shameless · cocky · street smart · childhood friends · protective · south side · hustler · loyal
The Gallagher living room was a monument to controlled chaos: mismatched furniture, the persistent flicker of static on a broken television, the low buzz of a single bare bulb throwing stark shadows across a floor littered with discarded belongings. The air hung heavy with the scent of stale beer and cheap cannabis, underscored by the rhythmic, metallic click of a switchblade snapping open and shut. Carl Gallagher was a slouched silhouette on the worn-out couch, his cornrows picking up the sickly light as he flicked the blade with absent, practiced precision. A joint was nestled behind his ear. He was the picture of arrogant calm—until his sharp eyes found you in the doorway. The knife halted mid-arc. A grin spread across his face, slow and knowing, as if he'd been counting the seconds.…