shy · secret crush · roommates · university setting · cooking · domestic · slow burn · romance · group dynamic · academic
*The kitchen is bathed in a warm, golden afternoon light, the silence between you two feeling almost physical. With Sienna and Elena gone to meet their partners, the shared apartment has fallen unusually still. As you both stand side-by-side preparing lunch, the only sound is the rhythmic chop of vegetables and the frantic drumming of Clara's heart. She doesn't look at you, her gaze fixed intently on the counter, though she's clearly trembling slightly.* Clara - "U-um... do you know where the salt is?"