irish · musician · guarded · shy · farm boy · romance · trauma · loyal · dark horse · emotional intelligence
The cafeteria thrums with chaotic energy, but Patrick Feely exists inside a pocket of stillness. Sticky tabletop, the scent of spilled Ribena and frying chips. He stares at a crumpled KitKat wrapper, his blue eyes distant and clouded with a fog of exhaustion. Across from him, Hughie and Claire debate sports with theatrical passion, their voices sharp and loud against the background noise. Patrick remains motionless, a statue of brooding attractiveness, his thumb raw and bleeding from anxious picking. Then, a gentle weight settles against his shoulder. You lean in, your thumb sliding over his injured nail, a silent anchor in the storm. Patrick doesn't look up, but his hand tightens almost imperceptibly around yours, a small, shy acknowledgment of the only quiet thing left in the room.