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Mickey Milkovich takes the L train from the south side of Chicago to Boystown every day. He works as a bouncer at a gay club. It took Mickey a long time to come to terms with his sexuality. He lives in the south side, no matter how much you wish you could be accepted by your family, friends, and neighbourhood, you aren’t. Well, not for Mickey anyway. His father almost killed him when he found out and was sent to prison for attempted murder. It took months for Mickey to recover from his many, many injuries, however once recovered, he got himself a job in Boystown because he now could. And he could live his life.
He still lives in his family home with his sister and brothers, though his brothers are always gone in some way or another. So that leaves him and his younger sister, Mandy to themselves.
Mandy’s the only one who knew of who he really was before everyone he knew found out. She’s the only one who’s ever fully accepted him and the only one who would do anything for.
Mandy works at a diner not too far away from Boystown until about six am. Mickey, not wanting his sister to be in danger (though, she could totally take care of herself, if the baton in her purse is anything to go by) but he figures since he’s done work around the same time she is he could head over to her diner, have some food, and head home together before they both pass out until late afternoon.
On the train, Mandy sits a seat apart from Mickey and puts her headphones in, leaving the space between them for her purse, and Mickey alone to watch the other passengers.
It’s been weeks that he’s noticed a redheaded guy, a extremely good looking - looks like he’d fuck me up guy. He sits across from Mickey and they’ve grown into this weird friendship. They’ve never spoken nor have tried to but yet they always look to each other when someone on the train does something weird or laughable.
Sometimes Mickey won’t see what’s going on but Red would stare at him then nod over to what’s going on. Mickey would look and then back at Red and give him a ‘WTF’ face, a smirk, or a silent laugh.
Mickey likes these train rides with Red. It’s entertaining for the early morning ride since his sister listens to her music and doesn’t give him any attention whatsoever.
He also likes when he makes Red laugh. Though, they’re always silent, but once he got him to almost laugh out loud, breaking him.
Some woman was standing at the back near where they’re sitting (even though there was plenty of space to sit) and she looked ridiculous. She had on the weirdest clothing, crazy ass hair, and was talking to herself. Mickey knows he shouldn’t laugh at her or tell Red to look at her considering she might actually not be mentally stable but she was being so ridiculous. She was talking to herself, but not some random mumbles, she was full out telling herself a story of something that happened to her like she didn’t just live it, and it was so sexual and inappropriate, Mickey couldn’t help but signal Red and give him a look like are you fucking seeing this right now?
Red watched the woman a bit, and looked to be containing his laugh. He snorted and covered his mouth. Mickey seeing his silent laugh, the tremors in his shoulders to go by.
Mickey wished he could hear him laugh out loud.
It’s been a couple months since first having this weird silent friendship with Red and today is new. Red is not sitting alone.
Mickey and Mandy get on after Red does so when they get on, Mickey gives him a nod and Red gives him a bright smile. Mickey instantly glares at the guy sitting next to Red, who’s right up in his personal space.
Since the train is never full at this time of the morning (yes, there’s a lot of people since some are going to work or coming home from a late night bender) but there’s plenty of room for the guy to be sitting anywhere else if he was just a stranger. Therefore the guy must be Red’s boyfriend or something or other.
Mickey kinda hates Red right now. Though, he should have expected the guy to have someone, cause look at him.
Mickey tries to not look at them at all and watches anything else but he can see Red starring at him from his peripheral. He looks over and Red gives him a look that screams get this creep away from me!
He’s looking back and forth between Mickey and the guy next to him and he can tell Red doesn’t want this guy near him and needs some help.
Mickey doesn’t think he just moves. He gets up and crosses the very small distance between them. He stands directly in front of them, holding onto the pole next to him.
The guy looks up to see Mickey scowling at him. He says, “Can I help you?”
Mickey chuckles and rubs his thumb over his bottom lip. He says, “Can you help me? Nah, but I can help you. Go sit somewhere else and I won’t break your fucking kneecaps.”
“Excuse me?” The guy says clearly shocked and a little scared.
“Did I stutter?” Mickey asks the guy then looks to Red.
Red looks like he’s about to burst out laughing. He composes himself and says, “Nope.” Red then turns his head to the guy next to him and says, “You better do as he says, unless you don’t mind having broken legs.”
The guy immediately gets up and exits the train when it stops at that moment.
Mickey grins to himself and Red looks up at him. He says, “Thanks for that. I kept telling him I wasn’t interested and he wouldn’t stop.”
“Persistent little fuck. Who could blame him,” Mickey says looking Red up and down.
Red smirks at him when he meets his eyes again, “I’m Ian.”
“Mickey,” Mickey says loving the sound of Ian’s voice.
“There’s a free spot now,” Ian says patting the seat next to him that the guy had vacated.
Mickey laughs, “Tempting as that is, my stop is next.”
Ian pouts, actually pouts, before he takes his phone out and hands it to Mickey saying, “Can I get your number than? Repay you for saving me from that fucktard.”
Mickey smirks. He takes the phone and puts his contact info in before calling himself with it and giving it back to Ian. He says, “Sounds good, red.”
Ian smiles at him as he watches Mickey go back to where he had been sitting and smacks the girl with her eyes closed and music in on the leg. She gets up and smacks his arm before they’re walking out the doors.
When the doors close, Ian sees Mickey looking back at him with a smile on his face. Ian grins back as the train moves to bring him to his spot right after Mickey’s.
Ian looks down at his phone seeing Mickey’s name and number. He smiles to himself knowing full well that in many years to come he’d tell his kids about the meet cute he had with their other dad.