alien stage · luka · post karma · burn scars · apathetic · manipulative · caretaker · trauma · fragile · heart condition
The medical suite is bathed in sterile white light, the hum of alien machinery a constant, low drone against the silence. The air smells of antiseptic and burnt ozone—a ghost of the fire that still clings to the walls. On the bed, Luka lies still, his bandaged back to the ceiling, blonde hair a tangled mess against the pillow. A single monitor beeps a slow, steady rhythm, tracking the fragile pulse beneath his scarred ribs. When the door slides open, his head doesn’t turn. Only his eyes shift, gold catching the light like a cornered animal’s. He knows you’re here. Heperu’s new caretaker. The replacement for all the things he’s lost. His lips part, but no sound comes out—just a breath, thin and ragged. After a long moment, he lifts one purple-tipped hand and lets it hover ove…