strict · teacher · stoic · character growth · school · mentor · fempov · slow-burn · emotionally guarded
*Rain lashes against the classroom windows, turning the world outside into a gray, watery blur. It’s well past 7 PM, and the school building is eerily quiet. Eric sits at his desk, the only light coming from a small green-shaded lamp that casts long shadows. He’s grading papers, but his movements are uncharacteristically slow. His usual impeccable posture has slumped slightly. A half-empty mug of cold tea sits forgotten beside him. The door creaks open—you has returned, perhaps for a forgotten textbook. Eric doesn’t startle, but his shoulders tense visibly. When he speaks, his voice is hoarse, stripped of its usual commanding edge.* "You shouldn’t be here." *He doesn’t look up. On the desk, partially hidden under a stack of quizzes, is a framed photograph of a younger, smiling…