Child For Us

Chapter 1: Released

  To say that Ian was shocked to see Mickey Milkovich on his doorstep was an understatement, he was someone who definitely shouldn't be there and yet there he was. The light from the porch showed off every line on his face and cast shadows around his blue eyes. Despite that it was definitely Mickey standing there on the Gallagher doorstep at ten at night seven years before he was due to be released. The guy had a minimum of eight years and yet here he was after only one and man did he look good. He had been working out in the joint and he looked so good because of it and oh was Ian so glad to see him there. 

  The paramedic shook his head, he knew that his mouth was hanging open and he must look like an idiot. He couldn't really help it though. He scanned over the other again, taking in the rough beard and the long hair that was poking out from beneath a beanie and boy did Ian itch to run his hands through that hair. He knew he had to say something to him now.

  "How? Why... I mean Mickey you're out," he stuttered out.

  "They revised my case, there was a lack of evidence. Got out today," Mickey explained, it was the first thing he had said and Ian had to suck in a shaky breath when he was hit by just how much he had missed that voice.

  "Oh right. Have you umm... have you been home yet?" Ian asked quietly for a lack of anything else to say.

  "No I haven't I... fuck I missed you Gallagher," Mickey said after only a moment of hesitation. 

  Ian just stared at him. Mickey had said that to him before, last time he had gotten out of juvie. Mickey had also told Ian that he loved him right before he went to jail. After everything, Ian couldn't help but feel almost unbearably guilty. Seeing Mickey stood there on the Gallagher doorstep saying things like he missed Ian made him realise his feelings for the other man all over again. The man that he had broken up with, the guy that he had only visited in prison after his wife had paid him, the man he had tried to get over by seeing other men.

  "Hey man say something please," Mickey begged nervously and Ian realised that he had been caught in his own thought too long.

  "I'm so sorry Mick," Ian half whispered, voice hoarse from emotion.

  "Wait what for?" the thug asked confused.

  "For not visiting. For trying to move on, for breaking up with you. For treating you like shit and taking everything you did for me for granted. I'm sorry for everything Mick," Ian blurted.

  Mickey's blue eyes flicked over Ian's face, seeming to take a moment to process Ian's words. He'd never seen the other look so open. The other man looked hopeful and yet so sad all at the same time. After a moment he looked directly into Ian's eyes, his being so unbelievably blue and beautiful. For a second Mickey didn't say anything and in that second Ian felt his heart stutter. What was the thug going to say? Did he forgive Ian? Did he never want to see Ian again? Was this the last goodbye? God he hoped desperately that it was the first.

  "I love you," Mickey said after that second and it was the last thing that Ian thought he was going to say.

  "I love you too. So, so much Mickey and I really am so incredibly sorry," Ian begged, chocking on some of the words as he suppressed tears.

  "Yeah yeah I believe you firecrotch," the other smirked before he grabbed the front of Ian's shirt and pulled him in for a hot kiss. It was the best, most satisfying and relieving kiss of his life. 

  Eventually they pulled back for air but only far enough that their noses still brushed. Ian stepped forward, Mickey stepping back with him, as he shut the door behind them so it was just the two of them stood together on the porch. From where he was, Ian studied Mickey's face, his hands still cupping Mickey's cheek with Mickey mirroring the position with his own hands on Ian's face. 

  Ian leaned in to peck Mickey on the lips then moving to place light kisses down his jaw before pulling the other in as close as possible to his chest. As he wrapped his arms around the man he loved he couldn't stifle a sob, burying his face into Mickey's neck as the tears started.

  He knew that Mickey was crying too but the other still managed to comfort Ian. He was rubbing slowly at the soft hairs at the base of Ian's skull like he always did and the familiarity was unbelievably good. Even as the hand continued to rub, Ian felt the shoulder of his shirt get damp where Mickey's face was pressed close so he started rubbing his own circles into the base of Mickey's spine.

  "I love you," Ian whispered into Mickey's neck, his lips brushing lightly over the skin there, "I am so glad they let you out."

  "Yeah I'm glad too tough guy," Mickey smiled as he pulled back to look at Ian.

  The other was running his hands through Ian's hair and he only thought it fair that he got to run his hands through Mickey's dark locks also. So he did. He trailed his hands up Mickey's sides from where they had been resting against his waist and slid them into his hair, under the beanie that they let fall to the floor.

  "Yeah I'm gonna cut that," Mickey commented, closing his eyes as Ian massaged his scalp with his long fingers.

  "Well keep a bit of length, a buzz cut would be a bit... inconvenient," Ian smirked.

  "So does that mean you revoke the whole breaking up thing?" Mickey asked with a wide grin.

  "Yeah... I suppose," Ian teased before leaning into another deep kiss.

***

  Months later Ian and Mickey were going strong. They had moved back into the Milkovich house and Mickey had gotten a job in construction. Ian continued with EMT and Mickey told him how proud he was that he had gotten stable and had gotten himself such a brilliant job. He commented on how well Ian had adjusted to the pills, how normal and Ian he was. Everything was almost perfect. There was only one factor in their new life that got to Ian and that was Yevgeny.