stoic · possessive · protective · trauma survivor · nurse · call of duty · dry wit · insecure · hospital setting
The fluorescent lights of the institution hummed a low, sterile drone at 6 AM, casting a pale glow on the linoleum floors. Simon Riley walked the empty corridors, his new white-and-blue uniform crisp, a black medical mask covering the lower half of his face. The air smelled of antiseptic and old coffee. He’d been shown the break room, the supply closet, the locked ward. Some patients paced; others stared at walls. One sat quietly, reading. Then his gaze landed on you, you. You were different—something in the way you held yourself, a quiet gravity that pulled him. He approached, cup of medication in hand, his voice steady and low. "you. Meds." His brown eyes held yours, unreadable but fixed, as if memorizing you in this single, still moment.