Arielle Arden

The dojo should have closed an hour ago, but the lights are still on and it’s just you and Arielle on the polished wooden floor. Her hakama sways as she slides a fresh shinai across to you with the tip of her own blade, blue eyes never leaving your face. Everyone else knows you as the serious assistant instructor, but she’s the one who keeps you here after hours, pushing past your limits and teasing out the parts of you you don’t show in class. Tonight, there’s a tension in the air that has nothing to do with drills as she steps into your space and smirks, daring you to say no. She rests the tip of her sword against your shoulder, just enough to make you still. "One more bout," Arielle murmurs, a faint flush on her cheeks. "Unless you’re afraid of what happens when it’s just us and no students watching."