Chapter Text
Momo Yaoyorozu is panicking.
She was just told, via a very brief phone call, that her male counterpart model backed out of today's photoshoot at the last moment. And then they asked her if she could try to bring along a replacement, perhaps one of her good-looking classmates.
Yikes.
And they said it so nonchalantly, as if it were an easy task, too.
Momo's heart hammers as she tugs her purse strap over her shoulder. Who could she possibly ask? What would she even say?!
She supposes that she could simply decide not to go through with it. But she knows they are counting on her. And Uwabami went out of her way to get Momo these connections so that she can get a head-start on her public image. She would hate to seem ungrateful and waste an opportunity like this…
Momo grasps the knob on her door with a trembling hand, and then slowly opens it, her teeth tugging at her bottom lip as her mind races with worry after worry.
"Ah, Yaoyorozu."
Momo jumps at the sound of the voice, her eyes moving upwards to lock with a mix-matched pair of blue and gray.
"T – Todoroki!" she cries in surprise. "H – hello!"
"Oh, are you going somewhere?" he asks, eyes dropping to her purse.
"Y – yes," Momo answers with a quick glance down at her purse as well. Looking back up at him, she notes the book tucked under his arm. "Did you need my help with something? Homework?"
"Ah…it's nothing," he says, reaching a hand to the back of his neck and averting his eyes. "You seem busy, so another time maybe. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
But it isn't a bother.
While Todoroki has been asking to study with her more frequently as of late, Momo has found herself enjoying his company quite a bit. She always eagerly looks forward to the next time the two will end up at their designated study nook in the library, working together in a companionable silence occasionally broken by one of them seeking input from the other.
She has come to learn that English class is the most challenging for Todoroki, so that tends to be the subject he asks for help with. But he often picks up on new concepts in mathematics more quickly than Momo does, so he has been a help during the few times when she gets stumped.
Not only that, but the two are compatible study partners in other ways as well. Todoroki is serious about his work and does not distract her, although he does help Momo remember to take breaks more often than she normally would. And Momo in turn is quick to direct them when Todoroki seems unsure about what to start on or go to next.
They work well together.
And, Momo has noticed that she is truly fascinated by the little bits and pieces that make up Todoroki and his life that she has been able to learn. He has always seemed so mysterious before, but now she feels like she has gotten to know him better through their occasional small talk during study sessions. Listening to him talk about some of the things that he cares about - for instance, cold soba and his older sister - has made her feel like they have even become good friends.
"Wait!" Momo cries out, thrusting a hand forward to grasp his wrist when he turns to leave.
Todoroki stops and glances down at her hand on him before looking up to meet her eyes expectantly.
Momo's heart continues to beat fast as she tries to think. She knows she does not really have the time to help him now, but she does not want to just let him leave if he needs her help. Although, she does still have to figure something out for that replacement…
With a jolt, Momo realizes that there could be an obvious solution here. If they are friends, then perhaps it would not be too crazy for her to ask him for a small favor - or, ok, a big favor. But friends do big favors for one another, too. And she cannot deny that Todoroki fits the bill better than anyone else she knows.
Still, it does not make the part where she actually asks him any easier.
Momo nervously licks her lips and fumbles to come up with the right sequence of words as she slowly releases her grip on him.
"I – I could use a favor, actually," she tells him carefully. "And then we can study together, if you like."
"Oh," he mutters, seemingly unfazed by her nervous behavior. He turns his body to face her fully again. "Sure," he replies easily, with absolutely no idea of what he is getting himself into. "I'll help."
Momo smiles weakly at his response. "Ah, t - thank you, Todoroki…"
She is surprised he did not ask for more details before agreeing to help her but is glad that she seems to have her problem relatively solved. Now she just has to figure out how to explain to Todoroki exactly what he just agreed to.
Oh, Todoroki. Please forgive me, but I'm desperate!
"…Model," Todoroki repeats slowly. "You want me…to fill in at your photoshoot…as a…model?"
He stares at her as he says the words with uncertainty, as if testing a foreign phrase with his unpracticed tongue.
"Yes," Momo confirms with a vigorous nod of her head. She squirms in discomfort. Her mind races as she conjures countless possibilities regarding what Todoroki is thinking about right now. Even though she has gotten to know him a little better over the last few years, she still struggles to read his face at times. And she frankly has never seen him look this dumb-founded, which is a little troubling.
Todoroki insisted that they leave quickly when she mentioned that she was in a hurry to get to the subway station. And then, inbetween all of the hustle and bustle to get here, Momo just sort of…didn't say anything about where they were going or what they were doing. And Todoroki didn't bother to ask.
She did have good reason for her hesitation, though! Well…it was mainly because…she really had no clue what to say. She has been worried out of her mind about how Todoroki would react to learning what the 'favor' he promised to do was. He does not strike her as the type of person to want to pose for photos.
Not that Momo particularly enjoys it herself. But it has proved to be a helpful way to network with media professionals and full-fledged heroes.
And she would be lying if she said she did not have just a little fun wearing all the different outfits and extravagant hair and make-up styles.
But when Momo and Todoroki reached the subway station, she knew that she had to say something. She could not very well drag him all the way to the photoshoot site without properly informing him. That would be completely rude and an insult to their friendship.
Even so…Momo nibbles her lip as she watches Todoroki's face, hoping that he will not simply turn around and go home. As she studies his wide eyes and open mouth, she has the sinking suspicion that he is not likely to be nearly as excited about multiple wardrobe changes and props as she is.
Todoroki shifts his feet and then wets his lips. "Yaoyorozu… I've…never really done anything like that before, you know…"
"That's ok!" Momo cries quickly, gesturing reassuringly. "We'll help you!"
Todoroki raises a brow slightly. "Are you…sure that you want…me, though? I'm… I don't think I'm someone people would typically choose for this type of job… I can understand you, I mean, you're…" He stops abruptly and turns his face to the side.
Momo waits to see if he will finish his sentence, but he says nothing. She notices that he seems a bit flushed, his cheeks showing a little more color than usual.
"Don't worry!" she tells him in her most reassuring voice. "You're - I'm sure you'll be great! I - I mean, I don't even know what they're expecting… They asked that I try to bring one of my good-looking classmates and then you showed up at my door. And I figured - I - I figured that, since you're the…well, the best-looking boy in our class, you know -" Momo coughs awkwardly as her face grows very hot. Her embarrassment is made worse when she notices Todoroki's eyes snap up to hers at that. She immediately looks away.
Momo is not particularly embarrassed about thinking that Todoroki is good-looking. That much is obvious to everyone. She and the other girls in class 3-A have had far too many conversations about the boys in their class over the years, and the prevailing opinion about what Ashido likes to call the 'hotness' debate is that Todoroki is easily one of the most attractive boys in their class.
So she is comfortable in her assessment, as it does generally follow the norm.
But that does not mean that she wants to say it to his face!
"I just - I just -" Momo stammers, moving her hand awkwardly in the air as her eyes search the ceiling of the subway station, as if any of the graffiti there will offer her the perfect words to end this awkward monster of a sentence. "I just thought I would ask you!"
After taking a calming breath, she chances a glance at Todoroki and is relieved to find he is no longer looking at her. His eyes are back to staring at the ground again.
"I - I'll understand if you really…don't want to…" Momo finishes. She half-hopes he will refuse so that she has an excuse to return to their dorm and shove her head under a mountain of pillows.
But of course, reneging on a deal is not Todoroki's style.
He shoots her a small smile. "I said I would help, so I promise I'll do my best, Yaoyorozu."
Momo heaves a sigh and returns his grin. She then notices the time and frantically pulls him after her so that she can get their tickets and they can make it onto the subway in time.