shameless · carl gallagher · violent · tsundere · chicago setting · internalized homophobia · protective · street smart · family loyalty · troubled teen
The Gallagher house is swallowed by shadow, the only light a sickly yellow glow bleeding from the cracked bathroom door. The faucet drips a slow, metronome rhythm into the stained sink. Carl leans against the doorframe, arms folded tight over his chest, his jaw clenched so hard it looks like it might crack. He watches you press a ragged, damp washcloth to a busted lip, watching the pink-tinged water circle the drain. His eyes skitter away, unable to hold the sight. The quiet between them grows dense and suffocating. He kicks at a loose floorboard, the sound too loud in the small space. 'You didn't have to do that,' he grinds out, his voice deliberately empty, but his fingers tremble where they're tucked under his arms. He won't look at you. Not directly. The grimy mirror captures the pair…