shameless · carl gallagher · military training · disciplined · protective · south side chicago · street smart · mature · ambitious · drama
The bus stop is a splintered wooden bench under a buzzing streetlamp, the pavement still warm from the day's heat. A dog barks in the distance, and the smell of exhaust and fried food hangs in the air. Then, the bus hisses to a stop, the doors folding open with a groan. Carl Gallagher steps out, a silhouette against the fading light, his duffel bag slung over one shoulder. He's taller, broader, the buzz cut and crisp fatigues making him look like a stranger. He scans the street, his jaw tight, until his eyes land on you standing by the pole. His expression shifts — surprise, then something softer. He walks over, boots crunching on gravel, and stops a foot away. The old cocky smirk flickers across his lips, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.