"Fuck. Fuck!" Mickey was pacing up and down the house. He'd just been told that his dad's house was being sold and he could no longer live there.
"Calm down Mickey, you can stay with me at Fiona's." Ian tried to make him stop pacing, but Mickey just shrugged him off and kept walking.

"Fucking Fiona's? No way. No fucking way!" He put out the stub of a cigarette in his mouth and replaced it with another. When he fumbled on the lighter, Ian grabbed it and lit it for him, grabbing a cigarette of his own.

"Why not, Mick? Where else you gonna go?"

"What and tell them I'm your boyfriend and they'll just be cool with it? And Fiona will be fine squeezing another person in that house? Yeah no fucking worries. Christ!" Mickey turned again, this time walking straight out of the house.

Ian jogged to catch up with him and he strode down the sidewalk, heading nowhere. When he caught up, Ian grabbed Mickey's arm and Mickey flung around, his hand clipping Ian on the side of the mouth. He didn't stop or apologise, but turned around and kept walking, cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth.

This time Ian ran in front of him and stood in his path. Mickey's eyes were manic, he did not hesitate but drew his hand back and punched the red-head right in the eye, and immediately Ian saw red as blood pooled in his vision.
"Fuck Mickey, stop!" He had stopped, "Do you need to hit me again? Get it out?" Ian wanted him to say no. Ian expected Mickey not to hit him. But he did. He fucking did. Bam. Another blow to the face. Ian wasn't going to fight Mickey, but Mickey was going to fight him.
"Feel better yet?" Ian yelled, forcing Mickey to look him in the eye.

'I love my tough Mickey, but not like this' thought Ian.
"Fuck off, Gallagher" and he kneed the taller boy in the stomach, winding him and bringing him to my knees.
"I love you" Ian rasped. Ian couldn't take anymore and lay there on the road, curled up, staring up at Mickey.
"Fuck!" Mickey exclaimed, and took a long drag on his cigarette before throwing it away. He crouched down and put his arm around the bloody Ian. He couldn't maintain the crouch though, and fell backwards. With Mickey sitting on the curb, Ian crawled towards him and put his head on the brunette's lap. Mickey wrapped his arms around Ian and cried into Ian's hair.

'This is my Mickey too' Ian reminded himself ' Vulnerable. Little'. Neither of the boys said anything. Ian let Mickey cry until he was done, and then Ian sat up and put his head on Mickey's shoulder, so the younger boy could hold the older of the two.

"I'm going to go live at my cousins for a bit." Mickey said quietly. "Lip or Fiona will probably kill me if I bring you home like this anyway." Ian didn't move. Mickey was leaving. Ian did what he does best when he's upset, and stayed silent. He couldn't think of a better thing to do. He couldn't think of a solution to their problem. He didn't know how he could stay with Mickey if he hit him, but the idea of leaving Mickey hurt more than any of these physical injuries.