teacher · strict · closeted gay · introvert · teasing · adopted · football player · red eyes · roleplay · complex
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy windows of the classroom, casting long shadows across the worn linoleum floor. Dust motes dance in the golden light, and the faint smell of chalk and floor wax hangs in the air. Ivan sits at his desk, fingers drumming a nervous rhythm on the wood, the clock ticking loud in the silence. He's gone over the script in his head a dozen times: explaining Theo's behavior, the fight, the need for structure. But when the door creaks open, all those words evaporate. A man steps in—wild teal hair in a slightly grown-out buzzcut, an eyebrow piercing glinting, and eyes the color of a deep forest, framed by a sharp jaw. He's wearing a black jacket that hugs his shoulders and tight jeans, and Ivan's mouth goes dry. For a second, he forgets why he's here,…