The Wrong Gallagher
Mickey was invited to spend Christmas with the Gallaghers upon Fiona's request. She wanted to get to know the person who had a kung-fu grip on her brother's heart. She never missed the smiles and looks exchanged between Ian and Mickey, and was determined to understand just what it is her brother loves about him.
Mickey knew the Gallagher's didn't really exchange gifts. There wasn't really anything they could afford to buy, but if someone in the family needed something they always received it. Mickey knew Fiona needed new jeans after Frank cut her last good pair into shorts and the others she had had a hole in the crotch from getting it caught on something in the kitchen.
So Mickey had snuck into her bedroom and rummaged through her shit to find her size. He needed to make sure he stole the right size for her. The only reason he was getting Fiona a gift in the first place was he accidently walked in on her in the bathroom thinking Ian was in there. He turned about as red as Ian's hair and shut the door quickly.
He had been unable to look Fiona in the eye all week long because of it, so to make it up to her he stole her some nice jeans from a department store. It was the least he could do, that and Ian nagging him to make it up to Fiona. Mickey hated apologies.
So he sat on the couch with Ian on the floor between his legs. He was absentmindedly petting Ian's soft red hair while watching a Christmas movie on TV. Sheila had forced them all to watch her favorite Christmas movie.
"This is so gay," Mandy said
"And not in a good way," Mickey said.
Mandy had her legs draped over Ian's lap. She was leaning her back against Lip's chair. They had been fucking again in secret, well not so secret because Ian and Mickey knew about it. They had heard the couple going at it like rabbits back at the Milkovich's house, but neither of them asked questions.
"Can we open presents now?" Carl asked staring at the small pile of boxes in the corner of the room. The Gallaghers didn't have a Christmas tree, but Ian had spent the morning stacking the presents in the shape of a tree. To be a smart ass or to make it look better he even hung lights on it.
"Yeah," said Fiona shutting off the horrible movie. Sheila looked upset, but she needed to understand. Most of the presents were bought with her money anyway. Mickey took two things out of his pocket that weren't in the stack of presents. He handed one to Mandy and one to Ian.
"What's this?" Ian asks looking up at Mickey.
"Open it," Mickey whispered in his ear. He stroked Ian's ear.
Mandy wasted no time. She tore hers open to reveal a cardboard jewelry box. There was a nose ring inside. Mandy had wanted that particular one. Mickey remembered her dropping hints to Kenyatta and since he was an abusive ass who didn't give a shit about her, Mickey had stolen it for her.
"Thanks, shithead," Mandy said, "Here." She tossed Mickey a box wrapped in newspaper. He tilted his head and glared at her. "It's all I could find." Mickey was given a new gun. He admired it. He wanted to hug Mandy for it, but that would mean getting up and he was dead set on leaving an imprint of his ass on that spot on the couch.
"Thanks," Mickey said admiring the gun. He approved. He looked at Ian who had opened his gift finally. He was speechless. Ian looked back at Mickey.
"I don't understand," Ian said holding up a tiny bag of weed. There was nothing else in the box. "What is this?"
"Fuck. That's the wrong box. Oh shit," Mickey said.
Mickey frantically searched for the proper box for Ian. He checked all his pockets and came up nothing. Ian frowned, but he was distracted by Fiona handing him a box that he tore into. Mickey saw Fiona opening his gift.
"These are nice jeans, Mickey. Thank you," said Fiona leaning over to kiss his cheek. He allowed it for Ian's sake.
"Here, I found this on the floor," Debbie said, putting the box in Mickey's hand and patting him on the back. He noticed Ian was holding up a pair of jeans that Mickey knew would make his ass look amazing. They were from Mandy. Mickey gave her thumbs up.
"Ian," Mickey said handing Ian the box.
"I have something for you too," Ian said, "But I'll give it to you later."
Mickey nodded. Ian opened the gift and gaped at Mickey. He turned around and hugged him. They hadn't realized they were making a scene. Mickey didn't care. He was hugging Ian so tightly he thought he might kill him.
"I love you too," Ian said, "Thank you."
"I don't get it," Carl said.
A note fell to the floor, on it were the words: I love the fuck out of you. A shiny pocket knife was included. Mickey wanted Ian to be able to protect himself when he wasn't around. He had engraved Ian's initials into it. It cost him a fortune, but it was worth it.
"They're so sweet it's giving me diabetes," said Veronica. She kissed her husband Kev, and everyone who had someone grabbed them to kiss them. Carl and Debbie each kissed Liam on his cheeks because they had no one.
"Gay guys are weird," said Carl admiring his new watch that Sheila had got him.
"Okay, so I have a fun little Christmas day surprise," Fiona said.
"Oh fuck," said Lip and Ian at the same time.
"It's not that bad. Veronica and I have thought of a game, but only the adults can play. We're going to turn off all the lights."
"I don't like where this going," said Lip.
"You have to find and kiss your partner in the dark. The winning team gets the chocolate cake that Sheila and Debbie baked," says Fiona. Fiona's date is someone the Gallagher clan don't expect to be around after the New Year so none of them bothered to learn his name.
"This could be fun," Ian said kissing Mickey on his cheek.
"We got this, Tough Guy," said Mickey confidently.
Each couple was given ribbons. Mickey and Ian's ribbons were orange. They both wore them on their on their belts. Lip and Mandy had red, Veronica and Kev had blue, Frank and Sheila had silver, and Fiona and her boyfriend of the month got purple.
The couples had to separate and go to opposite sides of the house before Carl and Debbie turned off the lights. Mickey's starting point was the kitchen. Carl and Debbie flipped off the lights and the game started. Mickey felt around the dark Gallagher house until he found the stairs.
They weren't allowed to call their partner's name. They were to rely on scent and physical shape. They weren't allowed to speak. The light coming through the window in the upstairs hallway gave off enough light to illuminate the ribbon of the only other person in the hallway with Mickey. The ribbon was orange. Mickey made his move and touched the ribbon. It belonged to a guy. He pressed his mouth to the guy's only to be shoved away.
"What the fuck?"
It was Lip not Ian and the ribbon was red not orange. "You're not supposed to be talking, that's cheating," said a voice too distinctly Ian. Mickey knew kissing Ian right then would be counted as cheating. He had to let Ian find him.
"Someone kissed me," Lip whispered, "but I don't think it was Mandy. Was it you?"
"Why would I kiss you?" Ian whispered.
"You could have mistaken me for Mickey. We're about the same size."
"That's true," said Ian, "but I didn't kiss you."
"Well someone did. I'm going this way," Lip whispered and walked away. Mickey listened to his footsteps. He was hiding, not that it made a difference. He couldn't be seen anyway. He timed it just right and came out of his hiding spot to purposely bump into Ian, and make it look like an accident. Ian grabbed Mickey's arms.
There was a certainty in the way Ian grabbed Mickey. He didn't wait to confirm that the person he grabbed was in fact Mickey he just kissed him. Debbie flipped on the lights to reveal that they weren't the only people in the hallway.
Fiona had ended up kissing Kev and Sheila made out with Lip. Mickey and Ian were still kissing while Carl and Debbie announced them as winners.
"They can even find each other in the dark," said V with a sigh.
"That's so not fair. They must have cheated," Frank said, he had one hand on Mandy's chest, but when they both realized it he removed his hand quickly and received a slap from Mandy.
"I don't think so, I spoke with Ian upstairs. There was no one else in the hallway," Lip said, "I mean someone kissed me moments before that, and I thought it was Ian, but whoever it was had time to get downstairs as Mickey came up."
"They're the winners," said Carl, "Can we eat now?"
Ian and Mickey took their prize into the living room and began feeding each other cake. Mickey shoved a piece in Ian's face just so he could lick it off his cheek. Ian laughed and stuck Mickey's finger in the cake so he could suck it off.
"Were you the one who kissed Lip?" Ian whispered.
"How did you know?" Mickey asked.
"I just do," Ian said, "Don't ever tell him. He'll be pissed."
"Are you pissed?" Mickey asked.
"No, it was a game. Fiona kissed Kev. It doesn't mean anything. You're off the hook."
Mickey took a forkful of cake and fed it to Ian lovingly. He kissed Ian's cheek and nudged him with his elbow. "Merry Fucking Christmas, Gingerbread."
Ian laughed at his new colorful nickname, and attacked Mickey with cake and kisses. Mickey could see Fiona watching them from the kitchen, but he didn't care. He loved every minute of it.