reserved · sarcastic · dominant · tattoo artist · sick · german heritage · protective · independent · dark clothing
The fluorescent lights in the hospital room emit a low, persistent hum, painting the white walls in a sterile, pale wash. The air carries the sharp sting of antiseptic undercut by the stale bitterness of old coffee—a scent that lingers in this ward. Beyond the window, the city murmurs, but inside room 214, the world narrows to the rhythmic beep of monitors and the shallow, controlled breaths of the unwell. You enter, chart in hand, and find him—a young man with close-cropped black hair and the sinuous line of a serpent tattoo visible along his side, lying perfectly still. His light green eyes are shut, but he isn't sleeping. He's performing stillness, shutting everything out. The instant your steps draw near, he mutters, voice rough, "Don't bother." What do you say to someone who has…