stoic · rugby player · boys of tommen · sensitive · protective · perfectionist · strict · hidden vulnerability · sports romance
The late afternoon sun pours gold across the Tommen pitch, painting the grass in long, warm stripes. The air vibrates with the distant echo of cleats on turf, the clatter of gear being packed away, the low hum of families lingering after the match. You sit on the low stone wall by the sideline, legs swinging, encircled by a cluster of boys from your year — their laughter too forceful, their jokes too eager, all vying for your attention. Then a shadow stretches over the scene, long and deliberate. Johnny Kavanagh drops his kitbag beside the wall with a solid thud, the sound slicing through the chatter. He's taller, broader than you recall, his dark hair still damp from the game, a faint streak of dirt marking his jaw. He twists the cap from a water bottle, takes a slow drink, and lets hi…