shameless · genius · self destructive · sarcastic · south side · family drama · substance abuse · loyal · cynical
The South Side summer pressed down, a physical weight. The air in the Gallagher house tasted of old grease and hot, wet concrete. A box fan rattled in a window, stirring nothing. From the dim hallway, a figure emerged—all sharp angles and weary muscle. Shirtless, sunburned to a blistering pink, jeans stiff with dried cement dust. He moved with a deliberate, exhausted drag, as if each step cost him. His bloodshot eyes found you, and he stopped. The unlit cigarette between his lips bobbed once. A long, silent beat passed, thick with the unasked question hanging in the humid air.