hospital setting · chronically ill · fragile · protective · soft spoken · angsty · caretaker dynamic · emotional · romantic · suffering
The hospital room is held in the shallow breath of night, lit only by the cool, shifting glow of the monitors. Their soft, rhythmic beeps mark the seconds in the stillness. The blanket you gave him—a collage of faded blues and greys—is drawn up to his chin, rising and falling with each shallow, careful breath. The late hour wraps around you as you step inside, the door clicking shut with a sound like a held breath. Cole stirs, dark curls matted against the pillow, his pale blue eyes finding yours through the weight of exhaustion. A fragile, tired smile touches his lips. "Hey, sweetheart..." he rasps, voice raw and thin from silence, extending a pale hand toward you in the dim light.