A/N: Hey guys, I would really like some feedback. I don't want to waste my time. I don't care if it's negative feedback. The only reason I kept writing was the support. I feel like it's gone. You guys are my motivation. You keep me going. If this has gone downhill or you've lost interest please tell me.

Part Seventy-Three: Don't Fuck With the Gallaghers

Debbie is chasing after a twenty-year-old guy. My thirteen-year-old sister is chasing after a man a lot older than she is. I don't like it and neither does Lip. We've been standing outside his apartment for twenty minutes trying to figure out what to do. We're initiating Carl on how to be a Gallagher brother.

"I say we go over there and tell him to leave Debs alone or we'll beat the shit out of him," I say.

"Why can't we just beat the shit out of him?" Carl asks.

"I'm with Carl. I didn't like this guy the first time I met him back when Debs brought him to the hospital when Frank was dying."

"You can't just assault people, Carl," I tell him.

"You can't."

"We can't just attack some guy," I tell them.

"Look, there he is," says Lip putting out his cigarette. Lip taps me on the shoulder and pushes Carl toward Matty's car. Carl slams Matty's door shut and shoves him. I grab Carl's shoulder.

"Stay away from Debbie," says Carl.

"I haven't spoken to her in months," Matty says.

"She still likes you," says Carl shoving Matty again.

"Who are you people?" Matty asks.

"We're Debbie's brothers," Lip says, "You don't fuck with the Gallaghers."

"I didn't fuck Debbie. She wanted to. I didn't. She's too young."

That stops Lip and Carl. They look at each other then at me. I suddenly feel bad. He's not a creep. I think Matty looks harmless enough. "Sorry, man," I say, "We're worried about our little sister."

"Debbie and I are just friends. I'm not going to touch her," Matty says.

"Come on, I still want to kick his ass," Carl says.

"Let's go, Carl. Sorry," I say.

Lip walks with his head down. He lights up a cigarette. We spot Frank out and about. Lip rolls his eyes. "There is talk about buying up the neighborhood and improving it," Frank says, Lip rolls his eyes again.

"What the fuck is he talking about?" I ask.

"Probably more of his nonsensical bull shit," says Li p.

"No. Look for yourself," says Frank.

A sign on one of the buildings says something about being leased. A few of the buildings have been bought. Tommy is finally off the bar stool at the Alibi and is with his construction crew. They appear to be looking things over.

Mickey is outside the Alibi smoking and talking very loudly with some man. He looks flushed. His cheeks are red and he's got a smile in his eyes. I feel something inside me take over like the sudden urge to push the man Mickey's talking to in front of a speeding car. I have to push back that particular urge.

"What's going on there," Lip asks pointing at Mickey and the man.

"I don't know," I say a little too aggressively.

"If he's cheating I'll kick his ass," says Carl.

"You're still fucking that guy?" Frank asks.

"Fuck off, Frank," Lip and I say at the same time.

I can't take it anymore. I walk over to Mickey. His smile widens, but he tries to hide it. I cross my arms. His smile disappears as quickly as it had come.

"Ian, this guy works with Tommy; he's going to bring the guys in to the Rub 'N' Tug after their shift. He made me a great deal," Mickey says. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just hanging out with my brothers," I say to cover up my stupid insecurity. Mickey wouldn't cheat. Mickey slaps me on the arm.

"I'm glad you're doing this normal shit again."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Nothing, see you tonight," Mickey says.

"Actually, I am spending the night at my house. I've been neglecting my family."

Mickey hesitates, "Without me?"

"Well, no, I mean, you can come. I'm sorry. I just want to see my family."

"Do whatever the fuck you want to do," Mickey says. He throws his arms in the air shouts "fuck" and goes into the Alibi. I think he's mad at me. I think about it before I go in after him. Lip and Carl wait for me outside with Frank. I wish he would just leave.

"Mickey Milkovich." I don't even know his middle name? Holy shit. How do I not know my boyfriend's middle name?

"Look, do whatever the fuck you want," Mickey says as he turns away from me. I put my arms around him from behind and lay my head on his shoulder. I spin him around a put my head between his shoulder and chin the way he likes. He holds me. "If you need some time away from me, I understand."

"I don't need time away from you. I need time with my family."

"I'm going to throw up," says Svetlana. I don't have to look to know Mickey is flipping her off. He lifts my chin and places a kiss on my lips.

"Do what you need to do," Mickey says with a forced smile. I know he's not happy about this. I put my head back on his shoulder.

"Come with me. You can stay too."

"I'll be over tonight," Mickey says and releases me, "Have fun with Lip and Carl and don't let those assholes get you into trouble." I kiss Mickey and leave. Before I do he tries to give me money. I refuse to take it. He shoves it in my pants. "Take the fucking money or I'll make you."

"I don't need you to pay for everything I do," I argue.

"I'm not listening to this bull shit. Take the goddamn money and go have fun with your stupid brothers."

"You're a shithead," I say, pecking him on the cheek. He sits down on his usual bar stool. Veronica raises a glass to me and I leave. Lip and Carl are still waiting, and to my dismay Frank is here too.

"Do you have any money?" Frank asks me.

"Yes, but you're not getting it," I tell him.

"Really? How much?" Lip asks.

"Mickey gave me fifty bucks," I say counting what Mickey shoved in my pocket.

"The husband is giving you an allowance that's generous."

"Fuck you, Frank."

I put my arm around Lip and we walk away from Frank. Carl is walking on the other side of me. He's being very protective. I'm supposed to be protective of him, but somehow he's taking that role from me.

"Look," says Lip, pointing at Debbie leaning against a car talking to a grown man. He has a fucking beard. How old is that creep? We don't need to talk about it. The three of us walk in pace with each other toward Debs. She sees us coming and freaks out.

"You're following me. I knew Fiona would do this. She doesn't trust me at all. She's such a bitch."

"Fiona didn't send us after you," I explain. She has Liam with her. He waves at me. I pick him up.

"Ian," Liam says, "I love you."

"I love you too, buddy."

"Where's Mickey?" Liam asks.

"Working, you'll get to see him later."

"What are you doing?" Carl asks Debbie.

"Nothing, turd breath, mind your business."

But when Lip and Debbie get into an argument neither of them notice Frank and Carl are gone. They snuck off together, probably to cause some trouble. I tap on Lip's shoulder. He waves my hand away. I tap on him again.

"What the fuck, Ian?"

"Carl's gone. I think he went with Frank."

"Fuck, Ian, and you just let him?" Lip says. "Maybe if you'd quit fucking Mickey Milkovich you'd notice more shit."

We used to be best friends…what changed? I hand Liam back to Debbie and run off with Lip to find Carl. We argue over my relationship with Mickey until we're both red faced and angry. I love Mickey. I need Lip to be supportive.

Carl and Frank are selling drugs. Correction: Frank is using Carl to sell several large bags full of cocaine. I don't want any part of this. I lean against the wall of one of the buildings in the alley. Lip is smoking is fifth cigarette, and Frank is teaching Carl how to sell.

"This isn't what I wanted to do today," I tell Lip.

"You think I did?"

"Why are you mad at me?" I ask.

"You really want to open that can of worms? I don't know where to begin, Ian. Let's see, you ran away from home without telling me where the fuck you were going. For all the fuck I know you could have been dead. You come back a little crazier, and get back together with the asshole that made you leave in the first place."

"Mickey loves me," I tell Lip.

"You don't sound certain of that."

Frank and Carl are gone again. Lip and I track them all over the South Side for the rest of the afternoon. I just want to go home. Finally, when Frank has finally sold all his coke and got the money, which he'll probably use to buy painkillers anyway, we get to go home. Fiona has made dinner and is trying to chat with Mickey who is sitting at the table waiting for me.

I peck him a kiss on the lips and don't miss the smile on Fiona's face.

"No. He's not staying here too."

"Okay, let me get this straight," I say.

"That's a first," Lip says.

I flip him off in a very Mickey like way. It makes me smile over how much like Mickey that was. Lip shakes his head. "You are allowed to date Mandy Milkovich and have her practically living here, and Fiona can have Jimmy-Steve live here for almost two years, but when I bring my boyfriend home it's an abomination."

"He's right, Lip. Besides, Mickey's good for Ian."

"Do you hear yourself," Lip asks her.

"Don't start this shit before dinner. I'm hungry. I don't care who's wiener goes where, I just want some food," says Carl. Thus ending the saga of the gay wiener, something Carl's been trying to figure out for years.

"How was your day?" Mickey asks me casually. I stare at him with my hand resting on my hand. He's taking an interest in my daily activities.

"Awful."

"What'd these assholes do?" Mickey asks chewing with his mouth open.

"Nothing," I say smiling. I try to eat, but I just want to stare at Mickey. He's so beautiful. He seems so uncomfortable asking for Debbie and Carl to pass him stuff on the table.

Mickey scoots his chair closer to mine and forcefully grabs my hand. He lays our hands on top of the table for my family to see. He rubs my hand with his thumb and doesn't look at me. "You got a fucking problem, Lip?"

"Yeah, I do," Lip says.

"I'm ending this," I say, "Mickey's family." I love him.

"Fine, if he breaks your heart again don't expect me to pick up the fucking pieces."

"Are Ian and Mickey getting married?" Carl asks.

"I'm already married," Mickey says.

"So you're cheating on your wife?" Carl asks.

"This is different," says Mickey.

"Why is it different?"

"You ask a lot of fucking questions."

"It's different because Mickey doesn't love his wife. He loves Ian. He probably married Svetlana to maintain a heterosexual lifestyle, but realized he loves Ian more than he actually let's on," says Debbie.

How does she always know exactly what to say?

"So what are you intentions?" Carl asks.

"What?" Mickey asks.

"Are you going to divorce her and marry Ian? You can't expect not to have a future with Ian at this point."

"Stop it, Carl. Leave them alone," says Fiona.

After dinner, Mickey and I do the dishes. I wash and he dries. He complains about it the whole time, but since Fiona is letting us stay over it's the least we can do. He just wants to go upstairs and fool around.

I scrape something off one of the plates and nearly throw up doing it. Mickey shakes his head and takes the plate from me. He scrubs it off without it bothering him, "Probably best if I finish and you dry, Tough Guy." Tough Guy. My favorite pet name. I slap Mickey's ass and stand in his spot to dry the dishes.

"That's not clean," I tell Mickey taking the plate. We switch places again. I am going to need to man up and not throw up.

"About what Carl said," Mickey starts, "I do want a future with you."

Fifteen year old me would be screaming right now. I don't stop the smile from forming on my face. I have wanted this for longer than I can say. Mickey wants to be with me.

"I want that too," I say.

"I choose you, okay. Don't ever doubt it. Svetlana means nothing to me." I know that, Mickey. I know everything about it. I kiss him. I put the plates back in the sink and pull Mickey into me. I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Aw," says Veronica and Fiona, and I pull away. I wipe Mickey's salvia off my lips and return to the dishes. Mickey is looking at me. "We're going to get our beers and get out of your hair," Fiona says. She rubs my back and nods at Mickey.

"I want you to know that I am Ian's boyfriend, and I demand to be treated the way any of your boyfriends have been treated. If Lip has a problem with that tell him I'm more than happy to talk about it," says Mickey grumpily.

"Noted," says Fiona, "But, Mick, I will agree with Lip on this one thing, you break Ian's heart again and not even Ian could stop me from killing you."

"Welcome to the family," says Veronica to Mickey. She follows Fiona out of the room. I give Mickey a quick kiss and hand him a plate for him to dry.

"I like calling you my boyfriend. But you know, if I had to think of a word for it, I'd go with bitch."

"Fuck off," Mickey says with a smile. "I like your dick, eat me."

"Is that an offer?" I ask. I make Mickey blush. I've never done that before. We quickly finish the dishes and race upstairs. Carl and Liam are in our room so Mickey and I can't fool around. We wrestle and land on my bed. Mickey pins me and stares down into my eyes.

"Just kiss already," Carl says. Mickey does, but briefly.

"I like this," Mickey says laying down next to me in the bed.

"Like what?" I ask slapping his hip.

"This normal shit, when you're not going a thousand miles a minute. You've slowed down. I like it."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but okay."

"And I like this," Mickey says poking my tattoo. I recoil from his touch. Mickey knows I'm ticklish. He gets an evil grin on his face and I go on the defensive. "How do you stay so fucking lean?"

"Oh so it's Ian wiener that goes into Mickey's ass," says Carl. The saga continues.