Work Text:
It all started with harmless scrolling through social media.
It was during a rare weekday when they were few assignments and training was not as lively as usual. Momo finished all her work before bedtime, so she thought a little peek at what teenagers like herself find entertaining won't hurt. She was out of books and novels to read (making a mental note to stop by the bookstore near Yūei sometime). And maybe a curious part of her wanted to know the trend these days. Her parents didn't allow much screen time after all, given her quirk. She was safe from their reprimanding in her dorm room at Heights Alliance. And maybe this was the girls' influence on her.
She browsed the variety of fascinating videos presented on the page. Clicking on one, she didn't know how much time had passed when...
She sees it.
//
"Good morning, everyone." Without the usual chirp in her voice, Momo greets her classmates in their classroom. She heard some return her greeting but was automatically drowned by her brain. The problem was addressed by her friend, Kyouka. "Whoa, what happened to you? Studying late last night?" The purple-haired girl gestured under her eyes, asking about her friend's black eye bags. "Jirou-san, good morning," with a sigh, the taller one of the two continues, "No, I mean I... kind of? I was, uhm, caught up with something else." Which was not wrong, just a bit vague. The hearing hero-in-training gave her a look, silently asking her to elaborate. "It's nothing, Jirou-san. I just stayed up late. I'm fine." She flashed a reassuring smile.
That seemed to convince her friend. What Kyouka wasn't aware of, however, was the inner turmoil Momo was experiencing.
Taking her seat in the cornerback of the classroom, the creation hero-in-training smoothened her skirt after setting her backpack down. Her eyes drifted to the empty seat to her right. He's not here yet. This gives her the time to think about the actions she'll execute.
She has memorized the things she'll say, thoroughly prepared for this. But... what if she offends him? Will he already know what she's trying to do? (That's a bit impossible, Momo thought, even for an exceptional guy like him). Will he get annoyed? Feel played?
The raven-haired girl sighs. She's overthinking again.
There was this interesting trend she saw yesterday where a person will ask another, "did you know you can't feel your tongue when you smile?" and that other person will smile to try and see if they can't really feel their tongue - which is the point of the trend. To see the other person smile. Because it's a good thing to smile.
She spent hours and hours researching this topic, and though she came to realize that it was pointless (that the trend was just a trend), the feeling of accomplishment rained down on her. Even preparing a list of why she should do this and why try it on him, Momo tried to reason with herself. She's doing this so he can add positivity to his neutral expression and lift off some of his stress. Yes, that's why. (It's definitely not because she wants to see her fellow recommended student's handsome grin. No, definitely not.)
The gigantic doors open, revealing the star of her thoughts - Todoroki Shouto. In all his glory, he silently walks to his seat beside hers. "Good morning, Yaoyorozu." She stutters back a good morning. He settles down, and before Momo can chicken out or stop herself, she chokes out, "Todoroki-san, did you know you can't feel your tongue when you smile?" While she applauds herself for not stammering this time, Momo is internally screaming. Good job, Momo. Totally not weird.
And to her absolute failure, Shouto just blinked and stared at her. For, like, a minute or so.
A MINUTE OR SO.
She wants the ground to miraculously open up and swallow her. Maybe even bury her alive while it's at it. This is so awkward. She is so awkward! Mother, I apologize. All those socializing etiquettes she learned were thrown out of the window.
Just as she was about to turn and avert her eyes to focus on her bag instead - her only escape option - the impossible happened.
"I see. Thank you for the information, Yaoyorozu." Shouto beams at her. He's smiling?! "Uhm, no- I mean, of course, Todoroki-san!" She gives him a twitchy (and especially awkward) smile and laugh, ears blushing and all.
At least she got what she wanted - a smile.