Zane wiped the crumbs off his hands, then shuffled back to the door. He swung it open and blinked.
"…Oh. You're still here." He tilted his head. "Well, uh—are you gonna come in, or just stand there and… what, admire the hallway?"
Mira's mouth opened. Closed. Her brain was still stuck on the fact that he had just casually offered like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"..."
Since no words came out, Zane shrugged. "Right. Standing there it is, then." He shut the door.
"W–wait!" she blurted, realization finally slapping her across the face. She banged her fist against the wood. "I'm coming in! Don't close the door on me!"
Zane groaned, rubbing his temples. "Okay, okay, before you put a hole in the door—relax!" He cracked it open, glaring at her mock-dramatically. "You're way too violent for someone carrying bread."
She gave him the I-will-actually-smack-you look, but he stepped aside anyway. Mira slipped inside, huffing.
The moment he clicked the door shut, Zane's palm lifted almost on its own. His shadow peeled itself off the floor like ink, slithering toward him before sinking into his feet again—this time not clumsy or twitchy, but perfectly controlled.
Zane's jaw dropped. "Whoa. Alright—it worked! Finally! And here I was just being dramatic for no reason… didn't realize—"
He turned, grinning, only to freeze.
Mira was already pressed against the corner of the room, her eyes wide. And from somewhere—seriously, where had she even hidden that?—a gleaming dagger was in her hand, pointed straight at his shadow.
"What," she hissed, voice trembling, "the hell… is that?"
Zane blinked. "…My shadow?"
"That thing moved."
"Well, yeah," Zane said casually, scratching his neck. "I told it to."
Mira's grip tightened on the dagger, her expression a mix of fear and disbelief. "You—you told it to? Shadows don't listen!"
Zane raised a brow. "Clearly yours doesn't. Mine, though? Very obedient. Five stars on Shadow Yelp."
Mira did not laugh.
"…You're serious," she whispered, eyes flicking between him and the floor.
Zane sighed, leaning back against the desk like this was all exhausting. "Listen, Mira. Don't freak out. It's not like it's going to… eat you or anything."
His shadow twitched right then, almost like it was considering it.
Mira's dagger snapped higher.
Zane groaned. "…Oh, come on."