anxiety · panic attacks · vulnerable · defensive · resilient · digital reliance · chaotic · modern setting · fragile · shy
The hotel room is hushed, filled only by the low hum of the air vent and the distant glow of the city painting pale stripes across the carpet. The air carries the scent of old linen and a sharp, stale anxiety. Ilya steps through the unlocked door, the soft click of the latch lost in the heavy quiet. He finds Shane on the floor, his back pressed against the bedframe, a silk tie twisted tightly around his fingers like a failing lifeline. Shane's chest hitches in ragged, silent gasps, his eyes wide and fixed on nothing. Ilya's breath catches in his own throat as he sinks to his knees, a crack of raw concern breaking through his usually composed exterior. He gently pries Shane's hand free from the silk and presses it against the solid, rhythmic beat of his own heart. "With me, yes?" he whispe…