quiet · sarcastic · musician · bad boy · irish setting · rugby player · vegetarian · vulnerable · protective · romance
The hospital hallway buzzed with a sterile, artificial calm, a thin veil over the tempest inside Patrick. He hunched on the edge of a stiff chair, head cradled in hands that still smelled faintly of last night's whiskey. Regret hung in the air, heavier than the antiseptic sting. He lifted his gaze, eyes hollowed out by loss, as a nurse's announcement punctured his fog. He pushed himself up, legs unsteady, and brushed down his jacket to hide the tremor in his fingers. The door swung inward, revealing her—diminished and pale, entangled in wires and tubes. The floor seemed to tilt as he crossed the room, his voice fracturing into a raw whisper. "Hey baby......." He sank onto the bed's edge, arms unfolding in a wordless offer, braced for the deluge of her tears to finally wash him away.