Chapter Text
Four months. To some the short time-frame may have seemed like an eternity, to Momo the mere 121 days had gone by in a blur. Just February the young woman had found herself huddled alone in the small nook of her single tenant apartment, nursing bitter tasting teas imported from her family's estate as she fantasized the days she shared with her friends in high-school. Since then life had become simpler for her. The previous bonds that she had shared with her classmates dissipated into nothing more than lost connections as each of them pursued their own lives. While the allure of hero life still pulled longingly at her heart, the path life seemed to be taking Momo in had other intentions for her to pursue. One of them being Shoto Todoroki. Though the two were acquaintances during their school years, Momo never expected for her relationship with the schoolboy to grow any further than that. She had always been attracted to the reserved male, and had even taken steps in the past to try to pursue something outside of an acquaintanceship. However, all her attempts had seemed to fall short, for her efforts were never enough to gain Shoto’s trust into letting his guard down. The young man had intricately built an impenetrable wall to his personal life, making it nearly impossible to carry any socialization with him.
Almost six years later the male was just as mysterious as he was back then. Preferring to keep the personal manners that harbored on his mind to himself. Unless the individual he was confining to was Momo. Somewhere down the line their acquaintanceship had blossomed into a friendship, and from there into something more. Though the two had never defined their relationship on official terms, Momo had now found herself living under the same roof with a man she had shared mutual feelings with for the past two years.
Now in May, instead of sitting idly in reflection of her past, Momo found herself passing the time playing aimlessly with Shoto’s damp hair. Her long fingers weaving in and out of his dulled colored locks, while he snored quietly into her lap. Occurrences like these were fairly rare between the two as of late. All due to Shoto’s essential involvement in a prolonged case with the local authorities. Up and leaving home in the wee hours of the morning and not returning until the late hours of the night, Shoto participated in several stake-outs and different meetings to help put a stop to the rising villainous threats against Musutafu. Shoto had spared Momo the minuscule details revolving his purpose in the case, though the woman was smarter to know her partner was dealing with more than some gang of delinquents. With this knowledge aside Momo’s worries were not on the safety of the city but rather Shoto’s health. Being recently ranked among the top ten heroes of Japan, Momo had witnessed the tolls of her boyfriend increase a tenfold. New burdens were placed on the young man each day, their weight so significant that even Momo felt as if she were drowning in them. She could not help but feel guilty that she had contributed to the load he carried. Before Shoto had no one else to protect but himself. Now he was expected to come home safely and save face, not for his own sake but for hers.
Feeling Shoto shift beneath her, Momo is pulled from her thoughts as a calloused hand places itself on top of her own. Heat radiates from Shoto’s palm as he slides his thumb across her skin, narrowly opening his right eye, revealing his single blue iris. “Why aren’t you in bed?” He asks, voice laced with an unsettling bass to it.
Because you’re not.” She replies softly, restarting in slow finger strokes along the waves of his hair. She ignores Shoto’s sigh, leaning down to peck the other’s lips.
“I have work soon and don’t want to wake you up when I leave.”
“I’m fine. I won’t go to sleep until after you leave.”
“It’s late Momo.” Shoto replies with a sigh.
“I barely see you anymore Shoto. The least I can do is make sure you’re okay when you get home and see you off safely when you leave.”
Shoto opens his other eye, gaze focusing intently on Momo. Though his gaze is indistinguishable it melts into a soft smile before he chuckles softly.
“You always speak so formally Momo.” He cooed, moving his warm hand from hers. Raising it up until it cups the left side of her face.
“You barely speak at all Shoto.” Momo whispers backs, closing her eyes as she takes in a shallow breath. She was used to Shoto’s subject changes. He always did it so naturally.
“Just promise me you’ll get some sleep when I leave.” Shoto ignores her. His soft smile grows when Momo nods. Lifting himself up from off of her lap he stretches his arms and spine. Shoto then stands up from off the couch and kisses his girlfriend gently on the forehead. “I’m going to shower before I leave.” He says before leaving their dimly lit sitting area to Momo’s lone occupancy. This had become their routine for the past month. Momo was sick of it.
***
Shoto was sick of it. Standing in the cool night’s air the young man gazed blankly ahead of him. It had been the same routine for the past month, with little progress towards an end goal. Shifting his stance, Shoto crosses his arms around his torso, eyes glancing down at his watch. It was barely past midnight. Sighing heavily the man rubbed at his face in aggravation. He could not keep lying to Momo like this. Not when his lies had no justice to their name.
“Shoto Todoroki. It’s been a while.”
Pulled away from his thoughts Shoto fixes his gaze ahead of him, eyes fixated on the large figure approaching him. Nodding his head towards his company Shoto relaxes his stance forcing himself to smile. “Ah- Izuku Midoriya.” He says, extending his hand towards the taller man. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I had no one else to turn too.”
Izuku shakes his head, a warm smile spreading across his face as he grips Shoto’s hand firmly, clasping the opposite onto his shoulder. “Anything for a friend. But, what exactly do you need help with?”
Shoto’s response comes out bitter. “A personal case involving an old friend.”