47

Chapter Text

< The blade held in the knight's grip was cold, but not as cold as the gaze the warrior was pointing at the stranger, his manners forgotten before someone who wouldn't even do him the courtesy of revealing his visage.  

"Pray tell, who are thou who dares to slither behind me during the reign of Lady Night? Show thyself, so that I may answer thy question with words instead of iron."  

The tone of his thunderous voice was far from the one that used to accompany the mask of placidity he showed in public. > 

"Oh my, so he does have a rough side to him..." Momo commented in a whisper, slowly bringing her teacup to her lips. 

She was sitting on her bed, her back resting over her pillow, and deeply engrossed in literature. Had it been any other genre, she might have taken one of the chairs in the common room, if only to enjoy some company—as distracting as others could be, it was nice to be surrounded by friendly faces—but it was both too late and not the kind of book she wanted to be seen reading publicly. Having revealed her little secret to the girls didn't mean that she was going to shamelessly flaunt it around for the whole world to see. 

< "You are a man with little patience, oh knight," the stranger chuckled lightly as they brought up one hand to grasp the hem of their obscuring cowl, only to reveal a white mask that showed nothing but two black irises. They were talking in a strange manner, as if concealing their real tone as well as their identity. "But, alas, I cannot grant you such a favor. You see, I am required to keep a certain anonymity. I hope that you may understand the need to keep certain secrets concealed... oh Last Blade of Dawn?" > 

Momo almost recoiled like the knight in her book at the mention of the character's best kept secret— or at least allegedly so. She read on as the knight reacted instinctively, rushing forward to strike, certifying him in the girl's mind as the kind of character that attacked first and asked questions later. Not her favorite, but not a deal breaker. 

< He knew that he hadn't struck true, at least not fully. He held his stance, his metal sung against a smaller blade, as he voiced his chagrin.  

"If you know of my moniker, then you should also understand what it means to cross me," the knight uttered after the lightning-fast blow.  

Then he retracted, keeping his distance from the enemy and letting a small, satisfied smile appear on his face. His sword had managed to find part of the stranger's mask and of their cowl before it was hastily parried. The figure held a short blade with one hand while keeping the other over the newly made crack in the ceramic disguise. A few pale pieces had fallen to the ground, and with the hood undone, the knight could see a few strands of light green hair cascading on the stranger's shoulders. > 

"Oh," she let out unconsciously. 

It was almost laughable how easily the color could bring certain images to Momo's mind. Izuku came first, obviously, but any mental picture of him was soon clouded by a second train of thoughts that she would rather do without, but which had been bouncing around her head for the whole day... or at least since the moment when another shade of green had been revealed to be the color of Toru's own, invisible hair. 

Momo thought of the girl as a friend, someone she should have been able to trust implicitly. 

- Then why can't I stop thinking about those words? - she thought bitterly, her brow furrowing slightly. 

< The figure started... > 

Toru, by not saying a word, had also inadvertently said a lot. Too much even. 

Momo hadn't been worried by her request of not asking anything about her kiss and "second base," but then Toru had showed them her new trick, making a few locks visible. While she was certainly happy at the girl's progress—just as the others were, though perhaps not as much as Setsuna was, since the girl appeared to be in raptures whenever somebody talked about dinosaurs or showed her same hair color—Momo also couldn't help but start connecting some dots. And then, she had kept mulling over them all day, the stray thoughts surfacing occasionally, no matter where she was or what she was doing. 

"I just can't seem to get them out of my head," she sighed, lowering herself on her bed a bit more, almost sinking in the pillow. 

< … he jumped to grab... > 

She started rehashing those same thoughts once again, starting from what she knew or had discovered during the game. 

- Toru has never had a boyfriend and, thought the possibility of having a girlfriend or something closer to that—like Tsu did—is still there... it doesn't seem as likely, - she reasoned. - She had both a kiss and a, um, that, but... around a week ago, I remember Mina saying, "I really wanna find someone to smooch, to try, ya know?" … Perhaps not with those same words, but along those lines... - 

She wasn't proud of her habit of listening in to passing conversations, but she still had to fight herself to stop. Curiosity had always been one of her greatest virtues and, as she had never experienced gossip firsthand before high school, she was easily entranced by what her peers talked about. She should have followed her best friend's logic and steered clear of any rumors, but sometimes she just couldn't help herself. 

- And I'm sure I heard Toru say a "me too" ... Certainly, she might have been glossing over her own experience or not referring to the "trying" part... But it's likely that she had no such experience when the year started. - 

< … "How can this..." > 

- Toru has a crush on Izuku as well... and was silent about it until Tsu called her out. She started improving her Quirk with Izuku's help, just as most of us have, and was the first to receive his advice. Toru said that she managed that new trick very recently, and she started calling Izuku by name a couple of days ago, so the two things could easily coincide. They might even have made the discovery together, - she mused, terribly pensive. - And if that were the case... chances are that Toru could have made a move on him. Or vice versa, since Izuku does get pretty excited at Quirk discoveries... But then why wouldn't she want to say it? Right, because four of us have expressed the same interest, and saying it in that instance would have been a terrible idea. She did say that she "didn't want to cause problems," so that may have been it. - 

Thoughtful of her, but it had surely left Momo in a daze, juggling thoughts and doubts. 

What was she to do? Wait and see if she was right? But what if the two became a de facto couple before she could even add herself to the equation? She was fairly sure that her conclusions were spot on, but should she confront Toru or Izuku based on them? Nobody had agreed to anything on the matter of waiting, but shouldn't she be more trusting of her friends? Shouldn't she- 

It was only when she heard her fingers turning a page that she realized that she hadn't actually read anything in the previous one. Her eyes had simply skimmed over the text as she thought, which was proof of how deep she had been in her own head. 

"How long it's been since I last did that?" she asked rhetorically with a sigh, knowing well enough that she wasn't used to getting distracted during her favorite pastime. 

She shook her head lightly as she began to turn the page back, her gaze falling on a seemingly random sentence. 

< "You should tread with care as you make your choice, oh knight. You may come to regret it." > 

Momo stopped, keeping her fingers still as she read the last words again, and then for a third time. 

No, she didn't want to have any regrets. It was due time for her to stop living vicariously through stories. Hadn't she already chosen to leave the tower behind, saying goodbye to the life of a sheltered princess, when she had chosen to become a Hero? 

She took a long breath, slowly waiting for a few seconds for her brain to offer better alternatives. When none came, she placed a bookmark and closed the tome before placing it in the secret compartment in her bed's frame. She needed to come up with an excuse of sorts, so she scanned her shelf for one of her most advanced Support Gear manuals, finding one and deciding that it should be enough. She took a quick look at herself before surmising that a quick change was needed if she was to be presentable. Perhaps Mina would have had a better idea of what the wear for such an occasion, but the heiress would have to settle for her own knowledge and wardrobe. Though most of her casual clothes lacked modern, everyday juvenility, she had a few articles that would fit the bill. 

A few minutes later, Momo felt somewhat stressed as she waited for the elevator to reach the second floor. She was determined to see the interaction through, yes, but currently "serene" or "peaceful" would not have been the right adjectives for her mood. She forced her heart down to its rightful place, as her throat wasn't it, and knocked on Izuku's door. 

"Come in, the door's open," the boy replied, making her take a big breath and enter the Hero fanboy's room. 

Izuku was at his desk, currently working on writing something that didn't look like homework. He turned her way and smiled happily. 

"Momo, hi! What can I do for you?" 

Offering help seemed to always be the first thing on his mind... 

"Good evening, Izuku. I was reading about floating stabilizers and came upon a few passages that I would like to discuss with you. If you can spare the time, that is," she said her piece slowly and amicably, hoping to ease them into the interaction. 

The boy's smile didn't budge as he nodded. "Of course, I'd be happy to!" 

The reaction eased her worry a bit, letting her dare to look around before her next question. "Where may I...?" 

"Oh, sorry, you're right!" He got up and pointed at the only two sitting spots in the room. "What would you prefer?" 

Quickly calculating how she wanted things to go, she gave him a gentle smile and looked to his right. "It's fine, Izuku. I will just take the chair."

"Sure, just let me put this aside," he hummed, closing a folder as she stepped closer. 

"Were you doing some research?" she asked, interested by the glance she had gotten of a page that showed numerous color schemes. 

"I've been cataloguing some stuff after today's training session," he explained as he put the research away. "Kuroiro, Tsuburaba, and Monoma have some really interesting Quirks, and that's everything I found on them. Though every Quirk is interesting to me, I guess," he chuckled. 

"It certainly sounds like you," she hummed in agreement. "Did you also prepare in the same way for all of us?" 

"Well, I was a bit short on time back then, since I didn't know who would want to indulge me and my eccentricities..." he gave her a sheepish expression. 

"Your 'eccentricities' are revolutionary, Izuku," she breathed out as she took her seat before him. "And I believe I am not the only to have improved greatly thanks to you. I dare say that most of us owe you a debt we cannot repay." 

"Please, you're too kind," he humbly waved off the compliment. 

- No, I'm really not, - she thought, - and I'm glad that is the case. - 

Izuku continued, looking at the book in her lap. "Anyway, you were saying something about floating stabilizers? Oh, is that the manual written by Airjet's specialized Support Technician?" 

She should have expected him to know all about it. Momo smiled and nodded, opening the volume where she had conveniently left a bookmark. "Indeed! You see, I had some doubts about how I could implement them into my costume..." 

They kept reading and exchanging ideas for what felt like more than half an hour, but she had honestly lost track of time. The cup of tea he had offered—a fragrant Imperial Golden Tips, of all things—had eased them into the conversation too, making the whole discussion feel more... homely. Momo already understood the content of the manual, but Izuku was incredibly adept at bringing up different viewpoints to make her question those concepts and develop her ideas in new directions. She would surely have to contact Hatsume to ask her opinion of a couple of modifications to her jetpack's project, but that would have to wait. 

She had slowly moved her chair closer to the bed as they chatted, each time pointing at a phrase and scooting to let him look, until she felt brave enough to take the next step, leaving the chair and sitting on his left during a particularly intense exchange of opinions, slightly pushing the book so it would stay in between them. Izuku hadn't appeared displeased by the move, but perhaps he was too engrossed in the discussion to care. 

Eventually, she decided to halt the conversation, knowing that, if they wanted to, they would have likely kept at it until the last page of the tome. 

"Thank you, Izuku, that was great food for thought," she said, closing the book and placing it on the chair. 

He smiled back at her. "No, thank you. I like exchanging opinions with you, Momo. We should do it more often," he proposed before stretching his back, unknowingly making her heart somersault. 

"O-Of course we can," she said, trying not to lose her composure. 

The offer was nice, but it was just a small slice of what she wanted. She could feel her toes crossing inside her socks, a little, invisible way to release her tension. Her hands were joined over her lap, looking as composed as ever thanks to years of education on gracefulness and keeping up appearances. There were only a few centimeters separating her side from Izuku's, and she was in the most private place she could think of. It was time to ask, time to put her womanly charms to the test! 

But she knew that she would be better approaching the subject with care by starting with something he should know plenty about. 

"Oh, since we are already here... I wanted to ask: What are your thoughts on Pro Heroes having romantic relationships?" 

That seemed to surprise Izuku, but he soon got a thoughtful, expert look on his face. 

"Ah, that's an interesting topic. It's not as uncommon as people think, but it's usually examined in the wrong way," he started. 

"How so?" 

"The media keep trying to sell Hero romances as incredibly glamorous, but they also skip the worse parts of those stories," he explained with a light shake of his head. "Of course, the idea of Heroes being partners with or without their costumes is nice. It shows an additional layer of trust, and everybody likes a good love story. But this is also one of the jobs with the highest percentage of occupational accidents, for obvious reasons," he sighed. "For every Mount Lady and Kamui Woods there's at least one Water Hose." 

She knew the first two up-and-comers and, although she had not read anything about an affair between the two, given Mount Lady's usual demeanor she couldn't dismiss the idea. The other duo wasn't as easy to recall. 

"Water Hose?" she asked. The name rang familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. 

"A Hero Duo with water-based Quirks. Husband and wife. They were steadily climbing the ranks thanks to their skills and some good, family-friendly interviews. They had barely broken into the top hundred when they met an A-rank Villain, Muscular. They sacrificed themselves to save the civilians." Izuku looked terribly sad, as he spoke. Regretful even. 

"O-Oh," she let out, sharing his plight and bringing her hands to her chest. "That's terrible... But it sounds like they had a truly heroic death, at least." 

Izuku scoffed lightly at that. "It does, yes. The problem is that they left behind a four-year-old son," he spoke through gritted teeth, bringing a hand to cover his face. "I can only imagine how devastating that must have been for him." 

Momo didn't know how to answer that. She had lived a worry-less, happy childhood with two doting parents and, despite their occasional long absences due to their work overseas made her somewhat lonely, she couldn't compare their situations without a pit forming into her stomach. 

"T-That's..." she stuttered, looking down. "Terrible" didn't even begin to approach the right adjective. 

"Yeah..." Izuku sighed again. They remained in silence for a minute or so before Izuku changed his expression back to his usual caring one as he noticed her discomfort. "Oh, I'm sorry, I brought down the mood, didn't I?" he said, gazing at her apologetically. 

"It's not a problem, I assure you," she shook her head, shifting a bit on her seat. The conversation had taken a sad turn that she hadn't expected. She had to change it quickly before worsening how damp the atmosphere had gotten. "But do you have any nicer examples? There must be some good stories out there." 

"Well, yeah, there are a few..." he nodded, beginning to recount some lesser-known but longer-lived Hero groups. He was smiling again, and that boded well. 

The stories he was now telling did manage to calm her, as it seemed that his view on the matter wasn't as bleak as it appeared a mere moment ago, but she still had to reach her goal. She could keep stalling, or she could act. 

- Just do it, Momo. Stop dancing around the matter and do it. Just imagine yourself as Lady Regalia, Miss Howlette, or Cadet Millie... and talk. You're good at that, aren't you? - 

She took a nice breath and steeled her nerves. 

"Izuku," she started, "I wanted to ask... do you perchance fancy anyone?" 

"Mm?" he turned, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. 

- No! Wrong! Too old-fashioned! Withdraw and replan! - she started to panic before another, more determined side of herself spoke up. - No! Stand your ground! It's now or never! - 

"I-I mean," Momo looked away as she cleared her throat, buying her brain a second of time. "Do you, perhaps... like anyone... in a romantic sense?" She forced herself to add the last part as to not have ulterior miscomprehensions between them. She could do without the minutes of chest-shattering heartbeats that they would have inevitably spent covering his appreciation on every member of their class, their skills, and their Quirks. 

Momo slowly moved to look back at Izuku as he answered, trying her best to contain her blushing. 

"O-Oh," the boy let out, surprise evident on his features. He brought a hand to rub the back of his neck as he breathed out slowly, gazing downward. A few seconds passed in silence, the boy wearing a thoughtful look as if he was staring at an equation with missing parameters. 

Meanwhile, Momo didn't know which way to turn. - He's waiting a lot, what if I made him uncomfortable? What if I overstepped? - Her overactive mind only served to push worse scenarios in her head. 

She opened her mouth to stop the trainwreck before it was too late. "Um, I'm sorry, you don't have to-" 

"No, don't worry," he interjected, lowering his shoulders a bit. "I was just thinking... I'm kinda not good at speaking about the subject... I wear my heart on my sleeve most of the time, so it's hard to dissimulate... but I don't think I want to, so I... won't." Izuku sighed, took a big breath in, and turned towards her with clearer eyes. "Yes, Momo, I suppose there are a few people that I'm interested in." 

Now it was her turn to blurt out a confused "O-Oh," as she looked down in embarrassment. 

- A few people? Wha- What does this mean? Is- Is this like Rosalia's indecision between Edward and Roger? Or maybe... like the Merry Three? They all loved each other, so that could be it? Wait, how many people is 'a few people'? - 

The only good thing about his answer was that the shock had buried the disappointment so deep she couldn't even feel it. Because, if that was the case, did it mean that Izuku wasn't solely focused on Toru? Was there more than a sliver of possibility that she was included in there? 

A part of her brain then told her that, if that was indeed the case, she would have been fine waiting a bit more. Another shut that thought down at lightning speed. 

She needed answers, and she needed them now. 

Clenching her hands together and gathering every last drop of her courage, she looked up and fixed her onyx eyes on his emerald ones. She could feel their closeness, literal and metaphorical. There was still some physical distance between them, and they had surely been seated closer a few times, but that had happened when they were with their classmates, being pushed during lunch or dinner. No, the only thing in between them now was a wall of a question that she had to tear down herself. 

"Am I among those people?" she heard herself say, as she was far more concentrated in catching every detail of what could appear on the boy's face and what would come out of his mouth. 

He blinked, parting his lips slightly, in surprise. Then, just as her mind was beginning to take it as a message or her utter failure, he let out a short exhale and smiled at her oh so warmly. 

"Momo," he spoke—the intonation of her own name making her recall why people spoke of "butterflies in the stomach" in cases such as this—"you're one of the most amazing people I've ever met. You're smart and passionate in a way that makes me feel driven to improve to be even remotely as good as you are. You're graceful and cool-headed even in the heat of battle. You're kind, considerate, and always ready to lend a hand to your friends." Izuku tilted his head slightly, the mirth of smile added to his voice. "Does that suffice as a 'yes'?". 

< The prince lowered his head to look her in the eyes, the clarity of his feelings evident in his own. > 

Izuku was looking at her the same way she had envisioned for countless literary romantic interests. But this felt like so much more than the descriptions she had read. She could picture the slow movements, the tender expressions, and the loving gazes, but what about the rest? She hadn't even come close to imagining how the air would become warmer, how his timbre would make her feel fuzzy, or how she would be unable to draw breath because of the tension. 

Oh, this wasn't good. Her heart was getting too loud, she was sure Izuku could hear it. How was she supposed to breathe again? 

Moments later, she realized that she still hadn't spoken a word and rushed to amend her mistake. 

"I-I see..." 

- 'I see'?! That's the best you could come up with Momo?! Where is that cool-headedness now?! - she screamed in her head, finding out more and more just how out of her depth she was. 

Izuku probably noticed her uneasiness, as he soon chuckled to break the tension. "Sorry, that was a bit too forward of me, wasn't it?" 

"No!" Momo found herself piping up. "It- It was... nice... heartfelt..." She felt her cheeks burning more but didn't look away. She didn't feel like she had to. 

"I... really liked it, Izuku, and..." she spoke as she finally unclenched her hands, moving her right to rest it on his arm. "...I like you too." 

His face lit up a bit more, if possible, as his hand tenderly brushed hers. The simple motion sent a shiver down her spine, a mix of excitement and impulse melting away the nervousness. 

"Izuku... I..." she started, but she soon found that there was no need for more words. Not that any would come out anyway. 

She leaned in, slowly, as she knew the steps but had never performed the dance. Now both of her hands were holding onto his, and their space between their legs was nonexistent. 

Her first kiss was soft, tentative. As many other things Momo did, it was careful, a first exploration in uncharted territory. She had dipped her toes in the water, and had found it pleasant, warm. 

She imagined that a second trial would last a bit longer and bring a whole new set of data that she would have to process... later. Now she would just enjoy the moment. 

Her studious eyes searched for Izuku's, finding his serenity slightly halted. 

Past

"Um, Izuku?" he heard her speak up, breaking the comfortable silence of that late afternoon.

The sun was shining brightly, still a good dozen minutes away from the horizon and its orange lights. They had been blessed with a warm day despite the first falling leaves of Autumn, temperate just enough to enjoy the light breeze under the trees' reddish foliage and not to turn down each other's cozy proximity. The hammock, soft and large enough for two, was swinging slowly, lulling them with its movements and making their resting spot even more relaxing to be in. He was relieved that they could talk for hours or share a silence with the same comfort. 

He turned his eyes away from the pages of his tome—something that she had recommended, of course—and lowered it to mimic the pose of the girl in front of him. Momo was looking at him with a somewhat bashful expression, holding her own volume, something heavy-looking and leatherbound, before her chest, akin to a shield. 

He had noticed that she had a habit of erecting small walls when she was uncomfortable in some way, though she herself didn't seem to have. Never with real shields or structures, just whatever was at hand in the given circumstances. Books were the most common victims of the practice. 

"Yes?" he asked, letting her know that she had his full attention. 

She raised her gaze in search of his. "I was thinking... Do you know how to dance?" 

He raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question. They still hadn't started talking about the Cultural Festival, so that shouldn't be the reason for her inquiry. 

"Mm, I wouldn't say I'm great, but I also don't trip of my feet very often," he answered, hoping that he hadn't gotten too rusty since his last time. "Why? Would you like to?" 

Momo let out an understanding hum before explaining. "You see, my mother has told me about a little charity event that we're supposed to be hosting in a few days' time, and I was wondering if... if you might be interested in accompanying me." 

He didn't hold back his surprise. "O-Oh. Well... Yes, I'd like that very much, Momo." 

"Excellent," she said with a relieved sigh before starting to talk with herself in a manner not too unlike his usual muttering, although much more composed. "Then we should start with the preparations as soon as possible... Retouch your knowledge on dancing... Though, of course, we may not have enough time considering our training, but we shouldn't settle for making a bad first impression... Then we would need a dress and a suit, possibly matching... A few complimentary accessories... The necessary forms for a teacher escort... Oh, but what if we're already too late?" 

Typically, he would have let himself relax, listening to her speak and following her flow of ideas wherever it would end, but this time he had felt something different. The way she had asked felt... almost forced, and she seemed to be getting more and more stressed as she moved further on with the items on her mental list. 

"... And what-" 

"Momo," he interjected, raising himself a bit from his comfortable rest to be a bit closer. "You know that I would love to go wherever with you, but I have to ask: Do you really want to? It... kind of feels like you're more... worried, rather than excited?" 

The girl widened her eyes, staring for a few moments before looking down dejectedly. "I..." she started, letting a few seconds pass as she tried to find the right words. The girl closed herself off a bit more, her arms clinging around the book and her legs receding slightly. Not a good sign. "I'm not sure," she finally let out, her tone trembling. 

His chest ached. "Momo, can I come over there?" he asked, hoping to interrupt whatever messed up train of thought was making her so sad. Seeing her spiraling because of something he'd said out of concern was the last thing he wanted to let happen. 

She nodded, shifting a little to the side, and Izuku moved, leaving his spot and floating over the other side of the hammock, slowly sliding in the ample space between the hem and the girl. She had confessed to appreciating being held from behind—having his arms around hers and gently resting on her stomach, while his chin laid over her shoulder—and he was happy to oblige. He would brush her hands with his fingers, or let his lips find the crook of her neck. They both found a rejuvenating pleasure in those quiet and tender movements. He knew that he'd done the right thing when she felt her starting to relax, taking a deep breath and letting her head tilt and touch his. 

He enjoyed the moment in silence for a few heartbeats before returning to the matter at hand. 

"You know I'm here for you if you want to get it off your chest," he offered with a whisper. 

"Thank you," Momo hummed tiredly. She kept still for a bit more but ultimately conceded and began talking again, her head slightly tilted backwards to let her look at the sky. "I... I'm worried, yes. I'm worried about rushing things. I'm worried that I might not be good enough to teach you the steps. I'm worried that I might make a mistake somewhere and make a fool of myself... and of you," she sighed. "I fear that I'll just end up disappointing everyone again." Her tone wasn't choked nor desperate, but it dripped of an uncovered somberness. 

He flinched a bit at that, as he knew how deeply the problem was rooted. 

Momo wasn't prone to sharing her feelings as easily as others were, but when it came to her incertitudes things were even worse. Years of learning how to always appear prim and proper had taught her how to express herself impeccably in all matters, and there resided part of the problem. There was no room for doubts in a perfect exposition, no time for unsureness in a flawless execution. 

Still, they were only human, and not even adults. As their teacher liked to say, "no plan survives contact with the enemy," and Momo usually tasted what those words really meant during the Sports Festival. Few things could get her as depressed as losing her first match did, and things would only get worse after a useless internship. She would spend the months before their summer exams worrying constantly about her status, being unsure if she could fit the shoes of a Hero trainee. Even taking the first spot in every written exam gave her little solace, as she seemed to believe that theory was all she was good for. Mr. Aizawa and Shoto would ultimately help her out of her rut... most times. Izuku didn't like the idea of one of his classmates leaving out of shame and self-degradation, but hers was an extremely hurtful case, because it couldn't be further from the truth. 

Izuku had noticed her affliction, and he almost couldn't believe how such an intelligent and dedicated person, with such an unbelievable Quirk, could ever treat herself that way... until he remembered how he had been used to letting himself get stepped over, amazing Quirk or otherwise. Logic hadn't factored in for him for a long time, and she didn't have the particular advantage of a hellish secret Quirk. 

Truly, they were a peculiar duo of smart powerhouses with the confidence issues of the worst loners in the world... But that also meant that he could understand her like few others could hope to. 

"You would never disappoint me, Momo," he stated, his tone as assuring as he could make it. "I don't know how much I can ease those worries, but I can say that I trust your judgement. If you don't feel like doing it, for whatever reason, we won't. If you want to try, I'll follow you all the way, no questions asked." 

Izuku turned his head, meeting her eyes as she did the same. "I trust you," he repeated. 

She moved a bit to rest on her side, getting just enough space to have their foreheads meet in another of their preferred gestures. They closed their eyes, reveling in the familiar sensation. The touch was soothing in a different way, connecting them mentally more than physically. It was their little way of saying "I'm here for you, let me reassure you." 

"Thank you for letting me in," he whispered as their hands intertwined. 

"Thank you for wanting to," she replied, calmly and warmly. 

Their movements were simultaneous as they let their lips touch without a need for further words. They didn't have to say "I love you" out loud for the other to know. 

They both deserved more trust than what they gave themselves. They might not have had enough self-confidence to satisfy their own needs, but sharing what they had with the other made it easier to believe.

Present

Izuku just couldn't do it. He couldn't stop himself from saying the truth, despite the fact that it could easily wreck their future if he wasn't extremely careful. Too many variables, too many loved ones to protect, and he couldn't make stupid mistakes not again not again. But he couldn't let Momo believe that he didn't love her. He couldn't lie to her, or to any of them, on that subject. Ignoring the pain in his chest at their distraught expressions had broken him in the past and had just made things more complicated in a different way. 

He loved them, but he also couldn't just let it all out. It wouldn't be fair to them, to this version of his friends and loved ones. They were the same people he'd lived with, and, at the same time, they weren't. He shouldn't push for the same connections he once had, but it was so, so difficult not to. 

Was it wise to just go with the flow? Let things happen? He wasn't sure. It went against everything he'd learned on being prepared for the future, but what else could he do? 

He didn't understand why things were happening so early on, what action had caused the first domino tile to fall, what condition he had checked without noticing. He wasn't all-seeing, he wasn't all-knowing. And lacking that understanding scared him. The unknown scared him, because the unknown had taken them from him— would take them from him? 

Yet, Momo kissing him just felt so right, a caress he had been missing, but which he couldn't ask for. 

Izuku could have just let it continue, could have let her continue and satisfy them both, but then he heard the noise—a chocked gasp, a tearful sob—from behind the door, and he became sure that he had messed up. 

He quickly, but gently, raised a finger, placing it between his lips and Momo's. The shock painted on her face was like a vice on his chest, but he couldn't let things escalate further, not as they were. Losing himself in memories the moment would have been pleasant, but it wasn't what he wanted. It would have been unfair to all three of them, and to the others too. Accepting one just to hurt another at the same time was folly.

"Wait a moment, please," he pleaded, showing the sincerest and kindest smile he could muster. 

He could feel Momo's eyes following him as he silently walked to the door and opened it as carefully as possible, as to not startle the girl waiting on the other side. The listener still gasped at the sudden movement, scrambling back and tripping on her own feet, but he managed to catch the invisible figure before she could hit the floor. 

"I-I'm s-sorry! I d-didn't mean to l-listen," Toru sobbed, deeply startled by the rush of events and the shame of being caught peeping on something so intimate. 

Getting an understanding of how tense she was, Izuku brought her back on her feet and let go of everything but her hands, which he slowly caressed with his thumbs. The greenette could hear the unstable breathing patterns, see the light shivers of the skin under the clothes, feel her eyes on him. 

Incidents like this one tended to result in rushed, faulty explanation and broken hearts, which wasn't something he could let happen. 

He had to make it right. 

"Toru," he started in what was at most a whisper, "this doesn't change anything about how I feel about you. You're one of the most important people in my life, and the fact that I failed to let you see that is something I can't forgive myself for." 

He felt her shudder before she spoke. "B-But I shouldn't have-" 

"You came here to talk, right? I was the one to ask not to yesterday, so you can blame it all on me," he said, wanting to take away the burden that she had no reason to hold. "Please, do you want to come inside? We could all use a word, I think." 

He heard her swallow and slowly tilt her head to look behind his shoulders. Following her gaze, he saw the raven-haired heiress still on her spot on the bed, both hands clenched to her chest and a stronger shade of embarrassed crimson on her cheeks. Despite their whispering, he had made sure that she could hear every word. 

"H-Hi, Yaomomo," Toru uttered, shaking a bit. "S-Sorry for... this..." 

The other girl needed a few seconds to answer with her own uncertain but polite, "H-Hi, Toru. I-It's... fine... I think that I should be the one to apologize... to you..." 

He once again felt incredibly grateful for being so lucky as to have been blessed with such wonderful people. Still, Izuku sighed. Holding everything in for fear of the other's reaction wasn't healthy, and they shouldn't feel like they had been caught red-handed on a crime scene. 

The boy guided Toru inside, letting her follow his hand to find a place on Momo's right, and started brewing another pot, as the warmness of a drink might help them calm down. He took the chair, carefully placing Momo's book on his desk before turning towards the two anxious girls. Momo's onyx held an equal amount of curiosity and doubt, and—although he couldn't see them yet—he imagined Toru's to be expressing similar sentiments, if a bit more worried by comparison. 

"So," he started, keeping his posture open and being ready to answer almost all of their questions, "let's talk. There are a few things you need to know about me and my Quirk..."

Notes:

Oh, look, another tag I wanted to add since forever.

The first ever comment for this fic was from someone hoping for some IzuMomo. Glad to oblige, half a year later.

Looking for a name for last chapter I ended up learning that mixing pink and orange makes peach. I felt like this was meant to be, even if it was already written.

And it came just 10 chapters after Toru's. Shouldn't take another 10 for the next "big" one. Guesses open as to who it(they?) will be.

As much as this Momo is more confident about her abilities, given what changed from canon, I feel like her character still needs growth to surpass all of her doubts. We know she's great at planning, but what about things she has no experience in? Personal interactions should be a bit hard for somebody this sheltered, and I hope I reflected that here