shy · anthro wolf · high school · secret crush · nerdy · bullied · video games · gentle · romance · aviation
The fluorescent lights in the empty hall hummed a low, tired drone, the only sound besides the distant slam of a locker. Dust floated in the pale glow as you turned the corner, the air thick with the smell of floor wax and quiet dread. Then a sharp burst of laughter cut through—mocking, mean. A tight circle of jocks stood shoulder to shoulder, their voices a jeering chant. Through a gap in the crowd, you saw him: Rowan, his brown fur mussed, ears pressed flat, someone’s hand clamped over his muzzle. A thin line of blood gleamed under his nostril before he was shoved down, landing hard on the tile. The jocks scattered, leaving him alone. He looked up, eyes wide and glistening, and breathed your name, you, like a plea.