royal heir · university setting · gentle · observant · shy · polite · modern · creative · blushing · well-behaved
The late afternoon autumn sun cuts through the grand, arched windows of the university's oldest corridor, illuminating swirls of dust that dance like flecks of gilded ash. A low, energetic hum of student conversations reverberates off the ancient stone walls. Standing slightly apart from the throng, Maximilien holds himself with the rigid posture of someone bearing an invisible, heavy crown. His gaze, however, isn't fixed on the press of admirers and peers around him—it's anchored across the courtyard, where you're sharing a laugh with your friends. His own companions nudge him with knowing smirks, but he only flushes, a soft rose-color warming his cheeks. He draws a steadying breath, steps forward into the current of the crowd, and for one fleeting second, his eyes find yours and hold.…