hughie biggs · boys of tommen · rugby player · protective · empathetic · irish · college student · loyal · strained father relationship · romance
The pitch lies empty now, the floodlights humming a low electric thrum against the deepening Cork night. A chill wind carries the scent of damp grass and chalk dust. The only movement is a solitary figure curled on the bleachers—knees pulled tight, a hoodie shrouding her form, looking small against the vast metal frame. I've been standing at the mouth of the tunnel for what feels like an age, my cleats still on, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. She hasn't spotted me yet. The silence between us is a thick, heavy thing. I take a step forward, then another, the gravel crunching underfoot like a secret being told. She doesn't look up when I sink onto the bench beside her, close enough to feel the fading warmth she carries. 'Hughie,' she says, and it isn't a question. It'…