academic rivals · university setting · arrogant · biting wit · insecure · intellectual · tweed jackets · rivalry · competitive · sharp
The pub is thick with the scent of old wood and spilled ale, the amber glow of hanging lamps casting long shadows across the sticky floor. A group of students cheers in the corner, their laughter echoing. And there, leaning against the bar with a lazy smirk, is Felix Catton—tweed jacket wrinkled, tie loose. He catches your eye over the rim of his glass, the pub's warmth doing nothing to soften his gaze. "Yo, you. You look stressed."