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Kate Gallagher burst into their lives with little warning - which was unusual, given the fact that they were two cis gay men, and it wasn’t like they had unplanned pregnancy to worry about. They’d been told by their case worker that once they put in their application it might take months, even years, to receive a call that they’d been selected by someone. But Ian and Mickey had turned in their application on a Sunday morning, and by Thursday afternoon, they’d been contacted by their case worker, saying that Olivia, a teenager due to give birth to a baby girl in just three months, had chosen them because she’d admired their... well, colorful background .
Apparently being gay ex-cons on the Southside who’d gotten married despite one of their father’s committing a hate crime on their wedding day was inspiring, or whatever.
No matter the case, they’d scrambled like crazy for three months - setting up their extra bedroom and making it into a nursery with yellow walls - “ fuck that gender shit, man, why does she have to have a pink room because she’s a girl or whatever?”, Ian had beamed at that, because his husband really did listen, it seemed. They bought a crib from a thrift store, got her some basic newborn clothes from the Goodwill, and even found all of Liam’s old toys in the attic of the Gallagher house. Mickey insisted he didn’t want to steal any of their kid’s shit, because they were going to be better than their own dads. Ian thought it was ridiculous that Mickey even entertained the idea that he could ever be anything even remotely like Terry, but he understood the sentiment.
~~~~
They got the phone call that Olivia was in labor just a few days before she was due, and Mickey scrambled toward the door so fast that he almost left Ian behind. Ian watched him sprint from their bedroom with a smirk on his face. Laughing quietly, he grabbed their bag - a change of clothes each, two sets of Ian’s meds, a tiny onesie with a train on it that said “somebody loves choo” - and followed his frantic husband toward the door to their apartment. Mickey appeared to have forgotten how to put on his coat, and was just staring at it helplessly. Ian sighed and put his hand on the small of Mickey’s back, saying, “Mick, everything is gonna be fine.”
Mickey wasn’t sure how he was so confident and calm, but figured if Ian could be strong, he could be too. “It’s just... the next time we come home, we’ll probably have her with us. That’s fucken’.. I can’t even believe that’s a real thing that’s happening to us right now,” Mickey’s eyes were wide as they raked over Ian’s face, looking for a trace of panic or doubt.
Ian smiled widely and leaned forward, grabbing the back of Mickey’s head and pulling his forehead to his lips. “We’re going to be great Mickey, you’re going to be an amazing dad. I haven’t been more sure of something since our wedding day.”
Normally Mickey would bat his hands away and glare at him for saying such soft ass shit , but at 1 am on what would probably be their daughter’s birthday, he couldn’t find it in himself to do much other than cling tightly to Ian’s sweatshirt and nod, breathing in the redhead’s scent and letting himself calm down.
~~~~
Kate was born roughly five hours after they arrived at the hospital, with a shock of red curls and bright, searching blue eyes. Mickey was delighted - he’d imagined a tiny Ian running around their home for longer than he’d care to admit. Ian was worried she’d have the same elementary school experience as he did, although he would definitely make sure she was cleaner and wasn’t wearing old clothes that were three sizes too big for her. Ian also had to admit that it felt like fate that they ended up with a baby girl who looked so much like both of them - he’d never say that out loud, because Mickey would give him shit for weeks, but he knew his husband probably felt the same.
Adjusting to their new schedule was hell for both of them. They’d long since moved on career wise from their days of running an armed transport service. Mickey was now a tattoo artist and Ian worked at a helpline for gay youth in crisis. It wasn’t exactly what either of them were expecting, but it allowed them to be more in control of their workdays. Ian especially felt like this was the place he finally belonged, helping young people just like he used to be, in their times of need - what would he have done if he’d had access to something like this when he was seventeen? Hell, what would Mickey have done?
So yes, they were exhausted and cranky and sometimes they’d snap at each other a little more often than usual. But they also got to pick up their tiny daughter from her crib when she was making these little noises, passing her back and forth, soothing her back to sleep. They took turns changing her and feeding her and rocking her in the actual fucking rocking chair that Mickey had come home with one day.
They fell in love with Kate every day she was alive, and in turn, fell in love with each other a little more too.
~~~~
One evening, Ian stood in the doorway of their baby’s room and watched Mickey holding Kate, lightly swaying her back and forth while humming the tune of something that he vaguely recognized from the lullaby playlist they played for her at bedtime. Something from Cinderella, he was sure, something about dreams.
Mickey hadn’t noticed him yet, lost in his own little world. His nose was buried in their daughter’s soft curls, his eyes were closed.
Ian had been watching for what felt like ages when he finally stepped into the room and wrapped his arms slowly around Mickey’s waist. The brunet tensed for just a moment before relaxing into his husband’s embrace, leaning some of his weight against the strong chest. Mickey continued to hum, and the vibration made Ian giggle a little bit. He brought his head down to rest on top of Mickey’s, and breathed in his smell as well.
The three of them continued to sway in circles around Kate’s room, the baby girl wrapped up in her dads’ arms, all of them feeling safe and warm and loved.
~~~~
After a few months, they’d all settled into a routine. Mickey would work most afternoons, so he could take care of Kate in the mornings while Ian worked, then they’d trade when Ian got home. They made sure to spend evenings together, and they almost always did.
Today, though, Mickey had a big piece for one of his best customers, so he’d stayed at work longer than he usually did. As he left the studio, he checked his phone and noticed that it was nearing 7 pm. If he didn’t get home soon, he’d probably miss putting Kate down for bed. He really didn’t like missing that - and he knew Ian didn’t like to do it alone.
The train was late, of course, and Ian had the car that day, so by the time Mickey arrived home, it was to a quiet apartment. He opened the door as quietly as he could and stepped into the kitchen, where he saw a plate of spaghetti covered in plastic wrap sitting on the counter, a bright pink sticky note with a heart drawn on it laying on top. He rolled his eyes and smirked, saying “God, Gallagher, that’s so gay,” before placing it in the fridge. He’d eat once he located his husband and daughter. He walked through the kitchen and down the hallway towards the bedrooms.
Their bedroom door was open and dark when he peered in, but empty. He could, however, faintly hear the sounds of their lullaby playlist, so he followed the sound down the hall further toward Kate’s room.
What he saw nearly made him melt into the floor. His daughter was fast asleep in her crib. It broke his heart just a little bit to have missed bedtime, but he got over it quickly as he scanned the rest of the room. He looked at the baby, focused on her left hand where it was clasped in a much larger hand. This hand was attached to his giant redheaded husband, who was out like a light on the floor next to the crib. His arm was snaked through the bars of the crib. Mickey stifled a laugh as he stared at this man in front of him. He looked much smaller laying there on the floor than he did usually.
It brought Mickey back, suddenly, to the last time he saw Ian look that small. That was a much different time, a completely different circumstance, that day on the porch. They’d both been so lost then. So scared, broken. Neither of them ready to hold the responsibility of each other in their hands. But now... Now they could, and they did, and they held the responsibility of something far greater. Ian was literally holding it in his hand right then.
Mickey sighed, a little watery, and pretended he didn’t have tears in his eyes. He entered the room and knelt down, running his hands through his husband’s soft red hair before leaning down and kissing him on the forehead.
Ian’s eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Mickey and blushed.
Mickey said, “C’mon, sleepyface, let’s go to bed before you hurt your back.”
Ian yawned and nodded, reaching up to cup Mickey’s cheek with one large hand. “Guess I fell asleep while I was telling her about my day, huh?”
That made Mickey’s eyes swim again, and he smiled and helped Ian up off the floor. Ian leaned down and captured Mickey’s lips with his own, and then followed him to their bedroom.