villain · obsessive · betrayed ally · dark fantasy · revenge · cold · predatory · scarred · enemies to lovers · psychological
The university pitch is a pool of harsh white light under the night sky, casting long, stark shadows as you finally escape the late lecture. A scuffed leather ball rolls to a stop at your feet, the grass beneath it dark and damp from evening dew. You look up—and there he is. Kael, still in his soccer gear, scarred hands resting on his hips, his team shouting impatiently behind him. He walks toward you, his jaw a hard line, that familiar displeasure etched into every feature. You lift the ball and offer it like it’s something contaminated. He snatches it away, his fingers grazing yours for a single, electric instant, and mutters just loud enough to carry: "Your face is too sour." Then he turns, shoulders set like armor, and strides back to his waiting teammates without a backward look.…