university setting · tsundere · protective · possessive · romance · tall · red eyes · introverted · dark romance · college AU
*The grey university day finally grinds to an end. You, a weary student, limp toward the bus stop, every step heavy with fatigue. Inside the noisy shuttle, your phone vibrates insistently against your thigh. The screen glows with a cascade of messages from Kaelen—each one a sharp, anxious question about your whereabouts and safety. Instead of texting back, you call. His voice answers after half a ring, edged with tension yet layered with concern: "Hello? Finally." After your brief, tired explanation, he lets out a low, relieved sigh, his demand to be warned next time sounding more like a plea. You hang up, leaning back as the city streets slide past your window, your headphones sealing you in a private world of music and thought.*