Poison and Wine

Eleventh

There's a panic attack and anxiety mention on the horizon proceed with caution!

"You thought your dreams were the same as mine"

Alex didn't sleep that night. He sat up, listening to the gentle ebb and flow of Scott's breaths, the opposite of his mind that was currently rushing into questions he couldn't answer.

He hated himself for agreeing to the rebirth of this relationship. Granted, he wanted it more than he'd like to admit, and having Scott back home and sleeping in their bed again was all kinds of wonderful. But he had driven into something without knowing anything, and it was scary.

There was no way in hell that their 'competition' meant nothing if Mitch was so upset over not being chosen. And while Alex was somewhat relieved that the two had finally found what had always been there, he was also somewhat hurt. He'd been there for as long as he possibly could've been, giving his heart, his love, his all. And neither Mitch nor Scott could notice how much he cared. Even with the latter laying next to him now, he still didn't feel like he was really his. He used to. He used to believe it and and it used to be true. Perhaps it still was, and he was too lost in worry and theories to believe it, to see it. Because Scott was here, right? Scott had chosen him...right? It was too much for the tall man to digest alone, and he slipped out of bed quietly, letting the moonlight guide him through the room, and not even hesitating as called the beautiful brunette boy who seemed to be ruining what was once simple.

----------

"Seriously, I'll go. I just---I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to wake you up."

Levi smiled, and it warmed Mitch to the core. "No problem. It's good to see you."

"Yeah, yes. It's really good to see you too."

"You're acting weird. Did something happen?"

"Something? Everything. Everything happened, Lev."

"Enlighten me."

"Well Scott and I---after you left we---well we did this competition thing. We did nice things---like coupley things for each other in order to get points. It was basically a distraction, a way for me to get my mind off of you and his off of Alex." By the time Mitch finished, a grimace was on his face.

"Did it work?"

"I don't know. It just made things more complicated."

Mitch had been staring at his hands, watching the way they fidgeted, but when he looked up Levi was looking at him with a smile that reached his eyes. Eyes that looked at Mitch with unconditional love, and the brunette hated him for it.

"What?" Mitch asked. "Is something funny?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Hey, spill! You have to now!"

"It's just that I was right."

"About what?"

"You know."

Did you two always have feelings for one another and now you know?

Mitch couldn't help the laugh that slipped past his lips. "I don't know if you're right. Can you have feelings for two people at the same time?"

"Yes. You just can't keep them."

"Ouch."

"One, the other, or neither."

"I came here for help, not pain."

"Just getting you back. Karma and all of that."

"I wish I didn't deserve it."