Chapter Text
Momo feels particularly tired after their session and rubs her temples while making her way through the corridors by her lonesome.
‘I’d escort you, but detention calls princess.’ Bakugou had smirked causing her to roll her eyes and wonder how he ever got the position of Head Boy.
The walk to the Head common rooms from the Room of Requirements is lengthy but she doesn’t mind the exercise. The silence of the long halls brings her peace and allows her to meditate on her thoughts. Her steps are light and poised so when she hears what sounds like scrapes from the end of the corridor, she stops to look in curiosity. She frowns when its nothing and she proceeds down her path hesitantly.
Momo isn’t one to be scared, but in the words of the last DADA professor, one must have constant vigilance. With her mind preoccupied, she doesn’t notice she’s bumped into someone until she’s falling. She doesn’t know she’s falling until the someone manages to catch her elbows keeping her from the unforgiving floor.
She slowly opens her eyes, having closed them when bracing for the impact, ready to spew apologies when they die in her throat.
“I can’t say I rather enjoy running into you like this, but at least I was able to catch you this time.” Todoroki breathes and she suddenly becomes hypersensitive to the warmth from his hands on her elbows. ‘Is this where I should build walls?’ She thinks as she feels the blood rush to her face so quickly, it’s disorienting. She’s too tired from training with Bakugou, but he is going to have a field day if she cannot strengthen her occlumency. ‘Maybe I should stare into Todoroki’s eyes just to spite him.’
“I..” She finds that she’s lost for words as he steadies her back to her feet.
“The cat?” He questions and she’s sure he is teasing.
“Not this time. I’m afraid it was all my paranoia.” She admits cautiously moving away from his grasp, and instantly regrets the loss of contact.
“Paranoia?” He questions with a slight frown and it’s all she can do to keep from chewing on her bottom lip from the nerves.
“Yes. Just hearing strange sounds from the hall. Most likely nothing, but I can’t help but wonder about it. It makes me realize just how wild of an imagination I have.” She explains and he nods, seemingly content with her explanation but then raises and eyebrow in amusement. “You have a wild imagination? I would have never guessed.”
“Regardless,” She begins to huff while smoothening out the kink her skirt, refusing to let herself stare at him longer than appropriate. “I do apologize. It’s not like me to be this oblivious to my surroundings.”
“It happens to the best of us.” Todoroki shrugs
“Right, well I’ll let you continue on your way.” She briefly wonders where he is headed to but remembers that its none of her business. It doesn’t stop him from answering, and now she’s wondering if she’s that transparent, or maybe he is a legilimens as well. “The library.”
“Oh? I’m starting to think you’re the real Ravenclaw among us.” She jokes and laughs lightly, more out of nervousness than anything.
“Hardly. There is a project I am working on that requires extensive research. I do quite enjoy the quietness of the library as well. It’s peaceful.” She wonders if he knows that her heart rate is increasing and he’s the cause. Him and his alluring eyes, his elegant jaw line, his dauntless aurora, his apparent academic commitment. She claps her hands behind her back in effort to hide the goosebumps that are surely forming on the surface of her skin.
“I agree, I have not been able to enjoy it as much this year with my Head Girl responsibilities, but I cannot deny the fact that I do enjoy having my own common room.” She comments and he tilts his head slightly down before questioning her. It’s adorable, really. “Is that where you are heading?”
“Yes.” She all but gasps, feeling a little breathless. ‘What is wrong with me?’
“I’ll walk with you then.” He nods lightly, and her eyes widen. “I would hate to make you go out of your way!”
“To my understanding” He begins to walk ahead, ignoring her considerate protests. “they are not at all far from each other.” The comment catches her off guard and keeps her rooted for a second before she has to jog the first couple of paces to reach him. “You know where the common rooms are?”
“Yes, the position was offered to me.” He comes across nonchalant, but she picks up the slight makes of a frown on his face before it is gone back to the neutral façade the world is used to.
“You turned it down?” She blurts incredulously, but it might as well have been a squawk. “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate, insensitive and, of course, none of my business.”
“I was being rebellious at the time and didn’t want to live up to my father’s expectations.” She lets her eyes drift to the corridor floor knowing the constricts of expectations. “I’m sorry.”
Her apology is soft and she doesn’t truly know why it slips out of her to begin with. “You have nothing to apologize for. In fact, it looks like a dodged a hex.” Shouto jokes lightly and she feels a hint of a smile appear on her face as she keeps her eyes trained ahead. “It’s truly not as demanding as I make it seem. I just wish my cohort was more involved at times.”
“Does he not help you?”
“Oh, he does his part. However, many find that he isn’t the most pleasant to be around. Not to mention, he finds me to be a bit of a…” ‘over-achieving, intolerable, swotty-‘
“Perfectionist?” He offers helpfully causing her to chuckle in efforts to cover up a snort that would have her mother absolutely fuming. “Yes, let’s use that!”
“I assumed it would be advantageous for you both, seeing you two are well acquainted. Correct?” It’s an innocent inquiry, but it makes her heart race nonetheless as she nods in affirmation.
“Correct. We have been acquainted since early childhood, practically birth. Our parents found that a union would be beneficial for both families.” She explains clearly, hoping not to misguide the nature of her relationship with Bakugou. It doesn’t make a difference, she argues with herself bitterly. Whatever feels she harbors for the boy walking next to her won’t make a difference at all.
“Does it bother you?” He questions and the possibility of him being legilimens resurfaces in her mind again as she tries not to trip over herself like a fool.
“As archaic as the whole notion is,” She begins after a moment to recollect her thoughts hoping to sound nonchalant. “it is what I was raised for, it’s the tradition I must uphold as.. “
“A pureblood?” He interjects dryly, causing her to face him, eyebrow arched before continuing. “the heir of my bloodline. However, it is a rather pureblood notion, is it not?”
His face starts to mildly flush in what she can assume is embarrassment and she stores the sight of him when looks at her. The rosy shade suits him quite handsomely, then again, he just handsome in general. “I’m sorry, while pureblood customs don’t sit well with me, I was probably out of line.”
“No need to apologize. Even I can recognize just how primitive pureblood customs and views are. I’m not exactly proud of it, if I’m being honest.” She admits, letting her clasped hands loosen behind her back in attempted to hide any tension.
“So, it does bother you.” He picks up astutely, and she returns to staring straight ahead in disappointment at being so easily made. It’s not surprising that he read her small movement. He is one of the top duelists in their year. Reading and interpreting sudden body movements is probably second nature to him by now.
“There would be no point in me denying it, however, there is also no point in me dwelling on the matter. I accepted this to be my future ever since I learned my own name. I just hope to be able to make a change so my own children will not be exposed to the same bigoted views I have.” She honestly explains and tries not to squirm under the intensity of his gaze she feels on her.
“That’s extremely noble of you.” He replies before finally looking away from her and she wants to sigh in relief at the weight she feels was lifted off her shoulders. “Does Bakugou agree?”
“It’s rather complicated.” She snorts softly before she can stop herself and she can hear him huff in amusement. “Conflicting morals?”
“Not quite.” She sighs. “Bakugou’s aggressive and combative nature successfully allows him to play a bigoted pureblood elitist, but I can assure you that is not the case. As the only male heir of his line and soon to take head of mine, he is scrutinized much more than outsiders to our traditions can even begin to realize. If anything, our conflicts revolve around our martial arrangement. While I strive for making a change in the future, he wishes to fight for change now beginning with our betrothal.”
“That’s rather hard to believe.” He replies dubiously and she lets herself frown at the floor. “He may have many flaws in his character but being a puppet is not one, I can assure you.”
Shouto is quiet and comes to a stop. She begins to think she said something wrong, but when she looks up, she takes note of the portrait in front of them. The entrance of the Head common rooms.
“You have a lot of faith in him.” He finally comments, and Momo spins in his direction before shrugging. “It’s only natural, given our history.”
“Thank you for the escort.” She allows herself to smile sardonically. “And thank you for listening to the convoluted pureblood ways.”
He only shakes his head and offers a small sad smile of his own. “No, thank you for confiding in me, it was quite enlightening. It seems we have much more in common than I originally thought.” Her brows furrow in confusion and before she can question anything, his smile turns genuine and she’s caught off guard. “I’ll see you class, Yaoyorozu.”
She has the mind to rush into the common room ignoring the portraits cooing in the hallway. Once inside, she braces herself with her back against the wall and takes deep breaths. She starts to compartmentalize him in her mind, trying to lock him away, but his words keep ringing in her head and her blasted curiosity clutches onto it.
‘It seems we have much more in common than I originally thought.’