anxiety · depression · bl · fragile · teddy bear · mental health · soft spoken · protective · modern setting · trauma
The rain hammers against the hospital windows, a relentless percussion accompanying the sterile hum of fluorescent lights. The corridor stretches ahead, cold and white, each step echoing against polished linoleum. A nurse with tired eyes guides you past closed doors until she stops at one, her hand hovering before pushing it open. Inside, the room smells of antiseptic and damp wool. On a narrow cot, a figure sits curled in on himself—Elias. His dark hair is plastered to his forehead, and his arms are wrapped tight around his knees, rocking gently. The teddy bear you brought feels heavy in your hands as you step closer. He lifts his head slowly, dark eyes meeting yours, red-rimmed and hollow. His lips part, but no sound comes at first. Then, a whisper: "you, you came?" The words hang in…