Trauma At Its Finest (Lip Gallagher X Male Reader)

Ch 11. Processing Regrets

"Why the fuck didn't you pay!?"

Kev catches up to the scene. "Y/N!?"

"$20 bucks you owe us! Are you seriously dumb enough to try and skip out!?"

"Fine! Fine! I'll pay you!"

Y/N releases the man enough to let him move but keeps his foot pressed firmly against his chest. The man scrambles to grab his wallet, pulling out the cash and handing it over. Y/N accepts it and quickly counts the money before stepping back.

"Fine. Next time, pay your dues." He lets the man go, who bolts away the moment he's free.

"Y/N, what the hell was that?" Kev asks, his voice filled with concern.

"Doing my job." Y/N hands the cash to Kev.

"You chased and tackled him down."

"You say that like I'm in the wrong."

"I'm not saying that." Kev places a hand on Y/N's shoulder. "Look, I'm worried about you. Ever since everything with Lip happened, I can tell you're not okay."

"I am." Y/N genuinely doesn't see Kev's point.

"No, you're not." Kev glances around the bar. "Look, it's summer. How about taking a break? Go out, have some fun, do something for yourself."

"You're forcing me to take a break?" Y/N finds the suggestion ridiculous.

"It's for your own good. You need time to process what happened."

"Don't tell me what to do." Y/N pulls away, irritation clear on his face. He turns and walks off, looking visibly annoyed.

Kev watches him leave, letting out a worried sigh for his little brother, silently hoping he'll be alright.

-

Lip has been in rehab for two weeks, and he isn't happy about it. Every day, he craves just a sip of alcohol. Still, there's one thing that keeps him going: Y/N.

A typical day for Lip includes waking up, having breakfast, attending educational sessions about addiction and relapse prevention, participating in both group and one-on-one therapy, and spending some time in reflection or free activities.

During group therapy, the newest member of the program, Lip, keeps his mouth shut, unwilling to share his feelings with strangers. In personal therapy, he usually talks about how he feels in the moment but avoids delving into his past.

Right now, he's sitting in a circle as people take turns sharing their stories about alcohol abuse. Lip finds it all depressing and wishes he could be anywhere else. Whenever he's offered a chance to speak, he simply refuses.

Currently, a girl around Lip's age is currently sharing her story. He doesn't remember her name, only recognizing her as the brunette with long hair, pretty green eyes, as well as a great ass and rack.

"I always just feel so pressured. My parents never tolerate any kind of failure. And one night, one of my classmates invited me to go to a party, so I went. I got drunk there... but I felt like that was the happiest I'd ever been. I remember, from that day on, I started taking drinks to calm myself down while studying. I guess that's how it all started. ...Thank you for listening."

The group claps for her, and the rehab worker smiles proudly.

"Thank you for sharing your story, Kaitlyn. Does anyone else want to share their story?"