Time passed as it tended to do, and as it did Scott seemed to relax more and more. The panic from his earlier episode seemed to have gone dormant. Although, he did seem to stand further away from Mitch in public than usual. That was ok. That he could deal with. When they had been grocery shopping earlier Scott had been fine standing as close to him as he pleased. He was probably just still dealing with aftermath and Mitch was sure it would pass.

And it did sooner than he could have hoped.

About 25 minutes into the movie his heart nearly leapt from his chest when long fingers crept over his own and interlocked. He looked over at Scott, only to find his eyes still focused on the screen ahead. Mitch gave his hand a little squeeze just because.

That's when he started to lose focus on the movie.

It was funny how Scott always seemed to be able to focus on a movie while Mitch could do nothing but think of him the entire time. He'd have to start watching movies by himself if he ever wanted to actually know what they were about.

Scott's thumb caressed the skin of his hand absentmindedly and it sent shivers down his spine. It caused his mind to return to that morning when Scott's fingers had been doing that to other things.

You are such a perv.

He suddenly wished that they hadn't agreed to go to dinner with Kirstie and Jeremy after the movie. He didn't know if he could make it through this movie, let alone dinner without throwing Scott onto a random table and having his way with him.

Calm yourself. You are not some mindless, sex-crazed animal.

He forced his eyes to watch the giant robot aliens on the screen, but a tiny pout graced his lips.

After the movie ended Kirstie, Scott and Jeremy could NOT stop talking about it. How amazing the effects had been, how great the action was, blah blah blah

On and on and on...

Mitch suddenly wished he'd paid more attention to the movie so he could at least feign interest in the conversation.

Once seated at the restaurant he figured he finally had to join in the conversation or they would start to notice his silence. Kirstie was sure to question why he was being so quiet and he didn't know what he would say if she asked what was on his mind!

Oh, nothing. I'm just thinking about fu¢king Scott senseless right here on this table. How's the chicken?

The thought caused a random giggle to escape which got him a couple of funny looks. He used a funny scene from the movie as an excuse.

His mind began to wander again. He wondered if robot aliens had sex? How would that work!?

More giggles. This time the others ignored him as he stayed in his own little world, sipping his wine quietly.

Then he noticed something.

Jeremy seemed to be getting super comfy with Kirstie and Scott. He was already making plans with Scott to play some crazy sounding video game and Scott had been enthusiastic about agreeing. Kirstie, of course, invited herself to watch.

Now Jeremy was a nice guy and Mitch liked him a lot, but Kirstie and Scott were his. He could borrow Kirstie if that's where this was headed, but Mitch would not be made a wheel of any number. He was a naturally jealous person when it came to... pretty much everything...

Dancing... Clothing... Friends... Scott... .

This needed to be remedied immediately. So, he hopped right into the middle of the conversation and with only a tinge of effort Mitch was, once again, right in the center of attention.

Just the way he liked it.

~

Somehow, just in the balance of things, there always seemed to be one who had to be quiet and this time it was Scott.

He finished his food quietly and listened to the conversation going on around him but he was not really comprehending anything that was said.

No one seemed to notice.

He had too much already crammed in that brain of his and was reviewing it all slowly. He didn't have any distractions now that Jeremy had turned his attention elsewhere, and he was being assaulted with doubts and fears again. He had too many "what ifs" to sort through.

Even as he drove them all back to Kirstie and Mitch's building he remained quiet, letting them keep each other occupied while he sifted through his thoughts.

He needed to get them out. He needed help.

~

"I am exhausted!" Mitch exclaimed as he tossed his crutches to the side and flopped, unceremoniously, onto the couch

"Want me to carry you to bed?" Scott chuckled at the dramatic brunette who was sprawled out in front of him. He wanted to lay out on top of him, and kiss him until his lips were rosy, but his brain got in the way again. His mind really was his own worst enemy.

~

Mitch almost replied with "Who needs a bed, the couch works just as well." but he thought better of it as he realized Scott's smile wasn't full and there was a weariness behind his eyes. That boy's mind was elsewhere.

He'd almost forgotten Scott's meltdown from earlier. His slightly... well, more than slightly fuzzy mind wanted to forget about it for now, but he did want to know what the blonde was thinking about so intently.

"Penny for your thoughts? Well, I don't have any pennies so, handjob for your thoughts?"

Scott looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, completely missing the words that had come from Mitch's mouth. "Hmm?"

"You, ok!?"

"Yeah, just thinking about the movie. The effects were pretty amazing." He wasn't really thinking about the movie at all, but he didn't want to concern Mitch any more than he already had.

He nodded to affirm he was ok, but moments later his mental processing had finally caught up with Mitch's previous words and he blinked his surprise, looking at Mitch a bit perplexed. "Wait, what!?"

Mitch lost it, one hand over his mouth and one on his stomach, head thrown back and his eyes closed as he laughed.

"You are too much, Scott Hoying, too much."

Scott blushed, glad that Mitch was distracted. He lifted the still giggling boy into his arms easily and took him to the bedroom. Mostly just to keep him from questioning him and his inner struggles.

Mitch was too tired to do anything but relax into Scott and enjoy being in his arms. Walking on crutches seemed to take a lot out of a person, even an athletic one. Of course, those 3 large glasses of wine he'd had with dinner probably didn't help matters. The combination of pain meds and wine was probably not the wisest.

"How's your ankle?" Scott inquired as he laid him down on his bed gently.

"Muuuuccch better. I'm just ... super tired." he yawned through the words super & tired and Scott smiled down at him.

"Want me to get you anything?"

"Hmm, PJs would be nice and maybe a glass of water."

"As you wish." He grabbed Mitch some pjs from his drawer and left him to change while he went to get him some water and his pain meds. He also grabbed his discarded crutches from the living room on his way back.

"Anything else her highness requires?" He sat on the bed next to him.

"Just you" Mitch gave him a coy smile, dipping his head to look up a Scott through his lashes.

Scott laughed and leaned down to press his lips to the clever boys for a moment.

When he sat up Mitch held onto his shirt. "Come cuddle."

Scott opened his mouth to speak when his phone decided to interrupt. He sighed when he saw who it was. "Hold that thought." He got up and went out into the living room to answer.

~

Mitch was annoyed. Someone had to have surveillance on Scott or something. It was like someone knew every time they were about to accomplish anything and had to make sure to interrupt them. If it was Kirstie he was going to strangle her.

He leaned up a bit on his elbow trying to see Scott through the crack he'd left in the bedroom door. He could see him pacing. He couldn't hear at first but when Scott would come closer he could hear everything. He listened to the bits and pieces of the one sided conversation fade out and then back in as he came closer to the bedroom.

"Yeah, we can talk about it on Monday.. I do want to go, I just have to double check my work schedule.. You know how that is.."

Mitch tried to guess who it was. It was probably Zac. That guy called and texted more than Mitch cared to acknowledge. It was like he couldn't make a damn decision without Scott's approval. The most annoying part was that every text or call would be met with a smile on Scott's lips.

Scott's pacing moved closer again.

"Don't do that." He laughed. "Baby, I already have one you don't need to buy one... You can have it." He laughed again.

Mitch felt like his heart was being ripped out. Angel.

Zac was bad enough, but listening to the man he had fallen for talking to his girlfriend, calling her Baby, laughing with her... He felt a dozen emotions, all painful, crashing down on him. The mixture of alcohol and prescriptions only made things worse.

He closed his eyes as he listened.

"Tell your mom hello from me and tell her I'm sorry I couldn't be there... Yeah... Ok baby I gotta go, but I will be seeing you soon... I miss you too... Yeah, I can't wait for Monday either. I love you... Sleep sweet, beautiful... Bye."

Mitch didn't want to cry. He didn't want to be sad. He didn't want to acknowledge the sharp stab to his heart that Scott had just delivered. He sounded so convincing, so sincere, so loving towards the woman on the other end of the phone. He didn't know which would be worse: Scott lying to Angel so easily? Or him not really lying at all.

If he was lying then who was to say he wasn't doing the same to Mitch? If he was being honest then why was he here with Mitch's heart in his hands.

The man he'd been giving his heart to, giving himself to, was telling someone else that he loved them. While he was with Mitch he was MISSING someone else.

Screw that. He wanted to be angry. That's what he would go with.

This man he was head over heels for wasn't going to be his. He wouldn't let that girl go. He said he was gay, but that wasn't exactly true now was it. He had to face facts. This was reality. Scott wasn't his. Scott was still making plans with someone else. Scott was still saying "I love you" to someone else.

He had to save himself before it was too late.

~

Scott sighed as he hung up. This was all so awkward and confusing. He was running out of time. He only had tomorrow left with Mitch before Monday would come and his decision would need to be made.

He needed help.

He looked at his phone and found a familiar name and typed in his message.

Scott: R U home?

It took a couple of minutes but he finally got a response

Zac: Yeah

Zac: everything ok?

He didn't reply. He just got up and returned to Mitch's bedroom, half expecting to find him asleep.

~

"Sorry about that."

"Whatever." Mitch just looked at him, face not revealing anything yet.

"So, um I know you were going to sleep, but I need to go out for a couple of hours. I didn't know if you wanted me to take your keys so I won't wake you up when I get back, or..."

"Where are you going?" His eyes locked on Scott's lower lip as his teeth worried at it.

No, no fantasizing about his lips anymore. No.more.

He forced his eyes up and closer to sky blue.

"I just need to get some things from home." He swallowed as Mitch's expression changed about 4 times, none of them happy.

"Can't you just use my stuff?" There was something in Mitch's eyes that unsettled him and it was at this point he began to worry.

He shrunk a bit under the sharp gaze.

"Well, I also need to talk to Zac. He called earlier. He's been having trouble with Vanessa again, and I told him i'd come talk."

Translation: He needed someone to talk to. Zac knew his past, all of it and was the only person he could talk to objectively. He needed someone to give him some direction. He needed someone to ground him before he scattered and drifted away with the wind. He needed reassurance, he needed support. He needed a decision and he needed help making it.

"You'll be asleep anyway. You won't even miss me." He tried to joke, pushing some of the fringe from Mitch's face, but he jerked away from him.

He knew something had just gone horribly, horribly wrong. His heart sank in his chest like a stone.

~

This was it. Everything he'd feared. Everything he had been fighting against was winning. Fine. Let them win.

Zac. Of course. That damned pretty boy that Scott lived with.

Are you REALLY that pathetic you're going to pine for someone who not only has a girlfriend but another secret boyfriend on the side? Really, Mitch? You knew you couldn't keep him, and yet you fell into the trap anyway.

He threw all reasoning out the door and the alcohol/prescription cocktail coursing through his veins only increased his irrationality. But was it really irrational? It had only been a couple of days, but Mitch's inebriated mind didn't see it that way.

Fine! He wants to choose them over me? Go ahead. I don't fu¢king care! Go live your stupid fu¢king life with your supermodel barbie dolls and leave me the hell alone.

~

Scott spotted the change in his demeanor immediately. He could see the quiet anger settling behind Mitch's eyes, building as they narrowed ever so slightly.

"I won't be that late, I promise. I'll be quiet." He tried to fix it. He attempted to reassure he would be back. Did Mitch think he wasn't coming back?

"Don't even bother." Zero to super b!tch in 0.1 second.

Scott froze like a deer in headlights.

"What? I-"

"You might as well just stay at your place." Mitch's face was like stone, save the one eyebrow that spoke volumes in its current placement.

"Mitch, I don't -"

"My ankle is fine"

"No, it's not."

"Scott, I don't need you anymore. It's fine."

Scott took a step back. The words had been meant to wound and they were extremely effective. He didn't do a thing to try and mask the hurt they left behind. It had come out of nowhere, quick, harsh and condescending. I don't need you anymore

"I don't have to go... I was just - " his voice sounded so weak.

"It's ok. You don't need to explain yourself."

"I don't understand. I thought we-" He was too stunned to process all of this. Mitch had changed so drastically in the span of a few minutes. Why was he doing this?

"You thought we what? It's not like you're my boyfriend or anything." Mitch's eyes leveled into him but he sounded so nonchalant about it. He sounded as if that fact was only that, a fact.

No. He wasn't Mitch's boyfriend, but he had hoped- No. He couldn't think that. He couldn't hope for that. That would be really stupid...

Mitch had just made that crystal clear.

"Have fun with Zac. I'll see you later."

Scott didn't even know what to do with himself. Mitch had done a complete 180 and it left him mentally and physically staggering. He simply nodded a bit, and went about gathering his things quickly. He made sure Mitch's crutches were within reach, the whole time forcing back the tears that were fighting to escape. He took one last look at Mitch who gave him a sarcastic smile and a goodbye wave.

After he closed the door behind him he let loose the floodgates.

He was crushed.

~

Mitch's pouting didn't stop. He was tired and cranky and horny and upset. He tried to be smug, he'd hurt Scott like Scott had hurt him. He TRIED to be happy that he had wounded the other man. He just felt stifled.

He got up and wandered around, eventually finding himself in the kitchen. He retrieved the carton of ice cream and the bag of cookies and, with much difficulty, managed to get them to his room without injuring himself any further.

He was thinking every horrible thing about Zac he could imagine. He wished Angel a painful death. He laid there using the cookies as a spoon in the ice cream as he wallowed.

You didn't stand a chance against him. I don't know why you even got your hopes up.

His thoughts were ridiculous, but the more time passed, the more food he ate, the more his thoughts came together. His heart felt heavier and heavier. The loneliness began to creep in, the rationality revealing his idiocy.

You jealous, insecure, stupid little man. What have you done?

He sighed as he realized how horribly he'd screwed up.

How was he supposed to fix THIS?

When he'd said he wanted to get fu¢ked this wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind....

But yeah...

Mitch was royally fu¢ked.