maneuvering through

Sweet, sweet, sweets

Shouto popped again, unannounced at her doorstep, a box of pastry in hand. A first since she's had her day off. Her free time she spent just lounging in her apartment since it didn't coincide with any of her friends, Shouto included. A surprise. And oh, did she forget to mention how he seemed to act so effortlessly sweet. So naturally almost like he had the surprises imprinted or a new habit he acquired along the way. Or maybe with some outsider's help.

She blinked at his unchanging stoic face.

"You don't seem happy?"

Momo hurriedly rescinded with a shake of her head. "No, I'm just surprised...Come in..." She opened the door for him, as he steps past her. "Is today your day off?" She inquired, nonplussed, closing the door shut with a soft thud. "Should you be resting..."

He removed his shoes off, gingerly settled them next to hers, and waited for her to follow. "I thought, what use could I do with my day off if not spent with you."

Shouto stated with a straight face that easily fixed her on the spot. "Momo?" He called back, standing in the middle of the hallway waiting for her. Now that she had the luxury of the moment, she found it odd to look at Shouto with a box on hand. His physique and the levity of the gesture seem off, and honestly, she never imagined him to be the type fit to carry pastry boxes. He's just too perfect to do something so servile as holding a fancy, pastry box.

"Oh. Right." Pacing into her kitchen to heat the water before following him to the living room.

"You brought pastries?" Momo lighted up at the varied sweets inside the box, picked one, and took one generous bite. After her first bite, it was then she notified Shouto's presence, content watching her relish the dessert. "You don't mind?" She asked belatedly, feeling the side of her lips for crumbs.

"Of course not. They're for you."

Sparing him another mindful glance, she finished the whole thing after the second bite, puffing her cheeks. "I'm sorry." She said, emptying her mouth. "The tiramisu is so good."

"Is that what it's called?" He humorlessly replied, peering at the assorted baked goods.

The raven-haired heroine nodded excitedly and gestured on the assortment of pastries sitting on the rather wide paper box. " These are macaroons, these are escargots, then tiramisu." She buoyantly filled in the information he'll most likely forget later on.

"Oh. I didn't know which one would you like, so I brought three of each." He confessed taking a macaron into his mouth, savoring the taste in his tongue. Momo watched him with delight, expectant of a rundown of what he thought. Instead, he fixated his gaze on her.

"Yes, Shouto?"

"I just think you should tell me your preferences so I could buy more of it than have a frantic stranger pick for me." He broke his stare and into the box.

The thought had her imagine him wait over a frantic saleslady, who in turn, was making a popular hero wait for her to get the assortment done. Momo took a piece of the macaroon and took another bite.

"Fortunately, for you, I love every last one of them. You made a splendid decision on choosing random, Shouto."

"That's... that's good to hear then..." Shattering his mask of indifference, a slight contour on his cheeks.

Momo found the act on the young man, adorable.

The kettle whistled from the kitchen and Momo abruptly rose from the couch.

He stood up after her, replacing the cover of the box. "Can I join you in the kitchen instead?" He requested, carrying it already with him.

"Of course."