The warm mist of the hot springs enveloped the girls like a comforting embrace, soothing their muscles as they settled into the water. The conversation began light, Mina recounting a hilarious story about Kaminari tripping over his cape during patrol, but soon the spotlight shifted to Momo.

"Alright, spill it, Momo," Mina said, grinning. "What's going on between you and Todoroki? You've been acting all funny ever since the car ride."

"Yeah, you've been quiet!" Ochaco chimed in, leaning forward.

Momo sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. "There's nothing going on," she said firmly, but the heat creeping up her cheeks betrayed her.

"Come on, Creati," Mina teased, nudging her. "You're blushing! What happened?"

Hakugure joined in with a giggle. "Did he say something cute?"

"Well..." Momo hesitated, but the girls were staring expectantly, and she relented. "He...he complimented me."

"What kind of compliment?" Mina pressed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Momo's fingers fidgeted beneath the water. "He said just having me there was enough. And—" she paused, feeling her cheeks burn hotter than the springs. "He lifted my chin when I apologized for falling asleep."

The reaction was immediate.

"HE LIFTED YOUR CHIN?!" Mina screamed, splashing water everywhere. "Momo! That's straight out of a romance manga!"

"Oh my gosh, wedding bells! I'm calling it now—Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, the ultimate power couple!" Hakugure squealed.

"Please stop," Momo groaned, sinking deeper into the water until only her eyes and nose were visible.

"Alright, that's enough prying," Jirou interjected, rolling her eyes. "Leave Momo alone."

"Oh, come on, Jirou!" Mina protested.

Jirou smirked. "Keep it up, Mina, and I'll tell Kirishima about those love notes I found in your sketchbook."

Mina froze, her face turning beet red. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me." Jirou's grin widened, and Mina sank back in defeat.

"Fine, but Hakugure can take over," Mina muttered.

Hakugure didn't miss a beat. "So, Momo, do you like Todoroki? What's stopping you from making a move?"

Before Momo could respond, Hakugure turned to Jirou. "And you, what about Kaminari? You two are practically inseparable."

Jirou flushed, shaking her head. "He's just my partner for hero work. That's it. I don't want it going anywhere else."

"Sure, sure," Hakugure teased, clearly not convinced.

"Alright, enough of this," Ochaco said with a grin. "Let's settle things with a game of chicken fight!"

The girls cheered, quickly splitting into teams. Ochaco, Mina, and Jirou formed one trio, while Momo, and Hakugure,  made up the other.

Hakugure crouched down, letting Momo climb onto her shoulders while . On the other side, Ochaco floated slightly, making her team's movements light and fast.

The match was fierce but brief. Using her gravity quirk, Ochaco floated the opposing team just enough to make them lose balance, sending Momo and Hakugure tumbling into the water with a splash.

"Victory!" Mina shouted, throwing her fists in the air.

After the laughter subsided, they switched to a game of Marco Polo. The fun lasted until Momo realized she couldn't find Hakugure no matter how hard she tried.

"Hakugure?" Momo called, her tone concerned.

Suddenly, a splash interrupted the search as Tsuyu leaped into the springs, water cascading everywhere.

"I'm here!" Tsuyu said, pulling Hakugure, who had been playfully hiding, out of the water. The girls dissolved into giggles, the tension forgotten.

After that, they settled back into the water, letting the steam relax their bodies.

"So, what do you think of the upcoming hero awards?" Ochaco asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Should be fun," Mina said, leaning back. "And we get Christmas break right after since crime rates are so low."

"Actually," Jirou interjected, "I heard crime rates are rising again. Not by much, but still."

Tsuyu frowned, her expression growing serious. "We can't let it get any higher than the 5% they're saying it's at now. We've worked too hard for this peace."

Ochaco nodded. "Agreed. But for now, let's focus on resting. We'll handle things as they come."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics, like new hero outfit designs. Mina raved about asking Mei and Melissa to help make hers more "battle chic," while Tsuyu mentioned wanting something more water-resistant.

The girls chatted until the steam began to lull them into a peaceful daze, their bodies relaxed and their spirits lifted, ready for whatever came next.