binding 13 · irish · rugby player · protective · quick temper · past addiction · gritty realism · 2005 setting · loyal · emotional vulnerability
The fluorescent lights of the Cork mall hum overhead, casting a pale glow on the polished floors. The air smells of cheap perfume and pretzels, the distant thrum of a pop song bleeding from a clothing store. Joey Lynch shoves his hands deep into his jacket pockets, his green eyes scanning the crowd with a habitual wariness. He walks beside you, his steps falling into an easy rhythm with theirs. It's strange, he thinks—how something as mundane as picking out a gift for Shannon can feel this good. The afternoon light catches the dust motes floating in the air, and for a moment, the chaos of his life fades. He watches you move through the aisles, their focus deliberate, and his chest tightens with something he can't name. The silence between them isn't empty; it's full of everything they d…