Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 28 ~ Part 2||

Sorry for the late update! In the US, we have tomorrow off, so I forgot today was Sunday and my posting day. ^^;

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"And then Yaomomo whooshed down and held me in her arms." Ashido hugged herself tightly. "Like a hero from legend."

Tetsu-Tetsu whistled approvingly.

"It wasn't exactly like that." Momo snorted. She shook her head, unable to hold back a smile at Ashido's widely exaggerated storytelling. Her cheeks were starting to get sore from the amount of grinning she'd done that night.

The group had settled around the fire. The ambrosia wine had been passed around. Momo was surprised to find that it tasted sweet, like red grape juice. And after two drinks, Momo's face was warm, and her thoughts blurry in a pleasant sort of way.

"Feeling so moved by Yaomomo's sacrifice," Ashido continued, ignoring the interruption, "I — the humble, giving nymph that I am — knew I had to repay her. So I mustered the last of my energy and came up with a plan. Remember, I had been captured for days at this point, and the strange magic that had held me had dulled my senses. Plus, everyone knows forest nymphs are weak against fire. But that wasn't the worst..."

Ashido's voice dropped an octave. The group leaned in as she continued. "One of the slavers was still alive. Not only that, he had used some sort of spell to enhance his body."

There was a gasp among the group. Ashido continued, "It was like fighting the minotaur. I knew we couldn't take him down without a plan. So, I instructed Yaomomo to climb up onto the roof. Fire was everywhere. Like a giant beast it rose up, wanting to consume us, but I couldn't let my savior down. As the muscled man chased us, I used magic to make him slip. Then Yaomomo struck him to make him slip off the roof." Ashido sat back. "The rest is known."

Tetsu-Tetsu gave a whoop of victory as Kaminari, Kendo, and Hagakure clapped in admiration. Even Todoroki, sitting beside Momo, seemed pleased by the slight smile he gave her over his cup.

Kyouka reached out and took her hand. She squeezed Momo's fingers. "You're awesome, girl." Kyouka smiled at Momo. "I knew you had it in you. You've always been good at planning and stuff, but to hear everything you've done, I'm so proud."

Momo bit her bottom lip. Her throat felt tight at the look in Kyouka's eyes. She squeezed Kyouka's hand back. "I just did what I had to."

Kyouka shook her head. "So humble. You always undermine your own accomplishments."

"You've known each other so long," Hagakure said, leaning forward. "So tell us what Yaomomo was like. Back when you were in Troy, I mean."

Kyouka tilted her head and hummed. "It's kind of hard to say because I haven't seen Momo in so long, but," Kyouka glanced at Momo, and her lips pulled up into a sly smile. "She's definitely a lot more confident now than back at the temple. She was pretty clingy and nervous back then. Always so afraid Tokoyami or I'd leave her, she even used to demand that I hold her hand all night so I couldn't sneak off."

"That's-that was only when I first arrived at the temple," Momo stuttered. She withdrew her hand from Kyouka's, which only made the other woman snicker.

Kyouka's eyes crinkled in mirth. "Definitely longer than the first year."

"Only by a few months," Momo said in a very small voice. "I wasn't that clingy," she said defensively, looking away. Her eyes caught Todoroki's gaze. He lifted an eyebrow, and Momo felt the heat running across her face instantly intensify tenfold. Her gaze dropped to her lap as the others burst into laughter.

"Look at her blush!" Ashido cried. "She's as red as Todoroki's hair."

Momo thought she'd die of embarrassment. She had been so excited to see Kyouka again but now couldn't wait for her to leave if all she was going to do was share Momo's most embarrassing stories.