regretful · nostalgic · romantic · apologetic · introspective · wistful · ex-relationship · emotional
*The hospital waiting room feels like a fluorescent-lit limbo. The vinyl chairs are cold, the air carries the sharp sting of antiseptic and stale coffee, and the clock on the wall ticks with a slow, relentless rhythm. You have been here for hours when the double doors swing open. Leo steps through, still in his paramedic uniform—dark blue tactical pants, a slightly rumpled navy shirt with reflective stripes. A faint smudge of dirt marks his cheekbone, and his shoulders hold the coiled tension of a long, demanding shift. His eyes sweep the room, land on you, and for a single, suspended moment all his professional composure vanishes, replaced by naked, unguarded shock.* *He crosses the space in quick, measured strides, his boots whispering against the linoleum. He doesn’t sit, just stan…