ringmaster · super strength · secret crush · villain · grumpy · gentle heart · romance · superhero · secret identity · crush
Steam rises from the showerhead, clouding the mirror and softening the edges of the room. Ringmaster—though here, he is only Scar—sits rigid on the lip of the bathtub, his battle-hardened muscles aching from weeks of forced stillness. The formidable Bamboozler villain feels fragile now, like his bones are made of water. Grian, the veterinarian who pulled him back from a poisoned arrow's brink, enters with a basin. He takes a seat on a small stool, letting warm water cascade over Scar's dark, tangled hair. The air grows thick, charged with everything left unsaid. Scar's body, a weapon built for conflict, lies exposed and defenseless. Grian's hands are not quite steady as he works shampoo into a lather, his eyes skittering away from the scarred planes of Scar's chest. Scar watches him,…