บท 52: [52] Unscripted Honesty
I stumbled out of the support lab, my clothes covered in a patchwork of grease stains and unidentifiable substances. Momo followed close behind, her hand covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"Well, that was certainly an experience," I said, trying to wipe a particularly stubborn smear off my sleeve.
Momo's composure finally broke, and she let out a melodious giggle. "Oh, Izuku, you look like you've been wrestling with a sentient oil can!"
I couldn't help but chuckle along with her. "I think the oil can won. At least my hero costume will be ready soon. Though I'm not sure how much of me will be left to wear it after Hatsume's done 'testing' her inventions on me."
We started walking down the corridor, our laughter echoing off the walls. I noticed a few curious glances from passing students, probably wondering why U.A.'s Sports Festival champion looked like he'd just crawled out of an engine.
"You know," Momo said, her eyes twinkling with mirth, "I think this could be the start of a new fashion trend. Grease-chic, perhaps?"
I struck an exaggerated pose. "Watch out, Best Jeanist. There's a new fashion icon in town."
Our shared laughter filled the air again, and for a moment, I felt light. It was nice, these moments of genuine connection. They were becoming more frequent lately, and part of me wondered if that was a good thing or a complication.
As our laughter subsided, Momo's expression shifted slightly. There was a hint of hesitation in her voice when she spoke again. "Hey, Izuku... have you talked to Nejire yet?"
The question caught me off guard. "Not yet," I replied, my mind quickly analyzing the implications of her asking. "Why do you ask?"
Momo fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, a gesture I'd come to recognize as a sign of nervousness. "Oh, I was just curious. After our conversation in the park, I've been thinking..."
I waited for her to continue, my mind racing through possible scenarios and outcomes. This was a delicate situation, one that required careful navigation.
"I appreciate your honesty, you know," Momo finally said. "About your feelings for both Nejire and me. It wasn't easy to hear, but I respect that you were upfront about it."
I nodded, choosing my words carefully. "I value honesty in all my relationships, Momo. You both mean a lot to me, and I didn't want to hide anything."
Momo smiled, though there was a touch of sadness in her eyes. "I know. And that's one of the things I admire about you. I just... I guess I wanted to know if anything had changed. If you'd made any decisions."
We stopped walking, finding ourselves in a quiet corner of the school grounds. I turned to face Momo fully, meeting her gaze.
"I haven't made any decisions yet," I said softly. "This isn't something I want to rush into. You and Nejire are both incredible, and I want to be sure about my feelings before I take any steps forward."
Momo nodded. "That makes sense. I just wanted you to know that I've been thinking about it too. About us."
"I appreciate that, Momo. And I promise, when I do make a decision, you'll be the first to know."
She reached out and squeezed my hand gently. "Thank you, Izuku. That means a lot to me."
We stood there for a moment, hand in hand. Then, as if remembering where we were, Momo let go and took a step back.
"We should probably head back to the dorms," she said, her usual composure returning. "You might want to change before anyone else sees you in your new 'fashion statement.'"
I laughed, grateful for the return to lighter conversation. "Good idea. I'd hate for the paparazzi to catch me looking like this. Can you imagine the headlines? 'U.A. Sports Festival Champion: Hero or Grease Monkey?'"
Momo giggled, and we started walking again. The situation with Momo and Nejire was complex, a delicate balance of emotions and strategic considerations. I knew I'd have to make a decision eventually, but for now, I was content to let things develop naturally.
I entered my room, peeling off my grease-stained shirt and tossing it into the laundry basket. The cool air hit my skin as I flopped onto my bed, grabbing my phone. Time to see what the internet thought of my Sports Festival performance.
Twitter was ablaze with speculation about my quirk. I scrolled through the feed, a smirk playing on my lips.
@Sumiduran21: "Did anyone else notice the lightning during Midoriya's final attack? #UAFestival #QuirkMystery"
I tapped out a reply: "Just a little something I've been working on. Gotta keep everyone guessing, right? 😉"
@MightyMightt: "Strength enhancement AND electricity? That's not common. What's Midoriya's real quirk? #QuirkTheory"
After a few more likes and cryptic replies, I switched to Instagram. My follower count had skyrocketed since the festival.
Notifications flooded in, but one name caught my eye. NejireWave had liked my post. Perfect timing.
I hit call, and Nejire's cheerful voice filled my ear. "Izuku! Hey!"
"Hey, Nejire. How's your day been?"
"Oh, you know, the usual. Patrolling with Ryukyu, dodging reporters asking about the 'mysterious first-year who won the Sports Festival.' You're quite the celebrity now, Midoriya!"
I chuckled. "Don't remind me. I can barely walk down the hall without someone asking for an autograph."
"Poor baby," Nejire teased. "Such a difficult life, being adored by everyone."
"Hey, it's not all glamour and glory. Do you know how hard it is to wash engine grease out of your hair?"
"Do I want to know why you had engine grease in your hair?"
"Let's just say Hatsume's inventions aren't always... predictable."
"Sounds like an adventure. Speaking of adventures, got any plans tonight?"
I glanced at my clock. "Nothing set in stone. Why, what did you have in mind?"
"Well..." Nejire's voice took on a playful tone. "I was thinking I could grab some pizza, fly over to your balcony, and we could hang out in your room. You know, if you're not too busy being a celebrity and all."
"I think I could clear my schedule for pizza and good company. You sure you want to use your quirk just for a delivery service, though?"
"Please, like I need an excuse to show off. Besides, it'll be fun! No one will even know I'm there."
"Alright, you've convinced me. What time should I expect a flying pizza delivery?"
"Give me an hour. I know a place that makes the best margherita in town."
"Sounds perfect. See you soon, Nejire."
I jumped into the shower, scrubbing off the layers of grime and grease from Hatsume's workshop. Once I was clean, I toweled off and slipped into a pair of comfortable shorts and a tank top.
Grabbing the remote, I flicked on the TV and started scrolling through movie options. Nothing really caught my eye - another superhero flick, a sappy romance, some art house film.
A soft knock on the balcony door interrupted my browsing. I grinned, knowing exactly who it was. I opened the door to find Nejire hovering there, pizza box in hand.
"Special delivery," she said while floating into my room.
"You know, most people use the front door," I teased, closing the balcony door behind her.
Nejire set the pizza down on my desk and shrugged off her jacket. "Where's the fun in that?"
I turned back to her and felt my breath catch. She was wearing a tight shirt that hugged her curves and a pair of short shorts that showed off her legs.
"So, find any good movies?" Nejire asked, flopping onto my bed and making herself at home.
I shook my head. "Nothing great. Any preferences?"
"Hmm..." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "How about something with explosions? Oh, or a mystery! Or both!"
I laughed, scrolling through the options again. "Explosions and mystery, coming right up."
We settled on an action thriller about a detective trying to stop a bomber. As the opening credits rolled, I grabbed the pizza and joined Nejire on the bed.
"You know," Nejire said between bites, "I bet you'd make a pretty good detective. You've got that whole analytical thing going on."
I chuckled. "Maybe. Though I think I prefer the more direct approach of hero work."
"Oh yeah? Is that why you decided to fry Todoroki with that lightning move of yours?"
"Hey, it worked, didn't it?"
Nejire laughed. "Sure did. You should've seen Mirio's face when he watched the highlights. I think you might have a fan."
"Speaking of fans," I said, pausing the movie, "there's something I should probably tell you."
Nejire turned to face me, her expression curious. "Oh? Sounds serious. What's up?"
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "It's about Momo. We've been... getting closer lately."
Nejire's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't seem surprised. "Ah, I figured that might happen. You two have been spending a lot of time together."
"You're not... upset?"
She shrugged. "Why would I be? We never said we were exclusive or anything. Besides, Yaoyorozu's pretty amazing. I can see why you'd be interested in her."
I blinked, taken aback by her casual response. "So... you're okay with this?"
Nejire laughed. "Izuku, did you think I'd be mad? Come on, give me some credit. I'm not the jealous type."
"I just... I didn't want to hurt you," I admitted.
She reached out, squeezing my hand. "Hey, I appreciate you telling me. Really. And for what it's worth, I like you a lot. But we're still young, you know?"
I nodded, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. "You're right. I guess I was overthinking things."
"You? Overthinking? Never," Nejire teased.
I rolled my eyes. "Alright, alright. Point taken."
Nejire settled back against the pillows, grabbing the remote. "So, now that we've got that sorted out, can we get back to our movie? I want to see if my theory about the bomber is right."
"Sure," I said. "What's your theory?"
She grinned, hitting play. "Nuh-uh, not telling. You'll have to figure it out yourself, Mr. Detective."
As the movie resumed, I found myself glancing at Nejire. She seemed completely at ease, focused on the screen as if nothing had changed. Maybe it hadn't, for her. But for me, something had shifted. I'd expected drama, tears maybe, or at least some tension. Instead, I got understanding and honesty.
It was... refreshing. And a little unnerving. I was used to analyzing people, predicting their reactions. But Nejire kept surprising me.
"You're staring," Nejire said, not taking her eyes off the screen. "Is there something on my face?"
"No, just... thinking."
She turned to me, eyebrow raised. "About?"
I hesitated, then decided to be honest. "You. How you handled that conversation. It wasn't what I expected."
Nejire's expression softened. "Life's too short for unnecessary drama, Izuku. We're training to be heroes. Any day could be our last. Why waste time on jealousy or pettiness?"
Her words hit me harder than I expected. It was easy to forget sometimes, in the midst of classes and training, just how dangerous our chosen path was.
"You're pretty wise, you know that?" I said.
She grinned, tapping her temple. "It's all this big brain energy. Now shush, I'm trying to solve a mystery here."
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