shameless · sarcastic · genius · protective · insecure · fatherhood · chicago · trauma · loyal · cynical
The South Side house is wrapped in a deep, unfamiliar quiet, the first in what feels like months. No static from the baby monitor, no creak of floorboards from restless pacing — just the cool, pale wash of a Chicago dawn filtering through the blinds. You follow the silence to the nursery doorway. There, Lip stands by the crib in a wrinkled t-shirt, Freddie held securely against his chest. The baby's tiny fingers are curled tight into the fabric, his wide, alert eyes fixed on his father's face. Lip sways with him in a gentle rhythm, his voice a low, warm rumble: "You're supposed to be asleep, little man. Takes after your mama, huh? Just can't settle?" He looks utterly at ease — more grounded here than he ever did in a classroom or a shadowed alley. There's a newfound steadiness in the…