Frostbite - Bakugo Katsuki x OC

Heartbreak

The sterile scent of the hospital was the first thing Sora registered as she slowly opened her eyes. The fluorescent lights above her were harsh, and the faint hum of machines filled the room. She blinked a few times, her vision adjusting, and as the fog in her mind cleared, the memories of the battle came rushing back. Overhaul, Eri, Deku, her own quirk pushing her beyond her limits—it was all a blur of pain and power.

She sat up slowly, her body aching with every movement. The veins that had glowed with her quirk's strain were now faint marks on her skin, a quiet reminder of how far she'd pushed herself. Swinging her legs off the bed, she winced, but the need to move outweighed the pain. She had to see the others. She had to know if Eri was safe.

The hallway outside her room was quiet, save for the occasional murmur of nurses and the beeping of distant monitors. As she walked, her bare feet brushed against the cold tiles, grounding her. She moved forward, driven by a mixture of concern and dread.

- Sora.

The voice was calm, steady, and unmistakable. She turned to see Aizawa standing a few steps away, his usual tired expression softened by something she couldn't quite place.

- You're awake, - he said, his tone unreadable. He stepped closer, his eyes scanning her as if assessing her condition. - Come with me. There's someone you need to see.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and began walking. Sora hesitated for a moment before following, her steps growing heavier as they approached another room. She could sense the weight in the air, the unspoken gravity of what awaited her.

Inside the room, the atmosphere was somber. Deku and Mirio were already there, standing by a hospital bed. And in that bed lay Sir Nighteye, his once sharp and commanding presence now frail and subdued. His breathing was shallow, each inhale a laborious effort, yet his eyes still held a glimmer of resolve.

- Nighteye... - Mirio's voice wavered, his usual cheerful tone replaced by something broken.

Nighteye's gaze shifted to him, then to Deku, and finally to Sora as she stepped into the room. She froze in place, her chest tightening. The sight of him like this, a man who had been so strong and unyielding, was almost too much to bear.

- Sora,- Nighteye said, his voice barely a whisper. Yet it carried the same authority it always had. - Come closer.

She obeyed, her legs moving on their own.

- I use my quirk... one last time,- he said, his breath hitching between words. His eyes flickered to Mirio. - Your future... it will not change. You will rise again. You will be a great hero. That is certain.

Tears streamed down Mirio's face as he nodded, gripping Nighteye's hand tightly.

Then Nighteye's gaze returned to Sora. There was a softness there, an understanding that made her stomach churn. 

- I'm sorry, - he whispered. - I can't help you. I saw... but I cannot intervene. You carry so much, Sora. I wish I could lighten that burden.

His words cut deep, reopening wounds she thought had scabbed over. Sora's hands trembled as she clenched them into fists. Her head bowed, strands of her dark hair hiding her face as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want anyone to see how broken she felt.

Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor, her hands clutching her head as if trying to hold herself together. The grief was overwhelming, suffocating, as though the walls of the room were closing in on her. She bit her lip to stifle the sobs, but it was no use. The weight of everything crashed down on her—Kaoru and the others, the lives lost, her failures, and now Nighteye.