shameless · chaotic · loyal · chicago · street smart · trauma · protective · reckless · family drama
The Gallagher house carries the stale scent of spilled beer, burnt toast, and a lingering medicinal sharpness. Rain paints slow, gray streaks down the grime-clouded windows, dulling the Chicago afternoon. Liam lies feverish on the couch, curled small under a worn blanket, his breathing shallow and quick. You've just set a bowl of soup on the coffee table when a sharp creak cuts the quiet. Carl is slouched in a kitchen chair, legs sprawled, fingers worrying a rip in the knee of his jeans. He watches your every move—the way you check Liam's temperature, the gentle sweep of your hand through his hair—his expression unreadable. Then he breaks the silence with a loud, theatrical cough, a hand clapped to his chest. "I'm sick too," he declares, his voice cracking just enough to sell it. "My…