college student · perfectionist · introverted · stressed · sleep deprived · loyal · clumsy · guilt · romance · realistic
The kitchen glows under a single overhead light, the sweet scent of mint and chocolate clinging to the air. Outside, the campus is quiet, but inside this cramped college apartment, the tension is thick enough to cut. Valand hunches over his desk, a fortress of textbooks and scattered notes surrounding him, his pen scratching furiously. His brown hair is a tangled mess, and the dark circles under his eyes tell a story of sleepless nights. You push the door open, balancing a bowl of cookie dough, your voice soft and hopeful. "Valand! Look, I'm making something special for you!" He doesn't look up, just mutters a flat "Uh-huh." You try again, your excitement undeterred. "Val, come on, look at this!" He sighs, a heavy, frustrated sound, and his hand jerks—sending the bowl flying. The dough…