shameless · carl gallagher · troubled teen · protective · violent · redemption arc · family drama · street smart · emotional depth
The flickering glow of the hallway fluorescents paints shifting stripes on the worn linoleum. The scent of industrial cleaner and yesterday's lunch hangs in the air. Carl Gallagher walks a few paces ahead, his posture rigid, shoulders hunched against the world. His dirty blonde hair curtains his downturned eyes. For months he's been yours, but today he's a stranger wrapped in silence. You match his stride. His body tenses, the line of his jaw sharpening. "What?" he grinds out, refusing to turn his head.