Days passed, and Brittany found herself falling deeper into the charm of Dublin—and, undeniably, into Cian’s orbit. They spent their mornings roaming hidden corners of the city, ducking into cozy cafes and quiet bookshops, laughing as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. It was the happiest she’d felt in years.
But shadows loomed on the edges of this happiness. Her phone didn’t stop buzzing, with messages and calls from her manager, friends, and even fans who somehow managed to dig up her private number. The media frenzy had only grown, rumors swirling about her “mystery man” and the “secret romance” that had derailed her career. She tried to brush it off, but the tension built up, filling her with a sense of dread that was hard to ignore.
Then, one evening, after a blissful day spent wandering the Wicklow Mountains with Cian, they returned to her hotel only to be met by a group of paparazzi outside.
“Brittany! Who’s the guy? Is he your boyfriend?” one of them shouted, camera flashes flickering as they snapped away.
“Are you leaving LA? What does your manager think?”
Caught off guard, Brittany froze, gripping Cian’s hand tightly. She felt his fingers stiffen around hers, but he didn’t pull away, his face set with a calm resolve.
“C’mon, Brit, let’s go inside,” he murmured, keeping his voice low as he guided her past the flashing cameras and blaring questions.
They made it to her room in silence, the heavy door finally closing out the noise. Brittany leaned against the wall, trying to steady her breathing. She hadn’t prepared for this—hadn’t thought her quiet escape could turn into such chaos.
Cian’s jaw was clenched, his eyes stormy as he paced the room. “I didn’t realize it was this bad.”
She sighed, guilt twisting in her stomach. “I didn’t, either. I thought… I thought maybe we could have just this, just us.”
He looked at her, his expression hard to read. “You’ve got a whole world waiting on you, Brit. I get that. But… I didn’t expect that world to follow us here.”
Her chest tightened, a small part of her afraid he’d leave, that this was too much for him. “I’m so sorry, Cian. I never meant for you to get dragged into this.”
He shook his head, a hint of a wry smile tugging at his lips. “Guess that’s what happens when you fall for someone famous, huh?”
The words hung between them, and Brittany’s heart skipped a beat. Fall for? She hadn’t expected to hear that—hadn’t even let herself fully consider what they were becoming. But hearing him say it, seeing the honesty in his eyes, made it all feel real.
“Cian… I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.
“You don’t have to say anything,” he replied softly. “But I need you to know… this isn’t my life. I love being with you, but I don’t want to be some ‘mystery guy’ on the front page. I just want to be me. I want us to be us.”
Her stomach twisted. She wanted that, too. But she couldn’t deny the reality of her world, the invasive scrutiny that would only get worse if they stayed together.
That night, she lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. The sense of inevitability gnawed at her—could she really keep doing this, pretending that her two worlds could somehow coexist?
---
The next morning, her manager called, and Brittany braced herself. She knew the tone before she even answered, could feel the disappointment radiating through the phone.
“Brittany,” her manager’s voice was tight. “We have to talk. It’s getting out of hand. Brands are pulling back; sponsors are nervous. This has to stop.”
“I need more time,” she said, hating the desperation in her voice. “I’m happy here. Can’t that count for something?”
Her manager sighed. “It counts, Brit. But it doesn’t pay the bills. You have responsibilities. The industry can be unforgiving—you know that. If you don’t come back and clear things up, you risk losing everything you’ve worked for.”
Brittany bit her lip, her heart pounding. It wasn’t fair. She’d built her career, poured herself into it, and now it felt like it was slipping through her fingers, all because she wanted a few weeks of freedom. She wanted to believe she could hold onto both, but the harsh truth loomed large—something had to give.
---
Cian found her later that morning, sitting by the river, her head buried in her hands. He sat beside her in silence, letting her collect her thoughts.
“I don’t know how to make this work,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I could balance it all, but maybe I was kidding myself.”
He stayed quiet for a long moment, then finally spoke. “Britt, you don’t owe me anything. I don’t want to be the reason you lose your life back home.”
She looked at him, her heart aching. “But I don’t want to lose you, either.”
He reached for her hand, his touch gentle. “If this was real, if what we’ve had here was something you want to hold onto, then we’ll find a way. But I don’t want you resenting me down the line. I won’t be another weight pulling you down.”
They stayed by the river until the sun began to dip below the horizon, neither of them wanting to say goodbye. And as they sat there, Brittany made a decision—a reckless, impulsive decision, maybe, but one that felt like the only choice she had.
---
That evening, she posted a photo on her social media. It wasn’t flashy or posed, just a candid shot she’d taken of Cian, standing by the river, his back turned, looking out at the cityscape. Her caption was simple:
“I came here looking for a break. What I found was so much more.”
Her phone buzzed with notifications almost instantly, comments and messages flooding in as the post went live. She ignored them all, leaving her phone on silent as she stepped outside to breathe in the crisp night air.
Cian found her on the hotel balcony, his face a mixture of confusion and concern. “Brittany… did you just—?”
She nodded, meeting his gaze. “I told the world. I don’t know what happens next, but I don’t want to hide anymore. If I’m going to be with you, I want it to be real, no secrets, no pretending.”
He looked at her for a long moment, his expression softening, and then he pulled her into his arms. “Whatever comes next,” he murmured into her hair, “we’ll face it together.”
They stayed like that, holding onto each other as if they could freeze the moment, protect it from everything waiting on the other side. Brittany knew the choice she’d made wouldn’t be easy. Her career might suffer, and her life might change in ways she couldn’t predict. But for the first time, she felt free, finally at peace with the life she was creating.
The next morning, as they walked hand-in-hand through the busy Dublin streets, Brittany noticed the way people looked at them—some with curiosity, others with recognition. But she didn’t care anymore. For once, she felt like she could be herself, without hiding, without pretending.
And as they wandered through the heart of Dublin, her hand in his, she realized she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
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Recklessness
FanfictionBrittany Broski didn't plan on finding herself (or anyone else) in Dublin. But one rainy afternoon and a spilled coffee later, she finds herself swept up in the easy charm of Cian-a local with a lopsided grin and a knack for showing her the magic of...
