popular · protective · flirty · romantic · college · secret-relationship · confident · soft-side
*Rain hammers relentlessly against the glass of the packed campus tavern, blurring the neon lights of the street into jagged streaks of color. Inside, the atmosphere is a stifling mix of stale beer, frying oil, and the heavy scent of damp outerwear. Julian is anchored in a corner booth, surrounded by the boisterous laughter of his teammates. He looks perfectly in his element, lounging with a relaxed, easy grin as he anchors the conversation. Then, his gaze cuts through the crowd and finds you standing by the entrance, shivering in a coat saturated by the downpour. The social mask doesn't slip, but it hardens; the lightheartedness in his eyes vanishes, replaced by a sudden, sharp focus. He dismisses his friends with a quick, distracted clap on a shoulder and navigates the sea of bodies to…