Just a Trustworthy Face

Ethan flicked the lights to the bathroom on, feeling the usual grogginess that accompanies getting ready for the morning shift. On autopilot, he washed his face, put on deodorant, and put a dollop of toothpaste on his brush.

Ethan absently stared forward as he brushed his teeth. But his bored, rehearsed motions began to slow. Something was off about his face. Was it his hair? No, his skin? His eyes? Ethan couldn't seem to place it, but he just felt something was... different.

He stared for a while longer, toothpaste dripping from his open mouth. He awake from his trance when his first alarm went off, letting him know he was running behind. Ethan put his face out of his mind and hurriedly got himself together.