Chapter Text
Momo had just done something that she had never done in her seventeen years of life. She chopped off most of her hair.
She had gotten her hair cut to about her shoulders and then styled. She for one loved it. She felt so free. She knew for a fact her mother would certainly throw a fit, but for once, Momo didn't care. She liked her hair this way. She liked making a decision for herself for once. It was her body, she could do with it as she pleased.
She sat on the train as she was on her way back to the Yuuei Campus. She was excited to show her friends and classmates her new look.
Momo made her way off the train and made the short walk to campus. She then excitedly made her way to Heights Alliance, the 2A dorm building. She walked in the doors and the first person she ran into was Uraraka. Momo smiled brightly at her friend, "Hey Ura, how do you like my new look?"
She could see Uraraka grimace before quickly hiding it with a smile. "It looks good Yaomomo."
Momo wasn't stupid by any means. She knew when someone was lying. It seemed like Uraraka did not like her new haircut. No matter, everyone was entitled to their opinion, she just wouldn't dwell on it. As she went on her way, Kaminari and Mineta passed by her and as they walked by, she heard whispers and laughing. She stopped for a moment, but there was no way they were laughing at her, were they?
She shook her head and continued on. She'd find Kyouka. Her best friend would tell her if she looked silly. She hoped she didn't look silly, she really liked her new look. It was a major change, but she liked it.
As she was looking for Kyouka. She ran into Midoriya. She waved at him, "Hi Midoriya. Have you seen Kyouka?"
She could see Midoriya glance at her hair and he smiled. It wasn't one of his genuine smiles though. She could tell that. He played with his hands, "I haven't seen Jirou anywhere. I think she may be out training with Ashido. I haven't seen either of them for a while."
Momo snorted to herself. She bet those two were training, and by that she meant they probably snuck off to the back of the library to make out again. She sighed, "Thank you Midoriya." She was about to walk away when she turned back to him, "Midoriya. Does my new haircut make me look silly?"
He played with his hands even more. His eyes wouldn't meet hers. "N..No not at all. You look perfectly fine Yaoyorozu."
She sighed to herself. Did she really look that silly? Her good mood she had had earlier had vanished.
She knew what she had to do. If she couldn't find Kyouka, she'd find the only other person who would be honest with her even if it hurt her. Bakugou.
Momo marched up to his room and knocked on the door. There was a good chance he would be at the gym, but she figured she'd check his room first. She heard muffled cursing and then the door was being flung open. Bakugou stood in front of her in just a tank and shorts. She averted her eyes quickly from his broad and muscular arms. She had a tiny crush on him, but nobody, especially him, needed to know that.
He raised an eyebrow at her, "What do you want, ponytail? I'm about to head to the gym with Kirishima and Shouji."
She felt shy all of a sudden. She always did when his attention was on her. She met his eyes anyway, "I couldn't find Kyo, and you're the only other person who will tell me the truth, does my new haircut make me look silly?"
He gave her an unamused look. "The only thing silly about you is your need for everyone to like you and approve of you. Also your hero outfit. I hate that damn thing."
Her mouth hung open slightly. "I do not need everyone to like me or approve of me. Also, what is wrong with my hero outfit?"
He grunted. "Seriously? Are you even comfortable in that thing?"
She shifted on her feet. If she was being honest. She had never been comfortable in her hero outfit. She always felt too exposed. "I mean, I'm not entirely comfortable, but it would be a lot of work for someone to remake and design me a new one. I let the design team design my first one, I had faith in them."
He looked at her, "Who the fuck cares if someone has to design you a new one. It's their damn job. You aren't comfortable in the one you have now. Some pervert probably designed that one to purposely make you exposed. We're designing a new one and submitting it for you."
She raised an eyebrow, "We?"
He rolled his eyes. "Yes we. I've been designing hero costumes and outfits since I was six. We're going to come up with something badass and something that doesn't leave you exposed like some perverts wet dream. Deal, ponytail?" He scrunched up his nose. "Huh, can't really call you that anymore, can I? Deal, princess?"
She felt her cheeks heat up. "P..Princess? You can't just call me m..my name?"
The smirk he gave her should have been considered illegal. "What's the fun in that?"
Feeling brave all of a sudden, she stood her ground. She wanted him to call her by name. "You can call me Yaoyorozu if you prefer, but I would like you to call me Yaomomo or just Momo." She felt accomplished for not stuttering anymore in front of him.
He gave her a look that eventually melted into a smile. An actual genuine smile. "Huh, you do have some spunk. Alright, Momo."
She smiled back at him and took a chance. "Thank you.. Katsuki. I look forward to working on my hero costume designs."
She turned to leave but she felt a hand on her arm. She turned around and looked at him as he spoke, "Do you like your hair cut and styled like that?"
He had caught her by surprise. She really did like her hair like this. She loved what it symbolized for her. She nodded, "I do."
He nodded. "Then don't give a single fuck about what anyone else says. Tell them to fuck off. You like it, that's what matters."
Momo bit her lip to keep from smiling too big. "Thank you Bakugou."
He smirked at her, "What happened to Katsuki?"
She felt her face flush once again, "Do you want me to call you Katsuki?"
He nodded, "I do. I like when you call me Katsuki."
She held her breath as he stepped forward and gently grabbed a strand of hair that had fallen out of place and tucked it behind her ear. She bit her lip, "Are y..you flirting with me Katsuki?"
He grinned, showing off his canines. She couldn't help but think they looked a little sharper than most people's. She had to keep her thoughts from drifting to how those teeth would feel biting her neck. Now was not the time for those thoughts. He slightly shrugged, "I figured I would go with a little more direct approach. You don't take hints very well."
He reached up to grab the door frame and leaned towards her. She couldn't help but scan over his form. The way his muscles tightened in his arms as he gripped the door frame. She audibly swallowed down her nerves. "Then you s..should ask me on a date if I don't take hints that well."
She tore her gaze away from his form to look into those bright red eyes of his. "Momo, would you let me take you out sometime?"
She nearly melted into a puddle with how he purred out the question. "Yes K..Katsuki. I'd r..really like that."
His smirk melted into another genuine smile. Smiling looked good on him. "We'll make plans soon then."
After a few moments, she was turning to go when he called out to her. "Momo." She turned to look at him and he continued. "Your hair looks really nice like that."
She couldn't help but smile at him. "I know it does. Thank you."
The devilish grin he sent back her way was almost blinding and it made her giddy.
Later that evening when she finally got to spend some time with Kyouka. She told her best friend everything. Kyouka smirked at her. "You got yourself a cool new look and a date. I call that a good day." Her look then turned stern though. "I'm going to kick everyone's ass that made you feel self conscious about your hair style."
Momo smiled at her friend. "You don't have to do that Kyo. I like my new hair and that's all that matters."
Kyouka grinned at her, "Hell yeah, that's the attitude to have. Fuck whatever anyone else says."
She giggled, "That's exactly what Katsuki said."
The shorter girl chuckled, "Who knew that blonde gremlin was actually such a softy. I'm totally giving him shit over it. He's been trying to get your attention for months now."
Momo snorted, "Please do not call him a gremlin. He's actually very sweet and caring. Also, do not tease him. You knew he liked me?"
Kyouka tutted, "He's dating my best friend. I have free reign to give him shit for being a big soft teddy bear." Kyouka playfully rolled her eyes. "I knew he liked you and I knew you liked him. You two honestly aren't that subtle."
As if called, Katsuki walked into the common room. He smiled at her. "Hey Momo. Sup Ears."
Momo felt her face flush as he flopped down on the couch next to her. "Hi Katsuki."
Kyouka smirked at him. "Sup gremlin."
Momo giggled as she watched Katsuki give her best friend the finger. She froze though when she felt his hand on top of hers. He stroked his thumb across the back of her hand. She let a shy smile come to her face as she slid her hand in his. He smiled, but she could tell he was nervous about something. He kept glancing down at their hands.
Kyouka snorted. "Oh my gods you two are already so cute. Who knew the gremlin was actually a teddy bear."
Katsuki grunted. "Fuck off emo. I'll take shit from Mo, not some pop punk reject."
Kyouka pretended to act scared, "Oh, so scary. The big softy Katsuki is going to hurt me."
Katsuki rolled his eyes, "I don't have to take this shit."
Kyouka smirked, "Yet you will because you want Momo to be happy."
Katsuki grumbled, "Fuck off."
Momo let them bicker back and forth, trading playful barbs for a while. The whole while she was holding Katsuki's hand. He seemed to relax the longer they held hands. Maybe he was just nervous like she was.
Before she realized it, Katsuki's arm had moved to come around her shoulders and she was leaning into him. He was warm and she felt secure.
The whole while her cheeks stayed flushed. Kyouka began to tease her. "Momo, your cheeks are still pretty pink."
Kyouka went to poke her but she swatted her hand away. "Kyo! Shush."
Katsuki grunted and pulled her in close which just made her flush even more, but she enjoyed being in close proximity with him. She didn't know if it was his quirk or what, but he was so warm and it was so cold outside. She looked at him, "Katsuki, do you run warm because of your quirk?"
He let a little grin come to his face, "Yeah it's my quirk. Are you too warm?"
She shook her head and settled back into him. "It's perfect. It's so cold outside. I like being next to you."
Kyouka kind of melted away when he smiled at her. There was just something so captivating about his smile. He held out his left hand, the one that wasn't wrapped around her shoulder. "Watch this." Sparks erupted from his hands. Not anything wild, but just tiny sparks like a sparkler. She was fascinated. He sighed, "I'm not just made for destruction." His voice grew softer. "I'm not a monster."
She looked from the sparks to his eyes. He was grinning, but there was a sadness there in his eyes. She knew people, even some of their classmates, that liked to call Katsuki a monster. At the beginning of her second year, some third year has been following her around for weeks, until one day he made a move when she didn't have Kyouka or one of her other friends at her side, and pinned her to a wall by her wrists. Everyone looked on with wide eyes and scared looks but nobody moved to help her.
The third year pressed into her and she tried to fight back but he was bigger and stronger physically. That's when a hand appeared next to the third years head. She looked to see It was Katsuki. He grabbed the third years face and let an explosion go. The aftermath hadn't been pretty. The third year ended up deaf in one ear and had permanent third degree burns over half of his face. With the power Katsuki had, the third year was lucky it wasn't worse.
Rumors spread quickly and people liked to say Katsuki was a monster for what he had done. Even if he had been protecting her, they still said he went too far and that he should have been expelled. Katsuki told her to not care what others thought about her, maybe he had a hard time of doing that himself. She couldn't blame him for thinking that way from how some people treated him. "Katsuki, you are not made for destruction. You are not a monster. You're determined and strong willed. You're brave and smart. You're also cute and sweet."
He smiled gently at her, "I don't do cute and sweet, Mo."
She smiled, "I believe you do."
Kyouka stood up from the couch and smiled at them. "I'm going to let you two have your time. I'm going to go find Mina."
Momo waved at her best friend and she noticed Katsuki nod at her. She turned to look at Katsuki and she realized how close their faces actually were. His hand started to come up to her face, but he pulled away. Now she understood. She grabbed his hand and guided him to cradle her face. "You're not going to hurt me Katsuki. I'm not scared of you."
He leaned in and their foreheads were touching. "You really should be. Everyone won't hesitate to tell you I'm a bastard."
She learned quickly she did not like him talking down about himself. "You are not a bastard Katsuki."
She wanted to kiss him. She knew her mom would not approve of her kissing him before their first date. Her mom wouldn't actually approve of him at all. Momo liked him though. She really did, and she wanted to kiss him.
Their noses brushed together. She giggled softly as he gave her butterfly kisses. She took the initiative and leaned in fully and kissed him. He reciprocated immediately.
Her lips felt tingly as she kissed him. It was a gentle first kiss and she couldn't be happier. It felt like everything that had been described in the romance books she snuck and read. She leaned back further into the couch and brought him with her, he snaked an arm around her waist.
She whined slightly as they separated, but couldn't help but smile when he kissed the tip of her nose.
They were interrupted as Iida, Midoriya, and Uraraka walked into the room. Katsuki settled back into the couch, so she leaned into his side.
Iida took off his glasses and wiped them off before putting them back on. "Yaoyorozu, were you and Bakugou just displaying PDA?"
Momo was honestly confused at his tone, why was he reprimanding them? Kyouka and Ashido got to kiss in public and hold hands. Uraraka and Tsu held hands and cuddled at class movie night. Midoriya held Todoroki from behind as the two cooked in the kitchen. Hagakure sat on Ojiro's lap. She didn't understand why her and Katsuki were being reprimanded. It would have been different if they were heavily making out. They just kissed.
She looked at Iida, "Is there a problem?"
He cleared his throat. She didn't like the look he gave Katsuki before he looked back at her. "You shouldn't be displaying public displays of affection. It is against the rules."
She crossed her arms. "Since when?"
Katsuki clicked his tongue. "Tch. It's since you're with me. Isn't that right class prez?"
Iida didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. Momo heard him loud and clear. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "I like Katsuki. We're going on a date. Nobody is going to make me or him feel guilty for that. If you don't want to see me kiss Katsuki or hold his hand or lean into him, then don't look. You can..you can f..fuck off. There is nothing wrong with Katsuki."
Everyone stared at her with wide eyes. She had never used foul language around anyone before. She looked back at Katsuki who was smiling at her. She grinned, "Come on Katsuki. Let's go work on those designs for my hero costume."
He stood up and wrapped an arm around her waist. He whispered in her ear. "I'm proud of you Mo."
She smiled at him. She was proud of herself. She was proud to say she was dating Katsuki. She didn't need anyone else's approval. Her own validation was enough.
Maybe her and Katsuki could teach each other what they felt mattered. They didn't need anyone's approval.