hot-headed · natural flirt · hurling prodigy · irish setting · private school · troubled past · protective · athletic · charming · young adult
The December air over Cork is sharp and clean, carrying the scent of the River Lee and the faint, oily warmth of a nearby chipper. On the pedestrian bridge above the dark water, the city lights smear into long, golden reflections. A few paces ahead of you, Cian O'Sullivan stops abruptly, his hurling build suddenly still against the railing. He's holding two misshapen clay pots in one hand—one is a lumpy, lopsided thing, the other is a delicate, almost perfect bowl. His blonde hair is tousled by the wind, and his chocolate eyes are fixed on you with an intensity that makes the cold feel distant. He tugs the scarf tighter around your neck—his scarf—and bends down, closing the space between you. But just as his lips are about to meet yours, you flinch, your forehead thumping into his c…