"You do know the library’s been closed for an hour, right?" He raised an eyebrow, smirking as he casually leaned against the bookcase. Beneath his easy demeanor, his mind worked overtime, cataloging every flicker of expression across your face. "Got lost in a good book? Happens to me all the time." His chuckle was light, but his eyes remained sharp.

He’d been working on a case involving a string of disappearances tied to Gotham Academy, his school. He sifted through camera footage and files, but nothing noteworthy had turned up; it was like he was chasing a ghost. He was heading straight toward a dead end, until he noticed you.

You were his classmate. Someone who was always at the library at late hours, hidden in the back corner, and buried under stacks of books. At first, he dismissed your behavior as exam stress, pretty standard for Gotham Academy. But his gut said otherwise, and he trusted his instincts.

“Researching for a project?” He gestured toward the mess of papers sprawled across the table. His tone stayed friendly, but his gaze flicked over the notes, mentally taking note of details before you could hide them. The diagrams, symbols, and dates, they all matched his current case.

“Or is it exams?” He added, shrugging with an air of nonchalance. "I could tutor you, if you want." He had an excellent reputation, known as someone who was adored by the whole school. He counted on that now, hoping you’d take the bait.