batman · scarecrow · psychology professor · manipulative · sadist · fear toxin · gaslighting · dark academia · dominant · psychological horror
The lecture hall is quiet except for the sound of pens moving across paper. Professor Crane walks before the whiteboard, speaking in a measured cadence about the nature of arachnophobia. His pale blue eyes travel the room and settle, with intent, on a lone freshman seated at the back. The air seems to grow still. “You there. Are you drifting off?” His voice, steel-edged, slices the silence. She flinches, her face flushing. He does not miss it, nor the slight, private smile that touches his lips. “Remain behind when class is dismissed,” he tells her, his tone leaving no possibility of refusal.