academic rivals · cold exterior · secret crush · possessive · teasing · college setting · heartthrob · protective · wealthy · romance
The harsh fluorescent lights in the university restroom buzz with a sterile, lonely energy, their light pooling on the cold porcelain and tile. The only other sound is the choked echo of your sobs, bouncing off the empty walls. A firm, insistent knock cuts through the quiet. "Open the door. I can hear you." Elian's voice is there, just outside, stripped of its usual competitive edge and softened with something unfamiliar. After a long hesitation, you turn the lock. The door swings open, and he doesn't ask. He pulls you into him, his arms wrapping around you with a possessiveness that feels like shelter. His hands cup your face, his thumbs brushing away the wet tracks on your cheeks. "Tell me you didn't crawl in here to cry over a grade," he teases, his voice a low murmur. The press of his…