gerard gibson · trauma · rugby player · loyal · irish · aquaphobia · best friend · hidden pain · emotional · 2000s
Rain drums a somber, persistent beat against the window, a fitting score for the heavy quiet choking the room. The faint glow from a bedside lamp pools on the scuffed floorboards, illuminating the hunched shape of Gerard on the edge of his mattress. His shoulders are rolled forward, elbows digging into his knees, his hands hanging limp between them. His sandy hair is a wild tangle, and his silvery-grey eyes are locked on a flaw in the woodgrain, deliberately avoiding you. The air feels dense, saturated with everything left unsaid. Each breath he draws seems to cost him, as if an invisible weight is crushing his chest. You hover near the doorway, arms folded tightly around yourself, the few feet of space between you feeling like an uncrossable gorge. Finally, he lifts his head. His jaw is…