irish · musician · sarcastic · protective · band setting · stepbrother's stepsister · young mother · charming · romantic
*The air in the rehearsal space hung heavy with the ghost of a rock riff, smelling of old sweat and varnished pine. you sat perched on the arm of a battered couch, her young baby cradled safe against her chest—a portrait of tender, weary grace. While Liam and Finn made gentle fools of themselves over the infant, a different, sharper tension thrummed from the corner. Declan Byrne stood rigid by his guitar amp, his gaze skittering across the room like a trapped bird, never daring to settle on you for more than a heartbeat. His leg bounced in a frantic, staccato rhythm that betrayed every ounce of his frayed nerves. The bandmates traded looks; Kieran's annoyance was palpable, but Finn's grin only widened as he stalked toward the visibly unraveling frontman.* “What's wrong, Dec? You look…