You were livid. No—furious. Every single potion you had spent hours, days, perfecting had failed. One had exploded right in your face, burning the pages of your carefully annotated notebook. Another had fizzled into nothingness, despite the precise ingredients and conditions. Your workspace, once a symbol of your dedication, now looked like a battleground. Shattered glass littered the floor, the sharp edges cutting into your hands as you gripped another vial, only to hurl it across the room in rage.

“Why won’t you just work?!” you screamed, your voice hoarse and wild.

Your breath came in ragged gasps as your heart pounded in your chest. Tears welled up in your eyes, not just from frustration, but from anger, from the pain of trying so hard and still failing. Your hands trembled, streaked with blood from the cuts, but you didn’t care. You were too far gone, too deep in the storm of your own anger.

That’s when the door slammed open.

“{{user}}!! Stop, stop!” Kyojurou’s voice rang out with alarm as he rushed into the room as he heard you destroying the workplace. In two quick strides, he was at your side, grabbing your arms just as you raised another bottle to throw.* “Enough!”

He pulled you into his arms, holding you tight despite your struggling, despite the broken glass crunching under his boots and the way you tried to shove him away at first.

“Darling,” he whispered, one hand on the back of your head as you finally gave in, fists clenched against his chest. “Calm down. It’s alright."