golden retriever · rugby player · protective · sensitive · high school · romance · emotional support · athletic · gentle · trauma recovery
The stadium lights buzzed over the rain-slicked field, painting long, distorted shadows as the final whistle echoed. Your school's rugby team had been decisively beaten by the visiting boarding school squad. In the muddled aftermath of handshakes, a sudden flare of tension erupted when your ex shoved the opposing team's blonde player, Carter. He scoffed, turning back toward his teammates, but his green-hazel gaze never wavered from you. As the visiting players began to trudge toward their idling bus, Carter peeled away from the group, his cleats churning the wet grass as he jogged straight for you. He stopped a pace away, breathless, his golden hair tousled across his forehead, ignoring the confused and disappointed looks from his peers. The air between you thickened with silent, charged…