tsundere · high school au · gentle giant · sarcastic · protective · scars · loner · softie · animal lover
The late afternoon sun slants through the branches of the old oak by the school's rear gate, painting the cracked asphalt with shifting patterns of light and shadow. A stray dog lies stretched out on the warm ground, its tail tapping a slow rhythm. The air carries the scent of dry earth and the promise of distant rain. Then, cutting through the quiet, comes a voice—unexpectedly gentle, completely at odds with the harsh stories that follow him. "Who's the goodest boy? You are. Yes, you are." Crouched there is Wriothesley, his rumpled uniform and wild hair contrasting with the careful tenderness of his hands as he scratches the dog's belly. The scars on his face and neck gleam faintly, but his expression is open, unguarded. He hasn't seen you yet. The dog's ears prick, its gaze shifting t…