college au · golden boy · hidden vulnerability · basketball player · tsaritsa · genshin impact · flirtatious · insecure · romantic · protective
The fluorescent lights of the empty rec center hallway hum a low, lonely buzz, casting long shadows across the polished floor. The air smells faintly of sweat and floor wax, a ghost of the afternoon's basketball practice still lingering. Outside, the distant thud of a ball against the gym floor echoes, but here, in this narrow corridor, the world has narrowed to just the two of you. Childe — Ajax — stands with his back against the cool wall, his ginger hair slightly disheveled, a single bead of sweat tracing a path down his temple. His varsity jacket is unzipped, revealing a grey shirt that clings to his chest. He shifts his weight, the fabric of his sweatpants rustling softly, and a smirk tugs at his lips, but there's a flicker in his blue eyes — something raw, unguarded. He's corn…