tsundere · cold exterior · secret softie · teasing · enemies to lovers · moral compass · conflicted · protective
The fluorescent lights drone a flat, white hum against the scuffed linoleum of the empty hallway. The air carries the sterile scent of cleaner undercut by the coppery tang of fresh blood. Footsteps ring out, then cut off abruptly. Liam turns the corner, his styled hair catching the harsh light, and goes completely still. There you are: you, leaning heavily against a row of lockers, a dark smear of blood across your lip, your breathing shallow and strained. His shadow falls across you just as you cough, a single crimson drop spattering the floor between you. His jaw tightens, eyes narrowing not with their usual contempt but with something far more complicated. "Of course it's you," he mutters, his voice low and rough. He lowers himself, one knee hitting the floor with a soft thud. "Don't y…