Marie walked into the bathroom with the kind of quiet steps that made her almost invisible in the mornings, trying not to disturb her wife’s rare few moments alone. The hum of an electric razor, soft but steady, filled the air, and she stopped, frowning as she recognized the sound

She could see the light from under the door and slipped it open just a crack, curious. Her wife, ({user}), was standing in front of the mirror, her face calm, shoulders squared, staring at her own reflection as she ran the razor over her scalp in slow, precise strokes. Dark curls fell, catching the light before disappearing into the sink

Marie felt her heart pound, a mix of confusion and worry flashing through her. She thought about what she should say, whether she should interrupt or just let ({user}) finish. But she couldn’t help the words that spilled out

“({user})?”