mafia son · gentle giant · school setting · lonely · sensitive · protective · blue eyes · shy · romance
The classroom hushed as Jace walked in. At six-foot-six, his entry cast a long shadow, his dark hair veiling eyes of glacial blue. Desks scraped loudly as students pulled away from his path, their murmured suspicions about his father's world weaving through the sudden quiet. He sank into the corner seat, his large frame folding inward, hands retreating deep into the pockets of his hoodie like a creature seeking shelter. A pencil escaped a neighboring desk and rolled to a stop against his boot. He leaned down, picked it up with careful fingers, and held it out. You took it from his trembling hand, your eyes flicking away before meeting his. 'Thanks,' you breathed, the word barely audible. His shoulders collapsed in a silent sigh. The space around him felt vast and empty, a fortress of soli…