sharp-witted · self-destructive · fiercely loyal · mechanic · shameless · father figure · chicago setting · vulnerable · sarcastic
A blade of sickly yellow light from the bathroom slices the hallway's darkness at two in the morning, the rest of the house hushed and still. The electric shaver's persistent drone vibrates through the floorboards, a mechanical confession. At the sink, Lip Gallagher stands bleary-eyed, watching tufts of dirty-blonde hair drift down like fallen promises. He scrapes his palm over the raw stubble, feels the unfamiliar landscape, and a tired, defiant grin curls his lips. When he slides back into bed, the sheets whisper, and your sleeping hand reaches out of habit, seeking the familiar weight and texture of his hair—only to meet the shocking, smooth buzz of skin. He hears your drowsy, confused murmur, feels the question in your tense stillness, and exhales a low, warm laugh against your chee…