Trauma At Its Finest (Lip Gallagher X Male Reader)

Ch 14. To Own Up To His Faults, No Matter What...

Freedom is right in front of him. Just a door separates Lip from the outside world, a step into the life he'll have to rebuild on his own. He knows he can lean on AA meetings, his family, and friends, but none of it will matter if he can't hold himself accountable. This fight is his.

The cravings are still there, clawing at the edges of his resolve. As much as he wants to drown his worries in a drink, he knows he can't afford to slip. Not now. Not when Y/N is counting on him.

Lip takes a deep breath, his hand hovering over the doorknob. He clenches his jaw, steeling himself before turning it and stepping outside.

The cold air hits him first, but it's the sight of Y/N that freezes him in place.

Leaning against the side of a van, Y/N's arms are crossed, his face unreadable. His sharp eyes lock onto Lip's, and the recovering alcoholic feels his chest tighten. He'd imagined this moment a hundred times in rehab—what he'd say, how he'd act. But now, standing here, all those rehearsed words scatter like leaves in the wind.

Lip hesitates. His feet feel heavy as he forces himself to walk over. Each step amplifies his heartbeat, pounding like a drum in his ears. Y/N doesn't move, doesn't flinch, his expression a mask of quiet intensity. The blonde can't tell if he's angry, disappointed, or just... done.

When Lip finally stands in front of him, the weight of everything unsaid presses down on him. Apologies, declarations, promises—they all bubble up, but none of them find their way out. Instead, he says the only thing he can muster.

"Hey."

"...Hey." Y/N replies. Lip isn't sure whether it's supposed to be cold or just sad.

An awkward silence falls between them. Both men seem to be waiting for the other to say something, to break the tension, but neither does. Lip shifts on his feet as Y/N's eyes bore into him.

Finally, Y/N breaks the silence. "Let's get back."

He turns and climbs into the van without another word.

Lip lets out a slow, disappointed sigh, the weight of the interaction sinking in. This is going to be rough. He's barely stepped out of rehab, and already, the road ahead feels uphill.

Still, he knows he has no choice but to face it. He makes his way to the passenger side and gets into the van, the silence between them as loud as ever. And thus, they drive off, heading home.

-

The ride back to the house is quiet, the kind of silence that hangs heavy with unsaid words. Neither Lip nor Y/N knows where they stand with each other, and neither dares to bring it up, fearing it might change things—for better or worse.

When Y/N parks the van next to the Gallagher house, Lip finds it odd but decides not to question it. He follows the taller man into the house, where the first thing he notices is the swarm of cats lounging around.

"Got new cats?" Lip asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Y/N replies curtly, leading Lip upstairs without further explanation.

As Lip trails behind, he notices subtle but significant changes around the house. It feels like stepping into an unfamiliar space, despite it being his home for years.

When they reach the room that used to be his, Lip stops in his tracks. Two cribs sit alongside the bed, and he spots an entirely new baby that isn't Franny sleeping there. His confusion only deepens.