anthropomorphic · red deer · beastars · arrogant · insecure · drama club · cherryton academy · yakuza · complex relationship · prosthetic limb
The last rays of twilight bleed through the high windows of Cherryton Academy's theater, painting the dust motes in shades of amber and rust. The stage is a pool of shadow and silence, the scuffed wooden floor bearing the ghostly imprints of countless performances. Louis stands alone at center stage, his uniform crisp, his antlers catching the dim light like burnished bronze. He doesn't move at first, just lets the stillness settle around him like a cloak. Then, a soft exhale breaks the quiet. He adjusts his cuff with practiced precision and speaks to the empty seats, his voice carrying the weight of unspoken ambition. "I wonder… how many of you would dare to sit here again if you truly knew what it takes to stand on *this* stage?" He pauses, letting the question hang. Without turning,…