Chapter Text
Monday
I’m sorry, Ian.
Ian almost jumped at the recording. Closing the door to his locker, he was met with a fury bear covering Miranda’s face. When she finally lowered the bear, she look up to him with her round eyes, puppy dog style. Man, and Ian had thought he had that face down pact. He rolled his eyes in the frustration of falling for that face.
Miranda smiled triumphantly, seeing Ian succumb to her apology, and handed him the bear. “I was a coward for not coming to help you. I know that. I truly am sorry.”
“It’s whatever. I settled things with Mickey on Friday and things sho-“
“Settled?” she question incredulously. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Is it not a word that the upper class knows…?”
“No, I mean, how?” She rolled over to lean against his locker door properly. “No one ever ‘settles’ with Mickey or anyone of the Milkovich siblings, to be honest. What could you have possibly done?”
Ian shrugged. “I told him I wasn’t gonna deal with his shit and kicked him in the chest…” he trailed over at her doll eyes widening if that was even possible. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m talking to a dead man; that’s what’s wrong.” She shook her head before giving him a look of pity and fear. “Ian you can’t just…threaten Mickey and not expect any consequences. I mean, you’ve met the guy; does he look like someone that backs down easily?” Her eyes wandered frantically as she began to think aloud. “Man, has anyone even really laid hands on Mickey Milkovich? He’s been goin’ pretty soft…”
And honestly, Ian wish everyone would quit with this ‘going soft’ nonsense they seem to have deluded themselves into thinking. Since when was starting a rumor that could ground his pride into dust was ‘going soft’?
“Ian, I fear for your safety even more so than before,” Miranda stated, standing straight. “I’m not gonna beat around the bush, but you saw what happened to Edward. He was ready to jump off a balcony for this crap. And all he did was be poor.”
Ian closed his eyes, letting the full weight of her warning weigh heavily on his chest. Holy crap, what had he done?
He continued to keep his guard, subtly being on guard to make sure nothing sketchy was around him at any point. Had he seriously gotten himself into so much heat? Seriously? What had Miranda said about Edward? All he did was be poor…
Ian had to be in some deep shit.
He headed up the stairs, giving another attentive glance over before heading up the campus stairs. He met with five men dressed in suits and black shades as though it wasn’t a cloudy cast-over day. Ian stood in fear of what he hoped wouldn’t come next.
“Are you Ian Gallagher?”
He could lie. “Yes. Who’s asking?”
“We’re gonna need you to come with us.”
Again, Ian could lie. “Ah, right. But see, I have to get to my part time job, so…”
The man that spoke before signed minutely. “Mr. Gallagher, it would be much easier if you were to follow us nicely.”
They stood there, watching each other for what felt like hours as Ian thought between obeying and running…obeying…or…running…
He dropped his bag in an instant, and stretched his legs as he ran down the stairs, not looking back as to get as much distance between himself and the potential CIA agents following him.
The path that came so haphazardly in Ian’s vision is all he saw, ignoring the worried and frightened students he flew by. He only faintly head charging footsteps behind him before he couldn’t hear them all together as he turned a corner and hid behind a trail of bushes. He took a chance after a minute or two and found they finally stopped, making signals with their hands and nodding before splitting up, covering more ground trying to find his ass for Lord knows what. He knew he couldn’t possibly find solace in these flimsy bushels growing from the ground, and began to make his way to what he believed was a secluded area near the back of the school.
Once he made it as he slid across the brick walls, he sighed, sure they’d ended their chicken chase with him. Only, his path was blocked by a black SUV and the doors opened as he was shoved inside from behind while his collar was yanked violently in front of him.
They couldn’t have possibly believed the fight ended their as Ian swung elbows, fists, legs and his own slender body to knock they guys away and make his escape. Of course, they’d thought of this possibility, so Ian was the one to be surprised as the napkin covered his nose and before the smell could hit him, his consciousness was failing.
Ian was numb, but he could smell his surroundings, and it made him want to delve back into sleep it was so fresh. It was quiet and calm, there was light on his face and he could finally feel the comfortable warm, the soft caressing his skin. He turned his head and took in another deep breath. Gosh, was he in heaven.
“Mr. Gallagher?” he heard a soft voice call to him. “Mr. Gallagher, are you awake?”
The soft caressing his skin became all too much and his eyes snapped open slowly, like cement weighed them down. He took in his surroundings, the well lit room and the lady that stood right beside him with a smile. Oh, he’d been kidnapped.
Ian sprung up, making the girl jerk back with wide eyes. “Where am I?” he asked, suddenly remembering the run he’d gone on before. He rubbed at his eyes, still feeling dizzy and sated and…calm. “What the fu-where the hell am I?” he demanded.
The girl bit at her lip, concerned. “Uh, we have some clothes picked out for you.”
Clothes? He looked down at the soft comforters he was buried in and realized he could feel it all over.
He was naked.
Save for his boxers.
Ian opened his mouth; to scream or to shout or to calmly ask what the fuck he was doing there, he wasn’t sure.
“Mr. Gallagher,” a soothing male voice called to him from the other side of the room by the door. “It would be best to put on some clothes before asking anything else. Maybe the preparation can ease you just a bit before we explain anything.” He gave a smile that seemed all too familiar, and it pissed him off more.
But he caught sight of the girls standing at the end of his bed with hangers of outfits next to them. He slid out of the comfy bed, his feet meeting the cold tiled floor and walking over to the small girls before him. Because he wanted to be done with this place, he picked the simplest outfit hung: a black button down with dark-wash jeans and what looked to be just another ordinary pair of black lace up sneakers, but upon seeing the girl who refused to let him put on any of the damn clothing on his own opened the shoes for him to step in, he saw the name Dior Homme printed into the sole. He guessed they were designer and it only further his speculations of where he was and it didn’t calm him or ‘ease’ him in anyway.
Once he was done and his hair had been slicked back unlike how he usually wore it naturally with the long strands that still remained to fall to the side, the well dressed man guided him out the room and down a spacious hall. They passed an open window that lead out to a balcony that could clearly see the skyline, so they were still in Chicago.
“Uh, can I ask my questions now?”
“Anything, Mr. Gallagher,” he responded.
“Oh, it’s just Ian, actually.” Being spoken to so formally was just a little bit of uncomfortable.
He nodded. “What is your question, Mr. Gallagher?”
Ian rolled his eyes. “Where are we going? Where am I?”
“I’m fetching you for you to meet with the young master of the house.”
It was almost as if the man knew what Ian wanted to hear. “Right, and exactly who is that?”
The man stopped and turned to Ian with a simple smile that still irked Ian because where had he seen that smile before?
And it occurred to Ian that they had met the end of the hall, to the left it curved into another hall leading into an abyss he couldn’t possibly be ready for. And on the other side, there were double doors that lead to a room. The man opened them, revealing what Ian guessed they would call a living room, but it was grand in every sorts of the word; from the massive rug with intricate design and tapestry to the chandelier that hung low above the center of the room- and that’s as far as Ian could look without his head spinning. Also, there was the fact that he found what he feared most at the moment.
Mickey stood there with his usual suit on, though he lost the jacket and had his vest open and his shirt loosely tucked into his seemingly casual slacks. How the fuck could slacks be casual?
“Mickey,” Ian sighed, seemingly tired again all at once. He didn’t necessarily feel fear rather than just weariness. How long would this last? Was Mickey’s tactic to tire out his prey like a cat with a mouse under its scrutinizing eyes?
“You don’t look so happy to see me.” Mickey pouted just a bit in mock disappointment.
Ian heard the doors close behind him and now he was in an empty room with Mickey Fucking Milkovich. “Mickey,” he sighed again. He couldn’t believe he had to explain this to what society would label a grown man. His sister was one thing, but this…”you can’t just kidnap people.” Mickey gave him a blank expression, so Ian went into depth. “Th-that’s what you just did, in case you weren’t aware.”
Mickey scoffed. “Hardly. You were pampered and shit, not harmed.
Ian rubbed at his face, trying to decide if he should spend his time trying to get the very simple concept of kidnapping through Mickey’s head or not. It was ridiculous, he almost wanted to laugh. Almost.
Mickey gave an appreciative glance over Ian’s appearance and shrugged. “Expensive things suit you nicely.” And before Ian could even think of a retort, Mickey changed the subject. “Ok, so here’s the deal: I’m gonna allow you to talk to us outside of school, and come down to our lounge after school. Mandy is a bit picky, but I think she tolerated you enough.”
Ian stared, dumbfounded at the blonde’s easy expression. “…what?”
“Yeah, man. I understand why you’ve been acting all-“
“I’m just gonna cut you off there,” interrupted Ian, afraid of whatever Mickey thought he knew. “Whatever you think you know is probably…the complete opposite of what’s true.”
Mickey rolled his eyes, dawning on the easy persona that didn’t fit him at all. “You don’t have to deny it. I bought the clothes, the shoes, so you don’t have to try and-“
“You bought all of this shit? For me?” Ian wasn’t sure what type of flattery mixed with irritation and anger this was, but it wasn’t pleasant. “There are, like, 3 or 4 other guys living in this house.” Ian so desperately wanted Mickey to understand.
“Well I’m not gonna take their stuff. Besides, it’s just a few clothes.” Mickey just really, really wanted Ian to understand. He stepped closer, rolling his eyes as Ian tried to take that defensive stance, and yanked at his arm till they stood in front of a mirror that hung on the wall. “See?” and he watched Ian take in their figures together as Mickey did, and he wouldn’t deny that together they didn’t look so bad. “Even with a little money, an ugly duckling can turn into a heron.”
“It was a swan,” Ian corrected before snatching his arm from Mickey’s touch. He turned and glared at the blond boy. “And who asked for you to do this, anyways?”
“Ok, drummer boy, just admit it already. No one’s around.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” He was dazed and swimming in an endless sea and he was drowning.
“That you like me, you can just say it.” Mickey shrugged at the simple order.
Ian searched for something in those blue eyes to realize Mickey was joking. He had to be joking, right? “You’re crazy, right?” Ian nodded frantically, going with that explanation. “Of course you are. The madness is so evident, how could none of us have seen it before?” He chuckled a bit. “All that grease you put in your hair, it must have been absorbed into your brain, got you all muddled up in there, huh?”
Mickey let him walk past, a bit awestruck by that obvious rejection. When he came to his senses, he made his way to block Ian.
Ian’s head fell to the side, tired weighing on him heavily. “Move…while I’m being nice.”
“You’re the crazy one. You know how much money I spent on that outfit alone? Close to $2,000.”
Ian straightened and his green eyes expanded. Mickey liked looking at them. “What? $2,000?”
Mickey shrugged. “I know it’s chump change for me, but I’m guessing for you…” he left the statement opened, taking Ian’s expression as understanding. “So, the thing is, if you hang around with me, you might realize that $2,000 isn’t that much. And you say you don’t want that? I’m the crazy one here, really, Gallagher?”
Ian smiled as he stepped closer. The room was empty, but he didn’t want the space around them to hear the words he’d utter. “The thought of you makes my skin crawl…all over.” With a fallen face before him, he proceeded to get his message across as he held his wrist up, showing the gold watch that was set for him to go with the outfit; he promptly unsnapped it and threw it to the ground. He began to unbutton his shirt and once the last button was undone, he remembered.
“Get me my uniform,” he snarled, “now!”
“You must be someone who believes money can’t buy friendship,” Mickey guessed as Ian headed towards the doors. For once, Mickey was spot on. “But can you confidently tell me of something that money can’t buy?”
Ian stopped in his foot tracks and turned, reading Mickey’s face one of pure interest and of confidence. The confidence never left- and maybe rightly so since Ian couldn’t think of anything.
“When you find something, tell me.”
Mickey let Ian leave the room with ease now, only to let the words that ached settle in his memory.
The front door was a lot harder to find, and Ian spent a good twenty minutes wandering around the main floor of the mansion in order to find it. Once he found a door that seemed to lead to the outside world, he walked out to find Mandy walking up the stairs.
“You again?” she asked as she looked up at the disheveled red head.
“I was just going home,” Ian tried to explain, his face heating up at whatever Mandy could’ve thought of this situation.
“Well, you don’t have to go so suddenly, goodness. You’re makin’ yourself seem really suspicious.” She gave a smile to present herself as friendly, and Ian realized he hasn’t really seen her smile before. Ian followed as she went back down the steps and walked around to a garden that was not so subtly hidden far on the side of the grand house. She sat down on a concrete bench and he did so as well. “So, what happened?”
For some reason, he didn’t want to go into specifics, maybe to stop from exposing Mickey from the odd things he does. “A, uh, situation popped up.”
She laughed at the vague answer. “I always run into you when there’s some dramatic shit happening.”
Ian chuckled at how true that statement was. They lapsed in silence before his earlier resentment towards himself came up. “Hey, can I ask you a question?”
“You just did.”
Ian smiled. “There isn’t anything in the world that money can’t buy, is there?” He watched Mandy squint her eyes in thought. It was a hard question. “There isn’t, is there?” The thought of Mickey being right tired him.
“Air.”
Ian didn’t understand at first, but seeing the confidence on her face reminded him. “Oh…air! Of course-ugh, crap! How come I didn’t think of that?” It was such a simple thing, really.
Mandy smiled at him. “You’re interesting, Ian Gallagher.” She got up, ending their meeting. So Ian stood up as well. “You should probably hurry home. Don’t wanna get caught looking out of place in this neighborhood.”
Ian retreated, glancing over down the sidewalk as he walked to the nearest train station to watch Mandy enter her home where she’d find Mickey in whatever state he’d be in.
He stood at the steps of the train, relaying what he could remember of the day’s events when he remembered the weight in his blazer pocket, the handkerchief that he cleaned that he meant to give back to Mandy. He’ll just try tomorrow.
But when he tried to find her afterschool the next day, she was nowhere to be found. He checked the places he’d found her before, the staircase, and checked the garden and the pool for extra measure. His last resort was their lounge, and that’s where he found that none of the Milkovich siblings were.
He heard footsteps as he walked back, ready to head up the stairs only to find Colin and Iggy there, surprised to find Ian there.
“Ian?” Iggy asked. “Mickey’s sworn enemy?”
He wasn’t expecting this scenario and wasn’t really sure how to act. “Uh, I just came to give this back to Mandy.” He presented the handkerchief with her initials sewn into the corner.
Collin took the handkerchief before nodding. “We’ll make sure to give it back to her.” When Ian made a move to walk past them and up the stairs, he held his hand out. “Hey, wait. Do you wanna stay for a minute?”
Iggy agreed. “You must have a lot of questions about us, and we have to repay you somehow.”
“Repay?”
They further explained. “Mickey’s targets don’t usually put up such a fight, and you’ve been the main source of entertainment as far as Mickey goes in a while.”
So they sat on the sofa while Ian sat in a chair, and still Ian wasn’t sure what to make of the oldest siblings of M4, but they seemed harmless enough. And he was torn: should he ask questions about their little brother and seem overtly interested, or try to think of questions on the spot about Mandy and seem overtly interested in her.
“Oh, hey look Iggy!” Collin exclaimed as he pointed behind Ian to the television that was on. Ian turned and saw someone he looked up to for years, Kevin Oroscoe. He was a famous model and cellist, and Ian had somehow grown to be obsessed with the guy and the many wonderful things he did to help others.
“That’s Kevin Oroscoe,” Ian mumbled aloud.
“Yeah. Mandy must be excited to see him.”
“Mandy knows him? Are they friends?”
Iggy and Collin laughed. “Friends?” they said simultaneously. Collin leaned forward. “We’ve known him since we were about 4 or 5. He was just a friend to us. But when our mom died, Mandy grew really sad, even depressed, and Kevin was the only guy that could pull her out of despair. We’re still not sure how he did it, but to Mandy, Kevin’s a friend, a boyfriend, and probably even her first love.”
“Is that how she got into playing the violin?”
“I think they fed off each other,” Collin said and looked to Iggy for agreement. “Kevin was all about the bands and performing for others while Mandy did it for solace and herself. They were like yin and yang- they still are.”
Ian knew Kevin had been on tour for a while, and maybe the hostile Mandy he’d met now was because the yin to her yang was far away. And she seemed to loosen up- because she knew he was coming home again.
So that explained Mandy as far as Ian was concerned.
So what the hell was Mickey’s deal?
It was a gym day on Wednesday, and Ian found himself irritated once again.
It wasn’t enough that M4 refused to wear their school uniform, but the gym uniform, too?
Or maybe if Ian stopped lying to himself for a minute, he’d admit that it was that he liked how Mickey looked in his own clothes. In their massive field, Ian played kickball with his class while Mickey’s class played basketball. And though the blond was shorter than average height, it didn’t affect his basketball skills. He wore a black sweater vest over a gray hoodie with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and black soccer pants rolled half way up his sculpted calves; he couldn’t let himself admit that he liked Mickey’s legs.
“Hey, Ian!” He looked to where the voice came and only met the ball that hit him square in the face, making him fall back to the grass. Weren’t they playing kickball?
He was quickly crowded, Karen in her too small, fitted gym sweater bending forward the closest with her blond curls hanging gracefully. She gave a wicked smile.
“Shame,” she mocked concern before she tsked. “You should’ve been paying attention.”
He finally came to his senses, feeling something fall from his nose and quickly covered it, finding it to be blood.
“Nice shot,” he heard someone compliment. And another exclaimed, “Double nose bleed!” Apparently, his classmates hated him even when there wasn’t a target over his head.
Mickey hadn’t seen the whole thing, but he saw when Ian had gotten up with his hand barely covering the blood that fell from his nose. And his eyes followed as the red head made his way inside the school, probably to the bathroom.
Ian was standing over the sink, running his fingers under the water to wash the blood from his hands. Mickey hesitated, not sure if he should intrude after that declaration Ian made so painstakingly clear. But either way, he wanted to get back in the relatively good graces he was with before.
Mickey inched forward, handkerchief from his wallet in hand, and held it to the red head’s face. When Ian jerked, he finally spoke. “Don’t move.”
Ian turned to the familiar voice and glared, pushing Mickey’s hand away.
“Don’t be mad at me; you’re the one that let yourself get hit in the face by a ball.”
“Do you know how ridiculously stupid you sound? Ever?” Ian finally faced him finally, and Mickey regretted his words. “And what’s it to you anyways?”
“Is that how you talk to someone who actually tries to help you?” Mickey didn’t have any other way of speaking, it seemed. And he just really wished Ian understood that.
“Yeah, and who asked for your help, huh? Do you not get that even if we were the last two people on earth, I still wouldn’t accept your help?” Ian didn’t wait for an answer as he barreled past Mickey, bumping his shoulder.
Mickey hated this feeling, like something was weighing heavily on his chest- to the point where the words were blurted out. “Why do you hate me so much?”
Ian stopped at the question, fully intrigued in what Mickey was saying.
“How can you hate me, Mickey Milkovich, so much?” He raised a finger, ready to list off his great qualities. “I’m good-looking, I’m smart, I’m rich…what is there to hate?”
Ian shook his head, and Mickey fully saw the pity in those green eyes, in that faint smile. “You still don’t get it, do you? I dislike everything about you! The way you look, the way you walk, the way you slick your hair back with all that grease, I hate everything!”
Mickey had to say something to not show what his face could have possibly shown. “Are you h-“
“I’m not done,” Ian interrupted sternly. “It’s such an eyesore to see how you guys don’t have enough regards for the school system that you can’t even wear the fucking school uniform! I think it’s pretty decent and I used to go to a school that didn’t even have a dress code. And the way you pick on the poor- oh, wait, I mean ‘charity cases’- with your red card bullshit. And your thoughtlessness- that’s the worst!” He was breathing heavily, obviously not the only one with a heavy chest.
“You…”Mickey trailed off, not understanding anything of this foreign affair in front of him. Somehow, in the last two weeks, he’s spent an unimaginable amount of time thinking about this one guy to the point where he actually cared about he thought…this has never happened before.
“All in all,” Ian stated, his voice low and exact, “I hate everything about you, Mickey Milkovich.” Again, Ian left Mickey alone with only his words to resonate around him and seep into his being.
He needed to kick something, to punch something, to throw something-
He found his reflection in the mirror, his face had grown red and his nose flared, his lips red from biting.
All in all, I hate everything about you, Mickey Milkovich. The words were on automatic repeat as he studied his reflection. It didn’t make any sense. Mickey couldn’t make sense of it…he couldn’t.
He told himself he didn’t care, but he was still thinking about it as he changed back into his clothes…not the uniform. The halls were quiet as he headed back to his private tutoring room. There were two guards that were hanging up a sign that caught Mickey’s attention:
Europe College Trip
Sophomore and Junior Class
October 5-October 13
$5,000
Mickey was a senior, but he was sure the school would make an exception for M4. He smiled, maybe he could have another chance at redemption.
“What the fuck, Ian?” Fiona exclaimed as she talked to Ian’s backside.
He groaned as he straightened up, placed the cans on the shelf before turning to his sister. “You couldn’t have waited till I got home to talk about this?”
“Oh yeah, like you’d just sit patiently to talk about this.” She rolled her eyes exasperatedly. “Ian, you have to go to this trip. It’s so great!”
“Fi, do you really think I’m trying to go to school out of Chicago, let alone America?”
Fiona shrugged as he continued to stack cans. “Well, no. Come to think of it, I’m not really sure what your plans are. And that worries me. At least I know Lip plans to be a waste of Southside brilliancy.” She stopped for a second. “Both of you guys are so capable, y’know? And don’t think of it as a college trip. Think of it as a Europe trip. You get to go to Germany, France, Italy, Poland.”
“Fi, it’s $5,000 the school’s not gonna give me and you can’t waste. We need that for the winter. Besides, I work full time for that week and help out where I couldn’t before.”
“What do you mean ‘where you couldn’t before’? You’ve been pulling your weight for this family greatly…maybe even a little bit more-“
“I’m already attending the school,” Ian said. “Let me decide this on my own, ok?” When she gave a noncommittal noise, he smiled. “Maybe we can go Orland Square or downtown or something while I’m off.”
Fiona sighed at the face Ian gave her, so hopeful and innocent- how was he even still making that face. “Fine. Whatever.”
“Great! Now lemme get back to work. I have to finish this whole aisle before I leave.”
The rest of week leading up to the trip left Mickey a bundle of nerves and chills. Iggy and Collin could work as chaperones, while Mickey was supposed to look over Mandy.
But Mickey hadn’t even realized when Mandy had wandered off, his pacing itching at Iggy and Collin’s patience.
“Could you stop quit with the pacing before you wear the floor out?” Collin said. “What’s got you so nervous, anyways?”
Mickey scoffed. “Nothing.” What if Ian wasn’t coming? But he had to, didn’t he?
“Where did Mandy go?” Iggy asked, trying to get Mickey’s attention with an important matter and failing. “Mick, if you want, you can just take your private jet.”
Mickey shook his head. “Nah, it’s a ‘school trip’. Therefore, it would hinder my experience if I went without my classmates, right Mandy?” He looked around for Mandy, finding her nowhere in sight. “Where’d she go?”
Iggy shrugged. “Maybe she went along with the class ‘cause it’s time to go.” He made a show of tapping his watch.
Mickey gave one last look to the escalators before he followed behind, hoping Gallagher would appear. But no such luck.
Mandy watched her classmates head toward their terminal, jumping in her place as she waited at the line where many people waited. She was sure this was the day. It had to be.
Not long after, she saw him walking towards her, his bags in tow and his casual dress still making him look more expensive and valuable than anything she’s ever seen. It took all her willpower just to smile as he smiled at her than to run to him.
“Kevin!” some girls yelled, running past Mandy as the invisible crowd populated around her boyfriend.
But she was used to this; this is why he was away for so long, of course.
So she dutifully waited for the crowd to disperse and she was able to walk into his waiting arms. Seeing him there, being able to touch him and be engulfed in his warm welcome, she felt all the worry lift off her shoulders, and she’d dare to cry because it’s been so long.
“Hey, Mands,” he whispered into her hair. “How’ve you been?”
“Great! Let’s go!” She grabbed his free hand, entwining their fingers as they walked on. She glanced at a picture of him for H&M that was posted on a wall. “I hate this picture,” she teased, pointing to it.
Mickey saw Mandy give a hug to Kevin from the plane window. “Kevin’s back?” he mumbled, more to himself since it was a passing thought. Was Gallagher seriously not coming?
His phone rang and he answered. “Yeah?”
“I’m sorry sir,” the stewardess apologized, “but I have to ask you to turn off your phone since the plane is almost ready for takeoff.”
Mickey looked up at the woman, all while listening to the voice on the receiving end. “What? He’s where?”
He ended the call, forgetting about the stewardess over his shoulder. He looked back to her, contemplating. “Ok, fine. I’m going.”
The stewardess went wide eyed as he got up and passed by her, heading towards the door. He met Mandy on the stairs, who looked confused.
“We’re not going.”
Ian laughed as Kev sat Veronica on the bench. Ian had suggested they wear comfortable shoes for their adventure, but Vee had insisted that she could walk for hours in stilettos (also that walking shoes weren’t cute).
“I told you, Vee-“
“Yeah, yeah,” she interrupted. “It’s a good thing I got my man to carry me around, right baby?”
Kev rolled his eyes but laughed. “Right, because that’s all I’m good for?”
“Of course not,” she soothed, caressing his face. “You buy me things, too!” Fiona joined in on the laughter as she sat down next to her best friend.
“So, I went through most of my existence not coming here,” Lip offered as he rested against Ian. “Why now?”
They were on the 5th floor of the Water Tower up north on Michigan Ave. Debbie had suggested they go there first. Ian shrugged. “It’s a pretty nice place, ain’t it? Not exactly Mall of America, but I’m sure it comes close.”
“What’s the Mall of America?” Carl asked, adjusting Liam on his hip.
Fiona patted him on the back. “It has a pretty self-explanatory title, Carl. So, what? Do we just disperse and meet up somewhere?”
Ian nodded, liking that idea. “Sure. Do I have to remind anyone that we can’t shoplift from any of the stores here?” He spoke to everyone, but his eyes landed on Carl. Actually, everyone’s eyes were on him.
“Duh, I’m not stupid, Ian. I can’t lift a whole store even in our own neighborhood.”
There was a collective groan before Lip spoke. “Just don’t steal anything, ok, Carl?”
With the note, they were off, going to different stores in the grandiose building.
Ian had been with Lip for a while, going into Adidas and other stores he couldn’t possibly afford. But seeing all the expensive clothing gave Lip ideas of schemes they could run in under half an hour in that very mall. Ian reluctantly turned it down.
And around noon, everyone had agreed to meet in the underground food court.
“So,” Kev heaved a sigh as he sat down, “I’m, for one, loving this more than the Cermak Mall.”
“That’s a Mexican mall, Kev,” Vee explained. “You know not all malls are like that, right? That’s just a department store with different vendors. This place has licenses and shit.”
“It’s better,” Carl agreed, “but at least you can steal from the Mexican one.”
Fiona gathered up the children with Liam in tow. “We’re gonna get in line. It was a smart idea coming while everyone’s at work.”
Kev and Vee followed, going to a different line to buy their food, leaving Lip and Ian alone.
“So, uh, exactly how are things going at school?” Lip asked, propping his chin with his fist on the table.
“What?”
“Yeah, don’t gimme that. I know you’re not one to talk our ears off or anything, but I get the feeling some shit’s been going down. You made any rich enemies yet?”
Ian laughed. He’d avoided talking about the past 3 weeks when it came to anything but school work. He wasn’t going to give it up now. “Everything’s been…monotonous.” It was a lie, but he could testify to it.
Lip stared at his brother who did his best to keep his eyes on his hands at the table. “Monotonous? You sure?” He kept an eye as Ian shrugged. Leave it to Ian to be in any kind to have a death threat over his head and walk around with a smile.
Ian twitched at what he thought was the sound of his own name, but he had to be imagining it. He continued playing with his fingers as he imagined it again.
“Yo, drummer boy!” he heard clearly then. His heart dropped to his stomach before he turned around. How the holy fuck?
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he yelled to Mickey as he, his siblings, Karen Jackson and a few others from his junior class came down the escalator. He hoped more than anything to get a week away from Lakeshore High, and here Mickey was, bringing the damn school to him.
“Who’s this?” Fiona asked as she sat her food down at the table. Mickey gave a kind smile Ian knew to be fake, but Fiona smiled at the charming gesture.
“Are you Ian’s older sister he’s told us so much about?” Mickey asked with an airy voice. His smile was dazzling, and he almost looked sweet with his eyes crinkling at the sides.
“Yeah, I am. Do you want to borrow Ian for a second?”
“If you don’t mind, that’d be great.” Again with that million watt smile.
Fiona saw Ian roll his eyes and her smile faltered, but she still smacked the back of his head and told him to move along.
Ian looked back at the crowd of maybe 8 and realized Mandy was nowhere in sight. When they’d found a pretty empty space for privacy, Ian snapped. “What the fuck are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in Berlin or Paris or some shit?”
Mickey shrugged, his bottom lip poked out a bit in innocence. “I’ve been to Europe before, a few times actually. We wanted to go somewhere new.”
“Oh, and the Water Tower is new?” Ian squinted his eyes to see clearly past Mickey’s bullshit.
“Well, no.” Mickey admitted. “But I heard you were here and thought maybe we could all hang out or something. You’re still a student at Lakeshore High.”
“Really, ‘cause I haven’t really been feelin’ all that welcomed.”
“So, you’re happy to see me, right?”
“I was happy before you and your crew got here, that’s for sure.”
Mickey shrugged, unfazed by Ian’s insults. “Well if you maybe wanna go to Berlin or Paris, we could always take my jet.”
Ian stared at the hopeful, happy face. “You are unbelieveabl-“
“I’m gonna take that as a compliment-“
“-bly pushy and idiotic!” Ian finally got out.
Mickey chewed on his bottom lip before giving half a smile that reached his eyes, those blue and amazing eyes.
No, Ian couldn’t think that.
Ian turned on his heels, meeting back up with the group, seeing the apologetic smiles of Collin and Iggy.
“Ian!”
Mandy walked around the group with an free smile he’d never seen before. “There’s a ‘Welcome Home’ party for Kevin tonight. It’ll be fun.” She looked back before turning back to Ian. “So you’re coming, yeah. I’ll see you there.” And before Ian could answer, she was swaying back over. There he was, Kevin Oroscoe, in the flesh. His jaw dropped to the floor at how close the guy he would talk about for hours when he was younger stood just inches from him. He gave Ian a smile before turning to go back up the escalator with his hand wrapped around Mandy’s waist.
That is until his vision was blurred by the other annoying blond he wished he never made his acquaintance. He rolled his eyes before she even spoke, not wanting to hear that squeak of a voice.
“I know what you’re gonna say, and honestly, I don’t wanna go either.”
“Oh come on,” Karen whined with her lips in a pout and her eyes droopy. “You have to go. It’s a party for Mandy and Kevin. And they invited you, right?”
Ian eyed her suspiciously, unused to the kind Karen was showing. “Yeah…I guess so.”
“But Mands forgot to mention something key.”
“And…what’s that?”
“That it’s a costume party. Yeah, Kevin just came from the premier of some Chinese superhero movie. I think it was supposed to be a remake of Spiderman or Superman or Kick-Ass- I dunno. But all I know is, I’m coming as Cat Woman.” She beamed a confident smile, and Ian quickly understood why she came to inform him: so she could brag. “And real leather looks so good on me. You could try and find a good quality costume, but don’t hurt yourself if you can’t afford anything over $10. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
And in an instant, she was back to her regular bitchy self.
They all followed, going back up the escalator and leaving Ian with his curious family.
“That was Kevin Oroscoe,” Debbie said in amazing, unfazed by family she’d learned to be billionaires just a measly three weeks ago with her brother. “Mandy Milkovich is dating Kevin Oroscoe.”
“By association, you’re the luckiest guy ever,” Lip agreed.
“But we can’t forget the little one,” Fiona said as she chimed in. “Who was the one that pulled you away in the first place? He’s cute. Does he like you?” she smiled brightly.
Ian breathed out heavily. “He likes torturing me.” Mickey glanced back as he made it to the top of the escalator. Did he fucking wink? “And I got invited to a costume party tonight.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we’re here then, huh, Super Man?”
“Oh no!” Ian argued. “If I’m going as any superhero, I’m goin’ as Spiderman!”
Ian felt completely stupid.
Where had his confidence gone? He stood on the steps of the Milkovich Mansion, not much sound coming from the inside. He’s been standing there for a while, wondering if he should go in or not. He came all this way, he might as well, right?
But he didn’t want to stand out; he didn’t want to be at a party with people that didn’t even like him. God, why had he agreed to this?
The only thought that allowed his feet to finally trudge up the steps was that he wouldn’t be the only one. He’d blend in with everyone else, and maybe he could keep his head high enough before people began to believe that he wasn’t scared of them at all.
There were men nicely dressed at the door to welcome him, and they instructed how he should get to the ball room (they had a fucking ballroom in their house?) and there were men there, too.
Ian took in a heavy breath as the doors open, and he felt the air get caught in his throat as he saw the chandeliers hanging high above, illuminating the room filled with people…dressed elegantly.
He wouldn’t be able to recover from this. If he walked an inch further, he would die on the spot, he’s sure. So he turned to walk back to the exit, only to catch the blond turning the corner. Thinking on his feet, he moved inside, hiding behind the tables lined up with horderves. He poked his head in time to see Mickey enter. He should have been used to seeing Mickey drenched in his own money when it came to clothes, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the fresh blond and his tuxedo that fitted him the same way his other clothes did, to show off his nice physique- and the bow tie! And here Ian was, hiding behind a table because he listened to Karen Jackson. Why would he even listen to her? How strung up on stupid could he have been?
“Ian Gallagher!”
Speaking of the devil…
“Why are you sitting on the floor? Are you hiding?” She clung to her pink, shimmery, flowy skirt as to keep such an expensive piece away from Ian. “Oh, did you get the memo wrong? Did ya think it was a costume party?”
Ian glared up at her. “I thought you said something about leather.”
“Oh, I am,” she assured, going to her hair and pulling something free that kept her curls at bay in a bun: a leather tie. “It makes for a great choker, too.” She tugged at his coat. “So, what did you come as? Lemme see.”
Ian fought, using his strength but surprised at how much power the smaller girl held as she dragged him clumsily into a standing position. Seeing him properly, Karen gasped. “Are you Spiderman? Seriously?” She began to giggle but Ian tried to escape her iron grip. “Wait, where’s the mask? Is it in your jacket?”
The fight started then as Ian yanked and pulled while Karen pulled as well. He saw the evil smirk in her eyes just a second before she let go, giving Ian all the force he used as he pulled it on himself and lost his balance, desperately flailing as he fell to the ground, taking a few trays of shrimp with him.
When the clatter finally died off, the room had gone silent.
Karen tsked him, a look of disappointment on her face. “God, you poor people always gotta stand out? Is it because you have nothing but yourselves? I wouldn’t rely on that, y’know. Even that isn’t usually really great.” She shrugged, crossing her arms again.
Ian’s breathing got heavier, his face burning up. An unexpected hand appeared over his shoulder, darker than his. It was Kevin.
“Wanna hand, man?” He asked when Ian hadn’t taken a hold. Ian looked up and saw Mandy was at his side, concern etched into her features. He finally took the hand and got up, Kevin’s free hand and Mandy’s brushing of the shrimp and lettuce that fell on him. Ian wanted to pick his head up, he did. But he was afraid of what face he might see if he did.
“I know what you were doing, but this only proves that the only low life here is you,” Kevin stated, his words sharp. “Mandy, help me get him to my room.” And with that, Mandy was guiding Ian along out of the room.
From the treatment he’d been getting from Mickey, he was a tad bit surprised when Kevin handed him over clothes that had hung in the closet, seemingly his own. “Here, you can change into that, though Spiderman is pretty awesome.”
Ian held the clothes in his hands. “Thanks…you…you don’t have to go to this extent, y’know. It’s really awesome, though.”
Kevin shrugged. “Don’t sweat it, and don’t feel like a burden.”
Ian felt the need to explain. “It’s just…this isn’t where I belong in the first place, y’know?”
“Mandy invited you, right? And nay friend of Mandy’s is a friend of mine.”
“Nah. She just invited me to be nice.”
Kevin chuckled. “Mandy’s not that kind of person. Believe me, I know. If she didn’t like someone, she’d outright say it. And to see her stand up for anyone like this, I’ve never seen her like that before.”
Ian nodded, not wanting to argue because he barely knew Mandy. “She seems very attentive, that’s for sure.”
“Attentive? That’s it, right there.” Kevin smiled when Ian looked confused. “You’re pretty special to her.” There was no hidden meaning, just a fact stated. Ian wasn’t expecting the subject to change so quickly. “As far as Milkovichs are concerned, I heard Mickey’s been giving you a hard time. And that you weren’t going down without a fight?”
Ian flinched at the accusation when Kevin raised an eyebrow, wondering if these words were true. He wasn’t in the wrong, but he sure felt like he was. “Well…”
But Kevin stopped him, offer words of explanation “Mickey’s lonely. And he covers it up with violence.”
“What? Lonely? But how? There are always people around.”
“He’s only with his parents for maybe a month or two a year. And from the moment he was born, he wasn’t treated as a son or friend, really. He’s been treated as an heir to the company. By a certain point, his brothers were established with what they would be destined to do, and Terry saw him as the one to take profit from his work. Can you even imagine how that feels?”
Could Ian imagine how it felt to have a destined life the moment he was born; to be brought up not as a person but a thing only to benefit something bigger than himself? He shook his head, the information boring down on him.
“Don’t lose to him,” Kevin requested.
“What?”
“I like you, Ian. And I think you have a good shot. You’ve shown as such so far. I’ll cheer you on, I promise.” He gave another warm smile, one different than the one Ian grew up seeing on posters. To think the guy he looked up to stood before him, giving him advice on how to deal with what he believed was his biggest problem, it was all so surreal.
“Now, get changed. I don’t wanna keep Mands waiting for long.”
Kevin left the room, and Ian started changing, the room looking brighter already with an understanding he hadn’t noticed before.
Mickey had kicked himself repeatedly the moment Mandy and Kevin ran over to Ian’s aid. He’d hesitated, once again, trying to work up the nerve all over again once he saw the trouble Ian was in. The last thing Mickey wanted was to lose the progress he was making on Ian- and by his own little sister.
Mandy had came back into the ballroom, her red gown complimenting her pale, delicate skin. He was sure if Ian was hardwired the usual way, he’d be all over Mandy in an instant. If tonight and previous meetings weren’t a clear indication, Mandy held a mutual feeling. And he knew his sister wouldn’t let a simple a thing as Ian being attracted to guys let her flail in attempts at winning over Ian’s affection, no matter what form it came in.
Not ten minutes later, Ian walked in with Kevin right behind him, and Mickey was sure if he’d been holding something in that moment, it would have dropped to the carpeted floor from the way he felt jaw slack and his muscles fail on him.
Ian wore an off gray tux, fitting him in places Mickey wasn’t even aware there were things to be left to the imagination. He tugged on the silver tie a bit, fiddling with the cuffs and running a hand through his red hair before it fell back to fall just over his eyes.
Kevin whispered something in Ian’s ear, and his green eyes widened before he nodded curtly and walked forward.
Mickey hated to admit it to himself: he liked the way Ian looked and the way he walked. He didn’t want to admit it but he actually liked Gallagher.
And he walked right over to Mandy, who gave a shy smile before taking his hand and going off to dance amongst the others.
If Mickey had been holding something at that moment, he would’ve broken it, surely, given his sudden grip at seeing his little sister in the place he wanted to be.
This wasn’t about losing to anyone now.
It was about not having Ian Gallagher.