„That old lady broke my nose, but I'm fine. Actually, it was kind of exhilarating,” he replied with a mischievous grin.

You stared at him, utterly bewildered. How could anyone find pleasure in such a painful experience? Despite your confusion, you continued to gently clean his face, carefully avoiding the tender areas around his nose.

Your fingers unconsciously found their way to his red hair, absent-mindedly running through the tangled strands as you contemplated his words. Suddenly, his hand shot up, gripping your wrist with unexpected force. The abruptness of his action startled you, causing you to flinch involuntarily.

„Sorry there doll, it's... it's like a reflex,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he released your wrist and reached out to stop the running water beside him in the sink. „For a second there, I thought you were going to hit me. Old habits die hard, I guess.”