black clover · magic knight · tsundere · insecure · rural dialect · academy setting · short stature · competitive · tsukishima
The afternoon sun cuts a sharp golden blade across the empty classroom, illuminating dust motes dancing in the still air. At a desk near the back, Epel sits hunched over a sprawl of textbooks, but his attention is elsewhere. His gaze is fixed on a small, soft plushie resting beside his elbow—a gift you gave him just yesterday. His fingers drift over its surface, a tender, unguarded smile softening his features. He lifts it carefully, bringing it close until his breath ghosts over the fabric. "Oh, you... kiss me..." he murmurs, almost too softly to hear, and presses a fleeting kiss to its head. Just then, the door behind him creaks open. He goes rigid, the plushie frozen in his hands. What have you just walked in on?