Chapter Text
When it came to feelings for other people, fourteen year-old Mickey Milkovich really only experiences annoyance and great anger.
He doesn't find many people very likable at all, really.
And that includes most of his family.
So when he had to move into a new crappy house into the crappy town of Chicago Illinois, thrilled wouldn't be a word to describe his reaction.
He was glad to get away from all the shitty kids in his old Jersey middle school, but only knew that being relocated meant that there were more to come.
"Listen Mandy," he asserts to his thirteen year-old sister one November weekday morning, to the only girl in the new Milkovich household, the morning of their first day.
"People at our last school may have been able to know that we were related, but that was because we grew up there. Now, this is a new school. So no one can know I'm related to you. Okay?"
"Fuck off, dick-head" is all she responds, giving him the finger and strutting away in the outfit that will very much get her dress coded.
"I wouldn't want everyone know I'm related to a slut!"
"Yeah well I wouldn't want everyone knowing I'm related to a complete asshole!" Her voice slowly fades, now entering her own personalized room.
"Iggy! Quit touching my shit!"
Jaimie and Joey, Mickey's older high school enrolled brothers, come busting out of the kitchen and purposely shove him out of the way.
"Fuck off, assholes."
They cackle at him. "Break a leg on your first day," Jaimie smiles, their laughing continuing. Mick rolls his eyes.
"I'll break your legs."
"Try not to get beat up" Joey adds.
They guffaw all the way out the door.
Iggy and Mandy are now arguing up a storm in her room.
Their father Terry comes dragging himself out of his room, where the yelling of his children was making his daily hangover even worse.
"What the fuck are you kids yelling about?!" He darts his eyes over to Mickey, who's posture straightens and eyes shrink.
Growing aware of his presence, Iggy and Mandy grow quiet in the other room.
"I-I wasn't the one yelling...!" Mickey's voice shows innocence with a mix of fear in his tone, rather than the freshness and sass he shows towards his siblings.
"Just get to goddam school before I fuckin' beat ya" Terry threatens, while Mandy and Igs' slowly make their way out.
"And you guys too!" Terry booms once he notices them.
"Out! Now!"
The rest of the siblings have to catch up with Jaimie and Joey, who are already halfway out of their dangerous neighborhood with cigarettes in their mouths.
"Don't associate with us." Iggy says to Mickey and Mandy, snatching Joey's cigarette out of his mouth and smoking it himself.
"You guys are literally going to the high school, dumbass" Mandy insults.
"So fuckin' what?" Jaimie asks. "The schools are right next to each other. We can't take any risks, lowlifes."
Mickey only rolls his eyes.
"Gimme a cigarette." He grabs for one.
"No, shit-face. You're too young."
"Oh, don't gimme that shit." He scowls at Iggy's response. He lets him snatch one anyway.
"Dad never woke up, did he?" Joey asks, helping Mickey light his cig.
"Yes, but only because somebody was being a noisy bitch." Mandy looks over at Iggy.
"You were the one acting like it was the end of the world!" He accuses.
Mickey exhales the smoke from his mouth, holding on tight to the cigar with his fingers.
"Probably disturbing his hangover," he mutters.
"Have we ever seen him at a time when he's not on something?" Mandy complains, the school now only ten minutes away within walking distance. Coming close by to the alibi bar, Jaimie answers, "Only hungover. If that even counts."
"You know he got away with killing Mom, right?" Iggy brings up.
"He shoved a bunch of pills down her throat and made it look like a suicide. That's why he made us move here."
"Will you shut the fuck up about that? Jesus!" Mickey calls out, especially seeing Mandy uncomfortably tense up.
"Wouldn't blame her even if she did kill herself." Iggy adds.
"Shut the fuck up Iggy." Mick doesn't want to talk about it anymore.
"Hey, kids! You guys." The one and only Frank Gallagher comes jogging up to them, his eyes rusty and odor worse than ever.
"You got any cash?"
The Milkovich kids can tell the difference between a homeless person in need, and a drug addict in need.
"No." Mandy cringes. The boys frown and close their noses to block out the scent.
They keep walking.
"Oh, come on! A cigarette. One cigarette." Frank speed walks along with them.
"Fuck off, hobo" Joey says.
"I have a home" Frank declares, stopping his feet and crossing his arms.
"Then get the fuck away from us" Mickey retorts, he and the group walking farther away as much as they can.
"Is that any way to treat an adult?" Frank tests.
"Frank! Quit disturbing the youth of America!" Kevin Ball calls out, now standing in the bar's back door that's not too far behind.
The kids laugh, now making a run for it.
"Hate to be that guy's kid," Mandy comments.
"Better than our Dad." Mickey concludes.
And unfortunately, as much of a self-obsessed narcissistic and shitty father that Frank is, Mickey's still correct.
When arrived to the two schools just thirty feet apart, the older boys ditch them for the first periods they're gonna miss if they don't hurry up, leaving Mandy and Mickey awkwardly slumped next to each other in the middle school parking lot.
"So I guess this is where we go separate ways?" She assumes.
"Yep. Don't approach me unless you're gonna get raped" he instructs, cringing at her outfit for the second time.
"Have fun trying to graduate this year," she retorts back.
"I have no idea who the fuck you are." He purposely shoves her out of his way as hard as he can and as fast as he can, while walking past her and up to the bottom school step.
"Fuck you!" She yells out, sticking up her middle finger.
"Hey..." An eighth grader boy approaches her with the intent of flirting.
She automatically kicks in-between his legs in response.
Instead of heading to his first class like he should be doing, Mickey makes his way to the bathroom to mope and pity at his reflection in the mirror.
He cringes at the noticeable acne on his chin and forehead, pushing back his greasy dyed black hair.
Besides smelling half decent, Mickey couldn't really care less about personal hygiene. It's not like his family can exactly afford it with their financial status. He's lucky if he can even get around to brushing his teeth once a day.
He groans in distress at the gunk he picks out of his right ear.
Interrupting his cringe fest, is Karen Jackson and Lip Gallagher fucking mercifully in the handicapped stall.
"Jesus!" Mickey screams, having them come to an unpleasant stop.
"Go somewhere else, will ya?!" Mickey finishes his rant just as the second bell for first class rings.
Door slamming against the wall when being thrown open, Lip walks out with a smirk on his face and his boner still sticking out of his jeans.
A messy haired and right bra strap exposed Karen follows, letting out a giggle.
"Sorry man" Lip jokingly apologizes, Mick trying his best not to take too much notice in Lip's hard on.
He lets out a sigh of relief when the fuck buddies are finally gone.
Hand slamming down on the sink, he glares at his fuming reflection in the mirror.
"I fucking hate this school."
Not even by noon, Mandy's already causing trouble. More importantly, causing other people to cause trouble. 'Those people' being Karen Jackson.
"Hey," she flirts with Lip, seeing him stroll by.
He blinks automatically at the sight of her, eyes darting up and down her outfit.
"Do you think you can show me around the school a little?" She smiles and twirls her hair.
"Uh...Yeah okay, sure." Lip grins fascinatingly.
Karen stands nearby, not liking what she's observing.
"What the hell is this?" She asks, arms crossed and stomping over.
Mandy rolls her eyes. "Calm your jugs, bitch."
"That's my fucking boyfriend, bitch."
"Awww I'm sorry! Excuse me and the entire fucking world for not knowing that!" Mandy fake sympathies.
Mickey walks by in the distance, noticing the confrontations and covering his face with his textbook. He just wants to get to lunch peacefully.
"Karen, uh, you and I are not exactly dating..." Lip awkwardly clarifies.
Mandy chortles.
"Keep your mouth shut, slut." Karen snaps, sending a slap across Mandy's face.
"Hey!" Mickey notices, stomping over and ready to use his book as a weapon.
"We got a problem here?!" He confronts Karen.
"Fuck off, retard."
"Leave before I run you over with a car!" Mandy threatens, sending a quick punch to her nose that starts to bleed.
Lip can only gawk in admiration.
Noticing he's not attempting to help, Karen growls at him. "Fucking man-whore" she insults, strutting away in her heels.
"I thought you only told me not to associate with you unless I was being raped." Mandy snaps to Mick.
"What...?" Lip frowns.
"Hey Lip." His friend jogs up to him, needing to give him a hard drive for class.
"Here's your-" but Mandy leaves him tongue tied, eyes stuck to her body and dick rising in his jeans.
Mickey confidently steps forward. "Got something you wanna say about my sister?"
"What...?" The boy just notices his presence, along with the not so kind look on his face.
"N-no. No. I-I was just leaving-" he shoves the drive over to Lip, nervously stepping away.
But that's not enough for Mickey.
He punches his stomach and pinches his skin; sending the kicks of his over to their face.
"Jesus, man!" Lip yells, while Mandy can only smile in amusement.
Mickey helps send the kid spring away from them, by giving a nice quick shove of motivation.
Lip can only stand there speechless.
"Got something you want to say about her?" Mickey tests, spitting on the ground.
"N-no..."
Mandy giggles at the both of them. "See ya psycho" she refers to Mickey, blowing a kiss at Lip and heading away.
He stares in her direction with flushed cheeks and a toothy smile on his face.
Mickey clears his throat in a grunt.
"Oh. Y-yeah. Yeah. Sorry..." He looks back at him with paranoia.
"You should really make some new friends who aren't pussies and friends with benefits who aren't clingy."
Lip chuckles. "Yeah, will do. Your sister's tough."
"Still gotta stick up for her." Mick points out.
"You really know how to fight. You ever think about joining ROTC?"
"What the fuck is an ROTC."
He scoffs. "Army preparation."
"I got better shit to do than lose my limbs and get post traumatic stress." Mick sasses.
"You should still think about it," he's suggested to. "My brother participates. He's just one grade below us." He means Ian.
Mick cringes at the thought. "Okay, uh, whatever. I don't got time to listen to your suggestions. Bye."
And with that, he's on his way.
Observing Mickey depart, Lip chuckles at his behavior and shakes his head.
Mandy figures that if Lip's not going to fall for her without making Mickey explode of fiery passion, she'll just move on to a different boy.
Specifically, one more innocent, shy, and socially awkward.
So she figures that the ginger haired face freckled kid sitting next to her in third period Science class isn't a bad start.
Except little does she know that she's actually moving on the next youngest Gallagher brother.
"Hey," she smirks.
"Hi..." he blushes at the attention she's giving him.
"What's your name?"
"Ian..." He's taken away by her beauty.
"I'm Mandy." She introduces just as the tardy bell sounds.
With another smirk, she looks forward into the room with a flip of her hair.
Ian laughs quietly and nervously, redness on his face and questions on his mind.
In the middle of that same class, he can't help but notice the flirtatious eyes she gives him. What he also can't help but notice, is the hard on that their male teacher has while specifically walking past her.
Mandy sits stiffly in her chair, the anxiety that she's currently experiencing plastered all over her face.
So, Ian pushes his floor bound backpack forward by just a few inches, to watch the pervert trip over so with a grunt and land on the floor.
The class erupts in laughter.
Feeling appreciated, Mandy gives Ian a genuine smile that he kindly returns.
She's not the only Milkovich that happens to be flirting with a Gallagher.
In his high school senior chemistry class, Joey heart eyes Fiona Gallagher, his assigned partner that sits next to him at their work station.
So far she hasn't said much to him, but he's going to change that.
"So, I think it's kinda ironic how we're chemistry partners," he starts off, flicking his brows.
Furrowing hers, she's trying to figure out what the hell to say to that.
"Um, what?"
"You know, me, you..."
She laughs. "You're gonna have to try harder than that, buddy."
"How much harder would you like me to try?" He sits up in his stool, accidentally knocking down an empty glass beaker with his elbow.
Fiona scoffs, lightly shaking her head.
"What, you already seeing someone?"
"Don't got time to."
"Whatcha doing later?" He's not giving up.
"Raising five kids and working my shift."
"Single Mom. Nice."
"My siblings, asshat."
"Independent woman. I like it."
"We should really get to the assignment. Or the assignment that I do all on my own where you just watch?" She tests icily.
He snickers. "Whoa there, honey. Relax. I got it. I know what I'm doing."
"Fine. Then I'll just sit back, relax, and watch you do it."
"My pleasure," again he smirks.
One thing leads to another, and by the end of class Joey has to be sent to the chemical shower.
"God, man, geometry fucking sucks." Mick rants to Lip after their last class of the day, walking down the hallway together and just wanting to get the hell out of there.
"I didn't understand fuck all."
"Ya know maybe I can tutor you, if you want." Lip breezily suggests.
"No charge?"
"Yes charge." Lip chuckles.
"Fine. I'll figure something out."
"Asshole," Karen insults Lip, purposely shoving past him.
"Jesus. What's her deal?" He complains.
"She probably thinks you're gonna start fucking my sister. Which you're not. Kapish?" Mickey points over to him.
"Relax, man. I mean she's cool but she's still a seventh grader."
Mickey twists his mouth and darts his eyes at him with misunderstanding.
"There's my brother." Lip points over to Ian, who's cautiously guiding himself down to hall.
Mickey's feet stick to the floor just at the sight of him. His body turns stiff and his mouth dries.
"That's your brother?" He can't take his eyes off of the pale skinned freckled faced ginger kid, his heart doing somersaults just at the thought of speaking to him.
"Yeah. Ian. The one in ROTC."
Fuck.
"Yo, Ian!"
Mickey's face is already burning just knowing he's going to be approaching them.
"Hey," Ian greets them during his jog over, Mickey's pits sweating just at the sound of his voice. Even his voice is cute.
"This is Mickey. He's new."
"Hi," Ian already feels intimidated, though he still can't deny his slight attraction.
Mick only nods his head forward, Lip giving him a confused glance.
Knowing he's making a fool of himself, Mickey wants to repeatedly punch himself in the face.
"Ian!" Mandy beams from the end of the hall, sprinting over and wrapping her arms around his waist.
Both Lip and Mickey frown.
"Hey," he laughs slightly, looking over at her with returned redness on his face.
Mickey doesn't like the sight of that, and neither does Lip.
"I just wanted to thank you again for saving me back there in Science," she twirls her hair.
"Y-you've thanked me four times, but--yeah." Ian forces a chuckle.
Mickey rolls his eyes at her obvious flirting.
"That's my brother. Right Mick? You're my brother." Mandy stares right into his eyes.
He flips her off.
"Oh, wow," Ian giggles nervously, already feeling threatened by Mickey enough. It doesn't help that they're related.
"That's my brother." Ian points to Lip, who rapidly waves over to her.
"Hm," she smirks with glowing eyes, stepping away from Ian. "Your father must be gorgeous, then."
The three boys all almost gag. Lip's eyebrows raise, while Ian quietly laughs and Mickey fumes. She just wants her to stop already. Enough of this.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the brothers, if only Mandy knew that their father was the man trying to get money from her this morning.
Though Lip still takes that as a sign of her flirting with specifically him.
"And your mother must be quite gorgeous, Mandy."
Mickey cringes in his direction. Just kill him now. He wants to puke.
But Mandy's reaction to his flirt isn't so nice. She practically whimpers, eyes locking to the ground with the dreaded thoughts of her deceased mother inside her head.
"Jesus," Mick whispers harshly, grabbing onto her hand.
"Just wait outside okay? I'll be right there." He can't go through another one of her emotional episodes.
"Uh-uh did I-" Lip's stuttering, but she cuts him off.
"It's fine" she wipes her tears and looks up at him while forcing away Mickey's hand.
"I'll see you, okay Ian?" She forces a smile, kissing his cheek.
Lip's mouth almost drops open, offended that she's not giving him her attention.
Mickey cringes at the flattery on Ian's face. His smile is tiny.
"Bye Mandy..."
Lip wants to snack him across his freckled face, while Mickey wants to slap Mandy across hers.
After she's gone, Ian clears his throat and tries to ignore the death glares he's receiving.
"Uh-uh-I'll see you guys..."
"Yeah." Mickey's voice tightens, standing up taller and clenching his jaw.
"B-bye..." he takes off before he can get his ass kicked.
"Ugh, she's such a whore!" Mickey groans about Mandy.
"You don't like her, do you?" He fires to Lip.
"N-no..." his lie fails.
"God. Just stay away from her, okay? You and your freckled ass brother."
The freckled ass brother that won't leave his mind.
"Why are you so pissed?" Lip frowns.
"Because I don't need punks like you guys fucking up her life."
"Relax, okay? I get that you're protective. But, I wouldn't worry about Ian."
"Why not..." he's blushing again.
"Because he's not really into girls like that."
Or into girls at all.
"I am, though." He smiles.
"Lip. Don't make me punch you."
All he does is laugh.
"Besides, she seems pretty into freckles over there." Mickey hates to say it.
"That'll change." Lip's confident.
"Whatever. You gonna tutor me or what?" He wants to see Ian again no matter what, how, and where.
"I thought you didn't have money-"
"Just gimme a sec and I'll get some."
Lip chuckles.
"Your brother gonna be there?" Mickey tries to sound careless.
"Probably not. He has ROTC-"
"That thing you wanted me to do. Yeah. Yeah. That thing. It's not too late to sign up for that, is it?" He's desperate.
It takes a few seconds for Lip to speak.
"Uh, no..." He blinks. "I'll see you, okay Mick?"
Deep in thought about what to do, Mickey says nothing while Lip walks away from him.
Instead of meeting Mandy outside like he said he would, Mickey confidently stomps his way down to the front office.
"Where's the shit to sign up for ROTC?"
The secretary doesn't like his first impression.