This week's offering! As always, many thanks to @galladrabbles for keeping us writing and also to @katicusdramaticus for the prompt!

*** “Lights out!”

A snapping sound and the unrelenting fluorescent lights turned off. The cell doors locked.

In his bunk, Mickey stared up into the dark. The voices were there, waiting. Nobody cares. You’ll die here, but you’ll die a thousand times over in your head first before your body gives out. You’ll be gone long before your heart stops or the shiv slips in.

No. He reached for the vision, the one that held the deluge back. 

Red hair, green eyes crinkled in laughter. Sun warming their skin as they lie on the sand, waves crashing.

Ian. 

The beach.

It was a hard day.

Mickey wanted to drink. A smoke. To hit something. To scream.

But fuck—his kidneys couldn’t handle alcohol anymore, his lungs would fail from a smoke, and his hands were too fragile now to throw a punch.

So the beach would have to do. The sunset reminded him too much of hair he missed, so he closed his eyes and cried. And cried.

He stopped only when a little hand wiggled into his. “Come on, Grandpa, it’s time to go home.”

God, a whole life time together, and today he buried the love of his life.

Thank you to @katicusdramaticus for this week's @galladrabbles prompt, The Beach. So many ideas for this one, so it was hard to choose!

************************************************************

Mickey gazes proudly at the sight of his husband as he helps their three year old daughter, Amanda, find the perfect seashell. Ian’s red hair glows even brighter in the Mexican sunlight. He is beautiful. 

Amanda starts jumping up and down excitedly, her strawberry red pigtails bouncing. She grabs the seashell Ian hands her and immediately holds it up for Mickey to see. 

“Look, daddy!” she beams. “We found one!” 

Mickey sprawled on the sand, an almost-empty bottle of tequila dangling from his palm.

A skull and Lado Sur Siempre-Southside Forever etched on his wrist.

He took a gulp of tequila. It was strong and it burned his throat.

If he ever made it back home, he had to get Kev to sell this shit. It was good.

Mickey loved Mexico, but Godamnit he missed the Southside. He missed Iggy, Colin and Mandy. He missed the Alibi and the Chicago winters.

And Ian. He missed Ian so much that it was killing him. He missed Ian more than he’d missed him in his life. He’d dreamed of being sprawled out on the beach like this. He loved it.

But what was it worth without Ian?

you ain't ever gotta lie to me, i’m everything that i’ve strived to be. so do I look like him?

Thanks for the prompt @katicusdramaticus! And of course thanks to the wonderful @galladrabbles. This weeks prompt is: The Beach.

Mickey could feel the warm sand between his toes as he sat motionless, eyes directed at the boy in front of him, mouth agape. 

Their eyes met as Ian emerged from the surf, the knowledge of what he was doing to Mickey etched across his face in a knowing smirk. He shook the water from his hair, seemingly in slow motion, as the sunlight caused his well-defined muscles to glisten exquisitely. 

“Mickey? MICKEY! I’m paying you to look after the store and you're sleeping? Really?” 

Mickey scowled. 

It's almost time! Gallavich Summer Camp 2026 is almost over for the year, and our bunks are busily finishing up the final touches on their fics and art! Here is the schedule of what you can expect: July 25th - Kissing Daylight, by I'll Be In My Bunk

July 26th - Surviving Matrimony, by The Burn Like a Motherfucker Bunk

July 27th - When Shadows turn to Sunshine, by The Badunk-a-Bunk

July 28th - (Title TDB) , by The Bunk of Bad Decisions

July 29th - Tides that Bruise, by The Floaties

July 30th - Take Me to Florida, by The Beach Bums

July 31 - Fuckin' Marriage (A sequel to Damn Decisions), by The Gallasinners

Only 2 weeks until we dive into the wonderful world of AUs!

For more info on this event, as well as for the prompts for this year, please check the event post.