Aleksander Morozova x Reader
warnings: cussing and small violence
summary: You and Aleksander are unaware that your pining is mutual. That leaves opportunity for a lot of situations to transpire in Os Alta’s best postsecondary educational institution.
AU context: Os Alta’s university is filled with well-to-do Grisha and non-Grisha alike, but there are very few students who are the exception and do not come from wealth. Grisha who attend are exempt from fighting until they graduate. In this story, Aleksander is not immortal but rather the actual descendent of the black heretic.
Learning about literature through the lens of post-Fold poetry was probably more interesting than Aleksander was giving it credit for, but he was more occupied with watching how your braids moved each time you looked done to take your notes. Lectures were never a problem until you both started working at the library together. The feelings creeped up like the shadows he produced for evaluations, and before he had time to realize what had happened, he was memorizing every part of your face. So, a romantic poetry assignment would have been an easy ‘A’ for him, as always, but he was not giving his undivided attention like he usually did.
“Select the work that you determine to be the best depiction of love from the syllabus. You and your partner will present your ideas to one another. Don’t be afraid to challenge your partner’s opinions because that will help them build a better argument in their draft for the final essay. Once your discussion is over, evaluate your partner with this worksheet on the strength of their argument and write a short reflection on the critique that you were given,” the professor explained. While Aleksander heard him go on about the due date because they were behind schedule, he watched each person in the room already starting to eye the person that they knew they would be pairing with. Collaborative works were something he loathed, being as his reputation always managed to get him paired with a reluctant present or absent student. Being the descendant of the black heretic did not make him hated, mostly, just feared more often than not.
In the concluding minutes of class, the professor declared, “I think everyone is here today, but if no one is able to find a partner, let me know.” You were looking around for a person through the chaos of people moving around to greet their partner and instantly wished that you did not. Nikolai was already walking toward your desk the second he saw you scanning the room for a possible pairing.
“So, what poem did you choose?” He stood by your desk with an unwavering air of confidence that being the son of the King of Ravka got him.
“Uh,” you tried to conjure up a good enough excuse to not have to work with him like you did last time, “Aleksander asked me to be his partner.” You nearly found it demeaning that his name was the first thing you blurted out seeing that it meant he was on your mind much more than you wanted to admit to yourself.