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Chapter Text

Momo opened the door to her room and was greeted by the sight of two of her friends sprawled on her bed.

"Kyouka-san! Mina-san! I didn't know you two would be here," she said, slipping her shoes off and placing her backpack on her desk chair.

"We need your help, girl!" Mina exclaimed, sitting up from her strange position at the foot of the bed.

"Yeah," Kyouka said, unplugging her earjack from her phone. "If you don't help us study, we're screwed."

Her face broke into a grin.

After making the three of them copious amounts of foreign tea and drilling various facts into her friends' heads, Momo allowed them a short break. They sat in peaceful silence for a few moments before Kyouka broke it.

"By the way, Yaomomo, why did you get here so late? You usually get to the dorms a lot earlier than everyone else to study, right?"

"Yeah! I'm not complaining though, since I got to take a nap on this nice bed," Mina said, expression dreamy.

Momo flipped through a hero magazine absentmindedly. "Ah, that's because I was with Todoroki-san. We were studying."

When about ten seconds passed without a response from the two normally talkative girls, she tore her attention away from a particularly interesting article and looked up to see Mina smiling devilishly. Her stomach dropped.

"So...what's he like?!" Mina asked, scooting closer to Momo's side of the bed. "You know...one-on-one, I mean!"  

Breaking out of her surprised stupor, she considered her question. Kyouka looked on curiously, moving from the bed to lie on the plush, paper-scattered rug.

"Todoroki-san...he's...well, he's-"

"Gorgeous?" Mina chirped, black and gold eyes sparkling. Momo knew the horned girl lived for this type of discussion.

"No! Well, not no. I mean that's not untrue-" Mina squealed. She panicked. "H-He's a good partner! And it has nothing to do with...with his assets, either." She had to restrain herself from creating a fan to cool her scorching face.

"Yeah, but it sure does help, doesn't it, Yaomomo?" Mina said, winking suggestively. Kyouka snorted. She was sure her face was as red as the left side of Todoroki's hair now. The thought didn't help.

"Mina-san! You're missing the point!" she yelled, voice shrill. What her mischievous friend was suggesting was ridiculous, not to mention improper and-and-

"Come on, Yaomomo," Kyouka said, sitting up from her position on the floor, twirling her earjacks absentmindedly. "Be honest. You've gotta admit, the guy's got a lot going for him."

"Strong, good-looking, mysterious..."

"It's just a fact." Kyouka stretched an arm over her head, eyes squeezing shut. "No need to be embarrassed about it or anything."

Momo figured there was some merit in their words. Even if their observations were a bit shallow, she had to admit that she had come to the same conclusions about Todoroki herself. Facts were facts, and they didn't have to mean or imply anything. Her burning cheeks finally began to cool down...

"Yeah! I mean, there are far worse guys for you to have a crush on."

She wondered if she was imagining the steam coming off of her face.

"C-Crush?! I-I don't-! Todoroki-san and I, we-he-UGH!" Momo dragged a hand down her cheek, groaning pathetically. "Can we just get back to studying please? Especially you, Mina-san!" She surrended to her desires, unbuttoning her collar and quickly producing  a small, lacy fan from her shoulder. She fanned herself emphatically.

"Hey!"

"And you're not helping, Kyouka-san!" she yelled to the other girl, who had collapsed into laughter. She glared, fanning herself even harder.

"I'm sorry!" she said, wiping her leaking eyes. "It's just-HA!" Kyouka broke into another fit of giggles. Momo's eyes became slits. "I-I've just never seen you get this worked up before! Well, except maybe that time when Mineta-"

"That was awful, and I told you never to bring it up again!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Kyouka cried, waving her hands in front of her to calm her irritable friend. She wiped her eyes and placed a hand over her heart.

"If you say you don't like him, Yaomomo, then I believe you," she declared,  voice and expression calm and free of laughter.

Momo sighed in relief. She turned to Mina, who was hanging off of her enormous bed upside-down.

"Yeah, sure, Yaomomo. Whatever you say!" She wasn't convinced she could actually trust her words; personality aside, it was hard to read her expression from that angle. Nevertheless, she decided to leave it at that.

"Hmm. Well...good," she murmured. Desperate to move on from such an uncomfortable topic, she clapped soundly, making the other girls jump.

"Now! Let's get back to studying!" They groaned.

They studied for at least another 2 hours. Kyouka flipped through her textbook, bopping her head to her music. Mina read her notes, tapping her pen against her horns and occasionally letting out noises of confusion.

And Momo couldn't concentrate on a single thing.

Chapter Text

"Are you sure?"

Momo twisted in her chair to look at her seatmate, brow quirked.

"Would I ever lie to you, Todoroki-san?"

He turned to face her and stared, mismatched eyes unflinching. She stared right back, noting the cool gray and silver lashes and warm blue and burned flesh, the curve of his cheekbones, the slope of his jaw--

"No," Todoroki replied, finally. He dropped his eyes and turned back to his homework. Momo gave a mental whoop of victory at her composure.

"If it helps, I checked that answer twice. I'm fairly certain it's correct," she said, distractedly playing with the matryoshka doll that had suddenly appeared in her palm.

"I believe you," He assured, eyes still trained on his notebook, scribbling his answer down. After a few minutes filled with the sound of his writing, he dropped his pen and looked up at her, pushing the hair out of his eyes.

"Thanks," he said, gratitude clear in his expression.

Momo's composure slipped just slightly.

"You're welcome."

After Todoroki had packed up and left with a small wave and a simple farewell,  Momo opened her palm to examine the doll she didn't remember making.

It had red and white hair, with blue and gray dots for eyes. There was a large red circle on the left side of its face. A gray U.A. uniform.

She quickly stuffed it in her backpack.

Chapter Text

She exhaled into her cupped palms and felt his eyes fall on her.

"Yaoyorozu. Give me your hands."

The two had run into each other at the convenience store a short walk away from U.A.'s campus. Snow littered the ground as they walked home, bags hanging from their arms.

Momo's head shot up to look at him, eyes blinking rapidly. "P-pardon?"

Todoroki blinked back and then cleared his throat, pointing to her obviously shaking hands. They came to a stop.  "Your hands. You're cold, aren't you?" He raised his left hand, pointing to it with his right.

"I can warm them up for you, if you want," he said. The boy's hand came to hover over both of hers, and Momo could feel the heat radiating from his palm. Their fingertips touched.

She inhaled sharply.

Todoroki's brows shot up and disappeared behind his hair. "Oh. Is it too hot?" he asked, grimacing. "Sorry. I'm not as good at controlling my left side as I am with my right."

"No, no!" He froze, then dropped his hand. Momo studied the worried crease between his brows and the way his teeth slightly tugged his bottom lip. Memorized it. She shook herself.

"I-I mean, you don't have to do that, Todoroki-san." She felt guilty that he had misinterpreted her reaction to his touch (and somewhat grateful). Momo raised her hands to placate him. "I'm fine! Besides, if anything I can use my Quirk to make gloves."  Her seatmate didn't look convinced.

"It's not a big deal. Everyone else in class uses my Quirk to their convenience." She studied his expression for any sign of irritation. Instead, he looked almost happy at the thought. She figured she could relate to him in that way; she certainly enjoyed the large study sessions she hosted at her mansion, even if it put the burden completely on her.

"It feels good to be needed, doesn't it?" She smiled softly at him. He had been staring into the distance, but his bright gray and blue eyes focused on her again at her words. He was quiet for a moment, and then...

"Yeah," he said simply. The two held each other's gaze, cradling it until it became too heavy with something. She dropped it and rushed to fill the silence.

"Even so..." Her voice croaked; she cleared her throat, tried again. "Even so, Todoroki-san, you don't always have to be the one to do something. Here!" She unbuttoned the cuff of her right coat arm and rolled the thick, plush fabric to her bicep, along with her shirt sleeve.

"Yaoyorozu, really, that's not necessary," he said, insistent as he eyed the way her arm slightly shook from the chill. "You don't have to-"

"I want to," she interrupted. Todoroki seemed taken aback by the boldness in her look, mouth snapping shut.  "Even if it doesn't seem like much, I know it still requires a lot of energy to regulate your body temperature with your Quirk in this cold while warming someone else. Really, this will only take a moment."

Taking his silence as her cue, Momo concentrated on her Creation. The complete image of a pair of gloves formed in her mind, the woolen fibers woven together as with a knitting needle, stitch by stitch. She added the final touches.

A blue pair sprang forth from her forearm, a red one following closely behind. She put on the red gloves and handed the others to Todoroki, who took them and followed her example. He sniffed, nose slightly red, and she found herself distracted by the pure cuteness of it.

"Thanks," he said, scrutinizing the impeccable detail of Momo's handiwork. She felt her heart swell with pride, and a twinge of that certain 'something' again.

"Of course. Now we're both warm!" She giggled softly, and was surprised to see her smile returned. Her laughter died in her throat.

"It's like I said," Todoroki's smile grew, warm eyes unwavering. Momo swallowed. "You always have the best plans."

She blinked owlishly. The grin was still there, contentedly resting on his face. She tore her eyes away from the rare sight.

"Thank you, Todoroki-san." she said, rubbing her gloved hands together. 'Something' was definitely demanding her attention. She cursed it inwardly.

Todoroki finally directed his attention elsewhere, turning instead to focus on the dazzling city lights that dappled the scape around them as they continued their walk. It reflected off of his white hair, dying it a soft violet, and his chest rose and fell in a hypnotic rhythm. Momo sighed deeply, breath visible in the cold night air. She placed a hand to her chest.

If she wasn't warm before, she definitely was now.

Chapter Text

Momo's train of thought was broken at the sound of his voice.

"Yaoyorozu. I need a favor." She jumped. Her eyes shot up and landed on Todoroki, who ran a hand through his bangs, red and white mixing. Jeans, a casual button down, and oxfords adorned his figure. Momo noticed his wide eyes and creased brow, and she figured this must be what a nervous Todoroki looked like.

"U-uh." Current page quickly bookmarked, she placed the book she had been immersed in on the coffee table and turned to face him. "Um, yes, of course. What is it?"

He blinked a few times, almost as if he was surprised that she had agreed to help him so readily. A smile spread across her face. The boy was clearly still becoming accustomed to friendship. He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck.

"My mom's birthday. It's today."

Momo's brows shot up.

"Your mother?" It was shocking to hear Todoroki mention his mother at all. He rarely talked about his family, and when he did it was brief. She did remember him telling Midoriya something about visiting his mother on the weekends, and the memory of her own mother saying something about the woman being in a hospital for her "instability" came to mind.

Coming from such a wealthy family meant that Momo heard her fair share of gossip, specifically about other members of the upper class. And the Todorokis, with the now number one hero at its head, were at the top of the list.

Their family was strange from what shallow knowledge she had gathered. Though their wealth gave them power, it wasn't displayed in the same way as other rich families, with extravagant spending and superficial happiness. It was Endeavor's raw drive to be the best: to be the best hero, to have the strongest children, to be the best at getting whatever he wanted, no matter the cost or who he hurt in the process...

Todoroki wore the effects of it like a coat, and sometimes it seaped through the cracks in the barrier in which he had encased himself. It showed in the sturdiness of his stance, the weight of his stare and his voice.

The burn on his face.

"Ah, t-that's great!" Her throat felt too thick and her tongue too big for her mouth. She swallowed. "But what about it do you need help with, Todoroki-san?"

His shoes clacked against the floor as he moved away from the common room entrance to the couch Momo was sitting on. Brows raised in question for permission to sit, which she granted with a nod and a smile.

"I want to give her a present," he confessed, sitting beside her. He cleared his throat again, eyes trained on Properties of Malleable Metals on the coffee table in front of them, looking even more nervous than before.

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to make something. For me to give to her." Todoroki turned to face her, meeting her surprised gaze.

"Oh," was all Momo was able to say after a period of silence. Her long bangs twisted around a shaky finger. She felt overwhelmed and dumbfounded, and incredulity filled her at the notion that he trusted her abilities enough to ask this of her, something with so much sentimental value. Hand resting over her thundering heart, she became heighteningly aware of Todoroki's eyes on her.

"Ah, you don't have to, Yaoyorozu. It's fi-"

"I'd be honored to," she declared, eyes shooting up to meet his, and she was unbalanced by the gratitude she saw in them. His Adam's apple bobbed.

"Thank you." One of his rare smiles that crinkled the corners of his eyes (and made her heart rate increase just a bit) graced his features.

"Of course! So, um..."  She felt Todoroki's eyes follow her movements as she pushed her bangs behind her ear. Her heart beat even faster . "What do you want me to make?" Their proximity on the small couch became increasingly perspicuous.

"Hmm. Well, I was hoping you could help me with that too." A giggle escaped her as he scratched his cheek.

"Well, let's see. What does you mother like?"

Todoroki was quiet for a moment.

"I got my ice powers from her." She was amazed to see how talking about his mother made him look so much younger, so at peace. Her chest ached. "I wanted to give her something related to that."

Her arms crossed as she contemplated. "I see."

Todoroki chewed his bottom lip, hand rubbing his jaw. "I could make something with my ice." He splayed the fingers on his right hand, frost spreading across his palm. "But-"

"You'd have to find a way to keep it from melting," Momo concluded, nodding her head. Todoroki sighed beside her.

"Right."

"I could make an insulated container out of polystyrene foam," she said, wracking her brain for a solution, finger rapidly tapping her thigh. "But it would only keep it frozen for so long, a few days at most."

"Yaoyorozu-"

Todoroki jumped at the snap of her fingers.

"Sorry! It's just that I've come up with something." Momo turned to face him directly, and her lips upturned at the hopeful look in his eyes.

"Quartz. Obviously it's not ice, but it's translucent so it looks pretty similar, and its hardness is good for durability, as well. It's not a perfect solution but..."

"That's smart," the fire and ice user said, nodding. She was rewarded with another one of those smiles, which were apparently infectious as she felt a smile of her own stretch across her face. Fingers instinctively returned to her bangs.

"I-I have an idea of what to make out of it too, if you don't mind," She offered, bashfulness overtaking her.

Red and white strands shifted as he tilted his head, as if finding her question confusing. "Of course. Go ahead."

Although she was quite used to using her Quirk in the presence of others, oftentimes in more uncomfortable situations, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious under Todoroki's curious stare.

She wondered if that was significant.

Deciding that the boy beside her was dangerous for her concentration, her eyes snapped shut as she rolled up her shirt sleeve.

One part silicon. Two parts oxygen. Zinc alloy. A radiating pattern from a single point.

The hypnotic sound of Todoroki's steady breaths.

Blood rushing in her ears.

A sharp inhale.

The first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes was that Todoroki's were transfixed on her arm. She pulled her creation from it, and the two of them examined her handiwork.

It was a necklace in the shape of a snowflake. The form was delicately intricate, and the quartz crystal sparkled and caught the light. A chain was tied to one of the flake's tips.

They sat in a prolonged silence, Momo's heart pounding in her chest, until...

"Can I?" Todoroki asked tentatively, hand slowly reaching towards her palm, gaze caught by the necklace.

"Oh! Of course. Here." She gently placed the jewelry in his outstretched hand.

He turned it over in his palms, luminous gray and blue eyes wide and full of something she couldn't recall ever seeing in them before. They blinked slowly, lashes brushing his skin, and Momo couldn't remember ever being more pleased with her Quirk.

"It's beautiful," he said, voice just above a whisper.

"I'm glad you like it," She was positive that her cheeks had turned red at his words. "I-I wasn't sure if it would turn out correctly. The shape was somewhat difficult to perceive."

"It reminds me of her." The vulnerability in his voice broke her heart. "I'm glad that I came to you."

Momo was flooded with that certain indefinable feeling she had started to experience whenever she was around Todoroki, and he was so sweet and so close that she wanted nothing more than to turn just slightly to the left and press her lips to his cheek.

She didn't, of course.

Instead, she settled for hesitantly placing her hand on his. Todoroki's eyes widened, but he didn't move. Encouraged, her grip on his hand tightened as she decided that yes, she wanted to hold it, to warm his cold fingertips with her own. And to wrap her arms around him. And now she was back to where she'd started.

Their eyes met.

She was reminded once again of their closeness and the contact between their hands and their eyes and the heat engulfing her face and the fact that he still hadn't moved away.

"I'm glad that I could be of help, Todoroki-san," she murmured.

Warmth radiated from his left side. His palm turned over to face hers. Their fingers interlocked.

Momo sucked in a breath.

"Thank you."

Their knees touched.

Her self-control wore thin.

"I-I, um," she stuttered, mentally chastising herself for how unintelligible she sounded. "I hope she likes it!" Her throat ran dry.

He smiled again. Momo dug the nails of her free hand into the couch cushion.

"She will. She'll be happy to hear that a friend made it."

And then Todoroki stood, releasing her hand, and she remembered how to breathe.

"I have to go," he said, checking his phone. He gently put the necklace in his shirt pocket and turned to face her again, expression disarmingly soft.

"Thanks again, Yaoyorozu. I owe you one." And with that, he left as quickly as he came, shoes resounding with each step.

Momo fell sideways on the couch, sighing deeply.

There are far worse guys for you to have a crush on.

Comforted by the warmth that he left behind, she rolled her sleeve back down, and figured that hypothetically...well...that wasn't untrue.

Chapter Text

"I'm sorry."

He had grabbed her suddenly during lunch (much to Mina's amusement) and led her to an empty classroom, closing the door and rounding on her before she could speak.

Momo blinked at him, head slightly cocked. "What for, Todoroki-san?"

A crease formed between his eyebrows.

"When we went to rescue Bakugou, you said that you didn't make things whenever you wanted because it could ruin the economy." He ran a hand through his hair, visibly distressed. "The other day...with my mom...it didn't even cross my mind. Or when you made those gloves for us when it had snowed. I only realized because Iida mentioned it."

"I'm sorry I was so selfish, Yaoyorozu. It won't happen again."

And then he bowed, low, and Momo began to panic.

"Todoroki-san! It's okay, really!" she insisted, grabbing his shoulder and urging him out of his submissive position. "Both of those times I went to the store afterwards and bought an equivalent item to make up for the difference! You have nothing to apologize for. Besides, the economy has been doing quite well lately, anyway. You really have nothing to worry about."

He looked even more upset. "You what?"

"Mm. I wouldn't normally make exceptions, but frostbite is serious, and birthdays are a special occasion." she declared.

(And more honestly, she wanted him to know that he was cared for, and that he didn't have to do everything on his own.)

"Yaoyorozu, at least let me pay you back," he pleaded.

She shook her head, ponytail swishing. "There's no need. Like I said before, I was happy to help you when you needed it. Consider it a gift from me to you."

"Why?"

Momo paused. "Pardon?"

He cleared his throat and shrugged. "I mean..doing all of that for me.  Helping me with my mom's birthday," He grimaced. "Paying for it."

She frowned. "You asked me for help, Todoroki-san."

"I know...but still-"

"We're friends, right?" It came out in a rush, breathless, as she was far too aware that the feelings she had for him very likely exceeded the parameters of friendship. "It's natural to do things for a friend."

Todoroki still looked confused. "But-"

"My question is-" She ignored the violent thrumming in her chest. "-why did you come to me in the first place?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Momo spluttered. "I-I mean..." She twisted her bangs around her finger to stop her hand from fidgeting. "You came to me for something that was clearly very important to you."

He tilted his head, mismatched eyes blinking. "So?"

This was too much. "So...why rely on me for something like that?"

"I trust you."

He said it immediately and unwaveringly, as if his faith in her was an apparent, indisputable truth. Her cheeks burned, and she was suddenly reminded of their knees bumping as they sat on the small couch in the common room.

Sea blue and gray eyes catching the light, crinkling as he smiled.

How she had wanted so badly in that moment to lean just a little closer into him and-

Their fingers intertwined with each other's.

"You're reliable and you have sound judgment and-" a laugh escaped his nose. "-clearly the smartest in our class. It'd be foolish not to trust you. You shouldn't doubt yourself."

She swallowed. A small "Oh," was the only thing that could escape her.

Todoroki leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and she cursed herself as she tried and immediately failed to not be distracted by the sight.

"Even so, that doesn't mean you had to help me at all. Especially at the length you did."

"Tod-"

"What I'm trying to say is," he said, hand raised to halt her objection. Blood rushed to her ears as Todoroki walked towards her, close enough that she could admire the flecks of color in his eyes. The length of his lashes. His hair catching the afternoon light streaming through the window. The small grin that tugged at his lips. "I think you're going to make a great hero, Yaoyorozu."

Oh

Her lips landed somewhere between his cheek and his mouth, right under his scar. She was engulfed by the heat radiating from his body, and the tickle of his hair against her forehead, and his fingertips on her shoulder.

And disbelief that she had ever been afraid to feel this way.

When she pulled away his mouth was slightly agape, eyes wide and blinking slowly at her.

"I...um..." She took a step back, putting a safe amount of space between them. Her hair flung forward as she bowed, hiding her red face from his view. "T-thank you, Todoroki-san. Your words are too kind."

When she righted herself, she was unsettled to see a similar blush creeping across his face, his gaze determinedly fixed on a spot somewhere to his left. A hand rose to touch the spot where she had kissed him.

Momo's heart thumped so loudly in her chest it threatened to break the thick silence that had fallen over the two, and her hand fell over it as she attempted to regulate her steadily rapid breaths.

"Again, you're giving me things." His low voice sent a jolt through her as his footsteps came closer, and when he grabbed her hand,-closer-palms meeting and smoothly interlocking their fingers, she was convinced he had set her entire body on fire.

"My mom. She cried when I gave her what you made."

"Ah." It was getting harder to breathe. "Is that so?"

Their eyes met.

"Maybe next time..." Teeth tugging at his bottom lip, he squeezed her hand. A breath shot through her lungs. "I could give something to you."

Next time

She felt his thumb run over the back of her hand, sending warmth all the way down to her toes. His brow was furrowed, two-toned eyes imploring, tethering her there.

Momo felt the weight of the implication of his words-an offer with a question embedded in the seams, composed of subtleties that Todoroki seemingly wanted her to define.

Her hand rested over their entwined ones, heart feeling overwhelmingly full and warm.

"Okay."

And as the space between them closed, his free hand on her back, hers on his cheek, she knew she had answered correctly.

Chapter Text

If someone had told Yaoyorozu Momo that she would kiss Todoroki Shouto in an empty classroom during lunchtime a week ago, she wouldn't have believed them.

She would have scoffed at the idea, saying that it was inappropriate, not to mention irresponsible as it could cause scandal for the Yaoyorozu household.

Or at the very least, she would've thought it was some wild conjuring of her imagination. She couldn't deny that the thought of something similar had flitted across her mind once or twice. Spending a lot of time in her head was just one side effect of her Quirk, to a sometimes embarrassing degree.

But no, her memories were far too vivid, and the details of that moment clung to the front of her mind with startling persistence.

For example, she could clearly remember the light streaming through the window and...

The warm pressure of his lips on her own.

The coolness of his hand as it moved from her back to her waist and how she couldn't stop hers from clutching his shoulder to anchor her, knees shaky.

How their noses had brushed when they pulled away.

The unusual shimmer of his voice when he murmured her name, hand still entwined with hers. "Yaoyorozu."

"I-" she swallowed, eyes darting around at rapid speed. Her face had burned so fiercely she had been afraid her cheeks had actually ignited. "I-I-that was-um-"

"Yeah," He had turned to the side, some strands of his hair tickling her forehead, his cheeks distractingly pink.

And the sheepish smile he had given her then...she couldn't have made that up if she tried.

No, it had happened without a doubt. She had kissed Todoroki-she glanced at her watch- approximately 45 minutes ago in a classroom four rooms down the hallway, and she likely would've done it again if not for the sound of the bell ringing.

They had sprung apart, stumbling and tripping over apologies and courtesies as they rushed to their classroom. She had had to fan her face all the way down the hallway.

"Are you okay, Todoroki? You just mumbled something during lunch and disappeared!"

"Yes! You stood up so suddenly...I hope I didn't say anything to offend you in any way."

"I'm fine, guys. Thanks for checking on me."

And now here she was, pretending to focus on whatever Aizawa-sensei was saying, while her brain short-circuited.

It didn't help that the source of her distraction was only a few inches to her right, and that their knees kept bumping, and that they couldn't seem to stop making eye contact every few minutes.

It also didn't help that Kyouka and Mina kept turning around in their chairs to send her blatant looks. Thankfully the two of them had been too preoccupied to harass her before class began. Kyouka had been arguing with Kaminari, and Mina was late returning to her seat, earning her a death glare from Aizawa.

So after pondering all of the facts, Momo decided that she would have to talk to Todoroki about their...moment as soon as they were dismissed or she would literally die from her brain's anxious hyperactivity, no matter how nervous she was sure she would be.

The tap of a fingernail on her desk snapped her out of her reverie, directing her to a small, folded piece of paper on her desk. She opened it as discreetly as possible.

Let's talk after class. At the park right outside of school.

Her eyes cut to the boy beside her, whose cheek was resting on his knuckles, gaze pointed straight ahead.

She slipped the note in her pocket and sighed in relief.

Momo had only had to dodge a million questions from her friends about her "mysterious lunchtime rendezvous with Todoroki" before she could make it to their appointed meeting place. Now, she was waiting patiently for his arrival on a rickety bench in a secluded part of the park grounds, trying desperately to distract herself from her anxious thoughts.

"You must really like that book."

A sound somewhere between a gasp and a squeak came from her, Properties of Malleable Metals slamming shut with a resounding thud. "T-Todoroki-san! I didn't hear you coming. Here-" She scooted to the left, making space for him. "But when have you seen me reading this before?"

Todoroki sat, causing the bench to creak. "In the common room. On my mom's birthday."

"Oh, that's right!" A chuckle escaped her, sounding shakier than she intended. The book in her lap wasn't the only thing reminiscent of that moment, their shoulders flush against each other on the small bench. "Well, you're right, it's one of my favorites! It's very informative." She cleared her throat, her index finger twisting her long bangs, her other hand tapping the book's cover.

Todoroki gave a short laugh through his nose, and when she turned to look at him there was a small smile on his lips-

Momo jumped at the thought. Oh, right.

She had kissed him. They had kissed, which was why they were sitting on this little bench under a tree at a park, sides brushing and her heart on the verge of pounding out of her chest-

"Are you hungry?"

Huh

She blinked rapidly back into focus, eyes shooting to his. "Uhhh, well, perhaps a little, but-"

Momo was taken aback by the crease that formed between his brows. "Thought so. I owe you a meal."

"Y-you do?"

Todoroki nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I made you miss lunch earlier."

Earlier

"Oh!" (As if she had forgotten) "Well, that was more of a, um..." She coughed, averting her eyes as her face instantly caught fire. "mutual thing, so I don't think it's altogether necessary for you to take complete responsibility, Todoroki-san."

When she looked up she was met with Todoroki's steady gaze, bright turquoise and gray lit by the rays of the lowering sun breaking through the leaves above them, expression indecipherable.

"Listen, Yaoyorozu."

His eyebrows pressed further together as he turned to face her completely. Teeth worried his bottom lip. He seemed...nervous? A part of her was shamelessly thankful for it; it didn't seem fair for him to be completely calm while she was trying not to convulsively shoot matryoshka dolls from her skin.

It was silent for a moment before Todoroki spoke again.

"I'm not... great at talking about stuff like this." His words were hesitant, as if each one was chosen with painstaking, delicate consideration. "Still, I figured it wouldn't be fair for me to just assume you know how I feel without me saying anything."

Momo gulped, nails pressing dents into her book. She marveled as a subtle (but unmistakable) blush blossomed over his cheeks , and he scratched the back of his neck, his gaze boring into hers with striking intensity.

Their legs bumped and stayed there.

"I wouldn't-" He cleared his throat, mismatched eyes darting away and then back to her, pinning her there. "I wouldn't kiss someone if I didn't really...like them."

She inhaled, biting her lip so hard she was afraid it would tear. Gratitude filled her at the fact she was sitting down, and she steeled herself not to look away.

"Oh?" Her voice was wobbly, higher than normal. She cleared her throat, straightening her back. "Well, t-that's good because...neither would I."

Todoroki blinked once. Twice.

And then the corners of his mouth twitched upwards, eyes crinkling in the same shy smile he'd given her earlier that day.

"I'm honored."

Pure euphoria bubbled up inside of her, pooling in her stomach as laughter spilled from her lips.

"Yaoyorozu?"

She sighed deeply and rested her head on his shoulder, the contact warming her cheek against the cool breeze. He stiffened slightly before relaxing against her touch.

"It's nothing." Her finger curled around her bangs, pushing the dark strands behind her ear.  "I'd actually like to take you up on your offer if it still stands. I'm pretty hungry."

He smirked, and Momo figured she was running out of fingers to count the times she'd seen him smile.

"Yeah, so am I."

"Just to remind you-" Feeling bold, she laid her hand atop his. "-I eat...quite a lot."

Todoroki's palm flipped, interlocking their fingers and giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

He shrugged. "Well, I guess I owe you two meals."

Momo bit her lip to control the smile that threatened to split her face. "Okay."

She raised her gaze to meet his, and suddenly filled with an overwhelming desire to prove her words true, she leaned forward until their lips met, too, softly and immensely shy. Distantly, she registered Properties of Malleable Metals slide off of her lap and land on the grass with a solid thunk.

Slowly, the firm warmth of his hand wrapped around her cheek and pulled her closer, and she couldn't bring herself to contain her smile anymore.