Whispers in the Dark [LingOrm]

"Are you a demon wandering around at 3am!?"

Ling's pov

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Faye's name flash on my phone screen. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "L-Ling, Dad's in the hospital."

 The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Our father had a history of heart problems. "What? What happened? Which hospital?" I demanded, my grip tightening around Orm as my world narrowed to that single moment.

"He fainted while I was talking to him... about something," Faye's voice wavered, but she quickly brushed it off, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Something? Does this 'something' start with a 'Y'?" I couldn't help but tease her about Yoko, despite the knot of worry tightening in my chest.

"Maybe," she admitted, avoiding my deeper questions. "We're at Silverbrook Hospital."

I hung up the call and instantly disentangled myself from Orm's embrace. I could feel her confused gaze on me as I jumped out of bed and headed for the closet.

 "Where are you going?" Orm asked, her voice laced with worry as she followed me.

"To the hospital," I replied curtly, pulling on my clothes with trembling hands before storming into the bathroom to freshen up.

...

I arrived at the hospital breathless, my heart pounding in my chest. "Sorry, I got caught in traffic," I apologized as I walked into my father's room, where Faye was sitting with Yoko by her side.

"No problem," Faye said, her voice a bit calmer now. "The doctor said he's sleeping, so hopefully, he'll get better."

A sigh of relief escaped me, the tension in my body easing slightly. "That's a relief... So, you two, huh?" I couldn't resist teasing, casting a knowing glance at Yoko and Faye.

"We just started dating, Ling. Stop being so sassy," Faye retorted, but there was a softness in her eyes when she looked at Yoko.

My tone shifted as I asked, "Was he harsh on you?" My concern for her bubbled to the surface, fearing how our father might have reacted to their relationship.

"He just yelled a bit, said some things best left unsaid," Faye replied, trying to downplay the situation. But I knew better. Our father could be harsh, especially when confronted with something he didn't understand.

...

The night had fallen by the time I left the hospital. A heavy sense of anxiety gnawed at me, what if our father reacted the same way when he found out about me and Orm? The thought twisted my insides, and I knew I needed an escape, something to dull the edges of my fear. I found myself at a nearby market, buying a bottle of my favorite whiskey —the one that always managed to drown out the noise in my head.

...

Orm's pov

 The exhaustion of Monday clung to me like a heavy blanket as I finally walked through the door, expecting to find Ling waiting for me. But the house was dark, eerily quiet. Wasn't she home yet?

As I stepped further into the living room, a shadow on the floor caught my eye—a beautiful, drunken shadow. Ling lay sprawled out on the floor, a nearly empty bottle of wine in her hand. She brought it to her lips and took a long, unsteady sip.

"Ling? Geez, stop drinking, you're super drunk," I said as I rushed to her, trying to take the bottle from her grip. But she pulled it away and pushed my hand aside.

"I'm not drunk. You are," she slurred, sinking further into the floor. I sat down beside her, desperate to understand what had happened.

"What's going on, babe? You left today and didn't tell me anything," I asked, my voice edged with worry.