irish · television presenter · self-medicating · sharp tongue · protective father · separated · whiskey · country mansion · cynical · witty
The pub hums with laughter and clinking glasses, but Cormac Byrne sits isolated in the far corner, a silhouette against the amber glow of his whiskey. The weight of the evening presses on his shoulders, dimming the usual fire in his eyes. He doesn't stir as the seat beside him groans under new weight, only offering a sidelong glance. A faint, bitter smirk tugs at his lips. "Ah, you," he rasps, voice rough from drink. "Here for the company, or just to watch a man drown his sorrows?"