"Could you please stop laughing?" Mitch pouted miserably. He already knew how ridiculous the entire thing was but that didn't mean it wasn't serious. 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She wiped at her eyes and tried to catch her breath. Her stomach ached from laughing, nearly as much as her brain did from information overload. She exhaled a long breath, tiny giggles still somehow escaping. "I'm sorry, Mitch, but how can you be such an idiot!?"

The words were so unexpected that he stared at her for a moment just trying to make sense of them. 

She finally managed to get her composure. "Babe, I love you, but there is no way there is a disorder like that.. at least not to that extent."

"Were you not listening? He went to a doctor! He has pills and everything I've seen them."

"Ok, he may have something but there is no way he isn't taking advantage of it and you. You can't tell me he's addicted to giving blow jobs. He's not accosting Avi or Jake or anyone else." 

"Of course not. It's because he's obsessed with MY penìs." 

"Babe, he's just obsessed with you. He always has been." She put a hand on his knee but he just continued to frown.

"You don't get it."

"I really think I do. Have you done any research into this? Do you know what meds he's taking? Have you even thought to google them?" 

"Why would I? I trust him!" She couldn't honestly be suggesting ... could she?

"I usually do too but I just can't imagine that he isn't exploiting the situation and taking advantage of you and your trust and loyalty." 

"This is Scott we're talking about.

He wouldn't do that to me. You know that." 

"Do I? He doesn't always think rationally or logically when it comes to you. He never has. He's clingy and way more than a tad possessive. Babe, I hate to say it but it seems like he may just be trying to have his cake and eat it too. He wants you as a best friend but he also wants more. This is his way of having you the way he wants to without risking your friendship." 

"Kit-"

"Please don't let him do this to you. I know I laughed, because... hella funny in story form... but this isn't ok. I honestly think he's found a way to use you and get away with it."

He seemed to deflate, the very idea of Scott taking advantage of him just seemed so unlikely that he couldn't bring himself to believe it. He was his best friend. He'd been right by his side for so many years, he couldn't fathom a lie of that magnitude. 

"As someone who knows you both, I think Scott has always been at least a little bit in love with you but is too scared to act on it. Maybe he just wanted an excuse to keep being intimate with you without taking the risk of telling you the truth. He wanted an excuse to get closer and yes maybe he has a bit of something that drives his obsession but I think he's blowing it way out of proportion. I mean he probably thought it would just be a few times and then whatever, but it got a little out of control and he doesn't want to lose you so he keeps doing it."

He shook his head. "No. You haven't seen him when it happens. It's real to him. I just don't know how to handle it anymore. Not the actual act, I mean that part is A+ but how can I have a chance to be happy with someone when Scott won't let me go?" 

"It's time to say no."

"I can't. He'll have a panic attack and end up a mess." 

"No, he won't. He won't die, the world won't end and you'll get to keep your pants on. You have to start standing up for yourself, hon." 

"He wouldn't ... He would never do that to me... or Alex. It's a real thing." His conviction was losing steam and it sounded more like he was trying to convincing himself rather than Kirstie.

"Just do me a favor and google his meds. That's all I'm asking. Scott may be obsessed but I think it's you and not just ..." She wrinkled her nose as she tried to find the right word. ".. parts... of you."

Well that was something to think about. They did have a rather intimate friendship even without the sexy parts. Could Scott be misdirecting that obsession? Maybe. Could Scott be just exaggerating it to get a piece of Mitch he didn't think he could get otherwise? Would he use him like that? Doubtful.

He just couldn't accept that his best friend would put him through all of this just for a bit of messing around.

No. She had to be wrong. Scott wouldn't get up in the middle of the night and drive to his apartment like he had so many times before they moved in together. Scott would never risk the things he did when they were in important corporate meetings and he just couldn't stop himself. He wouldn't put himself through the embarrassment he'd had to endure countless times before.

No. He wouldn't do that to Mitch and he certainly wouldn't do it to Alex.

Would he?

"Alright, I'll google them, but I still think you're wrong." 

"Have you tried to get him to focus on Alex when the urge comes?"

"I think Alex tried, but it didn't work." He frowned.

"Maybe you should talk to Alex. Maybe the two of you can come up with a game plan. Still, I want you to say no, Mitch. You need to for your own sanity."

He stared at the duvet on her bed, scratching at a seam. "What if I lose him, Kirst? I'd rather stay trapped in this situation than lose him."

"Honey, I think you'd have to murder him to keep him away from you. Don't worry about losing him, worry about losing yourself and your own life, your future."

He could only nod, his head and his heart now heavy with a thousand 'what if's he'd never thought to even imagine. 

"Want to stay for dinner? I promise I won't let Jeremy near the stove?" She smiled. "Olaf is a great lap warmer... and gives wonderful hugs."

He couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah. That would be nice." 

Just as he was getting up he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He chewed on his lip when he saw it was from Scott begging him to come home. He hesitated, fingers ready to type back that he would be there soon, but one glance at Kirstie's face and he put it back in his pocket.

"Does he know where you are?" She asked, just wanting to be prepared if Scott came busting down the door.

Mitch shook his head no.

She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Alright then. It's time to live for you, babe. C'mon."

He followed her out into the living room swallowing back the worry that he knew wouldn't go away. Twice more the phone buzzed then a minute later three more times in quick succession, and each time made it harder to ignore. The pull of Scott was almost too hard to resist and it was the first time he realized that maybe he was just as obsessed with Scott as he was with him.

"I can't do this Kirstie." He whispered out, the phone already in his hand as he read the desperate words Scott had sent.

"Yes, you can." She reached out and took the phone and put it on silent before putting it in her own pocket.

"Can you call Alex? I don't want him to be alone."

She nodded a little and reached out to wipe a tear from his cheek he hadn't realized had fallen.

"You'll get through this, hon. I promise."

All he could do was nod, wondering if Scott was alright.