Go To Sleep Eloise ([l.g.])

2.

Lip sat in his bed with a lit cigarette hanging from his lips. The younger Gallagher boys were doing homework in their beds when Ian looked up at his older brother and saw confusion written on his lips.

"You alright, Lip?" Ian asked him, setting his notebook aside to give his oldest brother his attention.

"Ellie's back." Ian scrunched his eyebrows together and sat up and swung his legs over the side of his bed.

"Yeah, we know."

"She came back and thought everything would go back to normal. She never gave me any explanation for her two year long silence," Lip expressed as he flicked his cigarette ash.

"Maybe you should try talking to her about it?" Ian suggested.

"It won't go anywhere," Lip sighed as he took another drag.

"You aren't over her yet, are you?"

"What are you talking about?" Lip spit out as he jumped off his loft bed and grabbed his coat. "Don't you need to go stick your dick in some guys butt."

He left a laughing Ian in his room as he pulled his coat on and went down the stairs. Fiona and, her boyfriend, Steve were watching TV and eating popcorn when Fiona turned around and smiled at lip. "Where do you think you're going? It's a school night."

"Out, I'll be back," Lip said as he walked out the door and flicked his cigarette into the snow, extinguishing it immediately.

Lip walked down the street to a house he knew all to well. He walked through the yard to the side of the house and saw a bedroom light on. He smiled before grabbing a rock from the ground and throwing it, hitting the window. He threw a few more rocks when Eloise's frame finally appeared in the window. She opened the window and looked down and saw her childhood best friend shivering in the cold air.

"Why are you throwing rocks at my window? That's not cute," Eloise yelled down at lip, with a smile on her face. Lip smiled up at her while rocking back and forth on his feet.

"Who says I was trying to be cute?" Lip yelled up, laughing to himself. Eloise shook her head before signaling for him to hold on. She shut her window and a few minutes later she was walking out of the front door to her house. All she had on was a pair of black leggings, her combat boots and thick hoodie. Lip smiled at his friend the closer she got and handed her a cigarette.

"What are you doing out this late at night?" Eloise asked as her and Lip started walking down the street, both taking drags from their cigarettes.

"Couldn't sleep," Lip, nonchalantly, mentioned. Eloise slid her arm through Lip's and held him close. She smiled to herself, the simple gesture reminding her of all their memories they had together as kids. Memories that including Lip protecting her from bullies, saving her from her drunk dad and being there for her when her parents divorced. The two continued to walk in silence until they arrived at the park and took seats on the picnic table.

"You gonna ask questions now?" Eloise said, causing Lip to look up at her.

"You've always been able to read my mind better than anybody," Lip commented, flicking the ash off his cigarette before taking another drag.

"Don't be around the bush," Eloise said with a pained expression.

"Why didn't you contact me while you were gone?"

"I thought it'd be easier for the both of us if I just left you alone," Eloise said as she stared at the old playground she used to play on as a kid. "I knew if I called you or visited that I wouldn't want to go back to my mom's."

"We were in a really good spot when you left, Ellie. You crushed me," Lip tried to say as calmly as he could. He was still hurt over her disappearance, he never got over it.

"If it makes you feel any better, none of the North Side boys even got close to being like you," Eloise tried to compromise, making Lip chuckle and look at her.

"None of the South Side girls compare to you either," Lip said, scooting closer to Eloise.

"Not even Karan Jackson?" Eloise said as she looked up to Lip, who was seated on the table top while she was on the bench.

"Not even close. At least you don't sleep with every guy in the school," Lip joked as he leaned down and pressed his nose against Eloise's, staring into her blue-green eyes.

"No, I've only slept with one guy in the school," Eloise clapped back, causing Lip to smile.

"God I've missed you," Lip breathed out, the cold air causing his breath to be visible. Eloise laughed before nudging her nose against Lip's some more and closing her eyes. She felt safe when she was around him. Lip placed his hand on her neck and used his thumb to stroke the apples of her cheeks. "Can I kiss you?"

"You really wanna get into that again?" Eloise hesitated.

"You're worth the risk," Lip said, causing Eloise to smile.

"What about Karen?"

"There's only one girl worth seeing," Lip said and Eloise opened her eyes and could tell he was being honest. He was an open book after all.

"Okay."

"Okay I can kiss you? Or okay we'll give this a shot?" Lip asked her, pushing hair out of her face.

"Both, but on one condition," Eloise said and Lip signaled for her to go on. "We take things as slow as we can."

"Pinky promise," Lip said and held his pinky out allowing Eloise to loop hers with his. Once they shook on it he pulled her closer and pressed his lips against hers. Instantly the pair forgot they were out in the frigid winter night and felt like they were experiencing the hottest day of summer. Shockwaves shot through the two of them at the touch of their lips as they moved against each other's. After a few moments the pair pulled away and smiled at each other.

"Nothing's changed," they both said simultaneously and busted out laughing.  Lip let his thumb and index finger hold Eloise's chin as he stared at her with admiration. 

"You wanna spend the night?" Lip asked as he hopped off the table and stood in front of the blonde.

"It's been five minutes and you're already trying to get into my pants!" Eloise said and playfully slapped his chest. Lip grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

"Promise I'm not, just missed you. Come spend the night, we'll cuddle and kiss a little, yeah?" Lip suggested and Eloise pushed him back a little bit.

"Why Mr. Gallagher, if I'm not mistaken you're quite the softy? Thought you didn't believe in relationships?" Eloise teased as they both started walking back towards Lip's house.

"Only for you," Lip said as he grabbed her hand and swung it back in forth between them. Once they reached Lip's house they walked inside and took off their jackets, hanging them up in the hallway by the front door. Fiona turned around from her place on the couch and saw Lip and Eloise holding hands while trying to sneak upstairs.

"What do we have here?" She said, busting them. Lip turned around with a sweet smile on his face as he looked at his older sister.

"Eloise is spending the night," he said.

"Bill drunk again?" The eldest Gallagher questioned and Eloise nodded her head. "Fine, but no funny business. You might corrupt Carl even more."

The two scrambled upstairs and into the boys' room where Ian and Carl were asleep in their own beds. Lip helped Eloise get into his bed before taking his jeans off and tossing his shirt up to Eloise who stripped out of her leggings and tank top and replacing her top with his shirt. Lip climbed up and laid down next to her and made sure they were both comfortable before turning his lamp off.

They laid there in silence, the only noise was coming from their lips working against one another's when Eloise pulled away and looked at the copy of the solar system on the ceiling above Lip's bed.

"You know Pluto isn't a planet, right? That this is inaccurate?" Lip groaned and buried his head into Eloise's shoulder.

"Go to sleep, Ellie."