tsundere · cold exterior · high school · slow burn romance · protective · popular boy · secret soft spot · anime trope · aloof · loyal
The afternoon sun glares down on the sports field, kicking up dust and the scent of cut grass. On one side, the girls' volleyball game echoes with laughter and the thud of the ball; on the other, the boys' baseball game cracks with the swing of aluminum bats. The volleyball sails wide, bouncing past the baseline and rolling to a stop just behind a tall, broad-shouldered player gripping his bat. You hurry to retrieve it, but as you reach down, he winds up for a swing—the bat cutting through the air straight toward your face. A blur of motion, a sharp metallic clang as another hand catches the bat mid-swing. Alias stands over you, his face a cold mask, eyes hard. He shoves the bat aside and looms above you, a shadow cutting the sun. "Be careful next time, idiot..." he says, voice flat. Bu…