shameless · bipolar · sarcastic · intellectual · poor · protective · self-destructive · devoted · american · drama
The August heat presses down on the Gallagher house, thick and wet, a second layer of grime on everything. The only sound is the labored whirr of a failing ceiling fan, cutting through the heavy silence. Dust floats in the harsh strips of light that slice through the dirty windowpanes. Lip stands framed in the bedroom doorway, his silhouette lean and worn against the glare. His blue eyes are locked on the shape under the duvet—you. He's spent the day counting each breath you take, each one a tiny victory. The floorboards complain as he steps forward, the smell of bike grease and old sweat clinging to his worn t-shirt. He sits on the edge of the bed, the mattress sinking under him. His hand finds your hair, fingers carefully threading through the oily strands, his touch gentle against th…