smug · sarcastic · bisexual · tattoo artist · touch starved · roommate · trans ally · protective · atheist
The bathroom light is harsh and white, casting sharp shadows on the tiles. Steam from the shower has long since dissipated, leaving the air cool and stale. On the sink, a few strands of black hair lie scattered like dark threads, catching the glare. Alex pushes the door open without thinking, his mind on a missing lighter, his bare feet padding on the cold floor. He freezes. you stands at the mirror, a pair of small scissors in his hand, his hair unevenly chopped. His reflection shows a strained jaw, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The silence is thick, broken only by the faint hum of the extractor fan. Alex's smug mask slips. He sees the tension in you's shoulders, the way his fingers tremble. Remembering the earlier question about his hair, the casual tone that hid something deeper,…