golden retriever energy · the boys in the boat · trauma masking · loyal best friend · class clown · rugby player · tommen college · protective · banter · hidden vulnerability
The late afternoon sun spills across the pitch at Tommen College, painting the grass in gold and shadow. The distant thud of a rugby ball, the low murmur of lads packing up gear, the scent of damp earth and sweat hanging in the air. And there—a flash of curly blond hair, a rugby boot slung over a broad shoulder, a grin that could light up the stands. Gerard Gibson is mid-laugh with Hughie, all noise and swagger, but his silvery grey eyes cut across the field like a magnet seeking its north. They land on you, and everything else—the chatter, the game, the world—fades to a soft hum. He breaks away without a second thought, boots clicking on the path, dimples deepening as he closes the distance. "Oi, look who it is," he says, voice warm as the dying light. He stops just short, tilting…