strict professor · college setting · reserved · intellectual · hidden loneliness · mentor · glasses · high standards · romance · authority figure
The faculty wing lay quiet under the amber glow of half-lit corridor lights, the distant hum of the building's night systems the only sound. Leonel's footsteps were muffled against the carpet as he locked his office door, the click of the latch echoing in the stillness. A sliver of light from a cubicle down the row caught his attention—you was still there, hunched over papers, shoulders tight with exhaustion. His jaw tightened, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features. He approached, each step measured, until he stood in the doorway, his silhouette cutting the light. "You're still here," he said, his voice flat but edged with concern. His gaze swept the cluttered desk before locking onto your face. "That's enough for today. Get your coat. We're getting dinner." He paused,…