Too Much of a Good Thing
​a todomomo one shot
Momo had never once considered herself unlucky. As a matter of fact, on those rare sleepless nights, she often caught herself thinking that maybe she was blessed with too much. A loving mother, a doting father, a spacious and rambunctious household, a versatile quirk, a CM-worthy figure. She seemed to have it all.
But maybe that was precisely the reason why these unfortunate events kept happening to her. Because someone up there had messed up in granting her too much, and they somehow now needed a way to balance out the scales.
Momo sighed audibly.
She stared at the throngs of park-goers around her, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone or something familiar – maybe Jirou’s cat-shaped backpack, or Mina’s signature pink hair, or Uraraka’s green Mochi beret. But, try as she might, the skies were too dim and the lights were too blinding and the people were just too… well, too many.
Momo scratched her head, troubled. Her actions caused her Mickey Mouse headband to shift forward a little. As she reached to straighten it, she was struck with a brilliant idea. Reaching inside her purse, she rummaged around a bit before digging out her cellphone.
Her heart soared as she flipped it open, only to crash back down again when she realized the screen wasn’t lighting up. She jabbed uselessly at the buttons, an action which only served to confirm her growing despair—her phone was dead.
Momo half considered fabricating herself a charger, but then she realized that it’d be useless without an outlet. She vaguely wondered if finding an outlet would help her find her friends faster. Given the time it’d take for her phone to charge, she decided against it. Conducting an active search would probably be more time efficient. So, craning her neck, Momo attempted the impossible searching game again.
Momo sighed once more when she felt her neck start to cramp.
This was just great. Momo had been waiting weeks for this day to come. She had dreamed of going to Disneyland ever since she was a kid. And now that she had a proper group of friends to go and enjoy the day with, she had been beyond giddy with excitement. From the jet coaster to the haunted mansion to the fluffy strawberry crepes they had all shared just an hour ago, Momo knew that getting lost was most likely her retribution. She was having way too much fun. And Momo knew from experience that too much of a good thing was just a bad thing in disguise.
As if on cue, an ascending chime suddenly blared from the speakers, signaling a park announcement.
“The illumination will be starting in 15 minutes, all interested patrons please proceed to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Once again, the illumination will be starting in 15 minutes, all interested patrons…”
Momo sagged.
The illumination was supposed to be the highlight of the trip. Ever since Momo saw the lights on the grainy TV commercial they broadcasted ten years ago, she knew she had to come here. And now that she was here, she knew there would be no point in watching the show without her friends. It just wouldn’t be any fun.
So, as the park goers swarmed passed her towards the castle, Momo resolutely headed in the opposite direction, towards Mermaid Lagoon.
She had to find her friends.
She had to find higher ground.
​
Momo stared up at the Ferris-Wheel. This was another one of those rides she had dreamed of going on since she was little. Now that she was under it, she couldn’t help but gawk. It was larger than she’d ever imagined, and with all the sparkling lights and moving parts, it looked almost like a spaceship. Exhilarating, alluring, and brimming with unknown possibilities.
Momo hurried towards the entrance. Thankfully, the line wasn’t too long; probably since almost everyone was watching the illumination. Momo wondered if maybe that was where her friends were too. But seeing as she was here already, she decided she might as well hop-on and check, just to make sure.
Momo nodded a greeting towards the ride attendant before stepping into an empty carriage.
Just as the doors were closing, a hooded figure suddenly swooped in, and Momo nearly fell out of her seat, yelping in surprise.
“Oh sorry, was this one taken…” the stranger turned to face her but quickly stopped upon realization. “Yaoyorozu?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
Momo recognized that voice anywhere.
“Todoroki?!” Momo gasped. “Why are you…”
She trailed off. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no. This was bad. This was really bad. Todoroki couldn’t be here. He couldn’t be the one to fulfil her Ferris-Wheel dream. Not now. Not like this. Please let it be anyone but him. She’d already had too much of a good thing today. And if Todoroki was in here with her now, that meant she’d never be able to find her friends.
Momo’s heart pounded.
“You have to go, Todoroki. You can’t be here. I—“ Before Momo could finish her sentence, the carriage doors shut tight and the ride started forward.
Crap.
Momo wilted into her seat. Welp, there goes any and all hope of reuniting with the rest of her friends.
Todoroki scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“Sorry, did I do something wrong? Maybe, I should have checked it properly before coming in.”
Momo shook her head.
“It’s not your fault. I’m just… unlucky today.” Then realizing how awfully that could be misconstrued, Momo panicked. “Not that being with you is unlucky. Actually, it’s the complete reverse. Almost like a dream come true. Ah, what am I saying... Anyway, it just… it makes me very happy to share a carriage with you, Todoroki. Truly.”
Todoroki stared at Momo for a long while before frowning.
“Then, why do you look so sad?”
Momo froze. Honestly, she shouldn’t even have been surprised. Todoroki was one of the top students in their class. She should have known it wouldn’t be easy to fool him.
Momo sighed. She had long lost count of the amount of happiness she let escape this evening.
“Actually… to tell you the truth, I got separated from my friends," Momo confessed. "We were supposed to watch the illumination together, but I somehow lost them in the crowd. I thought I would ride the Ferris Wheel to see if I could locate them, but now that I think about…” Momo trailed off, as she looked out the window.
The amusement park lights twinkled like a galaxy—of shining stars and colored planets and glowing meteorites. It was really such a stupendous view. But, just as Momo feared, the people turned out to look like stardust. Like tiny, little, indiscernible specks. Momo sighed. Just as she thought. She had messed up again. She had chosen grounds that were too high.
“Oh, they’re going to be so angry with me,” Momo muttered.
Todoroki, who had been silently watching her this whole time, suddenly spoke up.
“No, they won’t.” His tone, though soft, was steeled in conviction. Momo couldn’t help but glance up at him, curiously; hoping to see what it was that made him so sure.
“They’re your friends, right? So, they’ll understand.”
He said it so matter-of-factly, Momo couldn’t help but wonder.
“How are you so certain?”
“Because they’re Yaoyorozu’s friends. And Yaoyorozu, you’re smart, and you’re kind, and you’re a good judge of character, so I’m sure the people you’ve chosen as your friends will be similar to you in those ways too.”
Momo stared at Todoroki’s earnest expression.
She didn’t think she was any of those things. Hell, she didn’t even have to try to be able to come up with ten million counterexamples to explain how she wasn’t at all smart, or kind, or a good judge of character. But for some reason, because it was Todoroki… Because it was Todoroki who said it… Because it was his words… For some strange reason, she felt like she could believe it.
“Thanks, Todoroki.”
Todoroki stared at her confused.
“Why? I didn’t do anything.”
To Todoroki, that was true. Because all he had told her were the facts. But to Momo, his truth rang louder and clearer than anything she had done or heard all day. And it was precisely in that imagery where she got her second epiphany of the night.
“Say Todoroki, do you happen to have a cellphone on you?”
“Oh,” Todoroki reached into his back pocket. “Yeah, I do... Here.”
He handed her his phone.
Momo felt her heart lurch. Whether it was on account of finally making some headway in her search for her friends, or on account of using Todoroki’s phone—like, THE. Todoroki. Shoto’s. phone (which, by the way was a glossy black)—she wasn’t sure.
Momo fought the urge to run a delicate hand over the buttons. The buttons that Todoroki’s fingers probably passed over a thousand times. It was in that moment she realized, quite abashedly, she didn’t actually know any of her friend’s numbers by heart. Not even Jirou’s.
Momo scratched the base of her neck sheepishly.
“You don’t happen to have Jirou’s number, do you? Or Mina’s? Or Uraraka’s?”
Todoroki shook his head.
“Sorry, I’d never thought to ask them for it.”
“Oh, no, please don’t apologize,” Momo exclaimed. “Of course, that’s only to be expected.”
​
Todoroki thought for a minute.
“I have Midoriya’s contact information, though. Do you think that would help?”
Momo’s eyes lit up.
Of course!
Midoriya most likely would have Uraraka’s number, saved from the time the two of them saw a movie together, and even if he didn’t or had erased it out of some strange courtesy, Midoriya would surely have Iida’s number. And Iida, like her, was a class rep, which meant he would most certainly have the contact information of all their classmates.
Momo nodded, enthusiastically.
“Yes, thank you, Todoroki!”
Momo passed the phone back.
“You should be the one to call him, though,” Momo said, absently tugging at the ends of her hair. “It’d be weird if Midoriya heard my voice, especially if he was expecting yours.”
Todoroki didn’t think it would be a big deal. After all, it wasn’t like Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were strangers or anything. But, seeing Momo’s flustered expression, he wondered if maybe this was another one of those many social norms he failed to understand. So, taking the phone from her, he nodded.
“If you say so.”
​
Within a couple minutes, Momo had successfully scribbled Uraraka’s number on the back of the park guide she had pulled from her purse.
“Thank you so much, Midoriya! Now, I can—“ A jarring busy tone abruptly cut-off their conversation, followed soon after by a familiar and somewhat disheartening dial tone.
“Oh. What happened?” Momo pulled the phone from her ear. Two words flashed in bolded caps on the screen: signal lost.
Momo frowned as she struggled to piece together a coherent explanation. Without warning, the carriage lights suddenly blinked out and the ride jerked to a stop.
Momo nearly dropped Todoroki’s phone in surprise. A cold dread immediately washed over her.
Oh no.
​
This couldn't be happening.
Oh no, no, no, no, no.
This was it, wasn't it?
This had to be it.
The big, bad thing.
Getting separated from her friends was just the opening act. This was the real retribution for her day’s-worth of stored happiness. The big climax: a ride malfunction.
Momo scrambled, frantically wracking her brain for a way out of this mess. How was she going to get Todoroki to safety? How was she going to save the rest of the trapped riders from their carriages? What could she possibly create to jam open the doors? In cases of emergency, would it still be considered property damage if she broke a window?
“Yaoyorozu.”
It was just one word, but that was all it took to stop her spiral.
Todoroki would probably never know this, but his voice was a quirk all on its own. Because no matter how distressed or discouraged Momo felt, Todoroki’s words always had a way of making her feel safe. Making her feel like no matter what happened, it was all going to be okay.
“We’ve reached the top,” Todoroki stated.
“Huh?”
Todoroki watched the apprehensive way Momo clutched his cellphone to her chest. Something seemed to click for him then.
“Yaoyorozu, is this perhaps your first time on a Ferris-Wheel?”
“Eh?” Momo wasn’t expecting that response. The tension in her shoulders fled, almost instantly, in her surprise.
“H-how did you know?” Momo asked. She didn’t think she was making it obvious.
Todoroki couldn’t help but hide a smile with his hand. Well, this was indeed surprising.
“No, sorry. It’s just…your reaction. I figured with those ears, you were probably an avid Disney fan. I didn’t think this would be your first time.”
Ears…? It was then Momo realized that she was still wearing the Mickey Mouse headband. Momo felt her face flush and she quickly reached to take them off.
Todoroki’s fingers suddenly wrapped around her wrist, effectively halting her actions.
“No, don’t take them off,” he blurted.
His widened orbs seemed to match Momo’s in her surprise. Realizing his outburst was uncalled for, Todoroki re-composed himself.
“They… um… they look good on you.”
Momo felt her face flush even darker. She was kind of glad she hadn’t tied her hair up today. If she did, Todoroki would surely see her ears blazed in red. (Or actually… on second thought, maybe not… In this darkness, it was kind of hard to see anything.)
Momo was having an exceedingly difficult time tearing her gaze away from Todoroki’s. His grip burned. Like ice or fire, she wasn’t sure, but it had to be one of those, or maybe a mix.
“You’re… missing the view.”
Todoroki’s words had always given her some form of clarity, but this was the first time Momo felt like he wasn’t making any sense. She wasn’t missing the view. It was right here in front of her. In his dichroic eyes, ever shifting, ever mesmerizing, ever breathtaking.
“Look,” Todoroki whispered urgently.
That one word seemed to break whatever enchantment Momo was held under. She sucked in a sharp breath, successfully averting her attention, only to gasp aloud at the new sight that spread out before her.
If she thought the lights looked like a galaxy before, then now—with the carriage lights turned out – the park looked like an entirely new universe. Everywhere she looked, tiny man-made stars exploded in dazzling colours she never knew existed.
“They always turn off the lights when we get to the top. It’s easier to see that way. I don’t think there’s any cell service up here, so you’ll have to wait until we get back down to call.”
Momo was painfully aware of Todoroki’s presence behind her. She could almost feel the warmth radiating from him as the words rumbled from his chest. Part of her didn’t want this ride to end. And part of her was scared to death of the divine punishment that would undeniably come down on her for harboring these thoughts.
Not trusting herself to speak, Momo could only nod.
For a single instant, Momo considered leaning back—to shift her weight ever so slightly—just enough to close that centimeter between their bodies. But the instant she pictured it, she panicked in embarrassment. Surging forward instead, she smacked her forehead against the pane.
All other impure fantasies were immediately knocked from her brain.
Momo clutched her forehead, back-peddling so fast, she nearly tripped on her own feet. Todoroki caught her by the shoulder before she could stumble.
Oh gosh. If the divine punishment for having tainted thoughts was a bruised forehead, then pray tell: what would happen when those sullied thoughts actually came to pass?
Momo felt nauseous just thinking about it. Maybe she should just call it a night.
Todoroki knew Momo was acting weird. He was never good at mincing his words, so he decided to come out and say it.
“Yaoyorozu, are you okay? You’ve been acting strange since the start of this ride. Are you perhaps upset with me after all for barging in on you?”
Momo sighed. She knew this was going to sound stupid, but she at least owed Todoroki the truth.
“No, Todoroki, I’m not upset with you. If anything, this whole thing was my fault. I think someone’s punishing me for having too much fun, today. I’m sorry you got dragged into it.”
Todoroki frowned. He wasn't sure what Momo was alluding to, but if someone out there was causing her harm, he needed to know who it was.
“Who’s punishing you?”
Momo stopped. It was such a simple question, and she was so sure she knew the answer, but Momo was surprised to find herself floundering.
Who was punishing her?
She had always thought it was some higher power, some karmic goddess, or cursed fate. But those weren’t people. Those were beliefs. And beliefs, well those came from no one other than…
“Myself…” Momo breathed quietly. Todoroki had done it again. Momo didn’t know how he could keep saving her, time and time again, with nothing but his words.
“Huh?” Todoroki asked, not quite catching Momo’s barely audible musings.
“No one…” Momo answered, then frowned because calling herself a nobody didn’t seem right either.
“Everyone…”
Nope, now she was being a narcissist.
“Me…”
Could the truth be any more embarrassing?
“You…”
Now that was just a lie. Momo honestly didn't know what she was talking about anymore.
“Ahhh, what does it matter.”
Momo threw her hands up and finally laughed, a genuine laugh. It had been so simple. Happiness wasn’t something that anyone could give you or take away. Because it was a feeling. And feelings came from yourself. It had been so silly of her to think happiness could be rationed. All this time, the only one limiting her was herself. It just took was one simple question from Todoroki to put it all into perspective.
Momo felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
“Thank you, Todoroki! You truly are my hero.”
Momo kissed Todoroki on the cheek then. Her actions caused her own cheeks to flush, but Momo didn’t mind. She decided in that moment that she would be more honest with herself. After all, feelings were fleeting, so she should enjoy them while they lasted.
Todoroki scratched his cheek. He didn’t know what he did, but seeing Momo so giddy, he was sure he had done something right.
As the couple neared the ground, Momo suddenly caught sight of Jirou, Uraraka, and Mina waving widely at her from under a nearby tree.
Momo grinned.
Maybe too much of a good thing wasn’t always a bad thing after all.