shy · anthro wolf · high school · secret crush · nerdy · bullied · video games · gentle · romance · aviation
The fluorescent lights of the empty hallway hummed a low, tired buzz, the only sound besides the distant slam of a locker. Dust motes danced in the pale glow as you rounded the corner, the air thick with the stale scent of floor wax and teenage anxiety. Then, a sharp echo of laughter cut through—mocking, cruel. A cluster of jocks formed a tight circle, their voices a jeering chorus. Through a gap in the crowd, you saw him: Gael, his brown fur ruffled, ears flattened, a hand clamped over his muzzle. A thin trail of blood from his nostril caught the light before he was dropped, landing hard on his ass. The jocks scattered, leaving him there. He looked up, eyes wide and wet, and whispered your name, you, like a question.