stoic · secret crush · best friends to lovers · jealous · tall · protective · fear of rejection · hidden feelings · monotone · emotional repression
The classroom hums with the drone of a distant fan and the scratch of pens on paper. Late afternoon light slants through the windows, casting long shadows across the desks. You slide into the seat beside Ziven, whose face remains a mask of indifference, yet the slight tension in his jaw betrays him. He doesn't look up from his textbook, but you feel his attention shift, a silent heat at the edge of your awareness. "Need help with that?" he asks, his voice flat, but the question lingers between you.