It was getting late and Scott was getting a bit antsy. 

He hadn't anticipated Mitch being gone this long and tiny threads of doubt began to spread throughout his mind. 

He did his best to keep busy, writing a song that would never amount to anything more than probably a tweet or two, watching some really annoying tv show, cleaning every corner of Mitch's apartment. 

Now he was laying on Mitch's bed googling himself and trying to keep his mind from ripping him apart again in response to the negative words that mingled with all of the positivity. . 

He felt a bit of tension leave his body when he finally heard the front door open signaling that Mitch was home. He had to stop himself from dropping everything and running to greet him, opting instead to put his laptop down on the bed gently and slowly make his way into the living room.

Mitch looked up at him with a small smile.

"Hey Jennifer"

"Hey Meghan. How was your date."  He tried to smirk, but it was just a bit shy of his usual, tension sitting around his eyes.

Mitch had already planned a second date with David before Scomiche had finally gotten their act together, and it had actually been Scott's idea for him to still go. (I know, I know crazy... but just hear him out.)  David was a really nice guy and probably would have been absolutely perfect for Mitch, y'know... had he been a tall, blonde, blue eyed singer. It wasn't his fault that he had really poor timing.  It also wasn't his fault that Scott was too selfish to let Mitch go even when he knew he didn't deserve him.  Sooooo he figured it would be best to let him go on his date and explain everything face to face.

Mitch cared a lot about the Scottish man and definitely didn't want to lose his friendship. Scott just wanted him to stick around. If he screwed up, which in his mind was pretty much inevitable, he knew David would take care of Mitch if there came a time that he couldn’t. David was his back up plan.

It was funny how almost all of his thoughts now revolved around Mitch. They had been for ages, he just happened to be aware of it now and it was a bit enlightening and frightening at the same time. 

Mitch rolled his eyes. "It was fun. He was a complete gentleman as usual. He said he was disappointed, but he completely understood and that we would always be friends. Oh, and if I change my mind... to call him." He grinned.

Scott's smiled faltered ever so slightly but he pulled it right back up and rolled his eyes, trying to brush it off.

Mitch laughed and walked over to his insecure boyfriend, wrapping his arms around him. "I love you, and I'm not changing my mind, you silly boy."

Scott hugged him close. "I know. I mean, who could resist this sexy mug, right?"

Mitch's brows rose and fell suggestively.

Scott laughed and shook his head. It had only been 4 days, but they had been the best four days he could pretty much ever remember. He'd all but moved into Mitch's apartment, bringing everything that mattered back with him when he’d made a run for clothes.

Plus the sex was extraordinary! Mitch was always ready and willing, always ravenous, and he was quite impressed that the boy was still able to walk or even move after some of their more adventurous acts.

Strangely enough, minus the sex, everything was just like it had been before the incident. They complimented each other without thinking, the ease, the comfort level slipping right back into place as if there had never been any Alex to rip them apart. They were both happy again, happier even than they had been before.  

This was a new chapter for Scott. He vowed to do everything he could to ensure that he did things right this time. This time, if he got the chance, he was going to be the man HE wanted to be, not what he thought everyone wanted him to be. It was time to grow up. It was time to be the man that deserved Mitch by his side. He was determined to hold onto him, determined to treat him the way he deserved to be treated. Determined not to mess this up, because it was more important than anything, HE was more important than anything. He would show the world the real Scott and own his mistakes, be proud of his imperfections and try not to be so afraid of everything. Judgment would come no matter what. 

Speaking of judgment, tomorrow was the big day and he was scared out of his mind. Mitch had been doing his absolute best to keep him distracted, and was doing quite a good job of it, the little minx, but it would always find a way to creep back in...  the doubt, the fear.

"You're thinking about it again aren't you." 

He sighed and flopped down on the couch.

Mitch climbed onto him, straddling his lap. "Look, say it all goes to shi†, you'll still have me, and you'll still have an offer from Capitol. The big difference is this time you'll have me with you if you take it. I can be like your personal assistant or something."

That made him laugh. "Assist me by telling me to get it my damn self?"  He grinned fondly at his lover.

"Exactly. It's perfect." He grinned and Scott couldn't keep himself from kissing those delicious lips once again.

"I'm starting to think you have an unhealthy obsession with my lips." Mitch spoke against his mouth.

"You're damn right I do." He kissed him again, hands sliding up the back of his shirt to slide along his spine. Things began to get heated (as they tended to do between these two) and Mitch pulled away.

"Easy there, Casanova. As much as I'd love another go round, mommy is still sore from this morning. I swear you have like superhero stamina."

Scott laughed and put his forehead against Mitch's chest as he did. Mitch smiled down at him and slid his fingers through the messy blonde hair.

"Do I want to know?" Mitch spoke against his hair, smiling as Scott couldn't manage to stop laughing and he knew he'd had some mental addition to his previous sentence.

Scott giggled out and lifted his head and smiled at him. "Just thinking you must have an asshοle of steel then, because until this moment you've been up for anything and everything."

Mitch threw his head back, eyes closed as he laughed. "Well, I always knew I was special."

Scott smiled and kissed the exposed neck. "Ok, Superassman, you should probably get off if you don't want to walk in tomorrow like you've been riding a horse.

He smiled but got up and off of him.

“Wanna watch a movie?”

“As long as it’s not some doomed love story i’m all in.”

“The Conjuring it is.”

______________

"Are you kidding me right now?" Mitch leaned down at a newsstand outside of Starbucks and picked up 3 different magazines. He quickly purchased them and headed back to the apartment as he flipped through the pages.. He'd found it was easier if he went on Starbucks runs alone. Scott kept getting stopped every few seconds for pictures or autographs and he was starting to worry that people would start following him back to his apartment. (When stalkers know where you live, that's when shi† gets real)

"Tallulah, I'm home. I come bearing gifts, and news."

Scott poked his head out of the bathroom. "News?" His hair was wet and he was dressed in nothing but his black skinny jeans as he padded out to join Mitch. He grabbed his coffee and took a sip.

"Yup, apparently we're engaged." He held up one of the magazines, a picture of he and Scott right there on the cover walking hand in hand along the streets of New York City.

"Oh, well that's nice." Scott laughed and took the magazine and started to flip through it.

"Yup, you proposed to me on the balcony of your Manhattan apartment after Kirstie's show." He smirked. "Sounds romantic. Maybe not quite on a Beyonce'/Jay-Z level, but I bet that apartment is pretty sweet."

Scott laughed and grabbed another one and began to read through it. "This one is closer. It says we've "rekindled" our romance from our Pentatonix days and rumours of a PTX reunion are starting to circulate. Fingers crossed for a Superfruit reboot."

"Aww, I miss Superfruit."

"Me too. I wonder if anyone still subscribes. I never deleted it."

"I bet it has more subscribers now that more people know who you are. We should look at it when we get back."

"We should, if I'm not a complete wreck when it's over. " He sighed and grabbed the other magazine.

"It's going to be fine!  Ok, you're harshing my chi with your negativity. Stop being an emotional vampire!"

Scott pouted.

“Yes, we all know you’re kinda cute when you pout, put it away." Mitch rolled his eyes

"I'm kinda cute all the time."

"True."

“Maybe I should have a few glasses of wine before we go.”

“Or maybe you should not.  Babe, you just have to be brave like you already have been. I’ll be right by your side the entire time. They aren’t going to go all lynch mob on you, well … as long as Esther isn’t there.”

Scott frowned again.

“Nooooooo” Mitch whined as Scott slid right back into sadness.

“I wish I had a time machine.”

“Well, you don’t. I wish I had Evan Peters in my bed, but we can’t all get what we want.”

Scott shot him a look.

“Hey, sometimes we gotta settle for the cards we’re dealt.”  Mitch gave him a look right back, trying to keep from laughing. Scott did the same thing and somehow they ended up in a fit of giggles.

“You’d really choose Evan Peters over me?”

“Like you wouldn’t sell me out for Beyonce’.”

Scott got a bit quiet as he looked over Mitch’s face. “I wouldn’t. You’re my #1 now.” He reached out to push that stubborn bit of hair back into place across Mitch’s forehead.

Mitch’s cheeks blushed prettily as he smiled at him. “Ok, who are you and what have you done with my best friend.”

“I buried him. He was a bit of a fake dumbass. Don’t worry I’m the new and improved boyfriend version. It was time for an upgrade.”

“Not sure how I feel about this ‘upgrade’ “ Mitch made a face but then burst into giggles as Scott’s arms wrapped around him and started tickling.

"NOOOOOO"

____________

It was an awkward affair once all 5 of them were in the same room again. They'd each contributed to the assortment of coffee and snacks just like normal and Kirstie wasted some time showing them around her and Jeremy’s latest apartment. They finally settled around the living room chit chatting. Scott was the only quiet one, sitting almost forgotten in a corner of the couch, that is until Kirstie looked at him with a small smile.

“So, how’ve you been Scottland?”

His heart skipped a beat. Blinking back a tear, he nodded, giving her the first hint of a smile. “Up and down, but I’m much better now.”

“Oh yeah, I heard you two were engaged. When’s the wedding?!” Avi smiled genuinely and Mitch rolled his eyes.

“Oh my God, I saw that on TMZ!” Kirstie giggled.

“Don’t worry you’ll be invited to the wedding.” Mitch grinned, fighting hard to keep the truth inside. It was a struggle to keep his hand from sliding over onto Scott’s thigh, to keep his eyes from turning to his boyfriend and giving him a knowing look. They’d been so worried about Scott slipping up, but now he was pretty sure it was going to be him who couldn’t control himself. It was a lot harder than he'd thought.

“So did anyone have a song in mind?!” he inquired.

“I was thinking Love Runs Out” by One Republic. It might be a little ambitious, but I figured we could give it a shot. There’s a lot for me to work with, and Avi.”  Kevin suggested first.

Phones were pulled out, lyrics were looked up and suddenly they were off.

______

“You seem really happy.” Kirstie walked up to Scott during the break they’d called so that they could wait for their lunch to be delivered.

He looked at her, smile already stretching his lips. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“It’s gonna take time, but it’s all going to work itself out, you'll see." She rubbed his back a bit.

“I hope so.”

There was a few moments pause as she watched him.  

“You know you look at him differently now.”

He hadn’t even realized his eyes had migrated away from Kirstie and were now on his boyfriend, watching him laugh at something Kevin was telling him.

“What do you mean?” He forced them back to Kirstie’s amused smile.

“I don’t know. You just really look at him now, like you appreciate him more, like you really see him.”

He nearly sighed in relief that she didn’t know yet. It wasn’t that he DIDN’T want her to know, just that he didn’t want her to freak out and cause the entire PTX experiment to implode before it even really got started.

No one, not one of them, would take the news well. At least not yet.

“I do. You have no idea. I appreciate all of you more. I appreciate everything more. I feel like I can breathe again, for the first time in a long time.”

She smiled up at him before wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him close.

“I am soooooooooo glad you’re you again.”

He laughed and put his arms around her holding her close. “You and me both short stack, you and me both.”

____

Three failed song attempts and lots of greasy pizza later (gluten free for MItch, of course) and they finally had something amazing. Avi had suggested Latch and midway through arranging, Scott’s mind had determined that Mitch’s voice would be perfect for La La La and after some tweaking they found they melded together perfectly.

Scott had tried to push Avi to do the solo for Latch, but the bass man quickly declined.

Usually for something that complex they would have enlisted Ben for some help, like Love Runs Out would have to wait for reinforcements, but they were working out this mix just fine on their own.

Scott typed away on his phone trying to keep everything organized, while they ran through a few different ideas.  

It came so easily, falling into their old routine, that they were still going over their first complete draft when Scott’s stomach growled out, letting them know it was nearing dinner time.

They decided to run through it a couple more times to record it and then call it a day, but agreed to meet two days later to work on it some more and to talk about where to go from there.

Things had gone about 1000 times better than any of them had expected and hugs went all around as they said their goodbyes. Scott and Kevin had already headed outside, going over something in the arrangement. Mitch was about to walk out the door when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned to face Avi and worried that all of the happy moments were about to be revealed as a farce, but the older man's face was soft.

“Be careful, ok?”

Mitch didn’t quite understand what he was referring to. “With what?”

Avi gave a sideways glance just to make sure Kirstie wasn’t within earshot.

“You’ve both been giving off signals all day… stealing glances, leaning towards each other, smiling for no reason when you look at each other, trying to stay seperated but being horrible at it?  Look, I may not agree with it, but it’s not my place to tell you how to live your life. Just… please be careful ok? You’ve already been through enough.”

Mitch felt like he might cry. This was his family and they’d already been so supportive, so protective of him. The fact that Avi wasn’t yelling at him, screaming and telling him he was making a horrible mistake, just showed that he had underestimated him in a huge way.  

“He wanted to tell you guys but I didn’t want you all to get mad at him again. It was my choice, well… my choice to get together and also to not tell.”

“I may not understand it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t accept it. But if he hurts you again-”

“Ok, dad.” He tilted his head cutely, shooting him a dimpled smile.

Avi rolled his eyes but smiled that warm brotherly smile. “I’ll see you in two days, kid.”

Mitch left with a bit of a bounce in his step.

Maybe things WOULD turn out the way he'd always dreamed after all. Maybe he could get his happily ever after.