A/N: Mickey and Ian are not together, but they can't be apart. What happens when Mickey can't handle it?

It happened the first time they had seen each other after the break up.

Ian had just gotten drunk and decided to knock on Mickey's door because what harm could it do?

Mickey gasped as he opened the door. He pressed his hands hard into his eyes, as if trying to see if what was happening was for real or just another dream of his.

"Ian?" He whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I needed to see you." He replied and made a move to step into the house.

"Are you drunk? You seem drunk. You should-you should go home."

"Mick, are you not listening to me? I need you, please..."

"The fuck?" Mickey asked, as Ian started to unbutton the brunett's pants. "Stop, please.."

Ian then took a look at the other boy's bulge and smirked. "Doesn't seem like you want me to stop."

"Of course I don't, but...we shouldn't. I shouldn't." Mickey whispered and his voice weakened when Ian caressed his chest.

"Are you...sure?" Ian asked, making sure there was no personal space at all between them as he said the last word.

Mickey could feel the other boy's breath on his lips. Shit, it was just too hard! (No pun intended!).

He couldn't even wrap his mind around what was happening because the other boy's lips were already on his. And, God, how it felt good, like home. He felt himself getting lost in the taste of alcohol and something that was pure Ian.

He knew he was only setting up for yet another heartbreak, but there was nothing he could do. Ian already had the power to break him.

He knew Ian thought he was asleep and couldn't see him leaving him once again as he heard the sound of the other boy stepping in a rush through the room.

Mickey could have let him escape. Just like he always did. Except now he couldn't anymore.

"Hey."

Ian turned around and gasped.

"I-I didn't know you were awake."

Mickey sat on the bed and mustered up the courage to say what he needed to.

"You can't keep doing this, ya know? You can't just..keep screwing me over and over. I can't just start mopping around again, hoping that one day you might want me back. That's why I need to know now: is there even a slight chance of you wanting me again someday...of you l-loving me again? If you want me to let you go, I'll do it. For you. But please, Ian, just answer this."

Ian sounded surprised and something flashed behind his eyes, but it was gone with a blink.

"I never stopped loving you, you know? Don't ever doubt that. Shit, why do you think we did what we just did?"

"Fuck, man, don't do this, ok? Just don't. This situation just keeps getting worse. I need an answer. If you leave me now, leave for good. I'll try moving on, I'll try harder. But I just need to know."

"Mick, I" he sighed. "I don't know. I told you I am another person now. I chose to stay like this. I don't want those fucking meds anymore. They're...awful. It doesn't matter how much I love you. I am like this and I can't change for you and if you can't accept that, I can't be with you. I'm sorry".

Mickey was barely holding himself together. He couldn't cry. He NEVER cried.

"I guess I have my answer...just take care, firecrotch." And with one last shuddering breath, he buried himself in the covers, waiting for Ian to leave.

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Ian exclaimed as soon as he got to his own room.

He couldn't keep doind this. He had to talk to someone. And he knew just whom to call.

He dialed the phone number and felt relieved just from hearing a voice he hadn't heard in months.

"Hey, shithead! What's up?"

It was past midnight when Mickey's cell phone rang. He considered not picking up, because to do that, he had to move. And that was something he really didn't want to do. When he saw who it was, he really couldn't ignore it.

"Mandy?"

"Hey, Mick, how are you?"

"I'm..okay. What about you? It's been too fucking long, hasn't it? I miss having you around, ya know? Are you okay? Is that fucking idiot treating you right?" He started to babble.

"I miss you too, and relax, I'm fine...wow, you really did change." When he said nothing, she continued. "Ian told me...about your break up and-"

"Please, don't. I can't talk about it anymore. Things are just fine, ok? I don't need any shitty pep talk right now..or ever."

"Mickey, stop. I know you. Things have never been so far from fine. And I'm not calling you to give you any pep talk, I'm calling to tell you to get your boyfriend back."

"What the fuck, Mandy? You don't think I've tried? He...doesn't want me. I'm not going to beg like a fucking bitch anymore. It's time to accept this and move on". He said, but his tone didn't convince Mandy, nor himself.

"Hear me out, asswipe, of course he wants you. He fucking lied to you, okay? He didn't break up because he thinks you don't love the real him or some shit like that, he-"

"No, Mandy, stop" He then paused. "Wait, what? Are you serious?"

"Yeah, go talk to him. He's as devastated as you are, believe me."

"Shit, I guess I will. Thanks, sis"

"Whatever, idiot. Get your shit together because I can't have my two favorite people being so sad."

He hang up and ran. He didn't care if he looked ridiculous. If there was any chance of him getting Ian back, he would take it in a blink.

Ian Gallagher was a fucking wreck. As soon as the door opened, Mickey could notice he had been crying. A lot.

"Mick?" He said with a weak voice and fell into the other boy's arms.

"Shit, Gallagher, don't." Mickey said, as he ran his hands through Ian's back.

They pulled back and looked into each other's eyes

"Why are you here? I thought you wouldn't come back, you said-"

"Mandy talked to me."

"Fuck, I told her not to. She wasn't supposed-"

"Ian, she was just trying to help...now, don't you think I deserve an explanation?"

They stayed silent for a while, Mickey waiting for Ian to speak.

Then the redhead broke the silence. "Monica said some things that got me thinking, ya know? She was acting like a fucking psycho, but she said something that made sense and I only thought about that now. She said it was important to be with someone whom you love and loves you back. I thought of you immediately. I thought of how we love each other and how great it would be if things were simpler.

But I also thought that I couldn't keep doing this to you. Each time you called, I thought of how worried you might have been, all because of me. Yes, I lied to you. I did it because it wasn't fair to you. You don't deserve a burden like me, a-"

Mickey interupted him.

"Don't you ever talk like that about yourself again. You're not a burden, ok? I take care of you 'cuz I want to. I chose to be with you, Ian." He caressed the redhead's face.

"You don't deserve this. You deserve so much better. Who knows when I'll freak out again and do bad things? My mom put Frank through so many shit when-"

"Hey, you're not Monica" He brought both hands to Ian's cheeks. "Besides, I don't care about all the shit that might happen. I just wanna be with you, okay? I love you. " Mickey replied and those words sounded so sincere, that Ian gave the biggest smile.

"Okay. I love you, too. I'm sorry" He said, whispering the last two words.

They hugged each other and, after so many months, it finally felt like the world had a meaning again.