Set far into the future in which they adopt their perfect baby girl, Penny.
Title comes from Same Love by Macklemore but more importantly .feat Mary Lambert who also lives with bipolar disorder + is always vocal about her ups and downs and that the only way to destigmatize mental illness is to talk about it, be vulnerable and open, be unapologetically yourself. At the end of the day slow growth is still growth.
Tags: Bipolar Disorder, Post series/Future, Shaving.
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Mickey's sitting at his kitchen table, going through bills on a Saturday morning because this is what he does now. He's got a real job, a home and a family to call his own.
If you'd told him ten years ago that this is what his life would be, he would've laughed at you but today he can't find it in himself to complain. Somewhere along the way, this became everything he never knew he wanted.
The best thing of all, his sweet baby Penelope, currently sitting in front of him and entirely too concentrated on the drawing in front of her.
He takes his glasses off, just about to rub his eyes when he hears a noise from the bedroom. Mickey's up and walking toward the bedroom before he knows it. On any other day he wouldn't pay it any mind but after a long week of Ian laid up in bed, it's different.
When he steps inside, the sheets are empty and before he has a chance to panic, he sees the bathroom light on. Ian's sitting on the edge of the bathtub, head ducked down.
Mickey walks until he's standing in between Ian's legs and instinctively curls a hand around his neck. "Morning, sleepyhead."
Ian hums, low and throaty, leaning forward to press his forehead against Mickey's stomach. "Thanks, Mick."
Mickey doesn't need to ask what Ian's thanking him for; being patient with him, taking care of him, of their family when he can't and above all, just being there. It's nothing Ian hasn't said time and time again, but neither is it something Mickey wants to hear. He vowed in sickness and in health and he fucking meant it.
"Don't be stupid, Ian." Mickey tilts his chin up, smiling as Ian's eyes flutter open and meet his gaze. "Hey."
Ian's lip tugs upward, faint but there. "Hi."
Mickey runs a hand through Ian's hair, gentle. It's greasy and grown out, objectively disgusting but Mickey can't find it in himself to care. "You wanna shower before or after you eat something?"
"Before," Ian says, shifting back as he circles his fingers around Mickey's wrist still wrapped around him. He tilts his head to the side when Mickey doesn't say anything more. "What?"
Suddenly Mickey can see how much older Ian looks, how much older they're getting. His beard is thick and full, a little rough around the edges, hair overgrown and curling around his ears. He looks good, he always has but there's something about this moment that Mickey wants to savor.
He doesn't mean to blurt it out, but he doesn't deny it either when he ends up saying, "you look good."
Ian huffs out a breath, as if Mickey's joking which is fucking stupid because Mickey doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut when he's talking about Ian. "You're fucking with me."
"Nah." Mickey slides the same hand wrapped around Ian's neck to his jaw. "I like the rugged look. Always been a stud, Gallagher."
This time when Ian ducks his head, Mickey doesn't miss the smile that spreads over his lips. He lets his thumb run over Ian's bottom lip, slowly tilting his chin back up and seeing the smile for himself.
