Chapter Text
***
It’s Yaoyorozu Momo’s wedding day and Jiro cannot be prouder of her best friend.
She loves Momo dearly and wants her to be happy with Todoroki, and honestly there’s no better match for her than the rising star in the hero world. Jiro is thoroughly convinced no man can make her as happy as he could.
But the pangs of her one-sided love for Momo still stings. Outwardly she’s all smiles and happy but inside it’s almost like she’s experiencing all five stages of grief, looping over and over again.
And she’s not the only one.
***
Just when Jiro thinks she’s reached ‘acceptance’, she would then catch a glimpse of Momo’s vibrant smile and her heart just plummets to the ground. She’s back to ‘denial' again. But she can get through this, she has to. If not for herself than at least for Yaomomo.
Momo, her smart yet adorably naïve best friend. They’ve been friends for three years in high school, and got all the way through college together while being part-time rookie sidekicks, up to this moment. And Jiro’s been in love with her throughout most of their friendship.
She still remembers their late night study sessions, their movie nights while being roommates in college. Momo would always leave little post it notes for her when she sleeps in, too tired from previous night’s side-kicking session to get to class. Those notes never failed to cheer Jiro up, and getting to see Momo every day was even more of a pick-me-up than anything Jiro has ever encountered.
Those were the good old days though. There’s no use reminiscing about them now.
***
Kaminari meanwhile is stuck in the ‘bargain’ stage this time and he’s trying to maintain his composure.
Repeatedly telling himself that this is for the best; he’s known Todoroki just as long as he’s known Momo so he knows that he’s a great guy.
But then Momo’s sweet laughter fills the hall as she’s talking to their guests with her husband at her side, and suddenly Kaminari can’t think straight. He’s frustrated with himself for even allowing his small crush to blow up this big.
It was supposed to be just a crush. Everyone’s got a bit of a crush on her anyways, it’s impossible not to. But then why the hell did his develop this much?
Round and round the thoughts spin.
Kaminari pushes a hand to his temple, trying to make sense of it all.
Scanning the room, he looks at his former classmates’ familiar faces, most of whom he’s still in contact with.
The girls are off to one side, laughing and catching up with each other. The guys are all scattered around in a few different groups, mingling with former classmates and other high profile heroes in the guest list.
The bride and groom are the sweethearts of the hero world after all. He even sees a few of their high school teachers in the sea of happy faces.
He tries not to linger on one person’s face for too long, as that would open for possibilities of conversations. And he’s not in the mood to reconnect and reminisce. He is much happier tucked away in his corner of the large dance hall.
But then they lock eyes. And instantly he knows. He knows that she knows it too right away.
Because they recognise the sag under the other’s eyes. The heavy drop of shoulders, the vacant stare of helplessness masked by festive smiles.
Jiro raises her hand in a nonchalant salute. Kaminari in a mild panic responds with a raised glass, one he doesn’t even remember holding.
There's no hiding now.
***
“Get yourself together man,” he tells himself, standing in place while Jiro walks over to him.
“Hey man, how are you holding up?” Jiro asks, straightforward.
She’s standing next to him now, continuing what she was doing earlier; scanning the room, distracting herself. He’s back to doing the same thing too.
Like two peas in a pod.
“Truthfully? I’d rather fight the League of Villains than be here at all,” he answers with an exasperated smile, earning a hollow laugh from Jiro.
Recalling their brief stint with the League back in U.A. Not even in the mood to continue their chat, they both retreat inside their own thoughts.
***
Honestly she can’t disagree.
I mean she’s seen Yaomomo with Todoroki before this, they started going out a year after high school after all.
But this? Actually watching the love of her life look content and drunk with happiness with another person?
No one can blame her for feeling this heartbroken and guilty. The guilt, of course stems from her inability to be 100% happy for her friend.
A small part of her still wishes that she could just steal Momo away and spend the rest of their lives together.
I can make her happy too, a playful thought dances in her head. Something that she's been considering on and off ever since she realised she's fallen for the talented, sweet hero.
But you're not him, cautions another thought and Jiro just resigns herself to her fate.
The only solace in everything that's happening is knowing that Todoroki will treat Momo right.
Well that, and also the fact that she’s not the only one this miserable right now.
She had an inkling before this that Kaminari likes Momo too but it was never quite confirmed how deep his infatuation goes. Seeing the telltale signs of misery on his face all but confirms it.
A sudden roar of laughter jolts her back from her thoughts.
It’s Sero and the other guys, standing a few tables away from them. The absolute joy on their faces reminds her that this is a merry occasion.
She glances to the side and sees Kaminari still deep in his thoughts, doesn't even notice the excitement surrounding them.
***
“We’ll get through this,” she says suddenly in an almost whisper but loud enough for Kaminari to hear.
When he doesn't respond she grazes her fingers slightly against Kaminari’s free hand, a silent offer of comfort.
Without missing a beat he links his hand with hers, accepting her offer while also offering his.
An act of genuine solidarity.
Hands shaking ever so slightly, almost as if they’re trying to hold their feelings inside and the only channel for those feelings to flow and leak is through their linked hands.
They still keep their eyes on the hall though, smiling and nodding to their colleagues; some are dancing, some are chatting.
They don’t need to know what Kaminari and Jiro is going through.
Nobody needs to know.
It’s a joyous occasion after all.
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