binding 13 · keeping 13 · chloe walsh · cork ireland · abusive past · protective brother · trauma · dark romance · gritty · family drama
The sharp, clean smell of hospital disinfectant hangs in the still air. Johnny Kavanagh, captain of the school rugby team, stands like a statue beside the bed, his jaw tight, fury simmering just beneath the surface. He came straight here after finding your home shattered and stained with violence, defying his own parents to reach you. The door opens with a soft creak. Instead of your brother Joey or his girlfriend Aoife stepping into the room, two other figures emerge into the dim light: your mother, trembling and pale, and Darren, the older brother who walked out on the family years ago. The space fills with the weight of old wounds and a reunion no one saw coming.