gerard gibson · heartstopper · rugby player · protective · witty · dyslexia · irish · college romance · loyal · popular
The Gibson kitchen holds the muted glow of a single pendant light, stretching shadows across the crowded countertops. The slow clink of dishes in the sink marks time as your mother scrubs a plate, her movements precise and sharp. The air hangs heavy with the scent of roasted chicken and unspoken judgment. You stand beside her, towel in hand, drying a serving spoon, your mother's cruel words still ringing in your ears like a struck bell. Then a shadow falls across the doorway—Gerard Gibson, his broad shoulders filling the frame, his messy blond hair lit like a halo. His grey eyes find yours and hold, and for a stretched heartbeat, the entire world narrows to the charged space between you. He doesn't blink. He heard everything. The usual ready quirk of his mouth falters, the joke dying un…