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Momo yawns, rubbing at her eyes as her cell vibrates on the nightstand. Who could be calling so late at night? As she sits up, she blinks away the last few urges to fall back asleep and grabs her phone. Her eyes adjust to the brightness of the screen against the pitch black of her room, and she lets out a quiet groan at its piercing glare. She blinks a few more times.
It’s Kyouka.
Kyouka, flashing a peace sign, still looks as cool as always in the photo, even while surrounded by the rest of the hero course girls and their ecstatic grins. Momo smiles briefly but then pouts a little. Knowing Kyouka, she’s outwardly aloof but still courteous toward others, so she wouldn’t call someone on a whim. Perhaps she’s worried about the upcoming exams or simply can’t fall asleep. Maybe she’s just a bit lonely and needs some company. Momo likes that last one best, but she’s being a little too self-centered, no?
“Kyouka, hey,” she murmurs, fighting back another yawn as she wipes the sleep-gunk out of her eyes. “Why’re you up so late?”
“Late?” Kyouka laughs on the other side of the line, her voice bursting with energy and excitement. “Yaomomo, it’s only 1 AM, and tomorrow’s Saturday. You’re not actually sleeping, right?”
Momo giggles then shakes her head. Somehow, she’s surprised at Kyouka’s nonchalant attitude, but she really shouldn’t be at this point. Her carefree outlook on life has always made Momo happy and, sometimes, a little jealous. She seems to have an easy time taking everything in stride, and there are days when Momo wishes that she too could have such a relaxed smile. It’s fun to be around someone who’s not tense or overthinking all the time.
“I suppose I’m not anymore,” Momo replies with a chuckle. “I was having the most wonderful dream too…”
“Whoops, my bad!” Kyouka immediately backtracks on her off-hand tease, her tone shifting to a higher pitch. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Don’t worry, Kyouka. It is the weekend, after all,” Momo says. She rubs her eyes again, stifling yet another yawn. “But really, why are you ringing me at this ungodly hour?”
“I…” Kyouka’s almost-elated voice slows to a more dolce pace and feel. (Momo thinks that’s the right word at least; she’s trying to learn more about music theory for fun chats with the rock lover.)
Really, she can easily imagine Kyouka’s face — the purple-haired girl would be looking away with a cool expression but her idiosyncrasy would give her true feelings away; she’d still be twirling one of her jacks around her finger as she formulated a response.
“I just wanted to hear your voice, y’know?” Her voice comes off as soft, gentle, a little shaky. Perhaps a bit of blush is coloring her pretty cheeks too.
“Eh?” Momo feels her breath hitch in her throat as her heartbeat skyrockets. Her free hand clutches and fidgets with the comforter, and she’s tempted to start flailing her legs around to dispense the excess of energy. If she hadn’t been completely awake with the dang ringer going off, she’s definitely awake now.
“You… You have this really calming effect on me, Yaomomo,” Kyouka continues, her voice still carrying that awkward tremble. “Even if I’m having some real bad anxiety, you always find a way to calm me down...”
Momo’s eyes widen, and she suppresses a gasp. “So you’re anxious right now?”
“Yeah, I… I’m having trouble sleepin’,” she says, the low hum of her murmur somehow tickling Momo’s ear through the phone. “It’s not anything out of the ordinary, really! I just have pretty bad tinnitus, and sometimes all the rain noises don’t drown out the buzzing.”
“Oh, Kyouka…” Momo laughs a little at the thought of Kyouka laying in bed, staring at the ceiling as recorded sounds of thunderstorms and cicadas fill her room. She shifts the pillow under her legs, sighing as Kyouka grumbles on the other end of the line. “I think that’s incredibly sweet. I’m happy to chat with you all night if that would help.”
“You’re the best, Yaomomo. Sorry, again, for waking you up.”
“Don’t fret over it. I’ll always be there for you.”
“Yeah? Well… um, if you don’t mind… I have another request...”
Her voice lowers to a pleasant hum, and Momo’s heart rate shoots right back up.
“Yes?”
“Do you wanna… hang out tomorrow? Being around you… um, being around you also makes me feel a little better,” Kyouka mumbles. Momo giggles silently, once again envisioning Kyouka on the other end playing with one of her jacks and staring down at her lap bashfully. “You know, maybe we could catch a movie, eat ice cream, go bowling… Something like that?”
“Oh? Like a date?”
“Huh?! Well… um… haha…”
That moment of hesitation - like a kid getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar - says so much, and Momo has to hold back a girly squeal welling up in her throat. Instead, she goes for the calm and composed response.
“Yes, Kyouka. I would love to go on a date with you.”
“I didn’t say date!” It’s silent on the other end for a moment, and Momo knows that Kyouka’s hiding under her covers and fuming at her own embarrassment. “But… yeah, uh… a date sounds really good.”
“Okay.” Momo nearly snorts, and Kyouka lets out a long groan. “Then I will meet you at the station at 9 AM?”
“Eh? Why so early, Yaomomo?! What grudge are you holding?”
“Hmm… I can't seem to remember who disrupted my beauty sleep…”
“Oh, please, you’re the last person ever who needs beauty sleep.”
Momo rolls her eyes, though she can still feel her cheeks heating up. What a strong recovery.
“Perhaps 8 AM will be a more suitable meeting time,” she teases, a small smirk forming on her face.
“Ah! Wait, no!” Kyouka whisper-yells as loud as she can without waking anyone - probably her parents, Momo figures - in her household up. “I’m sorry for waking you! You don’t really need beauty sleep, but feel free to sleep in! Can we meet up at noon?”
“Of course.” Momo leans back against the headboard, grinning like a lovestruck fool. “But I get to pick where we go.”
There’s a nice confectionery shop downtown that Ochaco would talk about nonstop because she said it would be an adorable place to take someone special. That sounds like the perfect spot for a first date, and she’s sure Kyouka will feel the same way. (She’ll need to remember to thank Ochaco for the suggestion.)
“Deal!”
“Good.”
The quiet is calming, and Momo likes the sound of Kyouka’s gentle breaths.
“How are you feeling?”
“A lot better. Tonight wasn’t great for my head,” Kyouka replies, letting out a deep sigh. “I don’t know how I’d feel if I just kept hearing that annoying ringer. So… I’m glad you answered.”
That last sentence comes out soft and breathy, and Momo’s heart tightens a little at her shy honesty.
“I’m glad you called,” Momo says in a whisper like they’re sharing little secrets.
“Thanks. For all this.”
“Oh, please. I didn’t do anything special.”
“You did! Really.” Kyouka laughs quietly, and Momo hopes Kyouka’s as red as her cheeks feel. “See you tomorrow, Momo.”
Momo laughs along, happy to hear that same energy from before has returned to her voice. She’s not the type to act so playfully, but Kyouka’s innocent charm brings out this side of her. Sure, it’s fun to tease her and watch her get all flustered and embarrassed, but Momo loves above all else to see Kyouka smile.
(Wait, did she just call her “Momo”?)
“Sleep well, Kyouka.”
“Good night!”
Momo closes her eyes as the end tone buzzes in her ears, and she places her phone back on her nightstand. She sinks back into the sheets and lets out a loud sigh.
Perhaps she should’ve told Kyouka how easily Momo drops her guard when they’re together. With her heart hammering against her throat and her muscles so jittery that she can’t quit fidgeting, Momo knows she won’t be getting any rest tonight.
“How unfortunate,” she hums, breathing in deeply.
That’s okay though. Momo smiles again, already content with the knowledge that she’s helped Kyouka drift off into a peaceful slumber.
Besides, she’s got a date to look forward to.