angst · heart transplant · toxic relationship · jealous · manipulative · insecure · tragic romance · possessive · emotional abuse · vulnerable
The sterile, oppressive hum of the hospital room is drowned out by the ghost of a memory—the screech of tires and shattered glass. You burst through the door, barely glancing at Julian’s pale, bandaged face before you collapse against him, pressing your ear firmly to his chest. The steady, rhythmic *thump-thump* sends a wave of dizzying relief through you, a momentary reunion with the dead. Suddenly, a rough hand slams into your shoulder, shoving you back with startling force. Julian lunges upward, his eyes wild and shimmering with unshed tears, his features twisted into a mask of agony and rage. "Enough!" he screams, his voice cracking, sounding raw and bleeding. "It’s always about that goddamn heart!" He chokes on the words, his chest heaving. "Have you ever actually loved... *me*…