Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 26 ~ Part 2||

Momo stepped back and bumped against the smooth boulders that outlined the sides of the hot springs. A knot in her stomach tightened.

She was trapped.

They had followed Ashido through the woods to a base of a rocky cliff, where various pools of striking sapphire springs sat carved into the rocky ledges. Steam rose off the waters' surfaces, rising up in lazy tendrils of white mist, to create a low hanging fog.

They had settled on two pools, separated by a natural partition of smooth looking boulders, that stretched up high enough for not even Todoroki to see over standing.

Kendo had then quickly shooed the men away. And now Momo was alone, among three women that looked like lions about to pounce on her.

She swallowed nervously. Momo wondered if Todoroki would come if she called for assistance. She supposed he would, but then he would be naked and her heart wasn't ready for that.

It was a lose-lose situation.

Momo sank further down into the water, wishing to disappear.

"So," Ashido began. Momo stiffened. "What's this I see between you and Hunky-dori?"

Momo avoided her piercing gaze. Despite the warmth of the springs, a cold shiver ran down her spine. The smiles plastered across the three women's lips widened as if to mock her distress.

"Nothing," Momo said. Her eyes skirted around the lake, trying to find an escape route. However, before she could move, Hagakure stepped forward, blocking her path.

"Don't 'nothing' me." Hagakure wagged her finger at Momo like an angry older sister. "Don't think I didn't see that new beautiful –"

"And expensive," Kendo added, eyes glinting.

"And expensive hair ribbon," Hagakure echoed. Her voice hardened. "So, spill! What's the story, Yaomomo? Friends don't keep friends in the dark!"

Momo flushed. Her legs felt weak under her. She wondered if Athena had ever allowed someone like her to borrow the helm of invisibility to escape these types of situations. "It's-it's just a gift."

"A gift," Ashido repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. Her golden irises narrowed. "From Hunky-dori?"

Momo licked her lips. The back of her neck felt sticky from the steam. "Yes," she said softly, before quickly adding louder. "It was a gift to keep my hair up for when fighting."

The confirmation seemed to be what the other three women were looking for as they all began talking over one another in delight.

"Congratulations!"

"Aww! That's so cute."

"How did he give it to you?"

"I don't know. He just handed it to me. And then..." Momo's words fizzled out. Her heart was beating faster and faster in her chest as the memory she had shoved to the back of her mind resurfaced. She drew her chin down as her cheeks grew unnaturally hot.

"And?" Hagakure repeated.

"I kind of..."

"You what?" Ashido egged.

"Kissed him," Momo whispered in a voice so soft she could barely hear herself.

The three women surrounding Momo squealed.

Momo dropped her head into her hands. She couldn't believe she had admitted it. It wasn't as if she forgot the kiss. She probably could never forget the kiss. But with everything else that happened after, the kiss had been the last thing on Momo's mind. And that was perfectly fine with Momo. She didn't have to think about it. She was content to forget the whole incident until she was certain her heart could handle the stress. That was, until the three other women made her remember.