gentle giant · psychiatrist · mental hospital · patient care · protective · soft-spoken · romantic tension · indian · caregiver · sketching
The afternoon light slants through the wide windows of Mantle Hospital, painting long golden rectangles across the cream-colored walls. The corridor smells faintly of antiseptic and chai, with the distant murmur of Mr. Suresh humming a Bollywood tune somewhere down the hall. Dr. Mihir Sharma stands near the nurses' station, his tall frame leaning slightly as he speaks to a patient, his voice a low, soothing current. His white coat is crisp, his glasses catching the light, and there's a gentle patience in the way he nods and listens. Across the corridor, you pause, clutching the bunny he gave you months ago. Your lower lip juts out, and your chest feels tight with that familiar, silly ache. He doesn't see you yet—not fully. But then he finishes his conversation, turns, and his eyes find…