I am sitting here wondering why I decided to write almost nine thousand words about a ship that no one else cares about but you know what life happens. Inspired by some art I saw on Instagram!

Little Momo Yaoyorozu tugged at the hem of her dress. It had tulle on the ends— she hated tulle. It was scratchy and stupid, always making her skin feel itchy where it rubbed. And this dress had a lot of it.

Her mother said it looked nice, though, so Momo wore it. If her mother approved, then it must be okay. And yellow was her favorite, which made Momo very happy.

Her dark eyes, wide with excitement, flitted out the car window. Her mother and father said it was a very special event tonight, the kind that all the pro heroes went to! She still wasn't sure why she was allowed, though. They usually didn't let kids come.

Her gaze drifted down to her hands. She scrunched her face in thought…ah! That's it! A little matryoshka doll popped up in her palms. Momo smiled at it proudly. She was finally getting better at doing it whenever she wanted to. Her quirk private trainer would be proud.

They arrived a few minutes later. Her father drove the car up to man in a red outfit, then parked. A gloved hand opened the door for Momo. She hopped out with a flounce.

"Thanks, sir!" she smiled.

The man in red simply grinned back and nodded.

"Remember what we said about how to introduce yourself?"

Momo's head turned to see her mother smiling encouragingly. The little girl tilted her head. Huh?

Her mother chuckled and cleared her throat, "Like this." She faced the man, nodding gracefully. "Good evening, I'm Yaoyorozu Mei."

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Yaoyorozu," he returned.

Momo was starting to catch on. She straightened up to her full height and smoothed out her dress. "Hello! I'm Yaoyorozu Momo. Pleasure to meet you, sir!" she parroted.

"Very good," her father congratulated her as he walked up from behind. He tossed the keys to the man in red. The man scurried off toward the driver's seat, and Momo's father offered a hand to her. Mom took hold happily.

She followed her parents inside. The place was fancy— gold decorations, shiny lights, and old sculptures everywhere. It looked like a lot of the restaurants they went to. Even still, the sight of adults everywhere made her tug on her dress again.

"Mom, will I be the only kid here?" Momo asked softly.

Her mother looked down at her, eyes shining with understanding. "No, dear, in fact, I know a colleague of your father's is bringing his two children! I've heard they're very nice young men."

Momo frowned uncertainly. "Boys?"

"Yes," her father chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Momo. I've talked with their father about them myself— I'm sure you'll be fast friends!"

She tightened her grip on her father's hand. "Okay."

There were doors ahead of them now. They were big, at least as tall as four of her, and she felt her nerves rise as they walked through them.

"Dear, look up. Don't be nervous."

Her mother's sweet voice caught her attention. Momo lifted her head. She gasped out loud.

They were in a big ballroom, the kind she saw in her fairytale books. The ceilings soared above her. Massive arches lined the sides of the room, curtains cutting off the view to what lay beyond them. The floors were shiny and white, there was sparkly stuff everywhere, and Momo found herself trying to memorize every detail she could.

"Excited?" her father teased.

Momo nodded. "It's so pretty!"

Her mother laughed lightly. "I'm glad you think so, dear. See? This will be fun, just like I promised." She turned her attention to her husband. "Now, where do you think they'll be?"

"Tenshin said they would meet us five paces north of the punch table," her father replied, shaking his head in amusement. "Particular, as always."

"Of course."

Momo hardly heard a word her parents were saying. There were so many people here, some she even recognized from tv! It was so weird to see pro heroes in suits and dresses instead of costumes. She barely recognized some of them.

The little girl continued her silent observation of the room, letting her father lead her along wherever they were going. She only became aware that they had arrived when she nearly bumped into the back of his legs.

There was the sound of soft laughter, and Momo looked up, blushing. A man and woman were looking down at her with amusement.

"Tenshin, Aiko," her father greeted. "This is our little girl, Momo. Can you say hello, Momo?"

She wanted to say no, but that would be silly. Momo waved up at them shyly. "Hello, I'm Yaoyorozu Momo. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, what a dear," the woman said. "Such excellent manners!"

Momo's mother smiled. "Thank you. Where are your little ones? Off running around again?"

The man sighed, "Yes, though I believe our youngest is doing his best to tame his older brother. Tensei was rather excited to introduce him to his new coworkers in the sidekick program."

"Well, he surely won't be a sidekick for very long," Momo's father stated. "I saw him in the news last week— he seems to be making his mark."

"Skid marks around the house, more like it," the woman joked. "I'm ready for him to move out. Twenty-three seems an apt age to be living on his own."

Her father shrugged."Ah, but you know how competitive it is out there now. So many heroes jockeying for the top spots, I'm amazed anyone gets paid anything worth their time these days."

"True. I often wonder if—"

"Tensei! Slow down!"

Momo jumped. Her head whipped around to the source of the ruckus. A young man with blue hair and a bright smile was barreling through the crowd. Attached to his hand was a different boy, younger, but with a similar look. The only thing that really set them apart besides their age was that the younger had glasses.

The young man looked ready to run right through them, but instead, he came to a screeching halt. "Mom! I just introduced him to Present Mic! You know, the guy from my class at U.A.? We wound up at the same agency, how crazy is that!"

Momo blinked. He seemed to have boundless energy. Weren't heroes supposed to be more formal?

"Easy now, Tensei," his mother chided. "I think your running around might have exhausted Tenya."

"Pfft, please," Tensei laughed. "Little guy is gonna go as fast as me before we know, right, champ?"

The boy next to him— Tenya— nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! Tensei is already teaching me how to control my speed bursts!" His mother leveled him with a stern look. "Not that I would ever practice outside the training center," Tenya added.

The woman nodded, appeased. "Alright. Now then, will you introduce yourselves to your father's friends?"

Tensei was quick to hold out a hand. "Iida Tensei, sir," he said brightly. "It's wonderful to meet you! Dad's been telling me all about the deal you two are trying to broker between the agencies. I think it's a great idea! We need more unity in the hero force."

The two men shook hands, then Tensei offered a bow to Momo's mother. There was a moment of silence— Momo caught sight of Tensei elbowing his little brother.

"Oh!" he cried, falling into a deep bow. "My apologies! I am Iida Tenya. An honor to meet you!"

"An honor to meet you, too, Mr. Iida," Momo's father smiled. "If you don't mind my asking, how old are you?"

Tenya straightened up instantly. "Eight years old, sir!"

"I'm eight, too," Momo murmured. She hadn't meant it to be, but apparently it was loud enough for everyone to hear.

Mrs. Iida clasped her hands together. "Well isn't that just lovely! I didn't know our children were the same age. Tenya, what do you say?"

Wide blue eyes suddenly connected with shy black. Instead of his previous formality, Tenya offered her a wave. "Hi, I'm Tenya."

The little girl smiled. "I'm Momo. It's nice to meet you."

The introductions seemed to please all of the adults, and with that, Mr. Iida placed a hand on his youngest's shoulder. "Tenya, do you want to show Miss Yaoyorozu around? Your parents have very important things to discuss."

Tenya nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Come with me, Yaoyoriza, I'll show you all the best spots!" He motioned for her to follow after him, and she scurried along. He walked fast!

"It's Yaoyorozu," she corrected softly once she finally caught up to him.

He looked back at her. She was grateful when he slowed his steps. "Sorry! It's a long name. Hard to remember."

Momo's nose wrinkled. "I didn't pick it! I just got it."

"Well of course, that's how all names work," Tenya replied as though it was obvious, although…well, yes, it was, but he didn't have to sound like she was dumb!

The girl crossed her arms. "You don't have to be mean, you know."

Tenya paused again. He had been leading her over to one of the arches, but he now simply stared at her in the middle of the ballroom. "I'm not being mean, I'm just stating a fact. Facts aren't mean, they're facts."

"I disagree," Momo argued. "There can be mean facts and nice facts. Like your tie— I think it's a silly color. That's a mean fact."

The boy's mouth dropped open. "What do you mean?! It's the same color as your dress!" he exclaimed, making a show of lifting the tie and placing it next to her sleeve.

Momo shook her head. "But you're wearing it with blue. Yellow and blue don't go together. Not unless you're a sailor."

Tenya was still gaping at her, but after several seconds, he shook his head. "Alright then, fine. Only nice facts. I…I think your dress is pretty."

"Ew," she whined. "That sounds like something adults say! Like in those movies when the prince is trying to win over the princess!"

His face flushed bright red. "No it doesn't!"

"Yes it does! It's called flirting!"

"I don't flirt! That's for gross adults."

"Which we aren't," Momo reminded him. "So stop doing it!"

Tenya grumbled and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I was just trying to give a nice fact. I thought you wanted nice facts."

"I didn't say I wanted one, just that I think there are nice facts and mean facts."

He looked ready to say something, but instead, he just rolled his eyes. "I was going to take you to my favorite place, but now I'm not sure."

Momo stuck her tongue out. "Meanie."

Tenya grumbled something. She didn't catch it, although it seemed her name calling had worked. He continued over to one of the arches, his steps more of a march now, and she followed suit.

To her surprise, he pulled the thick velvet curtain to the side. He waved for her to enter. Momo was confused, but…if it was his favorite place, then there must be something special about it.

She stepped into the alcove. Her guess had been correct.

The ceiling was lower than the ones in the ballroom, but it was curved and sparkled with gold flowers and vines. The vines trailed down, making a frame around a large window. Moonlight peaked in— it shimmered delicately onto an unlit crystal chandelier hanging above them. And finally, in front of her below the window, was a marble bench.

Momo didn't remember her mouth dropping open.

"Amazing, right?"

She whirled around. Tenya was smiling, a smug little look that said he was pleased with her surprise. Finally, he entered the alcove himself. As soon as the drape fell from his hand, their little world was cut off from the loud ballroom. It was just them, the muffled sound of music, and the celestial lit bench.

Tenya hopped up onto it, then patted the space next to him. "Come on!"

She wasn't sure why she was listening to this boy. Besides her parents, she typically hated anyone telling her what to do. But this was his special place, and suddenly she felt special being there. So with wide eyes still taking in the prettiness of the alcove, Momo went over and sat down primly on the bench.

She wasn't sure how long she kept staring— only that when she eventually looked at Tenya, he was looking right back at her. His eyes were sparkling. That must be from the moonlight.

"So," he started, hands gripping at his knees as he leaned forward excitedly, "What's your quirk?"

Momo blinked in shock. "Th-That's a nosy question!" she exclaimed. "You can't just ask people that! It's rude!"

His brows scrunched in confusion. "No it's not—"

"Yes it is!" she insisted. "See? You're being weird again! You're flirting! Only adults ask stuff like that!"

Tenya let out a loud huff. Now he looked a little mad…what was that word her mother used sometimes? Oh yeah— exasperated. That's what he looked like.

Suddenly, Momo felt bad. She hadn't meant to make him upset, it just…the question seemed so…odd. The only people she talked with her quirk about was her family and her trainer. Talking about quirks with strangers wasn't normal, right?

Or maybe it was, and she just didn't know it.

Momo's eyes went to the space between them on the bench. "I'm sorry, I just…I don't have a lot of friends," she whispered. "I don't mean to be mean. I'm sorry I upset you."

She sensed Tenya shift a little closer. "Really? I don't have many friends either!" he said. At her curious look, he added on, "No one wants to play tag with me."

Her expression became even more puzzled. "Why not?"

Tenya's smile— which had come back after her apology— turned shy. "My quirk. I have, well, here, let me show you!"

He scooted back a bit. Tenya propped his leg up on the bench, then rolled up the end of his pants leg.

"Woah!" Momo gasped. Coming out of his calves were several sets of shiny metal pipes. She had never seen a quirk like that before!

"They help me go fast," he told her. His eyes were sparkly again. "My family has always been heroes! I wanna be one, too, just like my brother!"

The young girl's head tilted. "Do you have the same quirk as him?"

Tenya shook his head. "No, his engines are in his elbows. But he's been training me a lot! He's the only one who will play tag with me, so we play every day when he comes home. He's a sidekick right now for Captain Octopus!"

"Wow," Momo breathed. "Is it fun having a brother?"

Her new companion looked ready to nod, but he froze. "Wait…do you not have a brother?!"

"Yeah, it's just me and my parents," she answered. Tenya looked horrified at her response. Was it really that bad to not have siblings?

It seemed like forever before Tenya shook his head in disbelief. "That's so weird!"

"Hey!" Momo pouted. "That's not fair! You're using mean facts again!"

His mouth dropped. "No! That's not what I meant!" he claimed. "So you don't have any siblings, and you don't have any friends?"

Now he was really bothering her. Momo crossed her arms and looked out the window. "I didn't say I had no friends, just not a lot. And you aren't being a very good one right now."

She wasn't sure what she expected— maybe for him to look mad again, to leave, to argue back. But he did none of those things. Instead, he scooted closer and leaned over into her line of sight. She huffed and tried to look somewhere else. He just followed.

Annoyed, Momo met his eyes. "What?"

Tenya looked like he was calculating something. "You've never been to one of these before, have you?"

Momo felt like she was about to burst. Why was he teasing her? She said she didn't have many friends, she said she didn't have siblings, and she knew she had a long last name, and it felt like all he was doing was making fun of her. This question was just one too many. She wanted to leave. He was making her feel silly and stupid about all these things.

Feeling tears welling up in her eyes, Momo began to slip off the bench. "Yes, and now I want to go find my parents. Goodbye, Tenya."

As she began toward the exit, she swore she heard the sound of engines firing up.

Just as she reached for the curtain, a hand caught her wrist. "W-Wait!"

Momo spun around and glared at Tenya. His eyes were pleading. Then, at the exact same time, their eyes flickered down. He snatched his hand away quickly.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I just…" He held his hands together tight in front of him, fidgeting. "I go to these things a lot, but you haven't, and there's a lot to learn about them, so I…maybe I could teach you? So you don't feel left out?"

Black eyes blinked in the moonlight. She still felt a little mad, but her curiosity was too high to stop her. "What is there to know?"

Tenya's face flushed. "W-Well, I, um…the first thing my parents taught us was how to dance."

Momo gasped in horror, "You're flirting again!"

"No I'm not!" he grumbled. She wanted to call him a liar— he was turning even redder now. "I'm just trying to help! And you said I was being a bad friend, and good friends help!"

The two stared each other down. It was hard to tell who was more frustrated. But then, Tenya sighed and put his hand forward.

"It's not that hard," he said quietly. "I learned it pretty quickly, bet you would, too."

Momo looked at his hand with suspicion. She glanced up at him again. He was still blushing.

She narrowed her eyes. "Not flirting?"

Tenya frowned. "No, I'm being a good friend," he insisted.

It was stupid. She was being stupid. He was being nice. She was being skittish because she wasn't used to people being so nice. He hadn't been mean once. She was just being stupid. Why was he making her act stupid?

Huffing a little, Momo placed her hand in his. "Fine. I wanna learn."

Tenya blinked at her. Guess he hadn't thought she'd say yes.

"R-Right!" he squeaked. "I-I, um, here, your other hand goes—" Tenya put her hand on his shoulder. His hand then went to her waist, and now Momo was the one who blushed. She'd forgotten the closeness that dancing required.

"It's really easy," Tenya said. "You count to three, and then repeat. Like this—"

He stepped a little to the side. Momo tripped as she followed.

"One."

He stepped forward. She nearly fell again.

"Two."

Another side step. She tightened her grip on him.

"Three!" he smiled. "And that's it! You just keep going until you get faster. It's called a waltz."

Momo nodded. "Go really slow, please?" she asked.

Tenya nodded happily. And so they repeated the steps— the one, the two, the three. Right, back, left, and right again. It took a few minutes before Momo felt like she had it, but once she did, she found herself smiling. It was actually kind of fun!

Her instructor was smiling, too. His eyes were sparkly again. How did he do that? She wondered if hers did the same. It looked really pretty.

For whatever reason, she suddenly remembered his question from before. A tingly nervousness hit her. It was silly— he'd told her his, she should be able to do the same.

Momo unknowingly gripped his shoulder tighter.

"Creation."

Tenya startled, his head tilting. "Huh?"

"My quirk," she murmured. She looked down at their feet. "It's creation."

Her dance partner stammered for a moment, "Wha— how— th-that's amazing! Wow!" he laughed. "How does it work? Can you make anything? Anything at all?"

Momo felt her face warm. "I'm not very good at it yet. My trainer says it's going to take a lot of practice…I have to know everything about everything that goes into what I make."

He stuttered again. Nothing he was saying sounded like actual words. It was kinda funny— not that she'd tell him.

Finally, he managed to say, "Can you make something right now?"

The nerves were building again. "Um, m-maybe," she replied softly. "It takes a lot of focus."

Tenya immediately let her go. Momo wasn't sure why she frowned at that. He took her hand and lead her over to the bench, sitting down not an inch from her.

He had the biggest smile she'd ever seen on his face. "I'll be quiet!" he promised. "Act like I'm not even here. I won't even look!" he added, covering his eyes with his hands.

Momo stared at him for a few seconds. He stayed true to his word— not a single peek or peep. She sighed. This was a little scary, but she wanted to try. Her trainer had been doing this with her lately, anyways. She knew she could do it.

And so, she studied him.

Navy hair. Square glasses. Sparkly blue eyes— she couldn't see them right now, but she knew they were there. A kind of pointed nose. A silly smile.

Momo closed her eyes and recreated it all in her head. She took in a deep breath. Think of what goes into it…all the details…forming into one thing…

The doll popped up out of her hands.

She nearly gasped, and it seemed Tenya knew something had happened.

"Is it ready?" he asked.

Momo stared down at the item in her grasp. A matryoshka doll, spitting image of Tenya, stared back at her.

"Uhuh, it's done."

The next minute lasted forever. Momo was holding the doll out toward him, squirming and looking out the window. She knew he had uncovered his eyes. And he wasn't saying anything.

She was a bundle of nerves. Maybe he didn't like it? She'd only just recently tried making faces on her dolls. The first ones were terrible, but she thought this one had looked okay. But maybe she was wrong, and—

"Momo, this is awesome!"

The little girl jumped. A hand swiped the doll from her just as she forced herself to look at him. Tenya was grinning ear to ear, turning the doll over in his hands and examining every detail. Momo felt tears coming to her eyes. Why was he making her feel silly again? Why did she want to cry? People had told her they liked her quirk before, but hearing it from him was so different. It made her feel special. And that made her want to cry for some stupid reason.

"I bet you're only going to get better and better!" he continued on, unaware of her state. "Before you know it, you'll be able to make whatever you want whenever you want! You'd be the coolest hero ever! Come on—" he took her hand and rushed off the bench. "I have to show my mom!"

Momo trailed behind him excitedly. Her tears had turned to a smile. She didn't even think about it. She just thought about how his eyes were sparkling again and that she didn't mind his hand holding hers. It was kind of nice, actually.

"Mom! Mom!" Tenya was calling as they ran through the crowd. Moments later, they stumbled upon their parents, and Tenya screeched to a stop. "Look what Momo made me!" He grinned, thrusting the doll up in his mother's face.

Mrs. Iida smiled tightly. Momo frowned. Why did Mrs. Iida's smile look weird?

"That's wonderful, dear," she said. "We must get going, though. It's getting late."

Tenya's eyebrows furrowed. "But why? We've barely been here an hour—"

"Yes, and we need to leave," Mr. Iida stated. He sounded as strange as Mrs. Iida's smile looked.

Momo's eyes went up to her parents. Wait, why did they seem different, too? Her mother's usually kind smile was strained, and her father's back was stiff. Had something happened?

"Come on, Momo," her mother was saying. She took her daughter's hand and tugged her toward the door. "It's time to go home."

"B-But—" Momo resisted the pull. "Tenya and I just became friends! Didn't you see the doll I made for him?

"Yes, and it's very pretty," her mother replied. "Perhaps you and Tenya could see each other another time—"

A sharp cough from her father cut her off. Momo's eyebrows scrunched together. Why did everything seem so strange right now?

Mrs. Iida and her mother were sharing a look. A moment later, Mrs. Iida put a hand on Tenya's shoulder. "Tenya, can you say goodbye to Momo?"

He looked just as confused as she did. His eyes kept switching back and forth between her and his mother, seemingly trying to figure out why he was being forced to leave his new friend so soon.

After another nudge, Tenya finally looked at Momo and gave her a bright grin. "Guess I can show you my quirk next time!" he told her. "Thank you for the doll! I'll keep it safe!"

Momo smiled back shyly. "You're welcome. Maybe we can play tag next time, too."

Blue eyes shimmered. Tenya nodded excitedly.

And with that, Momo was gently pulled away.

She looked back at him the entire time. She waved, he waved back. She smiled. He smiled back. But soon enough, the crowd got in the way. She couldn't see him anymore.

As they left the building, Momo listened to her dad mutter under his breath, only catching words like "deal" and "ridiculous" and "never again." She frowned. She didn't know what had happened. Maybe she could ask Tenya the next time she saw him. Yeah, he would probably know!

That night, Momo dreamed of sparkly blue eyes, not knowing she would never see them again.

Well, not until seven years later.

For the millionth time since starting at U.A., she wondered if Iida remembered. It would have been uncharacteristic of him to forget something, but then again, it had been eight years since that night. And it had seemed that he was familiar with such events, so perhaps she had been just another passing face.

Still, it bothered her. It had never been brought up. He didn't act like he had known her before. The two rarely spoke at all, actually. That is, until they decided they needed to start having meetings.

It made sense. He was the class representative, and she was the vice representative. Some meetings would be required to ensure the proper flow of the classroom.

Yet here they were, at their third meeting, and it still hadn't come up. Not once.

Momo tapped her pen against the table anxiously. How did she even start this conversation? What if he really didn't remember? Would it be awkward? What if he—

"Are you going to continue making that noise?"

She nearly jumped out of her chair. Iida was staring at her, only a slight tinge of annoyance in his eyes. Oh right— she'd learned at their last two meetings that repetitive sounds made him antsy.

"Sorry," she apologized quickly. "I have something on my mind."

He nodded. "We should be done, soon. I do believe the planning for our end of semester party will be complete after this meeting. Then we will need to go over the details with Aizawa-sensei. Perhaps it would be good to have a democratic vote over the theme before we—"

"Do you remember meeting at that party as children?"

The class rep froze. "I beg your pardon?"

"The party," she said. "We were eight. I said your tie was ugly, and you took me into that hiding place with the curtain. I was wearing a yellow dress."

Momo could practically hear the gears turning in his mind. The silence dragged on, and she tried to calm her racing heart. What was she so nervous for anyways? It was just a chance encounter when they were children. It didn't mean a lot, or at least it shouldn't.

"I..." His eyes refused to meet hers, a strangely blank gaze fixed on the papers in front of them. "I do…recall. I was not sure if you did, too. I figured it was best to leave it be until an opportune time."

"So...now?" she prompted hopefully.

Iida stiffened. She hadn't even known he could get anymore uptight than he already was. "I suppose now is as good a time as any, given our agenda for this meeting has been accomplished." Blue eyes dragged up to meet hers, and for whatever reason, this made Momo relax. Like he was letting the door crack open a bit, just enough for her to enter.

She let a tiny smile come onto her lips. She leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands. "You were different back then. More carefree."

"I was a child," Iida scoffed. "Age comes with inherent changes in personality. You've changed, as well."

She tilted her head curiously. "How so?"

"You're not as shy or argumentative as you used to be," he noted.

"I was a child," Momo mocked.

Iida's brow furrowed. She was sure he didn't like the teasing of turning his own words on him.

"And I seem to recall," she continued, "that someone was rather bashful in asking if he could hold my hand."

"Tch!"

Momo dissolved into a fit of laughter. Iida was so stiff now, she could probably poke him and he'd fall right out of his chair. A deep flush was rising in his cheeks. Iida cast her a mild glare before he turned away.

"Unfair," he muttered. "I was trying to be the perfect gentleman."

Momo shook her head. "Or a flirt."

"I don't flirt! That's for children!"

"Which we were."

Iida made to retort, but froze.

"I don't flirt! That's for gross adults."

"Which we aren't. So stop doing it!"

A spark flashed between their eyes. Seemed they both remembered that exact moment. Mono swallowed and folded her hands in her lap primly.

"Well," she cleared her throat. "It's a nice memory, anyways. One of the few times I didn't feel so lonely at those events. I was always sad when I never saw you at the next one."

"I must confess the same," Iida murmured. "Your company was thoroughly enjoyable."

Momo quirked her head to the side. "And now?"

Blue eyes blinked. "Now what?"

"Am I good company now?" she clarified.

The question seemed to catch him off guard. "I-I would have to say so, yes!" he stammered. "What with you being such a model student, and one that got in on recommendation, no less. Clearly a paradigm of success and leadership."

His answer was stunted. Boring. Far too clinical…Momo's eyebrows furrowed in thought. He still hadn't brought up one very important detail of their childhood encounter. And he was as close to squirming in his chair as Iida could get, what with how he kept shifting restlessly.

Momo gave him a knowing look. "…you still have it, don't you?"

Silence.

Her eyes narrowed. "Tenya—"

"Yes."

It was so quiet, she barely heard it— but the confession was there. And suddenly, almost like a time machine, the embarrassed expression on his face took her back eight years.

"Why?"

Her question was simple enough, yet it seemed to set him even more on edge. Iida swallowed. His eyes never left the table. "It was a fond memory, as you said. In a world of villains on every corner, my family constantly leaving to be the ones to stop them…it was something good. Something that would always stay put as it was. It could not change— not like the world did every day."

Momo didn't know how to respond to that. She had no idea something as little as her silly gift could have become so much more, and yet…at the same time, she understood. Their own class was more than familiar with the chaos of the quirk-laden world they had been born into. If anything, he knew better than all of them.

"How does it look now?" she asked.

Iida's head jerked up. His eyes showed his confusion, but he still replied, "Fairly alright. I used to keep it in my window, but the paint began to fade. A few chips from a time where we moved homes and it was stored improperly, too, but I fixed them as best I could."

She hummed, nodding. "And your brother, Tensei? How's he?"

"He…" his eyes drifted down. "He's alright. In physical therapy now, but the likelihood that he'll return to his former hero work is slim. He formally passed on the title of Ingenium to me after the incident with the hero killer. I…I am still unsure if I am worthy of it, but I intend to do all I can to ensure that I am one day."

Momo wanted to shake her head. For someone so smart, he could still be so stupid. She didn't quite think through what happened next— all she knows was that it took barely a moment of thought before a matryoshka doll appeared in her hands.

"Here—" she said, setting it down in front of him. "You need a replacement."

Iida blinked. His eyes shifted to look at it, and it seemed to take a few moments before he understood.

"Tensei," he murmured. The little doll stared up at him, decorated in a suit of gleaming silver armor and glowing blue eyes. Iida took the doll and gripped it tightly. "I appreciate the sentiment. I'll be sure to show it to him."

Momo finally shook her head. He still didn't get it. "Open it.

He did. She watched as understanding filled his eyes.

Inside the first doll was a smaller one with blue hair and glasses.

"He wouldn't have passed the title on to you if you weren't worthy," Momo stated. "I know what it's like to feel unworthy. You are the last person who should have such thoughts."

Wide blue eyes stared at the doll, then flashed up to her. "I-I…th-thank you, Yaoyorozu! For both your words and the gift. I will keep it somewhere safe!" he promised.

Suddenly, a sense of the past came flooding back again. Maybe it was the stuttering. Or his words. Or just something else she couldn't put a finger on.

Momo couldn't help the teasing smile that came to her lips. "Really, Tenya? Still using my last name?"

A stern look cast over his face. "As fellow class representatives, it is paramount that we maintain a semblance of professionalism in order to effectively—"

She snickered. "Tenya—"

"Fine!" he shouted, standing abruptly from his chair. "I will see you in class, Momo!" With that, he turned on his foot and marched out of the common room, the doll gripped firmly in his hands.

Momo sat back in her chair and chuckled. Some things had changed, but some things never would.

"So…yellow again?"

Momo's eyes flitted toward Iida. He looked ridiculous, though most of them did at this point, what with Todoroki's shirt half burnt off, all the girls' makeup smudged, and ash on everyone's face. Still, somehow the blown off bottoms of his pants made her want snort in the most unladylike fashion ever.

Her eyes drifted down to her dress. "I personally think it's more green."

A navy eyebrow lifted. "Chartreuse."

"Wrong," Momo crossed her arms. "Melon is more accurate."

"Still argumentative," he muttered under his breath.

"And you're not?" she tossed back.

A comfortable silence settled in, and the two examined the room. After all the mess caused at the I-Island Expo, the guests of the dance had been invited back to the ballroom. All Might had given a speech to quell any remaining fear, and now, people were slowly trickling out. It had been a long night, after all. Nearly every one of their classmates had exhausted their quirks, present company included.

"Did you find proper sustenance to refuel your quirk?"

Momo hummed positively. "And you?"

He nodded. "I always keep a supply of orange juice nearby."

"It's nice having quirks that can be so easily replenished," Momo commented idly. "Last I heard, Jirou was still stuck watching over Kaminari to make sure he didn't put his finger in a socket."

And Iida nodded once more. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. He seemed…stiffer than normal. Again. He'd been that way around her a lot lately. Not all the time, but more often than not. She knew why— it hadn't been terribly long since their conversation about their childhood, perhaps a few weeks. She wondered if it made him feel uncomfortable, but really? Iida feeling awkward about something? It was so unlike him.

"—a shame, really."

Momo startled a little, coming back to reality. "I'm sorry?"

"Your dress." He wasn't meeting her eyes. His gaze was strictly focused on the scene in front of them. "It was torn during our escapade."

She fought down that snort. "Escapade."

Iida threw her a slight glare. "It's an appropriate word for the events of the evening."

"Mmhm."

There was a loud sigh, and she finally let out a soft laugh. Apparently it was contagious— a chuckle slipped from Iida's lips beside her. Two pairs of amused eyes met.

And then didn't look away for a few seconds.

They both seemed to realize their mistake at the same time. Momo and Iida snapped their heads back to facing forward in tandem, faces flushed. What had that been?

The next minute was spent in awkward silence. More people were leaving. Maybe it'd be a good idea to go back to their rooms. They probably needed sleep, anyways.

Momo swallowed. "We should return to the hotel."

She looked to the side just in time to see Iida twitch. She raised an eyebrow. Blue eyes went to the floor.

"My apologies, I…" he stopped to consider his words. "I had not meant to keep you. I am sure you are in need of rest just like our classmates."

Black eyes narrowed. "Tenya, what are you not telling m—"

"I had intended to ask you to dance tonight."

Momo blinked. Iida shifted uncomfortably.

"I thought…I thought it would increase our levels of camaraderie," he continued robotically. "As well as…relive what was a fond memory for us both." His tone had softened toward the end.

She hadn't realized her shoulders had become so stiff until they relaxed. "Oh. That was…very thoughtful of you. That sounds like a better night than what we had."

Iida cleared his throat. "That does seem to be a very low bar to cross, but yes, I agree."

The lights on the stage flickered off. It was time to go.

This was unresolved, Momo realized. It might be for a little while now. But she could wait. If anything, her curiosity was piqued. She hadn't considered Iida to be so sentimental. Though he did keep her doll all those years…perhaps she had misjudged him.

More lights were turning off. Iida stared up at them, looking almost regretful. Blue irises shimmered. Momo made a decision.

Without hesitation, she hooked her arm through his. He stiffened at the contact, then looked down at her. She just smiled.

"Walk me to my room?" she requested.

His shoulders eased down. Iida nodded.

The journey back was mostly silent. The sun had been rising for some time now, and most of the streets were empty. A few security robots passed by them. It was nice to not be on the receiving end of their patrol.

Momo hadn't really thought through what she was going to say when they got to her room. But then, they were there, and she found herself fiddling with her hair nervously.

"Well…" she trailed off. Iida looked at her curiously. "I guess there's always next time," she finally said, shrugging.

He looked confused for a moment before a light of understanding lit his eyes. Iida nodded seriously. "I anticipate our next opportunity to engage in a memory of the past," he stated.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Only you could make that sound so…you."

A thin navy eyebrow lifted. "I don't understand your meaning."

"Nothing," she shook her head amusedly. She doubted she could ever explain to him how funny it was hearing him talk like that. He had a way of making even the simplest statements so convoluted in his formalities.

"Anyways," he coughed. "I shall bid you a good evening, er— morning. I assume you will attend the tour we scheduled for this afternoon?"

Momo nodded. "I'll try to make it, but don't be surprised if I sleep through my phone alarm. We did lose a lot of rest, after all."

"Indeed."

Now what? They were still just standing there, and things still felt unresolved.

There are times in life when you make a choice, though. There was the moment she realized she wanted to be a hero. The moment she discovered how much she still had to learn. The moment where she knew this was where she wanted to be, that this was the right path in life.

And sometimes it seemed she stumbled upon those things on accident. But it had worked out well so far, so maybe it would continue in that pattern.

Therefore, Momo wasn't quite sure what she was thinking when she leaned up and kissed Iida's cheek, but she did it anyways.

She stayed there a moment, her eyes shut tight and one hand resting against his chest to keep her steady. He took in a sharp breath. She did her best to ignore the heat radiating off of him, not to mention his cologne. It smelled like the ocean mixed with a tinge of smoke.

And after a few seconds, her heels touched back down on the floor softly. "Goodnight, Tenya," she whispered.

The only response she received was a wide-eyed blue stare. Hm, his eyes were actually quite a pleasant shade. She'd never really been able to see them this close before. Well, not since they were kids, but back then they'd practically been in the dark.

Figuring she wasn't going to get anything else out of him, Momo gave him a little smile and moved to open the door. She allowed him a few seconds to react, but still, nothing.

A quick glance back showed a flushed face, and that was all she saw before she turned the handle.

Interesting…even with his reaction, she found that she didn't regret kissing him one bit. That is, until she walked in and was tackled to the ground by a nosy Uraraka and Jirou.

"Tell us everything!"

"YOU AND IIDA?!"

"Yaoyorozu? What are you doing awake at this hour?"

Momo nearly jumped out of her skin. But she didn't, because she'd heard him coming. The soft rumble of engines was a sound she'd become accustomed to during their first year at U.A. It always signaled his arrival.

She sighed, leaning forward against the balcony railing. "Seriously, Tenya? Still using my last name?"

"My apologies." He was beside her now on her left. "I am still unaccustomed to breaking such social norms."

Momo shook her head. "I know."

It was quiet for a moment. He was about to ask her something, she knew it. He had that air about him. She gave him the time he needed.

"You didn't answer my question."

Ah. "I could ask you the same," she replied.

Tenya blinked. "This…this is true."

The pair stared out at U.A.'s campus in comfortable silence. She wondered if he often did this, too, and they'd just never run into each other before now. The top floor of their dorm did offer a nice view, after all. It was a good place to go when your mind wouldn't shut off.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Unfortunately. You as well?"

"Yeah."

She sensed him shift. "Can I be of any assistance?"

"Not really," Momo hummed. "Just couldn't stop thinking for some reason. Coming up here always helps me clear my head."

"Fresh air is often beneficial to one's wellbeing during overwhelming times."

Momo resisted the urge to roll her eyes fondly. She remembered hearing him talk like that their first day at U.A. and thinking it was pretentious. Now, she found that it was (dare she say it?) almost endearing.

They went quiet again. That was another thing she liked— neither of them felt the need to fill the silence. It wasn't awkward, it just was. They didn't have to say anything. They could simply keep to themselves and their thoughts, embracing the odd comfort that was having companionship all the same.

"Might I inquire something?"

Momo hummed. "Sure."

She heard the sound of his mouth opening, closing, then opening again. When it happened a second time, she fixed him with a curious look.

Iida's eyes were on the ground in thought. "I have noticed a theme in our interactions." He looked up at her, and she nodded for him to go ahead.

He took in a sharp breath before he continued, "Often times, one or both of us will allude to the idea of a 'next time,' yet I do not fully understand it. These do not appear to be plans set in stone, but rather a promise of something that will come at an unknown time. I do not know how to follow through on the promise without an actionable decision."

Momo's head tilted. "And what promise is there to follow through on—"

Oh.

He wouldn't meet her eyes. So that was what he was referring to.

His posture was straightening now. A protective stance for himself. "I understand if you—"

"No, no, it's," she swallowed. "I still forget at times how sentimental you are. It surprises me."

"I more or less gave you my word," Iida replied. Momo noted how he didn't address her comment on his sentimentality. "I intend to keep it."

So this was where the night was taking them. Momo found it intriguing how she didn't resist the pull.

She turned to face Iida and gave him a teasing look. "Have you managed to learn anything more complex than a simple waltz in the past eight years?"

"Tch!"

Momo burst out laughing. As soon as he became unfrozen, Iida couldn't conceal the annoyance in his eyes.

"Aggravating," he muttered. Still, he held out a hand.

She took it graciously. "A character trait that only comes out around you."

A warm hand took ahold of her waist. "How charming."

She rested her other hand on his shoulder. "I agree."

For the first time ever, Momo Yaoyorozu saw Tenya Iida roll his eyes. She snickered to herself. Why was it so fun getting these reactions out of him?

Perhaps because she knew she was the only one who could do it.

Seemingly seeking revenge, Tenya took the first step back before she was ready. She stumbled. Blue eyes flashed with amusement. "Out of practice?"

"Shut up."

"You cannot force me to."

"Ending a sentence with a preposition is not typically accepted in syntax structure."

"I refuse to get into a petty argument with you. We are no longer eight years of age."

No, no they really weren't. Momo knew because they were now moving fluidly, him leading her in an even waltz all around the top of the dorm roof. They weren't stumbling in a hidden alcove. The moon wasn't filtering through a window. It was shining above them, into his eyes and making them sparkle just like they had all those years ago.

She wasn't sure how long it lasted. Longer than it should have— especially since they didn't have any music. But eventually, she began to feel the affects of the hour.

Momo yawned, stepping in closer and resting her head against his chest because he was warm and comfy and maybe it was the insomnia talking, but she couldn't find a reason to care that this wasn't exactly just a friendly interaction between class reps right now.

Iida slowed them down to a gentle sway. That made her even sleepier. Her eyes shut, and she let out a little breath against his shirt.

Her partner remained quiet. They both did. It stayed that way for several minutes. She was nearly asleep when she felt him heave a sigh.

"Yaoyo— Momo," he corrected immediately. "I am…I am unsure where we stand."

Her heart skipped a beat. Black eyes lifted to connect with blue. "What do you mean?"

His eyes met hers for only a second before they darted away. "There has been something…different between us as of late. I have not known what to call it or how to address it with you. But I wish to confront it as to not have any confusion as to how we act toward one another as fellow class representatives."

And now her heart was racing. "Alright."

Iida's expression showed his surprise at her ready agreement. He cleared his throat, "Yes, well, I, ah— I came to a secondary conclusion recently. Secondary to the first, that is."

Momo nodded. She really didn't feel like she could speak right now. He was taking the lead, and she wanted to see where it would go.

"I…you can imagine that I am unaccustomed to speaking about such things," he said slowly. "Although, it must be stated that on several occasions, now, you have left me with a parting gift. And I have yet to return the favor."

…huh?

He swallowed hard. "I take it by your expression that you don't understand?"

"I'm a little lost, I'll admit," she confessed, a bit of nervousness seeping into her tone. Was he really going where she thought he was?

Blue eyes flickered down. "I do suppose that actions would offer more clarity than words."

Momo's memory of how the next part happened will always remain somewhat fuzzy. She remembers the moonlight, the alluring scent of his cologne, how his eyes seemed to silently ask the question before he slowly, ever so slowly, leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

Tenya tasted like citrus, Momo realized. Sweet and tangy, mixing in tandem with the familiar hint of smoke and the warmth of his lips.

The kiss was still and chaste, but it was all she needed. When he pulled away, her eyes stayed closed. She opened them a few moments later. Worried blue eyes were staring down at her.

"I hope I did not blur the lines further," Tenya mumbled. "That is the farthest thing from my intentions."

"You didn't," she whispered.

He let out a relieved sigh. "Good."

They gazed at each other for a few more seconds. Still unresolved, Momo noted. But not as unresolved as before. Things were changing, slowly, but surely. It would take a while before they settled into whatever they were becoming. She could wait.

Not much happened after that. He walked her down to her room, and she leaned up on her toes to peck his lips as a goodbye. That citrus taste was going to haunt her every time she looked at him, now, and she knew it.

Momo fell into her bed in a daze. For all her tiredness during their dance, she suddenly felt wide awake.

She didn't know where they were going. She hardly understood her own feelings at that very moment. All she knew was that she was so incredibly thankful for that one night so many years ago.

When Momo drifted off to sleep almost an hour later, she dreamed of sparkling blue eyes, knowing she would see them the very next day in class.

I hope you guys enjoyed and hopped aboard the new ship!