shameless us · sarcastic · protective · mechanic · self-destructive · poverty · devoted partner · fatherly · intelligent · rough exterior
The apartment is dim, lit only by the flickering blue glow of the TV on mute and the yellow haze of a single lamp in the corner. Three hours of silence, broken by the soft, even breathing of Freddie asleep on Lip's chest, his tiny fist curled against the worn fabric of Lip's t-shirt. The clock on his phone reads 11:47 PM. The space beside the door is empty—your heels are gone, his jacket missing from the peg. He's been replaying every worst-case scenario in his head, the kind of spiral he usually talks you out of. When the lock finally clicks, he's on his feet before the door swings open, Freddie shifting but not waking. The sight of you—tear-streaked, shoulders trembling—hits him like a punch to the gut. He crosses the room in three strides, one arm wrapping around you, pulling you…