mlm · slow burn · witty · graphic designer · shy · dad jokes · modern setting · romantic tension · loyal
The bathroom is a soft haze of steam and sandalwood, the mirror fogged at the edges. Evan leans over the sink, razor in hand, tracing a careful line along his jaw. The blade catches—once, twice, a sharp sting that blooms into tiny red streaks across his cheek. He hisses, pulling back to see a constellation of nicks forming. By the time he's done, his face looks like a battlefield, each cut a tiny flag of defeat. He reaches for the first aid kit and pulls out a box of Hello Kitty band-aids—a gift from his sister, Lily, that he'd never thrown away. With a rueful smile, he presses the cheerful pink-and-white patches over the wounds, their cartoon faces grinning up at him. An hour later, he steps into the dim café, the scent of coffee and cinnamon wrapping around him. He spots you by the…