Only You - [Lip Gallagher]

wasted minds

"Lip came into my job and asked about you today." Ian says as I'm studying at the table. "Good for him, I guess." I say not taking my eyes off my textbook and notebook as I'm jotting down notes. "Can you help me?" Liam walks into the kitchen holding a math sheet and a pencil, "Sure babe, sit down." I finally take my eyes off my work to look at Liam. He started going to a private school and he loves doing homework with me. We've bonded a lot lately since Carl is gone, Lip is doing his thing, Fiona is never home, she's stuck at her new laundromat trying to fix it up and Debbie is living with Neil. He's finally able to get all the attention he needs since there's little to no distractions and drama in the house; it's been nice just Liam, Ian and I.

"So you don't want to know what he asked?" "No, not really. I'm busy helping Liam with homework." I say, scooting closer to Liam to look at his sheet. "Someone's hostile." Trevor chuckles and I flip them both off as I read Liam's math questions, explaining it to him. "We'll be upstairs." Ian chuckles while he guides Trevor up to his room.

"Thank you for helping me." Liam's sweet voice says, "You're welcome baby." I say, caressing his cheek. "You get the question now?" I ask and he nods, "Okay, finish your work and we can go do something fun tonight okay?" I entice him to finish all his homework, "Okay!" He exclaims and runs off to do his homework in the living room.

Later that night as I'm waiting for Liam to get ready to go, Lip finally makes an appearance at the house, walking into our old shared room, "Oh shit, sorry." He stammers, "What do you want?" I ask, still looking down at my notes and highlighting. "Well, I had that hearing today." He starts, "How'd that go?" I still keep my eyes down. "Ian made a really nice statement." He sits down at the edge of the bed, gently. "You were mentioned." He says causing me to finally look up at him, "Why?" "Well after he made his statement about how I found his G.I. Joe toy they asked if I wanted to make a statement on my own behalf." He starts and the gentle taping of my highlighter stops, "I told them that I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life but what I did know is that I want to be around people like professor Youens and like Sadie Mitchell because minds like theirs are brilliant, they aren't wasted." I look away and bite my tongue as I'm trying to hold in my tears, "I promised them I'll do better, with everything. My life, school." He continues, "Lip, please go." I choke out knowing if he continues I'll hurt myself again. I can't do this again. "Sadie, my chest physically fucking hurts everyday because I can't tell you how much I love you anymore." He yells "Whose fault is that?" My voice cracks with sadness then the smell hits me and dries my tears. "You've been drinking again?" I question in disbelief. "Yeah well they didn't expunge my transcript and I'm fucked for life." He complains, "Once again, whose fault Lip?" I groan and push him off the bed, "Get out, go to work. It's Monday. I have to take Liam to the arcade, I keep my promises." I say, pushing past him and going downstairs, "Ready?" I ask him as I put my converse and jacket on, "Yup!" He says, happily.

"Are you and Lip dating?" Liam asks on our way to the arcade, "No buddy, not anymore. Why?" "Why not anymore?" He asks, innocently. "We just didn't work out, he wanted other things that I couldn't help him with but that's okay, people change everyday and Lip and I are still friends." I smile at him through the rear view. I don't want to bash Lip to his baby brother, I don't want to bash Lip to anyone at all. Lip is a good person, a great person even. I just wish he'd act like it.

++

"I'm hungry." Liam says on our way back from the arcade, "We'll stop at the diner, okay?" I say, looking at him in the rear view mirror as he holds all his prizes in his arms, "Okay." He says ever so sweetly.

Just as we pull up to the diner I see Lip fighting a man, "Lip! Lip stop what are you doing?" Sierra cries out, Ian comes running out of Fiona's laundromat across the street, "Liam, go into the laundromat okay?" I say to him and he nods and runs over, clutching all his prizes close to himself. "Lip!" I chime in the yelling as Ian and I pull him off the guy, "What the fuck?" I yell at him, "It's over!" Fiona shouts making the crowd of people disperse. "Lip, what happened?" Ian asks as we guide him away from the guy. "Lip." I call his name as he death stares the guy, out of breath, "What happened?" I repeat. "You two got this?" Fiona asks, "Yeah, go Fi." I wave her off, keeping my eyes on him. "You're drunk?" Ian asks and Lip pushes him, "Oh you're gonna give me shit now like her?" He slurs his words. "If they didn't take you back you don't fucking need them." Ian says, referring to school. That triggered something in Lip, "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about." Lip says, grabbing Ian's face and ears. "Guys fucking stop!" I shout and Ian pushes Lip off him. Lip stares at Ian, out of breath and he looks so fucked up. "Lip, go home." I say, defeated. "You are my home." He says, stumbling backwards, "You." He repeats as he turns and walks away. "You okay?" I ask Ian and he nods, "Take Liam home." He says, guiding me into the laundromat.

++

"Is Lip okay?" Liam asks as I lay him down, "He will be." I gently caress his cheek, "Goodnight." I kiss his forehead and leave his room.

I hope he will be.