Work Text:
My heart beats to the sound of your name.
Mandy and Ian lay spread out on Ian’s bed, smoking some weed they had found in Lip’s backpack. They could hear Debbie and Carl upstairs, fighting about one thing or another but they were too lazy to see what it was about.
“Life sucks”, Mandy finally said, breaking the silence between them. Tell me about it, Ian thought, but kept quit. He felt like he had no right to complain after everything Mandy had to endure. So he took the joint from her instead, pressed it between his lips and inhaled. “Why?” he asked as he exhaled.
It was kind of a dumb question and for the first time Ian was glad it was Mandy next to him instead of Mickey because that question would’ve gotten him a punch right to the face. And he would’ve fucking deserved it because, hello, of course he already knew why. He’d fucking been there to watch the shit go down in Mandy’s life. He knew she had every right to think life sucked and as far as they were concerned it did, but Ian was curious as to why she brought it up now of all times. He thought she'd never complain about anything, not after how strong she’d been, not after playing the whole thing with her fucking shitfaced father down, after showing everyone how she could handle everything life threw at her. After proofing she was indeed a true Milkovich.
“Multiple reasons” Mandy replied with a shrug and Ian started laughing because that had to be the understatement of the century. Mandy smiled and rested her head on his chest.
“Name one”, Ian said as he handed her the joint. Mandy put her head up again and looked straight into his eyes. “Nope”, she beamed and Ian gave her one of his shit eating grins. Mandy laughed and changed the subject. She told Ian about how Mickey was holding up in Juvie and she loved him for listening. She knew he couldn't care less about Mickey and his wellfare (because she knew they didn't really get along despite working with each other and Mandy was pretty sure Mickey would kill Ian if he ever found out about the gay-thing) but the redhead always listened when she talked about her brother because Ian knew Mandy loved Mickey in her weird Milkovich-way.
She was thankful to have Ian in her life. Even if she would never ever tell him the real reason as to why her life really sucked. Atleast not to his face.
But later, much later, after Ian was fast asleep, Mandy finally did. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone else in this world”, she whispered into his ear. She smiled and let her head sink back to his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat, wishing it would beat to the sound of her name. And Mandy Milkovich knew, without a single doubt, that, yes, life sucked indeed because Ian Gallagher would never love her back.