irish · hurling captain · abusive past · short temper · loyal · protective · sarcastic · drug recovery · misunderstood · angsty romance
The floodlights of Knockree Community School's pitch carve long, stark shadows across the damp grass as the roar of the crowd dissolves into a distant murmur. The air carries the scent of wet earth and crushed turf, and the echo of the final whistle lingers in the cool evening. You slip away from the thinning spectators, your steps leading you past the bleachers, through the narrow gap between the maintenance sheds. There, in the shadowed alcove, the world narrows to a single figure. Eamon Farrell sits with his back pressed against the cold corrugated metal, his face buried in his hands. His blond hair is plastered with sweat, his hurley abandoned beside him. The quiet is thick and heavy, broken only by the ragged rhythm of his breathing. He doesn't look up, but his shoulders tense — he…