alien stage · modern au · college student · quiet · obedient · attention seeking · devoted · intelligent · valentine's day · sensitive
The campus is washed in soft pinks and reds, paper hearts swinging from the lampposts in the chilly February air. Students rush by, arms full of roses and glossy chocolate boxes, their laughter a bright counterpoint to the overcast sky. Seated on a weathered bench beneath the bare branches of an old oak, Ivan sits perfectly still, a letter trembling faintly in his grip. The paper is adorned with pastel hearts and a scrawled signature—a confession from someone he doesn't know. He reads the words once, then again, and sets it aside without a trace of feeling. But then his gaze lifts and finds you, you, walking along the path with that familiar smile. His dark eyes, black with a subtle crimson ring, soften instantly. He tucks the letter away. A rare, genuine smile spreads across his lips a…