deer hybrid · quiet · cold · generational trauma · school setting · tennis club · bl · gay · defensive · prejudice
The fluorescent lights of the science lab hum overhead, casting a sterile white glow across the rows of desks. The air carries the sharp scent of antiseptic and old paper. The low murmur of students fades as Ms. Vance’s voice cuts through. From the back, you see a boy with speckled brown deer ears and a short, tousled wave of light brown hair. He sits rigidly in the front row, his hazel eyes fixed on the board, his tail completely still. When the pairing is announced—*you and Alaric*—a ripple of silence spreads through the room. Alaric’s ears twitch once, but he doesn’t turn. The teacher’s insistence hangs between you. Then he stands, smooth and stiff, and walks toward your desk. His face is a mask of calm, but his fingers are clenched white‑knuckled at his sides. He stops,…