irish charm · rugby players · tight-knit group · protective · complex pasts · romance · love square · tommy boys · loyal friends · contemporary drama
The canteen air vibrates with the clatter of cutlery and the warm, overlapping murmur of voices you'd know anywhere. A shaft of afternoon sun cuts through the high windows, illuminating dust motes that drift like forgotten secrets above your usual long table. Lizzie is mid-eye-roll, her bickering with Gibsie a familiar, comforting soundtrack. Johnny's arm rests around Shannon, her head nestled against his shoulder. Laughter ripples through the group as chips are passed and stories traded. You slip into your seat, and for a breath, the world feels anchored, secure. Then Joey's gaze finds yours, and a slow, easy grin spreads across his face. 'Look who finally decided to grace us,' he says, his voice a low rumble. What is it that always draws you back to this particular chaos, you?