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Katsuki was entering his second year of U.A. Class 1A was close, everyone willing to take a bullet for each other, in some cases they had, too. No one had any complaints about their classmates, even people like himself considered them a family- especially after Mineta had been expelled. Even with his attachment towards his friends, Katsuki was scared. He was scared they would judge him if they knew. If he wasn’t even free of judgement from himself he saw no reason that they wouldn’t ostracize him if they saw him as he was right now, if they saw his hair in a bun and his mascara, the black skirt he stole from mina sitting on his waist. How would they feel if they saw him for all intent and purposes, looking like a girl. Not just looking like one either- he was one.
At age eleven Katsuki first knew something about himself wasn't like the others. Not just his strong quirk, or his ability to rally the extras to follow him around like puppies. He was aware that many other boys didn’t look at their friends and feel envy. Envy for their short hair and firmer bodies. No one stared at their childhood friend wishing for his physique, wishing to look effeminate in such a masculine way, he or in this moment in time, she, knew that she was the only person bullying him not out of discrimination, but out of jealousy.
After the disgust she felt when her period first arrived, the disgust that her boobs gave her, the disgust that “she’s,” and “her’s,'' gave her, she turned to the internet. One or two searches on the computer later, she knew. Katsuki was boy, “transgender” the internet called it. Many websites on how to transition, to “pass” and how to acquire the surgeries needed informed him on what he needed to know.
He came out. Mitsuki and Masaru gave him a haircut, new clothes, and new pronouns. A new life, and even then Deku still gave him envy, now along with the girls. Their boobs fit them properly, their long hair looked right and pretty, their makeup and frilly clothes were appropriate. Deku had large eyes and a round face, so different from his own angular and masculine face and it all felt wrong.
His middle school adapted to him. They all called him the correct terms, even Deku. No one dared be transphobic near him in fear of a burnt face.
But now. Now it was different. He was old enough this shouldn’t be an issue. He knew it shouldn’t be a phase. So why did it feel like one? He wanted to be called her. Deku knew. Katsuki didn’t know how, but Deku knew. She never felt the need to her boyfriend this anyway, well she did, but the fear was all encompassing. Not even when they were younger she came out to him, she just showed up as a boy one day and Deku respected it.
However, here now, as a sixteen year old hero-to-be, she should be mature enough to tackle this, because if she couldn’t leave this dorm room as a girl today, how would she ever battle villains.
He had looked this up too. The emotions he felt were synonymous with the label “gender-fluid.” It suited them, they resonated with all pronouns, and weren't even repulsed by neopronouns. But what if class 1A, his family, refused to look at him as a boy once they find out he took pride in wearing skirts and that he was trans, he was born as a girl and what if they despised him for it.
Giving himself a once over, checking out his most gender affirming female clothing, he was ready. Taking one last large breath he walked out his dorm, each step to the elevator getting harder and harder. He was almost to the safety of the elevator when he heard a door open behind him, followed by a surprised gasp.
“Bakugou?”
It was Kirishima.
The only person's opinion that mattered to him, a person who even rivaled Deku’s importance in his life. He knew. He knew now and Katsuki was frozen, frozen in place staring away, too scared to see the expression that adorned his best friend's face. He knew that this was going to happen today, but now?
“Hey man, it’s ok, I won’t tell anyone I saw this okay?” And he sounded so earnest that Katsuki knew he couldn’t be lying. “Wearing skirts is totally manly!”
“You can tell,” and, wow, if Katsuki’s voice wasn’t pitifully quiet, shaking even, it was pathetic. It was also grateful, “Just let me do it first, Shitty Hair, that’s where I was going, maybe if you were less stupid I could’ve come out by now.”
“Can I ask what it is? I mean I know it's a skirt, but like is that it?”
Katsuki chose this moment to turn around, he saw Kirishima’s eyes widen as he saw that he most definitely had a bra on and things in it- and he heard his voice go up in pitch when he realized. “I’m fucking gender-fluid. I was born a shitty girl, thought I was trans.”
He kept making fleeting eye contact, searching his friend’s face for a reaction then hurriedly looking away in anxiety. Kirishima wasn’t giving the reaction he had expected however, he just nodded and gave a thumbs up, the only thing out of place was the blush that adorned his face that had resided there since Katsuki had turned around.
“That’s cool dude! What pronouns do you use?” He was speechless. No one had asked him before, not even his parents, not even Aizawa, when his teacher had taken one look at him on the first day he just simply crossed out the “she/her” next to his name and changed it to “he/him,” the only reason Katsuki even knew he knew was because his teacher came out to him in solidarity after class. Talking about something like letting him know if anyone harassed him. Deku never even asked. This was the first time he had a choice on his identity.
“Tch, I like to use he/him mainly, idiot, but some days I like to use she or they. It fucking depends, I dont know.”
“Cool dude! So, were you going to go tell everyone else? I think they’re all having movie time in the common room so you picked a good time. I can come down with you, too, if you want?”
Scoffing, he accepted the offer, sue him if he wanted some emotional support in his vulnerable state. He was anxious, he didn't even really know why, he knew his class was accepting. Their teacher had many pride flags around the classroom, he and Deku were openly dating, and many other of his classmates had come out as part of the community, even Iida was supportive as he, himself was Aromantic and Asexual.
Kirishima sent him a nod and began to walk with him to the elevator, resting a hand over his shoulders in an effort to comfort him. It did, admittedly, work.
The ride down the elevator was slow paced, the only sounds their breathing and the dinging as they passed the floors. Soon enough, however, they reached the ground floor and the doors opened. The passengers walked out, doors closing behind them, and made their way with loud footsteps into the sight of the common room.
He knew they were in sight of the occupants of the room when he heard a myriad of gasps, similar to the one that escaped Kirishima earlier.
“Kacchan?”
Great. He knew he had to explain himself to Deku, but theoretical and reality were two very different things. He cleared his room, quieting the cacophony of explanations coming from his friends.
“Oi! Idiots! I’m genderfluid and Trans, if you have an issue with it, I will personally accompany your express ticket to hell, and make sure it’s a one way fucking trip.” The announcement was met with a mixture of confused and excited faces.
“Bakugou, I would personally like to ask for you to refrain from using such language, especially not in the common room!”-and then there was Iida, whose main priority was always the respect of their school. It was pathetic in Katsuki’s humble opinion.
“Iida, I don’t think that was what we were supposed to focus on, kero.” Tsuyu really was out here saving his fucking hide, wasn’t she?
“Wait, Kacchan, what pronouns do you use?” Everyone was a bit unfocused until Deku’s question made them return their thoughts to the elephant in the room. The elephant being that Bakugou fucking Katsuki was wearing a skirt.
“Any. Use he/him if I don’t say otherwise though.” He tried to look nonchalant as his friends looked him over, checking out his frilly hair and make-up adorned face.
They all nodded then bombarded him with ensurements, “You look so good in a skirt Bakugou,” Ururaka’s voice carried over to be interrupted with Sero’s remark that Deku had a catch, who was interrupted with the sudden influx of comments that the girls had on his body, all compliments, that made him feel more prideful to have a girl’s body than he ever had in his life.
“You look so good Kacchan! Your makeup is very pretty.” Of course Deku’s opinion made him feel the best about himself, the pride swelling in his chest, which for once didn’t feel uncomfortable with the weight that resided there. Deku was even blushing and he was avoiding looking at Katsuki’s skirt too often which made him feel embarrassed for the poor nerd.
He was safe. He was comfortable, and here surrounded by Deku, Kirishima, and the rest of his classmates, he had never felt more at home. He felt the most assured he had in his body he had in a while, regardless of the fact he was dressed effeminate on a maculine day, just reveling in the ability to be himself, to present however. He felt excited now that he could challenge gender norms in the safety of his friends' support, that he could be who he was even to the public and know his friends would have his back.
He smiled, Katsuki had never felt this strong in a skirt before.