Mind Over Matter [Shindeku Fanfiction]

Aftermath of the Sports Festival [Chapter 1]

After being defeated, and his Quirk unexpectedly failing him, Shinso was not sure about what to do next. He could watch his victorious rival face his next opponent to learn more about his fighting technique, or he could sit in the locker rooms to think about what just happened, and perfect his own strategy. Although, he admitted there wasn't much he could improve, since he could only rely on his physical and mental strength, and not just his Quirk.

He wanted to grasp some victory in his hands, but he admitted he did grasp some when his classmates cheered and complimented him. He felt that even more after hearing actual Pro Heroes acknowledging his skills. That was his greatest desire, and it finally came true. He was getting close to proving wrong all the people that berated him for years.

And deep down, he did win. But not in a way that would be categorized as a normal victory, and with no shimmering medals involved. It was a spiritual one, if not emotional too. It left a bittersweet taste in his mouth, but he felt glad. That guy made him realize things about himself that he did not know even existed, and he will cherish such advice until the day he draws his last breath.

Shinso was pacing back and forth in the locker room, hands behind his back, eyes locked onto the floor as his mind was clouded with thoughts. Before he could decide on what to do, the announcer shouted the next match: Midoriya was going to fight against Todoroki. 

His eyes widened as he stared at the screen, and his heart began racing. He was aware of who Todoroki was. He was one of the few students that got recommended to the school, and also one of the strongest. Not only that, but he was the son of the second best Pro Hero, Endeavor. So he was no easy opponent. For a moment he sat here as the match began, but he quickly rushed his way towards the stadium stands, almost bumping into a few other students. He sat himself next to his classmates, which acknowledged him warmly.

"Do your best, Midoriya." He whispered under his breath. But something unexpected happens: Neither of them seemed to win at the beginning. Every time one of them threw a powerful blow, the other would either dodge or counterattack. And every time, Midoriya broke a bone of his arm with his self-destructive Quirk that not even Shinso got to face in its full power. Each snap made Shinso's skin crawl, along with his heart sinking with such a deep feel of dread. But he was having difficulty looking away, like his eyes were stuck to Midoriya's struggles. His friends tried to catch his attention, but his answers would be quick and shallow, and sometimes even absent.

He wanted him to win, but in the end the very opposite happened. People still cheered on both students, Including his own class. As Midoriya, unconscious and defeated, got carried to the infirmary by the robots, Shinso had the urge to visit him. Even just seeing a glimpse of him in person could be enough to get rid of the emotional boulder he felt on his chest.

However, the sight of other people waiting outside the infirmary was enough for him to change his mind, or at least to temporarily repress that feeling. He did not want to be seen, at least not with other strangers or Class 1-A. He wanted to talk to Midoriya personally without interruptions. As everyone walked out, including the mysterious emaciated man that seemed to always stick by the boy whenever he could, he walked his way towards the door, both his fists clenched to mask his nervousness.

He knocked twice, and the sweet old lady, Recovery Girl, peeked her head out with a small frown. "I'm sorry Shinso, but I have to operate this boy! Could you please wait? This is a delicate surgery, please understand." She tilted her head slightly, waiting for Shinso to leave. The operating tools were set right next to the bed, sterilized and ready to be used.

The fact Midoriya got injured to the point of needing an emergency surgery rubbed Shinso the wrong way, but at the same time he expected it after watching him sacrifice every fiber of his being to face Todoroki. He tried to look inside with the corner of his eye, but ultimately inched backwards and nodded. He could wait for his rival to recover, he had no rush after all.

It felt like days passed, rather than hours. The next matches did not catch Shinso's attention as much as Midoriya's, and he was starting to grow bored. They started to get shorter and shorter, to the point they felt like a joke to him. He soon got up to check if the infirmary was open again, and to his surprise his rival was recovered, but still exhausted. Recovery Girl nodded with a much brighter smile than what she had a few hours ago and let Shinso in.

"I've never seen you in his class! Are you a friend?" she asked Shinso as he stepped inside. He was not sure what to tell her, so he simply nodded with a smile. She sat onto a chair to write down some papers, probably detailing the things the boy should do and not do once he recovered. 

"Shinso...?" Blurted out Midoriya in a weak tone, opening one eye. He was covered head to toe with bandages, and his arm had a cast around. "Why did you drive yourself to this state? Are you incapable of controlling your own Quirk?" Asked Shinso, without waiting any further. The injured boy looked to his side, gritting his teeth. "Well, no but...I am working on it! I could just-" He got interrupted by Recovery Girl, who tilted her head back to glare daggers at him. "No more bone breaking! Don't forget what I told you. Work on another way to use your Quirk! Don't be stubborn."

Shinso blinked. Was this not the first time he reduced himself to such a state? Did he want to cripple himself or something? He did not want to touch such a delicate subject, so he quickly thought of something else to talk about. 

"You did not win, but you still proved yourself to be a fearful opponent. I liked the match." He said as he grabbed a chair and sat down next to his bed. "Well, thank you. I am glad you too enjoyed it..." Midoriya still looked perplexed, like something was bothering him. He glanced at Shinso, smiling softly. "There's no pent up feelings, right?" He asked, dragging his arm closer to his chest. Shinso stayed silent. He first glanced at the boy's injuries, then right into his eyes. "Why would there be? I have promised you to become better than you, not to be enemies." He kept his cold tone, but it felt much less hostile than when he first spoke to Midorya.

The latter sighed softly, leaning back on the bed as it creaked, grunting for a moment due to his wounds still being fresh. "Get well soon." said Shinso, getting up and heading out. Before he could exit the room, Midorya blurted out "W-Wait!" , which caught his attention.

"...Can we improve together? Or maybe just...hang out during studies-" Shinso responded with a simple "Sure." , before leaving him alone.