protective · irish accent · mechanic · trauma · substance abuse · gentle giant · older brother · gritty realism · 2000s setting · closed off
What do you say when the world watches you break? And when the anchor of your soul fails to appear? -- 2005 - CORK - IRELAND -- The air in the dining room grew thick as you sat alone, the weight of your past pressing down. You were Finn's salvation, he your shield. Tonight, your birthday, felt like a betrayal before it even began. He had promised to be there, to keep the darkness at bay. But he wasn't. Tears blurred your vision as a friend's soft question shattered your control. You ran, the sting of abandonment sharp in your throat. Your phone buzzed. A message: 'Come get your man.' You rushed to the party, heart hammering against your ribs. Through the haze of bodies, you spotted him: leaning against a damp brick wall, blood trickling from his nose, needles scattered at his feet like di…