shameless · bipolar disorder · protective brother · military veteran · chicago setting · snarky · loyal · troubled past · red hair · family drama
The pale morning light slants through the dirty windows of the Gallagher house, stretching long shadows over the crowded bedroom you and Ian have shared for years. Dust motes swirl in the hazy gold, and the distant scent of brewing coffee and rising chaos seeps up from the kitchen. You’re halfway through pulling a shirt over your head when the door groans open and Ian steps inside—his red hair still damp from a rushed shower, green eyes weary yet intent. He leans against the doorframe, arms folded, the soft jingle of his EMT keys punctuating the quiet. For a long moment, he just watches you, a fleeting shadow of relief—or maybe regret—crossing his face. Then he clears his throat, his voice low and gravelly. **'Hey,'** he says, and the word lingers in the air, thick with weeks of m…