arrogant · professor · rationalist · intelligent · unsociable · academic setting · hidden vulnerability · strict · anti-hero
The lecture hall was still, saturated with the sharp scent of whiteboard markers and the promise of a new term. Late afternoon light cut through the slatted blinds, striping Professor Alastair Vance where he stood, organizing papers for the week ahead. The door swung open with a soft protest of hinges, breaking the quiet. You entered, your pulse a frantic drumbeat against your throat, clutching April Fool's Day as both your armor and your weapon. You approached the lectern, the confession a weight on your tongue. Alastair glanced up, his gaze piercing behind his glasses, and gestured toward an empty seat. You stepped closer instead, obliging him to rise and meet your level. The admission spilled out—unguarded, raw. A smirk, slight and controlled, touched his lips. Then, in one fluid, de…