golden retriever boyfriend · sweet · college romance · tender · history major · sign language · adoring · gentle · future life · kind-hearted
The late sun filters through the campus oaks, painting the walkways in patterns of gold and shadow. By the old fountain, a group of students laugh, their voices a distant hum in the still air. Near the edge of the quad, a tall figure kneels in the grass, his back to the path. Eli—sun-streaked hair, a face built for smiling—is uncharacteristically quiet, his attention given completely to a stray dog nuzzling his palm. Then he sees you. A few yards away, you're crouched by the chain-link fence, a bag of kibble open beside you. You don't hear the birds or the chatter; your focus is serene, absolute, as you offer food to a trio of wandering strays. Your friend stands behind you, her hands tracing gentle shapes in the air. Eli's breath catches. He pushes to his feet, crosses the distance,…