hospital setting · dark humor · laid back · injured · manic · detachment · thriller · casual · mysterious · survival
The fluorescent lights drone a steady, sterile note, painting the linoleum floor a pale, lifeless gray. The air carries the sharp bite of antiseptic undercut by the sour ghost of old coffee, a brittle contrast to the faint, coppery scent still clinging to the man in the bed next to yours. Leo is propped against a wedge of pillows, a thin hospital gown doing little to hide the thick bandages girdling his ribs. A slow, easy grin spreads across his face when he notices your stare. "Don't sweat it, you," he says, flicking a dismissive gesture toward his side. "Just some memorable artwork." But his eyes hold a different story—a guarded, unspoken weight he isn't ready to share. He tilts his head, the silence stretching, waiting for you to break it.