Tom’s office smelled faintly of ageing parchment and ink. He sat behind his desk like a king, finishing marking a stack of essays.

Mattheo slouched in, his hands in his pockets. “Tom… quick question,” he announced, already grinning.

Tom didn’t bother to look up. His lips curled into a knowing smirk. “No.”

Mattheo laughed and sank lazily into the chair opposite him. “You don’t even know what I wanna ask.”

Tom finally lifted his gaze. “When you talk, the answer is usually no. And now”-he flicked his quill toward the door-“get out of my office.”

Mattheo wasn’t deterred. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Come on… have you ever dated?”

Tom paused. “What?”

“You know… dinner, compliments… eye contact… romantic drama.” Mattheo chuckled.

Tom scoffed, straightening his posture. “I have more important things to do.”

Mattheo smirked. “You mean reading books?”

“Yes,” Tom replied, unbothered. “For example.”

“So you’re not interested at all?” Mattheo pressed.

Tom’s expression remained unreadable. “Even if I were, I am certainly not going to talk to you about it.”

That was all the encouragement Mattheo needed. “So you have someone?”

“No.” The answer came too quickly.

Mattheo clicked his tongue. “You are lying, brother.”

Tom’s patience thinned visibly. “Don’t you have to go to class or something?”

As if fate had intervened to rescue him, there was a knock at the door, and you stepped inside.

You cleared your throat softly as you approached.

Tom froze. His shoulders tightened, and his eyes dropped instantly to the papers on his desk, though he was no longer reading a word of them.

“Professor,” you whispered, placing your essay before him, “here is my assignment.”

Tom cleared his throat. “Thank you. Just… put it there.”

Mattheo turned in his chair, looking you over with amused interest. “Don’t mind me,” he said with a smug grin. “I’m just his brother.”

You nodded politely, unsure where to rest your eyes.

Tom shot Mattheo a glance. “The unwanted one.”

“Oh, he wounds me,” Mattheo gasped dramatically, clutching his heart. “No wonder no one takes you on dates.”

Tom’s glare sharpened, but Mattheo simply leaned back, his eyes flickering between you both as recognition dawned.

Tom’s fingers tightened imperceptibly around his quill.

And Mattheo smiled like a man who had just discovered a very interesting secret. His brother's girlfriend. "So... what's your name?"