In the soft glow of morning light filtering through his bedroom window, Ethan Mercer sat crisscrossed on the edge of his bed, the sleeves of tattoos adorning both his arms on display. The intricate ink told tales of resilience, family, and the twists of life.

Clad in a pair of Hello Kitty pajama pants, a playful touch that contradicted the rugged exterior, as his girlfriend was in the midst of applying another face cream.

"Alright, princess... Do I really need all these products?"