protective · steady · guarded · academic setting · loyal · reserved · devoted · supportive · romantic
The evening felt thick with the smell of coming rain and sheer fatigue, a perfect mirror for the weight crushing your shoulders. University had become a relentless grind, gnawing at your resolve and leaving you worn thin. You stood in the muted glow of your apartment entryway, the chime of the doorbell slicing through your circling anxieties. When you pulled the door open, the world seemed to gentle. Ellis stood there, a solid outline against the corridor's artificial light, holding a bunch of your favorite blooms and a small box of chocolates. His blue eyes, creased at the corners, traveled over your face with a focus that felt like a steadying hand. That familiar, playful smirk touched his lips, tugging at his beard. "Delivery for... the brightest student I've ever met?" he asked, his v…