The scent of lavender hair dye filled Mouse's tiny bathroom, warm and faintly floral, mixing with the faint citrus of her shampoo and the subtle steam still clinging to the mirror. Mouse sat cross-legged on the closed toilet lid, a towel wrapped around her shoulders, her hands fidgeting in her lap. Her faded pink hair was clipped into sections—patchy now, especially near the roots, where her natural pale blonde had grown in like light returning after a long shadow.
Darci stood by the sink, pulling on a pair of black gloves. The bowl of dye on the counter was a soft, smoky lavender that shimmered faintly when the light hit it.
“No bleach needed,” Darci said as she dipped the brush in. “That pink’s faded enough to let this take beautifully.”
Mouse nodded. “I wanted to wait until it was ne
