#{thread with shouto;}

[noblehearted]

reply to @heromuses

"Shouto..."

Grey eyes widened a fraction as she attempted to process his words. Not good enough for her? He was too harsh on himself. Or, too appreciating of her. Yes, definitely both. "I love it." she reassured him. "And I'd like anything you gave me."

Momo turned around to face him, placing the palms of her hands onto his chest. There wasn't much of a height difference between them, but he was taller than her nonetheless. "You think too highly of me. I fear you put me on a pedestal I'm not sure I deserve."

[noblehearted]

[reverse + jewerly]

Her eyes had widened upon seeing the jewerly. It sparkled in the light and held her favourite stones: rubies. Momo had tried protesting but to no avail whatsoever; Todoroki could be quite stubborn when he wanted to be. Thus, she conceded defeat, remaining still as he stood behind her to place the necklace around her neck.

She didn't think she had done anything to deserve it and told him as much. There was no special occassion and there was still a week until the trial.

"What if I don't win the case? You would have bought this in vain then." Momo knew she had gone on rambling for quite a bit now; a bad habit when stressed and doubting herself.

[noblehearted]

reply to @heromuses

She was grateful for the support he provided and had a hard time deciding which of the two actions had left her more breatheless, their prior kissing or the words that both preceded and followed it.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek when seeing the raw emotion reflected in his eyes. Momo could tell Shouto was being sincere. "I–" she was at a loss of words. What could she even say? She had never seen him like that, as though his heart was in her hands now or perhaps always had been. "I missed you." she rested her forehead against his, palm stroking his unburnt cheek and being mindful of not hurting his other one in any way. "So, so much."

[noblehearted]

reply to @heromuses

To say Momo was surprised by her own actions would be putting it mildly. She had acted on pure impulse, forgoing rational thinking. And perhaps, if not for Shouto responding so passionately, she would have found the strength to pull away.

But how could she, when this was what she had spent the last five years dreaming about? Her grip over his tie loosened, letting it fall down the floor in favour of wrapping her arms around his neck. They might as well have been glued with just how close they had their chests pressed together.

She broke the kiss at last, grey eyes boring into mismatched ones, feeling lightheaded. "We...we should stop." but even as she said it, her eyes fell onto his lips, licking hers reflexively.

[noblehearted]

reply to @heromuses

She returned the smile with one of her own, relieved. Cheeks tinged pink upon realizing just how close they had gotten. It's been years since. As was often the case with a nervous Momo, she glaced around, searching for things to do and fumble with.

Just her luck, she saw the med aid and kit she had used earlier to take care of Shouto's nose on the bed next to them. "I s-should probably go and put t-these back..." she released him completely, picked up the stuff and rushed inside the bathroom, shutting the door and leaning against it.

Keep it professional and friendly. It's been five years. He loves you and you love him but now it's not the time.

Momo returned the items to their rightful place, took a deep breath and then stepped back inside the bedroom.

[noblehearted]

reply to @heromuses

After crying for so long, she felt as though she didn't have any more tears left to shed. But to see Shouto break down in front of her very eyes pulled at Momo's heartstrings. This was the most emotion she had ever witnessed him show.

She didn't think their separation had affected him, so. Always so calm and collected...but that had been a front and nothing more, she knew that now. He needed to release all the pent up hurt and frustrations. It had been long overdue.

Wrapping her arms around Shouto, Momo pulled him close. "It's okay, let it all out." she whispered, drawing soothing circles across his back with the tips of her fingers. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. It's just us two, alright?"

[noblehearted]

reply to @heromuses

Shouto didn't know that she had already forgiven him, did he? That when you truly love someone, you forgive them, sometimes even before hearing an actual apology? There was a difference between forgiving and handing out second chances, of course. The two didn't necessarily go hand-in-hand.

Momo exhaled sharply as she quickly wiped away a traitorous tear. The thought of 'something going wrong' as he had so delicately put it was unbearable, love confession or not. Losing the trail was not an option. He wasn't just some stranger she must defend in court. No. He was so much more than that.

She allowed herself a selfish moment of indulgence by reaching out to caress his cheek gently.

But he was her client, still.

"Perhaps that's just how things were supposed to go, Todoroki-san. Had we still been together to this day, I couldn't possibly be your lawyer." The attachment was too great, in the government's eyes. Automatically, that meant...

Momo didn't want to say it.

[noblehearted]

reply to @heromuses

Momo had almost forgotten the sweetness that came with his touch. Now she felt positively surrounded by it and all she could think of was...More. She wanted more of him, more of them, together. Eyes fell shut for a brief moment, focused on the hand he kept running through her hair.

The words helped to ground her, however, eyes fluttering open to meet his once more. "You have nothing to thank me for, Todoroki-san. Did you imagine me doing the opposite?"