Disclaimer: I don't own Shameless.
A/N1: This is a one shot that takes place after my story "Self Preservation." I had a lot of fun writing Debbie and Mickey bonding in that story, and I didn't want to stop just because "Self Preservation" is coming to an end. To understand what is going on in this story you should read "Self Preservation." I had the idea for this story floating around in my head for awhile now, and I had to get it down. I hope you guys like it!
A/N2: I rated this M because of Mickey's rather colorful language. Also, anything in italics is a flashback.
An Unlikely, but not too Awful Way to Spend a Saturday
Mickey feels like a fish out of water. He looks around the sparsely filled auditorium and sighs. He closes his eyes for a second and asks himself again, why the fuck is he here? Who is he fooling? He knows exactly why he's here. And it has more to do with the who as to why he's at a school, on a Saturday, when the weather is halfway decent. He should be sneaking into a Sox game, but no. He's at a fucking middle school, ruining a perfectly good Saturday. Hell, he couldn't be bothered going to school when he was supposed to be. And yet here he is. Thanks to the fucking Gallagher's.
Mickey's mind flashes back to yesterday when Fiona stopped by the Kash and Grab.
"Do you have any big plans with my brother out of town?" Fiona asks.
The ex-con looks at her quizzically. Is this some sort of test to see if Mickey will cheat on her brother when he's away at a ROTC camping trip? Mickey still doesn't understand why Ian is still even in the ROTC. His hand did get better after months of intensive therapy, but not enough for him to be able to join the army. At first Mickey thought that the redhead was in denial about the damage done to his hand. But, now he thinks that Ian's staying in the ROTC to keep some kind of resemblance of how things used to be before he got viciously attacked because of a stupid ass bet his father made.
"What's business is it of yours?" Mickey asks with a glare.
"I take that as a no. Good because I need you to go to Debs' debate tournament."Fiona says in one quick breath.
Mickey shakes his head. "I ain't going."
"Come on, Mickey. If you don't go, there's going to be no one there for her. I have work. Jimmy's out of town on business, Ian's on that camping trip, and Lip's at that engineering thing at Northeastern. Deb was pretty down when I told her that I couldn't go to it because I got called into work." Fiona pleads.
Mickey shrugs his shoulders, "That's not my problem."
Fiona raises her eyebrows. "Oh, it will be when I tell Ian that Debbie was all upset because no one was there for her debate." She stops for a second before she continues, "And that I asked you to go, but you wouldn't because it's not 'your problem.' I'm sure he's going to love that."
Mickey remains quiet.
"And we all know how my brother can hold a grudge. I hope you got some before he left this weekend because when he finds out that you wouldn't go to Debs' thing, I bet that you won't be getting any for quite some time," Fiona says with a sinister smile.
The ex-con's eyes bulge. She's fucking right. Fuck, does she play dirty.. The Gallagher's all know each other way too well, and are always there for each other. Mickey doesn't really understand it. He and Ian have been together for awhile now, and it's still hard for him to fathom the Gallagher family eating together and actually taking an interest in each other's lives. Hell, he's been invited to countless Gallagher family dinners and other family obligations. And he's not even part of their family.
Mickey then thinks of Debs. He actually likes the kid. He doesn't mind watching movies with her and listening to her ramble on about the fuckwads at school who are assholes to her. There's been quite a few times that Ian actually had to calm him down when he hears about how the little shits smash her lunch, toss her clothes in the garbage when she's changing for gym, and is the butt of a particular cruel rumor.
He also remembers how it was Debs who helped patched things over with him and Ian when the ex-con forgot about the redhead's birthday, and decided instead to go out and get absolutely hammered with his brothers. Gallagher wouldn't talk to him for three days. He knows that it would have been for a lot longer of Debs didn't play Oprah and fix the situation.
So he guesses that his decision is already made before he even lets the words slip from his lips. "Fine, I'll go. What time is this fucking debate shit?"
Fiona smiles again. "Good choice, Mickey. It starts at eleven."
At least it's not too early. Mickey rolls his eyes. "Whatever, I just don't need two Gallagher's pissed at me."
Fiona shakes her head and as she leaves the store she turns around and says. "Thanks, Mickey."
Mickey sees Debbie on the stage sitting at a table with two other kids. He walks towards the back of the auditorium because there's no fucking way he's sitting up front. He said that he'd come, he didn't say anything about being a fucking cheerleader Just as he's about to sit down Debs notices him. She gives him an eager wave and a huge smile. It's the same stupid shit eating smile that Ian gives him when he's ridiculously happy. Like when Mickey doesn't push him away when he wraps his arms around him after they have sex.
Mickey nods his head and takes his seat just as some geeky asshole in suspenders tells the audience of like ten people that the debate is about to start and goes over the rules of the debate. With Ian in the middle of fucking no where he texted Lip to ask him how these things work and how long they last. Fucking doucebag told him jack shit. All he said was have fun. Asshole.
For the next two and a half hours Mickey watches as Debs and the other kids at her table go tit for tat with the other team. He really doesn't understand everything they're saying about whether or not the government should continue to pay for farming subsidies and that school vouchers should or shouldn't be legal. He gives Debs a small nod of approval when she smirks after arguing against something that the other team said.
Finally, the debate ends and Debs' team is declared the winner. Mickey stands there for a minute, not really knowing what to do next as Debs is talking to the other kids on her team. A few minutes later she comes running up to him.
"You came!" She says with a huge smile.
Mickey shrugs his shoulders, "Not like I had anything else to do anyway."
Debbie rolls her eyes, "Who threatened you?"
Mickey attempts to glare at the girl, "No one threatens me."
Debbie isn't easily fooled, "Oh right. I forgot, you're Mickey Milkovich, no one threatens you."
Mickey's about to tell the kid damn straight no one threatens him when the boy and the girl on her debate team comes up to them. He's saved for the moment.
"Hey Simon and Lauren," Debbie says.
The girl, Lauren, is talking to Debbie about the next debate when he notices that Simon is staring at Debs. Not just stating, he's checking her out. What. The. Fuck. Mickey's half listening to the girls planning on meeting up some time during the week to plan for the upcoming debate. He's too busy staring down the little shit who's eyes are still transfixed on Debs' lower backside. When the kid finally looks up and sees Mickey's menacing look and sees him mouthing 'don't even think about it', the kid's eyes get huge and he quickly says, "Gotta go. I'll see you guys at school." Before the girls can answers he's off.
The two girls look confused, but Mickey just smiles. He looks at Debbie. "You ready to get out of here, kid? I've never spent this much time in school when I was a student here. I've had enough."
"Sure, Mick. We can go. Can we get some ice cream?"Debs answers
Mickey sighs, "Jesus fuckin' Christ. Everything is a negotiation with you Gallagher's. Fine we'll stop for ice cream, as long as we can get the fuck out of here real fuckin' fast."
She gives him another shit eating grin, and says good bye to her friend. When she's done, she meets Mickey by the door. As the pair makes their way out of the school and start on their way home, Mickey asks "What the fuck is the story with that Simon kid? He seems like a fucking creep."
"He's harmless." Debbie answers.
"Says the one who's brother tortures the neighborhood strays," Mickey responds.
"He just wants to hang out with me. That's all." Debbie says as they continue walking.
"If he tries anything he's not suppose to, tell me. I'll take care of it." Mickey says protectively. He's not lying. He will. Just as he protects Mandy, he'll protect Debbie.
As they near Scoops, the neighborhood ice cream joint, Debbie turns to Mickey. "I know you will." She then smirks. "Even though, I don't know how someone who can be threatened so easily by one of my siblings is going to be much of a threat to any of my potential suitors."
"Shut the fuck up about that shit. I wasn't threatened," Mickey defends himself as they walk into Scoops.
Debbie pats him gently on the shoulder, "If that's what makes you sleep better at night, keep telling yourself that."
Mickey rolls his eyes as Debbie walks up the counter and looks over the ice cream selection. He'll never admit it, but he did feel threatened by Fiona. He didn't want to upset Ian by not going to Debbie's debate. He knows how if you upset one Gallagher, you piss them all off. And he would like to say that his own well being, mainly his sex life, is the only reason why he spent his Saturday in a decrepit school auditorium watching firecrotch's kid sister argue over things that he frankly doesn't give two shits about. But, he knows that's not the real reason why he's came. But, he'll keep that little secret to himself. Even though he has a sneaking suspicion that his secret isn't such a secret anymore.
"Whatcha' gonna get, Mickey?" Debs asks Mickey asks, bringing him out of the daze he's in.
"Order me whatever. Just don't get me anything faggy, like red velvet or some shit." Mickey says as he gives her a ten dollar bill.
Debbie rolls her eyes as she takes the money. The ex-con steps back outside as Debbie gets the ice cream. He lights a cigarette because he needs to take a breather from all this domestic shit. He's gotten better with dealing with this family shit for the most part. He kinda had no choice. After Ian's attack, he was catapulted into the Gallagher family dynamic. Much to his chagrin that means attending family dinners, birthday celebrations, watching debates, and getting ice cream. He takes another long drag of his cigarette.
Debbie walks back outside with two cones. She hands him a plain vanilla waffle cone. "You good?" She asks.
As he takes a bite of his ice cream and they begin to walk home, he answers "Yeah, I'm good."
I hope you like this little Debbie/Mickey one shot. I have a couple of more ideas for my "Self Preservation" verse. Will you guys be interested in reading some? Let me know!