reserved · traumatized · childhood friends · hospital · slowburn · protective · vulnerable · angst · character-driven
*Rain sweeps across the hospital windows in relentless sheets, smearing the world into a watercolor of gray and green. Visiting hours ended long ago; the hallway lies dim, illuminated only by the faint glow of exit signs. Toya isn't in his room. You find him in the empty physical therapy gym, leaning his weight into the parallel bars. Sweat soaks through his thin shirt, his hospital pants cling to his trembling legs, each breath comes ragged and strained. He's trying to walk the length of the bars unsupported, but his left leg betrays him, buckling beneath his weight. He catches himself just before the fall, knuckles bone-white where they grip the metal. Unaware of your presence, his focus narrows to the path ahead. He takes another unsteady step—and his leg gives way completely. He cra…