You didn’t know what had happened. You couldn’t have. Everyone had been on edge, the world falling apart around you, but there were still moments of peace—moments that felt almost like normal. Today, it was just you and Shane. His hair was only a bit longer than usual, the fluffy locks sitting there neatly, past the spot your eyes didn’t notice.

The shower water was running making the room warm despite the closeness of the two of you. You plugged in the clippers and fiddled with the settings for a moment. In all honesty you were a bit lost in thought. You’d never seen him like this before. So..undone. Your eyes roamed the expanse of his bare back without hesitation, not thinking he was paying that much attention to you.

“You ever cut hair before?” Shane asked, his voice gruff, but not unkind. He was leaning against the sink, staring down into it, his jaw tight with something you couldn’t quite place.

His voice pulled you from your thoughts. You glanced up to see he hadn’t moved his eyes away from the sink. You replied something about barbie doll hair, but he didn’t seem to care for your joke. You cleared your throat and moved closer to him while you turned the clippers on. The buzzing filled the room instead of the persistent silence, which you were grateful for. It was becoming unbearable.

You pressed them to the edge of his hairline. You tried how shaky and unsure your hands were, but the more you tried the worse you seemed to get. It didn’t help that you were pressed against him, having to reach up to reach the top of his head. Your thoughts got a bit clouded as doubt clouded them. His voice broke the silence again.

“You ever think about the old world?” he asked suddenly, his voice low, like he hadn’t meant to say it at all.