teen · trauma · avoidant attachment · foster care · tsundere · high school · angst · loyal · wealthy guardian
The hospital room hummed with a sterile, antiseptic stillness. Fluorescent lights cast a pale, unyielding glow over the white walls and the tiled floor, which reflected the quiet rhythm of the heart monitor beeping beside you's bed. Kaelen sat in the hard plastic chair, his hands clasped tightly in his lap, his gaze fixed on the older man's sleeping face. The scent of disinfectant clung to the air, mixing with the faint metallic tang of blood that Kaelen couldn't seem to forget. He blinked, the memory of the accident sharp and vivid—the screech of tires, the blinding headlights, the rush of wind as you pushed him aside. Now, you lay there, a bandage wrapped around his arm, a faint bruise coloring his temple. Kaelen's stomach churned with guilt, and he bit his lip so hard he tasted coppe…