legs. i hope.

anyways, this wasn't the chapter I was originally going to upload which is another reason why it took so long. it came to me in my fever dreams. small snippets of todomomo throughout the sports festival in the "in-between moments" of it all. I hope you enjoy the idea of it. 3

as always, thank you so much for your kind comments and kudos. next chapter is a Momo chapter with some hot, juicy angst.

(also did anyone see todays bhna episode? I don't want to spoil it but I was cackling madly at a certain thing Momo says. just... great stuff. sssssssssssooooo great.)

****editing note: I realized, 8 chapters later, that I was accidentally naming bakugou as "katsuki" instead of the proper use which would be, duh, bakugou. obviously, I have been reading too many katsuki P.o.V ochako/bakugou fics.

Chapter 9: Momo IV

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Momo Yaoyorozu glanced down at the vibrating phone laying screen-side up next to her gym bag as she shrugged on her school blazer infront of her locker. The shuffling noises of the girls getting changed around her failed to cover up the incessant chiming of the mobile device, its sound beginning to mimic nails on a chalkboard against her ears.

She'd hear about this later. The ignored phone calls and text messages from her parents had not stopped since her fight—if you could even call it that—with Tokoyami. It wasn't that she wanted to make them worry, it's just that she didn't want to talk to them right now. In fact, she didn't really want to talk at all right now, so she kept both her head and eyes hung towards the linoleum floor beneath them and tried her best to take it one step at a time. Ochako Uraraka, who was next to her carefully peeling off her P.E. uniform past purpling bruises, paused to tap Momo gently on the shoulder.

"Uhm, hey, Yaomomo," Uraraka's lips were pulled up into a smile, pointing a finger at Momo's phone, "Your phone has been going off like crazy."

Despite the easiness in the girls voice, Momo heard the underlining question of, shouldn't you answer that?

"Oh, yeah," Momo forcefully mirrored Uraraka's expression back at her, muscles straining under her attempt at not appearing depressed, "It's my parents. They can be overwhelming at times. I'm waiting to call them back once we're out of here." She hadn't actually decided she was going to do that, but she didn't want to concern Uraraka, who showed off her pearly whites in response.

"I totally get that! My parents called me earlier, too," The happiness in her face, along with her lips, faltered for a moment. It recovered quickly, however, brown eyes lighting up like the memory was invigorating her rather than dragging her down. "It was hard to talk to them after I lost against Bakugou, but knowing they support me anyway is really inspiring!" Uraraka fisted her palm up by her face, and Momo thought she looked like a boxer ready to go back into the ring after being knocked out.

The brown-haired girls words gripped the loose end of a string tied to the knots in Momo's stomach and pulled, tightening them in her envy.

"That's wonderful," said Momo, and meant it. She glanced at her own phone, which had finally gone silent. "It's good that you have that kind of support system from your parents."

She could hear the twinge of sadness in her own tone, but Uraraka didn't notice, grinning wider as she resumed undressing. Momo joined her, grabbing the last piece of clothing she needed—her shoes—and closed the locker with a clack.

"I hope I get a rematch next year. I'm going to train hard and kick that guys ass so hard he blows himself up into outer space!"

The imagery of a short, bouncy Uraraka flinging a rock-solid Bakugou into the sky and hearing the boy curse while setting off explosions all the way to the moon proved so ridiculous that it solicited a laugh from Momo.

"I'm looking forward to seeing that," she told her, balancing on one foot while she bent down to slip a shoe onto the other.

"Yeah! Who knows, maybe you'll get another chance against Tokoyami, too."

Momo stiffened, slowly lowering her heel to the ground. She didn't dare look up, fully aware of the deep frown on her lips that would immediately give Uraraka cause for concern. The words were said, and meant, optimistically, but to Momo, they hit her gut like a lead pipe.

"Maybe," she murmured weakly, spending more time than necessary to put on her other shoe. Her mind trailed to her battle against Dark Shadow but was reeled back by a noise from Uraraka.

"Ouch!" The girl winced sharply through clenched teeth while pulling off her shirt, struggling to remove the tank top completely off her head. The source of pain was obvious—a bruise, already black and blue from Recovery Girl's accelerated healing, was in the indent where her shoulder blade curved into her back.

Momo stood straight and reached for her. "Here," she said, and gripped the cloth clumsily stuck between Uraraka's elbows and her head, pulling it up and over the remaining length of her arms until she was left in only a sports bra top-side.

Uraraka released a puff of breath, smiling brightly at her. "Thanks, Yaomomo! Sorry," she rounded her shoulder a few times, massaging it with a free hand, "Recovery Girl helped a lot, but I'm still kinda messed up."

"It's alright." Momo's gaze lingering on the girls injuries. She had so many of them… Evidence that Uraraka fought hard against Bakugou, giving it her absolute all to the point of senselessness just because she didn't want to give up. Nearly all of her classmates went through something similar, Midoriya and Todoroki most of all. Normally, she'd criticize them for such reckless behavior, but instead she could only think to herself: What do I have to show for anything?

Her teeth sunk into her lower lip, turning away from Uraraka. Momo had sat in that stand, watching each and every one of her classmates push themselves against eachother, but what about her? Could she say she gave it her all, her best? It was dangerous thinking this way, she knew that. It was picking at a wound that hadn't had a chance to even begin healing. A fatalistic downward spiral of over-analyzing a match that hadn't lasted more than two whole minutes until it became less about her decision-making abilities and more about her shortcomings as a person. She hated it. She hated this.

Momo grabbed her gym bag and burrowed her phone deep inside it. She zipped it closed and slung it over her shoulder, making a bee-line for the exit. A few people called out goodbye, including Uraraka, which she returned (she wasn't about to be impolite), but outside of that she couldn't muster anymore social interactions with the mental state she was descending into. She was exhausted, sore from the first two challenges at the very least, and trying to keep her stupid brain from tearing itself apart. The Sport's Festival was over, and all she wanted to do was curl into her king-sized bed, eat hot bowls of rice, hug several of her pillows, and read a mindless Shoujo manga until she falls asleep.

Yes, she thought to herself, that's all I need right now. One step at a time.

Walking outside the tournaments arena, cool, fresh air met Momo's bared face. It felt nice compared to earlier, where the warm weather bristled over them like a heat lamp. The sun was not down quite yet, but it was on its way, disappearing behind the tree branches that earlier it towered over. Since she had taken the students exit, there were buses, as well as parents vehicles, waiting outside to transport kids either directly home or to the station. A few steps out into the field and she caught sight of a familiar black car with her family's vigil on it parked right behind one of the U.A. buses.

Momo's heart skipped and her stomach clenched with nausea. Suddenly, the reality of home was less cozy, comforting blankets and brewed jasmine tea and more of her parents standing cross-armed at the door, their razor-sharp stares cutting off whatever strand of peace she's desiring without mercy. Breathing unsteadily, her gym bag sank, feeling unreasonably heavy, like the phone inside of it had transformed into a magnet pulling the entire thing down towards the earth.

She bit the insides of her cheeks. She needed to stop being childish about this and move on. Her attitude right now was unacceptable and she knew it, but she couldn't get past it right now—mentally or physically, heels dug into the ground like she was perfectly okay with being planted beneath the soil and left to root and grow into a tree. Instead, she just stood there, and while attempting to muster up some hidden energy to deal with all this, her gaze flew past, then returned to, the presence of a red-and-white haired boy stationed mere feet away from her.

Shouto Todoroki stood still as a statue, one hand shoved inside of his pants pocket and the other on the strap of his bag hung over his shoulder. He didn't look nearly as terrible as he did after his last two matches with Midoriya and Bakugou, but like Uraraka, it's probable that Recovery Girl worked her magic on him, leaving only a few visible scratches across what she could see of his face. Her mind tread the territory of there being more injuries beneath his uniform, but she swatted that fleeting thought like a fly immediately.

As she viewed him, Momo noticed something off. Of all the expressions Momo had seen Todoroki make (a short spectrum, from what she'd witnessed), this was not one she was familiar with. His face was pensive, gaze lifted towards the sky, mouth slightly slack. It was as if he were daydreaming—an interesting concept for someone whose profile could be photographed and stuck under the definition of impassive. Then again, they all had endured quite an exhausting event. Todoroki more so, with his Fire and Ice Quirks on full firework display. That, in itself, had been a shocking revelation for all—including Momo, who was certain Todoroki would stick to his decision not to do so.

He's probably just tired, she figured, but then she watched his lips close into a frown, eyes going half-mast, and she can't stop herself from the idea that he looked… sad.

Momo's heart jumped to her throat and she looked away, like she had just infringed on something private though they were both out in the open. Sight falling back on the black car patiently waiting for her, she tightened her fingers around the strap of her bag. Again, she knew she needed to be mature about this and go, but that truth didn't persuade her legs to move anymore than it did earlier. Instead, her body felt pulled in a different direction—to him.

Todoroki still hadn't noticed her. A miracle, considering she was back to studying him like a book. She thought to say something, to ask if he was okay. That wouldn't be weird, right? No, he was a classmate, it was normal to worry.

Her mind bounced between Should I or Should I not? Until finally, with a sharp inhale, she did.

"Todoroki," his name shot from her mouth with a wry quickness that sounded more like an admittance of guilt than a greeting, but it succeeded in catching his attention—so unlike the time she tried to speak to him on the first day of school. Her anxiety wriggled in its human-sized cage when he lowered his gaze to her.

"Ah, Yaoyorozu." Todoroki's way of saying her name was distant—like he's on the other end of Japan rather than just a few feet away from her. A contrast to the sharp tone he often used when addressing her.

Momo swallowed down the doubt clawing at her throat. Start simple. "Congratulations on second place in the Sport's Festival. It was an incredible display of your strength. I… expected nothing less from you."

She'd meant it as a casual conversation starter, but the boy's far-away expression twisted into something sullen.

"Thanks," He said with a tone that suggested he didn't really believe her. It called to mind the first time she had overhead him being commended for his performance. Back then, he had come in second as well, an outcome that he took as a total failure, practically scolding her for saying otherwise. Now, his reaction was far more reserved. "You did well, too," he added, another significant difference from the past.

Shifting her feet together, Momo tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, feeling her cheeks heat. That's not true, she thought, teeth sunk into her lower lip to keep from saying it aloud. She did not want to make this about her, when the whole reason she was stepping outside this circle of comfort was to make sure he was okay.

"Uhm, Todoroki… This may be none of my business, and if it isn't, then I apologize, but… is everything alright?"

Todoroki tensed, lips parting slightly, and Momo instantly regretted her decision to prod. They held eachothers gaze for what felt like years, his grey and seaglass iris's staring through her onyx ones, unyielding in the way they wrapped around her legs like roots of a tree piercing her to the ground. In the quiet sitting between them, she swore her heart was beating loud enough for him to hear, reprimanding words lashing at her mind for bringing this up at all.

Then, his mouth closed, and his features softened as he looked down at the earth, frays of white and red hair covering most of his face.

"I… don't really know."

The vulnerability of his voice struck her with a tightened chest.

"I think I've lost my way."

Momo watched with eyebrows meshed in worry as the boy released a hand from his pocket and used it to rub the back of his neck, leaving the words to hang heavily in the atmosphere. Momo felt stunned—she had not expected him to say something like that. It was jarring, and it left her bewildered as to how to respond. When, exactly, did he begin feeling like this? Was he referring to losing his battle against Bakugou at the end, or—?

No, she corrected herself, that's not it. His fight against Midoriya… he used his left side—the part of him he said he'd never use in battle. Momo frowned, the image of Endeavor coming to mind. The Pro-Hero's shout of triumph when Shouto's fire Quirk was used had reverberated through the entire stadium. She recalled the sound of it making her strangely nauseous—a feeling that had only gotten worse when the two nearly killed each other with their wildly powerful Quirks.

Momo had put the pieces together that Todoroki's refusal to use his Fire Quirk and his relationship with Endeavor were related. So then why did he—?

"Yaoyorozu… I need you to lecture me."

The request, said with such a serious tone, made her physically lean back in surprise. Todoroki was gazing at her intensely, waiting for an answer.

"Lecture you…?" A nervous laugh passed through her lips. "That is… an odd thing to ask for, but…"

If it will help you somehow, Todoroki, then...

"…What would you like me to lecture you about?"

Momo is prepared for him to pick something related to the Sport's Festival, but what came next is nothing she could have expected.

"Forgiveness…" Todoroki spoke lowly, straight-edged but with an underlining uncertainty, "Do you think it's possible to forgive someone who hurt you for a very long time… years, even?"

Momo held Todoroki's eyes unblinkingly, heart bouncing like a rug had just been pulled out from underneath her feet. The question was a loaded one, and it took everything in her to keep from prying as to who or what kind of situation he was referring to, especially with what may or what may not be going on between him and his father. Still… how could she answer such a personal thing, much less lecture one on it? Who was he trying to forgive—or, was he the one asking for forgiveness? As her mind tangled within itself, her gaze rested on the burn scar over his left eye, and something inside of her heart opened with a painful click.

She wasn't sure—no, she couldn't be sure without asking him directly, which she would not, but…

Momo could not stop herself from wondering.

Frustrated with her lack of self-control, she smothered the idea of trying to get more from him than he was comfortable with. Desperately, she tried to find the right words. She was good with being clever, but this moment didn't call for intelligence—it called for honesty.

So she would have to be honest.

"'To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you'."

Todoroki responded to her quote with a genuinely bewildered expression. Momo blushed slightly under his fierce attention.

"I… read that, once, a long time ago, in one of my mother's inspirational books," She explained, suddenly unsure of her own body language, attempting to keep her hands from gesturing unnecessarily in her nervousness. "I think it's true. Though I can't say I have experienced such pain, resentment does sound like a prison. If someone hurt a person for a very long time, I imagine it would be like shackles to carry that anger with them forever, wouldn't it? If they never tried to approach them, or at least tried to make amends, well, they would just end up making a prison of pain for themselves. Sometimes we don't ever get an apology, but knowing that you made the choice to forgive them anyway—I believe that's the starting line to moving on."

Todoroki stared at her thoughtfully, as though picking her words apart in his head. He ran his fingers through the front of his bangs, pulling them back and giving Momo full view of the burn scar over his left eye. He sighed as red and white strands of hair gently fell down again onto his face with the motion.

"I see," he muttered. "You may be right, but… I guess I have to find that out myself."

Momo pursed her lips together and nodded, uncertain if she should speak on it any further. She wanted to ask—wanted to know—who hurt you? Her desire to cross over this short gap between them that felt so much larger than it was burned, but she knew she couldn't. Todoroki was not like the other students, not like Jirou, Uraraka or Midoriya. It wasn't that easy.

Be content with this.

"Yaoyorozu."

She snapped her attention to him. The way he said it this time was both familiar and comforting. Invisible butterflies batted their wings violently against her ribcage. The look he was giving her wasn't quite a smile, no, but it was something calm, serene—like a weight lifted off the muscles of his face. He appeared lighter, somehow.

"Thank you," he said, and Momo knew he meant it.

The smile that stretched across her lips couldn't be refrained. She, too, felt a floating sensation, her anxiousness evaporating.

"You're welcome," she replied quietly. "If… If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. We're classmates together on this road to becoming heroes, after all."

And friends, maybe, one day, she hoped.

"Yeah," He agreed, "Heroes…"

His words trailed off, gaze wandering with it for a few seconds before a booming voice from across from them reverberates through the atmosphere.

"Shouto! Let's go!"

It was Endeavor, the Number Two Hero. His voice is as fiery as his flame-immersed being, which lit him up like a beacon among those with far less flashy appearances. From where they were, his location could clearly be seen. At her side, Todoroki let out an irritated noise through an exhale from his noise. Momo thought it might be comparable to the reaction one night have before being forced into a car with several pissed off Bakugous.

"I gotta go," Todoroki narrowed his eyes at her and bowed his head slightly, "Sorry to bother you."

Momo laughed softly, then stated seriously, "I'm the one that spoke first to you. You never bother me, Todoroki." The words flew far too free from her mouth, and Momo knew her face showed her embarassment, but Todoroki only shook his head.

"Unless I go around freezing up buildings, right?" The retort was both smooth and monotone.

Momo stared at him for a second before letting out a breathy laugh.

"It is unnecessary," she jested gently, only half-meaning it this time. The corner of Todoroki's lips twitched, and for a brief second, the air between them felt like it was blossoming into something—else?

"SHOUTO!" Another yell, this time loud enough to shake the trees, blew past them like a wave, effectively pulling them out of—whatever this was.

Todoroki exhaled again and raised a hand to say goodbye to her, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Momo nodded meekly, silently put off by Endeavor's brashness. She did not want to admit it, but there was a fleeting feeling of disappointment at the Pro-Heroes interruption. She returned the gesture, "I'll see you then."

Watching Todoroki tread toward his father, Momo was reminded of her own parents waiting for her. Guess it's time for me to face the music, too, she decided, taking a deep breath. As she made her way towards her idling transportation, she thought to herself that despite the differences between Todoroki and her when it concerned their own individual walks of life, one thing was certain:

If they wanted to be heroes, they would both need to continue moving forward—no matter what.

Notes:

*friendship intensifies*

Chapter 10: Shouto V

Notes:

I was grinning pretty stupidly at the end of this, so I hope you will, too.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Shouta Aizawa, homeroom teacher of Class 1-A, glanced over his student audience somberly.

"I shouldn't say need to say this again, but I will. You two days to pick your agencies. In that time, ensure that you choose wisely."

He followed with a sharp inhale, the next words to leave his mouth holding the final ounce of his energy for the day.

"Class dismissed."

The room filled instantly with the scratching of desk chairs against tiled floors, overtaken only by the frenzied chattering of students. The energy levels in the room were high enough to rival an electric blast from Kaminari's Quirk, soaring higher as conversations broke out about each other's hero aliases and internships. In the back row, Shouto Todoroki remained stationary and quiet at his desk.

Since being given a list 90 pages long of agency offers, he hadn't paid attention to much else, staring hard enough at the first page to burn a hole through it. His body felt heavy as he read over and over the fifth agency numbered: Endeavor Hero Agency.

Its textual presence alone felt like his father was singing his fingers as the paper crinkled in his tightening grip, the sensation of his stomach dropping lessening each time he looked over it. He thought, after seeing his mother, things might be easier—clearer. Yet the resentment towards his father remained.

"… But you still want to be a hero, right?"

Mom.

Shouto sighed, unhooking his bag from the side of his desk and unzipping it to put the list away. He had a lot to consider over the next two days, and he owed it to both himself and his mother to do so seriously. As he carefully slipped all ninety pages into the bag, he felt his hand brush against something soft.

Oh. He remembered.

Momo Yaoyorozu's cloth.

A memento from their training. He washed it with the intention to give it back despite her insistence on keeping it, but forgot on several occasions to actually return it to her. It sat folded neatly on his desk for near weeks until today when he grabbed it on the way out, determined to finally reunite it with its literal creator.

Like most of the class, Yaoyorozu was still situated at her desk despite school being over, speaking animatedly with Kyouka Jirou standing at her side. She sat straight and proper, but her hands gestured wildly as she talked, eyes ablaze with enthusiasm, passionately describing to Jirou the pro's and con's of the different agencies available. As he watched her, smiling up to the corners of her eyes, he recalled vividly the prior day where he had visited his mother in the hospital for the very first time. When all had been settled in dried tears on hot cheeks and they finally talked past the apologies and regrets, he remembered her asking him a simple, yet poignant question.

"So… have you made any friends at school, Shouto?"

The query had echoed inside vacant spaces in his heart, their emptiness bringing forth a familiar longing from years ago that got buried under years of anger filling the cracks of his broken childhood. The hopefulness in his mother's gaze when she asked him only made it worse. He told her with certain bluntness: No, but thinking back on it, maybe that wasn't entirely true.

His eyes narrowed towards Izuku Midoriya, who sat surrounded by Ochaco, Iida and Kaminari at the front of the class. The boys hands were still heavily bandaged from their battle in the festival—torn to shreds for Shouto's sake.

"It's your power!"

The memory pressed itself onto his heart in a painful way. His attention diverged back to Momo Yaoyorozu, her primly laughter sounding clearer to him than all the other noise in the room.

"If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. We're classmates together on this road to becoming heroes, after all."

Something in his chest untangled. The relationships we make with people can be positive powerful motivators, too, he thought, repeating Yaoyorozu's own words back to himself. His fingers curled into the cloth inside his bag, staring at the raven-haired girl to his side. He wondered if there was more than just the choice of internship he had to think on over the next few days.

Evidently, this reckless gazing went on a little too long, because when Jirou caught him from the corner of her eyes, Shouto immediately averted his own, recoiling his hand back from his bag. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. He could feel her sly smirk like a stinging slap across his cheek.

"You got a problem, hot shot?"

"Hm?" Yaoyorozu made a sound of confusion, and he silently cursed himself when she followed Jirou's line of sight directly to its source. Her stare lingered on Shouto for a moment, pulling away only to look up at Jirou with uncertainty. "Is something wrong?"

Jirou gave him no time to respond. "He was staring pretty hard at you just now, Yaomomo."

Shouto glowered icily at her. You're making me sound like a creep.

"That's an exaggeration," he said, forcing the edges of his tone to smooth. He had no desire for an altercation. Jirou, on the other hand, came with both fists swinging. She matched his glare with her own.

"Uh, no. You totally were. Plus," an ear-jack rose to point at him accusingly, "you had a real funky look on your face, too."

The back of his neck heated in discomfort. He really wished people would stop making such comments about his face. Yaoyorozu, quietly observing up until now, leaned forward and tugged on the purple-haired girls uniform sleeve with a frown.

"Stop being rude, Jirou." It was less of a reprimand and more of an exasperated request. Her friend replied by folding her arms defiantly.

"Wait, how come I'm the bad guy here? He's the one that was shamelessly gazing at you."

An unknown object lodged itself into Shouto's throat, but it couldn't stop his next statement.

"I wasn't gazing at her."

A blatant lie, and Jirou and him both knew it. Even Yaoyorozu was gaping at him with a perplexed expression.

Jirou's mouth opened, no doubt to call him out on his bullshit. Hastily, he added, "I needed to talk to Yaoyorozu but I didn't want to interrupt your conversation. That's all."

The two girls shared twin blinks, and Shouto silently hoped the flimsy band-aid he just applied to this conversation was enough to pacify Jirou. However, it was Yaoyorozu that spoke initially.

"You… needed to talk to me?"

Her voice was small and nearly unheard over Jirou.

"Oh god, really?"

Shouto swore the purple-haired girl rolled her eyes far enough to see the very deity she swore on, the ear jack pointed at him falling slack on her shoulder. Both arms fell likewise to her sides—a sign of surrender.

"I give up. I'll let you guys talk alone since you need to so badly."

Yaoyorozu and Shouto both responded at the same time, each rising half-way from their seats as they blurted out:

"It's not—"

"That wasn't—"

Their eyes connected with eachother in surprise, a flush of color rolling over both their cheeks. Jirou, thankfully, had already turned around and left, either missing or purposely ignoring the opportunity to berate them further.

The two were left in an abnormally quiet bubble of exclusion from the rest of the bustling class. Yaoyorozu was the first to lower herself, sinking back into her chair with a gentle thunk. Shouto followed, irritated at this turn of events caused mostly by his own lack of self-awareness. Carefully he looked at Yaoyorozu from the corner of his eyes. Unfortunately, her black bang overshadowed her expression so that he couldn't properly see her face. Shouto sulked backward, folding both of his hands into his lap, all earlier feelings of unease having left with Jirou. This was… not what he had intended.

"…Sorry," He muttered.

Yaoyorozu's chair squeaked as she turned to face him, a hand coming to her cheek as though it could cool their pink hue.

"You don't have to apologize, Todoroki. You didn't do anything, Jirou is just…" She paused, covering her mouth with that same hand as a mental struggle played out on her features until finally, she uncovered it and continued, "…she's very protective."

He didn't realize he was considered dangerous.

"She thinks that most boys are either perverts like Mineta, or extremely childish like Bakugou," Yaoyorozu expanded further. He supposed that made sense—he'd hardly observed boys his age that didn't lean far towards one or the other.

"She's probably not wrong," Shouto said, moreso to himself than her.

"I think she is," Yaoyorozu combated with the same matter-of-fact voice she used whenever she answered a teachers question in class. Her eyes met his own with a fire he knew he'd seen in the past, and it stunned him. "I don't think you're either of those things at all, Todoroki."

His jaw went slightly slack, studying the seriousness of her face. It was strange—usually she'd blush, saying those kinds of things, but it was as if she needed him to understand where he stood in her frame of mind, and that was important enough to overtake the nervous mannerisms he'd previously observed from her.

It was something he had no idea what to do with.

"Thank you." The words came out with embarrassing breathlessness since, apparently, at one point he had stopped breathing.

"Oh—uhm—" Yaoyorozu fumbled, self-confidence crumbling a bit. "You're welcome, I suppose. I mean—" She cleared her throat. "Of course you're welcome. No—uhm—supposing to it…"

They held one another's eyes. Shouto swore the air was getting thicker, or he was getting warmer, or something was happening because his body was starting to feel uncharacteristically feverish. Instinctively his right hand came to the crook of his left arm to cool himself, but to no avail. He didn't know how, but this heat was not from his Quirk.

"So," Yaoyorozu exhaled, breaking him out his thoughts. She looked down and smoothed out her skirt, fingers rubbing the material at its edges, "You had something you needed to talk to me about?"

He nodded curtly, grateful to get back to the original reason he'd wanted to approach her.

"Yeah, I do."

Sitting straight, he pulled his still open bag close, digging his hand inside of it and grabbing her cloth. Despite all the movement of taking his textbooks in and out throughout the day, the cloth remained mostly folded. As soon as Yaoyorozu raised her eyes to see it, her face scrunched together, baffled even as he held it out to her.

"It's yours," he stated flatly when she failed to remember. She opened her mouth, possibly to ask why, but then understanding dawned on her and the tightness of her expression released.

"Todoroki," She huffed, "I told you to keep it, didn't I?"

She almost sounded annoyed. Well, that's too bad. He outstretched it further, prompting her to grab it.

Yaoyorozu studied him, probably deciding whether or not it was worth fighting him on, until she took the cloth from his hand.

"I washed it as well," he added, returning his now empty palm onto his lap. Yaoyorozu raised a brow at him.

"You—" But the rest of her words didn't come. Instead, she shook her head, eyelids dropping to half-mast as she gripped the cloth in her hand. "What the heck…"

Shouto tilted his head at her, puzzled. He started to think she might actually be mad at him, but then she laughed, pressing her free hand to the back of her forehead.

"You are so stubborn. I mean, don't get me wrong, tenacity is a good trait for a hero, but really…"

Stubborn, huh… Shouto mused, watching as she twisted around to reach and unzip her book bag, placing the cloth inside of it.

He could easily say the same about her.

"That reminds me," Her onyx iris's narrowed at him. "Do you have any idea of what agency you'll be going to?"

"Ah," Shouto leaned into his chair, thrumming his fingers on his thigh. His father's agency was the first that came to mind, but he felt no need or desire to share that. It was likely she already surmised the likelihood of it being on there. Maybe that's why she was asking.

"Not really."

For a moment, he thought she might bring it up. Say something like, what about your Father's agency? Like so many others eventually would.

Instead, she unexpectedly smiled and said, "I don't blame you. Over 4,000 drafts is quite a lot to sift through in two days. If you need any help researching, I wouldn't mind assisting you since I will be studying my options, too."

"…Assisting?"

"Yes! We're all on a time limit but you and Bakugou have it far worse than any of us."

"I suppose…" Shouto could not recall the last time he studied anything with anyone outside of occasional help from Fuyumi.

"No pressure, of course," Yaoyorozu cradled her face in her palm, elbow planted atop her desk. She was looking at him with startling softness. "You have my phone number, right? Please feel free to text or call me. Two heads are better than one—usually," she joked.

Considering Shouto believed her to be the smartest one academically in their class, it would be unwise of him to say no, yet he couldn't quite bring himself to commit.

There was still a barrier—a space somewhere in his mind that he was afraid to cross. Yet each time he talked with Yaoyorozu like this, something in timbre of her voice pushed against it, forcing pieces to crumble off without his permission.

He had not heard the echo of their falling until now.

"Alright," he swallowed, throat dry, "I'll let you know."

He wasn't sure if he meant it, but Yaoyorozu's grin widened nonetheless. She looked relieved.

"That's—uhm—that's good. I'm really glad."

A curious thing to say. Shouto wanted to ask why, but their conversation came to an unexpected end.

"Hey!" Jirou shouted, grabbing both of their attention. The girl, paired with Hagakure, waved at Yaoyorozu, "We're going to the cafe to look over stuff. You still coming, Yaomomo?"

Yaoyorozu nodded at her. "Yes, I'll be there in a moment!"

She turned back to Shouto, genuinely apologetic.

"I'm sorry, I promised them I would."

You have no reason to apologize, thought Shouto, feeling peculiarly bereft as he watched Yaoyorozu stand up from her chair and grab her bag.They exchanged quick goodbyes, and he snuffed out the temptation to stare at her leaving. He did not want to experience another dragging by Jirou if he could help it, and he had an inclination that he was likely being scouted for just that.

Waiting until after they left, he gathered his own things, heading out of the classroom alone, only a small portion of students left lingering behind. While he he made his way towards the exit, he took his phone from his pocket primarily to check the time, but then found himself pausing mid-step.

Staring down at this phone, he unlocked it and opened his list of text messages. On the screen, a conversation with Unknown looking back at him, not having updated since the last text message sent weeks ago. He hesitated, breath warm as he exhaled.

"So… have you made any friends at school, Shouto?"

His thumb reached up to the "editing" icon, selecting "Add New Contact" from the drop down menu that appeared. In seconds, Unknown was changed to Momo Yaoyorozu. The first person outside of his immediate family to be added to his contact list.

Shouto's lips twitched as he read her name not once, but twice, before returning the phone back to his pocket.

He'd have to tell mom next time he saw her.

Notes:

:)

so this chapter was really hard to write because it actually got DELETED when it was about 75% completed. i'm pretty good with backing things up but this was an anomaly that i paid for dearly. re-writing chapters can be discouraging, but I tried to salvage as much as I could from my original writing of this chapter (which, admittedly, I liked better).

also, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you who are commenting, leaving kudos, or just reading regularly from afar. this fic is, and will continue to be, a fun project for me on a personal level, and while I could've just kept it to myself i'm really glad sharing this could possibly bring a smile to your faces in one way or another. i hope that you continue to enjoy it as much as i am continuing to enjoy WRITING it. 3

Chapter 11: Momo V

Summary:

protective!shouto makes his first appearance.

WARNING: this chapter contains harassment / "implied" sexual harassment. it doesn't go too in depth but it could possibly trigger unkind memories for some people so please read carefully and skip past it if it becomes too much. 3

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

In what seemed like a whirlwind, the day of their internships arrived.

Momo came early to school that morning under Aizawa's instruction. With the assistance of Class President Tenya Iida, they both ensured that each student had everything on their checklist prior to departing via school bus to the bullet train station. The teenagers were so brimming with excitement when they got there that making sure each one successfully got onto the bus fully prepared was akin to corralling children who had just eaten a bowlful of Halloween candy into getting ready for bed: exhausting, trying, and weirdly sticky (thanks to Mineta).

While Momo struggled at times to keep even-keeled, Iida had the calmness of a mountain. His usual upbeat attitude and over-the-top mannerisms were replaced with a stoic, straight-to-business nature that felt so unlike him Momo found herself asking several times if he was alright.

"Yes, fine, thank you," came the robotic response of their class president, avoiding further conversation like he might just short-circuit if he didn't get back to focusing on his duties. She decided not to push it—she'd heard of his brother, Ingenium, from the hero news. Though she didn't have any siblings of her own, she imagined what he was going through was more difficult than she could understand, so she simply did her best to empathize from afar and quietly take on the harder tasks when she could get away with it.

By the time they were all finally on the bus traveling to their destination, Momo was already tired. It didn't help that she barely slept the night before, mulling over her choice of internship to the point of madness. She really did not want to mess this up—not after her embarrassing failure to meet expectations in the Sport's Festival. Uwabami, "The Serpentress", was a Pro-Hero that she unabashedly looked up to. The fact that the woman drafted her despite everything was an opportunity so painfully unworthy of her she needed to take full advantage.

She would not waste this.

Getting everyone out of the school vehicle turned out to be just as difficult as getting them on. Iida and Momo verified that each student had their train pass and a map of the area where their agencies were. Once all kids were accounted for by Aizawa, they were sent off by their teacher with a strict "be on your best behavior" warning. Mina Ashido, the acid hero with pink hair and even pinker skin, burst like a wild ball of energy beside Momo as soon as Aizawa left.

"I AM SO. FREAKING. EXCITED!" She exclaimed with a tuck jump, nearly dropping her luggage containing her hero suit in the process.

"Careful, Mina," Momo tried to say, but Eijiro Kirishima, equally excited, spoke over her.

"Me too!" He made a fist with one hand, eyes glistening, "Getting to train with pro-heroes, man… it's a dream come true. I'm about to get teary-eyed just thinkin' 'bout it!"

"The fuck? Don't cry near me," grunted Katsuki Bakugou, who was standing next to him. Kirishima shot Bakugou a sharp grin and bumped their shoulders together, earning a hellish scowl from the blond-haired boy.

"C'mon, Bakugou, you know you're excited, too!"

Bakugou released a snipped tch through clenched teeth before turning to walk away from the body of students gathered.

"Don't get lost!" Kirishima waved, "Good luck, King Explosion Murder!"

Bakugou's form tensed like a rubberband snapping back, choosing to respond to Kirishima's teasing through a rude gesture rather than with words. Kirishima, and some of the other students, laughed. Momo only sighed, finding little humor in his behavior. She hoped Pro-Hero Best Jeanist knew what he was getting himself into, drafting that wild child for an internship.

"We should all go before we miss our trains," Momo suggested to the giggling group. A murmur of happy agreement surrounded her. Quickly, the students began to split off into different paths, saying goodbye to one another. Jirou and Tsuyu made sure to wish her good luck, whereas Iida slipped away without a word, Midoriya and Uraraka following him. Momo frowned and silently wished him the best, hoping the Hero Killer would be brought to justice soon for his and many others sake.

Her eyes then settled on Shouto Todoroki, who, curiously enough, was also looking at Iida, Midoriya and Uraraka. She wondered why, finding no clues on the red-and-white haired boys usual serious face. Watching him, she remembered reading that he was going to his father's agency. A peculiar choice, considering how he felt about Endeavor.

"Heyyyy, Momo," Mina, who had been conversing with Denki Kaminari nearby, called for her. "You're going to the same station as us, right? Can you, like, navigate us?"

"Please, vice president!" Kaminari begged, "I'm terrible at directions."

Momo, breaking her gaze and attention away from Todoroki, smiled at them. The two were easily the most hyperactive pair of the class, but being asked for help brought her unexplainable happiness. The fact that her fellow students looked to her for guidance was a privilege—even if it was sometimes like watching over children at a theme park. They were going to the same station, after all.

"Yes, of course I'll help!"

Kaminari and Mina cheered gratefully, and the three set off with Momo leading. She had not been to a train station since she was younger and only then it was less than a handful of times, but the signs directing them were easy enough to understand. While Kaminari and Mina spoke excitedly between eachother, Momo checked her watch. Their train was near the east side of the station, so they'd need to hurry if they wanted to be punctual.

They moved with haste until the three students came to an unexpected halt behind a ridiculous conglomeration of people on the train platform. The crowd was all squished together, slowly boarding the bullet train which she assumed must have just opened its doors.

Oh no, Momo thought, stomach dropping.

"Welp! This is it! Looks like we'll have to gun it if we want any good seats." Mina cracked her neck, whipping out a devilish smile that set off all kinds of red flags. Kaminari hopped right onto that same wavelength, grinning like a madman.

"Hell yeah! Bet I can get on before you." He dared.

"Hehe! Try it, Electro-dolt!" Mina shot back, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"Uhm, perhaps that's not the best idea," Momo said, trying to extinguish this billowing fire, but her words went unheard. Instead, Mina grabbed one of Momo's hand from her luggage case handle and raised it in the air.

"Let's go, Yaomomo!"

"Wait—" But it was too late. Mina, with all the strength of a rushing bull, yanked her into the very hell she'd wanted to avoid: a large mass of sandwiched together strangers. Kaminari also leaped in, his laugh muffled by the sheer amount of individuals between them as Mina led them forward.

This was every sort of not great. How did people do this every day? Momo felt like she was being suffocated and yes—she was quite certain that someone had purposely brushed her chest just now. Panic rising, she stopped, tugging on Mina's hand harder than normal then letting it go once the girl turned in surprise.

"I'm going to wait until the crowd thins out a bit," she said, pulling back. Mina looked confused at first, but then the usual toothy grin came out and she winked, giving her a thumbs up.

"Ok, got it! We'll save you a seat!" Mina promised.

Within seconds, she was absorbed into the group of people, her pink hair the last of her form to flutter out. Momo took several significant steps back. Patiently, she stood in place with a strong grip on her briefcase, watching the bullet train fill up.

As long as the other students kept an open spot for her, she didn't let herself worry. She'd much rather this than rushing in like Kaminari and Mina had. Moving back further, Momo positioned herself against one of the stations large pillars that had a bronze plaque at the top showcasing the platform and bullet train number. Breathing steadily, she leaned her back against it in a tired slump.

Her internship had not even started yet and it already felt like a full day.

Looking at a nearby digital clock hanging above the station, Momo wondered how the other students were fairing. She prayed silently that each one of them would get to their agencies safely and that their internships would be successful—including her own. She thought back to earlier to Iida. In the time since he became the class president and she, his assistant, they'd gotten to know eachother well enough that she considered them friends, yet Iida had confided very little about what he was going through. Perhaps Midoriya and Ochaco know, she mused. The three seemed close knit. Still, perhaps I should text him once I'm on the train to atleast say good luck…

So lost in her own mind she was that she hardly noticed the encroaching individual standing next to her until the nerves on her skin prickled. By the time she whipped her head around to see who was stepping so closely to her side, a lanky arm positioned itself above her head against the pillar. Eyes wide, she leaned back as a strange man with straw-like black hair dressed in a suit that hung loose around his body pressed into her. His cracked lips were twisted in a half-open grin.

"Hey there."

Momo's body froze under the height of his form as he overshadowed her. His breath smelled like smoke mingled with vinegar, beady eyes boring into hers.

"Uhm—hello—" She said uneasily, taking a pre-emptive step further along the pillar behind her. The robust stench of his cheap cologne made her dizzy. "Can I help you…?"

"Heh, I was gonna ask you the same thing," the man cocked his head to the side. "A pretty girl like yourself standing alone in a big station… Figured I could help you."

The man's words were smooth but poisonous, his gaze momentarily dropping to her chest long enough to solidify his real intentions. Momo swallowed hard. She'd been in this similar situations to this before, but never had a man be this abrasive to her. He was practically inches away, slowly moving closer with every passing second as she continued to deliberately create space. Her throat felt like it was closing up. What should she do?

"I'm fine, thank you." She dare not give him a smile or any pleasant expression that might insinuate she's enjoying this, hoping her steely answer might deter him completely. Unfortunately, the man turned out to be the kind to find this sort of challenge was fun.

"What? You sure?" He laughed coarsely, then playfully tugged at the sleeve of her uniform in an attempt to keep her from walking away. "I've been around this station plenty of times, y'know, I'm sure I can help you if you're lost—"

"I'm not lost," Momo croaked. What was happening to her voice? Feeling his stubby fingers grabbing at her clothing was paralyzing, and while she took self-defense classes and was fully capable of sending this guy flying, his overwhelming presence and audacity to touch her had her muscles constrained in pure fear. It was like the rest of the people in the station had disappeared, and the only thing she could see was the porous skin of this man's smiling face getting closer and closer to her own.

"Aw, you sure? I can help you, don't be shy," His eyes betrayed him again, looking back down at her chest as he bit his lower lip.

Momo's mind began to go into overdrive, knees locking. Alarms of panic sounded off inside the core of her being. Move, Momo. Move. Go. Walk away. Run. Call for help just—do something! Defend yourself! Her hands gripped the handle of her case as an anxiety attack threatened to bring her down. Pepper spray—I can make pepper spray but—no—my hands are—I can't—I need to figure something out—should I scream?

"Hey, what's wrong? Am I making you nervous, hmm, pretty girl—?"

A sweaty palm rose towards her face and the sirens in Momo's head sang. She flinched back as the strangers fingers came to intimately brush against the single long bang of her hair before suddenly, it didn't.

A hand had rocketed across her, grabbing the man tightly by the wrist, followed by a frigid tone that split the space between her and the stranger like a wall of ice. Shouto Todoroki was standing at her side, cold emanating out of his presence like a late December chill.

"She doesn't want to talk to you."

His heterochromatic eyes glinted with frostbite, words sharp enough to draw blood. Momo stepped away in shock, legs like jelly. She watched the man harassing her violently try to pull himself from Todoroki's grip with both of his hands to no avail.

"The hell, kid!? Let go of me you fucking tyrant!" The stranger hissed, failing over and over again to detach himself.

"Fine," Todoroki said coolly, letting go at just the right moment of the man pulling away so that the he fell straight onto his backside with an unpleasant crack. Embarrassed, he stumbled to stand, face red and fuming.

"You stupid kid—"

"Stupid?" Todoroki raised an eyebrow. "No. Stupid is harassing a minor in the middle of a train station with security cameras present." He pointed his finger towards a nearby fixture where a black orb was hanging from a long, metal pole out of the ceiling.

The man gawked with his mouth open. "Shit," he hissed under his breath then glowered at Shouto. "W-whatever. I was just asking her for directions, that's all."

"Cut the shit and stay away from her." There was no need to add or else, the threat in Todoroki's tone was clear. Meanwhile, Momo's heart was pounding so hard against her chest she thought it might explode, eyes affixed onto Todoroki like a lifeline even as the stranger growled angrily beside her.

"I'm getting out of here," He grunted, brushing himself off and turning his back on them. "Fucking kids…" She heard him mutter as he scurried like a rat back into the crowd.

Momo, still staring at Todoroki, felt a shudder of relief pour over each muscle.

"Hey," Todoroki looked at her, his expression softening. The chill around him was gone. "You alright?"

I don't know, Momo thought, but her head nodded meekly anyway. Todoroki gave her a frown that told her he wasn't buying it, but she was grateful when he didn't press further.

"We—we should tell the security guards," Momo breathed shakily, "If he's bold enough to harass a minor in public like that, then—"

"I know," Todoroki interrupted. "I plan on telling them. I took a picture of him on my phone as well. It has a time-stamp so they should be able to trace him via the cameras."

"O-oh…" Her shoulders fell. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Todoroki wasn't like her—he knew how to handle himself in situations that required quick thinking. Her, on the other hand… Her eyes dropped to the floor below, the sounds and smells of the busy station slowly flooding back into her senses.

Why couldn't she act? She knew what to do in that situation, so why did she freeze? Why did this keep happening? What was wrong with her?

"Yaoyorozu…" Todoroki took a step towards her and she rose her gaze to meet his own. When she did, her stomach somersaulted. His face was calm—gentle. He looked genuinely concerned. "Don't beat yourself up over this. He was blatantly harassing you. Don't start blaming yourself for what you did or didn't do because none of it was your fault."

Momo stared into his mismatched eyes, mouth slightly ajar. She didn't know what to say. She knew he was right, she knew it, so why couldn't she accept it?

"I just felt like I could've done something," Momo admitted aloud, shocking even herself for handing him such a vulnerable piece of her with those words alone. Todoroki only shook his head.

"You're safe and out of that guys sights. That's what matters."

He said it so simply, and yet, it comforted her. She appreciated that he wasn't babying her with his honesty and didn't shame her for not doing something. It was so unlike how her parents and those around her treated her growing up. It brought her out of the dark of her thoughts and back into reality, reminding her that she was okay and safe now, the anxiety dissipating its heavy weight off of her.

You make me feel safe, she thought, gazing at him.

Her heart thumped loudly at the revelation.

"Anyway, I'm going to go alert the security guards and let them know," Todoroki surveyed the area. "Do you want me to walk with you to your station? I know you don't like crowds." He stated the fact like a quote, and she recalled when she first told him that earlier in the school year. They had shared common ground on that particular dislike. The fact that he remembered only made her heart rate beat faster.

"No, it's okay," Momo said, stuffing down her nervousness as best she could. "I'm actually already at my station… I was waiting for the crowd to thin out, and it looks like it has." It was true, the platform was scarcely as busy as it was, most passengers already boarded now.

Todoroki nodded, then asked, "Are you sure you don't need me to stay?"

Momo's lips pursed together tightly, the overbearing yes nearly flying from her mouth despite there being no real reason to say it. They were not getting on the same bullet train and she did not want him to miss his if he planned on speaking with the authorities on her behalf before they left. It would be selfish to ask any more of him.

"No, you can go. Mina and Kaminari are holding a seat for me, so I'll catch up with them."

He eyed her skeptically for a moment before relenting.

"Alright. I'll see you later, then."

As soon as the red-and-white haired boy went to turn his back, Momo's feet forward on their own as a bubble of anxiety popped inside her chest.

"Wait!"

He stopped, eyebrows crinkled. "What?"

"Uhm—" I don't want you to go. I still feel shaken up. I'm sorry for inconveniencing you. Thank you for helping me. "—Todoroki, I saw that, uhm—you're going to your father's agency, right?"

She mentally cursed herself. That was not at all what she wanted to say, but her brain, her mouth and her nervousness were currently warring against each other. She didn't know which one won, but Todoroki was looking at her suspiciously and she honestly couldn't blame him.

He must choose to cut her slack because instead of questioning her weird outburst, he simply answered:

"Yeah, I did."

She smiled feebly. "That's… surprising."

It wasn't surprising at all, considering she already knew, but she was two feet in this sinking sand now and couldn't get out.

"Is it?" Todoroki asked, less to her and more to the passing people around them. The far-away glaze over his eyes told her she likely wasn't the only one between the two trying to figure out how that choice came about.

"I thought you hate—I mean—" She stopped, feeling that term to be quite presumptive in its harshness, "—disliked him."

The word switching didn't go unnoticed, but instead of the cold stare she expected to receive, Todoroki looked at her and let out an exhale that maybe—maybe, could be considered some kind of breathy chuckle.

It did something terrible to her already jumbled insides.

"He may be a bastard of a father, but he's the number two hero for a reason. I need to figure out why that is if I'm ever going to surpass him on my own merit."

Momo's heart swelled slightly with a sense of admiration. He was moving forward… The Shouto Todoroki she met at the beginning of school would've probably scoffed, or straight up ignored, an offer to train short-term under his father. What happened at the Sport's Festival truly cracked open a locked door in Todoroki's soul.

Her fingers curled tighter around the handle of her case. She wondered what it was like to peek inside the space beyond that door. A few times now she'd been able to brush the tips of her fingers against its handle, see a shadow or two move underneath the frame, but never had she been invited to enter.

So she'd do her best standing on the other side.

"I hope you find what you're looking for," said Momo. In a way, knowing his reasons for going made her want to do her best as well. It seemed they both had things they still needed to overcome.

Todoroki, considering her words, nodded after a few moments.

"Yeah… You, too." He replied, soft spoken.

"Last Call for Bullet Train 7080," announced a digitized voice through the overhead speakers. "Repeat: Last Call for Bullet Train 7080."

"That's my train," Momo said, straightening. Turning to Todoroki, she bowed her head slightly.

"I'm… sorry, for inconveniencing you, but thank you for everything."

"It's not an inconvenience, and you shouldn't apologize," Todoroki muttered, then shifted his gaze away from her. "Any decent person paying attention would have done the same."

"Final Call for Bullet Train 7080," announced a digitized voice through the overhead speakers. "Repeat: Final Call for Bullet Train 7080."

I need to go, Momo thought, yet still her feet hesitated to carry her. In a weird way, she wished he was coming with her. Todoroki, never one to pass up an opportunity to leave abruptly, also remained unusually stagnant. In a strained moment of quiet between them, she wondered if he also did not want to go.

But the clock was against them.

"Text me how your internship is going!" Momo blurted awkwardly, finally beginning to move past him towards the train. "I—I want to know how everything turns out."

"Okay," He agreed, watching her with a sort of bewilderment as she quickly walked towards the entrance.

"Bye!" She waved, and he mimicked her gesture.

"Stay safe, Yaoyorozu," said Todoroki. "Bye."

I'll do my best, thought Momo as she approached the opening doors to the train and had her boarding pass scanned by a nearby employee. We both will.

When she finally found Mina and Kaminari, she explained to them her reasoning for being late. The two were extremely apologetic for leaving her alone, with Mina lamenting the missed opportunity to use her Acid Quirk in a very—imaginative way on Momo's harasser. While she recounted the details of the story as they got settled into their seats, Momo chose to leave Todoroki's name out of it. She didn't need her two classmates teasing him or spreading any unnecessary rumors, especially with Mina's gossipy reputation.

It took her some time to finally calm her nerves after everything that happened. While she had been momentarily distracted by Shouto, every time her mind crawled back to remembering that man trying to touch her, she felt nauseous. Thankfully, Mina and Kaminari both kept her preoccupied with their silly antics. About twenty minutes into the ride, they had begun playing an All Might card game to pass the time when Momo's phone went off. Retrieving it from her pocket, she was surprised to see Shouto Todoroki's name pop up on her screen.

Shouto Todoroki [8:25 AM]
Just so you know, I gave the security guard all the information and sent them the picture
apparently they have a good idea of who it is, so they'll be on the look out

Momo smiled, relieved. Knowing that he might be caught brought her some peace.

Momo Yaoyorozu [8:26 AM]
I'm glad.
Hopefully he doesn't harass anymore women.

Shouto Todoroki [8:26 AM]
Likewise
sorry again that you had to go through that

Momo Yaoyorozu [8:26 AM]
You're very kind.
Thank you, Todoroki.

Shouto Todoroki [8:27 AM]
it's no problem
did you find mina on the train?

Momo Yaoyorozu [8:27 AM]
Yes, I did.

Shouto Todoroki [8:27 AM]
that's good

Momo Yaoyorozu [8:28 AM]
I told her what happened
She had a lot of… colorful ideas on how she would have handled the situation
Right now we're playing a card game
It's helping keep my mind off things

Shouto Todoroki [8:28 AM]
Heh
sounds like better company than my seat mate

Momo Yaoyorozu [8:28 AM]
Oh no
Why?

Shouto Todoroki [8:29 AM]
You know how some people keep pictures of their kids in their wallet to show off to strangers?

Momo Yaoyorozu [8:29 AM]
Yes!

Shouto Todoroki [8:30 AM]
well
The guy I'm sitting next to has that
But with dogs

Shouto Todoroki [8:30 AM]
Eleven of them

Momo burst into a fit of giggles. She could practically hear Todoroki's deadpan voice speaking, and it made the imagery all the more hilarious to her. Mina, sitting next to her, looked at her curiously.

"What's so funny? You reading the group chat?" She asked.

"No," Momo said quietly, unable to wipe the grin spread across her face. "Just talking to a friend."

Notes:

2 weeks late, i know. I KNOW. i'm sorry.

i offer protective!shouto as an apology.

i'm sorry if it seems choppy in some areas, I literally could only work on it in small spaces of time between everything else. Still, I hope you enjoy.

also, please be aware, I am going to be VERY busy until about Mid-July. There's a good chance that the next 2-3 chapters may be very late and not on any kind of schedule. after that, i finally get a break from life / work events so i'll be able to return to weekly updates. Bear with me! :)

AS ALWAYS thank you SO MUCH for comments + kudos and all that jazz! i'm REALLY looking forward to the upcoming chapters as their friendship blossoms and I think you will all like what I have in mind for their practice exam. I don't want to spoil anything, but let's just say PHYSICAL CONTACT is coming which, for a slow burn fic, is a big deal LOL.

love you all & thank you again for reading 3

**side note: just wanted to add that I think Momo is perfectly capable of handling a creeper, but at this point in the season her self-confidence has a fissure, and it's making her question herself a lot. mix that in with the general shock of a stranger trying to put his hands on you, well... you get the picture. just wanted to clarify in case i did not convey that feeling well (I still have a lot to learn writing wise).

Chapter 12: Shouto VI

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

- & - Day One - & -

The first day of the internship, Shouto had been reprimanded by his father for being "tardy" and "rebellious"—titles by no means foreign to him but still vaguely annoying considering the reason he showed up late was due to the train being stalled. Outside of that, however, Endeavor had been… well, surprisingly calm. It was the first real time that Shouto had seen the man in his element. He ran his agency with a commanding presence and yes, sometimes the flared, narrowed gaze and stone-faced expression Shouto often saw at home would come out, but it was never the same kind of fire and brimstone that the man brought down on his own family. Still, it got the job done, and Shouto knew that every person in the room respected him—and not just out of fear.

Ultimately, the experience was difficult to receive, like trying to count the trees of a forest through a fogged window. For all of his life he'd only saw the side of his father consumed in rage, manipulation and fire, whereas here, he could begin to wrap fingers around the tangible concept of Endeavor being the number two hero that others looked up to.

His father was no All Might, but he was something, and that something had to have been earned somehow. Shouto could humble himself enough to see at least that.

For the purpose of a maximizing the time spent with the agencies, Shouto stayed at a nearby hotel rather than going home despite living close. Of course, the room was far too large and glamorous for a student internship—his father's doing, he assumed—but by the end of the day he was too tired to care. After a long lukewarm shower in a bathroom large enough to be someone's kitchen, he slipped into his pajamas and collapsed onto a king-sized, featherweight bed only to wince as soon as his body hit the mattress.

He was going to sleep like crap tonight. Anything outside of his futon always put a crick in his neck.

Rolling over onto his back, he grabbed his phone that he had left on the nightstand before going to take a shower. There were several notifications. Most of them from the boy's group chat that he had tried to leave numerous times but kept getting added back into, one was from Midoriya asking him how things were going, and two were from Fuyumi reminding him to eat dinner along with a sleeping cat emoji. Absently, he scrolled through them, responding only to his sister and Midoriya with short replies. He had decided to leave the rest for the next day when his thumb landed indirectly on Momo Yaoyorozu's name and he paused.

Two new message notifications from her.

They texted each other a bit on the train, but the thin conversation ended abruptly once they presumably both arrived at their agencies. He didn't realize she'd texted him again since.

Shouto stared at her name for a long moment prior to opening the messages. The first thing that caught his eye was a colorful, two fingered peace sign emoji. Above it, the initial message read:

Momo Yaoyorozu [2:33 PM]
I hope everything is going well. Do your best!

A breathy chuckle escaped his lips—he could practically hear her voice saying the words on the screen. He glanced at the time: 10:06pm. It wasn't late, but it certainly wasn't early. He wondered if she was still awake at this hour. Yaoyorozu seemed like the kind of person to be disciplined enough to have a solid sleep schedule.

Still…

He turned onto his side, curling his knees up towards his chest, feeling unusually cozier as he texted her back.

Shouto Todoroki [10:08 PM]
Yaoyorozu
sorry I didn't see your text until now
it went alright

Shouto hesitated with the next message, waiting for a long minute before sending it anyway.

Shouto Todoroki [10:09 PM]
I hope your day went well

His eyebrows scrunched together, irritated at his own sudden self-consciousness. He didn't know why, but saying such a thing felt… strange. He'd never really cared that much about other people's days enough to ask about them or "hope they went well", as he'd just worded it. With Fuyumi, she always unloaded the days events on him whether he asked or not, so he never did. But reading Yaoyorozu's text—hearing her voice in his head like this and remembering everything she went through at the train station—made him want to care.

Isn't that what friends do?

So why did it make him feel so inexplicably vulnerable?

Don't be stupid, he thought to himself. More than likely he only felt this way because he wasn't used to having friends—but that didn't explain why his text to Midoriya earlier did not incur this same uncertainty. They were friends, too, weren't they?

Should I have said the same thing to Midoriya…?

He sighed, pulling a free hand down across his face. Was there any point to worrying about this?

Choosing to leave it for tomorrow—if he didn't completely forget about it by then—Shouto locked his phone screen and went to put it on the nightstand when a sudden vibration from the device made him stop mid-way. When he retracted it back to him and saw Momo Yaoyorozu's name pop up, his neck felt uncomfortably warm. With a swipe of his finger, he opened the incoming messages.

Momo Yaoyorozu [10:11 PM]
Todoroki!
I'm surprised you're awake at this hour.
I apologize for not answering straight away, I was about to go to bed.

Momo Yaoyorozu [10:12 PM]
You really weren't obligated to text me back so late.

So she was about to go to sleep, he thought. He was about to apologize, but then another message came that froze his fingers over the digital keyboard.

Momo Yaoyorozu [10:12 PM]
But, I admit, I'm very happy to hear back from you.
Thank you.

Shouto stared at the words on his screen. Just like he had heard Yaoyorozu's voice earlier, he could also picture the smile spread across her face, eyes glinting like black pearls.

It made his own mouth inadvertently mimic the expression—an unwelcome surprise that he immediately corrected with an annoyed scowl.

I need to go to bed, he thought, attributing the tightness in his chest to exhaustion. More than that, he shouldn't keep her up, either.

Shouto Todoroki [10:13 PM]
don't worry about it
I was checking my messages before bed
didn't want you to think I ignored it

Momo Yaoyorozu [10:13 PM]
I see!
Thank you, again.

Shouto Todoroki [10:14 PM]
you don't have to keep thanking me

M omo Yaoyorozu [10:14 PM]
Of course I do.
It would be rude not to.

Shouto Todoroki [10:15 PM]
If you say so
anyway
i'm going to get some rest
you should do the same

Momo Yaoyorozu [10:15 PM]
Yes, we should.
We have to do our best tomorrow, too.
A good nights rest is imperative for our cognitive abilities.

Shouto exhaled out a noise of amusement, shaking his head slightly. Cognitive abilities, eh? It really was no wonder why he voted her for class president.

Shouto Todoroki [10:16 PM]
good enough reason for me
night Yaoyorozu

Momo Yaoyorozu [10:16 PM]
Good night, Todoroki.
Sleep well.

Sleep well.

The words echoed through his mind.

Locking the phone for the last time that night and plugging it into its charger, Shouto arranged his pillows properly and tried to make himself as comfortable as he could. As he settled in and his eyelids began to droop, sleep beckoning him like a mistress, he wished hazily that she, too, would sleep well.

- & - Day Two - & -

The next day was proving to be an interesting one.

Shouto was up early thanks to Endeavor blowing up his phone and demanding him to come in at once for a crucial "learning opportunity". As it turned out, a small-time crook had been sighted around the city. According to Endeavor, normally they would leave these cases to the "lesser heroes", as his father charmingly called them, but this one was believed to be heavily connected to a far more critical band of villain's that were mixed in with corrupted politicians and fraud. What made him so tricky to capture was his Quirk, which allowed him to become a "liquid" thus making him particularly difficult to both find and obtain. For someone with an Ice Quirk like Shouto that could easily just freeze him, the job could prove to be a breeze.

They spent the entire morning of their patrol scouting for the criminal and canvasing the neighborhood where he was last seen to no avail, which left his father in a sour mood that carried into the afternoon. By lunch time, Endeavor had left Shouto to eat alone while he had a few "necessary conversations" with the associates that had given him this "useless information" to begin with.

Shouto had no complaints about that, grateful for the opportunity to be on his own after practically being forcefully attached to his father's hip since his eyes opened. Not that he expected much else from this internship, but he wasn't going to pass by possible moments of solitude when they presented themselves.

He decided to grab cold soba from a nearby convenience store, sitting down on a bench outside of a nearby park to enjoy the open atmosphere and sunny day. For him, being outside was far more calming than eating at some high end Japanese restaurant like his father would've chosen.

As he ate quietly, mentally going over the events of the day, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Taking it out, he saw a message notification from Momo Yaoyorozu. Balancing chopsticks full of soba with one hand, he unlocked and opened up her conversation with his other.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:22 PM]
Good afternoon!
I have something to show you.

[Momo Yaoyorozu has sent you a picture] [12:22 PM]

Curious, Shouto opened the attachment and when he did, he nearly choked on his food.

There, on his screen, was a portrait of a light orange tabby cat with the chunkiest face and cheeks he had ever seen in his life. Worse, the cat's expression was a full on scowl, its golden eyes narrowed in a glower that clearly implied potential murder. Above its picture, "Won't you adopt me!?" was written in fancy lettering with red hand-drawn hearts all around it.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:23 PM]
His name is Ureshii.
I found his adoption poster up at a local coffee shop near Uwabami's agency.
But don't you think he looks oddly similar to someone we know?

Similar? Shouto gave the picture a closer look. When it dawned on him who she was talking about, he could see nothing else but that.

Shouto Todoroki [12:24 PM]
did someone use their quirk to turn bakugou into a cat?

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:24 PM]
Oh my goodness, I thought the same thing!
Does he not look like Bakugou!?

Shouto Todoroki [12:24 PM]
the resemblance is uncanny…

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:25 PM]
I know! I can't stop laughing!

The idea of Momo Yaoyorozu laughing uncontrollably at this picture was even more amusing than the picture itself. His cheeks strained against the small smile appearing on his lips as he continued to text her.

Shouto Todoroki [12:25 PM]
you should adopt him

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:26 PM]
Oh, I wish!
Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in my house.
Otherwise, I might seriously consider it.

Shouto Todoroki [12:26 PM]
disappointing
cats tend to gravitate towards me

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:26 pm]
Really?

Shouto Todoroki [12:27 pm]
yeah
well
the left side of me anyway

It was true. Throughout his whole life, stray cats constantly found their way to Shouto, rubbing up against his left leg or curling up next to him because of the warmth. It was a small thing, but every time it happened, it brought him a small piece of peace until eventually, they would leave.

Come to think of it, those moments were the only time he could remember ever liking that side of him growing up.

His phone chimed again with another message.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:29 PM]
That makes sense.
Do you have any cats, Todoroki?

Shouto Todoroki [12:29 PM]
No, my sister is allergic
I always wanted one though

But—well, there was the neighbor's cat, he mused, sucking up another hearty portion of his soba.

Shouto Todoroki [12:30 PM]
actually our neighbors have a cat that constantly go into our yard
Fuyumi hates it because she gets into the garden but
Sometimes I give her leftover fish from dinner if I have it and Fuyumi isn't around

Shouto Todoroki [12:30 PM]
she's a white cat named Mochi
she's pretty fat but has the tiniest paws I've ever seen

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:31 PM]
She sounds adorable!
I would love to see her sometime.

Just as he was about to say "sure", a barrage of texts filled the screen.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:31 PM]
I mean
Apicture
Or something
Would be wonderful
Iw ould like a picture
That's what I was saying

Shouto stared at her messages—typos and all—in bewilderment. Isn't that what she had meant to be begin with, or—?

Ah.

He lowered the chopsticks back to their bowl. Likely, she thought her words were insinuating her coming to his house, but he had not thought that at all. Even if it were so, he'd decline right away. He had no intent on inviting anyone over to his home knowing that Endeavor was there at any given time of the day—least of all Yaoyorozu.

No, he didn't like the idea of his father being around her at all.

Shouto Todoroki [12:33 PM]
i'll take a picture of her next time I see her

Her response came slower than the ones prior. Probably embarrassed, thought Shouto, recalling the many times Yaoyorozu's face had gone flush after she said something silly, inappropriate, or both without thinking.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:34 PM
I would like that, thank you.

Shouto Todoroki [12:34 PM]
sure

Leaning back into the bench, Shouto waited another minute for anymore texts. When none came, he decided that was the end of that and placed his phone back into his pocket, returning to his soba. As he finished his meal, he decided when he got back home he'd make sure to pick up some fish on the way.

- & - Day Three - & -

This time, their day had been full of interruptions.

Despite Endeavor's planned out schedule with Shouto, it seemed that crisis after crisis had come up, deterring his old man from doing anything he wanted to do. However, none of what happened earlier was anything compared to what was happening infront of Shouto's eyes at the moment.

The Hero Killer, Stain, had appeared in Hosu City.

Which meant every single top hero had been summoned and was currently gathered in the lobby of Endeavor's Hero Agency.

His father, standing taller than them all, directed orders with the conviction and presence of a head commander at war.

"Just like before, the Hero Killer's appeared in Hosu City, so we will be heading out now!" Endeavor pointed towards a small group of pale-faced staff members, "Contact the city immediately!"

They nodded, scattering. Shouto, who had been watching all of this go down, stood with clenched fists.

The Hero Killer. Hosu City.

Iida's internship is in Hosu City, where his brother was attacked.

Of course. Of course.

"Shouto, you come with me," Endeavor said, looking at him over his shoulder, the flames around his face blazing higher and hotter into the atmosphere, bringing the temperature of the entire broad-span room up several degrees. The statement was not optional, so Shouto only nodded, jaw tight. As they made their way to their transport for Hosu City, he felt multiple vibrations in his pocket from his phone. Taking it out to glance down at it, he saw the Class 1-A group text blowing up, Momo Yaoyorozu's name the first to appear.

Momo Yaoyorozu [5:30 PM]
Everyone:
There's been an emergency in Hosu City.
I don't have much information right now, but I know multiple heroes are being summoned to deal with the situation and that the Hero Killer is involved.
Please, please be safe, all of you, and listen to your seniors instructions.

For some reason, seeing her name gave him a sense of calm. Below her initial message was the responses from several classmates, but none from the two people he'd hoped to see: Iida and Midoriya.

What did that mean?

He had no time to think further on it. When they finally arrived at Hosu City and entered into the mass chaos and destruction festering through the streets, he checked his phone again. Still, nothing from either Iida or Midoriya.

Quickly, while running behind his father, he texted the only other person he knew that might know something.

Shouto Todoroki [5:34 PM]
Has Iida contacted you at all?

Momo Yaoyorozu's response was immediate. A clear indication that she, too, was on edge.

Momo Yaoyorozu [5:34 PM]
No, I've been trying to call him since this started
I can't get a hold of his agency either

Damnit!

"Shouto, what the hell are you doing? Hurry up!" Endeavor barked from ahead of him. Shouto ignored him even as the mangled body of a pro hero he did not recognize flew past him leaving a billow of smoke behind, an inhuman high-pitched screech in the distance. His phone continued to buzz.

Momo Yaoyorozu [5:36 pm]
Todoroki do you know something?
Is Iida in trouble?

An explosion nearby tore his eyes away from the screen as he covered his face with both arms from wayward debris. Shouts of terror boomed into the night sky. Shouto's phone buzzed with more messages, but he put it away for the time being. He needed to concentrate on what was happening around him presently.

"This is a damn shitshow," Endeavor growled.

"Endeavor, look—!" A pro hero next to him exclaimed, pointing. Shouto followed his line of sight, his face losing all color when he caught a glimpse of what the hero was gesturing toward.

There, in the midst of the pandemonium, was what could no doubt be the same exact creature that had attacked their class at the beginning of the year.

"The hell—" Endeavor started to speak, but his words were cut off when a yellow and white flash missiled into their vision like a blur, causing them all to take a step back as it headed straight towards the misshapen monster attacking a pair of civilians.

It was a hero of some sort, that was certain, but who—?

At his side, Endeavor's flames burst like a bomb around him.

"I'm going!" He announced, "Shouto, follow me and get those people out of harm's way!"

Endeavor did not wait for a response. He ran towards the situation at full speed, each footstep leaving a molten mark in his wake. Shouto, not to be left behind, trailed hastily after him.

What he saw next was his father—no—Endeavor—in action.

He had always known his father's power to be immense, but seeing it up close and in action was something else. As Endeavor used his Quirk to battle against the monster, Shouto concentrated on doing as he was told—getting the couple being attacked out of the vicinity of danger. Unfortunately, there wasn't just one monster that they had to deal with—there were several.

The more Shouto looked at his surroundings, the more he saw the entire square fill up with heroes fighting these abominations while the infrastructure crumbled around them. Through the mayhem he did his best to assist those that were trying to escape the ongoing wreckage. It wasn't until Endeavor finished the one he was fighting off did Shouto have the opportunity to check his phone again.

This time, there was a text from Midoriya—sent to the group chat for all of class 1-A.

An address.

Nothing more. Just an address.

He stared at it while he caught up to his father, confused.

"Put down the damn phone and watch me, Shouto!" yelled Endeavor in the background, but his demands were lost on Shouto as he pressed open the GPS for the address and stopped dead in his tracks.

This address was in Hosu City.

Shouto's mind threw itself into overdrive. If Midoriya was here, texting the group an address in Hosu City, without even saying a word of whether or not he was safe then—

He needs help.

Shouto turned on his heel so quick he might have left his own dent in the concrete. If Midoriya was in danger, and the Hero Killer was still out there, then he had no time to waste at all. Internship be damned, Endeavor be damned. He didn't care.

He had to help his friend.

With a quick departure from Endeavor along with some instructions for the old man, Shouto put his all into every leaping step, the GPS tracker on his phone directing the precision of his path. As he sprinted, he noticed a notification take over the entirety of his screen. It was a call—from Momo Yaoyorozu.

Shit.. He could answer but—what would he even say to her? No, he couldn't think about that right now, he needed to keep going. Midoriya-possibly Iida as well-were in trouble.

I'm sorry, Shouto thought, hitting the decline button, the map for the GPS returning back to the forefront of the phone screen. It might make her worry, but that was a risk he had to take right now. Wiping the sweat from his brow to keep it from pooling into his eyes, he did his best to ignore as text notification after text notification from Yaoyorozu popped up at the top of his screen until eventually, as he rounded the corner of the alley to where Midoriya said he was, they stopped coming.

Notes:

henlo friends.

Finally. FINALLY. FIN-ALLY. I am almost at the end of the hell that has been June / July.

This chapter comes to you by the letter E, for EXHAUSTION. Because that's how I've been feeling: exhausted.

Thankfully, my schedule is set to be mostly clear onward until September after next week. I'm so happy to be back to writing this fic. Work / life got busy to the point where I had not even worked on this chapter until about 3 days ago. I had to actually go back and re-read the past three chapters to get back in the mindset I was in! :)

This chapter started off very slice-of-life, but there will be, shall we say, repercussions for the later part. The next chapter is where we begin to tread into non-cannony territory. Not too much, mind, but i'll be taking some liberties as we head forward.

Also, i've outlined the next few chapters and for those of you who have been excited since the start for the hero exam arc, know that I have it scheduled to come in Chapter 14. Two chapters away. I really am looking forward to it.

As for chapter updates, next week is gonna be my last full to the brim week of stuff, so I would say look for an update AFTER next Saturday. Once the that happens, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled weekly updates. Yay!

THANK YOU again for all of your kind comments and kudos and loving words and EVERYTHING. You guys are amazing and I am so happy you've been enjoying the fic thus far. Let's continue together, shall we?

Chapter 13: Momo VI

Notes:

note: teenagers trying to figure shit out incoming. also, here's to throwing out the last name basis friendship momo has w/her girls bc I said so.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Momo Yaoyorozu [6:03 PM]
Todoroki?
Please answer your phone.
Why did Midoriya just send out an address in Hosu City?

Momo Yaoyorozu [6:04 PM]
Are you there?

Momo Yaoyorozu [6:05 PM]
Are you with Endeavor in Hosu?

Momo Yaoyorozu [6:06 PM]
Todoroki please answer
I'm very worried right now for all three of you

Momo Yaoyorozu [6:08 PM]
Listen
Please DO NOT do anything rash
I'm
please
call me as soon as you can

Momo Yaoyorozu sat quietly at the lunch table, her steaming bowl of stir-fry filled to the brim with meat untouched in front of her, eyes scanning repeatedly over the texts sent to Shouto Todoroki. Not that it was necessary—she'd already burned into her mind every single letter her fingers had pressed into existence.

Yet, she returned to them, over and over, like picking at a freshly formed scab. She knew if she'd leave it alone, it would heal over and new skin would take its place, but here she was, stubbornly scratching until blood was under her fingernails.

"Are you waiting for a text or something? You've been looking at your phone all day."

Kyouka Jirou's voice swept Momo's eyes up and forward. The purple haired girl sat across from her, staring with an arched eyebrow, her hand holding a fork harpooning two fried shrimp near her mouth. Sitting next to her was Tsuyu Asui, who was watching her with equal interest having already consumed her food minutes into sitting down.

"Ah, uhm—" She smiled guiltily, placing her cell phone screen down on the table. "Sorry, there's an interesting article I've been reading…"

Kyouka made a disbelieving noise just before stuffing the prawns past her lips, pieces of panko flying out as she continued to speak.

"You're bad at lying, Momo."

Tsuyu, never one to miss an opportunistic call out, nodded in agreement. "It's true, kero, you've been looking sad all day. Did something happen?"

"What? No." A light blush rolled over Momo's cheeks at the duo's blatancy. "I-I'm fine, just—tired from the long internship," she followed with an almost truth. While her internship was… trying, it certainly was not the reason she hardly slept a wink over the past two days, but she was not going to divulge that. The last thing she needed was her classmates worrying over her.

In an attempt to derail the conversation, and also because Kyouka's lack of table manners were in dire need of correcting, she grabbed a few napkins from the table's napkin dispenser and handed it to her.

"You have food all over you."

"Oh, thanks," Kyouka gulped noisily, taking it and wiping her mouth, "Speaking of internships, how did yours go, Momo? Figured you'd be all sparkly-eyed and fired up this morning with the rest of us."

Another conversation I'd rather avoid, Momo thought, holding back a frown and forcing a small smile instead.

"It went well."

In all honesty, "went well" was a bit gracious considering most of what she learned had little to do with being a hero and more to do with handling hero status. Networking and building relationships with potential employers were skills her parents excelled in, thus Uwabami's "teaching" offered scarce other than a different point of view; still valuable, but not what she hoped for.

"Boring, you mean?" said Kyouka between bites of her fried seafood platter, this time being more conscious not to lose more food than she was putting in when talking. At her side, Tsuyu continued to eye Momo skeptically.

Jeez, these two… Perhaps sitting with the two most blunt girls in their class had not been the best course of action today.

"…I don't want to sound ungrateful," Momo confessed, absentmindedly picking up the chopsticks for her food but not using them, choosing instead to roll them between her fingers. Truthfully, she'd started the internship off with high hopes, determined to fight off each disappointment as it came with a thwack of positivity—even if feeling let down was completely warranted. Itsuka Kendou, an orange-haired girl from class 1-B that interned with her, described Momo's disposition akin to watching a balloon slowly deflate.

"There were moments when I just wanted to pop it to put you out of your misery," Kendou had admitted to Momo on the train ride home with a convicted chuckle.

"Did you at least go on patrols, kero?" asked Tsuyu.

"We went on patrol once," Momo smiled slightly at the memory. It had been the highlight of her time there. Both Kendou and her gobbled up every piece of advice they could get from Uwabami during that time. "Nothing happened, but it was good field experience."

"Speaking of field experience," Kyouka smirked, leaning in and nodding her head to the side, "those three somehow managed to get caught up with an actual bad guy."

Momo did not have to ask, she already knew the three her friend was alluding to. Across from them at a separate table, Izuku Midoriya, Tenya Iida, Ochako Uraraka, Shouto Todoroki, Mina Ashido and Eijiro Kirishima were all sitting together in lively conversation. Watching the group talk amongst themselves, she would bet money that Mina and Kirishima were grilling them for more information about what happened.

"Although," Kyouka murmured, "I heard they nearly got themselves killed trying to fight him off." She let out an indignant laugh, paired with a roll of her eyes. "Like, what the hell were they thinking? Idiots. Should've just let the pro's handle it."

Momo's face fell, an uncomfortable knot forming in her gut as her eyes fell to Todoroki. Out of the group, he was the only one not speaking, reserving all of his attention to a bowl of noodles. Looking at him, a pain shot into her chest, piercing her heart with a terrible feeling of dread.

Nearly got themselves killed—she wished she could unhear those words, erase them from the world.

Just as her mind started treading into the dangerous waters that line of thinking brought, a pair of heterochromatic eyes suddenly looked up and straight at her. Momo retracted her gaze immediately, whipping her head around hard enough that her ponytail nearly came to hit her in the face. Kyouka leaned back apprehensively.

"Hey now, watch where you swing that thing," she warned, but Momo wasn't listening. Her face reddened as she mentally cursed herself.

What is wrong with me?

It was a question she'd asked herself all morning.

Since the Hero Killer news came out, she had not been able to meet Todoroki's eyes, and found herself purposefully avoiding him like she might turn to ice just being in his presence. It wasn't because she did not want to speak to him. She did, she really really did, but every time she tried it was like a ball and chain was wrapped around her heart, jumping off through her chest and dropping straight to the floor, pinning her down and leaving her unable to speak.

She didn't understand it. She should be relieved that they were all safe. Yet there was a lingering sense of failure, mixed with a familiar fear she'd felt once prior when the league of villains attacked their school.

The truth was that she had known something was off with Iida, but she did not address it in fear of upsetting him or being insensitive. When the information reached her ears about the Hero Killer appearing in Hosu City, her worst nightmare was confirmed and she felt the weight of her inaction pulling her down like an anchor. Then, when she saw the text from Midoriya and pieced it together with Todoroki's, she'd gone into full panic attack mode.

It wasn't just the embarrassment of her unanswered texts and calls in the heat of her fear. It was the fact that she failed to stop any of this from happening. Failed to be a better friend to Iida. Failed to stop Midoriya. Failed to stop Todoroki.

Despite pleading with him fervently not to go, he went into it willingly.

Nothing I said could stop him.

"Okay, seriously, what is up with you?" Kyouka inquired sharply. Taken aback by her tone, Momo looked at her friend with concern.

"What do you—?" She began to say, but her words fell short when Kyouka pointed her fork at Momo's hand. At some point, the chopsticks she'd been holding must have snapped in half, leaving their middle jagged and splintered.

She dropped the fractured utensils immediately with a gasp, realizing what she'd done.

"Oh my goodness! I—what in the world am I doing!?"

"I dunno. Channeling your inner Bakugou or something?" Jirou suggested in bemusement. Tsuyu, who might normally laugh at such a joke, was dead quiet.

Flustered and foolish, Momo bowed her head.

"I'm so sorry"

Kyouka raised a pencil thin eyebrow. "What the heck are you apologizing for? You didn't snap me in half—yet, anyway. I'm sure I'll say something that warrants it one day."

"No, it's not just that," Momo said, ignoring her quip and covering her face with her hands. "I've been—I'm acting very distracted and not thinking straight. I'm sorry for my rudeness."

"Good gods, woman," Kyouka groaned, and Momo could hear her rolling her eyes, "It's not like I'm mad at you over some throw-away chopsticks. Just stay here and chill out or something, I'll go get you another pair."

Listening to the girl's shifting movements as she slid out of the booth seat and scampered off, Momo heaved out a sigh, dropping her hands down to the table and leaning back, watching Kyouka's form disappear into the crowd. Across from her, Tsuyu witnessed everything in complete silence, observing Momo, who felt small under the girl's scrutiny.

"I'm sorry, Tsuyu," she apologized again, embarrassed.

To her surprise, the girl reached over and patted the top of Momo's left hand with a clammy palm tenderly.

"It's okay," sympathized Tsuyu, and Momo felt a rush of gratefulness from the kind gesture. Retracting her hand back, Tsuyu brought a finger up to her mouth. "But… kero… Momo, you know that I can't help but say what I am thinking…"

Momo grimaced. Of course she wouldn't leave it at that. Tsuyu Asui was not one to hold back what was on her mind at any given time—a quality made all the more efficient by her naturally observant nature. Afraid, but not daring to stop her, she nodded warily.

"Why are you avoiding Todoroki today?"

Tsuyu's question shot her through the chest like a bullet. Bullseye.

For all of what her moral compass was worth, it was moments like this that made Momo wish she was a better liar. That, or that she was allowed to use her Quirk to create a sheet to hide under. As she struggled to find an answer to the frog heroes astute inquiry, Tsuyu tilted her head.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, kero."

Momo looked up at her sheepishly. "No, it's not that, I just…" She frowned. I just what? She thought back to the text messages she'd sent to him and bit her lip. "I am not really sure."

Pathetic. She was supposed to be a pillar for her fellow classmates, but here she was, ignoring one of them obviously enough that someone else noticed.

Why couldn't she just burrow this underground and leave it be?

"Hmm," Tsuyu hummed contemplatively. "I understand, kero. Well, Todoroki does look a little scary, but… He must really care about his friends if he went against the Hero Killer with them. I would think that if he did something to hurt you, he would want to know it."

Momo blinked, the advice lingering in the air. Scary? Perhaps from an outside perspective, but Momo knew well enough that on the other side of the stony exterior was something gentler—something scarred and alone. Equipped with that knowledge, Tsuyu's words proposition-to talk to him-made sense.

'He must really care about his friends'.

Friends…

She narrowed her gaze to the corner of her vision, the table where Todoroki sat still boisterous with chit-chat. This time, he seemed more interested in their conversation, the smallest hint of amusement on his face as he watched the exchange between his classmates.

Her chest tightened, thinking back to their light-hearted texts and the happiness they brought her. She finally felt like she was grasping onto a friendship with him, but now…

What if he does not consider us friends?

The question felt too painful to assume an answer for. Thankfully, Momo was distracted from thinking on it further when Kyouka reappeared at their table, practically falling into the chair with a loud thump, a handful of chopsticks in her possession.

"Alright, I'm back, with multiple chopsticks," she announced, tossing them on the middle of the table between them and grinning smugly at Momo. "Y'know, just in case you decide to go crazy on them again."

Momo sighed at the girl's teasing. Relentless.

"I suppose this means I will never live this down," she grumbled, pulling one of the chopsticks to her.

"Nope," Kyouka winked, popping the 'p'. "Sorry, that's what you get for being friends with me."

This time, Tsuyu giggled, and Momo could not help but grin a bit as well.

Friends. The word settled deep inside of her as she momentarily glanced again at Todoroki, heart throbbing with a dull pain. Underneath all the tangled unknowns of her emotions, she knew, if nothing else, that not being friends with him was something she did not want to happen.

"Thanks for helping me clean the classroom today, Yaomomo!"

Momo blinked as two pink arms enveloped her in a tight hug, causing her to squeak involuntarily. Mina Ashido and her had been walking back from the trash receptacle to the lockers to retrieve the last of their school belongings, having just finished cleaning class 1-A's room.

"It's not a problem," she said with an awkward smile, never quite sure how to deal with Mina's outbursts of physical contact. "I signed up for it, didn't I?"

Around them, the sun had begun to drop, leaving the school coated in sunset colors. She had not meant to stay this long after school, but Mina Ashido was scheduled for cleaning duty with Yuga Aoyama who was not feeling well and left early that day, leaving her alone to do it. Momo volunteered for the job when Aizawa asked someone to pick up Aoyama's slack, which had all the other students letting out a collective sigh of relief. Ever since they found out that Quirks could not be used to "assist" in cleaning, no one liked having to take the bullet if the person scheduled couldn't do it.

For Momo, cleaning was a cathartic practice, so it was no sweat off her back.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. My hero!" Mina exclaimed, rubbing her cheek against Momo's then releasing her. Not wanting the transparent expression of reprieve to show, she paused and let Mina bounce a few steps ahead of her. Staring up at the cloudless, orange cream sky, she inhaled deeply.

Today had been a long day.

Feet away, Mina spun around to look at her. "You coming?"

"Ah, yes... Sorry."

Together, the two proceeded back into the school building to their lockers. Mina went far quicker than Momo, practically racing to leave whereas Momo took her time to carefully ensure everything she had organized was in its correct spot. She'd just begun to put her shoes on when Mina slammed her locker door closed, the echo if it filling the otherwise empty room.

"Ok! Time to go. See you tomorrow, Momo! Good job today!" She said with a toothy grin.

"Good job today," Momo replied back, but the girl was already barreling off. Momo shook her head. So impatient, she thought to herself, closing her own locker with a much quieter snap once her shoes were slipped on.

With her school bag snuggly hung by its strap over her shoulder, Momo turned to leave. Eyes downcast, it was mostly muscle memory that brought her to the glass doors that led back outside to the entrance of the school. I'm going to make a hot cup of tea and go straight to bed when I get home, she decided, her level of exhaustion about to reach its breaking point. Lost in her mind, she reached out infront of her to push open a door that should have been there, only to have her hand gripping onto air.

Huh? She paused, confused, the gears of her brain failing her until she felt a warm breeze against her skin. Bewildered, she looked up, realizing that the door was already open. More than that, it was being held open—by Shouto Todoroki.

Momo froze in place as different colored eyes stared through red and white bangs straight at her, Todoroki's expression unreadable. He no longer had his school blazer on, wearing only the button up white shirt underneath, the knot of his red tie pulled down and hanging loose far below his collar. In each of his hands was a small, canned beverage.

"Hey," he greeted her so casually that Momo had to scrutinize the reality of his presence, wondering if she was so tired she was hallucinating.

His eyebrow raised. "Why are you squinting your eyes?"

"…Eh? O-oh!" Momo stammered. "Uhm, s-sorry. I just thought, well…" She trailed off. What am I saying? No, better yet—

"What are you still doing at school, Todoroki?"

He did not seem at all prepared for that question, obvious though it was. His eyes narrowed away from hers, and she noticed a tinge of pink flushed on his neck, contrasting brightly against the white collar of his shirt.

"Waiting for you," he replied in a tone barely above a mumble.

Waiting for me…? Momo's cheeks grew hot. I've been avoiding you all day. Why would you be waiting for me?

"You going to come out?" He asked, and it occurred to her that he had been keeping the door open all this time. Embarrassed at her inconsiderate behavior, she nodded curtly and stepped over the threshold into the outside of the school grounds.

"Y-yes, sorry."

Todoroki, freed from the responsibility, released the door to close on its own. Standing next to him, she swore the atmosphere around them was rising in temperature even as the sun was disappearing into the horizon. There was sweat forming in the creases of her uniform and at the back of her neck that may or may not have been from nervousness. While her thoughts continued to go so fast they left her blank, Todoroki once again caught her attention, this time by offering the two cans in his hands.

"Here," he instructed, "take whatever one you want. Green tea," he held up one green labeled can, "or lemon cola," he held up the other gray and yellow can.

She eyed the choices warily, still not quite sure what was happening. He got us drinks…? How long had he been planning on doing this?

"…Green tea, thank you," she murmured, taking it gingerly from his grasp, careful that their fingers did not brush. When her hand wrapped around it, the skin of her palm burned from how cold it was. It felt heavier as well, as though the liquid inside had turned into a solid. She was about to question what was wrong with it when she realized he had been holding it in his right hand—the one that housed his Ice Quirk. The lemon cola, which he snapped open, was in his left.

She frowned, noticing the bandage around his arm. Is that from the Hero Killer? she wanted to know, feeling sick just looking at it. How worse off was he before the medics treated him? She did not even want to imagine it.

They stood together in silence, with Todoroki drinking out of his can and Momo studying her own to keep from looking him in the eye. She had no clue what to say or what to do. If he'd waited for her, then did that mean he had done so to call her out? Or was it something else? Not knowing was suffocating. She couldn't just say nothing.

"Uhm," She swallowed down the nerves threatening to quiet her and gestured to a nearby bench. "Would you like to sit?"

It felt like eons until he answered, even though logically it was likely only a few seconds.

"Sure."

Leisurely, they made their way to the spot she'd pointed out. It was right below one of the schools tallest trees in the front side of the building, and home to many varieties of creatures that liked to beg nearby snacking students. This time, it was empty, the critters nowhere to be seen. When they dropped their school bags to the ground and sat down, Momo shyly placed herself close to the edge, leaving plenty of space between them.

The two were quiet for awhile. Todoroki sat at a hinge, elbows on his thighs, leaning forward with both hands on his drink. While time passed between them, Momo's mind became a mental battleground, with Todoroki's actions pulling the pin on the grenade that held all of her mixed emotions and fears inside of it. I don't know how to deal with this. She felt like a coward that had been caught in a snare. It was an opportunity to clear the air between them and apologize, but she couldn't say a thing. She could not piece together her thoughts cohesively, silently coming up with several different ways to open the conversation but second-guessing each one.

So entwined she was in her own imaginary conversation with Todoroki that she nearly missed it when his very real voice called for her attention.

"Yaoyorozu."

"Y-yes?" Momo turned to face him out of habit. One of his hands had gone up to the back of his neck, scratching it. His expression was… different. Uncertain. Again, he was not meeting her eyes. All red flags that put Momo immediately on defense.

"I—" He hesitated, opening his mouth and then closing it a few times.

The hair on her arms prickled underneath the sleeves of her uniform. Her heart raced as she became unnaturally afraid of what he might say.

"…Sorry. I don't really know how to do this."

Momo swallowed dryly, studying his face. He looked… tense. Or upset. She could not tell, the way his eyebrows bent in slightly together and his lips were unable to stay put, as though he were feeling the words he wanted to say around in his mouth before letting them out.

"…I'm not very good at this whole friendship thing," he said slowly, "but… I'm pretty sure I upset you. I'm not stupid enough not to know why, I'm just… not sure how to handle it, I guess."

He stopped there, and Momo's grip stiffened around the canned green tea. She shut her quivering lips tightly in a thin line. She did not know what to do in this situation. She did not think that there was a side to Todoroki such as this—uncertainty, when all she had seen from him was confidence.

There is still so much to you that I don't know at all.

But he had called what they had friendship, and that alone had her vision blurring for daring to think otherwise. With painful clarity, she recognized in that moment how foolish she had been. If he had the bravery to sit here and say this to her, then...

Her words splintered out like a dam about to burst.

"I was upset," she confessed, body trembling under the weight of their release.

Todoroki raised himself slightly, turning his face to meet hers, the boy's expression soft but unreadable as he gave her his full attention, which only made it harder for her to speak. Still, she carried on.

"I was upset, but not just at you. At m-myself." Her voice broke, and she took a moment to recompose. "With Iida… I knew something was wrong. I knew him going to Hosu City was suspicious, but I said nothing. I just tried to make things easier for him, never pushing the matter or alerting anyone. When the Hero Killer situation happened, I felt that same fear I did when those villains attacked the school… like I was completely helpless to do anything—to protect anyone."

Momo's eyes began to sting, but she did not avert her gaze. She needed to say this.

"Then with you, I thought—he'll listen to me, he won't go if I ask him not to. We're friends, right? He w-won't go."

Her hand came up to cover her mouth and she bit back a cry. Don't, she admonished herself, took a breath, and continued.

"I-I became so panicked, and then when you didn't a-answer, I expected the worse. All I could think was, they're going to die, my friends, and I couldn't do anything to stop them. I was mad at you for not listening, for being so reckless but... but I was more mad at myself for f-failing to be—to be a good enough friend that th-this wouldn't have happened in the f-first place—"

Damnit.

It couldn't be helped. Momo turned her face away just enough, a few hot tears dripping down her cheeks. She did not even know who she spilling them for, them or herself, and it only made her feel more ashamed.

"I'm sorry—" she quaked, "—I've been childishly avoiding you because I didn't know how to deal with what I was feeling. I felt so stupid for not being c-content with all of you being okay and safe, focusing on the negative instead of the positive, but I just couldn't—"

Her words were cut short when something cool brushed up against her cheek. Taken aback, Momo flinched at the contact, but her breath caught in her throat when she looked back and realized what it was. Todoroki's right hand was stretched over to her, his cold fingers gently wiping away at a tear. Beyond it, he was staring at her with eyes so intense they peered right through her, lips set in a deep frown.

The gesture was so shocking that her now widened eyes dried up immediately, heat spreading through her body like a furnace.

Todoroki's hand—his fingers—he was touching her.

Momo's intense reaction must have awakened some realization in the red-and-white-haired boy as well, because his own expression changed in less than a second, snapping his hand back like a springboard as if he had burned her with fire despite the winter that lived in those nerve-endings.

"S-sorry—" He whipped his reddening face away from her, staring to something far off to the other side. Momo's own hand came up to her cheek, feeling the cold that lingered against her feverish blush. Her heart practically slammed against her chest.

What was that…? She could hardly breathe. He… He was trying to comfort me…? It could not have been entirely purposeful, otherwise he would not have stopped, but that he did it at all was a flabbergasting concept.

Forget not knowing some of who he was, he had just proved her completely clueless.

"It's—it's okay," she told him without really thinking. Truly, she wasn't mad—just surprised.

Todoroki, still not looking at her, was stagnant as a statue. From this point of view, Momo could see clearly the nape of his neck. His skin was red enough that it nearly mixed in with his hair. When he did not move for a good moment, she began to suspect he might have actually turned to stone, until he spoke again.

"…Yaoyorozu," he said, and she sat up straight with a jolt, tearing her eyes away from the back of his neck like she'd just been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. She gulped nervously.

"About what you said… I get it."

"…You get it?" She repeated, uncertain.

"Yeah," he nodded slowly—a sign that he had, indeed, not turned to stone. "With Iida… I felt the same way. When I heard about his brother, I noticed a look on his face that was all too familiar. Something I'd seen in myself so many times before. Resentment."

Momo became completely still, the throbbing of her heart slowing.

Resentment…?

"I've held grudges like that before… for a really long time. Against my father… and my mother."

His mother…

Her mouth fell ajar, recalling how Todoroki had inquired with her about the concept of forgiveness not that long ago. 'Do you think it's possible to forgive someone who hurt you for a very long time… years, even?' he had asked her. Now that she thought about it further, she'd never seen nor heard of Todoroki's mother, only his father. Her eyes went up to the scar on his eye, and her hands shook. She listened intently, not wanting to miss a word.

"For a long time, I kept my distance from her because of it. When I finally made amends with her, it was like opening my eyes for the first time," he told her. "That kind of hate can consume a person. I saw it in Iida, but I didn't do anything about it, either. In that regard, I guess we're both guilty."

Momo's vision threatened to fog up again, feeling a piece of her break inside. Inbetween the cracks, however, was a small sense of comfort. So he feels the same…

"When the Hero Killer attacked Hosu City and Midoriya sent that address, it wasn't hard to put two and two together," he continued, "all I could think was that I had to go. The pro heroes had their hands full with the Nomu's, and not one, but two of my friends were possibly in critical danger. I couldn't waste any time, so I made the decision to go. When you called… I was on my way to them."

She stiffened, the memories of that night and her anxiety rushing back to the forefront of her mind. She bit her lower lip, the text messages she'd sent in her hysteric state perfectly remembered.

At her side, Todoroki set down the can on the earth below and stood up abruptly. Panic jumped up inside Momo, wondering if perhaps now, he had enough of this situation and was about to leave. But as was turning out to be typical today, her first assumption, once again, was wrong.

Todoroki did not leave at all. Instead, he turned to her and bowed deeply, the top of his head near feet away from her. Momo stared at him, stunned.

"What are you—?" She started to say, but he spoke over her.

"Yaoyorozu... I'm sorry," he said, "I... had no intention of making you feel the way you did."

The apology hit her like a wave in a storm, overtaking her and dragging her down to its depths.

No, she thought, scrambling to come up for air, I was the one who—don't take all the blame on yourself—

"But…" Todoroki rose back up, straightening. There was a strikingly serious look on his face that did not match the previous softness in his voice. Her body tensed in response.

"I can't apologize to you for going and helping them. If I could go back and do it again... I wouldn't hesitate."

Momo's heart dropped like a stone into her gut, but she dared not look away. As much as she hated to admit it, and she did hate it, she understood.

He must really care about his friends if he went against the Hero Killer with them—that's what Tsuyu had told her earlier, and now, hearing his side of things... they made sense.

"If it had been you, I would have done the same thing," Todoroki added, and the honesty of it was not lost on her. She gripped her chest, trying to refrain any more tears from coming. She could only nod to him silently.

Somewhere in the distance, a bell rang, echoing loudly through the otherwise quiet, darkening sky. It brought both of them out of their heads, gazing upward. The stars were beginning to come out, fading into view.

"It's late…" Momo whispered. Todoroki made a hum of agreement. She looked back down, the can of green tea still unopened in her hand, beads of water dripping off of it from the condensation caused by the heat.

"We should probably go," Todoroki stated.

Her fingers gathered tighter around the drink. Do we have to? She wanted to say. Though the conversations leading up to this point had been difficult, she wasn't ready to end it. But it truly was getting too late, and neither of them had a Quirk that could stop time.

"Yes… I think that would be best."

Todoroki was the first to move to get his belongings, swinging his bag around his shoulder and bending down to retrieve his can of cola. Momo stood likewise, setting her green tea on the bench while she reached out to grab her bag, but she paused just as her fingers brushed the straps.

There was still something she had to do—something important.

"Todoroki…" She said, rising back up slowly.

"Hm?" He turned to her, and she approached. With a deep exhale, she bowed humbly from her waist, feeling the hair from her ponytail fall over her shoulder.

"I know I said this earlier, but... I also am very sorry. The way I was acting… my poor behavior, and avoiding you… I apologize."

Straightening herself up, she felt the nervousness in the timbre of her voice as with her next words, she prepared herself for his response.

"I hope that we can still remain friends."

Todoroki's prompt answer gave her no time to doubt, his apprehensive expression turning into mild surprise. He tore his eyes away from her, and she swore a flush of color came over his face, betraying his otherwise calm appearance.

"…I'd like that."

For the first time that day, Momo smiled, incapable of stopping it from spreading across her face from ear to ear. It was silly—she knew that, but to hear him say it—no, to hear him say, I'd like that. I'd like to still be friends. She didn't know why, oh, but such a thing made her eyes well up again—this time with happiness. Relief.

"I'm glad," she told him, rubbing her cloudy eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm—I'm really glad…"

It's going to be okay.

"Anyway," Todoroki cleared his throat, reverting easily back to his normal, straight-faced demeanor. "Let's get out of here."

With nothing left to tie them down any longer, the two left the school together, with Momo finally opening her green tea which was only half solid at that point. She swore Todoroki noticed it as well, but made no comment. When they parted ways at the gate, such a peace came over her that the grin did not leave her face the entire drive home.

That night, when Momo crawled into bed under her sheets, she slept more soundly than she had in a weeks time—a weight on her soul lifted, and a lingering cold spot on her cheek where Todoroki's fingers once were.

Notes:

and we're back.

as always, thank you all so much for your support, love, kudos, comments, anything 3 you guys are truly the sweetest. I hope you enjoy this chapter-it was probably the hardest to write to date and honest i'm glad I don't have to look at it anymore lmao.

next weeks will be much happier. promise. :)

Chapter 14: Shouto VII

Notes:

hi here's some todomomo flirting + shouto feels that literally no one asked for cause ya'll want the exam arc chapter but instead you get this in the meantime.

*throws confetti*

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

From the day that the final exams were announced, time passed with a furious quickness. The closer they approached it, the more each teacher urged the seriousness of the exams at any given opportunity, causing a rising pressure amongst class 1-A.

Today, Sunday, was the last day off they had until the final exams arrived.

Shouto Todoroki spent the morning training at home. Up since 5:00am, it was nearly a quarter past 11:00 when he finally took a break from the physical aspect of his "studying". He was not so much worried about the final exams as he was over learning to control his Fire Quirk.

Unlike his Ice Quirk, Shouto spent such a significant portion of his life suppressing his left side that when the flames finally came unlocked from their bunker, the temperatures were difficult to dictate and safely sustain. He'd already burned through three supposed "fire-proof" shirts—to Fuyumi's great dismay.

While he could always not use it during the Final Exam, that path of his life no longer offered itself as an option if he wanted to continue to be the hero he wanted to be. Endeavor and all his bullshit be damned. At the very least, when he wasn't being a prick, his father managed to offer helpful advice sporadically during Shouto's "studying", along with a spitfire reminder not to disappoint him by earning second place in an exam again.

That, at minimum, they could agree on. Shouto bore no intention of failing—especially if the rumors that the practical exam were simply robot opponents turned out to be correct. Even if they weren't, he would adapt.

So focused he was on improving his power over his Fire Quirk, he hardly scratched the surface on the written portion of the final exams, leaving him with only a few days left to brush up on the subjects they would be tested for. Thus, he decided to dedicate the rest of afternoon to just that.

Which brought him where he was now: Mrs. Chu's library.

The door to the building signaled Shouto Todoroki's arrival with a ding of its hanging bell, chiming brilliantly through the dusty, somber atmosphere. At the front desk, the Head Librarian herself could be found sitting at her usual spot, head down to display a perfect presentation of the elderly woman's finely knit bun of salt and pepper hair. When Shouto stepped inside, her face rose to greet him, a warm smile on her thin lips.

"Welcome back, Mr. Todoroki."

"Hello," Shouto replied quietly. Her ability to recall his name after only a few short meetings never ceased to make the hair stand up on his arms, but it no longer surprised him. His scar, coupled with his name, often cemented him a spot in most people's memory.

"Come to return Japan Rising?" She asked as he approached her desk. He shook his head.

"Not yet. I'm more than halfway through now. I can bring it back if someone's requested it, though."

"Goodness, no," she chuckled, waving a small hand passively, "That material is quite heavy, I doubt it'd do more than collect dust here. Please, take your time."

True, he agreed with her assessment wholeheartedly. The book, interesting though it was, proved to be a strain on the eyes for more than an hour or two. He'd already fallen asleep while reading it twice.

"I assume you're here to study for the U.A. exams, then?" Mrs. Chu offered, a glimmer in the blue eyes behind her spectacles. Shouto blinked, unconsciously looking down to see if he had accidentally put on his school uniform instead of his casual clothes when he left – he did not.

Mrs. Chu laughed. "The Sport's Festival, my dear."

"Oh." That made far more sense. He forgot the event was televised.

"You were one on the first year stage, if I recall," she hummed. "Endeavor's son, right? Quite the powerful Quirk combination you've inherited. I am sure he's very proud."

Shouto narrowed his gaze.

"Right," was all he could say to such a statement without being overtly rude. Proud was the last word his father would likely use to describe his opinion towards Shouto—not that the old man's approval was necessary. It hadn't been for all these years, but she didn't need to know that.

The older woman gave him a pensive look, and Shouto got the sense that he was being silently criticized. When she spoke again, the usual cheeriness had not left her tone but the timbre underneath ran cold.

"Well, for an old cat like me, it's encouraging to see the younger generation stepping up to the plate and using their gifts to help society instead of harming it. As for your studies, there are plenty of quiet spaces available and computers open for use. Just be mindful of other students—U.A. is not the only school with final exams."

"Sure." He never spoke anyway, so disturbing others wouldn't be an issue. He was about to thank her and be on his way, but Mrs. Chu let out a small squeak that stopped him.

"Oh! I nearly forgot. Please, take one of these as well. I know how taxing these tests can be, especially at such a prestigious school…"

Shouto watched as the elderly woman reached under the edge of her desk and took out a large glass jar filled to the brink with a collage of colors. She set it on the surface with a hefty thump.

Candy? Shouto assumed, peering closer. Inside there appeared to be sphere-shaped objects with animal faces drawn on them, all each a different color and animal.

Mrs. Chu popped the lid off and slid her small hand easily past the containers wide mouth, rummaging a bit before taking a pink one out with the face of an elephant.

"They are stress balls," She explained, showing it to him and squeezing it tightly so that it compressed in her hand. "One of my regulars, another student from your school, actually, created quite a bit of them on accident. I thought they were adorable, so I kept them to the side for students coming into study for exams."

Created? Another U.A. student? The woman's description immediately brought Yaoyorozu to the forefront of his mind.

"She's also here today studying for the exam," Mrs. Chu added, putting the pink elephant back into its glass home.

"I see," He murmured more to himself than her.

Shouto had not heard from Yaoyorozu in days—but this time, he understood why.

Yaoyorozu, along with Midoriya, went completely off-grid when the exams were announced. Shouto only saw or talked with them at school, and even then the two were constantly surrounded by books anywhere they went, faces sunk deep into their pages whenever free time became allotted. He pondered if the two ever realized how alike they were—or perhaps he just had a type when picking out friends.

He didn't really mind. He'd been just as preoccupied, along with the rest of class 1-A.

Although… Didn't Yaoyorozu offer to tutor some of the class today? He vaguely remembered the discussion coming up—mostly because of her enthusiastic reaction. But there was something else she said, too... He couldn't recall.

"Oh yes," Mrs. Chu nodded, "she used to come here multiple times a week, but not as often as of late. In this instance, I think she prefers the quieter atmosphere compared to the school library, though there is always an uptick in young people here this time of the year."

Shouto made a noise of acknowledgment, but he had stopped paying attention, gazing back down at the open jar still sitting atop her desk.

Yaoyorozu made all of these by accident? He wondered what could have caused that to happen. She gets anxious… maybe her Quirk just started making things? As his mind questioned the details of how exactly her Quirk functioned, his hand unconsciously reached into the jar. He didn't need one—he was rarely stressed and when he was, squeezing something probably wouldn't give him any relief, but…

He wasn't going to take any—he really wasn't, but then his eye caught sight of one and he could not stop himself from plucking it out of the rest.

It was white, with a smiling cat face on it—pink nosed with black whiskers. It looked just like Mochi.

"Excellent choice." granted Mrs. Chu.

Shouto's cheeks warmed. He slipped the stress ball into the deepness of his pants pocket, not quite sure yet what he planned on doing with it.

"If you'd like, Ms. Yaoyorozu is back there by the computers," the woman gestured to a room set apart from the rest of the library. "Good luck on your exams, young man. Please let me know if you need any assistance."

Shouto thanked her again, turning on his heel and stepping towards the place Mrs. Chu claimed Yaoyorozu was.

The study area with the computers had a layout with barely more privacy than the rest of the library, which was mostly open. It wasn't much—two long rectangular wooden tables parallel to one another with no divider inbetween, each "section" given a computer and chair on either side so that two people could sit across from one another but never see what was on the other persons screen. Regardless of the library being more busy than normal, most of the computers were open.

Stepping in, he stopped to scan the room for signs of Yaoyorozu. It did not take long to find her. Though her back was turned to him, there was no doubt, the signature spiky black ponytail and piles of books around her computer singling the girl out among the others there.

Maybe I shouldn't bother her.

The thought didn't sit well with him, nor did the vulnerability it inferred. He pushed past it.

"Hey," He greeted, approaching her from behind. She turned at the waist, a pair of crystal black eyes looking up at him, startled.

"Todoroki!" Momo Yaoyorozu squeaked his name in surprise. "I did not expect to see you here."

"Likewise." He dropped his backpack to the floor and pulled out the chair from the spot next to her, planning to sit down only to find it occupied with several books. Puzzled, he shifted his gaze back to her.

"Are these books yours, too?" He asked.

"Books?" Her eyebrows dipped in, then sharply rose with realization, following his line of sight. "Oh! The books on the chair! Yes, they are, actually. I'm sorry! I was moving them out of the way since—well…"

She gestured around her. Each inch of her limited table space, outside of the computer monitor and keyboard, had a book (or two) covering it. Most of them Shouto recognized as books from school, but there were others grouped in. Chemistry books, he presumed, unable to read their titles on the spines facing away from him.

"It's a bad habit," she admitted shyly.

I'm getting deja vu, Shouto thought, the memory of their first meeting in this library coming back to the forefront of his mind and successfully unveiling his next observation.

"At least you're not asleep this time."

The deadpan statement pulled the trigger on an immediate reaction from the girl.

"I—I was not sleeping last time!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed in her best attempt at a loud whisper, cheeks pink like cotton candy. "I was just—resting my eyes!"

"Oh?" Shouto took this opportunity to remove the books from the chair in order to bow his head and hide the smirk smoothing onto his face. He set them down on the table space on the side. "Do people usually snore when they rest their eyes?"

"S-snore!?" Yaoyorozu practically gasped the word out like it was dirty. "I—I did not!"

"Hm. I don't know about that," Shouto murmured passively, the years of being straight-faced serving him well in this moment of suggestive ribbing.

She eyed him questionably as he sat down, the now empty wooden chair creaking under his weight.

"You're teasing me," she accused.

He glanced up at her.

"A little bit," he confessed, granting her a tiny smile.

He awaited a lecture, but one never came. Instead, Yaoyorozu simply stared at him for a good few seconds, lips parted slightly. Shouto opened his mouth to ask if she was alright, but she recoiled back into her chair and looked away from him, the blush continuing to spread across her features.

"…You owe me two pictures of Mochi, now."

She spoke with the quietness of a person inquiring about an incredibly illegal substance in the middle of a public space. It nearly brought a chuckle out of him.

Mochi—that damn cat. Despite his best efforts, the white, tubby feline eluded Shouto at every turn. All he'd seen of her since coming home from the internship was the back end of her tail, usually disappearing into the bushes. Shouto tried leaving out leftover fish in hopes to tempt her, but she'd managed to only take it when he wasn't looking.

Guess I'll have to try twice as hard now.

"That's fair," he conceded.

"Right away," she added. "For studying purposes."

Shouto eyed her curiously. "Studying purposes?"

"Yes," She straightened herself, and he recognized the familiar I Am About to Lay Down the Facts aura that Yaoyorozu often gave off in class—and Shouto listened intently while she did just that.

"Studies have been done to show that looking at cute things, such as kittens and puppies, have a significant impact on ones attention to detail and concentration," Yaoyorozou stated. "Therefore, you could actually take this as a humble request for your help in my studies."

Yaoyorozu's smiled coyly, holding up an expression of modest triumph.

It made his heart thump uncomfortably.

He really was going to have to try harder.

"Alright. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," Yaoyorozu's face—and smile—softened.

A familiar warmness tingled the surface of his skin. He looked away, suddenly unable to hold her gaze.

"I thought you were doing a study group today?" He asked, deciding to move the conversation to firmer grounds.

"Yes!" She confirmed excitedly. "It's later tonight, but I came early to get some studying for myself in while I can."

Shouto considered pointing out that he had yet to witness Yaoyorozu not using any and all free time to get studying in, yet it would likely fall on deaf ears. Much like Midoriya, there were some traits that could not be changed in a person so easily. Shouto knew that very well.

At least she didn't mumble at high speeds under her breath. Pro's and con's.

"To be honest," she continued, "I was about to gather my things and head out."

"Ah."

So she's leaving.

Disappointment pinched a hollow point in Shouto's chest.

"Uhm, actually," Yaoyorozu turned in her chair to face him. "Would you mind helping me put these books away?"

Another humble request? his mouth fixed to jest, but his tongue got trapped behind his teeth at the sincere but unsure expression on her face, like she'd just asked him to carry a pile full of heavy books all the way to U.A.

"I'm sorry," She filled in for his lack of immediate response. "You just got settled in to study, it was inconsiderate to ask—"

"I don't mind," he interjected.

"O-oh," She paused, tension leaving her shoulders with a slump. "Are you sure? Because it's a lot—"

"It's fine," he pressed, but not unkindly.

"…Alright."

The two stood. As it turned out, there was some method to Yaoyorozu's madness. She made sure to keep the books from the library organized in certain categories, though to Shouto they appeared to just be haphazardly strewn about at first. Once he was given an explanation and direction as to what went where, he took the majority of the books (at his insistence, which was less of a verbal one and more in the style of him just taking them and ignoring Yaoyorozu's qualms about it) while she took the rest.

Making their way out to where the bookcases were, they split up based off of her management but it didn't take them too far from eachother. Most of Yaoyorozu's material existed in similar veins, so she never left his general line of sight.

Which gave him the opportunity to steal glances at her—something he found himself doing more frequently. Since the Stain incident and their conversation after it, he became more attentive towards Yaoyorozu without necessarily trying to be.

For most, if not all of his life, Shouto knew his well-being mattered only to a select few—all familial, his father excluded. To have someone outside of that circle worry about him so genuinely that they might break down the way she did… it was the Sport's Festival all over again.

Back then, it was Midoriya who stormed the house of his heart, coming in and literally punching down walls Shouto built up for years. In the moment he saw tears run down Yaoyorozu's cheek, she might as well have gotten some pointers from Midoriya on how to create the perfect sledgehammer to slam against the interior of who he was.

At least with Midoriya, he knew what he needed to do, having no doubts when he used the full power of his Quirk to take the boy out. With Yaoyorozu, he acted on an idiotic impulse, going so far as to wipe away her tears in an attempt to comfort her. Though he knew damn well better then to touch a girl without permission, the desire to soothe some of the pain she felt—whether he understood it or not—took over his other, logical instincts.

The back of his neck ran hot every time he thought about it, the same way it did whenever his mind decided to bring up the memory of her actually biting him during their Quirk battle. He still had a hard time wrapping his mind around that particular event.

Needless to say, his connection with Yaoyorozu continuously showed him that he knew far less about friendship, and people, than he expected.

"Todoroki, may I ask you a question?" Yaoyorozu's voice interrupted his musing, the nearness of it making him realize she was mere feet away from him, catching him off guard with a minor jump through his shoulders. His pride offered a silent prayer of thanks when she did not notice-not after his teasing earlier.

"Sure."

A pause. Shouto wondered if he'd missed something, but then a few moments later she spoke up again—her inquiry far more quiet than necessary for two people standing next to each other.

"…Are you worried about the final exams?"

His answer came with no delay.

"Not really."

Another pause, though now Shouto sensed a shift in the atmosphere between them.

"…You sound very confident." Her comment was not mean-spirited, but there was a hesitance at the curl of her tone that suggested she had more to say. Shouto narrowed his eyes toward her side profile. Her head was bowed, looking down at the two last books in her hands, a contemplative expression on her face.

His gaze returned back to his own last book he needed to find a home for. What was going on in her head, he didn't know, so he'd give her what he had: his honest opinion.

"Worrying about it now won't do anything for me except waste my time," he said plainly. "I'll meet whatever they put in front of me with whatever I have. That's it."

Shouto could see bits and pieces of his father in his answer. But instead of smothering the oxygen out of it, he allowed that fire to rise. There were many things Endeavor taught him that stuck like an unwanted parasite, but it would be unfair to claim that all of them were destructive practices.

For now, anyway. He reserved the right to change his mind the second plausible contention gave him a reason to do so.

"I see." Yaoyorouzu murmured wistfully. "That's an interesting outlook to have."

"It's the only one I know." He shoved the final book in his possession snug into the narrow space between two other books by the same author. "Probably explains some reckless decisions."

He meant the last part seriously, but at his side, Yaoyorozu giggled.

"Just some?"

Her light-hearted grin fluttered its way into his core, masking the jab with its softness. But he saw the dimly lit spark in her eye and the friendly challenge it invoked.

"Just some," he repeated with matched fervor.

She laughed again, the sound echoing through the aisle where only the two of them stood, her happiness spilling over onto him. Something about it—the way he could make her laugh, spread over an isolated part of his soul like a balm smoothed onto an old wound. In the quiet that followed, the emptiness of her future absence became painfully evident, sinking into him.

His lips parted, and in the briefest seconds of weakness, a desire in the form of a question threatened to pass through.

Can you stay?

Shouto's mouth shut closed in an instant. The three words scratched his throat as he swallowed them.

No.

Why would he even think to say something like that?

"Well, that's all for me," Yaoyorozu announced, putting her last book in its place. "I really should get a move on. There's so much to do with everyone coming over."

"Yeah." He agreed absently, running a hand through his hair, failing to shake what he almost said from his mind.

"Thank you again for helping me with the books, Todoroki," She said, a brightness returning to her voice. "Let's go back. I need to go get my stuff."

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

The two walked together back to where Yaoyorozu and him left their respective belongings. Shouto sat at down in the same chair he'd removed the books from earlier, watching as she double checked her now empty area to confirm she had not forgotten any of her school materials. Once all was accounted for, it was time to say goodbye.

"Good luck with your practice tests, Todoroki," Yaoyorozu beamed.

"Good luck with your study group," he replied.

"Thanks," She exhaled deeply. "I think it will be fun!"

Shouto could think of no instance where he'd put describe tutoring Kaminari and Ashido fun, but Yaoyorozu appeared optimistic.

"Don't forget," she raised two waggling fingers. "Mochi pictures."

How could I? It wasn't like she was going to let him.

"I'll do my best," he promised.

With that, they parted with a short see you later.

Once Yaoyorozu was gone, Shouto leaned forward, staring at the turned off computer infront of him for a long while.

Although the room had people coming and going, with students conversing in breathy whispers and others typing noisily at their keyboards, everything that passed through his ears felt muted… dull. Like Yaoyorozu had taken something with her when she left.

Digging his hand into his pocket, he grasped his fingers around the item he'd picked out earlier from Mrs. Chu. Taking it out, he looked down at the white, cat-faced stress ball in the palm of his hand. With his thumb and pointer finger, he gave it a small squeeze.

Can you stay?

Shouto gazed up at the ceiling, neck cracking in its stretch.

He suddenly did not feel like studying anymore.

Notes:

FRIENDSHIP HAHA RIGHT?

GET A PICTURE OF THE DAMN CAT, SHOUTO.

don't hate me. I promise the final exam arc is next.

honestly, i had to write this. it was in my head and needed to come out ESPECIALLY when I saw that like, WEEKS occur between the stain incident and the final exams. what better reason to fit in some todomomo flirting?

I hope Shouto didn't come off OOC. I know a lot of people write him as either totally serious and cold or very aloof and out there, and while I definitely think he lacks social awareness / can be serious most of the time I don't like the idea that he's not able to make ~*~jokes~*~ with people he's comfortable around. plus, it's yaoyorozu, and he (secretly) enjoys seeing her flustered. except then it makes him flustered, and, well, y'know.

also, i have writer's block, and i really, really want to take my time with doing the chapter that covers the final exams-especially because it's likely going to be long lol.

I hope you guys don't mind the pre-exam feels and that it made you smile and maybe make your heart flutter a little bit. ya know. 3

Thank you for all the kudos, comments, views-all of it! the todomomo community is so wonderful. I love you all. 3

Chapter 15: Shouto & Momo II

Notes:

"Hold your head high heavy heart.
Save your strength for the morning after."

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

[ EXAM ARC | PART ONE ]

There was something undeniably tempting about sleeping in on school days. The logical, psychological understanding that you must get up and get ready is so easily thwarted by the warm snug of a comfortable bed. For Shouto Todoroki, when he was not awakened at some ungodly hour to train, this was the battle he fought. Every. Single. Morning.

His eyes fluttered open to a torturous sunlight beaming down through the window, finding relief from the scathing brightness only when he threw his arm over his face. What time is it? His alarm hadn't gone off yet, which meant either he slept through it, or he's losing sleep now. Both answers had their own unique degree of suffrage. Before he can muster up the motivation to find out which island he landed in, the sound of quickly scuffling feet paired with three brisk knocks at his door steal all of his hazy attention. Fuyumi's voice carried over through his bedroom's thin walls.

"Shouto, breakfast is ready! Dad's already gone and I have to leave early today so make sure you eat!"

His mouth was too tacky from sleep to form any word other than a muffled "Thanks", which proved meaningless since his sister departed as hastily as she appeared. A cold hand came up to rub the blur out of his eyes as he rolled over, digging for the charging phone underneath his pillow so that he could finally check the time.

Much to this dismay, the mobile device confirmed one of his worst fears: he could have slept in another hour.

Great, he thought. But then the wafting smell of freshly cooked salmon seeps through the cracks of the home, persuading him with little effort to conclude that things could be worse. He could have to eat a delicious breakfast with his father present. Slipping the phone into the pocket of his pajama pants, he figured there was no real point in staying in bed if he wasn't going to sleep.

His bones were lead when he lifted himself from the futon; a reminder that being the ideal gene bearer for the number two hero didn't mean he could over train his body for weeks and get away with it. Muscles sore and tight, he trudged out of his bedroom towards the bathroom to brush his teeth, the overwhelming blaze of the natural light outside inescapable. On his way, Fuyumi brushed past him in the hall, clearly rushing herself into a frenzied state.

"Where in the world did I put my teacher's badge!?" He heard her whisper frantically. Turning to him, she asked, "Shouto, have you seen my badge anywhere?"

He stared at her with half-mast eyes, about to say he didn't know, when an oddly shaped shadow from the shoji screen behind her caught his attention.

A neuron fired off in his slowly waking brain. That shadow… Was that what he thought it was, or…?

"Shouto?" Fuyumi asked again, sounding strained. "I know you just woke up but you could at least answer me—"

"Sorry—" He interrupted, peering around his sisters frame, "I think I just saw Mochi."

"Mochi? The neighbors cat?"

"Yeah." Shouto took a step forward past her, reaching for the latch on the window. If that was Mochi, then…

"Well, I sure hope not," she continued to talk in the background while Shouto concentrated on sticking his fingers underneath the lip of the frame and pulling upward. "I think she's been chewing on those 'Lily of the Nile' flowers I planted a few—… H-hey, what are you doing!?" She exclaimed just as Shouto managed to get half of his body through the now open window. "You're not even d-dressed!"

The comment made Shouto pause. He peered down at his, admittedly, shirtless self.

"It's fine," He decided bluntly, causing Fuyumi significant shock.

"It is not f-fine!" Fuyumi argued, but Shouto was, at the present, resuming his exit and stepping out onto the veranda that lined this side of the Todoroki home.

"I'll be back in a second," he assured, ignoring all the objections that followed.

The wooden boards of the porch creaked under his weight, the early summer heat pressed against his skin like a warm towel. The sun had not been up long enough to become unbearable yet; the grass, bushes and flowers all set with dew waiting to evaporate. Squinting, he brought a palm up to shadow his eyes, investigating the area. He did not have to look long. Mochi, in all her pudgy, white, fluffy glory, was sitting atop one of Fuyumi's stone bird baths, playing with the stagnant water then licking the drips from her paw.

A small smile spread across his lips.

"Mochi."

Shouto spoke calmly as to not startle her. Mochi's head popped up, ears twitching at the sound of his voice. She looked at him with round, green eyes and mewed. With a jump that was more akin to an ungraceful splat, she descended to the ground and strutted towards him, her white bushy tail straight up and quivering at the tip.

Both body and face softened as the chubby white marshmallow of a cat rubbed against his left leg, her pink nose nudging him affectionately.

"Hey girl," he murmured, bending down into a low crouch and passing his left hand gently over her body, fingers lost in the felines snowy mane. "Where have you been hiding? I've been looking for you."

Mochi only meowed in response, her deep, rumbling purrs rising in volume as he pet her.

She really is cute, he mused. Slipping his free hand into his pocket to retrieve his phone, he unlocked it and opened the camera application—a feature he hardly used but had come in handy as of late. A warm feeling settled in his heart. He was finally going to be able to fulfill Yaoyorozu's request.

Don't forget! He could hear her say, a beaming grin sprawled upon her bright features, You owe me two pictures, not just one!

He chuckled to himself thinking of it. He'd wanted to do this for her prior to the exams starting, but, well, today was the last day, so there was an argument to be made in his defense if she brought it up.

Shouto scratched Mochi's chin, granting him small appreciative licks of her grainy tongue on his finger in response. He smiled. Yaoyorozu was going to love this. Balancing himself, he posed the phone's camera carefully in order to get a direct close-up on Mochi's face. With the press of his thumb on the capture button, the shuttering noise of a picture being taken stirred the otherwise quiet air.

Perhaps, he thought, this wasn't such a bad way to start the last day of the exams at all.

The morning's first light draped through the slivers of soft cotton curtains hanging from Momo Yaoyorozu's bedroom windows, coaxing her eyes open.

The minute she awoke, it was as though she had been body-swapped with Ochaco mid-float.

Her stomach was knotting, and there was a chance last night's dinner might just come up if she tried to get out of bed too quickly. She wasn't sick—simply struck with a mixture of awareness and stress. In less than the number of hours she could count on one hand, the practical portion of the final exams would begin, and every second she poured into honing the foundation of her Quirk was about to put tested through the flames.

Regardless of passing the written exams with little effort, the physical test stood over Momo like a giant mountain all week. She knew she could climb it. She had all the proper equipment. But the nerves rode on her back with every ascending step into the week like someone had strapped a bag full of stones across her shoulders. There was something about the familiarity of routine tasks, however, so once her legs were swung over the bed and her toes nestled through the soft fabric of the plush rug underneath, the nausea lessened.

The rest of the morning went about more or less the same, though the servants of the Yaoyorozu household were more attentive to her than usual. Her mother's doing, she figured—Momo had made the mistake of telling her she was feeling a little anxious, which got passed onto the houseworkers through the grapevine. She tried her best to pretend that their pandering didn't succeed in only propelling her restlessness further; she knew they were simply trying to be kind. Instead, Momo chose to focus on the hobby that normally relaxed her in times of stress: reading.

Between every menial task, her eyes were scanning the text of a book. As she got dressed, it was Critical Thinking: Planning Under Pressure. During breakfast, it was The Science of Self-Confidence; and on the ride to school, The Call of a Heroine: How One Woman Saved all of China. Each one she's read several times, highlighting the most applicable areas, but none of it was able to bring her the ease it normally did. By the time the Yaoyorozu's family car pulled up to U.A., the breathing exercises and books were wholly discarded, leaving her on the verge of a full blown panic attack.

When the driver came to open the passenger side door, Momo's legs went numb.

Upon seeing her state, the driver, a man with scaly green skin with a Quirk she was unfamiliar with, asked, "Are you alright, Ms. Yaoyorozu?"

"Y-yes," she lied, rubbing clammy hands on her skirt while she gave him a smile she knew must be unconvincing, because her whole body was practically shaking. "I'm fine, just—taking a moment, that's all."

He was wearing dark glasses, but she could feel him eyeing her in disbelief. "Do you wish for me to give you a few minutes alone, then?"

Jeez, I must really look like a train wreck. But…

"I would be grateful for that, thank you."

"As you please," the driver droned, closing the door quietly and standing a few paces away, leaving Yaoyorozu in silence both deafening and comforting.

She never really thought much when it came to the value of dimmed car windows, but right now, she wanted to sing the praises of whoever made that decision, because there were plenty of students walking through the entrance and she would rather not be seen in the state she's in. More than that, she knew she can't be the only one in class feeling this way, and if she's going to support those around her, she has to regain some semblance of confidence in herself. Whether it be fake, or real.

But Momo had never been good at the "fake it till you make it" mantra that her parents often encouraged her with. When she tutored her friends not that long ago, she was able to give it her all because she believed she could help them. It brought a smile to her face to remember how excited they were, sharing with her after the last written exams was taken that they felt sure that they'd passed, thanking her for her help. Her whole world was lit up in that moment.

She wanted to be brave enough to do the same thing again. Scared though she was, the last thing she wanted was to falter now before the test had even begun. After all, if the rumors she'd heard were true, the test would be going up against the same robots they fought against in the Sport's Festival. If she was able to handle them with ease then, she'd be able to do it again now.

Momo took several long, deliberate breaths. Deep inhale. Deep exhale. Count down from five...

You can do this. She told herself. You've worked hard, and you've improved. You are not stupid, you can do this and do it well. Have faith in yourself.

At her side, she heard a jingle from her phone inside her school bag that indicated an incoming text. That must be Kyouka, she figured. The earphone jack hero normally met Momo by the school entrance prior to heading into class and was likely wondering if she had arrived yet. Come to think of it, I haven't checked my phone all day, she realized. Unhooking her school bag, she reached in to retrieve the device. The lock screen was lit up with various notifications, the most recent confirmed to be from Kyouka ("Where u at?"), but the others…

She inhaled sharply. Shouto Todoroki had texted her this morning. Four times.

And he's sending her pictures.

[Shouto Todoroki has sent you a picture] [6:32 AM]
[Shouto Todoroki has sent you a picture] [6:32 AM]
[Shouto Todoroki has sent you a picture] [6:32 AM]

There was an unexpected drop then release in her stomach that did nothing for her nausea but had her, at the very least, distracted enough to momentarily forget about everything else. The fourth notification that came up was a normal text, short enough to read from the preview.

Shouto Todoroki [6:32 AM]
to help you concentrate on the exam today

"Wait…" She murmured to herself. Could that mean…?

Without delay, she opened the rest of the conversation. The images that lit up her screen thew her heart into a full-on somersault. Green, cat-like eyes stared at Momo, and she held in a squeal.

Mochi!

It was her! Todoroki finally got a picture! Not only one, but three! Excitedly, she expanded the first image with her pointer and thumb, zooming in. It was a close-up of Mochi, who was every bit adorable as she'd expected, her refined facial structure reminding Momo of an elegant tigress. Her whiskers were long, some white and some black, while her nose was a bright pink that brought to mind the color of Ochaco's finger pads.

The second was farther away, with Mochi laying on her back, exposing the small pink of her belly barely noticeable through the cats white, long hairs. Her paws were furled in and Momo swore the cat appeared to be smiling. From this angle, Momo could see Todoroki's toes peeking out underneath long pajama pants, one foot entirely encompassed by Mochi's pudgy body.

I love this, she thought to herself, cheeks straining to contain the smile threatening to widen past what her muscles could allow, all of her heaviness detaching and floating away into the atmosphere. Filled with inexplicable giddiness, she continued to scroll down to see the last one in the bunch.

And then, her face went hot.

The third and final picture was far more candid than the rest. It did not just have Mochi in it. Todoroki was also included. She could not see completely because of the close viewpoint, but it appeared that he was holding the upper half of Mochi to his face while the cat licked his cheek. A half-smile was spread across his lips, rays of sunlight beaming down on him and lighting up the color of his heterochromatic eyes through bed-head levels of messy red and white hair. Despite a hint of sleepiness in his expression, he looked… happy.

Momo ran her thumb lightly over the picture.

"To help you concentrate on the exam", he'd said in his text.

Her free hand came to press against her painfully thumping heart. Out of all three of the pictures, this one was by far her favorite. She couldn't stop looking at it. At him.

What is this feeling?

Momo couldn't put her finger on it. Couldn't find the words for the ache growing deep inside of her. Normally, these palpitations were a sign of concern or anxiousness, but right now…

Right now, I really want to be with him.

Wait. Her breath caught in her throat. What am I…?

A few knocks came from the other end of the car door, making Momo jump straight out of her skin and almost hit the top of her head on the ceiling, shoving her phone instinctively under her leg like she was trying to hide something far more risque than a photo of Todoroki on her screen.

"Y-yes?!"

The driver cracked open the door, letting in a rush of noises from the students outside.

"Are you ready now, Ms. Yaoyorozu?" he asked. She could tell he was feigning patience and could hardly blame the poor man. She'd been in the car far longer than she'd anticipated. But she couldn't stay here forever.

Her phone burned against her skin, the familiar jitters from earlier starting to claw its way back up into her belly.

That thought—desire—to be next to Todoroki… She didn't know what it meant, nor did she understand the tangled up mess that was her stomach and head right now. The clock was running against her, and there was no opting out. But, she hadn't responded to his message yet...

Once this is all over, I'll thank him in person, she thought. She needed to take things one step at a time, and at this pivotal moment in time, the exam was the only thing necessary to concentrate on.

It was now or never.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed what was going on inside of her down with both hands. Turning to her driver, Momo gave him her best attempt at a fearless smile.

"Yes, I am."

When Shouto Todoroki arrived at school for the physical portion of their exams, Aizawa had instructed the class to head straight for their respective locker rooms and change into their hero suits before reconvening at the transportation branch of the building. This came to the surprise of no one, considering rumors had been spreading to the first years that the exam would involve them fighting against the same robots they faced in the Sport's Festival, likely at Ground Beta.

If that was truly the case, then Shouto was almost disappointed. He'd been hoping for more of a challenge, but he supposed this was fine, too. At the end of the day, he'd go up against anything they'd throw his way regardless of what that looked like.

That same feeling could not be said for the rest of the students.

As both boys and girls began populating the designated meet-up spot, Shouto, who had gotten ready quicker than most of them, observed the many differences in his classmates expressions as they joined the growing herd.

Sero, Kaminari and Kirishima all trailed at the rear of an agitated, scowling Bakugou Katsuki, talking excitedly amongst eachother about summer camp activities as if they'd already passed the exams with flying colors. Izuku Midoriya, who stood nearby Shouto, was lost in his own world of concentration, an unending quibble of incoherent mumbling coming out of his mouth while his foot tapped fast enough to out-pace Thumper. Ashido Mina and Tsuyu Asui both walked alongside a pale-faced Uraraka Ochaco, with Ashido trying to encourage the girl that Everything is fine! And, This is gonna be easy peasy! Just focus on the camping trip after! By the way Uraraka was slightly bent over with one hand clasped over her mouth and another on her stomach, Shouto wasn't entirely convinced Ashido's words were making any headway, but Uraraka managed to give Ashido a weak smile and a thank you regardless.

"Hey chubs, if you're going to throw up, fuck off over there and do it," snarled the ever helpful Bakugou when Uraraka came to a stop behind him. She sent him a death glare that caused even Shouto to shudder.

"Please refrain from using such language!" Iida Tenya, who's large metal suit announced his arrival all on its own, reprimanded.

"I agree," came another voice, and Shouto turned his head over his shoulder to see Momo Yaoyorozu coming into step next to him, with Jirou sneaking up on an easily startled Kaminari in the background. At her presence, Shouto felt his chest uncomfortably constrict. Despite her meek composure, Shouto thought she looked on the nervous side herself, with less color in her face. He wondered if she saw the pictures of Mochi he sent her since she hadn't answered his messages.

I'll ask her after this is over, he decided.

Yaoyorozu, not noticing Shouto right away, addressed Bakugou directly when she spoke again.

"Please try to be more sensitive, Bakugou. I'm sure all of us are a little on edge—"

"I'm not!" Kirishima interrupted with a shout and a fist pump, grinning like a sharp-toothed crescent moon. "It's just robots. There's nothin' to be on edge about. We're gonna punch right through 'em!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Ashido hopped up and down a few times, feeding off of Kirishima's energy. She smacked Uraraka on the shoulder. "Everything is gonna be fine! Remember your Gunhead training and take 'em down the good ol' Uraraka-way!"

Uraraka looked up at Ashido, who was emulating what was either interpretive dance or fist fighting. Shouto didn't know which. "Thanks, Mina, but… I'm not really nervous about that to be honest…" She admitted guiltily. "I just spent too much time trying to practice yesterday with my Quirk and now I can't stop feeling nauseous."

"Can't stop bitchin' either," Bakugou grunted.

"Language!" both Yaoyorozu and Iida warned at the same time. Bakugou simply glowered with his signature tch clicking off his tongue.

"Whatever."

The group continued to talk, but Shouto wasn't tuning in anymore, his gaze set on Yaoyorozu who was shaking her head with a sigh. When she stopped, her eyes caught his, and the exasperated expression she had crumbled away.

"Ah-uhm," she smiled, lighting up. "Todoroki—"

But her greeting never finished, caught off by the gravely voice of their approaching homeroom teacher.

"Quiet," said Aizawa, bringing all chatter between students to a hard, collective stop as they faced forward. Their teacher, to Shouto's curiosity, had not come alone. With him were several of the other U.A. instructors, all dressed in their hero garb—just like the students. Including All Might.

They all lined up in a similar fashion to the students—a mirror image of pro's and beginners. Shouto stiffened and his suspicions rose. He didn't know much about the first years practical exam outside of what he heard, but for all of them to be here like this seemed like overkill.

"Let's begin your practical exam," said Aizawa. The entire student body straightened as he continued. "It is, of course, possible to fail this exam. If you want to attend the training camp, don't mess this up."

At his side, Shouto could hear the mutterings passing through the class. He wasn't the only one catching on.

"Knowing you guys, you probably asked around…" Aizawa fidgeted, appearing increasingly bothered. "You might think you have a vague idea of how this will go—"

"It's a robot rumble!" Kaminari burst forward. "Like the entrance exam!"

Ashido, who had made her way to his side, followed with a chant of, "Fireworks! Curry! Truth or dare!"

"Not quite!" came an unfamiliar voice.

To all of their surprise, Nezu, the Principal of U.A, shot out dramatically from the folds of Aizawa's scarf-like weapon around his neck.

Not many things startled Shouto, but this made his eyes widen. Mr. Principal?

"Various circumstances have demanded a revision to the exam format!" announced the Principal, who struggled to squeeze his suit adorned animal form out from Aizawa's bindings, while Aizawa blatantly ignored the paws pushing against his face. This news caused a rupture of commotion, with Ashido and Kaminari freezing in place as if Shouto himself had used his Quirk on them. Out of all the noise, Shouto only heard Yaoyorozu's bewildered voice.

"A revision…?" He heard her say with unease.

The principal, clearing his throat, nodded. "Yes. You see, the reason is…"

For the next few minutes or so, U.A's principal explained to them why the changes were taking place. Each student, including Shouto, was deathly silent as he spoke. None of them wanted to miss any vital piece of information about the changes. When he finally came to concluding remarks, Mr. Principal grinned and raised his paw up, seemingly "pointing" to the teachers behind him.

"… As such, you students will be pairing up and fighting against one of the teachers you see here."

"Your pairings and assigned teacher have already been decided," Aizawa took off where the Principal ended. "Your battle moves, your grades, your friendships with one another. All these factors and more were considered, so, without wasting anymore time…"

Shouto felt a cold chill run up his spine when Aizawa's bloodshot eyes narrowed directly onto him.

"First, Todoroki—" Shouto perked up at the sound of his name, "—and Yaoyorozu—" Yaoyorozu responded likewise. The two stared at Aizawa, who grinned like a villain who'd just came up with an idea for his newest, evil plan, "—with me."

Wait… Yaoyorozu?

"Next," Aizawa continued, but Shouto couldn't hear him anymore, turning instinctively to Yaoyorozu only to find her looking right back at him, all of her emotions displayed like neon lights flashing on her stunned face. His pulse quickened.

This was not what he'd expected at all.

The journey from the school to the exam site was less like a bus ride and more like an indoor rollercoaster about to fly down its first fifty-foot drop into the unknown. Atleast, that's how Momo Yaoyorozu felt. Todoroki and Aizawa on the other hand carried dual expressions that were the dictionary definition of stoicism. She might have been envious if she wasn't so concentrated on remembering to breathe. Teachers, fighting against students? When the Principal said there was a revision, this was the farthest thought from her mind, but here she was, on her way to an exam created to simulate a real battle against a "flesh-and-blood" opponent. Namely, Eraserhead.

On top of keeping oxygen flowing to her brain, she had an altogether different issue.

Todoroki and her were sitting next to one another on the otherwise empty U.A. bus, with Aizawa in his own seat at the front. Every so often when Todoroki exhaled a little too animatedly or the wheels of the bus would hit a bump, his knee would come dangerously close to skirting hers, causing a shock to run up her spine when the cloth of his hero uniform rubbed against her bare skin. This resulted in a hyperawareness at the level of close they were—which shouldn't matter—but she couldn't stop recalling the photo he sent her earlier and the hapless thoughts that tagged along with it.

She'd wanted to be with him. She couldn't deny what she felt even if she didn't entirely understand it. But now that he was right there, she kept fidgeting, like her chest was a barrel full of emotions concocted with seven different kinds of anxiety and any small nudge from Todoroki might trigger it to blow.

I need to calm down, she gulped. This isn't the time to be thinking of these things. Difficult though it may be, the two of them were facing a unique, crucial task, and it required all—not just some—of her attention. If they were going to go up against Aizawa, then now was the opportunity to assemble a strategy.

Unfortunately, since Aizawa was at the front of the bus, neither of them could openly discuss this without being risking being overheard. Todoroki must have come to the same conclusion, because he had not spoken a word since they got on. When Momo turned to look at him, his eyes were set forward, arms crossed against his chest with his body sunk into the chair, expression serious as a death sentence. It reminded her of the way he looked at the Sport's Festival—focused and unafraid.

And he was right to be that way, wasn't he? They were about to enter an exam, and it would be a disservice to both of them if she failed to act disciplined.

Think, Momo, she pressed herself, pushing all else to the side. What are Aizawa's weaknesses? What are his strengths? Those two were easy enough. Eraserhead—Aizawa's Pro-hero persona—had easily definable traits. It helped that she'd seen him in action at USJ, but Momo wasn't a fool. He'd be fighting against two students, not a group of villains. He knew more about them than they knew of him. Still…

His injury at USJ. The memories of that horrible event rushed to the forefront of her mind. Aizawa had sustained significant damage to his eyes, which she believed ultimately weakened the stability of his Quirk as a whole. She'd read about it in several cases in her studies, where heroes with Quirks that manifested from certain parts of their body became essentially crippled with consistent overuse or critical trauma. While he would no doubt continue to use it against them, Momo knew that odds were their teacher could no longer erase Quirks for the same amount of time as before, and very likely had longer intervals between use. To say that they could not use their Quirks offensively at all would be a miscalculation on their end.

However, it was not just his Eraser Quirk they had to be wary of. Aizawa's restraining weapon was in and of itself a unique barrier. Momo had never seen anything like it, nor could she find any exploitable flaw in his handling of it. The way he controlled the weapon to capture villains with equal amounts speed and precision was beyond impressive, and not something they could readily avoid without their Quirks.

Maybe… She mused, thinking it over. Maybe if I could create something comparable, we could use it against him somehow?

If they went in that direction, then Momo would need both time and safety from her Quirk being erased.

Her gaze shifted to Todoroki, who was now gazing out the bus window. Think. She couldn't do this alone—they had to work together. If his attacks were best at long-range, then…

Momo's eyes widened, the answer announcing itself like a ringing bell. His giant ice wall! She'd witnessed the ability firsthand in her training against him, then again on a much huger scale at the Sport's Festival. It was how Todoroki kept his opponent at bay. Back when they were fighting eachother, Momo had used it as an opportunity to create the items she needed to get closer to him. Could a similar plan work in their favor against Aizawa?

Her thought process stalled when a pair of heterochromatic eyes turned to meet hers.

"Something wrong?" Todoroki asked, bringing the realization that Momo had been staring at him during her silent planning down on her like an ice-cold bucket of water.

"No!" Momo squeaked, a rush of blood running to her cheeks. "No—I just… I was thinking about the test. I apologize."

"You sure?"

"Yes," she nodded. Thank goodness, this time, it really was an accident. "Sorry."

Todoroki surveyed her for a moment, looking unconvinced but deciding not to challenge her on it. Instead, he set his gaze back to the front.

"We'll be fine. We know what his Quirk does," he said passively, referring to Aizawa. "It's not like we're going in blind."

Momo waned. In a way, Todoroki being her partner was comforting, but it was also incredibly intimidating, especially when he spoke like this was just another day at class. And perhaps for someone who had been out fighting "flesh-and-blood" villains, a school exam like this might not be as daunting. But Momo wasn't there yet, and this test was still a large part of their grade. No matter the difference between them, they had no choice but to work together to overcome Aizawa.

"That may be true, but Aizawa-sensei knows that as well as we do," she combated, trying not to sound as strained as she felt, "He'll likely use maneuvers and techniques unknown to us."

"So will villains," Todoroki adduced back without missing a beat. "No matter what he throws at us, we'll deal with it."

Momo blinked, pricked by the bristling spikes of confidence in her classmates tone. What could she say to that? He wasn't wrong—in fact, this was exactly why she should be encouraged by having Todoroki be her partner, but the way he composed himself with such assurance, while she sat here struggling to control each jumbled thought in her own brain…

Being next to him felt like all her flaws were put under a glaring spotlight. And it burned.

Sinking back into her chair, her gaze dropped the folded hands on her lap.

I want to be useful to him. She bit her lip. I can't bring him—us—down.

For the rest of the bus ride, Momo remained quiet, resolved to come up with a plan—a special operative just for Aizawa.

Something that would prove to herself that she wasn't as small as she felt.

When they arrived at their exam site, Shouto Todoroki observed the residential district as Aizawa escorted them through its many winding roads. While the attention to detail was profound, Shouto felt like they were in a maze rather than a neighborhood. He took note of several blind spots and back alleys, concluding that there must be a reason they chose this spot for Yaoyorozu, Aizawa and him to fight in.

Honestly, it reminded him of when the Hero Killer and the Nomu's attacked. Back then, all of it happened in a highly populated area not unlike this one. Whether or not that was intentional, Shouto didn't know, but it was something to consider. He glanced over at Yaoyorozu, who had not spoken since their short conversation on the bus. She was also taking in their surroundings, so she did not notice his gaze.

That was another question he pondered the answer to. They paired us together. What was the reason for that? If it was to exploit one of his flaws, he could only guess that he was paired with her based off his inclination to go lone wolf. Now he would need to worry about Yaoyorozu's well-being. Not that he minded that—he'd seen her hold her own, but for some reason the thought of Yaoyorozu in danger made his blood boil.

He'd also have to take into consideration the effectiveness of their Quirks. Once hers was erased, it was fairly useless. So was his, but he believed at the very least he had enough physical aptitude to go up against Aizawa without it. Yaoyorozu... He couldn't say he knew that about her. Their fight against eachother had been strictly Quirk-oriented until she tackled him to the ground, but he doubted she'd duplicate that type of recklessness against their homeroom teacher. All in all, there was a lot about Yaoyorozu's abilities that he didn't know.

Shouto had wanted to talk to her about all this on the bus, but Aizawa being present made it so that there wasn't much they could say without the teacher overhearing. The Pro-Hero may appear like he couldn't care less, but Shouto knew better than to assume he wouldn't be paying keen attention to their every word.

"Alright, this is the mid-point," said Aizawa, coming to a stop in the middle of a four-way intersection of the road. It was here that their homeroom teacher delivered the rules in his usual drowsy tone, but Shouto thought he appeared more awake than he'd ever seen the man.

"The time limit is thirty-minutes," Aizawa held up a single pair of large, yellow handcuffs. "Your objective is either get these handcuffs on me, or have one of you escape from the stage."

Taking a step forward, he handed the handcuffs to Shouto, who eyed his teacher as he took them.

"So we can leave someone behind, and still pass?" He asked, snapping the cuffs to an empty spot on his utility belt.

"Or you could avoid me completely," Aizawa drawled. "The idea here is to simulate what true battle against villains is like, so think of me as that. A villain." That won't be difficult, thought Shouto. "Just like out in the field, there may be times when one has to sacrifice themselves in order to ensure the protection of your teammate. Should you make such a decision, we'll weigh it against the rest of your performance."

So it could count against or for us depending on the situation, he mused.

"That being said, both of you could just as well choose to fight me together and win." Aizawa reached a hand to adjust tighten the loose belt hanging low on his limber waist. "But, if you find yourself overwhelmed by my power, fleeing and calling for help might be your wisest option."

A pointed stare shot from the other side of his teacher's messy, dark bangs, landing on Shouto like a bullseye.

"Todoroki, you of all people should understand that. The other two as well."

Shouto frowned. He didn't need Aizawa to elaborate to know exactly what, and who he was referring to. The night of the Hero Killer attack… That Pro-Hero, "Native", damn near busted a lung yelling at them to stop fighting and get out. But the three of them—Midoriya, Iida and Shouto—fought anyway, nearly getting themselves killed in the process.

That meant they weren't just being tested on their raw strength or fighting capability. It was also about their ability to make decisions based on their strengths and weaknesses in the heat of battle.

"Ah, by the way," Aizawa said, reaching in to take out his signature yellow eye mask hidden underneath the restraint weapon around his neck, "All of us teachers… We'll be giving it our all to utterly crush you students." He set the mask squarely over his eyes, expression unreadable but his ominous tone crystal clear. "Don't let your guard down."

With that last piece of foreboding advice to hang heavy over the two students, Aizawa turned on his heel and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared with a high jump to the rooftops above them.

Shouto and Yaoyorozu shared a glance that came and went quickly, tensions rising. But Shouto wasn't going to wait for the timer to start forming a plan. Now that he knew the rules, he began spinning together a strategy in his mind. Neither Yaoyorozu or him were weak players, but against Aizawa's Eraser Quirk, they were at a complete disadvantage. Shouto knew the probability of him being the first target was near definite; between the two, he was more of an offensive threat due to his expansive attacks. But if he could twist that in a way that Yaoyorozu could escape while he stayed behind and dealt with Aizawa…

He looked over again at Yaoyorozu. Her eyes were closed as she took slow, counted breaths, her nervousness plain as day.

"There may be times when one has to sacrifice themselves in order to ensure the protection of your teammate."

It may be best to protect her, he thought. There was a reason fleeing was an option, and against Aizawa, he could think of no other way to win this. The teacher wasn't going to pull any punches, and he sure as hell was not going to let anything happen to Yaoyorozu if he could help it. Without their Quirks, the likelihood of them winning in a head-on-head match was close to none.

"Everyone in position?" came an elderly voice from the loud overhead speakers hidden around the exam site. Shouto swallowed thickly, solidifying his strategy in his mind.

"Let's begin the final exams, for U.A.'s first years. Ready…"

He'd take the brunt of the it, protect her, and make sure they both passed.

"…GO!"

A buzzer rang through the district. The exam had officially begun.

Notes:

And so it begins.

It's been awhile since an update, hasn't it? Don't worry, I haven't been slacking off or lost any love for this fic. I've simply been working on the "Final Exams" in 3 separate parts. Why? Well, there's A LOT of content. Between this part and the next, it's close to 10,000 words. Part three takes it almost to 15,000. That's a lot of Todomomo ya'll.

I was thinking of maybe cutting out the first parts of this fic and just doing that later down the line and starting the exam right away but... then I remembered, "Hey, it's my fic. I can do what I want." So I did what I wanted. :D

As always, thank you for your comments, kudos, etc. Or even if you're one of them people who just like to read. Whichever category you fall into, thank you. You make writing this fic so much more fun.

Part two will be uploaded tomorrow and part three will be up sometime this weekend (Monday at the latest). Much love3

P.S.: I may be looking for a beta reader for future chapter updates. The truth of the matter is that I don't have a lot of time to go back and edit / check chapters for errors or inconsistencies. If you're interested let me know in a comment.

Chapter 16: Shouto & Momo III

Notes:

"You've got a way to keep me on your side.
You give me cause for love that I can't hide.
For you I know I'd even try to turn the tide.
Because you're mine,
I walk the line."

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

[ EXAM ARC | PART TWO ]

The second the timer began its countdown, Momo and Todoroki were at a sprint. Following at Todoroki's heel, Momo's mind picked up where it left off in the bus.

Now that they knew the full extent of the rules the variables to be considered had multiplied, but that didn't mean her original idea about being on the offensive couldn't be implemented—it just required a certain level of synergy between the two of them. She knew Todoroki's Quirk well enough; the boy was a straight powerhouse and she could be as well, depending on what she created. The problem was that neither of those things mattered once their powers were erased. This was not just a test of ability—it was a test of cunning. Between the two, Momo's Creation Quirk was easily the biggest wildcard, which gave them a distinct upper hand since Aizawa couldn't predict what she might produce.

"Yaoyorozu!" Todoroki called over his shoulder, "Try to keep making small objects, it doesn't matter what. We'll know Aizawa-sensei is nearby if you suddenly can't."

Todoroki's idea was, unsurprisingly, good one. Momo nodded mutely, noticing the long licks of fire passing over his arm. They'd both use their Quirks until they couldn't anymore—Aizawa wouldn't risk approaching them without erasing them. Momo wasted no time thinking on what to make—her matryoshka dolls would do just fine. But was there some way she could tie them into her plan? If Todoroki was going to use his giant ice wall to buy her time, then their Quirks would need to be functioning. Todoroki's notion would only help them detect Aizawa's presence after their abilities were erased.

If her strategy was going to work, they'd have to prevent that from happening altogether. Gears moved in her head, then clicked when they shifted into the right order, unlocking the door to an answer: a flash grenade.

She'd used one in her training with Todoroki—surely it was the most logical thing to work against someone who's Quirk required them to see their opponent. Even if he erases our Quirks, if I can blind him and we can stay out of his sight for long enough, we'll still be able to do it! The revelation lit her mind up like a tree on Christmas day, shining lights on other possible exploits. Once Todoroki uses his ice wall, that will give me just the right amount of time to—

She didn't get the chance to finish her thought process, Todoroki's steely voice cutting straight through it like barbed wire.

"This test is all about who finds who first," Todoroki stated, coming to a halt at an intersection. Momo slowed to a standstill as well.

He narrowed his eyes toward her. "Once he's in sight, I'll draw him to me. Then you can make a run for the escape gate. Until then, don't leave my side."

Momo's mouth and stomach dropped, a painful contraction in her abdomen that brought back the familiar nauseousness she'd felt that morning. He's... already got a plan? It shouldn't have been surprising. This was Shouto Todoroki, she should've prepared for this. But... was his plan really to run? To act as bait and let her escape unscathed?

She didn't understand the reasoning. Aizawa was powerful, quick, and smart, but he was also susceptible. If her theory that he couldn't keep his Quirk going as long was accurate, then if they chose to stay and fight, it wouldn't matter who found who first—with her strategy, time wouldn't be against them, it would be for them!

They could fight—Momo knew they could! With his Fire and Ice Quirk, and her Creation Quirk… her plan—it could work!

Just as she was about to voice her concerns aloud, a thought leaped into the forefront of her mind, striking her with silence and causing her to swallow down the words on her tongue in a giant lump.

Maybe... he's expecting me to let him down. Maybe he thinks of me as dead weight.

The prospect has her mentally scrambling; the slick, dismal voice of anxiety crawling up from the muck of what-if's to propel the suggestion further. What have you accomplished in comparison to him, Momo? Do you really think what you have is better? You've seen what he's capable of doing, seen his abilities. And he's seen yours. He has experience fighting against real, actual villains. What do you have?

"What's wrong?" Todoroki asked, turning toward her. "Hurry up and make something."

He wasn't trying to be mean—Momo understood that, but his chilled tone had her glueing her lips shut. If she was going to say anything, now was the time. But one single, poignant question stood in her way.

Who do I trust more—Todoroki, or myself?

The answer writhed in her gut like a worm. All of her life, she'd been labeled as some sort of genius, but right now that title could not have felt farther from the truth. Shouto displayed the level-headedness, strength and fearlessness that she ached to see in herself. Traits that she thought she had.

But time and time again, she'd proven unable and incapable whereas he did not. It didn't matter that Momo was the top of her class—Shouto Todoroki was standing on a level high enough above her she might as well be looking at a skyscraper rather than his face. If he had a plan, she couldn't think of how her's could hold a candle to it.

So she kept quiet, and relented. For both of their sakes.

"Right… Okay."

Shouto Todoroki's gaze shot up to the giant timer placed high above the exam site that was slowly ticking down over them.

26 minutes left.

They'd been on the run for four minutes—a suspiciously long time for Aizawa to wait. Not that he was complaining, but every second that passed only caused anticipation to build. Shouto wasn't a gambler, but he'd bet money that Aizawa wouldn't delay much longer. There was no way in hell they were getting out of here that easy.

Despite trying to keep his eyes forward, Shouto could not help but grow increasingly curious as to what exactly was coming out of Yaoyorozu, the consistent pop and subsequent drop trailing behind him comically. Each time he attempted to glance back and get a better look, he only became further bewildered by what he saw, fairly certain that Yaoyorozu might actually be creating small versions of herself.

Eventually, their pace slowed enough to give interest leeway to inquiry.

"I know I said 'anything', but what are those?" He asked, looking at her from the corner of his vision and noticing that she now had a decent collection of the objects tucked within the belt around her hips.

"They're Russian matryoshka dolls," she explained, creating and squeezing another one in the limited space left.

They really do look like her, he surmised, and the desire to ask her if he could see one up close comes and goes when he reminded himself that neither of them could afford to mess around. The more time they spent alone, the higher level of danger they were in. It was only a matter of seconds, and he wasn't going to be caught careless. They both were going to pass—he'd make sure of that.

"Right," he said instead as they rounded another corner, checking his right arm which crackled with frost, "Just yell if your quirk starts acting weird."

As they continued sneaking through the back alleys of the district, Yaoyorozu spoke again.

"I'm not surprised, Todoroki…"

His eyebrows scrunched together. There was an unusual melancholy in her tone.

"About what?"

"That you could hammer out a strategy against Aizawa-sensei just like that…" She murmured after a hesitant pause. "You're always figuring out the best approach with your judgment."

Shouto frowned. If she was trying to compliment him, why did she sound so sullen about it? Her words might have landed warmly on his ears, but there was something else beneath the surface.

"It's nothing special," he muttered. Isn't that what heroes do? He wanted to add, but surely Yaoyorozu knew this. In his eyes she, out of all his classmates, had shown the best judgment.

He heard Yaoyorozu's steps slow to a stop.

"Nothing special…?" She repeated, almost in humorous disbelief. "Really...?"

Shouto paused as well, facing her. Yaoyorozu's gaze was downcast, like she was afraid to meet his eyes. He'd seen this look on her face once before—when they were sitting together at that bench. That same vulnerability… fear.

"We both got into U.A. under special recommendations… we both had the same starting point," Yaoyorozu continued, a hand coming to her chest as though she were trying to press it against her own heartbeat. "But when it comes to practical hero skills, I still haven't shown anything worth mentioning."

Shouto stared at her as though she'd morphed into someone he didn't know. She might as well have, with that statement.

Haven't shown anything?

What was she saying? Yaoyorozu hadn't stopped surprising him with the things she'd shown him. Not just with her intelligence and ability, but she, as a person—a friend—

"It was your leadership that got me through the Calvary battle, then Tokoyami knocked me out of the tournament before I could do anything," she said, each word sounding like a confession of guilt as if every one of these events was a crime she'd committed.

Shouto's jaw tightened while Yaoyorozu stood like a wilting flower a few feet away from him. The way she spoke about him versus herself… it was like she peering into a distorted mirror that didn't reflect one bit of what he saw in her.

Did she not remember that it was him that purposefully forfeited the Sport's Festival altogether because of his daddy issues? Just because he recklessly jumped into situations didn't make him a bonafide hero or even smart. More than often, it just got him into more trouble; whereas Yaoyorozu always kept a cool head on her shoulders and proved on multiple occasions to be a proficient leader for their class.

How could she not see that?

However, the opportunity to question her was stolen away when something far more critical caught his attention.

"Yaoyorozu," he muttered, a mixture of fret and urgency brewing in his gut. "Your matryoshkas..."

"Hm?" Yaoyorozu looked down, then gasped. Shouto, fearing the worst, tried and failed to manifest either his Fire or Ice Quirk on command.

Aizawa… He'd found them. And Shouto was woefully unprepared for the teachers first strike.

In an instant, everything in Momo's world became stagnantly slow and lightning fast all at once. What'd she'd been so terrified of happening—her, screwing everything up—happened.

"I—I'm sorry!" She shouted at the same time that Todoroki yelled, "He's coming!"

Aizawa's drowsy voice dropped like a boulder on them from above.

"If you realize that, then you should immediately start acting."

Momo barely had the opportunity to look up before a cocoon of black and parchment colored cloth twisted down like a rapidly unwinding ball of yarn infront of them. Aizawa landed in a deep squat while Todoroki instinctively jumped back. He said something, but the sound was muffled by her hot-blooded panic. She was frozen to the spot while her brain failed to decide on whether to fly or fight.

It was not until Todoroki called out two, guttural words that feeling returned to her wobbling knees.

"YAOYOROZU, GO!"

She blinked, Todoroki's contorted and shouting face consuming her vision in the second it took for time to resume itself and fling all of her lagging senses into overdrive.

The plan. Todoroki's plan.

"Once he's in sight, I'll draw him to me. Then you can make a run for the escape gate."

Momo hesitated, heart skipping a beat as she watched Todoroki attempt and fail to high-kick Aizawa down.

I should be running, her mind screamed, I have to go—now!

Lower lip trembling, Momo stumbled as she twisted on her heel, feet struggling to pull up from the pavement like the soles of her shoes had been melted into the cement. In the air, she could hear the echoing shwp of Aizawa's restraint weapon, his trailing commentary lost underneath the pounding of her heart in her ears.

Shouto, more concentrated on ensuring Yaoyorozu's escape than fighting Aizawa, was caught quite literally like a rabbit in a hunter's trap when his teacher swung the many threads of his weapon around Shouto and pulled.

He ascended into the air fast with a painful crack running through the bones in his arms and back. The movement was quick enough that he could feel his own blood sloshing, rushing from one half of his body to the other at such a rapid pace that his head bobbed dizzily from the onslaught of pressure. His breakfast from hours prior threatened to come up when Aizawa's bindings tightened with Shouto's every reactionary wiggle.

"You're the offense of this team, so I knew I had to capture you first, no matter what."

Aizawa's statement hazed in while Shouto stiffened his body from swaying further, attempting to regain control. Like I didn't know that, he thought to himself, peering down and watching as his teacher secured the material currently holding Shouto captive around a nearby pole. He plans on keeping me here? Shouto scowled. If he wasn't so frustrated with how he allowed this situation to occur by his own negligence, he might find Eraserheads lack of insight amusing. Afterall, the man would have to leave to stop Yaoyorozu, allowing Shouto's Quirk to be eventually reactivated and effectively restarting this game of cat and mouse.

"You think you caught me…? I can burn or freeze these restraints in an instant." The iciness in his threat is curled only by the cadence of his voice from the strain against his diaphragm.

Aizawa eyed him, wholly unperturbed.

"I don't care which you do. Just be careful where you fall."

Shouto doesn't have a chance to question what that means, the answer coming to him in the form of caltrops scattered underneath him in a valley of spikes.

"Caltrops?" Shouto said with incredulity. "What are you, a ninja? Coming up with such an unpleasant countermeasure…"

"It's different from the time with the Hero Killer," Aizawa droned, lifting the yellow goggles that protected his eyes up in order to distribute his eye drops. "I know there are two of you, and I know your quirks. So you can bet I'm ready to counter whatever you come up with."

He's not wrong, thought Shouto bitterly. The Hero Killer had no idea the extent of Midoriya, Iida and his powers. Aizawa, on the other hand, not only knew and understood their limits, but knew their personalities. He was keenly aware of their weaknesses and strengths. Out of all the teachers, Aizawa would know best how to act against any one of his students.

"Your plan places the burden heavily on yourself," His teacher continued, dropping the goggles back down and securing them over his face. "It's nice to try and be considerate to the girl, but maybe you should have listened to what she had to say."

Aizawa's advice was left as an echo, but managed to hang around Shouto's neck like a millstone. He disappeared in an instant, presumably to catch up with Yaoyorozu.

Listened to her…? Shouto frowned. What did he mean by that?

And what the hell was he going to do now?

The moment Momo was alone, anxiety came like a beast bearing fangs, cowering her into a corner while her surroundings closed in on her as a shrinking cage.

Buildings, roads, landmarks—they all mocked her while her mind exploded into a battlefield—every thought assaulting her and fighting against another for dominance on which worry should take precedence. Her legs burned as if she'd been running for miles. How much further? They cried. The panic had her feeling like she was chained down to a rapidly spinning carousel and all she wanted was off.

Is there a shorter escape route? She wondered, each passing minute more dire than the last. Should I stop and create something? She tried to envision anything that might get her to her destination faster before Aizawa caught up with her, but in Momo's frenzied state all she could do was think back to Todoroki.

Todoroki.

Is he alright? What did Aizawa do to him? Will he be okay on his own?

The questions brought her stomach to the threshold of near-vomiting, Todoroki's shouting face perfectly conjured in her brain like a mental snapshot. He'd told her to go and she turned her back on him like she didn't have a fighting chance if she stayed. She left him there defenseless, while she ran like a coward.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! If you'd just paid attention instead of feeling sorry for yourself he would be—we would be—

No. She pushed against her mind. Don't go down that path! But her anxiety shoved right back. Why did I leave him there? Why didn't I act faster? Why did I run?

Better yet, where was she running?

Momo didn't know anymore. Everything looked the same and she was rushing through unknown streets like she was pressing on the gas pedal to a car with no brakes. She began to hyperventilate. There was no time to stop, to breathe, to think. She wanted to scream, wanted to slap herself or do anything, something to tear off the doubt that constricted her body like a boa.

What am I even doing? I can't concentrate—I… This plan—is this plan really okay!?

A noise to the rear of her yanked Momo out of her downward spiral, veering the mental wheel of her mind off to the wrong exit. When she peered over her shoulder, she saw that Aizawa, running across power lines, was coming after her... and he was not far.

Aizawa! Momo's heart practically stopped, but her feet kept running. Does that mean Todoroki is..? She felt the harsh grip of worst case scenarios squeeze at her lungs.

"Your loss of self-confidence since the Sport's Festival is evident," Aizawa shouted, jumping into the air, the strands of his weapon floating around him like he was an eight-legged spider about to pounce on his prey. "Allow me to hit you where it hurts."

Momo had no time to react, Aizawa shooting out his weapon of capture like a venomous snake coming in for a bite.

Rarely, if ever, did Momo curse, but in the second right before Aizawa's attack reached her, several choice words threatened to leave her mouth. She closed her eyes. Any second now, her Quirk would be erased, and it would be over. They'd fail the exam and there was nothing she could do about it. As Aizawa's weapon caught her by the wrist, she sucked in a breath, her hopes crashing around her like glass.

Against a teacher… I don't stand a chance.

And yet…

Momo's eyes flew open.

And yet—!

Her Quirk… It—It wasn't erased!? Then—

"C-create!" she yelled out, and with one single thought a spool burst from the skin around her wrist, successfully pushing out the bonds and twisting them, acting as a shield to prevent her from capture. Due to the pull of gravity, it flew up in place of her and back towards Aizawa.

I—I did it!?

If he hadn't erased her Quirk, then her theory that Aizawa couldn't use his Quirk like he could prior to the USJ was true. Which meant—!

Adrenaline coursed through her with a rush. Momo had to make a choice—now. She wouldn't make it to the escape gate. And Todoroki… She couldn't do this without him, either. She had to go back for him. His plan—it wasn't going to work.

There had to be another way.

With a sharp turn, she started to sprint, her goal no longer to escape, but to return to the team mate she left behind. Maybe her decision was foolish and reckless, but damnit, if this was a real battle—if Aizawa was a real villain—she couldn't… She would never—

I'm sorry, Shouto—I'm not going to leave you!

Shouto Todoroki hung helplessly from the power lines, eyes staring down at the caltrops hungrily waiting for his inevitable fall. With his Quirk still erased and nowhere to go, all he could do was repeat Aizawa's words over and over again in his head like a record stuck on a loop.

"Maybe you should have listened to her."

Now that he thought about it more, back at the beginning when he was throwing out instructions, Yaoyorozu looked like she wanted to say something to him, but…

Shit. Shit.

He hadn't even asked her, had he? Didn't bother to see her side of things, just decided he was going to protect her without even finding out if she wanted to be protected. He'd taken up the mantle of leadership with no regard to his team mate. If he'd been less short-sighted and discussed this with her…

Yaoyorozu…

As if thinking of the Creation Hero's name summoned her forth, a set of footfalls caught Shouto's ear. When he rose his face to see who it was, he saw Momo Yaoyorozu bounding towards him, a panicked look on her sweating, flushed face.

His eyes widened. She came back? But if she's here, then Aizawa…

A black figure darted across the rooftops from where Yaoyorozu was running from, confirming his fear with a twist in his gut. They wouldn't be alone for long. When she came near, she called out his name, searching.

"Yaoyorozu," Shouto said from above.

Momo peered up and upon seeing him hanging, gasped, her voice breaking.

"T—Todoroki! I'm—I'm so sorry, I couldn't—!"

"Right, sure," He spoke over her. "But Aizawa-sensei is coming!" As much as he wanted to assure her it was fine and that she had nothing to apologize for, Aizawa was gaining speed and the clock was ticking.

Yaoyorozu turned to see Eraserhead closing in, then looked back at Shouto. His heart seized in his chest as he witnessed firsthand her entire mental state fold in and on itself, shaking like a lost child.

"Wha… What do I—?" She stammered.

"Yaoyorozu!" He yelled, trying to grab her from falling into a mental sandpit. "You had a plan, didn't you? I'm sorry—I should've asked you if you were really okay with my me what your strategy is, quickly!"

She stared up at him, wide-eyed and trembling. "B-but if your strategy didn't work, then what hope does mine have?"

"It's fine! Just do it!" He told her, Aizawa mere blocks away now. "This is your time to really shine!"

A mental war played out all over Yaoyorozu's face, like she wanted to trust his words but couldn't quite touch her toes to the truth. He grit his teeth together. Fear doesn't have an off-switch, he reminded himself, recalling how as a child he, just like Yaoyorozu, lived in the shackles of fear for so long under the abusive hand of his father. The blaring truth was that if he was going to help her wrestle this beast of insecurity to the ground, it wasn't enough just to fling out commands at her like she was a soldier. She needed to know, to understand that he didn't just trust he, he admired her.

And he'd be damned to let Yaoyorozu stand in his shadow when he knew she was his equal.

"You got two votes for class president, remember!?" He said, prompting her eyes back up to meet his own. He locked them there, every syllable wrenched out from the pit of his gut because he meant it. "I voted for you, Yaoyorozu—because I thought you were perfect for it!"

The words are released from the bow of his mouth like a piercing arrow. When Yaoyorozu's jaw went slack, Shouto knew he'd managed to make his mark, puncturing that crippling demon of doubt hanging over her back. Unfortunately, another enemy arrived like a vulture to pick at the remains.

Aizawa leaped above Yaoyorozu, and Shouto's breath hitched, pushing uselessly against his restraints.

Yaoyorozu!

With a pained grimace of a choked back cry, Yaoyorozu made her choice.

"Todoroki! Close your eyes!" She shouted, grabbing the matryoshka dolls tucked into her belt up and into the air.

Shouto shut his eyes, and from the black backs of his eyelids, heard a resounding bang pierce his ears.

The flash grenade lit up the residential area, and Aizawa's open eyes, with a light that burned in its intensity.

Momo knew she had about ten full seconds until dizziness and sound returned to Aizawa. There was no more holding back, no more being afraid. The fear she'd been gripping onto so tightly was let go, replaced momentarily with conviction that spurned into determination. In one simple sentence, Shouto reminded her of who she was—and who she wanted to be.

And that someone wasn't the kind of person to let her team mate down without both fists swinging.

"I do, Todoroki!" She cried, rushing to the pole to untie his restraints. Safely, he was lowered without having to dodge any of the caltrops waiting below. Coming to his side, she helped him unravel the material from his body. "I've got a plan that is sure to lead us to victory against Aizawa-sensei!"

While she spoke, Aizawa retreated atop a high roof, distancing himself from the possibility of an oncoming attack while he regained his senses. Momo stared up at him, mind racing. They wouldn't give him the offensive launch he expected. Rather, they'd have to run, but only temporarily.

"So you do have something in mind?" Todoroki pressed, both of them standing in defensive positions. Momo nodded trying to collect herself enough to make sense. Her lungs were practically on fire at this point, mentally working overtime to re-thread the strategy she'd been stitching together since their bus ride to the site.

"Yes. Actually, I've been thinking of it from the start," she admitted.

"Great." He deadpanned, "Just tell me already—"

Through the air, something rushed straight towards Todoroki, splintering their conversation. She gasped, limbs freezing in place, when Todoroki stepped infront of her.

"YAOYOROZU!"

His hand grazed against her bare chest, pushing her backward and igniting a shock of pure heat through her skin. She couldn't react to the touch, stumbling back with a wince but catching herself from falling. She watched as Todoroki raised his palm as if to administer a counterattack. When nothing came out and shock lit up his face, Momo's heart rate lept all over the place, bouncing from her throat to her stomach to throwing itself against her rib cage and chest.

They needed to go. Now. Time was up.

"Todoroki, we need to get out of here and hide!"

In a flurry of urgency, Momo grabbed Todoroki's wrist to get his attention and pulled, already mid-run. Electricity passed through the two at the touch, and Todoroki snapped his head back like she'd created a taser gun and shot him with it. Momo released him immediately, but the lingering effects scorched the palm of her hand like she'd placed it on hot metal. Their eyes met—both shaken without the time to wonder why, so instead they ran, the impending capture from Aizawa too demanding to brush aside.

Momo, aflame with more than just adrenaline, tried her best to swallow it down. At her side, Todoroki seemed to do the same, urging her back to their present problem while a faint, red flush spread up his neck.

"Your plan, Yaoyorozu."

"Y-yes!" She breathed, trying not to let her eyes linger on the crawling blush on his skin. "I believe Sensei's eyes were permanently damaged, causing his Quirk to be less dependable."

"So we're taking advantage of his injury at USJ?"

"Yes and no—right now, we need to escape his line of sight." Momo explained. "With a little time, this will be our win."

"Time…" Todoroki's eyes darted to their rear side. "Hide from his line of sight, huh? Alright—how the hell are we going to do that without our Quirks?"

"Just do as I say!" She instructed, her confidence returning to her as they kept talking it through. "Keep trying to use your ice!"

Todoroki, as usual, caught on quick. "You mean—?"

"Yes!" Momo confirmed. "Don't think we can't use our Quirks, because there will be an opening, if only for an instant! When he blinks—before he opens his eyes again, that's your chance!"

She looked back over her shoulder at him. "You can fire it off in that instant, right, Todoroki!?" What you did at the Sport's Festival, she thought. That giant ice wall!

Todoroki's expression went beyond understanding—in his eyes, she saw his resolve as he pulled back the curtain of her plan. In one fell swoop, the two perched themselves on the same wavelength. He didn't need to affirm what she already knew, because a blink later, Momo heard the distinct crack of ice forming and breaking. Skidding to a stop, she watched as a pool of ice formed in a circular motion beneath Todoroki to cut his momentum and freeze him in place. From his extended right hand, the crystals curved to obey him. In a split-second, her vision filled with glaciers, the giant ice wall building up and upon itself, sent out like sharp daggers all across the district in the direction of Aizawa.

Momo, staring in awe at the pure, raw power from Todoroki's Quirk, felt her heart thump with utter relief. Her back bent over, hands resting on her knees. We're safe, she thought, sucking in a breath. We... We did it.

Together, they'd manage to escape. But the battle wasn't over. The race against the clock was on, and it was time for Momo to show them, and herself, what she was truly made of.

Notes:

Woo! Part two!

Can I take a nap now?

This part, to me, was probably the most "canonly strict" chapter in the sense that there wasn't a lot that I changed or adjusted. I love this part of Hori-san's story, and I had no desire to make any big changes. That's just not what I'm about. So you'll see some minor edits/inclusions/exclusions because I feel it works with my personal pacing better, but I have no desire to re-write exactly what Hori-san's already written. This is just my take on it from a Todomomo perspective. This goes the same for Part three-to a certain point. I can't spoil anything, but, well, you'll see. :)

I am, as always, blown away and utterly humbled by the positive feedback from everyone. I know it's common to say, but I truly am thankful for each comment, kudo, critique, whatever it may be. When I started writing this fic, it was for fun and to fill a Todomomo fic need that I wanted for myself. I'm beyond glad that so many of you are enjoying it. Even if you don't leave a comment or kudos: thank you just for reading. Really. 3

For those who left a comment about potentially wanting to beta read, I will respond to your comment sometime tomorrow with contact info. Right now, I need sleep lmao.

Expect to see part three come sometime over the long weekend, Monday at the latest. Thank you everyone for your support and love. Todomomo for life. 3

Chapter 17: Shouto & Momo IV

Notes:

"Hope
dangles on a string,
like slow spinning redemption."

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

[ EXAM ARC | PART THREE ]

A cold breath escaped Shouto Todoroki's lips in a sigh.

They were safe.

Towering above him, the ice wall he created stood, its foundation rolling out from underneath his feet. An intense chill shocked his bones, the right side of his body encased in shards of ice that reached up to his face and crystallized strands of his hair into icicles. With a shift in energy, he manipulated the heat from his left side to melt it away, regulating his internal temperature and returning the warmth to his bloodstream.

"We're able to use our Quirks for now," he announced flatly, turning to Yaoyorozu behind him, "You'd better explain the whole plan now—"

Shouto stopped mid-sentence.

Yaoyorozu stood nonchalantly with the top half of her hero suit completely open, while what appeared to be Aizawa's restraining weapon falling out of her uncovered chest into a pile on the ground.

With a fwoosh of fire that ignited past his control and briefly caused his shoulder pad to go temporarily alit, he looked away quick enough to make his neck crack.

"…Is that Aizawa-sensei's weapon?" He asked, extinguishing the flames and trying his best to keep a mellow tone while simultaneously attempting to ignore the fact that Yaoyorozu was not only exposed, but mere feet away from him. His ears burned, hastily casting a millstone around any thoughts that dare entice curiosity or desire beyond his initial question. He really wished she'd warned him ahead of time.

"Yes," Yaoyorozu said, nonplussed. "I can't replicate it precisely since I don't know the exact materials or manufacturing method used, but I've woven something else into this. My own special version, you could say."

Shouto, distracting himself with absently kicking a pebble on the ground, hummed. "A special version? That makes it sound equally dangerous."

"Oh, it is," he heard her say. "However, given the residential setting, we need to do our best to keep property damage to a minimum."

I don't think a giant ice wall was the best idea then, he thought, but decided against voicing it aloud. The snark could wait until after they passed the exam.

"Likewise, his binding weapon is quick, which makes him hard to pin down," she continued. "But if we use this against him, then I believe we'll have a better chance of winning then trying to escape. Anyway—you can look now, I'm done."

With permission granted and the hazard of seeing something he should not see gone, Shouto turned and approached Yaoyorozu, who stood proudly with a hand on her hip near the bindings she created, as well as a miniature sized catapult. Intrigued and impressed, Shouto crouched down by the material, picking it up and examining it but mostly unable to determine any outside difference from Aizawa's weapon.

"How are we going to use this against him? And what's the catapult for?"

"I'll explain," Yaoyorozu began, reaching down next to him and gathering the cloth-like material up into a messy ball in her arms. "This will be put here," she dropped the bundle into the pouch of the wooden catapult, "and then I'll hit this lever," she pointed out a small wooden trigger reminiscent of a drummers pedal at its side, "which will shoot the bindings out towards Aizawa, covering him."

Shouto eyed her and stood. "I'm going to go ahead and guess there's more to it than that."

"Patience," Yaoyorozu reprimanded light-heartedly, causing Shouto's brows to perk. "The bindings themselves are essentially useless, but… if we use your fire to heat them, we can cause the materials I've made inside the fabric constrict into a straight jacket of sorts, effectively trapping him."

"We'll have to do this from a hidden position then," he thought aloud. "Unless you plan on using another flashbang to keep our Quirks from being erased."

"No," Yaoyorozu shook her head. "That would be dangerous for us, but I've already thought of a solution to that as well. We'll have to hide ourselves. He can't erase what he can't see, right?" She offered him a smile.

That's true… "So what, you're going to make something to cover us, then?"

"Yes. Two black sheets for both of us, and the top half of mannequins I'll create that we can hold underneath. He'll think the tops of the mannequins are you and I and attack them instead."

"Like a bait and switch?" Shouto offered, not quite sure if the term was correct.

Yaoyorozu mingled the words in her mouth a bit before agreeing. "Yes… Sort of. When he goes for them, he'll realize it's a ruse and become defensive, giving me only a few seconds to duck down and hit the lever and launch the bindings. At that point, you would use your fire to heat them from below." She explained, then hesitated, adding with some uneasiness, "…Uhm, if you're okay with doing that…"

He looked at Yaoyorozu pensively. Despite coming up with such an intricately thought out plan she could easily stand firmly on, she still doubted if he was wholly on board with it. Then again, he only had himself to blame for not hearing her out in the first place. But he wasn't going to make that mistake a second time.

"I trust you, Yaoyorozu," he told her.

Yaoyorozu stared at him with shifting eyes, as if she were trying to scan his face for truthfulness—or maybe, and more likely, she was allowing herself to believe him. Either way, eventually, her features softened.

"…Thank you, Todoroki." she said quietly.

Bringing a palm to her chest, Yaoyorozu released a deep breath. With her plan fully laid out infront of them, Shouto could practically see the weight it bore on her this whole time being lifted off her shoulders.

"Everything will be decided in an instant…" Yaoyorozu's eyes flickered up to him, the familiar glint of determination sharpening the edge of her gaze. Confidence brimmed over the smile she gave him. "Let's do this and win, alright?"

"Yeah," Shouto replied with an affirmative nod, his own fighting spirit renewed by the reflective spark of his team mate. "No complaints from me."

Momo's hands were shaking, and she did not know if it was from adrenaline, anticipation, nervousness, or all three morphed into one.

In a way, she still felt a bit scared. But… it was a different "fear" from the one earlier. It did not paralyze her or freeze her to the point of breathlessness, leaving her desolate in her own self-created cage of terror. No, it was driving her, filling up the gauge of tenacity she'd previously allowed to run on empty.

Regardless, Momo could scarcely start doubting or give it less than her best now—especially since Todoroki practically melted her heart straight down through her ribcage when he bluntly stated that he trusted her. How he could be so utterly fine with being in her hands when she'd barely been able to hang on this far in the first place, she failed to understand. All she knew was that she was grateful. She was so grateful, for everything, and she wanted more than anything to tell him. But for now, thank you's would have to take a backseat.

Gripping the twisted end of the mannequins top half with a sweating palm, she ensured the black sheet she'd create was completely covering her, then turned to face where she presumed Todoroki was standing. It was nigh impossible to see him through the pinprick holes of the cloth, especially since he, too, was covered in it.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah," she heard Todoroki say, his voice muffled. "Ready."

"Alright…" She took a deep breath. I only have to do one thing, she reminded herself. Hit the lever, and let Todoroki do the rest. "Follow my lead."

She championed them in a sprint, her heart pounding heavy in her ears with each deliberate step. Her nerves came back to beat the dead horse of her anxiety, but she felt more in control of it now, using the jitters to propel her forward rather than hold her back. Each movement was like piecing together a puzzle. She'd put together the corners and borders—now, she was ready to fill out the middle with everything she had.

A cold chill passed through the thin cloth as they rounded a corner that led into warmer temperatures, a tell-tale sign that they were out in the open now where Aizawa could spot them.

There was no turning back.

Aizawa reacted within her predictions. In only a few seconds since they'd left the protection of Todoroki's ice wall, Momo could hear the familiar sound of Eraserhead's binding weapon, his brief footfalls giving away his location.

He's coming from the back!

Momo braced herself for the inevitable impact of his attempt at capture, and sure enough it came. Like an arrow piercing through the air, Aizawa's weapon wrapped itself around the mannequin heads and tightened.

As it did, Momo twirled back on her heel, swiftly switching her hand positions so that she could duck down into a crouch while still holding up the top-half of her mannequin to keep Todoroki hidden under his own on the other side.

Her sheet floated up from her heels just enough to reveal Aizawa standing directly infront of her.

"Mannequins!?" He exclaimed, and Momo saw the window open in his surprised reaction.

This is it! She thought, hand reaching back to the catapult's release lever. This is all—her palm swung down—I have to do!

But her fingers—dedicated as they were to flip the switch on this whole operation—only scraped against the air.

Momo's heart leapt into her throat.

The lever…! She looked over her shoulder, her worst fears confirmed in a nanosecond.

She missed it.

No—!

Whipping her head around to Aizawa, she froze. Stomach dropping, she waiting for the mistake she made to yank out the only brick holding up the rickety house of her plan, but her shock doubled upon witnessing Eraserhead fly backward into the sky instead of lambasting her to the ground and capturing her on the spot.

In the unwonted territory of second chances, her brain had never screamed louder.

NOW! It demanded, and once again, this time with both eyes on the lever, she hit the release with so much force it broke right off the catapult. The pouch abounded up and out, her restraints flying toward Aizawa and covered him in a winding haze of newly liberated cloth strands.

"TODOROKI!" She yelled. Right on signal, she watched from the corner of her eyes as Todoroki crouched low. And from his extending left hand, a fields length of fire billowed out from underneath the cloth, its flames rolling directly beneath their homeroom teacher.

"Against you, Sensei, I knew our Quirks would be unreliable!" Momo told Aizawa, who stared directly at her as she spoke, buying into her distraction. "Ever heard of Nitro Alloy? When heated, it returns to its original form!"

True to her words, the restraints, once loose, immediately stiffened upon coming in contact with the waves of heat that rose from Todoroki's fire.

"It's an alloy with memory shape!" She announced, and it rung through the exam site like a victory bell. Within seconds, her "weapon" constricted together and tightened around Aizawa's body like a rubberband being expanded then snapped back to its former state, effectively trapping the homeroom teacher mid-air into a cloth bound prison.

At her side, Todoroki stood, casting the mannequin and sheet aside while half of him burned like a bonfire. Together, they witnessed as gravity took hold of Aizawa, dropping him with a heavy thud on the ground where he rolled unceremoniously in their direction, coming to a stop inches away from Momo's toes.

"…Ouch," he said, somehow making the word less of a valid response to falling several feet and more like a line on script for a play he had no desire to be in.

Momo and Todoroki fell silent, both of them staring dumbfounded at their now captured teacher, too high on the rate of their pulses for their brains to fully comprehend what just occurred.

Her heartbeat still pulsating in her eardrums, Momo looked back and forth between Todoroki and Aizawa. "Did… did we…?"

Did we win?

"Not yet," Todoroki said, breaking out of his equal trance-like state and snuffing out the fire on his uniform with his Ice side. His hand, searching around his belt, grabbed the handcuffs Aizawa had given them earlier and held them out to Momo. "Go ahead. It was your plan, afterall."

Momo's fingers quivered, carefully taking the handcuffs from his possession like they might disintegrate into sand, the reality that yes—this was truly happening—beginning to flood her senses.

But…

Her grip tightened on the cuffs, looking down at them. An uncomfortable sensation gnawed at the back of her mind.

If they did this—if they really won… Why did it feel… wrong? Like everything had worked out perfectly despite her fatal mistake? Aizawa was a Pro-Hero. She knew he saw her fail to hit the trigger. So why didn't he take her out when she had the chance?

Or… did he take pity on her?

She bit the inside of her cheek, the intrusive thoughts dangerously similar to her ones about Todoroki at the start of the exam building upon themselves in her mind while she approached Aizawa and moved him up into a sturdier sitting position. Shifting to the back of him, she edged his hands closer together then secured the heavy handcuffs around Aizawa's wrist with a definite klack.

Momo, reaching forward, moved his yellow eye protectors up and out of her teachers face. The man took no notice of her, looking out into the far distance, lids heavy over the bloodshot whites of his eyes.

"That worked out well," Todoroki noted, crossing his arms.

"Yes, but…" Momo's lips contorted into a frown, narrowing her eyes down at Aizawa and debating whether or not to speak her mind. Ultimately, she knew that if she didn't, the self-doubt that came from it would end up being a slow poison. If she didn't want to remake the mistake she made by not finding her voice with Todoroki, she would have to be brave enough to find it here.

"…I messed up—triggering the catapult. Sensei… you saw it and backed off."

She took a step back, while her homeroom teacher glanced up at her as if he just remembered she was there.

"You could've defended against it," She said quietly. "But… I feel like you only took the hit so my strategy could work."

She hated the pathetic tone in her voice, like a child complaining because despite getting the toy they begged for, it wasn't in the color they wanted and therefore wasn't deemed good enough. But she couldn't help it. If the only reason they passed the exam was because Aizawa felt bad for them—for her…

"I had to be on guard against Todoroki." Aizawa, who'd remained relatively silent until now, spoke up. Momo stared at him, unable to read past his deadpan expression and mess of black hair. "I could 'see' you, but not him, under that cloth. I was sure he was going to freeze me. Backing off was my optimal strategy."

He paused. "Isn't that how your plan was meant to go?"

Aizawa's words sunk deep into Momo's tender pride, securing in her the affirmation she didn't realize she needed from the teacher until it was articulated aloud.

So then my idea really…

"Yeah… It was like you said, all you needed was a little time," Todoroki chimed in after Aizawa. "Thank you, Yaoyorozu."

Oh no.

Momo covered her mouth instinctively, vision starting to blur. The combination of Todoroki thanking her, trusting her, along with what Aizawa said, reinvigorated all the emotions she'd tried to rein in to give this her all—to pass.

Now they stood there in victory, and it was her that led them to it. Her! Momo Yaoyorozu!

I… really did it…

"What's wrong?" Todoroki inquired from behind her. "If you're gonna vomit, press the pressure point on your instep—" he tried to instruct, but Momo hid her face with both hands, speaking over him in a muffled tone.

"I-it's nothing! Really," she assured with a shaky voice. "I'm just…"

Really… Really happy… Momo silently finished, unable to keep a few hot tears from rolling down her cheek.

Through the speakers surrounding the exam site, a declaration was made:

"THE FIRST TEAM TO PASS THE EXAM IS… TODOROKI AND YAOYOROZU!"

In the echo of their announcement of triumphant, Shouto Todoroki and Yaoyorozu were soon thereafter released from the exam site with instructions from Aizawa to return to the U.A. bus which would then transport them back to the school to rest if there was no immediate medical concerns.

From what he could tell, neither of them were worse for wear from the battle outside of the bruise forming along Shouto's back from Aizawa's restraining weapon. It didn't hurt much now, but once the adrenaline wore off, he expected there to be swelling along with a nice black and blue mark to remind him of the occasion.

Shouto assumed the same for Yaoyorozu, who, upon her win, could not keep the smile off her face or the skip out of her step. As they walked side by side toward the exam site exit, Yaoyorozu paused and looked up. Shouto, stopping as well, chased her line of sight. Above them, the archway displayed a banner of their success with Principal Nezu's face on it giving a celebratory thumbs up.

He glanced back down at Yaoyorozu, a splattering of emotions crossing over her expression but none of them negative. In his chest, his heart fluttered.

She deserves this.

After their short stop, they continued out of the site, a U.A. bus awaiting them on the other end.

"You look happy," Shouto pointed out as they approached the vehicle, motioning for Yaoyorozu to go first as the panel-like doors folded open to accept them in.

She obliged, stepping infront of him and peering over her shoulder as she answered. "I am. It's… a really nice feeling—to win."

He allowed a small smirk to break through when she looked away, following her lead up the steps into the bus.

"Says the one at the top of her class."

Yaoyorozu, who had stopped at her selected aisle of seats and was in the process of taking off her utility belt, fumbled comically with it.

"T-that—that's mostly based off of academic grading," she stammered.

"The assistant class representative downplaying the importance of good grades? Shocking," Shouto deadpanned—barely. For once, it was his face, not his tone, that gave away the light-hearted jab, but Yaoyorozu was too busy hiding her reddening cheeks to notice. She tried to tuck it away while she placed the utility belt in a overhead compartment above them, but she was unable to completely hide the flush where her cheekbones met the curve of her ear. Shouto's eyes traced it, amused.

She really was… endearing. The honesty of her reactions and the museum of expressions she portrayed pulled him in like a meteor in her orbit. It was becoming difficult for him not to be like this around her, as though her mere presence brought out an easy-going side of him that he'd painted over with apathy for so long he forgot there was anything underneath.

"You know what I mean," Yaoyorozu said under her breath, snapping the compartment closed. "Intelligence and strength… they're equally important for a hero."

Her gaze fell to the ground with a pause. Sensing the seriousness in her tone, he reined back his tongue into his cheek, gazing at her.

You're still not sure of yourself, are you?

"Guess that means you'll be one of the best."

His statement was quiet, but sincere. He could hear a slight gasp, Yaoyorozu looking up at him with her hand jumping to her chest in a fist, like he'd just uttered the most shocking of words. But were they? For Shouto, this wasn't anything new. Even when they weren't friends, he had a budding respect for Yaoyorozu. Now that he was getting to know her better—especially after the exam, there was no doubt in his mind the honesty of her character, and the passion that burned just as hot as his own to become a person worthy of the title of "Hero".

She still had flaws. So did he. That was made abundantly clear in their battle against Aizawa. And there in lied the reason for their pairing, he realized with sudden clarity. What one lacked, the other had in surplus, casting a bright light on ugly weaknesses. The only way they were going to win was to work together and be humble enough to learn from one another.

"Todoroki… That's…" Yaoyorozu began to say, but then her body began to sway and her eyelids started to droop.

A red flag flung itself from the depths in Shouto's mind.

"Yaoyorozu…?"

He knew what was about to happen before it did. Swiftly, Shouto stepped forward to catch Yaoyorozu just as she began to completely lose her balance.

"Yaoyorozu!" He exclaimed, clumsily stopping her less with his hands and more with his own body as she collided into him, her palms against his shoulders and her cheek grazing his.

"Ah… S-sorry," Yaoyorozu recoiled back from him with unease, her eyes slightly glazed. The rush of color that decorated her features earlier now drained into a pale canvas. "I'm—I don't feel well."

"It's alright, I got you," Shouto assured her, gently gripping her arms to keep her steady. "You know, I told you if you're nauseous there's a spot—"

"I'm not nauseous," she interrupted with a small shake of her head. "It's my Quirk… When I Create things that are fairly large or intricately detailed, I use up a lot of the lipids in my body, which can leave me feeling weak…"

I see… So that's the limit of your Quirk , Shouto mused. "Alright, I understand. You need to sit down, then," he instructed.

Without waiting for her agreement, he directed her to the nearest seat to them. She put up no fight at all, one of her hands clutching to his bicep like if she let go, she might completely fall through the bottom of the bus and through the ground below it. Shouto did his best to be delicate, making sure she was situated before taking a spot next to her. Even after they were both sat down, she didn't let go completely, though her grip lessened to just her fingers pinching into his uniform. Even with the fabric acting as a block between them, it was difficult not to feel her touch sink through the material like she was touching his skin.

It reminded him of when she had grabbed his hand earlier, during the exam. Something akin to a bolt of lightning—not unlike one he'd felt when becoming an unfortunate bystander to one of Kaminari's 'electric magic tricks'—had coursed through the contact, making them both pull back in shock. Studying Yaoyorozu, he wondered, again, why that had happened—and why even now, as she held onto him, he could not shake the quickening pace of his heartbeat.

Now that they were seated, the bus engine roared to life, and the vehicle began to rumble as it departed for its destination.

"Do you feel any better now?" Shouto inquired.

Yaoyorozu only gave him a solemn nod. "Yes, I… I think I'm alright, I'm just…" Her face scrunched together, like she was trying to mentally force out the exhaustion. "I think… the adrenaline is starting to wear off, and I'm just…"

"Tired?" He offered.

"Mm… Yes," Yaoyorozu hummed, and the near whimper of it did something awful to Shouto's insides. "It's like… everything… all at once… I'm…" She brought her free hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose, shaking her head like it might somehow throw off the dizziness instead of making it worse.

"Hey," Shouto leaned forward, afraid she might actually fall out of the seat if she kept this up. "It's fine. You don't have to explain. Just rest. We'll get you to a nurse once we're there."

She looked up at him with an expression like she might have wanted to argue, but then upon further reflection, decided not to. Which was fortunate, since Shouto was prepared to shut down any rebuttal on the spot if need be.

"That's… probably for the best."

Her shoulders dropped while the white flag of surrender rose. And yet still, throughout all it, her fingers remained loosely attached to his arm like it was the anchor in a storm. Whether she knew it or not, Shouto couldn't discern, but… he also did not necessarily want her to let go.

Settling into her seat, Yaoyorozu laid her head back, taking deep breaths as she did. Shouto, deciding to try and give her some space, tried not to watch directly but couldn't keep himself from glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. Crossing his arms, he, too, tried to relax a bit, shifting into a more comfortable sitting position. As long as Yaoyorozu was okay for now, he would figure out the rest when they came to a stop. After a comfortable quiet had its way over them for a few long moments, Shouto heard Yaoyorozu call his name in a murmur.

"Todoroki…"

His pulse spiked and his ears twitched, immediately attentive. "Yeah?"

"I'm… really thankful," Yaoyorozu exhaled, her tone drifting. "For today… For you…"

She trailed off and Shouto straightened. A heat crawled through his nerve-endings, reaching up the tips of his ears. As he turned to her, he saw that Yaoyorozu's eyelids were at half-mast and she was slowly, but surely, sinking into her seat.

Is she… falling asleep? He wondered, confused, but her head perked up a bit, indicating that she was not quite there yet.

"Todoroki…" She said his name again, sounding further away now. He leaned in besides himself to hear her. "You really… make everything okay…"

Shouto's heart skipped, the following beat a resounding thump that reverberated through his body like he'd miscounted the number of steps going down the stairs and hit the ground thinking he had one last one left to go but didn't. His mind did not even have the time to compute the impact of her words, for soon after, Yaoyorozu's grip finally fell from his arm and following it, he felt the warmth of her body flush against him as her head slumped directly onto his shoulder.

In that second, everything in Shouto's world came to a full stop.

He had no clue how to react to what was happening to him right now.

Not only had he just been told that he "makes everything okay", which in itself had his head spinning in circles, but now, Momo Yaoyorozu had just fallen asleep on him, the loose strands of her black hair spilling over his shoulder and tickling his neck. The heat that overtook his body was overwhelming, and Shouto could feel a light sweat forming in areas he'd rather not think of as he tried with increasing difficulty to slow down the gymnastic performance occurring in his chest.

This—this was nothing compared to her touching his hand earlier. What may have been a single lightning bolt then felt like a petty vibration in light of her resting against him like this with only the arm rest between their two seats acting as a divider between them.

Yaoyorozu…

Looking down at her, he could hear the gentle breaths, see the rise and fall of her body which was now perilously close to his own. His jaw tightened, breaking his gaze away when he realized—quite quickly—that she was also still in her hero suit and was in a very vulnerable position that he did not want to unknowingly take advantage of.

Damnit… He stared up at the bus's ceiling. What… am I supposed to do?

Unfortunately for him, the vehicle offered no answers. Realistically, he knew that the only thing he could do—and probably should do—was gently move her off without waking her, considering Yaoyorozu would likely burst into a fit of embarrassment if she knew she'd done this. But…

Shouto couldn't—even for a second—bring himself to do it.

He didn't understand why. Couldn't come up with a solution that didn't immediately pry open more questions, and Shouto wasn't sure what paths those doors might lead down. All he knew was Yaoyorozu was the only person he'd met to make him feel… whatever this was.

Growing up, Shouto did not have much in terms of physical contact or affection, even with his siblings. His father had always regarded it as a weakness, therefore Shouto had no affinity for it. And yet, with Yaoyorozu's head resting in the crook between his neck and shoulder, it felt fitting—like pressing the right shape into the right place. Instead of wanting to push it away, run from it, or becoming cold to the touch, with her he felt... warm. Like an untapped part of him had begun to awake.

"You make everything okay"

He released a long exhale, closing his eyes.

I really don't want to wake her, he reasoned. If this way, she can rest, then…

…Maybe, just maybe, this was fine the way it was. Maybe it was okay to let this be. To lean into it—into her.

Maybe, a small voice whispered in the back of his mind, you feel the same way she does.

Notes:

And so concludes the exam arc. 3

I apologize for the delay, this was meant to go up Monday but due to a series of events, namely, losing my laptop charger + a secret surprise relaxation day planned by my husband, it had to be put on hold. Thank you so much for your patience.

I hope you all enjoyed my take on it. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for continuing to read this story. Your comments, kudos or silent kudos-whatever it may be, thank you. As for what's to come, well... you'll see. I can promise from this point on, the slow burn will be seriously firing up.

I'll answer all comments tomorrow. For now, it's time for sleep. 3

Chapter 18: Momo VII

Notes:

A huge thank you to Zach for beta-reading this specific chapter for me, and for giving me the idea for Nurse Machida's Quirk. Likewise, a shoutout to the handful of people who approached me for beta-reading. Thank you so much for helping when you're able. 3

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

When Momo started to shift from the dark world of dreams into the light of consciousness, her body and mind both felt as if they were being dragged out of a mud bog by their metaphorical toes. Pale, bright lights flickered through the thin slit of her barely opening eyes, cutting past the blurriness and causing her to blink rapidly to keep the flare from piercing into her disoriented brain.

It took her a few seconds, but the first thing she realized as she came to was that she was most definitely not in the bus. There was no rumbling of tires bulldozing loose pebbles in the gravel beneath her, nor did she have that low throbbing soreness that sleeping in an upright position often provided. Rather, under her was a soft padding and the familiar texture of cotton sheets against her searching fingers. Everything was oddly quiet, and the scent of disinfectant wafted into her slowly waking senses.

The second thing was that she was disproportionately warm. Like a blanket had been thrown over her the wrong way, allowing cover only to her top half while her legs suffered in the otherwise chilly atmosphere.

Neither of these things gave her a clear deduction to where exactly she was. Momo hardly has a chance to register anything further before an all too recognizable voice pulled for her attention.

"…Yaoyorozu?"

In the corner of her eyes, Momo could see the bleary outline of what she assumed by the distinct red and white color scheme was Shouto Todoroki. Digging the heels of her palms into the mattress, she attempted to sit up straight only to be clobbered over the head with an invisible bat full of dizziness that brought her right back down.

"Ugh." Momo had never fallen down several flights of stairs before, but if she had to guess, she would think this terrible feeling might be comparable. A low growl murmured in her hollow stomach.

"Oh, look who's decided to wake up!" Another voice exclaimed. It was distinguishably feminine, but not one Momo could recall a face for. "Todoroki, would you go grab me that drink sitting over there, please?"

"Sure."

Noises of shifting chairs and clicks on tiled floors trickled past. Just as Momo began the process of elimination on who this stranger could be, a middle-aged woman entered her vision from above with coils of brown hair bouncing loosely in a frame around her heart-shaped face. She looked down on Momo with a sympathetic smile that seemed more appropriate for a toddler whose bumped their head than a high-school student coming out of a Hero exam.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. Momo studied the woman. She was wearing a nurses garb with the U.A. logo woven onto her breast pocket, the other side of her chest adorned with a name tag that read in fading text, Yui Machida. Surrounding it were animal stickers, most of them either half peeled off or looking like they would be soon.

I must be in the infirmary at school, Momo concluded, snapping into place another piece of the foggy puzzle. How did I get here, though…?

"I'm… a little lightheaded."

Nurse Machida gave an affirmative hum. She tapped a pen in her hand near the corner of her mouth in a very contemplative kind of way.

"I see. Well, that makes sense, considering."

"…Considering?" Momo almost didn't want to ask.

"Oh yes," the nurse drawled out with unnecessary emphasis, grabbing a digital tablet from the side table next to Momo's bed, using her pointer finger to write something Momo couldn't see on its surface. "It doesn't take a medical degree to recognize a panic attack, and you in particular went through a handful during the exam. Add that to the strain of using that Quirk of yours a little too much, it's no wonder you passed out when the dust settled."

The explanation brought forth a vivid wave of remembrance to Momo's shore. That's right. It was all coming back to her now. The test… We passed, and then on the bus, Todoroki…

"It's alright, I got you."

She blinked, the world around her becoming starkly clearer the more she recalled.

"Ah, thank you, Todoroki," said Nurse Machida, who looked up from her tablet. Momo followed her line of sight to the other side of the bed, where Todoroki approached with a large-sized white foam-textured cup. Its lid was a clear half-sphere with a purple polka-dotted straw poking out of it. He was still in his hero suit, but more notably, the blue jacket he wore with it was gone, leaving only a white tank top underneath that stretched over his muscular form. When he handed the drink over to Nurse Machida, Momo got two eyefuls of his bare arms and probably would've filled a third if she had it.

The question as to why he wasn't wearing it floated idly in her mind, until a single thought shook the earth just enough to have the answer tumble down on her like a landslide.

There was a reason for the strange lop-sided heat from earlier, and a quick glance down confirmed it.

Todoroki wasn't wearing his jacket, because she was.

Oh boy. This was—she was—

"Yaoyorozu, can you sit up? Slowly this time, please," Nurse Machida instructed, and Momo shot her an incredulous look. Did this woman not see her?! She was in Todoroki's jacket! And—and—how!? But the job of a nurse was not to solve confusing teenage wardrobe situations, so the only response Momo got was an impatient gesture to hurry up and get a move on.

With her heart feeling like it just plummeted off a twenty story building, Momo quietly complied, trying with increasing difficulty not to think too much on the fact that she was wearing Todoroki's jacket. As she once again brought herself upright, she noticed that the jacket wasn't zipped up and had a strong, smoky smell on it; likely as the result of his Fire Quirk.

Did Todoroki put this on me…?

"Wonderful!" Nurse Machida, with no regard to Momo's mental ping-pong, shoved the drink Todoroki brought earlier onto her abruptly. "Now drink this."

Momo, despite being wholly unimpressed so far by the womans bedside manners, decided it was best not to argue. She shuddered at the cups coldness against her fingers.

"It's a nutrient-dense protein shake especially blended to help replenish the lipids you've lost," Nurse Machida explained with a proud smile. Momo wondered if she was the one who 'especially blended' it.

The woman glanced up again at Todoroki. "In the mean time, will you look after her while I go touch base with Recovery Girl over the comms? I have a strong feeling the infirmary is going to be very busy today if the current level of violence in these exams is any indication."

Just after the woman finished her sentence, Momo noticed a flash of an explosion behind her head. In the background, a large T.V. was fastened to the wall. On the screen was live footage of what appeared to be Bakugou covered in a smog of smoke, probably created from his own hands. Momo realized the sound of the T.V. was muted when the student fired off another attack, but the blast she expected to hear never came.

At her side, Todoroki, who also had been momentarily distracted by the T.V., gave a short nod. "Yeah, I can do that."

The nurse made one last notation on her tablet. "Great, thanks! I'll be back in a moment," she said, scurrying off with a brief wave and disappearing through a door that led to an adjacent room. Not a second passed before her head popped out from around the door frame.

"Oh, and no funny business," she pointed a sharp finger at the two. "I'm not that old and I sure as hell ain't blind."

Then, she was gone, leaving the pair in an awkward state of bewilderment.

"I have no idea what that woman is talking about," He stated flatly after a minutes pause.

Perhaps it was the frankness of his tone, or just how strange the situation was as a whole, but Momo found herself releasing a breathy laugh. Todoroki, who turned to her, slid his serious face into a more relaxed expression. Taking a seat on an empty bed adjacent to hers, he nodded towards the drink in her hand.

"You should drink that. It's not poisoned, if you're worried."

Momo stared down at the cup she was cradling with both hands and looked at the unappealing contents within through the clear lid. There was a powdery, chalky smell emitting from it.

"Poison or not, I hope it doesn't taste awful…" She murmured, more to herself than to Todoroki.

Thankfully, when she took the first brave sip, a chocolate flavor bounced over her apprehensive taste buds and knocked the unappetizing scent right out of the ring. It coated the inside of her mouth with a rich, fatty substance that reminded her of butter. Truthfully, it was quite refreshing, and she was already beginning to feel some of her strength return to her.

"Feel better?" Todoroki asked, leaning forward, his elbows planting onto his thighs.

She nodded with a small smile. His chin came to a rest on an open palm that hid most of his lower face, his gaze wandering away from her to the other side of the room while she continued to enjoy her protein shake. It was not until she got about halfway through did he speak again.

"…Hey, Yaoyorozu."

Her name was muffled through the few fingers covering his mouth.

"Yes?"

"The exam today. I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier, but…" His hand curled into a fist, tucked at the corner of his lips, allowing him to speak clearly. "Sorry I didn't hear you out from the start."

What? She blinked, confused by this sudden shift in mood. She stumbled with what to say.

"Oh, well, it's alright—"

"It's not," Todoroki reiterated, eyes glancing up at her through frays of his hair. She paused. There was a seriousness in his tone that told her he wasn't tossing apologies half-haphazardly in the air just so he could say he did it. There was real, tangible regret in his voice.

"Todoroki…" What could she say? She wanted to reach out across the space between their beds and squeeze his hand. Tell him that it was fine, and both of them could easily be charged as guilty in this circumstance. But there was no courage left in her tank to take the first half of that particular risk, so she settled for the latter.

"Listen, I'm just as much to blame. I…" She tested the confession around in her mouth. "I didn't speak up for myself when I should have. I let the pressure get the best of me, and I nearly brought us both down because of it."

Nothing she said was anything easy to admit, but it was necessary. She wasn't going to let him beat himself up for something that could've been handled better on each side. Todoroki stared at her pensively, appearing about a fraction less somber.

After a beat of silence, his expression softened further.

"…The nurse said you had panic attacks."

He stated it slowly, as if he was treading carefully through unknown waters—like the first sign of a darkened shadow in its ripples would have him out on a lifeboat in a second. As such, he said nothing beyond that, leaving it open-ended for her to choose how she wanted to answer.

Except Momo had no shark hidden underneath. It was only the vulnerability of the topic that caused her to consider whether or not to elaborate. She'd been hesitant to share with others before based off of peoples assumptions about how anxiety worked, but… Todoroki didn't seem like that. Moreover, she truly did trust him. They were friends. She could not imagine that he would ever make her feel shameful about it.

"… Yes. I get them sometimes. Usually, the attacks aren't that terrible, but..." She thought back to the exam, when she was running away from Aizawa-sensei. Everything had come crumbling down around her, and she thought she couldn't breathe, much less escape or stand her ground against him. "During the exam, when I began to feel like I was trapped, it was like… like…"

"…Like you're suffocating, and you're aware that you're suffocating. And you know in your head you can stop it, but the rest of you is too consumed and paralyzed by fear to do anything," Todoroki murmured.

Momo gaped, taken aback. "You've… had panic attacks before?"

"A few times… When I was a kid."

As he said it, Todoroki had a thoughtful look on his face. His gaze, while settled in her direction, was not really on her. Rather, it was as if he were watching a visual memory play back on the wall behind her—one only he could see. Momo sucked in her bottom lip and bit down, sadness welling up in her as she stared at the burn scar over his left eye. Her heart became stuck in a tug-of-war with her mind. Was now the time to…?

"Is it…" She hesitated, Todoroki's attention snapping to her the instant she spoke. "Is it because of this…?"

Momo brought a finger up to her own left eye, gently pressing against the skin of her cheek bone.

His expression fell into the familiar indifference he usually carried, but the coldness that often drove people to avoid him wasn't there. Momo was prepared for him to shut the emotional door right in her face, but he didn't. Instead, he studied her for a moment, then shook his head.

"…No. I got them before that happened." Momo must have been unable to keep the slurry of empathy she felt from appearing because Todoroki added, "It's fine. It was a long time ago, and I don't get them anymore. You don't have to look at me like that."

But how can I not? Her fingers dropped down to grip the styrofoam cup still held in her other hand, nails indenting. Her heart ached inside of her chest, breaking for the boy sitting across from her. If he got that scar when he was a child… If what he said was true…

None of that is fine.

It took everything in her not to push the door wide open and storm inside to find out why. She was kept from doing so only by the fact that demanding he tell her was the last thing she wanted to do. He had respected her vulnerability by giving her the choice whether to share or not—she would not dare jeopardize their friendship now by not allowing him that same decision.

Todoroki, unlike her, chose not to open that door, however. Rather, he shifted the spotlight back to Momo.

"Yaoyorozu," He straightened himself, staring right at her. "I don't really know how to say this, but, if you feel like you're about to have a panic attack, and I'm around… Just… You can let me know… Alright?"

For all the emotion Todoroki lacked in the day-to-day, he made up for in instances like this one, where his words became laced with an entanglement of gentle kindness and the apprehensiveness that it might be rejected.

Momo, who had been bracing herself the second she was addressed by name, found that no amount of preparation could have readied her for this offer. In fact, in that very moment, she almost had to tell him she might be having one right now; the way her chest was constricting and she suddenly could not quite remember how to breathe.

"U-uhm—" She stuttered. "I… I will."

Her answer, though not exactly uttered with the firmest inflection, seemed enough for Todoroki.

"Good," he said. "You shouldn't have to deal with that alone."

Alone…

The word was a puncture in her soul. Her eyes dipped down at the drink in her hands. Momo had never really thought about it, but she had dealt with her anxiety alone for some time now. Even her parents failed to understand. Why can't you just relax? They'd say, and grow frustrated with her inability to 'follow the rules', as if such a thing was a light-switch that could be turned off and on at will.

Todoroki… he must have understood that. He's been alone, too.

Yet neither of them had to be. Not now. Not anymore. Hopefulness blossomed, and warmth trickled over her skin. She smiled to herself, pondering on how Todoroki managed to claim an entire corner of her heart in the span of such little time.

"You know," She began, reaching over to set the protein shake on the table at her bedside. "You already helped me today. A lot."

"Hm?"

Momo's mouth pulled into a smile as she turned back. "Mochi."

Her classmates confusion quickly evaporated. "…I forgot that was today," Todoroki confessed, scratching the back of his neck. "I assume you liked them, then."

"Liked them?" She laughed. "I loved them! I got them right before school started. Mochi is just as cute—and chubby—as you said she was!"

"Yeah. I wasn't exaggerating."

"Seriously!" Momo, recalling the details of the photos, was practically beaming now. "And her paws—so little! She's like a giant marshmallow with tiny feet."

"Heh." Todoroki's lips twitched into the rarest of a half-smile, and Momo's heart doubled-down in her chest.

It reminded her immediately of the third photo she received—the one with him and Mochi. The visual popped into her mind, almost identical to the expression he was making now.

"You… have a really nice smile, Todoroki."

Momo had meant just to think it, not say it aloud, but the compliment practically fell from her brain to her mouth and, admittedly, she didn't even try to stop it when it approached the gate of her lips. Todoroki's expression fumbled, causing a cartwheel in Momo's ribcage not unlike the ones she felt earlier when looking at his picture, and then again in the bus. The bold move granted her an event greater unlikely reaction. Red spread across Todoroki's cheeks like wildfire. He was blushing.

He looked away at once, no doubt trying to hide what Momo's greedy eyes had already soaked up. With her insides performing all sorts of acrobatics, she was fairly certain her face was no better off on the color scale. Yet even as he remained quiet, neither openly accepting or rejecting it, she didn't regret it. His smile was nice. When she first met him, she couldn't have fathomed it being possible, but now…

Now, she wanted to see it all the time.

Before either of them could say another word, Nurse Machida came back into the room, announcing her arrival with a loud sigh.

The two shifted their attention onto her. She was holding an armful of medical supplies and was visibly frustrated, practically stomping her way to the other two empty beds in the room and dividing the items on each ones respective bedside table.

"Some kids—I swear—" She muttered haughtily under her breath. "And the teachers are just as bad! You would think the Hero of Peace would know better than to nearly incapacitate two of his students!"

It was hard to tell if Nurse Machida was speaking aloud to herself, or was expecting some kind of response from the only other two individuals present. Momo decided it was ruder not to ask in this scenario, just in case it was the latter.

"Is everything alright, Nurse Machida-sensei?" Momo inquired.

The woman whipped around to shoot an incredulous look at her.

"Are you blind?" She gestured toward the T.V. in the corner of the room—the one neither Momo nor Todoroki had paid any mind to. "Did you not see what happened earlier?"

"Uhm—we—well, weren't really—" Momo began to say, but Nurse Machida waved a hand and cut her off.

"Nope! You know what? The less I know, the better."

Momo's eyes widened. Are we in trouble?

"But—"

"Look," Nurse Machida waggled a finger between Momo and Todoroki. "It's obvious. You don't need to lie, just—don't give me the details, and we'll pretend nothing happened. Okay?"

Momo had never been more confused by an accusation in her life, if she could even call it that. Todoroki appeared just as lost, staring at the Nurse like she was speaking in another language entirely.

"Nothing did happen," Todoroki told her flatly, sounding mildly annoyed at whatever the Nurse was implying.

"Oh?" The nurse crossed her arms and raised both eyebrows. "I suppose your face is red for no reason, then? And she's wearing your jacket just because?"

Momo, who had forgotten that Todoroki's jacket was still around her, felt her cheeks burn so hard they stung like she'd been slapped. Todoroki was no better off, noticeably stiff.

"…She looked cold," he muttered defensively.

Nurse Machida threw her hands in the air. "These are beds! You could've used a blanket!"

The nurse wasn't wrong, and Todoroki didn't correct her or elaborate further. In fact, he was no longer paying mind to either of them, far more interested in the blank wall on the other side of the room where nothing was happening.

Nurse Machida pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly triumphant and yet all the same fed up with—whatever was happening right now. Momo was still trying to wrap her mind around what that was, while also dealing with the pressing reminder that she was wearing Todoroki's jacket.

"Teenagers," Nurse Machida sighed out the word like it was the heaviest one in the Japanese language. "Well, as I said, whatever happened it's best that I don't know. Just be aware that another student will be joining you shortly—though, I doubt he'll regain consciousness by the time he gets here."

Momo's ears perked up. "Another student? Unconscious? From our class?"

"Yes, another student from your class. Katsuki Bakugou, I believe his name is."

"Bakugou?" Momo and Todoroki both repeated in surprise.

"Yes, yes," Nurse Machida nodded, walking around to the bed next to the one Todoroki was sitting on to fluff the pillow and smooth out the sheets. "If you had been watching the television instead of—" She eyed them individually in an incriminating manner, "—whatever was happening here, then you would have seen All Might nearly knock the life out of both his students."

"Are they okay?" asked Momo.

"Did they pass?" asked Todoroki at the same time.

The nurse winced. "Please stop. You keep asking these questions and I'm going to have to relive it," she begged. "Which I truly do not wish to do at this moment."

Momo did not understand. "Relive it…?"

Nurse Machida gave a solumn nod. "My Quirk. Let's just say I have a… videographic memory. When I call things back to mind, it's as though I am outwardly reliving the memories like a scene in a play—and acting out all the characters." Her expression became sour at the premise.

That sounds both terrible, and useful, Momo thought.

Todoroki, on the other hand, seemed completely unperturbed by this information.

"So you can't tell us if they passed?" he asked again.

The Nurse appeared as though she might want to shoot a glare—or an inanimate object—in Todoroki's direction, but chose to veer onto the highroad instead. "Yes, they passed," she said flatly. "Bakugou should arrive shortly, while Midoriya has asked to stay behind under Recovery Girl's supervision." She let out another sigh. "I knew teachers fighting students was going to get ugly… I just hope they don't ask me to remember anything…"

With a dramatic turn on her heel, Nurse Machida walked off, heels clacking against the tile like she was stomping them down. She disappeared through the doorway to the room on the other side of the wall, leaving the two once more with a far more tense silence than she had earlier.

"Wow…" Momo knit her eyebrows together. "I… I hope they'll be alright."

"They're fine," Todoroki assured her, standing up from the bed. "It's Bakugou and Midoriya. Midoriya probably wanted to escape, while Bakugou wanted to stay and fight. The two don't exactly get along. With All Might on their backs, they probably got in over their heads."

That's true… Momo thought. Looking at it objectively, she would have came to a similar conclusion based off what she knew of her classmates. The two were paired with All Might for a reason, just like how Aizawa had been carefully chosen to be Todoroki and Momo's foil. There was a lesson to be learned, and weaknesses to be exploited. That was the whole purpose of the exam. Still, she truly hoped no permanent damage had been done to either. They might be powerful, but All Might was in a different universe than them when it came to levels of strength.

"Hey," Todoroki said, smoothing his hands into the pockets of his pants. He motioned toward her with the crook of his elbow. "About the jacket… I didn't think it'd be an issue."

Momo couldn't be sure, but he looked a little embarrassed having to bring it up at all.

"Uhm… It's okay, you can have it back. I don't want you to get into any trouble…" Momo said softly, shuffling the jacket down in order to slide her arms out of it. "I'm not that cold, anyway."

She wasn't being entirely truthful. The room was on the chilly side—but that wasn't a good enough excuse to keep it on—though, admittedly, she wanted to. Slipping Todoroki's jacket off, she could almost smell the lingering scent of burning fire on her now barren shoulders. Extending it out to him, he gazed up at her, mouth set in a tight line.

"…That wasn't why," he muttered after a pause.

Taken aback, she gave him a perplexed look.

"But—you told Nurse Machida—"

"Yeah," Todoroki interrupted. "I didn't want to give her any more reasons to be suspicious."

Momo's heart skipped long enough that she nearly dropped the jacket on the floor.

"Why would she be suspicious…?"

Todoroki, finally taking the article of clothing from her, hesitated to answer. Which only made the front-flipping palpitations worse.

"On the bus, before you fell asleep and then again when one of the teachers helped bring you up," He explained, bundling the jacket absently in his hands. "You wouldn't let go of it. So… I took it off and let you have it."

Momo gaped and her nerves spiked, effectively throttling her ability to speak. She—she what?! She knew she had passed out—that much she'd been able to logically piece together—but she had no recollection of this. Which, of course, triggered the downward spiral of what else she might not know that she did.

Oh no. Dread fell over her. What if I said something!? Or—or what if I snored—or—oh, no, no no.

What if she drooled on him!?

She dropped her face into her hands, utterly mortified. She didn't dare look him in the eye now, wishing she could Create a black hole to jump into.

"I'm—I'm so sorry, Todoroki."

"Don't worry about it," Momo heard him say. Then firmer, as if to coax her out of her mental cocoon, "Really, it's fine."

"It really isn't," she argued.

That was when Momo heard a shift in movement just beside her, and felt a palm press against the back of one of her hands, fingers curling around her own and gently detaching them from her face.

It was Todoroki, leaned over low enough to meet her at eye level. His two, mismatched eyes gazed right into hers, stealing the breath right out of her lungs.

"It really is," he said.

The low, soft timbre of his voice melted through her ears, and she felt a heat rise from her abdomen all the way to the top of her head. He wasn't just touching her. He was practically holding her hand—and Momo could feel the familiar electricity firing off from it. Todoroki must have noticed as well, because he didn't hold onto it for long, letting go after a few seconds.

They stared at eachother, mere inches between their faces. He was close—close enough that she could hear—feel his breath—warm and staggered. She could see the perfect blend of distinct colors in his mismatched eyes, the details of his skin, his nose, his lips.

Momo traced them with her eyes, and her mind came to a complete stop. All she knew—all she could concentrate on—was the limited distance between them… And some tangled, burning, need, tempting her to move closer—to lean in—to—

But then a loud noise not unlike a large object falling right through the ceiling occurred outside of the infirmary, and both of them were thrust back into reality like being dunked face-first into cold water. Momo crawled back on the bed apprehensively, while Todoroki quickly went upright, turning to the infirmary door. In the corner of her eye, Momo swore she saw a fwip of fire flash on his shoulder, but his hand clamped over it too hastily for her to tell if it was real or she imagined it.

"I AM HERE!" Came the familiar exclamation that could only belong to the Hero of Peace himself, and the door to the infirmary flew open hard enough to unhinge, slamming against the wall and nearly falling right off. Sure enough, All Might appeared in the doorway, barely squeezing through it with Katsuki Bakugou hung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Nurse Machida rushed into the room, squealing and waving around what appeared to be the same tablet she'd used earlier around Momo in her hand.

"Oh, goodness gracious—put him down, put him down! You're going to bump his head on the ceiling if you aren't careful!"

"Ahaha, sorry!" All Might, smiling even when scolded, filled the room with roaring laughter. While Nurse Machida and All Might worked to set Bakugou down on the bed she had gotten ready for him, Momo could hardly keep up with anything that was happening, feeling as if she was back in the dream-like state she'd came into the infirmary with.

What… what was…?

"Ah, Todoroki! Kid!" All Might said, walking over to Todoroki and slapping him hard on the shoulder. "And Ms. Yaoyorozu!" The Pro-Hero added, looking around her classmate in order to give her a thumbs up. "Great job to both of you on the win against Aizawa! I look forward to watching the recap repeatedly and seeing him lose!"

"T-thank you," Momo replied, but the response was lost under another round of All Might laughing.

Nurse Machida, clearly frustrated that her small infirmary had now just gotten significantly tinier due to All Might's encompassing presence, approached both All Might and Todoroki.

"Alright, alright. If neither of you absolutely need to be here, then it's time to go! Ms. Yaoyorozu is still resting, Mr. Bakugou requires my full attention, and I need to get the rest of the room ready in case more teachers decide to knock out their students."

"Oh—of course," All Might nodded, somehow taking no offense to the jab. "Yes, well then, young Todoroki—let us leave her to it!"

"Uh—" Todoroki tried to speak, but All Might slung a bulking arm around him that nearly overtook Todoroki's entire body.

"Out we go!" He announced, nearly whisking Todoroki quite literally off his feet right out of the infirmary as they exited.

Momo, trying and failing to keep up with everything happening, could only watch this all unfold like a lost doe. Nurse Machida, who had a similar expression on her face, took a deep breath.

"That man…" She exhaled, shaking her head. Returning back to Bakugou's bedside, Momo watched as the nurse checked over him, making notes on the tablet in her possession as she did. Not wanting to be overtly nosy but still flushed with curiosity on the state of her classmate, Momo shifted her position in the bed to get a better look while the nurse worked.

Bakugou, from what she could see, was comparable to a worn-out punching bag that took a stroll through some garbage after a torrential downpour. From this far, Momo couldn't tell where the black and blue marks ended and the dirt began, caught in a dangerous mingle that effectively hid the bruises and highlighted the brutality of the fight all at once. He laid on the bed, completely knocked out and limp as the nurse moved his limbs around with ease in her evaluation.

Momo frowned. Honestly… she felt sorry for Bakugou. As obnoxious as he was, the exam had not been kind to him at all.

Or her, for that matter. Looking down at her lap, Momo noticed that her hands were shaking. She clamped them together.

All of this… everything that had happened—with the exam—with Todoroki… His smile… His words… The thoughts she'd been having… The things she'd been saying... And that feeling every time they touched, like a shock-wave…

Now that she was alone, it burdened her like a boulder on her back.

I… I'm probably just still tired, she thought, her head practically spinning. Although the protein shake earlier had made her feel better, the exhaustion returned with both fists swinging, reminding her that it was still very much present. Trying to figure out all of this now isn't going to lead anywhere.

Deciding that it was best to shelve these thoughts and feelings—whatever they were—Momo laid back down onto the bed and tried to rest, distracting herself by watching the rest of the student exams play out on the T.V. But as she did, she couldn't quite rid herself from thinking about the events of the day… or, about how close she had gotten earlier to Todoroki. Or the way his lips were shaped, the flurry of colors in his eyes, the connection that they shared, and how, though she would not dare openly admit it, she silently missed the strange comfort of his jacket keeping her warm.

Notes:

ooooooooiiiiiiii, mi duele la cabeza.

also, I think I am now going to start taking bets: WHO IS GONNA CONFESS FIRST YA'LL? I'm interested in who you guys think will be the one to drop the pot of emotional chili in this fic.

Let me know what you guys think about this chapter. We are moving along here, and honestly, as much as I know everyone loves the exam arc-the SUMMER CAMP arc is where it is AT. I have so, so much in store for ya'll. Be prepared. The Todomomo tidal wave is approaching, my friends.

As always, thank you so much for your support. You guys make updating this fic at near midnight on a weekday when I have to work at some awful hour in the morning totally worth it. Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride, whether it be in spirit, via the comments, via a kudos-whatever. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Now let's keep this ball rolling, okay?

Chapter 19: Shouto VIII

Notes:

BIG thank you to Zach for beta-reading and helping me work through one of the scenes in this chapter with some great suggestions. You're amazing! 3

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Momo Yaoyorozu [11:38 AM]
Todoroki!
Tea
And cats
!

The text lit up Shouto Todoroki's phone screen with a chime, Yaoyorozu's name catching his attention. Staring down at it, his eyebrows curled inward while reading the messages as they popped up one after another.

Tea… and cats?

The message wasn't the strangest he'd ever received; Mineta's seven paragraph long text to the boys group chat about how he was declaring himself the modern-day Japanese Freud took both cake and candle for that particular spot. But this was Yaoyorozu, who often wrote texts with the same seriousness she did essays, so he had reason to wonder.

Isn't she at the mall right now? he thought, thinking back to how Hagakure gleefully pulled class 1-A together on a trip to buy things for the upcoming summer camp. The idea had Yaoyorozu smiling so bright it could shoot off fireworks. Between her and Hagakure's excitement, it was hard for anyone to say 'no'.

Shouto had been invited to join in as well, but declined. On the few days off a month the school permitted, there was only one place he chose to spend his free time at: the hospital.

"Ah… It seems this isn't coming together as easy as I thought."

Rei Todoroki, his mother, sat across from Shouto with a grey, stone-crafted table situated between them. Her hand was resting on her cheek, a sympathetic, and slightly weary, smile on her face. The kind a parent gives a toddler who draws them a picture saying "I love you" but uses ketchup instead of crayons.

"Perhaps I should have picked a different activity," she continued.

Next to her, Fuyumi Todoroki, his older sister who was sitting next to their mother, shook her head vehemently.

"What? No! It's—it's coming together," said Fuyumi, faltering like a half-full glass about to spill over. "I mean, it looks like we're kinda getting there…"

A silence fell over the three, as they all glanced down at the subject in question.

In the middle of the tables surface, a 2,000 piece puzzle was laid out haphazardly. It had been a gift to his mother from one of her nurses during their trip to America, and his mom thought it might be a great "family activity" to do while they talked.

Unfortunately, they hadn't gotten very far in the past hour and a half. While the box showed a photo of what the completed work should look like—a swirl of purple, green and blue colors in a breathtakingly starry night sky—their loosely formed together version currently appeared more like the vortex of a colorfully confused black hole.

"…At least we figured out the corner pieces," Fuyumi muttered feebly.

While his mother patted her daughters shoulder in consolation, another text message came through to Shouto's phone, the sound of its arrival ringing clear through the thick summer air like a chill. Another notification from Yaoyorozu filled the screen.

[Momo Yaoyorozu has sent you a picture] [11:41 AM]

Shouto's eyebrows shot up. She's sending me a picture…?

"Is that a message from one of your friends from school, Shouto?"

Glancing up, Shouto saw his mother leaned over in interest, lips set in a half smile and chin cradled in an open palm. Fuyumi, on the other hand, was far more invested in the predicament of their poorly constructed puzzle, shifting pieces around into random places.

"Yeah," said Shouto, thumb kept absently on the phone, hesitant to put it away. Adrenaline was rushing through his system. The texts were the first time Yaoyorozu had spoken to him since the day of their physical exam.

Not that he hadn't wanted to speak with her before that. He did, but…

Subconsciously, his fingers gripped the device a little bit tighter in his palm.

After the exam and all the events that followed, something in his brain had shifted—or broke. The past two days, thoughts of Yaoyorozu came to him like a slowly rising tide, getting closer and closer until before he knew it, he was being swept into the ocean of just her. In minutes, he'd be drowning in the memory of the two of them in the infirmary, where he could still recall with perfect clarity her wide-eyes and parted lips when their faces were near inches apart. Then he'd sink into the way the dust particles clung to the warm light surrounding her as she stood in the aisle at the library, and lose himself in trying to hear the ghost of her laughter.

The lack of self-control frustrated him. It was senseless, bordering on ridiculous, but Shouto couldn't stop himself no matter how hard he tried to mentally swim in the opposite direction. It didn't help that each time Yaoyorozu popped into his mind, an invisible hand caught his insides in a vice grip. Like it wasn't enough for these memories to lull him into a rip current-he had to feel like there was no coming up from air.

His mother, eyeing him curiously, inquired, "Which friend was it?"

"Yaoyorozu," he told her numbly. He had no reason to hide it.

"Yaoyorozu?" His sister repeated, her head popping up from the puzzle like a jack-in-the-box. "I thought your friend was—oh, what was his name? Mida something?"

"Midoriya," Shouto corrected. "He's my friend. Yaoyorozu is another."

"Hold on—you have two friends from school!?" Fuyumi gaped, not one drop of sarcasm in her tone. Which somehow made her palpable shock that much more offensive.

Shouto set the phone down on the table and shot her a serious look fringing on icy. "I didn't know it was such a shock for me to have two friends."

"N-no!" She stammered, throwing both hands up and waving them as if the intensity of the movement could directly translate how regretful she was. "It's not at all! I'm glad—really glad you made more friends! It's great that you're getting along with your class!"

"It is," his mother agreed with a short nod of her head. "I remember you telling me about her, Shouto."

The usage of the word 'her' flew straight into the universe and landed on Fuyumi like a critical hit. His sister grabbed onto their moms arm like an anchor to keep her from falling straight back off her seat.

"Wait—this Yaoyorozu—she's a girl?!"

Shouto stared at her and wondered where knocking someone out when they're already at the hospital might fall on the moral compass.

Their mother must have noticed the rising annoyance on his face, because she turned to Fuyumi and, with a smile that had a vaguely ominous tone to it, said, "Yes, she is. Isn't it wonderful how boys and girls can be friends? You know, similar to how you're friends with that young teacher at your school, Mr. Yuuko?"

By the way his sister blinked like a deer in headlights, Shouto got the strong impression the car wasn't braking.

"Oh, but if I recall correctly," their mother continued, foot denting the pedal, "you prefer to call him Mr. Hot-lips—"

"O-KAY!" Fuyumi exclaimed suddenly, palms slamming flat on the stone table as she shot into the air with such force that her glasses nearly fell from her reddening face. Shouto apprehensively leaned back, noticing tiny shards of ice shoot out from her fingertips.

"W-who's thirsty!?" She squeaked, voice cracking into a pitch he had previously thought could only be heard by dogs until it pierced through his own ears. "I—I think we're all QUITE thirsty! I know I am just PARCHED. HA! Haha! Ha…"

As his sisters attempt at continuing to speak devolved into a fit of nervous laughter, it stopped a suddenly it began. With a sudden deep inhale through her nose, she flashed a smile so painfully forced it made Shouto's cheeks hurt to look at.

"I think I'll go get us all drinks." Fuyumi announced flatly, like a pendulum pulled back and then released.

Before anyone could say anything to stop her, she slid out from the table. Quick-walking away like a woman on a mission to escape, she made a straight line for the drink machines off in the distance at a pavilion area across the courtyard.

Shouto and his mother, now alone, shared a glance.

"Personally, I like the nickname," said his mother lightly, the content expression on her face absolute in its unwavering stance despite his sisters abrupt outburst. It was then, with a chill running up his spine, that Shouto got a glimpse of who might have passed down that particular trait.

While he was grateful (and a little unnerved), he didn't understand what this tidbit of potential future blackmail had to do with anything outside of the vague amusement that was the rare sight of his sister being spectacularly teased. He saw no correlation between Fuyumi's embarrassment over her supposed crush and his friendship with Yaoyorozu. They were two very separate things.

…Weren't they?

"So, Shouto," His mother turned her attention to him, thankfully with a far more compassionate smile on her lips. "Your friend, Yaoyorozu. She was your partner in the final exams as well, right?"

He nodded slowly, keeping his guard up. He did just witness a hit and run, after all.

But his mother did not seem to desire flustering both of her children, voice settling to a far more sincere tone.

"Forgive me for being nosy, but… What is she like?" she asked. "I've heard a little about Midoriya, but you usually don't talk about her."

Shouto paused at the question.

What is she like?

His mind flourished with answers, but he still hesitated to speak.

"Well…" He trailed, picking up a puzzle piece absently from the table and rolling it in his fingers while he tried to sift through the raven-haired girls qualities. After a few moments, he decided to pluck the most obvious ones from the mental inventory first. "She's the top of our class academically. Her choice of reading is advanced, but she enjoys it. Besides being a genius, she's… kind. A lot of our class looks up to her. She likes helping people."

He narrowed his eyes, thinking back to when they had first met and the many times he had been callous towards her. "Sometimes too much, I think."

"Is that so…?" His mothers gaze softened.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Doesn't stop her from calling people out, though. She's sort of stubborn. She thinks she's not as strong as our class mates but, that's crap. She is. If it wasn't for her, we probably wouldn't have passed. And…"

He stopped, struggling with the next words as he remembered the sound of Yaoyorozu's laugh, the curve of her smile, and the softness of her skin when they touched at the exam. He swallowed dryly, that familiar squeeze in his stomach and steadily rising heartbeat returning like the hug of an old, disliked acquaintance that doesn't seem to understand personal space.

He tried to concentrate on the puzzle piece inbetween his fingers as he continued.

"She's… easy to talk to…" His voice grew quiet. "Time always passes quickly when I'm around her."

Shouto chose to end it there. He felt the back of his neck starting to grow warm, and knew it had nothing to do with the sun beating down on them. Though there was nothing out of the ordinary about his mother's question, there was a sensation of vulnerability, describing Yaoyorozu like this. As if displaying any of these feelings—whatever they meant—was the equivalent to baring your neck to an enemy.

His mother, who had been quietly listening up until that point, offered a thoughtful smile.

"And what do you suppose she thinks of you?" she asked.

He didn't miss a beat. "Probably that I'm a cocky bastard."

"Shouto!" She gasp, then laughed. "Language!"

"Sorry…" He frowned, a flush on his cheeks. He hadn't meant to be that honest.

Still giggling, his mother reached over and patted him gently on the hand. Her fingertips were like ice-cubs dabbed onto his knuckles.

"It's alright. I'm sure she doesn't think that of you," she assured.

Shouto highly disagreed, but didn't argue.

"Regardless," she said, "It sounds like you're very fond of her."

'Fond'.

Was that really the right word to use to describe how he viewed Yaoyorozu?

It sounded accurate, and yet, he didn't like it at all. It bothered him, like it failed to meet a higher standard.

"She's a good friend," he stated, thinking that might fit better, but even that title left a sour taste flat over his tongue.

His mother went silent again. Though her eyes were on him, they didn't seem to be actually looking at him at all. She seemed lost in thought, as if his words had triggered some memory to float in the space surrounding him. It was not until she retracted her hand back did her gaze sharpen again.

"You know…" She said softly, picking up a jagged, black shaped puzzle piece from the table and showing it to him. "Many times, life can be like a puzzle. It takes years of trial and error to complete it into the picture we want to see."

Shouto watched as she moved it towards one of the corners that they had managed to complete to some degree and placed the piece down right next to a likely spot where the curves of it matched up with another. When it became obvious that it was correct, she pressed it down with a single finger to lock it into place gently.

"Perhaps this doesn't account for much, coming from me, but…"

A small, sad smile came to her face as she did not quite meet his eyes. "I hope, in the puzzle of your life, you will find which pieces are most important and treasure them… Even when they don't fit where you think they might."

Across from him, he could see his mothers face change into an expression of muted remorse. It hung behind her advice like a crippling skeleton holding onto what once was. Even now, after the two of them had come together again, the guilt she carried hadn't left completely.

Shouto shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his own heart dropping. He understood her reluctance, but for all of his bluntness, he did not know what to say in light of it.

Yet his mother, once again, spared him. Turning her her head, she peered into the distance of the courtyard.

"Your sisters been gone a long time, hasn't she?" she said, pulling her hand away and beginning to slide out of her seat. "I think it's best I go check up on her."

Shouto, blinking in confusion from the sudden shift in topic, found himself subconsciously rising to stand as well, but his mother waved him down.

"No, no," she insisted, causing Shouto to halt. "Stay here, I'll be fine."

"But—mom—"

She shook her head. "It's fine, I need to stretch my legs. And…" She gestured towards the phone on the table. "I believe that good friend of yours is still waiting for an answer."

The term she stresses was not lost on him, but he wasn't able to do much more than shut his lips in response to it. Bringing a hand up to her mouth to poorly hide her giggling, her mood considerably lighter, she twisted on her heel and headed out into the courtyard, leaving Shouto entirely alone.

Somehow, in the span of less than ten minutes, the party of three had reduced to one.

Settling back down into his seat, Shouto tried to figure out how, exactly, he had gotten into this situation. His gaze skimmed the puzzle still sitting, unsolved and messy, on the table.

The puzzle of my life, huh…? He thought, focusing in on the puzzle piece still held between his fingers. What his mother had said to him, about treasuring the most important pieces… There was a heaviness to those words that made him feel like he needed to brand each one into his brain with a hot iron so he wouldn't forget.

But… It had been years since Shouto truly treasured something. And what had she meant by, "even when they don't fit where you think they might"?

He didn't know. He had things that were important to him, but treasured…

Thinking back to Yaoyorozu, he took a deep breath and ran a free hand through his hair. Although none of these knotted up feelings currently strangling themselves in his gut made any sense, a small part of him suggested that maybe… Maybe, he was afraid.

Afraid of admitting aloud that something—someone—was important to him. Something that made him want to walk closer, not farther away, as he had his whole life towards other people. Something to be treasured.

Something you want more of, said the tiniest of voices, remembering the way she looked at him in the infirmary when he pulled back her hand and time momentarily stopped. The notion, though it clearly spoke from a place inside his mind, was triggering enough to make him toss the puzzle piece onto the table in frustration.

He didn't know.

With a sigh, Shouto narrowed his eyes at his phone set on the table.

Yaoyorozu's picture was still waiting patiently to be opened.

Picking up the device, he stared down at the notification that came to the forefront of the screen as soon as he woke up. With a release of both breath and the tension wracking his brain, he decided that it was best to shelve these thoughts for now. Unlocking the phone, he watched her message automatically open and her picture unfold.

The photo was a little blurry, causing his eyes to squint, but it was clear enough that he could make most of the details out. She'd taken a snapshot of a small shop made of pastel green bricks snug in the middle of two bigger buildings. Pink and yellow flowers lined the large circular windows on either side of the front door, with four smaller glass spheres evenly dotted around them—similar to a paw print. Above the entrance hung a sign with a toon cat on it holding up what seemed to be a teacup with steam coming out of it. At its side written in Kanji, Shouto could translate it loosely to: "Whiskers Teahouse"

While the place appeared like a quaint and cute shop, Shouto had no idea why she would send him a picture of it. Opening the digital keyboard, he figured he might as well ask.

Shouto Todoroki [12:12 PM]
and this is…?

He didn't think she'd answer right away, but was proved wrong when not even fifteen seconds after, he saw a message bubbles indicating that she was typing.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:13 PM]
It's a cat cafe!
It has tea
And cats!

Shouto Todoroki [12:13 PM]
at the same time?

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:14 PM]
Yes!
Apparently they just opened down the street from the mall
Kyouka and I passed it on our way there

Shouto Todoroki [12:14 PM]
sounds interesting
ive never heard of it before

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:14 PM]
Me neither.
I got so excited when I saw it
I had to tell you!

You got excited? Shouto released a breathy chuckle through his nose, a small smile creasing his usual stoic features. That would explain the blurriness. Yaoyorozu truly made it too easy to picture her real life reactions. He could see her now in his mind like a movie, squealing and forcing Jirou to stop when she saw the cafe, then being so animated she couldn't stay steady enough to get a good picture.

Before he could tease her about it, or say anything in response, he watched more texts fill up his screen.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:15 PM]
So…
Actually
I was thinking
Maybe
we could go together?

…

What?

Shouto nearly dropped the phone, the smile wiped clear off his face, taking both his ability to breathe and heartbeat down with it. Suddenly, his whole body tensed to the point of being paralyzed.

He didn't get so much as a second into actually comprehending this request before Yaoyorozu followed it up with more messages.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:15 PM]
It would be my treat.
A way of saying thank you for all you did for me during the exams
And to celebrate beating Aizawa-sensei.

Momo Yaoyorozu [12:15 PM]
We could go before summer camp starts.
I mean, I have an event I have to go to with my father for a few days
But there's some free time before that
You don't have to say yes
I
Its
Jsut an offer

Shouto stared blankly. He was reading each word, but all of them were dim-lit compared to the glaring question of, "Maybe we could go together?". Although he did not have a "socialite" personality, he had been invited out with friends before—shit, he'd hang out with Midoriya an Iida a few times a week.

But… Just Yaoyorozu and him?

Wait—He shook his head, taking a breath. Why am I even reacting like this?

Yaoyorozu was a friend. A good friend. He'd said it himself earlier to his mom. So why did the idea of the two of them hanging out as friends make him feel like he was about to puke up his breakfast? They'd spent time together before plenty of times—although, it had never been planned. So why did this feel different?

Rubbing the back of his neck, he allowed logic to bring him back down with two feet on the ground instead of ballooning into the air like a fool. Scrolling through the conversation, he re-read it twice before the feeling came back to his limbs and the strange shakiness passed.

Obviously, he wasn't alone in this. Yaoyorozu's nervousness translated into text as accurately as her decorous personality. Though, it was probably less about hanging out together, and more due to possibility of him rejecting the offer.

Which brought him back to the inevitable question: What was his answer?

Shouto planted his elbow on the stone table, hand pulling back his hair while he stared hard enough down at the phone to burn a hole in it.

It made no sense to say no. There was no reason to say no.

More than that—deep down… That small voice from earlier in the back of his mind wasn't completely wrong. He did want to see her. Spend time with her. Joke with her. It was the same voice that came up in the back of his throat when he wanted to ask, "Can you stay?" in the library. The desire that curled itself up warmly in his soul when she fell asleep on his shoulder, the words "You make everything okay" still freshly on her lips.

So… why was he hesitating?

Approaching laughter stirred him out of his thoughts, glancing up from the mobile device to see his mother returning with Fuyumi in arm. His sister, true to her word, had gotten them all drinks, her demeanor far less mortified now. As the two spoke spiritedly, Shouto realized his opportunity to answer her in a timely fashion was slowly slipping away. And if he knew Yaoyorozu, she'd likely get anxious waiting for a response.

Biting the inside of his cheek, Shouto looked back down at the conversation. In the background, he could hear their steps growing nearer.

He inhaled sharply, heart thrumming hard against his chest like a convict trying to escape.

In a blur of motion and adrenaline, he sent off his answer.

Shouto Todoroki [12:17 PM]
Yeah
We can.

Notes:

Hello everyone!

I am still here. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. Honestly, I scrapped it twice throughout the month cause I kept being unhappy with it. It was a difficult one for me. Plus work basically wiped the floor with me in October, so I'm really sorry for the delay!

I hope you guys love this episode of "local half'n'half boy struggles with emotions". ;)

Also, can I just say-I was BLOWN. AWAY. by the response to the last chapter. Like, my goodness. You guys are actually killing me with kindness. I cannot even begin to thank you all enough for your support. It helped me in the roughest spots last month, and pushed me to finish line to get this out. Thank you. Thank you so, so much. 3

As for the next chapter, there will likely be another delay as I am participating in NANOWRIMO this month!

If you don't know anything about Nanowrimo, and you're a writer, I highly suggest you check it out at the offiical Nanowrimo website. I will be spending the month of November getting to 50,000 words on my current fantasy novel project that I am (*crosses fingers*) hoping to actually PUBLISH in the next two years.

Unfortunately, that means the next chapter may come way late in the month. Don't kill me! I know we left it on a cliff hanger, but good things come to those who wait, right? ;)

Thank you again for everything. This fandom is amazing, and I love you all. I really do. Onward, into the ocean of Todomomo that awaits us. 3

Chapter 20: Momo VIII

Notes:

oh

it is love

from the first

time i set my eyes upon yours

thinking oh

is it love?

"
- Oh, it is Love by Hellogoodbye

Big thank you to Zach, as always, for beta reading this chapter. Thank you SO MUCH for all of your support, suggestions, & being so ridiculously patient with my constantly changing update deadline goals lol. 3

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Momo stared outside the window of the Yaoyorozu escort car and sighed.

In an unfortunate turn of events, the sun-drenched day predicted by the weatherman had taken an untimely dive into being downright menacing. Above, the sky was thick with clouds dark enough to make one question whether or not it was afternoon or night, and the strength from the rumbling thunder managed to travel from the air into the ground to shake the very earth itself. There were no signs of rain drops, but the atmosphere outside left little doubt that a torrential downpour was eminent.

"Are you sure you don't want to turn back around, Ms. Yaoyorozu?" asked the driver from the front, but Momo shook her head, glancing down at the phone in her hands.

"No… It's alright. It's just a little rain."

It was likely to be far worse than just that, but… Today was the day Todoroki and her were supposed to meet at Whiskers Teahouse. If he was going to cancel due to the weather, then she assumed he would've reached out already. But her phone had been silent, which meant their plans were still on. Storm, or no storm.

Not that she didn't consider breaking their plans herself several times over the past week.

Momo still wasn't quite sure what she was thinking, asking him to hang out with her so directly. She saw the newly opened shop, and had become so excited that her traitorous fingers went straight to text before she had a chance to truly consider what she was requesting. She had even expected him to say no. Embraced herself for the polite decline, all while wanting nothing more than to bang her head on the nearest wall for putting herself in a position of rejection in the first place.

But then, by what could only be the result of a cosmic tear in the fabric of the universe, Todoroki had said yes. Even now as she sat in the car on the way there, Momo wondered if she had been stuck in some sort of daydream.

Her? And Todoroki? Going somewhere outside of school together without the rest of Class 1-A?

It didn't seem real.

And yet, the messages in her phone proved Momo was wide awake. The two had ultimately confirmed their plans through text once the school semester had officially ended, deciding on a date in the pocket of free time prior to summer camp. It was hard to tell if Todoroki was looking forward to it or not—his texts weren't exactly… expressive. But he had several days to change his mind and didn't. So there was that.

Unless he just doesn't show up, touted the unkind gremlin of doubt inside her mind.

She shook her head, throwing that unpleasant thought into the void.

Don't think about that, Momo told herself, resting an elbow on the nook where the door and window pane met to place her chin atop a fisted hand, staring down at the phone on her lap. It was pointless to come up with these kinds of hypothetical situations, but the slim probability nagged at her like a newborn pulling at her hair. Even if he did cancel last minute—it wouldn't be a big deal.

After all, they were just hanging out. As friends.

No. Big. Deal.

…Right?

"We've arrived, Ms. Yaoyorozu."

The announcement was followed with the low growl of the cars engine simmering into a gentle purr. The vehicle slowed and a familiar, pastel green brick building came into view as the car came to a complete stop.

Okay, Momo… Deep breaths, she said, looking down at her lap and inhaling steadily.

Hopefully, she was dressed appropriately. She'd avoided dark colors because, well, cat hair. But she wondered if wearing a nice skirt and a sleeveless button-up blouse was too much.

What did girls that hang out with guys as friends wear, anyway? She didn't even know. The concept was entirely foreign to her. Maybe it didn't even matter, but at the moment, Momo felt a knot of insecurity in the stomach.

I should've asked Uraraka… Momo frowned.

The noise of the car door unlatching and opening stirred her attention, the driver standing on the other side and holding open a dark umbrella despite there not being any rain yet. Outside, the humidity flooded into the air-conditioned car, greeting her with a warm, dewy wind. Heart beginning to hasten its beating as her nerves mounted, she checked her phone one last time before placing it into the small, white purse she'd brought with her. Latching it closed, Momo stepped gently out of the car and onto the curb.

It truly was quite nasty outside. Though there was only a few between the entrance to the cafe, the driver went to keep the umbrella over her but Momo dismissed him with a kind smile and a thank you. With a nod of understanding, he returned to the car. As the ignition kicked on, Momo watched as the vehicle glided back into the flow of traffic—leaving her standing infront of the building alone, with only the company of passing strangers on the sidewalk.

Shifting her feet awkwardly, she turned to look at the Teahouse. On the frosted door, a sign that said "Open" hung at the top, a happy cat face etched next to it.

I wonder if he's already inside…? She wondered, pushing up on her tippy-toes to see if she could spot any sign of his signature red and white hair through the circular windows on the sides. When that endeavor ended up being fruitless, she reached back into her purse to check her phone.

No new messages, but it was now a minute or two past the time they'd planned to meet.

I'll just go in, Momo decided, putting the device away again. If I'm going to wait, better that I don't get rained on…

The logic was sound, but as her free hand reached out to the bronze handle of the Teahouse's front door, Momo paused.

Her fingers were shaking.

Surprised, she pulled back and folded her hand into a fist against her chest.

She really was nervous.

But there was no reason to be, she rationalized with herself. It was just Todoroki. If this was Kyouka, Momo would've already been inside by now, probably on the phone calling her an chiding her for being late. And she knew him well enough to believe that he wouldn't stand her up, despite her anxiety attempting to tell her otherwise. Todoroki was one of the most upfront people she'd ever met—painfully so. Moreover, she trusted him.

He would show, and everything would be fine.

"Right…" She whispered under her breath, slowly building up a calm confidence. "Everything is fine…"

With a sharp inhale, Momo reached out her hand again.

"Yaoyorozu?"

The voice, familiar but unexpected, had Momo jumping straight out of her skin. With a slight hop back and a gasp, she turned to see none other than Shouto Todoroki himself standing across from her as if summoned by the mere thought of his name.

He wasn't wearing his school uniform. Which, while Momo expected that and it wasn't the first time she'd seen him in casual wear, this felt… different.

Like her, he had dressed fairly minimalist. Jeans that weren't quite tight enough to be considered 'skinny', but not loose enough to be baggy, paired well with the simple white v-neck peeking from underneath his grey unzipped hoodie. But it was the way the jackets sleeves were rolled up to the crook of his elbow that caused Momo's eyes to snag like a loose thread on a cracked nail.

Todoroki, who was staring at her through slivers of red and white bangs, wore an expression of mild concern on his face.

"You alright?" He asked, but Momo's brain struggled to process the words even as she looked up at him, a pair of mismatched eyes meeting her own.

She swallowed.

Maybe it was because he was out of uniform—or maybe it was the way the light pouring out of the Teahouse was falling on him just right against the dreary background of the city, but Momo couldn't help but think he looked…

Older?

No. That wasn't the word she was searching for.

He looked…

Attractive.

"Yaoyorozu," he said her name again, this time with emphasis, and the mild difference in tone was just enough to hit her like a shock. Frantically, she tried to erase the word 'attractive' from her mental blackboard, afraid it might appear above her in flashing, neon lights.

"S-sorry," she stuttered. "I—yes, I'm…" The sentence failed to form as her eyes darted from him, to the front door of the cafe, then back to him.

"Sorry, I'm—I didn't think you would be… there and… dressed…"

Todoroki blinked, and in an instant, Momo's face went red.

"I mean—!" Her hand shot to her mouth, as if somehow she could possibly scoop that total meltdown of a sentence straight out of the air and brute-force back into her lungs. "I'm sorry! I meant—your dressed—not in your uniform! And it was—surprising…"

Though she was being honest, Momo braced herself for the cold snap of a comment, but none came. Instead, Todoroki simply looked amused—if not a bit embarrassed, a tint to his cheeks that wasn't there before.

"Sorry I scared you," he said, bypassing her slip up.

"N-no!" Momo dropped the hand at her mouth to her side, shaking her head, "You—You didn't scare me. I was just—uhm. I didn't know if…" Her words tethered off, unable to quite keep eye contact as she continued, "I wasn't sure if you were going to come or not, with the weather and all…"

"Yeah. I was expecting it to start coming down sooner," said Todoroki, surveying the sky above them. "Thought I was going to have to start running."

"Running?" Momo repeated, confused. "Weren't you dropped off near here?"

"No," His head dropped, gaze landing directly on her. "I was doing some errands for my sister before I came here. It'll probably come down soon, though. We should head inside before it does."

"Y-yes," She agreed, cheeks still warm. "That would be best…"

Trying to keep her buckling knees under control, Momo went to open the door only to have a hand reach over and beat her to the punch.

"I got it," said Todoroki, stepping beside her. "You go ahead first."

Momo stared at him even as he opened the door, his shoulder nearly brushing past her as he did.

Her body tensed.

He was so close… and calm.

So unlike her, who had managed to cap out her threshold of making a fool out of herself within the first two minutes of being around him.

Momo downcast her eyes, silently chiding herself. If she could just compose herself, everything would be fine. Instead, she was only becoming more rattled, her pulse quickening with each second of being in his presence.

"Thank you," she said, stepping in first while Todoroki followed closely behind.

As they entered the Teahouse, the two were greeted with a burst of color that contrasted so brightly against the darkness outside that it was nearly blinding. The interior architecture was open and welcoming, with higher than average ceilings that had clear, globe-like lights hanging down from them at varying lengths. Square, circle and oblong tables were placed strategically on the left and right sides of the room, decorated with white cloths and small wicker baskets with what appeared to be small cat toys in the center.

But that was hardly the most interesting thing that caught Momo's eye. The winner for that particular award went to the middle of the Teahouse, where a large, tree-shaped structure sat deadset in the center.

It definitely wasn't real. Even from afar, she could see that the tree was man-made, covered in strange, scratchy material that reminded her of felt or wool. It reached up to the roof of the building, its branches stretching across to both sides of the room. Cave-like holes were carved into the trunk of the tree, and hammocks were connected loosely between some of the lower branches. At first, it wasn't clear what purpose they served, but as Momo began to register the details of the Teahouse, she realized that the tree was not just for show. There were cats playing in them.

Many cats.

In fact, from every corner of the tree, one could be seen, each as unique as the next. Their little heads poked out from the dark, hallowed out holes in the trunk, while others napped atop the branches or inside the hammocks. On the ground, a handful could be seen playing with small, furry mouse toys.

But the closet cat in proximity that Momo noticed was the one currently laying on top of the hostess podium infront of them.

He—or she—was large. Far bigger than any cat she'd seen before. Its spread out body nearly encompassed the entire surface of the small desk and its fur, a collaboration of grey, white and black, was long and fluffy, adding to the perception of girth. At their arrival, the cats ears perked and it lifted its head up to look at them, revealing a tremendous mane at its neck that traveled down into a bundle on its chest.

"My goodness," Momo whispered, mouth ajar. "That cat is huge."

The cat meowed in response, rising with a dramatic stretch and a yawn to show off its pearly whites. Its tail, which had been tucked underneath it, rose up into the air and shook as if to announce its presence like a bell that rings when a shop door is opened. Then, with all the grace of a fish flopping out of water, the cat practically fell from the desk and landed with a thud onto the tiled floor, wasting no time to trot over towards them.

Momo could hardly contain the smile that swept over her face as the feline rubbed affectionately against her leg, nudging at the rim of her skirt.

"You—are—so—cute!" She cooed, squatting down to pet it. The cats fur was soft enough to rival her Egyptian thread bedsheets; its purr a strong vibration under her hand.

At her side, Todoroki lowered himself to join her, reaching down to scratch its chin—an action that it clearly enjoyed, if the loud, garbled noises from its throat were any indication.

"He's like Mochi, but way bigger," Todoroki mused. "I wonder what breed it is…?"

"Snow's a Maine Coone."

The answer came from an unknown voice, causing both Todoroki and Momo to look up in surprise.

A tall man wearing a pink apron approached them. He was sporting a shaved head, a silver lip ring, and crows feet that gave Aizawa-sensei a run for his money. Despite the obvious lack of a sleep schedule, he looked genuinely happy, his mouth split into a toothy grin.

Momo's eyes caught the cafe' logo imprinted on the top center of his apron. He must work here, she thought.

"See the tufts at the end?" The man pointed towards the cats ears, "That's one way to tell. His size is another tell-tale sign, but Maine Coone's aren't the only breed to get that large."

"Really?" Momo's eyes widened. "I always thought cats could only grow to be a certain size…"

"Nope! There are others, like the Norwegian Forest Cat, the Pixiebob, Ragamuffins, Bengals… All great cats that can easily surpass 20lbs. Snow is an example of that," he chuckled, gesturing to "Snow", who had now moved entirely out of Momo's space and had plopped down infront of Todoroki, rolling on his back to reveal a beautifully white-coated belly.

"I think he likes you," said the man, nodding towards Todoroki.

Momo wasn't quite sure if Todoroki had heard him at first, since his full attention seemed to be on his new feline friend. But then, she saw a slight tug at the corner of his mouth that drew into the smallest smile, and her heart went free-falling. A warm sensation fell over her like a sun-lit shower as she watched Todoroki scratch Snow's tummy, the cat squirming happily underneath him.

"Well then!" The employee clapped his hands together, causing Todoroki, Momo and Snow to snap to attention. He proceeded to give them both two, short bows. "Welcome to Whiskers Teahouse. Table for two, I'm assuming?"

Both realizing their own lack of manners, the duo rose up and straightened - though Todoroki looked lament to leave his furry companion.

"Yes, please. I apologize, we got distracted," said Momo guiltily, but the man merely waved her worries away.

"No harm done. Snow is our resident greeter, so it happens all the time. I'm Ito Huisake, by the way," He introduced himself. "I prefer to be called Hui. My parents own the place and I help run it. If you need anything while you're here, just let me know. Anyway," He turned his back towards them, reached to the backside of the hostess desk and took out two menus. "Follow me and I'll take you to your table."

As Momo and Todoroki moved forward to trail behind him, she caught from the corner of her eye Todoroki giving Snow a short wave goodbye while they were departing.

Her face softened.

He really does love cats, she thought, biting her lip to keep the butterflies in her chest from fluttering right on out of her.

Unfortunately, she was caught red-handed in her blatant staring when Todoroki looked up and directly at her.

"What?" He inquired, attempting to feign ignorance.

"Oh, nothing," She said nonchalantly. She couldn't even find it in herself to poke fun. It was just too…

Cute.

Silently, she tucked the memory away and tried not to smile like a kid sneaking candy into the movie theater.

Todoroki, likely realizing he was not quite as neutral as normal in this environment, didn't question did, however, conveniently keep his face directed to the side where she could not see.

"You guys came at a good time. It's pretty empty today cause of the weather," piped up Hui from the front as he continued to lead them down the center of the cafe. Only two other tables were occupied, both with significantly older adults.

As if the weather wanted to affirm the claim, a loud roar of thunder crackled above them, causing the ground to tremble. All three glanced up in reflex, but a rush of movement caught Momo's attention. Near her feet, a blur of orange, followed by more orange, ran directly past her feet. They were moving at such alarming speed that it wasn't until the two had jumped onto the giant cat tree in the middle of the cafe did she realize it was two separate cats and she wasn't just seeing things.

"Be careful," Hui told them. "Most of them aren't a fan of storms, so they might be more sporadic than normal."

Momo couldn't blame them. She wasn't afraid of lightning or thunder, but even she got a chill from the rumble pulsing through the earth. She couldn't imagine what it might feel like to a creature as small as a cat.

As Hui came to a stop near a small, square table with two chairs, he knocked on its surface with a loose fist.

"Go ahead and have a seat" He instructed, setting down their menus on either side. "My sister Machida will come around to take your order."

Machida… For some reason, the name sounded familiar to Momo, but she couldn't quite put her finger on where she'd heard it before.

Deciding not to dwell on it, she joined Todoroki in thanking Hui. Giving them one last smile, he promptly departed — leaving Todoroki and Momo officially alone.

The two shared a glance.

Suddenly, in Hui's absence, it felt as though the air between them had become just a little bit thicker... and far more warmer.

"Uhm…" Momo's heart thrummed loudly, filling her ears with noise and her brain with fog. How did talking work again? "I—I guess we should sit."

It was a simple and obvious suggestion, but it was the only thing that came to mind to say. Todoroki simply nodded with a low, affirmative hum. Normally the poster-child of indifference, even he seemed uncharacteristically stiff.

Somehow, the awkwardness managed to become further suffocating when Momo went to pull out her chair.

"Wait," said Todoroki abruptly, stepping forward with a hand out.

Alarmed, Momo gave him a questioning look, only to watch as Todoroki narrowed his eyes towards the floor. His hand retracted, reaching to the back of his neck and rubbing it.

"Your chair, I should probably…" He mumbled, trailing off.

Momo blinked.

Her chair…?

Oh.

Her chair.

A heat spread across her cheeks, feeling foolish.

Momo stepped back, shoulders curling inward like she was a turtle trying to crawl back into her shell.

Understanding the gesture as a grant of permission, Todoroki stepped forward to pull the chair out for her, all the while very pointedly avoiding eye contact. Not that Momo was any more commendable, her face unbearably hot. Tucking her skirt, she took a seat, failing miserably at deciding on any kind of normal expression that didn't look like a cross between a happy smile and a painfully shy one. She did do her best to showcase her gratitude, however, when he helped push her chair back in towards the table.

"Thank you, Todoroki," she said quietly. Todoroki only hummed in acknowledgment.

He's just being a gentleman, Momo told herself in attempt to cool down the flurry of warmth that was flushing through her bloodstream. It was nothing special. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a small, polite thing that any guy friend would do—right?

Surely, it was nothing to get hung up over.

And yet, when Todoroki sat down across from her, she found it all the more difficult to face him.

In fact, it felt like all of the things she knew about making conversations had vanished into thin air. Which made no sense—Momo should be a pro at this. How many of her parents parties had she been dragged into in her life? How many boring socialites had she been forced to fake niceties with?

It was like saying hello for the first time all over again. Except this time, they weren't strangers.

They were friends.

So why was this so… nerve-wracking?

Taking a deep breath, Momo pushed past her timidness. She was not going to allow her anxiety to take control of this situation. Determined in her mind to come up with some sort of ice-breaker, she looked around for something to talk about when she noticed a small wicker basket of cat toys in the center of their table.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, pointing towards it. "That's interesting. They have a little container of cat toys as the center-piece. I wonder if this is so we can play with them?"

Todoroki, following her line of sight, also seemed intrigued.

"I think so," he said, then cocked his head to the side, his attention pivoting to something on the table. "Ah… Do you have one of these?"

He picked up what appeared to be a laminated piece of paper. On the top of it was written: Please read - Whiskers Teahouse Rules. A mini smiley face was drawn at the end of it.

Checking her own side of the table, Momo noticed she had one as well. It had been hidden underneath the menu Hui had set down.

"Interesting," she slipped it out. "I don't think I've ever been to a cafe with a list of rules."

"It's probably for the cats safety," He commented, flipping the paper around and scanning it over with vague interest. "I'm sure they get a lot of people in here who try to do whatever they want."

As Momo read through the listed rules, she was about to argue that she couldn't imagine that was the case. Who would go out of their way to do that? But then, past the more simple instructions of 'No picking up the cats' and 'No feeding the cats human food', she caught sight of a disclaimer at the bottom written in red.

It stated: 'If any harmful intent is suspected or pursued at any point in time, Whisker's Cafe will invoke their right to ask the party to leave and/or ban the party permanently from the premises'.

She paused, re-reading it a few times before the words truly sank in.

"That's… awful," she murmured, not wanting to even consider that a reality exists in which someone might do such a thing.

"People can be awful."

Momo glanced up at Todoroki, who had abandoned the list of rules to stare out at a small, grey cat who was napping ontop one of the empty chairs at a circular table not far from them. Although his face remained neutral, his tone held the heaviness of personal experience. Her eyes followed the outline of the burn scar on his face. A sadness welled up inside of her.

This was not exactly the ice-breaker she was going for.

"That may be true, but…" Momo slowly set the paper down, "I like to believe that the majority of people are good, cat-loving citizens." Despite her anxiousness, she successfully gave him a small, gentle smile. "Like you, Todoroki."

Momo's words were intended to steer the conversation away from the sinkhole of negativity, but Todoroki turned to her with a genuinely surprised look on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, afraid that she'd said something inappropriate. Again.

"A good citizen…" He murmured. "Don't think I've ever been called that before."

"Ah…" Momo tilted her head to the side. "It was meant as a compliment."

Todoroki's eyebrows turned in slightly.

"Well… I guess I do try to recycle regularly."

The statement, delivered with Todoroki's signature deadpan tone, had Momo covering her mouth to hide the laughter threatening to surface. The way he spoke… It was as if he was convincing himself that he was worthy of such a title.

He must be being facetious, she deduced.

But Todoroki, ever the mystery, noticed her odd reaction and met it with further bewilderment.

"What?" He asked, confirming the unfortunate truth that he was, indeed, absolutely clueless.

Lord help her.

Momo bit down on her lip, but it was useless. The dawning realization that Todoroki was being 100% genuine, paired with the dumbstruck look on his face, had effectively pulled the pin that was holding her back. At its removal, she was unable to contain herself, bursting into a full on fit of giggles.

It was bad. Terribly bad. Enough so that tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. At first, Todoroki appeared more alarmed than anything else, which somehow only tickled her funny bone further. Then, as Momo continued to utterly fail in getting herself under control, his face relaxed and his lips twisted into an amused smile. Bringing the back of his hand up to his mouth, he set his gaze off away from her, but Momo could hear the chuckling he was trying to hide.

Even through her own laughter, the sound of his own carried on past her eardrums and straight to her heart. It was such a wonderful, and rare, sound. It pulled her in. Made her selfishly want to hear more of it—enough that it might sink down into her bones and make itself at home there.

A rasp of thunder crashed above them, interrupting the two and causing their laughter to simmer into a more respectable state. The rain followed with it, pouring over the roof of the building with a heaviness more akin to pebbles than raindrops, the way they fell with such fortitude.

"Ah." Todoroki stared at the ceiling. "Guess the storms finally here."

"Mhm," Momo, still stifling her laughter, gave a short nod while she grabbed one of the folded napkins on the table to dab her eyes with. "Atleast it makes for a more comforting cup of tea."

"And naps," added Todoroki, sounding almost wistful.

"Agreed," said Momo, re-folding the napkin and placing it back in its original state. "Although sadly, I don't think naps are allowed in here."

The white and red haired boy merely shrugged his shoulders, as if that rule had absolutely no authority over him.

"Sounds like a challenge."

She laughed again.

"I wouldn't doubt you would. I've witnessed firsthand your uncanny ability to somehow fall asleep on a bus with our classmates. Though, I do wonder if you're actually sleeping or your just keeping your eyes closed."

"Depends on who I'm sitting with," Todoroki said evenly.

"Oh?" Momo's eyebrows shot up. "Now I'm curious. Which would it be if I sat next to you?"

Todoroki's answer came with no hesitation, his mismatched eyes like sharpened steel as he spoke.

"If it were you, Yaoyorozu, I'd just stay awake."

His response hit blunt like a swinging sledgehammer, temporarily stunning her. By the time she was able to feel something other than the wind being knocked out of her, blood had already rushed to her cheeks.

"…Really?" She murmured, a little breathless. She'd expected a joke. Maybe a sarcastic comment. Definitely not that he'd say something to push her to the brink of cardiac arrest.

"Yeah," Todoroki continued, then narrowed his eyes to the side. "I like talking to you. Can't say I feel the same for everyone else."

Momo's hands curled the fabric of her skirt into her palms. Inside, her heart felt like it was melting straight through the crevices in her ribcage. How was it that he could say such things with the same casual tone he used when speaking about the weather? It's like he was just sitting around, stating facts.

The sky is blue. Water is wet.

And Todoroki likes talking to her.

The easy way in which he laid it all out made her want to be brave. To dance on the edge of uncomfortable long enough that she might get used to the feeling of falling, if only to tell him she felt the same.

Because she did. She really, really did. Underneath all of the tension between them was a bud of happiness, flourishing with every shared smile and exchanged glance.

And she wanted him to know.

But just as her bravery began to show its elusive face and his name started to form on her lips, all was brought to an abrupt pause when a feminine voice rang out nearby.

"Hello!" It said, slicing through their conversation. The two turned to see a middle-aged woman approaching them. "Welcome to Whiskers Teahouse!" She added with a wave, smiling brightly as the hair pulled into a tight bun at the top of her head bobbed while she walked. Over a pair of normal clothing, she wore a pink apron—the same one that Hui had worn earlier.

And yet, that was not the most familiar thing about her. In fact, the closer the woman go to Momo, the more the realization sank in that she knew this woman.

In fact, both of them did, and now Momo knew why the name Machida had pricked at her memory earlier. As it turned out, Hui's sister Machida wasn't just their server-she was also Nurse Machida, from U.A. High. The same Nurse Machida that had taken care of Momo's injuries after the Todoroki and her took the final exams.

Panic shot up from her stomach to her throat. Momo turned quickly towards Todoroki to tell him, only to see from the irked look on his face that he, too, had come to the same realization.

Neither of them had any time to brace for impact. For as Machida stepped up to their table, Momo watched as the grin on the woman's face slid off with an almost comical speed.

"Oh no…" She muttered in disbelief, stopping dead in her tracks while her physical demeanor dropped as though someone had just come by and dropped a weight on her her back. Her eyes darted to Todoroki, then Momo, mouth set in a thin line.

"Of all the students, It just had to be you two... The Infirmary Lovebirds."

Notes:

Welcome to Part 1 of the Todomomo "Not a Date" Cat Cafe Extravaganza.\
A new challenger has arrived: Nurse Machida has entered the game.

...

BUT REALLY THOUGH. How are you guys!? It's been almost 2 months since I last updated, and I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to each of you that were SO PATIENT. November's Writing Challenge went amazingly well for me. I did not hit 50k, but I DID hit 40k and got a ton of work done for my novel outside of just word count. I cannot be more grateful for each of your comments of support for me in this endeavor. Thank you for being so incredibly patient and dealing with a heavily delayed update so that I could focus on my novel. I'm super ready to jump back into the Todomomo pool, though I must ask for forgiveness as I am a little rusty getting back into these characters. :D

Part 2 will be out soon. This "cat cafe" date will be our final deviation from the canon timeline before the Summer Camp Arc. After this, we're diving in. And yes. I am very. Very. VERY excited. For right now though, I hope you liked this chapter and that it brought you lots of smiles. Thanks for letting me indulge in awkward flirting and Todomomo fluff. Let me know what you think in the comments. I miss hearing from all of you & can't wait to get back to regularly scheduled updates. 3

Chapter 21: Shouto IX

Summary:

I do not own My Hero Academia, its characters, its story, etc.

Notes:

Thank you to Zach the "Beta", for being my cheerleader and beta-testing this chapter. You rock. 3

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

For most of his life, Shouto Todoroki did not make it a point to be disrespectful to his seniors. Not necessarily due to cultural expectations or upbringing, but simply because if they said something stupid, it was easier to just walk away then sit and argue with someone who's greatest comeback is a condescending remark about his age.

The moment Yui Machida showed up and publicly announced the two as "Infirmary Lovebirds", Shouto was ready to throw all of that straight out the window.

He'd recognized the woman immediately as the nurse who had treated both himself and Yaoyorozu after their exam with Aizawa. The memories of their few but notable interactions came hand-in-hand with her arrival as he recalled the presumptuous comments she'd made back in the infirmary.

Based on her brusque greeting, it seemed she hadn't changed. But before Shouto could articulate any sort of rebuttal, Machida turned directly to Yaoyorozu and surveyed her.

"Not wearing his jacket this time around, eh?" She observed.

Yaoyorozu, who had been in a stunned state since the term lovebirds entered the universe, turned a shade of crimson nearly identical to the red of Shouto's hair. Instinctively, her hands criss-crossed to her adjacent arms, as if she were checking to make sure his present jacket hadn't magically made its way onto her.

Shouto turned a sharp glare onto Machida. He did not bother to curl back the chill in his tone.

"Do you usually openly harass your customers when you greet them?" He asked.

The woman lifted a single eyebrow, then smirked. She notched her hip to the side and rested a free hand on it.

"No. Just the ones that get cozy in my infirmary."

Immediately, the memory of being mere inches away from Yaoyorozu came to mind. It brought with it a flare of heat that traveled through the left side of his body, followed by a tingling sensation that crept unto his cheeks.

Damnit.

This was annoying.

He bit the inside of his mouth, fighting against the desire to hide his face. He was not going to allow this woman the satisfaction of riling him up.

On the other side of the table, Yaoyorozu seemed hardly able to do more than weakly repeat a single word.

"C… Cozy…?" She stammered, hands still wrapped onto her bare arms like they were grounding her in reality. Bewildered, she stared up at Machida. "Um, Machida-sensei, I'm sorry — I think there's been a misunderstanding. Todoroki and I—"

But the woman cut her off with a wave of her hand.

"No worries, Ms. Yaoyorozu," she said bluntly. "Today, I'm your waitress, not your nurse, and I don't intend on tattling."

Yaoyorozu blinked, clearly taken aback.

"But—"

"Honestly, I'm more surprised to see any students at all given the recent villain activity in the area," Machida continued over Yaoyorozu's protest, looking back at the mostly empty teahouse. "Business has slowed down significantly since the mall incident, and this crazy weather doesn't help."

A beat of thunder rumbled outside at the close of her statement. Behind her, Shouto saw many of the cats look around curiously - some nervously - at the sound. He looked back to their 'Waitress - Not Nurse'.

"I'm sure the weathers to blame for students not coming in," He deadpanned, but Machida either didn't hear him or purposely ignored him. He was willing to bet money on the latter.

"Machida-sensei," spoke up Yaoyorozu, who had finally dropped her hands and was just beginning to restore her composure, "How are you… How are you here? Don't you work full-time at U.A.?"

Machida bobbed her head to the side. "Oh, I do. But during the summer and on my off-days, I come in to work here part-time. My parents actually own this teahouse. They aren't fully staffed yet since they just opened recently, so I agreed to help out in the interim."

"So you're Hui's sister, then?" asked Shouto, quickly catching on.

"Correct," she smiled. "Twins, unfortunately."

Hui and Yui. Similar names, Shouto realized. Thinking about it more, the two did seem like they could be vaguely related, although Machida had far more hair than her clean-shaved sibling. He wondered if her brother had the same penchant for wild assumptions that she did.

Strangely, Yaoyorozu's posture relaxed and her features went soft at this new piece of information.

"It's very sweet of you to help your parents like that," she commented thoughtfully.

Machida simply shrugged. "Tell that to my wife. She's allergic to cat dandruff. I come home and I'm immediately quarantined in my own house until I take a shower and bag up my clothes."

Good thing Yaoyorozu isn't allergic to cats, Shouto mused.

"Anyway," exhaled Machida, "That's enough about that."

As she punctuated the end of the conversation, her focus shifted to digging something out of the front pocket of her pink apron. When she found what she was looking for, she pulled out a pen and a spiral-bound notebook barely larger than her palm.

"I assume it's your first time here?" She asked as she opened the notebook with a swift flip of its cover. The two provided their answers together with a simultaneous nod.

"Well then," She bowed her head, "An official welcome to Whiskers Teahouse and Cat Cafè. Just so you know, we do have some simple rules to follow," Machida explained, gesturing towards the list that the two had already read. "Outside of that, we're just your average teahouse. Since we are a cat cafè, our cats have free range of the place—I'm sure you've already met our resident greeter, Snow."

Yaoyorozu nodded. "Yes. He's beautiful."

Machida gave her a small smile. "They all are in their own way."

Something we agree on, thought Shouto dully.

"All of the cats here are are varying ages and personalities. You can play with them while you wait for your order or after you're finished. Each table has a small basket of toys, as you can see. But you should be prepared… Often times, they come to you before then."

She then pointed her pen in the direction of a nearby area where a cat-shaped sink was attached to the wall. It was so well-blended in with the interior of the teahouse that Shouto hadn't even noticed it until her gesture.

"There are sanitation stations for cleaning your hands whenever you'd like. Although, please be careful for Tsuki," Machida redirected the tip of the pen towards a nearby calico cat sleeping on one of the branches of the tree behind her, "She has no fear of water and loves playing in the sink."

Yaoyorozu beamed as if the mere thought of such a thing occurring had lifted several weights off her shoulder.

"We'll be careful," she promised.

"Great," said Machida. "Onto ordering, then. We have summertime specials in addition to our normal selection, as well as small desserts that are perfect for treating yourself."

The corners of her mouth twitched. "Or sharing. Either way is perfectly fine."

The implication was not lost on Shouto, who side-eyed her. Yaoyorozu, however, did not seem to catch it — she had been too busy scanning over the menu laid out on the table while Machida was speaking.

"Actually… We haven't really gotten to look at it yet," She confessed.

"That's alright. Why don't I give you some time, then?"

The two nodded again in tandem, with Yaoyorozu thanking her. For a few seconds as Machida was turning to leave, Shouto could feel himself stepping back from the ledge he felt he'd been teetering on. With an exhale, he allowed his guard to lower for just a moment.

But then the woman paused and looked over her shoulder at them, and he felt his adrenaline spike.

"Oh, a word of advice," she said. "Recovery Girl has a propensity for student gossip and I, quite literally, cannot lie."

Machida tapped her temple with the pen in her hands. "Videographic memory. Fair warning."

With the admonition now left at their doorstep all tied up in a neat bow, she was gone. Shouto scowled at her back as she disappeared, fleeing to another table that was behind the tree in the middle of the room.

Seriously - what was her deal?

Across from him, an embarrassed expression had returned to Yaoyorozu's face, mixed with puzzlement. When their eyes met, she gave Shouto a sheepish smile.

"She's, um… Really a character, isn't she?"

Shouto's frown deepened. He could think of several other ways to describe the woman.

"She seems to make a lot of assumptions," he said instead.

Yaoyorozu let out a short laugh. "Yes, that seems to be the case. She's treating us like we're… Well," she struggled, "Like we're—you know—"

"Lovebirds," Shouto supplied as flatly as he possibly could.

Saying the word aloud was like wrapping his own stomach in a cord and pulling it into a tight knot, but he wasn't about to give it any outward power over him. After all - they weren't lovebirds. The whole thing was ridiculous, as was Machida.

At first, Yaoyorozu appeared surprised; but her shock quickly fizzed out into a nervous giggle.

"I… I guess it is silly, isn't it?" She murmured, leaning forward to rest her chin in a flat palm. She stared up at him. "Infirmary Lovebirds… I think I may have a Shoujo manga titled that."

"Maybe she'll shut up if we give her a copy," Shouto suggested, eliciting more laughter from Yaoyorozu, who covered her mouth to keep the noise muffled. Something inside of him swelled as it often did whenever he managed to do something that gifted him with these reactions.

They were oddly captivating, and after continuous failures, he was starting to simply give up trying not to blatantly stare at her each time.

"Well," Yaoyoruzu composed herself, "I guess we should figure out our orders before she gets back, shouldn't we?"

Shouto could only shake his head in approval, his eyes tracing the lip lines of her smile.

The conversation dipped into silence as the two both proceeded to look through their respective menus. It took Shouto less than a minute to briefly scan his options and decide what he wanted. It had been years since he came to possess the burn scar over his eye; since then, hot drinks had never been appealing to him. The sound of the teapot whistling still made him flinch, though his sister always brewed tea for meals all the same.

The only thing he was interested in was a cool glass of iced green tea. Thankfully, the Teahouse had one that was right up his alley. When he set down his menu to indicate he had made his choice, Yaoyorozu peeked up at him with a mildly interested look.

"You already know what you're going to get?"

"Yeah. The Sebicha tea, chilled."

Her eyebrows knitted together as she glanced over the menu, eyes bouncing back and forth like ping-pong balls as she scanned the page. "Where do you see that?"

"It's at the bottom." Leaning forward, Shouto reached out his hand to point it out to her. "Where the seasonal selection is, right here…"

"Oh, I see."

Just as Yaoyorozu's fingers followed to where his were, the two looked up at one another.

He froze.

They were close. Very close. He hadn't realized how much distance had disappeared between them by extending over the table like he did.

Hastily, he retracted back against his seat, a searing heat jumping up the back of his neck.

"Sorry."

Notably, Yaoyorozu's face was only slightly flushed. A stark difference from her usual response.

"It's okay," she said quietly, rubbing the menu between her fingers. Then, she offered him a genuine smile. "It's hardly like you're the one sitting here with a history of blatantly disregarding peoples personal space."

"True."

Yaoyorozu shot him a look of mock-offense. "You're not supposed to agree!"

Shouto held back a smirk, thinking of a clever retort only to be interrupted when he felt something brush against his left leg.

Looking down, he was surprised to see a small, black kitten staring up at him. Its eyes were round and moon-colored. Somehow, the cat appeared as though it was just as shocked to see him as Shouto was to see it. Before Shouto could even blink, the cats bat-sized ears tilted back and it sprinted away.

Machida, who was on her way back towards their table, nearly tripped over the retreating feline as it weaved effortlessly through her feet and dashed towards one of the makeshift caves in the giant tree.

"Was that a cat?" Yaoyorozu asked, startled. "It moved so fast! All I saw was a black blur…"

"I think so," Shouto pushed back his chair, trying to see if a different angle could offer a clearer vision into the shadowed cave the cat had disappeared into.

Machida, looking equally parted irritated and relieved, approached them with extra vigilance.

"I see you met Leighton," she huffed, smoothing out her apron. "He isn't very social. I'm actually shocked he came up to you… He usually avoids the customers here entirely unless treats are involved."

"Is he a kitten? He looked small," Shouto noticed.

She shook her head. "He's actually six years old," she revealed, causing Shouto's eyebrows to rise. "However, the mother cat was rather tiny in size when we took her in, and he was the runt of the litter she produced. He may be petite, but his age shows in his face - granted he sticks around long enough for you to see it."

"Six years old?" Yaoyorozu repeated in awe. "And he hasn't gotten any less skittish?"

Machida sighed. "It's not that simple. Poor thing spent the first year of his life in a terrible hoarding situation. When we saved him, his siblings and his mom, they were horribly infested with fleas and kept locked up in a space hardly larger than a walk-in closet. The process of de-fleaing, de-worming, vet visits… I think it may have scarred him a little bit. Made him not so trustworthy of people. He's never been severely harmed, thank goodness, but it was not the ideal scenario to be born into."

Yaoyorozu and Shouto's faces fell in unison.

"But," a brief, hopeful smile flashed over her lips, "Every once in awhile he gets these sudden spurs of bravery. Guess curiosity is just too deeply ingrained in felines."

"It's no wonder," Yaoyorozu murmured. "What a horrific situation to be brought out of…"

Machida hummed in agreement as all three looked in the direction of where Leighton had run off into. The black cat had slowly peeked his face out of the cave he hid in, staring right back at them but not daring to move.

Shouto's heart felt as though it were being squeezed, chest tightening as he considered what the cat had to endure up until the point of rescue. How lonely, afraid, and helpless the cat must have felt - born into a world of cruelty, rather than one of warmth or love.

In many ways, he understood. And perhaps it was for that reason alone that he could not quite tear his gaze away, even as Machida began to take their orders. The two women deflected into small talk, but he wasn't listening - tuned in only to the cat a few feet away who likewise gazed at Shouto. It was, for a moment, as if the two were the only living creatures in the cafè.

He was so lost in the quiet thrumming of his own wandering thoughts that it wasn't until he felt a gentle tap at the top of his hand that he was broken out of it. When he reverted his attention to the source of contact, he saw Yaoyorozu leaned across the table pulling her hand back, a warm smile on her face.

"Do you want to go say hi?" She asked.

The simplicity of her question was lost on him at first, nudged to the side by the goosebumps that were running up his arm. He had to repeat it twice in his mind before it registered, and by that point, he'd noticed another detail - Machida-sensei had left. The two were alone again.

"I hope you don't mind, I ordered for the both of us. A cold sebicha tea for you and a hot lavender green tea for me," she continued in the absence of his response. "Oh, and Machida-sensei gave me a pack of these…"

With her other hand, Yaoyorozu lifted up a small bag of what appeared to be full of cat treats, the Whiskers Teahouse logo printed on the front.

"She said he liked treats earlier, so… Why don't we try to get him to come out again?"

She noticed, Shouto realized, staring at her. For all of his keen ability to smooth out his features and keep a neutral face, somehow Yaoyorozu was beginning to see past it. To what extent, he didn't know, but for her to do that while he was distracted…

Heh.

"She's kind".

Those words he said to his mother about her were not wrong, were they? And yet, it was almost as if by jumping aboard, he was also agreeing to a degree of vulnerability. But...

He'd trusted her so far, hadn't he?

"Alright," he announced, pushing his chair away from the table to stand. "Let's go."

Yaoyorozu burst into a grin bright enough to stun.

The greeting they received from the cats upon approaching the Cafè's giant tree was a mixed bag.

Although they attempted to walk up as unassuming as possible, a few of them still scattered away in fear. Specifically, Leighton burrowed further back into his cave, but this time Shouto could see the outline of his frame. The depth of the holes in the tree weren't nearly as deep as they appeared to be from the distance.

But not all avoided them. A handful of cats trotted right up to their feet, lacking any distrust at all. Most seemed more established in age, but there were a few kittens that recklessly braved facing the two strangers. Their tails all went sky-high as they rubbed up against Yaoyorozu and Shouto alike. While they were making sure each and every one was awarded with plenty of pets and scratches, Yaoyorozu suggested sitting on the floor to combat Leighton's skittishness, since the sound of their movements might keep him at bay. Shouto wasn't about to argue with her - clearly, she had a strategy and he had already learned his lesson of not following her lead once.

The two sat near to one another, with Yaoyorozu sitting with her legs crossed over on her side and Shouto using the back of his calves as cushions to sit on. They chose a position near to where Leighton was but not too close. At this proximity, Shouto could see the trees structure had noticeable claw marks running up and down it. The scratchy material was likely perfect for the cats to use, rendering the tree as one large scratching post.

In a way, it was pretty ingenious - a clever way to keep them from ruining the c afè furniture while allowing them a place to play, hide or sleep if they didn't want to be bothered to entertain customers.

Unfortunately, Yaoyorozu's idea of sitting on the floor turned out to be an effective strategy for every cat except Leighton.

While they tried to tempt to come out him with toys or treats, the other cats in the area took that as their cue to be attention hogs. Several treats were stolen in the process, and worse, a hoard of felines had begun to swarm them.

Well. More accurately, they began to swarm Shouto.

Yaoyorozu watched in amusement as a small group of cats gathered around Shouto's left side like it was a magical heating unit sent from Cat Heaven. Two older cats had made themselves comfortable near his thigh, lying down next to him and settling into a nap while three kittens kept wrestling for the spot atop his lap.

On the other hand, Yaoyorozu had only managed to keep the attention of one. An elderly, scruffy looking gray cat with a rather grumpy visage had secured itself at her side. He was far more interested in ear scratches than playing, but he did give the occasional nip towards any kittens who got too close in their scramble.

As adorable as it all was (and it was adorable - Shouto had to bite the inside of his cheek several times to keep from utterly crumbling into a pile of mush), the multiple distractions made it more difficult to gain Leighton's trust.

"Looks like you weren't kidding about cats gravitating towards you," Yaoyorozu teased, suppressing a giggle as one of the kittens took an ungraceful tumble off his leg.

Shouto nodded. He recalled telling her that a long time ago, back when they were still doing internships. It had been one of the first exchanges between the two through text.

That was also when Yaoyorozu had somehow held him personally responsible for supplying her with pictures of Mochi.

I still can't figure out how she got me to do that, he thought to himself. Then again, he didn't know how he ended up agreeing to go to a cat cafè with her, either, but here they were. Saying 'no' to her seemed to becoming less and less possible as their friendship grew.

Speaking of that tubby white marshmallow…

"Mochi's probably going to get jealous," he said, reaching down to pet one of the older cats at his side.

"Oh, she definitely will. But, don't worry," she winked at him, "I'll make sure to defend your honor if I ever get the chance to meet her."

This time, Shouto didn't bother to try and repress the half-grin on his face.

"Good to know."

Yaoyorozu rose the back of her hand to stifle a laugh, but as she did, Shouto noticed her eyes catch something and go wide.

"Todoroki—!" She gasped, then began to point enthusiastically just off-center of where he was sitting. Perplexed, he followed her line of sight.

His eyebrows shot up.

Leighton - the black cat from earlier - had finally left the cave he'd been burrowed in.

Seeing him again put into perspective just how small he was. Compared to older cats, he scaled closer to the trio of kittens still playing King of the Hill on his thigh. However, Machida wasn't wrong. Up close, Shouto could easily see the age in his face. There were hidden gray hairs that circled his saucer-sized eyes, and his features appeared more defined and mature.

He sat only a few feet away from Shouto, skinny tail wrapped around his feet. Despite the commotion of the other cats nearby, Leighton gazed at him - not daring to even blink.

"He came out," Yaoyorozu whispered, barely able to curb the giddiness in her voice.

Shouto nodded very slowly, afraid that any movement at all might cause the cat to fly back into his hole of solitude.

"Do you have any more treats?" he asked in a hushed tone, keeping his line of sight on Leighton.

"Yes, but, I think we're going to have to do something about those three…"

He knew instantly who she was referencing - the kittens on his lap. As cute as they were, he agreed with the assumption that Leighton wasn't likely to approach them with their playing going on.

"Can you distract them?"

Yaoyorozu hummed quietly, thinking.

"Mm… Yes, I might be able to. Hold on…"

At his side, she shifted just a bit, causing him to glance in her direction momentarily. When he did, he saw a glimpse of her pulling something out of her arm.

She's Creating something?

His questioning was answered when, seconds later, he felt something tap light tap the top of his right leg. Looking down, he saw what appeared to be a cat toy, but different then the ones they had been using. It was a long stick with a throng of brightly colored feathers bursting at the end of it.

Immediately, the heads of all three of the kittens rose up.

Entranced by this new contender for their attention, it took no time at all for Yaoyorozu to tempt them away from Shouto. She dragged the toy from the ground to the air, all the way on the other side of her. The trio batted at it playfully, falling over one another to try and reach it when she rose it up. As she played with them, she gave him a side-look and a small smile.

Now's your chance, her eyes said.

Shouto gave a small nod, turning to face Leighton.

The black cat gaze hadn't wavered, directed towards Shouto alone.

I have to be careful, thought Shouto as he slowly pulled out the bag of treats. The crinkle alone caused Leighton's ears to twitch, but he sat still as a statue. As Shouto opened it, he poured one or two treats in his left hand before closing it into a loose fist.

Here goes nothing.

The moment he extended his hand, Leighton flinched, rising half-way as if he were about to run at the nearest sign of perceived danger. Slowly and steadily, Shouto moved it forward just enough to leave respectable space between them but not enough to be too far away. As he opened his palm, Leighton backed up a few inches, and for a second, Shouto was certain he was going to flee.

But then his nose scrunched up, and his whiskers began to flutter. The black kit tilted his head to the side just a bit, as if considering if the risk was worth the reward.

As it turned out, even the most skittish cat could not resist the enticing smell of treats.

Leighton sniffed his fingertips first, sending a tickling sensation up Shouto's arm, but he remained still as possible. Then he inched closer, dipping his small head into Shouto's palm in order to get to the food there. Upon locating them, Leighton, with great speed, began to practically gobble them up. He was so fast that Shouto seriously second-guessed whether or not he had actually chewed them or just swallowed them whole.

"You like treats a lot, huh?" He murmured to himself as the cat brushed his rough tongue around the spot where the food once was.

Surprisingly enough, the cat seemed to answer. He rubbed his face and cheeks against the side of Shouto's hand, putting out his chin as if not so politely asking for a scratch. Shouto happily obliged, making it a point to do so gently. Soon, the once frightened and distant cat began to melt into his touch.

He smiled.

"He's purring so loudly, he sounds like the engine of a car."

"Sounds like your mission was successful then," whispered Yaoyorozu in response. Narrowing his gaze towards her, he could see that she was positively beaming.

It was an expression he wished would never leave. It tempted him to dangle on the tightrope of happiness, if only for a snapshot in time.

"We'll call it a team effort," he proposed, and she bit her lip, as if it was the only way to keep her grin from breaking past her cheeks.

"Deal."

With the use of just a bit more baiting, Shouto managed to earn the cats trust through the gateway of food. By offering up a few more treats, Leighton came even closer until, at one point, he had begun to stand atop Shouto's lap with his front paws. Although he was definitely searching for more treats, his little nose working overdrive to find them, Shouto took the opportunity to continue petting him. Eventually, Leighton ended up completely ontop of his left leg and, in lieu of treats, became content with simple scratches behind his bat-like ears and under his chin. Which was good news for Shouto, because the little piggy managed to eat all the remaining treats in the bag.

Thankfully, the group of kittens had been so distracted by Yaoyorozu's toy that they didn't bother circling back around. In fact, at a certain point, she'd let it go altogether, allowing the three troublemakers to run off with it, shredding the feathers apart as they fought. With the energetic felines absent from their environment, the only ones left were the ones still sleeping at their sides - and now, Leighton.

Echoes of raindrops pelted against the cafe's tin roof played a symphony in the background, lulling the cats to sleep like a lullaby. For a few moments, their lives intertwined in a delicate calm. Shouto was almost jealous at how comfortable they all were. Warm and happy with their tails wrapped around their bodies and their paws tucked underneath. Even Yaoyorozu appeared tranquil, her hand slowly canvasing across the grey elder cat at her side.

It was a nice feeling. One that Shouto had long forgotten could exist.

"Oh, well would you look at this?"

Machida approached them, an empty circular serving platter settled tight underneath her arm. She had a pleasantly surprised look on her face.

"Seems like you managed to coax him out afterall. Let me guess, it was the treats?"

"I'm not sure he actually chewed them," said Shouto.

At this, Machida let out a loud burst out laughter, startling the resting cats awake.

"Hah! I wonder the same thing. Usually when guests offer them, he grabs it, gulps it down and runs like a bat out of hell… Well," She sighed, mouth tilted up into a small smile. "Looks like he trusts you, Todoroki."

Something about her words caused his breath to hitch.

Trust.

He peered down at the black cat curled upon his lap, its eyes wide and wary of Machida but sticking near to Shouto.

It flooded him with warmth.

"Anyway," Machida continued, "I hate to break up the kitty lovefest, but your drinks are ready and waiting for you at your table. Please make sure you attend to them."

"Ah, thank you, Machida-sensei," said Yaoyorozu. "We'll be right there."

Machida gave them a short bow of her head in acknowledgment before turning to leave.

With a long sigh, Yaoyorozu looked back at him.

"You just got him comfortable," She lamented, and he couldn't blame her. He had been enjoying himself enough that he hadn't realized just how much time they had spent to get to this point.

"It is what it is," he said with a shrug, although inside, he was fully prepared to forego the tea completely to stay right where he was. But that wouldn't be right, considering Yaoyorozu was footing the bill and they'd already ordered.

"Oh! I have an idea," Yaoyorozu exclaimed. Shouto proceeded to watch her dig through the folds of her skirt. It was a confusing motion that he didn't understand until somehow, through some form of sorcery she pulled her cellphone out of it.

"Magic…?" He mused aloud.

"Hm?" Yaoyorozu gave him a bewildered look, then seemed to catch up. "Oh — My skirt has pockets. I suppose it might look a little odd."

He cleared his throat and shifted his gaze. "Isn't that what I said?"

"No," she stated with an impish smile. It reminded him of all the times in class when she smoothly and diplomatically would tell one of their classmates that they were, quite simply, wrong. The tone made a shudder go up his spine that had nothing to do with his Quirk.

Thankfully, for now, she mercifully released him from the hook.

"Todoroki, before we get up, do you mind if I take a picture of you and Leighton?" Yaoyorozu asked, holding her cellphone up and shaking it.

Shouto blinked. "A picture…?"

"Yes! So we can look back on today," Yaoyorozu smiled. "If that's okay with you?"

He narrowed his gaze. He didn't really care for photos of himself, but…

"Will you be in it, Yaoyorozu?"

She waved her hand. "Oh, no. It was just going to be of you and Leighton."

"You should be in it," Shouto stated, his voice a bit firmer than he had intended. "You're the one who invited me here."

Yaoyorozu's eyebrows rose, a flush of pink filling up her cheeks.

"Um—Are you sure…?"

"Yeah," he said. "Otherwise, it's just a one-sided memory."

She paused, and he watched her expression shift as she thought it over. Then —

"Alright. I—I suppose it couldn't hurt…"

Taking a picture with the both of them in the frame turned out to be easier said then done. It seemed that Yaoyorozu's perfectionist personality was not just a trait that came out swinging at school, but trickled into other things too. As a result, it took about several attempts and a few adjustments before she was able to take a picture of the two of them that she deemed worthy of keeping.

In Shouto's opinion, all of them had been good. Then again, he wasn't really looking at himself.

"I think this is the one," Yaoyorozu said, swiping through the inventory of pictures she'd created. Shouto leaned forward, peering over her shoulder to see where her finger landed. The touchscreen, reacting to her, filled the screen with the last one they'd taken.

It was a near perfect shot. She'd managed to capture them, as well as all of the nearby cats, by angling it just right. Out of its contents, though, Shouto's gaze was drawn immediately to Yaoyorozu. She was grinning widely - a gentle brightness in her eyes that reminded him of the subtle glow of candlelight. Somehow, no matter how many pictures she took, there was never a hint of anything fake or forced in her expression. Each smile was real, representing exactly how she felt in that moment with no excuses - no apologies.

Just her.

Momo Yaoyorozu.

And he couldn't stop looking.

"Todoroki, I'm shocked. Are you actually smiling in this one?" Yaoyorozu pointed out in cheerful jest, but Shouto couldn't quite hear her. His heart was thumping loudly against his chest in a way that was familiar yet frightening. As his pulse quickened, he was broken out of his trance by the picture of Yaoyorozu being replaced with her actual face as she turned around to look at him directly.

She was grinning - just like she was in the photo.

It both captivated him and held his mind prisoner.

"What do you think?" She asked, blissfully oblivious to his current state. And why wouldn't she be? He was the one stuck in paralysis, unable to even gather his thoughts to answer her.

He opened his mouth to speak, but failed to formulate any response.

Because the truth was - she looked nice. The way the café light lit her skin with a soft glow, the curve of her lips, that spark in her eyes and the signature strand of black hair resting on her cheek…

She didn't just look nice. She looked…

Pretty.

The realization hit his mind like a freight train at the same moment a boom from outside roared across the sky. It shook the entire café and infiltrated their space.

But this time, when the thunder came, it brought more than just powerful tremors.

In a split moment, the lights failed and the teahouse went dark. Around him, Shouto could hear and feel the cats scattering as the lightning hit and subsequently flashed, filling the café momentarily with a flare of light from the windows at the front. Leighton practically leapt away, disappearing in seconds.

Next to him, Yaoyorozu gasped, her body shifted and, somehow, he sensed her movements before they happen.

He reacted without thinking.

A warmth collided into the crook of his shoulder and chest as his arm shot out to wrap itself around her like a shield, pulling her close to angle her away. And she lets him. The sound of her sharp inhale as she sunk into him causes a layer of shock over both mind and body, and for the shortest of seconds, Shouto felt paralyzed.

Then, all at once, the flash dissipated, leaving him temporarily blind. Darkness coated the two in a smog as his eyes struggled to adjust.

But it was the sensation of touch that returned to him first.

Soft skin pressed against his fingertips, digging into flesh that wasn't his own. He had clutched onto Yaoyorozu's arm to keep her near, squeezing her frame against his while his free hand was raised, frost collecting at his nerve-endings. There was no danger of foe, but his fight or flight response came like a switch with the earth-shaking crash of lightning.

At the same time, something — no, not something — Yaoyorozu — had his shirt balled up into her fist with a death grip. Body rigid, she clung to him without hesitation, her head fitted like a puzzle piece in the space between his neck and his shoulder.

The lights on the café turned back on, and his mind went blank.

There were people talking - he was certain of that. But it was all just mingled mutterings deafened by the sound of his own loudly drumming heartbeat. His vision comes back enough for it to be obvious that the cats were no longer around them, likely spooked by the event and gone into hiding. However, that information was made utterly irrelevant in the face of the very much still present girl nearly curled into his lap.

Yaoyorozu.

She hadn't moved much yet, but what little she did was like Shouto getting caught in slow motion. Her release of his shirt took what felt like years, but was likely only a few seconds. Just as her form began to ease into relaxation, she looked up at Shouto and —

Time stopped.

She blinked once - twice - three times, and Shouto couldn't move. Couldn't feel anything except a bubbling feeling that he could only compare to the first time he ever used his Quirk. As if something were breaking out - bursting from the very core of his being and into the open without his permission.

He could only stare at her face, where his own stunned reflection was mirrored from the eyes looking back at him.

And then - a shuddered breath from her parted lips.

It hit his skin and, before he knew it, the two were flooded by an immeasurable heat that Shouto couldn't contain within his own body.

They broke away like two trains derailing off a cliff, and Shouto smelled smoke as both of their Quirks' fired off simultaneously.

For Yaoyorozu, several miscellaneous items popped out of the exposed parts of her skin, including what vaguely looked like mini Matryoshka dolls. Shouto couldn't tell, as an eruption of power clouded him. Frost and flame alike canvased both sides of his face, ice spreading on one end while fire ignited from the other. His only saving grace was the last minute ability to subdue it from extending out or eclipsing his body entirely.

Both of them backed away from eachother, creating significant space between them. Shouto was able to quickly get control over his Quirk, but not his heart, which was slamming against his chest as if it were trying desperately to escape. Across from him, Yaoyorozu stared at him with round eyes and a red-stained face.

His arm rose to shield his expression upon quickly realizing she wasn't the only one blushing.

What the hell did I just do?

Before either of them could breathe a word to one another, however, a familiar voice broke through the tension.

"Hey, you kids alright? This storm is really a nasty piece of work."

The two turned to stare at Yui Machida as she rounded the cat tree with a concerned, but serious look on her face. She seemed to be more worried about the cats, who perked up at her presence, but when she saw they were safe her attention turned completely towards him and Yaoyorozu.

The woman's eyebrows rose as her eyes shifted between the two.

"Was I interrupting something?" She asked evenly, and Shouto began to consider grabbing Yaoyorozu and getting the hell out of there as a very viable and rational option.

Stunningly, it was Yaoyorozu who replied first - or, atleast, tried.

"N-no!" She squeaked, a pitch higher than necessary. "We—we um… When t-the lightning came, it s-scared the c-cats and when they got scared it… it spooked us a-as well…"

"Oh?" Machida cocked her head to the side and gestured towards Shouto. "Then why does he smell like a smoked ham?"

Shouto glowered at her from over his arm.

"Our Quirks accidentally went off," confessed Yaoyorozu, causing Machida's expression to turn from vague interest into alarm. Her arms dropped to her sides as she straightened herself, and Shouto prepared for the incoming scolding. Waitress or not, Machida was still a nurse, and using Quirks outside of U.A. and on public property the way they just did was strictly prohibited.

"We're sorry!" Yaoyorozu apologized before the woman could intervene, bowing low at the waist with her hands pressed together. Likewise, Shouto moved to bow as well, though less formally than her.

"None of the cats were nearby or harmed. It was truly an accident and I promise it won't happen again," she added, the burden of guilt laced in each word.

The two kept their noses towards the ground until they heard Machida relent the stillness with a heavy exhale.

"It's alright," she drawled, and the duo rose their head in unison. The woman had her arms crossed against her chest, an exhausted look upon her face. She appeared more weary than upset. "I understand. So many students have been on edge lately with the recent villain activity rising every day, especially your class…"

She shook her head and dropped her arms. "As long as no one was hurt, we'll leave it at that. But I think it's best you go sit and calm down for right now."

"Yes ma'am," they said together quietly.

After receiving Machida's mild scolding, the two rose up from their sitting positions on the ground. Machida and Shouto both assisted Yaoyorozu with picking up the items she'd accidentally Created. As it turned out, she had popped out a few mini Matroshka dolls - one of which had become captured by an older cat who whisked it away like a soccer ball. The rest were smaller items, like erasers or pencils, which Machida claimed for her own stating that "The cafe will end up using them". This seemed to alleviate some of Yaoyorozu's remorse. The same could not be said for Shouto's Quirk, which left a nasty dark mark on the shoulder portion of his jacket.

Fuyumi's going to be pissed, he thought to himself, remembering her exasperation last time he'd burnt through his civilian clothes on accident. At least I didn't ignite the entire thing to ashes...

The two proceeded to wash their hands at the sanitation sinks. Shouto couldn't help but notice the frown on Yaoyorozu's lips as she kept her gaze downward while they walked. It felt as if she was purposely putting healthy distance between them, her silence as heavy as the weight that pulled down her shoulders.

His jaw tightened. It bothered him - but it was his own fault.

Back at their table, two drinks were waiting for them, each on their respective sides. A tall glass of Shouto's iced Sebicha stood atop a white doily. Its ice cubes were formed in the shape of cat paws, with a mint leaf floating at its surface. It'd been there long enough to begin sweating, pearls of water rolling down its sides. For Yaoyorozu, her hot tea was served on a small wooden platter. The cup was in the shape of a cat, and the accompanying teapot was as well. Sprigs of lavender were put in a miniature glass vase next to it. Both sets of tea were served with two small butter cookies each.

Normally, he'd expect Yaoyorozu to be positively bouncing at such a cute display, but her reaction was muted. It was as if she hadn't even seen it at all. The two sat down — this time, Shouto did not offer to get her chair.

The stillness that fell between them in the following moments were heavy, and far worse than the awkward atmosphere that had swallowed them up when they first arrived. And why wouldn't it? Shouto had done something so completely stupid. He'd made her feel uncomfortable around him - a fact that twisted his gut as they sat wordlessly across from eachother. Shouto didn't even touch his tea, staring at it blankly. He no longer felt thirsty, too busy trying to figure out why the hell he'd grab her the way that he did - and then keep her there.

Yaoyorozu seemed equally disinterested. At one point, her hands had wrapped around the teacup as if to drink it, but she never once lifted it to her lips, face down.

It wasn't until she finally looked up to him with a somber expression did the quiet between them break.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Shouto blinked, caught off-guard as all of his inner vexation came to a halt.

She's apologizing? He thought. But she was serious, leaning in a little closer to deliver it, mouth set in a frown.

"Not just for grabbing you earlier, but… About Machida-sensei and the things that she said about us being… Well… You know…" She sheepishly avoided his gaze, tucking her strand of loose black hair behind her ear. "It sort of feels like all I've done is be troublesome to you. I thought this would be a fun place for us to visit. I wanted you to enjoy yourself, but… With all of this, I just… I hope it hasn't ruined things…"

Underneath her words, he saw her vulnerability begin to rise to the surface in her posture. He had noticed that whenever she spoke honestly, she tended to close herself up, bowing her head and pulling her hands close to her chest. It was as if she thought being physically shut might protect her from being emotionally open.

It grated at him - made him feel a strange desire to reach out and let her know you're safe. It's not your fault. You don't have to be worried.

"Machida-sensei being here doesn't really matter to me, Yaoyorozu," Shouto said and, for once, he tried his best to communicate that he was being sincere.

Because it truthfully didn't. Not to him. The entire school board could've been in the teahouse with them, and it wouldn't have made a difference. He had come - despite his own hesitancy - because he wanted to see her. Some school nurse blowing around the word lovebirds wasn't going to scare him off, though he did consider exiting through the back door once or twice. But not without her. Never without her.

"And… I'm the one who grabbed you," he added, eyes narrowing. "I wasn't thinking straight. So… Don't apologize."

Yaoyorozu held his gaze, and Shouto could see an intensity staring back at him. As if he was one of her more complicated books, and she was attempting to understand the material inside. But then her eyes fell back to the cup of tea below, the steam from its heat slowly floating into the atmosphere.

Shouto thought that she would descend back into quiet, but he was surprised when after a beat, she rose her head and gave him a small smile.

"We were both at fault," she said. "I'll accept your apology if you accept mine."

Except I didn't really mind it, commented a murmuring voice in his brain. He immediately hushed it, pulling it out of his mind from the root like an unwanted weed.

"If it makes you feel better."

"What? No!" She groaned. "I don't want you to accept just because it makes me feel better…"

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"But I did! I grabbed you and—and—" Her face flushed, "I… I wrinkled your jacket!"

A laugh got caught up in his throat, escaping through his nose in a short exhale.

"That's oddly specific."

"And I made you catch on fire!"

"Once again, not your fault. If anything, we can blame my bastard father for that one."

Yaoyorozu puffed her cheeks up in a pout, glowering at him. He tried his best to keep his features smoothed, but it was difficult with that look on her face.

As much as he seemingly hated when other people teased her, he very much relished doing it himself. He also knew when to let up - a boundary he had only for Yaoyorozu.

"Alright," Shouto said, leaning his chin on a fisted hand, "I accept your apology, Yaoyorozu."

She released the oxygen held captive with a sigh, a look of relief washing over her.

"Thank you."

It was strangely amusing, the way she got so worked up about such formalities. But… It was a quirk he didn't mind at all.

With the dust settled between them, the two began to finally enjoy the beverages they had ordered what felt like eons ago. To his surprise, the tea he'd ordered was made perfectly, the mint leaf giving it just a hint of sharpness that blended perfectly with its natural flavor. Likewise, Yaoyorozu seemed equally satisfied with her own cup, commenting kindly on its profile. The butter cookies served with them were gone in seconds, and after a few minutes, they were already half-way done with their drinks.

"Hey, Todoroki…" Yaoyorozu called his name after taking a sip of her tea and placing it down gently on the wooden platter it came on. "You know… What you said earlier about Machida-sensei, and not caring… I really wish I had that kind of thick skin. I… I think I worry too much about what others think about me," she admitted. "You're very different than me in that regard. It's almost a little jarring to witness."

Shouto studied her face unconsciously, memories of times when others had said something similar to him. Unlike Yaoyorozu, they had done so with far less niceties.

"Some would say I'm cold," he said, glancing at the icecubes crinkling as they melted away.

"Mm…"

She teetered her head to the side a little, as if she was considering whether or not to reply, then -

"I though that once," she conceded. "But… I think you've changed. After the Sport's Festival, and again after we took the exams together. Now, I don't think that about you at all."

So what do you think of me?

The question bared itself without warning, mentally uprooting veins of insecurity from their dormant state. A forceful feeling that pushed against his mind with a heavy weight.

He hated it.

It wasn't like he had been actively trying to better himself personality-wise. But since the Sport's Festival happened, he had allowed more people to come into life than he ever had in the past. People like Yaoyorozu, Midoriya and Iida… They each had a unique impact on him, changing his point of views and dusting off areas in his soul that he was sure wouldn't see the light of day.

Somewhere along this road, he had permitted himself to care again. Things meant more than they did in the past.

She meant more.

"I guess that's good," He said.

It was a weak response, given the raw thoughts that had weaseled their way out of the dredges of his mind. But it made Yaoyorozu smile, and suddenly he didn't really care whether or not it was the right thing to say.

"Of course it's good! If you want to be a hero, you have to be somewhat personable. People are looking up to you to be calm, but also kind."

"Bakugou's going to have a hell of a time, then."

She giggled; it was becoming one of his favorite sounds.

As the clock ticked, the conversation transitioned into more lighthearted topics from that point forward. While they finished up, they spoke a little bit about school, and their plans during summer break prior to the start of camp. Yaoyorozu told him about her upcoming trip to I-Island, which, coincidentally, his father was also attending. It was enticing, seeing her face light up as she talked about it, revealing how excited she was to see the exhibits there. Apparently, there was an entire building dedicated to the biological study of Quirks - something she was very interested in.

Shouto wasn't sure yet if he was going, since his father had been invited and not him. But if Yaoyorozu was going to be there, he supposed he wouldn't mind going as well. When he mentioned that to her, her face went red again, but she appeared happy to hear it.

By the time they were done with their tea, the storm outside had let up considerably. As it did, the cats began to come out of hiding one-by-one. A few of them came to visit their table, including Leighton, the black cat. He sat near Shouto's leg for the remainder of their visit, which made Shouto's heart swell. Even Machida didn't give them much more hell, distracted as the passing of the rain had caused a bit of a spike in business. When she dropped off the check, Shouto offered to pay for his half, but Yaoyorozu was insistent.

"No," she told him, grabbing the small booklet holding the pay statement before he could so much as think about peeking at the total. "It's my treat, remember?"

Once the tea was paid for, the two said their goodbyes to their feline friends. Leighton even gave him a small mew as he pressed up against Shouto's hand - a heart-wrenching gesture that nearly had Shouto doubled over in pain from how cute it was. Both of them thanked Hui for their service on the way out as well as Snow, who rolled over to expose his pink belly as soon as they made eye contact with him.

"Please come again!" said Hui as Shouto held the door of the cafè open for Yaoyorozu. Snow meowed as well, as if mimicking his owners words.

"We will!" Yaoyorozu replied, waving with a smile.

As they stepped outside, the humid air overcame both of them - a contrast to the air-conditioned teahouse. But Shouto didn't mind. He enjoyed the after-rain smell that accompanied the end of thunderstorms. Yaoyorozu, however, began fanning herself almost immediately. Clearly, she did not share the same sentiment.

Across from them, her family car was already waiting, its engine thrumming to indicate it was ready to go. Near the passenger door, a man he assumed to be the driver stood, waiting to open it for Yaoyorozu.

"They got here quick," Shouto muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

"Do you need a ride?" Yaoyorozu asked, gesturing towards the vehicle. "I don't want you to catch a cold walking in this weather."

"I don't really get colds," said Shouto.

"Ah," she smiled, "Because of your Quirk?"

That was a quick conclusion, he thought. Not a surprise, coming from her.

"It's a blessing and a curse."

She laughed, causing him to smirk.

"Well…" She gripped onto the strap of her purse, her expression simmering into something almost… sad. She bowed her head ceremoniously in his direction. "If you don't need a ride, then I suppose we'll part ways here. Thank you for coming with me, Todoroki. I hope it wasn't a completely awful experience."

"Heh," Shouto dug his hands into his pockets. "Far from it, actually."

Yaoyorozu blushed.

"Well… I'm glad," she murmured, glancing away momentarily before looking back up at him. "I suppose I'll see you at summer camp then? Oh! Or maybe we'll bump into eachother at I-Island?" She added hopefully.

"I'll let you know if I end up going," said Shouto.

Truthfully, he wasn't originally intending on it. He had no desire to be involved in frivolous meet-ups with Shareholders and other cocky heroes his father normally surrounded himself with, considering he was often utilized more as a trophy than a person at those types of events. But after hearing the excitement in her voice, it was difficult to not want to attend.

Perhaps — maybe — he would speak to his father about it.

The two proceeded to exchange goodbyes. It was an odd feeling, separating like this. Each time they did, Shouto felt himself less and less able to immediately walk away. In fact, he stood still, watching as Yaoyorozu turned towards the car. Slowly, an emotion began to encroach upon him. The same one that had appeared several times before whenever she left - a low-sinking feeling that reminded him of being pulled under the tide of an ocean.

Without her, things simply felt… dimmer.

Maybe their time together was a bit weird, and maybe it was all kinds of outside of his comfort zone, but… He really did enjoy it, despite everything. And now that it was fading, he felt a sudden urge to hold onto it.

"Hey, Yaoyorozu," Shouto called out to her. Yaoyorozu paused right as she ducked her head under the hood of the car, turning to face him, curious.

"Yes?"

"Ah…" He hesitated - what am I doing? - but he quickly threw his uncertainty from his mind. "That picture you took of us… Would you send it to me?"

For a moment, her eyes went wide.

And then, her expression split into a grin, and her eyes lit up.

"Of course I will."

Notes:

how do you say hello when you've been gone for so long?

first and foremost: thank you to all of you who have waited diligently and patiently for this update. It came nearly six months late, but it's here. finally.

I wish I could aptly explain why this update was so late without totally spilling my guts, but the truth, I think, is necessary sometimes, and I want to share why it took so long for me to get to this point. Earlier this year near January, I fell into a deep episode of severe depression. Certain events occurred in my personal life that completely overwhelmed me, and I burned myself out trying to bury myself with things that made me feel better without ever actually attending to the parts of me that were breaking. Eventually, I realized I needed help and that I was in a bad place. It's not the first depressive episode i've had, but this one lasted a significant amount of time.

The depression resulted in me pulling away from many things that I loved, including my writing, completely. All of my projects came to a screeching halt.

It wasn't until around March that I began to slowly overcome it. It took a lot of prayer, counsel, and support from my incredibly loving husband to begin finding joy in things again. I can honestly say that I'm feeling much better. I'm trying to focus on the things that are most important to me, and not allow anxiety to control my life, but it's a never-ending battle.

That being said, I don't know when the next chapter will be out. I am going to continue to work on my writing projects, but at a pace that I can manage with everything else. What I do know is that I want to continue writing this, because it's a fun thing for me to do. But i'm not going to stress over it.

Thank you to those of you who stuck around for an update, and even the ones that didn't. There are so many amazing, talented writers on here and it's just incredible to me that ANY of you would like my writing enough to comment or give it a kudos. I'm happy to be back. Each of you who reads this - thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I hope you've enjoyed this belated chapter of Moments In-Between. It was my own little deviation from canon, but I hope you can forgive me for it.

Onward. 3

Chapter 22: Momo IX

Notes:

I do not own My Hero Academia or its characters. This chapter has not been beta-read.

BTW, if you haven't read this fic in awhile, you should definitely re-read Chapter 15. It's a necessity for this chapter... :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Somehow, the bus that class 1-A was taking to summer training camp felt more suffocating than usual.

The typical threshold of rowdiness whenever they traveled together had been utterly cast aside, the vehicle thrumming with excited conversations between students. Some of which seemed to be wholly incapable of calmly sitting in their selected chairs, much to the Class President's dismay.

"PLEASE!" shouted Iida, for what was likely the twentieth time within the hour, "STAY IN YOUR SEATS!"

Yet no amount of hand slashing, pleading or ordering could smother the restless spirits of the students. Mina and Kaminari had enough bubbling energy to power the bus all on their own, practically climbing over their classmates to yell across aisles about games or music or snacks. At the front, Aizawa had shown little to no sign of moral support. Every once in awhile, he would glance back at them and open his mouth to speak only for his countenance to droop into a tired expression. It was as if the mere sight of their raucous behavior was exhausting enough to make him desire a hug from a nice warm coma.

Near the back of the bus, Momo Yaoyorozu surveyed it all with a small smile.

Normally, such antics would have her coming to Iida's aid and admonishing them for getting out of hand. But after what happened at I-Island, it was nice to have a semblance of normalcy again. Even if it came packaged like a shaken soda with its tab popped. There was something about being back with everyone like this that felt comforting and familiar, to the extent that she didn't mind the silliness and flagrant rule-breaking occurring all around her. It was far better than being alone for days on end with her nose in a book, never saying a word to anyone outside of the housemaids. Truly, she was finding herself becoming attached to these classmates of hers the more time they spent together.

Some, maybe, more than others.

"Pocky?"

Momo blinked as an elbow slowly poked her in the side. Her seat mate, Kyouka Jirou, was holding out an open box of strawberry pocky to her. Her face lit up.

"Oh, thank you!"

"Mmhm."

Taking the pink-dipped candy from its sleeve, Momo and Kyouka clinked their respective sticks of pocky like champagne glasses in a toast before crunching down on them, the sounds of their giggles lost in the surrounding noise.

Yes… She really had missed this.

"So," Kyouka leaned back in her chair and stretched out her legs, "Where do you think we're going to end up?"

Momo shrugged. "Aizawa-sensei said it's been kept a secret from everyone, so…" Her gaze shifted out the bus window. Nothing but a sea of green tree tops were passing them by. "Wherever it is, I imagine it must be difficult to locate."

"True. I thought my parents were going to freak when they found out they weren't even allowed to know," Kyouka snorted. "But they ended up being pretty cool about it."

"Really?" Momo's eyebrows shot up, surprised. "They didn't mind?"

"Nope. So long as we're with the teachers, my parents are good."

"Ah… You're parents are pretty relaxed like that, aren't they?"

"Ye-p!"

Momo's situation had been similar. After what occurred at I-Island and the recent League of Villains activity, her parents had been understandably cautious with the teachers taking the students away to some hidden area. She'd overheard them speaking with who she assumed was the principal on the phone during one of their rare visits at home. But ultimately, they must have been persuaded to be fine with it, which Momo was grateful for. She trusted U.A. and the teachers there. There was absolutely no way that they wouldn't take every precaution necessary to protect them, right?

"That reminds me," Kyouka said, pointing the frosted end of a new stick of pocky at Momo. "You never told me what you did over summer break. You know. Before we all almost died to some psychopathic scientists."

What I did over summer break, before I-Island? She mused. It felt like so long ago and yet—

Ah. Ah.

Before I-Island…

How could she forget?

A nervous heat crawled up Momo's neck as she shifted uneasily in her chair, a flood of memories filling her brain. There was only one significant event that occurred between the start of summer break and I-Island. An event that had, admittedly, taken most of the space up in her mind before their shared near death experience came and swept it away.

"Oh, well…" What do I say? She thought, her gaze flitting up to the front of the bus where she could clearly see the back of a certain red and white haired boys head. Her heart gave a painful thump inside her chest.

There's no reason to lie, Momo told herself - so why did she feel like she'd rather jump out the window than tell the truth?

"I, um, studied a lot," she said quietly, unconsciously smoothing out her pleated skirt. "And… I also visited that new Cat Cafe' with… a friend."

"You mean Todoroki, right?"

Momo turned towards Kyouka with the speed of a cracked whip, warmth jumping to her cheeks.

What—what—!

"How did you know that!?"

Kyouka stared at her, bewildered.

"Uh, because when we saw it together, you said, and I quote - 'I want to take Todoroki there'. Followed by twenty minutes of you furiously sending him pictures of it."

Momo slunk into her chair, feeling vaguely dizzy. I said that…? She thought, sorting wildly through her memories for such a moment but coming up blank. She remembered being excited - very excited - when Kyouka and her saw the cat cafe together during their summer shopping spree. And she remembered texting Todoroki about it almost immediately. But… But… She couldn't remember saying it out loud.

Kyouka wouldn't make something like that up. And given the way her friend was currently staring at her as if she'd just opened up the back of her head and allowed her brain to roll out, it was likely that she was right and that Momo had unintentionally announced her intentions to the universe.

Fantastic.

"I… suppose I forgot. But, yes, it was Todoroki that I went with," she confessed, glancing up timidly at Kyouka. "I wanted to thank him for helping me with the final exams, and I know he likes cats, so…"

"So…" Kyouka echoed, her earlier expression slowly transitioning into a truly, truly frightening smirk. "You took him on a date, then?"

"N-no!" Momo gaped, the blush returning to her face like a blaze of wildfire. "Don't—don't be ridiculous. We went as friends - as friends!" She doubled down as Kyouka's eyebrows rose suggestively. "I swear! I'm not even—I don't think I'm even allowed to—to—date someone! And Todoroki isn't—he isn't—we're not—"

"Okay, okay, okay," interrupted Kyouka, bursting into laughter. "Calm down! Jeez. I'm just teasing you, Yaomomo. You're way too innocent to date anyone."

What does that mean!? Momo wanted to ask, but her stomach felt like it'd been thrown into the dryer for a spin and she couldn't find the words. Kyouka, on the other hand, only appeared slightly apologetic, and offered her penance through more pocky and a sheepish smile.

"Sorry. I can't help myself sometimes."

"Hmph," Momo crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks, trying to put on a mean face despite her heart still rapidly beating. But Kyouka only took this as a challenge, and began to try and put a stick of pocky up her nose - frosting side first.

"Okay! Stop - I forgive you!" She fussed, cheeks deflating as she took the pocky and shooed the girls offensive hand away. "But you really need to work on how far you take things."

"Yes mother," said Kyouka with a fake salute. "I promise I will work diligently on improving my behavior."

Why do I get the feeling you're being sarcastic? Thought Momo.

"Anyways," Her friend continued, "Did you take a billion pictures while you were there?"

"I wouldn't say a billion… Maybe a few…"

Kyouka held out an empty palm with an expectant expression. "Cat tax."

"Cat tax…?" Momo asked, confused. "What does that mean? You want to see the pictures?"

"Uh, yes. You can't just tell me you went to a cute cat cafe full of cats and then not show me."

For a moment, she was tempted to reject the request as a payback for Kyouka's 'joke'. But the second her friend began to pout, Momo relented.

"Alright, alright," she said, reaching down for her personal bag that was underneath her seat. "I suppose sharing a few pictures wouldn't hurt…"

"Who's the black one?" asked Kyouka, tapping her finger towards the image of a small black cat.

"That one is called Leighton," Momo smiled. "He was Todoroki's favorite, I think. He was very shy and tiny."

"I'm jealous. I love black cats. I would've probably swooped him up in a second."

"Oh, and this ones name is Elise," she said, pointing out one of the kittens. "She was so energetic - it was hard to keep up!"

"Heh, I bet."

As it turned out, showing Kyouka the pictures she took from the cat cafe ended up being more fun than she predicted. She allowed her friend to look through the pictures as she pleased, while Momo pointed out the names of the cats they met and their personalities. It was nice to be able to share with her, even though Todoroki in one way or another was in many of the pictures, which felt a bit awkward.

"You know," Kyouka began, zooming in on the picture of Momo and Todoroki together. "Todoroki always seemed like a weird, emo robot to me. I'm honestly surprised he agreed to go, and that he's actually smiling instead of wearing that blank expression on his face…"

"Mm…" Momo frowned. "He's not weird. He's… funny, and very sweet. If it weren't for his help with the practical exam, I think I'd be worse off. I know sometimes he can be blunt, or strangely quiet, but I don't think that's always a bad thing. He's just… different."

Kyouka turned and rose an eyebrow, as if to say, is that so? Right before she resumed to swiping through the photos on Momo's phone. It was a small gesture, but enough to bring a blush back to Momo's cheeks. She hadn't meant to speak about Todoroki like that - but none of it was a lie. All of it was truthful, and from her heart.

If anything, she purposefully held back all of the things she could've said about him. About how whenever he smiled, it was as if any bad thing disappeared instantaneously. Or whenever they touched, it felt like one of the times that Kaminari accidentally shocked her in class, but strong enough to leave her breathless for longer than a few minutes. How he'd told her she didn't have to deal with her anxiety alone, and that he'd be there for her if she needed it. Gentle, kind Todoroki, who had believed in her during the practical exams when she didn't believe in herself, shared with her tidbits of his own struggles, and had somehow not resented her for inappropriately jumping into his arms when thunder struck at the cat cafe. Not to mention that time where she actually bit him - a matter of reality that she'd attempted to bury as a nightmare.

There were so many layers to how she felt about Todoroki and their friendship. And yet, she couldn't say these things out loud. Every time she wanted to speak about Todoroki with someone else, she felt like her relationship was being weighed on some invisible scale. Even with Kyouka, she hesitated, afraid but not quite understanding why.

Ugh. She shook her head slightly. I need to stop worrying about this…

Unconsciously, Momo's stare lifted to the back of Todoroki's head again.

What do you think about me? She wondered.

He'd greeted her this morning, along with the rest of the students. And they had shared some time together on I-Island, but otherwise, they hadn't really spoken much since then outside a few texts here and there - mostly all about school. It had made her happy to see him again in person, rather than speaking through phone messages, but now that school was beginning, they'd both be busy focusing on their training and studying.

From the back of the bus and at the angle she was sitting in, she couldn't see him very well, but she'd noticed he'd been silent for the whole ride. I wonder if he's asleep like usual… She mused.

"If it were you, Yaoyorozu, I'd just stay awake."

Ah -

Her heart skipped, remembering his words.

"I like talking to you."

Reflexively, both hands came to cover her face like a shield, cheeks burning. Just thinking of him saying those things set her heart to an unnaturally fast pace. It was silly how much it meant to her to be regarded more important than naps to Todoroki. Such a simple, simple thing… But… These simple things were beginning to mean more to her than she knew how to rationalize.

"Say, Momo…" came the slow drawl of Kyouka's voice from next to her. Momo, still covering her face while she tried to calm down her thoughts, only hummed in response.

"Mhm?"

"When did you become a pervert?"

…

Her brain came to a screeching halt.

What did she just say?

"…I'm sorry?"

"I said, when did you become a pervert?" Kyouka repeated again, flatly. This time, there was no mistaking the words. Slowly, Momo's hands dropped as she turned to give Kyouka an utterly bewildered look. As she did, she saw Kyouka facing her, Momo's phone in her hand with the screen lit up, displaying a picture that Momo recognized all too well.

It was the one Todoroki had sent her awhile go. The one that he'd taken of himself and Mochi, his neighbors cat.

Her mouth opened to argue, head filled with questions as to why Kyouka would declare such a thing over that, and also why she felt the need to snoop through her phone. But the scolding died mid-way through her throat when her gaze followed Kyouka's finger which was pointed at a very certain part of the picture that made Momo's stomach drop.

Wait… She thought, eyes widening. Wait—I don't—I don't remember—…

Body moving on auto-pilot, Momo's hand snatched the phone right out of Kyouka's grasp, putting it comically close to her face as time itself seemed to stop.

It was the picture of Todoroki and Mochi, yes, the same one she remembered him sending her what felt like eons ago. The same one that she'd opened up on her phone to gaze at more times than she ever would admit, always zooming in to the peaceful expression of his face. But somehow, somehow, Momo had completely missed one single element of it. Something so barren, so utterly obvious that she couldn't quite believe the sight her eyes was seeing now that it'd been blatantly pointed out to her.

In the photo he'd sent her with Mochi, Shouto Todoroki was shirtless.

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

There was absolutely no way what Momo Yaoyorozu was staring at could be real.

It was a joke. A prank played by the universe at her expense. And yet, her eyes couldn't deny what they were seeing, not even as her mind scrambled to find some logical explanation as to how she could've possibly missed something so… so… so—

Inappropriate!

"Honestly," Kyouka mumbled, leaning forward to look at the photo again, "I don't know whether to gouge my eyes out, or to call the police."

"K…Kyouka—" She tried to ask - beg - for a chance to calmly and rationally explain the situation to Kyouka. But her friend was beginning to transform into a complete monster, a mischievous glint reflecting in her eyes.

"I suppose it's true what they say," Kyouka grinned, and Momo swore she saw fangs. "It's always the quiet, proper ones that are the freakiest behind closed doors."

"Kyouka, please—"

"I guess even the top student dabbles in debauchery sometimes, eh? Although of all people to do it with, I really can't believe you went for T—"

"—STOP!" Momo squeaked, practically tackling Kyouka to cover her traitorous mouth. Her eyes darted to the back of Todoroki's head, terrified he might have overheard. She dropped her voice into a low hiss as she looked back at Kyouka. "It's—It's not like that at all! I didn't know!"

But even Momo knew that argument was weightless. After all, how many times had she looked at that picture and not noticed this? It was beyond stupid and embarrassing, it was downright foolish, and no amount of excuses she could come up with made her look in any way shape or form innocent. The only defense she had was admitting that she was too consumed with looking at his face to notice his bare chest, and that didn't exactly help her case.

She's the devil! She realized as Kyouka broke out into a fit of giggles underneath the palm of her hand. Across from them, she noticed Uraraka and Tsuyu had stopped their conversation to glance over at them inquisitively, causing Momo to immediately release Kyouka out of fear she would invite more prying eyes.

"It's—It's not what you think," she whispered breathlessly, returning fully to her own seat while Kyouka appeared nonplussed by her rash reaction. "I really didn't know. If I had, I would've—I would've deleted it!"

"Uh, yeah. Sure," Kyouka's words dripped with disbelief.

She's right, a small voice said in the back of her head, which only drove Momo into a further frenzied state. No! She bit back against herself, She's not right. I'm not a—a pervert! I would have been respectful and proper! I would have—I would have—

"I would've atleast cropped it!" She squealed.

Kyouka blinked, and then began to laugh harder than before.

"Momo—seriously—"

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" came the voice of Uraraka from the side of them. Both her and Tsuyu had leaned in considerably close, their eyes filled with genuine curiosity.

"I've never seen Yaoyorozu look so flustered before, ribbit," commented Tsuyu, head tilted to the side. "Your face is as red as a tomato…"

Uraraka suddenly gasped, eyes going wide as Momo struggled to compose herself. "Wait a moment. Could it be..!?" Her voice dropped down to a whisper as she nearly fell out of her chair to get closer towards Kyouka and Momo, a very serious expression crossing over her face. "Yaomomo… Are you maybe talking about someone you like?"

Momo felt her heart fall a thousand feet into the earth.

"Don't be gross," said Kyouka.

And then bounce back up into her throat.

"It's not always about boys, you know," she added, and Uraraka's face fell in disappointment. "Miss A+ over here just laid her innocent eyes on something scandalous on the Internet, that's all."

"What? Really?" Uraraka's mouth hung open. "That kinda seems unlikely…"

Tsuyu seemed even less convinced. "I thought Aizawa-sensei said there wouldn't be any wi-fi access on our trip, ribbit?"

"Anyway!" Kyouka spoke above the two, dismissing their comments as a red tinge colored her cheeks, "It doesn't matter. What was seen by Yaoyorozu and me will unfortunately stay etched inside our minds forever. So let's talk about something else, so we can both forget about it. Right, Yaomomo?"

Kyouka had to nudge Momo out of her shocked stupor in order for her to realize she was being spoken to.

"Oh! Y-yes, let's—let's forget about it…" She murmured, attempting a smile that appeared more like a grimace.

"Aw man…" Uraraka sulked back into her chair, lower-lip stuck out in a pout. "I feel weirdly deflated now…"

As Uraraka, Kyouka and Tsuyu continued to go back and forth, mostly with Kyouka attempting to drive the conversation topic elsewhere, Momo could only watch on in quiet, staring at her closest friend and not knowing whether to feel appreciation or frustration.

So instead, she settled for cautious relief.

Now that she was no longer the center of attention, the image of a shirtless Todoroki came back to her mind like a bull through a building. Biting her lip, she suppressed a sigh and tried her best to bury it away. How ridiculous was she being about this, really? To allow Kyouka to tease her so mercilessly. The proper thing would just be to delete it, and not simply crop it, as she had so recklessly suggested. She knew that. But…

Wilting into her seat, Momo's eyes yet again traveled in Todoroki's direction, and lingered. He still hadn't moved an inch, the ends of his hair swaying with each movement of the bus.

Her chest tightened.

I... want to keep it.

Before her brain could fully process the foolish, selfish desire that had just popped into her head, Aizawa's voice rang out across the bus, just loud enough to hear over the chattering students.

"We'll be stopping soon for a break," he announced. "Get ready to line up and get off the bus."

The bus exploded into various cheers.

"Oh yeah! Rest stop!"

"I hope there's a vending machine, we're almost out of snacks…"

"I HAVE TO PEE."

"Everyone, please settle down and remember to exit the bus calmly!"

"Hey four-eyes, watch where the hell you're swinging—"

With everyone's attention diverted to the front, beside her, Kyouka looked back at Momo. There was a genuine smile on her friends face, though it was shadowed by an undeniably devilish spark.

"Don't worry," whispered Kyouka, and Momo watched one of the long cords hanging from her ear rise up and cross her lips like a zipper. "Your debauchery is secret safe with me."

Momo could only bury her reddening face in her hands.

Notes:

Hello my friends.

I know that this chapter did not have nearly as much Todomomo goodness as you probably wanted, and that there was no direct interaction, and I am TOTALLY rusty. But it made me happy to write, and I hope it makes you laugh. Something we all need during these uncertain times.

I've been wanting to return to this story for (literally) over a year. Thank you for allowing me the time that I needed to take a step back, even though it meant no updates for quite some time. I'm looking forward to resuming this, so here's to more days of writing, of laughing, and enjoying this wonderful ship together.

Also, I know a lot of people wanted an I-Island chapter, but I am slowly trying to get back into writing and feel like what my heart wants to put down for that chapter is something I will need to work on separately. If I do post it, it'll likely be a one-shot within this universe. I hope you aren't too disappointed.

Hope you all are ready to jump back with me into this story and what's to come. Thank you again to everyone who left affirming comments. You're all so supportive and lovely - something I really don't deserve, but I am thankful for. 3

Chapter 23: Shouto & Momo V

Notes:

I do not own My Hero Academia or its characters. This chapter has not been beta-read. Please forgive any inconsistencies & errors.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

[ FOREST CAMP TRAINING ARC | PART ONE ]

This was a test.

And Momo Yaoyorozu had arrived ill-prepared and covered in dirt.

Maybe she shouldn't be surprised at this point. After all, "Expect the Unexpected" was beginning to shift from a fun idiom to an every day practice as a U.A. student. The sudden transition from a relatively "peaceful" road trip to Aizawa announcing that their summer camp had officially started by throwing them off a mountain through means of a landslide was just another crash course in Momo's weakest area: Adapting on the spot, and doing so with confidence.

Except this time, there was no countdown to allow her atleast a moment of mental preparation.

"You have three hours! Come to the facility on your own two feet after getting through "The Beast's Forest"!"

The task had the student body of Class 1-A scrambling, and Momo was no exception. The enemies, which appeared to be monsters formed out of the earth itself, surrounded them only moments after they'd toppled from the winding road above and into the trees. Unsurprisingly, Todoroki, Bakugou, Iida and Midoriya made quick work of the most immediate threats, allowing the students a small window of time in order to regroup and strategize how they were going to overcome the trial set before them.

We don't have much time, Momo's mind spun, the rest of her classmates all looking to one another for someone to step forward and provide some semblance of guidance.

"What should we do? Should we run?" asked a panicked Ashida, the first to speak.

Mumblings of uncertainty rippled through them, but Momo bit her lip. Run? Run? The suggestion immediately brought memories of her exam with Todoroki to mind, when she had given herself the role of a side-kick rather than one of a hero. She had run, then, staying silent even when she wanted to speak up and take a different approach. That day now felt like eons ago, but the anxiety that filled her chest like a beating drum made it feel as though it were yesterday.

No. Running haphazardly into the forest was dangerous, and would only lead to further confusion. They needed a simple, straight-forward and common goal. Something to begin working towards, given their limited options and lack of environmental knowledge. Momo took a long, shaking breath and steadied herself. This time, this time, she would not allow herself to be scared to speak up and fight with both her Quirk and her mind. While the rest of the students swirled with hesitancy, Momo straightened, raising her head, ready to arise to the opportunity to no longer be an observer in these physical trials, but a leader.

"This is serious," said Satou, "If we don't make it to the facility by noon, we won't get lunch…"

Momo stepped forward.

"Then we have no other choice but to get through here and take the shortest route."

The attention of her classmates all shifted to her when she spoke, but the only gaze that struck her was Todoroki's. When their eyes met, she felt her chest constrict. After everything that happened on the bus with Kyouka and the picture on her phone, she was afraid she might lose her nerve completely just looking at him. But instead, she swallowed the nervousness and dug her heels into earth to ground herself, and met his stare head-on.

There was a stony expression of determination on his face that she'd recognized countless times before. And yet, something shifted. She swore, if only for a split moment, she saw the tightness of his jaw soften as he gave her the smallest nod of his head.

It was a silent cheer that was more deafening than all the voices of self-doubts vying for attention inside her head.

"All right!" Iida shouted, piggybacking off of her declaration. "Let's go, Class 1-A!"

As the class erupted in cries of solidarity, Momo Yaoyorozu's heart soared. Their challenge was only just beginning.

If not for the sun yet to set, Shouto Todoroki might have thought that this 'test' had carried on for days, rather than hours.

What was not certain from the beginning, but was becoming quickly clear with each passing second, was how unprepared class 1-A was for what should have been as simple as getting from Point A to Point B. Except no one knew where Point B was, and there was no time to discuss it when you were constantly dodging attacks from giant stone monsters. Shouto, not one born with an innate understanding of direction, remained focused on keeping their opponents busy while those with Quirks better used for finding the route to the camp grounds could do so without interruption. Unfortunately, that was difficult when the those individuals were constantly being split up by one forest beast or another.

The issue was not that they could not come together as a team to succeed, but rather, they were given little opportunity to catch their breath in order to do so. It wasn't just exhausting - it felt endless - and after expending large amounts of fire and ice in quick succession for such an extended period, he was beginning to wonder how much longer he could keep this up.

He wasn't sure how much longer any of them could.

In a brief moment of reprieve, Shouto, Midoriya and Iida found themselves grouped together. Shouto's back was against the trunk of a tree, the condensation from each gasping breath dissipating into the summer heat of the forest. Midoriya and Iida likewise were attempting to get as much oxygen as possible in their lungs, with Iida hunched over, hands on his knees, and Midoriya clutching his chest with a grimace. All three of them were caked enough dirt that it would not be unbelievable to think they each had just crawled themselves out of a grave.

"How much longer…?" Shouto asked, wetting his lips with a parched tongue.

"Uraraka's… last report…" Iida exhaled, "We aren't far, but we aren't close enough. The forest beasts are definitely trying to throw us off course. Every time we make significant progress, they divert us into the wrong direction."

"Then we need to come up with a new plan."

Shouto and Iida both stared at Midoriya, who slowly drew himself to full height after speaking. Despite the pain he was in, Shouto could see the familiar look of determination in his features. He was pushing past it. They all were.

"We have to—"

But Midoriya's words were cut off. The tree tops above them shook violently, and the three only had a moment to react as one of the flying forest beasts came hurtling towards where they stood. Iida and Midoriya jumped away instinctively, their Quirks speedily separating them from danger. But Todoroki had not been so quick. In the split second he realized he would not be able to dodge it completely, a wall of ice sprung up from his foot to protect him. Yet it only absorbed a portion of the shock as the beast landed. The wall shattered into crystals, and he instinctively reached out his arm to cover his face as he was blown back.

Staggering back and falling to a single knee, Shouto saw the beast through a haze of dust. The monster, in its confusion and frustration, lashed haphazardly with its wings and he braced himself for the a head-on strike he did not have the agility nor energy to block.

But the hit never came.

There was a sound of a projectile cutting through the air, and right before his eyes, Shouto watched as a cannonball ripped through the head of his enemy, causing it to to crumble into rubble infront of him.

A cannonball. He did not have to guess to know who it was, but he couldn't refrain his shock from visibly surfacing as he whipped around to look at the girl who was solely responsible for all the pain he wasn't feeling right now.

Momo Yaoyorozu.

"Todoroki! Are you alright!?"

I should be asking you that, thought Shouto as soon as he locked eyes with her. Yaoyorozu's face was fixed in a state of concern. The buttons of her uniform were undone and open - likely to Create the cannon currently resting at her side. It accentuated the way her chest was rapidly heaving, making it evident even from a distance the amount of energy she had burned in the attempt to protect him from being knocked out. He grit his teeth and rose to his feet to run to her, watching as she nearly collapsed against the neck of her artillery piece the moment she verified he was alive and moving. It was clear the closer he got to her that she had been pushed to her limit of exhaustion as well during this trial. Her hair was barely held up, loose strands of black twisted around her nape. Her face was paler than normal under the dirt smudged against her skin, and he could see the pale blush of fresh bruises along the length of her arms.

The sight of them made him want to set the entire forest ablaze.

"Are you alright?" She asked again, and the breathlessness in her voice did not escape him. His jaw clenched.

"You didn't have to do that. I could have taken it."

A small smile met her tired eyes. "You're welcome, Todoroki."

It was not an admonishment, but it stung him like one. He had to remember that Yaoyorozu was not a maiden in need of saving, but rather a fellow classmate whose disheveled state was, in a way, a testament to her own hard work in this test. As much as he didn't want her to use her limited reserves on saving his ass, she was a hero-in-training, and given the opportunity he would have done likewise.

Still, he found it difficult to stare at her for too long, knowing how much her Quirk took a physical toll on her.

"This is a bit mad, isn't it?" sighed Yaoyorozu, wiping beads of sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. "I didn't think this would be so difficult. I am fairly certain we've already passed the three hour mark given to us. Yet the teachers haven't intervened. I can only assume that means there was no time limit to begin with, and the real test is just getting out of this horrible forest and to the campgrounds in one piece."

Shouto shook his head. "Whatever the goal is, I think it's pretty clear we're all failing it."

"I don't disagree. By the way, I thought I saw Midoriya and Iida with you, but I don't see them anymore. Do you think they're okay?"

"They were quicker than me and probably dove back into the forest to avoid the attack." He huffed. "I'll catch up with them."

She nodded in understanding. "Likewise, I found you shortly after I got separated from my own group while I was working on making these for everyone."

Yaoyorozu held out her hand and, with a slight hitch in her breath, a circular metal object grew into existence from the cells of her skin. Though he did not have any expectations as to what it could be, he still found himself mildly surprised when he saw that of all things, it was a compass.

"Here," Yaoyorozu offered it to him. "Uraraka and Tokoyami managed to figure out that the campgrounds is to the north-west of this current location. It's likely the beasts are being directly controlled by one of the pro-heroes we met earlier, which is why they seem so well organized in rerouting us. I came up with the idea that, as long as we know the direction we need to go in, we can stay on the right path regardless of their attempts to confuse us. If I can continue to Create compasses like this one and get them distributed, with any luck and a concentrated effort, we should be able to make it there by sundown."

He gazed at her as she explained, the cool confidence in her voice a stark difference compared to her state of mind the last time they were in a school test like this together. He wasn't sure why, but seeing her like this - unafraid, calm and calculating, despite all that was up against them… It made something that could only be described as admiration swell up in his chest. Slowly but surely, she was making changes to herself.

Carefully, he took the compass from her hand, never breaking eye contact with her. "You're not second-guessing yourself this time around."

Yaoyorozu's blinked, and a flush of pink contrasted beneath the dirt smudges and scratches on her cheeks. She smiled shyly, retracting her hand back to her chest in a loose fist as her shoulders caved in slightly.

"No, I… I suppose I'm not."

The corners of his mouth twitched up, but fell immediately when a movement in the bushes and shadows behind her suddenly caught his eye. Yaoyorozu must have noticed the change in his expression, because she followed his line of sight, looking over her shoulder.

The outline of two students had appeared from the throngs of the forest, running clumsily towards them in a panic. Behind them, the darkened silhouette of a forest beast large enough to cause the trees around them to tremble at their roots was pursuing them at an alarming speed. Shouto was able to quickly identify the pair through their uniquely high-pitched screams before the light of the forest and closing distance revealed their faces.

Mineta and Kaminari.

The pair looked beyond worse for wear. Mineta was screeching the loudest, and even at this stretch, Shouto could see that he was bleeding profusely from his scalp, nearly on all fours in his attempt to quicken his escape. Kaminari, on the other hand, ran at Mineta's side with rigid uprightness. He was also screaming, but did so with a dopey grin on his face, both arms outstretched with his hands fashioned in a thumbs up sign, starry eyed and completely out of it.

Somehow, the sight of both of them in such a state was more frightening than the beast at their heels.

"HELP!" Mineta cried out, just as the forest monster began to come into full view, it's monstrous form reminiscent of a dinosaur. "PLEASE HELP US! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!"

Before Shouto could say a word, Yaoyorozu had whipped around to face him.

"We have to help them!" she exclaimed, face full of worry and determination all at once as she straightened, the pinch of adrenaline injecting life back into her exhausted frame.

Normally, Shouto would jump into a fight without much persuasion. But glancing her over, Shouto hesitated. A stubborn place in his mind argued him it would have been safer for her to stay behind and let him take this on, given that she was so clearly already nearing her limit and they hadn't eaten in hours. But another side of him, the one that replayed the moments where Yaoyorozu confided in him her reservations about her ability to stand on her own two feet compared to her peers, wrestled that part of him to someplace underneath the fire and the ice. As much as he desired to protect her and let her rest, It was not for him to decide. Nor would he be the one to stand in the way of her growth - not again.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to give her an out if she wanted it.

"Are you up for it?"

Shouto made sure to keep his tone neutral when he asked, and hoped that for all his stoicism, she would be able to interpret his concern, and his submission, no matter her answer.

Yaoyorozu stared at him. For seconds that felt more like years, she searched his face. And then, after a pregnant silence between them, she gave a slow but definite nod.

It was all he needed.

He set his eyes on the beast, and his left hand went aflame.

Notes:

What, you thought the fic was dropped? Dead? Discontinued?

Think again. ¬‿¬

In all seriousness, I truly hope you enjoy the next chapter of The Moments In-Between. I apologize for the stark difference in feeling between this chapter and the last one. I promise that the shirtless Todoroki scandal will be resolved once our heroes are no longer getting their asses handed to them ;P.

As always, I cannot thank you all enough for your support. This fic started in 2018 and is still, somehow going in 2021. I truly love this ship and writing these characters. As much as I planned to write more steadily in 2020, when the world and life went to shit, writing fanfiction was honestly the last thing on my mind. That being said, I am happy to be able to return to it. Hopefully you all can forgive me for the wholly inconsistent update periods, but this fic is far from over and I haven't given up on it yet.

To which, I owe, mostly to all of you. All your comments, kudos, and support over these years has honestly empowered me to keep going. The todomomo community is one of the best out there, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to play a small, small part in it.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. A billion times over, thank you. Though I can't promise when the next update will be, the best is surely yet to come. I enjoy sharing the continued... 'revelations'... between our favorite characters in the upcoming installments. And thank you to the author of My Hero Academia, who in their infinite wisdom, left a giant question mark between the start of the exam until the end, giving me the rare opportunity for creative liberty as to what happens in the in-between.

Todomomo coupling together to take down a forest beast, here we come.

Xoxo.

Chapter 24: Shouto & Momo VI

Notes:

I do not own My Hero Academia or its characters. This chapter has NOT been beta-read. Please forgive any inconsistencies & errors.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

[ FOREST CAMP TRAINING ARC | PART TWO ]

"What is the first priority in any battle against evil? To ensure those without the power to defend themselves are brought to safety."

This was one of the first lessons taught in U.A., and one that had been repeatedly hammered into class 1-A throughout their limited time there. Save the helpless first, then deal with the threat. It was a simple and straightforward strategy held by every hero. Yet Shouto never quite grasped the concept the same way others did. In his mind, eliminating the enemy as quickly as possible was the ultimate safety measure, even if that required going it alone. But if his past few battles had taught him anything, it was that flying solo had its disadvantages.

The tip of the rock monsters head reached the forests ceiling, its beast-like form including a tail that left a path of destruction behind it, crashing through the trunks of the trees with the ease of knocking over pawns on a chessboard. Kaminari and Mineta were its primary targets, wholly unprepared to deal with the enemy that had set its eyes on them and was quickly gaining speed.

Dirt mingled with the salt of sweat fell into the cracks of Shouto's parched lips, the swell of heat from the fire blazing on his fist lifting his hair. Although he was already edging his limit, he knew the adrenaline of battle would bridge any gap of exhaustion. He still believed the faster he brought the beast to its knees, the better for them all.

But first —

"Yaoyorozu," said Shouto, "Get Kaminari and Mineta."

Yaoyorozu shot him an incredulous stare. "What? No - you can't take that thing on by yourself!"

"I won't. I'm just going to distract it so you can get them out of the way."

There was a look of hesitance on her face, questioning. He couldn't blame her. The last time they'd split up in this type of scenario during their exam, it had backfired badly on them.

"I'm not leaving you," she stated.

"I don't want you to." He nodded towards their classmates. "Go. I'll cover you. Then, we'll bring him down together."

Yaoyorozu gave pause for only another moment before making the decision to trust his words, mirroring the affirmative tilt of his head with her own. Then, she broke out into a sprint towards her classmates.

A quick plan already created in his mind, Shouto refocused back onto the monster infront of them. The threatening form of rock and stone was not the problem - enough heat could cause it to implode from the inside out from the water trapped inside. It was the environment that was his largest obstacle with using his fire side. If he did not control its range, it could cause a fire that would spread unabated. It was why he had primarily used his ice powers in the fight up until this point, but the frostbite forming on his left fingertips was a sure sign he was reaching a dangerous threshold. With a monster of this size, attempting to freeze both its feet to the ground would require a thickness of ice he couldn't reliably or safely produce in his current state.

But he wasn't going to allow Yaoyorozu to be in danger under any circumstance. She'd get Kaminari and Mineta out of harms way - no limitations on his abilities would stop her from succeeding.

After all, even red-blooded beasts could be distracted by their prey, as long as you were enough of a threat. This beast would be no different.

He'd make sure of it.

"Kaminari! Mineta!"

Momo shouted towards her classmates, running as fast as her tired feet would carry her within the growing silhouette of the rock beast towering over them. At the sight of her, relief spread across Mineta's features, though Kaminari was in too much of a delirious state to comprehend his surroundings.

"Yaoyorozu!" Mineta cried, grabbing onto Kaminari's arm and pulling it wildly to try and get his attention. "Kaminari! It's Yaoyorozu! We're saved!"

Kaminari, blessedly clueless, only presented her the same dumb open-mouthed smile plastered on his face he'd had on his face from the beginning.

Momo grit her teeth. The closer she got to them, the more obvious it was that neither were in a state to be of much assistance. The blood that was dripping down Mineta's chubby face was a mixture of fresh, ruby red and dried, dark maroon. Meanwhile, Kaminari looked freshly fried, sparks of electricity bouncing off of him wildly. She would need to think quickly on how to get them out of harms way, and do so without using too much of her remaining energy reserves.

What do I do? What do I do?! Think brain!

There was no time to pull together a miraculous strategy, for the beast infront of them lunged forward, swallowing up the space inbetween with a fisted rock claw positioned perfectly to squash the duo in one fell swoop. With a look of pure terror, in his attempt to warn Kaminari of the oncoming blow, Mineta caused his companion to trip and fall, dragging them both clumsily to the ground.

Momo didn't hesitate, a burst of speed burning through her calves as she fell and slid on both knees into the dirt infront of them, both of her hands going up with open palms, a rush of energy spiking through and out of her to Create a steel shield large enough to protect both herself and the two boys cowering behind her. Gripping the handles of the shield, she shut her eyes and braced for impact.

But none came.

A flurry of cold wind breezed past the right of her, causing goosebumps to run up her arms. Dropping the shield only low enough to grant her vision, she saw the monsters attention had been diverted elsewhere - namely at Todoroki, who had created his own thin line of ice to quickly carry him towards their enemy and launch himself up and onto its outstretched arm, forming a small pool of ice to allow himself to cling to its surface with his right hand. In his other, he blasted their earthen foe in its chest with a burst of fire. The offensive distraction tactic worked - in a moment, the rock creature was no longer interested in its initial target, and had instead shifted its attention towards Todoroki, attempting to shake him off as though he were a petulant mosquito.

Thank you, she thought to herself before turning back to help a terrified Mineta and dazed Kaminari back to their feet.

"Here," she said, shoving the shield into Kaminari's arms, ignoring his babbling laughter. She then Created a compass, which she handed to Mineta. "Take this and follow it Northwest from here. That's the direction of the facility is that we need to get to. Don't let the monsters distract you, just avoid them and if needed, use the shield to protect yourself, okay? It's got rubber-covered handles to keep him from electrocuting himself further or worse, you."

Mineta nodded wordlessly with wide eyes, which she interpreted to mean he was truly and well traumatized. Taking Kaminari by the arm, the grape hero dragged him away and back into the thread of trees weaving through the forest, disappearing into its brush.

The moment she knew for certain that her classmates had safely fled, Momo turned back to face the monster once again, only to have her heart dropping into her chest as she witnessed Todoroki being swatted off the creatures arm and thrown into the air towards the ground - right near her direction.

No!

Heart pounding with adrenaline, she had only a millisecond to make the decision to try and catch him in an attempt to break his fall and she took it, jumping into his trajectory and bracing herself as his body collided into hers.

The pair hit the ground in tandem, rolling back together, limbs intertwined as Momo gripped onto him, seething through clenched teeth at the pain erupting from her face, arms and legs being practically burned by the earth, rocks and twigs underneath them due to the speed of which they tumbled. When they came to an abrupt stop and Momo opened her eyes, the world around her rotated, colors of the forest blending together with the sunsetting sky above.

Somewhere outside the ringing in her head and confusion, she could hear Todoroki calling her name.

"Yaoyorozu—"

Two hands came to cradle her face, and suddenly Todoroki himself came into her vision, his own dirtied, scratched and disheveled face looking down at her in concern.

"Yaoyorozu, are you alright? Are you okay?"

I'm okay, I'm not that hurt, she wanted to say, but she could only look up at him, mouth agape.

Todoroki's sight pinpointed to something, and he frowned. "Your nose. We need to—" But he stopped mid-sentence, eyes darting to the side. Momo managed to follow his gaze, and they both witnessed the open palm of the monsters claw coming towards them in an attempt to grab one, or both of them, into its grip in one swoop. Despite feeling Todoroki's weight shift to pull her back and out of harms way, Momo reacted quicker. Pulling deep from what was remaining in the reserves of her power, she pushed Todoroki away enough to turn her chest towards the monster and rapidly Created the first thing that sprung to mind as a decoy:

A giant stuffed doll that looked eerily like a cross between Todoroki, and a teddy bear.

Momo did not allow any further time to think on it - the moment she felt the last of her Creation detach from her skin, she grabbed Todoroki and pushed forward to roll them both out of harms way, hoping that the creature was simple-minded enough to take the bait.

It did.

Without a second glance, the monster grabbed the doll, seemingly still oblivious to the fact that it was not its actual target.

Momo and Todoroki detached from eachother just enough to confirm that their opponent was distracted, though their hands remained gripped on eachothers shoulders.

Momo let out a cry mixed with laughter and relief. "It—it worked!"

"We need to regroup," Todoroki said, sliding his palms down her arms and onto her hands to grab them. The sensation snapped Momo out of her celebration and onto Todoroki, who was peering somewhere behind her, already planning the next step. He, she realized, was bleeding as well, small cuts sprawled across his cheeks.

"Todoroki—"

"There," he nodded his head in a direction she could not see.

"But—"

"Come," he ordered, not allowing her the ability to argue, helping her up to feet and shifting her weight onto his own when she wobbled, letting go of her hand only to snake his arm around her waist to steady her.

My body — she registered - I can't—it feels like I can't even move my legs…

With Todoroki's help, the two moved as quickly as they could towards one of the more sizable trees nearby, the trunk of it large enough to hide the both of them from the creatures view. Once Todoroki made sure they were both adequately hidden, he gently allowed her to rest against its wide berth, holding her when her knees threatened to give out as she slowly lowered to sit and rest at its base. Kneeling next to her, he finally allowed himself to pull his hands away, both of them taking the moment of respite to catch their breath. Momo took the opportunity to button back up some of her school jacket, which Todoroki pointedly looked away for.

"You're running out of lipids to use," said Todoroki after a beat of silence, looking her over once she was done. "You should be actively avoiding battle, not jumping headfirst into it, or you're going to collapse."

"I know," murmured Momo, unable to hold back the annoyance in her voice at her own limitations being pointed out. "But I can't just disengage when everyone else is fighting as hard - if not harder - than I am. You, too," she eyed him, noticing the way his teeth chattered slightly as he breathed. "You're also giving it your all. I'll try to pace myself, but I'm not going to stop. Neither of us are. So there isn't any point in asking me."

To this, it seemed Todoroki had no valid argument against, though his lips dipped into a frown. He understands, he's just concerned about me, she thought to herself. We're both here to train to be heroes. We've already failed the original mission, so no one wants to feel even more useless by admitting defeat and giving up. She could relate to his frustrations. After all, she did not like seeing him in this position, either.

"Still…" Todoroki sighed, and she watched as he dug into the pants of his school uniform and took out a small folded handkerchief, handing it over to her. When she stared at it, then him, perplexed, he pointed towards her face. "Your nose is bleeding."

"O… Oh."

Slightly embarrassed, she took the handkerchief from him and used it to compress against her nose. It smelled of smoke - a scent she was beginning to become fond of, unconsciously associating it with him. "Sorry… and thank you… This happens sometimes when I push myself too far."

He shook his head. "It's nothing."

But it didn't sound like nothing to her. Underneath his cool tone was a rising tide of anger, barely lapping at the surface. She'd been around him enough now to recognize it. She thought to dig him on it, ask him what was really going on in his head, but decided against it. Her body, and mind, were exhausted, and it wouldn't be long until the monster realized they'd been duped.

It's a relief these things aren't intelligent, she thought to herself, though she'd be surprised if whichever Hero was controlling them could also give them some semblance of critical thinking. No - the monsters they fought weren't 'real' in that sense, their earthly forms brought to "life" solely to act offensively against their target and throw them off track. This was, as Momo came to realize hours ago, not a test of strength, but a test of endurance. Which was why she was fighting so hard to make sure everyone had a way to get to the facility. Even if she was not a heavy-hitter like Todoroki was, she wasn't going to just panic and let everyone else figure it out. The days of letting fear rule over her actions were numbered, and no matter how greatly her body longed to stay where it was and rest, she wouldn't stop until she knew they all would make it to the facility okay. Including herself.

The ground-shaking sound of the rock creature roaring behind them cut through her thoughts, and suddenly, in her peripheral, she saw a sizable object hurtling past where the two were resting at a frightening speed, landing a few feet away with an audible thud. It did not take long for Momo to recognize it as the doll she had Created earlier - though, noticeably, it was now headless.

"Looks like my replacement didn't make it," muttered Todoroki, staring at the torn up toy. "Can you fight?"

Momo flushed, nodding. The feeling had returned to her legs and she had put enough pressure on her nose to hopefully stop the bleeding, though she knew her limit was still quickly approaching. "Yes. I'm alright now, but I don't think I can move as quickly anymore, and I won't be able to Create anything beyond a certain size."

"I can take care of our mobility," said Todoroki. "But I can't keep using my ice to attack. I haven't fully exhausted my fire side yet - I've been trying to hold back because it's still difficult for me to control it and we're in a forest. Unfortunately, I don't really have much of a choice at this point." He looked up at her. "We need to come up with a way to bring it down quickly without expending too much energy. Then, once we take it down, we need to split up and go back to our groups so I can bring your compasses to Midoriya and Iida, and you can go back to helping everyone stay on track towards the facility. Maybe we might be able to make it there before nightfall."

Momo bit her lip, mind racing even as she heard the stone monsters footsteps behind them, getting closer and more hostile as it searched for its escaped prey.

The monster was large. A single grenade wouldn't bring it down, neither would setting it ablaze without risking a potential forest fire. There had to be something inbetween that they could use or do - something that was just enough to hit its vulnerable points, without requiring them both to exhaust their strength…

Momo's eyes suddenly widened, and she grabbed Todoroki's hand, a plan rapidly forming in her mind. His palm and fingers felt frigid and frosted against her warm skin, to the point where it hurt simply to touch him, but instead of pulling back, she only gripped it tighter, as if it were an anchor keeping her aground while her mind pulled at single thread of an unraveling idea.

"Todoroki - I need you to carry me on your back."

He raised an eyebrow, peering down momentarily at her hand clasped around his before looking back up at her.

"You need me to what?"

The corners of her lips twitched into a smile. "Trust me."

"Trust me."

Yaoyorozu's words, and the spark that lit her dark eyes when she said it, echoed in the back of Shouto's head as he pulled Yaoyorozu's legs closer around his waist. At his back, she had one arm swung over left shoulder, her hand clutching to him for balance, while she fiddled with something he couldn't see behind him with her free hand. Truthfully, his body had been slowed by the weight of extreme fatigue up until this point, but with Yaoyorozu next to him, it felt like he had somehow been able to dig past his emptying reserves. Seeing blood drip down from her nose was near rage-inducing on its own. It had taken everything in him not to just say fuck it and set the whole damn forest on fire if it meant this stupid trial would come to an end and she would be able to get some sleep.

At some point, his pride was no longer his only liability. The desire to protect what he had was becoming far more lethal a weakness.

That, and the fact that all of his senses were currently under assault. The smell of her sweat mixed with whatever light perfume or scent sitting atop the fabric of her school uniform was filling his nose, while the heat of her face so close next to his caused the back of his neck to perspire to the point where he could feel the tips of his hair wet against his neck. Not to mention her hair. Honestly, he didn't know a damn thing about women's accessories, but the strength of that hair tie had to be on another level because how the hell? Whatever. It didn't matter, because all the strands that fell to the wayside found a home tickling whichever section of bare skin they could find, so honestly, the hair tie wasn't on his side.

He did his best to ignore it.

"You could have Created those before you jumped onto my back," Shouto grunted, hopping Yaoyorozu up his back a bit as he adjusted for her continuously shifting weight.

"S-sorry! I just got excited when you agreed…" he heard Yaoyorozu say from behind him. He could hear the embarrassed blush in her voice.

"Sticky grenades," she had explained to him before this. "I still have enough left in me to make miniature ones. They won't do much damage by itself, but multiple ones in the right spots on his legs will bring him down. The problem is—"

"Movement." Shouto had realized. "You want me to carry you and use my ice to navigate around him while you place the grenades onto his weak spots?"

"Yes, but not just that… I can only bring him to the ground to stun him. I can't finish him off. I know you're at your limit with your right side, but your left—"

"My fire? I can't control it that well yet—"

"You only need to control towards one central place," Yaoyorozu had said, raising a finger to gently tap on her temple. "Destroy the head, the rest of the body follows. Hagakure and I tested it with other monsters and it worked each time."

When he took a beat to respond, mind already thinking of how much danger she would be potentially be in with this strategy, she pulled him in closer and forced him to meet her gaze. She was a scratched up mess of a girl who looked as though one ill-timed hit would knock her out. But the strength inside was evident despite it all, her eyes full of determination. "I know it's not the greatest plan, but it's what I got considering the state we're in. And… it will work."

The look on her face had been enough to extinguish whatever reservations he had.

"Alright. Let's do it."

Now, as Yaoyorozu clung to his back and he tried to ignore the threads of her black hair ruthlessly tickling his collarbone, he couldn't help but think of how different this was from the first time they faced a foe together. It seemed they both were set on doing it differently this time around.

"Okay, I'm ready," she announced finally, dipping her face over his shoulder, their cheeks nearly touching as she did. "Try not to go too fast, okay? I feel like I'm about to fall off."

"You feel like you're about to fall off because you aren't holding on tight enough."

He felt a sudden heat coming off her face.

"I don't want to choke you…" She murmured quietly against his jawline, and Shouto immediately grit his teeth together as if he'd been shocked.

Something about the way her breath was hitting such a sensitive spot on his skin was resulting in a dangerous effect on his knees that were responsible for holding them both up right now, not to mention the near electric chills firing off in each limb that were most definitely not coming from his Quirk.

"You won't, so stop worrying about it and just hold onto me, alright?" He ordered, turning his face away from hers. Before Yaoyorozu had a chance to protest and cause him to inadvertently fail the plan before it could even begin, he hugged her legs as tight as he could to his sides, and pressed his right foot into the earth, pushing his energy out from underneath it. Ice spread out from behind him, and the momentum of it propelled him forward.

Yaoyorozu let out a yelp of surprise, her body tightening around his as in the blink of an eye, they sprung out from behind the tree and back into the battle zone.

Now plainly entering the enemies sight, the monster locked onto Shouto and Yaoyorozu. It roared, its tail whipping back and forth violently behind it as it lunged forward towards them. But against Shouto's speed, the monster was at a disadvantage. However, while its attacks were slower, the beast was large enough that its offenses covered a wide range of space, enough so that Shouto had to be precise and quick with his dodges - especially if he wanted to get under his legs.

The original plan was to go for under the tail first, then hit the legs. His first attempt at doing so failed fantastically, as in trying to maneuver behind the creatures back, its tail swung wildly in the opposite direction Shouto thought it would, and nearly caused the pair to experience a swift ascent into the air akin to being hit by a baseball bat. The second time was no good either, a nasty hook from the creatures right claw causing him to retreat back just as an opening appeared. The third time was unlucky as well, with the monster throwing him off by splitting a nearby tree in half to fall and disrupt his movements.

Frustrated, he circled the beast in anger. He could feel himself becoming weaker from not only carrying Yaoyorozu, but from the constant pooling of ice, which was becoming frail and thin, cracking underneath him long before the monster itself could shatter it.

But it wasn't all for naught. He analyzed each failure, observing the monsters movements, and realized: The best way to get to where they needed to go was from the back, but from the front.

Change of plans, he thought, coming to a complete stop right infront of the rock beast. With its eyeless face, it looked down at them and bellowed, raising both of its claws to ready up a full frontal attack.

"Todoroki!?" He heard Yaoyorozu squeal, confused and white-knuckled as she gripped onto him tighter.

"Trust me," Shouto yelled out to her, "and duck!"

Just as the monsters claws descended upon them, ice flew from underneath the sole of his foot once more, and he shot forward, pulling forth whatever strength was left in his limbs to crouch as low to the ground as he could, letting momentum carry them in a slide on the ice below, praying that Yaoyorozu had heard him and knew what to do. She did, ducking her head as close down to his as she could. Darkness enveloped them as they slid underneath the beast just as its body arched forward over them, its fists crashing down on the ice path left behind.

"Now!" Shouto shouted, barely able to keep both eyes open from the dirt, sand, and particles of ice that filled the air from the monsters strike. He felt Yaoyorozu's weight shift above him as he kept them moving forward. With the monsters body near parallel to the ground, there was an opening on the other side to exit out - right under its tail.

With just enough time to spare, the pair made it out the other side right as the enemy began to pull itself back up. But before the base of its tail could even hit the ground, Yaoyorozu's grenades had already begun to pop off.

Waves of heat from the explosions hit Shouto and Yaoyorozu at their backs, the vibrations on the ground resulting in the ice under Shouto's feet to shatter. He managed to keep his footing only temporarily, the last burst of his ice energy granting them enough distance from the bombastic blasts that crackled behind them. It was then that he stumbled, Yaoyorozu trying but failing to keep hold of him, rolling off of his back and fumbling onto the earth. She was clutching her stomach, arm covering his mouth as she coughed intensely into it. A momentary panic rose in Shouto's chest - was she hurt? - But as if Yaoyorozu could feel his anxiety, she raised her free hand and gestured towards the monster.

She did not need to say it. He understood.

Jaw clenched, Shouto forced himself to move past the needling sensation setting into the right side of his body. The now legless stone beast laid on its belly, clawing at the earths surface in confusion while its tail swished wildly into the ground. Even in this state, the beast posed a threat, but its hulking, slow movements were far easier to dodge. Shouto managed to press into a sprint, and, with as much speed and balance he could manage, jumped onto the beasts moving arm, and then leapt atop its head, slamming the palm of his left hand right inbetween where the foes eyes would be if it had them.

It only took the snapshot memory of Yaoyorozu bleeding for a flood of powerful heat to erupt forth out of his core, its flames traveling through his arm to his nerve endings, setting the surface of the earth beasts head aflame. Just as Yaoyorozu had told him, he focused controlling his flames into one focal point, the fire acting like a drill into the monsters rock cranium, cracks beginning to form and eventually spreading like varicose veins until the heat inside caused it to combust. Shouto hissed as he flew back, dropping to the ground backside first. Behind and to the front of him, the monsters arms fell limp along with the rest of its body, a cloud of dust enveloping him. Yaoyorozu had been correct - destroy the head, and the rest would indeed follow.

Shouto fell back onto one of his elbows for balance, his other hand grabbing the collar of his shirt and bringing it up in a last-ditch effort to cover his mouth from inhaling the copious amounts of dirt swirling through the air. Somewhere nearby, he could hear Yaoyorozu calling his name. With squinted, watery eyes, he saw her figure through his distorted vision coming into view. By the time she got close enough that he could clearly see her worried expression, the fog had mostly cleared, the smell of smoke remaining.

"Are you alright?" asked Yaoyorozu, dropping to her knees next to him, black eyes darting back and forth as if she were searching for anything broken or bleeding.

"Fine," Shouto sniffed, dropping the shirt from his mouth. "I'm fine."

"Thank goodness—ah…" Yaoyorozu pressed a hand to her chest and another to her mouth, coughing.

Shouto sat up immediately. "You're not alright."

"No—" She shook her head, "It's the—" but she couldn't finish her sentence, her eyes watering.

"Come on," he said, coming to a stand and offering her his arm. "Let's get some fresh air."

She complied without a fight, grabbing onto his arm for support. Leaning on eachother, the two walked some distance away from the wreckage, deep enough until they'd gotten past most of the airborne debris and into a clearing. The two took the opportunity there to stop, with Yaoyorozu leaning up against one of the trees and taking deep, slow breathes while Shouto checked their surroundings. For now, it appeared they were safe.

"Feeling better?" He asked, coming to her side. Yaoyorozu nodded. At some point, she'd taken out the cloth he had given her earlier for her nose bleed and was using it to wipe at her mouth, still periodically coughing though not nearly as badly as before.

"Thank you again for this," she said, gesturing with the cloth. "I promise I'll return it."

"No need," said Shouto, coming to lean on the tree next to her and, for what seemed like the first time since their trial started, took a moment to let his body relax. "You can keep it."

To this, Yaoyorozu did not say anything, but he noticed her posture soften a bit at his presence next to her, their shoulders lightly touching.

"We did good, I think," she said after a beat of time. "Much better than the first time we fought together."

"I don't know if that doll you made earlier would agree."

Yaoyorozu shifted, putting a bit of distance between them. He knew she was staring at him.

"That… T-that was unintentional—"

"Hmm. Really? Seems like you were trying to remind me of what might happen if I get in your way again."

Yaoyorozu gasped. "I wasn't—that wasn't…!"

Despite his best attempt to remain stone-faced, the chuckle bubbling in Shouto's chest managed to slink its way out in the form of a traitorous twitch of his lips before transforming into a full blown smile. He allowed himself a momentary glance at Yaoyorozu's expression, which was currently living somewhere between mortified and annoyed. Either way, there was a full-blown blush on her cheeks that all the dirt in the world couldn't hide.

God, the enjoyment he got out of it was enough to make him forget for a few seconds how utterly exhausted he was.

"You are really something, sometimes," said Yaoyorozu finally, though he couldn't help but notice she didn't actually sound mad. Rather, her voice held just a hint of lightness, as though she might have been about to laugh, too. He felt warm. He didn't mind being "something, sometimes" to her.

"We did well enough," said Shouto. "Mostly because of your plan."

"And your strength. We both deserve the credit. There's no way I would've been able to get that close to that thing without getting knocked out — or worse."

I wouldn't have ever let that happen, thought Shouto.

"I wonder what Aizawa-sensei would say if he saw us now," said Yaoyorozu.

"He'd probably tell us to stop wasting time and finish our assignment."

"Ah…" Yaoyorozu sighed, peering up above them. "You're right…"

Shouto followed her gaze. The blue sky was beginning to descend into darker shades - a clear indication that daylight was quickly on its way out.

"We should go our separate ways now," murmured Shouto, shuffling in his pocket and taking out the compass that Yaoyorozu had Created for him earlier on. Thankfully, it had remained intact through the battle. "I need to find Midoriya and Iida and show them this. With any luck, we might be able to make it out of here soon enough."

"Agreed. I know some people already going in that direction, so I'll regroup with them on my way."

The pair both straightened themselves, their time of respite officially coming to an end. It had been long enough that Shouto began to regret it, the lack of adrenaline from fighting non-stop giving way to sudden heaviness. He knew if he didn't start moving again, his body would eventually take the opportunity to give into the fatigue.

After taking a moment to stretch out their limbs, the two regarded eachother one last time before heading off.

Yaoyorozu smiled up at him, tucking wayward black hairs from out of her face and behind her ear. "Well then, this is goodbye for now. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Shouto only gave a half-hearted nod, a strange, sinking feeling in his stomach beginning to form.

"You, too," he muttered.

But as Yaoyorozu turned to leave, she stopped abruptly. She turned, staring at him in confusion.

"…Todoroki? Is everything okay?"

Shouto blinked, perplexed as to why she was asking. And then he realized.

His hand, for whatever reason, was currently gripped loosely around her forearm.

As if burned, he let go immediately. "I…" He hesitated, unsure of what to say. He didn't recall moving at all… did he? His heart thumped painfully at his chest, and he struggled to look her in the eye.

"Be safe," he said. "That's all. Don't go passing out on anyone and if you need help, find me.",

Yaoyorozu smiled softly. "I'll be safe, Todoroki. Promise." She tilted her head to the side in attempt to catch his gaze. "See you soon."

"Right," was all he could manage to say.

With that, Yaoyorozu was off. It wasn't until Todoroki was certain by the sound of her footsteps passing through the twigs and brush that she was at a distance that he lifted his eyes up to see her disappearing silhouette. He swallowed, throat like sandpaper. He stared down at his hand, still warm from grabbing onto her.

What the hell am I doing...? Why do I keep feeling like this every time she leaves?

He clenched it into a fist, taking a deep breath. It doesn't matter, he thought, pushing it out of his mind. I'm just tired. I need to find Midoriya and Iida and be done with this god forsaken test. The sooner I get out of here, the sooner I can go to sleep.

And... the sooner I can see her again.

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