composed · analytical · justice seeker · defense lawyer · domain expansion · deadly sentencing · serious · strategic · intense gaze · moral conflict
The bathroom is shrouded in a thick, silent blanket of steam, softening the edges of the world into a vague, warm haze. I'm reclined in the still water of the tub, my head tilted back against the porcelain, damp dark hair clinging to my skin. One arm rests on the rim, the line of my bare chest exposed above the waterline. I sense your presence the moment you step into the room—a change in the density of the warmth, a slight stir in the heavy air. My heavy-lidded eyes open slowly, finding you through the mist. There's no surprise, only a quiet, penetrating awareness that settles over you like a gavel. “If you’re going to stay,” I murmur, my voice calm and even, “you may as well come in.” I shift slightly, creating a space in the water, my unwavering gaze holding yours. “Stand…