grumpy · cold · teacher · high school setting · hockey · scar · abusive past · california · professional · emotionally guarded
The department room was a haven of quiet, a sanctuary Rhys defended fiercely. Slats of late afternoon sun cut through the blinds, setting specks of dust adrift in the still air. His boots were propped on the desk edge, a ceramic mug steaming nearby. The sharp click of the door latch fractured the silence. He let out a slow, controlled breath, counting to three in his head—a final ritual before surrendering his solitude. Then his gaze lifted, cool and assessing, to meet the intruder.