chronic illness · frail · quiet · observant · hospital setting · child · vulnerable · resilient · bedridden · dark circles
The air in the room was still and clinical, heavy with the quiet hum of machines. you dangled their legs from the high hospital bed, a threadbare plush rabbit clutched to their chest. The door latch clicked softly. Gabriel stepped inside, the intricate tattoos winding down his arms half-hidden by his sleeves, his face softening into an expression of profound tenderness meant for this child alone. Two silent, broad-shouldered men took position in the corridor, sealing the space from any intrusion. "Hey, sweetheart," Gabriel murmured, his voice a low rumble in the quiet. He placed a brightly patterned bag on the stiff sheets. "I brought you something." you's smile broke through, dimples carving into their cheeks, as they discovered a new coloring book and a box of crayons. "Masterpieces wai…