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"What are you doing here?" Mandy asked. The last thing she needed after a long day at work was to come home and find one of her good for nothing brothers lurking around. Mickey was one thing, but the rest of her brothers could go to hell for all she cared.
Tony jerked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of Mickey's room. "Is he really shacked up with that fag?"
Mandy stood up straighter and squared her shoulders. She hoped he hadn't gone into the bedroom where Ian was still nearly catatonic and unable to defend himself. She crossed the living room, brushing roughly past Tony, and ducked her head inside. She was relieved to see Ian apparently unharmed and still asleep. She stayed where she was, keeping her body between Tony and Ian. "What's it to you?"
"When I heard about the christening I didn't want to believe it," Tony said. "But it's true isn’t it? And he's not just taking it up the ass; he's fucking living with a guy."
Mandy scowled at him. "What the fuck do you care?"
"It's fucking perverted!" Tony exclaimed. "And he's doing that depraved shit right here in our house."
"Our? You haven't been here in months. Mickey and I've been paying the bills. I don't see how what happens here is any of your fucking business."
Tony crossed his arms. "You really don't care that he's fucking your ex-boyfriend?" Tony sneered. "Is fucking you so bad he decided to fuck Mickey instead?"
"You should leave."
"You don't tell me what to do." Tony sat down on the couch. He kicked his feet out in front of him and crossed his arms behind his head. "Looks to me like things are going to shit around here. Maybe I should move back home and straighten things out. Starting with kicking that fag out. Both of 'em."
Mandy reached into her oversized purse and got a hand around the pistol that Mickey had given her when she'd started working the occasional night shift at the diner. She hadn't asked for it, but when she'd let him know her new schedule he'd given it to her. Unlike the rest of her brothers Mickey actually gave a damn about her.
She drew the gun and aimed it at him. "Get the fuck out and don't come back."
Tony sat up straight and looked warily at the gun. "You aren't going to shoot me."
"Try me." Mandy may not have the same reputation as her brothers, but she was still a Milkovich and her hand was steady. She'd been willing to shoot her father to save Ian and she would hesitate a lot less to shoot Tony right now. The last thing any of them needed was Tony coming in and making their lives even harder. Mickey and Ian had enough to worry about without that.
"You're seriously going to protect those fags?"
"Absolutely," Mandy said. She cocked the gun and Tony finally got up and moved toward the door where he nearly ran into Mickey who was just coming in.
"Mandy, what the fuck's going on?" Mickey asked, his eyes moving between the gun and Tony.
"Tony was just leaving," Mandy said.
Tony barreled out the door, shoving Mickey against the wall as he passed. He wasn't stupid enough to do anything else while Mandy had the gun trained on him though and thankfully Mickey let it go.
"We need new locks," Mandy said once Tony was gone. She put the gun back into her purse and ran a hand through her hair—funny how it was shaking a little now when it had been absolutely steady before.
"What did he do?" Mickey asked. He darted across the room and looked in at Ian, relaxing when he saw him unharmed.
"He threatened to move home and 'straighten' things out." She made air quotes around the word straighten. "I think I got here before he had a chance to do anything to Ian."
A lost, nearly scared look crossed Mickey's face and Mandy almost regretted telling him. She'd never thought of Mickey as vulnerable until Ian had left and now that she knew what to look for she saw it on his face all the time—especially since he'd come out and Ian had gotten sick. He was a Milkovich though and the vulnerability was quickly replaced by anger. "I'd like to see him try."
Mandy didn't have a lot of confidence in Mickey's chances in a fight—Tony was twice his size and had beaten Mickey up more than once when they were younger—but she didn't tell Mickey that.
She turned to leave, but he caught her arm. "Thanks."
Mickey's voice was raw and full of barely contained emotion and she knew he wasn't just thanking her for protecting Ian. He was thanking her for not being like Tony. "Of course, Mick."
He let go of her arm and cleared his throat. When he spoke again his voice was back to normal although void of the sarcastic tone he often used. "Tony's not the only person you should chase out at gunpoint."
Mandy knew that he was talking about Kenyatta and she was really not in the mood for that conversation. She didn't know why it was easier for her to stand up for other people than it was for her to stand up for herself.
"Go check on your boyfriend," Mandy said, ending the conversation.
Mickey didn't press the point and went into his room. She watched him crouch down in front of Ian talking to him softly. It still surprised her to know that her brother was capable of being gentle, but it also made her happy. Ian deserved gentle.
If Tony came back looking for a fight, he was going to get a surprise. Mickey might not be a match for him one on one, but he wouldn't be alone. Ian had stood with Mickey against her father and would do it again if he could, but until Ian was back on his feet Mandy would watch Mickey's back for him.
They may not be as good at the family stuff as the Gallaghers, but the Milkoviches knew how to fight for what they cared about and Mandy cared about Mickey and Ian.