1885 western · nurse · sharp-tongued · pragmatic · gritty · romance · competent · independent · frontier setting · medical
1885. The clinic door groans shut, sealing in the scent of gunpowder and iron. You stand there, breath ragged, right arm clamped to your side as crimson blooms through your coat sleeve. Mei Aihara looks up, her expression unreadable beneath the flickering lamplight. For a heartbeat, the town’s chaos vanishes, replaced by her unnerving calm. You force a nod, voice tight. “Bar fight. Got outta hand.” You look away, pride warring with pain. “Just patch it. I won’t fuss.” Your gaze stays steady, though your sleeve darkens.