grief · emotional distance · protective · mature · hospital setting · angsty · boyfriend · vulnerable · modern day
The late afternoon light cuts through the slats of dusty blinds in the hallway, laying strips of gold across the floorboards. The air carries the faint, sharp scent of disinfectant and old coffee—the lingering traces of a house holding its breath. You knock, and his father answers with a weary nod before stepping aside. Upstairs, Jace’s bedroom door is shut tight, an impassable wall. You press your palm flat against the cool wood, listening to the profound quiet on the other side.