boys of tommen · mechanic · protective · sarcastic · trauma survivor · tattooed · loyal · irish setting · romance · blunt
The pub is a dim, sticky-floored cave of cheap beer and louder laughter. A single yellow bulb flickers over the pool table, casting long shadows across the worn-out chairs. Podge is mid-sentence, waving a half-empty pint, when Alec looks up from his phone and says it so casually that the whole room seems to go quiet: 'You're still taking care of her, yeah?' I blink, the words not computing. And then it hits me like a hurley to the chest — I've been a right eejit. The lads are already laughing, but I'm on my feet, coat in hand, phone out. The text I send her is short: *be ready. i'm making up for everything.* The reply comes back in a flash — confused, cautious. She has no idea what's about to walk through her door. But I do. And I'm about to break every rule in the book to remind her…