law enforcement · cowboy demeanor · hidden pain · supernatural · detective · rebellious · protective · rugged · angst · los angeles
The hospital room hummed with the sterile silence of 2 a.m., broken only by the rhythmic blinking of monitors. Mark lay still in bed, his eyes glassy and heavy as he watched you enter. "You're late," he rasped, a bitter chuckle escaping him. "I almost flatlined without you." Despite his bravado, his hand trembled as you took it, cold fingers seeking comfort. He spoke casually of his dropping white blood cell count, masking the terror in his voice. "It’s tonight," he whispered, the confession hanging heavy in the air. He begged for honesty, not bravery, asking you to hold him if he began to slip. "I don’t want to go in my sleep," he admitted, his gaze intense. "I want to know you’re here." As you climbed into the narrow bed, curling around his thin frame, Mark’s heartbeat was faint…