Today's rec is from a legendary writer in the fandom! @palepinkgoat. I thought it was appropriate in preparation for her upcoming visit to @mayo-in-the-morning and I fukn love her work!!! I've recced her works before in my second "classics" post. Restoration with art by Steorie. And her most recent story Paragraphs. All freakin spectacular stories!! Today's recommendation is a lovely, moving, unique story from 2015. With this post I want to recognize the longevity of this fandom and how incredibly beautiful and impactful the writing and art can be! @palepinkgoat and @steorie both have stories and art spanning a decade! Now for today's fic.
I don't want to spoil anything, so I'm not going to say too much about the actual story. Suffice it to say there are some canon elements, but essentially Ian and Mickey meet in a very unusual setting and hurt, comfort, and healing ensues. 😭This fic is tagged as very dark, and it is, but it's really so so healing and lovely as well. I cried so much on the reread, even though I've read it multiple times. When I read fics written in this era, they often have a very different tone than more current stories. This is one of those fics. It has early gallavich emotional vibes and I love it so much!!! Just all the superlatives, beautiful, amazing, incredible, spectacular!!! 😭😭😭
Life, or Something by pink_ink
This is it folks! The end of Celebration Week 🎉💖It's been a blast! I truly hope you've found some fics you haven't read, or at the very least something you want to reread. I really really hope you've enjoyed my analysis of each one! Thank you all for the support this weeks. The likes, the reblogs, the tags have made me so happy! I love this fandom!!! My next post will be coming in a bit. I need time to recover. 😂See you on the other side! 💖💖💖
Artwork by @suzy-queued for Kinktober 2022 organized by @gallavichthings. Rockstar Legends! 😎
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Warning! Spicy incoming! Today's rec is an AU that's fun and sexy! It does get dark and angsty too though, so read the tags!! It's a WIP, which I thought appropriate for a Wednesday! 😉 It's a multi chapter by @whatthebodygraspsnot, also the author of Sweetpea and How To Bag A Baddie. They are one of my favorite favorite favorites!!! Ian is a rising porn star who ropes stranger Mickey into partnering with him. Sex, love and romance ensue. A perfect concept, perfectly executed. Although a WIP, it is so worth the read. The flirting, the banter, the sexy is FANTASTIC! My favorite versions of the boys. Snarky loner caring Mickey and cocky beautiful vulnerable Ian. Gimme gimme gimme! WTBGN is one of our best writers! The spice is awesome sauce, yes, but the emotions and characterization are on point too!! INCREDIBLE! A lot of you have probably already read this, but I had to rec it anyway. If you haven't read it yet, head over there now!!! It's SPECTACULAR!
That 'Redhead Babyface/FUCK U-UP' Duality by WhatTheBodyGraspsNot
Woo hoo! ✨✨✨It's hump day! I'm half way through Celebration Week 🎉💖Go enjoy this fic!!!
Artwork by @harrowhark-a-vagrant This edit is just so beautiful! Yes they’re both Golden!!
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Today's rec is for a lovely, angsty multi-chapter that's basically a season six fix-it by @marzgaperez. Now don't freak out. It's a body swap story! But not in a slap stick, silly way. It's sweet and angsty and magical and beautiful. This fic addresses questions and issues we have probably all had about Ian's thinking and actions, as well as Mickey's, throughout season six. There's Gallaghers aplenty and Carl plays a major part as Mickey's sidekick. Mandy makes an appearance too. It gives us everything we would have wanted in communication, forgiveness, understanding and resolution. It's just really, really well done. Lots of emotions!!! You know how I'm always telling you to give things a chance. This is one of those stories. It's just incredible! I hope you love it. It will heal you!!!
Your Wish Is Granted by MarzgaPerez
I hope so much that you're enjoying the daily recs. Lots of great Gallavich fics out there. Maybe I'm giving you some things you haven't read. This fic in particular does not have enough love! Go give it some! 💖💖💖
The Gallavich fandom certainly has some amazing writing and maybe nothing better than angsty, hurt/comfort fics. They can tear your heart apart and then put it back together. I had an extremely difficult time narrowing my favorites down and choosing my recommendations for this post. So I’m going to break it into two posts. I feel like I need to preface this post with a reminder of tags and also to please give everything a chance with an open mind!
I used to avoid anything where Mickey or Ian were with someone else. Now, some of my favorite stories start out with one or both of them with another. There’s frequently drugs, separation, violence, a lot of sex and basically everything they had in canon in a good angsty fic. But remember, I only read HEA! A really sad terrible ending is NOT for me!!!!
Another thing I realized looking back through these fics is that so many of the angstiest fics either fix season six and forward or they pick up with Mickey coming out of prison sometime later. Which I think is fair to say the most difficult time in canon. The most heartbreaking fics tend to be canon compliant or divergent. Even with massive drama though, I prefer cooperation and healing in their happy endings.
Let me also say, I absolutely love Ian and Mickey equally. Ian is totally my favorite Gallagher. Some stories seem to put a lot of emphasis on Ian’s mistakes. I hate when one of them is blamed for everything. These recs have them both facing their choices and blaming themselves or each other. Both facing anger, guilt, hurt and resentment. That’s the part that will tear you apart. They are humans making big mistakes and the great thing about their love story, however it’s told, is they come back together to reach forgiveness and healing. That’s the part that puts your heart back together. So here. Have some angst! At least one of these does not have the kudos or comments it deserves. So if you’re feeling the love please let the writers know!!
One More Night by Ride4812
@ride4812
I've read this too many times to count and reread the whole series while compiling my list his week. Gahhhh, this is super angsty and has all the feels. It begins as Mickey gets out of prison after eight years and Ian is with someone else. Mickey also dates someone else for a bit. But of course, they're immediately back into it. It is raw and painful and exquisite! This is super mature, a lot of sex, drug addiction, anger, violence and an HEA!
Favorite line from part one:
Ian: "You think he won't find me without it?" See if you can find it.😉
This is Part One of a series, I'll point out that part two of the series is actually a one shot that isn't actually part of the series, but a kind of "what if". Part one, and three through five cover their story. But part one is my favorite. Part three has ... spoiler alert ... one of my all time favorite marriage proposals! Characterization and dialogue is on point. This is a story of growth, healing and at its core love that cannot be stopped no matter what comes. This absolutely does not have the kudos or comments it deserves. I read this before I started commenting on ao3, so I just commented today. Give them some love if you feel like it. 💖I really do feel like this is a hidden gem! 💖If that's not enough for you, there's a couple of fantastic tattoo scenes in part one and an incredibly beautiful tattoo story arc in the series!!
The New Year by LanJevinson
This one has stuck with me from the first reading. Another fic I've read multiple times. Again, Mickey is released from prison after eight years and they are both with someone else at the beginning. This one also has a lot of Gallaghers along with the Balls and Svet and Yev. Various chapters told from different POVs. So much heartbreak and pain until you get to the good. But just as in every story, they can't stay apart. This one has a Mickey and Carl friendship, mental health issues and healing on their journey to HEA.
Until It Bleeds by everybreathagift
This is another series, Chafed. A series of five one shots in which Ian feels so much guilt and Mickey can't express himself. It is so, so emotional and really well done! It will break your heart, but they both grow and come together with a really incredibly beautiful ending.
Someone to Hold Me Up by westernredcedar
Finally, last one. It is sooooo goood. Mickey is out of prison and Ian doesn't know. EMT Ian is called to a shooting at the Milkovich house that sets them on the path to HEA. It's emotional and beautiful and has a sweet twist at the end. The Gallaghers and the Milkoviches make an appearance, in a good way.
I know this post is a long one and I hope you stuck with me. But there's so much angst in this fandom, I just couldn't cover it in a brief post. I wasn't sure of all the tumblr links for the writers on this post. If you know them, pass this along. Thanks!
Wanted to post something for today’s Gallavich Lovefest 2023! This multi-chap from 2019 is canon adjacent I would say. Stays true to Shameless and the characters, but is a retelling of post season five. Mostly Ian’s journey back to Mickey. Which means a lot of angst, but also so much love. Gallaghers are also featured prominently. I love it! This fandom offers so much content! While researching for this blog I’ve found so many fics that are older, but just sooo good! Give this one whirl! Let me know what you think!
