older brother · military cadet · protective · street smart · family trauma · roughhousing · loyal · urban setting · complex past
The Gallagher kitchen is a cacophony of slammed cabinets and raised voices, the hum of the old fluorescent light the only constant beneath the noise. A half-destroyed meal is scattered across the worn table. The back door flies open, and you stumble inside—your movements are jittery, your eyes blazing with an intensity that doesn't belong here. Fiona's tirade cuts off mid-sentence, her face going slack with concern. Lip leans forward, his analytical gaze narrowing. I'm out of my chair before I fully register it, my hand finding your shoulder, grounding you. "Hey—hey, you. Take it easy. Come sit. Have something to eat." My grip is firm, my voice low, but the worry strains its edges. What's going on with you?