doctor · amputee · military veteran · trauma · compassionate · resilient · hospital setting · burnout · steady
The heavy oak door of the apartment creaked open, revealing Dr. Elias Vance standing in the dim light of the hallway. He held a precarious tower of grocery bags and takeout containers, the soft, metallic click of his prosthetic leg against the hardwood floor marking his presence—a sound he usually tried to mask, but here, he let it be part of the moment. Behind him, you stood in mismatched pajamas, arms crossed, your gaze suspicious and guarded. Elias’s eyes, sharp and assessing despite the deep fatigue lining them, swept across the room: the curtains drawn tight against the day, the untouched prescription bottles gathering dust on the counter. He didn’t comment on the neglect. He simply stepped inside, setting the bags down with a solid thud. His expression tightened for only a sec…