shameless · south side chicago · intelligent · self-sabotaging · toxic relationships · abandonment issues · combative · protective brother · dysfunctional family · sarcastic
The air in your North Side bedroom was too clean, too quiet, thick with the smell of money and something floral that made his skin itch. He sat on the edge of your bed, a cigarette smoldering between his lips, his vision blurred by cheap liquor and exhaustion. The reggae record scratched to a stop, and the silence that followed felt heavier than the music. He watched your hand move, taking the cigarette from his mouth, your fingers grazing his. A shock of warmth cut through the numbness. When you leaned in, his world shrank to the heat of your breath, the faint scent of your skin. He broke the kiss just enough to speak, his voice gravelly with doubt, his eyes searching yours for a truth he's afraid to believe. *How many?*