Howdy! I just wanted to write a oneshot separate from my main series universe. I really hope you guys enjoy this.
TWs for this chapter are Transphobia, Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Misgendering and Descriptions of Scarring. If any of these are a trigger for you, please put your comfort first before reading.
Hope you enjoy!
The world is evolving. It's changing and adapting to new things. And not just the new. It's adapting what has been here for years, but was crushed underfoot by oppression and bigotry. It's adapting. It may be taking a while, definitely not as quickly as it should. But it's happening. It's happening.
It's happening.
These two words were going through the mind of one of the prized students of UA as she walked through the halls of the prestigious school for the first time. Passing by fellow students of all different takes. Some looked at her with amusement, something you'd laugh at with your friends. Some had confusion painted on their face, people who didn't fall in any camp on what she was due to never even realizing there were camps. Some looked with disgust and hate. And this group wasn't shy about vocalizing it either. But, the Student kept her head down. A few even had approval in their eyes as they watched the Student with polychrome hair. The Student tried to focus on these. God knows she never saw those looks at home.
Home. There was the last thing Todoroki wished to have on her mind as she entered this brave new front. Of the conflicting emotions and pain that came from when who she truly was emerged to the surface. The day when she crept into her mother's jewelry box and took the sapphire necklace that Endeavor gave her, among many other paltry gifts, to try and make up for his abuse. How she wore the necklace in her own room's mirror, marveling at the sight. How when she was older, she became skilled enough to hide the makeup she bought with her stipend in the spots that Endeavor could never find. Until he did.
"What is this, Shouto?"
"It's-It's nothing, Father!"
"Don't lie to me, son."
The feel of a fist colliding with her face felt as strong now as the memory reverberated throughout her mind. The first message the world had given her about being who she truly was. The world didn't like the different. There's a circle, and everything must be within that circle. If you are outside or can't fit within the circle, you will be bent and broken until you can.
But, there another message came that day. A message that spoke of hope and understanding from others of the world. That kindness could exist.
"Don't you dare touch Shouto again!"
"What? You're happy our son is a freak?"
"I want what's best for Todoroki! That's what I'm happy about."
When it comes to memories of her mother, moments like those are what Todoroki likes to remember. The woman who was her protector from the monster that was her father. The woman who patted her head when she cried out at her life was. Who told her that plenty of girls had short hair when her father made her cut hers. That woman is what she likes to remember. Not the woman Endeavor turned her into.
As with the fist, Shoutou could feel the burning of the brand across her face. Why did it happen that day? Did Endeavor finally push her enough that she saw Todoroki the same way he did? These thoughts could consume Todoroki.
So, she likes to think of the woman who protected her. It's easier that way.
Lost in her thoughts, Todoroki didn't even realize she had arrived at the front of the the classroom door. That tends to happen when she starts remmincising on those memories. No, reminicising is not the right word. That would imply there is joy from those memories.
In an attempt to take her mind off the previous flashback, Shouto spied upwards at the sign above the door.
Homeroom of Class 1-A.
This is it. The first step into becoming a hero. The hero she wished to be. Not her father. Not All-Might. Her are, it was going to be tough. Especially when they note her appearance.
Nezu was a kind elder, which wasn't something Todoroki had much experience with. The Principle met with each student to evaluate and take their needs into consideration. When Todoroki managed to summon the courage to request that the letter on the document changed from an M to an F, the head of UA was only happy to comply.
"And do not worry, young Todoroki. We do not have to let your father know. I'm aware Endeavour can be rather…...conservative."
Todoroki had the distinct feeling that Nezu had a lot of other choice words saved up for her father, but had enough restraint and maturity to hold them back. Endeavor sure didn't for Nezu, however. As Todoroki knows from experience.
The uniform change was easy. Trading slacks for a skirt was the main alteration, even if Todoroki felt she didn't quite fit the look for someone who should be wearing a skirt. Dysphoria's a bitch like that. So much of a bitch that she specifically requested a personal changing room, rather than having the subject brought up with the other girls in the class. Todoroki had enough boldness to make the request, but that was wear the line was drawn.
Realizing that dawdling would not delay or make the feeling of opening the door any easier, she bit the bullet and opened it.
This was it. The first step to becoming her own hero.
Upon entering the room, Todoroki was greeted by the sight of two of the students already engaging in a dispute. Truly the heroes of tomorrow(!) One, the taller and far more put together of the two, stood with a nearly-comical hand waving back and forth to the other in admonishment. The other, who's legs were propped up, kicking back their chair from the table. The cocky grin plastered on their face told Todoroki all she needed to know about him. He was gonna be trouble.
"I must insist you do not so flagrantly disrespect school code!"
"And I must insist you quite being a pain in the ass!"
"Why-!" The bespectle of the two stopped mid-sentence, with their hand matching his pause in grammar. And it was because of the new arrival. Her.
"Hello, I would like to introduce myself. I am Tenya Iida. I am correct to assume you are a fellow student?" For a few seconds, Todoroki paused. To herself, she looked painfully masculine, with her short cropped hair and clunky face. She assumed that anyone who saw her in a skirt would assume it was someone making a joke. And yet, this student didn't hesitate or stare upon greeting her.
"Yes, I am Todoroki Shouto. She/Her pronouns, please." In a reverse of the above, Todoroki spoke too quickly for her mind to keep up. It was one thing for someone to bypass over your appearance and simply say hello. It was another entirely to outright confirm who you were. Suddenly, the whole surrounding area turned into a danger zone. Anyone there could be a possible threat. The girl with the high ponytail. The boy with a mess of green hair. The boy who seemed to have a mass of purple balls on his head.
(OK, we all know who the dick's gonna be)
"What the hell does that mean?" The sheer tone of the smallest classmate's words conveyed enough of what he meant. "Like, you're a guy. Pretty obvious."
On the outside, Todoroki embodied the essence of the power she inherited from her mother. Icey. Cold. Dethatched. But on the inside of her being, the fire was brewing into an inferno. That temper she tried so hard to keep buried because it reminded her of her father. She could show this little snot how wrong he was. It would be so easy.
Fortunately, someone else stepped in to take the job.
"Shut the fuck up, you extra!" A fist collided with Mineata's head, sending him falling to the ground in a heap. The fist came from someone Todoroki had already spied. Same cocky smirk and still kicking away from their desk.
Todoroki expected Iida to speak up and admonish Bakugou for his violence.
"Oh, it appears our classmate has accidentally injured themselves. I will contact the first aid office. It was definitely not due to a fellow student! Most definitely not!" Todoroki was not sure if Iida was aware of how comical he was being.
"But, Todoroki. Please be aware that no-one else in this class will disrespect your identity." The two shared a nod as Iida ran out of the room. Todoroki decided she like this man. The nods that followed from nearly the entire rest of the class only confirmed the sentiment.
"Thank you." Nodding towards the unruly student, Todoroki made her way to any desk in the room away from the aforementioned student. While she was grateful, she did not wish for that blonde haired fellow to start believing she owed him some sort of debt.
"Don't get the wrong idea. We ain't friends or some shit. I just can't stand little shits like that. I ain't gonna use some bullshit excuse that I'm better than you cos ya' trans. I'm gonna prove I'm better than you cos I am! End of story!" There was something comforting in this student's words to Todoroki. He was right. They probably would not be friends. But she could come to respect such a point of view.
"I welcome your attempt." Either the student didn't hear, or he just decided to let the challenge go.
Finally finding a seat in the back in the back that was remote enough, being the only one with a single person adjacent, Todoroki settled in.
"You-You said your name was Todoroki, right?" Shame the single person adjacent decided to be talkative. It was the same boy who had the mop of green hair and freckles decorating his face. Todoroki thought of him a threat only a few moments ago.
"Yes, I did." Hoping that would end the conversation, Todoroki began unloading her notebooks.
"I just wanted to-to say I really admire what you're doing. Did you know you're the first trans student to attend UA?" The slight glare Todoroki shot Midoriya sent the student waving their hands in a panic.
"I mean! I don't mean to imply you were only accepted because of that! You have obviously proven yourself worthy of this school! I-I just wanted to let you know I respected you! Not that you should be grateful for tha- I'll stop talking right now." Now the tables had turned, with the green haired student flipping open a small journal and began scribbling into it to escape his faux-paus.
"I did not get your name."
"My name? Oh! My name! Midoriya Izuku." The awkwardness from Midoriya had begun to fade, as he smiled warmly towards Todoroki. Like Iida before, Todoroki decided she liked this student.
"It is good to meet you, Midoriya Izuku."
This was Todoroki Shotou's first step to becoming a hero. And while she may not have realized it, she would not do it alone.