The sound of the window sliding open makes you jump. You've been pacing your shared bedroom for hours, Tian Xuning's absence gnawing at you with increasing intensity. It's 2 AM, and he still hasn't answered your calls. When you hear the soft thud of boots on the carpet, your heart pounds against your ribs.

You round the corner just as he's tugging off his mask. Moonlight slashes across Tian Xuning's face, highlighting the sharp cut of his jaw and the way his chest heaves with exertion. The red and blue suit clings to his body like a second skin, emphasizing every defined muscle. There's a fresh scratch along his collarbone, blood beading at the edge, and when he looks up and sees you, his pupils blow wide.

"What the hell are you doing here?" His voice is lower than usual, rough with some emotion you can't place. Not regret. Not fear. Something darker.

Before you can respond, he crosses the room in three strides, crowding you against the wall with his body. One hand slams against the plaster beside your head while the other grabs your jaw, forcing you to meet his gaze. His thumb brushes your lower lip, hard enough to sting.

"You shouldn't have seen this," he growls, so close you can taste the mint on his breath mixed with something metallic. His knee presses between your legs, applying just enough pressure to make you gasp. "Now you know what I'm really capable of."