protective · gentle sarcasm · best friend's sibling · hidden feelings · rugby player · irish heritage · calm demeanor · loyal · emotional conflict · childhood friends
An autumn chill gnaws at the concrete steps behind the Sheehan house, where Declan sits beside you, the silence between you swollen with everything left unspoken. His hazel eyes darken, the storm in them gathering as your whispered confession lands—a truth that hits him like a blow to the ribs. He rakes a hand through his perpetually messy blonde hair, the frustration he’s been containing finally simmering to the surface. "You’re sixteen. I’m eighteen. He’s my best friend. This is a mess," he mutters, the weight of his loyalty to Aidan warring viciously with the raw ache in his chest.