Part 24: One Year Later

Mickey was having a cook out at his house to celebrate his one year anniversary to Ian. Austin and Iggy were invited since theirs wasn't too far off. Austin brought Biscuit and one of her puppies to Ian, because after begging by Biscuit, Austin, and Ian Mickey finally caved and said he could have one.

Iggy admired his boyfriend who's blond hair was getting a little long, but it only made him so much more attractive. He and Mickey were competing over who had the hotter boyfriend and so far it was a tie.

"I'm going to ask Austin to marry me," Iggy told Mickey and Mandy by the grill. Mickey flipped the burger over. He pulled a small piece of paper out of his pocket with a ring on the picture. It was cobalt with a silver inlay. It was very beautiful.

"How can you afford this?" Mandy asked.

"I've been saving up," said Iggy as he shoved it back in his pocket. He took a sip of his beer and made eye contact with his boyfriend who was fussing over Liam. "He's so beautiful."

"You really want to get hitched? You gonna take it seriously?"

"Fuck you, Mickey. Milkovich's are loyal. We don't fucking cheat."

"I'm just saying, what if you find someone better," Mickey asked.

"There is no one better. He's too good for me, but for some fucked up reason he loves me," Iggy said affectionately. "I love the fuck out of him. What about you, are you going to ask Ian to marry you?"

"Some day, maybe. We're teenagers, we haven't really said 'I love you'," Mickey said, taking a sip of his own beer as Biscuit ran by his feet. "Who the fuck knows what's going to happen?"

"When are you asking him?" Mandy asked.

"Right after I get the ring. Probably on our actual anniversary."

Iggy walked up to Austin, put his hands in his beautiful hair and stared into his eyes. With his free hand he tapped his back pocket of his jeans. The paper felt as heavy as the real ring would have.

"I love you," Iggy whispered.

"I love you too," Austin repeated with a smile. He brushed his nose against Iggy's.

"Hey, no making out during the cook out," Fiona said. She put space between them.

"Fuck off," Iggy told her as he wrapped his arms around Austin's neck and pressed his body against him. He moaned. "Kiss me." Austin pressed their bodies extremely close and bit Iggy's bottom lip. He leaned him back and kissed him hard and slow.

"What's gotten into you," Mickey asked.

"Austin," Mandy replied.

Ian giggled. Iggy flipped them both off and deepened the kiss with his boyfriend. He pulled back and really looked at Austin. While Austin argued that he needed a haircut, Iggy thought the length was sexy. It fell a little below his ears and was long enough for Iggy to run his fingers through, which he liked. There was something about him that still made his knees knock and his heart thud.

"Hey, every body," Mickey shouted. "I got something to say."

"You're not proposing are you?" Lip asked.

"Shut up," Ian said.

"While everyone here has figured out by now that I'm fucking gay, what they don't know is that Ian Gallagher is the love of my life. This isn't about the sex. I love this motherfucker," Mickey said grabbing Ian by the back of the head and planting a smooch right on his lips. Ian was blushing so red his face looked like his hair.

"Did you really mean that?" Ian asked.

"Every fucking word," Mickey said, "I love you."

"I love you too."

It was on the tip of Iggy's tongue. He could do it. He could easily steal Mickey's thunder and ask Austin to marry him right there. But he wanted to do things the right way. He wanted to ask Austin's parents if they would be okay with him marrying their son.

After the cook out, Austin and Iggy walked with Biscuit back to the apartment. Ian and Mickey were coming to join them. They had "unofficially" moved in and both happily sleep on the couch bed in the living room. Austin loves it, but wants a bigger place.

"So there is a three bedroom apartment for rent around the corner," Iggy mentioned, "If we get full time jobs we could keep up with the payments."

"Let's go look at it," Austin said.

"Yeah?" Iggy said.

The apartment was a simple walk from their old place. It was on the third floor, the elevator was out of service and the place looked shittier than Austin's current residence. The land lord was a bitter black man who offered to knock two hundred off the rent because the last tenant was murdered there.

"I can fix this place up," Austin said looking around.

It was a dump. Iggy couldn't see how they could make it livable. But the look on Austin's face was enough to cause his mind to develop a series of images of him and Austin in this apartment, happily married with Ian and Mickey as roommates and a couple of daughters. Iggy bit his lip and looked at Austin who was trying to persuade the man to let him have Biscuit in the apartment.

"I don't give a shit what you do as long as rent is under my door on time. You could have a fucking brothel in there and I wouldn't bat a fucking eye. 114 has a meth lab, 205 filmed child porn last year, I didn't give a shit, until the cops busted him. I don't like to rent to white boys, but you obviously live in the neighborhood, so I'm gonna make an exception. I got something to say to you though. Don't let anyone know you're queer. This is not a nice neighborhood. Next, this is a high crime area. Don't have expensive shit, and don't talk to the neighbors. Here are your keys."

"Great," said Austin. He was so happy he could sing.

Iggy was happy, but that cut a lot out of his savings to pay the first month's rent on the place. He was short $100 on the ring and it made him ache inside.

Iggy spent the better part of a week making the place livable and ready to move in. Ian and Mickey were forced to help since they would be living there too, much to Iggy's annoyance. He wanted to be alone with Austin, but the blond waiter wasn't having it. He wanted them around. Iggy figured he loved them almost as much as he loved Iggy.

When the place was at least clean, Austin's foster sister, and mother brother over paint to help make the place nice. Fiona and Debbie helped. Sheila Jackson made them curtains to match the colors Austin had picked.

When the place was ready Iggy could hardly believe it was the dump they paid for. He was so impressed he groped Austin in front of his parents. Austin purred like a cat and squeezed his ass.

The walls in the living room were painted a nice blue and the carpet was taupe. Austin had a good eye for color. Lip made a comment that only a gay man would decorate like that. Iggy punched him when Austin wasn't looking. Their bedroom walls were a nice sandy color, Ian and Mickey's bedroom was green, and the third bedroom was plain white.

"I love you," Iggy said after they moved all the furniture in. Austin's mother helped them pay for a new sofa. "Mrs. Rhodes, can I talk to you for a minute?"

He led her into the third bedroom and shut the door. The fresh paint smell was getting to him but this was important and needed to be said away from Austin.

"I want to marry Austin," Iggy blurted out.

"You want the blessing from me and Mr. Rhodes? Aren't you sweet? Of course, sweetie. Austie loves you so much. Welcome to the family, cupcake," she said before Iggy a big sweet kiss. "Just let me know when you're going to ask him so I can make sure I'm there."

Iggy couldn't help but smile. She gave him another squeeze and a big kiss. She whispered that she would keep it a secret from him. Austin appeared in the doorway after his mother left. He put his hands on Iggy's hips.

"What are you thinking about?"

"You," Iggy said turning his head to the left to kiss Austin's chin.

"Are you happy?" Austin asked.

"Of course," Iggy said.

"Are you upset that Ian and Mickey are going to live with us?"

"No," Iggy said, halfheartedly. Austin wrapped his arms around him tighter.

"I love you so much. You're the love of my life," Austin whispered.

Austin kicked the door shut, and they both fell onto the new carpet and began stripping each other. Austin begin grinding against Iggy, who was thrusting upwards to his rhythm. The fullness of Austin inside Iggy made him see stars. He dug his nails into Austin's back as he thrust in and out heavily. Iggy bit his shoulder and begged him to take him harder.

Iggy loved the way Austin's dick felt inside him. He would never admit it to anyone but he loved bottoming with his boyfriend. When it was over, Iggy wasn't done. He pushed Austin down and rode him until he was coming again.

"Someone's horny," Austin said reaching for his glasses.

"Hey, um…I need to do something, I'll be back in about an hour," Iggy said.

"Yeah, okay, do you want me to come?"

"No. Stay here, I'll be back," Iggy said kissing the top of his boyfriend's head after he got dressed. "Mickey, come with me."

They walked around the block to catch the bus. Iggy was excited and nervous. He had the wad of cash in his pocket, but still $100 short. He hoped he could haggle the price of the ring down enough to buy it today.

The ring he wanted was right there. He stared at it through the glass case. It was meant for Austin's finger. Iggy felt his heart swell up as he pictured Austin on their wedding day. Mickey thumped him hard on the back to snap him out of it.

"I can't believe you're doing this. This isn't you," Mickey said.

"Shut the fuck up," Iggy said.

"What do you boys want? Leave or I'll call the cops," said the woman behind the counter.

"I want to buy this ring," Iggy said pointing at it.

The woman tilted her head sideways and her eyes locked on Iggy's knuckles and then at Mickey's. Mickey gave her the finger.

"You're not here to rob the place?" she asked.

"Fuck no. I want to propose to my boyfriend."

Mickey was staring at him as if he was a different person. The woman got the ring out and began to explain it and talk to Iggy about it. Iggy watched Mickey wander around the store. He noticed his brother was staring at chain.

"What's your boyfriend's name?" the woman asked.

"Austin," said Iggy fondly.

"You're freaking me out," Mickey said.

"Fuck off," Iggy replied.

Iggy went home with the ring in a slim box in his pocket. He kept tapping it every so often to make sure it was still there. Austin was smiling, holding a spatula, and Iggy had never seen him look so sexy. He shut the door and grabbed Austin by the hand. Austin handed Ian the spatula.

"What's going on?" Austin asked.

"I love you so much," Iggy said, he put his hands on Austin's hips and yanked him in for a kiss. Austin reciprocated.

"I love you too. What's up?" Austin asked.

Iggy took a knee in the traditional fashion and Austin looked flabbergasted. Iggy opened the box and showed off the ring. Austin's mother squealed and took pictures. Ian was on the verge of tears, Mickey was rolling his eyes.

"Wanna get hitched?" Iggy asked.

Austin chuckled, "You're asking me to marry you?"

"I ain't down here to suck your dick," Iggy said, though he considered it.

"I've never been this important to anyone before. I was always the bridesmaid, but never the bride."

"You gonna marry me or not?" Iggy asked again politely.

"Yes, definitely, I'm just surprised," Austin said giving Iggy several kisses. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Iggy swept Austin into his arms and they made out passionately. Mickey was miming gagging and Ian was sobbing. Austin's mother had never been prouder.

After everything died down and the four men were in their new home, they kicked back with Netflix and beer on the couch, Biscuit sitting in front of Ian and Mickey. Austin was cuddling with Iggy and admiring his new ring.

"So we're done then?" Mickey asked.

"What?" Iggy asked.

"We're done meddling in each other's relationships. You two are getting hitched and Ian and I are in a good place. We're done," Mickey said.

"I guess so," said Iggy, feeling a little sad.

"Wait, a minute," Ian said. "Mandy and Lip."

"To Mandy and Lip," said Austin making a toast, "Our next great scheme."

"Cheers!" the boys said as laughs were shared.