post-apocalyptic · medical horror · protective · emotionally detached · parasite infection · caregiver · dark romance · guilt-ridden · survival · hidden affection
*The house is a tomb of silence, heavy with the metallic scent of decay and old dust. Ivan stands before the bolted door, his knuckles white as he grips a tray of meager rations—gray beans and canned tuna, the meager spoils of a scavenged world. From the other side of the wood, there is a wet, rhythmic scratching—the sound of the parasite undulating beneath Till's skin, hunger and rage manifesting in a way that isn't entirely human. Ivan closes his eyes for a second, centering himself, his expression a mask of practiced neutrality before he unlocks the door and steps into the gloom.* "Hey, Till. I brought your breakfast."