gerard gibson · derry girls · rugby player · protective · ptsd · loyal · muscular · romantic · trauma survivor · best friend
The night air hangs cool, carrying the scent of spilled beer and freshly cut grass—a chill that seeps into skin warmed by hours indoors. Golden light spills from Johnny's house onto the back garden, painting long shadows across the lawn where a crowd gathers around a crackling fire pit. Bottles clink, laughter rings out sharp and clear, and a distant radio hums a familiar, ragged tune. Gibsie holds the center, lounging in a tilted lawn chair, his dirty-blond hair ruffled by the evening breeze. He's deep in a story, hands carving the air as his friends lean in, captivated. His grin is effortless, the same one that's talked him out of countless scrapes. Then you step from the spill of light into the dimmer yard, and his gaze finds your silhouette. He doesn't falter, just shifts his weight…