Chapter Text
Class 1-A (Two weeks before the dance)
U.A., although housing hundreds of the most powerful students in the world along with a handful of high-ranking professional superheros and countless dangerous training facilities well-stocked with potentially lethal state-of-the-art technology, was still, technically, a high school. An institute renowned for its intensity and danger, along with decades of prestige as one of the best Hero training grounds, but still a high school full of anxious, neurotic teenagers. And as such, it only made sense that U.A. had a high school dance-- more specifically, a spring formal.
“Just like we still have to teach our students requisite courses like Math, English, and Science, we’re also obligated to allow you all to socialize outside of a classroom setting,” Aizawa droned, clearly less interested than he typically was, which for him was impressive. “Educating our students for both professional and recreational pursuits is an obligation for U.A, and--”
Aizawa paused, shuffling the script from which he was (very obviously) reading, before sighing and setting it on the desk. “Does it really matter? There’s a dance, and if you live in the dorms you’re required to attend. The rest of you don’t have to. That’s all.”
It took a moment for the class to respond, each student processing his words, very slowly. Finally, a hand shot into the air.
“Sir!” Iida shouted. “Will there be adult supervision at this event?”
“Yes.” The class groaned at Aizawa’s curt response, breaking the silence that sometimes threatened to settle around 1-A.
“Is it all hero tracks, do you think?” Ochako wondered out loud.
“Hell yeah, who’s ready to get down?” Kaminari grinned. Kirishima whooped, and threw his hands in the air, excitedly pushing back onto two legs of his chair.
“1-A’s gonna represent! We’ve gotta outclass all the other courses, right Mina?”
“Oh, definitely.” Mina rolled her eyes. “I can’t wait to see you two make fools of yourselves on the dancefloor.”
“Formal wear is required, you may not bring outside guests, and it’s in two weeks. Please don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Aizawa groaned. With that, homeroom was dismissed, and all of the students shuffled out to their next class.
Todoroki Shouto (One week before the dance)
It was stupid. It was so unbelievably, completely juvenile. So utterly dumb, wholly frivolous, and a total waste of time. High school dances were kidstuff, not for future heroes in training. It was immature; a ridiculous school-sponsored distraction that frankly, wasn’t worth the time.
Todoroki was dying to ask someone.
And not just anyone. He was dying to ask that someone who made his heart stutter in his chest, who made his words fall out of his mouth like a faucet of idiocy, who made his head feel dizzy from lack of oxygen, but in a good way-- someone who he may have had the smallest, most irrelevant, stupid little crush on. Todoroki was dying to ask Midoriya Izuku to the Spring Formal. And it was stupid.
He glanced back at Midoriya’s stupid face, which was pressed adorably close to his paper as he furiously scribbled notes. Did people still ask each other to dances? Had anybody else asked someone? Would Midoriya even say yes to him?
Oh god, would Midoriya say yes?
“Psst!” Todoroki blinked in surprise as a piece of paper flicked him in the nose, nearly incinerating it on reflex. He looked over to see Mineta waving him down, a perverted look on his face. Todoroki winced a little at the sight of such an unfortunate human.
“Pass it up to Tsuyu!” Mineta pleaded. Todoroki nodded once, turning back around. He looked down at the note, and resisted the strong temptation to burn it up instead. Scrawled in awful penmanship, across a scrap of notebook paper, read Tsu- You’ve got some great boobs. Go to the dance with me? Mineta xo.
Not envying Tsu in the slightest, Todoroki sighed and passed the note forward. If he asked Midoriya, he’d make sure it looked a lot nicer than that, anyway. At least an actual note instead of just a paper scrap. Probably an actual letter too, instead of one measly sentence. Maybe flowers, or was that too much? Was it all too much? Ok, scratch the note, it’s be easier to just ask in person. But what would he say...
Todoroki’s musings were interrupted by the scrap of paper smacking him again, this time wadded up into a tiny ball that hit him square in the forehead. Unthinkingly, he unwadded it, and stifled a small chuckle at Tsu’s response. Mineta- You’re too perverted for any girls in this class to date you. I’d give up now if I were you. -Tsu.
Todoroki scrunched the paper back up and tossed it back to Mineta. The purple idiot read it excitedly, but his face fell as he read over the harsh words. He looked up at Todoroki, tears forming in his eyes, and whispered something that was lost in his sniffles, clearly seeking some form of comfort from Todoroki. He just shrugged awkwardly and turned back around, ill-equipped and averse to whatever conversation Mineta clearly wanted to have.
Todoroki couldn’t help but cast a worried glance at Midoriya as he wondered. Midoriya wouldn’t reject him like that, right? He’d at least let him down easily. Instantly, visions of Midoriya laughing in his face filled Todoroki’s mind, anxiety curling in its familiar nest deep in his gut.
You want to go to the dance with me? You really think I’d want to do something so stupid with someone like you? Geez, Todoroki, take a hint!
Even just imagined, Midoriya’s harsh voice made Todoroki flinch. Logically, he knew that Midoriya wouldn’t say something like that to him, but he couldn’t help envisioning all of the horrible things he could say, how easily a single word could crush his fragile hope. Maybe it would be better if he didn’t ask at all. Disappointment was easier to deal with than rejection.
The bell rang, jerking Todoroki from his thoughts. He stood up shakily, pushing his useless notes into his bag, still entangled in fearful visions of embarrassment, heartbreak, and rejection. As everybody else packed up for lunch, Todoroki sat quietly at his desk. He totally wasn’t eavesdropping on Ochako and Iida’s conversation with Midoriya either, he was just wrapped up in his thoughts was all.
“Hey, Midoriya! You’re gonna go to the dance, right?” Ochako asked brightly, leaning against his desk. Midoriya nodded, which somehow didn’t relieve any of Todoroki’s anxiety. Now if he said no it was definitely just because Midoriya hated him. Not because the dance was stupid. Todoroki was stupid, so stupid, but he couldn’t stop listening.
“Awesome! I’m so excited, it’s gonna be so much fun!” Ochako gushed, transparent as ever with her emotions. “I’ve never really been to one of these before; my middle school never did stuff like this.”
“Mine either,” Iida added. “I look forward to a fun, yet safe time for all.” From across the room, Kaminari made a fake gagging sound, catching everyone’s attention.
“Lame, dude! Nobody goes to these things to ballroom dance-- we’re coming to party! Isn’t that right Kirishima?” Kirishima and Kaminari high-fived, whooping enthusiastically. Iida looked on in extreme disapproval.
“‘Partying’ is perfectly acceptable, so long as you stay within the guidelines set for your and everyone else’s safety. It isn’t enjoyable for anybody if you two are causing chaos the entire dance!” Iida fumed, clearly gearing up for a full-scale lecture. Kaminari and Kirishima both just shrugged him off, laughing and jostling one another as they quickly escaped from the classroom.
“Those two had better not try anything dangerous,” Iida idly threatened. Ochako held up her hands placatingly, attempting fruitlessly to calm the high-strung class president before he really started in. Midoriya interrupted, changing the subject.
"I’ve never really been to a formal either,” He announced. “I don’t really know if my middle school had one. I didn’t go if they did-- I’m not sure anybody wanted me to, either.”
Todoroki’s heart spasmed at that, but he refused to decipher whether it was from love or pity. He’d never been to one either, but it couldn’t be that strange. It was just a silly dance, how bad could it be? It didn’t stop his nerves from tightening at the thought of it somehow, regardless of how stupid it was. It was making Todoroki stupid, too; who got nervous about something that was supposed to just be for fun? A stupid dance, for a stupid student. This was all so… Stupid.
“I need a dress,” Ochako was saying, clapping her hands over her cheeks in realization. “Oh no, I need a dress! How could I forget? The dance is in a week, what am I gonna do?” She squealed, shaking her head in terror. This time it was Iida’s turn to calm Ochako.
“One week is surely enough time to find suitable attire. I would be happy to accompany you shopping, Ochako, if you require the assistance,” he offered.
“Can I come too? I need to find a suit myself, now that I think about it,” Midoriya added, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
The trio continued to talk, presumably making plans of some sort but Todoroki tuned out completely, frozen in place with realization.
Midoriya. In a suit.
It finally hit him, from that one simple phrase, why his classmates were so excited. They would all be dancing, in front of other people, in formal attire. Somehow it hadn’t quite sunk in, what that actually meant. Slowly, Todoroki lowered his forehead to his desk, resigning himself to his fate. Maybe the stupid, pointless, idiotic dance was a big deal after all.