Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 6 ~ Part 1||

Momo gasped as Shouto's hand shoved into her stomach and she flipped over the railing and fell into the sea.

Water obscured her vision and rushed to fill her mouth. She quickly pressed her lips together as she tried not to breathe. It felt like there was a heavy weight on her chest, pushing her down.

Terror filled her, like claws sinking into her breast. Tearing her open. She needed to breathe. She needed to get to the surface.

Then there was a distant booming sound. The water warmed, and a force slammed into her, flipping her over suddenly. She fought to keep her mouth closed as the world spun violently.

She wanted to scream, wanted to call for Tokoyami, but couldn't. The spinning made her sick with fear.

Then the currents eased. Momo cracked her eyes open. Black snow and pieces of wood rained down in slow motion.

There was no time to contemplate it. Her heart was pounding so violently, she thought her chest would burst.

Where was Tokoyami? He had been pushed underwater too. She was sure of it. The notion made her cold. He couldn't swim. Tokoyami would drown if she didn't find him. What if he was already dead? What if his wound had reopened and he was bleeding out?

Stifling her fear and the acute ache in her chest, Momo turned. She spotted the dark outline of Tokoyami's raven-like head a short distance away.

He was kicking wildly. His eyes rounded in panic. Black feathers fanned out and bent at the ocean's unseen force as he thrashed and flailed to get to the surface.

Terror sunk into Momo's chest. She pushed herself over, reached out, and dug her fingers into Tokoyami's clothes, pulling him into her chest.

His elbow slammed into her stomach. Momo grit her teeth to keep from inhaling. She squeezed Tokoyami tighter and pulled him towards the surface.

He felt like a giant weight and Momo was thankful that he was on the shorter side as she pushed them up.

Then they broke the surface. Momo gasped. The pain in her chest lessened slightly as she dragged in ragged breaths. The sharp smell of burning flesh assaulted her.

She jerked her head up. Her eyes widened in horror. The trireme was on fire. Bright, blue flames licked off of the wood and twined up the masts like bursting sapphires.

Sailors and soldiers were screaming at the top of their lungs in pain and fear, their bodies engulfed in flames. They threw themselves into the ocean desperately, without thought; anything to get away from the burning inferno that was consuming the ship.

Their bodies hit the water with loud thuds, but the ocean didn't extinguish the flames. Instead the fire danced atop the waves like candles at a funeral. And so the men screamed and screamed as the putrid smell of burning flesh filled the air and their bodies began to dissolve into black ash.

Momo's throat contracted, her stomach felt like it was twisting and she thought she might be sick.

Where was Todoroki? Was he already dead? Had he really sacrificed himself to save them?

A sharp sound from the trireme rang out above the screams. Momo wrenched her eyes up. Todoroki was fighting Dabi, his body moving with a ruthless beauty as he dodged Dabi's attacks aboard the sinking ship.

Momo's heart stuttered. The sense of relief she felt at seeing him-

She didn't want to think about it. She swallowed over a lump in her throat and tore her eyes away from the brothers to look down at Tokoyami in her arms. He moaned as he coughed up water. Blood was leaking out of his wound, clouding the water a dark copper. Momo's chest tightened. It was as she had feared — his wound had reopened, and he was going to bleed to death. He needed to get out of the water.