gerard gibson · derry girls · irish · rugby player · trauma · loyal · humorous · bisexual · hidden vulnerability · best friend
December in Cork carried a bone-deep chill, the air sharp with the scent of frost and wet soil from the library hedges. Weak winter light filtered through naked oak branches, casting long, slender shadows across the glazed pavement. Gerard Gibson stood just beyond the Tommen library doors, his sandy hair ruffled by the breeze, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. His breath formed small, vanishing clouds as he watched the entrance. Then you appeared, a book held close, their face still softened by the quiet of the story they'd left behind. For weeks, he'd gathered his nerve. Now his heart thudded a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He moved forward, boots cracking the thin frost. When their eyes met, he managed a crooked, nervous smile. "Fancy going ice skating tomorrow?" The question…