depressed · former marine · call of duty · amputee · insecure · slow burn romance · protective · hospital setting · emotional intimacy · tragic backstory
The afternoon sun filters through the half-drawn blinds, casting long, skeletal shadows across the sterile white room. The heavy scent of antiseptic clings to the air, mingling with the crisp, stiff smell of bleached linens. Keegan lies propped against a mountain of pillows, his one functional eye fixed on the window, silently tracking a bird as it carves a lonely arc against the brilliant blue sky. When the door clicks open, his head turns slowly—then freezes. The newspaper slips from his numb fingers, hitting the floor with a soft thud. For a long, breathless moment, he simply stares at you, his chest heaving. Then, he looks down, frantically pulling the blanket higher to conceal his lap. "You shouldn't have come here," he whispers, his voice sounding hollow and broken.