At The Dugouts

Thanks for this week's @galladrabbles prompt, @katicusdramaticus! How about an apocalyptic AU meet-cute...

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Day 1,227 of not seeing another human.

Ian skirts past the TOXIC signs on the shore of Lake Michigan. Kneels at the rust-red water. Takes a sample.

This far upshore, in this hidden alcove, maybe he’ll find something new, the right chemistry to purify the water, start life anew. 

“The fuck you doing?”

Ian snaps around. He drops the beaker. 

He’s met with the muzzle of a shotgun, attached to very real hands and a very real man’s body. 

“Count of ten before I blow you off my beach. Explain yourself.”

@galladrabbles I don’t know if this is a hill I plan to die on, but I just think we deserved more Larry Seaver.

Larry Seaver parks outside 2119 North Wallace. “Are you sure this is where you’ll be, Mr. Milkovich? Your last known address—” “You ever hear of Terry Milkovich, Larry?” The PO gulps. ‘Nuff said. “Would you wanna crash with him?” “No, but records indicate that this is your former cellmate’s residence.” “Yeah, we’re cohabitating.” Mickey step out of the car. “Got a problem?” “Generally former inmates living together is frowned upon. You two aren’t planning on doing anything illegal, are you?” “Just sodomy.” Seaver blushes bright as a tomato. “Beg your pardon?” “Where are those hand puppets? I can demonstrate.”

Thank you @galladrabbles for our prompt this week!

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First, it was cryptic texts that Mickey happened to totally-by-accident spy on Ian’s phone.

Pick up at 12pm?

Need to book a red-eye.

Blue?

Then Mandy’s slip-up on the phone: “See ya Friday.”

Weird. She wasn’t due back in Chicago ‘til Christmas.

And then Ian, all stress and fluster, demanding he be home by 7:30pm SHARP.

WTF was going on? He, of course, had to fuck with him a little.

Incoming text: 

Ian…7:29pm: You coming home soon Mick???

7:34pm he steps through his front door.

@galladrabbles I have so many questions about Ian's thought process when he wakes up in the Milkovich house after Mickey brought him back from the Fairy Tale. When did he get his stuff back from the place he was squatting in?

Marvel Swimsuit Special: Brand New Beach Day #1 - "Pool Beasts" (2026)

e.g. mickey coming out in season 4, mickey breaking out of prison to see him, mickey getting himself thrown back into prison for ian and so on.

a lot of fans equate these ‘bigger’ gestures to mickey being more in love than ian is, when in actuality ian just doesn’t have the opportunity to put himself at risk for mickey the way that mickey does.

ian can’t come out for mickey like mickey does, because none of ian’s family would care like mickey’s family does. ian can’t break out of prison because he’s never in prison. ian can’t get himself thrown into prison for mickey, because let’s remember ian had a family and a life he would be leaving while mickey had no family in mexico and was working for a cartel, so not much of a free life either.

even so, when ian does have the opportunity to do something dangerous for mickey, he does it. he drives through the entirety of america with mickey, even though he’s an escaped convict with the whole of chicago after him and not much of a plan. he was about to shiv someone to stay with mickey in prison because mickey was UPSET. not to save mickey’s life or their relationship, just because mickey was sad and insecure about ian leaving. like hello?? (im gonna write more about this in another post because i have more to say on it).

he turns up at mickey’s wedding in s3 despite the potential risk (because he knew terry was there and wanted to kill him) to try and save mickey from a life he would hate, full of lies and control and pain.

and let’s not forget about the other huge gestures of love ian makes that may not be as dangerous but are just as meaningful. he gives mickey two years worth of his savings at the border, when that money obviously means so much to ian since he grew up with nothing and worked his ass off for it. he pushes through his fear of commitment and proposes to him (after beating people up for mickey, which is definitely mickey’s ideal proposal). he tells Lip off for hitting him even when him and mickey are arguing a tonne.

i’d even argue that the porno ian filmed was him trying to do something for mickey. people ignore it because it was clearly a misguided decision and ian was manic at the time and it was a truly terrible situation, but even so, ian saw that they needed money and did everything he could to get them money, not realising the impact it would have. remember, ian’s grown used to seeing his body as a commodity. he seems genuinely surprised that mickey was upset about it, because he probably thought mickey would see his body as a commodity too.

anyway, all i’m saying is that NO mickey doesn’t love ian more than ian loves mickey. they love each other equally. it only may seem like ian loves mickey less or mickey loves ian more (to some fans) because the things that mickey does for ian are more dangerous and life threatening. they’re only like that though because they have to be, and ian’s not in the situation to do that as much.

i know this probably sounds really convoluted, but it’s just my argument to why people seem to think mickey loves ian more or ‘fell harder’ and why that’s bullshit.

"Oh, shit," Sasha mutters at her phone, smacking Ally on the shoulder and shoving her phone in front of her. "Look, Ian's posting on Snap again."

She furrows her brows. "Is he living with the Milkoviches now?"

"I guess so," she shrugs, "we should let Ryan know, he'll be dying to see this," Sasha says.

"He's probably already seen it," Ally scoffs. "Guy's obsessed."

"You think Ian'll come back to school?" Sasha asks.

"It's not long 'till we graduate, so my bets are on no," Ally says. "Ryan needs to get over that little crush, I mean, he's never gonna ask Ian out."

"Yeah, and Ian's more of a hook-up guy anyway, from what I've heard. Ryan's not like that," Sasha agrees as they head to their next class.

"Uh-huh," Ally nods.

"What the fuck?" Ryan snaps at lunch around a mouthful of food. He turns his phone around to face his friends. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"Oh, shit," Sasha winces.

"That's weird," Ally says, darting her eyes nervously between the phone and Sasha. Ryan's a handful usually, but if Ian's dating someone, he's going to be even more dramatic.

"Who's he dating?" Ryan mutters, zooming in to the edges of the photo.

"He's probably talking about Mandy," Sasha suggests, sipping her coke.

"He's gay," Ryan argues.

"Yeah, but you know he talks about Mandy like that," Ally says. "They always said shit like that, even after people knew Ian was gay. It's totally platonic."

"Yeah, it's probably just Mandy," Sasha says.

"Hm, yeah, probably. It's not like he can date a guy while he's at the Milkovich house anyway. He'd get fucking murdered," Ryan says, still squinting at the photo.

"Now he's at a Milkovich party!" Ryan exclaims, rushing up to their group early one morning.

"I mean, he's living with them," Sasha says. "He's probably gonna be at their parties."

"Yeah, but their parties are all family parties. Whole bunch of druggies and junkies," Ryan scoffs. "What's Ian doing with people like that?"

Ally rolls her eyes. "He's living with them."

"Yeah, but I'm worried about him. He's obviously getting in with a bad crowd."

Sasha groans. "He's not your problem. You're not even friends."

"We sat next to each other in Algebra for three years, we know each other," Ryan argues, stubbornly glaring at her. "And only their family goes to those parties. Why would they let Ian be there?"

"Because he's living with them!" Sasha shouts, laughing at his ridiculous line of logic.

"What if him and Mandy are actually dating?"

"What, he's un-gayed himself?" Ally scoffs. "No, they're not dating, Ryan. Stop freaking out."

"That's not Mandy's phone," Ryan states, placing his phone in the middle of the table like a detective investigating a murder case.

Sasha rolls her eyes, already tired of the conversation. It was tolerable when Ian was actually going to school with them, but now they haven't seen him in almost a year and she couldn't care less about Ryan's feelings about him.

"She probably got a new one," Sasha mutters, lighting a cigarette. "You know they steal shit all the time."

"No, I served her at Target the other day. Her phone was red," Ally says. Sasha glares at her for encouraging him. She shrugs. "It's true."

"Who's got a white phone?" Ryan ponders, tapping his chin.

"Mickey has a million phones," Ally suggests. "'Cause of all his illegal shit. Ian's probably just making fun of him."

"But why would he do that?"

"'Cause he's Mandy's brother. They probably talk sometimes," Sasha says. "Given he's living with them and everything."

"Mickey's homophobic as fuck, though. Why would Ian hang around with him?"

"I don't know!" Sasha shouts. "Maybe he doesn't know. Or maybe he's not bad about Ian. Or maybe Ian doesn't care."

"See?" Sasha says the next morning, when Ryan joins them. "He's just become friends with Mickey. Maybe he isn't as homophobic as we thought."

"He beat up Donny under the bleachers that one time 'cause him and Ian were fucking. He's definitely homophobic and definitely knows Ian's gay," Ryan scoffs.

"Isn't Ian a top?" Ally asks. "Maybe he doesn't mind that."

Ryan huffs. "Maybe. I just don't know why he'd want to be around the Milkoviches of all people. They're rude, dirty, poor as fuck, violent criminals. Don't you think he'd prefer to be around someone like me?"

And there it is. Sasha clenches her jaw. Ryan and his stick up his ass showing up yet again. He's always been like that, thinking he's better than everyone because he had the option of going to private school and chose their shitty school instead for some reason, looking down on everyone else who doesn't have that kind of money. He's only gotten worse over the years. Sasha's not really sure why she's still friends with him.

"Clearly, Mickey's still an asshole," Ryan says, gesturing to her phone. "Ian would definitely prefer hanging around people like us. Maybe I should try to run into him at some point."

Ally glances at her, trying to hide her smirk. Ryan always has plans on how he'll talk to Ian, and he always pussies out. They both know that will never happen.

"That's actually weird," Ryan says. "That's not Mandy's gun, that's Mickey's gun. I saw it once. Mandy doesn't have guns. Why is he using Mickey's shower?"

"Maybe they only have one shower," Sasha tells him, barely looking up to see the picture.

"No, if they had one shower, then Mandy's things would be in that one. You're telling me Mandy just uses body wash, no shampoo, no conditioner?" Ryan laughs. "Nah, she definitely doesn't use that shower."

"Why would it matter that he's using Mickey's shower?"

"I don't know. It has to mean something, though," Ryan mumbles, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, they're probably just friends now," Ryan sighs. "I don't know why, but whatever."

"Uh-huh," Ally mumbles, not paying any attention. "Huh, he looks kinda hot there."

"Mm, yeah, he does," Sasha agrees.

"No he doesn't," Ryan snaps, storming off.

Sasha laughs at him as he walks away.

"Look what Ian posted," Ally says to her one evening, while they're smoking in the park.

"Don't you start on him too," Sasha groans.

"No, this is actually weird," Ally tells her. "They're like... cuddled up together."

"Huh," Sasha frowns, staring at the image. "Maybe they just fell asleep next to each other? I dunno, but that's weird."

The next day, Ryan is raging about it. He says Ian shouldn't be associated with him, says Mickey's probably getting him involved in all sorts of trouble.

He never mentions how close they are, even though Sasha knows he noticed that. The idea of Mickey being gay is a surprise, but not completely outside of the world of believability. Sasha can see it, maybe. Although she doesn't think that's what's happening, there's probably a more reasonable explanation, but maybe.

"Oh, they're definitely together," Ally says, eyebrows raised.

"Holy shit," Sasha says, putting her coke down to fully appreciate the image. "A hundred per cent," she agrees.

"Have you fucking seen this?" Ryan suddenly says, appearing from nowhere and startling her.

"We were just looking at it," Ally tells him.

"Are they fucking together?" Ryan spits.

"Looks like it," Sasha says.

"Sorry, man," Ally winces.

"This is fucking-- what the fuck? What does that douchebag have that I don't? He's probably some abusive, manipulative fucking--"

"Oh, he posted another story," Sasha interrupts.

It's a video, only about thirty seconds long. Mickey's featured in flashes, scrambling around Ian's shoulder.

"Un-post that!" he's shouting, trying to grab Ian's phone. "Stop fucking recording me, Gallagher, I'll fucking kill you. Delete it!"

Ian's laughing, grinning from ear to ear as he holds the phone out of reach.

"No!" he's saying around his smile. "It's cute!"

"I'm not fucking cute! I'll murder you, I'll actually goddamn murder you!"

Ian laughs, doesn't seem scared at all. "No, you won't, idiot. You like me too much."

The video abruptly cuts off. Ryan's nostrils are flared, face red with barely contained rage.

"See? I told you--"

"Oh, shut up," Ally scoffs. "They look happy."

"Yeah," Sasha nods. "Crazy that Mickey's gay, though."