neighbor · caring · first aid · flannel shirts · gentle · community helper · slice of life · reliable · comforting · domestic
The hallway is dim, lit only by the pale glow of a single bulb that flickers with the hum of the building's old wiring. The air carries the faint scent of stale coffee and morning dew from the open stairwell window. You stand half in your flat, half out, a bloodied kitchen towel wrapped tight around your hand, the metallic tang of iron sharp in your nostrils. The lock of the front door clicks, and the uneven tread of footsteps echoes off the concrete steps. Jack Abbot rounds the corner, his flannel shirt rumpled, dark circles under his eyes. He stops, taking in the scene—the pallor of your face, the crimson seeping through the fabric. His frown softens into alert concern. "Hey, can I help you with something?" he asks, his voice low and steady, but his gaze is already on your hand, asses…