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Everything was moving too fast.
Everyone around him was constantly in and out the house, the only talk between them being who was moving and where. Lip and Debbie’s constant hostility toward each other was causing great tension in the home they were debating on.
Carl wasn’t present as much as he used to be, even when he is here he doesn’t do anything to lessen the tension in the house, he just agrees to whatever.
Liam was over it.
He notices as everyone talks about moving on, he’s never included. When Fiona left, he was sad but he thought he would be able to depend on his other siblings staying with him. He should have known that they’d want to leave soon though, they’re all adults starting their own families, they can’t stay together forever.
But the question is, which family was gonna take him? Who was gonna look back and notice him?
__________
Liam sits in the room he’s shared with his brothers all his life, hugging his knees as looks around with tears in his eyes. The amount of stuff the room held was so overwhelming, but it was all he’s ever known, all he ever thought he was gonna know.
He thought he could handle Fiona leaving them, leaving him, but when everyone started to grow apart and talk about leaving as well, he couldn’t comprehend it. Where was he supposed to fit in their lives?
Liam’s thoughts are interrupted when someone bursts into the room.
“I don’t see the fucking thing your talking abou-“ Mickey yells, pausing when he sees the young boy huddled on the bed in the corner. “Shit…what’s up with you.”
Since Mickey started to take his relationship with Ian seriously, he knew they would have to take a certain role in each other's family. When they got married, that just solidified things.
“I don't know who I’m going to go with.” Liam mutters just enough for Mickey to hear. “Everyone’s planning to leave without me.”
Mickey found what the boy said to be a little amusing, almost every Gallagher he knew doted on Liam, he was probably the only one who could do no wrong.
“No one’s leaving without you kid.” Mickey states softly, taking a seat near the boy.
“They are, they have other people to look after. They don’t have time to worry about me.” A small cry rips through Liam as he explains.
“Aren’t you going with Lip?” Mickey questions, both he and Ian had thought so.
“He hasn’t said anything to me if I am, he only ever talks about moving for Tammy and Freddie.”
“Hmm…give me a second.” Mickey doesn’t waste time as he leaves the room like he’s on a mission.
When he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he sees Ian looking through a box of stuff on the kitchen table.
“Hey, the hell took you so long up there?” Ian asks but Mickey evades the question.
“Who is Liam supposed to be going with?”
“Lip.”
“Did he tell you that?” Mickey looks at Ian with a pointed face, eyebrows raised.
“Uh, no. I just assumed so.” Ian's answer has Mickey sighing.
“The damn kid is upstairs right now convinced everyone forgot him and is leaving him behind.”
“What?!”
Ian, at first, couldn’t fathom why Liam would think that way, how could any of them forget their little brother? The only one who seemed to have any sense. But, as he took some time to think about it, when was the last time any of them actually thought about Liam during this whole thing, none of them even asked how he felt about moving.
“Fuck.” Ian groaned, running his hand through his hair.
“I’ll talk to Lip, could you go and keep Liam company.” Ian asks hopefully. Mickey gives him a small smile.
“Sure.”
___________
“Have you talked to Liam about the move?” Ian began as soon as Lip picked up.
“Uh…no? He’s a kid, he doesn’t really have a choice in whether he wants to move or not.” Lip relates, as if Ian sounds ridiculous.
“That’s not what I mean, have you told him where he was gonna go? Who he was gonna live with.” Ian tries to keep his temper under control, but his voice does go up a bit.
“Ah shit, no I haven’t had the time. Between the pressure of moving and Tammy on my back 24/7, I just…forgot.” Lip’s voice gets lower as he goes on, his shame radiating through the phone.
“So, you’re taking him right?” Ian chooses to move past Lip’s stupidity.
“I don’t know if I can man, we already have our hands full with the baby and I can’t just make decisions like this on my own anymore.” Lip wants Ian to understand that his life no longer only revolves around them anymore.
Ian doesn’t understand.
“…okay, don’t worry about anything, I’ll come up with a solution because I’m not gonna leave my brother behind in the dark while I waltz forward with my new family.” Ian hangs up before Lip could comment.
Liam grew up in the same house they did, watching and listening to all the fucked up shit the family brought around. Having to deal with things the worst because he was younger than the rest of them, they didn’t have time for him like they did each other when they were growing up.
Ian had an Idea, and something told him Mickey wouldn’t mind his plan at all.
___________
Liam was talking to Mickey about school.
“I mean, at least it’s a good school, I’m learning way better than I would have at the school my siblings attended.” Liam points out. “They’re using me for diversity which is pretty obvious.”
“Good on you for caring about your education, even though the school is using you.” Mickey pats Liam on the shoulder. “If they get too outta hand tho’, you can tell me and I’ll handle it.”
Liam smiles, even though Mickey almost always offers to get violent on behalf of others, that’s one of his ways of showing you can lean on him.
Ian walks into the room and smiles, he loves when Mickey gets along with others, especially his family.
“Hey, so I talked to Lip and it was wrong of us to assume you knew about everything that’s been going on. I’m sorry.” Ian apologizes, head lowered in shame.
“It’s fine, I probably should’ve asked instead of letting bad thoughts pile up in my head.” Liam feels a little ridiculous.
“No, none of this is in no way your fault.” Ian declares. “We’re all just fuckin’ idiots.”
“Hey, I was just listening to you.” Mickey protests, causing the two brothers to laugh.
“Anyway, am I staying with Lip?” Liam asks, Ian sighs and ruffles his hair.
“About that, he talked about having a lot on his plate and being able to make that decision without Tammy and y’know how she is.” Ian informs, and a frown makes its way onto Liam's face.
Where was he gonna live then?
“So I was thinking, you could live with me and Mickey.” Ian’s tone lightens, hoping to lift the mood.
Shocked, Liam looks over at Mickey who looks towards his husband unimpressed.
“Thought you wanted kids?” Mickey asks.
“I do, but we don’t need to have any no time soon.” Ian reasons. “Besides, you said it yourself that you weren’t ready.”
Mickey knew his husband, he knew he was always ready to help his family. He sighs and looks towards Liam, the younger holding an expecting look in his eyes.
When had he gone so soft?
“Might as well put the other room to good use.” Mickey smiles.
Ian loves this man so much.
“Wait — but, what about when you decide to have kids?” Liam didn’t want to get used to another place just to get put out when he was no longer needed.
“We move to another place, it’s not hard to save money. We did it for this place.” Mickey shrugs.
Liam smiled and leaped over to hug Mickey.
“Hey, there’s no need for all of this sappy shit.” Mickey chuckles.
Ian watches on as Liam hugs Mickey tight, Mickey acts like he doesn’t like it but his face says otherwise.
He looks forward to the new chapter he’ll start with them.