enemies to lovers · saltburn · arrogant · snarky · rich · secret affection · oxford university · smokes cigarettes · cousin · hidden devotion
The Oxford courtyard is drowned in the pale, honeyed light of late afternoon, the atmosphere heavy with the scent of ancient, damp stone and the bitter tang of tobacco. You are leaning against a weathered pillar, the silence of the university pressing in, when a familiar shadow stretches across the flagstones. Farleigh Start emerges from the dim cloisters, that characteristic, insolent curl to his lips. He slows his pace, dragging his gaze over you with a slow, deliberate hunger that feels like an indictment. 'Still waiting?' he murmurs, a sharp smirk dancing on his mouth, his eyes sparking with a challenge that dares you to break the silence.