𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 - 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘭 𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳

10 {apologies & bruises}

ITS BEEN two weeks since the carl and piper argument but today, piper had to see him.

fiona was having some type of family meeting and she of course, invited piper to it. piper would've felt bad if she said no, so, she said yeah.

right as piper knocked on the door, lip opened it, "woah, i didn't know you knocked, pipe!"

"yeah, me neither," piper said, obviously upset as she walked through the door and saw fiona at the counter. "hey, fi."

"hey, pipes, what's up? why haven't you been over? also, normally you would've laid down and put your legs on the couch, why didn't you do that?"

"i dunno, didn't feel like it i guess." piper replied, sighing as she sat at the counter in front of fiona before carl came down the steps and made eye contact with piper.

"pipes you don't look too good," ian comments as he walks down the stairs and looks at piper. "maybe it's best if yo-"

"jesus, i'm fucking fine, ian."

"well, so much for not being a bitch today, pipe." lip said, sighing at the girl.

"okay, whatever, fi i actually don't feel so good, sorry," piper said, rubbing her eyes.

"piper, you've also been staying at your moms place," ian points out, sitting next to fiona at the counter. "that's not like you."

"well maybe i just want to stay with my parents," piper looks over at carl before continuing, "hang out with whoever the fuck i want to hang out with!"

"and live in my own little world!"

"okay piper where is this coming from? never said anything about your own little world or whatever?" ian says.

piper didn't say anything about the carl thing, but just left in response.

"what's up with her?" lip asks as soon as she left, making carl groan and walk outside, headed to catch up with piper.

"piper! shit, piper i'm sorry!" carl said as he jogged to catch up with the girl.

piper sighed, "honestly, carl, i could give a fuck less if your sorry or not!"

"you told me i wasn't there for you guys when i'm always there! when ian has his episodes, i'm there! when lip fucks himself over again with beer, im there! when frank is being a total dick to you guys, i'm there! when fi is struggling with her financial issues, im there! when liam is sick, im there! o- or when monica died, i was there!"

"when you was being an absolute horrible friend to me, i stayed. but im over that now," piper said before walking off, only for carl to follow.

"no, piper im sorry! listen, i didn't mean it! i was under a lot of shit and stress, im sorry! i still want you to be my best friend," carl said, his hand holding pipers arm. "im so so, so sorry."

piper knew she couldn't stay mad at him forever, so she gave in, "fine, im sorry too."

"you have nothing to be sorry about, pipes." carl says, but without thinking, smashed his lips into pipers.

to carls surprise, she didn't pull away, instead she kept her hands in his hair.

"head back to my house?" piper asked, smiling at the boy.

carl nodded, still smiling at what happened before.

piper walked right by her mom as she walked into her bedroom and sat with carl next to her as they watched family feud.

"hey, carl?" piper said before a pair of lips crashed into hers for the second time today.

carls lips trailed down her face, to her neck, making him stop at her stomach and take her shirt off.

"GALLAGHER!" oh fuck, it was pipers brother. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"

"brandon? i-" carl didn't get to finish before brandon came over to him and pulled him up.

"i want an explanation right now, gallagher." brandon said, making carl sigh.

"it's alright, he was just-" piper started, making her brother roll his eyes. "there's really no way to explain it, you saw what you saw, brandon."

"put your fucking clothes back on, piper." brandon said, walking out of the room.

"are you okay?" piper asked the boy with bruises on his cheek.

"yeah, i'm alright, are you?" carl asked like a dumbass.

"he didn't even touch me, carl." piper replied, sighing. "i'm sorry."

"for what?"

"for my brother."

"i would do it again."

"would you now?"

earning a nod from carl, piper leans in again, only for carl to get up off the bed and lock the door before coming back over to piper with a grin.

•••

"what did you do for brandon to punch you, carl?" fiona asked from the patsys counter.

piper stood next to carl with her eyes wide from the question, "uh- uhm- i uhm- pipes you wanna answer this one?

"we were.. fiona, you get the point i don't want to say any past that." piper said, making fiona's eyes widen.

"damn, well fuck, carl it's okay, just put ice on it or something." fiona said, sighing.

carl and piper walked out of the diner, over to the laundry mat.

"paige! sweetie, hello! here with.. carl?" etta says, smiling at the pair.

"hey etta! i missed you!" piper smiled at the older lady.

"i missed you too!" etta said before noticing carls face. "oh sweetie what happened to you?"

"oh, fight with my brother," carl replied, still holding pipers hand.

"goodness, are you alright?" etta asks, receiving a nod from carl.