Chapter Text
It’d been a month since Ian had found Mickey covered in blood.
It’d been three and a half weeks since Terry Milkovich had been presumed dead after having one too many drinks for his liver.
Three weeks since Ian Gallagher and Mandy Milkovich had promised to never talk about what they saw again.
Two weeks since Svetlana left, Terry was the only one protecting her and now he was gone.
-
A minute since an extremely nervous Mickey Milkovich had approached the Gallagher house.
Ian sat on the steps outside the front door sipping a beer slowly.
“Hey.” Mickey tried to keep his voice cocky but he couldn’t hide how scared he was.
Ian didn’t reply, just stared at Mickey’s eyes which were now pointed at the ground.
“Why are you here?” Ian demanded finally in his no bullshit voice, that was the voice that usually resulted in bad things. Like Ian leaving.
“To explain.” I did it for me and you, for Mandy and for everyone Terry Milkovich fucked up. Mickey thought to himself but it sounded too pathetic to say out loud.
Ian stood and hung his upper body over the edge of the wooden railing, “Me and Mandy...” He threw his beer can off into the space in front of him, “we guessed what you did.”
Mickey rubbed his eyes violently with his restless hand. “I didn’t mean to Gallagher.”
“Yeah. You did.”
Mickey quickly checked around, in case anyone saw them together. “Can we talk inside?” His arm weakly pointed to the door, unsure of the answer he’d get.
“Why?” Ian stepped down one step, closer to Mickey who shifted uncomfortably.
“I don’t want anyone to hear us.” Mickey knew he sounded like an asshole but no one could know what Mickey was. And why he killed Terry.
Ian stalked inside stubbornly and left the door open behind him.
“Anyone else here?” Mickey entered the house, it brought back memories, ones he’d tried to forget.
“No.” Ian mumbled, he sat himself down on the coffee table and stared up at Mickey who stood in the doorway.
“Why are you so pissed at me?! You fucking hated that bastard!” Mickey pleaded at the sight of Ian, he looked so defeated and disappointed.
“It’s not the fact that you did it, it’s the fact that you could.” Ian wanted to be a soldier and he lived in this neighbourhood where murderers lived, but he could not kill anyone. End someone permanently. And he never thought Mickey could do that either.
“He threatened to kill you I couldn’t... fuck...” Mickey wiped a silent tear that had dropped down his face, “I couldn’t fucking let him hurt the only thing left that I love.”
-
“Fuck.” Mickey rubbed his eye before anymore tears fell and gave away the don’t-give-a-fuck attitude he’d tried to keep up his whole life.
“Fuck it.” Ian states before moving in front of Mickey. The Gallagher puts his hand gently in Mickey’s hair, the other has wormed itself around his waist.
“Fuck you, Gallagher.” Mickey promptly fell forward, into Ian’s warm embrace. He snorted softly and kissed the top of Mickey’s head tentatively. Affection was Mickey was weird and scary. But nice. So nice.
“I love you Milkovich.” Ian whispered as they stood, Mickey cocooned in Ian’s sturdy body.
-
“Is Mandy here?” Lip didn’t know who this guy at the Milkovich house was.
The guy let out a silent laugh and a knowing eyebrow raise, “yeah, have fun mate.” Jackass.
He slipped past Lip and headed off down the street. Just then Mandy walked into the hall.
“Oh. Hey.” She looked surprised but not caught off guard. Mandy popped the cap off a beer. “Want one?”
“Who was that?” He didn’t know why but he was jealous. Like, really jealous.
“That was uhm...James... Jeff...Joe...one of them.” She shrugged it off.
“So many you can’t remember?” He accused bitterly.
Mandy looked like a wounded animal. That was how she felt half the time. An animal that was slowly bleeding out but it kept fighting for life. Kept fighting even though it’d be easier to give up.
“You’re such a slut.” Lip laughed off and made his way back out the door.
“Fuck. You. Philip Gallagher. You left and I pined for you every single fucking day. Everything I did was for us. Every time you pushed me away because you were so fucked up by Karen you don’t know what a real relationship is like but I forgave you and I took you in every single fucking time so I’m sorry if I slept with guys to try to forget that you were gone and that you had moved on. I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me but now you’re fucking here and I love you so much.” It all came so fast, like vomit of words. Lip stood in stunned silence as though she had just thrown up on him.
“I’m sorry Mandy. I’m so sorry. I don’t think you’re a slut." He moved closer to her, "I was just jealous. Mandy, I think you’re beautiful and amazing.” Inside he cringed at his cheesy line but he meant every word.
Mandy stood there, still exhausted from her rant. “I know.” She panted as she pounced at Lip. Their lips clashed in desperation. The kiss was messy and their lips explored every part of the other person’s face.
They clawed at each other’s clothes until they were finally both naked and horizontal on the sofa. Lip moved his hips slowly as they made love for the first time in what felt like forever. They both moved slowly and savoured each moan and each touch.
Left exhausted they laid together in the crumple of clothes.
“I love you too Mandy.” Lip commented as his hand stroked her face gently.
-
Mickey left quite quickly after him and Ian had sex, it was too scary. The sex was accompanied with gentle touches and love. It was like what they’d had on the night Terry had caught them. Terry was dead but Mickey was still scared of him.
Ian telling him that he loved him freaked him out too, Ian’s love felt undeserved and wasted and it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that he was so scared to be with Ian, to be shown love. He’d felt so safe and comfortable with him but it wasn’t real. They weren’t safe and they weren’t comfortable. They never could be. But he loved Ian, and he couldn’t give him up or let him go ever again.