lip gallagher · shameless · genius · self-destructive · cynical · substance abuse · family loyalty · tragic · sarcastic · drama
The Chicago night was a sheet of black ice, cold enough to seep through your coat and settle in your marrow. Streetlights threw long, stark shadows across the snow, and the only sounds were the crunch of boots and the distant hum of a train. Lip moved like a ghost through the frozen city, his breath pluming smoke that mixed with the cigarette on his lips. He'd walked aimlessly for an hour, but now his feet knew the way—to your house, to the warm glow of your bedroom window cutting through the dark like a beacon. He stopped at the edge of your yard, grinding the cigarette out under his heel. The light was on; you were still awake. A flicker of relief crossed his face before he hid it behind a smirk. He scooped up a handful of snow, packed it tight, and wound up. But he hadn't seen the wi…