Chapter 5: The Cracks Begin to Show

Ethan had never felt more conflicted. As the days passed, his interactions with Aiden grew increasingly complicated, the lines between professor and student blurring in ways he had never imagined. The subtle glances, the unspoken words—it all felt too real, too intimate. But what did it mean? Was Aiden even aware of the effect he had on him?

He tried to ignore it. He buried himself in his studies, staying late in the library and avoiding any unnecessary encounters. But despite his best efforts, every lecture brought Ethan face-to-face with his growing feelings, and each class left him with more questions than answers.

It was during one such lecture, halfway through the semester, that things began to change in a way Ethan hadn’t anticipated.

Aiden was mid-sentence, explaining a particularly complex literary theory when he suddenly paused, rubbing his temples as if a headache had struck. He recovered quickly, continuing the lecture, but Ethan noticed. For the first time, the professor seemed off—his usual confidence shaken.

After class, Ethan hesitated by the door. Most students had left, but he lingered, watching as Aiden gathered his papers with a slight frown. The urge to check on him overwhelmed Ethan. Before he knew it, he was walking back toward the desk.

“Professor Cross?” Ethan’s voice was soft, uncertain.

Aiden looked up, surprised to see him. “Vale,” he acknowledged, but there was an exhaustion in his tone that hadn’t been there before. “Do you need something?”

Ethan hesitated. He hadn’t planned this far ahead, but now that he was here, he couldn’t just walk away. “I just... you seemed off today. I wanted to check if everything was alright.”

Aiden’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, Ethan feared he had overstepped. But then the professor sighed, leaning back in his chair as if the weight of the world had finally caught up with him.

“I’m fine,” Aiden said, though the weariness in his voice suggested otherwise. “Just... personal matters. Nothing you need to worry about.”

Ethan stood there awkwardly, unsure if he should leave or press further. But the vulnerability in Aiden’s expression made it impossible for him to walk away. He had never seen the professor like this—so human, so real.

“I know it’s not my place,” Ethan began carefully, “but if you ever need to talk, I’m a good listener.”

Aiden let out a soft, humorless chuckle. “That’s kind of you, Vale, but I think I’m supposed to be the one giving advice around here, not the other way around.”

Ethan smiled a little, sensing the shift in Aiden’s defenses. “Everyone needs someone to listen sometimes. Even professors.”

Aiden looked at him, and for a long moment, there was silence between them. The lecture hall, now empty, felt strangely intimate, like they were the only two people in the world. Aiden’s gaze softened slightly, and for the first time, Ethan saw something in his eyes that was raw, unguarded.

“I appreciate the offer,” Aiden said quietly, his voice losing its usual edge. “But it’s complicated.”

Ethan felt the pull between them intensify, the air thickening with unspoken tension. He wanted to say something, to reach out, but the rational part of his brain warned him to tread carefully. This was his professor. There were boundaries they couldn’t cross, no matter how blurred they had become.

Before Ethan could respond, Aiden straightened, the moment of vulnerability passing as quickly as it had come. “You should go, Vale. I have some work to finish before the next class.”

Ethan nodded, feeling a strange mix of disappointment and relief. “Right. Sorry for bothering you.”

“It’s not a bother,” Aiden replied, his voice softening again as he glanced at Ethan. “Take care of yourself.”

Ethan’s heart fluttered at those words, and as he left the lecture hall, he couldn’t help but feel like something had shifted once more. Aiden had let him in, if only for a brief moment. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to deepen the connection Ethan felt toward him.

Later that evening, Ethan sat in his dorm room, replaying the conversation in his mind. He had seen a side of Aiden that no one else had—a side that was vulnerable, human. It only made his feelings more complicated. What was this between them? Was it simply admiration? Or was it something deeper, something neither of them was ready to admit?

As the days went on, Ethan found himself drawn even closer to Aiden. He knew it was dangerous—knew that there were boundaries they couldn’t cross—but every interaction seemed to pull him further into the professor’s orbit. And now, knowing that Aiden had his own struggles, his own burdens to bear, Ethan felt an even stronger urge to be there for him, even if it wasn’t appropriate.

But the question remained: Did Aiden feel it too?

At the next class, things felt different. Aiden was back to his usual composed self, the tension from their last conversation seemingly gone. But Ethan could still sense it—that undercurrent between them, the unspoken connection that refused to fade.

After class, as Ethan packed up his things, he caught Aiden’s eye from across the room. For a brief moment, their gazes locked, and something passed between them—a fleeting acknowledgment, a silent understanding that things had changed. Neither of them said a word, but Ethan knew. The cracks were starting to show, and whatever this was between them, it was far from over.

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