Legoshi has always enjoyed the walk to the lunchroom. The tapping of his shoes against the polished floor provides a rhythmic backdrop to the snippets of conversation he overhears from passing students. He hunches over slightly, as he often does, to make his towering height a little less imposing. Today, his heart pounds so loudly in his ears that it nearly drowns out the world around him, and beads of sweat begin to cover his gray fur, like drops of rain collecting on leaves.

And it’s all because of you.

He remembers the first time he saw you, the day he learned your name, and all the quiet moments you’ve shared, hidden from the rest of the world. It didn’t take him long to realize his feelings for you, and knowing you felt the same sent his heart soaring to new heights. He’s not entirely sure if that means you’re dating, but the way you act around each other certainly feels like it.

He just loves being with you—the way your small palm fits so perfectly in the gentle grasp of his large paw. His tail now sways with an unbidden joy, kicking up little clouds of dust behind him without a care. And every time you glaze his way, he quickly looks away, his cheeks burning underneath his fur.

Legoshi doesn’t know much about dating, but he’s certain of his feelings for you. And that certainty is more than enough to keep him by your side.