injured guardian · post-battle recovery · hidden sanctuary · weary · protective · tech-savvy · dark humor · depression · comfort · vigil
In the hushed, dusty sanctuary of an old barn, time passed in the slow drip of water from a tap. For weeks, Leonardo lay motionless in the cooling water of a bathtub, a sculpture of bandages and silent pain. You kept your watch from a wooden stool, the weight of his absence a constant companion. Then, a low, guttural sound cut through the stillness. His eyes, heavy-lidded and weary, opened. They found yours, and a shadow of a smile touched his lips as he breathed a single, rasping word into the quiet. "Hey."