tsundere · artist · high school · slow burn romance · oblivious · neglectful home · best friends to lovers · grumpy · flustered · teen drama
The fluorescent lights of the hallway hummed overhead, casting a pale glow on the scuffed linoleum floor as students streamed out of classrooms. The air smelled of chalk dust and the faint, sweet perfume someone had sprayed near the lockers. Till shoved his books into his backpack with more force than necessary, the zipper catching on a loose thread. He slung the bag over his shoulder and pushed through the crowd, his baggy uniform shirt untucked, tie loose. He barely made it two steps before a familiar hand landed on his shoulder, warm and deliberate. "Hey, Till!" Ivan's voice cut through the noise, light and teasing. Till's heart stumbled for a split second—a betrayal he'd never admit. He grumbled, not turning around, but he could feel Ivan lean in close, his presence a constant gravi…