[Third Person POV]
After the Baymax demonstration, the sun had already dipped low behind the horizon, painting the sky in a soft gradient of orange and purple. The cool mountain air contrasted with the rising steam of the hot spring, a thick mist curling gently above the water. Everyone had made their way back, washing away the fatigue of the day beneath the comforting heat. The spring bubbled softly, a serene backdrop to the quiet chatter of the girls as they lounged against the stones, their shoulders slack, exhaustion melting away.
It wasn't until the water had settled and silence fell that they noticed something—or rather, someone—was missing. One by one, their eyes turned, resting on Momo. She sat with her dark hair tied up into a neat bun, her pale neck and shoulders glistening with droplets of water. She sank deeper into the spring as if she could hide from their attention, lips dipping beneath the surface until small bubbles rippled upward.
"Why are you all staring at me like that?" she muttered, voice muffled just before the water swallowed her mouth.
"Because Melissa's missing…" Mina finally pointed out, her pink cheeks darkening even more than usual.
Momo blinked, straightening slightly though her gaze drifted off to the side. "What does that have to do with me?" she asked, her tone soft, almost defensive, refusing to meet their eyes.
Toru's voice piped up, teasing yet edged with curiosity. "It has absolutely everything to do with you. Is she with Tony right now?"
Momo frowned faintly. "Why do you all want to know?" she asked, giving them a strange look.
"It's not like we want to pry," Mina admitted, twiddling her fingers nervously, "but the thought just… came up. I mean, it's kinda obvious where she probably is. We can't help but wonder if they're… you know…" Her voice trailed off, the pink of her skin deepening until it was nearly darker than her usual shade.
Her unfinished sentence hung heavily in the steamy air, making the others shift uncomfortably.
"Why do we always end up talking about this?" Uraraka groaned, sinking lower into the water until only her nose peeked above the surface.
Momo exhaled, pressing her lips together before answering carefully. "I don't think I'm exactly entitled to share what Melissa and Tony are doing right now…" she mumbled, her words muffled by the steam.
Toru tilted her invisible head. "I'm not asking for details. I'm just mostly… curious about how you feel about it all. I mean, I get that you and Melissa are, well, sharing Tony, but doesn't it hurt knowing he's with another woman right now?"
A hush fell over the group. Jirou, Asui, and the others all turned their attention toward Momo, their expressions softening with concern. Yet Momo, instead of looking pained, only smiled faintly and shook her head.
"What hurt me more was knowing I couldn't be with Tony at all. I'm… honestly fortunate. Fortunate that they allowed me to be a part of their relationship, rather than shutting me out entirely." Her words were calm, but the conviction behind them resonated clearly.
Jirou, who had been listening in silence, shifted uncomfortably. "You really love Tony, huh?" she asked, her tone wary, though her eyes held a trace of sympathy.
Momo nodded without hesitation. "I do. He and Melissa were the very first friends I ever made. If it weren't for them, I think my childhood would have been painfully lonely before I ever stepped foot in U.A. Tony was the one who pushed me to be stronger than I believed I could be, the one who challenged my intellect and helped me grow sharper. And more than all of that… he gave me confidence—confidence in myself, which I never truly had before." Her voice softened even further, but her expression grew brighter, tender. "So yes. I do love him."
Her words lingered in the mist, striking deeper than she might have intended. Heat flushed across their faces—not just from the spring. The sheer sincerity in Momo's expression made their hearts flutter, leaving them flustered and unsure how to respond.
"…Although I'm still trying to wrap my head around it," Asui finally said, leaning her head back against the edge of the rock, "I think I'm starting to understand it more and more."
The others nodded in agreement, quietly thoughtful.
Then Toru fidgeted, her voice breaking the hush. "So… how exactly does it feel? You know…"
"Toru!!" Uraraka and Jirou both shouted in unison, their faces crimson.
"What?!" Toru defended herself quickly, fists shaking in protest. "I just wanted to know what it felt like to kiss someone! I've never kissed anyone before, so I was curious!"
"Ah…" The realization dawned on all of them at once, and the tension shifted into embarrassed giggles. They each averted their gazes, cheeks heating up all over again as the steam swirled lazily between them.
Momo laughed softly, her giggles ringing lightly through the mist. Tilting her head back, she answered Toru's question with a dreamy sigh, "It's very warm… almost intoxicating. You get all fuzzy inside, like the world around you fades away. In that moment, it feels like there's no one else—just you and the person you love. And when you taste them…" she trailed off, her lips curving faintly, "…it's like everything you've ever wanted condensed into a single warm sensation"
"Woah…" the others breathed almost in unison, staring at her in awe. The dazed, almost glowing expression on Momo's face made their hearts skip—half from secondhand embarrassment, half from wonder.
Momo blinked back to herself, her sharp eyes glinting mischievously as she scanned the group. "What about you guys?" she asked, voice teasing.
"What about us?" Mina asked, clearly caught off guard.
"Well," Momo continued, leaning slightly forward in the water, "even if you aren't in a relationship, surely you've thought about it. Someone you wouldn't mind sharing your very first kiss with?" Her tone carried a sly lilt—an unfortunate but undeniable habit she'd picked up from spending too much time around Tony and Melissa.
Mina, Jirou, and Uraraka immediately sank deeper into the spring, their faces steaming red for reasons beyond the hot water. "No…" they mumbled in unison, avoiding her gaze.
Toru puffed her cheeks, shaking her invisible head. "Nope! Unfortunately, I haven't formed that kind of connection with any of the boys. I mean, the closest person would be Tony—since, y'know, he helped me control my quirk—but I'm not interested in whatever… complicated mess you've got going on." She waved her hands dismissively. "No interest in someone already taken."
Momo's smile vanished. Her face hardened into a merciless expression, her tone dropping into a monotone. "Good. Keep it that way."
"Y-Yes, ma'am…" Toru stammered nervously, sitting rigid despite the hot water.
"I'm the same as Toru," Asui chimed in plainly, her voice as calm and level as always. "Minus the Tony part. I haven't really connected with anyone enough to feel romantic interest." She leaned back against the stone, her disinterest evident.
The three girls who had yet to answer—Mina, Jirou, and Uraraka—suddenly found the others' eyes locked on them.
Momo's smirk returned as she crossed her arms leisurely. "You know, I've been pretty honest about everything you've asked me," she said with a playful tilt of her head.
"Well, good for you," Jirou grumbled, folding her arms and glaring at the surface of the water. Momo's laughter tinkled again, unbothered.
'I can see why Melissa and Tony enjoy teasing people so much… this is fun,' Momo thought, watching their flustered reactions with amusement.
"All I'm saying," she went on smoothly, "is that it wouldn't hurt to be honest about your own feelings. Sharing can be… liberating. I felt at peace once I told Tony how I felt. That's when I truly stopped carrying the weight of it alone."
Mina bit her lip, eyes darting uncertainly before she finally muttered, "Well… I wouldn't exactly call it a crush, per se." Her tone was hesitant, her fingers fiddling nervously under the water. "But when you mentioned kissing, someone's face did pop into my head."
"Okay, now I'm dying to know who it is…" Toru groaned, leaning forward with sparkling curiosity.
"I could tell you…" Mina said, her playful grin breaking through at last, "but then I'd have to kill you." Her expression shifted sharply, flat and dangerous in a way that made Toru gulp.
"Why is everyone threatening me today?! What did I do?!" Toru pouted dramatically, crossing her arms in exaggerated offense.
The group burst into laughter before turning their attention to Jirou and Uraraka.
Jirou huffed, her earjacks twitching. "It's too soon to say if what I'm feeling is romantic," she muttered, her cheeks faintly pink. "So I'll refrain from sharing."
All eyes then swiveled to Uraraka. She stiffened, her lips parting as if to instantly deny. "I don't—"
"Lies!!" Mina and Toru chorused, cutting her off.
"My money's on either Iida or Midoriya!" Toru declared with a mischievous grin.
"I do not!!" Uraraka yelped, her face blooming a deep scarlet.
"My bet's on Iida," Mina chimed in.
"It's clearly Midoriya," Momo said flatly, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
"It could be Iida," Jirou added pensively, tapping her chin. "Maybe she likes someone organized."
"It's Midoriya. No doubt about it," Asui said bluntly before letting out a low croak.
"Tsu! Not you too!!" Uraraka wailed, throwing her hands up before sinking into the water with a groan. "Ugh!! I hate all of you guys!!"
The others only chuckled, their laughter echoing against the steam-filled night.
********************************************
+31 advance Chapters on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3