The morning sun cast a golden glow over the school grounds, the first light of the day just beginning to touch the edges of the trees. Jason Lax leaned against the brick wall of the school's back courtyard, arms crossed, staring absently at the people milling about. Despite the warm weather, he felt no inclination to join them — the predictability of it all was suffocating.
He liked to stay on the edges of things, watching the chaos unfold without being a part of it. It wasn't that he disliked people, but most people were... boring. They were either too serious or too carefree, never anything in between.
A soft chuckle interrupted his thoughts.
Momo Yaoyorozu stood a few paces away, arms crossed over her chest, a bemused look on her face. "You're already zoning out, huh?"
Jason turned his head to look at her, his trademark lazy grin spreading across his face. "You know me well, Princess."
She raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking to the side. "I noticed you weren't paying attention during class again." Momo's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression one of amusement and skepticism. "And I'm pretty sure you didn't go to the bathroom earlier, so..."
Jason shrugged casually, though there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I don't need to pay attention to what's already obvious, and I didn't go anywhere... just stretching my legs. Gotta keep the body in top form."
Momo chuckled under her breath, though she was clearly trying to hide it. "Right, stretching. But I bet I know what you were really doing."
Jason paused, cocking his head to the side in a mock-puzzled manner. "What, did I miss something?"
She took a small step closer, her expression softening a little. "You were practicing again, weren't you?"
Jason's smirk faltered slightly, but only for a moment. He was about to say something when Momo cut him off, her voice quiet but certain. "Shapeshifting. You've been practicing your shapeshifting again, haven't you?"
For a moment, Jason just stared at her. The playful confidence slipped from his face, replaced by something colder — a flicker of hesitation. He'd known that Momo was sharp, but he'd hoped she'd have missed it. Or at least forgotten about it by now.
She must've noticed the brief shift, because she immediately softened, raising her hands slightly in a placating gesture. "I'm not mad, Jason. I just... I've seen you do it before. Back in class, you turned into a cat when you were bored. I didn't want to say anything because... well, it's your secret. But I know."
Jason let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing. He leaned back against the brick wall again, eyes closing as he briefly let the tension slip away. He'd always trusted Momo — even if he had no idea how much she knew about his abilities. But to have her say it out loud... it changed things.
"Yeah," he said finally, his voice quieter than usual. "I can shapeshift. It's... one of my quirks." He didn't go into detail, didn't explain the full extent of it — how he could change his form into anything he wanted, for however long he wanted. How he could morph into a creature, a person, even an object if he really concentrated. He still hadn't figured out all the limits of his ability, but he knew enough to keep it hidden. After all, it wasn't like he was allowed to just do whatever he wanted in public.
Momo's gaze softened. "You've kept this secret for a while," she said thoughtfully. "Why?"
Jason didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked out over the courtyard, his eyes distant. "You can't just go around turning into stuff in public, Momo. It's... dangerous. People start asking questions. And I'd rather not deal with them."
She nodded, clearly understanding more than he expected. "I guess it's not easy, keeping it a secret."
Jason shook his head. "Not easy, no. But necessary."
For a moment, neither of them spoke, and the only sound was the quiet rustling of leaves in the wind. It felt like a peaceful moment, but Jason could feel the weight of the secret between them. The one that Momo knew, but that no one else did.
"What else can you do with it?" Momo asked cautiously, tilting her head.
Jason met her gaze, his expression unreadable for a split second. "What do you mean?"
She hesitated, clearly considering her words. "I mean... you've been changing into different animals. You've shifted into things right in front of me. But I know there's more to it. I don't think I've seen the full extent of what you can do yet."
Jason stayed silent for a long moment, his mind working. He could tell her more — maybe, just maybe, Momo would understand. She already knew about the shapeshifting part, so telling her that there were... other abilities, might not be as dangerous as he thought.
But something held him back.
Finally, he spoke, his voice quiet but firm. "I don't think it's something you need to know about, Momo. It's... complicated."
She studied him for a second, her expression thoughtful. "I won't push you to tell me more, Jason. But I want you to know... you're not alone in this. Whatever it is you're hiding, I'm not going to judge you for it."
Jason's eyes flickered with surprise, then softened as he gave her a brief smile. "Thanks, Princess. I appreciate it."
They stood there in silence for a few more moments, until the distant sound of the bell signaled the end of lunch break.
Jason adjusted his bag and gave Momo a quick wink. "Alright, Princess. We should probably get going before people start wondering what the 'quirkless' kid is doing back here all by himself."
Momo chuckled softly. "You're hardly 'quirkless,' Jason. But I'm not complaining."
As they walked back toward the school building, Jason couldn't help but feel a little lighter. He had a feeling that Momo would keep his secret safe. At least, for now.