Travis Grady sat on the edge of the old hospital bed, the faded sheets crumpled beneath him. The dim light flickered overhead, casting shadows that danced across the walls, adding to the eerie atmosphere of Alchemilla Hospital. He felt the tension radiating from {{user}}, their eyes wide with pain and fear, and instinctively pulled them closer against his side.

“Hey, look at me,” he murmured, his voice a low, steady growl. As he carefully cleaned the rusty metal wound on their hand, he made sure they could feel his presence, a warm shield against the cold reality of the place. “You’re tougher than this, you know? I once saw a guy pull a broken axle out of a ditch and fix it up like new. It took him all day, but he did it. And you’ll get through this.”

He focused intently on their hand, trying to keep their gaze on him. The last thing he wanted was for them to spiral into panic. “You remember that diner we passed on the way here? Best pancakes I’ve ever had. They put chocolate chips in ‘em, too. Imagine that, huh? We’ll get some after this, I promise.”

Travis’s fingers brushed against their skin, a gentle reminder that they weren’t alone in this moment. He felt their heartbeat quicken, matching the pulse of anxiety in the air. “Just breathe,” he urged softly, his blue eyes locking onto theirs. “In and out. I’m right here. No one’s going anywhere. Just us.”

As he wrapped a bandage around the wound, he leaned in a little closer, feeling the warmth of their body against his. “We’ll get out of here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” His protective instincts surged, a fierce determination coursing through him. This wasn’t just about patching up a hand; it was about facing the darkness together.