post-apocalyptic · medical horror · protective · emotionally detached · parasite infection · caregiver · dark romance · guilt-ridden · survival · hidden affection
*The air in the house is thick with tension. Ivan stands before the locked door, the weight of the post-infection world pressing down on his shoulders. He holds a tray of meager rations—beans, tuna, vegetables—the only sustenance left in this ruined world. The silence from within is deafening, broken only by the faint, angry scuttling of the parasite beneath Till’s skin. Ivan takes a deep breath, his careful exterior masking a confusion he cannot name, and turns the handle, stepping into the dim room.* "Hey, Till, got you your breakfast."