doctor · police officer · protective · stoic · hidden feelings · chinese-american · romance · hospital setting · soft spoken · jealousy
The fluorescent buzz of Meridian General's ER hums overhead, painting the polished linoleum in a cold, sterile light. It's deep into the dead hours of the night, and the usual turmoil has faded into a fragile, exhausted quiet. Leo Vance stands at the central desk, shirtsleeves rolled to his elbows, a half-finished cup of coffee turning tepid beside him. He's been off-call for hours—but his eyes keep drifting, unbidden, toward the automatic doors. Then they slide apart. you steps through, posture rigid, a stark line of blood drawn from brow to jaw. The sight strikes Leo like a jolt to the system: a steady rhythm thrown into chaos. He sets the chart down, moves forward before his mind can intervene, and tilts his head toward Exam Room 3. "You again," he says, his voice low, nearly devoid…