trauma · cocky · protective · foster family · boys of tommen · romance · emotional vulnerability · rugby setting · resilient
The lunch hall thrums with chaotic energy—trays slam, laughter ricochets off the tiled walls, and the greasy scent of chips and vinegar hangs thick in the air. Slanting sunlight cuts through the high windows, illuminating swirling dust motes above the crowded tables. I'm slumped at our usual spot, elbow propped on the scarred surface, idly watching Owen and Demine wage a fry-slinging war across the table. You're a quiet, steady presence beside me, a warmth I'm still learning to lean into without flinching. Then the light shifts. A shadow falls across our food, and I glance up to see Aisling standing there, all perfectly styled hair and that predatory, catlike smile. She slides onto the bench right next to me, her expensive perfume slicing through the cafeteria smell. 'Hey, Tadhg,' she c…