Trauma At Its Finest (Lip Gallagher X Male Reader)

Ch 82. The Irish Life

And there it is—their future: Ireland. The country they're going to live in. Lip still finds it hard to believe he's actually going to live here. That every day, he's going to go to Dublin and work alongside his husband.

Standing in the city, he finds it surreal whenever he visits another country. Whether it's the culture or the architecture, traveling always reminds Lip that life is more than just growing up in a poor neighborhood with no money.

Under the bright sun and warm weather, the family enjoys their stay in Ireland. Today, before the married couple heads to their first company meeting to prepare for the startup, they decide to visit a few places. One of them is the Spire of Dublin, one of the city's most famous landmarks.

"So... this is it?" Lip asks.

"Yeah, that's the Spire." Y/N replies.

As the family stares at it, they realize they imagined something far more extravagant. National landmarks are supposed to feel grand—things like the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, or the Berlin Wall. Things with massive histories that feel alive.

Not what Lip and the family see as... a giant metal pole.

"What's even the story behind this thing?" Lip wonders.

Lyn is immediately ready to explain the history. "Basically, the Spire is supposed to represent Dublin's growth and modernization. It's 120 meters tall and made of stainless steel. And yes, it's basically just a really big pole. But at night, the top lights up, so you can see it glowing in the dark—kind of like a giant streetlamp. Some people say it symbolizes Dublin reaching toward the future or something deep like that. Others just call it the 'stiletto in the ghetto' or the 'scud in the mud.' There are a bunch of weird nicknames."

Lip raises an eyebrow. "So it's a really big glowing pole that cost millions just to look like a futuristic toothpick?"

"What a waste of money." Mikhail comments. "Gotta love when billionaires say, 'donate money to African children' and stuff, then pull shit like this."

"And the best part is that our taxes go toward maintaining this thing." Y/N adds.

Lip looks back at the Spire. "Huh..."

As everyone keeps staring at it, the more they begin to think it's stupid. Just one giant pole. Nothing special. No major historical relevance. No interesting architectural details. Just a giant pole.

"I feel like America and Ireland aren't that different." Lip comments.

"Yeah, this place sucks." Kate says.

"At least we're going to live somewhere cooler." Maksim comments.

-

As the children explore the new company building, they're impressed by how sleek and modern it looks. Back in Chicago, the office was clean, but it didn't feel nearly as futuristic as this one. Before heading to the meeting, the couple leaves their kids in one of the rooms, though Y/N brings Jesse with him.

As the married couple settle into the conference room of Voltix Systems' temporary Dublin office, they're greeted by several key members of the Ireland branch startup team. The meeting room has a modern, minimalist design, with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the city skyline, providing a stunning backdrop for the discussion ahead.

One of the startup members stands in front of everyone and gestures toward a presentation on the screen, which outlines the basic structure of the new branch.