Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 19 ~ Part 4||

"You can come in now," Momo called, straightening and smoothing the creases of her new clothes.

The inn had been easy to find. Made of wood and mud stones, the two-story building was situated at the square's edge, just as the tavern owner had instructed.

Todoroki had secured the last available room. Small, with few amenities such as a locked chest for storing personal belongings and two single beds, it was the last room in the hallway. A window on the far wall faced south. The wooden blinds had been pulled up, and in the distance, the sea, which had become a dark blue, reflected the waning afternoon sun.

There was a low creak. Behind her, the door opened.

Turning, Momo spread her arms out to display her new outfit as Todoroki entered. She had changed out of her long chiton into the clothes bought from Kendo and Tetsu-Tetsu's shop.

Her new chiton was lightweight, made for infantrymen, and fell a little above Momo's knees. A red chalyms was secured around her shoulders with a silver brooch.

"It's the first time I've worn something so short," she said, twisting to look down at her bare legs. "It will take some time getting used to it."

Todoroki didn't say anything. Momo looked up and paused. He was staring at her, his expression masked, and Momo felt a nervous energy twist in her stomach.

"What? What is it?" Momo asked hesitantly. A gust of wind blew through the open window from the sea. Momo pushed her hair out of her face.

Todoroki's eyebrows drew together. Then he took a step forward. Momo's heart jumped as Todoroki reached out. His fingers caught the end of her hair.

"Long," he murmured, rubbing the inky black strands between his fingertips.

Momo felt her face heat up. "Todoroki..." She licked her lips. She felt like she could hear her heartbeat reverberate in her ears.

Without lifting his head, Todoroki's eyes flickered up to meet hers. His gaze was hot, like a kindling fire and warmth curled in Momo's stomach. She swallowed and wet her lips. For a moment, Momo was positive he would kiss her again.

Her eyes fluttered closed. She waited, but the press of his lips never materialized.

She heard the rustle of fabric as Todoroki pulled away. Momo opened her eyes and stared confused at Todoroki, but he wasn't looking at her.

"Is it okay this long?" Todoroki asked. His tenor was deeper than usual, but otherwise, he appeared normal as he stared down at the ends of her hair. "Doesn't it get in your way when you fight?"

Momo swallowed hard and looked away, embarrassed at having misread the atmosphere. A sliver of disappointment gnawed in her chest. " I'm used to it," she muttered.

"I see." Todoroki released her hair and straightened. Stepping back, he glanced towards the window. "The market will close soon. I want to send a message to Midoriya before it does."

He reached into his chiton and pulled out the purse with their trip funds. "Feel free to get anything: food, bath, whatever you want - while I'm gone."

Momo rolled her jaw, forcing away her shame. She looked back towards Todoroki. "Should I come with you?"

Todoroki shook his head. "It shouldn't take long. You can stay here and rest. I'll be back soon," he said, placing the pouch of coins on the bed and turning towards the door.

Momo waited until his footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Then she walked over to her bed and sank down onto the straw filled mattress next to the coin pouch.

Todoroki was acting strangely.

Her eyebrows drew together as she laid down and threw her arm over her eyes.

What was going on? Ever since they arrived in Dicaea, Todoroki had been acting differently. He had become particularly attentive and kind, more so than usual. Even using a large portion of their traveling funds to purchase her new clothes. It left her with a tingling sensation in her stomach that was wholly different from any of her interactions with him before.

Then, when he had touched her hair, Momo thought he was going to kiss her. But all her expectations had fallen flat as nothing had transpired. He made no further moves, and Momo was reluctant to admit that it had left her embarrassed and slightly frustrated to have miscalculated.

Did he not like her?

Her lips thinned. She removed her arm from over her eyes to stare up at the wooden ceiling. Had she been overthinking everything that he had done for her, or was he planning something?

From Momo's observations, Todoroki wasn't a planner per se. He was a warrior. Act first, question later. He was kind and caring and blunt with his words. So following that logic, did his actions earlier not have any alternative meaning? Could it have all been her imagination? Was there nothing more between them than companionship?

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Her hair fell into her face again, and Momo's throat bobbed. Tentatively, she reached up and ran her fingers through the ends. The warmth of Todoroki's hand was already gone.

Momo sighed. She must have been overthinking his kindness in the tavern and at the market. But, Momo couldn't shake the feeling that the way he had touched her hair had felt intimate in a way that not even his kisses were.

She fell back onto the bed. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

This was bad. She needed to stop thinking and trying to decipher Todoroki's actions.

It was bad for her heart.

XXXXXXX

Appendix:
1. Dicaea - a historical port city in the territory of Thrace. Today it would be on the edge of Greece by the Bulgaria border.
2. Kybernete - Steering was achieved through two steering oars at each side of the stern and controlled by a single helmsman (kybernetes)
3. Trireme – was the devastating warship of the ancient Mediterranean with three banks of oars. Fast, manoeuvrable, and with a bronze-sheathed ram on the prow to sink an enemy ship, the trireme permitted Athens to build its maritime empire and dominate the Aegean in the 5th century BCE.
4. Koichi Haimawari "Crawler" - is from the spin-off Vigilante series of Boku no Hero. In this he's a pirate. I've actually never read Vigilantes so sorry if his personality is completely off.
5. Hiryu Rin - is from class 1-B. In this he's a pirate.
6. Ouzo – a Greek alcoholic drink that tastes slightly like black licorice.
7. Chlamys – an outer garment used as a short cape or cloak, worn primarily by men
8. Itsuka Kendo - She is a student in U.A. High School and the representative of Class 1-B, often referred as "The Big Sister of Class 1B". She is the friendly rival of Momo Yaoyorozu. In this story she is a merchant, specializing in selling weaponry.
9. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu - Also known as Tetsu-Tetsu. He is a student in U.A High School and part of Class 1-B. His quirk is steel and is like another Kirishima. In this story he is married to Kendo and I decided to have taken the creative liberty to just make his name in this Tetsu-Tetsu.