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Mickey doesn’t dance, never has, never once understood it; he just did not do it. He didn’t do it in private or on public, he just never thought about it.
Maybe it was because he never had a reason to, maybe it was because he’d never really been happy enough to just start dancing when music played. Whatever the reason, dancing was not his strong suit.
So when he was in the kitchen at the Gallagher’s one afternoon, making himself something to eat for lunch, he didn’t really expect to start.
The radio was playing behind him as he put his food together, and old Billy Squire song, The Stroke.
For some reason the beat struck a chord with him and he started by bobbing his head to the sharp notes, his hips joining shortly after, just a little swing but it was definitely dancing.
Ian came downstairs, mouth open and about to say something when he saw Mickey standing there, hips moving and lips singing badly to the music. He grinned, leaning up against the wall and watching him for a moment.
There was a change in the rhythm, verse to chorus, and Mickey spun around, freezing in his spot when he saw Ian.
“Oh no don’t stop on my account,” he said as Mickey’s cheeks flushed.
“I wasn’t―”
“No seriously, don’t stop,” he grinned. “Just let me join in.”
Mickey rolled his eyes but Ian was already moving towards him. Mickey pointed his finger at him, warning him away, but when Ian’s arms were grabbing him he managed to crack a smile.
“No, no, Ian!” he said as Ian’s arms wrapped around him, pulling him in close, hips against hips and swaying him with the beat.
“Loosen up a little,” he said and Mickey nodded his head a little with the beat.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” he lifted his hand to Ian’s shoulder and their hips swayed a little harder.
Mickey’s smile only widened before Ian was pressing his lips to it and making it soften, breaking only to laugh as Ian spun them into the side of the fridge.
“You’re an idiot,” Mickey said with a laugh and Ian couldn’t help but do the same.
“What are you guys doing?”
They both turned their heads with a quick snap to see Debbie looking at them from the doorway with one eyebrow high.
Mickey tried to shove Ian back but Ian just held him tighter, making Mickey huff out a sigh and stop trying to resist.
“Nothing really,” Ian said with a grin and Debbie just shook her head.
“You guys are too happy,” she said, folding her arms as she turned to the stairs. “It’s gross!”
“This house is never fucking empty…” Mickey mumbled.
Ian finally let him go, the smile still on his face.
“Come on, I’m not done yet,” he said and Mickey just looked at him as he walked towards the radio. “This time we’re going to listen to something from this century.”
Mickey rolled his eyes, watching him as he changed the station to one that was playing a song by Tim and Jean, Come Around.
“See, this has a little more… something to it,” he said, swaying a little and getting a little bounce in his step.
Mickey tried not to watch him, tried not to get sucked in by his beaming smile or his beckoning arms, but the laugh came out without intention and he was suddenly trying to mimic Ian’s ridiculous moves.
Ian took his hand and pulled him into him, spinning him around again and moving their bodies to the rhythm with ever-growing laughter.
Debbie poked her head back around the corner, watching them move and swing with a gentle sigh. They really were happy.
Carl walked down the stairs to stand beside her, following her gaze and just looking from them and back to her.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Shut up,” she hissed. “How does anyone get that happy?”
Carl just looked back at them for a moment before turning to head back upstairs. “Something’s burning in there.”
Debbie smacked him on the shoulder as he walked away.
“You’ve got no concept of love do you?” she said, stealing one last look at Ian and Mickey, swaying with a bounce in their shoulders before she headed on up.
Burning his lunch hardly mattered, Mickey had forgotten all about his grumbling stomach. The only thing that he could focus on was the look on Ian’s face.
He was completely and utterly lost in him, and he wouldn’t change that for anything.