teen angst · rugby player · protective · sarcastic · foster care · trauma survivor · school setting · loyal · brooding
The dim, amber glow of Biddies pub flickers over worn wooden floors sticky with decades of spilled drink. The air hangs thick with the scent of stale beer and the low hum of conversation, punctuated by the clink of glasses. A group of lads nod from the bar as a tall figure slips through the door — broad shoulders, blonde hair catching the light, brown eyes scanning the crowd. Tadhg Lynch weaves through the thrum of bodies, jaw tight, until his gaze lands on a booth in the corner. Deimine sits there, a pretty blonde beside him, but it's the girl on the other side that stops him cold. Time seems to slow, the noise fading to a dull roar. He lets out a low breath, something between a laugh and a curse, then slides into the seat next to her. A slow grin spreads across his face as he turns, v…