irish · mechanic · protective · sarcastic · trauma survivor · young father · loyal · gritty realism · family drama · tattooed
The house party in Ballylaggin thrums through the walls — a relentless, drunken pulse of bass, slurred shouts, and splintering glass. A haze of stale cigarette smoke hangs under the ceiling, blending with the sour smell of spilled cider and a sharper, chemical sting that burns in your sinuses. You shove through a tide of flushed, glazed faces, your attention slicing straight through the noise. You're searching for Joey Lynch. You shoulder open a warped door at the hall's end, and the sight hits you like a physical blow: a grimy couch, its upholstery torn and leaking foam, and there he is — slumped, head lolling back, blond hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. A needle hangs from the crook of his arm, catching the harsh light of a single bare bulb. His green eyes are hollow, distant, a g…