Liar
"I don't know why she came by," Ian said to Mickey right after the older boy had closed the door on Debbie. "Maybe she wanted to see Mandy?" he suggested.
"Liar," Mickey spat.
"What are you talking about?"
"You. Being a big, fucking liar," Mickey answered, annoyed.
"What makes you think that?" Ian put on his most innocent expression.
"Oh fuck off, Gallagher. I know when you're bullshitting."
"Well that's stupid because I'm not."
"Yes you are. You think I don't notice when you lie? You always look up and to the left when you're making shit up. You have the most blatant tell I've ever seen."
Ian could feel his cheeks turn red and turned away so that Mickey wouldn't see it.
"Knew it," the brunette said, feeling vindicated. "Now tell me why the hell she was here again."
Ian's shoulders fell as he looked up guiltily from the couch to meet Mickey's eyes. "I might have told her I was here with you..."
Ian cringed, ready for the impending blowout that would come from Mickey getting pissed off, but nothing happened. He opened his eyes slowly, carefully, until he could see Mickey again. The older boy was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, biting his bottom lip with his teeth.
Mickey huffed out a laugh. "What'd you think, I was gonna hit you or something?"
Ian relaxed his muscles, not realizing how much he had actually tensed up. Mickey sat on the couch opposite him and frowned.
"No..." Ian said carefully, "I didn't think you were gonna hit me. I know you're not him." He didn't have to explain any further; they both knew who "he" was. "I don't know what I thought... Are- are you angry?"
Mickey was angry, but he was more horrified by the idea of Ian thinking he would have hurt him. He would never hurt him... ever again, and that included forcing him to do things that would make him sad.
"No," he said, making up his mind. "She's your sister. You can tell her whatever the fuck you want to tell her, okay?"
Ian's brow rose in slow surprise. "Okay..."
"Okay," Mickey repeated, making it final. "Just don't lie to me about it... 'kay?"
Ian nodded. He felt bad about his earlier reaction, and about lying. He didn't want to lie to Mickey anymore. "I won't."
"Good." Mickey uncrossed his arms and felt unreasonably cold.
"Yeah." Ian shifted so that he was sitting in the corner of the couch, leaving enough room for Mickey to sit beside him. He wasn't surprised when the older boy got the hint and moved to occupy the space.
"You have a tell too, you know..."
Mickey looked at Ian with surprise. "I do not."
Ian watched Mickey worry his lip again, in the way the redhead found so sexy. All he could think about was how much he wanted those lips on his.
"Of course you do. A few of them, actually... Maybe I'll tell you some day."