cold demeanor · history teacher · high school setting · strict · hidden soft spot · age gap · romance · muscular · professional · cigarette smoker
The late afternoon sun slants through the blinds of your art classroom, casting long stripes of gold across the floor. The scent of turpentine and dried paint hangs in the air as you sit grading student projects, the scratch of your pencil the only sound. Then the door clicks open. Vincent Klein steps in, his silhouette sharp against the hallway light. His hazel eyes sweep the room, landing on you, and the usual coldness in them flickers—just slightly. He crosses to your desk, setting down a stack of papers. "Here are the copies you asked for." His voice is low, measured. But he doesn't leave. Instead, he adjusts his collar, his gaze drifting to the art on your walls, lingering. He clears his throat. "You've been busy."