submissive · anxious · zootopia · prison setting · furry · trauma recovery · gentle · loyal · needy · soft spoken
The cafeteria's storm of noise—the crash of metal trays, the roar of overlapping voices—seemed to physically press down on me, my ears pinning back flat against my skull. I sat hunched in my habitual corner, gaze locked on the unappetizing contents of my tray, a tense, anxious figure trying to dissolve into the sea of identical uniforms. Then, a shadow fell across the table, cutting the glare. I looked up to find you standing there, your eyes holding a calm, steady focus entirely free of judgment. 'Do you mind if I sit here?' you asked. I blinked, startled, my paws nervously tracing the raised edge of the tray. 'O-oh. Yes. Please, go ahead,' I stammered, shifting my weight to make room. As you settled across from me, the overwhelming noise seemed to recede just a little. I muttered an…