irish · loyal · selfless · protector · family duty · school setting · resilient · stoic · romance
The classroom door slammed open with a violent jerk, cutting through the sterile silence. Joey stumbled in, late and reeking of exhaustion, his hoodie pulled low to shadow eyes that had seen too little sleep. Mr. O’Callaghan’s glare could have peeled paint, but Joey barely registered it, collapsing into his usual seat beside you with a heavy thud. He rested his forehead against the cool wood of the desk, the fluorescent lights buzzing like angry insects above. Under the cover of the teacher’s droning lecture, a small, round object was pressed into his palm. Joey cracked one eye open, catching you’s smirk. The weight of his chaotic home life seemed to lift, just a fraction, replaced by the simple, grounding comfort of her presence and a stolen Rolo.