#still making everything about ian and mickey

[em-harlsnow]

there’s a huge difference between the way frank and terry were as parents and i’m not just talking about the ‘levels’ of abuse.

so we see that frank has his ‘good father’ moments with most of the kids. we don’t see it with ian or lip, but we see it with the other kids. we see how carl idolises him when he’s young and thinks frank is trying to save him by shaving his head when frank said he had cancer. we see how debbie adores him when frank ends up in mexico and how frank completely ruins that. we see how fiona sometimes shares these moments with her father where you can tell she loves him and cares about him, no matter what he’s done.

and then there are the very few moments when frank does actually seem like a good dad. like when he took the fall for some of carl’s drug things with the police. and when he was sober for a week and making everything fun and happy. there are probably a couple more that i can’t think of right now.

but all that makes it SO much worse when frank fucks up again. it’s as if every time he does something shitty it’s a huge shock to everyone. you can see the complete surprise and devastation on fiona’s face when she finds out it was frank who called CPS (maybe she didn’t think he’d stoop so low, but still) and when he called out sean at her wedding. you can see the anger when frank ruined debbie’s school project and the shock for everyone when frank headbuts ian.

we know frank has been an awful parent for a while, based on fiona’s stories in court and ian’s stories about being locked in the basement, but every time it’s a bit of a horrible surprise because he does good things every once in a while. it’s so sad, because lip says that he didn’t know frank would go back to his usual shittiness when he got sober again when lip was a kid.

terry was very different though. we don’t know as much about how he was when mickey and mandy and the others were kids, but we know a little. so, terry was much more physically abusive than frank was, and had fewer ‘good father’ moments. therefore, none of his kids were surprised at anything he did. mickey isn’t shocked when terry brings svetlana round, he thought terry would actually kill him.

so it’s hard in a different way, because then terry will every so often drop in a little compliment. like when mickey says that terry was ‘proud’ when he caught a knife. and when terry tells mickey he could’ve been a good son. it’s these stupid compliments which leave the kids constantly begging for that positive attention no matter how awful he is.

the bar is at a constant low for terry, so the highs seem more amazing. for frank, i think the bar is at a low as well, but slightly higher because he’s not constantly abusing the kids, he’s more neglectful, and frank has more peaks in his ‘goodness’ which make him so much worse when he has the awful moments.

frank leaves his kids with hope for a good future when he’s sober, which is always disappointed. terry leaves his kids with a constant feeling of needing to be better as they strive for his approval.

frank is inconsistent, which hurts a lot, and terry is consistent with a few sick compliments about what should be considered bad behaviour in his kids.

i don’t know if this made much sense, but i wanted to blab about the different styles of abuse and emphasises the fact that frank is made MORE awful by the ‘good’ things he does for his kids, not less awful.

[samantitheos]

Just boyfriends (husbands) sharing clothes 🥰

[in-act-ive]

Yo can I request the Gallagher boys (not Liam) and Mickey headcanons if U do them (all separately) with a male reader who's more domimant and taller (sorry I can't spell) in the relationship like they also have to be the big spoon or whatever reader always pulls them in to his lap or something nothing sexual

Thank you if U can't do multiple characters can U do lip or Mickey

I'm real sick of the fics where the male reader it still feminine y'know

Have a nice day sorry for the long request

I had so many ides for this the moment you asked!

Request : yes

Type : headcanon

A / N : hope this is what you wanted!! Sorry it took so long btw, I got sick really fast and couldn't write!

Carl Gallagher

At first he's very confused by whats going on

After a few times he gets used to sitting in your lap and does it instinctively

Carl hates that you're taller in every way

He's probably a brat to you

He insists on getting stuff he can't reach even if you've offered to help

Carl is very independent and says he doesn't need your help

When he does need your help he's such a bitch about it

He does like having his scary dog privileges though to be honest

If he's about to go do shady shit he drags you along to scare anyone off who may try and fuck with him

When he's a police officer he insists on protecting you

Oh how the tables have turned

When you spoon him he definitely pulls your hands up to his chest so he can hold your hands

After a while he just lets you lay your hands wherever you'd like

He's comfy with whatever

Lip Gallagher

He won't admit it but he kinda likes that you're taller than he is

The first time he sits in your lap he's flustered as hell but continues to flirt with you

After a few times its still a little awkward but he won't admit it

He just insists on not doing it

He uses your height to his advantage

The moment he doesn't feel like reaching something he bothers you to grab it for him

He finds it hilarious that you are too tall for the Gallagher house

He likes to tease you when you hit your head on stuff or trip on something

His love language is most definitely teasing

When you both go out he kinda acts like you're not there

When he gets into fights you have to save him half the time

When he confronts bitches of men he almost always has you standing around incase it doesn't go his way

The moment you two cuddle and you spoon him he gets kinda pissed off

He'd much rather face you

He does feel protected in your arms but won't say that

Ian Gallagher

Ian is already the tallest Gallagher and is too tall for their house but having you around makes him jealous

He is confused when you pulled him into your lap

He's not opposed to the idea of sitting with you but he also really doesn't seem to know what to do with himself

Once he's used to it and knows a comfortable way to sit its one of his favorites

He won't admit it

He insists on getting everything himself no matter if you can reach it or not

He probably warns you before you run into a doorway cause he knows what its like

He hates PDA

Especially holding hands

Mainly because he hates feeling like the shorter guy in any relationship

Even if he is

The moment you spoon him he says something dumb

"No. No we're not doing this."

He wants to be the big spoon but you object to that idea

Finally you compromise on you both facing each other

Mickey Milkovich

He doesn't mind your height at all

Everyone is always taller than him anyways ao your height is just something about you

He thinks its attractive but obviously wont say his feelings

The moment you pulled him into your lap he immediately was fine with it

When he sat in your lap he sat like a king on his throne

Mickey gets so used to it and does it absentmindedly

He will push you into a chair just to sit in your lap no matter how busy you may be

When you guys go out of the house he loves having his "scary dog privileges"

He knows when it comes down to a fight he'd probably kick someones ass for you though

He loves when you hold him or touch him in public

Then he knows that your his and he's yours no matter what

Plus he finds it fucking hilarious when you have to tell people to go away cause you're together

When it comes to cuddling he loves when you spoon him

Its his favorite thing ever

When you don't he makes you no questions ask

Note: This was not spell checked nor grammer checked! I apologize in advance for the mistakes

[thelostmagicians]

Unlucky | Lip Gallagher

Summary: Lip Gallagher has a shitty life, but he still has a chance of a happy future with you. [2.4k]

Fluff, comfort, slight angst, insecure Lip

♡

Lip Gallagher has always considered himself unlucky for as long as he could remember. If you asked him to describe his life in five words he’d use shitty, really shitty, and extremely shitty.  

He was dealt a crappy hand since the beginning not standing a fighting chance even as a kid. 

There was always so much crap to deal with, whether it was bills that needed to be paid, kids that need to be taken care of, or anything dealing with Frank and Monica, sometimes he felt as if the weight of the world was resting on his chest and the only breath he’d be able to take peacefully would be his final one. He’s grateful for all the help he has because everyone pulls their weight as much as they can, but sometimes he just wishes life was just a little bit kinder to him. He wishes that he was able to do something with his high IQ, make something of himself and finally get out of this hell hole, but that didn’t roll over so well. But just as he was slowly losing hope the universe finally took pity on him and gave him you, so now he’s hanging onto you with everything he’s got. 

_

It’s quiet in the Gallagher household when Lip shuffles out of bed. He can’t remember the last time he was able to sleep past 7am, so when he wakes up to birds chirping at 9am instead of the usual yelling and chaos, he’s surprised and even a little scared. He makes his way towards the bathroom getting ready to fight whoever is next in line, but finds it empty and even clean. He’s shuffling around, looking through doors to find a sense of life in his otherwise loud home when he hears a squeal from the backyard. He doesn’t think twice before grabbing a nearby bat and hurtling through the backdoor towards the pool, but he stops once he sees the atmosphere is anything, but fearful. Frannie is being tossed back and forth between Carl and Mickey in the pool, Fiona and Ian are chasing Liam with the garden hose and Debbie is bringing in watered down lemonade from the kitchen. 

He has no idea what caused this change of pace, but he isn’t mad about it. Just as he’s about to make himself known, he feels a soft touch caressing his back. 

“Hey baby,” you whisper, brushing your lips against his neck. 

He turns his head at your sweet voice finally fully awakening his sleepy trance. Lip tugs you towards him by the belt loops of your, too short, cut off shorts and breathes into your neck. Hands slowly creeping down towards your ass to grab and pet, not socially acceptable in front of family, but he couldn’t care less. 

“Hi, sweetheart,” he rasps into the valley of your chest, slightly picking you up to hug you closer. “What’s going on out here?”

“Thought everyone could use a day off especially in this heat, so Debs and I planned a pool party. Wanna join me?”

He pulls back on slightly to finally get a look at your face, your eyes are kind and happy followed by a mischievous smile. 

“Sure, let me get my trunks on and I’ll be down soon.” You reward him with a soft peck on his chapped lips and an arm squeeze before moving out of his hold and grabbing some leftover toast. 

The day goes by without a hitch. Everyone enjoys the much deserved break filled with laughter, junk food, and only a few fights. You’re nearly on top of Lip as you cuddle as close as you can basking in the happiness before you get ready to go out. There are only a handful of days that you and Lip both get off at the same time, so any day given is taken as a golden opportunity to spend some time together, leaving your worries at home. You plant a small peck to Lip’s cheek before untangling yourself from his hold as he answers the ringing phone. 

You don’t hear much of the conversation, just faint hmms of acknowledgement as you're flying past rooms trying to get ready as fast as you can. You’re struggling with your heels as Lip comes over and steadies you, your smile meeting with his frown.

“Sweetheart, they called me in to cover someone else’s shift and you know I hate to do this, but they’re offering me time and half..” he trails off.

A quick look of disappointment flashes on your face, before you cover it up with a reassuring look. You’re disappointed, sure, but not at Lip. Never at Lip. Just the shitty circumstances that forces the both of you to work as much as you can just to make ends meet.  

“It’s okay, I get it. We can always reschedule, don’t worry about it.” You pull him in and hold on to his waist hoping to ease his guilt, but your efforts go to waste as his eyebrows stay furrowed and his frown deepens. 

“I’ll make it up to you, I swear it,” Lip murmurs against your lips before squeezing your arm and letting you go. 

You watch him leave, slowly pulling off your heels and plopping yourself on the old couch, sighing already missing Lip. Your eyes shift trying to think of things to do now that your night opened up, but your mind keeps drifting back to Lip. You had eaten dinner earlier with everyone, skipping out on dessert and opting to get your fill when you go out, but now that plans have changed you were now missing both your boyfriend and something sweet to nibble on.

You quickly change out of your clothes and put on a pair of old shorts before deciding to make a batch of brownies. Lip works hard and if you guys couldn’t go out for dessert tonight, then you were going to bring dessert to him. 

He’s halfway through his shift when he spots you coming in, hands holding a tupperware to your chest. 

“Honey, what are you doing down here,” he shouts from across the room.

“Wanted to spend some time with you before I leave for my shift. I made some brownies since we missed dessert, care to join me?” you plead hopefully.

Lip’s heart aches with love and a lot of guilt. He can’t believe you would go through all that trouble just to see him. He calls out to say he’s taking his break before leading you to a secluded corner. 

“I’m really sorry about today,” he hugs you from behind swaying back and forth, mouth opening occasionally as you feed him a chunk of the sweet treat. 

You squeeze his wrist in response, “s’lright you can’t help it. I just like spending time with you.”

He smiles softly for the first time that night, stress immediately leaving his body. “Though, I love that you did all this for me, I don’t love the idea that you were walking alone this late at night.”

“Guess I’ll have to keep you company until you can walk me home then,” you compromise. 

Lip’s shift goes by somewhat fast now that you’re here to keep him company. He’ll leave his station sporadically to check up on you and to keep you from falling asleep. He’s in the final stretch now, only 30 more minutes before you get to go home and fall asleep holding each other, after a long day. He looks over hoping to catch your eye and send you a smile when he feels his face slowly morphing into a glare. A glare aimed at the guy standing way too close to you, a guy whose intentions go beyond a friendly conversation, and a guy who on paper was everything you deserved, but Lip couldn’t be. 

You finally glance at Lip sending a small wave and smile as you keep nodding along to the fucker next to you. He had fluffy brown hair and honestly looked quite plain if it wasn’t for the gleaming rolex on his wrist and the shiny Gucci emblem on his belt. He was a rich kid, probably from the nearby university, wasting away mommy and daddy’s money, chatting up pretty girls and sweeping them off their feet with his money. Lip’s never felt insecure about your relationship, you never gave him a reason too, but once he compares his ratty jeans and stained shirt to the pristine polo of Richie Rich he can’t help but wonder if he’s good enough for you when you can do so much better.

_

Lip was struggling. He never learned how to tie a tie before and now that the time has come, he’s racking his brain trying to get the knot perfect. He knew you couldn’t care less about a stupid tie, you were anything but superficial, but since that dreaded night when he witnessed you being chatted up by Richie Rich, Lip’s come to the conclusion that he was going to try his hardest to give you the perfect life. 

When Lip proposed going up to the north side for dinner, you were shocked. You’ve been there a few times mostly on walks or running errands, but you’ve never been there to spend actual money considering neither of you could afford it. The most you and Lip would do is windowshop and daydream about the things you would buy if you had the money, before being chased off by the glaring sales people.

He picks you up at your door, pecking your cheek softly and telling you how beautiful you look. He takes your hand and leads you to the borrowed car before pulling out an expensive bouquet from the backseat. Your hands flatter as you mutter a quiet thanks. You’re a little confused at the grand gesture since Lip’s never gotten you flowers before, at least not without reason. He’s gotten you flowers exactly four times since he’s known you: the first on your first date, the second for your graduation, and the last two times for your anniversary. And all those times the flowers were below 5 bucks, something he picked up from the corner store. But the bouquet he gave you now had to be worth at least a day’s salary, you and Lip had a mutual understanding since the start that since money was scarce you wouldn’t spend it on materialistic things for each other, but lately it seems like he forgot that promise. He’s been taking you out to eat nearly everyday, always putting money down and never letting you pay, surprising you with little gifts, but worst of all he’s been running himself haggard, taking up as many shifts as he possibly could. 

He notices your quiet demeanor as he starts driving, “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, I just…” you hesitate, not wanting to offend him. “I’m grateful for all of this Lip, really I am, I love everything you’ve gotten me, but I’m confused about where you’re getting all the money from and why you’re doing all this in the first place.”

Lip tightens his grip on the wheel, “Isn’t this what you want? Isn’t this what all girls want?” Lip scoffs the memory of Richie Rich slowly coming into picture. 

“I don’t understand what changed, everything was fine before, why are you spending money you don’t have? You don’t think I know that you’re working yourself to death trying to afford this shit?” Your voice raises in annoyance. 

“Yeah, well that’s my problem, it’s none of your concern how I get all this as long as you get it.”

“It is when you’re burning money on materials that won’t even last the year instead of investing in our future.”

Lip pulls to stop as the words leave your mouth. “Our future?” He asks. 

You lick your lips, trying to think of a way to backtrack but his eyes plead with you to tell the truth. “Yeah, our future. You know when we eventually move out, get a place of our own and have a kid or two?”

Lip smiles at the thought, “You want all that with me?”

You nod incredulously, “What did you think this was you idiot? That we were just playing boyfriend/girlfriend? Look I appreciate all these gestures, but the way I see it you’re burning 50 bucks on flowers that are gonna wither in a week instead of spending that money on something like our future house.”

Lip cups your chin in endearment before pulling you in for a quick kiss. “I’m sorry, I let everything get away from me.” He huffs in frustration before letting your chin go and clenching his fists. “It’s just when you visited me at work a few weeks back you were talking to this guy. This very rich guy who… I don’t know… I know you aren’t like that, but I couldn’t help but think this is all I’ll be able to offer you, at least right now. I will never be able to whisk you away on a private jet or buy diamonds just cause.”

You giggle as you hold his face in your soft hands, his head tilting to lean into your palm. “Lip Gallager, for someone with an insanely high IQ, you are so incredibly stupid, ” He huffs out a laugh in embarrassment as you continue, “That guy, that fool was annoying as fuck. I was just trying to get him off my back. And not to mention incredibly fucking stupid. Everything that was coming out of his mouth made me cringe and thank the stars that you’re nothing like him.”

He kisses your palm before pulling you into another kiss. “Can we skip the fancy restaurant now?” you ask as he presses kisses to your pouty lips. 

“Where do you wanna go instead?”

“Family dinner, and then out for ice cream?” you suggest. He nods before putting the car back in drive. 

_

Lip Gallagher was all sorts of fucked up. But somehow in his fucked up life, he managed to find you, his light at the end of a dark, narrow, and gloomy tunnel and he thinks, maybe, he isn’t so unlucky after all.

[ohnopeh]

don’t mind me sobbing i was just thinking about ian giving all his savings to mickey knowing he wouldn’t be there with him in mexico.

thinking of ian being asked if he really wanted to close his account + him looking at mickey knowing that he would do anything to help him.

growing up poor and struggling to make it to the end of the month but still giving it all up cause the love of his life was in need of it.

just like when they stressed about not having a job in s5 and ian going all the way to make quick bucks for them (despite ian being maniac, he still cared, deeply, intensely)

or once they got married, ian wanted mickey to understand they needed to save money for their future together, a better life. cause he thought of mickey, of them finally living the life ian dreamed so much about with mickey.

ian not wanting mickey to use the money for terry, cause it’s their money and they need it for themselves. selfless ian protesting not wanting terry to mess things up again, only to give in cause it’s for mickey.

the ian that had his ‘shit together’ didn’t care about having nothing saved if that meant mickey was covered for a while.

ian repressing his feelings for him knowing he would do anything for the man he loves. everything come crushing down once he sees him again, letting everything he had bottled up inside come out cause fuck it’s mickey he’s there who cares? he missed him, he thought of him constantly, he loved him and cried once he was finally safe in mexico.

(i picture ian hearing about mickey again from the cop + seeing him later like steve rogers after hearing bucky’s name)

he still regretted leaving him behind but he did everything he could for him at the time and all it took for ian’s walls to come crashing down was to look him in the eyes.

money is a big thing for ian. kash used to gift him things, the pedophiles did too ( ‘he buys me stuff, orders me room service’ ). saw jimmy/steve going all the way for fiona buying her things.

ian blackmailing kash so that mickey could have money in juvie was probably the first time anyone did anything like that for mickey just because they cared about him— mickey not being able to hide to fully suppress his smile as he thanks ian.

‘who cares if i ever see those shitheads again. you had my back more than they ever did’

[mouseymilkovich]

WITH LIP. THAT PROMPT WITH LIP 🧎🏼‍♀️

s o f t <3

fixing their clothes a little for them when noticing something is off - from quiet acts of love

takes place before this (because i said so)

A/N: fun fact, the little thing i wrote about the dress is cus i noticed in an edit someone made of Estefania (for some reason) and noticed her wedding dress is the same one Debs wears at the Gallavich wedding (either that or they're super similar)

☁️ let's have a sleepover ☁️ *last day for submissions

"Babe- babe, stop pacing, let me fix your tie, please." You scold, trying to get Lip to calm down.

He'd worked hard to come up with a last minute plan for Mickey and Ian's wedding venue, since the lovely Terry Milkovich lit their original one on fire. You knew Lip loved his brother a lot, honestly you were a little convinced Ian was his favourite sibling, they were basically best friends. Lip's plan was to go to The Polish Doll, with Debbie posing as a bride with cold feet. You were pretty sure someone had uncovered the dress Estefania wore during the whole Jimmy-Steve fiasco, but something was better than nothing to fool the old folks.

You'd been reassuring him all day that the plan would work out fine. Still, Lip wanted to do everything he could to make sure his brother's wedding was as amazing as it could possibly be. Lip's job was to maks sure the venue thing went smoothly, your only job was making sure he didn't lose his fucking mind doing it.

You got him to finally stand still for a moment, and you fixed his tie and the shirt beneath it.

"Everything will be fine. C'mon, Ian and Mickey are gonna be here any minute." Your tone remained soft and reassuring as you guided him out to the main part of the venue, where Mickey and Ian arrived.

"This is amazing, Lip. Thank you." Ian said to his older brother with a big smile. The two Gallaghers exchanged a hug, you and Mickey exchanged a glance and a hint of a smile.

Your boys could both be shitheads, Gallaghers always were, but you both loved them all the same.

[meta-squash]

I'm so irritated by the entire Ian and Mickey get an apartment storyline because it's just so inaccurate on like every count. I know this is fiction and also the show's been over for ages but still. The last few series had such terrible writing and made no sense.

The map location that Ian looks at when they first find the apartment is like in the UIC/medical district area, almost in the loop. But also like. There are not a lot of apartments in Chicago with pools. You want a pool in your apartment complex, you're gonna be paying a lot more than $900 for a 1 bed 1 bath apartment. I mean, you're gonna be paying more than $900 period in that area. Plus like their income is better but not stable-stable from the security gig (and isn't it mostly under the table?) so I seriously doubt landlords there would even consider them.

(Not to mention the whole bullshit about Ian signing the lease without talking to Mickey about it first. (And Mickey would have to also sign the lease before it went into effect, unless everything is in Ian's name? So Mickey could have just said no.) Like that's such shitty behavior in terms of relationship stuff.)

But anyway, most of the actual west side is barely better off than the south side in terms of poverty. If they'd moved to the north side area or even north west it would have made more sense to have all the drama about bougie apartments and quiet and blah blah blah. (But then they absolutely would not be able to afford rent.)

My headcanon is that they move to the Hermosa/Austin/West Humboldt-ish area because they can actually afford it, and Mickey gets a mechanic job and Ian goes back to school at Malcolm X to get some medical-based associates degree or something that will let him do some sort of helping people job. Mickey actually learned Spanish while he was in Mexico (because he's not stupid and because how else was he going to get respect in the cartel) and ends up making friends with the old Puerto Rican guys that hang out in his neighborhood. They have an apartment that's not amazing but it's better than either of the falling apart houses they grew up in. They actually communicate and talk to each other and are friends and shit like that.

I know it's nitpicky as shit and the Shameless writers gave up realism and emotional interest for bullshit comedy in like series 7 or whatever but it's just so frustrating that not a single part of that storyline made sense or was at all interesting or compelling.

[izzyspussy]

i once read or scrolled past or saw a post about an au where kash accidentally hits ian when he shoots at mickey, and i remember literally nothing about it but it's stuck in my head. so.

au where kash accidentally hits ian when he shoots at mickey. he calls 911 right away of course, and neighbors call too because of the gunshot. paramedics and cops arrive, and with ian out of it it's kash's word against mickey's. so obviously What Happened is that mickey was robbing the place - which he's been documented doing before via the cameras - and kash shot at him and mickey pushed ian into the line of fire. so they're arresting mickey and loading ian into the ambulance, and they're letting kash in with him.

mickey is fighting like hell. he's shouting at the paramedics that they can't let kash in the ambulance with ian because he shot him - and maybe from mickey's point of view it looked like an accident, but maybe it didn't. hey who knows, crimes of passion and all, maybe it really wasn't. so mickey is absolutely flipping shit. he's got two grown ass cops on him trying and failing to get him into a car even though he's already cuffed.

and lip just happens to be walking by. and mickey just happens to see him, and starts screaming his head off for him. and lip of course was already coming closer in worry since he knew ian was working today. mickey fights the cops harder and harder as lip gets closer, shouting to lip that kash shot Ian and shouting to the paramedics that lip is ian's brother. in the end, the paramedics kick kash out and let lip in for the sake of putting a stop to the hold up.

mickey keeps his fight up, getting knocked around, arms twisted, head slammed into the car door, punched, and everything, all the way up until the second lip gets in the ambulance with ian. he's asked if he's resisting arrest (tricked into confessing, oink oink you know how it is) and he says, "damn fucking right I'm resisting arrest, I didn't fucking do anything!"

maybe one cop is sympathetic or still thinks she has an honest job. she points out to mickey that they have kash's testimony, mickey at the scene, and months of evidence of previous acts of the same crime he's accused of now. she says in order to have any doubt that he's guilty, he needs to tell them what he was actually doing. he stands there for a moment, glaring up at her with his teeth grinding. and then he silently, stubbornly puts himself into the car. (and yes, of course this wounds the pathetic egos of the pigs. acting with his own autonomy rather than being forced by their power? how disrespectful!!)

at the station, mickey uses his one phone call to reach the gallagher house. the slightly less bastard cop is long gone now, leaving mickey with the proud boys (reference intentional lol). they deny him his call at first, but he makes enough of a racket about it they give in pretty quick for appearances sake. they tell him he only has three minutes.

mickey tells fiona in a rush (the bare bones of) what happened, what hospital was on the side of the ambulance, that lip is with ian. and he gets most of the way through begging her to let him know if ian is okay before the cops take the phone away from him. fiona hears him protesting he didn't get the time they promised before the line cuts off.

ian is fine of course. nothing important got hit, the bullet didn't fragment or get stuck. they're able to pull it out low risk, stitch him up, and he's home within the week (or uh... whatever amount of time he would be home in). there's a delay between that and when anyone thinks to let mickey know of course, none of the other gallaghers other than lip know he and ian even know each other, beyond knowing Of each other.

but eventually, lip goes to deliver the happy news to mickey in juvie. mickey gets brought out for visitation, has to be restrained briefly when he makes too sudden a move after seeing who it is. he stiffly tolerates some mild verbal abuse from the bull escorting him (the little piggies don't like him, and they oink oink amongst themselves; even if he wasn't uppity he's got that name on him, and you know what fascists say about apples and the trees they fall from).

mickey isn't even fully in his seat yet, phone barely to lip's ear, before he's demanding, "is he okay?"

lip lets a pause settle, not really out of cruelty or power tripping or any reluctance to tell mickey about ian - if he was he wouldn't have come at all - he's just... slowly figuring mickey out.

he says, "didn't realize you cared."

he also didn't expect mickey to react the way he does. he actually flinches a little bit - if blinking hard counts as a flinch, which in southside it does - when mickey slams his hand down on the little table holding up their partitioned off booth, demanding again, "is he fucking okay?" it would be a snarl or something similar, if mickey's voice didn't crack (juuuusst enough for lip to notice).

"jesus, yeah he's- he's fine," lip blurts, half in surprise half in (perhaps uncharacteristic) mercy. "didn't hit anything important, he's already home."

mickey visibly slumps in relief, practically collapsing onto the table, only held up by his own hand on his forehead to hide his eyes. his hitching gasp and shaky sigh, the slightly wet quality of his next breath, are all clearly audible through the shitty, muffled and crackly phone-to-phone line.

lip solves the mystery. if it was ever much of one.

"...you love him." it's not a question, but he's careful to keep his tone flat and his voice as low as possible. nonthreatening to mickey, hopefully (he's not looking to be smeared on the sidewalk when mickey gets out), and kept private from the other delinquents if unfortunately not the bulls (but maybe mickey will get lucky and they won't listen to the recording unless they find an excuse to).

mickey looks murderous at first. so murderous lip wants to lean back (he doesn't, of course, you never show your belly like that). but... maybe it's because ian got shot, or maybe it's something else, but after a moment mickey is just the same tired and scared kid trapped and abandoned in the gutter of the city as the rest of them.

he can't meet lip's eyes, but he doesn't deny it. doesn't threaten. he just pleads (or at least, he comes as close to pleading as an early seasons milkovich can get), "don't tell him."

"why?" lip asks. mickey rolls his eyes dramatically, ends it on another vicious glare.

"come on, ain't you s'posed to be the smart one?" he sneers. he thumbs at his lip, you know the way he does, looks away to the side again. "if he thinks for one second there's something- that we could- he's already getting fucking shot, and we're just- ...he'll get us both killed. or worse."

"what the fuck's worse than killed?" lip snorts, thinking it'll be something stupid, mickey's priorities all warped.

"pretend we're women," mickey says darkly. "you'll figure it out."

so... lip doesn't tell. it's an au where mickey realizes he's in love with ian, that they're in love with each other, years sooner. he's even admitted it, sort of. just... not in words, or even actions (yet) really. and it's an au where lip knows mickey and ian are in love before ian so much as thinks they could be someday - and keeps it from him.

i'm almost tempted to write it, but i doubt there would be a worthwhile return on that investment. not to mention i'd have to rewatch the show, and i'm pretty sure that qualifies clinically as self harm.

c'est la vie.

[whatthebodygraspsnot]

“I went to the gym, so I will be able to hold you up even longer” 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

“I went to the gym, so I will be able to hold you up even longer” additional tags: (wrongly) assumed infidelity, miscommunication that gets resolved, this must be an au bc mickey would obv never interrupt his own sleep to leave the apartment

Mickey steps carefully into their apartment, taking great care to shut the door without being too loud. He closes it with barely a click. But nothing can prepare him for what happens next.

When Mickey turns, it’s like he’s stepped right into a 90s romantic drama, the single floor lamp clicking on to shine in a perfect spotlight, revealing where his husband is very much awake, and very much waiting for his return.

He’s sitting on the couch. Tucked up in his bathrobe and the most unimpressed frown.

“Fuck.”

“Who is he?”

Mickey glances from left to right. Behind himself. Looks at Ian again, his heart still pounding in his chest from the startle. “Who’s who?”

“Don’t gimme that.” And now Ian’s standing up, gathering his robe around himself as he prepares to fire off The Chin. “You disappear every night - yes, I noticed,” he states before Mickey can interrupt. “Bring a bag with you… Come home sweaty… I know you think you’re sneaky, but you’re fucking bad at hiding this, Mickey.”

It takes a second for everything to sink in. For the endorphins from the last couple hours to start pumping upward into his brain this time. 

And… Damn.

Ian caught him.

To be perfectly honest, Mickey thought he was getting away with this shit - was being real cagey and everything too - even getting a shower in before sliding back into bed with him.

“Two hours. That enough to meet up with him and do what you gotta do?”

Meet up with who? Yeah right. “You think I can get somebody out at this hour?” Mickey asks, his confusion starting to put him on edge. “Been doing this shit all on my own. Well-... I mean ‘cept for the other handful of guys who show up sometimes…”

And the way Ian’s eyebrows rise is almost as startling as how he stops in his tracks, repeating the words back to him with dragged out intensity. “‘Handful of guys’...?”

It’s got Mickey slugging his bag off his shoulder, the dramatics of it all really killing his high. “Christ, Ian. What’re you bein’ so bitchy for-”

“What am I being bitchy for.” There he goes again, repeating shit. Like he can’t believe what he’s hearing. “Mickey are you fucking serious?”

“Yeah - what - I was doin’ this shit for you, anyway. Thought you’d at least be excited about it.”

Oh. Fuck. Ian does not like that. “Excited?” Off comes the robe, in a flurry of angry movements. He’s running hot, and not in a good way. “Why the fuck would I be excited about my husband cheating on me!”

And it’s-...

He’s-...

Wait a second.

“What?”

“You thought you could go out every night and meet up with a ‘handful of guys’ and I’d be jumping for joy?” He sure is using air quotes like he’s having a good time with it, but no no no-

“What the-...” Mickey shakes his head, trying to clear the air because holy fuck, “I ain’t fuckin’ cheating on you, Ian - the hell?”

“You just said-” 

“Christ, you think I’m out bangin’ other dudes?”

“Wuh-...! You-...!”

Mickey rubs a hand over his mouth, everything suddenly making a whole lot of sense. The dramatics. The theater of it all. Ian was catching him coming home from the act, but ‘the act’ ended up being two very different things in their respective heads.

“Holy shit,” Mickey breathes out, going for his bag so he can put that thought immediately out of Ian’s head. “Look.”

He tugs the zipper open. Starts dumping out its contents on the floor right between them - his gym shoes - his old-ass iPod - a workout shirt - socks that stink so bad that they’re all he really needed to avoid all this. One whiff would’ve immediately made things clear.

But it’s enough now. Ian is slowly putting all the pieces together, the worry in his brow evening out and his chin returning to normal pointedness. Finally.

“You…” you says, hope returning. “You’ve been…going to the gym…?”

Mickey gestures to the pile of clothes in between them, his tone evening into something honest. “Yeah, man. Thought you wouldn’t notice once you knocked out…”

Ian eyes over everything one more time. Then slowly, his lips pull into a small pout, those eyes flicking away. “I notice every time you’re not in bed.” ‘Bitch.’ He wants to add it so bad. Mickey can practically see it trying to break through.

But he doesn’t. And there’s something so sheepish and honest and vulnerable about it, that Mickey can’t help but smile, peace returning as he stuffs his clothes and shoes back into his bag. “Fuck would I ever cheat on you for, ya dummy?”

A beat passes. Thoughts lingering. “I dunno… I just thought-...” 

“Well stop.” It sure makes a lot of sense, though. Now that he sees it through that lens. Fuck, he’d probably think the same thing if their roles were switched. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to getchya all riled up…”

“S’okay…” Ian watches as Mickey gets himself sorted. Still has a lot of questions trying to get out - he can tell. And it starts with this one. “What do you mean you were doing this for me?”

It’s the correct one - right away. And Mickey’s glad he asked, actually. Because if he must know…

The floorboards creak beneath his shoes as he steps up into Ian’s space, his muscles warmed up and ready enough to finally show off his skills. 

And when he does it - when he wrangles his giant-ass husband in and hauls him up until he's got those thick thighs straddling his waist, Ian’s startle and wide eyes say it all as Mickey slots him up against the wall - all two hundred pounds - keeping him held up in his arms.

“Been goin’ to the gym so I can lift ya,” he preens, impressed with his own strength.

Because he’s been working for this moment. For the look of sheer shock in Ian’s eyes from the rush of it - how it simmers into delight and pride and something much, much steamier the longer he holds him up.

And damn, that little breathy, impressed laugh that huffs out between them. “Fuck, Mick…”

Oh yeah. This is what all that 2am weightlifting has been for.

“You like that, huh?” Mickey grins, the atmosphere shifting familiar and fun - heavy in a good way. “This do it for ya?”

From his arms, Ian nods, his bottom lip caught between his teeth as he takes a second to eat Mickey up with his eyes, those big arms wrapping around the back of his neck. 

He probably thought he was doing a decent job at hiding how hot he gets with this - when Mickey can make him feel small and moveable. 

They’re both absolute dogshit at keeping secrets, it turns out.

[ send me a smutty one-liner ]

[mmmichyyy]

#78 and #57 from the new prompt list?

#57. "we could get struck by lightning, but you want to kiss in the rain." #78. "can you be romantic for once?"

(continuation of this secret spies/assassins' ficlet)

"fuck," ian pants, clutching his chest, "that was close."

"well whose fault was that?" mickey snarls, pushing ian against the damp brick wall of the dark alley. "if you didn't take your sweet fuckin' time cutting me loose, we could've avoided the storm and gotten to the safehouse by now."

"well," ian takes a step towards mickey, reaching out to push wet strands of hair out of mickey's face, to which he annoyingly swats away. droplets of rain and blood from their clothes mix together, painting the cement crimson red. "you know i like to take my time with you."

mickey shakes his head, ignoring the swoop in his chest. "you're impossible."

"thought that's what you liked about me," ian smirks, lips ticked upwards knowingly in a way that simultaneously annoys and endears mickey to no end.

instead, he spits out, "who said i liked you?"

ian hums. "maybe you don't like me. but," he presses his thumb right on mickey's pulse point on his wrist. whispers, "you know you need me."

"i don't." mickey isn't convincing anyone, not even himself. "i don't need anyone."

"is that right." ian leans in, warm breath curling around mickey's neck. they're standing close, too close. mickey shivers. "then what was that earlier? hm?"

"i said what i needed to escape." ian's tongue licks along the shell of mickey's ear, and he has to physically bite back from letting out a moan. "it's... it's your fault for believing me."

"maybe you meant it, maybe you didn't," ian murmurs. "but do you know what i need?"

mickey shakes his head, a lump caught in his throat.

ian cradles his palm against mickey's cheek.

"i need to kiss you."

the heavy thrum of mickey's pulse beats against his chest, threatening to escape, to burst, to combust, matching the beat of heavy raindrops against the rusted metal awning above their heads. "we could get struck by lightning at any second now, but you want to kiss in the fuckin' rain?"

"i want to kiss you all the time, actually," ian admits. "but watching you slice open all of the guards' necks with my knife and smash that giant asshole's head in? has me all worked up."

mickey lets out a snort. "knew you had a blood kink, gallagher."

"maybe." ian shrugs, dropping his hand. "or maybe i just want to make out with my partner because we eliminated the target, killed off pretty much the entire criminal organization we've been chasing for the past few months, and i've never been more hard in my entire life."

"jesus christ, you're the most infuriating person i've ever met."

"i could say the same for you."

"i hate you."

"i know you do."

"you almost got us killed."

"but we're still alive, aren't we?"

"you don't listen to instructions, you keep thinking everything's going to be okay, that you're fuckin' invincible, that you'll survive anything. but what if you don't, huh? what if one day your luck runs out?"

"mickey."

"I should've never agreed to take on this assignment with you. you're too reckless, you dive in head first without taking account of the risks, you're going to slip up one day and–"

"mickey."

"if the agency finds out we've been fucking they're never going to pair us together again, let alone see each other–"

"mickey."

"what, gallagher?" mickey says, exasperated. "what? am i wrong? tell me i'm wrong."

ian looks at him square in the eye, unblinking. "do you trust me?"

the question hits mickey's chest in full force, throwing off his equilibrium and almost knocking him over. "what?"

"i said," ian curls his finger around a belt loop on mickey's pants and pulls him close. too close. "do you trust me?"

"what kind of question is that?" mickey sighs, exasperated. "'course i do. you know i do."

"then," ian gently presses his lips against mickey's cheek, "trust me when i say–" nose "–i won't let anything–" the other cheek "–happen to you–" temple "–okay? i would take a fucking bullet for you before i let you die on me." bumps their foreheads together and sighs. "it's just you and me against the whole fucking world."

it's moments like this, when ian says shit like this that punches the air out of mickey's lungs and fills him with a fire that incinerates his blood. moments that confirm ian goddamn gallagher will be under his skin until his last dying breath.

"i got your back, mickey," ian says quietly. "do you have mine?"

of course i do you idiot, mickey wants to scream. how can you not know that? you're everything to me. how could you doubt me? how?

but then he sees it. the tiniest hint of vulnerability in ian's eyes, blink and he might've missed it. a tiny crack in the porcelain façade of ian's confidence, a startling contrast to his usual cocky demeanor.

and mickey knows. knew it from the very beginning, actually.

as much as he needs ian, ian needs him too.

they need each other.

"i do," mickey nods. "i always got your back."

"so," ian's eyes meet mickey's own, a faint hint of a smile on his face, "can you be romantic for once and let me kiss you in the rain?

the lines between hate and love, truth and lies, rationality and emotions, pain and pleasure - they have always been a thin boundary for mickey. in his way of thinking, his actions, in the way he breathes - a dangerous contradiction constantly teetering between life and death.

and well. how often will he come across a person who will not only accept his flaws and detriments, but also willing to walk the line with him?

"fuckin' do it then," mickey breathes and ian doesn't hesitate to close the distance between them, gently slotting their lips together at first, then eagerly intertwining their tongues and drinking each other in as the rain pours around them.

kissing ian gallagher is careening off a cliff, an adrenaline rush, a rollercoaster ride. it's also soft waves crashing on the shore, a warm cup of coffee in the morning, a cigarette after a long day.

kissing ian gallagher feels like coming home.

and mickey will chase that feeling for the rest of his life.

[em-harlsnow]

ian's totally doing the "putting my husband on the counter to see his reaction"

i’ve seen this one before, i think it got buried in my asks!

i love this idea

they have their own space now. it’s new and a little bit weird, being able to just… exist. alone. together.

it still feels new, even months into their stay at their Westside apartment. sometimes ian will look around and realise that this is his home, his home he shares with his husband, his home he shares with mickey.

the benefits of having their own apartment are really starting to show themselves.

obviously, the first thing they took advantage of was being able to fuck in privacy, and then being able to fuck literally anywhere they want. (besides the stove - mickey’s still pissed about getting his ass burnt)

but then there are other things, like the ability to be overly sappy and lovey in an objectively disgusting way. ian knows his siblings would gag at them.

over the ten years of their relationship, ian knows mickey very well. but have the space and time has truly made ian able to learn everything about him.

everything.

so he knows exactly what will happen when he takes advantage of their new space and new privacy to test out another stupid little tiktok trend on his husband. this one, though, ian doesn’t think mickey will mind.

so he waits until mickey is distracted in the kitchen, minding his own business and rummaging through cupboards. he doesn’t seem to notice when ian comes maybe a little too close to be completely innocent.

which is why it takes mickey completely by surprise when ian flips him round to face him with his hands on his waist, then promptly hoists him up onto the counter behind and makes space for himself between mickey’s legs.

ian smirks when mickey sort of fumbles, brow furrowing as he fights between annoyed at being manhandled and turned on at being manhandled.

“what the fuck?” he says, surprised, but ian can see the little, tiny blush on his cheeks.

ian laughs at him, not feeling the need to comment.

mickey fully scowls then. “get the fuck off me, i can do the exact same shit to you.” he proclaims, but ian’s know its a big lie. mickey’s strong, no doubt about it, but ian’s a lot bigger and there’s no way he could lift him onto a counter.

“hmm, i don’t think so, mick. i like you here.” ian says, soft and playful, making mickey glare.

“you’re such a bitch, swear to-“

Ian cuts him off, not really caring much about mickey’s false objections, by kissing him drily. he grins smugly when it makes mickey’s arguments die out.

-> hope you enjoyed!

-> send me asks

[twinklyylights]

It’s early April, a Wednesday morning to be exact, when Ian wakes up to an empty spot in bed beside him. It’s the 3rd day in the row that he’s woken up without Mickey near, and he lets out a sigh as he sits up and yawns. He checks the time on his phone and frowns.

7:04am

They’re both still getting acclimated to all that is the Westside and this apartment that they’re now responsible for. Albeit Mickey’s fighting tooth and nail against every aspect of the acclimation, and Ian doesn’t know what to do about it.

 Because he knows they’re supposed to be here. He can feel it.

The Southside wasn’t their endgame. It certainly wasn’t Mickey’s endgame.

Ian’s always known that. He’s always known that Mickey’s deserved more. That Mickey’s destined for a future that isn’t tainted by the Southside and the people of it.

And sure, Ian knows that Mickey is worthy of more than this apartment. More than the Westside, even. But Ian also knows this is a step in the right direction.

This is good for them. This is good for him.

Ian doesn’t stay long in bed without Mickey. He eventually gets up with a stretch and groan before tip toeing his way out of their new bedroom.

He expects to find Mickey having breakfast in the kitchen or lying across the couch. What he doesn’t expect to see is Mickey’s standing outside peering over the balcony.

He does his best to open the sliding door quietly, and not startle his husband. The attempt is fruitless though because Mickey still turns around sharply, with a mumbled shit.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Ian apologizes coming in close to pull Mickey into his chest.

He presses a good morning kiss to the side of Mickey’s neck before taking in the scent there.

“Creep,” Mickey breathes out around a smile, “Good morning to you too.”

Ian hums.

“Would have been a better morning if we woke up together.”

Mickey lets out a forced exhale at that. He’s really not in the mood for this again.

But Ian isn’t either because he presses another kiss to Mickey’s neck before asking,

“How long have you been up?”

 Mickey checks the time on his phone. He’s surprised to find that half an hour has already passed.

“Like 30 minutes,” he answers. “Woke up, couldn’t go back to sleep. Figured I might as well catch the sun rise.”

Ian hums against him.

“How was it?”

Mickey makes a face.

“How was the sunrise?”

“Yeah,”

“Nice, I guess. It’s quiet out here, ‘think I heard the birds wake up.”

And that’s what Ian’s been holding on to. The promise of these small changes in Mickey’s every day.

These small luxuries.

“Thinking about anything?” Ian asks.

Mickey snorts.

“’A lot of shit, man.”

Ian sighs. He squeezes Mickey’s middle.

“I know.”

They’re both quiet for a beat after that. Their minds are simultaneously going a mile a minute but neither of them has the energy to put words to any of their thoughts.

“You know I love you, right?”

Mickey smiles for the first time all morning.

“Yeah, man. Wouldn’t have moved me all the way out here if you didn’t. I know that.”

He turns around in Ian’s arms then. Curious to meet the look he knows is on Ian’s face right now.

He pats Ian’s cheek and gives him a small smile.

“I’m freaked out. Not stupid. I know you love me,” Mickey promises.

Ian shakes his head. He leans in and presses a kiss to Mickey’s lips. He leaves his forehead pressed against Mickey’s.

“I don’t want you freaked out,” Ian begins to explain, “But this, Mick this is,-”

Mickey stops his words with a kiss. He shakes his head.

“Don’t gotta explain. You’re my husband,” he says against Ian’s lips.  “If my husband wants me living in this boujee ass apartment, who am I to say no?

Ian rolls his eyes.

“You’re too much,” he says lightly. He looks down towards their feet then. “It’s more than the apartment though, Mick.”

“Yeah?”

Ian nods.

“It’s the sunrise, and the birds, and a garden to grow our own food. It’s everything, Mick. Everything I’ve always wanted for you. Everything you’ve always deserved”

Mickey hears the love in Ian’s words. Feels it in his bones.

And sure, he might not think that he deserves all the things that Ian sees for him, but he knows for certain that Ian deserves them.

“I want good shit for you, too, you know. I want all your yuppie-ass dreams come true. I don’t want to hold you back.”

“Hey,” Ian stops him, “I would never think that.”

Mickey lets out a sigh. He doesn’t even bother trying to find the words to respond to that.

“Can I make you breakfast?” Ian asks after a beat, “Bacon and eggs, nothing too fancy, I swear.”

Mickey rolls his eyes. But, he smiles on the backend.

“Yeah, breakfast sounds good. I’m fucking starving.”

[doshiart]

F1 AU // GALLAVICH

Ian Gallagher is a racing driver, a young star of the McLaren team. Mickey is just a car technician, who only recently joined the team as a trainee.

/long read backstory below/

Okay, I've thought about this a lot. So.. Shameless US but.. huh? living in UK?

First of all, because Formula 1 is more popular in Europe. Secondly, because I want to alter the story of Mickey's growing up. Make it a story about a little boy persevering towards his dreams. And how a simple childhood passion can grow into a potential job opportunity.

If briefly, below I talk about Mickey's developmental stages, along with his final emigration from Ukraine to the UK.

I'm not going into Ian's backstory here. But I'll mention this in more detail at the very end of the post, if you get to the end. Ha ha. Have fun reading!!

---------------

Mickey was six, just a little boy, when he first saw a F1 race on TV. And he was amazed by how quickly the cars could go and how quickly the mechanics performed at pit stops. (Are these even mechanics? Well, they turn the wheels, dad does the same thing in the garage and considers himself a mechanic).

When the next year he went to school in his first grade, then to all the teachers' questions or questionnaires with their “What do you want to be when you grow up?” he confidently answered as clearly as his childish language could, that he would definitely become a F1 mechanic. Even though he received only gentle smiles in reaction to his naivety of being a kid, the desire took root in his little head.

---

As he grew older, he continued to enjoy racing, watching every race weekend he could. And while he was a child this did not cause any particular problems. Mom encouraged him in his interests and every New Year gave him tiny branded cars of the teams he loved. But as he gets older, the more often he hears from dad that he is interested in some stupid things. And he didn't want to hear a word about racing at all. As soon as Mickey mentioned it even once, he was cut off mid-sentence.

These are not real cars.

Real mechanics work in a garage with real cars, not kids' toys for show.

Come down to earth. It’s all somewhere far away and you never even get to one of these races in your life.

---

Well, Mickey talks less about racing out loud anymore. Especially after mom's gone.

Tiny model cars disappeared into the closet's darkness.

His dad began to drag him into their garage more often so that he would get used to work and not wander around idle, lost in his stupid dreams. He had to skip live racing broadcasts as a result. It was sort of suicidal acts to turn this on in the garage on a small TV instead of some dumb music channel with hit songs. Mickey had learnt long ago to keep his mouth shut.

Just listen. Bring it. Grab it. Repair simple details. Don't go under the hood. Don't touch this, don't touch that. And especially don't break anything. Blah blah blah.

Jesus, are you even a man? Take your gentle hands away if you're not ready to get dirty.

---

Despite everything, Mickey still had a dream. One day, he hopes to watch a real-life race. Hear the noise of wheels flying over the track, the roar of engines, the screams of a supportive crowd. He prefers to never talk about his own desire to work as a car mechanic or engineer in F1.

---

Mickey was sixteen when he left after ninth grade for a vocational college to applied mechanics specialty.

Because, well, he had good reasons for leaving school two grades early. At the very least, he was already tired of going to school. He didn't even have any friends there. Yes, he communicated with classmates, but that's not it. It's forced. Just so as not to be an outcast and maintain the status of the Milkovich family by playing dirty tricks at school and bullying others. Did he like it? Absolutely not. These guys were idiots with stupid jokes and always picking on chicks.

They kept asking if he liked any of them and talking about how they looked all the time. Mickey never liked anyone. It wasn't that the girls were ugly, he just didn't find them attractive. But he pushed these thoughts away and ignored them. Left it somewhere near to the tiny race cars in the darkness.

Also, classmates called him into fights on regularly. Not that he was against kicking someone's dumb ass, but that he would prefer better reasons than just trying to prove whose class is above.

Another reason is that, in their family, working with their hands and having a real profession are more valued than going to higher education. Because this is a job for real men. Where will all these managers, lawyers, accountants, stupid psychologists be when their car breaks down? Mechanics will always have work and profit.

As well, Mickey is deeply curious about the workings of the engine and wants to fully understand its mechanisms. He will therefore be able to study this in practice with teachers, rather than with a psychotic bastard who screams at the slightest opportunity.

The only thing Mickey truly wanted to learn at school was English. Not because he loved it. This gave him at least some hope of "breaking abroad for the sake of a good life". Perhaps the main reason for his success was that he had a really great teacher who pushed and encouraged him. Sometimes he would stick around after class and stay just to talk with her. Mickey felt parental care, which he hasn't received lately.

“I believe that you can achieve a lot, Mikhailo. Just believe in yourself.” She told him and he believed her, hugging her a little longer so as not to show his wet eyes.

And well, after leaving school, these words sometimes came to mind during the saddest times, when he returned home after a long day of school combined with an exhausting shift in the family garage. Every time he spoke with his dad, he felt terribly devastated. The dream was literally slipping out from Mickey's hands. A pipe dream, is that what they say? Well, at least he'll try to do something.

---

Mickey was twenty when he graduated and by this time he was actively saving money, hiding it in different places. Also, he planned his escape from home, considered the best routes, and looked at what things he should take with him, confused about whether he would ever return home again.

As he approached his twenty-first birthday, he finally decided to do it. With only a spark of hope, he was ready to leave for nowhere. And okay, Mickey was a realist; he was aware that things might not work out at all and that he would have to return back eventually. But he'll do anything, though, to make sure that this doesn't happen, to avoid having to meet his dad's derisive gaze once more as his goal gets mocked.

After all, a dream is a dream, right? He also had skills and language abilities in his pocket. So he's really ready to do anything to attain even the tiniest success.

---

To get to UK, Mickey had to go through a long journey of transfers from bus to train, from train to plane. He's terribly tired, but here he is. He stands and watches as the new country greets him with heavy rain.

He first found it difficult to adjust to other people's smiling faces. There were a few times when he didn't feel at home because everyone was so friendly and lovely. And these people were incredibly talkative. He'll have to get used to this if he plans to stay here.

The first difficulties he encountered occurred at the department while filling out a form for migrants.

“Mik.. Mikai.. Mikaelo?”

“Mikhailo.” Mickey interrupted.

The employee's eyes stared blankly at him.

He sighed. “Ugh.. Mickey? Yeah, Mickey.”

“Okay, Mickey. Here you are.”

---

Mickey got a job as a mechanic for a small business fairly quickly thanks to his abilities. He was so easily and warmly accepted into the friendly team. Here he first felt respect while working. Mickey got assistance from the job department in extending his visa to stay in the country. His job also provided him with a tiny apartment, deducted from his paycheck.

After a while, feeling a little more self-assured, Mickey started saving money for qualifying courses that would help him in the future.

---

Mickey was almost twenty-four when he successfully obtained all the qualifications that were necessary for the job, as well as to be sure of himself and his knowledge. During this time two full racing seasons had passed. He attended only one race at Silverstone. This was his almost full year in the UK. His skin broke out in goosebumps when he saw the track in person. It wasn't quite what he expected. Mickey literally stood in one place and once in a while cars would drive by. On TV they show a larger overview, but still. He was excited. In this grand prix, a new young racer from the McLaren team took third place for the first time. His name seems to be Ian, and he likes to take risks on the track, driving the car while presenting a strong sense of confidence. And his hair perfectly matches with the team's car.

He missed the second race due to a qualifying exam. But he's not upset. Mickey is closer than ever to his dream. If everything works out, he'll see even more racing. If not, well, then he'll continue to work repairing regular cars. Perhaps he'll be able to attend grand prix events in other countries during his holidays?

But now it's the middle of the season and he's standing in the lobby of the McLaren Technology Center. He's trembling a little and his wild eyes are scanning everything in the immediate area.

Mickey can't believe the reality of what's happening. No he didn't become a mechanic. But.. it's still impressive. He was interviewed and tested to become a temporary vehicle technician for the team as an intern. He was told something about a possible career advancement and access to other things once he completed more qualifications, but he's not sure he heard everything correctly.

Later they tested him on team tests on the track. He's surprised that he was able to concentrate on his speed and did everything exactly as needed.

He actually became… exactly the one who changes the wheels and does minor repairs. He joined the technical team and will also work on pit stops during the races. And well, okay, if everything that's happening isn't a dream, he's really happy. Extremely happy. Of course, the longer he studied, the more he wanted to do engineering and development. But that's the tiny step, right? This is already more than anything he could have imagined. He saw the race in real life from the stands, and now he got the opportunity to see everything from the staff. He'll interact directly with the racing car. He might even hear how the team interacts with racers. Unbelievable.

Through the noise in his ears, Mickey hears someone standing beside him talking in a muffled voice.

“Hey! You're a new technician, right?”

The guy had already taken off his helmet when Mickey turned around. He softly smiles while stroking his fiery red hair.

Mickey stared at him. When he was brought to the track, he thought that some tester was sitting in the car, but not their young star.

“Yeah. Hope so…” He twitched his lip and scratched nose. “You're Ian, right?”

Of course this is Ian, what a stupid question. It's too embarrassing.

The redhead smile became even larger.

“Yeah…”

And just as he was about to add something else, one of the staff called Ian to go back and he hurriedly turned to Mickey and said quickly, “Oh, uh, see ya later then, gotta go.”

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I'm glad I finally wrote and drew this. This idea has literally taken over my head so much that I don't have the energy to write Ian's backstory in the same way. Once again I am convinced that writing is hard work. And I want to say again about my love for writers. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE. For my brain, drawing is easier than writing. But it was fun!

!!!AND!!! THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! If someone suddenly wants to write a big multi-chap slowburn fic or little drabble or do anything, I'll be happy so much with absolutely anything!!

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Let's talk about Ian now. I was actually going to write a backstory for him too. Maybe at least some minor notes, but I'm not quite sure how best to connect his bipolar with racing. Usually because racers drive go-karts from childhood, get into the junior league and generally build a racing career for years. Maybe he had a breakdown somewhere between seasons and it was quickly noticed?? I don’t know… And I think about how the team constantly checks him, which at times upsets him and forces him to prove to everyone that he is fine and able to drive the car.

Most likely, in this AU, Gallaghers are either rich, or Ian has a sponsor, if you know what I mean… From this fact, a whole lot can change in story. And the second thing seems more likely to me.

I was thinking about how Ian joined the McLaren team at the age of 21, and by the time he first met Mickey he was 22. He had been stable for a long time on medication.

So I'm also considering the possibility that somewhere between his 17-19 years he disappeared from the radar and came back when he found a sponsor who could pay for everything he needed and help him get into the F1 league. At first it was the weakest team, until his potential was noticed and he was offered to move to another team. This fact with the sponsor will probably put a lot of spokes in the wheels (ha).

Racer's body is undergoing an enormous physical strain, so they spend a lot of time in the gym. And Ian really enjoys working out with his team.

Another interesting fact: racers have a super-strong neck to be able to cope with gravitational forces during the race. Therefore, special attention is paid to neck in training. (It seems from the moment I found out this my little fixation began…)

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I think there's a lot of pining here or something. They seem to be nearby, but due to different job responsibilities, at completely distinct levels. And I really want to read something like this with so slow burning.

So, I guess you can consider this as a big prompt for writing, if it inspires you.

Thanks for reading! <3

[wrinkly-fucking-qtip]

Mickey vs I Love You

Against popular opinion, I do believe Mickey's "I love you" in 5x06 was the first time he ever said it. Let me explain.

His type of hesitancy with the phrase is not that of fear out of someone listening. No. It seems to me, he noticed Svetlana was in his shared space after he says "I love you" and does a double take when finishing the voice note with "call me back." While I do like to think that he could've said his first "I love you" somewhere within the aftermath of 4x11 and early s5, the only reason I don't think that is because it feels too easy... I think Mickey was too in his head in the aftermath, thinking of how fucked this all turned out. The baptism, the coming out, the brawl, them returning home to wash themselves clean, the sex (implied because they wake up naked together the morning after) it's too much...

Such an admission would be lethal for his brain chemistry at the moment. "I love you" is the peak of vulnerability, where he already is painfully aware of everything he has endured, on top of being completely aware of his feelings to the point of unease, like clothes sticking to your skin. Suddenly you know the shirt there, even though it always has been, just subtly.

I believe that during these times, Ian was probably "comfortable" with saying it. Sparingly. Again, it's too much, it's all too real, and even though Mickey literally sacrificed his life that night, a huge call to action due to the ultimatum, he let fear be his enabler. For saying "I love you," though... it's too close. He can do everything else, a man of action as he always is, and saying things like "what you and I have makes me free" which, you could argue is MORE of a big deal, Mickey chooses very specific words, and they all mean too much coming from someone like him with such awful background, and that's where his comfort lies. Letting Ian know about his feelings through actions, not the words. And knowing how much Ian loves to use them, words, he knows the weight behind them. It's still too much and he feels it.

Not long after, Ian's depressive episode is in full effect. How could he ever find the chance to say those words? Ian is practically paralyzed, and the events from the night before are still fresh, and now he has to process this entirely new thing? Too much yet again. I said earlier how Ian would say "I love you," but very sparingly. I like to think the first time he said this to him, maybe early s4-s5 transition, once the depressive episode cessed, Mickey had the same silent reaction Lip did when Mandy said it to him, but for entirely different reasons. It's like his entire world became this miniscule thing within the pools of his heart, and Ian could read his expression instantly. It wasn't a silence of rejection, he was almost in awe.

And some sick part of me wants to think if he gets scared because he knows there's been strange behavior on Ian's end, that of course, he doesn't understand to its capacity, and maybe Ian says this as a result of that, or if he does know Ian wholeheartedly means it, he loves this boy, as much as Mickey loves him, but still unable to vocalize it. Would he be able to discern between the two?

"You don't have to say it back" spoken in a whisper. Mickey still lost in Ian's eyes. They probably hold each other. Ian acknowledged this dazed boy before him. He knew what the words meant. Jumping back to the "you love me, and you're gay," he was done imposing his feelings onto Mickey, done projecting (not forever, but for a while). Mickey can do this on his own terms, when he feels he can, when he deems it ok to feel it all at once, recognize that everything is, in fact, all too real. And the moment came, although bittersweet.

Cause Ian wasn't there face to face to hear it, he left, and he was manic, the possibility of loosing him due to some negligence suddenly being too real. Familiar even. Things that became too much all of a sudden. So why now? Because the stakes are somehow higher this time. The fear of the unknown is higher. Mickey is dealing with a version of Ian he can barely recognize. When in 4x11, he already knew what he could lose, and his odds against Terry, he already knew what he was going to deal with, as much fear that overcame him, he knew. This? This he does not know.

And I'm thinking about the fact that so much has happened now, this slow, gradual observation of Ian losing himself, Mickey might think that it's now or never. Maybe an "I love you" is enough to snap Ian out of it? Saying it because he has no clue of Ian's whereabouts, and with extreme thinking, that he probably may not see him again for some time, the same way 3x12 happened. And it's like the words come out like a punch to the gut even though his brain doesn't know those words came out. Just look at his face. That's a legitimate face of hesitancy of admission. (courtesy of ajcrowleys)

Everything became too real again, and this one big word couldn't be held back any longer. He hears himself say it, finally admitting what he knew was true all along, just like a shirt. But who knows if Ian heard the voice mail. I think yes, at some point... maybe... but it breaks my heart.

I'd definitely would like to know other opinions, I have so much to say about Mickey's "I love you's."

[ohnopeh]

i love the idea that ian finally understands he had been making mickey believe he wasn't loved enough for not singing the paper.

he goes to mickey showing a ring and mickey is hopeful but also wary of what is happening, then ian says it

i love ian, but darling, you can be a bit dumb (its okay you are learning)

what could have mickey possibly thought? that ian will marry him cause gallagher keep their promises? that's all to it? is it not because he supposedly loves him and genuinely wants that?

the look on mickey's face as he realises what ian said makes me think that it was the moment mickey fears were ''confirmed''. ian didn't love him enough, of course he wouldn't, why would he? ian bought the promise ring, yes, but he still wouldn't wear it but hang it on his neck where he can hide it, is mickey not it? and then mickey says it

he realises mickey had been thinking ian didn’t love him and that’s it, he tried many times. by coming out, being there during the whole diagnosis, being broken up with but still thinking of him and hoping to be together, thinking he will be with him in mexico and then getting himself back to prison so that he can be with him, support him through all that. but that was it. he didn't have it in him to fight for them anymore, he had the rights to finally put himself first and say ''that's enough''. ‘you don’t love me enough now, and that’s fine, it’s cool.’

but ian fucked up. he now knows that mickey believed he wasn't enough, he wasn't the right one for ian.

it didn't even cross his mind that it could have been a possibility, cause since the diagnosis, ian had been so sure that he wasn't worth of mickey and the pain that comes by being around him, loving him.

so ian thinks : how can you ever be so sure you love me? how can you even possibly be in love with me when i have such disorder that won't make it easy for you? what do you even see in me to think i'm worth all of that?

the only explaination ian can think of for someone like mickey to fight so hard for their relationship to work is that : he's either crazy or he never experienced any other type of relationship before.

cause ian has, ian has dated other people after mickey and none of them loved him. one cheated on him, gaslighting him that it was okay cause it was a chick and not a guy. the other made it a challange for ian to be attracted to him, didn't respect ian when it came to his trauma regarding monica, didn't really care about ian being off his meds, being more concerned that his mania was making him the star of the news and not what trevor really wanted. mickey had never done that, mickey had always been there for ian and he knows that— he knows that mickey is the one he loves and the one that will do anything for him. he broke up with him because he loved mickey too much and wanted him to be free.

being with those people made it impossible for ian to even pretend that mickey wasn't the one he loved and that loved him back.

but mickey? he never had a relationship other than the one with ian, so how could he know that ian is the one if he never dated anyone else? someone ‘normal’, someone that wouldn’t make him worry and watch for his mood swings?

ian is telling mickey that he has a choice to do better— he’s telling him that out there, there’s someone that won’t hurt him, that won’t make mickey think they’re not in love enough to take the big step with him. cause ian knows mickey is everything— but how could mickey know that ian is that for him too?

i love how mickey’s expression changes as ian speaks. it's the moment it hits him that ian loves mickey enough, he loves him too much so that he questions himself just as much, deciding for both of them (once again) what mickey needs and who he shouldn't be with.

and i love that mickey finally understands everything, he understands why ian broke up with him in s5 and tried to move on and pretend mickey wasn’t what he wanted. mickey's first reaction is just to shake his head and say ''jesus christ, ian.''

and ian looks so confused, he might be thinking : what did i say wrong? i know i am right, you know that this is true. i'm a problem, i'm not worth it, can't you see? but that's mickey’s limit, it was ian’s moment to work on his not worthy of your love shit and realise that it’s all bullshit cause mickey is all in for them. he always has been no matter what.

and mickey knows so well that he can't do anything else to prove it to ian. he straight up tells him the answer to lip's ''figure out why you don't wanna marry him.'' 'cause he doesn't believe he's worth it. but mickey has proved him enough, mickey has told him what's ian true fear is and its not mickey's love for him that will fix it. it was ian's job to work through with it (and he did!! of course he did) back when this episode came out, i was so angry and frustrated about it, i guess growing up makes you see things differently uh?

[redwiccanrobin]

In the episode that features Monica’s funeral, Frank gives a speech. He goes up and says with as much love as he can about how Monica changed his life. How she taught him to live. It’s weirdly sweet for Frank. But the moment I wanted to talk about is that the cameras centers Ian as Frank says this.

He looks contemplative. Like there’s a vision in his mind that he can’t ignore. That vision is Mickey. There’s probably regret and guilt racking through him as well. Regret that he left that man he loves at the border. Probably wondering what would have happened if he had just gone with him. Because he wants to be with Mickey. Guilt that the man sitting next to him is nowhere near that level. Even though he wants to try with him.

Mickey caused a spark in Ian. A coursing love that consumed him even when they were at odds. He was safety and a thrill all at the same time for Ian. Ian found someone he was sexually, romantically, and platonically compatible with. Mickey held him tight when he walked him out of that jail cell. Mickey held him tight before he walked into that hospital. Mickey crawled into bed, said sorry for disappearing for a while, kissed his head. Mickey forgave him for all the things he did whilst manic. Things that hurt Mickey in ways that Ian never wanted to do. Because he understood that Ian wasn’t in the right frame of mind.

There’s a parallel between Frank/Monica and Ian/Mickey. Not because they’re similar. But because they’re opposites. Yes, Mickey taught Ian how to live. Yes, Mickey was the light that Ian needed. He was everything that Frank described Monica as for Ian. But the difference is the way Ian and Mickey take care of each other.

Frank and Monica encouraged self-destruction in each other. Frank always had this fear when Monica would be on her meds. Almost like he was afraid that if she was stable she would realize the kind of man he is and leave for good. Of course, she’s still a grown woman with agency. She was in charge of her mental health and chose not to take care of it and let it run amok. But seeing how excited Frank got when she was acting “crazy” emboldened her further to not take her meds. Monica encouraged Frank’s drinking and drug use. In that speech he gave, Frank revealed that it was Monica that introduced him to hard drugs. The rest is history. She liked him getting high or drunk as she saw it as thrilling. Like Monica, Frank is an adult who had the ability to get sober. He never took it though. A lot of that stems from the “fun” he had with Monica.

The main difference is that Mickey and Ian want to be the best versions of each other. And they encouraged the other to do the same. When Ian was diagnosed with bipolar, Mickey was the most supportive and caring of his situation. Even when they went into married life, we see subtle signs that Mickey still makes sure that Ian is taking care of himself. There’s even a deleted scene where he checks in on Ian; asking if he was okay, noting that his husband was slipping into a depressive episode, made sure he was taking his medication. Unlike Frank, Mickey isn’t afraid of Ian having a stable footing. He wants that because he doesn’t want Ian to suffer. Ian can talk Mickey down like no one else can. With both the situation with Terry and Mickey’s anxiety about moving to the West Side, Ian offered emotional support. He listened to his husband, knew all the ways to calm Mickey. He doesn’t want Mickey to spiral and to instead stay afloat. Unlike Monica, Ian doesn’t encourage the destructive side of Mickey for his own fun. He wants the happy Mickey who feels comfortable with voicing his emotions.

Mickey and Ian have their problems. Every couple does. Sometimes, they don’t handle it the right way. But, when the storm passes, they take a breath and talk to one another. Making it clear they still love each other. They accept each other at their worst. They encourage each other at their best.