Scott was definitely worried about Mitch. He knew Mitch didn't like large crowds, but the shorter man had never acted this freaked out before. When they went to clubs, he was fine. Why was the fair so different? Sure, there was a larger number of people, but there was also more space. Mitch shouldn't feel too terribly overwhelmed. Nevertheless, Scott would keep an eye on him.
"Oh! Look! There's Kirstie and Jeremy!" Tracy pointed out the two to the group.
"Hey, guys!" Kirstie said happily as she exchanged hugs with Sandra and Tracy.
"Hi, Kitten! How are you?" Sandra asked.
"I'm so excited! This is going to be so much fun!"
"Yeah, fun," Mitch mumbled, glancing around him in an effort to take in his surroundings as completely as possible. The crowd was larger than he had expected, thicker due to the amount of people being clustered together. It was like an enclosure in the zoo, but instead of there being only a few lemurs hanging around, the population was overflowing. Mitch felt like a gazette cornered by a large pride of lions.
Scott figured Mitch didn't mean for anyone to hear his words, but the blonde had heard him. He looked down at the brunette but said nothing. He hoped that Mitch would eventually relax. With his friends around, he should loosen up considerably as the evening progressed into night.
"I guess I'm not here, then," Jeremy commented when the girls seemed to ignore him.
Sandra rolled her eyes. "Please, you're part of our NIPBSAM club."
Everyone looked confused but Tracy. "What?" Kevin finally asked his girlfriend.
Tracy shrugged. "Not In Pentatonix But Still A Member. It's for the significant others of the band members. It consists of you, me, and Sandra."
Avi raised an eyebrow as his soon-to-be wife. "That's the best name you could come up with?"
Sandra playfully glared at him. "Hey, I was under a lot of pressure, okay? I had to think of a reasonable way to tell Jeremy we cared he was here." She wrapped her arms around the taller man's waist in a quick hug. "There. See, we're glad you're with us today, Mr. Lewis."
Mitch giggled as his friends, and Scott smiled at his boyfriend's better mood. "You guys ready to head in?" he asked the group.
They all nodded and stepped into a line to buy tickets for the rides. Numbers and prices were discussed, and in the end, most of the band ended up getting a wristband that allowed unlimited rides. It costed twenty-five dollars, which Jeremy argued was pretty reasonable considering the economy and whatnot. Mitch didn't mind spending a little money, and he knew the other guys didn't as well. They all needed a break, some time to just enjoy the world around them. If it costed them a bit, so what?
Once they all had their wristbands attached, Kirstie asked, "Where to first?"
"That one!" Mitch said, grinning as he pointed to a ride called The Twister.
Scott stared at the contraption in trepidation. "Are you sure, baby?"
Mitch smiled up at Scott. "Yes! C'mon!"
The group rode almost all of the rides and visited many of the attractions. Pictures and short videos overloaded Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram. The fans were having a field day with their outing. They also took multiple snack breaks, courtesy of Avi and Kevin's seemingly endless appetites, and soon, the sun was hidden beneath the horizon. All of the lights had been turned on, and the carnival appeared to be alive. The music pulsed, providing a heartbeat, and the multi-colored lights only fueled the excitement of those within.
Unfortunately, Mitch couldn't appreciate the beauty. His anxiety reached incredibly high levels. Although Scott was right by his side, Mitch felt as if he was alone. There was no one there to protect him, and the thought of having to defend himself was frightening. He was only around one hundred and thirty pounds, after all. What good would that do against someone who was close to two hundred or possibly more?
Different scenarios began running through his head, dark ones. What if someone took him? What would they do? Would they hurt him? How would they hurt him? Would anyone be able to find him? How long would he be in captivity if he was taken? All of the outcomes were not favorable, and it worked Mitch up to the point where breathing became difficult. His heart was beating so rapidly that it felt like it would explode from his chest.
"Mitchell?" Avi questioned as he noticed Mitch was breathing heavily. He had noticed the tenor lagging behind the group. Not only had his behavior been slightly strange, but he wasn't at his usual place: closely tucked under his boyfriend's side.
Mitch looked at Avi, tears in his eyes, and hugged the older man. He released all of his worries and frustrations into Avi's chest. Mitch had always felt safe and protected around Avi. Not that he didn't feel that way with Scott, but Scott held a different place in Mitch's heart than Avi did. Scott was Mitch's forever, his ultimate other half. Scott completed Mitch and made him want to be the best he could be every day. He made his feel beautiful, cherished, and loved.
Avi, however, was the sort of mother of the group. He certainly was the most emotional, as they reminded him time after time in their various interviews and shows. But they did that because they appreciated how much Avi cared. He continued to renew their passions for music when the days seemed to be impossible to get through. If any of them were ever feeling down, the doubts and negative thoughts would disappear with a simple phone call or short visit. Avi was their rock and support.
"Mitch? Talk to me," he ordered softly.
Mitch sighed and tried to quiet his sobs. "I'm sorry. I got caught up in my thoughts and didn't notice you all were walking away."
Scott approached the two. "Hey, baby. Is everything okay?"
Mitch remained in Avi's embrace as he turned to meet Scott's eyes. "I got distracted. I'm sorry. Everything's fine."
Avi raked a hand through Mitch's hair, sorting it back to how the man usually wore it. "Do not lie to us, Mitch. Speak. Tell us what's bothering you."
Mitch sighed. "My anxiety has just been bothering me."
Scott raised an eyebrow. "Still? I thought you were doing better once we all got together and settled into the flow of the carnival."
Mitch shook his head. "I'm still...flustered."
Scott opened his arms, and Mitch easily went to possibly his favorite place on earth. Scott kissed his forehead. "I'm sorry you're bothered, baby. You should have told me. We didn't have to go with the rest of the group. We didn't even have to go to this carnival."
"No! The carnival is fine! I'm okay, really. I can't keep going through life afraid of every little thing."
"Is it that bad?" Avi asked. "Mitch, you might need to get that evaluated. Maybe there's some medication that can help reduce your anxiety."
Mitch shrugged. "Maybe, but the anxiety stems from a fear of everything. Seriously, I'm not joking. I'm always thinking of the worst possible scenarios, and they scare me to death. I barely trust anyone, and I'm getting to the point where I don't even feel comfortable in the apartment, even when everyone's home."
Avi smiled slightly. "You are not alone."
"You are right at home," Scott sang along softly.
"Goodnight," Sandra sang as she approached the trio with the others.
"Goodnight," they all sang in unison, weaving their voices together to create a perfect harmony.
Mitch smiled, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Thanks, guys."
Sandra sandwiched Mitch between Scott and herself. "We love you, Mitchie."
Scott leaned down and kissed Mitch passionately. "I love you."
Mitch returned the kiss with an equal amount of fervor. "I love you, too. Forever?"
"Always."
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