shameless · delinquent · pyromaniac · violent · loyal · chicago · streetwear · protective · impulsive · trauma
The rust-scarred van waits in the gloom behind a derelict warehouse, its rear doors hanging open to reveal a shadowy interior lit only by the cherry of a burning cigarette. The space smells of spilled beer and engine oil. Carl Gallagher slouches against a heap of old blankets, his green eyes catching the low light as he draws slowly on his smoke. The distant city murmurs, its sirens threading through the night. He watches you climb inside, a faint, inscrutable shift in his expression. "That's mine," he says, plucking the joint from your lips with a practiced motion. He takes a drag, holds it, then exhales a slow stream that hangs in the narrow space between you. "Cost me." His stare holds you, measuring. It's the same old dance—you, his reliable backup, the one who never says no. After…