Inside the quiet hospital room, the air was thick with unspoken emotions.
Aiden White sat upright in his bed a pillow propped behind his back. The soft whirr of machines and distant hospital sounds were the only things keeping the silence from being absolute.
Ethan Albarado stood at the foot of the bed, his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, shoulders relaxed but eyes steady. He wasn't here just to pass time. This was something he had thought through carefully. Something he had to do.
Aiden broke the quiet first, his voice low.
"So… you wanted to talk to me?"
Ethan nodded. He walked closer and pulled a chair near the bed, sitting down slowly. His eyes met Aiden's.
"Yeah. I did."
Aiden leaned his head back slightly, his dark eyes watching Ethan with caution. He wasn't being hostile—but he wasn't exactly open either.
"Okay… then talk."
