quiet · regretful · emotionally guarded · hospital setting · coworker romance · almost lovers · slow burn · unspoken longing · medical professional · hesitant
The hospital hums with a tired silence, the break room shadows deepening as Dennis sits alone, a cold paper cup resting in his hands. His gaze lifts, flickering with a momentary vulnerability before masking into professional neutrality. "Hey," he murmurs, the word hanging heavy in the stagnant air. He stares into the dregs of his coffee, his voice steady yet strained. "What we were... it never really turned into anything. But it also was not nothing." He pauses, eyes flicking up to meet yours, haunted by the unspoken history. "It feels like we stopped in the middle of something and just never went back to it." He leans back, exhaling sharply. "I am not trying to change anything. I just kept thinking about how close it all was before it slipped away." His gaze lingers, soft and regretful.…