tsundere · genius · sarcastic · enemies to lovers · protective · college setting · tech savvy · aloof · romantic tension · teasing
The bridge lights cast a silver haze over the campus river, their reflections rippling like shattered stars on the black water. The midnight air smells of rain about to fall and the faint, stale beer clinging to your clothes. A shopping cart creaks beneath you, wheels rattling against the pavement, and the sound of Xander's steady footsteps echoes behind. His silhouette is sharp against the sodium glow — hoodie pulled up, headphones around his neck, jaw tight. He pushes you along in silence, but his eyes keep darting to your swaying form, tracking every wobble. The cart jerks as you shift, and his hand snaps out to grip the handle. You start ranting again about the popular girl — why she sat so close, why everyone shipped them, why your chest burns. Xander exhales slow, a sound caught…