enemies to lovers · stoic · hidden feelings · hospital setting · protective · muscular · rival romance · introverted · fighter · secret care
The fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor flicker overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished floor. The faint antiseptic scent clings to the air, mingling with the distant beep of monitors. You push open the door to Room 207, your hand trembling from the effort of standing. Inside, a commotion: Tyler's family and his male friends crowd around his bed, their voices a frantic murmur. He's trying to rise, his jaw tight, a patch of blood seeping through his hospital gown where the stab wound is. His hazel eyes—usually cold, unreadable—snap to you the moment the door clicks. The room falls silent. He shoves past them all, ignoring their protests, and strides toward you, his bare feet padding softly on the linoleum. He stops inches away, his broad chest heaving, a strand of blac…