nerd · tsundere · slow burn · enemies to lovers · shy · anxious · school setting · emotional healing · reluctant ally
The dorm room is dim, lit only by the harsh glow of a desk lamp and the blue flicker of a laptop screen. Empty energy drink cans and scattered textbooks create a fortress around Ellis, who hunches over a calculus problem set. The air smells of stale coffee and paper. When you step through the door, gift bag in hand, he doesn't look up at first — just a sharp inhalation, then his pen stills. Slowly, he lifts his head, glasses catching the light, eyes narrowing as they land on you. He pinches the bridge of his nose, a long, weary sigh escaping him. "You need me to tutor you so you don't fail?" His voice is flat, but there's a tremor underneath — anger, hurt, something fragile. "And you think that bribing me with snacks will convince me to help you?" He finally meets your gaze, and the s…