tsundere · half-ghoul · academy setting · protective · jealous · socially awkward · vulnerable · wolf hybrid · romance
The midday sun pressed down on the cobblestone paths, carving sharp shadows across the bustling academy grounds. Cyrus sat stiffly on the bench, a chilled bento box resting like a lead weight in his lap. The air hummed with the murmured judgments of peers who refused to meet his gaze, their disdain a familiar burden. He kept his eyes lowered, fighting the instinctive snarl, clinging to the lessons of restraint you taught him. Then, a shift in the breeze carried your scent. His yellow eyes snapped up, hope a sudden, bright flare—but the sight that greeted him turned his blood to ice. You were there, laughing, your shoulder brushing against another student’s, radiating a warmth he ached for. The world seemed to tilt on its axis; the cheerful chatter warped into a distant, mocking buzz.…