Proud In Life

Chapter 3: Telling The Family

  Ian didn't have any training that day at the hospital and he didn't have to be at the club till much later so he had begrudgingly agreed to go and spend the day at the Gallaghers. At first he had tried to avoid them altogether but then they had just started turning up with sharp words and bitter glares- by they he meant Lip and Fiona. Ian found that it was best to visit and keep Mickey and the Gallaghers apart just so that they couldn't plant doubts in his fiancee's mind.

  Today was going to be different though because today he was going to have to actively start a conversation about his relationship with Mickey and how it had... advanced. So in, Ian pulled on his coat and shoes slowly and reluctantly to get ready to leave.

  "You telling them today?" Mickey asked behind him.

  Turning, Ian couldn't help but smile as he took in the sight of his fiancee with Yevgeny balanced on one hip, the baby gurgling happily. Relaxing immediately Ian stepped over to them, pulling Mickey into a one armed hug while running his free hand through Yev's soft baby hair. Yeah he could tell his family that he had this despite everything. Hell the picture that he had posted of himself and Yev the other day had been received well, more than he thought it would by people he had never met. His life was worth envy and he was going to tell his family just how much today.

  "Yeah... God I love you so much," Ian smiled looking straight into his favourite pair of blue eyes.

  "Love you too now get out of here you sap," Mickey grinned back, pecking Ian on the lips before pushing him away.

  "Going going. Know where I'm not wanted," Ian teased, hands in the air as he stepped out of the door.

  As soon as he was out, the calm that Mickey's presence brought was gone and he could feel the tension seeping back into him. Nothing to do for it though so he just shoved his hands in his pockets and made his way towards the Gallagher house as fast as he could. Get this over and done with.

***

  Reaching the gate to his childhood home he couldn't help but pause, hand on the cold metal as he willed himself to move. Finally, he managed to push himself forward, jogging up the steps and entering the house without knocking- because that would have been just odd.

  "Hey sweetface," Fiona looked up and greeted from the kitchen.

  "Hey Fi," Ian smiled stiffly. 

  She pulled him into a hug just as Lip and Debbie came trotting down the stairs. He got individual greetings from both, a warmer smile from Debbie than from Lip.

  He was just debating breaking the news- God knows he was nervous enough- when Kev and Vee came strolling in. Vee smiled wide and greeted him loudly and with a tight hug, Kev patting him firmly on the back.

  "Hey you were about to say something," Lip said, he'd obviously been watching Ian closely.

  Suddenly feeling on the spot with everyone looking at him, he felt his mouth go dry. It took a long moment to actually find the words and even longer for him to open his mouth and finally actually stutter them out.

  "Well um Mickey asked me to um... to marry him. So yeah..." he got out.

  "What?" Fiona said in that quiet, outraged voice that meant trouble.

  "You're engaged! That's so cool man!" Kev smiled enthusiastically. 

  "Hey Kev. Engaged to Mickey Milkovich, you know, dirtiest white boy in America," Vee chastised.

  "Are you serious that Mickey asked you to marry him?" Lip questioned with raised eyebrows.

  "Yeah pretty damn sure," Ian snapped, frustrated. Of course it was going to be like this.