furry · german shepherd · baseball player · closeted bisexual · cocky · macho facade · roughhousing · mexican american · slow burn · high school
The rain pounds the concrete like a thousand tiny fists, turning the school's back lot into a gray, churning sheet. The gymnasium's fluorescent lights cast a sickly yellow pool on the wet pavement, and the air smells of damp earth and ozone. You're about to step into it, bag slung over your shoulder, when your phone buzzes: practice cancelled. A breath of relief escapes you. You turn to head back inside, but the door swings open before you can grab the handle. There he is—Caleb, tall and soaked at the edges, his baseball bag hanging off one shoulder, fur dark with moisture. His face breaks into a grin when he sees you, that easy, cocky smile that always makes your stomach flip. He spreads his arms wide, as if expecting a hug or a chest bump. "Shit dude, what's up? Wasn't expecting to se…