EMBROIL [BOOK ONE]

Title 7: Thank You

~Published April 12, 2017~

It's too fucking early! I was currently sitting at the kitchen table at the Gallagher house. The sun was barley peaking out and Ian was standing in front of me acting like Betty Crocker flipping pancakes. Let me explain how we got here. After Mickey and I went inside his home to get his sister. She agreed to come home with us. Next thing you know Mandy and I were lying on Lip's bed catching up on current events. We aren't close at all but I kind of like her. She keeps it real you know? We talked a lot about what is going on in our lives. I was surprised that she mentioned Danny. Apparently Lip and Danny have been hanging out a lot. She would go visit him at college and he would visit her at her place. I could tell that it hurt Mandy since he has moved on but what did she expect? Lip doesn't really settle. After our long conversation we both fell asleep. That was until Ian came in to wake me up begging me to join him in the pancake making. In the end he couldn't handle my grouchy mood so he sat me down with a cup of coffee in my hand. Here I was with my head in my hand and the other tracing the rim of the cup.

"You know Lip is sorry for what he said to you. He wants to talk but he doesn't know how to approach you. I told him that he needs to apologize." He mentioned as he poured more batter onto the skillet. 

I groaned, "I don't want to hear it."

He put his hands up signaling that he got the message, "Okay I get it."

Thanking him I went back to my coffee.

"You look beautiful by the way." He mumbled as he put the finished pancakes onto a plate and placed them in front of me. 

I couldn't help but not feel uncomfortable by his words. Of course Ian has called me beautiful before but the way it fell from his lips this time. It was more intimate, "You're funny. I am in your sweatpants and a holey white t-shirt. Let's not forget the bird nest that is on top of my head."

He laughed as he kissed the top of my head, "Sure you look homeless but you are the most beautiful homeless person I have ever seen."

"Fuck, you sure know how to make a girl feel special." I laughed out loud.

He laughed along with me making his way back to the stove. Our attention was turned to the sound of heavy boots slightly running down the front stairs. In comes Mickey in yesterday's clothes clearly still tired from the night before.

"Hey, Mandy still asleep?" He asked.

"Yup in Lip's room." Ian responded as he flipped a pancake.

Mickey looked over and gave him an odd look, "What are you eating, pancakes? What fucking time did you get up?" 

"About five." He mumbled as he focused on his cooking.

"I can back him up on that. Since he fucking woke me up too." I got up and looked for the syrup.

Mickey was shocked at the scene happening in front of him, "You didn't get back from work until three in the morning." 

"Yeah, I went for a run this morning. I have a ton of energy." His face lit up as he pulled his phone out of his back pocket, "Check out this sunrise! Look at that. It's crazy." 

Mickey looked at the phone in Ian's hand unimpressed, "Yeah, that's real nice." He took the phone in his hand and stared at it, "Must really clear your mind watching a sunrise after a long night of gargling old man balls." 

"Mmhm." Ian nodded and handed me the bottle of syrup.

Mickey broke out in a small laugh, "Pancakes are on me." He threw a bill on the counter next to him.