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Ian had never had trouble with unrequited love. Well, unless the guy was straight, which wasn’t often because Ian had amazing gaydar. Much like his sisters, Ian had guy after guy after guy in his life, never really seeming to take a break. However, despite how many people often joked about him being a man-whore, these guys were all relationships.
Ian had a problem with getting too intense too fast, so a one-night-stand always managed to grow into something more. Fiona said it was because they had an issue with wanting a constant flood of adoration to make up for the void their parents left. Ian asked when Fiona became a psychologist.
The one time he didn’t think a one-night-stand would become a relationship, though, was with his gorgeous neighbour, Mickey. It wasn’t that Ian didn’t want a relationship with Mickey, because he absolutely did, but it was how often Ian saw people leaving his apartment. It was always a different person, and they varied in gender. At least Ian knew Mickey wasn’t straight.
At first, he assumed they were just visitors, but, during one of his stalker moments, he could hear Mickey and a man out in the hall. The man was going on and on about Mickey’s looks, calling him beautiful, striking, ethereal. He wasn’t wrong, but it was still jarring to hear this man praise Mickey on his looks. Also, the guy sounded kind of pretentious as he waxed poetic about the ocean in Mickey’s eyes and the softness of his skin. Mickey just responded slightly bashfully, but seemed happy that he had satisfied this guy.
The praise of Mickey’s looks happened a few more times, and Ian started to feel too plain and boring for Mickey. The only time people went on about Ian’s looks was when he was dancing or before he slept with them. Once he had slept with them, they felt no need to continue on with their compliments. Ian figured Mickey must be amazing in bed to warrant this kind of talk, which made him all the more appealing.
Still, clearly these people were all Mickey’s hook-ups, but Ian didn’t want to just be another hook-up to Mickey. They had spoken a few times, and Ian already found himself imagining waking up in the morning with him.
Too intense, too fast — it was his M.O.
*
Mickey had noticed Ian as soon as he had moved in a month ago with his brother, Lip. With that red hair, freckles, cute smile, and amazing body, how could he not?
He had been so intent on asking the guy out, but once Ian walked past when Mickey was outside his door with a client and he had given him an uncomfortable smile. And that was that, Mickey was then completely certain that Ian wouldn’t approve of his job. Not that he cared. Not that he cared what anyone fuckin’ thought of how he made a living. It was just standing naked in front of strangers while they drew him, what was so wrong with that? He knew there wasn’t anything wrong with what he did, but one awkward smile from Ian Gallagher made him re-think his entire career.
He was totally fucked.
*
It all came to a head one morning when Ian was complaining to Lip about him still not knowing what to do about Mickey. Lip was frustrated and trying to get ready for work, so he really wasn’t in the mood for his brother’s pathetic whining about his, for once, non-existent love life.
‘He’s so cute,’ Ian groaned, ‘But what if he just wants to fuck once and have it be over?’
‘You have to make your peace with that, I guess,’ Lip sighed, trying to get his shit together for the meeting he had today. He ignored his brother as he trailed behind him, continuing on his rant as if Lip hadn’t even spoken.
‘Or even worse, what if he doesn’t want to fuck at all?’ Ian frowned. ‘I’ve seen some of the people who come out of his apartment; they all look so interesting…What if I’m not interesting enough, Lip?’
‘I highly doubt that he’s focusing on how interesting they are.’ Lip was so close to the front door, he could taste it, but his keys were missing and it was hard to find them when Ian kept going on and on in his ear.
‘What do I do, Lip?’ Ian sighed.
Lip suddenly found his keys and also a shock of frustration. He stood by the front door, turning to face Ian and burst out, ‘For fuck’s sake, Ian, stop pining over this guy and not actually doing anything about it! If Mickey’s got all these people going in and out of his apartment, he probably doesn’t want to date you. Some people are just sluts, Ian, deal with it: Mickey’s a slut. Put him in your spank bank and move the fuck on already!’
Lip spun around and opened his door to see Mickey standing by his own door across the hall, glowering up at Lip, whose eyes widened in response. ‘Oh…hey, Mickey…’
‘Fuck off,’ Mickey immediately demanded.
Lip did just that, leaving Ian and Mickey alone and staring at each other, both a little shocked at this new development.
*
Mickey sniffed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb. ‘So, Gallagher, you think I’m a slut, huh?’
Ian stepped out of his apartment, waving his hands in desperate disagreement. ‘No, no way. That’s all Lip. I just…’
Mickey just arched an eyebrow challengingly. ‘You just what?’
Ian hesitated. ‘Well, how much of that did you hear?’
Mickey tilted his head in thought before saying, ‘Well, I heard all about me being a slut, people going in and out of my apartment, and…you wanting to date me, apparently.’
Ian gulped, eyes going wide, and Mickey couldn’t help but notice how ridiculously cute he looked when he was nervous. ‘Oh…uh…well, you see…’
‘Why didn’t you just ask me out?’ Mickey asked, confused. ‘Why did you…pine for so long?’
Ian gaped at him, taking a few moments to think before blurting out, ‘I thought you would only want to hook-up and I want more than that.’
‘With me?’ Mickey looked amused.
Ian sighed, shoulders slumping. ‘I knew it. You don’t do relationships, right?’
Mickey chuckled, unaware of just how much more he was twisting the knife. ‘What makes you think that?’
‘Well, all the people…I assumed you don’t date.’
‘Well, I don’t date them,’ Mickey agreed. ‘Because they’re clients.’
Ian’s eyes widened. ‘Holy shit, you’re a hooker?’
Mickey sighed, wondering whether this dude ever got laid with how much he was lacking in game. ‘Jesus, no. I’m not a hooker. I’m a nude model, Gallagher. People come over, I get naked, and they draw me? Or paint…or sculpt…whatever.’
‘Oh,’ Ian said, realising how much it all made sense and now realising how much of an idiot he has been. His cheeks burned and he stuttered out, ’S-Sorry…I, uh, assumed wrong, then. I’m sorry. I’ll-I’ll leave you alone now. Sorry.’
‘Gallagher,’ Mickey huffed and waited until Ian faced him again. ‘You any good at art?’
Ian frowned. ‘No…not really.’
‘Great. Then you won’t be one of my clients,’ Mickey said, ‘So you’ll pick me up tomorrow night at eight?’
Ian’s eyes widened yet again and he only gaped at Mickey, barely forming the words, ‘O-Okay. Y-Yeah, sure! I just—Okay, yeah! Great.’
Mickey snorted. ‘Yeah, okay. See you tomorrow, then.’ Mickey turned to head into his apartment, but at the last second turned back and added, ‘And you may not be a client, but you still will probably get to see me naked, so…prepare your compliments, Gallagher. I get some good ones.’