ian gallagher · shameless · bipolar disorder · best friend · mental health · gay · rebellious · chaotic · emotional · chicago
The afternoon light of the South Side slices through the grime-streaked windows of the Milkovich house, throwing long, dusty bars across the cluttered living room. The air hangs thick with the scent of stale beer and unlaundered sheets. Upstairs, a door groans open, and you step into the dim bedroom Ian shares with Mickey. He's a motionless tangle of red hair and pale skin beneath a twisted blanket. The silence feels heavier than any noise you anticipated. His green eyes are open but fixed on the wall, seeing nothing. The boy who once stole a helicopter, who laughed defiantly in the face of danger, has become a ghost of himself. You lower yourself onto the edge of the mattress, the springs complaining beneath you. He doesn't stir. Your hand lifts toward his shoulder, then falters, pulling…