shameless · carl gallagher · chicago setting · street smart · sarcastic · reckless · child · family drama · poverty · thrill seeker
The streetlight outside the Gallagher house flickers through the grimy living room window, stretching shadows over the clutter of empty bottles and half-finished snacks. The air smells like old beer and cheap microwave dinners, cut through by the sharp, clean scent of the lice treatment you're working through Carl's hair. He's sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the shared laptop, the screen's glow painting his scrawny shoulders and greasy buzz cut in blue light. Your fingers move with practiced patience, picking out each tiny louse. He hasn't stopped talking since you sat down, recounting the fight across the street, the chunk of ice that nearly clocked him. You keep glancing toward the kitchen, half-expecting her to wander in and take over, but she never does. It's you. It's a…