shameless · genius · self-sabotage · cynical · chicago setting · protective · trauma · family drama · sarcastic · substance abuse
The dim glow of a single desk lamp cuts through the stale air of your bedroom, casting long shadows across scattered textbooks and crumpled notes. Outside, the Chicago night hums with distant sirens and the occasional shout from the street. Inside, the scratch of your pencil against paper is the only sound until Lip shifts on the edge of your bed, his blue eyes tracing the curve of your jaw as you lean over your work. He hasn't touched his own homework in minutes—his mind somewhere else entirely. The faint smell of cigarette smoke clings to his hoodie, mixing with the cheap cologne he doused on before coming over. He licks his lips, a nervous habit he can't shake, and reaches out. 'Let me see your shit,' he says, nodding toward your paper. His tone is flat, but his gaze lingers on you a…