BNHA: Lessons Learned

Chapter 15

On the second full day after Izuku had been injured, his voice finally returned. He was still quite groggy due to the various assorted painkillers and chemicals that Hospital staff pumped him full of on regular intervals, but he felt a little better and was allowed to try taking small steps under supervision.
He fully knew how lucky he was; without the aid of Chiyo and her amazing healing abilities, he normally wouldn't have been walking for several months yet. He thought of that and tried to remind himself every time he lost his balance, or every time that his still-knitting bones screamed at him in protest.
He was lucky. He was going to walk again. He was fine.
He was going to return to school, and carry on as before...
And he was going to give Katsuki the shot he owed him.
Spiteful or not, hurtful or not, those words were one of many things that gave Izuku the motivation to return.
The other main two reasons were due to visit him again very soon, and he wanted to give them more hope by being able to show them that he could walk towards them. A bit.
Just a few steps, no cartwheels or anything. Surely, he could manage a few paces that said, 'I am fine' for them.

His plan started out like clockwork; at almost exactly eight forty-five, his first dose of Drug City was administered to him. That knocked out about twenty minutes of his day, while he sought to cope with the waves of dizziness that they gave.
After that came breakfast- which was grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches today- and then after that, physio.
He used his new-found voice to strongly express his idea to both the Duty Nurse and Chiyo, and then he began.
For the first ten seconds of trying to stand up and let his hips bear weight for the first time in over two days, he deeply regretted his idea and almost thought of stopping. It was agony, a constant, lancing pain that shot through over half of his body and digging into his spine and legs as well.
They supported most of his weight while he gritted his teeth and got used to just being vertical for once, then gradually, the screaming settled into a yell, and then a sharp grumble.
Still hellish, but a bit easier to ignore.

He then tried wiggling his toes, bending his knees in turn or raising them, and that didn't feel too great either, really.
But in the back of his head, one encouraging voice yelled at him much louder than all the other ones.
   "You're weak and pathetic! I could beat you with one finger, that's how pathetic you are!"
And that was the voice that kept him going, as well as the encouraging words from both Sasha and Toshi.
At this point in the day, there were two hours to go before the visit. He had to try harder. He had to do more.
So he kept on going, and even though it was still partially aided at that point, he still managed half a dozen paces before needing to rest on top of his bed.
Even then, while he was drinking fruit juice inbetween gasping for breath, he was still exercising his joints.
Rotate the ankle, wiggle toes, bend the knee, straighten the knee, lift the leg...and rest. Rotate the ankle, wiggle toes...
He never stopped, and both Chiyo and the Nurse were proud.

With one hour to go, he had tried two more times and very very briefly, had taken the first steps on his own.
He was out of time before he knew it, and at precisely noon, Sasha and Toshi entered the room to see that not only was Izuku actually standing up, he was also unaided, looking out of the room's very small window with a smile.
   "...you...you're standing?" Toshi gasped.
   "I'm much more than that." He turned towards them.
I've not long done it, he thought, so I can do it again. Nice and easy, don't go too fast cos' it's not a race...
Remembering Chiyo's last words to him a few minutes before, he held out his forearms for balance and took a step.
   "Fuck me," Sasha grinned, "it's a miracle."
   "I wanted to show you that I could do it." Izuku told them both happily. "And Kacchan too, I'll show that piece of shit who's the weakest one aro-oo-oh!"
Being a little too eager at seeing their happy faces, Izuku had forgotten that advice and had tried to speed up, to reach them so that he could give them a hug.
Fortunately Sasha was far faster, and she moved like a blur to catch the falling Izuku in a fraction of a second.
   "Heh...that's usually my job." Toshi beamed.