A/N: Another idea given to me by @PTX_Pentaholic99. Thanks babe. ^^

So here's how it all works: Scott wants Mitch and Mitch wants Scott, but Kirstie wants Mitch and Mitch wants Kirstie.

Mitch felt like he was the rope in a game of tug of war.

Kirstie will pull, and he'll go to her.

Scott will pull back and he'll go to him.

Mitch was beginning to feel a little stretched out, the knots in his rope slowly unraveling.

One day he had had enough.

He first called Scott.

"Hey, Mitchie!" Scott chimed.

"Hey, Scott." Mitch replied. "I was just calling to invite you over for dinner tonight at my place, maybe 7 o'clock?"

"Oh, sounds great! I'll be there."

"Great. See you tonight."

"See you tonight."

Mitch hung up, sighing. He couldn't help but feel like he was going to regret this.

He shrugged the feeling off and called Kirstie.

"Kirst," Mitch began.

"Oh, hey, Mitch! What's up?"

"I was just calling to invite you over for dinner tonight at my place, maybe 7 o'clock?"

He rehearsed that line so many times, he was almost sick of it.

"I would love to! And 7 is fine. I'll see you then." Kirstie replies.

"Fantastic. See you then."

Mitch hung up, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

~

As Mitch made dinner for Scott and Kirstie, he began to imagine what could happen once Scott found out Kirstie was there, too and vice versa.

Both will indubitably be angry since they're both vying for Mitch's heart. They may even get angry at him.

Mitch shook his head. He can't dwell on it too much; he might chicken out.

The doorbell rang.

Mitch dried off his hands and ran to the door, remembering to look through the peephole.

Scott.

He opened the door, smiling. "Scott!"

"Hey, Mitch." Scott greets, smiling back at him.

"Come on in." Mitch invites, standing aside so Scott could enter. "I'm still making dinner, so you can just hang out here. It should be ready in a minute."

Scott nods. "59, 58..."

Mitch rolls his eyes. "Shut up."

Scott smirks at him and Mitch walks back into the kitchen.

The pasta was just about cooked when the doorbell rang once again.

"I've got it!" Mitch cries from the kitchen, running to the door.

But Scott already had his hand on the doorknob.

Oh, crap... Mitch thought.

Kirstie had a big smile on her face, then it turned into an angry, thin line once she saw Scott at the door.

Scott most likely had the same expression as well.

"Care to explain why Kirstie is here, Mitch?" Scott inquires, the anger laced in his voice. "You said on the phone that it was just you and I having dinner."

Mitch sighed. "I know. I promised Kirstie that as well." He confesses, leaning against the wall.

"Heck yeah he did." Kirstie scoffed.

"If the two of you would be so kind as to sit at the dinner table." Mitch says, holding his arm out in the general direction of the table. "We need to talk."

~

After Mitch strained the pasta, he returned to the dining room table where Scott and Kirstie sat.

Good. Mitch thought. They haven't killed each other yet.

Mitch sat between them, sighing as he took his seat. This was going to be difficult.

"Scott," Mitch began. "I like you. I have ever since high school. I can't express the joy I felt when I found out you felt the same way."

Scott smiled a little at Mitch's confession, his cheeks gaining a rosy hue.

Mitch turned his head to where he was looking at Kirstie. "Kirstie," He sighed. "We've been friends since we were eight, but I didn't start liking you until much later, just a couple of years ago. I also felt that indescribable joy when I found out about your feelings towards me."

He reached and took both of their hands; Scott with his left hand and Kirstie with his right.

"I like both of you. And both of you like me back. Either love is requited and reciprocated, but the relationship between you two has festered and worsened. Both of you are playing a ruthless game for a fragile human being such as myself."

"Where are you going with this, Mitch?" Scott whispers.

Mitch licked his lips. "I'm sick of being stuck in the middle, being a passageway for the brunt of you two's harsh words and covetous, lustful desires. So, I decided that I needed to choose. Scott or Kirstie."

Kirstie's gaze shifted from Mitch to stare daggers at Scott, and vice versa.

"So, what I've decided to do is that starting at midnight tonight until noon on Wednesday, I'll be spending all my time with Kirstie. And from noon on Wednesday to midnight next Saturday, I'll be spending all my time with Scott." Mitch explained. "Once the clock strikes twelve, I'll announce who I have chosen to be mine. Understood?"

The two nodded, not tearing their murderous stares away from each other.

"Now," Mitch said, standing. "We're going to bond over some nice pasta. Please don't tear out each other's throats while I'm in the kitchen."

Kirstie broke from Scott's stare to watch Mitch walk into the kitchen.

I have to win him over. She thought. I don't know what I would do if Mitch and Scott got together. They already spend all of their time together; Mitch's home is practically Scott's hip since he's always attached there.

After Mitch left her field of vision, Kirstie glared at Scott once again.

Scott narrowed his gaze ever so slightly.

What's she planning? He pondered. Obviously, she wants to be the victor here. So do I. But the way she was looking at Mitch, then at me... I don't know. I just can't help but feel intimidated right now... No matter. This'll be easy. Mitch has to choose me.

Mitch entered the dining room with two plates of steaming pasta balanced on his hands.

He set a single plate in front of each friend before helping himself.

Soon, he got cold feet. Was this whole thing a big mistake? Then again, he wasn't sure how else to solve all this.

But he didn't think about how either would react to not winning his heart, soul, and time.

Mitch shook his head. You're over thinking this, Mitchie. Everything will work out. He mentally reassured himself.

He filled his plate and returned to the company of his childhood friends, and possible lovers.

Scott and Kirstie, as expected, never spoke to each other.

Mitch never spoke up either. It was apparent that Scott and Kirstie were still blowing off some steam, and he was afraid he would set them off again. Besides, he was terrible at walking on eggshells.

~

Once everyone had finished their dinner, Scott asked Mitch for one last hang out before Kirstie had him for half a week.

Mitch agreed after Kirstie reluctantly gave her approval.

"I suppose it's only fair." Kirstie huffed.

Scott smiled. "What do you wanna do, Mitch?"

Mitch shrugged. "I don't really care what we do. What do you wanna do?"

Kirstie rolled her eyes. They sounded like they were teenagers or something.

"I kinda wanna watch SpongeBob..." Scott says.

"I'm down." Mitch replies.

"You two have fun," Kirstie says, rising from her seat. "I'm leaving now. I'll be back at midnight."

"All right." The boys chimed simultaneously.

"I'll see you later, Kirst." Mitch adds.

Kirstie smiled at the thought of spending half a week with Mitch and only Mitch.

~

Scott and Mitch plopped onto the couch and started their SpongeBob marathon.

Not much happened between the two from then until midnight. They laughed, quoted some of the scenes, sang along to the theme song.

Before they knew it, it was midnight and Kirstie was at the door, ringing the doorbell.

"Be right there!" Mitch called. "Scott, can you take the disc out for me and put it back in the case?"

Scott nodded and then stood to perform his task.

Mitch stood as well to answer the door.

Mitch put on a smile as he opened the door.

Kirstie entered, her gaze hardening when she saw that Scott was still there.

Mitch kept the door open so Scott could leave once he had put the disc back in the case.

Scott said a quick good-bye to everyone as he left.

Mitch closed the door, leaving him and Kirstie alone.

Let the games begin.