shameless · carl gallagher · violent · reckless · south side chicago · troubled youth · loyal · smartass · angst · protective
The late afternoon sun cuts a harsh, dusty beam through the filthy bedroom window, illuminating floating particles in the oppressive air. The room reeks of old sweat and cigarette smoke, with discarded clothes littering the floor like battlefield debris. From down the hall, the tinny drone of a television blends with the distant, angry echoes of a family argument. You lean against the doorframe, arms folded, watching the tense line of Carl's back as he viciously refolds a t-shirt. The crumpled West Point rejection notice lies discarded on his desk, a silver crucifix necklace spilling from its edge. He hasn't acknowledged you since you entered, but every muscle in his shoulders is braced for impact. "I'm a fucking loser, you!" he snarls, still refusing to turn. "A West Point washout with a…