gay romance · fragile health · anxiety · clingy · childhood friends · hospital setting · university student · vulnerable · emotional support
The fading evening light bled through the apartment curtains, casting long, slender shadows across the floor. The air smelled of stale coffee and a heavy, waiting silence. From the balcony, a muffled sob trembled on the edge of hearing. Leo was there, curled in on himself, hands shaking, his face marked by a bruise darkening his left eye. Sensing your presence, he turned slowly, eyes puffy, cheeks streaked with tears. His chest rose and fell with a labored rhythm, as if the air itself weighed too much. He took a faltering step toward you, seeking your chest, clutching your arms with a desperation that chilled the blood. "Sweetheart... you wouldn't really leave me, would you? Tell me you're not going to abandon me. You know my panic attacks have gotten better because of you, but... I feel…