GAME OVER ━━ Lip Gallagher

CHAPTER ONE

          She stopped in her tracks and stared at him for a second. "Do you want to borrow my toothbrush too?" she asked. Lip bit down on his bottom lip. "I mean, if you'll let me," he joked. Without hesitation, he flicked her in the middle of the forehead, rendering her almost speechless. Before she could fight back, the two could hear the shower curtain slide on the metal rail and the water turn off. "Thanks, tweety bird. I'll leave the door unlocked." He flashed her a cheeky smile before ducking into the bathroom once Ian had opened the door. "Hey, can I borrow your toothpaste?" Phoebe rolled her eyes at the typicality of the brothers. "Yeah," she sighed. "Here."

Ian smiled over at Phoebe. "Thanks." She ruffled his wet hair before turning to walk back to Fiona's room. Once inside, she dug through her overnight bag for her wallet. If Fiona wouldn't accept it, at least she knew that Lip would. All she'd have to say is that she owed her money for their hospitality. Or maybe she stole a pack of cigarettes off of him and was paying him back. Either way, Lip was her best bet. She snatched a ten dollar bill from her wallet and folded it up in her palm. "Breakfast!" Fiona shouted. Quickly, Phoebe moved her wallet and some other things to her school bag and tossed it over her shoulder.

She could hear the drumming of feet against the floor as the kids rushed to the kitchen. Taking this moment, she rushed out of Fiona's room and snuck toward the bathroom. "Lip," she called out, announcing her presence before opening the door. "What's up, pop rocks?" he replied, still hidden behind the shower curtain. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. "I got ten dollars that I owe you." Lip scoffed. She could vaguely see his outline behind the multicolored shower curtain. His arms were working shampoo into his hair and over his arms, probably using it for both his hair and body. "For what?" She blew air into her cheeks before letting it out with a sigh. "I stole a pack of cigarettes from your bag last week," she lied.

"You don't even smoke unless you're drunk," he argued. She knew he was smiling proudly for knowing her so well. "Maybe I just started." The shower curtain was pulled back, showing off Lip and his sudsy head of hair. "You didn't. If you did, you'd smell like smoke even when you try and hide it with perfume." Her mouth formed an irritated pout. "You still smell as sweet as ever." She turned her head, ignoring the charismatic way he smiled and the way the water trickled over his cheeks and down the slope of his nose. "You pay way too much attention to things," she snapped, but he knew that she was putting up an act. "Only when it comes to you."

"Lip! Pheebs!" The brunette turned toward the bathroom door where Fiona called them. A sigh left Lip's mouth as he ducked back under the running water. "I'm going to leave this ten right here. Take it or leave it." And that was the end of that. She placed the bill on his clean— or clean as can be— jeans and exited the bathroom. Ian stood there, holding out her toothpaste tube. "Keep it. I'll probably be back tonight, if Fiona will let me," she replied, ending her statement with a tightlipped smile. Ian shook it in his grasp before nodding his head. The two parted ways, Ian heading to his shared bedroom and Phoebe toward the kitchen.

The chaos of the Gallagher house was warm and inviting. Despite the worries and the responsibilities, it made Phoebe feel at home. Like she was meant to be there, right then and in that exact place. After a few more minutes of someone scrubbing a few dishes clean to eat with, Lip came into the kitchen. He watched as Phoebe filled a bowl with cereal and skipped the milk that had been diminishing gradually. The ends of his lips quirked into a sideways grin. He took his seat across from Ian, saving the one at the end for his best friend. Carl sat beside Ian while Debbie sat at the end of the table. "Electric," Fiona stated as she set the Powerbar box onto the table. Lip tossed in a crumpled bill along with the folded bill Phoebe had left. "Electric," he stated, passing the box to Ian.