#with her family - even though it's clear she doesn't Like them she's still very frank in how she speaks to them

[brittlebutch]

Adaine is such a fascinating character to me because she's such a compelling combination of having debilitating, choking panic and anxiety while also being utterly, stubbornly argumentative and combative with absolutely everyone she meets and i love her for it

[randomfoggytiger]

I did ask this to another blogger because I respect both of your viewpoints. I like hearing your analysis. I don't mean to send this to you also out of any disrespect.

OK..are Gillian and David really Mulder and Scully? Lack of communication that could clear up how they felt back in the days? He is like a little puppy and she is cold hard fierce who tries to shut off the world so she doesn't get hurt? No wonder they played those characters so well:) Thank goodness that THEY controlled the narrative to this discussion instead of having some kiss ass pompous interviewer trying to get them to truly talk about the tension so that we get "it was moist". Granted, that was a fun answer and brought out an interesting dynamic between the 2, but their frank and honest discussion is more true and loving. I love that D shared in the discussion and didn't take the interviewer seat like he has in the other podcasts. He actually participated in the real conversation and let it somewhat go in some areas naturally. Now, please, D or G, release the video so that we can see those lovely smiles and gazing eyes and, you know it happened, reaching out and touching each other.

I understand that completely, anon-- I used to (and still do) go to each inbox and ask the same question, even ones I'm principally against. Just want to know what they think, y'know?

Release the Gillian cut! XDDDD I don't think there is one; but maybe someone has clips on their phone of the two of them talking that day? That'd be fun.

You have a point, especially in the early days. David and Gillian were such young, green actors that Chris really had to cast for type.

But I WILL add: Half of the very close loved ones in my life are Gillian's (Gen X) generation, and the other half(ish) are David's (Boomer) or older. Each and every person I've talked to has said the same thing about the past: no one, and I mean no one, talked. Ever. Even in functional families; but especially in dysfunctional homes, with fragile mothers-- not without (varying) consequences. Communication was wired around what could be acceptably acknowledged without the whole house of cards tumbling down. Chris Carter slipped that into the themes of his show, too; and no wonder: his own childhood was turbulent, and communication a compoundingly fraught issue.

And I will also add, though I don't know how salient this point is: I have a Gen X mother who took one look at David, one look at Gillian, and a couple looks at their past interviews, and read them like a book. (So much so, that everything they admitted to in the podcast wasn't surprising, just confirming, for me.) I fed her bits of the Fail Better interview afterward, and she was nodding along to their interruptions and admittance that they had a hard time getting along-- she'd called that Gillian likely (accidentally) hurt David's feelings over the years unconsciously; and that DD grated on GA's nerves as much as she on his... and low and behold. But more importantly, she was nodding along to the communication issues section particularly: "Yes, that's how it was."

In short: I think Chris picked the people who could embody his characters' characteristics effortlessly. (But I also know, per his own words, that he cast for chemistry.) So, I agree¬.

What do you think, anon? :DDDDDD

Edit: Also agree concerning the pompous reporters. It was great to hear them without a third party trying to spin a narrative.

[s0nia246]

This my Dramatical Murder oc. Kameko Kawakami or Coral is Jpop star from Midorijima. Her group is called RWF(Coral Reef.)

I'm still debating on a she has a love interest but I really thinking of Clear.

Name- Kameko  Kawakami

Gender- Female 

Age-25

Height- 5’8ft(172cm)

Weight-150lbs

Birthday- November 3

Zodiac- Scorpio  

Work Location- Evol Entertainment

Occupation-Singer,Dancer, Model, and actress for RWF 

Group name- RWF(Coral Reef)

Stage Name- Coral

Position- Leader(recently), Main Dancer, Matnae, Sup Vocalist

Hobbies/Likes- Dancing, Rain,and the Ocean

Dislikes- Broken Relationship,Working Overtime, and Flattery

Allmate- Precious 

Kameko's Personality- Kameko is extremely mysterious but some reason people thinks she immensely likeable, charming and conciliatory; she is also somehow  energetic, courageous and fiercely determined during her 8-10 work hours .

Extremely sensitive and emotional by nature, she could experience fluctuating moods and a certain amount of nervous tension. She is honest, frank and direct; she doesn't see the point in beating around the bush and loathes pretentiousness with a passion while injustice which makes her absolutely furious. Indeed, even though she is usually all smiles, sweetness and light, she is nevertheless capable of violent rage if you rub her up the wrong way. She can be very talkative and spontaneous, lively and quick as a flash; and although she remains essentially altruistic with a great love for humanity, she is not completely indifferent to the material realm and could sometimes be sensitive to external symbols of wealth. She likes to take care of her appearance and could have a penchant for precious stones or beautiful clothes.

As a little girl, a bubbly and mischievous ray of sunshine, she is vivacity personified! She has plenty of energy and is a real chatterbox who isn't afraid to speak her mind. She can be possessive and requires plenty of reassurance, love and affection because she is highly receptive to her environment. Stories, legends and fairy-tales certainly fascinate her, but she also craves action and the company of others.

Kameko likes to make others happy and maintain harmonious relationships with those around her. She enjoys communicating and exchanging within a group that she animates with warmth, generosity, a sense of humour and a critical mind. She has a profound sense of friendship and loves to be able to help others. Furthermore, she is clever, adaptable, resourceful and possibly even opportunistic.

Precious' personality- Coral always that names has a secret meaning. Precious' name is also in included.

P is for polite, naturally!

R is for rely, everyone’s trustworthy friend.

E is for extra, those little things you do!

C is for casual, no pretension here.

I is for interest, you show in others.

O is for outlook, pleasing to all.

U is for understanding, you show for others.

S is for serious, not always joking.

Coral would describe her personality as someone who is pleasing, stylish, diplomatic, gentle, and graceful. Humans want to get close to Precious cause Precious projects a cute, comfortable, and unthreatening posture. Some may think Precious seems quiet, shy, or reserved, but all they have to do is ask, and Precious participate. Precious learn quickly and like to broaden Precious's knowledge about any topic under the sun. Precious is reserved, secretive, and yet Precious give off an excellent first impression to others. Precious has a great common sense but can be easily annoyed and does not want to wait for too long for something. Try to be more generous with your time.

Oh! Precious forget secret name meaning for Coral and Kameko.

Coral

C is for compatible, a friend’s friend.

O is for openness, it’s refreshing!

R is for relax, you know how!

A is for accomplished, in all that you do.

L is for lofty, your ambitions are high!

Kameko

K is for kindness, you always show.

A is for affirm, the certainty of knowledge.

M is for mighty, your inner strength.

E is for electric, a sparkling trait!

K is for kid, the child within.

O is for orderly, a lifelong passion.

Fun Facts

Kameko is the extremely victim of Rhyme Drive-by.

RWF is the sibling group of Ocean. RWF has 5 members. RWf has a very unique style to thier group . RWF are very similar to Vtubers. Like Hololive. Ocean has 98 Female and Male members. They all have individual live stream. Their livestream scheduledare based on the idol. They usually use avatar during their stream . They only show their true identity for concert and meet and greets, and other events.

RWF have Rock Paper Scissors tournaments to determine position for music video placements.

The Senbatsu Election  (also known as Senbatsu Sousenkyo) is an annual event where fans can vote for their favorite. These events are usually take place two times a year in Platinum Jail.

Coral popularity ranking in Ocean is usually 8th and recently bacame 1st in RWF.

Each group usually has a team shuffle event every year but RWF usually stay together cause of how popular they are.

Kameko lives in Western district

Drinks at the Black needle every night

Was an orphan and doesn't know family origin. Only remember bits and pieces about her past.

(Feel free to ask more questions. Precious and Coral will do their best to help answer them. Have a good day😊✌🏿🐢)

[justkindaoverhereobsessing]

Tiva: "That doesn't seem very safe to me."

“That doesn’t seem very safe to me,” Tony says dubiously under his breath, eyeing Ziva’s soft movements and feeling his heart rate increase a little; his brain keeps flashing through the many ways in which this could go so very wrong. “It just doesn’t. What if—”

“It is perfectly safe, Tony,” Ziva interrupts, warm and reassuring but not unamused. There’s something in her expression that makes Tony smile despite his trepidation, and he can’t deny how much he wants to do the very thing she’s suggesting. 

Still, the slight fear lingers.

“See, you say that now,” he disagrees, stalling, “but you doing it and me doing it are two totally different things. I don’t have your ninja reflexes, alright? I’m out of practice.”

Ziva isn’t quite openly laughing at him—not yet, anyway—but the exhausted affection on her face is very clearly tempered with old, familiar teasing. 

“Sh. I will be right here next to you, reflexes ready if needed,” she reminds him in amusement. “People have been doing this since the down of time—otherwise, the human race would not have survived, yes? You will be fine.”

“Dawn—and hey! There’s no need to patronize me, sweet cheeks,” Tony protests, but it’s just for show. He has always cherished the banter that colors nearly every interaction they have ever had. 

There’s a mild self-deprecating smile drifting across his lips that belies his words, anyway.

Ziva, seeing this, finally loses her fight against laughter. “You do not fool me, Tony DiNozzo.” She shifts her weight and gently frees one arm while Tony watches nervously—if this feels unsafe to do with two arms, it feels doubly risky to do with only one!

Careful.

Still, some of the tension leaves his body as Ziva soothingly pats his arm. “Now, no more wasting time,” she decides. “You must do it eventually, and you will see—it will come naturally to you. As soon as you begin, you will stop being afraid.”

“I’m not afraid,” Tony argues reflexively, but Ziva doesn’t dignify that with a response. They both know that he is, irrational as his fear may be. “It’s just—what if I—”

“You will not.” Ziva kisses his cheek. “Are you ready?”

Tony takes a deep breath and lets it out before nodding resolutely. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m ready.”

He really isn’t, but now is the time... he has been anticipating this for months and has, in an abstract way, dreamed of it for even longer.

“Good,” Ziva says firmly. “Alright, here—”

She gently passes over their newborn son. 

Tony makes a quiet sound as he accepts the baby, but he’s hardly aware of it. Instead, he’s entirely wrapped up in the nerve-wracking but powerful feeling of holding someone so heartbreakingly small and so absolutely perfect in his arms for the first time. 

Their son, beautiful and infinitely precious. 

Careful.

It quickly becomes clear, though, that Ziva was right—of course she was. After only the briefest moment of shifting, instinct takes over. Tony finds that without needing any instruction at all, he’s able to settle the baby into a naturally protective position in the cradle of his arms. Suddenly, this feels like the most intuitive thing in the world... yes, their new son is so very light, so small, so fragile, but the fear of messing up gives way easily to a calming, determined kind of innate knowledge; messing up just isn’t an option on this one, so it won’t happen. He and Ziva are responsible for this young life now, and they’ll get it all figured out.

They have Tali to keep them in line if they don’t, at any rate.

All of this now is such a different experience than Tony had in his first interaction with their daughter. On that day, there had been shock and grief and plenty of fear of a different type, but one notable detail had been easier—Tali was never this small for Tony! She never looked so terrifyingly breakable... Meeting her in toddlerhood presented its own challenges, but the frank fear of fumbling a six pound baby like a football just didn’t apply. 

Now, that fear is already starting to feel silly, and as it fades away, a deep contentment settles in. This is their son. 

“He’s so little,” Tony murmurs after a moment, his voice a little tight with emotion.

“Yes, he is, but he will not be for long. And you could never drop him.”

“No,” Tony agrees, “I’ve got him.” The words hold weight, and an otherwise unspoken commitment—it won’t be long before this little boy will be growing like a weed, learning about the world around him, playing with his sister and exploring the limits of his parents’ patience and generally wreaking havoc underfoot... but Tony will always be ready to hold him, protect him, have his back. No matter what.

Just the way he is with Tali, just like he has been for so long now with Ziva, regardless of time, of distance, of painful history. 

No matter what.

Ziva must hear that renewed promise in Tony’s voice, because she beams at both him and their tiny baby. “I never once doubted that you would.”

“Ah, what would I do without you?” Tony means to say it teasingly, but it comes out as utterly sincere. 

They’re both full to bursting with joy, maybe even a little giddy. They’re grinning at each other as is their lives have never been touched by pain or fear or loss, like this happiness is all they’ve ever known.  

This is a happiness that brings with it something nearly unrecognizable... peace. 

There are certainly plenty of new challenges ahead, and the fear of dropping a fragile baby will not be Tony’s last brush with parental anxiety. For now, though, that doesn’t matter. 

What matters is that in a few minutes, Tali will be here to meet her brother. Their girl will have a new role to embrace—big sister!—and, fear forgotten, they’ll jump straight into the chaotic bliss of being a four-person family. 

In between diaper changes and feedings and ballet rehearsals and field trips, this will eventually become a fond, dusty memory... but Ziva will always be there to remind Tony that he was once afraid to hold a baby, should his head ever get too big.

(And really, that only happens once a week or so.)

Between solving crimes, mounting daring rescues, taking down terrorists once and for all, and—scariest of all—raising fragile, headstrong little humans? Well, there’s not much that Ziva and Tony can’t do with a little bickering and a little teamwork... and getting to look forward with no fear or uncertainty to the challenges of the future has become the sweetest reward of all.

send me a sentence and i’ll write the next 5 sentences or the rest of the fic

[punkscowardschampions]

Ava & James

Ava: I've told all my family James: oh Ava: Maybe don't oh that hard Ava: thinking you've changed your mind and that's going to be very difficult to do a 180 on tbh James: I'm actually thinking about Bella's dad's reaction Ava: As far as I'm aware, my dad doesn't have a shotgun Ava: or an excellent moustache Ava: definitely not James: Mine does, on both counts, but the mentality simply isn't there James: war of words is as far as things have so far escalated Ava: That's a good visual Ava: what about your mum? James: she's very busy lining up every single woman she's aware of between the ages of 20 to 30 within a mile radius or so Ava: Very Mr Darcy Ava: I'll gatecrash James: I look forward to the dramatic dance scene during which we only touch palms & exchange looks Ava: I bet Lizzie Bennet didn't 😳 Ava: shame my sister isn't around to push over so your parents are forced to take us in whilst she languishes James: 😂 James: I'll happily push my sister over or let her fall through an iced over pond to further our romantic narrative Ava: 💘 Ava: I know it's less about me but I can swoon nonetheless James: if you're 😳 then you'll have my full attention regardless Ava: Promise? James: yes Ava: even if the single ladies have really good period costumes? James: well, I hadn't considered that Ava: 😏 Ava: rude James: before I decide, what are you going to be wearing when you gatecrash? Ava: Obviously something unexpectedly knockout Ava: am the protagonist, need I remind you James: okay, what I'm hearing is anything you already own or could pick out from anywhere given a few moments Ava: You're adorable Ava: how did it go really then? James: does that mean I'll get to see you before there's a seasons changing montage? because I really want to Ava: Providing you don't need to exile yourself, of course James: I'm sure there's now several people in both our lives who would like me to, but I won't Ava: They were as receptive as I expected but I've made it clear I won't be stopping seeing you, hopefully put to bed the concerns I can James: in my case, the only concern is outward appearances so there's very little I can do even if I particularly cared to James: & Teddy isn't concerned so much as shocked & appalled Ava: Of course Ava: at least I'm an addendum re. the main issue of the whole divorce, in that case? Ava: yeah, do you think I should make a point of talking to him or give him space? James: will you? as far as he's concerned I haven't made a good decision within his living memory, but you two are friends, or were Ava: I'll try, definitely Ava: if I can make him see it's as much my decision as yours, it might help, in the end Ava: and I can handle another person having their say James: thank you James: I meant what I said, I'm more than willing to discuss this with your parents, at any point James: I can handle that Ava: Thank you Ava: I think it might help Ava: but I also think I'm gonna give them a cool-off period or it won't be at all helpful and that won't be at all your fault James: understood James: I'm currently having to employ a similar situation with Jay's playdates because her friend's mothers cannot possibly keep their nose out of my business or their mouths shut about where hers is and every other single detail they believe to be fact Ava: Oh lord Ava: I wouldn't have envied you having to socialize by-proxy with the self-professed yummy mummies before but now Ava: I can only imagine Ava: Poor Jay Ava: I can't offer a human child for playdates but Frank is always down Ava: and my lips are, naturally, sealed James: I was hoping to take them away for a few days but it's as though my dad has decided that in lieu of my failings in other areas I need to suddenly become the hardest worker in the history of this company Ava: Of course Ava: Hmm James: because obviously what my children require most in their mother's absence is to also see me less Ava: Well, yeah, that's not potentially traumatizing Ava: thank God for School being right 'round the corner Ava: and Matty still being portable James: I've been bringing them both to the office & the bulging vein in his temple is honestly such a strong contender for the book cover Ava: 😏 That's how you do it Ava: risk his health and wellbeing so you get the time off for yours James: King's didn't teach me everything I know, I've got a few tricks Ava: When are you giving me that tour? James: When can I see you? Ava: When is your dad not working you to death? Ava: I can make it work James: [A pause while he figures that out] James: he's out of the office all day on [a date in the foreseeable to make this office hookup a thing] Ava: No offense but if your brother shows up again you need to send him on a really long coffee run James: as you said, school is right around the corner, meaning my parents priorities have shifted back to making sure he'll go Ava: In that case Ava: 😈 James: 😇 for saying yes Ava: I have ulterior motives, I promise you James: oh really? Ava: really Ava: it's very unfair I've yet to see you in your work clothes James: [sends her a pic because nobody can stop him] Ava: um hello 😍 Ava: you're really going to be away from me looking so good Ava: unfair James: I'm sorry James: I really, really am Ava: Me too Ava: I've not seen you enough to warrant how badly I want to right now James: [a casual essay about how much he misses her and wants her and everything he wishes they could do, in a saucy way but also just in cute ways like] Ava: James James: Ava Ava: I really love you, you know James: I love you too James: what I most wish is that we could go away for a while Ava: That would be Ava: so good Ava: maybe we could in like the Christmas hols, when everything has calmed down Ava: hopefully James: it would be indescribable Ava: I have no doubt you would do your best Ava: and it'd be impressive James: the subject matter lends itself to nothing but my best Ava: I'm honoured🙇 James: so am I, especially by that visual Ava: Gutted I'm out rn and can't immediately fulfill that wish for a visual like you did Ava: when I get back though James: [sends her an even better visual] James: until then, there you are Ava: oh, well, you aren't distracting at all 😖 Ava: definitely gonna get you back when you're so hard at work James: 😈 James: I so badly hope you do Ava: I intend to Ava: every day of the week Ava: but especially when I get to come see you James: you know, the things I intend to do to you on this desk drastically shifts the audience we're going to be able to pitch this book to Ava: You'll have to restrain your imagination in the write-up so the audience can use theirs to fill in the blanks Ava: because there's no way we're leaving your office 'til we've done everything you've thought of James: finally some overtime I'm not upset about Ava: It's all about balance, right? 😇 James: & I'm aware that you've got very good balance Ava: Will that help me be the best good luck charm on your best I can be? 🤔 Ava: intriguing 😋 James: absolutely, but if you need any more help, I'll help you Ava: You're very helpful, baby James: I try to be Ava: I've never met anyone like you James: I don't think I'll ever meet anyone else that comes close to you either James: I certainly haven't before Ava: Good Ava: I don't need to think about competiting so soon James: you don't need to think about it, full stop Ava: not 'til the dance, anyway James: even then, I'll only have eyes for you, that's the cliche Ava: Of course Ava: doesn't mean I'm not gonna do everything within my power to ensure it's worth your 👀s while James: I don't want to dance with anyone else, Ava James: I don't want to do any of this with anyone else Ava: I know Ava: you know I feel the same too James: you know I couldn't have done this without you though Ava: You did it all though, all the hard conversations and hard decisions James: a lot of those decisions were made for me, so there's limited credit due, & a lack of conversation with her just cements that Ava: Yeah but the ball is in her court on that one Ava: you're if not ready at least willing whenever she is James: of course, because that's not a decision, to not act, not any more Ava: yeah, and that's going to be a good thing Ava: even if it is not good all the time James: I'll be interested to see if she gets in contact before school starts because that's unlikely to be a good thing Ava: Yes, I wonder if this is just a summer holiday or Ava: makes you wonder what she's even doing that could keep her so 'busy' James: whoever cleans the pool, probably, not that she'd ever admit to such a cliche Ava: 😬 Ava: definitely not getting paid enough James: 😂 Ava: I'm just glad that right now you don't have to deal with her on the day to day, even if it's only a momentary reprieve, it'll never be that bad again James: me too, I can't & won't pretend that I didn't know how bad it had become but actually getting a break from it makes me wonder how either of us dealt with that for as long as we have Ava: I bet Ava: she must've been as sick of it, even though she was the one not letting go and doing the fucked up shit, that has to be exhausting to live like that Ava: full level hell beast all the time, like 😈 Ava: sorry, I'm not fully sure where the line is re. her Ava: but I've been hearing great things from Nancy and Buster today so, that's in my head James: it's okay, you're not wrong James: & neither are they Ava: Okay Ava: if it's ever weird or like, not up for discussion though, just say the word Ava: or several, as you're especially loquacious James: there's a fantastic word Ava: as far as safewords go Ava: I can think of a few situations where it might be hard to get out but isn't that half the fun James: I'll make a note of it, because yes, that's definitely a large percentage of the thrill Ava: I wish you were here Ava: I only am to get away from my parents for a bit James: where are you? Ava: My friend's house Ava: Her sister is called Stasia, think she was your year-ish? James: I remember her, whether she would me, favourably or otherwise, I can't possibly comment James: I'll take you home when you want to go Ava: Really? Ava: well, I'll go at whatever time means I get some extra with you James: okay, I'll take that as my cue to leave now, not only because any reason to get out of here is welcomed though Ava: Please do Ava: talking about you so much has only made my need to be with you even greater James: I can absolutely relate & admit to having had the same urge all day Ava: Oh good Ava: we're on the same page James: that said, a necessary note in the margin would be that in actual fact I've felt that way much longer, because whatever I'm talking about, I'm thinking about you Ava: Sometimes I think I think about you too much Ava: but then I remember I'm the protagonist in this romance so it's not just acceptable but necessary James: you can do whatever you like, darling, it's your story Ava: In that case Ava: read on James: voraciously Ava: 🤤🤤 James James: I'm just making sure we're still on the same page Ava: You're gonna have trouble keeping me on the page Ava: and making me go home James: & the driver's eyes on the road, we may need more than the Twilight soundtrack on this occasion Ava: Pride & Prejudice 2005? Ava: gotcha, honey James: 😂 James: yes, exactly Ava: 😊 Ava: I love you so much James: I miss you so much James: if I could take you home with me, I very happily would Ava: I know Ava: one day James: after the move to the other side of the river, because we both know there is a line Ava: It's pretty exciting, isn't it? James: I'm glad to hear you think so because I was going to ask you if you'd like to come house hunting with me Ava: I'd love to! James: [a possible date soonish] ? Ava: That should be good for me Ava: I'll let you know if otherwise Ava: it'll be nice to look at some actual decent places, let's face it, I doubt my student digs will be all that inspiring, like 😏 James: barely room for whatever hazing pranks they have in store, I'm sure Ava: I'm still not convinced that particular visual doesn't just come from a certain type of movie, babe James: you'll have to let me know 😏 Ava: I'll make it good for you James: my faith in you remains unwavering Ava: 🙇 James: have you reconsidered your stance on spoilers? Ava: That does depend James: oh? Ava: have you dumped fake girl? James: she was very slow to accept her fate, but yes Ava: I can't blame her Ava: I wouldn't wanna lose you either Ava: [picture, assumedly in her friend's room or somewhere not just in front of them like oh hey] James: Ava Ava: Make traffic move faster please James: I'll do the quickest rewrite possible & see you at your friend's door Ava: I'll be waiting so patiently James: & I'll be waiting impatiently James: 😇 & 😈 Ava: I think you deserve to be 😈 right now Ava: been a long day, yeah? James: yes, though it feels longer now, stretching out with the queued traffic Ava: 🥺 Ava: we'll just have to see it as motivation to not waste a single second James: it's a promise, in or out of traffic Ava: I'm so lucky James: if you think you are, then I need a better word to describe my own fortune right now Ava: I'm just really happy Ava: in spite of anything else, everything else, right now James: good, me too Ava: 🥰 Ava: you deserve that even more James: you deserve more than I can possibly give you, however patiently you wait Ava: nuuh James: yes you do Ava: 😣 Ava: no Ava: and I want you James: I want you, I'm well aware that it doesn't mean I deserve to have you Ava: How could you possibly not James: because James: the reasons I lack words to describe you aren't even close to the reasons I lack them to describe myself Ava: but I can't describe you either Ava: not just because I'm no writer James: but you do, all the time, in both words & actions I can vividly see myself the way you think of me Ava: I'm glad Ava: keep looking, okay Ava: we'll work on the believing bit James: okay James: if you'd like to get in the car, we can start immediately

[truthbeetoldmedia]

Shameless 9x08 "The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Alibis" Review

Shameless has just come off of a hiatus, previous to which it was announced that two beloved Gallaghers would be leaving the show. Cameron Monaghan, who played Ian Gallagher, revealed via social media that 9x06 would be his last episode, while Emmy Rossum, who plays Fiona Gallagher, announced that she would be leaving the show after the ninth season wraps.

This double-whammy has left many fans, including myself, wondering where the show will go from here. Ian and Fiona have played extremely pivotal roles in the story that has unraveled for the past eight years, with Ian also providing refreshing LGBTQ+ representation as a gay man whose coming out left him unequivocally accepted by his family.

Though Ian got the happy ending so many of his fans had been hoping for, reunited with his on and off again boyfriend Mickey Milkovich (albeit in prison), Fiona was left in a much more unsettling place at the midseason point.

In the first episode of the second half of the season, we see that Fiona isn’t going to have an easy time getting out of the hole she’s found herself in — and that she’s ignoring that she’s in said hole altogether by numbing herself with a steady diet of vodka and cigarettes.

To recap, Fiona has just lost the apartment building she owned as well as another building she attempted to invest in, along with thousands of dollars. And on top of all this, her boyfriend Ford was already married.

However, because she’s a Gallagher, Fiona can’t sulk over her bad luck. She pulls herself up by the bootstraps, steals some of Frank’s vodka that’s sitting on the floor next to where he’s passed out, and goes about her day.

When she arrives at Patsy’s, the only source of revenue she has left, she finds that customers have been sticking their gum on the undersides of the diner tables. In her hungover or perhaps still-drunk state, she takes her frustration out on the customers. Though her employees are worried about her antics, they say nothing and try to keep the place up and running as Fiona comes in and out, visiting the nearest corner store for a little vodka pick-me-up at lunch.

Meanwhile, Debbie discovers that Fiona hasn’t been paying any of the Gallagher household bills when their power suddenly shuts off. When Fiona doesn’t answer her calls, she decides to come up with a fabricated sob story for each company. It works, though she later tells Carl that the squirrel fund is back, since Fiona no longer has the means to take care of all their expenses.

Carl and his new girlfriend Kelly find an odd side business in racketeering in order to pitch in, hoarding shared electric scooters and charging locals to get them back. Kelly then discovers that if they recharge the bikes and return them each day, they can make some easy money.

Carl also wins what he thinks is an innocent bet with Frank, unaware that Frank is up to his usual antics. Frank, willing to do anything for money and comfort, just wants to appease his mentally unstable (but rich) girlfriend Ingrid. So when she reveals to him that she’s frozen her eggs and wants him to impregnate her, Frank perhaps sees this as his golden ticket out of the Southside and away from his own “ungrateful” kids. However, his sperm count is dismal, so he tricks Carl into providing a usable sample to claim as his own. Unsurprisingly, it takes, and Ingrid finds herself pregnant with not one, not two, but six new little Gallaghers.

Across town, Kev and V have decided to foster a 12 year old boy named Santiago. Soon after bringing him to the Alibis with them, they discover that he’s been separated from the rest of his family as they were seeking asylum in the states. While Kevin wants to keep the child, mostly because he has a good throwing arm, Veronica insists they must reconnect him with his family.

All the while, Lip seems a bit lost. His new fling Tami is trying to convince him to get an apartment, even surprising him with a visit to a potential one on his lunch break. However, Lip knows he doesn’t have the money for this. While he tells Tami they can turn the Gallagher basement into a private space for them, Tami is visibly unimpressed and starts to pick apart every aspect of the Southside home. While Lip (and Debbie) don’t take any of it, it’s clear that he and Tami live very different lives and are having trouble meeting in the middle.

This episode left me with one particular burning question: What will become of Fiona? Though her family clearly cares about her and are stepping up to keep themselves and her afloat, it cannot be ignored that Emmy Rossum is set to leave the series in mere episodes. So with her character already heading down a dark road, will her exit be just as dim?

Maybe it’s a stupid question, as Gallaghers aren’t exactly familiar with happy endings. Monica died of a brain hemorrhage in Season 7, and as earlier mentioned, Ian is in prison. But it’s difficult to predict how Fiona could get out of this predicament and get out of the Southside altogether.

Part of me hopes that rumors of Jimm/Steve, Fiona’s ex-lover played by Justin Chatwin, returning to the show are true, just so Fiona can have a happy ending and be whisked away from the madness her life has become.

Already, it’s interesting to see how Debbie is stepping up and taking a very maternal role in Fiona’s mental absence. I enjoyed seeing her be something so different from the rebellious, irresponsible teenage girl from seasons past, and I genuinely hope this will stick once Fiona is actually gone. She’s almost become everything she hated about her older sister, so I’m curious to see how their relationship will change now that their roles are reversed.

I also loved the discussion in the episode surrounding the current refugee crisis happening at the Mexican/American border. Shameless tends to be controversial at times in terms of its political statements, but this storyline seems really promising. Kev and V both want what’s best for Santiago, and are horrified at the reality of his situation. I hope this will become a full-fledged storyline and really force Kev and V to change the way they think about adopting children, as Kev seemingly only really wants a son so he can play catch with him.

As far as Lip goes, I’m a bit confused. I’m not really sure where his storyline is going this season. His relationship with Tami seems like a cure for boredom and maybe a way to distract himself from drinking, which, I must say, he’s doing a great job at. It was interesting to see his juxtaposition to Fiona who’s in a similar place to where he was not too long ago. I hope this will be touched upon as the season progresses. I feel like Lip could be the perfect person to help Fiona get out of her funk by reminding her of his own rock bottom and how he managed to crawl his way out of it.

So far, I’m enjoying the second half of season nine a lot more than the first. There seems to be some potential for entertaining storylines and some real character development, so I’m excited to see where the rest of the season goes from here.

Though I missed Ian’s presence immensely in this episode and may be just a bit in denial at the permanence of his exit, I’m focusing on appreciating Fiona as much as I can before she too leaves us. Her performance was incredible this episode and I’m not sure how this show will go on without her, but there’s six more episodes of bliss until that happens.

Shameless airs Sundays on Showtime at 9/8c.

Jessica’s episode rating: 🐝🐝🐝

[rosemac]

Dennis comes home from North Dakota after a fight with Mandy - Mac picks him up from the airport and Dennis doesn't want to talk about it - they end up holding hands but They Don't Speak Of It after that

Elbows perched on the bar’s dirty countertop, Mac squints at the text gleaming from his phone. He blinks twice and then reads the words again, just to be sure.

“Goddamnit, Charlie,” Dee curses from behind the bar, one hand grasping a cloudy drink that looks as if it’d been infected with tapeworm. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop putting spaghetti in the soda gun lines?”

Mac glances up from his phone to see Charlie standing beside her, one hand on his hip. “Oh, look who’s too good for a little pasta in their mixed drink,“ he mocks.

“I think it’s a great idea, Charlie,” Frank voices from where he sits to Mac’s right. “Broads dig spaghetti.”

Dee narrows her eyes, mouth parted in disbelief. “Not in their alcohol, they don’t!”

“You’re telling me you wouldn’t try a spaghetti and tonic?” Charlie presses. “Spaghetti cranberry? A Mojhetti? Really, Dee?”

“Uh, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Those sound disgusting.”

Charlie purses his lips, head shaking in solemn disappointment. “You have no goddamn taste.”

Dee rolls her eyes as she pulls out a strand of spaghetti from the gun head and flicks it onto the countertop. Then she pauses, cocking her head in contemplation. “Well, I guess it would be pretty funny if you put some in a Highball and called it a Meatball instead,” she chuckles with a smirk.

Charlie and Frank both frown, squinting in confusion.

“That sounds like shit, Deandra.”

“Yeah that doesn’t even make sense.”

“Oh come on,” Dee whines, “How is my idea any worse than yours?”

Charlie sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Fine. Mac—what do you think?”

Mac blinks, heart racing. His eyes witnessed the exchange take place, but his mind’s been elsewhere. “Dennis is coming back.”

A familiar look of pity settles over Charlie’s face. “Hey, buddy…”

“Yeah,” Dee says with a sad cringe, “gross drinks are the last thing that’ll make Dennis come back, I can guarantee you that.”

“He’s a dick,” Frank adds, now chewing the piece spaghetti Dee left on the countertop.

Mac shakes his head. “No, I mean he’s coming back. He just texted me. Something happened with Mandy. He’s taking a flight that gets him back into Philly tomorrow night.”

The group pauses, lips parted and eyes wide.

Charlie blinks. “Like, for good?”

“Yeah,” Mac breathes. “Sounds like it.”

“That bitch, he didn’t even tell me he was coming back. I’m his sister!” Dee exclaims.

Frank shrugs. “He’s a dick.”

“Like, does he have to come back?” Charlie says. “Because I was kind of enjoying it without him around all the time—”

“Yeah it was pretty nice—”

“Less rapey—”

“Okay, okay, shut up!” Mac yells through the commotion. The gang goes silent. Mac exhales.

“Some things have been better without Dennis around, I’ll admit,” he begins, “but a lot has been worse. Like, we haven’t been able to get a scheme off the ground in weeks. The new arbitration system clearly isn’t working because everything keeps getting caught up in process. Our Yelp reviews are terrible because no one’s yelling at us to do our jobs, so customers aren’t showing up to the bar. I mean, look around—there’s literally no one in here but us!”

The gang glances across the room, which is completely empty.

“We’ve deluded ourselves into believing our lives are better without Dennis controlling us,” Mac continues, now impassioned, “but in reality we’ve been meandering around aimlessly without him, searching for any semblance of meaning in our lives because the only directive we’ve known left us. I get it, I get it, I know you’re tempted to shrug off Dennis when he returns, or scream at him for hurting us like he did, just leaving so suddenly after treating you like shit even though you put your entire heart and soul into your relationship with him. And now you go out and force yourself to make fleeting connections with others, and even though it feels good and can be pretty awesome at times, it’s not the same because it’s not Dennis. Things aren’t better, don’t you see? Dennis belongs with us. And I can tell this time apart has been difficult for him too. So maybe we should give him a second chance. At the very least we should greet him at the airport after not seeing him for so long.”

Dee narrows her eyes. “Mac, Dennis has been gone for three weeks.”

“Well, yeah, but it’s felt like forever. As a gay man I’m more in tune with my emotions, so I feel things much more strongly. Especially about Dennis, since I know him so well.”

“Oh god, this is awkward,” Dee breathes, focusing her attention back to the spaghetti-clogged soda gun.

Mac furrows his brows. “What?”

No one speaks for a few moments, eyes flicking around the room but never on Mac.

“What?” he asks again, this time louder.

“Dude, well,” Charlie starts. He reaches behind his neck to give it an awkward scratch. “This just kind of sounds like it’s about you being in love with Dennis.”

Mac’s eyes go wide, face suddenly a deep shade of red. He feels his entire body heat with embarrassment. “No no no, that’s not it. As a gay man—”

“As a gay man you want to put your junk in Dennis,” Frank interrupts. “We get it, nothin’ to be ashamed of. Except I can’t figure out for the life of me why you chose him.”

Dee sighs, placing the gun on the counter. “Yeah Mac, isn’t there another guy you can be obsessively in love with aside from my dickhead brother? It’d be so nice if we could just tell him to fuck off and never come back.”

“I’m—you guys take that back! I’m not in love with Dennis! I don’t want to put my junk anywhere near him!”

“Didn’t you tell me you were havin’ erotic nightmares about him shimmying and kissing all over you and shit? That sounds a lot like you wanting to put your junk inside him,” Frank says.

“And we all witnessed you giving him that gift on Valentine’s,” Dee adds.

Charlie nods. “Yeah that was the gayest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Mac swallows, chest heaving. He can’t handle this right now. He hasn’t even been able to come to terms with his feelings for Dennis himself, there’s no way he’s talking about this with them—

“Eh, it started way before that though,” Frank says to Dee, “Mac was always watchin’ him have sex—”

“Yeah and he always talked about Dennis’ dick,” Charlie adds.

Dee snorts. “I knew it the minute Mac agreed to live with Dennis. No one would succumb to that unless they were in love.”

Mac raises his hands. “Uh, I’m right here!”

Charlie waves, shushing him. “We’re talking.”

“Oh my god,” Mac sighs. He slides off the barstool and heads for the door.

“Hey, where you goin’?” Frank calls.

Mac turns, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know, home to fix up the apartment before Dennis comes back? His flight gets in at eleven tomorrow night. I’ll be there to pick him up. If you want to be there too, then you can show up at the airport then.”

No one else shows up at the airport.

Instead, Mac waits alone on a bench in Arrivals. The terminal is fairly empty given the time; only a few straggling travelers head toward the exit with rolling suitcases in tow. He glances at the status screen across from him and finds Dennis’ flight again.

Landed.

Knee bouncing, Mac checks his phone for what feels like the thousandth time that night. It’s 11:20 and he still hasn’t heard anything from Dennis. He wonders if his friend got into a jam somewhere, or if he had an accident on the plane, or if he’s sick in the bathroom—the possibilities were endless. With a shaky exhale Mac leans back against the bench, rubbing one hand over his face.

After he drops his hand to his lap, Mac watches with interest as more travelers begin to trickle from the gate doors. A middle aged woman carrying a toy poodle, a businessman fervently texting, a family of four with oversized carry-ons, a yawning college student—

Dennis.

Air empties Mac’s lungs. He exhales, heart pounding, then stands upright. The movement catches Dennis’ attention and he looks Mac’s way, noticing the other man’s presence. Their eyes meet.

Dennis’ expression softens—a rare sight, and it makes Mac’s stomach flip inside out—but after several seconds he diverts his glance away. He walks across the room, avoiding the other travelers around him, and returns his gaze to Mac as he slows to a stop.

Flooding emotions root Mac in position; he’s frozen, overwhelmed by Dennis’ form a foot before him. He looks terrible, Mac will admit: his button down is wrinkled and bent off kilter by the weight of his shoulder bag, his curls have begun to unwind from their quaff, and dark circles purple beneath his eyes. Part of him wants to act standoffish and rude as payback, but a stronger part of him wants completely the opposite. He’s tempted to reach across the space between them and press their lips together, pulling his tired body into his arms.  The thought reminds him of yesterday’s discussion and his body immediately heats with embarrassment.

Mac’s silence is awkward now and Dennis is staring at him like he’s expecting something—hoping something, almost—so he blurts the first thing that comes to mind. “How was the flight, man?”

Dennis blinks. He shifts, adjusting the bag on his shoulder, and clears his throat. “It was fine.”

“I didn’t hear from you so I wasn’t sure if something happened—”

“Oh, well it took forever to get off the plane, and I had no service, so.”

“Ah.”

The awkward silence continues.

“Here, I’ll take that,” Mac offers, reaching out to touch the strap of Dennis’ bag.

“Wh—no I can—”

“Dude, I’m like much stronger than you, it’ll be easier for me to carry it to the car.”

Dennis purses his lips. “Alright.”

Mac slips the bag from Dennis’ shoulder, knuckles brushing against the warmth of his shirt. He hoists the heavy item onto his back and raises his brows. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” Dennis breathes in response, eyes not quite meeting his friend’s.

The walk to the parking lot is just as tense: long silences, furtive glances, thick, unspoken tension that makes Mac’s skin feel like it’s on fire. When they reach the car and Mac digs into his pocket to retrieve the keys, Dennis pauses to inspect the unfamiliar BMW sedan. Once it’s unlocked, Mac places the bag in the trunk and then enters the driver’s seat. Dennis follows suit on the passenger side.

“Is this a rental or something?” he asks as he buckles his seatbelt.

Mac turns the keys in the ignition, revving the engine to life. “Nah, this is Dee’s new car. Frank bought it, of course. We got it after we—” He catches himself before he goes further and swallows.

“After what?”

Mac drops his hands from the steering wheel, turning to face Dennis as he exhales. “You see, there was an accident with your car.”

His friend’s brows rise slightly, face controlled. “What kind of accident?”

“Well, we sort of…blew it up…a little bit?”

“You blew it up?”

“Well like, emotions were high after you left and—”

Dennis sighs, eyes closed, and runs a hand through his hair. “You know what, it’s fine. I don’t care.”

“You don’t?”

“I’ll make Frank buy me another one,” Dennis murmurs as he turns away. His somber reserve is disquieting; Mac would have expected a modest display of anger at the very least. He’s half expecting his friend to turn around and start screaming, but he doesn’t. Instead he leans against the door and stares out the window with a forlorn expression.

“Yeah,” Mac says softly before putting the car in drive. “Good idea dude.”

Ten minutes of silence pass as they travel back into the city. Mac glances over at Dennis several times to check on him, and each time he’s unmoved, staring silently through the window. He knows Dennis has trouble displaying emotion at times, but this feels different.

Mac clears his throat. “Hey Dennis?” he asks.

His friend shifts in his seat but doesn’t look at Mac. “Hm,” he hums in response.

“I just…if you want to talk about what happened—”

“I don’t.”

Mac swallows, frowning as he flicks his eyes from Dennis’ profile back to the cars ahead. “Okay.”

Quiet blankets over the car once more. It’s dark save for the occasional headlight whizzing past, but the nearing city lights illuminate their features.

“I’m sorry,” Mac starts quietly, eyes on the road and one hand on the wheel. “For whatever happened, I mean. But I’m glad you’re here.”

They exit the highway in silence. When they approach the first intersection, the light turns red and Mac decelerates to a stop. The glow above sets the car in a warm haze.

Suddenly, Mac feels something warm brush against his right hand where it rests in the center console. He glances down, heart racing, and sees Dennis’ thumb caressing his skin. Mac’s lungs feel like steel as he slowly intertwines their fingers until their hands are clasped tight. He glances up—Dennis is looking at him now, gaze glassy.

Mac’s lips part in surprise, eyes flickering as they stare into Dennis’ own. His entire body pulses with warmth and in that moment he knows the gang’s accusations weren’t unfounded. He knows they’re right.

Dennis flicks his eyes away, looking ahead, and swallows. “Mac?” he asks.

Mac’s heart speeds in his chest. “Yeah Dennis?”

“The light is green.”

The spell breaks and Mac’s attention is diverted back to the road. The traffic light shines bright green into his eyes and the car behind them beeps impatiently.

“Oh,” Mac says, embarrassed as he switches his foot to the gas and starts driving. “Sorry.”

Dennis returns his gaze to the window, but he keeps his hand intertwined with Mac’s until they arrive home.