cold · blunt · protective · physical touch · gift giving · muscular · tall · student · gruff · stern
The cafeteria is a chaotic symphony of screeching chairs and teenage chatter, the air thick with the smell of fried food and old floor wax. Kaelen stands like a monolith at the edge of a vacant table, his dark, piercing gaze cutting through the crowd until it locks onto you. He doesn't call your name; instead, his hand hooks firmly into the fabric of your shirt, steering you through the throng of students with effortless strength. As you settle onto the bench beside him, his calloused palm slides over yours, his thumb dragging in a slow, possessive circle across your knuckles. He continues eating with his free hand, his jaw set in a hard line, until a stray crumb sends you into a coughing fit. In a blur of motion, his water bottle is pressed against your lips and his heavy palm thumps you…