Trauma At Its Finest (Lip Gallagher X Male Reader)

Ch 81. The Animal Kingdom Adventure

Back at work, Lip and Mandy are having lunch outside the office. On the surface, it feels like a normal day—but something's off, and Lip knows exactly what it is. Mandy, however, doesn't.

A few tables away, Y/N is glued to his phone, juggling calls and scheduling meetings. He hasn't touched any food, too busy overworking himself to notice.

Mandy glances over at him, frowning slightly. "What's with him?"

"His brother gets out of rehab today." Lip says. Mandy looks back at him. "Y/N's got... history with him. A lot of it."

"I thought his brother was Kevin?"

"Sort of." Lip shrugs. "Long story short, Kev's more like his brother, but they're not blood-related. Vlad—the one getting out—is his half-brother."

Mandy hums, watching Y/N pace slightly as he talks. "Can't he just... ignore it?"

"That's the problem." Lip leans back in his chair. "Vlad's homeless. He needs a place to stay. I suggested maybe he could crash with us."

Mandy raises an eyebrow. "And?"

"Hard no." Lip takes another bite of his sandwich before continuing. "I just wish Y/N understood how hard it is to be an addict. I mean... if he hadn't stuck with me, I wouldn't have just ended up an alcoholic."

"Homeless shelters exist." Mandy points out.

Lip lets out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, because if there's one thing homeless people are known for, it's staying clean."

He glances back at Y/N, who's still on the phone, clearly stressed. Lip sighs. He knows this isn't over.

He's going to have to talk to Y/N again—try to find some kind of middle ground. If Vlad can prove he's not a danger, not some reckless junkie, then maybe... just maybe... the little brother might let him back in.

Not just into the house. But into his life again.

-

It's time for the first graders to practice again for their musical. With the end of the school year approaching, they're preparing for their final send-off. Not just that, but for certain people, it's a great opportunity to showcase their talent.

As the first graders sit on the floor, they see their teacher making an announcement. "We just heard the news that Stacy broke her leg during the fall and therefore can't play the Clever Fox anymore. She'll be back at school next week, so don't worry about her safety."

"Who will be playing the Clever Fox?" Kate asks impatiently, eager for her plan to officially succeed.

The teacher notices her impatience but decides not to comment on it. "Well, since you're the only one who volunteered for the role... you'll be playing the part."

"Yes! I mean— I'll make sure to do just as well as Stacy, teehee."

As Kate gives an innocent smile, she's pleased that her plan to push Stacy down the stairs worked. Now she's playing one of the leads, with the other being played by Fred. Her brother is playing the king of the animals, the Noble Lion.

"Make sure to say hi and be nice to Stacy when she gets back." The teacher says warmly. "Now, let's practice the sixth scene."

As everyone gets into position, Fred walks over to Kate. "You're kinda horrible."

"I did nothing wrong." Kate whispers back. "But thinking about it, maybe this is all part of God's plan. Obviously, he wants me to shine in this musical."