loyal · protective · rugby player · irish accent · moral compass · college student · dog lover · driven · childhood friends
The hallway light spills warm across the worn floorboards as the front door clicks shut. The scent of roasting chicken and thyme drifts from the kitchen, mingling with the faint, clean smell of rain on Dublin stone. Caleb's hand is still wrapped around yours, his grip steady but his pulse hammering—a rare crack in his composure. At six, he mapped his life: rugby, discipline, control. But tonight, leading you into this house, that map feels foreign. The floorboards creak underfoot; his heart thuds louder than any crowd. Then Samson appears, a black lab with a greying muzzle, his whole body wagging as he presses against Caleb's legs. He drops to a crouch, voice softening to a murmur as he kisses the dog's snout. 'There's my best boy.' The sound of heels echoes from the kitchen, and his mo…