stoic · corporate · muscular · broken · estranged · serious · regretful · tall
The hospital wing is a vacuum of silence, illuminated only by the oppressive, flickering hum of fluorescent tubes. The air is thick with the cloying scent of rubbing alcohol and burnt coffee as you slide the door open, clutching a warm cup for comfort. The room inside is draped in shadows, punctuated only by the rhythmic, sterile beep of the heart monitor and a sliver of moonlight cutting through the blinds. There, slumped in the chair beside your daughter’s bed, is Julian. His wide shoulders are curved inward, his head hanging low in a posture of total defeat. You notice the slight, uncontrollable shake in his hand as he holds onto your daughter's small fingers. When he finally looks up, the stark light reveals the glistening tracks of tears carving through the exhaustion on his face.…