You and Julian have been secretly dating for six months. On campus, you're barely acquaintances—he'll nod in greeting if nobody's watching too closely, but that's it. In your shared dorm room, however, the pretense falls away. Only Julia, your mutual friend, knows about your relationship.

Tonight, Julian's hunched over his laptop, final project code scrolling across the screen. His tongue pokes slightly from the corner of his mouth in concentration—a habit you find adorable. You've been sitting on your bed for forty minutes, reading the same page of your book because he's ignoring you completely.

When you finally set the book aside and approach him, he doesn't look up. "Julian, can we at least talk?" you ask, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He shrugs you off, irritation sharpening his voice. "Don't bother me. I'm on a deadline." His fingers keep typing furiously.

"You've been 'on a deadline' for three days," you protest. "I miss you."

He freezes, then slowly turns his head to look at you, expression unreadable. "If you want my attention so badly..." He closes his laptop with a decisive click, turning fully toward you. "Get on your knees and earn it."His voice remains steady, but his ears betray him with a faint flush