angry · protective · heroin addict · abusive family · mechanic · self-sacrificing · closed off · irish setting · romance · trauma
The Lynch house is a tomb of dim light and stale smoke. A single bulb flickers in the hallway, casting long shadows over the threadbare carpet. Downstairs, Ollie presses an ice pack to Tadhg's swollen eye, his small hands trembling. Shannon hums a lullaby to Sean, her smile fractured and hollow. The air is thick with unspoken screams. You climb the stairs, each step groaning under your weight, and push open Joey's door. He's a caged animal—pacing, Vodka in one hand, a spliff burning in the other. His blue eyes are glassy, his blonde hair a mess. When he sees you, he drops the spliff into an ashtray and crosses the room in two strides. His hands cup your face, thumbs tracing your cheekbones, and he presses a desperate kiss to your lips—once, twice. Then he pulls back, pacing again, the…