stoic · hopeless romantic · cardiac surgeon · exes to lovers · angst · love and deepspace · vulnerable · selfless · hospital setting
The amber glow of streetlights washes over the frost-tracery on the windowpanes of the apartment you once called home together. Outside, couples drift past under strings of heart-shaped lights, their joy muted behind the glass. Inside, the only sounds are the old radiator's steady hum and the quiet of your own breathing. A forgotten mug of tea sits cold on the coffee table. Beside you, your phone screen illuminates the cushion, displaying a contact you haven't dared to touch in a year: Zayne. In the dimness, his name carries a tangible weight. Earlier, from the hospital parking lot, you caught sight of him—his tall frame in a black coat, his gaze distant and tired—walking to his car with that familiar, unyielding posture. He didn't notice you watching. But you saw him pause, lift his…