Mitch returned home from his meeting and walked down the hall to Scott's room. The door was ajar, and he could see Scott asleep on the bed. He opened the door and walked across the room casually; he knew a bomb couldn't wake Scott. A bomb, Mitch chuckled at the reality of his thought. Gently, he shook Scott's shoulder. "Scotland." He whispered. Scott didn't react so he called him louder. Mitch realized this wouldn't do so he carefully reached across Scott and grabbed a pillow. Quickly, he threw his arms back and then foreword, hitting Scott in the face. "SCOTT!" Mitch yelled and his friend sat bolt upright, a startled look on his face. "Mornin' Sunshine." He said softly and smiled, but Scott didn't seem to care.
"Why?" Scott asked, rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands. "Never mind, I don't want to know." He stood and walked past Mitch who watched as he stretched his back and neck. "Cereal?" Scott glanced over at his friend as he reached into the closet, grabbing a pair of sweat pants.
"No sweetheart, it's 5 o'clock at night. How about leftover Chinese food?" Scott nodded. Mitch started down the hall to the kitchen. After piling the leftovers up on the counter he grabbed some silverware and napkins. He saw Scott make a B-line for the couch, but he wasn't quick enough. "Scottish, can you please get bowls? I'm too tired to climb up on the stupid counter because somebody can't buy a stool." Mitch huffed, crossing his arms over his chest while he waited for Scott.
Scott reached up, grabbed two bowls, and set them on the counter. He smirked, "It's because I like getting them for you. I'm such a gentleman." He dumped food into the bowls and tossed them in the microwave.
Mitch took his bowl and followed Scott to the couch, their legs brushing as they sat down. He glanced over at Scott who was already looking back at him. He raised his eyebrow and Scott laughed, causing him to laugh as well. Food poured onto the carpet, but Mitch was laughing too hard to care. He began moving toward the kitchen for paper towels, clutching his stomach as he laughed.
The next thing Mitch knew he was choking and Scott leapt up from the couch and was next to him in a second. He smacked his back until his throat was clear. "Thanks." Mitch croaked as he slid down to sit on the floor against the cabinets. To make sure Mitch was okay, Scott sat with him for a minute before he snagged the paper towels off the counter behind him and returned to the mess. He cleaned as well as he could and brought the paper towels back into the kitchen.
"All clear!" Scott announced. Mitch giggled as he was swept off the floor and carried to the couch. The boys sat hip to hip as they finished off the episode of Spongebob. "Can you pleeeaaasee put the bowls in the sink? I don't wanna moooove!" Scott wined, and Mitch stood from his spot on the couch.
"Yes dear." Mitch mumbled and kissed Scott on the forehead. The bowls were collected and tossed in the sink, and Mitch was back to his spot in a flash.
The day passed on quickly but the boys remained in their positions on the couch, TV shows playing one after the next. Somehow a blanket ended up wrapped around Scott snugly, and a bag of chips sat between them.
Scott loved this time. He relished do-nothing days, as they rarely occurred, and he used them to zone out from real world stress. All he could hear was the dull drone of the television. Eventually he felt Mitch rest his head in his lap; absently, his hands played with the dark hair. Scott just stared straight ahead, mouth slightly agape, mind blank. The stillness in his legs got to him so he stretched his feet into the coffee table, pushing his back against the couch. He relaxed and resumed his previous position.
Mitch knew Scott was gone. He leaned back into Scott's lap and felt him jump, but not enough to wake him from his trance. Mitch stared up at his statuesque friend, a small smile appearing on his lips. A hand reached down to his hair and he sighed, closing his eyes. Scott was his best friend, and it was days like this that he wished he was Scott's only friend. It was days like this that Mitch wished that Dianne, Alex, and even Scott's mom didn't exist. He frowned at the thought of Scott's girlfriend and again at the thought of being alone. He needed to find someone, a Dianne of his own, to think of whenever Scott went on about her.
The next thing Scott knew he was awake, yet he couldn't remember falling asleep. Mitch ran his hand repeatedly through Scott's hair until he seemed coherent enough to be spoken to. "Hey Sarah," Mitch whispered. "You've got to get up." Scott groaned and closed his eyes in protest. "I just need you to get in your bed, and then you can go to sleep. Okay?"
Apparently it's not okay Mitch thought, half walking half dragging Scott down the hall. "You need to at least try." He pleaded. Mitch had one hand securely around Scott's waist, the other holding the arm that was slung around his neck. Scott trudged left into Mitch's room, despite Mitch desperately pulling him in the other direction. "Fine my room it is." He mumbled as Scott crashed down onto his bed. Mitch tried his best to help Scott undress, and then went to bed in Scott's room.
Scott rubbed his eyes as he stood in the doorframe, disoriented. He was on the other side of the hallway, Mitch's room. He continued his plan of going to the bathroom, but returned to his room instead. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to a sleeping figure. Mitch stirred, "Fell asleep in here, too tired to move." He mumbled, and Scott smiled at his tired voice.
"Don't worry about it." Scott said softly, joining Mitch under the covers and going back to sleep.
