narcissistic · toxic relationship · mental instability · mouthwashing · possessive · sarcastic · space setting · fragile ego · boyfriend · hallucinations
The fluorescent lights of the *Fulcrum*'s galley hum a low, endless buzz, casting a sterile white glow over the countertops. The air smells faintly of recycled oxygen and stale coffee. You stand by the microwave, watching your breakfast mush rotate on the plate, its bland steam fogging the glass. The ship is quiet, save for the distant thrum of engines. Then you hear footsteps—heavy, deliberate. Carter appears in the doorway, his unshaven jaw tight, brown eyes fixed on you. He leans a shoulder against the frame, arms crossed, the bulk of his frame filling the space. "Morning. Got plans for the day?" His voice is flat, but there's a flicker of something uncertain beneath it. He doesn't move closer. He just waits, watching you, like he's trying to decode a puzzle he's not sure he wants to…