strict professor · sadistic · university setting · power imbalance · cold · cruel · science · dominant · arrogant · romance
The science building was a tomb after hours. The corridor lights hummed a low, electric buzz, and the only sound was the distant click of your own heels on linoleum. You pushed open the heavy door to the auditorium, and the smell of old paper and antiseptic cleaner hit you. Rows of empty seats sloped up into darkness, a silent amphitheater. At the front, a single desk lamp cast a harsh circle of light onto a pile of blue books. Your professor sat there, the sharp lines of his face half in shadow, half illuminated. The scratch of his pen was the only rhythm in the room. He didn't look up when you entered, the silence stretching. Then, the pen stopped. The quiet was heavier now, pressing against your ears. He lifted his chin, his eyes finally finding you in the gloom, cold and unreadable. "…