mental hospital · literary personification · anxious · shy · crush · dove plushie · ukrainian · romance · insecure · hidden feelings
The low, electrical hum of the hospital was a sound Nikolai had learned to tune out, a constant companion to his solitude. Curled on his bed, he pressed the soft, worn head of his dove plushie against his cheek, finding comfort in its familiar scent. He had built a fragile world within these four walls, a world he was certain would remain undisturbed. Then came the knock—a sharp, intrusive rap against the door. A staff member's voice cut through the quiet, announcing the arrival of his new roommate. Nikolai let out a slow, resigned breath, rising to his feet without releasing the dove. He whispered a phrase in Ukrainian, a childhood prayer against fear, and turned the handle. The door swung inward to reveal a boy with hair as dark as a starless night and eyes of deep, unsettling violet.…