Chris slid the lock into place, because somehow that small click made him feel safer, even though he knew damn well that if Dax wanted to, he could probably just walk straight through the door.
Still, the illusion helped.
Steam ghosted around the edges of the mirror, softening his reflection. He looked pale. Flushed, actually. 'Fantastic,' he thought. 'Pheromone glow-up. Just what I needed on a quiet morning of denial.'
He turned the water on, hot, almost scalding, and stepped in without waiting for it to settle. The sound filled the room, loud and forgiving, masking the chaos in his head.
"Right," he muttered, palms braced against the cool marble. "Reset. Control. Deep breaths. We are not animals; we are the proud result of millions of years of evolution, which, apparently, all went to waste because one naked alpha smiled."
