Endgame (Scömìche)

4. Accessory

Mitch has been itching to talk to Esther since before soundcheck, but the usual treadmill of show-day activities has, so far, rendered it impossible. Before he knows it, the performance is over and they are all back stage talking. He hears someone suggest hitting the clubs and groans quietly to himself. He'll have to think of a convincing reason for him and Scott to be antisocial. With a non-show day tomorrow they get to stay in an actual hotel tonight, with a real bed. Mitch is estatic about the prospect for several reasons. As much fun as the tour bus is, sleeping in the bunks is generally an abysmal experience. And, more importantly, a hotel means Scott. To himself. All. Night. He feels a little burst of anticipation in his stomach.

He snaps back to reality and notices Esther heading into the office area, alone. He seizes his chance, darting in behind her quickly and closes the door. Before he can open his mouth to speak, the door half opens and Scott side-steps into the room.

"Hey!" Says Scott raising his brow at Mitch as he shuts the door again. "Hey, Es".

There's a pause as they all exchange glances, awkwardly aware of the topic at hand.

'Um, Es..." Mitch starts, looking at Scott for assurance, realising that they haven't even discussed what to disclose; spending the few minutes they had between Esther's interruption and soundcheck giggling like idiots instead. "I, um, I think we owe you an explanation," he pauses, looking at Scott, who nods in silent agreement.

"Mitchie, you don't owe me anything. It's none of my business," says Esther.

"I know, and thank you, but I don't want you thinking we we're just fooling around; it's more than that."

She looks from Mitch's earnest face, across to Scott's, taking note of the adoring way he's looking at Mitch, the way he always looks at Mitch. "Oh, baby boy, I know that!" she smiles, abandoning all pretence of cool as she walks over, flings her arms around Mitch and squeezes him hard, tears forming in her eyes. She pulls away, removing her glasses and wiping her eyes. "And I'm really really happy for you. For both of you. I think you're perfect together."

"Awww, Es," says Scott, bounding over and wrapping her up in a big hug, "you old sap!"

"Hey! Less of the old," she says, slapping him playfully.

She puts her glasses back on and steps back from both of them a little. She half perches, half leans against the back edge of the desk and hugs her arms. "Um, how quiet did you want to keep this?" Esther queries. "I um, I might have mentioned something to Avi," she says, suddenly looking guilty.

"What did he say?"

She snorts. "Oh, he said I was delusional. Or hallucinating, or something like that. He shut me down," she says, still sniffing from her emotional outburst.

"He what?" says Scott

"He shut you down?!" says Mitch, idignantly.

"Yeah," she shrugs.

Scott frowns, pulling his hand back through his hair. "That's... a little odd, though? I mean, this is almost a little predictable, isn't it?"

Mitch arches an eyebrow in response. "Predictable?"

"Hey, that wasn't me coming for you; I just mean that from someone else's perspective, it's y'know..."

Mitch grins, enjoying watching Scott squirm.

"Oh, fuck off, Maria, you know what I mean," Says Scott, narrowing his eyes at Mitch. Mitch sticks his tongue out.

Esther coughs lightly. "Well, I, um, I might have called checkmate on you two a few times before..." She shifts, slightly embarrassed. "I think I've invalidated my credibility on this whole topic."