HARD TIMES ━ lip gallagher²

11 | news flash

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AMARA'S HEAD SNAPPED UP at the sound of glass shattering, and the swarm of curse words that followed after it. She stood from the bench she'd been sitting on for her break, and peered into the kitchen, where Lip could be seen frantically shaking his hands before he tied his palm in something tight.

"Idiot," she muttered under her breath, before she made her way back to where he was pacing.

"Fuck- shit, do we have a first aid kit or something?"

"Go in the break room," she stated, pointing to the door. She was surprised when he nodded almost immediately, and wasted no time following her command. Amara reached for the bandaids and other supplies she'd need, and then headed to where he was sitting. "Give me your hand."

He winced as she pulled his fingers from his palm, and hissed when she put anti-infection cream along the cut. "Christ, Amara!"

"Stop moving," she snapped, smacking his thigh and grabbing his hand once more. "You're gonna make it worse."

"It fucking hurts!"

"No shit you big baby," she replied, focusing on applying pressure to stop the gash from continuing to leak. "You sliced your hand open."

"I'm seeing stars."

Amara rolled her eyes and pulled the rag away after a moment. "No you are not."

He squeezed his eye shut when she reapplied the rag. "Fuck, does it need stitches?"

"No," she answered, tearing the bandaid wrapper. "Not that deep of a gash. You'll be fine. Keep eating apples." Lip let out a husky chuckle, and suddenly she caught the scent of alcohol. Amara stood immediately with narrowed eyes. He avoided her gaze. "Are you wasted?"

"Hungover," he corrected, rising to his feet to brush past her. Amara's gut clenched as she stared after him. Fuck, this was going to give her so much shit from him, but she didn't know how else to handle it. She flipped out her phone to text Fiona, before she stepped back out to resume serving.

Fiona hadn't been in Patsy's for more than two minutes before Lip's voice shouted from across the room. "What are you, my fucking babysitter now?" He demanded, glaring at Amara. She guiltily pursed her lips and pretended not to hear him, and continued to talk to her current customer.

The day wasn't off to a great start, that much was for certain.

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Glass shattered from down the hall. Amara jolted upright in her bed, frozen as she listened to something thud loudly in what it sounded like the living room. Very quickly, she stood and grabbed the pocket knife Mandy had given her out from under her pillow, and pulled open her bedroom door to approach the noise.

Relief flooded through her once she realized it was only Lip, but it formed back into worry as she saw the state he was in. It was suddenly yesterday all over again.

"Lip?" She called out, stepping around the broken glass to crouch down next to him. "Lip, what the fuck?"

"What's going on?" Silvia asked from the doorway, Amara glanced up to see her and Margot standing there.

"Uh, nothing. Go back to bed, I can handle this."

"Is that a burglar?" Margot questioned, crossing her arms. "You're making friends with our robber?"

"It's not a burglar," Silvia rolled her eyes. "It's just a dumbass. Good luck," she wished over her shoulder, before she disappeared into her room. Margot wavered a moment, before copying her actions, and she was out of sight a moment later.

"Lip," she murmured, pushing him lightly. "You goddamn idiot. Get up."

He grumbled something and swatted her arm away. "Leave me alone."

"News flash genius, you busted through my window. I knew renting an apartment on the first floor was a bad idea."

Lip weakly pushed himself up and looked around, blinking as if just realizing where he was. "What the fuck?"

She sighed and stood, grabbing his arms to pull him along with her. He leaned his weight onto her as she guided him down the hall. He was barely sober enough to walk, even with her help. "Take off your shoes."

He scrunched his nose when she pushed him onto her bed. "What?"

"Take off your shoes."

"You're letting me stay?"

Amara rolled her eyes and bent down to do it herself. "It's two in the morning. Of course I'm letting you stay."

"You shouldn't let me keep doing this to you," he slurred as she dropped his sneakers to the floor. "You don't deserve to put up with the shit I put you through."

"You're right," she agreed, pulling off his coat. "That's the problem with me, though. I care about you too much. One of my biggest character flaws."

He snorted, ducking his head when she moved to hang up his coat. "Why are you letting me sleep in your bed?"

"No couch," she replied, giving a pointed look. "Don't go anywhere. I'm gonna clean up the glass and find something to cover the window with."

"Fuck," he scrubbed a hand over his face. "Fuck. Shit I'm so sorry."

"Shut up," she said, and he fell quiet. Her shoulders slumped slightly and she softened her tone. "Just get some sleep, okay?"

He nodded, and she gently shut the door behind her. When she was done, nearly fifteen minutes later, she made her way back into her room. Lip's back was facing her, and she refrained from letting her heart skip a beat as she climbed into the bed next to him. It was barely roomy for one person, let alone two. And her foot kept slipping off the edge, it was practically impossible to get comfortable, but her heart lurched suddenly when Lip shifted and moved to wrap his arm around the lower half of her back.

Everything inside her stilled as her eyes scanned his face. She'd slept next to him enough to know whether if he was truly asleep or not, and from the slight furrow in his brow, she could tell he was. Somehow the gesture meant more now—he had done that in his subconscious.

Jesus Christ he was like a drug, she really couldn't shake him. Amara refrained from sighing, and relaxed in the comfort of his hold, allowing her head to nuzzle itself just below his chin. It was the best slumber she had in months, though she would never admit it aloud.

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