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Momo’s head throbbed. She brought her hand to her temple and lightly massaged it.
“You okay, hun?” Toru asked as she paused her application of Momo’s makeup. She was invisible at the moment but Momo could feel the concern radiating from her.
“I am fine. I just have a bit of a headache-”
“Guys! Momo has a headache!” Toru exclaimed right next to Momo. It didn’t help her aching head.
“On it,” Ochako said and Momo watched Ochako retrieve her purse.
“I’ll go get some water from downstairs, I’ll be right back,” Kyoka said and then headed out the door before Momo could protest.
“Momo…I can take some of the pins out, or I could even redo your hair if you think that’s what’s bothering you. It’s like three hours before the ceremony,” Mina said as she walked up behind Momo and placed her hands on Momo’s shoulders.
Momo was sitting on a barstool in front of a large vanity in the bride’s suite. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror and the lights from the room in the reflection made her squint her eyes. Light sensitivity could sometimes signal a migraine.
Kyoka returned with a chilled bottle of water she handed to Momo and Ochako dropped two blue pills into Momo’s hand that she took immediately.
“Maybe you are dehydrated? Ribbit,” Tsu asked.
Momo nodded thinking there was a good chance she was very dehydrated. She had been so busy with preparations for the wedding, she had been forgetting to eat, skipping meals even. So her water intake had also been abysmal.
Momo caught her mother’s reflection in the mirror. Her mother was gazing outside and suddenly a small smile alighted on her mother’s features. Her elegant, round face looked so relaxed, the corners of her eyes crinkling with happiness, fine wrinkles only adding to her wisened and sophisticated beauty.
Her mother had been instrumental in getting things planned and making sure things ran smoothly which had been quite the task considering Katsuki had run off three wedding planners over the course of the wedding preparations.
“Ladies…why don’t we give Momo some time to herself,” Momo’s mother said. “We have a few hours before the ceremony so we can finish helping her get ready after she rests.”
Momo opened her mouth to protest, she didn’t want to disperse her friends who were there to spend time with her and help her get ready.
“Of course, Mrs. Yaoyorozu! Come on ladies!” Mina said as she glanced around the room.
“I’m pretty much done, Momo. I just need to apply a setting spray so it doesn’t smudge. I can touch up and apply that after you rest,” Toru said as they filed out the door.
Kyoka was the last to leave, giving Momo a concerned look like she wanted to stay, but she left the room closing the door behind her.
Momo’s mother now walked up behind her and lightly touched her on the shoulder. “I can call my private physician-”
“Mother…” Momo interrupted her, exasperated at the idea. “It is just a simple headache.”
“My dear…you have had migraines in the past.”
Momo sighed as she gazed at her mother’s reflection in the mirror. “I took the pain reliever. It should be sufficient.”
Her mother nodded and Momo sipped at the water bottle.
“I will leave so you can lie down for a while and maybe even… take a nap?” she asked with a wry smile.
There was no way Momo could do that. “My closest friends are here to help me get ready. It wouldn't be much fun for them if I took a nap. They were having such a good time-”
“Momo.” Her mother walked around Momo until she was standing in front of her. She cupped Momo’s face in her petite hands and Momo looked into her mother’s bright blue eyes. “This is your day. You seem to keep forgetting that.” She lowered her hands and raised an eyebrow at Momo.
“That is not true,” Momo said, not a defensive remark, more like an observation.
“Really? You have one of your closest friends doing your makeup, another friend styling your hair, when you had the top stylists and makeup artists in Tokyo wooing you for the honor since your engagement was announced.”
“You mean since our engagement was leaked,” Momo quickly corrected. They had tried to keep things quiet as long as possible but due to the press, the news had spread like wildfire.
“You sound like Katsuki,” her mother said wryly.
“Well, I should. I am marrying him. It would make sense he would be a strong influence.”
Her mother sighed, but she was smiling at Momo. “I just want you to remember what this day is really about.”
“Weddings are for family and friends, mother. Not just the bride and groom. If that were the case, Katsuki and I would have eloped.”
“Which you almost did if I recall correctly, except that Katsuki changed your mind because he knew afterward you would have felt guilty to not be married in front of your family and friends.”
And of course, Katsuki’s assessment had been correct.
Momo’s headache pulsed slightly. “See? I am not as selfless as you think I am. I almost eloped,” Momo said as she brought her fingertips to an area right above her right eyebrow, where the pain was sharp and piercing.
“Come. Lie down, my love.”
Momo’s mother led her by her elbow and Momo climbed atop the enormous bed in her suite.
“Really, I am not as magnanimous as you think. Toru is very talented and she knows exactly how I like to wear my makeup for events. And Mina always did all the girls’ hair for formal events while we were at UA so she also knows what I like. So I am truly the one benefiting.”
“Whatever you say dear,” her mother said as she kissed Momo on the forehead. “Is there anything else I can get you before I leave?”
Momo closed her eyes. “No, thank you.”
She heard her mother move to the door.
“Could you please wake me in thirty minutes? That is probably the only amount of time I can afford.”
“I will see you soon, dear,” her mother said as she left, Momo heard her close the door.
Momo took a deep breath and let it out, hoping her headache would go away as soon as possible. She knew it was caused by all the stress of the wedding and the reception. Even though things had gone as smoothly as one could have hoped and Momo had been very realistic about all her expectations, it was still a lot to think about. Her ‘to-do’ list even with all the helpers which included friends and the wedding planner’s party, she had still been very busy and now she felt guilty for resting.
Momo suddenly heard the patio door of her suite open and she quickly sat up and saw Katsuki enter her room.
“Katsuki! You’re not supposed to see me until the ceremony!” Momo exclaimed.
“My eyes are closed, Princess,” he said with a huge grin on his face. His eyes did appear to be closed, but she wasn’t convinced he wasn’t peeking.
He brought his hands out in front of him for protection and slowly walked toward the bed.
Momo couldn’t help but laugh. “No peeking,” she said. Even with her splitting headache, she was still filled with such happiness. Momo could see the striking backdrop of the forest behind Katsuki through the patio door and windows. A gorgeous landscape of bright orange and red leaves shone in all its autumn glory.
The Aman Resort where they would be married was in the heart of a forest in Kyoto. It was something out of a dream this time of year with all the fall foliage. As Katsuki walked into the room, he was bathed in the glow of the golden afternoon sun. His hair appeared lighter and shone brightly. He was wearing a burgundy sweater over a white collared shirt and fitted khaki slacks for the day’s activities. Soon he would change into his tuxedo. The casual clothes he wore at that moment would have never been his choice of attire, someone else must have ‘suggested’ he wear it. And the fact that he did, Momo found impressive. Age had made him more malleable, but he was still headstrong.
“How can you be the smartest fucking person I know and yet still believe stupid superstitions.” His legs hit the foot of the bed and then he quickly climbed up. He set his hands on the white comforter, searching, and a second later his hands found her legs. He gently squeezed her right below her knees.
“I’m intelligent enough to know I don’t understand everything about the world. Why tempt fate and give our marriage bad luck if I can avoid it?” Momo couldn’t help but smile even though her head ached.
“Well, that’s why I kept my eyes closed. Just for you, Princess.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I am just in my slip and under clothes anyhow. I won’t put on my dress until closer to the ceremony.”
“Damn, now I really want to look-”
“Don’t you dare!” Momo breathed out.
“It doesn’t count though, right? You’re not wearing the damn dress!” he laughed.
“Katsuki!”
"I won’t, I won’t,” he said and laughed again, his grin so wide Momo knew his cheeks had to hurt.
He moved on the bed, situating himself to where he was sitting next to her. He then blindly felt around her shoulders, then moved her and himself until her head was in his lap.
“What are you-”
He brought his palms to the back of her head and neck and lightly massaged her with his strong fingers.
“How did you know I was getting a migraine?”
“I can just tell, and… well… I heard your mom talking to you while I was hanging out on your patio hoping all the extras would leave so I could see you.”
“Hanging out? You mean hiding and eavesdropping.”
“Tch,” he scoffed out.
He continued to massage. Momo hummed, feeling the tension leave her whole body. Katsuki kneaded the tight muscles at the nape of her neck and her toes curled at the achy sensation but at the same time, her body seemed to melt. She inhaled a deep breath and slowly let it out.
Katsuki tried to massage the back of her head, to get at her scalp further up from her nape, but the updo would not let him pass apparently. “Fuck, I feel a ton of bobby pins. What the hell did Mina do?”
“She just wanted to make sure my hair stayed in place through the reception. Although…” Momo sat up and Katsuki moved his warm hands to her shoulders. “It may be making my headache worse.”
She now noticed the pressure and tightness on her scalp from the bobby pins. Katsuki lifted his hands off of her and she felt his hands in her hair searching for bobby pins and he pulled one out. Momo’s hand shot to his hand and her hair. “Wait! Mina will be so upset-”
“Mina would want you to not have a fucking migraine. Come on, Princess. Lemme take 'em out.”
Momo sighed and let Katsuki continue to dismantle the gorgeous braided bun updo Mina had spent almost an hour to perfect. Momo sighed dejectedly.
She felt Katsuki kiss the top of her head. “It’s gonna be okay, Momo.”
After several seconds, Momo brought her hands up to aid Katsuki in the bobby pin removal. A few minutes later, Katsuki ran his fingers through her hair, smoothing it.
He then pulled her back in his lap. Now he could massage her whole head and neck. Momo started to feel better, the piercing throb at her forehead that radiated to the back of her head began to lessen. Momo swallowed, suddenly overcome by intense emotions.
There were times Katsuki and Momo would give each other massages, Momo had taught him how to give them over the years. But at that moment she was reminded of the one autumn day Katsuki had a headache and she had given him a neck and scalp massage in her dorm back at UA during their third year. He had fallen asleep during the massage and then Momo had dared to cuddle up next to him and take a nap with him. At the time she didn’t know why she had done that, Katsuki was so hands-off with everyone. But that day she had noticed he had been receptive to her. So she took the risk.
She was pretty sure that had been the start of something new for both of them. A spark had ignited and pushed them from friendship to something more.
She felt tears sting her eyes and then she willed all those feelings away because she already ruined her hair. She didn’t need to ruin Toru’s makeup now.
She sniffled.
Katsuki stopped massaging her. “Hey, are you okay?” he whispered.
“Yes….I am fine…I just…I am getting a bit emotional.” She knew if she told him about the memory, she’d burst into tears and her face would be a mess. She would tell him later that night.
“Emotional, huh? Maybe cause you're getting married in three hours?”
Momo sat up and shifted to where she was sitting across from Katsuki. She reached up and touched his face and he leaned into her hand. “Getting cold feet?” Katsuki asked, a teasing edge to his voice, but it was a soft rumble against her palm.
“Of course not. It’s just that we have been building up to this moment. It seems a bit surreal that it is finally happening.”
His eyes had been closed this whole time, still were, but Momo still felt so seen. She would have never fathomed when she was younger she could be this close to someone else. It felt dangerous, yet serenely like coming home. She couldn’t explain it, but it was thrilling and made her so happy.
Suddenly Momo remembered where Katsuki was supposed to be at that very minute. “Why are you here?” Momo asked with a smile. “Aren’t you supposed to be with your best man, your father, my father, and the rest of the groomsmen at one of the onsen?”
Katsuki smirked. “Really think about that question and you’ll have your answer.”
“I thought you liked my father,” Momo said in a sardonic tone.
“I do like your dad. I don’t even mind my dad, but Denki and Hitoshi….fucking assholes…”
Momo grinned.
“Lie back down.”
Momo did just what he said, her head back in Katsuki’s lap. She closed her eyes as nimble fingers worked out all the tension until she melted into the comforter beneath her. “There you go.” His voice was quiet and gravelly, yet somehow still soothing. “I’ll take care of you, Princess. I promise I’ll always take care of you. Whenever you need me. Whenever you want me.”
He left his words with her as she fell asleep. They would become more sacred to her than even the vows he would speak hours later.
Momo awoke suddenly, the sound of her mother entering through her door had wrested her from her slumber. Her whole body had that heavy, yet well-rested feeling one only ever felt after taking an afternoon nap.
“How are you feeling, dear?”
Momo smiled at her, her headache gone. “Much better, thank you.”
Suddenly her five friends filed into the room. “We have less than an hour before the- Momo, your hair !” Toru exclaimed.
“No updo. I think she should wear it down for the ceremony to prevent any more headaches,” her mother said.
“Yes, I think that would be the wisest choice. Oh, Mina. My apologies, I…”
Mina grinned at her. “Yao-momo, don’t you dare apologize! I want you to feel amazing for your big day!”
Momo’s heart had never felt so full. To be so lucky in love, in family, in friendship.
Then she remembered something Toru had just said. “Toru, did you say less than an hour?”
“Yeah, you’re getting married in forty-five minutes,” Kyoka said in her usual monotone. “You can’t let Katsuki show you up when he’s early to your wedding and you’re late,” she said with a smirk. “I’ll get your dress.” Kyoka and Tsuyu walked toward the huge ensuite bathroom where her dress was hanging. Waiting.
“Mother, why did you let me sleep so late?”
“A little birdy told me you needed it.”
“More like a rabid pomeranian,” Ochako said with a giggle.
Forty-five minutes later, Momo took her father’s arm and walked down the stone pathway. As she turned a corner, she saw the crowd of friends and family standing, watching her, as the swell of music from the string quartet filled the air.
She gazed down the pathway and locked eyes with Katsuki. He was stunning in his elegant charcoal grey tuxedo. The smile on his face was soft and his gaze made her feel like it was just the two of them for a moment.
The dappled late afternoon sun shone softly through the trees. The rich autumn colors of the leaves complemented the fiery stare in Katsuki’s eyes. In those flames were the promise. The words he had left her earlier that afternoon.
I’ll take care of you, Princess. I promise I’ll always take care of you. Whenever you need me. Whenever you want me.
And she would do the same for him.
Until her last breath.