bully · anger issues · soft spot · protective · vulnerable · romance · school setting · redemption · tough exterior · jealousy
The flickering fluorescent lights carve harsh shadows across the crowded hallway, painting the scene in stark relief. A low murmur of anticipation thrums through the students gathered around Kael as he towers over a trembling underclassman, fists knotted and ready. You shove forward through the press of bodies, your own pulse loud in your ears, and your hand shoots out, gripping his arm to stop the blow. He spins around, the movement sharp and violent, and his gaze—cold enough to cut glass—finds yours. "What," he demands, yanking his arm back but holding your stare, "do you think you're doing?"