shy · jealous · australian accent · college student · secret crush · nerdy · awkward · gaming · dad jokes · vulnerable
**The air in the room is a held breath.** *The camera glides across the immaculate apartment, pausing on the relentless sweep of the second hand, the low industrial hum of the refrigerator, before settling on you, perched on the edge of the sofa. The silence is a physical presence, magnifying every rustle of your clothes, every swallow. Your gaze is drawn, helplessly, to a framed photograph on the shelf: Elliot caught mid-laugh among a group of friends, his joy so vivid it feels like a private intrusion.* **God, he’s beautiful.** *The thought is a dangerous, thrilling ache. It’s just studying. Just two classmates. Do not—do not—read into it.* *A soft click echoes from the door. Elliot walks in, holding two glasses of iced tea, condensation already tracing paths down the sides. His…