Scott was really too adorable for words. As soon as Mitch had left his bedroom after showering and getting dressed, the blonde had appeared right by his side.

He was super concerned about how swollen Mitch's ankle had become. He fussed over him, making sure he had taken his pain meds before helping him get situated, sitting sideways on the couch. He used one of the couch pillows to elevate it, propping it up gently.

“Scott, it’s fine. Let’s go get some food, mommy is starving.” He pulled his iPhone out of his pocket to check his twitter feed while he waited for Scott to finish whatever he was doing so they could go get something to eat. His stomach was practically eating itself.

“You aren’t going anywhere right now.” Scott headed to the kitchen, grabbing an ice pack from the freezer and a hand towel he managed to find after rummaging around a bit. “You are going to lay on that couch, watch cartoons, and ice that ankle.”

Mitch looked up from his phone with a pout as Scott reappeared, gently placing the ice on his injured leg.

“But it’s finneeee.” He grumbled.

Scott grinned and leaned over to kiss those pouty lips before standing.

“Don’t worry,” he grabbed the tv remote from the coffee table and made sure it was within Mitch’s reach. “I will go and acquire comestibles for the Queen.”

Mitch's face contorted in confusion and he raised an eyebrow. “Is that edible?”

Scott laughed and leaned down to kiss him again.  “You definitely are.” He grinned against the blushing boys lips before turning and heading for the door. “I’ll be back soon, text me if you need anything.”

 ~

As soon as he was gone Mitch let his head fall back onto the couch. He missed Scott already. He tried to busy himself, browsing various social media apps and surfing through the channels on his tv, but he felt restless. He couldn’t stop thinking about how perfect everything was. Scott was perfect, this morning had been perfect, it was all perfect. It was insane how much he wanted things to always be like this.

He had been so comfortable in his life, his career, and being alone.

That boy had just bulldozed into his life and changed everything. In practically no time at all Scott had taken ahold of his heart, and he loved that feeling. He hadn’t wanted to fall, he hadn't been LOOKING, it had just happened and he was willing to ride this ride until he was forced off.

He just knew that this was real. THEY were real. It was brand new and, granted, really screwed up, but nevertheless, he was all in.

Scott had only been gone for maybe 15 minutes and his loft felt so lonely without him there to help fill it. That thought made him laugh. He’d always loved the large space and loved living alone. He adored his independence, but how quickly that had changed.

When he finally heard the door open and Scott’s footsteps approaching, he tried to peek over the back of the couch to see him.

Scott grinned as he caught him.

“Well it’s a good thing you’re back, I was this close to chewing off my own arm.”

Scott just laughed. “Here is your coffee. The girl at the counter knew your order when I told her who it was for.”

Mitch laughed a bit. “Of course she did.” 

“Well the first step is admitting you have a problem.” He chuckled and Mitch just rolled his eyes, his lips already closed around his straw.

“I stopped at the bakery down the street and the only gluten free options were blueberry and banana, so I got you both because I couldn’t remember which one you liked.”

“Either is fine.” Mitch held out his hands like a child. “Just, gimme. I am literally wasting away as we speak.”

Scott passed him the bag and folded his limbs to sit on the floor in front of Mitch, leaning his back against the couch. They ate in a comfortable silence, Fraggle Rock playing on the television.

After a bit Scott leaned his head back and looked up at Mitch. “How’s your ankle?”

“Better.”

Scott maneuvered to his feet and lifted the ice up. “It looks a bit better. It’s still pretty swollen.” Scott chewed on his lip as he looked at the angry bruises that seemed so prominent. “It looks painful.”

“It’s a sprain, Scott. It’s not going to be pretty. It’s not as bad as it looks, I promise. Especially with the magical fairy dust that the doctor so generously gave me.” He smiled.

Scott seemed appeased and he took the ice and their trash from breakfast into the kitchen to dispose of. He went in search of the brace that Mitch had discarded at some point. He found it on the bedroom floor.

“Legs up.” He instructed as he returned to the living room.

“OOooo yes, your Highness.” He smirked as Scott slid onto the couch, lowering Mitch’s legs onto the pillow he had relocated to his lap.

“What time are we supposed to meet Kirstie?” Mitch inquired while he watched the other man position the brace on his foot and ankle.

“2:30. I called her while I was waiting for our food.”

“So what do we do until then?” He gave his friend an innocent look, but hoped he was up for some not so innocent things to pass the time.

“Well, you can stay right where you are and I can go grocery shopping, because there is absolutely no food with any substance left in this place. How do you survive? How did you even make dinner the other night?”

Mitch blushed a bit. “I borrowed stuff from Kirstie. Also, I've been preoccupied.”

“Too preoccupied to buy something that isn’t cereal?” Scott laughed and moved his fingers over Mitch's foot that wasn't injured and began to massage. “Ok, we will make a list and I’ll go buy-”

“Oh no you don’t. I’m coming too.”

“Mitch.”

“I’m going to the movies aren’t I?"      Diva face on.    "I’ll be sitting for hours, come on.”

“But your ankle is still-”

“My ankle is fine.”

Scott looked like he still wanted to protest.

“Besides, I can’t have you paying for my groceries.”

“Why not? I’m going to be eating them?”

“You’re helping me out with my ankle.”

“Its my fault its messed up in the first place.” Scott’s face fell a bit as he remember the fight.

“No, its not. Well, maybe a little.” Mitch smiled jokingly, but he could see the conflict on Scott’s face. “Look, it’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault except that stupid ass shell. Nature can bite it.”

“I know. I just, I still feel bad.” Scott pressed his fingers into the arch of his foot, and Mitch let out a tiny sound, apparently pleased.

“Babe, you’ve more than made up for it.” He thought of their earlier activities and felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

Scott was quiet, his eyes on the foot in front of him, but a smile crept up his face.

“Alright, you can go, but I swear if it starts hurting you’d better tell me.” He looked at Mitch sternly.

“Yes, mother.” Mitch tried to look annoyed, but he couldn’t even manage it. Scott was too cute.

“I’m serious!”

“Ok, ok. I will. I promise.”

“Ok then. I will go get paper and a pen and we can make a list.” He went to get up but Mitch stopped him with a sound of protest and his good leg to hold him down.

“Un uh. You keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll type the list into my phone.” Mitch smirked and held his foot back up and wiggled his toes. “As you were.”

Scott smiled and continued his massage as he thought about what groceries they might need.

~

Grocery shopping was a fun event. Mitch was like a child and liked to randomly grab things off of the shelves and toss them into the cart as Scott pushed it.

“Do you really need Teddy Grahams? I’m almost 100% sure those aren’t gluten free.”

Mitch looked at him. “No, but they’re yummy. I only eat a couple at a time.”

“I’m sure.” Scott just shook his head and they continued on their way. Even though Scott didn’t really know a lot about cooking, he knew that the things Mitch kept picking up were the things someone living on their own in college might buy.

“Mitch, you can’t just live off of this stuff and most of this has gluten in it.”

Mitch looked at the cart. “It's called moderation. Also, you’re right. I forgot cereal.”

“We have to start over.”

“Why? I eat this stuff all the time.” Scott turned to him and his eyes moved over Mitch's body a bit dumbfounded. He shook his head. It made no sense how Mitch had a body like that and ate enough sweets his teeth should rot out.

“It’s still not healthy.”

Mitch pouted but followed Scott as quickly as his crutches would allow as they started their tour of the grocery store again. This time Scott did the shopping. 

Some fruits and vegetables made the cut, cereal (because who doesn’t like cereal?!) bottles of water, smart water and dr pepper for Scott. Bread, milk, eggs, meat and some other essentials were also added after careful inspection of their ingredients.

Mitch pouted when Scott put back 4 of the 6 bags of chips he’d picked up and he only poked his lip out further as the next to go were all of the cookies. They found gluten free alternatives for the teddy grahams and Mitch picked out one bag of gluten free chocolate chip cookies.

“How were you even surviving?”

“I managed.” Mitch said sheepishly.

Scott shook his head and they continued.

“One box of Popsicles.”

“But I don’t know which ones I’ll like.”

“They’re the same..”

“The brands are different.”

Scott grabbed the more expensive box and put it back.

“I’m not giving up my ice cream.” Mitch stated defiantly.

“I didn’t say you had to.” Scott smiled but checked the ice cream's ingredients anyway.

Mitch didn’t want to admit it, but it felt really good having someone look out for him. No one had cared what the hell he put in his body before, but Scott seemed to care. A lot in fact. Besides, Scott insisted on paying for half of it and Mitch took that as a sign he’d probably be there to eat half of it.

That was worth every bag of potato chips and every single cookie that had been sacrificed.

~

Scott had almost finished putting the groceries away when a knock at the door signaled the arrival of their friend.

“COME IN!” Mitch yelled from his spot on the couch.  

Kirstie hurried inside, a tall guy Mitch had never met trailed behind her.

"Since when do you knock?" 

"I was trying to be polite" she stuck her tongue out at him and he did the same back.

Introductions were quick and Scott appeared from the kitchen just enough to say a quick "hello" and then disappeared back into the kitchen to finish putting groceries away.

Kirstie’s eyes zeroed in on Scott and they followed him as he returned to the kitchen. She left Jeremy with Mitch in the living room and she cornered the blonde in the kitchen as he was putting the last bag of chips in the cabinet.

“What.is.that?” She poked at the large mark Mitch had left on his neck.

He blushed about 10 shades of red. “Its- I just-”

“MMmhmmm. It’s just a hickey!”

His blush deepened.

“I-it was-I was just-” words would NOT form. His heart began to pound in his chest and his brain searched for something to say, some excuse to give.

“Just letting Mitch suck on your neck? Scott, that thing is fierce.” She tugged at the neckline of his tshirt getting a better look at it.

“Its not THAT bad.”

“It’s the size of Texas. It was the first thing I saw!”

He pulled away from her, rubbing his hand over it self-consciously.

“I could always give you a matching one on the other side.” She smirked playfully.

“Kirstie!”

“Just sayin’" she shrugged and laughed. She thought he was being shy when he shifted his eyes away from her.  “Look, its really not that bad, hon. Relax. I was just messing with you.”

She hopped up onto the counter and looked at him. “So it was Mitch, huh? Look, it’s cool you two messin’ around and all, but I really need-” she cut herself off as Scott's entire demeanor changed.

His breath had hitched. He hadn’t noticed it the first time she had said Mitch’s name, this time it hit him full force. She knew. Someone else knew his secret.

This was getting out of hand.

How did she know? Did Mitch tell her? Did he tell Jeremy? Oh, God. Who else?

Kirstie hopped off of the counter, almost afraid he was about to pass out right in front of her. His eyes were darting around the kitchen, and she could see how quickly his chest rose and fell. All color had drained from his face.

“Woah, Dipdot, calm down” She put a hand on his shoulder. “What’s wrong!? Tell me what to do!”

Scott went into a full on panic attack. Being with Mitch was one thing, but Kirstie talked… a lot. What if she told someone? What if -

He could feel the room spinning. He could barely breathe. What if she told someone and they told someone else and it got back to Angel. What if- what if his family found out. What if his dad-

He hurried over to the sink leaning over it slightly. He felt nauseous.

He gasped for air. If his dad found out, he'd never speak to him again. He'd disown him and that would be that. If his father found out -

He didn't want to even think about it.

Kirstie grabbed his shoulders. “C’mon sweetheart, breathe. Scott breathe!”

He tried to suck in air. He closed his eyes, focusing on Kirstie’s voice and slowly his heart rate started to slow down. He was finally able to take one deep breath and then another.

“Kirstie, you can’t tell anyone.”

“Scott, its not a big deal-”

He spun around to face her, wide-eyed and looking terrified. He spoke with urgency.

“Promise!”

She just looked at him for a second, not believing he was freaking out about this. She took a step back.

“Kirstie!” He looked so desperate.

They just stared at each other for a moment.

"please..." he practically begged, his voice dropping to a whisper.

She nodded. “I promise, but I swear if you hurt him… Scott, I love you, but I will END you.” She turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Scott to try and pull his thoughts together.

He leaned over the sink once again and splashed some cold water on his face.

Maybe he really wasn’t ready for all of this after all.