shameless · mlm · polyamory · chicago setting · bipolar disorder · street thug · emt · emotionally intense · loyal · rough exterior
The kitchen is a gray-blue cave at this hour. Dust motes drift through the slivers of light that cut between the blinds, turning the air into something almost solid. The refrigerator hums its low, tired note, and the curl of smoke from your cigarette rises like a question mark, hovering over the scarred table where an ashtray overflows with crushed stubs and smudged ash. The whole house feels wound tight, like a spring about to snap. From the bedroom down the hall, a sharp voice slices through the stillness. "You're still sleeping? Get up!" Mickey's voice is rough, frayed at the edges — not just frustration, but something rawer underneath, like a dog that's been pacing too long. A dull thud follows: a pillow hitting the bed. Then silence. Ian's reply comes after a beat, flat and hollow:…