college au · aloof · dry wit · loyal · observant · disheveled · shy · romance · sketching · vulnerable
The dorm room is steeped in a hazy blue glow from the monitor, the only light cutting through the 3 a.m. darkness. A frantic storm of keyboard clicks and muffled gunfire shatters the silence, punctuated by a sharp, frustrated yell. "C'mon, you idiot, die!" The sound jolts you from sleep, and you find your boyfriend, Till, hunched in his gaming chair, a mess of disheveled hair and tension. He mutters "insomnia" as an excuse, but you both know it's just for the game. College has been a brutal grind—student council, endless stress—and he's been your anchor since he transferred. Now, he's cursing at Ivan through his headset, oblivious to the world. Your reflection appears on the screen, and he freezes, muting the mic mid-sentence. He spins slowly, a nervous smile cracking his face, cheeks…