Shameless / Sandor Clegane

22. Regulated Violence

"so when you're not busting SAT cheaters, you're a teacher?" lip asked the man as they walked through the college grounds 

"professor." he corrected. 

 "oh." lip said simply as he looked the man over again.

 "SAT's a side gig. Pays for my boat." the professor added.

 "which gets you laid, I'm guessing?" lip added, making the professor laugh. 

 "No." He corrected, "the beard gets me laid, chicks dig a beard." the professor assured his fingers grazing his beard.

 "I'll keep that in mind." Lip knew if he got in trouble, Davina and Fiona would flip. They were already going to be losing his SAT gig thanks to Mr Professor busting him, if he ended up in jail, well they didnt have extra spending money to bail him out and keep the lights on. 

"I'd like you to attend the university next semester." the professor told lip. 

 "I can't, I still have a year and a half of high school left." lip corrected. 

 "Well, test out." He suggested. "You know you're capable." the professor said.

 "pay for it with what? beard get me money, too?" lip asked with a half hearted laugh. 

 "No, there's grants you can apply for. There are loans. It'll pay for the school, the dorm, your meal card." the professor explained. 

 "yeah, and then, I end up owing like a half million buck, right?" Lip countered. 

 "uh, well, you're a clever kid. you'll figure out a way to stiff uncle sam." the professor said patting lips shoulder.

 "i don't know. sounds like a lot of trouble to me." 

"Trouble. We are in serious trouble." Davina decided. "You can't go to school looking like that." 

"I'm sorry." Sandor countered. Davina touched his cheek, his bloody lip, the bruising already visible. "Gregor-"

"You dont have to explain," davina assured. 

"What the fuck happened to you?" Ian questioned. 

"His brother is a dick." Davina answered. 

"Easiest explanation." Sandor agreed.  

"What are we going to do?" Ian questioned. "Is Carl-"

"We need a responsible adult that doesnt look like he was just in a bar fight." Davina remarked. "Did you at least get a good hit in?" 

"I did." Sandor assured and she touched his knuckles. "He has a hard and empty head." Sandor added. 

"What about Steve?" Debbie questioned. 

"What about Steve?" Fiona countered. 

"He did offer. But he went AWOL." Davina remarked. "I might have said I had it covered." She realized. "Where is Lip?"

"We need to show an united front." Fiona agreed. 

"We have to get in there." Davina countered. 

"I can wait out here... Don't want to make things worse. Sorry Dav." Sandor whispered, she kissed his cheek gently. 

"Hey, sorry I'm late."

"It's okay; I brought you a shirt." Fiona assured. Lip stared down at it. 

"We are trying to be fancy people and less trashy for the night." Davina explained as he put on the button up. 

"That explains the blouse." Lip nodded to Davina. 

"I look good. Don't dis the blouse." Davina urged nudging him inside.