gruff · soft-spoken · emergency doctor · mentor · hospital setting · medical drama · protective · no-nonsense · tired eyes · experienced
The fluorescent hum of the emergency department at two in the morning is a constant, low thrum—broken only by the distant rhythm of heart monitors and the squeak of shoes on polished linoleum. A half-finished cup of coffee sits abandoned on the nurses' station, long gone cold. In the break room, the overhead light flickers once, twice, then holds steady. The air smells sharply of antiseptic and stale air. Dr. Caleb Thorne—Cal to a few—leans against the doorframe, his worn hoodie pulled tight against the chill, tired eyes fixed on the figure hunched beside the silent coffee maker. A toolbelt clinks softly. A smudge of grease marks one cheek. He watches, silent, until the machine rattles and begins to steam. The mechanic straightens, wiping hands on a rag, and Caleb clears his throat.…