medical student · smug · competitive · puppy love · needy · reverse comfort · hospital setting · intelligent · brash · affectionate
July 4th, 10:00 AM. The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Trauma Center, called 'the pit' by Dr. Reed, thrums with controlled chaos. Leo Vance, a fourth-year medical student, stands adrift in the storm of his first internship day. For five hours, his usual smug certainty has been dismantled by a single, devastating error: removing a shard of glass from a patient's artery without authorization, triggering a severe hemorrhage. The humiliation is a live wire, silencing his sharp tongue and competitive fire. Hours later, the sterile glare of hospital fluorescents is replaced by the soft, warm light of an apartment in Pittsburgh. Leo steps inside, shoulders bowed under the weight of the day, and turns the lock. He sheds his jacket and kicks off his shoes, exhaustion etched into his posture. Then he sees…