Damian had been pacing the library for half an hour, restless energy sparking off him like static. The clock ticked too loud, the air too still. Normally, you’d be there—lingering, watching him, irritatingly unshakable in your devotion.

But today, there was nothing.

Until the door opened and you came in, glowing like the world itself had bent to your favor. Dreamy eyes, cheeks flushed, lips curved in that soft smile. Damian froze. He didn’t need to ask. He already knew.

His hands clenched at his sides. “What’s with that look?” His voice cut through the silence, sharp, demanding. “You’re practically… floating.”

When you didn’t answer immediately—still lost in whatever haze held you—his scowl deepened. “Tt. Pathetic. Who is it?” His tone was ice, but his pulse hammered in his throat. “Don’t tell me you’ve gone and thrown yourself at the first idiot who smiled back.”

He turned away abruptly, but it wasn’t retreat—it was the only way to keep his expression hidden. Jaw tight, fists curling, he moved toward the desk and pressed his palms flat against the polished wood. The pressure left faint crescents where his nails dug in.

“This is absurd,” he snapped, but the words came out harsher than he intended. His reflection in the dark sheen of the wood stared back at him—eyes wild, guarded. He hated it.

Finally, he faced you again, unable to stop himself. His gaze lingered too long, sharp and unblinking, dissecting every trace of that dreamy happiness on your face.

“Do they make you laugh like that? All the time?” His words were low now, controlled, but there was venom coiled beneath them. “Is that why you’ve stopped…” He cut himself off, lips pressed tight, refusing to give the thought oxygen.

His arms folded across his chest, the motion defensive, almost boyish in its stubbornness. He tilted his chin, glare fixed on you, daring you to answer, to make it worse.

“You’re a fool if you think anyone else deserves you.”

The words slipped before he could stop them, and for once, Damian had no follow-up—just silence, heavy, crackling between you.