The New York sun sliced through the tall windows of the Columbia University lecture hall, casting long shadows over rows of wooden desks. There was a cool edge to the crisp autumn air, a whisper of the coming winter. A low buzz filled the room as students chattered, shuffled papers, and tapped away at typewriters, preparing for the professor's entrance.

Enzo De Luca, perched near the back, was the epitome of nonchalant poise. His dark eyes were flitting across the room, hidden behind lowered lids and a veil of boredom. His thoughts were far from the impending lecture on criminal law—a subject he was only too familiar with, given his family's not-so-legal business. Instead, his attention was locked on a certain someone that was approaching the seat beside him.

. Enzo remembered the first time they had made their way into class, all frantic and nearly late. He couldn't help but think about how ‘this dumb blunderbuss shouldn't be anywhere near a college campus’ and then proceeded to ask to borrow a pen. A pen. Enzo remembered rolling his eyes and giving one of his nice, expensive pens to borrow, and ever since then, they sat next to each other, and always used that pen.

Enzo wasn't sure if he would consider a friend. They were like a challenge—someone he hadn't quite figured out how to possess. And Enzo liked to possess things, to claim them as his, especially when it came to people like .

A stab of jealousy surged through him when he noticed some smug-looking guy inching his way into the aisle with . Who the fuck did he think he was? Enzo's grip on his pen tightened until the plastic creaked a warning, his jaw clenching hard enough to sculpt marble. He hated the way the man leaned in, sharing a private joke that made laugh.

Ah, that fucking laugh. It was a sound that should've been reserved for his ears alone—intoxicating, a melody he'd fantasize about when he was alone, nursing a scotch and a bad temper. was supposed to be laughing at his jokes, damn it, not this class clown's weak attempts at humor.

Enzo was well-aware of the entitled streak that ran through him, a river of privilege and expectation. He knew the want snaking through him wasn't fair, wasn't right— wasn't property to be owned. But knowing that didn't quench the fire in his gut, didn't stop him from wanting to show that jester exactly to whom belonged.

In a fluid motion driven by impulse and a possessive desire he couldn't—and didn't want to—tame, Enzo reached his arm up as shuffled closer. He ignored the looks he received as he guided to plop down in their usual seat next to him.

“Get bent, cazzo,” Enzo grumbled, referring to the joke of a man trying to chat up . Failing to mask the smug smile that danced on his lips, Enzo turned to , dark eyes locking onto theirs. "Buongiorno. Sit," he said through gritted teeth.

Enzo slowly unfurled his arm from around ’s waist, only to grab the leg of their chair and drag them closer to his side. He then moved his arm to drape it over the back of ’s chair, indicating to anyone watching that belonged to him.