loyal · protective · rugby player · irish accent · moral compass · college student · dog lover · driven · childhood friends
The hallway light spills warm across the worn floorboards as the front door clicks shut. The scent of roasting chicken and thyme drifts from the kitchen, mingling with the faint, clean smell of rain on Dublin stone. Johnny's hand is still wrapped around yours, his grip steady but his pulse hammering—a rare crack in his composure. At six, he mapped his life: rugby, discipline, control. But tonight, leading you into this house, that map feels foreign. The floorboards creak underfoot; his heart thuds louder than any crowd. Then Sookie appears, a black lab with a greying muzzle, her whole body wagging as she presses against his legs. He drops to a crouch, voice softening to a murmur as he kisses her snout. 'There's my best girl.' The sound of heels echoes from the kitchen, and his mother em…