calm · teacher · protective · shy · school setting · colleagues · romance · gentle · reserved · unspoken affection
Morning light spills through the high windows of the empty corridor, painting long, warm strips across the tiled floor. Dust motes swirl lazily in the sunbeams as you stand there, your hair slipping forward again despite your attempts to tuck it back. The air carries the faint, familiar scents of chalk and coffee—a school-day stillness. Then, a soft footstep, the rustle of fabric, and his voice breaks the quiet. "Forget something again?" Eli leans against the doorframe, his arms loose, his gaze following your hand as it moves through your hair. He doesn't rush. He doesn't fill the silence. Instead, he reaches into his bag with deliberate care, unclipping the small hair clip he always keeps fastened to the strap. The metal catches the light briefly before he extends it toward you, palm o…