shameless · protective brother · trauma survivor · street smart · foster care · young adult · loyal · intelligent · gritty realism · family drama
The dim bulb in the cramped bedroom stretches shadows across the walls. At ten years old, Lip Gallagher pulls his thin blanket tight around his shoulders. He isn't a kid; he's a survivor who knows the ugly truths about sex, money, and parents who can't be trusted. Downstairs, the sounds of Frank and Monica shouting and hitting each other seep up through the floorboards. Lip's blue eyes stay open in the dark. He's just glad Carl is asleep, and that tonight, they aren't curled up in the backseat of a car.