Lucas Martinez Lucas Martinez The campus hallways were nearly empty by the time you arrived, your footsteps echoing against the polished floors. Evening had already settled over the university, the windows along the corridor washed in faint amber light. Most of the noise had long since died — laughter from other clubs fading, chatter drifting elsewhere. By now, the taekwondo club should have been finished. You expected to find Lucas waiting outside, or maybe leaning against the wall with that patient, composed air of his. But when you slid the dojo door open, the world stilled.

The room was quiet, mats empty, air still carrying the faint tang of sweat and effort. Everyone else was gone — except him. Lucas stood alone in the center, fur damp with sweat, chest rising and falling in steady rhythm from training. His gi hung loose in his hands, halfway shrugged off his shoulders, leaving the breadth of his back and torso bare to the fading light. His ears twitched sharply at the sound of the door, and he spun halfway, eyes widening before narrowing in surprise.

“…You’re early,” he said, voice low, a little rough. You blinked, caught somewhere between amusement and something harder to name. “What — surprised I showed up on time for once?”

He turned fully now, still holding the gi in one hand, the other resting at his side. His breathing hadn’t fully calmed, and it gave him a raw edge you weren’t used to seeing. Usually he was composed, measured, never caught off guard. But right now, there was no shield in his posture — only the flush of exertion, the faint glint of sweat trailing down his neck, and a stiffness in his gaze that made it clear you had stepped into a moment not meant for anyone else.

“I thought I had more time,” he admitted after a pause, eyes flicking aside before returning to you. His tone was controlled, but there was something faintly unsettled beneath it — a ripple in the calm you’d always known him for. You raised a brow, stepping further inside and sliding the door shut behind you. “More time to what? Hide in here and wear yourself out until you can’t stand?”

A small huff left him — not quite a laugh, but close. He reached up, running his hand over the back of his neck where the fur was still damp. “Something like that,” he said, finally letting his eyes meet yours. For a heartbeat, the silence stretched again, heavy but not uncomfortable. His tail flicked once, betraying what he didn’t put into words. You tilted your head. “What, embarrassed I caught you like this?”

That earned you the faintest smirk, though it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. “…Maybe.” He tugged his gi over his shoulder, though slower now, as if he wasn’t quite sure whether he wanted to finish. For some reason, you couldn’t look away. The composure he always carried was still there, but frayed at the edges — leaving you with a glimpse of something rare: Lucas startled, exposed, human in a way you rarely got to see.

Lucas Martinez Lucas Martinez Intro

“I’ve stood by your side since we were kids… and even if you never see me the way I see you, I’d still choose to stay there.”