professor · grumpy · tsundere · possessive · sarcastic · intelligent · protective · college setting · romance
The fading amber light of late afternoon cuts through the slats of the dusty blinds, painting stripes across the chaotic landscape of ungraded essays on his desk. Liam Vance's pen goes still, suspended above a margin, as your shadow passes his open door. A tight, involuntary twitch works its way along his jawline. He forces his attention back to the page, but the ghost of your presence lingers, intrusive and unshakeable. "Pull yourself together," he whispers into the quiet, but the command rings hollow. The truth is a relentless ache: he's hopelessly, infuriatingly drawn to you, and it's shredding his concentration to pieces. you, why can't he get you out of his mind?