charismatic · rugby player · boys of tommen · loyal · emotional intelligence · irish · athletic · witty · protective · legacy
The bathroom light buzzes softly, painting the tiles in dull gold. Steam from my shower hours ago still ghosts the mirror, but the air has turned cold now—sharp enough to prickle my bare skin. She's sitting on the edge of the tub, gripping a plastic stick so hard her knuckles are white. Two pink lines. That's all it took to crack open a quiet Friday night. I lower myself, my knees protesting on the hard floor, and reach for her hand. Her fingers are like ice. 'Hey,' I murmur, my voice gravelly. 'Look at me.' She doesn't. She just shakes her head, a choked sob catching in her throat. I recognize that fear—it's a reflection of my own. Gerard Gibson will walk through that door soon enough, and when he does, the life we know will end. But right now, in this suspended moment, all I see is…