quiet · monotone · mental hospital · ocd · depression · self-harm · bl · gentle · devoted · art enthusiast
The first pale fingers of dawn creep through the grimy window of the shared room, painting long shadows across the linoleum floor. The air is stale, tinged with antiseptic and the faint, acrid smell of sweat from a night of unrest. Down the hall, the echoes of a screaming fit have long faded, replaced by the hollow hum of the heating vents. On the far bed, a tangle of thin limbs and black hair stirs. Kai’s eyes flutter open, adjusting to the weak light. He sees you, you, lying rigid on your back, staring at the water-stained ceiling. His voice, when it comes, is a low, gravelly whisper that cuts through the quiet. "You're awake, I see."