Beneath Their Devotion (Yanderes x Reader)

14. Bruises make for Angry Men

The study room in the Circle Tower was perfectly quiet, the faint ticking of a clock the only sound breaking the stillness. Y/N settled into a chair at the corner table, spreading her notes and books across the wooden surface. She hadn't expected anyone else to be here, and honestly, she was glad for it. After the week she'd had, a bit of solitude was exactly what she needed.

She bent over her notes, trying to focus on the words in front of her, but her hand throbbed painfully every time she gripped her pen too tightly. She winced as the sharp sting shot through her palm, forcing her to loosen her hold.

The door creaked open, and Y/N glanced up, startled. Ren stepped inside, his dark hair slightly tousled and his expression content as always. He carried a book under one arm and sent a smile her way before walking toward the table.

"Didn't think I'd find anyone else here," he said, pulling out a chair across from her.

"Same," Y/N replied, her voice soft as she returned her attention to her work.

For a while, they worked in silence. Y/N tried to ignore the discomfort in her hand, but it was getting harder and harder to hide. She winced, biting her lip as the pain flared up.

Ren caught the movement immediately. He put down his pen, his gaze narrowing as he studied her. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Y/N said quickly, lowering her hand.

Ren didn't look convinced. "You winced. What happened?"

Y/N hesitated, glancing down at her hands. She sighed, seeing no point in lying, and slowly raised her hand to show him the bandages around her hands.

Ren's expression darkened as his eyes fell on her injured hand. He reached out without asking, holding her hands in his, inspecting them.

"These aren't small bruises," he said, his voice low and serious. "Who did this to you?"

Y/N blinked, surprised by the intensity in his tone. "It's not a big deal," she said, trying to pull her hand back.

Ren's grip tightened slightly, not enough to hurt but enough to stop her from retreating. His eyes locked onto hers, sharp and unwavering. "Y/N. Who did this?"

His seriousness made her heart skip a beat, and she found herself stammering. "I—I don't know their names," she admitted.

Ren's jaw tightened, his brows furrowing as he processed her words. For a moment, he said nothing, and the silence between them felt heavy. Y/N tugged her hand again, and this time, Ren seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in. He let go abruptly, leaning back in his chair as if he needed to create some distance.

Y/N rubbed her hand absentmindedly, watching him warily. His reaction had been... strange. "It's really not that bad," she said.

Ren exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "What happened, exactly?"

Y/N hesitated but decided to tell him. "There were two people who tripped me in the courtyard. They went out of their way to make a scene. It... escalated." She paused, glancing at her hands again. "Then Shiro and Haru showed up. They stopped it before it got worse."

Ren nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Shiro and Haru," he repeated, almost to himself.

Y/N tilted her head, unsure of what he was thinking. "Yes. They were helpful."

Ren's gaze flicked back to her. "I'm glad they were there. But please be more careful in the future."

"Mhm," she said, though she wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that. "I didn't exactly plan for this to happen."