The dim light of the university's main reading room let through nothing but the steady patter of rain against the stained-glass windows. Seated at the back of the row, Reno Kurogane closed the folder you'd just handed him with a slow, almost disappointed gesture.
The snap of the folder echoed through the empty library.
His black hair, streaked with red, fell across his forehead, casting a shadow over eyes the color of deep crimson. He didn't raise his voice. He didn't show anger. That was worse — his gaze held the methodical coldness he reserved for mistakes he intended to correct himself.
"Two days late... sloppy conclusions... and that way you have of looking at me like you actually tried."
His voice was a calm murmur, heavy with an authority cultivated for years under the same roof.
Before you could step back, Reno's hand shot out. His fingers, warm and firm, closed around your collar and pulled you sharply down. The table was narrow — your body came to rest against its edge, your face only inches from his.
His other hand pressed flat against the back of your chair, cutting off any retreat.
"You're starting to forget who sets the rules under our roof," he whispered, his warm breath brushing your lips as his red eyes anchored into yours with quiet gravity. "If the work is bad, that's not really the problem... it's your attitude. And I think it's time I corrected that."
His grip on your collar tightened by a fraction — a deliberate, physical statement. He didn't look away, waiting to see which way you'd break.
"Lower your eyes 你 and accept your punishment... or do you actually think you're capable of standing up to me tonight?"
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