True Shame
Chapter 10: Take My Drunk Ass Home

Ian rushed inside, up the stairs, and down the hall. His mind was on Mickey and the odd drunken state. Was it a faerie thing? Mickey had said Ian tasted good the first time. But it had only been a drop. A sip, Mickey had corrected him. The idea that Mickey wouldn't be able to feed on him again kind of crushed him. He oddly liked it. A lot. It was weird the connection he felt. Ian was lost in his own thoughts for once. He didn't notice Carl until he kid was right in front of him, blocking the bedroom door. Ian sighed and rubbed at his forehead. "Carl, I don't want to play."

Carl smiled slyly. "Guess what I'm thinking."

Ian shook his head. "Carl, no more boobs, please."

"Guess!" Carl insisted, louder.

"Carl! I said..." A flash of a drunk Mickey falling out of the cab of the van appeared in his mind. Then himself jumping out and kneeling down. Ian's eyes widened and he knelt down in front of the 9 year old. "What exactly did you see?" Ian asked. "Show me." Carl didn't see much more than that. Mickey falling and rolling around on the ground naked. Ian trying to get clothes on him. Then Mandy showing up. Ian eased out of Carl's mind and sighed. "Do you know what it means?"

"You were in the van with a naked boy." Carl said. "Were you naked, too?"

Ian breathed out and evaded the question. "You don't know what they were?"

Carl tilted his head. "What are they?"

"Who." Ian said quickly, like he was correcting himself.

Carl shook his head. "No." He answered. "Why were you in the van with a naked boy?" Carl asked. "What were you doing?"

"Hanging out." Ian said, glancing away.

"Naked?"

"Yes." Ian straightened up and reached for the doorknob.

Carl turned, watching him. "So you were naked?"

"Yes!" Ian hissed out. "Carl, go to sleep." He opened the door.

"Was he drunk?"

Ian turned back around. "Shhh! Be quiet!" He hissed lowly.

"He fell like dad." Carl whispered. "Were you out there drinking?"

"No." Ian said. He didn't drink. It messed with his head, made it harder to concentrate and block people out.

"But you were naked?" Carl pressed again.

Ian rolled his eyes. Why was Carl so fixated on this? "Yes!"

"Why?"

"Carl! Go to bed!" Ian pushed the kid towards his bed. He tucked Carl in and pulled the blankets up over him. "Sleep!"

"But..."

"Sleep!" Ian said. He sighed and quickly got into his own bed. Why the fuck did it have to be Carl? Even Fiona would have been better. She might have chastised him for sneaking out of the house. And the whole sex in the van thing. Although... maybe not. Fiona would have picked up on the vampire thing. Lip probably would have, too. Ian sighed as she closed his eyes.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Mandy dumped Mickey into the backseat of her car. He was still giggling and she rolled her eyes as she slammed the door way more hard than necessary. "You are ridiculous!" She snapped, slipped into the front seat. She turned the key and started the car. Suddenly, Mickey was attempting to climb over the passenger seat. But he was having difficulties. "Mickey!" She turned enough in the seat to push him back. "Stop it!"

Mickey frowned, the giggles gone, and slouched down in the seat. "Where's Ian?" He mumbled out, his voice barely audible.

Mandy pressed on the gas pedal and the car sped off. "Ian is home." She stated flatly.

"Why?"

"Because he lives there."

"Why?"

She sighed. "Because he does, Mickey."

Mickey leaned forward a bit, resting his head on the armrest between the front seats. "Can he live with us?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Mickey!" It was like talking to a 4 year old! It was really the most ridiculous thing she'd ever seen that involved her brother. She really hoped he came out of this okay. And fast. Like really, really fast.

Mickey let out a loud sigh and leaned back in the seat. "Where we going?"

"Home."

"To Ian's home?"

Mandy rolled her eyes. "No, to the nightclub."

"Is Ian there?"

"SHUT UP!"

Mickey continued to annoy her the rest of the drive to the club. He wouldn't stop talking. Most of it was almost gibberish and half mumbled or slurred. Occasionally he mumbled something about Ian. Once Mandy thought he said something about dad. But she didn't engage. She pulled her car into the employee parking lot behind the building. She hopped out and wrestled with Mickey. He was once again asking about Ian.

Mandy shoved him through the door and he landed in a heap in the center of the kitchen. Mickey attempted to sit up and flopped back over. "Kaysen! Help me! She's trying to kill me!"

The room had been empty for a single vampire, sitting at a small table in the corner that employees used. He was leaning back, sipping a SynBlood and flipping through a magazine. Unlike the other vampires that worked at the club, he preferred not to dress the part. He looked more like he belonged in an upscale office building than a nightclub. His dark brown hair was even slicked back and he had a pair of fancy looking glasses on. So much more business than nightclub. The glasses, at least, were fake. His eyesight had corrected itself when he'd been turned. It was more out of habit and out of some connection to his past life.

The moment Mickey and Mandy crashed through, Kaysen jumped up, his steel gray eyes widening. His gaze shifted to Mandy and he tilted his head.

"Sit the fuck back down!" Mickey snapped, waving the tall vampire away. "Fuckin' mountain."

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Kay, help me get him downstairs?"

Kaysen glanced back down at Mickey, a smile on his face. "You got it, boss."

Mickey glared and held his hands up. "Don't fuckin' touch me!"

Kaysen bent down and scooped the flailing vampire, bridal style, and smiled at Mandy. "Lead the way."

"Fuckin' put me down!" Mickey bellowed but they ignored him completely as Mandy smiled and stepped around Kaysen. Mickey pouted and then looked up at Kaysen. "Hey you're tall." Mickey said. "Are you taller than Ian?"

"I don't know who Ian is." Kaysen answered as they headed down to the basement level.

"Ian is a glowstick." Mickey said. "But he doesn't know if his dick glows."

"Mickey, shut up!" Mandy said as she opened his door. She stepped inside and stood back. "Just throw him on the bed. Or the floor." She added. "Really hard."

Kaysen nodded, took one stepped into the room, and flat out dropped Mickey. "There." He said, smiling down at the vampire at his feet.

Mandy smiled. "Thank you."

"What exactly happened?" He asked.

Mandy shrugged and let out a sigh.

Kaysen looked down at Mickey, who was just staring up at the ceiling. "I just saw him a few hours ago, before he left the club. He said he had shit to go do and told me not to burn the place down." He added with a smile. "But he was fine when he left."

Mandy nodded. "I did, too, actually." She mulled it around in her head for a moment, how much to confide in the stoic vampire. Mandy didn't trust many in her life. Kaysen wasn't family. Although, of her whole family, she only really trusted Mickey. But of all the staff, Kaysen was the one she knew the best. They frequently talked in the kitchen while taking breaks. They'd snuck out into the crowd a few times and danced together. "He drank from someone who might not be human." Mandy said softly. "And it turned him into a giggling, drunk mess."

Kaysen piqued an eyebrow. "Might not be human?"

Mandy nodded. "Mickey asked me if I knew... what he might be... and I have an idea... but if he is... then he's not safe here." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"What?" Kaysen asked.

Mandy glanced at him sideways.

"Ian's not safe?" Mickey asked and then preceded to try to stand up. And he fell over.

"Ian's safe." Mandy said quickly, holding out her hands. "Perfectly safe and at home."

"I can still feel him." Mickey mumbled out as he flopped on his side.

Mandy rolled her eyes and kicked him.

"Not his dick." Mickey said, rolling over on his stomach. He tried to get his feet under him. "His warmth."

"Shut up, Mickey!" She sighed and grabbed Kaysen's hand. "Come on. We're locking him in before he starts talking again."

"Maaaaaaaaandy!" Mickey wailed.

Mandy pulled Kaysen out the door. Then she slammed it shut and pulled out her keys. The door could lock from both sides. She locked it quickly and listened for a moment. Once it was completely secured, she turned and leaned back against the door. She breathed out and shook her head.

Kaysen shook his head. "That is the most words I've ever heard him say, combined, over the last three years I've worked here."

Mandy let out a bitter laugh. "I'm so sorry. Mickey without a filter can be... exhausting."

Kaysen shrugged. "I don't mind. Kind of fun. I can't wait until he wakes up. I am totally lording this over him."

Mandy pushed off the door, a smile on her lips. "You wanna hang for a bit or do you gotta get back to work?"

Kaysen hesitated for a moment. He tilted his head to the side. "I feel like I should say I have to get back to work. Since you're sort of my boss."

Mandy shook her head. "Not really. Your boss is in there." She said, pointing her thumb at the door behind her. "Drunk off his ass, talking about his glowing boyfriend."

Kaysen smiled. "He said he didn't know if it glowed."

Mandy laughed loudly, grabbed Kaysen's hand, and pulled him towards their lounge room.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Ian slept all night, his dreams riddled with Mickey and Mandy and a parade of boobs. He woke up when Liam jumped on his bed, feeling more tired than when he went to bed. He was worried about Mickey. He was worried about Carl. And he just wanted to go back to sleep. But then Liam smacked him in the face. "Damnit, Liam." Ian tried to pull his pillow over his head. But Liam grabbed it, laughing.

Ian sat up and grabbed the toddler. Then he headed downstairs. The rest of the family was just sitting down for breakfast. Fiona and Debbie were busy at the stove, frying up eggs. Debbie looked up as they walked in. "Morning, Ian!" She said happily, waving. Ian smiled at her as he put Liam in his high chair.

They all ate quickly and Fiona ushered them off to school. She grabbed Ian's arm before he disappeared out the door. "Hey. You okay?" She asked softly. "You were quiet at breakfast."

Ian nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Things not go okay last night?" She asked, sounding genuinely interested and concerned. And she was.

Ian dropped his gaze to the ground and shrugged. "Not sure."

Fiona smiled slightly and smacked him on the shoulder. "Teenage love is a bitch. Now get to school."

Ian went to school. It was boring. It was always boring. But it was more boring that day. He was having trouble focusing and instead, stared off out the windows. He didn't have ROTC after school that day. So he went straight home. And he was feeling weird and tired. He went straight upstairs and passed out.

He woke later when Fiona came upstairs with a plate of food. She set it on the dresser and sat down on the edge of Ian's bed. She reached out and touched his shoulder. "Ian?" She said his name softly.

Ian let out a whimper and rolled over. "Mickey?" He mumbled out, still half asleep.

Fiona sighed. "Ian." She repeated his name.

Another moment more and Ian opened his eyes slowly. "Fi?"

"It's after 8. You slept through dinner." She said softly.

"Oh." Ian sat up slowly. "Sorry." He mumbled out.

"It's alright." She said quickly. "I just thought you might be hungry."

"Thanks." He said but he didn't move. He wasn't really hungry. He glanced at the window and sighed. He wondered if Mickey was away yet and if he were okay.

"Ian, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He answered automatically. "Just... didn't sleep last night. Room was too loud." He said softly. That actually was the truth.

Fiona smiled sadly. "I'm sorry the house isn't big enough for ya to have your own room."

Ian tore his blank gaze away from the window to look at her. "It's fine."

Fiona watched him for a moment. "You... want to use the phone?"

"Yeah?" Ian perked up a bit, sat up a little straighter and the corner of his mouth twitched into the smallest smile.

Fiona nodded and stood up. She grabbed the plate and put it on the bed beside him. "See if you can eat a few bites for me and I'll go get the phone."

Ian rolled his eyes as she left. Talking to him like he was a child! But he smiled anyways and picked up the fork. The meatloaf wasn't the best. But it wasn't the worst and it was edible. He knew Fiona tried her hardest with what they had. And maybe he was hungry. Fiona returned a few minutes later and tossed the phone at him. Then she left again. Ian picked at the food for another couple minutes before pushing the plate away. He picked up the phone and leaned back on his bed. He hit Mickey's number and put the phone to his ear. He held his breath as the phone rang.

"Hey." Mandy answered.

Ian tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. "Hey Mandy." He was pretty sure he failed. "How's Mickey?"

"Finally asleep about an hour ago." She breathed out with a sigh.

"Finally?" He repeated. "It's almost night time. Isn't that like day for you?"

"Yes!" She whined out loudly. "I've been trying to sleep but he's been darting around like the first and only elusive insomniac vampire!"

Ian let out a laugh. "Is he really that bad?"

"Yes!" She whined again. "I need my beauty rest! We get all gross and leaky when we don't sleep."

"Leaky?"

"The bleeds." She explained. "Sleep deprivation causes the bleeds. Eyes, nose, ears. Lots of leaks spring up."

Ian wrinkled his nose. "I should have called earlier. I could have helped Mickey-sit."

Mandy laughed softly over the line. "Aren't you grounded?"

"Yeah, a little bit."

"You wanna sneak out later?" She asked. "When your sister-mom falls asleep?"

"She's working tonight." Ian said with a smile. "I think she's leaving soon."

"That's even better!"

Ian smiled. "Yeah, okay. Sure."

"Awesome!" Mandy sounded excited. "What time? I'll pick you up."

"I can walk."

"No!" She snapped. "I have to get Mickey's car. Assuming it's still there. It's probably been stolen and sold off for parts."

They hung up and Ian finished dinner. Then he jumped up and took the plate down to the kitchen. Debbie was bathing Liam, Carl was watching TV, and Lip was at the kitchen table with a textbook. Ian set the plate in the sink and turned as Fiona came down the stairs, dressed for work. Ian pulled the phone out his pocket and handed it over.

Fiona smiled and plugged it in. "Feeling better?"

Ian nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm good." And he meant it. He did feel better than when he got home from school. It was weird and hard for him to describe.

She smiled again and hugged him. Then she said her goodbyes to everyone, telling them it was bedtime, and ran out the door. After she left, Debbie took Liam upstairs to their room. Carl argued a bit but finally listened when Lip threatened to sit on him again. And then it was just Ian and Lip left, sitting on the couch in living room.

Lip stuffed his books back in his backpack and stood up. "You staying up?" He asked, looking down at Ian.

Ian nodded. "Yeah, for a bit. I sorta slept too long when I got home."

Lip stared at him for a moment. Then nodded slowly and headed towards the stairs. "Just be back before Fiona gets back this time, okay?"

Ian smiled and nodded his head. "I promise."

"You promised last time."

"True." Ian followed Lip upstairs and changed quickly, ignoring his brother's jabs and Carl's questions. Then he hurried outside and waited on the front porch. Mandy showed up shortly after that and Ian slid into the car. "Find it in one piece?"

Mandy sighed and nodded. "Took me forever to find it! He parked it like three blocks away!"

"Why?" He asked. Mandy shrugged and they drove to the club in relative silence. Mandy was exhausted. It was clear even to Ian, who was new to their world. From their brief encounters, Mandy struck him as someone who liked to talk. She even apologized for talking so much because Mickey was usually quiet.

They arrived at the club and snuck in the back door. Mandy waved to a few people but said nothing as they headed down to the basement. She pulled out a key and unlocked the door to Mickey's room.

"You actually locked him in?" Ian asked, watching her.

She nodded. "It locks from both sides."

"Can't he just break it?"

She shook her head as she held the door open. "Watch the frame." She put the key in the front of the door and locked it. A hidden slot in the doorframe opened and a thin silver sheet of metal slid into place. It was like a second door, keeping the room closed.

Ian tilted his head. "So... there's a second door?"

"Pure silver." She said, turning the key again. The silver door slid back into its hiding spot. "Silver burns."

"Burns?" Ian repeated. "Like touching the invisible barrier to a house you haven't been invited into?"

She nodded. "Sorta. The barrier just hurts. Silver can actually immobilize us. Hurts like a bitch to be chained in silver." She said tiredly, stepping into the room. "But we installed them on all the doors in the club. As a precaution."

"A precaution?"

She nodded. "In case we ever have to lock ourselves in."

Ian didn't ask why they would need that. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. Instead, he headed towards the bed. Mickey was laying on top, curled into a ball and looking just as dead as the last time Ian had seen him sleeping. Ian reached out and touched his forehead. He smiled and ran his fingers through Mickey's hair.

Mandy watched for a moment. Then she climbed up on Mickey's enormous bed and leaned back against the post. "You really like him?" She asked with a hint of skepticism in her voice. "Like really?" She stressed the word.

Ian climbed up on the bed as well, moving around Mickey to sit on the other side of him. Ian leaned back against the headboard, sitting directly across from Mandy. "I like the quiet." He said softly.

"That's it?" She asked frowning. "I'm quiet."

Ian blinked at her. "You aren't quiet."

She crossed her arms. "I can be quiet."

Ian shook his head. "I highly doubt that."

Her eyes narrowed into a glare. And she was quiet. For exactly three minutes. Then she sighed and shook her head. "I hate being quiet! I told you. I talk a lot because he doesn't talk!" She pointed an accusing finger at the sleeping vampire.

Ian glanced sideways at Mickey. "Do you think he can hear us?"

"In my experience..." Mandy shook her head. "No. At least... dad never remembered... what he did. Or who he did it, too. He just... woke up confused."

Ian nodded and Mandy did get quiet after that. For much longer than three minutes. Ian got the feeling from their brief encounters that the duo didn't have a good family. Much worse than Ian. At least Ian had Fiona. She'd always been more a parent than Frank and Monica. And Ian had Lip and his younger siblings. They all took care of each other. It sounded like Mandy and Mickey only had themselves. With so many siblings, that really must suck. "He's really blunt." Ian said.

Mandy turned back to look at him slowly. "Hmm?"

"Mickey." Ian said. "He's really blunt." He repeated. "I like that. And uh... I like when he slips into whatever language y'all use."

"Ukrainian."

"Ukraine, huh?"

Mandy nodded. They chatted idly for a bit. Nothing really important. Mandy asked him about school and ROTC. She asked about his family and Ian told her about his siblings. In turn, Ian asked about the club. He did not ask about the rest of her family. After a bit, Mandy glanced at the clock. It was getting later. Which for her, was fine. Although she'd love to sleep early. But for Ian... oh! She'd almost forgotten! She leaned sideways a bit and fished around in her pocket. "Here." She pulled out a slim phone and tossed it at Ian.

He caught it and stared down at it. "What's this?"

Mandy smiled. "It's a phone, Glowstick."

Ian glanced up at her, his eyebrows piqued at the apparent nickname.

Mandy smiled. "Mickey talked a lot last night. A lot."

Ian nodded curtly and looked down at the phone in his hands. He wasn't sure who's it was. Mandy and Mickey's phones were identical. Both black with no cases.

"It's a shame." She mused.

"What is?"

"That it doesn't glow."

Ian glanced up at her again. "It doesn't." He said flatly.

Mandy tilted her head to the side. "Mickey said you weren't sure."

Ian leaned back against the headboard again. "So far, it hasn't."

"Shame." Her gaze flickered down to his crotch.

"Quit looking at it!" He snapped.

Mandy smiled and let out a laugh. "I don't have x-ray vision."

"Good. So what's this?" Ian said, waving the phone in the air for a moment.

"A phone." She stated.

"I know what a phone is." He said. "Why'd you throw it at me?"

"Cuz it's yours."

Ian blinked at her a moment, almost dumbfounded. "I don't have a phone."

"I know." She said slowly. "It's a gift. For you."

"What?"

Mandy rolled her eyes. "I got you a phone, you goober!"

"Goober? Seriously?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Just take the damn phone and say thank you."

"Thank you." Ian said automatically. He leaned forward and set the phone down on the blanket in front of her. "But no thanks. We don't take charity."

"We?"

"My family." Ian said, leaning back. "We take care of ourselves."

"Okay... well... this is for you." She reached out with her foot and slid it back towards him. "It ain't for them."

Ian shook his head.

Mandy's eyes narrowed. She was too tired for this. "Take the fuckin' phone, asshole. It's already paid up for a few months and this way I can call you. And you can call me. And, you know, I guess you can call Mickey, too. If you really want to. Or texting. That's the big thing now, right? Or that face thing? That's a thing, right?"

Ian shrugged. "I don't really know. We have an old flip phone." He said. "Camera is shit and texting takes forever on it. But it's what we got."

"Well... now you got this."

Ian stared down at it and still hesitated. It looked brand new, one of the models that had been released on the market earlier that year. It looked the same as Mickey and Mandy's, too.

"I put mine and Mickey's numbers in it. And your family's." She shrugged. "But whatever. Don't use it. I know where you live. I may not have been invited in yet, but it won't stop me from dropping the phone on your porch. Or leaving it in your sex van."

Ian rolled his eyes. "Fine!" He snapped, grabbing the stupid thing off the bed. "Thank you!" He really meant it, even if it sounded in anger. It was just hard to accept something so extravagant as a gift. Something he knew never in his life he'd get. At least not something so fancy. He shoved it in his pocket. He crossed his arms and slouched back against the headboard.

Mandy smiled for a moment. Then she breathed out. "Okay. So... it's late for you, right? You're still in high school."

Ian nodded. "Yeah."

"You need to like sleep, right?"

Ian shrugged. "I kinda slept when I got home after school. But I do need to get back before Fiona gets off work."

"Come on." Mandy stood up. "I'll drive you home."

Ian glanced at Mickey. The vampire was still curled up in a ball beside him. He hadn't moved.

"I can text you when he does." She said softly. Then she paused. "Oh shit! The phone charger! Hang on, it's in my room." She slipped out.

Ian leaned over Mickey and pressed a quick kiss to the sleeping vampire's forehead. Then he slid off the bed and headed for the door.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Author's Notes: Ukrainian Translations:
(Half research into Ukrainian "curses" and half Google Translate for single words)

Ти нечиста сило - You are an evil spirit!
Алло брат - Allo (hello) brother
брат - brother
Ублюдок - Bastard
Сестра - Sister
Щоб тебе муха вбрикнула - Get kicked by a fly.