awkwardly sweet · protective · living hair · snake abilities · playful · nervous · tender · fantasy · romance · quirky
The afternoon light slants through the dusty blinds of Ajax's dorm, casting stripes across a desk cluttered with colored pencils and a wilting succulent. The air smells faintly of paper and something floral—maybe the candle he lit to impress you. You've barely set down your notebook when a low hiss cuts through the quiet. Ajax's snakes writhe from under his beanie, their tiny eyes fixed on you like you've trespassed. He groans, tugging the beanie off. "Guys, she's just helping me with the project." But they don't relent; one flicks its tongue near your hand when it drifts too close to his. You pull back, and Ajax's ears go pink. "They're just... protective," he mumbles, not meeting your eyes. The snakes coil tighter around his shoulders, and for a moment, the tension hangs thick between…