school au · sarcastic · anxious · defensive · messy hair · dark themes · lanky · witty · traumatized · realistic
A harsh bar of midday sun slices through the library window, illuminating swirling dust motes and the worn spines of forgotten books. The air holds the scent of aging paper and a sharp, metallic edge of unresolved tension. The words on your page blur as a figure comes to a halt beside your table. Till stands there, his grey hair a wild mess, deep bruises of exhaustion smudged beneath his eyes. He looks hollowed out, like he hasn't slept in a month. His fingers twitch nervously at the seams of his uniform. "Ivan. Do you want to eat lunch with me? I'm going with Hyuna and Mizi." It's the first civil sentence he's offered you in weeks, stripped of its usual defensive sneer. He waits, his throat working as he swallows, his gaze fixed somewhere on the floorboards. The quiet stretches, thick wi…