"THAT'S THE WAY WE GET BY,"
—spoon

like any early morning, addison and sydney jones were headed over to the gallagher's across the street. they always met with their neighbors to walk to school together. "hey, guys." addison greeted with a friendly smile, entering the kitchen with her little sister closely behind.

"sit." lip instructed nonchalantly, pulling out a chair for her, while sydney settled into her usual spot next to deb. the kitchen buzzed with activity as the bills box made its rounds around the table. "electric," lip announced, dropping his contribution into the box before passing it along.

fiona deftly filled the rest of the milk carton with water before placing it on the table, a practical solution to their dwindling supply.

"coming through." ian entered with carl riding piggyback. "electric," he echoed, placing his payment into the box before passing it to carl, who didn't add anything. debbie joined them, liam perched on her hip, and she swiftly settled him into his high chair before joining the others at the table. she carefully placed a few folded dollars into the box before moving on to her next task.

"no! you've got a happy meal on the front of that shirt." fiona snapped her fingers, gesturing at carl's attire with exasperation.

carl sighed, reluctantly shedding his shirt as ian mentioned, "oh, um, field trip. need dad's signature," handing the slip to deb.

"okay," deb replied, taking the sheet to sign, while the boys continued to fuel themselves with cereal.

with no clean options in sight, fiona turned carl's stained shirt inside out. "arms up," she instructed, deftly maneuvering the shirt onto her little brother as deb slid the signed permission slip back to ian.

"wow, deb, that's getting really good." addison complimented, marveling at the young girl's skillful forgery.

"who's got the phone?" fiona called out, multitasking as she tossed clothes into the washer and secured a chair under the handle to keep it from swinging.

"i got it." lip responded. "any minutes left?" she asked, a hint of urgency in her voice as she juggled various tasks. "uh, 14." he answered, glancing at the phone.

debbie piped up, "hey, i need something for show-and-tell."

"mr. yublonski left his prosthetic leg out in his yard again, saw it on the way over." sydney suggested as a potential item.

"how much are we short?" fiona inquired, leaning in to inspect the contents of the electric bill box.

"18 dollars and thirty cents." deb replied promptly, already having calculated the shortfall.

"oh, i'm tutoring after school. i should be able to kick in like ten more." lip offered, starting to stand up like the rest of the kids.

"wait, who?" addison questioned with a squint. he usually only tutored the same two kids on tuesday's and thursday's. "karen jackson." he responded, causing the brunette to raise a brow suspiciously.

"pay day at the store is friday. hey, did, uh, carl put in any?" ian asked, looking down to the box.

"mm." lip shook his head. "you're almost nine. you're going to have to start pulling your weight." deb scolded her brother.

"that's right, and get a real job, not just dipping into the collection plate at st. tim's." lip agreed, giving his brother a stern look.

"i'm filling in for candi. i can cover the rest." fiona assured, efficiently tidying up the kitchen as the conversation shifted.

"extra kraut on mine." lip requested, already anticipating dinner plans of what his sister would bring home from work. "cheese on mine," ian added, chiming in with his preference.

"you guys ready?" addison inquired, eager to start the day on time since they always seemed to be late.

"it's a day game. somebody's got to take liam." fiona reminded her siblings, holding up the baby as a reminder of their shared responsibilities.

"uh, i got a calculus test." lip reminded, offering an explanation for his inability to assist. "i'm working after school." ian excused himself.

fiona looked to carl, who just stared back blankly. that wasn't going to work. "uh, i've got tutoring later but.. i can take him.. i think?" addison offered with a grimacing look. she really was just trying to be nice, taking liam today would honestly not be ideal.

"show-and-tell?" deb questioned, bringing the baby into the discussion as an idea. "show them the birthmark on his back." fiona suggested, passing liam to her sister with a playful smile. "it looks like latvia!" sydney added, walking out the door with the rest of the kids.

📸

after school, addison dove into tutoring sessions just like lip, though unlike him, her dedication was fueled by a desire to help others succeed.

she was at the top of her class. despite her academic prowess, lip always tried to convince her she was second to him, but addison's motivation went beyond mere competition. for her, tutoring wasn't just about getting paid, and don't get her wrong, she definitely needed the money, it was about making a difference in someone's life.

seeing the light on someone's face when they finally understand something they'd been struggling with for weeks made it all worth it for her. it was what she wanted to do with her life. she wanted to be a teacher.

entering the bustling gallagher home, addison was immediately greeted by the thumping beat of music emanating from the stereo.

fiona, the whirlwind of energy that she was, emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of steaming hot water in hand. alongside her sat their neighbor, veronica, and a disheveled man who appeared to have been through the wringer.

"i'm not kidding, steve. you are dead if he ever lays eyes on you. and i mean dead!" fiona's laughter filled the room as she entered, her infectious energy lighting up the space.

"i nearly peed myself when you hit him.. well, i did a little." veronica chuckled, deftly tending to the man's wounds with a sterile trauma kit.

unnoticed amidst the chaos, addison piped up, her curiosity piqued. "what happened?" she inquired, loosening the scarf on her neck.

"hey. hi." fiona greeted her with an awkward smile, acknowledging the teenage girl's presence amidst the commotion.

"wait, how many of you guys live here?" the man, steve questioned, his gaze shifting as the gallagher kids and sydney descended the stairs one by one. first deb and sydney, followed by lip, then carl, all drawn to the unfolding situation.

"not me, i'm one down. but the old guy next door died in march, which i guess technically makes us next-door neighbors." veronica explained matter-of-factly, providing context to steve's query.

"uh, my sister and i live across the street." addison chimed in, nodding towards her sibling as she joined her side.

"so you're a nurse, veronica?" steve inquired, his interest piqued by how she was able to take care of him. "used to be." she responded with a hint of resignation. "lying bitch!" fiona yelled out, amused.

"she worked housekeeping at cook county, bedpans and shit-sheets." lip answered, nonchalantly.

"fine." veronica rolled her eyes, "but i was offered a place in the nursing school."

"fine, but it never happened. they fired her for selling medical supplies on ebay." fiona smirked.

"will you shut up?" veronica nudged her best friend, shooting a playful glare. "we don't even know him."

"steve, by the way." he introduced himself to all the kids who began to do the same;

"carl." the young boy responded with a nod. "sydney." she greeted with a wave. "addison." the brunette smiled. "lip. debbie's too shy." lip explained, gesturing towards his sister.

"how you doing, debbie?" steve's warm smile softened his features as he leaned down to address the timid girl. "nice watch." deb complimented, her admiration for his money apparent as her gaze settled on the accessory adorning his wrist.

"oh, thanks. panerai." steve grinned. she was undeniably adorable, and her modesty only added to her charm.

"what'd that set you back, about six bills?" the red-haired girl queried, her curiosity piqued by the luxury timepiece.

ian entered the room quietly, his presence subdued as he stood apart from his siblings near addison. "plus, ian," fiona pointed out her brother. "hey," ian nodded, his demeanor subdued.

"you okay?" addison's gentle nudge prompted ian to open up about his quietness. "lip found out," he whispered with a paled look on his face, revealing the source of his subdued mood.

the brunette's brow furrowed in concern at the news. "i'll talk to him," she promised, determined to address the issue.

addison had found out ian was gay a few months ago. she was the first person he'd ever told, mostly because he knew she'd be the easiest. she'd always been deemed one of the kindest girls in town, which wasn't difficult since almost everyone on the south side was a selfish asshole.

telling her you're gay would be like admitting you prefer menthol cigarettes – she'd likely just shrug and offer you a lighter.

"hey, debbie, why do they call him "lip"?" steve asked the girl. "his real name's philip." fiona clarified.

"yo, veronica!" kev, veronica's boyfriend, arrived from outside, "you got my keys?" his reaction shifted, noticing the strange man in the room, "what's going on here?"

"this is steve. decked the bouncer at purgatory to defend my honor." veronica told him, snorting.

"my honor." fiona corrected her with a small smile.

"yeah? which bouncer?" kev asked. "jimmy clifton." she revealed with a small smirk.

"jimmy cli... well, jesus, man, put it there! respect!" kev's eyes widened, putting steve's hand into a shake.

"guy just stands there, doesn't really do anything." steve shrugged nonchalantly.

"yeah, you'll be his third conviction. huh? third or fourth? fourth. yeah. i mean, after that much practice, you would think the man would have manslaughter down by now. no more fuck-ups like last time, like leaving his dad still breathing." kev mentioned.

"his dad?" steve's eyes widened in concern.

"yeah. five years, over an '87 monte carlo with 200,000 miles on the odometer. fucking monte carlo!" kev exclaimed as steve's blood pressure slid at his prospects.

satisfied that enough had been said, fiona clapped her hands together, signaling the end of the conversation. "okay, come on, time for bed. up the wooden hill. come on." she encouraged, her voice firm yet playful as she ushered the kids towards the stairs.

"it's not even midnight yet!" carl bargained. "aw, man." debbie sighed, knowing sydney would have to leave too. "come on, come on, go! move, move, move, move, come on." fiona encouraged as the kids trudged up the stairs silently.

"see you tomorrow, fiona." addison smiled, grasping her sister's arm as they made their way towards the door. "goodnight," fiona grinned, watching them depart with a sense of fondness.

"night steve, let me take one last look at you while you're still alive!" sydney called out teasingly, her voice echoing in the hallway as she headed out the door.

📸

in the chaos of their neighborhood, addison and lip found themselves sitting on a school bench, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the grass.

lip was smoking a cigarette, but put it out when addison came over to take a seat next to him.

"hey. so, uh, i've been meaning to ask you," addison began tentatively, her eyes fixed on the ground as she gathered her thoughts. "what's going on with the tutoring sessions at karen's? you've been spending a lot of time over there lately."

lip shifted uncomfortably beside her, his gaze fixed on the horizon as he searched for the right words. "oh, uh, yeah. i've just been helping her out with some.. physics stuff," he replied casually, his tone carefully neutral.

addison raised an eyebrow skeptically, her intuition telling her there was more to the story. "just physics?" she pressed, her voice tinged with curiosity.

lip hesitated for a moment, weighing his response before nodding slowly. "yeah, just physics," he reiterated, his tone more confident this time.

despite lip's assurances, addison couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he wasn't telling her. karen's reputation preceded her, and addison wasn't naive enough to believe that lip's intentions were purely academic. still, she chose to let the matter drop for now, sensing that lip wasn't ready to divulge the full truth.

"okay, if you say so," she replied with a small smile, deciding to trust her best friend's judgment for the time being.

📸

the next day, addison trudged home from tutoring, her steps heavier than usual. typically, lip would be by her side, sharing jokes or discussing their plans for the evening, but today he was nowhere to be found.

she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at her gut, knowing full well where he likely was—with karen jackson, again. addison wasn't naive; she understood the type of girl karen was, and it certainly wasn't just tutoring sessions that kept lip so occupied.

lost in her thoughts, addison barely noticed the world around her until the sound of hurried footsteps brought her back to reality. before she could react, lip came barreling toward her, his expressions a mixture of urgency and panic. "what the—" addison began, but lip didn't give her a chance to finish as he swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her along, his grip firm and determined. "go, go, go!"

confusion clouded addison's mind as she stumbled to keep up with lip's hurried pace. she had no idea where they were headed, but the urgency in lip's actions told her it was important. with each step, addison's heart raced, her mind rushing to keep up with the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her.

📸

as lip and addison finally slowed their pace, they found themselves in a secluded corner of the neighborhood. lip winced and leaned against a nearby wall, his expression a mixture of frustration and discomfort.

"what the fuck was that? are you okay?" addison's concern was evident as she noticed lip's labored breathing and the slight limp in his step.

lip grimaced, his ankle throbbing with pain. "yeah, i-i think i might've twisted my ankle back there," he admitted, his voice strained.

addison's worry deepened as she knelt beside him. "damn it, lip," she scolded softly.

gasping for breath, lip turned to the brunette, his expression tense with frustration. "why the fuck didn't you tell me about ian?!" he demanded with a groan from the pain, his voice laced with irritation.

though it wasn't the main topic of conversation, lip's mind was clearly elsewhere. ever since ian had revealed to him that addison already knew about his sexuality, lip was hurt. the knowledge gnawed at him, a bitter reminder of the secrets that had been kept from him, even by those closest to him.

addison's heart sank at lip's accusatory tone, but she knew she had to stand her ground. "i wanted to tell you, but i promised i wouldn't say anything until he was ready," she explained, her voice firm but gentle. "he trusted me, okay? and i couldn't betray that."

lip's jaw clenched as he struggled to process addison's words, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. "but he's my fucking brother, addy," he insisted, his voice tinged with hurt. "we tell each other everything. i should've been the first person that he told."

addison reached out to place a comforting hand on lip's arm, her eyes filled with empathy. "i know, and i'm sorry," she murmured softly. "but ian was scared, and he needed time to come to terms with who he is, okay? he didn't mean to hurt you."

lip sighed as he absorbed addison's words, his anger beginning to ebb away. "i know," he admitted quietly, his voice tinged with regret.

just as they settled into a moment of understanding, addison's frustration bubbled to the surface. "but you know what, lip?" she blurted out, her tone tinged with hurt. "what about you and karen? do you think i'm stupid? honestly? she's been blowing you, and you've been blowing me off for her."

lip's shoulders slumped in defeat as he realized the impact of his actions. "you're right. i'm sorry," he murmured, his voice filled with remorse. "i should've been honest with you.. i just, felt weird about it."

addison's anger softened as she saw the sincerity in lip's eyes. "just don't keep shit from me again," she pleaded, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "i don't ever wanna be pushed aside like that."

lip nodded solemnly, his gaze locked with addison's. "i won't, i promise." he promised, his voice filled with determination. "still your best friend?" he asked tentatively. "still my best friend." she affirmed without hesitation.

as they sat in the quiet stillness, the weight of their shared secrets hanging heavy between them, addison couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

however, the brunette couldn't ignore the fact that lip's foot needed attention. "come on, let's get you home, show this to v." she said gently, offering him a supportive arm to lean on as they began the journey back. "and while we walk, maybe you can start explaining what the hell you were running from."

📸

back in the house, addison had managed to help lip to his bedroom where veronica was examining his ankle. "really? an old lady on the train?" veronica quipped, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

ian shot addison a warning glare, who was sat in the corner gnawing on her fingernails, silently urging her to go along with the story.

"oh, yeah, yeah. the, um, the doors were closing on her walker, and lip barely got his foot in in time to stop them from..." she improvised, weaving a tale to cover for lip's injury.

"ow! jesus, fiona!" lip groaned in pain as she prodded his foot. fiona rolled her eyes. "can't remember whether that's good or bad. more likely, you three jumped the turnstiles again and he twisted it trying to outrun the transit cops," she surmised.

"no, no! always elevate extremities! move before you give him a fucking embolism. you okay, lip sweetheart?" veronica's tone shifted to concern as she focused on providing care.

"yeah, just please don't... don't touch it," lip replied, his discomfort evident. "okay. wiggle your toes," veronica instructed gently, trying to assess the extent of the injury.

lip groaned in response, prompting veronica to direct ian to fetch some supplies. "go to my house, top of the freezer, two ice packs. second cupboard above the sink," veronica continued, listing off the necessities.

"liquid ibuprofen, freeze spray, ace bandages," she added, ensuring they had everything they needed for lip's care.

"shouldn't we get it x-rayed?" fiona interjected, her concern growing.

"fuck no! he'll be in the e.r. forever, and for what? "submetatarsal hematoma." thanks. tell us something we didn't know five hours ago. fuck off! my bedroom, top of the tv," veronica dismissed fiona's suggestion, her tone blunt and practical.

"pack of smokes and a lighter,"