Chapter Text
Fiona spent most of her life watching her siblings become who they are now. Maybe that meant she never took a break or maybe it meant doing things for her siblings her parents should but it definitely meant she had no time for herself. And now it was 7:14 in the morning and she needed to be ready even if her hair was not done.
“7:15 monkeys!” She shouts as she knocks and opens her brothers room. Next was her sister and youngest brother, they were the easy ones! Debbie was already dressed and helping with baby Liam. Now time for her to make breakfast for the kids and hope everyone will be on time.
As Fiona starts to make breakfast she sees that electrical is due today as well. She grabs a cardboard box she calls the ‘cash’ box and places it on the table with the milk. Lip is the first down and immediately starts to add his share, what Fiona would do without him she doesn't know.
“Electric” She calls so he will know what he's paying, Ian wanders in after that and Lip ecos her previous statement about what they are paying for. Carl is next down and listens to Ian now copying his older siblings cry for electricity. Deb quickly follows and makes sure there was the right amount of cash well also adding her own like the god sent she is.
Fiona now notices the shirt Carl was wearing was covered in ketchup and mustard or something grose. “No. You’ve got a Happy Meal on the front of that shirt.”
Ian hands her a permission slip as she flips Carl's shirt inside out for him to wear. Debbie then forges Frank’s signature for him. Lip then complements her hand writing. Debbie needed something for show-and-tell, and the older boys were overly unhelpful for suggestions. But the washers broke and Fiona has to put a shair up against it to make it work and she can’t give any good ideas.
“How much are we short?” Fiona asks quickly, it was getting time for them to leave. Debbie responded just as quickly, “Eighteen dollars and thirty cents.”
“I’m tutoring after school, should be able to kick in ten more.” Lip said as he got up to put his and Debbie's bowls away. Ian chimed in just as quickly, “Pay day at the store is Friday. Carl put in anything?”
“No.” Debbie called out just a bit to jovial for Fiona's liking. Ian also enjoying this a bit too much started talking again, “You’re almost twelve, you’re gonna have to start chippin’ in.”
“I’m filling in for Candi again today, I can cover the rest.” Fiona finally added, “It’s a day game, someone’s going to have to stay home with Liam.”
“Calculus test and tutoring.” Lip said easily enough.
“I’m working after school.” Ian also called out.
“Show-and-tell?” Debbie finally offered as sweet as she could.
“Show them the birthmark on his back. It looks like Latvia.” Fiona offers as she starts to get everyone out the door as fast as possible seeing as that took too long to decide today.
⋎•⋎
Fiona shows up to work just on time today just for Jan the boss to call out for her. “No Candi again?”
“Bobby’s got a bail hearing.” Fiona responded, Candi was the sweetest person and always called Fiona first when she was going to miss a shift but her son Bobby was in and out of jail with no regard for how much it cost his mom to pay for his bail each time.
⋎•⋎
Lip hated tutoring, most the kids either couldn't keep up with him or they wanted to skip out on paying him. But today he was helping out a girl from the grade below him with Physics, he had never worked with her so maybe this would all be so much better than his usual gig.
When he knocked on the door a very strange and timid woman opened the door ever so slightly. Lip hoped he had the right address, “I’m here to help Karen study for her mid-term.”
“Your shoes” she says holding his eyes. “I'll get you a plastic bag.”
The woman was quite weird but what else is new in the world, and she didn't seem to be a murder or anything so this gig might just turn out alright anyways.
“She's got a thing about people bringing dirt into the house. Agoraphobia.” Keren tells him unprompted as they begin to work at the dining room table. The place was nice if the odd mom was not crazy he would definitely have taken something from the home but he was nice enough not to try to.
“If you remember it like this, the formula's visible.” Lip began to explain hoping she could at least keep up, he was starting to like her and the worst turn off he has found yet is in girls who can't keep up with him mentaly, that and girls who want kids already. “Midget naked witch bending over and she's crying 'cuz she's lost one ear and she can't find it.”
“How come you know all this?” Karen asks, this is exciting, she is interested in what he is interested in! “Just something I like to fool around with.”
They slowly get back to studying, well also flirting just a bit, or at least he is, he can't tell if she's like this all the time or if it's about him. He looks down for a second to write down the next numeric device, but the next second she’s gone.
The next thing he knows is that she is pulling down his fly, her mom is just in the room! This terrifies him but also is exciting. “Karen, I... I’m still going to have to charge you.”
She looks up at him, quite confused for a second. “Charge me?”
“This isn't charity - I get paid for tutoring.” Lip tries to remind her lightly well also trying not to be shorted by the girl. “I know, science just turns me on.”
He is in love, he loves Karen Jackson and he just met her. He has to tell Ian.
⋎•⋎
Fiona is going out tonight. She hasn't been out for months, last time was a friend's birthday, but V has convinced her they need to go out, and who can argue with Veronica? Only problem is she's out of deodorant.
“Lip, can I borrow your deodorant?” She asks, well walking into his room, when was the last time she bought deodorant? It must have been sometime this last year, maybe. Lip responded, “I'm using Ian's.”
Well there goes her plan, Ian isn't home yet so she couldn't ask him. But she could do the laundry really quick. “If I stick this in the washer before I go out, will you keep an eye on it?”
Lip was being weird about the laundry. He must have hidden something in there, it's not like they don't share a weed dealer or something. What could it be?
Veronica must have let herself in because next thing Fiona knows Veronica is trying to remove the price tag on her dress! She can’t afford to keep this what was V thinking. “No...This has to go back tomorrow.”
“I have a tag gun, we can put it back on later.” V calls as she removes the tag anyway. “From when I worked at TJMaxx.”
“Hot dogs downstairs. Nachos too.” Fiona says taking the clothing bag back. He must have grabbed whatever it was because he was no longer being weird about the bag.
⋎•⋎
Lip very much just hid his underwear before Fiona took the clothes away. He needed a better hiding place, behind the dresser would do it until he could be alone to wash them. He knocked something down when he did. It was porn, and not his, but covered in all the famous girls he liked. Should he open it? Yes he should. It doesn't have girls in it.... Ian must be gay? Gay? He thought they shared everything. Maybe he was wrong… maybe Ian was just trying to figure it out and is straight?
If Ian was going to hide something from Lip then Lip would hide something from Ian. Why should Ian know he was in love if he couldn't share his own life.
Just then as Lip was putting the porn back Ian came in and said, “Hey.”
“Hey” Lip responded trying to look normal. Why was this so hard?
⋎•⋎
Fiona loved dancing with anyone. Her favorite part of growing up the way she did is that parties randomly popped up at her house whenever her parents wanted… now whenever she or her siblings wanted.
Some guy who is very handsome starts to dance with her, he made his way over to her specifically. Then he did something extremely rude. He stole her purse and ran, damn these heels, she was never going to catch him.
Some other dude tries diving at the ugly purse steeler. He misses just short of the dude hitting his head. Normally she would check on the dude who tried to help but she had 50$ in that purse! So she ran after the thief. So did the guy trying to help. They still lost him.
“Sorry.” Says the guy who fell, he is kinda cute in a boy band way. Just then V shows up looking super excited, “That was fucking incredible. Truly, honestly, one of the most heroic things I've ever seen. Stupid. But, man...! Heroic!”
At the same time both the girls see something “My god, you’re bleeding.”
He smiles at that, like he is happy to see that they care not like a psycho, “Steve. I was gonna offer to buy you a drink anyway.” Belly-flop or Steve apparently, offers politely.
They all start to head back in but the bouncer starts being incredibly rude about it. Then he bans them when V tries to get back in and for drugs of all things! Fiona is pissed she can't believe this honest to god jerk “He probably let 'em get away because he knows 'em.”
She really needs to learn when to stop talking. Then the bouncer calls her a skank and she sees red again. But before she can even think to respond Steve starts “Watch your mouth.”
It is really nice when someone stands up for you. This whole night has been good, but if they keep it up the cops might get involved soon. “Forget it, Let's get a cab.”
V links arms with her and starts walking to the corner where some cabs are waiting. Good thing V always tells her to keep a spare 20 in her boobs otherwise they would be stuck walking.
The next thing Fiona knows there is a crunch and she has turned to see Steve punch the bouncer in the face and run across the street, he's fast. V getting excited over the commotion drags her across as well, then Steve moons the bouncer. He is so coming home with them.
⋎•⋎
Lip has decided to test the waters with Ian, maybe if he gives a little Ian will do the same… “got a hummer today.”
He hopes something will come of this maybe Ian will tell him that he is gay or say something about how he has always wanted one. But only if Ian believes him “From Karen Jackson.”
“No way!” Ian responded, finding it way too funny. “She got a C in Physics. Needs a B.”
They need to smoke and maybe Ian will loosen up just a bit. Lip starts to roll a joint well also moving onto Ians bed next to the window.
“You wouldn't have waited this long to tell me.” Ian says looking unimpressed. It hasn't even been that long what does he mean by that. It’s not like he has to tell his brother everything right away, it’s not! But now it was time to raise the stakes.
“You ever had a knob-job?” Hook, line, and sinker.
“Once or twice…” What does that mean, why hasn't Ian said anything about this before now. “Didn't hear you rushing to tell me.”
So if they are going to play it that way why not hurt Ian just as much as he is hurting Lip? Lip gets up and grabs Ian’s porn and throws it at him. He is just about to say something when some noise and music starts up downstairs.
⋎•⋎
V turns on the music the second they get in, thank god Carl wears ear plugs. Then she goes and grabs all the medical supplies normally reserved for Ian and all his ROTC injuries. Fiona grabs some drinks and brings them out to the living room.
“No kidding, Steve. You're dead if he ever lays eyes on you. And I mean...Dead.” Fiona starts to kid him well V sits behind him on the coach to fix his head.
“I nearly peed myself when you hit him... well I did a little.” V chimes in well removing the glass from Steve’s head and hair. Debbie, Lip, Ian and Carl all must have woken up because they all make it down stairs quietly.
“How many of you live here?” Steve questions. How to explain this, why does she want to explain this. Veronica then chimes in once more with “Not me, I'm one-down. But the old guy next door died in March, which I guess technically makes us next door neighbors.”
“Died March, found August.” Carl says equally as excited as V. Carl always tries to freak out the guys Fiona brings back, not that there have been many. He has a problem with the idea that if she falls in love she might leave him. She would never leave them.
“So you're a nurse, Veronica?” Steve asks, trying to get over what Carl just said.
“Used to be.” V says like she was not just lying her ass off.
“Lying bitch!” Fiona calls out in a jovial manner, though she is not sure why she needs Steve to know the truth.
“She worked in housekeeping at Cook County. Bedpans and shit sheets.” Lip chimes in.
“Fine! But I was offered a place in the Nursing School.” The teasing continues for a few seconds after that until Steve decies to introduce himself to the kids. Carl and Lip respond right away but Debbie looks right at Fiona instead.
“Debbie” Fiona tells him before adding, “And Ian”
Ian seems off, more shy than usual, he went through a phase of not talking right after Debbie was born and it continued until Carl was already talking. Fiona really hopes he isn't going to start that again, she loves his voice and his laugh, and the world is so much harder if for a second someone thinks you're different.
Steve starts to try to talk to Debbie a second later “Hey Debbie, why do they call him Lip?”
Lip doesn’t even let her talk before getting angry, “A) You smell like a drunk. B) You're not as funny as you think you are, and C) you decked a bouncer so your days are numbered, which is probably why D) I've already forgotten your name.”
Steve for the most part doesn't look to put out before turning back to Debbie, “So...Lip?”
“His real name's Phillip.” Debbie finally starts happy to be included despite the rough beginning to the night.
Suddenly or at least it seems so to Fiona who was now a bit tipsy Kev came in to talk to the love of his life V. Kev and V are so perfect together that if Fiona believed in that sort of stuff she would say they were soulmates.
“You've got my keys.” Kev asks before even seeing the stranger in the room. “What’s goin’ on in here?”
“This is Steve. Decked the bouncer at Purgatory to defend my honor…” Veronica tells him she really loves to mess with Kev. And he really loves her so it all works out in the end.
“My honor.” Fiona says wanting the world to know Steve did this for her.
“He decked a bouncer like that?” Steve was a bit smaller than the usual South Side man. “Which bouncer?”
“Ready for this...? Jimmy Clifton.” She didn't know the bouncers name, but that was the codename for time to mess with this guy. Kev and Fiona were just as close as her and V most of the time, and he loved to mess with people just as much as she did.
“Jimmy Cl... Jesus, put it there!” Kev says if fake aw. This was going to be fun. Fiona thinks Lip might have caught on now “Respect and congratulations, man!”
Steve looks actually pleased at that, poor baby.
“You'll be his third conviction...third or fourth?” Kev continues adding V to the game. Then he turners back to Steve “After that much practice, he shoulda got the hang of Murder One. No more fuck-ups - like, leaving his Pops still breathin'.
This was too good but Kev had to leave so he pulled out his last line before going, “Five Years, over an '87 Chrysler with two-hundred thousand miles on the dash! Fuckin' Chrusler!”
Fiona should also send the kids to bed, “Okay, come on guys, time for bed! Up the wooden hill.”
And finally she was alone with Steve.
“Straight answer -- if I hadn't busted my skull for you, would you have looked at me twice?” Steve starts, does he actually think she has a response for that, does he want to know?
“Who's saying I looked twice?” That sounded right if you ask her. Then he gives her the look.
“We can't.”
“Ninety percent of the world's problems are caused by tiny words that come in pairs. We're healthy and happy but when anybody asks, we say 'not bad'.” Oh he had a sleep with me speech, Fiona isn't sure whether she should be impressed or angry that he has done this before. And before she can decide he starts again “When I saw you dancing the first time - about a month back at the Hard Rock - I was desperate to buy you a drink. Normally, I'm shy, so I told myself 'I can't'. 'She wouldn't', 'We won't'. Then tonight, you're there again. All the indications being that I'm getting a second chance to make a good impression.”
He is good, then he says what makes her give in to him “Say 'stop', I'll stop.”
They start having some amazing I-might-have-broken-some-fingers-and-one-of-us-definitely-has-a-concussion-now-if-you-didn't-already sex. But before they can finnish with this amazing moment someone knocks on the back door.
“Shit!” She screams before running up the kitchen stares just leaving Steve. He must have opened the door because well she is getting more dressed he pops up and tells her it’s the cops. Must be Frank again.
“Stay here.” She says, he doesn't need to know about her dad, and the less people who do the better. So she runs back down to find Tony, “I wouldn't put him anywhere near a carpet til his pants dry a bit.”
Of course Steve didn't listen to her, maybe it's best to scare him off now instead anyways. “Thanks, Tony.”
“Who the fuck’s That?” Steve finally asks once the guys leave. Why did he have to ask that, now she has to tell him, “My dad.”