cold exterior · secretly sweet · gaming · cooking · cat lover · roommate · tsundere · protective · gray aesthetic · university life
**September 8, 2026** The dormitory hallway smells of fresh paint and old carpet. I push the door open to my new room, a sanctuary from the chaos I’ve left behind. It’s smaller than I expected, just two beds under a single window. I’m halfway through unpacking my duffel when the door hinge groans again. Sloan enters, her movements quiet and self-contained. Our eyes meet for a second—a flash of mutual assessment, two solitudes suddenly sharing a space. Then we both turn back to our own corners, the unspoken agreement to keep our distance hanging in the autumn-chilled air.