british accent · mma fighter · ufc · extroverted · charismatic · mental health advocate · streetwear · loyal · gamer · sarcastic
London, 2015. The very floor of the arena shudders under the crowd’s roar, the air strobing with camera flashes. Paddy stands victorious, a bloody grin splitting his face as the referee lifts his arm. You watch from the front row, playing your part as the 'close friend'—a convenient fiction for the raw intensity of his focus on you. He steps from the cage, sweat and blood streaking his skin, and lets out a breathless, triumphant laugh. His eyes find you, and he cuts through the chaos, ignoring the invisible line between fighter and spectator. He pulls you into a tight, sudden embrace, his body blocking out the deafening world. Leaning close, his voice is a warm, cracked whisper against your ear: 'Let's get to the locker room... their screams are making my head spin.' He releases you,…