Mha oc

Small talk

The hospital room was too quiet. The hum of machines filled the space, steady and rhythmic, but it only made the silence heavier. My steps were soft, careful, like I was afraid to disturb him. I held the single white rose tightly in my hand, its stem pressing into my palm like a tether. 

When I reached his bedside, I set the rose gently on the side table next to him. The white petals looked out of place against the dull, sterile surroundings of the room. 

I stood there for a moment, staring at him. He looked smaller than I'd ever seen him, even though he was the same man who'd stood strong in every storm. The bandages and bruises made him seem fragile, and that wasn't something I was used to. 

"Hey, Dad," I said softly, my voice cracking. I wasn't sure if he could hear me, but it didn't matter. I needed this, even if it was just me talking to the air. 

I pulled the chair closer and sank into it, resting my elbows on my knees. My hands shook as I pressed them together, trying to find something solid in the mess of emotions clawing at my chest. 

"I, uh... I brought you a rose. Thought you might like it. It's...simple, like you. Not flashy, not loud, just there. Like you always are." 

The words tumbled out, uneven and quiet. I didn't know what else to say, so I just sat there for a while, staring at the floor as the weight of everything pressed down on me. 

My throat felt tight, and before I could stop it, the tears started again. They came silently, streaking down my face as I hunched over, clutching my hands together. This was my outlet, my way of processing everything—quiet, raw, and alone. 

"I...I don't even know where to start," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I mean, today was...fine, I guess. Nothing too crazy. Bakugou's still a loudmouth, but what else is new, right? Kaminari fried himself again, and I think Kirishima almost broke a desk trying to prove how 'manly' he is." 

I let out a shaky breath, trying to keep my voice steady. 

"But...it's not fine, Dad. None of it is. You're here, and I can't... I can't fix it. I couldn't protect you." My fingers tightened into fists, and my chest ached with the weight of the words. "You're the strongest person I know, and seeing you like this..." 

I trailed off, wiping at my face with the sleeve of my hoodie. 

"I keep thinking about the USJ, about the Nomu, about you getting slammed into the ground like that. And I keep hearing it, over and over, the sound you made when you hit the floor. I didn't know what to do. I just—" 

My voice cracked, and I buried my face in my hands. 

"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry I wasn't strong enough." 

The silence stretched on, broken only by the steady beeping of the heart monitor. I looked up at him, his face peaceful despite the bruises and bandages, and something in me softened. 

"You'd probably tell me to stop being dramatic," I said with a weak laugh. "To get out of my head and just...do better next time. You always know what to say, even if it's blunt and a little rude. I need that right now." 

I leaned back in the chair, letting my head rest against the wall as I stared at the ceiling. 

"I miss you," I whispered. "Even though you're right here, I miss you." 

I stayed like that for a while, just sitting there, letting the silence fill the space between us. It was the only way I knew how to cope—quietly, without making a scene. 

And maybe, just maybe, he could hear me.