Archive of Our Own ^beta

Mickey was so over the blistering summer heat. He was already day dreaming about autumn leaves on the ground and wrapping himself up in warm coats and thick knitted scarves. Call him miserable but he just couldn’t function during these summer months. He was sweaty, like all the damn time. He was uncomfortable. He was drained. But it didn’t change the fact that he had to take his best bud for a walk on the daily. Cooper, who was named after the one and only Alice Cooper of course, was a golden retriever who had bundles of energy, even now in this hellish heat wave.

“Alright Coop, Jesus, gimme a sec alright” he complained as the big bouncy ball of fur whined and nudged him impatiently.

He splashed his face with cold water and threw on a vest and cotton shorts, the lightest clothes he could possibly get away with wearing without being actually naked. He grabbed a bottle of water and a collapsible bowl for Cooper before locking up his apartment.

They took their normal route to the local dog park which was only a few blocks away. Cooper couldn’t wait to get off his leash and loved nothing more than chasing a ball or collecting loose sticks. Mickey forgot about how grumpy he was whenever he played with him, it was impossible to not smile at his infectious energy and lust for life. He was patting him and wrestling with him playfully when another dog approached them. Mickey recognised the dog and worse, he recognised the owner.

The lanky ass ginger guy had to be the most irritating and obnoxious guy on the planet. There’s no way a guy would be that naturally friendly and fucking happy all the time. He was the kind of guy who remembered people’s names and faces, would purposely say hello to the other walkers in the park, flash them that big annoying grin and even wave at them like a goddamn psychopath.

Unfortunately for Mickey Cooper had betrayed him by befriending said assholes dog, a sort of collie husky mix, with black and white fur and blue eyes. Mickey hated to admit it but it was a beautiful dog and he pitied the fur ball having such a dick for an owner. The guy probably forced the poor dog to eat a vegan diet and see a doggie therapist. He had that look about him. Like he visited the gym every day before going to his local fruit juice bar to drink some hippy green excuse for a beverage.

“Hey, I see he found you guys again” the ginger giant said breezily as he towered over him, while Mickey remained on his ass on the grass.

He immediately felt compelled to stand up, attempting to make himself look more intimidating but it was futile, the guy was a few inches taller, with broad shoulders and a confident stance.

“Yeah, must be stalking us or something” he mumbled as he watched the dogs as they played, purposely, so he wouldn’t have to look at the man.

The guy chuckled and it caused a flutter in his stomach which irked him, he hated this guy, why the hell did it feel like he was getting butterflies in his stomach. Then Mickey made the mistake of looking up at him, properly. The sun made his hair stand out even more, made it look closer to copper than red, he had even more freckles than Mickey remembered perhaps a result of the summer sun and he had the greenest eyes he had ever seen. Whatever, so the guy was objectively good looking, still didn’t change the fact that he was annoying as shit.

“Suppose I better sit him down and talk to him about boundaries, don’t wana get hit with any harassment orders” the guy replied with an easy smile, his “joke” a lame attempt at humour Mickey figured.

Mickey just nodded and looked away, feeling uncomfortable with the way the guy was smiling at him so openly. How could someone be so at ease with just inserting themselves into a strangers business? Mickey just wanted to walk Cooper, play with him in peace, let him get some much needed exercise before heading home. But no, this guy is standing there expecting him to just chit chat and fucking smile and be friendly in return. He remained quiet and continued to watch the dogs hoping the ginger menace would take the hint and fuck off. Man he was going to have to find a new park, the thoughts of bumping into this guy on a regular basis was already getting his heart thumping, anxiety he figured, yeah that must be it.

“I’m Ian by the way and that’s Ziggy, probably should have introduced myself before”

“Why” he muttered grumpily, his eyes still averted.

“Why what” the guy replied with a cock of his head, as if he was genuinely confused.

“Why should you introduce yourself, you don’t know me, it’s fucking weird man, just coming up to people and talking to them”

Again the ginger asshole just laughed and this time it made Mickey blush. He wasn’t even sure he knew why he was blushing, was he angry, embarrassed or was it something else. It felt like something else, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on, it felt almost like he was glad that the guy was laughing, that he had made him laugh like that. For a brief second he had a fleeting thought that the guy looked cute, sexy even but then he shook his head and wanted to punch himself in the face for it.

“Nothing weird about being friendly dude, we see each other all the time, just thought it be nice to know each other’s names at least…being calling you blue eyes in my head for weeks”.

The guy smirked at him and once again Mickey felt his cheeks flush pink. Fuck, was this guy flirting with him, he wasn’t even sure because Mickey was a loner, he didn’t flirt or chat or date, in fact this was the most interaction he had experienced with another human being outside of work at the garage in a long time. He caught those green eyes again and felt his brain turn to mush, his mouth felt dry all of a sudden and he shifted awkwardly on the spot.

“Mickey” he whispered so softly he wasn’t sure if Ian had heard him “and that’s Cooper, well Coop”

“See wasn’t so hard was it” Ian chuckled and Mickey rolled his eyes which seemed to amuse the guy even more. Maybe the guy had a thing for assholes or something because if anything he seemed even more interested in Mickey now.

“What the fuck kinda name is Ziggy anyway” Mickey teased causing Ian to raise an eyebrow at him.

“You mocking my dog, wow, that’s low man” Ian laughed and before he knew it Mickey was laughing along too “it’s after Bowie… as in Ziggy Stardust”

Mickey felt that flutter again, deep in his stomach. He was impressed, the guy had good taste, it was starting to muddy his image of him, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

“Bowie huh….yeah I named him after Alice Cooper” he muttered in response as he threw the ball that Coop had just retrieved and watched both dogs take off again.

“Good choice, suits him” Ian paused and his eyes roamed over Mickey’s face for a moment causing him to squirm under such scrutiny “So Mickey, what do you do, apart from listening to classic rock and being a dog dad”

Mickey snorted at the term “dog dad”; of course Ian would use a goofy term like that “I’m a mechanic, work with my brothers, have our own garage”.

Ian made a face that looked like he was impressed “That’s cool Mickey, owning your own business, getting to be your own boss”.

Mickey snorted again “yeah it’s not really like that, having to work with my bros can be a pain in the ass but I guess it’s alright getting to order them around sometimes….what about you, what you do?”

Mickey couldn’t believe he was actually asking questions and not out of politeness but because he was genuinely interested in the answers. What was even happening right now, he couldn’t understand it and it was starting to unnerve him.

“I’m an EMT, sort of like a paramedic but we aren’t allowed to do the really gnarly stuff”

Ian laughed lightly and smiled confidently as if he was proud of himself despite his joke.

“Wow so you’re like out there saving people every day….make sense” He chuckled and Ian eyed him curiously, his chin jutting out slightly.

“What’s that supposed to mean”

Oh shit he hadn’t meant to sound like a dick but it just came so naturally.

“I dunno man you just look the type alright, like a do-gooder, someone who helps people cause they get off on it, hero complex or whatever”.

He thumbed his nose and cringed at his words, he started to think that maybe his assumptions had been a little unfair and harsh now that he heard them out loud.

He expected Ian to get angry maybe even get physical, I mean if someone insulted Mickey it’s how he’d reacted. People misunderstood him all the time, took one look at his knuckle tattoos and figured him for a criminal or a thug, tried to avoid him out of fear or disgust. Shit maybe he shouldn’t be judging others himself, seen as he knows all too well what it feels like to be on the receiving end of incorrect assumptions.

Instead Ian chuckled hard and smiled at him “I mean you’re not the first to think that and it’s not entirely wrong, I do like helping people, it feels good, course it does, wouldn’t call myself a hero though”.

“Sorry man, didn’t mean to sound like a dick” he replied, surprising himself “it’s just you have this way… like you fucking smile at strangers and wave at them and shit, like it’s nothing….fucking weird man”.

Ian laughed heartily and it made Mickey blush again, made him feel warm inside. He could tell Ian wasn’t laughing at him but was just amused by him, maybe in the way he spoke, he couldn’t really understand it though. Mickey was just an honest asshole and he didn’t think it was exactly an attractive trait.

“What’s so wrong with being friendly, so many people are lonely and don’t have much interaction with others, if saying hello or waving at someone makes them feel noticed or less alone in the world then why not do it. And if someone thinks I’m a weirdo for it then fine but I’d still rather do it on the off chance it means something to even one person out of a hundred. We’ve forgotten what it’s like to just be fucking human sometimes”.

Mickey stared at him as his words washed over him, he was right of course, the annoying asshole. Mickey knew he purposely locked himself away in his apartment because it was easier, he didn’t trust people, felt uncomfortable around them, felt out of place. He was the one that felt like a weirdo most of the time.

“Makes sense I guess, I dunno I just find it hard to talk to people, never mind fucking smiling and waving at strangers”

Ian smiled at him softer now, his eyes looking brighter somehow “well you’ve been talking to me for a while now and you’re doing just fine Mick”.

Mick thumbed his nose and smiled awkwardly at the unexpected compliment and at his new nickname “Guess you’re not as bad as I thought, figured you were an annoying hipster asshole”

Ian laughed so hard his shoulders shook and it caused Mickey to grin smugly “shit do I really look like a fucking hipster, man I must be outta the south side too long”

Mickey’s ears pricked up with interest “south side, you, no fucking way, with that hair and those freckles there’s no way you would’ve survived”

“Fuck you, I was a bad ass alright, no one messed with me….well they did…but they usually regretted it. Was in ROTC, got some moves” Ian raised his fists and attempted a boxing stance which caused Mickey to snort with laughter, man this guy was a goof but an adorable goof to be fair.

“Man if I had of seen your pale freckled ass around I probably would’ve kicked your ass myself”

“Can’t believe we both grew up on the south side….bet you were a little punk as a kid”

Ian smirked and raised his eyebrow at him to which Mickey smirked back as he thumbed his nose.

“Yeah I was a little shit alright, robbing shit, breaking shit, starting fights, skipping school, didn’t exactly have a great childhood, way to escape I guess” he shrugged and sat down to pet Cooper who looked tired from his exertions with Ziggy.

Both he and Ian were sitting now with their dogs sprawled out next to them. Mickey placed a bowl of water out for both dogs to drink and realised they had been chatting for ages, even though he hadn’t felt the time go by in the slightest. He felt at ease in Ian’s company, something he would never have imagined was possible.

Cooper started to get restless and the sun was at his highest so Mickey figured it was best to head on home but for some reason he felt reluctant to do so. As if reading his mind Ian turned to him and asked “you fancy getting some ice-cream or something, I really should be getting him home” he gestured to Ziggy who was busy nipping at Coopers snout playfully “but we could stop on the way, I mean if you wanted”

Ian blushed and looked sort of cute and adorable, nervous even, something that seemed to catch Mickey off guard again, as it was at odds with his original image of the guy “sure yeah, sounds good, there’s a truck just outside the park gates”.

Mickey placed Cooper back on his leash while Ian did the same and they strolled lazily towards the entrance, they were quiet but would catch each other glancing every so often making Mickey flutter a bit inside. These new feelings were so alien to him and they scared him and excited him in equal measure. And what seemed to make him even more interested in the guy was how good he was with Cooper because he was his best friend after all and what he says goes. If he didn’t like the guy then that was that, game over.

They sat on a vacant bench eating their cones while laughing in amusement at the hungry fur covered faces who watched their every move in hopes of a “treat”.

“Alright alright” Mickey chuckled while creating a tiny miniature ice cream cone out of the bottom of the wafer with a blob of ice cream on top. He was pretty good at ensuring Cooper ate healthily, hell he probably ate better than Mickey half the time but a little treat every now and then wouldn’t kill him, especially on a day like today.

“You two are so cute together” Ian remarked casually causing him to blush and bite his lip nervously.

“He’s my best bud, honestly he fucking saved my life….after I saved his” He looked up and Ian was raising his eyebrow at him questioningly “found him dumped inside a garbage bin outside the garage one day, he was still a pup, all scrawny and filthy, looked so pathetic….hard to not fall in love on the spot. I’d be lost without tough…I uh…. don’t do so well with people so he keeps me company ya know….keeps me sane….makes me happy”.

Ian looked at Mickey so softly, almost affectionately and it made his stomach do another of those little flips. He wasn’t sure if anyone, especially a guy, had ever looked at him like that before.

“I get it, I’m kinda the same, the only people I really see are my family or my co-workers but Ziggy makes up for all of that, don’t really need anyone else” Ian shrugged before eyeing him carefully “be nice to have someone though…but he’d have to be a dog lover of course”

Ian smiled and it was as if he was asking Mickey something without saying the words, he was pretty sure he had a good idea what he wanted to ask too but he was brave and asked it first.

“You uh” he paused and scratched the back of his head “want my number or something….we can like hang out again….with these guys obviously”

Mickey patted Cooper on the head who looked happy and content and the good boy that he is nudged Ian with his nose causing the ginger man to laugh gently as he patted his head.

“Kinda hard to say no to this guy” Ian said before locking eyes with Mickey “or you”.

They swapped numbers and Ian assured him that he would text to set something up. They stood awkwardly opposite each other on the street before Ian gestured in the direction of his home.

“Glad these guys forced us to finally sort our shit out and talk to each other” Ian joked causing Mickey to chuckle in agreement.

“Yeah Coop has always been a good judge of character so it’s lucky he likes you….otherwise this would have been a huge no from me”.

Ian smirked at him smugly “so I have his approval then”

Mickey smirked back “yeah…you do...mine too”.

Mickey watched Ian and Ziggy as they disappeared out of view and turned in the direction of his own home.

He had only a take a few steps when his phone buzzed, his newest contact flashing on the screen causing his face to break out into a wide satisfied grin.

“So what are you and Coop doing for dinner later?”