#I didn't really care about mickey honestly before I read it

[calliecopper]

Ian Gallagher Being His Own Person, and Why That's Controversial

A meta about Ian's story during his time away from Mickey, and the hate his character receives for it. Inspired by @dazzle02 :)

How many times have you heard somebody say that they skipped season 8 of Shameless because Mickey wasn't in it? How many times have you heard somebody say that season 7 is only good during Mickey's episodes, or that the story is boring without Mickey in it, or that Ian's S6-8 arc was boring without Mickey? How many times have you heard somebody proclaim that Ian wasn't a good partner to Mickey?

Mickey is undeniably THE fan favorite character of the show, and with that comes a tendency for fans to defend him tooth and nail, even when he is in the wrong, and refuse to see any other points of view. Characters who go against Mickey in any way receive a harsh amount of criticism that sometimes is not fully justified. This applies even to Mickey's main connection to the story: Ian.

During season 5 and onward, some fans hold Ian's actions against him very harshly when I feel he deserves a bit more empathy. Of these, there are three main things people criticize his character for during seasons 5, 6, and 7 that I feel are not given proper analysis and thought by fandom.

Disclaimer before we get in because people feel very passionately about these two: Every interpretation of a character is entirely unique to each individual viewer, and these are just my opinions. This is in no way an anti-Mickey post, so as you read, keep in mind that any criticism toward him is not meant to make him out to be a bad character. Don't bite me.

Season Five: The Breakup of All Time

I think a large part of why people get so upset with Ian for the breakup is because of the growth Mickey experienced in seasons 4-5 leading up to it.

Mickey in seasons 1-3 is in extreme denial of being gay, and when he grows feelings for Ian, he lashes out and treats Ian like shit. Seeing Mickey's slow growth starting in season 3 brought interest to his character, and in season 4 with his major growth during his coming out, he becomes very compelling to a viewer. After all the angst that it took to get Mickey to finally open up, there's a natural desire to see that positive growth and relationship development continue. When Ian throws a wrench in that by breaking up with Mickey in season 5, people get upset, and they're going to direct that toward Ian because he is the easiest to blame.

There's the sentiment of, "Mickey came out for Ian, took care of Ian, and supported Ian when he needed him most despite his faults. Why is Ian leaving Mickey in the dust when he now needs him most?"

This is honestly not an unreasonable thing to feel when looking at things from Mickey's perspective.

But, when you take a look at Ian's character, and you really think of his motivations in that moment, his decision to break up is actually very understandable. Ian didn't break up with Mickey because he thinks Mickey is a bad partner or because he doesn't love Mickey enough. He broke up with Mickey because he thought that's what was best FOR Mickey.

I think comparing the breakup to their fight over marriage in season 10 to be an effective way to understand Ian better.

In season 10:

"How do you know you love me? Huh? How do you really know? I'm bipolar, right? I don't know who I am from one day to the next, and I can't guarantee shit. So why do you wanna spend the rest of your life with me?"

- Ian to Mickey, S10E9

Compare this to this conversation during the breakup:

"You used to love me. Now you don't even know who I am. Shit, I don't know who I am half the time... You don't owe me anything."

"I love you."

"The Hell does that even mean?"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E12

I feel that Ian's mindset is pretty similar in these two moments. In season 5, he is still grappling with his diagnosis, and he has no frame of reference of how a healthy life with bipolar can look. Everybody has been comparing him to Monica, and he himself seems to oscillate between thinking he is like her and not like her, so in his mind, he has nothing to offer anymore.

Then, in season 10, in his mind he proved himself right. He tried to get his shit in order, lived happily and found peace with his diagnosis, and then he fucked it up. He had an episode, and he lost everything he fought so hard to have. He has practically ruined his life because he DID what he FEARED he would:

"I hate the meds. You gonna make me take 'em?"

"You get fucking nuts when you don't."

"Are you gonna want to be with me even if I don't?"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E12

That conversation isn't Ian saying he isn't going to take his meds, given how in season six, he IS taking his meds. I interpret his above statement to be a warning to Mickey. Because Monica has tried to get on her meds before, has tried to get better, and has failed many times. IAN has gone off his meds willingly twice now. This is him telling Mickey, straightforward, "I do not like the meds, and there will always be a risk of me deciding not to take them."

And in seasons 8-9, he does exactly that. He goes off his meds, and he destroys everything he built for himself. That's part of the reason why he hesitates to marry Mickey in season 10, and part of the reason he breaks up with Mickey in season 5.

Ian views himself and his disorder to be a burden on the people he loves. He believes that Mickey will be better off without him.

"I don't want you sitting around, worrying, watching me, waiting for me to do my next crazy shit."

- Ian to Mickey, S5E12

Because Mickey HAS been doing that. Ever since he was diagnosed, Mickey has been watching Ian like a hawk, acting like a nurse, which frustrates Ian.

"Fuckin' nurse now?"

[...]

"I'm sick of your whiny, pussy crap. I don't need a fucking caretaker, alright? I need the shit-talking, bitch-slapping piece of Southside trash I fell for. Where is he? The fuck is he, Mickey?"

- Ian to Mickey, S5E10

But, of course, Mickey doesn't see it that way. To Mickey, Ian is anything but a burden he wants to unload.

"It means we take care of each other. [...] It means thick and thin, good times, bad, sickness, health, all that shit."

- Mickey to Ian, S5E12.

Mickey would do anything for Ian. He confronted his worst fear by coming out, stayed with Ian even after the infidelity, defended Ian after he kidnapped his son, and tried his best to understand a mental illness he had no prior knowledge about. Yet, Ian still won't commit to him. After everything, he still isn't good enough.

"I'm not saying never!"

"No, you're just saying you don't love me enough now."

- Ian and Mickey, S10E9

And Ian, meanwhile, thinks that HE isn't good enough for MICKEY. He has been diagnosed with a lifelong condition, one that he has seen ruin lives firsthand, something that will be a part of him for the rest of his life, and he doesn't wanna tie Mickey down to that life.

It's all one massive miscommunication.

Finally, I think the part that is the most confusing to fans regarding Ian's mindset during the breakup stems from his moments with Monica in S5E11 and S5E12.

Specifically, the parallels between these two conversations.

"Ian, there's always gonna be people that are gonna try and fix us. And you can never make those people happy. Like it breaks their heart just to look at you."

"Yeah, um, even Mickey now."

"He's your boyfriend, right? [...] I'm sure he means well, but you need to be with people who accept you for who you are. And they're out there. You should never apologize for being you."

- Monica and Ian, S5E11.

Vs.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Too much! Too much is wrong with me. That's the problem, isn't it? Too much is wrong with me, and you can't do anything about that. You can't change it. You can't fix me, 'cause I'm not broken. I don't need to be fixed, okay? I'm me!"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E12.

Monica's interpretation of the relationship seems to paint Mickey in a negative light. "He means well, but he doesn't get it," or something along those lines. Based on her previous experiences with the diagnosis, she has come to the conclusion that people like Mickey or Fiona, who try to get them to take medication and are saddened by the diagnosis, are being controlling, and do not love them for who they really are. That's why she always went back to Frank; he actively tried to get her to NOT take her meds or get better, and did not encourage her when she DID try to get better. So, to her, being off her meds IS the TRUE version of herself, and the people who can not accept that do not accept her.

But I think, while Ian's lines parallel Monica's, that he does not think the same way that she does.

Toward the end of season 5, Ian seems to do a complete 180 from his previous statements on his similarities with Monica.

"You flushed your pills? You get thats a full-on Monica move, right?"

"I'm not Monica."

- Ian and Fiona, S5E8

Vs.

" [...] Cause they all say how alike we are."

"That's probably not a compliment."

"Uh... No, I think it is."

- Ian and Monica, S5E11

This happens in the wake of his arrest, after Ian's siblings talk about him to the military police. Many of their comments seem to hit Ian in a way that makes him feel misunderstood or like a burden.

Debbie: But he's been acting crazier for longer than that.

Lip: Yeah, at least this past year.

Officer: How would you characterize his behavior?

Debbie: Compared to how he used to be... He's different.

Lip: He'll go back and forth from, you know, being depressed, to, you know, incredibly wound up. I mean, he ran off with a baby for no reason.

Debbie: He almost hit me in the head with a baseball bat.

Fiona: Our mother was bipolar, so we know what it looks like. She put us through Hell, and- I'm not saying you put us through Hell, but when they're manic they can be destructive.

Officer: In your opinion, does he require medication?

Fiona: Yes.

Officer: Is he unable to care for himself?

Fiona: Sometimes, yes.

So, when Ian talks to Monica when they reconnect, Ian expresses loneliness and a feeling of isolation.

"I'm really glad you came, yknow? I just... I needed someone to talk to who... gets it."

- Ian to Monica, S5E11

When Monica tells Ian to not be ashamed and that she loves him for him, she is kind of acting like his Frank. The meds have been taking a toll, and recovery is so difficult that running with her and getting validation from the only other person who could "get it" is an easy choice to make. I think the combined factors of Mickey treating him so delicately, his siblings laying out his flaws so plainly, and his mother's open acceptance creates a feeling of bitterness or shame, and Ian is hoping to find comfort in his mother.

But it doesn't go the way he expects it to.

At the diner, he thinks that Monica is going to prostitute herself for money, and is relieved when she doesn't. It's likely he was thinking of his own stint at the Fairytale in this moment.

Then, he recalls a moment from his childhood that he does not look upon fondly, only for Monica to refer to it as "good times."

He meets Monica's partner and discovers he is an aggressive teenage meth dealer that she is helping to sell the meth.

I think Ian has a true moment of clarity during this. He had thought that he was vindicated, that everybody else was wrong, that they didn't understand, that Monica was right, and that he was perfectly fine just the way he was. But then he sees what Monica considers to be "a happy life."

"Ian, I'm finally happy. People like us, we can be happy. I love him, and that's the most important thing, to find somebody to love, right? Who loves you back for who you are. I want that for you. I love you. We're gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay."

- Monica to Ian, S5E12.

Monica's perception of life is warped. What she considers a good life is living in a trailer selling meth. Good memories are traumatic memories for those around her. True love and support is an aggressive teenage dealer, or Frank Gallagher.

A simple drive to Ian was a horrifying kidnapping to Svetlana. Doing a porn that was no big deal to Ian was a betrayal of trust to Mickey. Joining Monica and ignoring the calls of his well-meaning but ignorant family to Ian was a painful and worrisome disappearance to them. Ian's perception HAS been warped, and he's crashing back to reality, realizing that he has run off with MONICA, realizing that he can't continue down the same path as her, and needs to go home.

He's come to accept that he is bipolar. He's internalized what his family has kept repeating, that he is just like Monica, and looking at her living like this, believing that she is living well, is terrifying to him.

So he goes home, believing that he is just like his mother, and he's doomed to be a piece of shit. He goes back, and he breaks up with Mickey. Because he doesn't think that people like him can be happy, and he doesn't think he'll be okay. And that isn't something that Mickey can change. Too much is wrong with him, and Mickey can't do anything about it.

Really, it's just a matter of Ian operating under the "if you love them, let them go" mindset, and Mickey interpreting it as a rejection. It's the two of them both believing they are not good enough for the other and internalizing it instead of properly communicating.

TL;DR: Ian's breakup with Mickey in S5E12 is not done in a healthy OR selfish mindset. To him, he will do nothing but drag Mickey down, and in his unmedicated and clearly altered state of mind, he thinks the best thing is to let him go.

Season Six: Dating Caleb and Other Blasphemy

The first time we see Mickey in season six, it's behind a pane of glass in an orange jumpsuit.

Mickey had tried to murder Sammi, Ian's half-sister, and had been sentenced to prison for 15 years. It's established that Ian has not been to visit Mickey much and is trying to move on past that time in his life. But, upon being bribed by Svetlana, Ian visits, and during this visit Mickey asks Ian a question:

"You gonna wait for me?" - Mickey to Ian, S6E1.

And when Ian shows hesitation:

"Fuckin' lie if you have to, man, eight years is a long time." - Mickey to Ian, S6E1.

So, Ian replies:

"Yeah. Yeah, Mick, I'll wait." - Ian to Mickey, S6E1.

Before even meeting Caleb, fans absolutely tear into Ian for his decision to not commit to Mickey in this moment. They call it selfish, or out of character, or unfair to ice Mickey out when he is going through this difficult time.

But, let's look at it from Ian's position.

Ian has dealt with abandonment issues his entire life, with both Monica and Frank being unstable and infrequent providers during his adolescence. Throughout his relationship with Mickey, they had been separated on three separate occasions, one of which was entirely voluntary on Mickey's part. Now, due to committing a major crime, Mickey has been sent away for up to fifteen years. They would both be in their thirties by the time Mickey would be released, or close to it if he got out early, and that's not even considering that he was actively taking part in jobs / activities that could extend his sentence, like stabbing people.

Ian has dealt with recurring disappointment and abandonment his entire life, and throughout their time together, Mickey hasn't really established himself as stable.

Now, before you bring out the pitchforks;

"But Mickey was there for Ian and supported him through seasons 4-5. He grew as a person and proved he IS reliable."

Yes, that's true. He did undergo massive development that allowed him to be a better partner and more reliable person to Ian. But, canonically that period of time only takes place over a few months.

Mickey, for the better part of 2-3 years, was NOT a good partner to Ian. Multiple years of an unsteady situationship is not so easily forgotten. Yes, Mickey 1000% had valid reasons for acting the way he did. It's made very clear in S3E6 and S4E11 why Mickey hides his sexuality and lashes out when forced to confront it. But that isn't an excuse. His reasons for acting in a negative way towards Ian the first three seasons is understandable, but he went about it in a bad way.

Not to mention that, despite his growth, Mickey has just been sent to PRISON. No matter how you spin it, his decision to go after Sammi was NOT justified and does not necessarily bring forth confidence in his reliability and stability.

It's not unreasonable for Ian to not want to wait for over a decade for a man who has not always been the best for him. It sucks as a viewer who is invested in them, but Ian was not in the wrong.

Beyond (justifiably) selfish reasons, Ian also already thought that he was bad for Mickey, was worried that he would ruin his life, and with Mickey's justification for his torture attempt being that he did it FOR Ian, that Sammi had it coming because of what she did TO Ian, Ian probably felt responsible for that as well. There was probably a level of guilt in Ian from the whole situation, both for Mickey being in prison and for leaving him there.

But from his point of view, it's better for everybody to try and move on.

What really bothers me about this criticism toward Ian is the sense that he OWED Mickey his time and loyalty. Because Mickey had given and sacrificed so much for Ian during seasons 4-5, it's like people think Ian is then obligated to return that for Mickey, no matter what Mickey did. It's a very transactional way to view the situation, and it just leaves me with an icky taste in my mouth. Nobody owes anybody anything in that situation. Ian does not owe Mickey companionship, and Mickey did not owe Ian support when he got put in prison in season 9. Returning to Ian was Mickey's decision to make, and not a decision Ian was obligated to make in season 6.

Now, onto the actual "dating other people" part of the conversation.

For months, Ian has done nothing but get his meds on track while working at Patsy's, then at the janitors job on Lip's campus. During this time, Ian expresses having a very low sense of self-worth.

"He as smart as you?"

"No."

"Yeah, he's smart."

"Lip is the genuis of the family."

"So that gives you an excuse for not finishing [high school]? You seem plenty smart, and Dav's uniform doesn't really suit you."

- Ian, Lip, and Professor Youens, S6E3

And:

"This is it for me, Lip. This job. This is where I land."

- Ian to Lip, S6E3

Which Lip comments on in a very concise way:

"Yknow, he thinks... Being bipolar means he's doomed to be a piece of shit like our mother."

- Lip about Ian, S6E3

Ian feels no sense of purpose during these months. He feels he has no worth and that he is doomed to work a dead-end job and have no happiness. He thinks he is just like Monica.

That only changes when he witnesses an accident on the highway, and he saves a woman's life by pulling her out of a burning car.

This leads us to Caleb.

Now I'll admit, this is where I take issue with the storytelling, because this would've been a PERFECT way to segue into Ian's EMT arc, but regardless of what I personally think would've been better, the way it plays out in canon does actually still make sense for Ian's character.

After saving the woman from the burning car, Ian collapses due to smoke inhalation and exhaustion. A firefighter on the scene provides Ian with oxygen, thus saving his life. Ian immediately fixates on this particular firefighter.

Now, Ian has a very complicated relationship with feeling his emotions post his diagnosis. In season five, when he is numbed by his meds, the only way for him to feel again is through pain, via self-harm or starting physical fights, and sex. In fact, sex plays a major part in many aspects of Ian's life.

From the age of fifteen, Ian had been consistently subject to sexual abuse. He's been used for his body by countless men throughout his teenage years and has been oftentimes reduced merely to his sexuality and what he can provide to his partner. Even Mickey, in season 2, tells Ian as such in a panicked rage.

"You think we're boyfriend and girlfriend here? You're nothing but a warm mouth to me."

- Mickey to Ian, S2E8.

(No, I'm not saying Mickey sexually abused Ian. But he did contribute to the way we see Ian default so heavily to objectifying and sexualizing himself.)

So, due to this recurring trauma, Ian has a tendency to default to sex as the primary way of getting satisfaction, be it emotional or physical.

So, when Ian gets a rush of adrenaline from the crash, after months of that numbness, he chases the emotions in the most effective way he knows how.

Ian goes to the firehouse with cookies to give as thanks to the firefighter who saved him, but with a clear ulterior motive of getting laid. When he finds out that the particular firefighter (who happens to be part of the "gay shift" which is an odd writing choice) he saw on the highway is married, Ian meets Caleb. In this scene, they speak all of one line to each other when Caleb invites Ian to a firehouse softball game. The next time we see them on screen together, Ian acts very flirtatious toward Caleb, which sets forth their relationship.

"You ever pitch?"

"... Usually, but I'm open depending on what you're into. Where we doing this?"

"Follow me."

[...]

"Wait, we're actually playing softball?"

- Ian and Caleb, S6E5

I think Ian receives hate for this simply because he's expressing interest in a guy that isn't Mickey. Fans get the impression that Ian is moving on too fast or that his interest in Caleb is sudden or rushed. However, I think the rushed nature actually works to show Ian's intentions. In this moment, Ian is not really looking for a full-on relationship. Given how little they interacted thus far, the fact that Caleb wasn't even who Ian was originally interested in, and how Ian's comments consistently err on the side of sexual, its safe to say Ian was just looking for a hookup. In fact, it's Caleb who pushes so hard FOR the relationship.

Mickey, in a deleted scene, hooks up with an inmate right after talking with Ian. If Ian's relationship with Caleb had only been a fling or hookup, I don't think Ian would've been as heavily criticized. As it is, fans get upset at this relationship because it IS a relationship. They go on dates, Ian starts staying with Caleb, and really they seem to be very domestic.

But I don't think Ian was as dedicated to the relationship with Caleb as fans make him out to be.

From the jump, Ian seems uncomfortable with the quick-moving pace of it. At first he only seems interested in sex with Caleb, but upon the negative reaction that provokes, Ian conceded to going on a date with Caleb (which is a bit of a slap in the face to Mickey fans after Gallavich's ruined date.)

"[...] I was hoping to get my hands on your hose."

"Is that what this is to you? A fuck?"

"You say it like it's a bad thing. Come on, let's get out of here."

"No. I knew you were younger than me, but I thought you were a grown-up."

"Fuck. Okay. Okay. Hey, I'm into you, alright? I thought you were into me."

"I am."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I don't stick my dick in just any guy."

"What do you want, then?"

"Seriously? Do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Yeah."

"A date."

"With, like, flowers and chocolate and shit?"

"No, we could skip the flowers."

"Okay. You're on."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E5

(Side note, pulling a "is that all this is to you" after two non-romantic interactions is not just quick in terms of hookup culture, which Ian is more attuned to, but is quick in any terms. More on that later.)

During this date, Ian is visibly very uncomfortable. Some would chalk this up to him having never been on a date before, and the writing even seems to imply that,

"Okay, look, I have no idea what I'm doing. My last boyfriend wasn't much of a talker, his idea of a conversation was to insult me a bunch and then punch me right before we banged."

- Ian to Caleb, S6E6

but that's actually not true, DESPITE the writers forgetting that.

"You know, Mickey and I never went out on dates. Ned never took me out, Kash and I fucked in the back of a convenience store, and I don't think jerking off strangers in a nightclub counts, so..."

- Ian to Lip, S6E6.

He actually HAD gone out on a "date" with Ned in season three, where he was visibly less uncomfortable than on his date with Caleb. He also went to many loft parties during his time dancing at the club, wherein he blended in very well and was able to sorta chameleon himself with the northside crowd. I think the show wants us to believe his discomfort is from him "never having been on a date before" or being unfamiliar with a "slower" pace, but I think his discomfort actually would stem from him just genuinely not being interested in Caleb in a romantic way, and thus feeling awkward on a date that's in a more romantic setting (compared to his one with Ned, which was undoubtedly more sexual.)

I also think his discomfort stems from being completely out of his element. Ian has taken a massive hit to his confidence since his diagnosis, so his Southside roots bring about a bit more hesitancy in him than it might have before, and he may be less confident in his ability to chameleon. That's why, during the date, Ian shows discomfort with Caleb when he shows more "class" than Ian.

"Usually, I get a bunch of apps to share. You good with that?"

"[Uncertain hum] ... Appetizers! Sure, yeah, big- big fan of apps."

[...]

"You seem like a very pensive kinda guy. You an only child?"

"Uh, no."

"Brothers and sisters?"

"A bunch, yeah."

"Older or younger?"

"Both."

"What about your parents? Both still alive?"

"... Yeah."

"... Fantastic. I'm learning so much."

[...]

"Where I'm from, people communicate with their fists."

"Where's that?"

"Southside."

"Mmm. Hands of steel. Okay, so you're a street rat. A brawler."

"Is that a problem?"

"Only if you make it one."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E6.

Then, beyond their first date, we have the actual relationship to dive into.

Throughout his scenes with Caleb, Ian seems to oscillate between neutrality, discomfort, or mild enjoyment in the situations he finds himself in.

There's this interaction, for example, where Ian lets Caleb take charge in defining their relationship:

"So what are we doing?"

"Whatever you want, I guess."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E7.

Or this moment:

"What are you smiling at?"

"I like having you over here. What are you smiling at?"

"I like having a purpose."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E8.

Or when Caleb invites Ian out with his friends, and we see Ian slip into his chameleon persona, mirroring the petty mannerisms of the most vocal participant of the conversation, as well as avoiding diving too much into his personal history.

"You haven't told me which one is your ex."

"Guess."

"Old guy, pink sweater."

"How'd you know?"

"Ooh, a redhead, Caleb? Does his carpet match his drapes?"

"You're a good sport."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E8.

[...]

"If we had known you were bringing a middle school student, Caleb, we wouldn't have come to a place that cards."

"Oh, no, it's cool, I don't drink. I hear it makes your skin old and leathery."

"That's-that's how we're playing this?"

"Hey, you threw down first."

"Where you from, kid?"

"Back of the Yards."

"Local boy. What's your story?"

"Story?"

"Who you are, what you do, how did you meet this chocolate bundt cake?"

"Met him at the firehouse."

- Ian and Gregory, S6E8

[...]

"We like this one, Caleb. Don't we, Gregory?"

"I mean, If young, beautiful, and kind of a smartass is something to like, sure, fine, I guess we do."

- Caleb's friends about Ian, S6E8.

OR, in a deleted scene where Caleb expresses frustration at Ian keeping the distance between him and Ian's family, as well as Ian's lack of communication, while Ian seems unbothered or even perplexed by Caleb's frustration.

"So, where'd you sleep last night?"

"Home. Got done at three, told you I'd be late."

"Yeah, like nighttime late, not next day late."

"Well, I didn't wanna wake you, and I had to go back there to grab some stuff: clothes, towels..."

"Where's there?"

"Home, you mean?"

"Yeah."

"Back of the Yards."

"Right. You did mention that once. I still don't know where it is or who I'd call if there was an emergency?"

"Uh... my brother, I guess? Or my sister."

"Brother or sister. Okay. I'll just track down Ian Gallagher's brother or sister on the internet."

"I'll... put their numbers in your phone."

"Great."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E11 deleted scene.

OR any of the follwing:

When they go to get Ian tested for STDs, he is visibly uncomfortable having Caleb in the room with him.

He is only comfortable revealing his bipolar disorder if it is done in exchange for another secret from Caleb.

He isn't very comfortable sharing his past, only references his previous relationship in a lighthearted manner, and he only reveals his sexual history upon feeling pressured to do so, which he purposefully presents in a callous way.

To me, the entirety of Ian and Caleb's relationship reads as Ian's desperation for validation through sex, which leads to him putting up with a relationship he isn't entirely comfortable in or commited to or ready for. To me, it seems like he's truly just looking for companionship in any way he can get it.

Out of everything, though, I think what really gets to fans most about this storyline is the constant comparison of Caleb to Mickey as a means of demonizing Mickey.

Throughout the entirety of Ian and Caleb's relationship, there is a constant comparison between the two relationships, seemingly with the intent of painting Mickey as a horrible partner.

When Ian tells Lip about his upcoming date with Caleb, he remarks that he never went on dates with Mickey, which comes off as an unnecessary jab.

During his date with Caleb, Ian talks about his lack of effective communication skills, which reflects negatively on Mickey, to the point Caleb brings forward the idea of domestic abuse.

During the wedding that Ian attends with Caleb, Ian mentions Mickey's marriage to Svetlana, and he uses a tone that comes off as belittling the situation and how difficult it was for Mickey.

There's this line, when Caleb asks Ian to kiss for the first time:

"Can I kiss you?"

"I thought kissing comes after you've had sex a bunch of times."

"Ian, kissing comes whenever you want it to. Even now."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E6.

Then, there's Mandy stating that Caleb was better than Mickey.

"A hot black fireman. Also an artist."

"Upgrade from my brother."

"I miss Mickey, but uh... This new guy's nice."

- Ian and Mandy, S6E9

These near constant comparisons to Mickey are frustrating to fans, because it can often feel like Ian, or even just the writers and the narrative, are trying to belittle Mickey's character and reduce him to a one-note toxic ex, which completely spits in the face of the development that he went through. THAT is what is most frustrating to fans.

Because it's true that Mickey was not always the best partner. In real life, Mickey would be a walking red flag, and Gallavich would be undeniably toxic. But that applies to EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in Shameless. That is the entire point of the show. None of them are particularly good people. They all do shitty things, but they all have compelling reasons for doing it. That's why we can look at these characters and feel connected to them instead of just absolutely hating them.

It's a really odd writing choice for a show that focuses on morally gray characters, or the idea that nobody in the show is really a good person, to decide to play moral high ground in this particular instance, and have Ian suddenly turn his nose up at Mickey's behaviors.

But is this really how Ian feels?

Because, as established, Ian is VERY good at playing chameleon. He is good at shaping himself into whatever a partner wants him to be. He mirrors his partners mannerisms, beliefs, and attitudes.

And Caleb, for all that the story wants to make us believe he's better than Mickey, is actually not the best partner either. Not just for cheating on Ian in season seven and then gaslighting Ian about it; he shows some toxic behaviors in season six as well, including being lowkey judgmental about Ian's Southside roots.

Take, for example, Caleb implying that the Southside is trash, but that he can see the beauty in Ian despite being from the Southside:

"That's my latest. I love to find the treasure inside the trash. Trying to find the secret life in things. What it wants to be instead of what it is."

"Is that what you're doing with me?"

"Good question. Can I kiss you?"

- Ian and Caleb, S6E6

(Which, funnily enough, this line from Caleb goes pretty against the sentiment that Monica had in season five, of Ian finding somebody who loves Ian for who he already is, as Mickey did.)

Or, for another example, Caleb judging Ian pretty heavily during the softball game for being "not grown-up." Simply because Ian expresses sexual interest in him above romantic.

"Cmon, let's get out of here."

"No. I knew you were younger than me, but I thought you were a grown-up."

- Ian and Caleb, S6E5.

Which, as I pointed out before, is really strange behavior. Participating in hookup culture isn't something that Ian needs to be shamed over. There's a sentiment of "Hooking up is beneath me, it's immature," to Caleb's tone, which is unfair. Now, he has reasons for this, that being his experience with getting HIV from a hookup who lied to him, which draws a pretty interesting parallel to Ian.

"Don't worry, guy I did the scene with said he was clean."

"He didn't use a rubber? Are you out of your fucking mind?"

- Ian and Mickey, S5E5.

Vs.

"Guy in college. He lied to me."

- Caleb to Ian, S6E8.

(Which I actually find to be a very interesting plot point and is actually a pretty good scene.)

So, while Caleb was not wrong to put forth a boundary by not hooking up, he was wrong for acting as if IAN was the problem in the situation. Not to mention, his behavior at the game is very strange when taken into account how little they've interacted thus far. He had understandable reasons for his negative reaction, but he went about it the wrong way. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Anyways, I could talk about the relationship between Ian and Caleb more, but that's not what the point of this is.

The point I'm trying to make is that Caleb, however covertly, expresses a negative or biased view toward the Southside lifestyle. And Ian, being the type to mimic his partners, follows along in that.

Ian already fears that he is going to be left. He is afraid that showing Caleb who he really is and not being the idealized version of himself will lead to Caleb breaking up with him.

"I'm enjoying it while it lasts."

"You think he'll dump you?"

"Well, I've told him I'm bipolar, and my family's screwed up, and he took it pretty well. But it's one thing to hear it and another to live it, so... We shall see."

- Ian and Mandy, S6E9

So, he chameleons. He makes himself the treasure in the trash. He distances himself from the image of a brooding, Southside street rat.

Because, after so long of constant pain and numbness during and post his diagnosis, Caleb is the first good thing he's found.

"I haven't been this happy in a long time."

- Ian to Caleb, S6E8.

And really, everything that I just talked about doesn't matter when you think about it that way.

No matter how dedicated or invested Ian was in his relationship with Caleb, it still provided him with companionship and validation, which as we know, is something that Ian has an unhealthy dependence on to find self-worth.

And I don't think Ian was wrong in searching for that connection simply because that connection wasn't with Mickey. He could've been well and truly in love with Caleb, and he wouldn't deserve some of the hate he receives for his canon actions.

It's easy to look at Ian's relationship with Caleb and get frustrated because of all the time that was put into Ian and Mickey's relationship. But beyond the instinctual negative feeling that comes with seeing Ian with anybody other than Mickey, his relationships outside of Mickey deserve to be analyzed and observed for what they actually do for HIS character, and not just immediately cast aside as unnecessary or ooc.

So, to summarize:

Firstly, Ian wasn't selfish for not waiting 15 years for somebody in prison. Whether he was serious about Caleb or not, Ian was under no obligation to dedicate himself to Mickey. Ian did not owe Mickey anything simply because Mickey was there for Ian when shit got tough. If they had been together, sure, Ian would've been a lot shittier for leaving Mickey alone. But as it was, they were broken up, and even if they hadn't been, Ian would've had every right to not want to continue seeing Mickey after his decision to harm Sammi, just as Lip was justified in not wanting to be with Mandy anymore after she ran over Karen.

Secondly, Ian dating Caleb wasn't bad for his character. In fact, I think their relationship in season six was actually a very interesting way to progress Ian's character and get more insight into his mind and how he operates.

Thirdly, Ian and Caleb's relationship deserves to be analyzed for what it is, rather than what it isn't. Just because Ian is not with Mickey doesn't mean that he doesn't undergo some huge development in this season, both in and outside his relationship with Caleb. Furthermore, Ian entering a new relationship gives us the opportunity to see more sides of his character, and as such the relationship should be analyzed as it's own separate entity, and not just as a hurdle in the way of Gallavich.

Fourth, Ian was not just waiting to cast Mickey aside to jump on the next dick possible. I've seen this criticism before, and when looking at his actual arc at the beginning of S6 and analyzing his general character, that's just simply not true. Entering a new relationship is not equal to immediately disregarding Mickey.

TL;DR: The hate Ian gets from this season mainly stems from "Ian date somebody aside from Mickey, bad Ian" without any further thought behind why he enters the relationship and what the relationship actually means to him. There is no separation in the minds of fans between Ian and Mickey, and therefore, Ian having experiences and an identity outside of Mickey is negatively perceived.

Season Seven: Putting His Own Wellbeing First

This one will be less long winded than the previous one, because I have less to say on it, honestly.

During the entirety of Ian's bipolar arc, it is pretty clearly shown that to maintain mental wellness, Ian needs stability.

When Mickey shows up and asks Ian to run away with him to Mexico, that's threatening to uproot every amount of stability Ian has managed to secure the past two seasons of the show.

I honestly don't see as much hate directed toward Ian for his decision to leave Mickey at the border as I see for his previous decisions. I'd say the main thing I actually see directed toward this season is just that Ian's story is boring without Mickey in it. Mostly because he enters another new relationship with Trevor after his relationship with Caleb, which really just follows the cyclical Shameless cycle of, "Don't know what to do with a character? Give them a new love interest!" But because I talked about the judgement for non-Gallavich Ian relationships above, I don't particularly feel like doing a deep dive into the Ian and Trevor relationship in this meta.

What I want to talk about relates to the Mickey Mexico storyline, though, and that's the hate other characters recieve for trying to dissuade Ian from going.

After finding out that Mickey escaped from prison, Fiona and Ian have the following conversation:

"What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep. You ever, uh, think about about what would've happened if you'd run off with Jimmy-Steve?"

"Lying sociopath Jimmy-Steve? My life would be a nonstop psycho-thriller. I definitely dodged a bullet with that one."

"What if nothing ever gives you that same thrill again? Still feel like you dodged a bullet?"

"I don't know. Probably. Where's this coming from?"

"Things have been weird between me and Trevor since Mickey got out."

"You mean since Mickey busted out of prison and has got half the Chicago Police Department circling the Southside looking for him."

"Can't get him out of my head. Just trying to stop myself from doing something I shouldn't."

"You turned your life around. Mickey would set a match to it. You've done really great without him, and I'm really fucking proud of you."

- Ian and Fiona, S7E10.

I've seen this conversation criticized many times because of how "unfairly" Mickey is treated in this scene. But I truly think that nothing said in this scene was wrong, and Fiona was 100% right.

In the past, Fiona has definitely shown a prejudice against the Milkovich family before. Specifically with Mandy, Fiona seems to look down upon her and disapproves of the relationship between her and Lip. This on its own is unfair treatment and is annoying to witness.

But in this particular case, absolutely nothing she is saying is wrong or biased simply because Mickey is a Milkovich.

People take the line, "Mickey would set a match to it," and compare it to his behavior in late Season 4 through season 5, where Mickey is taking care of Ian, and say that Fiona is being untruthful or hypocritical. If Mickey had never been sent to prison, or even if he had just been released legally, and Ian was simply thinking about cheating on Trevor and getting back with Mickey instead of running away with him, then the criticism toward Fiona would be more justified. But as it is, Mickey is a wanted fugitive, and Ian running away with him would make Ian a fugitive as well, and WOULD effectively set a match to the life Ian had spent the past two seasons working toward. He would be giving up a career he worked hard for and fought to have, he'd be living in stressful conditions on the run, he'd have no support system, and he would have less ease of access to his medication. Running with Mickey would have been the wrong decision for Ian's wellbeing, and honestly, Mickey should never have asked Ian to go with him.

I think that many people have rose colored glasses on when it comes to Gallavich, specifically with Mickey, and that makes it harder to view these moments unbiased. But, looking at it objectively, Mickey was so wrong for asking Ian to come with him to Mexico. He KNOWS that Ian needs stability with his bipolar diagnosis, and he KNOWS that this would be a stressful life he'd be forcing Ian into.

Simply put, he's acting selfishly in that moment. Having your own interests in mind is not always a bad thing, but in this specific case, Mickey would have thrown a huge wrench into Ian's life is Ian hadn't made decisions in HIS best interest.

Again, I have less to say on this as I did other subjects, because to me it feels much more cut and dry. Mickey was in the wrong here 100%, Fiona was not being wrongfully judgmental toward Mickey, and Ian was not in the wrong for not going with Mickey.

After so long of seeing them apart, it makes sense to want to see them together again. So when Ian, again, is the one making the decision to end their relationship, fans are going to lash out at him and those around him.

But it's important to put aside biases and allow your favorite character to be in the wrong occasionally. Mickey is not perfect, and criticism against him, both from characters in the show and fans, is not unfounded nor unjustified.

TL;DR: Mickey was wrong for asking Ian to uproot his life and run to Mexico, and calling that out isn't defamation of his character.

To End This Yap Session:

Ian is by no means a faultless character, and he is not exempt from criticism both inside and outside of his relationship with Mickey. However, I often feel that the criticism he faces is for the wrong reasons, and not much contemplation or exploration is done on him as much as it is for Mickey.

I love Mickey. He's an amazingly complex character, and his relationship with Ian is one of my favorite parts of the show. But in being a complex character, he is also an imperfect character.

I feel that many fans get very protective over their favorite characters, to the point that anything that goes against that character's interests is labeled as bad, and any criticism toward his character is disregarded immediately.

In this particular case of Gallavich, I feel that post season three, fans often see things from Mickey's point of view without looking at Ian's as much. This meta was simply to give my own thoughts on Ian's most "controversial" moments among fans. Obviously this is mostly condensed to season six and his relationship with Caleb, which I feel is the biggest example of jumping to conclusions and only seeing the surface level of his character.

However, I would like to acknowledge that Ian is also an insanely popular character in the Shameless fandom. While he is misunderstood in many instances, he is given much more sympathy and understanding than many other characters in the show, especially many of the female characters. This long-winded meta is only focused on the concerning tendency for fans to link Ian's identity to Mickey entirely without allowing him to be an individual, but a majority of the time he is still a beloved character who is treated favorably by fans. Compared to a character like Debbie, Ian sees much more support, and I feel that the energy I put toward this meta and trying to understand Ian should also be applied to (almost) EVERY character in the show.

Anyways feel free to leave thoughts.

[camellcat]

every time I remember no hot ashes/bad wolf I just. oh my god. ROSE TYLER AND MICKEY SMITH AND THEIR LITTLE FAMILY OF MISFIT FRIENDS </3333

[heavensbeehall]

"Mockingjay", Chapter 21

Part 3: The Assassin

Chapter 21: Jackson and Finnick argue that Peeta shouldn't be killed. Katniss is reminded of "The Hanging Tree." But ultimately decides it would make Snow happy if she killed Peeta so the subject is dropped for the time being. They find hoarded food and the TV comes on. It's Snow. He's had "more work done" which is wild to think about him scheduling his botox in between torture sessions. Coin breaks into the broadcast. The group decides to head underground to the sewers. Pollux is particularly upset since he worked down there as an Avox, and Peeta puts him at ease and Katniss notes that he is starting to sound like the old Peeta again. After hours of travel, Peeta and Katniss discuss his memories. She is still trying to protect him. But in the morning, they hear hissing.

-- I would like to give Pollux a hug in this chapter.

-- At what point should we stop calling her "Leeg 1" and instead just "Leeg"?

-- Does anyone else think the Capitol sounds like Disney World with it's series of underground tunnels for the workers so they don't bother the "regular" people? Has this been discussed? Now i"m going to have nightmares about Mickey mutts chasing me around.

Tears begin to run down Peeta's face. "I didn't know. I've never seen myself like that before. Katniss is right. I'm the monster. I'm the mutt. I'm the one Snow has turned into a weapon!"

This really sad, bro. Katniss was certainly NOT right when she said killing him wouldn't be killing Peeta. Most of my recent posts have mentioned how the adults in Katniss' life are using her, but Peeta has also been used. And he doesn't even get to shoot anyone. Honestly, if anyone "deserved" to kill Snow it was him.

Peeta holds out a can to me. "Here." I take it, not knowing what to expect. The label reads Lamb Stew. I press my lips together at the memories of rain dripping through stones, my inept attempts at flirting, and the aroma of my favorite Capitol dish in the chilly air. So some part of it must still be in his head, too. How happy, how hungry, how close we were when that picnic basket arrived outside our cave. "Thanks."

Honestly how dare they be this cute when he tried to kill her last chapter.

Why can't I just let him go? Slip him a pill, pull the trigger? Is it because I care too much about Peeta or too much about letting Snow win? Have I turned him into a piece in my private Games? That's despicable, but I'm not sure it's beneath me. If it's true, it would be kindest to kill Peeta here and now. But for better or worse, I am not motivated by kindness.

Katniss became the mockingjay by refusing to kill Peeta in her first Hunger Games. Except for the brief moment on the hovercraft with the syringe, she has always been anti-killing Peeta. It's just interesting that it used to be something that inspired a nation and now she thinks it's "despicable."

[kennyomegasweave]

Shipper Tag Game

I was tagged by @foralleternityidiot! Thank you!

1. What ship were you completely obsessed with when you were a teenager, but now you don't care anymore? Christian/Sean from Nip/Tuck. Letting them go was the first step in me trying to free myself from the demon that is Ryan Murphy and his shows.

2. Which ship would you consider your first one? Eric/Jack from Boy Meets World. I shipped them before I even knew what shipping was. You couldn't tell me shit about them and you still can't. They were, are, and always will be in love. You will never change my mind.

3. Your first fanfic belonged to which couple? So I didn't get into fic until WAY late, like 2008. Which is weird cause I was on message boards and in so many LJ comms, but I just didn't read it. Keeping that in mind, it was Phlochte. I'm not proud but I'm not as embarrassed as I should be. If you knew anything about those two back then, you'd get it okay. lol

4. Do you remember the first couple you saw a fanart over? I don't actually. I still don't seek out fanart, so I'm not surprised I don't remember the first one I saw.

5. Did you ever get into ship discourse? I still have anti-delena and anti-stydia tags on old posts on this account sooo...lol. But I was never in the inbox, messages, comments, or posts of people who actually liked those ships! People just came to me to fight when I would post my hate posts on my own account.

6. Did you used to have any no-otp or have it currently? The previous answer answers that, lol. But I don't have any currently. I've hit the point where if I love a ship that's not happening and/or I hate the main pairing, I tend to just peace out. I only ever had NOTPs cause I wouldn't quit shows, but now I'll drop them. I keep up with my faves through gifsets with no need to actually watch the show.

7. Who were the couple in the last fanfic you read? WangXian. I finished the show in four days and read all five books in five days. I have been OBSESSED for like a month.

8. Currently, do you have any OTPs? I will never not have OTPs, lol. Current: CaptainKeen, CharlieBabe, NorthSonic, KhemThongthai, WangXian, Buddie All time favorites: Stelena, Scallison, Matt/Elektra, Amy/Rory, Ian/Mickey, Spashley, TeamWin, PalmNueng, PrapaiSky, Brittana, Pacey/Joey, DeanCas, Graham/Megan, Amy/Lucy Diamond, Webgott

9. Is there any couple that, to this day, you are extremely mad about not getting together? Of course. I have more noncanon ships than canon since gay ships really just weren't happening back in the day. I also have several ships that got together but broke up, which I think also answers this question. The biggest will always be Shane/Carmen. It's been 18 years since Shane left Carmen at the altar and I'm still mad.

10. Is there any ship you used to dislike but now you think they are kind of interesting? I'm watching Playboyy and I didn't give a shit about AobPuen and I didn't really care about PromNont but now I'm invested in them both. AobPuen got me in literally one episode. PromNont became intriguing when Prom gave Nont the gun and then it's just built from there.

11. Do you have any ship that, in the past, was considered normal but now you would be cancelled over? I watched and loved Love Syndrome III in 2023 so obviously I have hella ships from the past that would get me cancelled. I regret nothing.

12. What was your favorite crack ship? I honestly think I've only ever had one crack ship and that was ChanBig and it went from laughing online to "I am fully pretending this was actually happening and Chan and Big are fucking in the sky now, thank you, god bless" in record time.

13. Who is the couple you read more fanfics of? This isn't a fair question since a lot of my ships just don't have fic written about them. But I'm currently all up in WangXian fic.

14. What most of your ships usually have in common? I tend to like ships that are ~unhealthy~ ~toxic~ and ~problematic~. No regerts.

15. What do you absolutely hate in a ship? Just not talking to each other. I don't need them to agree, sometimes even on anything, but they have to talk. I don't care if they yell, fight, punch each other, whatever, as long as they talk. I don't like miscommunication because of that either. Because if you're actually talking, there's not miscommunication.

Tagging the last five people in my notifications: @theflagscene, @loudspeakeer, @beaucadeau, @bunnakit, @deepbutdazzlingdarkness Feel free to do it or not, no pressure! It's all for fun! <3

[oh-goodness-loki]

Shipper Tag Game!

I was tagged by: @theflagscene, thank you!

What ship were you completely obsessed with when you were a teenager, but now you don't care about anymore?

I don't remember much about when I was a teenager, least of all shipping characters (this concept didn't occur to me until I started reading fanfiction and getting onto Tumblr). I just remember getting into fanfiction because of Supernatural/Marvel. So I guess ummm Loki/Darcy or Destiel.

2. Which ship would you consider your first one?

It would probably have been a y/n x supernatural character. Starting out, I was really into those for a while but besides that, I think...Destiel or Loki/Sigyn.

3. Your first fanfic belonged to which couple?

The only fanfiction (that I've finished and published) are for Hannigram (hannibal x will). It's a Phantom of the Opera AU and idk I think for a first fic, it was pretty good.

4. Do you remember the first couple you saw fanart of?

I honestly can't remember. My memory is pretty shit about some things.

5. Did you ever get into ship discord?

Nope. I think it's a waste of time. I'm very much someone who lets people ship what they want. If I see a ship I don't like, I just block the tag.

6. Did you used to have a NOTP or have any currently?

I am not a fan of the R*ylo ship. The pairing is whatever, but what I hate the most about it is the fact that the movies were completely changed to have those characters together. It was honestly shit.

7. Who were the couple in the last fanfic you read?

Babe/Charlie. It would've been Phaya/Tharn but I am trying to stay away from spoilers and I don't want to accidentally come across one on ao3.

8. Currently have any OTPs?

*cracks knuckles* Hannigram, Phaya/Tharn, Hannigram, Babe/Charlie, Alan/Jeff, Jaeyoung/Sangwoo, Symbrock, White/Sean, Mickey/Ian, and Vegas/Pete. I'm sure there's more, but those are what I remember.

9. Is there any couple that to this day you are extremely mad about them not getting together?

I don't know...

10. Is there any ship that you used to dislike but now you think are kind of interesting?

I used to hate Eddie Gluskin (from Outlast Whistleblower) and he gets shipped with Waylon Park. A few years ago I saw fanart of them in a Cabin in the Woods AU and then I read the fic that was based off of that fanart and I was hooked.

11. Do you have a ship that in the past was considered 'normal' but now you would be canceled over?

I don't think the fandom has ever considered it 'normal' but Hannigram is hated by a huge portion of the Stranger Things fandom.

12. What's your favorite crack ship?

Idk if it's considered a crack ship, but SpaceDogs (Nigel from Charlie Countryman and Adam Raki from Adam). I just find them adorable.

13. Who is the couple you've read the most fanfics of?

Hannigram (this includes the Hannibal Extended Universe IYKYK) They are my OTP of OTPs.

14. What do most of your ships usually have in common?

Probably obsessiveness. The type that IRL would be very unhealthy, but is so delicious to read.

15. What do you absolutely hate in a ship?

Miscommunication. It's so annoying. Especially when one character refuses to hear the other's explanation or where one character hears the other talking to someone and they mishear/assume something and then leave before hearing the rest of it. And it leads to a misunderstanding and ugh. It gets annoying lol.

Tagging: @negrowhat @obvious-fandom-reference @therealblessedaffliction @kijilinn @thedeviljudges

[thedisneyfanartdidntdie]

PvP chapter 2: Expectations Vs. Reality

Sparknotes:

Minnie boards Mickey onto the Hawkins airship before Mickey is supposed to executed at Alcatraz; the journey is supposed to take a month's time.

Interesting how the law/legal system is described here; it's a sham and a system that continually fails people - not too unlike our modern American legal system. Kinda irrelevant but really shares @shewhowantsmouseears's incredible world building.

Minnie lets Mickey keep his yo-yo (if I remember correctly, it's no ordinary yo-yo)

How Mickey starts his "Turtledove" nickname for Minnie 🥺🥺🥺

Minnie reads Mickey her letters and tells him about the engagement - his distaste towards "Morty" and the mailed ring 😂😂😂

"My dog's sneezed up shinier things than that" 😂😂😂 in my head canon this is definitely adlibbed and I can imagine Minnie fighting back giggles and they have to "cut" and reshoot

Mickey trying to convince himself he didn't care about her 😏😘 Okay but him caring for her is just... *swoon* and you know what makes it so sweet and romantic? He didn't care for her because she was pretty or because he was "in love" - he cares for her because he's a genuinely caring person and his honest/unfiltered opinion/perspective isn't given in the context or even attempt to flatter her or win her heart!! Captain Mickey Mouse, you caring scoundrel you 😍

Also Mickey is clearly listening to Minnie - like actually soaking in her words, hence his arguing with her about her being "a screw-up" and why she's marrying Mortimer, etc. This is what's making him so attractive (to the audience at least) and why we're rooting for them to be together!

"what do ye want?" 🥺🥺🥺💗💗💗

Minnie fights her feelings/emotions - she's a strong woman but I don't think she's ever been given a safe space to express her emotions or even feel her emotions were valid

My notes/thoughts:

I know it's very early on but, again, I admire how genuine DixieMame wrote/built the MxM love story; Mickey and Minnie genuinely are not attracted to each other at first!! Their first interaction feels.. indifferent? Like they're clearly demonstrating their personalities - Mickey being his childish self and Minnie honoring her duties/responsibilities as a private who just captured a pirate. Yet because we the audience are familiar with Mickey and Minnie as characters, we know they're destined (doomed? I guess if you ask Private Minnie according to the next chapter XD) to fall in love, or at least become friends and respect/grow fond of each other. In my [head canon] (I feel like I need a better term for this but essentially it is my own concocted canon world/story) I imagine the two make amends and become friends again before shooting the film series starts, so it's kinda sweet that they have these early interactions of indifference between their characters when behind the scenes they're actually quite fond of each other.

Minnie's key traits; hard-working, spunky, determined, but also goofy and up-tight

Mickey's key traits; goofy/silly, immature but like in a way that conceals a more mature man underneath?? certainly charming, the kind of good trouble you should run away from but don't want to - honestly idk if it's just me being a Mickey Mouse s!mp or he actual character but he has me snugly wrapped around his finger by the end of chapter 3, and in my "head canon" I can easily see fangirls fawning over him early on in the series - maybe even Miss Minnie herself 😏

The love dynamic between Turtledove and Captain is a lot like the dynamic between Usui and Misaki in "Maid-sama." They bicker and Misa is determined to "outrun" Usui and it's an exhausting journey to get the part when Misaki finally returns Usui's love - but it works; you root for them to be together and it doesn't feel like it's wrong to hope they fall in love, or continue to, rather. I don't know how DixieMame and the Maid-Sama's writers were able to pull that love troupe off - maybe it's just because I'm a Capricorn and rather than jump through all those hoops I'd just want to confess my feelings and ask if they were returned or not so we could get to the next step faster. What the hell kind of troupe is it anyway? The patient lover and the self-denying ambitious woman? The will-they/won't-they? There are lots of external factors adding turbulence to the relationship, but the primary cock-block in it is the woman's self-denial and refusal to fall in love/admit to being in love because she feels like her counterpart is mocking her/using her attraction against her?? It's funny how Mickey/Usui so clearly love Minnie/Misa - not only is it clear to the audience but they also outright say "I love you" to their love interest - along with doing things/demonstrating their affections, obviously, but the woman just won't let it be. I'm astounded by any writer who successfully pulls this troupe off.

In my head canon I imagine Mickey and Minnie reverse roles of Captain and Turtledove; Mickey is the one being stubborn about his feelings and Minnie is the one pursuing him/making it clear she loves him - or maybe it's not her making her affections obvious but rather being at peace with her affections and loving Mickey more than being afraid of his rejection?? It's complicated, in my head canon Mickey confessed his love for Minnie years prior to filming but she ran off and avoided him/his affections as she pursued a fashion career and managed her mental health/character growth. Anyways point is in this chapter DixieMame is setting their love story up perfectly and I'm pulling hair out trying to crack the code to her skill so I can mimic the dynamic for my head canon.

[mikamangata]

Eine kleine Nachtmusik

First of all, thank you so much for the amazing love you all showed my last few posts! It really makes you want to write as much as possible if there's so many people enjoying it!

If you didn't read the first chapter or my If BTS attended Hogwarts Hyung/Maknae line post I recommend you do that, otherwise there'll be some confusion! Anyways, I hope you'll have fun reading!^^

----

Chapter two

"And what did you do during the summer, Kookie? Oh and Taehyungie and Jiminie told me you probably didn't get to buy new school things for this year, so we bought everything you'll need when we were at Diagon Alley." Granny said. They were currently all eating breakfast together, Jungkook himself had a big plate full of pancakes in front of him. They looked delicious and he ate timidly. "I-I didn't do anything, really. And thank you so much for getting my school supplies, I don't know how to thank you." The youngest said genuinely. Granny, an old woman with grey hair and welcoming, motherly eyes, immediately answered: "Oh you don't have to thank us, Kookie darling! It wasn't a bother at all and when the boys told me about the way your family treats you...I honestly have no words. But I want you to know that you're always welcome here, sweetheart." Jungkook nearly teared up at that. This woman, who had met him only once before, who knew nothing about him except for the things Taehyung and Jimin told her, opened her arms and home for him. She greeted him warmly, let him sleep in her house and made him a nice breakfast. Jungkook's heart clenched at the thought and he gulped loudly, unable to answer. Granny sensed this avalanche of feelings that seemed to swallow Jungkook's words, so she got up and hugged the youngest gently. At first Jungkook was taken aback, but after a moment he hugged her back. His fists gripped Granny's yellow apron tightly as he whimpered quietly, the motherly love new and overwhelming for him. Is that what it felt like? Because if it did, he'd do anything in the world to feel it for just a few moments longer. The absence of hostility paired with Granny's warmth calmed him down and the old woman gently cooed at him.

"Jiminie, don't forget your hoodie, the castle is cold when it's winter!" "It's in my suitcase Granny." "Taehyung! Don't forget Gucci!" "I already put her in the car." "Yoongi-ah, help Kookie with his suitcase!" "Okay." "Hoseok-ah, did Mickey come back yet? If not I'll send him to Hogwarts later." "I haven't seen him in weeks, he's probably lost again." The whole house buzzed with energy since everyone was running around, packing their things into the car. Granny was reminding them gently of important thing they might have forgotten, at the same time making sandwiches for them so they had something to eat on the train. After they were done, everyone got into the car, which seemed way bigger than before, and they drove to the train station. The drive itself was quite uneventful, except for when Taehyung thought it was a good idea to let Gucci out of her cage. "Taehyung oh my god put that thing back in its cage or I'll throw it out the goddamn window!" Hoseok screeched. Everyone knew that he hated snakes, it was Taehyung's fault really. "Okay okay, calm down! She just looked like she needed cuddles, I'll put her right back." Taehyung groaned.

They arrived at the station and ran through the brick wall with their pets and suitcases. The big red Hogwarts train was as beautiful as they had remembered, with people running around hurriedly and parents saying their goodbyes. As they looked around, Jungkook's eyes landed on a tall, broad-shouldered Hufflepuff prefect, already in his uniform. He was talking to some parents, answering questions and reassuring them that their child would be safe at Hogwarts. Jungkook immediately started running towards him, leaving all his things behind. He shouted: "Hyung! Jin-hyung!" The handsome boy turned around and greeted Jungkook by hugging him tightly. "Kookie! It's great to see you again, I was so worried. When I heard you arrived at Taehyung's I wanted to come too but I was to busy, I'm sorry." Seokjin apologised, gently kissing the top of Jungkook's head. "S'okay, Hyung. Missed you lots." Jungkook answered, his voice muffled by the fabric of Seokjin's uniform and the older snickered fondly. They parted reluctantly and the Seokjin slung an arm around Jungkook's shoulders. "Joonie and I arrived super early so we were able to get a whole compartment to ourselves. I won't be with you for the first fifty minutes or so, I have a prefect meeting. But I'll join you as soon as I can, promise. Joonie is already waiting inside, I told him to stay in the compartment so nobody would take it away from us. Get your stuff inside, I still have to talk to some people." Jungkook nodded and walked back to the other boys. While the youngest was talking to Seokjin, the others got onto the train and put all the suitcases away. Granny gave Jungkook a final goodbye-hug and a loving kiss on his forehead, then she ushered him to join the other boys. He smiled and got onto the train, searching for his friends. They had a compartment at the far back, with comfortable seats and a nice view. "Kook! Let me look at you, kiddo! I haven't seen you ages, you've almost grown a little!" Namjoon exclaimed as he hugged the youngest tightly. "I missed you, Hyung." Jungkook murmured back cutely, which made the others coo at him. The youngest sat down between Yoongi and Jimin, with Yoongi sitting on the side of the window opposite of Taehyung and Jimin sitting next to the compartment door and opposite of Hoseok, Namjoon in the middle of Taehyung and Hoseok.

They conversed lightly, talking about the summer and what they looked forward to at Hogwarts. At some point Seokjin joined them, squeezing himself between Namjoon and Hoseok. They all ate the sandwiches granny made and joked about Ilhyuk and his stupid gang. Koo Ilhyuk was the same age as Taehyung and Jimin and an awful bully. Their groups of friends often clashed, fights ignited by Ilhyuk's hatred for everything that wasn't Pureblood and his stupidly big and mean companions Dottle and Cabley. But they didn't have to worry about that for now, at least. They arrived at the castle when it was already dark and Seokjin had to leave them again to take care of the new tiny first years. When they got to the castle they were were greeted by Peeves, the most mischievous ghost in the history of Hogwarts (and everywhere, really). Taehyung excitedly waved at him: "Peeves! Peeves, I'm back! How was your summer?" "Good good, Taehyung...it's almost nice to see you again. Now excuse me, I have some fresh meat to scare." The ghost said and floated in the direction of the first years. Shortly after, loud and panicked screams erupted, followed by a panicked Hagrid: "Please calm down! Peeves does that every year, but he's a friendly ghost! That's not a real dragon!" This didn't really make the situation better for the scared first years but then the huge gate opened and they were all "rescued" by an annoyed looking Professor McGonagall. Meanwhile, the boys walked into the great hall, sitting down at their respective tables; Yoongi at the Slytherin table, Seokjin and Hoseok at the Hufflepuff table, Namjoon at the Ravenclaw table and Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook at the Gryffindor table. After the sorting ceremony, they all looked at the front podium expectantly. Dumbledore looked at everyone through his old glasses and said: "I hope you all had a nice summer! For those of you who didn't, don't worry, your time at Hogwarts will make up for that. I proudly greet the new faces, full of curiosity and will to learn! Oh and I have an announcement to make: We have a new teacher for Defence Against The Dark Arts; please welcome Professor Hermann Maier! He's an old friend of mine that travelled all the way from Germany just to teach you guys!" As the pupils applauded excitedly, an about forty year old man stepped onto the podium. He had brown hair that already had a few gray streaks in it, although he didn't exactly look old enough to have those. He wore simple blue jeans and a black button-up t-shirt. His face seemed welcoming with a pair of green eyes and a little too big nose, but he looked like somebody that had seen too much. There was some stubble on his chin, but it seemed like it was there intentionally. "Oh uhm yeah thank you Albus. Well, as mentioned before, I'm Hermann Maier! It's nice to meet all of you and I sincerely hope we have a great time together. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity Albus and thank all of you for welcoming me so warmly!" Professor Maier said and walked back to were he sat between Professor Sprout and Professor Snape. "Let the feast begin!" Immediately after Dumbledore said that, all the tables were filled with food. Quiet chatter broke out as pupils and teachers alike conversed about all kinds of things. Jungkook looked around; Jimin was currently hitting Taehyung with a chicken wing because Taehyung had tried to stick a carrot up Jimin's nose. Again. Jungkook smiled fondly and tried to catch a glimpse of his other friends, but unfortunately he couldn't see them over the swarms of heads moving excitedly. So instead, the young Gryffindor looked at Professor Maier. He seemed to be in a deep conversation with Professor Sprout about god-knows-what. Jungkook didn't know what to think of him. He looked like a nice guy with a genuine interest to teach instead of just torturing them cough Snape cough. But Jungkook decided to keep his guard up, just to make sure. He was looking forward to his first lesson with the new Professor.

After finishing their meals, they all went to their respective dorms. Jungkook was sitting on his bed, sneakily looking at Jimin. The older Gryffindor was only in his black underwear, currently searching for his pajama pants. Jungkook's pretty sure he saw Taehyung walk into the bathroom with them earlier, but Jimin didn't need to know that yet. "Like what you see?" Jungkook's staring wasn't as sneaky as he had thought. His face turned red and he slowly layed down on his bed, whole body turned away from Jimin. If he couldn't see Jimin then Jimin couldn't see him. Yes, that's how things work. Jimin chuckled and said: "You know it's okay to look at me, to touch me, to kiss me. We're together after all. I understand that you're shy, it's really cute honestly, but you don't have to be. Not with me, not with Taehyung either. We'll never make fun of you for that. Tease you a little, maybe, but that's all. I hope you understand that. And now come here, I want to cuddle!" Jungkook smiled shyly as he walked over to Jimin's bed and they both layed down, cuddling up to each other. "Tae took my pants, didn't he?" "Yes." "Goddammit." Speaking of the devil, Taehyung entered the bedroom and, upon seeing the tiny cuddle pile, immediately joined the other two.

"Kim Taehyung I love you but I swear to god that if you stuffed my pants into the shower head again I will end you." Jimin angrily whispered into the darkness of the room. Jungkook felt Taehyung tense behind him and giggled quietly. "I don't think I really thanked you for what you did for me, so...thank you. Seriously, I was so down and then you guys came and made everything better. You're my best friends and I-I love you." Jungkook confessed gently. Both Jimin and Taehyung tightened their holds on the Maknae and let out quiet Aaww's, Don't worry about it's and We love you too's. Needless to say, the youngest fell asleep quickly, with nothing on his mind other than Jimin and Taehyung.

Jungkook woke up in the middle of the night. There was a weird feeling surrounding him, something he had never felt before. Like some sort of tugging sensation, but not like when somebody grabbed your arm or something, it felt different. As if his entire being was gently tugged towards the door. Jungkook felt sluggish and groggy from sleep, he didn't want to get up. The two bodies holding him gently were warm and comfortable. So instead he opted for just sitting up. He looked around the room, but everything seemed normal, he didn't feel scared although he never really fancied the darkness. Suddenly Jungkook heard a laugh, an overexcited cackle. It sounded like it was far away, but the boy could still hear it clearly. Weird, he thought, who the hell is laughing so loudly at this hour? Jungkook wasn't unnerved or anything, the laugh sounded quite nice actually, like an old friend inviting him to play. But Jungkook was tired and comfortable, so instead of further listening to the strange sound and wondering about this weird tugging sensation, he went back to sleep peacefully.

-----

Author's note: So uhm here's chapter two! I'm sorry that I didn't upload anything in such a long time, I was really busy with school and there's a lot of health stuff going on so yeah. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What do you think will happen next? Who was laughing so mysteriously in the middle of the night? The plot is definitely going to pick up speed from here! I'll try to upload the next chapter as soon as possible, but as I said before, I'm really busy and my health doesn't look that good. But I always enjoy writing, so hopefully I can continue to do so for a long time! Hihi, I hope you all have a great day!^^