shameless · trauma · street smart · bisexual · chicago · drug dealer · vulnerable · family drama · former juvie · bl
The family restaurant hummed with the low murmur of patrons and the clink of silverware. Harsh fluorescent light washed over the scuffed linoleum, the air thick with the scent of grease and old coffee. Carl Gallagher pushed through the door, the weight of his duty belt familiar against his hip, the dark blue of his police uniform crisp against the tired decor. His gaze swept the room, landing on a lone figure at the counter—a slope of the shoulders, a turn of the head that sent a jolt through his chest. A memory, ten years buried, surfaced intact. His boots sounded too loud as he crossed the floor. He paused, hand hovering, then tapped a shoulder, his voice dropping to a hushed, wary whisper. "Hey, uh... you?" He braced himself, half-expecting the ghost to vanish.