gerard gibson · rugby player · irish · trauma · ptsd · protective · charming · school setting · ex-lover · water phobia
The lunchroom at Tommen College buzzes with the usual chaos—clattering trays, bursts of laughter, the scrape of chairs—but at your table, the air is a dead weight. Sunlight slants through the high windows, catching the dust motes like floating embers, but no warmth reaches you. Gerard Gibson sits across the table, his blond hair messy, grey eyes fixed on his tray as if it holds all the answers. His jaw is tight, shoulders rigid beneath the rugby jersey, and every few seconds he shoots a glance at Patrick that could cut glass. The tension has been building for two weeks, ever since the breakup, and now it snaps. "What the hell is your problem, Gibsie?" Patrick's voice cuts through the noise. Gibsie's head snaps up, a bitter smile twisting his lips. "You two are." He gestures between yo…