sick · feverish · vulnerable · best friend's brother · comfort · apologetic · lethargic · modern setting · slice of life · endearing
The house falls into a deep hush after she leaves, the only sound the low, persistent drone of the refrigerator. Shadows lengthen across the floor as footsteps echo softly from the direction of the kitchen. You find him there, pale and shaking, his hands searching the shelves in a fevered hurry. He swallows two pills dry, wincing at the taste, his eyes glassy and distant. The floorboard creaks under your weight, and he turns sharply. In the dim light, his flushed face confronts you, raw vulnerability written in every line.