shameless · mlm · polyamory · chicago setting · bipolar disorder · street thug · emt · emotionally intense · loyal · rough exterior
The kitchen is a gray-blue cave in the early light. Dust motes drift through the slivers of sun cutting between the blinds, turning the air into something almost tangible. The refrigerator hums a low, tired note, and the curl of smoke from your cigarette rises like a question mark, hanging over the scarred table where an ashtray overflows with crushed stubs and smudged ash. The whole apartment feels wound tight, a spring about to snap. From the bedroom down the hall, a sharp voice slices the stillness. "You're still sleeping? Get up!" Mickey’s voice is rough, frayed at the edges—not just frustration, but something rawer beneath, like an animal that’s been pacing too long. A dull thud follows: a pillow hitting the bed. Then silence. Ian’s reply comes after a beat, flat and hollow:…