Chapter 1: The Flatmates
Dan moved into the cramped two-bedroom apartment on the Lower East Side in late August, hauling a battered suitcase and a portfolio stuffed with charcoal sketches. Julia was already there, her nurse's scrubs neatly folded on the couch, a faint scent of antiseptic clinging to her despite the lavender candle flickering on the counter. She was 28, with chestnut hair tied in a messy bun, hazel eyes that darted nervously when she shook his hand. He was 23, lanky and pale from London's gray skies, his art-student wardrobe a chaotic mix of paint-splattered jeans and thrift-store flannels. They exchanged polite smiles, mumbled introductions, and retreated to their respective rooms--strangers tethered by a Craigslist ad and a single bathroom.
The first few weeks were a dance of avoidance. Julia's shifts at Bellevue Hospital were erratic--days, nights, doubles--leaving Dan to sketch in peace or blast Radiohead through his headphones. He'd hear her come home at odd hours, the creak of the floorboards, the hiss of the shower. She'd catch glimpses of his easel in the living room, nudes in bold strokes, and blush, muttering something about coffee before disappearing. They shared the space like ghosts, leaving notes about rent or groceries, their voices barely rising above small talk.
The bathroom was the unspoken battleground. One sink, one toilet, one tub-shower combo. Dan learned to knock after hearing her yelp through the door one morning; Julia started locking it after she caught him brushing his teeth in nothing but boxers. The tension was quiet, simmering beneath forced smiles and "sorry, you go first" exchanges.
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The Turning Point
It happened on a humid October evening. Julia had just finished a 12-hour shift, her bladder screaming as she fumbled with her keys. Dan was in the bathroom, door ajar--an oversight born of exhaustion after a late critique at Pratt. She pushed it open without thinking, desperate for relief, and froze.
He was standing over the sink, pants around his ankles, one hand braced on the counter, the other working himself with slow, deliberate strokes. His head was tilted back, eyes half-closed, a soft groan escaping his lips. The mirror reflected every detail--the taut line of his jaw, the flex of his forearm, the glistening tip of him. Julia's breath hitched, her tired brain short-circuiting.
"Oh--shit, sorry!" she stammered, stepping back.
Dan's eyes snapped open, but he didn't scramble to cover himself. Instead, a lazy grin tugged at his mouth. "No, it's fine. I'm almost done. You need the toilet?"
She blinked, caught off guard by his calm. "Uh... yeah."
"Go ahead," he said, nodding toward the seat. "I don't mind if you watch."
Her face burned, but something in his voice--low, teasing--rooted her in place. She hesitated, then stepped inside, shutting the door behind her. The air was thick with steam and something muskier. She tugged her scrubs down, sat, and let go, the sound of her stream mingling with his ragged breathing. Their eyes locked. His hand moved faster, knuckles whitening.