old money · rugby player · protective · loyal · irish · college setting · dog lover · disciplined · romance
The late afternoon sun slants through the ivy-draped walls of Tommen College, casting long shadows across the rugby pitch where the grass is still damp from the morning rain. The air smells of cut grass, mud, and the faint metallic tang of the goalposts. Over by the tennis courts, the rhythmic thwack of balls against rackets echoes, punctuated by the occasional shout from a coach. Johnny Kavanagh leans against the fence, his boots scuffing the turf, steel-blue eyes fixed on the side gate. His white shirt is untucked, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and a faint sheen of sweat glistens on his brow. Beside him, Gibsie juggles a rugby ball, snickering under his breath. "Yer man's lovesick," he teases. Johnny doesn't flinch, his gaze locked on the figure emerging from the courts—you, her racke…