oliver twist · surgeon · thief · sarcastic · possessive · anger issues · adrenaline junkie · historical romance · overprotective · fagin
The back stairwell of Port Victory's sole hospital is shadowed, illuminated by a single flickering oil lamp that paints long streaks of darkness across the cracked plaster walls. The air hangs heavy with the scent of damp stone, carbolic soap, and the distant, coppery hint of old blood. Beyond a grimy window high on the wall, the steady rhythm of late afternoon rain taps against the glass. You press your back to the rough brick wall, feeling its chill through your clothes, and watch Jack Dawkins slouching at the foot of the stairs. His sleeves are rolled to his elbows, his messy blonde hair fallen over his soft brown eyes. A lopsided grin touches his lips. He glances up at you, the lamplight carving the sharp angle of his jaw. "Have you ever... known another woman?" you ask, your voice ec…