AN: Really short chapter, I'm at my sister's house and don't have access to my PC, so this entire thing was done on my phone, and wow does typing on a phone suck. Next week will be a bit of training and Shinji getting closer to his classmates after the USJ, then we'll be onto the sports festival arc
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The hospital room felt smaller than it had yesterday. Shinji had spent enough time in places like this to recognize the subtle shift—the walls hadn't actually moved, but the weight of being trapped in the same place for days had started pressing in, making everything feel smaller.
And right now, that feeling was only making his frustration worse.
"I should be able to go to school." His voice was flat, and firm, leaving no room for debate. But, of course, the doctor was going to debate him anyway.
The older man sighed, adjusting his glasses as he flipped through the clipboard in his hands. "Shinji, you suffered extensive injuries. By all accounts, you shouldn't even be awake, let alone arguing with me about this. You need to remain here so we can monitor your condition properly."
Shinji scoffed, rolling his shoulders—still testing the limits of his body, even as they spoke. There was still that vague sense of disconnect like his body and mind weren't entirely synced up yet, but that only strengthened his point. "And how exactly are you supposed to 'monitor' me when all I do is sit here? You're not going to learn anything new if I don't move."
The doctor shot him a look. "And you think the best place to test your limits is in a high-stress combat environment?"
"Yes." Shinji didn't even hesitate. "UA has Recovery Girl. If something goes wrong, she's the best person to have nearby."
"That's not—"
"That's exactly the point," Shinji cut in, shifting to the edge of the bed, though he stopped short of standing up—he wasn't that reckless. Yet. "You're not keeping me here because I might suddenly keel over. You're keeping me here because you don't understand what's happening. But keeping me locked in a bed all day isn't going to fix that. If something is wrong, you're not going to see it unless I actually move."
Yu was quiet beside him, watching the exchange with an unreadable expression. But the corner of her mouth had twitched upward slightly, a quiet sort of amusement hidden beneath the surface.
The doctor pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to find the patience to deal with him. "You are one of the most stubborn patients I've ever had."
Shinji tilted his head slightly. "That's probably true."
A deep sigh. A long pause. Then, finally—
"…I'll make some calls, but it's going to be a half day at most."
Shinji exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. It wasn't a complete win, but it was progress.
Yu leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, and smiled—really smiled. "You've never argued with a doctor before."
Shinji raised an eyebrow at her. "I guess I've never been this annoyed before."
She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I don't know. I think you're finally learning how to fight for yourself."
Yu flinched the moment the words left her mouth. The smile she wore just seconds ago faltered, guilt flashing across her face as she realized what she'd said.
Shinji noticed. Of course, he did.
For a moment, he considered calling her out on it, pointing out the obvious flaw in her words. But as he watched her shift uncomfortably, clearly regretting her phrasing, he decided against it.
Instead, he let out a slow breath and shook his head. "I get what you meant." His voice was softer than expected, lacking the sharpness it could have had. "But, Yu… fighting for myself? That's not something new."
She winced again, just slightly, but she didn't interrupt.
"That's all I did for three years," Shinji continued, his gaze distant, as if he could still see the dark, endless expanse of the Breach behind his eyes. "Every day. Every second. Just trying to keep going."
Yu swallowed, looking down at her lap. "I know," she murmured. "That's why I—" She stopped herself, shaking her head before looking back at him. "I wasn't trying to say you didn't fight. I just meant… this is different."
Shinji tilted his head slightly, waiting for her to continue.
She hesitated, then gestured vaguely with her hands. "Before, you were fighting to survive. Now, you're fighting for your life."
Shinji blinked, confusion flickering across his face.
Yu sighed. "I mean, you're not just existing anymore. You're pushing for more. Arguing with doctors, wanting to get back to school, fighting for something beyond just making it to the next day. That's—" She shook her head again. "That's what I meant."
Shinji considered that for a moment.
Was that true?
The Breach had been survival in its rawest form. Just enduring, just scraping by, just keeping himself from losing himself. But now? Now, he wanted something. He wanted to get out of this hospital, wanted to get back to—
He hesitated.
Back to what?
To school? To whatever semblance of normalcy he had before?
He wasn't sure.
But Yu wasn't wrong.
His fingers tapped absently against the blanket covering his legs. "I guess," he admitted. "Maybe I'm just tired of waiting around."
Yu's lips curled into something softer, less forced. "Yeah," she said. "That sounds more like you."
The tension in the air eased, if only slightly.
Shinji exhaled, rolling his shoulders as much as the IV lines would allow. "Still doesn't mean I like being stuck here."
Yu chuckled. "I'd be worried if you did."
—---
The walk into U.A. felt longer than it should have.
Maybe it was the weight of the eyes on him—the subtle stares from passing students, the half-whispered conversations that trailed in his wake.
He ignored them.
The halls were mostly empty, save for the occasional latecomer straggling behind, but he could tell the school was alive with activity just beyond the walls of each classroom. Distant chatter, the occasional laugh, the hum of normalcy.
Normalcy.
It felt wrong to be here. Or maybe he felt wrong being here.
Either way, Shinji shook the thought off as he approached the door to his classroom.
Homeroom.
He was late, but not too late. Lunch had ended not long ago, and if things were still running as usual, Aizawa would be there—probably half-asleep in his chair, waiting to see if anyone dared to interrupt him before he got through attendance.
Shinji took a breath, then slid the door open.
The room was as he expected.
Most of his classmates were already seated, their attention turning toward him the second he stepped in. Some were mid-conversation, their words trailing off the moment they registered who had just walked in.
For a second, there was silence.
Then—
"Takeyama?"
That was Midoriya, voice lined with shock and something else. Relief? Maybe.
Kirishima let out a low whistle. "Dude, you actually made it."
There was movement—small shifts, glances exchanged, Ochako visibly perking up in her seat while Mina practically leaned forward like she wanted to say something but was holding herself back.
Momo sat up a little straighter, eyes scanning him carefully like she was checking for injuries.
Aizawa, who had been resting with his sleeping bag pulled halfway up his body, cracked one eye open at the disturbance. He stared at Shinji for all of two seconds before sighing and rubbing his temples.
"You're late," was all he said.
It was so normal that for a brief moment, Shinji almost felt like he hadn't spent days strapped to a hospital bed, questioning his own mind.
His grip on his bag tightened.
"Yeah," he muttered. "I'm here now, though."
Aizawa studied him for a moment longer, then simply gestured toward an open seat.
"Sit down. We have things to go over."
And just like that, it was done.
Shinji made his way toward his seat, ignoring the lingering stares and the way his body felt off even now.
He was here.
That was enough for now.
Aizawa let out a long sigh, crossing his arms as he leaned back slightly in his chair. His tired eyes scanned the class before settling back on Shinji.
"You're all here now," he acknowledged flatly. "Good. But don't think for a second that means you're in the clear. Our fight's not over yet."
Shinji barely had time to process the words before Aizawa continued.
"The U.A. Sports Festival is coming up."
Shinji blinked. "…The what?"
Silence.
It was as if the entire room froze.
Mina's jaw practically hit the desk. Midoriya looked like someone had just flipped his entire worldview upside down. Kirishima, who had been leaning back slightly in his chair, nearly lost his balance. Momo's eyebrows shot up, and Ochako's mouth opened, then closed again like she didn't even know where to start with that.
Even Aizawa's eye twitched slightly.
"You don't know about the Sports Festival?" Kaminari finally blurted out, disbelief clear in his tone. "Dude, it's only the biggest event in U.A.! Like, everyone knows about it!"
"Apparently not everyone," Jirou muttered under her breath.
Shinji frowned slightly, shifting his weight. "No one ever mentioned it."
Iida, ever the logical one, cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. "That…would actually make sense," he said carefully, choosing his words with precision. "Given your extended leave of absence, it's possible that the Sports Festival simply never came up in conversation. And—if I may be so bold—it's also possible that your recent recovery has left gaps in certain areas of your memory."
The room went quiet again at the tactful reminder of Shinji's situation. No one wanted to say it outright, but the knowledge was there, lingering just beneath the surface of every interaction.
Shinji rolled the words over in his mind, then nodded slowly. "Alright," he said, ignoring the odd feeling twisting in his gut. "So what is the Sports Festival?"
Iida practically lit up at the chance to explain.
"The U.A. Sports Festival is an annual event held to showcase the abilities of hero course students! It is watched nationwide, a crucial opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills to pro heroes and potential agencies! The competition is fierce, but it serves as a proving ground for aspiring heroes!"
Shinji stared at him, blinking slowly as he absorbed the information.
"…So it's a tournament."
Iida hesitated, then nodded. "Essentially, yes."
Shinji's gaze flickered to Aizawa, who was watching the interaction with mild disinterest.
"Do I have to do it?"
Aizawa exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "It's not mandatory, but it's strongly encouraged. For most students, this is their first chance to be noticed by pro heroes, to get offers for internships, and to prove themselves. Opting out isn't exactly a great look." He shot Shinji a pointed look. "Especially for someone who's already a subject of interest."
Shinji didn't miss the implication.
His jaw tightened slightly, but he didn't argue.
He had fought through worse.
This was just one more battle to get through.
"…Alright," he finally said. "I'm in."
Mina's initial excitement visibly dimmed as realization dawned on her. She slumped forward against her desk, groaning dramatically.
"Ugh, that's so not fair…" she whined, pouting. "You can summon skyscraper-sized robots of pure badassery! How the hell are we supposed to compete against that?!"
Kirishima let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, uh… I mean, not to sound defeatist or anything, but you kinda do have a huge advantage, man."
"Like literally huge," Kaminari added, waving his hands in emphasis. "Your robots are bigger than buildings! We'd all be flattened in seconds!"
Shinji raised an eyebrow. "You do realize I probably won't be allowed to use full-size Jaegers, right?"
Mina lifted her head slightly, hope flickering in her eyes. "Wait, really?"
He shrugged. "Think about it. The arena might be big, but not that big. And I feel like the school's not going to be thrilled if I start leveling buildings mid-fight." He paused. "Or if I accidentally squish someone."
The class collectively shuddered at the mental image.
"Yeahhh, that'd be pretty bad press for U.A.," Jirou muttered.
"And for me," Shinji added dryly. "Can you imagine the headlines? 'U.A. Student Wins Sports Festival—At The Cost Of Classmates' Lives'?"
Momo, ever the rational thinker, frowned slightly. "That is a good point. U.A. does place restrictions on Quirk usage during the festival for safety reasons. If your larger Jaegers are deemed too dangerous, they may limit you to smaller-scale summons."
Mina groaned, sitting up fully. "Ughhh. Okay, okay, that makes me feel a little better, but you're still gonna be crazy strong, right?"
Shinji smirked slightly. "I'll still be me if that's what you're asking."
Mina huffed. "Well, great. Guess I'll just have to train extra hard if I wanna stand a chance!"
Kirishima grinned, clapping a fist into his palm. "Hell yeah! If we're gonna go up against Takeyama, we gotta go Plus Ultra!"
Midoriya, who had been quietly analyzing the situation the whole time, suddenly looked deep in thought, already muttering to himself. "If Takeyama is restricted to smaller Jaegers, then that means he'll have to rely more on mobility and tactical application rather than sheer size. But considering his combat adaptability in the USJ incident, that won't be too much of a limitation—he could still be an overwhelming force in one-on-one matches, but if the first rounds involve large-scale obstacle courses or team battles, then—"
Ochako nudged him gently. "Breathe, Deku."
Midoriya snapped out of his muttering trance, coughing awkwardly. "R-Right! Sorry!"
Aizawa, who had been watching the back-and-forth unfold, sighed. "If you're all done panicking over Shinji's advantage, maybe we can actually prepare for the festival instead of whining about it."
The class straightened up instantly, all murmuring quick affirmations of "Yes, sir!"
Shinji simply exhaled, glancing out the window.
He had agreed to compete.
Now he just had to figure out how he was going to make it through.