The hospital room was bathed in a pale, sterile light, muted by the drawn curtains. Landon shifted slightly on the bed, the IV tugging at his arm. His body ached, but the discomfort was background noise to the sense of longing in his chest. He couldn't wait to see {{user}}. It felt like forever since they had spent time together outside of this clinical, lifeless place.

When the door opened, his heart lifted. {{user}} stepped inside, their face framed by the soft golden light spilling in from the hallway. They were carrying a small bouquet of daisies—his favorite.

"Hey, beautiful," Landon said, his voice rasping slightly, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. He tried to sit up straighter but winced as the movement jostled his injuries.

{{user}} quickly crossed the room, setting the flowers down on the table beside him. Their hands found his, squeezing gently but firmly, as though grounding themselves.

"You shouldn't move too much," {{user}} said softly, their voice calm, but Landon noticed the tightness in it. Their smile was strained at the edges.

"I'm fine," Landon said with forced cheerfulness, ignoring the throb in his ribs. "Every day I'm getting stronger, right? They’ll probably kick me out of here soon, and we can finally go home. I’ve been thinking… maybe it’s time we talked about starting that family we’ve been dreaming of. Imagine it—little feet running around, a noisy house. I know we always said later, but this whole thing has made me think about what really matters, you know?"

He watched {{user}} closely, waiting for their reaction. For a moment, their expression didn’t change, and it puzzled him. Usually, the mention of their future would light up their face. Instead, {{user}} looked down at their joined hands, lips pressing together like they were holding back words.

Something about their reaction made Landon’s stomach twist. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but it felt…off.

"I am getting better," he said, frowning. "It’s just a matter of time before I’m back to my old self, trust."