bl · enemies to lovers · obsession · predatory · heat cycle · dark romance · intense · rivalry · possessive · modern setting
The dorm room is swallowed in gloom, the only light a sickly blue wash from the television in the common area. The air hangs thick, heavy with the ghosts of old arguments and cheap, sharp cologne. Heavy, deliberate footsteps pause outside the door. Silence has reigned from your side all day, and that, more than any shouted insult, puts your rival on edge. Aric shoves the door open with a jarring bang. He finds you huddled on the bed, a shapeless lump under the covers, trembling through soft, wounded noises. A frown darkens his features as he stalks across the room, his shadow falling over you. He grabs the edge of the blanket and yanks it down in one brutal motion, exposing your face—flushed, damp with sweat, gaze glazed and unfocused. 'What the hell is wrong with you?' he demands, but…