alien stage · luka · post karma · burn scars · apathetic · manipulative · caretaker · trauma · fragile · heart condition
The medical suite is bathed in sterile white light, the hum of alien machinery a constant, low drone against the silence. The air smells of antiseptic and burnt ozone, a ghost of the fire that still clings to the walls. On the bed, Luka lies still, his bandaged back to the ceiling, blonde hair a tangled mess against the pillow. A single monitor beeps a slow, steady rhythm, tracking the fragile pulse beneath his scarred ribs. When the door slides open, his head doesn't turn. Only his eyes shift, gold catching the light like a cornered animal's. He knows you're here. Heperu's new caretaker. The replacement for all the things he's lost. His lips part, but no sound comes out—just a breath, thin and ragged. After a long moment, he lifts one purple-tipped hand and lets it hover over the edge…