Thanks for checking it out. Been busy, but there will be more to come. X

Two days later Mickey was arriving for work, as he opened the door he noticed who was stood inside. Danny. He had gone out with Gallagher, Lip had told him that nothing had happened but Mickey didn't believe a word of it. How could he do that? Why did he care? Nothing much was said for the first 3 hours; Mickey stayed close to the door and Danny at the till. He couldn't get further away, he was already on a warning from Yvonne about not turning up and staying when he was supposed to.

Every now and then as Mickey was staring at Danny someone would come in and the bell would startle him. It was almost like getting caught out, it used to feel that way before Gallagher. This was someone who Mickey didn't know, didn't like yet he was staring at. Gallagher was his mate, they worked together, he was allowed to look, he had to look.

It happened at 11 that morning, the inevitable. Gallagher walked through the door, he knew that Mickey was looking at Danny. There was nothing sexual in his eyes. Work. As Gallagher walked in, he didn't look at Mickey, he didn't look at Danny. He walked straight through the shop and upstairs to see Yvonne in the office. Danny and Mickey both had the same look on their face, though one was reluctant to admit it.

After half an hour, Ian walked down the stairs, picked up a coke out of the fridge and walked over to Danny to pay for it.

"What was that about?" Danny asked pointing upwards.

Ian continued looking at the candy bars in front of him. "Just some work stuff." There was a cough behind him, he knew what this was about. "Yeah?"

"$3" Danny said, as Ian gave him the cash. There was a small smile developing on his lips.

"What do you want Mickey?" Ian said turning around, he didn't have anything more to say to him. They had their opinions, they expressed it, they got on with it.

"You never showed." Mickey said, he was still under the impression that they were going to go the cinema, talk about stuff, be together.

"I know. I was busy." Ian said as he picked up his purchases, look in Danny's eyes and turned to leave.

As he walked out the door, he was followed by Mickey. He always had to have his say. "What do you want Mick?"

"I want to talk. You always run away." Mickey said, not wanting to say this in public.

"I don't run away, I just don't like listening to a broken record."

"You were the one who wanted to talk the other night." Mickey pointed out, hoping that he would get a minute and that Yvonne would give him a break.

"I did. 2 minutes." Ian said, looking at his watch. If Mickey walked to talk, then he would do it here, now."Go."

"Why didn't you show up last night?"

"I was out with a mate."

"Danny?" Mickey stuttered out, why was this so hard.

"Yeah, he's a good listener." Ian finally looked at Mickey in the eyes.

"Why didn't you text or call me? I was waiting for an hour." Mickey was humiliating himself by admitting it, but it was the best way to get inside Gallagher's head.

"My bad. I just thought you'd go with Svetlana, your wife."

"Why do you have to keep bringing her up?" Mickey looked at the door of the Cash n Grab. Would Danny cover for him?

"I told you what getting married meant. You have a wife, you're going to have a kid. That's your life. I've to get on with my life." Ian had finally said what he had wanted to since the moment he walked into Mickey's room after his wedding. "I have to move on."

It took Mickey 10 seconds before he could say anything. He had never really thought about what Gallagher had said that day. He knew he was upset, but had convinced himself that he'd quickly move past it. Thought he had until he tried to run away to the army. Then the accident happened, well not exactly an accident... It was a plane crash. Gallagher tried to run, Mickey tried to stop him. Role reversal.

"What do feel for her?" Ian asked, he'd ask some questions if Mickey couldn't.

Mickey looked up and into the blue eyed boy. Fear. The fact that Mickey had to get married still seemed secondary to Gallagher. He just didn't seem to understand.

"You know what I feel for her. Why do you have to ask that?"

"Well, the fact that you're already with someone else, the fact that you're fucking them... What am I?" Ian could barely allow himself to ask it.

"You know I had to marry Svetlana." It was one of the few times Mickey allowed himself to speak her name, like calling out Voldemort or Candyman in a mirror at midnight. "You know how I feel about you."

"No, no Mickey I don't." Ian stated losing himself again. "I'm just a friend when you need something. I'm just a play thing when I decide what I want to do and you have other plans. I'm just a cock when you admit that you want it." A tear was running down Mickey's face, he made no attempt to touch it. "That's what I mean to you."

"Is that really what you believe?" Mickey could barely speak now, he was choked up.

"I know it's not what you believe, but I know that that's the way it is." Ian said, starting to allow his legs to move. "I've never been anything other than a fuck mate to you. I've moved on. I matter. I matter to someone." Ian took a moment to think, "When I was heading to the army, the one thing that went through my head was why should I stay? I came up with one answer. To be used. I came up with a 100 reasons to go. For every one of those 100 reasons, you stopped me going. I needed to go. You stopped me..."

"You were never used. What about your family, Mandy... They were reasons to stay. You chose to be a selfish prick. Yes, I was those 100 reasons to go, but they should have been the one reason for you to stay."

"No, you made me feel like a tied up whore. I wasn't anything. I still am nothing." Ian's first tear dropped.

"Is that why you haven't wanted me near you? How fucking dare you say that it was all me. You knew what the situation was, you chose to call me. You even came to my house and begged me... And not even once."

"I was a kid then." Ian paused, "So is that all? You've had your little talk... Can we move on?" Ian couldn't do it anymore, he was just so tired.

"No, I can never move on." Mickey said, why had he been so afraid? "You know how I feel about you. Do I really need to tell you? Would me telling you help? Make a difference or change your mind?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I don't know."

"Well if it's the last chance that I have to say it, then so be it." Mickey looked around there wasn't anyone around yet. "I love you."