#and ian’s scared that he’ll let mickey down again or that his bipolar will get bad again

[juvinadelgreko]

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[restapesta]

😠 (I love me some jealous hoes eheh 💙)

"So, uh, who are you texting?"

The question was supposed to come across as just a nonchalant inquiry, but the way Ian's fiddling with his phone, the screen blank and reflecting his slightly worried face, he fears it really didn't.

Mickey looks up from next to him on the couch. Usually, Ian would just lean over his shoulder and look—fuck, he had literally tried that not too long ago, but Mickey was obviously keen on shooing him away this time, tilting the phone out of sight.

It isn't as if Ian has doubts about who Mickey's so rapidly texting. It's definitely not another guy—as far as Ian's knowledge goes, Mickey really doesn't know or like anybody Ian himself doesn't—but there's just some weird part of Ian's brain telling him he needs to know.

Who the fuck is Mickey texting at eight in the evening, and why is there a smile on his face, and why is he chuckling every few minutes, and why is he blowing out irritated breaths between the sounds of him taking a screenshot, and why in the fucking hell are Ian's fists clenching in irritation?

Mickey looks up briefly, eyes flickering over Ian who's desperately trying to school his expression into unworried and totally, not at all, jealous.

It obviously doesn't work because Mickey just huffs out a laugh.

"Calm down, Tough guy. I'm just texting my sister."

That gives Ian a pause.

"You're texting Mandy?"

Mickey nods, fingers darting across the phone keyboard at rapid speed. "Yup." It's so simple. Said in such a simple matter, like that does literally anything to slow down Ian's heart and ease the constricting of his lungs.

He supposes it should calm him down. To basically tell his brain that, no, Mickey really isn't cracking jokes with any other dudes, and he isn't hiding any secrets or doing illegal shit behind his back. Instead, a lump appears in his throat, and a new feeling settles into his chest—and it's less of worry and more of anger.

He hasn't had an actual long, rapid-texting-and-laughing-out-loud conversation with Mandy since back in the day before everything went to shit. Not even after they reconnected sometime before the wedding, just enough for her to decline the invitation.

"She texted you again?"

Mickey looks up. "You know we've been in touch since I got out of prison, right?"

Of course Ian fucking knows that. He considers his options; whether or not he should just tell Mickey that he feels kind of sad that Mandy really doesn't want to keep in touch with him and it's making him jealous when he sees her texting Mickey, or if he should just bite his tongue.

"She never texts me." He finally concedes, plopping down onto the couch next to Mickey. He casts a glance towards the screen, the brightness turned up to the max.

He adds, worry overpowering anything else, "Your eyes will go to shit, by the way, if you keep going like that. You already have prescription glasses that you don't wanna wear."

Mickey rolls his eyes. "Okay, mom."

With a slight pinch to Mickey's bicep, Ian leans back against the couch, head going down on his husband's shoulder.

"Does Mandy really not want to talk to me anymore? I mean, we used to be best friends and shit. I helped her hide a fucking body. I just... I don't know why she never texts me."

Mickey sighs, phone down in his lap. When Ian looks up, he sees him looking...

Guilty?

Ian straightens, eyes squinting.

"What, Mickey?"

A pause.

"You have to promise not to get mad, okay?" He starts, phone discarded on the cushions and buzzing with incoming messages. "And you also have to understand that I am completely, one-hundred percent right about all of this."

Ian levels him with a look. "What did you do?"

Mickey blows out a breath, and then, as if deciding something, slouches back into the cushion and starts talking, face expression indicative that it's, "Really not a big deal, okay? Just something that happened."

"That has to do with Mandy not texting me?"

Mickey shrugs, eyes avoiding Ian's. "Maybe."

"Oh my God, what did you tell her?"

Mickey doesn't reply.

"What? What could you have possibly said to her?"

Mandy already knows everything. She knew about the bipolar, about Ian's fuck ups, about who he is. She knows about their marriage, their relationship as a whole. What could have Mickey possibly said to make her never want to talk to him again? To limit all of their conversations to happy birthday messages and occasional checkups.

"Mickey, I'm gonna ask you one more time. What did you—,"

"Oh, would you stop, for the love of God!?" He gets up suddenly, facing Ian who's still sitting on the couch, eyes wide. "I was jealous, okay!?"

Ian's brain struggles to catch up. "You were... Jealous?"

"Mandy's like, completely fucking in love with you!" He talks animatedly, hands going all around his body as he explains. "And I couldn't have a single conversation after prison without her talking about how amazing you are, and perfect and hot and kind, and I got fucking sick of her talking about my boyfriend like it's her crush! It isn't fucking normal, Ian!"

"So you told her..."

"I told her not to talk to or about you ever again or I'd make her life living hell." He shrugs like it's no big fucking deal.

"You threatened your sister for being my best friend?" And to think Ian was jealous.

"She's had you for the beginning of our relationship. And she was completely in love with you back then too!"

"She was in love with Lip."

"See?" Mickey points out. "That's as close as she got to you!"

Before Ian even gets a chance to reply, Mickey's phone is ringing with an incoming Facetime call.

From Mandy.

The phone is next to Ian, a simple grasp away—but Mickey's looking between the two, and it's obvious, so fucking obvious, that there is no way in hell he'll let Ian answer the phone.

"Don't you dare," He whispers.

They look at each other for one, two, three—

They both lunge for the phone at the same time, and both unceremoniously fall onto the floor, rolling as they try to get it in their hands—Ian to answer to call, Mickey to end it.

Except they accidentally answer it in the first place.

"Is that some new position you guys are trying out? Dry humping and shit?"

Mandy's voice is distorted and breaking, the wifi connection absolute shit, but Ian's face lights up with a smile as he pushes Mickey off of him and grabs onto the phone, facing the camera. His hair is disheveled, strands poking out as if he's just had sex, hair-pulling and all.

There's no fucking way Mickey has Mandy all to herself, that jealous motherfucker.

Mandy's looking beautiful. Literally stunning.

"What's up with you guys?" She asks.

"Mandy," Ian says, voice accusing. "You really that scared of Mickey that you actually listened to his threat about not talking to me?"

Mickey narrows his eyes at him. Calls him a bitch.

"What?" He hears her ask.

"Mickey told you not to text me and you actually listened!"

The three of them are silent for a moment.

And then, Mandy laughs so fucking loud that it sounds through their entire apartment.

Ian and Mickey look at each other, confused, as Mandy tries to catch her breath.

"Uh..."

"You jealous dumbasses! I can't believe you guys!" She says, tears falling down her face. "Of course I didn't listen to Mickey's threat! Bitches, neither of you talk to me as much as you should! I'll start texting you when you start texting me!"

Ian looks at his husband again, asking a silent question. Mickey just shrugs.

"But, you were literally just texting Mickey!"

"Jealous bitch," He hears Mickey whisper under his breath.

Mandy tilts the phone so her whole upper body is in view. She's still laughing, small giggles escaping past her lips. Ian forgets how much he misses them.

"I was texting Mick 'cause I needed to get your address for the anniversary gift I'm finally sending you!" She wipes at her eyes, fixing up her shirt simultaneously. "We can't figure any of this shit out, and he refuses to ask you to come help!"

Ian looks at his husband. Whispers, "Jealous bitch." Mickey flips him off.

The two finally lock eyes. The rage that had been bubbling up inside Ian's chest dissipates into nothing. They're both dumbasses. They keep staring.

"Okaaay," Ian hears Mandy through the phone. He doesn't look away from Mickey. "You guys are looking at each other all weird and I don't wanna be a part of that shit." There's shuffling on her end. "Call me when you're done fucking. I still need to figure out that address shit!"

Before either of them can say anything, she hangs up.

There's a moment where they just stew in their revelations. Ian asks first.

"Jealous of me and Mandy?" He quirks an eyebrow.

"You jealous of me and Mandy?" Mickey bites back.

They stare for another second.

"You think we don't text her enough?"

Mickey shrugs. "We could do it together? Make her the third wheel."

They stare. Mickey looks at him softly.

Ian jumps Mickey first.

Mandy was fucking right about the look.

[dreamylyfe-x]

the fandom always talks about how much Ian cares for Yev, and it's a very cute canon, but sometimes I feel like we forget that after season 6, Ian never got involved with him again 😭what do you think? obviously knowing he is not his responsibility, but I would like to know what do you think about their relationship after s6

Aw. Yeah. I think what happens with Ian and Yev is sad but so realistic. We don’t see that they have any relationship at all after 6x01 -- and I’d argue they don’t have one after 5x06. Not practically. I don’t think that means that Ian doesn’t love Yevgeny. But I do think he lets him go. And there are two reasons for that. 

The first: Svetlana. 

Svetlana, by definition, is a survivor. She’s out to take care of herself and her son and that’s it. And once Mickey’s in prison, Svetlana is the sole custodial parent and she is entirely responsible for Yev and has the final say on who is and isn’t in his life. And from that moment on, that means Ian’s access is going to be rooted in what works for Svetlana. 

When Ian moves in to the Milkovich house, after he’s recovered from his depressive episode, he must be a godsend to Svetlana. He is not only competent with the baby, he’s invested and he is the only person on earth who has any chance of helping Mickey foster a sincere relationship with the kid. I think Svet likes Ian well enough, but she doesn’t care about him as a person. She can’t afford to. Ian is a means to an end and ultimately she cares about the life she can make for her and Yev. 

What happens with Ian and Yev in 5x06 is terrifying. Understandably. But beyond that, it completely turns her life upside down, because the minute Mickey has to choose between Ian and Yev, he chooses Ian. And she loses both of their support, both financial and practical. 

Ian instantly goes from a saviour to an existential threat and Svetlana moves all the way on as soon as she can. After that, Ian serves one purpose and one purpose only: He can help her get Mickey to do things in prison that will bring in money to support the baby. But Ian very quickly starts to refuse to do that. And Svetlana has no further use for him. Yev is a baby and he’ll adjust, so Svetlana isn’t going to continue in this relationship with her husband’s unstable ex-boyfriend. After that, she’s done with him. 

The second: Ian. 

I truly do think that Ian loves Yev and that is no small part of why he lets Yev go. Because when the door on that relationship shuts, I don’t think Ian tries to push it open. 

Post 5x06 Ian talks about Yev a lot. Initially he just can’t accept that he put him in peril. In his version of events, he was taking care of the baby and every choice he made was reasonable. You can see his disquiet when he’s told facts that don’t match this narrative. And as he starts to accept those facts, he stops talking about the baby. Because he has to admit to himself that he could have really hurt Yev. And that has to scare him. What happened with Yev becomes part of the narrative he has in his head about his bipolar. It’s deeply connected to his feelings of shame and hopelessness in 5B and 6A. It has to be. 

I think he might have gotten past that if Mickey hadn’t gone to jail, though. Taking care of Yev is partly about Yev -- Ian likes babies -- but it’s also about Mickey. Ian recognizes and respects that it’s hard for Mickey to bond with Yev... So he does it for him. And he invests in Yev the same way he invests in Mickey. I think we see that in the deleted scene -- those two are deeply linked in his mind. Ian always treats Yev like he has nothing to do with how he came into the world -- but he also acknowledges it in how he takes the lead between him and Mickey. He gives Mickey space to come to Yev on his own terms. It’s one of the most clear acts of love I think we get from Ian during that period. Whatever else Ian is dealing with, he is going to love this baby and take care of this baby, because that is part of loving Mickey and taking care of him. 

Then Mickey is entirely removed from the situation. So Ian doesn’t have a reason to fight against the shame he feels, or work through any of that. He, in fact, has another reason not to. Yev is a glaring reminder of what Ian’s lost and I think all the feelings of having failed him and having done wrong -- whatever the reason -- coupled with the depression he’s experiencing in season six just overwhelms the situation. He’d have to fight for access he has no right to and he has no good argument in that fight. So Ian withdraws and Kev becomes the father figure in Yev’s life. 

I don’t think Ian has much choice when it comes to having a relationship with Yev after 5x06. But I also think he’s crushed under the weight of all that guilt. With no parental rights and not real trust in himself, I get why Ian doesn’t pursue an ongoing relationship. It’s sad, but it makes sense to me. And I think he continues to love Yev and to think about how this kid he sees around who doesn’t really know who he is anymore was almost raised as his son with Mickey. Which is horribly sad... but also pretty common. When adult relationships break up, a non-biological parental figure doesn’t usually get much opportunity to continue that relationship.

So yeah. That’s what I think about Yev and Ian. 😔