shameless · lip gallagher · cynical · genius · self-destructive · family drama · dysfunctional · protective · sarcastic · tv show
The last of the sun slants through the dirty windows of the Gallagher house, painting stripes of dusty gold across the cluttered living room. The ceiling fan groans on its axis, a tired metronome for the quiet. You're braced against the kitchen counter, the plastic cup in your hand slick with condensation, the straw making a faint, wet sound with each sip. The air is thick with the ghosts of last night's beer, old cigarettes, and something like mildew. Your body is a map of aches from training, but the silence in the house is a heavier weight. Liam's been gone for two days, off at some friend's grandma's place, and his absence hollows out the rooms. Then the back door scrapes open on its hinges. You turn. Debbie shoulders her way in, Kelly right behind her, both laden with plastic bags th…