Today was the day Midoriya and the others returned to the dorms. While it may have only been one night since the event, it felt like years in their minds. While they were ecstatic to be back at the safety of their friends, they couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in their chest.
None of them were permitted to see Zihao or hear of his condition. If they tried to ask their teacher, he'd wave them off. Mirio stayed in the hospital to watch over Tamaki and Eri, the only reason he was allowed to be was because he was eighteen and a vital source of information about what occurred that morning. Even Eri hasn't shown any sign of waking up, the doctors believe it's due to a psychological shock.
Everyone went to sleep feeling uneasy that night, without Zihao there they felt unsafe in their own beds. Even knowing that Eraserhead and the other teachers were there, it still couldn't replace Zihao's presence.
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"Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep"
Hu's eyes stayed trailed on the green line, each rise and drop he watched intently. The little green line was the only sign of life they had. Letting out a soft sigh, Hu rested his forehead on Zihao's hand. "Idiot, you just have to worry me so..." His words began to slur as a purple mist danced around his nose leaving his body to relax into the chair.
"Thanks, Nemuri, he hasn't slept since before the raid."
"It's the least I can do, if you need anything else give me a call." She offered the tired hero a warm smile before walking down the hallway. Aizawa watched as she left before turning back to the two sleeping. With a frown on his face, he draped a blanket over Hu's body.
"Rock Lock had a point, you are just children." Aizawa spoke quietly to himself as he sat a small container of pain medicine and eyedrops by Hu's side. The only thing Zihao asked for, and of course it wasn't even for him. He knew Hu would have bad quirk draw backs. "Little shit, you probably knew something like this would happen." Scoffing, Aizawa offered them one last look before walking out the door.
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And so, a week went by. Zihao showed no sign of waking up, until one morning.
Hu stumbled awake at the sound of the EKG machine beeping frantically, instead of just monitoring his heart rate it also was connected to the smoke machine that regulated the smoke movement in his lung.
"CALL THE DOCTOR, SOMETHING IS GOING ON!" Scrambling up, Hu dashed for the button to call the nurse. Nearly stumbling over his feet as he rushed to hold the button down.
Nearly immediately a group of nurses rushed into the room, "Sir I need you to wait outside." A nurse said as she gently pushed him out, allowing the others to run to Zihao's side. Hu silently agreed as he watched with wide eyes. No thoughts ran through his mind as the green line began to change.
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"HU! HU WHAT HAPPENED?! TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!" Aizawa violently shook the male as he yelled. Panic coursed through his veins when he received the call from the doctor. No details were given other than to hurry back.
He nearly crashed three times trying to get there. Seeing Hu's form slumped over a chair with a blank expression didn't calm his nerves. He was so focused on Hu that he didn't notice an out of breath Mirio standing behind him.
"I... i don't know." Hu muttered out while staring at his shakey hands. His eyes seemed distant and frantic as he tried to regain his focus on the situation.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW?!"
"I MEAN I DON'T KNOW, ONE MOMENT HE WAS FINE THEN THE NEXT EVERYTHING WENT TO HELL!" Hu blurted out while throwing his hands in the air, tears threatened to fall from his eyes.
Mirio quickly got in between the two. "Hey now, why don't we wait for the nurse! I'm sure everything is perfectly fine!" He tried to reason while gently pushing Hu back into his seat.
"You're right Mirio, Hu I'm sorry. This whole situation is just, I don't know." Aizawa ran a hand over his face out of frustration.
"I'm sorry too, I'm just worried is all." Hu muttered out as he flexed his hands open and close. A habit he picked up when he was nervous.
Mirio smiled widely. "See! Everything is all patched up! Now we just wait!"
The three waited outside for who knows how long. A nurse came by to offer them a drink every once and awhile, but they all refused. They couldn't even think of drinking anything at the moment.
Then finally, the door to Zihao's room flew open. "Who's the guardian of Mr. L/n?" The head doctor said as a group of nurses exited the room.
Aizawa immediately stood up and wiped his hands on his pants. "I am."
The doctor nodded her head, "Mr. L/n is currently awake but no one can see him yet."
"WHY CAN'T WE SEE HIM?" Hu exclaimed angrily while standing next to Aizawa.
"Sir I need you to calm down. Zihao is currently unstable, after we return his smoke levels back to normal, he should he fine. We recommend only one person at a time visiting him, when we permit it. Just to avoid overwhelming him."
"When can we visit him?" Aizawa placed a hand on Hu's shoulder to comfort him.
The doctor looked at the watch on her wrist. "In an hour he should be fine. One of our nurses is currently in there to make sure nothing else happens. When they exit, you may enter." Offering the three a short bow, she walked away.
"We'll see him soon! Don't worry!"
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Zihao sighed as he stared up at the sky. Slowly, he brought his fingers up to his lips and inhaled. 'Huh, what am I doing?' Stopping, he looked at his fingers in confusion. 'Why was I doing that?'
"Zihao, it's time to wake up."
'Wake up? But aren't I awake?'
"Zihao, the dream is over. It's time to wake up."
'What dream?'
"Come on Zee, it's Christmas morningg."
Jolting up, Zihao looked around frantically. "Dad? Is that you?"
"Zihaooooo."
"DAD, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Running blindly, Zihao charged into the endless dark sky. The smoke dodged each step as he ran in the vast emptiness. "DAD I'M HERE, TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE!" His footsteps echoed loudly as the clouds began to form a path for him.
Stumbling over his feet, he fell. He hissed as pain shot through his hands from catching himself. "Dad please, just answer me..." A small sniffle could be heard as L/n placed his forehead against the floor. His arms slowly wrapped around his stomach as he balled into a fetal shape. "Anyone?.."
The sudden feeling of a hand on his back caused him to flinch in shock. He dared not move his head as the hand patted him warmly. "There, there my boy. I'm sorry for taking so long." The voice consoled.
"...dad?"
"Oh my little boy, how you've grown." Tears grew in the man's eyes as he rubbed his son's back. "Look at you, all grown up."
"Dad!" Launching himself up, he tackled his dad in a hug. He could feel his dad's shoulders shake as he chuckled. Warm arms wrapped around him as Zihao squeezed harder. "Dad, I miss you so much! Why did you leave me, why did you leave me alone?" His words came out in sobs as he buried his face in his dad's shoulder. The tears fell to the floor in small drops, creating a tiny puddle.
"I'm so sorry Zee, I should've been a better dad. I should've loved you and your mother more." Oboro held his son closely as he cried. Gently rubbing his back, like you would to soothe a child.
"Please, never leave again.... Please dad, I need you..."
"Oh Zihao, I'm already gone. You know this, I can't come back." He gently grabbed his son's face as he wiped the tears away. "You have to make it without me, you can't hold onto the hope of me coming back anymore. You have some amazing friends waiting for you Zihao. You need to wake up for them Zee, it isn't your time yet." Oboro smiled warmly as he gently caressed Zihao's face. When was the last time he even saw his son when he was sober?
"But I want to go with you! Please I'll do anything, just please don't let me go." Zihao pleaded, the distraught on his face was evident as he desperately clung onto his father.
"My son, you'll do amazing things in the future. I know you will, you've already long surpassed me." Oboro kissed the top of Zihao's head before offering him a wide smile. "Goodbye for now, I'm so proud of the person you've become." With one last smile, his body began to disappear into fog. "Never forgive me, I don't deserve your kindness." Zihao watched as the blue fog joined the clouds and disappeared into the now clear sky.
'Goodbye father...'
😃👍 wrote this after the devussy comments
I sobbed writing this #daddyissues
Here's a small explanation of what is happening: Zihao is currently in a coma. Before the fight, he talked with Hu about how tired they were. So, his body forced him to take a break. His mind used this time to sort of heal the damage his father did. You'll see how Zihao acted like a child and expressed childish qualities. But he quickly grew up after he heard his father's voice. (Symbolism that he had to grow up quickly due to his dad.)
Oboro is not actually there, it is a mental image Zihao created. This was hinted as when Zihao's tears hit the floor instead of being soaked into Oboro's shirt. So, it's his own mind telling him not to forgive his father. He knows that his dad fucked up big time, and while he tried to apologize, sometimes not everything can be fixed with a Band-Aid. But he begs to stay with his dad because apart of him still yearns for that fatherly love.
And the reason Zihao's mental image takes place at night is because that's what he most closely symbolizes. Unlike Tanjiro who had a very bright and clear soul, Zihao has a dark one. But it's still blurred by his own quirk and his father's. But at the end his father's quirk releases, this kinda shows how his father no longer fogs his mind.