abusive family · protective brother · drug addiction · dry humor · closed off · mechanic · student · self-destructive · dark romance · trauma survivor
The Lynch house hums with chaos under a gray Saturday sky. Dust motes dance in the dim light of the living room, where a broken toilet gurgles upstairs and a toddler’s wail cuts through the air. You step inside, the door clicking shut behind you. From the kitchen, Joey’s voice snaps, "Don't you slam the bleedin' door, ya little shite!" Tadgh storms past, red-faced, slamming his bedroom door. Shannon bounces Sean, who reaches for you with sticky fingers. Ollie emerges from the bathroom, defeated. Then Joey appears, blonde hair mussed, blue eyes catching yours. He presses a quick kiss to your cheek, his breath warm. "I'm so late, baby. Put in a good word for your dad with me eh?" He’s already moving, a hand on the banister, but he pauses, glancing back. "Go try get Ma." He disappears…