a valentine

Pry

"Did you seriously ask Yaoyorozu-san to give you chocolates?!" Midoriya gasps, in a medley of surprise and disbelief after finally cornering Todoroki in the common room populated by the male members of the class. The girls went directly and in haste out of the campus the moment Aizawa-sensei announced they are free to go.

His not-so discreet yelp grabs the attention of those who are close by, shooting them curious glances before picking off where they left off. Midoriya adjusts the volume of his voice to not go past their proximity.

Todoroki seems none the wiser but is relatively studying the green-haired boy's reaction.

"I did," Midoriya's green eyes swirled in admiration at the unabashed confession, his mouth quivering for follow-up questions.

"What did she say? Is she fine about it? How on earth did you do it?!"

Unbothered by the boy's inquiry, Todoroki answers the question he most remembers.

"I just ask her," As the monotonous answer reached Midoriya's ears, he munched on the notebook he grabbed out of somewhere. Tearing it up at his friend's profound bluntness.

Unminding the mess of his friend, Todoroki went on with questions.

"What about it though? My sister told me Valentine's is a day where girls can give chocolates, right? I may have taken Yaoyorozu's explanation wrongly last year. But I guess it's alright."

"Todoroki-kun!" Midoriya shakes his shoulders, quite desperately as the ice and fire wielder eyed him dumbfoundedly, "You're absolutely a piece of work!"

Taken by the dramatic turn of events, the previously minding their own business boys gathered around them, just as curious about the situation. As the rest of the class huddled over to listen, the boy in question narrated the whole story, albeit stoically, suddenly the gaggle are in a frenzy, cheering and congratulating the clueless boy. They are amid restlessness when the front door of the Alliance Heights slides open, revealing the girls pulling a cart of supplies which obviously stunned the hyperactive boys, led by Jirou who throws each pair of prying eyes with a deathly glare.

"Disperse or nobody gets their share tomorrow!"

The boys quickly jumped out of their way and back to their former business, eyeing curiously the blanketed pile riding the cart, followed by the beet-red face of Uraraka who kept her eyes grounded to the floor. While Ashido shielded the cart from snooping eyes. Yaoyorozu comes in a little later with her own purchases secured in a brown paper bag, unwary of the stare she and her bag is getting.

"Hey, Yaomomo!" the electric ball of curiosity which is Kaminari, greets her, finding the Vice Rep kinder than most girls who padded by. Jirou halts and allowed the four girls to walk ahead, directing a warning glare at the honey-blond.

"Kaminari-san," Momo stays to humor the boy.

"You need help? I can carry them for you!" He offers grinning widely, in fact, so wide Momo senses something odd.

"Ah, Thank you, Kaminari-san but I'm alright. They're not heavy." She politely refuses, attempting another step. Unnervingly, the rest of the boys are sporting a mischievous grin, minus the reasonable Kirishima whose smile has always been genuine, Midoriya whose smiles had always been wholesome, then there's Bakugou who isn't even looking. Oh, and Todoroki, with a thoughtful gaze.

Kaminari tiptoes and sneaks a peek as Yaoyorozu subtly shifted to dodge his prying eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asks with growing uneasiness.

"Is that for Todoroki's chocolate?" The boy asks humorlessly poking his eyes in.

"W-what?" Momo asks warily, "H-how did you...?"

Just as then she roamed the entirety of the common room, sighting Midoriya and Kirishima whom she caught flailing their hands in a panic to get someone's attention. And presumably not hers.

Kaminari seemed unwary though as he proceeded to spill more of what was an unspoken secret between the boys.

"Well, He kind of told everyone that he-"

The rest of his words cut offs as Jirou's jack hit him square in the face.

"Jirou-san!" Momo yelps, falling on her knees to check on the crouching boy, putting the grocery bag next to her.

"You and your big mouth!" Jirou grits, stopping the other girls standing before the elevator to the girl's wing.

Kaminari groaned at the attack, covering the side of his face where a small patch of red begins to spread.

"I don't know it was supposed to be a secret! Todoroki freely told us!" Kaminari whines, in a tone that was asking for defense.

Momo sighs. Kaminari's right. It's not like it is even a secret. Besides, no one between the two of them considers it an act of romance. Just, a thing between friends giving another chocolate. If Todoroki openly told everyone about it, then I guess it's not something she should be worried about. They are friends. After all.

Jirou is still hissing on her breath as Momo helps Kaminari back to his feet. She didn't mean to zone into where Todoroki stood, and as always, he wears an undecipherable expression.

"Well, yes. Todoroki-san asked me..." she affirms without further preamble, "... I see nothing wrong with that. Besides, it is way easier than fretting on your feet anticipating whether anyone would give you chocolate or not. I intend it as a friendly gesture. Unless you guys expect a confession from a girl?"

The crowd fell silent, with mouths pulled tight together, collectively simmering on the spot at the thought.

Shouji quietly picks up her purchases and intends to carry them to her floor.

"Sato-san," Momo calls out for the resident baker with her sweetest smile, "Can we and the girls borrow your time and equipment for tonight? The girls and I would like to ask for your assistance. We won't be much of a bother."

The said boy steps forward, "Of course, Yaoyorozu-san, if you want you can send your ingredients directly to my room so we can start."

Later that evening, the girls locked themselves in Sato's room. Spent the rest of their free hours baking and wrapping the goodies in see-through wrappers securing each with colorful ribbons, and some prepared special boxes for someone special. Asui and Uraraka retired first, bringing down the used baking materials to the kitchen to wash, followed by Hagakure and Ashido with another batch of items that needed cleaning. While Jirou went out a little later after ensuring they hadn't left any trash in Sato's room and volunteered in taking them out. Yaoyorozu remained to wipe the table dry and stacked the wrapped pastries into the cart to deliver to the girls later.

"Thank you for your help, Sato-san." She says, securing her own creation in a bag.

"You're welcome, Yaoyorozu-san. You need help with those?" He asks, referring to the boxes.

"It's alright. You've helped us already. Take this time to rest. I'll take them to the girls on my way to my floor."

"Of course! Good luck tomorrow!"

Momo smiles, " Expect yours tomorrow, Sato-san!" she waves as she pushes the cart forward and closed the door after her. Adjusting now to the eerie silence of the boy's floor.

"Yaoyorozu."

She nearly yelped at the intrusion. Noticed it had been Todoroki, again, who seems to be waiting for her in front of his room.

"T--Todoroki-san!"

"You seem jumpy?"

"E-eh?" She stutters, and with a furious shake of her hands, rescinded his observation. "I just didn't expect you, that's all..."

"Why? I'm on my floor. And you're about to pass by my room. Of course, I'll be right here."

Blunt as always.

"Erm-sorry about earlier..." she hears herself say to the boy's brief show of concern.

"It is I who should be sorry," he admits, "I had no idea boys are supposed to wait for girls to give them." He raised his index to his chin in thought, " that reminds me... I did receive a lot of chocolates last year..."

Momo winces at the memory. "Yeah, you're quite popular, Todoroki-san."

Not minding her last statement he spoke again, "I receive none from you, though."

"E--eh?" She can't help the surprise, and for a moment, despite already being alone with him, Momo felt utterly closed-in in his presence.

Todoroki drops his hands and looks at her straight in the eyes. "That brings me as to the reason I personally asked for your chocolate."

"E-eh?!"

"I hope I wasn't being too... imposing..."

She waves her hands furiously in negation, "No-not at all. I'm glad you wanted mine though, I....I didn't expect it actually coming from you."

He quietened for a beat and simply drank her image in.

"You're special Momo, at least for me." He quietly mutters, reaching for the knob of his door. "I would like to help you with delivering them...but I guess it might be uncomfortable for the girls..." he added in a discernible volume, clicking the door open and slowly inches half of his body before turning her way again, "I'll see you tomorrow, Yaoyorozu..."

"Uh... yes, of course, Todoroki-san!" She says a bit frantically, forcing her legs to move and by his ajar door. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She bows low and stiffly comes up again and quickly made her way to the elevators as if in a marathon.

Todoroki watches her body getting in the machine before opting to re-enter his room, stopping on his movement when Sato's room door opened, his head popping out and raising a thumb at him.

Perplexed, he acknowledges with a nod and slowly closed his door.