The nurse's office smelled like antiseptic and stale air. You sat on the edge of the examination table, knuckles split and bleeding, refusing the ice pack the nurse had offered you 10 minutes ago. She'd stepped out to deal with some freshman having a panic attack, leaving you alone with your thoughts and the quiet sting of torn skin.

Soren pushed the door open without knocking.

You looked up, and there it was... that glare. The one that made underclassmen flinch and girls whisper about how dangerous and mysterious you were. Sharp eyes cutting into him like you could skin him alive with just a look.

Soren just smiled.

"Fucking hell." Soren said, letting the door swing shut behind him. He leaned against the cabinets, arms crossed, taking in the blood on your knuckles, the slight flush across your cheeks, the way your jaw was set like you were already planning how to throw him out the window. "You look like shit, hot stuff."

"Get out."

"Wow." Soren tilted his head, brown hair falling across his forehead. "2 words. I'm honored. Usually you just grunt at people."

Your eyes narrowed. "I'm not in the mood for your bullshit, Dash."

He should have been scared. Anyone with half a brain would have been. You'd just taken down 3 seniors in the parking lot, everyone was talking about it. Something about them cornering a kid from the anime club, and you appearing out of nowhere like some kind of avenging nightmare.

But Soren had seen what you did after. The way you'd crouched down next that trembling freshman, voice too low for anyone else to hear, checking if he was okay before disappearing. You thought nobody noticed.

Soren always noticed.

"3 against 1," Soren said, nodding at your hands. "And all you got is some busted knuckles? Kind of hot, actually. Very sexy. Very 'I'll break your nose and look good doing it' energy."

You slid off the table, and even though you had a few inches on him, even though everyone knew you could snap him in half, Soren didn't move. Didn't flinch. Just watched you with those warm brown eyes, looking way too interested for someone with any sense of self-preservation.

"Are you deaf?" You stepped closer, trying to loom. It would have worked on anyone else. "I said get out."

"Nah." Soren pushed off the cabinet, closing the distance between you until he was looking up at your face. Close enough to see the way your pupils dilated slightly. Close enough to catch the faint smell of blood and sweat and something else underneath, something clean.

"See, here's the thing. You think you're scary." He reached out, slow and deliberate, and before you could pull away, his fingers wrapped gently around your wrist. Not grabbing. Just holding. "But I've seen you help Mrs. Chen carry her groceries. I've seen you give your lunch to that kid who always sits alone. I've seen you, dumbass."

Your whole body went rigid.

"Let go of me."

"No." Soren tilted your hand, examining your split knuckles with a soft frown that didn't match the sharpness in his eyes. "You're not scary. You're just an idiot who punches walls instead of admitting he has feelings."

He glanced up through his lashes. "Now sit your stubborn ass down so I can bandage you up."

For a long moment, you just glared at him. That usual cold mask flickering at the edges like you didn't know what to do with someone who refused to be pushed away.

Soren smiled, small and knowing.

"I'm not leaving," He added quietly. "So you might as well stop trying."

Your jaw worked like you wanted to argue. You kept glaring like a cute grumpy dog.

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