[Third Person Pov]
Howard and Maria sat together on the patio beneath the wide shade of a cream-colored umbrella. The afternoon sun filtered through the fabric just enough to keep the heat at bay. In front of Maria sat a half-finished dessert and a cold beverage, condensation slowly sliding down the glass. She hadn't really been enjoying either; the sweets and chill were more of a distraction, a way to steady herself after dealing with Tony's stubborn, persistent attitude.
Howard, by contrast, looked far more relaxed—or at least he pretended to be. He leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, a translucent holographic tablet hovering just above his palms. He swiped through reports with casual flicks of his fingers, barely paying attention to the data scrolling past. That illusion of calm broke the moment his brow furrowed and his hand stilled as he heard footsteps coming his way.
Maria stiffened instantly, her fork pausing halfway to her mouth. The two of them froze as figures emerged into view.
Tony stepped onto the patio first, posture tense, with Momo walking right beside him.
Maria slowly lowered her fork, dessert forgotten, and stared.
Momo straightened her back instinctively, forcing her shoulders square as she stepped forward. Compared to before, this wasn't simply an awkward meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Stark. These weren't just Tony's parents—they were, in her mind, the mother and father of the boy she was now in a relationship with.
"Momo…" Howard greeted, offering a faint nod that carried both politeness and confusion. His eyes flicked briefly toward Tony, silently asking a question he already suspected the answer to.
"Mr. and Ms. Star—" Momo began respectfully, her voice steady for exactly half a second before it faltered. She stopped herself completely, lips pressing together.
"No," she said quietly.
She inhaled sharply, drawing in a breath so deep it lifted her chest. With visible effort, she composed herself, then bowed her head toward the two of them in a formal, almost ceremonial gesture.
"Father and Mother," she declared, voice firm despite the tremor beneath it, "I officially greet you!"
For a long moment, silence reigned.
Maria and Howard exchanged an unmistakably awkward side-eye, neither quite sure how to respond to that. Tony, meanwhile, clapped a hand over his mouth and turned his head away, shoulders shaking as he snickered, doing his absolute best not to burst out laughing.
When Momo straightened again, the strain showed immediately. Her hands trembled at her sides, and she clenched them into fists to hide it. She tried to appear calm and composed, but the faint red blotches spreading across her cheeks betrayed how flustered she was.
Maria finally broke the silence with a slow, calming sigh. Her expression softened into a warm, welcoming smile—gentle, but nowhere near as formal as Momo's greeting.
"Momo," Maria said kindly, opening her arms, "it's good to see you again, dear. How have you been?"
Momo hesitated only a second before returning the embrace, her voice honest when she answered, "I've been better… and you?"
"I can relate," Maria replied with a tired smile, pulling back and shaking her head slightly. "The circumstances could definitely be better."
Howard set his tablet down on the table with a quiet tap, folding his hands together as he leaned forward. His tone wasn't unkind, but it was direct.
"Momo," he said, "not that you aren't welcome here—but what exactly are you doing here? I sincerely doubt this is a casual greeting, or a 'girlfriend meets the parents' scenario."
Momo opened her mouth to respond, but Maria raised a hand, stopping her gently.
"Just so we're clear," Maria added, her voice firm now, "if you're here to try and convince us to reverse Tony's withdrawal from U.A., I'm going to stop you right there and save us all the trouble."
Momo lowered her head, a small, saddened smile touching her lips.
"That isn't why I'm here," she said softly. "I'm not here to convince you of anything. In fact… I agree with your judgment. I wholeheartedly support your decision."
"Huh?" All three Starks stared at her in unison, genuine surprise written across their faces.
"Although the decision saddens me," Momo continued, eyes dropping to the ground as she closed them tightly, "I never want to see that sight again. I don't think I could bear it. If he's safer here in America… then I'm all for it."
Her voice grew heavy with emotion, each word weighed down by memory. When she opened her eyes again, they glimmered with unhidden trauma. The scene replayed vividly behind her gaze—her palms pressed desperately over Tony's chest, the horrifying stillness where a heartbeat should have been. Blood soaked her hands, warm and slick, pouring from a gaping wound the width of a sword blade. His body lay unnaturally still beneath her, lifeless in a way that haunted her every waking moment.
She hadn't slept properly since returning from the summer camp. She was plagued by nightmares—visions of her own helplessness, of crimson splatter against her skin, of the metallic scent of blood lingering in her lungs long after she woke, gasping for air.
And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget.
Both Maria and Howard stared at Momo with unmistakable concern. The girl's words lingered heavily in the air, and for the first time since she had arrived, the confident composure she tried so hard to maintain truly cracked. Maria was the first to move. She leaned closer and gently placed a comforting hand over Momo's arm, her touch warm and grounding.
"Thank you," Maria said softly, giving her arm a reassuring rub. Her voice carried genuine gratitude. "Thank you for worrying about our scoundrel of a son."
"Hello?" Tony interjected, glancing between them with a baffled expression. "I'm standing right here, you know. That was completely unnecessary."
Momo gave a faint, almost apologetic smile in his direction before turning back to Howard, finally answering the question he had posed earlier.
"The reason I'm here," she said carefully, choosing her words with intent, "is to spend the remaining time I have with Tony as best as I can… before summer break is over."
She bowed her head once more, posture respectful and sincere. "I hope you don't mind if I intrude upon your home in the meantime."
"Of course not," Howard replied without hesitation. He smiled warmly at her, his impression of Momo clearly having improved. In moments like this, it was easy to remember that despite her poise and intellect, she was still—technically—a child carrying burdens far heavier than she should have had to.
"You can stay for as long as you'd like. I'll speak with your parents as well, because I honestly doubt you even talked to them about coming here."
Momo's gaze dropped instantly, her cheeks flushing a deep pink.
"They… they still don't even know about Tony and me," she admitted quietly.
Howard blinked, then burst out laughing, thoroughly amused. "Whoa, that's going to be one hell of a conversation," he said, shaking his head. "I almost wish I could be there to see it."
"Come, come," Maria said gently, pulling out a nearby chair and offering it to Momo. "Sit with us."
"Suck up," Tony muttered under his breath in her direction. The exaggerated pout and tone made it painfully obvious he was teasing.
Momo responded by lightly elbowing his side, her embarrassment clear but her smile genuine. "Thank you," she said sincerely as she moved to sit.
Tony went to pull out a chair for himself, only to stop short when Maria casually placed her foot in front of one of the chair's legs, blocking it. She tilted her head and gave him a sideways look.
"And who invited you to come sit with us?" she asked innocently.
Tony stared at her, lips twitching in disbelief. "You're… you're joking, right?"
"Hmmm," Maria hummed thoughtfully. "I don't know. I'm still a little peeved that after we came to a perfectly amicable agreement, you immediately tried to convince your father to undermine my authority and decision."
Tony could only gape at her. If Melissa had been present, she would have instantly known where Tony got his petty streak from—and it certainly wasn't Howard. This was all Maria.
After a beat, Maria withdrew her foot and chuckled. "I'm just messing with you, dear. Go ahead and sit."
She paused, then narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "Or am I?"
Tony seriously considered being petty right back—sitting on the floor out of pure spite just to prove a point. But after a moment, he exhaled slowly and decided to let it go. He knew he was being bratty, and—shockingly—chose to be the mature one for once. Still, he sat down with a huff, turning his head away and pursing his lips dramatically.
Maria rolled her eyes fondly as Momo and Howard both chuckled.
After a moment, Momo glanced around the patio, as if realizing someone was missing. "So… where's Melissa?" she asked.
Maria let out a tired sigh at the question. "She went to find her father," she explained. "She's trying to convince him to let her switch schools with Tony and pull her out of U.A. entirely. At first, she planned on having David try to convince us to let Tony return—so we very quickly reminded her that it was two against one, and her father had absolutely no chance of winning."
Momo forced a small, wary smile in response. She didn't let it show outwardly, but the truth stung deeply. It wasn't just Tony she was losing at U.A.—it was Melissa too. Her best friend. Her sister in everything but blood.
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