#yevgeny milkovich

[atthedugouts]

Zoo Day

Mickey scrunches up his face at the smells of the zoo. He doesn’t understand why people enjoy coming here. It all smells like shit and wet dog. But once Svetlana heard that the Lincoln Park Zoo was free she declared that Sunday would be a family day with mandatory attendance. Mickey knows at this point that he has to pick his battles wisely with his wife, he’s hoping that if he plays along with this dumb family day then he can leverage it as a way to get out of fixing the front porch that Svetlana has been nagging him about. Ian didn’t need any convincing, right as Svetlana brought up the zoo Ian jumped up to start making the sandwiches they would bring for lunch. Mickey had to stop his boyfriend reminding him that Sunday was three days away.

Sunday had arrived and now Mickey was staring at a monkey taking the longest piss he’s ever seen. The monkey kind of looked like Iggy, he took a video to send to the sibling group chat.

Mickey followed his family as they went from exhibit to exhibit. Ian read aloud all the animal facts to Yevgeny and Svetlana. Yev asked a bunch of stupid questions and Mickey did not understand how Ian had the patiences to answer all of them.

“Can it fly?”

“No buddy, ostriches can’t fly.”

“Why not?”

“Because they use their long legs to run really fast.”

“Why do they have wings?” 

“Uh, to cool themselves when they get hot.”

“Oh,” Yevgeny said, nodding his head.

“You know you could just say you don’t know,” Mickey tells Ian. “The kid ain’t going to be upset if you don’t know every animal fact.”

Ian shrugs his shoulders. “I like seeing him smile.”

When the four of them were eating their PB&Js at a picnic table Mickey witnessed another father with a bag with the zoo logo. The father proudly reaches into the bag and pulls out a stuffed lion. Mickey felt a little pain in his stomach. He didn’t have money to surprise Yevgeny with a souvenir.

“I wanted a tiger!” the little boy shouts.

“Uh, ungrateful child,” Svetlana scolds. Apparently Mickey wasn’t the only one watching this family.

“Sorry buddy,” the dad apologizes. “All they had were lions.”

“That’s very nice of your dad, right?” the mother tries to calm the child with his very loud public tantrum.

“I wanted tiger!”

“I know buddy, but the zoo store didn’t have any,” the dad looked like he was about to cry. Fucking North siders spoil their children so much that the parents lose all control of the hierarchy in the family structure. The brat doesn’t deserve the dumb stuffed animal.

“Come on,” the mother pleads. “Take the lion and I’ll buy you cotton candy.”

“Fine,” the spoiled child relents. He takes the lion from his dad and they head off to buy cotton candy. Once the parents weren’t looking, the kid dropped the stuffed animal in a bush.

“Don’t grow up to have attitude like that,” Svetlana tells Yevgeny. 

“OK mama,” Yev says.

They finished up their lunch and started to head to the bears. As they pass the bush with the discarded lion Mickey overhears two zoo employees.

“Hey, there’s a lost lion in here,” one says, reaching for the stuffed animal.

“Go take it to lost and found at customer service, I’ll let our lead know where you are,” the other says.

Mickey gets an idea that he can’t shake. He turns to Ian. “I’m gonna head to the parking lot for a smoke.”

“OK,” Ian says. “Text me when you’re done and I’ll let you know where we are.”

“Sure thing mom,” Mickey says, rolling his eyes.

He met up with them at the penguins. Mickey did go to the parking lot for a smoke but on his way back in he stopped by the lost and found to inquire about a lost stuffed lion.

“Hey little man guess what?” Mickey says when he meets up with his family again.

“A lion!” Yevgeny beams at the surprise. He jumps up and takes the lion Mickey has holding out for him. Yev then hugs Mickey in the tightest hug that his little five year old body could muster up. “Thank you dad!”

“Sure thing,” Mickey says, unable to hide his smile.

“You bought toy?” Svetlana says. Mickey can tell that she’s trying not to sound angry in front of Yev in public. Trying to not to be like the other family that she just talked bad about.

“Naw, it was free,” Mickey clarifies.

“Did you steal from that North side kid?” Ian accuses.

“You think I stole from a kid?” Mickey says, raising his eyebrows.

Ian responded by giving his signature chin look.

“Fuck you,” Mickey says. “The toy was lost and I went and found it. No rule saying I had to give it back to that brat. ‘Sides, Yevgeny deserves it more. That Richy fucking Rich propably has a whole room of stuffed animals.”

Ian’s face turns soft as he smiles at Mickey warmly.

“You’re a good dad,” Ian says.

“Shut up.”

“No , it’s true. When I was Yevy’s age Frank took us to the zoo and tried to put me in the gorilla enclosure. I think he was trying to scam the zoo into a lawsuit but instead got us all banned.”

“What are you going to name him?” Svetlana asks.

“Lincoln!” Yevgeny shares.

“Clever,” Mickey says half heartedly. “Come on little man, let’s see the giraffes.”

“Why do giraffes have long necks?” Yevgeny asks.

“Don’t know, but I’m sure Ian will think of the answer once we get there.”

[ninoochat]

Little domestic bitches

[konaiiro]

We're supposed to hate each other, and I know a part of me still does. I feel it fading though, because in the end, I think we make a pretty good team. Translation Svetlana - Zhenya. (a nickname version of Yevgeny in Russian) Ian - Zhenya? Svetlana - Yes, good.

Had a tonne of fun with this quick painting for my first time doing @gallacrafts - theme 36: friendship, along with this ian and mandy painting too.

Late s4/early s5 is one of my favourite eras in the show, especially Ian, Svetlana and Mickey's little family. The concept of Svetlana teaching Ian her language is something i've never been able to be chill about; Russian is one of the only things she has. The drawing above is set post-s4, where Ian is still not fully recovered from his depressive episode. I can imagine the two of them bond as Ian stays home and takes care of Yevgeny.

[fictionalcharactersaremypassion]

Mickey didn't usually take the kid grocery shopping but this Saturday, Lana plainly told him that she was busy so he'd have to watch over him- which could've meant anything. He was fairly sure she'd said that so she could have some time to herself, and had problem with interrupting his time to himself.

Fuckin' fine.

So here they were, going through the aisles while Yev did his best to pull the cart, standing on his tiptoes to reach the handle.

"Daddy, can we get cookies?"

"Sure, whatever," Mickey answered distractedly. He was usually here alone, usually every weekend around the same time.

Yev cheered, tossing in the package of chocolate chip.

"Daddy," he said for the umpteenth time that morning, "what's banging mean?"

"What?" He turned to face his son.

"Aunt Mandy said you needed to bang people," Yev reminded him. Shit, he heard that.

Yeah, Mandy opened her big fucking mouth when she found out that he didn't have any weekend plans. Said he needed to get out there and bang somebody.

"Nothing, forget about it," Mickey wasn't about to explain any of this to a six year old. He tried to focus on the shelf in front of him but Yev was stubborn.

"But what does it mean?"

"Nothing," Mickey said, only for his arm to be tugged on relentlessly. "Yev, quit it!"

"I wanna knowww," Yev whined. "Please?"

What the fuck ever. "Fine, it means-" He thought about it real quick, "to hangout in a special way that only grown ups do. Got it?"

Yev looked thoughtful. "Oh."

"Yeah. Now let go and stand by the cart," Mickey ordered.

"Okay, Daddy!" Yev gave him a sweet smile, as if he hadn't just been a huge annoyance.

Mickey rolled his eyes, ruffling his hair. Fuckin' kids, man.

Thank God Yev wasn't prone to tantrums. He was going through the whole store bouncing and asking if they were going to get this or that and Mickey had to grab him by the shoulders, pulling him close.

"Ay, chill, little man. You want that pizza when we're done, right?"

Yev nodded eagerly.

"Then calm down and stay still," Mickey instructed.

"Okay!" Yev hugged him by the waist, refusing to let go so Mickey had to walk carefully.

"You're a little shithead, you know that?" He muttered.

"Just like Aunt Mandy is a bitch, right?" Yev chose that moment to increase his voice, so Mickey was pretty sure the people a couple of aisles over heard him. On this one, he received a few nasty looks which he ignored.

"Just keep moving," Mickey gave him a gentle push.

"But that's what you say," Yev said, confused. "Cuz Aunt Mandy calls you assface all the time."

"Jesus..." Mickey was ready for this shopping trip to be over already. Next time Lana was gonna take care of the kid. "Let's just go pay for this shit, alright?"

He ushered them over to the checkout area and if he deliberately chose the one with the fucking hot redhead, well it was his fucking business.

The one cashier, Ian, was possibly behind Mickey's reasoning for shopping on this specific day of the week at this specific time. he felt like a fucking teenage girl every time he came here, anticipating on seeing the guy and only talking for a couple minutes at most. But it was this interaction that, even though he hated to admit it, he looked forward to.

Mickey was putting their groceries on the conveyor belt, completely forgetting he had a six year old with him when his son marched up to the front after the customer in front of them went through.

"Hi!"

Mickey's head snapped up.

"Hello there, what's your name?" Ian asked kindly.

"Yevgeny. But my daddy calls Yev," his son said, then tapped his chin with his pointer finger. "He also calls me a shithead."

Ian snorted in surprise. Mickey's face was warming up.

"I didn't know you had a son," Ian said a he began scanning the items.

"Uh...yeah but I ain't together with his mom," Mickey said, trying to come off as nonchalant.

"That's cuz Daddy likes boys," Yev said promptly. "Do you like boys, Mister?"

Stop fucking talking, Mickey groaned internally. Fucking please.

He was about to tell Ian he didn't have to answer, and tell his own kid to shut the fuck up but Ian responded anyway with a big fucking smile.

"I do like boys," he spared Mickey a glance as he'd said it, filling him with fucking hope of all things.

Did this guy, the same guy that Mickey had been wondering about for weeks now - wondering because he didn't pine fuck you very much - just put himself out there that he was interested?

"You do?" Yev's face split into a wide grin. "Does that mean you'll bang my daddy?"

All at once, the time stopped, the earth stopped moving and Mickey thought he heard a faint gasp behind him. All the blood rushed to his face after that.

He wanted to die. Fucking die and let the ground swallow him whole. It would be infinitely better than this hell he'd found himself in.

Mickey didn't even want to know what Ian was thinking right now. He spared a glance at him, seein' his head ducked and shoulders shaking with laughter. "It ain't that fucking funny," he muttered.

Of course, Yev didn't get the fucking hint to shut up and just kept on blabbing. "Aunt Mandy says he needs to bang somebody cuz...cuz he needs to get out there!"

Jesus Christ, why didn't this kid ever shut up?

"Yev, go pick out some candy," Mickey said through grit teeth.

Yev beamed. "Okay!" He immediately went to pick out some candy bars, oblivious to the embarrassment he'd put his father through.

Mickey averted his eyes while waiting for Ian to finish scanning. "Uh, sorry about that, man."

"Don't worry about it," Ian's eyes sparkled with mirth. "He's a cute kid."

"Yeah, sure." He was a lot less cute in times like these. Or when he screamed bloody murder trying to get away from him when it was bath time.

He didn't know if he expected something else to happen or what, but nothing did. Mickey paid, pushed back his disappointment, then took all the groceries and Yev out to the parking lot to start loading up the car.

"You better stop repeating what your aunt says," Mickey scolded his son.

"Why?"

"Cuz-" The word died on his tongue when Ian came out of the store, still dressed in his uniform. He went right towards them, some longer pieces of hair bouncing in the slight breeze.

"Hi, Mister!" Yev exclaimed. "Are you gonna-" Mickey smoothly clasped a hand over his mouth.

"Whaddya need, man?"

"Your number."

Mickey was so surprised that he let go of Yev's mouth. "Yeah?" he said.

"I know you've wanted mine," Ian said, squinting against the sun that was over him. "Why else would you come in my checkout lane every Saturday?"

"Hey, man. Maybe you're just better at it than all those other morons," Mickey knew the guy was right, but he wasn't about to let him know that.

"It's not the only thing I'm better at," Ian winked. Mickey's eyebrows flew up.

And he may or may not have needed to adjust himself when the opportunity arose...

"What else are you better at?" Yev asked innocently.

"I'm really good at video games," Ian came up with a quick lie, giving him a warm smile.

"So is Daddy!"

"Maybe we can test that out sometime?" Ian handed him a torn off piece of a paper that had his number on it. He was already starting to walk away. "I'll see you later-?"

"Mickey," he said.

"I'll see you later Mickey," Ian said and then called, "and you too, Yev!"

"Bye!" Yev shouted. He looked up at Mickey. "Are you gonna bang him, Daddy?"

God, I hope so, Mickey thought.

[hayscodings]

mother and son <3

[iangallagherisadeadman]

the idea of svetlana and mickey being sooo good with numbers and yevgeny being absolute shit enlights me with such enthusiasm you guys have no idea

like listen just listen imagine little yevgeny being a disaster throughout all of his school life and struggling with math and physics and all that BUT he learns russian and ukrainian and other languages as easily as breathing and decides that for the future he wants to go to college for a language degree and specialize in translation

he likes things like literature translation which requires a lot of ability to properly convey an idea and sentiments when passing a text from one language to another, but he sees himself making a life with like legal translation, working with laws, regulations, codes, decrees and contracts etc and/or with personal texts specifically so he can help immigrants like his mother

[scarlet-witchery]

why do people think Yevgeny wasn't Mickey's son? in 3x06 there was clearly no condom used (not that Terry probably would have let Svetlana stop to get one), but there's no reason to think she wasn't using condoms with her regular clients. it's not Svetlana's fault that she was a tool used to rape Mickey—the sole blame for everything that happens in that entire situation belongs to Terry Milkovich and him alone—so why does it feel like it's just another way for people to shit on Svetlana for something that wasn't in her control? it's not as though she'd asked to get pregnant in the first place...

[dailyshameless]

MICKEY & YEVGENY 5.06 ― "Crazy Love"

[burninface]

Gallaghers and their missing friends

(Gallaghers and a Mr.Gallagher)

[m4ndysk4nkovich]

svetlana was also a victim of rape in 3x06. svetlana shouldn’t have had to carry and raise yevgeny. svetlana did NOT want to have sex with mickey. that’s all.

[atthedugouts]

Love You Forever

"Can we be done yet?" Mickey sighs. Ian had insisted on going to the mall to get a birthday present for Svetlana.

"Calm your tits Mick," Ian tells his boyfriend. "You're more impatient than Yev and he's only five."

"Just pick one and let go," Mickey gestures to the two bags in Ians hands.

"Fine, I'll go with the cheaper one. Plus it's bigger so it can hold more stuff. Girls like that right?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Mickey says. He turns to Yevgeny who's been staring at the jewelry counter. There's a display with a happy straight couple, the man proposing to the woman with a sign that says Get Something That Says I Love you Forever that makes Mickey want to barf. "Come on little man, Ian is finally letting us leave."

Yevgeny happily runs over to his dad and Ian as they make their way to the check out. Mickey rolls his eyes as Ian is extra polite to the cashier. Probably because he used to be one Mickey figures.

As they leave the department store the alarms go off and security approaches.

"Can you come with me?" The fake cop instructs more than asks. Fucking perfect, Mickey groans, they'll never leave this damn place.

"I'm going to have to see your bag and receipt," the security says. Ian happily complies and gives Mickey a look when he was about to protest. When it turned out all items in the bag were accounted for the security guy let them leave.

"Fuck you very much," Mickey says as they finally get to leave. "Fucking pig ass store profiling us because we're poor."

They arrive home later then planned. Yevgeny runs into his mom's arms as Ian apologies for being late.

"We got you presents!" Yevgeny tells his mom.

"You did?" Svetlana asks, shocked by the gesture. Ian hands her the department store bag with a big smile on his face.

"Hope you like," Mickey says. "We almost went to mall jail for it."

Svetlana opens it to reveal the bag Ian picked out. She gushed over it and dumps the contents of her old bag with duct taped handles and started filling up her new bag.

"I also have present!" Yevgeny shares. Mickey and Ian look at him shocked.

"What present?" Ian asks.

Yevgeny reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring. Svetlana takes the ring and starts thanking him over and over in Russian as realization hits Mickey and Ian.

"You fucking sticky fingers," Mickey says with pride. "You're the reason we got stopped by security."

"I just want Mama to know I love her forever," Yevgeny smiles as he looks at his parents.

[bubblegumbarbie33]

Honestly fuck John Wells for taking Svetlana and Yvengeny away because we could have gotten-

Yev, pointing at Mickey: Dada! :D

Mickey, like an animal staring down a vicious predator: Is it too late to leave him at the fire station?

Svetlana: You leave my baby at fire station I cut your dick off.

Ian: Mickey, you love Yev, and please don't get your dick cut off because I do love it very much-

[fictionalcharactersaremypassion]

"Yevy, dinner!" Ian called. The table was set for three since Lana was out and did not disclose what she was doing or where she was going.

He made a pot of steaming hot spaghetti, setting it down carefully in the middle of the table. Mickey grabbed a beer for both of them, his stomach rumbling. He was fuckin' starving.

There was the sound of heels digging into the floor, and there came their son, beaming. "I'm here, Een!" Yevy announced.

"Ay, no running in the house," Mickey scolded. "How many times we gotta tell you that?"

"But you said you didn't wanna see me run and you didn't," Yev argued with all the logic of a little kid.

Ian cracked a grin which he tried to hide. Mickey huffed through his nose. Fuckin' smartass.

"Sit down on the damn chair."

For a five year old, Yev looked very smug. "Een, did I win?" He did a poor whisper that Mickey heard clearly.

Ian stifled his laughter at the unimpressed look Mickey was giving them both. Shoulda known he'd get ganged up on by his boyfriend and son.

"Come here," Ian picked Yev up, holding him close. "You know, you're my favorite Milkovich but you can't tell your daddy or Aunt Mandy, okay?" He said in a stage whisper.

"Okay," Yev giggled. Mickey would deny it, and start throwing some punches around if somebody said otherwise, but it was kinda nice...or whatever to see the kid and Ian getting along like that.

Some part of him sorta wished he could bond with the kid that easily.

Ian kissed him on the head, setting him back down. Yev got up on the chair. "I'm hungry." 

"I'm glad, but you have to be careful. It's hot," Ian advised, scooping some out for Yev onto a plate.

"Okay," Yev chirped.

"Mandy still working?" Ian asked, one hand on Mickey's knee.

"Yeah. Said she'll be back later."

"I'll save her a plate," Ian said.

"Why? She can make herself a damn sandwich or something," Mickey shrugged.

"Mickey," Ian rolled his eyes. He was going to say more, Mickey knew it, but then a sudden shriek from Yev had their heads turning rapidly in his direction.

He must have touched the bottom part of the plate where it was the hottest. Yev burst into tears, holding his hurt finger close to him.

"Oh, Buddy," Ian was on it. He tried to get Yev to show him but he was crying too hard and didn't want anyone else touching it. "Can I have a look at it, Yevy?"

Yev shook his head. Mickey didn't feel like feeling so useless, so he tried to help.

"Ay, let Ian have a look."

But then something unexpected happened; Yev didn't turn to Ian for comfort like he usually did. Instead, he launched himself into Mickey's arms, his face burrowing in his shoulder.

It caught him off guard. Surprised Ian too, but he recovered faster.

"Daddy, it hurts!" Yev sobbed.

Mickey hesitantly rubbed his back. "Yeah," he said lamely, "it will for a bit."

He really wasn't sure what to fucking do. He didn't know how to handle the kid, and it wasn't helping that Ian was making those damn doe eyes.

"You're doing so good, Mick," Ian said softly.

Good? Mickey barely did anything.

"Just keep holding him. He'll be okay. We'll just have to run some water over it."

Ian was always doing that, trying to encourage him when it came to Yev. It was hard to believe. Mickey just wasn't father material. Not like he'd ever had anyone to show him what a good one looked like.

Maybe he could try.

"You're, uh, okay," Mickey muttered. "You're fine, kid. I gotcha."

It took a couple of minutes for Yev to stop crying. A couple minutes of Mickey murmuring shit he didn't even know was helping or not.

By that time, he was somewhat calmed down, besides his red-rimmed eyes and tear tracks on his cheeks. Mickey didn't know why the sight made him have this weird pang in his gut.

"You gotta watch next time, okay?" Mickey said, doing his best to keep his voice gentle like Ian would. "Ian told you it was hot."

Yev had his head leaning against his dad's chest. "I know," he sniffled. "I didn't mean to."

Those four little words brought Mickey back to when he was a little kid looking for attention and approval from Terry. He'd said those words, usually after an accident of some sort, but it never helped. If anything, it seemed to enrage Terry even more.

It wasn't the life he wanted for Yev. He wasn't sure how he felt about the little fucker yet, maybe there was some part of him that did love him, but the fucked up way he'd been conceived still haunted Mickey and made it really fucking hard to bond with him the way he was 'supposed' to.

"Yeah," Mickey said quietly. He smoothed down his son's unruly hair. "Yeah, I know. You, uh, wanna try eating again?"

Yev gripped his shirt. "I wanna stay here."

"You wanna sit on your dad's lap?" Ian said with the biggest smile on his face. Yev nodded, peeking up at Mickey as if he was worried he'd be forced off.

It made something warm come alive in Mickey.

"You really want to?"

Yev nodded again.

Mickey looked at Ian, a bit of a frantic gleam in his eyes because what the fuck should he say to that?

His boyfriend just smiled in return, letting this next move be Mickey's choice and not his own.

And well, fuck it.

Mickey felt weird about it, letting him stay there and eat like that, but that's what he did. He kept one arm around Yev so he wouldn't fall, that warm sensation returning when Yev leaned back against him in contentment.

[hayscodings]

svetlana, yevgeny, & v in 8x08

[izzyspussy]

Traveling: Ian/Mickey & Svetlana & Yevgeny + Domesticity (series)

series summary: Where Ian gets diagnosed as bipolar and treated by the army and everything is generally very anticlimactic on that front. Meanwhile, Mickey is a good dad in spite of everything. And then Ian comes back home. Series currently rated T overall, but will become more mature.

just a child (that's all): Mickey & Svetlana + Trauma Recovery (1/1) Mickey is traveling, one step at a time. Mickey is not weak or a coward. He's trying. And he is succeeding. Rated T.

Various Connective Oneshots (0/?)

The Babysitter's Here: Ian/Mickey & Yevgeny + Getting Back Together (6/6) Ian miraculously makes it through basic training, gets medicated on army dime, and goes on an uneventful tour. When he comes back Mickey is waiting for him, with a little surprise. Rated T.

Aren't We Aging Well: Ian/Mickey & Everyone VS Terry (0/3) [direct sequel to The Babysitter's Here, in which Mickey discovers - to his shock - that he is more respected than Terry is feared]

[scarlet-witchery]

so let's talk some more about gallavich and their adopted runaway trans daughter Starr (more on her here and here; it'll make more sense if you read those posts first)

I mentioned that I think Mickey and Ian would move back to the South Side, and they'd have a house instead of an apartment, and that Starr would clean up the place in thanks for letting her stay—while she's doing so, maybe she runs across a school photo of a little blonde kid with a goofy smile, and familiar blue eyes, and big glasses, and she'd bet anything that this kid is related to Mickey

and she finds a frame that isn't being used, maybe up in the attic, and puts the picture in the frame and sets it on the mantel in the living room next to other family photos (Debbie and Franny; Debbie, Carl, and Liam; Lip and Tammi and their kids; a selfie of Fiona at the beach; Mickey and Ian's wedding photo; stuff like that)

so Mickey is home one day while Ian is off visiting his siblings—Mickey is too peopled out that day and decided to stay home—when he notices the new picture with the others; Starr sees his reaction, like he's seen a ghost, and she says she found the picture when she was cleaning, and thought it looked good in the frame. but Mickey's reaction maybe spooks her a little bit, and she's like "I hope that was okay"

Mickey doesn't say anything at first, but he's uncharacteristically quiet when he nods and says "yeah, that's okay" but he doesn't explain—and look, Starr knows when people wanna talk about stuff but also don't want to at the same time, but she's thirteen or fourteen years old and has no impulse control so she asks who the kid is, and even though she guessed it she's still kinda surprised when Mickey says "that's my son"

and she asks him "do you wanna talk about it?" to which he says fuck no; she's all prepared to drop the subject when he says that he hasn't even seen the kid in years, not since he was in prison and Svetlana brought Yev to visit. and slowly—maybe over the next few weeks—she learns more of the story, and even though Mickey doesn't tell her everything, she's smart enough to put the pieces together

because I really love the idea that Mickey and Svetlana get back in touch after everything went down and he and Ian got married (she'd give him shit about where was her invitation and he was all "I didn't know your fuckin address!" but she loved seeing the pictures and said "you and carrot boy look very happy together"), and now they meet up every few months for lunch or something, maybe text now and again; she keeps him updated on Yevgeny and how he's doing in school ("he wants to go to college and be doctor") and she told Mickey that if he wants to meet Yev properly he can, but he's never taken her up on the offer because he thinks Yev is better off without him

and Starr just looks at Mickey, and the picture of Yevgeny—he's a couple years younger than she is, I figure this would be when he's about ten or so—and tells him about how she thought her parents loved her, but that was only when they thought she was their son, and "I don't know what you did before but you can't be worse than my folks"

they talk about it now and again—Ian knows they do but he's learned to let Mickey work through things at his own pace—and she finds out Yevgeny is about to start middle school, and Starr eventually tells Mickey that he should go see his son. Mickey of course thinks it's a terrible idea but she's like look, man, you guys have been great to me, and it wouldn't be the end of the world if your kid at least knew you were out there. unfortunately she's painfully aware of what it's like knowing your parents don't want anything to do with you, but it's also clear to her that it's painful for Mickey to think about his son ("talking to him might be hard, but it can't be worse than staying away")

finally after Starr has been staying with them for a while—she eventually got Ian on the "talk to Yevgeny" train too, and Mickey complained that they were "fuckin ganging up on him"—Mickey goes into the kitchen after dinner, and Starr and Ian can hear him talking on the phone to someone about "-wanna see the kid next time, if that's okay" and they give each other a tiny high five

when he comes back from lunch with Svetlana a few weeks later it's with a smile on his face and some new pictures of him and Yevgeny on his phone, as well as one with him and Svet and Yev

Ian is absolutely over the moon, too, and insists they print out the pictures and put them up on the mantelpiece; and Mickey asks if the two of them wanna come along the next time he sees Svet and the kid (and Ian is like uh yeah I haven't seen Lana in forever and I wanna know how Yevgeny is doing because he loved that kid so much and I really feel like the show dropped the ball on Ian and Svet's relationship too, which is a crying shame)

and the three of them settle in to watch TV together, their cat Duchess sprawled across Mickey and Ian's laps, and their pit bull Lady curled up by Starr's feet in her chosen armchair, and Ian just grins at Mickey and doesn't have to say how proud he is of his husband, because it's written all over his face

(I'm sure I'll write more about Starr and her adopted gay uncles in the future but I just love the idea that she'd be a catalyst for Mickey reconnecting with Yevgeny, and how he'd try his best to be the exact opposite of his own dad ;~; )