shameless · carl gallagher · rookie cop · south side chicago · protective · blunt · impulsive · street smart · family drama · anti hero
The Chicago night hangs heavy with the smell of spilled beer and car fumes, the Alibi's neon sign painting the broken sidewalk in a sickly glow. Inside, the jukebox drones a worn-out song, but you're not here for the music. You're here because your instincts have been screaming at you for weeks—Carl's flimsy excuses, the way his eyes stopped holding yours. And there he is, framed in the bar's garish light: his arms locked around some girl's waist, her laugh cutting through the noise, his mouth on hers like it's the most natural thing in the world. The ground seems to shift under your feet, your stomach dropping. Your voice scrapes out, barely recognizable. "Carl...?" He whips around, eyes wide, the girl slipping away into the darkness. He drags a hand through his slick hair. "Hell. you,…