Trauma At Its Finest (Lip Gallagher X Male Reader)

Ch 78. Scarring From The Past

It has become a tradition for the family to celebrate Victory Day. Lip is glad his husband can share his culture with a new generation. What he loves most is having everyone around the table, enjoying the meals his husband made—now with the help of Maksim. It makes the big family feel a lot closer.

"Thanks for the food!" Fred says as he and his siblings get up from their chairs to head upstairs.

"Anytime." Y/N replies, as he and Lip carry the plates and dishes to the dishwasher.

As the children leave, Lip places some plates inside and looks back at his husband. "It's true what they say—the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

"There are other things that can go in your mouth."

"Seriously? Now?" Lip scoffs. "I'm not doing anything while my organs are busy turning food into shit."

"I'm just teasing." Y/N walks over to place some dishes on the counter. Then he wraps his arms around Lip from behind, kisses his neck, and whispers in his ear. "We can do it later tonight."

Lip chuckles. "I'm fine with that." He then notices Y/N breathing a bit heavily. "Though I'm not sure you have the patience for that."

"No, I have." Y/N smirks as he grabs his husband's ass.

"Liar." Lip frowns slightly, noticing the heavier breathing. "Seriously, did you work out before this or something?"

"No. Why?"

"Because you're panting."

Lip turns around, and Y/N lets go, though he stays close. The blonde remembers that over the past few weeks, every time the Russian worked out—or did anything physical—he seemed to breathe harder than usual.

"You notice anything weird?"

"No."

Lip raises an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Yes."

Lip hums, unconvinced. "Don't you find it weird that you sound like you're having an asthma attack every time you work out? You—the guy in peak physical condition."

The taller man thinks about it, realizing it is odd. "Probably just sick or something."

"And yet you don't feel sick."

"Yeah, yeah." Y/N shrugs, while Lip continues to stare at him, clearly expecting something. The Russian sighs. "Fine, I'll go to the doctor. Happy?"

"Yep." Lip rises onto his toes to kiss him. "Not as happy as I'll be tonight."

"Get a room."

The two fathers look over to see Mikhail coming downstairs.

"Just be glad our love life still exists." Lip says. "A lot of parents nowadays end up divorced, so be glad we're happy together."

"Keep acting like that, and I wish you weren't." Mikhail mutters as he walks into the living room.

Lip sighs while Y/N looks amused. The blonde glances back at his husband. "He got that from you."

-

Y/N sits on a chair, breathing into a spirometer for a lung function test. A clinic nurse monitors the equipment while a doctor sits across from him.

The doctor speaks up. "Okay, Mr. Gallagher, I'm going to have you take a deep breath in, hold it, and then blow into the tube as hard as you can. This will give us an idea of your lung capacity."