Shameless Imagines/ Preferences

Happy Birthday

Your birthday isn't something you really ever talked about. You didn't like it, you didn't think it was a big deal. Your birthday seemed even more useless than Valentines Day. You barely even celebrated your birthday, at most you whispered a "happy birthday" to yourself before going to sleep at the end of the day.

You didn't expect this year to go any differently. The night before your birthday, you climbed out your bedroom window after changing into a pair of jeans and a jacket, your book bag over your shoulder. You take a late night ride on the L to the south side. Most people you know would never be caught on the south side.

Before you met Lip you wouldn't have either. Lip helped you pass your classes and soon you guys started to hang out. You heard rumors that he slept with the girls he tutored but luckily for you it never went there.

Instead, a friendship was built between the girl who ran from the North side and the broken boy living in the South side. When you make it to the Gallagher house, the streets are quiet and there's not a single light on. You hesitate slightly, weighing your options. Instead of knocking on the door and risking everyone in the house waking up, you make your way out back and climb into the van. Lip gave you a key to the van, not because anyone is gonna want to steal the junk pile but because he wanted to let you know you were always welcome.

You curl up in the passenger seat, pulling a blanket and a pack of smokes out of your book bag and rolling the window down slightly. Even though you're still alone, being alone here is better than being at home. It's almost like you can feel the presence of the fucked up family of siblings in the house next to you that has nothing but love for one another.

Your eyes are closed as you smoke your cigarette, a bad habit you picked up from the Gallaghers. A knock on the window makes you jump, your eyes flying open.

"Come inside." He's standing there shivering slightly in the cold and you nod once. He waits for you to get out of the van before taking your cigarette and walking to the house with you in silence. You drop your bag at the kitchen table in silence and follow him upstairs.

"He's still sleeping." Ian whispers quietly and looks back to see you nod.

"I'm sorry to show up so late." Ian shakes his head.

"Don't worry about it." He stops walking up the stairs to look at you. "I couldn't sleep and heard you show up. I wasn't about to let you freeze." You smile thankfully and Ian slides off his jacket as you both walk into his room. Carl is sleeping soundly in his bed in the corner and Ian lays on his bed without a sound. He motions for you to go to Lip and you hesitate, not wanting to wake the sleeping boy.

After a second you climb up next to Lip and lay down. The sudden weight of another body in his bed wake him up and Lip smiles sleepily when he sees you. His arms wrap around you and you rest your head on his chest.

"What happened?" You shake your head as Lip speaks softly in the dark.

"They were fighting again?" He knows the answer but still phrases it as a question. When you nod Lip hugs you tighter.

"We'll talk in the morning okay? Get some sleep, you're okay."

"Thank you." You listen to Lip's heartbeat, letting it calm yours down.

"Yeah. And happy birthday." You can't help the small smile on your face as you fall asleep.

Lip isn't there when you wake up. You're still in a tshirt and jeans and laying in his bed, but Lip isn't there. Neither is Carl or Ian. Before going downstairs, you pull on one of Lip's hoodies and try to fix your hair.

"Morning." You mumble as you teach the kitchen and freeze when you see the Gallagher family setting up decorations.

Birthday decorations.