Chapter Text
Helpless.
Iida hated feeling helpless. Inaction, to be still when there were things which needed to be done, felt like a betrayal of everything he held to be most important. Stillness and solitude were vital elements of human health in times of peace and war alike, but he could never feel right attempting to take them for himself as long as they were denied to his classmates, the people whose safety had been entrusted to him as their leader. Their wellbeing was his responsibility, and responsibility was something he took very seriously.
After the attack on the training camp had ended, they had all been transported along with their injured to Annokiee Hospital. Those of them with serious injuries were whisked immediately away for treatment. Of those who remained many of the more minor injuries had already been treated. However out of a sense of caution they were all checked over again by the hospital staff before being officially cleared for release.
None of them had left though.
At first it had been because they weren’t certain if they were allowed to leave while the police had interviewed each of them one at a time. Then it was because they were waiting for news about the condition of their severely injured classmates. Aizawa Sensei and Vlad Sensei had both been taken away by the police to answer questions of their own.
Now, even though they could go home, they were all scattered around the main waiting room of the hospital. Several of them poked mindlessly at phones handed to Kaminari to charge so that their large group wouldn’t be monopolizing all of the limited number of outlets this room offered. A few of them flipped through the magazines on trivial topics hospitals liked to keep piles of for mindless entertainment. The girls, seated together in a corner, kept attempting to begin a conversation, but appeared to be struggling, lapsing into silence again moments after each attempt. Tokoyami and Shoji also looked like they wanted to talk to each other, but ultimately chose to sit in silence.
He understood. They were in shock. The attack had been a traumatic experience. They all needed a chance to rest and allow their minds to heal as well as their bodies. The first step would be for them all to see to their physical needs. They’d all eaten supper before their evening activities so they were unlikely to be particularly hungry, a good thing since the hospital cafeteria would be long since closed, but perhaps some water?
There was a short hallway leading to a smaller overflow waiting room off to the left. When the doors had opened a bit ago he thought he had glimpsed vending machines down it. If anywhere he would find what he needed to help his classmates there.
…
Apparently he wasn’t alone in this thought. Kendo, the representative for Class 1-B, was already there pulling a bottle of apple juice from the machine’s dispenser to add to a collection of various juices already held in her enlarged other hand.
“So your class hasn’t left yet either, huh?” she asked without looking up. Silently she seemed to be counting off in her head before reaching up to select another drink, some sort of green smoothie this time.
“Not yet. I believe we’re all still in too much shock. Bakugo’s capture hit everyone extremely hard. We’re also waiting to hear how our classmates are doing. So far none of our injured have woken up.”
“Hmm.” She stood up and moved aside, brushing invisible dirt from her knees, so that he could have access to the machine. It occurred to him that she looked as tired as his own classmates. He wondered if he looked the same?
“What about the Class B students? Have you heard anything about their conditions?”
A sigh. “Not much. Most of my class was in the forest where the gas was the heaviest. The masks that Momo made helped enough so that some of them didn’t inhale as much of it, but we still don’t know when they’ll wake up. Reiko and Shoda, they were attacked by that monster - what was it? A nomu or something like that?” She paused so he could nod his response. “Anyway, they were hurt bad. Reiko’s still unconscious. Shoda woke up, but they’re keeping him overnight anyway just in case. He’s pretty scrambled.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m finding that no matter how many times something like this happens it doesn’t get any easier to have classmates in danger.”
He turned his attention to the machine and studied the options. Kendo had appeared to be making her selections based on what were likely the personal preferences of her classmates. He couldn’t help but envy her connection with them. He would have to get better at noticing such things. He believed he could make a fair guess as far as choices for what Todoroki and Uraraka would want due to regularly sitting with them at the lunch table and at one point he had heard Tokoyami express a love for apples, but the rest of his classmates were something of a blank to him in that regard. Would his other classmates be upset if he purchased specific drinks for those three but not the others? Perhaps a selection of many things and each person could take what they desired? No, the point of this was to make things easier for them, not to tax their brains with decision making… So his original plan of water bottles then. It would be best to avoid sugary beverages this late in the evening anyway.
When he moved to pay, he caught a glimpse of Kendo’s face as a reflection in the machine’s glass. She looked troubled.
He was on the verge of asking her what was wrong - though he was also uncertain if such an inquiry into her private struggles would be welcome - when she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “How do you do it? We knew there was something different about your class ever since the attack on the USJ, but this… This is the first time my class has faced anything like this. We have to get stronger. Tetsutetsu said it. We can’t get left behind by you guys.”
“I don’t believe you have been. No one could have anticipated that attack, and tonight you did more than I did. I could only stand by. To take out a villain your first time facing one is no small feat. You and Tetsutetsu defeated the villain who was causing the poison gas. Who knows what could have happened if he had continued to produce it? Perhaps there would have been more injuries. You helped save everyone . I’m certain you and your class are all going to become amazing heroes.”
She shrugged and rubbed at her arm, a small smile on her face. “Thanks.” She started to head back, but paused. “We’re going to be standing next to you guys next time, not behind. But for now, I think I’m going to take everyone home with me. I kind of don’t want them out of my sight, you know?”
Now that she mentioned it… “Yes, I believe I understand that feeling quite well in fact. I think that I may do the same for my class.”
“Good luck.”
“Indeed. The same to you.”
He finished his acquisition of his armful of water bottles and returned to the waiting room to disperse them among his classmates, all of whom appeared grateful for his offering.
After his discussion with Kendo, he was determined to be even more attuned to their needs, and overwhelmingly what was becoming rapidly apparent was that what all of them truly needed was sleep. It was also abundantly clear to him now why it was that none of them had as of yet been willing to leave to get it.
No one wanted to be alone.
Having lost a classmate in such a way as they had, it was only natural that they would all wish to stay together until they had had time to process through what had happened. Staying at the hospital all night was not an option though. Not that they were causing any trouble, going out of their way as they were to avoid it, but he had started to notice the hospital staff giving them looks. Most were simply pitying, but a few were definitely bordering on annoyed. It would be best to make other arrangements before they were asked to leave.
It spoke to the strength of the bonds they had begun to form as a group that they would all cling in this way. If none of them were willing to be apart right now then naturally that meant they would have to stay together. His own home might be a bit out of the way, but it was certainly large enough to accommodate all of them.
Returning to the hall where he was less likely to be interrupted he pulled out his phone and cringed at the missed calls. In his concern for his classmates he had forgotten to remove it from silent after his meeting with the police. Hastily he speed dialed the second number.
It only rang twice before it was picked up. “Tenya? Thank goodness! I’ve been watching the news, and they said your camp was attacked!” He hadn’t realized how much tension he’d been carrying in his shoulders until just the sound of her voice was enough to make him relax, even high pitched with anxiety as it was.
“Hello, Mother. I’m sorry I made you worry. Yes, our camp was attacked, and one of our classmates was taken, but I promise I’m safe now.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so glad you’re okay! … But I’m sorry about your friend. Is there anything I can do? When are you coming home?”
“Actually, that’s the reason I called. I have a favor to ask. Would it be alright if I brought the rest of my class, the ones not staying in the hospital overnight, to come home with me? I’d take care of everything. They wouldn’t get in the way.”
“I don’t have a problem with it at all. Of course you all want to stay together. Just make sure they all let their own parents know where they are.” He could hear the stern note of warning resulting from his own indiscretion creeping into her tone for a moment. She continued. “How soon can we expect you? It’s getting rather late. Do you have a way to get everyone here?”
“I’m still working on that, but I did have a thought. Is Tensei still awake?”
*****
“Here let me take those for you.” Shoji held out his arms to take part of the pile of futons Iida was currently struggling to see around.
Iida looked noticeably relieved by the offer to be rid of them, but he still protested. “What? No, I told you all to relax. It’s my responsibility as the class rep and as your host to see to your needs. Plus you shouldn’t really be lifting anything at all with your arm injured.”
Shoji tilted his head and formed a mouth on one of his tentacles. “But won’t everyone be able to rest sooner if we all work together?” Of course Iida knew that, but sometimes it was a good idea to point out the logically obvious thoughts. Sometimes people just needed a little bit of a push to see reason when they were as tired as Iida looked - as tired as their entire class looked. Sure his arm ached but it wasn’t that bad.
Iida looked like he was thinking about it for a moment before nodding. “Of course. You’re correct. Thank you. I would appreciate assistance. However… ”
“However, I’m going to be the one to help carry these,” Sato interrupted, taking half of Iida’s load without further ceremony. “Iida’s right. You shouldn’t be lifting things. If you wanna help, you can help spread the blankets out on top of them.”
Working side by side it was a short matter, with several of the other boys joining in to move couches and other furniture out of the way, to soon have much of the Iida family’s finished basement, where they had come immediately after Enigma had dropped them off at the Iida family mansion via the Team Idaten bus, interspersed from wall to wall with comfortable sleeping surfaces.
Iida’s mom had come downstairs to check that they were all settling in and had brought with her a kettle and a tray loaded with mugs and tea bags and cookies. Iida had protested that help as well, saying that he had promised to take care of them all so that she didn’t need to, but he had also thanked her profusely. Strange how that worked.
Shoji and Tsuyu made quick work of tying Mineta in his mattress the same way the boys had trussed him up at the camp. The purple boy protested briefly but also fell asleep soon after.
That had been the case for many of them in fact. Now that they finally had the chance to properly lay down, even worried as they all were, dropping off to sleep was proving far easier for most than they had likely anticipated.
Shoji for his part chose one of the mattresses nearest to the stairs and sat up, a warm mug of tea clasped in two of his hands, watching them all slip off into dreams one by one. It really was strange wasn’t it? Just a few weeks ago they’d all been making declarations of war to one another. Now here they were huddling together, needing each other close in order to rest. The competitiveness was still there of course but now it was different. For most of them It was becoming a personal drive to better themselves rather than oneup any other person.
A slight shuffling caught his attention and he looked up to see Tokoyami making his way towards him. At first Shoji assumed that his classmate was heading for the restroom which was located just at the top of the stairs, but instead of continuing on his way up the dark headed boy dropped down to be seated on his knees next to his larger classmate.
“You said that we would talk later about the events which occurred in the forest. It’s now later and if you’re amiable, I would like to talk.”
“That’s fine, but you should know before we do that if you’re planning on saying that you’re sorry, I don’t believe you’ve done anything that needs to be apologized for.”
Tokoyami looked slightly taken aback by that. “But I - I don’t believe I understand? I hurt you. I could have KILLED you!” Shouted as loudly as was possible when trying not to wake any of their sleeping classmates, which is to say barely above a whisper.
Shoji just shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe if you’d kept control of Dark Shadow, the villain would actually have killed us. It was really Midoriya’s planning, and Bakugo’s willingness to wait a moment until Dark Shadow could defeat him that saved us.”
A moment’s pause as Tokoyami processed what he’d said. “I suppose I must concede that you may in fact be correct on that count. It is indeed possible that any one of us could have died tonight… Speaking of which, you saved me not once but twice. If not for your quick thinking, I might very well have been taken right alongside Bakugo.”
Shoji inclined his head. “Any time, my friend.”
“You truly will be able to regrow the lost hand?”
“In a few days it’ll be like it never happened.”
“Well then, in that case I believe it would be in all of our best interests to wish for morning to come quickly. This day appears to have long overstayed its welcome.”
“Good night, Fumikage.”
A sleepy murmur of ‘good night’ from the next futon where they had believed Kouda to be already asleep left them both chuckling as the unexpected interruption before Tokoyami made his way back to his own bed.
Shoji would remain awake a while longer to ensure that each of his friends was able to rest safely.