Todoroki grew up learning to analyse his opponents. He knew he was better, but it was always good to learn for future fights.
He was not very fond of teammates - or any social skills, for that matter - but he found himself understanding those mechanics when he entered UA High School. Teammates could end up becoming opponents in the future.
And he knew that getting into that academy because of recommendations said a lot about your family, but even more about you abilities. So when he learned that a girl in his class had also got in the same way, he had his eyes on her.
And Todoroki Shouto saw that Yaoyorozu Momo had potential in the minute he laid eyes on her. They had the same look in their eyes analyzing an opponent.
When she opened her mouth and gave her analysis of the battle of that loud and explosive guy, Todoroki felt that she herself could be a good teammate and perhaps, in the future, an opponent.
Soon, when the voting for room representatives happened, he voted for Yaoyorozu, without even knowing her quirk. Simply because he trusted her analytical and leadership skills. And he didn't even know her. She could be an opponent in the future.
But at that moment, he just thought she was capable and perfect for the job.
Weeks passed and he began to understand her a little bit more. She was as loud as girls could be, but she knew when to stop. When to be serious. She was practical and efficient.
She was always doing nice and flashy things to everyone. She was always on top of the class, even with no time at all to study with everything happening at once.
And then, in the middle of all the unexpected fights and the sports festival, she found herself staying behind.
Or so she thought.
The girl who did nice and, flashy things had started to fade.
Yaoyorozu Momo had no idea of the potential she had.
When Todoroki had her as a teammate, he had to vocalize all the confidence he had in her. And he did not like to vocalize things. He was the analytical type.
Yes, they had to win the match, but she needed to know. She needed to know he was watching.
She needed to know she could. Because he knew from the beginning.
Todoroki grew up learning to analyse his opponents. But from that moment on, he started to see.
Todoroki saw the very first moment Yaoyorozu started to shine again and he could say was honestly honored to be part of it.
He saw a completely different twinkle in her eye when they defeated Aizawa - because of her, because of her own plan. The plan she was not confident to discuss, since he supposely knew what he was doing, but that went downhill really quick.
He saw when she stopped doing nice and flashy things to be needed for something, to be more than she thought she was, and started doing nice and flashy things just because she could.
He saw her as she smiled when her friends conquered something. Even though she had conquered the same without a sweat.
But that was who she was. Just happy for the others. Happy for being useful.
Yaoyorozu was always the mastermind, the one behind the plan, the one with the key to the success to make a fight successful. The brain. The tool box, creating everything they needed when they needed it.
But when he saw the girl from class B isolating her, thinking she was only the insecure mastermind who was always behind the plan, he was the first one to say something.
"I think she's misjudged her"
His thoughts, though, were much better phrased.
They didn't pay attention to her growth like he did. He couldn't blame anyone - she grew fast. You blinked, you missed.
He saw it from the very first moment. He voted for her, after all.
But at that moment, it was clear for anyone, not only him, to see: Yaoyorozu Momo snapped.
And damn, they were screwed.