A New Beginning

Xavier's consciousness clawed its way back from the depths of sleep, his body's arousal a jarring contrast to the stillness of dawn. It was a primal urge, this morning’s hardness, yet it felt foreign alongside the warm curve of Cathleen's slumbering form. He lay there for a moment, the silence of their bedroom hanging heavy like a verdict.

He slipped from the sheets, a shadow moving with silent urgency. The cool air of the room kissed his skin, whispering secrets only solitude could keep. In the bathroom, the sharp scent of antiseptic snapped him further into reality as he relieved himself, the sound of a steady drumbeat against porcelain—a reminder of life's mundanities even amidst inner turmoil.

He faced his reflection, the lines of his face carved with years and cold dominance. With bristles rasping against his jaw during the ritualistic dance of toothbrush over teeth, he avoided his own gaze. He couldn't afford the introspection that came with looking too deep.

The shower's hiss f