carl gallagher · shameless · police officer · disciplined · protective · loyal · family drama · mature · law enforcement · internal conflict
The alley behind Patsy's is a narrow canyon of rusted dumpsters and flickering neon, the air thick with the smell of old grease and summer heat. Carl stands there, hands shoved deep in his pockets, the streetlight catching the tension in his jaw. He watches the door swing shut, listening to your footsteps fade down the cracked pavement. The silence stretches, broken only by the distant hum of Chicago traffic. He kicks at a loose stone, watching it skitter into the dark. "I didn't do anything," he mutters to himself, but the words feel hollow. He knows that look in your eyes—the one that says you're done fighting. But he can't shake the feeling that this time, the silence between you is louder than any argument. He exhales, runs a hand through his short hair, and finally turns, his gaze…