enemies to lovers · sharp-tongued · guarded · dry wit · protective · forced proximity · reluctant affection · dark hair · hoodie · babysitter
The hallway hums with the muffled noise of distant classrooms, but here, the silence is a live wire. Kaelen stands across from me, a lanky figure with eyes that miss nothing, pinned against my own more solid build. Cradled awkwardly in my arms is a real, breathing baby, a surreal substitution for the egg project we were meant to share. The infant sleeps, blissfully ignorant of the animosity crackling in the space between us. Kaelen takes a step forward, his expression a tight blend of contempt and necessity, and shatters the quiet with a demand that isn't a request.