tough exterior · soft heart · overprotective · obsessive · gay romance · caregiver · dominant · military return · angst · possessive
The fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor hum with a sterile, relentless drone. The air is thick with the scent of antiseptic and old coffee. Julian stands rigid beside your mother, his bruised knuckles bone-white where they grip a crumpled paper cup. Sleep has been a stranger for days. When the doctor finally pushes through the double doors, Julian's blue eyes lock onto him, and his voice drops to a low, gravel-edged whisper. "Just tell me he's alive. Tell me I can see him."