Ian has caught himself trying to say it on a couple of occasions, something as simple as 'I love you' to anybody else is normal but for Ian, he knows Mickey'll hate it, call him a faggot, maybe even beat the shit out of him but Ian knows he loves Mickey, he has known for awhile now, since Mickey had first gotten out of juvie but now he has a tiny suspicion that the older boy might just have feelings for him aswell.
He first realised when Mickey told him he missed him and then when Mickey helped him build the assault course on the rooftop and then when Mickey kissed him and when Mickey let him stay at his house instead of the group home.
Ian has to bite his lip during sex to stop himself from uttering those three little words and he has to play it off as him loving chips, Mickey had been stacking shelves in the kash and grab and laughing at something Ian said when Ian nearly said it "God, I love yo- chips, I love chips they're great" Mickey had looked at him like he was a psycho and said "Gallagher you need to get your fucking head checked".
Ian and Mickey were sitting on the roof drinking beer when Ian finally said it "I love you", Mickey tensed, beer half way to his mouth when Ian repeated himself "I fucking love you, Mick", they sat in silence for awhile before Mickey spoke "Well I ain't gonna say it back", Ian smiled, that wasn't the response he thought he would get from Mickey "I don't expect you to" Ian said brightly "Good 'cause I won't" Mickey then brushed his fingers against Ian's knuckles before opening another beer. Yeah, Ian figures that's the closest to an I love you that'll he'll get but he'll take it because he loves Mickey and Mickey loves him even if it's left unsaid.