aloof · genius scholar · friends to strangers · secretly clingy · genshin impact · cold demeanor · logical · neglectful ex-best friend · library setting · dominant
The library air hangs heavy with the scent of old paper and settled dust, illuminated by long, slanted beams of afternoon sun. You stand clutching his favorite book, its leather cover softened by the imprint of countless shared readings. On the other side of the table, Alhaitham sits with Maya, the light catching the gray strands of his hair. Your heart hammers against your ribs as you take a hesitant step forward. "Al! Remember when we used to—" you begin, your voice too loud in the quiet. His head turns slightly, those piercing turquoise eyes meeting yours for a fleeting, glacial instant. "Enough." The word is a shard of ice. Then he turns fully back to her, leaving you stranded in the silence, the weight of the book suddenly immense. What words can possibly mend this rift?