4. Choice
It was dark.
That was what it was. The blankets were not thick enough to protect them from the assault of a particularly chilly weather, so all sort of clothes they could find were covering them from head to toe. It wasn't by any means their radiator's fault. It could perform its job just fine but its masters simply ignored it.
Ian was woken up from his snug, peaceful slumber by some banging on their front door, with Mickey sprawled in his embrace on top of him, his head buried into the pillow and their cheeks pressed together as usual. Not sure since when, but it had sort of become their thing. Well, it was either this or Mickey would sleep on his back with Ian snuggling up his side, mostly on top of him, with Ian's face nestled into the crook of his neck.
He slowly removed the layers of fabric that were blocking his vision, letting his eyes gradually adjust to the brightness of the day. The stormed had stopped and the sky was brighter with some light snow falling outside their window.
"Wake up, Mick." He spoke into Mickey's ear and playfully nudged his nose into his boyfriend's cheek.
Mickey muttered something with his groggy morning voice, face still submerged in the pillow. Ian couldn't make out the words but it sounded something like "Go back to sleep or I will throw you out in the snow." and then Mickey yanked the covers back over their heads.
"There's someone at the door." Ian pointed out and yanked the covers down to their waists afterwards. "And I kinda have to piss."
Mickey growled and turned to meet Ian's annoyingly dreamy eyes. The most annoying thing about them was that he liked them.
Ian just beamed a drowsy grin at him. How could he not? He got to wake up to that sweet face. Damn West Point for letting him come home only two days a week. This was why Ian genuinely loved holidays.
Mickey growled again and sluggishly rolled to the side, cocking his head towards the bathroom.
After Ian went out of sight, the banging was getting louder and closer together and, as much he wanted to ignore it, Mickey couldn't help but feel the need to answer it and then bludgeon whosever head it was on the other side of the door. With that in his half-awake mind, he violently put on a pair of boxers that was conveniently on a bed post and shuffled a distance from the messy sheeted bed that was begging him not to leave.
An exceptionally irritated Mickey lumbered out of the bedroom, smoke perceptibly blowing out his ears when he finally opened the door. The moment it was unlocked, it swung open and a tight hug was thrown at him before he could react. "Mickey! Thank god you're home."
Lying on the cold puddled floor next to the couch, his eyes slowly moved sideways to glance at the person squeezing him. His killing aura was growing stronger and stronger every second as he tried to decide whether to go grab a machete and chop the person's head off or simply just twist the person's neck to avoid unnecessary bloodstain.
Luckily for the said person, a clunking sound had interrupted his train of thought. He tilted his head to look in the direction of the noise to discover that it was none other but his now-clothed fuckbuddy, standing in a pair of sweatpants and an unzipped hoodie, jaw hanging low and eyes staring in shock. "Wha- what's going on?"
Mickey let out a sigh of relief to hear the question. Gallagher probably hadn't breathed for a while judging by the shade his lips were turning. He didn't answer though, he had no idea what the hell was going on either. "Get the fuck off of me."
"Oh, sorry." Penny let go a little. "I'm so glad you guys are home. After they let me wait at the airport for forty-eight hours and then told me my flight got cancelled, I had to drag myself through the stormy weather back here to find out that my radiator broke. I tried to find a hotel but the ones I can afford are all closed. In fact, all the stores are closed and it's like everyone's gone due to the blizzard. So basically, I have no heat, no food, and no place to stay. I was cold and hungry and homeless and then I got really scared and didn't know what else to do so I knocked and knocked and kept knocking on your door, hoping to god you guys are still here. And you are!" Believe it or not, she said that in one breath, then she sobbed and hugged a cross-eyed Mickey again.
As much as Ian felt sorry for her, there was absolutely no reason as to why his neighbor should be cuddling with his almost naked boyfriend on the floor of their apartment. He tried to stay calm and walked towards them. Though he got to admit it was hard not to rush in, push Penny away, and fuck his Mickey right there in front of her.
"It's alright, Penny. You can stay with us." Now let go off my boyfriend before I tear you to pieces.
"Oh, Ian. Thank you." Ian was pulled by the neck into a group hug after those words.
"Get the fuck off of me." Mickey said again, venomously.
"Oops, sorry again." Penny let go of them and sat up on her calves, pushing her hair back a little to hide her embarrassment. She started to blush when she realized Mickey wasn't wearing any shirt. Her face got brighter as she studied the way Mickey's muscles flexed when he propped himself up on his elbows, his prominently sculpted chest moved up and down ever so gently as he breathed. She couldn't help but let her eyes wander down those abs most guys would kill for and nearly fainted when she saw a bulge in his boxers which were barely hanging on his hips, his legs lifted up a bit revealing his well-built thigh and part of his tight ass.
Ian was crouching by Mickey's side glaring at her when all of that happened. Penny's staring at Mickey's exposed form and thoroughly checking him out was making Ian feel really uncomfortable and fairly homicidal. Mickey was too busy frowning at him for giving her the invitation to stay to notice but Ian saw it all. He was about to do something he might regret later when Penny finally said, "Uh, it's not that I don't enjoy the view, Mickey, because I do, and I'm flattered that you're happy to see me. But isn't it a little too cold to be dressing like that?"
As Mickey turned to flash a glare of doom at her, Ian followed her line of sight. Silently, he freaked out and quickly got in front of Mickey to cover his boyfriend's apparent semi. He ended up sitting between Mickey's legs, his back bumped into the couch in the process. Unlike him, Mickey had fucked several girls. The fact that his boyfriend was turned on after being hugged by an attractive female who lived only across the hall just about gave him a panic attack.
Mickey wasn't sure why Ian was hyperventilating. It never happened before, ever. He didn't know the reason behind it nor the protocol to handle it. Slowly, he sat up, afraid to make any rapid movements. His eyes were fixed at his fuckbuddy, cocking his head to the side in a contemplative way.
Penny, on the other hand, found herself toying with her hair sheepishly. Now wasn't this just awkward? But hell, that was totally hot. She thought.
Losing his small amount of patient, Mickey grabbed Ian's head with his hands and forced the younger guy to look at him. The physical as well as eye contact seemed to calm Ian down to some extent. His eyes started to register Mickey's concerned gaze, and just like that, Ian was back to his normal self again.
For a moment, it was like they had a silent conversation, glancing at each other here and there to convey their thoughts.
Ian hinted at Mickey's crotch: 'Can't believe she gave you a boner.'
Mickey took a quick look at Ian's bare chest: 'This was your fault, you idiot.'
Ian raised his brows: 'How could it be my fault? I barely touched you.'
Mickey's eyes flicked to Ian's crotch: 'You are having a hard on, too.'
Ian's eyes followed Mickey's, his mouth gaping, then gawked back at Mickey: 'Oh, I didn't know that. But you're in only a pair of boxers and your smell is intoxicating. Who can resist that?'
Mickey smirked: 'You're an utter idiot. Now let's fuck.'
Ian grinned: 'Sounds good.' then glimpsed at Penny: 'Wait. What about her?'
Mickey narrowed his eyes: 'Screw her. She'll leave.'
Ian frowned, directing his eyes in her direction: 'From the way she was and still continues staring at you, there's a chance she might join us.'
Mickey smirked mockingly: 'The more, the merrier.'
Ian glared at him: 'Not funny!'
Mickey gritted his teeth: 'Don't you think I would have gone for a girl if I had a choice. Just fuck me already. Front, back, sideways, watched by her, on her, I don't give a damn.'
It made Ian's heart flutter knowing that Mickey was getting hard just by being around him (and not by Penny's cuddling). Mickey, on the contrary, wasn't too happy to see Ian grinning like a love-struck fool. Then the two of them turned to look at their tongue-tied neighbor whose face had now gotten as red as a fire truck. Hesitantly, Ian decided not to fuck Mickey in front of her, or blood might seep through her face and she might die.
"Uh. . . Penny. We kinda need a cold shower. Make yourself at home. Be right back." Ian said and the two of them quickly shifted their way into the shower.
Left alone, Penny reassembled her mentality bit by bit, fathoming about what Ian meant by 'they' needed 'a' cold shower.