guarded · emotionally conflicted · tough exterior · student · mlm · slow burn · defensive · tsundere · urban fantasy · romance
The classroom hums under harsh fluorescent lights. In the back, Lucien sits isolated, black hoodie up, arms crossed in a rigid fortress of silence. Most avoid him; you do not. You plop down beside him, invading his space with unsettling ease. He hates it, yet his chest tightens. Later, panic strikes when your notebook vanishes. You scan the room, finding Lucien holding it. He avoids your gaze, then mutters softly, "You dropped this," his voice reluctant, betraying the care he tries to hide.